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Tag: Inec

  • Anambra senatorial rerun: Act within the law, APC tells INEC

    Anambra senatorial rerun: Act within the law, APC tells INEC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to act within the ambit of the law and allow its candidate, Barrister Sharon Ikeazor, to contest the forthcoming rerun election for Anambra Central senatorial district.

    The party, in a statement by its National Secretary, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni, said it was the right of the party to substitute its candidate for any election in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

    The party said that its candidate in the initial election, Dr. Chris Ngige, has duly withdrawn his candidacy in the rerun having become a Minister.

    He drew attention to Sections 33 and 35 of the Electoral Act, 2010 which, according to him, allow the party to substitute its candidate.

    Buni said: “Dr. Chris Ngige who contested the election in March 2015 on the platform of the APC is now a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and has withdrawn from the fresh election ordered by the Court of Appeal.

    “To avoid a vacuum, the party after due process presented the candidature of Barrister (Mrs.) Sharon Ikeazor as replacement for the original candidate who withdrew from the race.

    “By law, a political party has the right to nominate and sponsor candidates in all elections in Nigeria.

    “It is immaterial whether it is a general election, bye–election, new election, fresh election or election of any nomenclature.

    “The right of a political party to substitute a candidate who dies or withdraws his/her candidacy is contained in Sections 33 and 35 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended).

    “The All Progressives Congress (APC) is confident that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a law-abiding body will be guided by the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and continues its efforts to deliver peaceful, free, fair and credible elections.”

  • Anambra: Okonkwo opposes re-run election

    Anambra: Okonkwo opposes re-run election

    • Demands issuance of certificate of return

    The last has not been heard of the crisis in Anambra State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a Senator from Anambra Central Senatorial Zone; Annie Okonkwo has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue him a certificate of return.

    Okonkwo’s request is hinged on a recent Supreme Court’s judgment, where it upheld the legitimacy of the Ejike Oguebego-led executive of the PDP in the state. Okonkwo’s name was on the list of candidates submitted to INEC by the Ejike Oguebego-led Executive, but was later dropped based on a Court of Appeal Judgment.

    Although the Court of Appeal, in a recent decision, nullified election of Anambra Central and ordered a rerun, Okonkwo is of the view that such rerun was unnecessary.

    Okonkwo, in a letter written by his lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN), to the Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, argued that the right decision for INEC to take was to issue him with certificate of return in respect of Anambra Central Senatorial zone and not ‎to conduct a re-run election.

    Okonkwo said ‎the effect of the Supreme Court judgment consequently was that all those who were not part of the List of Candidates produced by the congress/primary elections that the Ejike Oguebego and his Executive Committee participated in, and monitored by INEC ought and must vacate the positions they presently occupy having not been validly nominated.

    “We hereby reiterate our demand in our earlier letter to you that our client Senator Clement Annie Okonkwo be issued with Certificate of return in respect of Anambra Central Senatorial Zone. Anything short of this is unacceptable,” the letter reads.

    Part of the letter dated February 3, 2016‎ reads, “By the decision of the Supreme Court in SC.37/2015 allowing the appeal and setting aside the decision of the Court of Appeal, parties are back to status quo which is the point where the names of successful candidates had been published by INEC including that of Senator Clement Annie Okonkwo of PDP for Anambra Central Zone.

    “This was as at 13th January 2015 being the last date for INEC publication of list of nominated candidates for National Assembly (see INEC time table attached as annexure 2). See also section 34 of Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

    “His name and that of other successful candidates of PDP were uploaded in INEC website in compliance with the Federal High Court Order. It will be noticed that your commission indicated that our client’s name was published pursuant to ‘court order’‎.

    “However when on 6th February 2015, the Court of Appeal set aside the said judgment of the Federal High Court, your Commission quickly removed the name of our client from the publication as candidate and replaced same with other name, Uche Lilian  Ekwunife who was subsequently issued with Certificate of Return by your Commission after the election.

    “It is pertinent to note that when your Commission removed our client’s name, there was no Consequential Court Order made by the Court of Appeal to that effect, but your Commission relied on the necessary implication of the judgment of the Court of Appeal.‎”

    Incidentally, INEC on February 3, published an advertorial in which it included Anambra Central Senatorial zone among the re-run elections fixed for 5th March 2016.

