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Tag: Inec

  • 2019: 60 groups seek INEC registration as parties

    2019: 60 groups seek INEC registration as parties

    The number of political parties in the country is expected to increase from the current figure of 40, it was learnt yesterday.

    At least 60 associations have put in application with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be considered for registration as political parties.

    Also, another eight groups have asked from the electoral body the necessary information on the modalities for registering political party.

    The information was gathered at the two-day capacity development workshop for INEC press corps held in Abuja.

    Despite listing 40 political parties on ballot papers, less than ten political parties have elected political office holders either at the state or federal level.

    These include the two main political parties, the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Accord, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Labour Party, amongst others.

    The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, noted that the commission is already considering the applications to ascertain if they meet the required standards.

    While agreeing that the political parties listed are active only when an election is at hand, Oyekanmi however said the Commission was constrained to delist them as the law does not give it that power.

    He further noted that since the law did not also put a restriction on the number of political parties than can be registered, it therefore does not have the power to stop the registration of any new political party.

    He also stressed that at a time the commission attempted to delist non functioning political parties, the court restrained it and hence in accordance to the court ruling, the commission has no power to turn down any group.

    He said, “Presently, we have 40 political parties in the country. I can tell you that as at Thursday, December 15, 60 associations have approached the commission to be registered.

    “Their application is presently attended to and they are in different levels of processing.”

    Meanwhile, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has promised to introduce Information Technology (ICT) in the conduct of further elections in the country.

    This, according to him will help reduce the level of violence as witnessed in Rivers State, which he described as “monumental and unprecedented.”

    Yakubu said that 70 incidents of deliberate process to disrupt the election were recorded in the December 10th re-run elections in Rivers State.

    The Commission, he said, will look deeply into the records and ensure that those involved are prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.

    He said the commission will not spare any INEC staff involved in any shady deals. Yakubu also assured Nigerians that neither he nor the commission has ever received instructions or come under any form of intimidation “by the powers that be.”

    Speaking on the introduction of ICT in the conduct of elections in the country, Oyekanmi  said the commission has already done a pilot test with the Kogi governorship election.

    He also noted that by the time ICT is fully introduced, issues of result discrepancies will be reduced drastically as results will be transmitted right from Polling Units (PUs)

    He further posited that with ICT, it will also be possible to have provisional results of any elections, especially general elections, within 24 hours.

  • Rivers: 70 incidents of deliberate obstructions recorded – INEC

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has said he is too big to be intimidated or influenced by anybody.

    He assured that the commission will prosecute all those involved in the crisis that rocked the December 10 legislative rerun elections in Rivers.

    Speaking at a World Press Conference on Friday, Yakubu also said the commission was thinking of introducing online registration for voters.

    He said 70 incidents of deliberate process to disrupt the rerun election were recorded.

    He said, “Once again, the overwhelming blight on the December 10, 2016 elections is the level of violence and thuggery and there were no less than 70 incidents of deliberate obstruction of the electoral process were recorded. Election duty personnel were harassed, abducted and physically assaulted. On election eve, thugs disrupted the delivery of election materials to the Registration Area Centres (RACs), a situation that prevented early deployment to the polling units on election day. Indeed, in many instances, we had to deploy directly from the local government areas to the Polling Units (PUs) contrary to our plans. “

    He vowed that all those involved in election conflicts will not go unpunished in order to serve as a deterrent to others.

    He also assured Nigerians that neither he nor the commission has ever received instructions or come under any form of intimidation from any group or individual.

    The INEC chief implored the Federal Government to consider the Justice Mohammed Uwais and Lemu Reform report for improvement of electoral process.

     

  • INEC’s independence dangerously drifting, Ekweremadu warns

    INEC’s independence dangerously drifting, Ekweremadu warns

    Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has charged the Constitution and Electoral Reform Committee to help restore the fast declining independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), in order to preserve the country’s democracy.
    Ekweremadu also suggested single term of office to reduce desperation and impunity by politicians as well as the conduct of party primaries by the INEC to reduce the life and death struggle by politicians for control of party machinery.
    A statement by the Special Adviser (Media) to the Deputy Senate President, Uche Anichukwu said that Ekweremadu made the call  at a retreat organised by the Presidential Committee in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
    It said that Ekweremadu expressed worries that “Nigeria is sadly on the part of decline in its leadership role in Africa in almost all sectors, including electoral system”.
    The Deputy Senate President who also chairs the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, explained that the essence of the amendments to Sections 81 and 156 of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly in 2010 was to guarantee the financial autonomy and neutrality of INEC.
    He lamented that the gains made from such provisions in the 2011 and 2015 general elections were being eroded.
    Ekweremadu  said: “The word ‘Independent’ in the name of our Election Management Body, INEC, is critical and must be defended and preserved if our democracy must survive.
    “The bible says that if salt loses its saltiness, it becomes worthless and can only be thrown away. The word ‘Independent’ is the salt in our Election Management Body. All the past reforms and the present efforts will be meaningless if we sit back and watch some desperate politicians destroy the independence of our electoral umpire.
    “The world is watching too. We must ensure that INEC is retained to Independent National Electoral Commission in name and practice, not just National Electoral Commission as it is presently and dangerously drifting to. Inconclusiveness, postponement, cancellation, and manipulation are dangerous signs on the road to 2019”.
    He proposed a jail term without option of fine for security agents as well as staff and ad-hoc staff of INEC, whom he said currently “get away with brazen impunity and malpractices”.
    “It is wrong for anybody to engage in electoral malpractice, but it is even worse if guardians of the sanctity of the ballot box become the desecrators of the process.”

     

  • Our officials were attacked -INEC

    Our officials were attacked -INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released an interim report in the Rivers state Legislative re-run elections that took place today, yesterday in various constituencies earlier affected. The commission said though the election was largely peaceful, its officials were however attacked in one of the few violent incidents that occurred during the exercise.
    “Following the release of the timetable fo the conclusion of the National and State Assembly re-run elections in Rivers State on the 3rd November 2016, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) proceeded to conduct the elections in the state as scheduled to day, Saturday, 10th December 2016.” The report said.
    The electoral body described the exercise to be generally peaceful except in some few local governments were materials were reported to have been snatched.
    “The elections were generally peaceful and the turn-out was impressive except in Akuku-Toru, Gokana, Khana and Tai Local Government Areas. There were alleged reports of dynamite explosions in Akuku-toru; INEC officals were attacked in Khana; electoral materials were snatched in Andoni; and our staff were prevented from conducting the elections in Tai state constituency.
    “In a few other areas where hoodlums threatened the conduct of the exercise, the security agencies intervented and ensured that the elections were conducted in a peaceful atmosphere. In the meantime, actual voting has ended in most polling units (Pus). We urge the good people of Rivers state to continue to cooperate with the commission so that ultimately, we have results that are acceptable to the Stakeholders,” the report said.

  • INEC suspends election in Akuku-Toru LGA

    INEC suspends election in Akuku-Toru LGA

    Mr Austin Okojie, a Supervising Resident Electoral Commissioner yesterday announced the suspension of re-run legislative election in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area.
    According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), elections were scheduled to hold in five units of Ward 12.
    Okojie told newsmen at Abonnema, head quarter of Akuku-Toru Local Government yesterday that the decision to suspend the election was taken after a meeting with representatives of parties.
    He said the election would be held today.
    He said INEC did not continue with the exercise because ad-hoc staff and corps members complained of lateness.
    Meanwhile, representatives of the APC and PDP have expressed mixed reactions to the suspension of the election.
    Mr Tonye Alalibo, Care Taker Committee Chairman of the Local Government, said that the suspension would allow a rival party manipulate the process.
    He said the PDP was ready for the elections but INEC decided to suspend the process.
    Mr Isobo Jack, a leader of the APC in the area, said it was unfortunate that the elections couldn’t hold, but hoped that it would be held as agreed.
    He urged his party faithfuls to be patient and avoid anything that could cause crisis.

  • Rivers re-run elections an improvement – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has described the conduct of the Saturday re-run legislative elections in Rivers as an improvement compared to the suspended exercise in March in the state.

    The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, said in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja while assessing the exercise.

    Oyekanmi said that though there were few cases of violence during the election, there was no confirmed case of killing.

    “Generally, the trail of violent is not as what we witnessed in March.