    Okonkwo said he was one of the beneficiaries of the Supreme Court judgment in Appeal No. SC. 37/2015 and should be allowed to enjoy the benefit of that judgment.

    He reminded INEC that his name was the number one on the valid list of Anambra State’s candidates for election into the National Assembly.

    He exhibited a copy of the list in the letter to the commission.

    According to him, he is a product of the only validly held primary election conducted by the PDP to produce their candidate and the only primary election monitored by INEC.

    He also drew the commission’s attention to the decision of the Court of Appeal Enugu Division in Appeal No. CA/E/EPT/28/2015 which is an election appeal between Chief (Sir) Victor Umeh & Anr Vs INEC, Uche Ekwunife & Ors.

    Okonkwo contended that Ekwunife’s disqualification was personal to her and not to the PDP and that since PDP won the election and he been the validly nominated candidate should be issued with the certificate of return.

  • PDP threatens to sue INEC, Speaker

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State has threatened to take legal action to clarify the status of Terkimbi Ikyange in the House of Assembly.

      This followed a judgment of the Federal High Court in Makurdi, which ordered that elections be held in two state constituencies in Ushongo Local Government.

    The Chief Press Secretary  to the Speaker, Mr. Bem Abunde, described the threat by the PDP deputy chairman as an attempt to give false hope to members, saying the Speaker had a four-year tenure and there was nothing the opposition could do.

    The party was reacting to a statement credited to the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Istifanus Dafwang, which said the electoral body would conduct election into one state constituency in Ushongo, as against the two ordered by the court.

    In a statement by its Deputy Chairman, Dr. Tsetim Ayargwer, in Makurdi yesterday, PDP urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to comply with the court order or face legal action.

    It described Dafwang’s comments as “reckless, thoughtless, smacking of impunity and a disregard for the rule of law and integrity of the judiciary.”

    Speaking through his chief press secretary, the Speaker said PDP is yet to recover from its defeat.

    He said the court was available for the opposition, adding that it should go to court as it threatened.

  • Kogi: Tribunal orders rerun in 14 LGs

    Kogi: Tribunal orders rerun in 14 LGs

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is to conduct re-run election in 1, 988 polling units in 14 local government areas of Kogi State on February 20th.

    The Kogi State Resident Electoral Commission (REC), Mallam Haliru Pai disclosed this on Thursday during a stakeholders meeting.

    According to him, the re-run election as ordered by the state election petition tribunal will hold in two senatorial districts of the state, Kogi Central and Kogi East.

    He further disclosed that All Progressives Congress (APC) will not be participating in the Kogi Central and Kogi East senatorial election following the court ruling which barred the two candidates and the APC from contesting.

    He said that the APC will not participate in federal constituency election into Ogoro/Okene federal constituency as a result of court ruling, adding that only the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is eligible for the re-run election.

    On the Kogi State House of Assembly re-run, the REC said the APC and its candidates will not participate in the Ofu and Ankpa 1 re-run, but that the party will participate in Idah, Dekina/Biraidu and Okura re-run.

    He stressed that in Idah, re-run will only take place in one unit, Ogegele ward, unit 003.

    He said about 9,816 ad-hoc staff including youth corpers, security officers and other personnel will be participating in the re-run election.

    He assured the people of the state of a free and fair re-run election, stressing that the reason why re-run election will take place in the 14 local government areas of the state was as a result of non conduct of primary by one of the parties, “which led to litigation.”

  • Fire razes INEC office in Ebonyi

    Fire razes INEC office in Ebonyi

    Fire has razed the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

    It was gathered that the fire resulted from bush burning, which started from a far distance before engulfing the INEC office.

    Caretaker Committee Chairman of Izzi council Richard Idike confirmed the incident. He lamented the damages because nobody was within the office premises when the fire started.

    “The fire burnt the entire building because there was no security man or staff around to quench it. When I got there, I called the police and some other persons.

    “My report has been submitted to the appropriate quarters, including the state government. The fire burnt a large hectare before it got to the INEC office and razed it down completely. We have put measures in place to forestall a recurrence,” Idike said.

    Electoral Officer Paul Etanen said the fire destroyed furniture, documents and other valuables. He said the incident has been reported at the INEC headquarters in Abakaliki.