    “In March, a person was killed and the commission was forced to close the election, but in this Saturday exercise, there is no strong indication for us to say that we are suspending the election again.

    “We think that relatively, we should be able to conclude the process peacefully, the security agencies should be commended for securing most of the places used for the elections,.

    ‘’Voting in some places have been concluded and collation ongoing.

    “We are assuring Nigerians that we are building on our achievements in Edo and Ondo in term of credibility of elections in the country,’’ he said.

    The chief press secretary further said that there were measures put in place to ensure that collation of results remain peaceful and transparent.

    “A lot of precautionary measures have been put in place to ensure that hijacking of election results witnessed in the suspended elections in March does not reoccur.’’(NAN)

  • Rivers Rerun election updates

    Rivers Rerun election updates

    Wike alleges killing of two PDP agents in Ogoni by security agents

    *Bomb blasts in Kalabari, poll shifted;

    *Shootout in Khana, Etche LGAs.

    Bisi Olaniyi

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has alleged that two agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were shot dead in Bodo-Ogoni in Gokana Local Government Area of the state, by security agents.

    The mobile line of the Rivers Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), was not available for reaction to the allegation.

    There were also bomb blasts in Abonnema-Kalabari, the headquarters of Akuku-Toru LGA of the state, with elections in the area postponed till Sunday.

    Hoodlums equally engaged security personnel in heavy shootout in Bori, the traditional headquarters of Ogoniland and the seat of Khana LGA of the state and other parts of the LGA, with gunshots also recorded in Etche LGA.

     

    Gunshots by thugs in police uniform in Ogoni

    Bisi Olaniyi

    There were sporadic gunshots this afternoon by thugs in police uniform in Bodo-Ogoni, the hometown of the Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), Chief Kenneth Kobani, in Gokana Local Government Area of the state.

    The shooting took place at St. Pius College of the crude oil and gas-rich Bodo, when accreditation and voting were about to commence.

    The voters  and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) scampered for safety when the security agents were overwhelmed.

    PDP, APC supporters clash at Peterside’s community

    Supporters of the People Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, have clashed at Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the LGA of the Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASSA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside.

    At least, three youths, believed to be members of the APC have been injured. As at the time of this update, the cause of the free for all is unknown, but it may not be unrelated to the issues of intimidation.

    When Contacted Peterside said, “Opobo/Nkoro is peace generally now. We observed that they imported some people from outside the LGA.”

    “Election for one unit was hijacked by some boys, but the security agencies have recovered it. That materials have arrived and it is going orderly for now.”

    Result sheet not available in Amaechi’s ward

    There is confusion in the polling unit of the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi over the whereabouts of the result sheet for the rerun election.
    Accreditation was initially delayed for hours due to claims by the polling officers that they did not have the result sheet and was awaiting one from their superior officer.
    However, when the senior officer showed up, he said he had earlier signed one allocated to the ward in Unit 14 in Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government area.
    In the confusion that arose over the claims and counter claims, voters who had lined up for long attempted to assault the polling officers but peace was restored by security officers.
    The Minister along with other voters were still waiting for the exercise to commence at the time of this report

    GOC denies Rivers PDP chairman’s  alarm on killing, mass arrest in Ogoni

    Bisi Olaniyi

    The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the newly-created 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Maj.-Gen. Kasimu Abdulkarim, has described as false, the alarm raised by the Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Felix Obuah, on the alleged killing and mass arrest of members of the party by soldiers in Tai-Ogoni and Gokana-Ogoni Local Government Areas of the state.

    Maj.-Gen. Abdulkarim, in a telephone interview at 11:34 a.m. admonished all right-thinking Rivers people and other stakeholders to ignore the lies of Obuah and other leaders of the PDP.

    The GOC said: “It (Obuah’s allegation) is not true. Let them not create conflict within a conflict. Nobody should raise any alarm. I have just returned to the office in Port Harcourt, from monitoring the elections, which have been peaceful and the voters are orderly.

    “I was with the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Operations), Habila Joshak, when the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, called him to know the security situation on the ground and he (DIG) told IGP that everywhere was very calm and the electorate exercising their franchise. I do not know why they will cry wolf, where there is none.”

    Rivers PDP chairman, at 10:38 a.m. today, raised the alarm on the killing and mass arrest of members of the ruling party in Ogoniland by soldiers.

    Obuah said: “PDP in Rivers State condemns Nigerian Army’s arrest and killing of members of PDP in Tai and Gokana LGAs. The soldiers arrested over 200 PDP members in Tai LGA, 12 innocent PDP members were shot and one member of the party was killed in Tai LGA.

    “Barako community in Gokana LGA was also invaded by soldiers, scores of PDP members were arrested.”

    END.

     

    Election: Voting commences

    Voting has commenced in Rivers re-run legislative election taking place in eight Local Government Areas.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that accreditation and voting began at 8.30am in Wards 10 and 16 of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area.

    At Ward 16, unit 1, a voter, Mr Christian Aniakor, said the process was peaceful, cordial and smooth.

    “ I voted at 8.35 am. It was a peaceful exercise and I am impressed with the security arrangement, early arrival of election materials.

    “ This has indeed, reduced the pre-election tension which made it look as if it will be bloody,” he said.

    Mr Jeffrey Chuku, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agent at the Ward, said he was impressed with the conduct of the election in the area.

    “ We are satisfied with the conduct of the election in the ward. It has been peaceful so far,” he said.

    M Chibuike Maraihe, All Progressives Congress (APC) agent at the ward said, the election began early and had been peaceful.

    “ I am impressed with the conduct of the election in the ward. The exercise has been free and fair here and as you can see, there is heavy security presence in the ward,” he said.

    At Ward 10, Unit 12, Mr Edmund, Naaku, the agent of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), said though voter turn-out had not been much, voting commenced at 8.55am.

    “ My take is that the exercise here has been peaceful. We have not recorded much voter turn-out. I am optimistic people will come to vote later in the day,” he said.

    NAN also reports that the card reader machine was used to accredit voters while the incident form was used in units where the card reader did not function.

    INEC Presiding Officers in the wards said the election had been peaceful and smooth.

    In Akuku-Toru Local government Area, materials arrived late in the five units where election will hold.

    NAN reports that INEC officials had commenced distribution of materials to the affected units while voter turn-out was impressive. (NAN)
    No elections in many parts of Obio/Akpor
    Clarice Azuatalam

    The rerun election is not taking place in many areas of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

    In Elelenwo and Eneka areas, no election was seen going on.

    An INEC source said that voting in the LGA had already been concluded in the March 19 rerun election and their representatives for state and house of representatives have been sworn into office.

    Snatching of electoral materials: INEC cancels election unit

    Bisi Olaniyi,

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State, Aniedi Ikoiwak, has announced the cancellation of the rerun in Unit 3, Ward 9 of Ogu, the headquarters of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of the state, over snatching of electoral materials by hoodlums.

    Ogu borders Ogoniland and Okrika, the headquarters of Okrika LGA of the state, where Dame Patience, the wife of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and a former militant leader, Ateke Tom, hail from.

    PDP chairman raises the alarm on alleged arrest, killing of members by soldiers

    -Army yet to respond

    Bisi Olaniyi,

    Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Felix Obuah, has raised an alarm on the arrest and killing of many members of the party by soldiers in Tai-Ogoni and Gokana-Ogoni Local Government Areas of the state

    Obuah said: “PDP in Rivers State condemns Nigerian Army’s arrest and killing of members of PDP in Tai and Gokana LGAs. The soldiers arrested over 200 PDP members in Tai LGA, 12 innocent PDP members were shot and one member of the party was killed in Tai LGA.

    “Barako community in Gokana LGA was also invaded by soldiers, scores of PDP members were arrested.”

    The Spokesman of the newly-created 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Col. Timothy Antigha, was immediately contacted to react to the allegations, but he was yet to do so at the time of this report.

    Govt. never planned to use drones to monitor rerun elections-Commissioner

    The Rivers Commissioner for Information, Dr Austin Tam-George, has described as untrue comments in some quarters that the state government plans to deploy drones to monitor the rerun elections in the state.

    He told Newsmen in Okrika on Saturday that the Nyesom Wike-led government was deeply interested in ensuring free, peaceful and credible legislative rerun elections.

    “That is a lie, we never contemplate using drones to monitor the elections, we are interested in following, casting our votes and ensuring they count,’’ he said.

    He said that the People Democratic Party had directed its members to be peaceful but vigilante.

    “We are opposed to violence and electoral criminality, we will only use peace and legitimate means to ensure that nothing illegal happens,’’ he said.(NAN)

    Turnout impressive, election peaceful in Bera, Gokana LGA

    The Rivers legislative rerun election has commenced peacefully in the state with a massive turnout of voters in Gokana Local Government Area of the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the exercise in being conducted in the three Senatorial districts for senatorial seats.

    The rerun is also held in eight Federal Constituencies for the House of Representatives seats and 10 State Constituencies for state assembly seats.

    In Bera Ward 16, Gokana LGA, the turnout was early and massive while the election materials arrived at 8.30 a.m.

    NAN also reports that card readers are working well in all the 16 polling units of Bera Ward 16 in local government area visited.

    The accreditation and voting started simultaneously at exactly 9.11a.m in all the units of Bera Ward 16.

    NAN further reports that all the polling units in the local government were organised in the Community Secondary School, Bera.

    The agency reports that voters were coordinated but under the heavy presence of the security operatives.

    All Progressives Congress (APC) and All Progressives Grand Alliance agents were seen in each of polling units in the Ward 16. (NAN)

    Long day expected, as electoral materials leave rack centre in Ogoni late

    Bisi Olaniyi reports: Long day is expected today’s (Saturday) during the legislative rerun across the three senatorial districts of Rivers State, as electoral materials are just leaving (at 9.40 a.m.) the rack centre in Ogale-Ogoni in Eleme Local Government Area of the state.

    The security situation in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, and Ogoniland is commendable, with heavy deployment of soldiers, policemen, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agents, in order to ensure free, fair, peaceful and credible elections in the 1,840 polling units in all the 23 LGAs of the hitherto volatile Niger Delta state.

  • Bill for financial autonomy for National Assembly, judiciary, INEC scales second reading

    Bill for financial autonomy for National Assembly, judiciary, INEC scales second reading

    THE House of Representatives is pushing for financial autonomy for the National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly, Federal and state judiciary as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its state version.

    The lawmakers have also waded into the resource control controversy by beginning the process of granting states the control of mineral resources in their domain.

    This followed the second reading of a bill sponsored by Aminu Shagari (APC, Sokoto), who said the alteration of the 1999 Constitution would place the Federal and state legislatures, the judiciary and INEC on first line charge.

    According to him, the two arms of government and INEC would no longer have to rely on the Executive for their finances to carry out their statutory responsibilities independently.

    The bill is seeking to alter Section 81 of the Constitution by adding two new sub-sections

    It  says: “The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission shall cause and laid before each House of National Assembly, at any time in each financial year, estimates of the revenues and expenditures of the National Assembly, the judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission respectively.”

    The implication is that the heads of expenditures, proposed for the benefit of the National Assembly, the judiciary and INEC would henceforth be charged upon the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

    Consequently, their money bills would be known as Consolidated Charge Fund (National Assembly) bill, Consolidated Charge Fund (Judiciary) bill and Consolidated Charge Fund (INEC) bill.

    The bill is seeking to delete sub-section 3 of the constitution and replace it with a clause whereby any amount standing to the credit of the National Assembly, Judiciary and INEC shall be paid and disbursed directly to the Clerk of the National Assembly, National Judicial Council and Chairman, INEC respectively for disbursement and management.

    Alteration of Section 121 was meant to effect same changes at state level.

    “The essence of the alteration is to allow the legislature, the judiciary and the Electoral Commission at Federal and state prepare their estimates and present it before the Assembly.

    “This will allow them to have their budgetary allocations disbursed directly to them.

    “The intent of this is to truly make them independent in carrying out their statutory responsibilities and eliminate chances of being compromised,” Shagari said.

    The Minority Leader Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta), in his bill for an Act to alter the 1999 Constitution to vest the control of the revenues derived from minerals, mineral oils and natural gas, under or upon any land in the state of the Federation, argued that the alteration was to relief the Exclusive List of some unnecessary burden while freeing up states to unlock their potentials.

    He said: “Nigeria is blessed with natural resources and there is no state that does not have natural resources they can depend on, but monthly allocations from the Federation Account has made everyone lazy.”

    Emmanuel Oker-Jev said the bill must be supported because it was aiming to accomplish what the 2014 National Conference failed to do on resource control.

    The two bills scaled second reading after being put to voice vote by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, who referred them to the special ad hoc committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution.

  • INEC to deploy 10,294 workers

    INEC to deploy 10,294 workers

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is to deploy 10,294 workers in Saturday’s National and State Assembly rerun in Rivers State.
    The commission said 14 categories of workers would be deployed as follows: Three Returning Officers for the three senatorial districts; eight Returning Officers for federal constituencies; 10 Returning Officers for federal constituencies; 23 Local Government Collation Officers; 221 Registration Area Collation officers; 57 Collation Officers (for collation only at Registration Areas); 231 Supervisory Presiding Officers; 1,840 Presiding officers; 6,609 Assistant Presiding Officers (I, II and III); 661 Assistant Presiding Officers (VP); 363 Reserve APOs (five per cent) of APOs; 21 Constituency Supervisors (three SDs; eight FCs; 10 SCs); 24 Local Government Area Supervisors; and 223 Registration Areas Supervisors.

  • Rivers Rerun: Corps members urged to be mindful of danger  

    Rivers Rerun: Corps members urged to be mindful of danger  

    …REC beg NYSC members not to change their mind

     

    The Director General of the National Youth Service Corp, Brig-Gen. Suleman Kazaure on Tuesday told the corps members serving in Rivers State to be security conscious during the December 10th rerun election, saying “If there is danger secure yourself first before any other thing”.

    The state and national legislative elections were cancelled in some local government areas of the state because of wide spread violence that marred the earlier March 19th polls and claimed the lives of a corps member and other persons.

    The development had cause panic among corps members as most parents allegedly have instructed their children not to be part of the December election.

    Sensitizing the corps members who had volunteered to participate in the election during 1-Day orientation on Safety Security at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Kazaure instructed the corps members to be safety conscious.

    Kazaure who was represented by Mrs. Abosede Okaku, the Director Corps Welfare and Health Services said by the grace of God the corps member who have been listed for the rerun election will come out unhurt.

    She said it  is going to be a major election on Saturday,  “I just want tell you that the NYSC and INEC has MoU dated 2008 and we have been participating in elections.”

    Kazaure assured the corps members of their security, warning that the government would not take it lightly with anyone who compromises the security of the youth service corps members.

    “I have told you, 10th December we are having major election here in the state and you will be involved. We asked Corps member to volunteer, we did not make it by force. It is only those corps members that volunteered that will take part in the election.

    “Avoid bribery and corruption, destruction of electoral material because they  are punishable by law. You are asking the question on security of the corps member, the DG has liaised with the security operatives, the IG, the Commissioner of Police, the Army commander, the Federal Road Safety Commander and others for your security.

    “Your security is very importance to us. We will not allow any attack on our corps members. We will not take it lightly with anyone who would want to compromise the security of our corps members. Anywhere you are, put a call through to us so that we will know how to get you out.

    “You will be protected. Put your uniform and your ID cards so that will know who is an impersonator. If you find out that there is danger secure yourself first before any other thing.

    “Abide by the rules of the election. Do not be drunk before and after the election. Display a high level of patriotism and integrity. Be cautious and polite and neutral and be very firm.”

    Meanwhile, the State Coordinator on NYSC, Mrs. Ngozi Nwatarali charged the corps members to take the issues raised on the conduct of election seriously.

    Nwatarali stated that the security and safety of the corps member was of the utmost importance, stressing that the corps does not want to lose any copper.

    “You are also allowed to seek clarification on the preparations for the election. I encourage you to accept all the admonitions to you about the election and treat with all seriousness. If you accept them I have no doubt that doubt that there will be a free and fair election.

    However, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak begged the corps members who had volunteered for the election not to change their mind.

    Ikoiwak said, “I thank the corps members who accepted this call. I urge you not to change your mind. Nothing should make you to change your mind to say, yesterday I accepted but today I have changed my mind.”