  • Emeka, Okonkwo, others storm  INEC for certificates of  return

    Emeka, Okonkwo, others storm  INEC for certificates of  return

    Senator Annie Okonkwo, Senator John Emeka and others stormed the Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Abuja Wednesday demanding for their certificates of return.

    Though they met with INEC officials after a long wait nothing came out of it, but they vowed to return to the commission Thursday.

    The action stem from the out coming of last week Supreme Court which resolved the leadership crisis in the Anambra State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the favour of the Ejike Oguebego faction which conducted primaries for the affected persons.

    Speaking on their presence at the commission, Senator Emeka said they were in INEC with the aim of collecting their certificate of returns.

    He however said that they were able to meet with the legal counsel of the commission and the Secretary, Mrs Augusta Ogakwu.

    The officials he said told them they were going through the judgment paper.

    He said, “What we have come here to do today is to collect our certificates of return as the winners of the elections.  I have to be here tomorrow also to see if the certificates are ready.”

    When asked if it was the commission that asked them to come back, he said “I want to believe that the commission is working on this and Nigerians are waiting to see what the commission is going to do. Look I don’t have any doubt in my mind that the commission will take the right step. The right step, being obeying court orders. In every democracy the rule of law must prevail.

    I understand that there is scheduled engagement and I am not going to stampede the chairman. I have to respect his office and there are appointments already set up. I am satisfied with the set of people I met. I met the legal counsel, the secretary and a national commissioner and they assured me that they are working on it.

    “I believe there is an end to litigation any other steps they are taking is trying to ridicule the commission. We had rumour about going for interpretation; I don’t know what that means. ”

    When asked if they intend to take other steps should the commission refuse to issue them the certificates of return, Emeka said the Supreme Court has spoken and that is the end of the matter. He also said they do not intend to take the law into their hands as they are law abiding people.

    He stressed that no other step is open to the commission having lost the opportunity at the lower court.
    Only on Monday, Chief Chris Uche, (SAN) wrote INEC demanding the  release of certificates of returns to Chief Chris Uba, Senator Annie Okonkwo, Senator John Emeka and 41 others.

    This is coming on the heel of last week’s Supreme Court Judgment.

    The apex court, in a unanimous judgment by a five-man bench upheld Ejike Oguebego led executive committee of the party against the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

    Uche was the counsel to the Oguebego faction at the court.

    In his letter addressed to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, titled “Compliance with judgement of Supreme Court Anambara state PDP National Assembly Candidates SC/37/2015-Ejike Oguebego and Anor vs Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)” dated 29th January 2016,  Uche stated that the effect of the Supreme Court judgment is that those who were not part of the list of candidates produced by the congress/primary elections under the watch of Oguebego and his executive committee ought and must vacate the positions they presently occupy on the ground that they were not validly nominated.
    Already, there is confusion over the fate of the present members of the National Assembly on the list of the other faction of the party.

    The names of Chris Ubah, Annie Okonkwo and 42 others were replaced following the Appeal court judgment of 6th February 2015, prior to the 2015 general elections.

    Uche who is the counsel to affected candidates on the list of Oguebego in his letter to the electoral body stated further that now that the apex court has finally settled this matter, it was the responsibility of INEC to enforce and comply with the said judgement.

  • Imo earmarks N5 billion to boost agriculture

    Imo earmarks N5 billion to boost agriculture

    Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, Wednesday said that his administration has set aside N5 billion for the development and transformation of the rural communities in the State.

    Aside as part of measure to ensure that the huge investment achieved its purpose, the Governor also inaugurated three hundred and five Government Liaison Officers (GLOs) representing each of the 305 INEC Wards in the state, stating that their primary assignment is to drive the government’s policies and programmes in their respective wards for progress, development and growth.

    Inaugurating the GLOs, the Imo Governor, added that strong leadership must be established at the community (ward) level to drive the development, noting that, “today there is the challenge of downturn in our economy as a result of dwindling oil prices. There is unemployment and insecurity and to address all these, the Governor cannot stay in the Government House and know what is happening in every ward and community. Therefore, the need to share some of my powers with you is inevitable. We will not share the chorus of under-development because of dwindling economy but we shall all rise to build the Imo of our collective dreams and aspirations.”

    The Governor continued, “the GLOs are the pivots on which the wheel of job, job, job policy will rotate.  The GLOs simply mean Job, Job, Job.  Government has set aside the sum of N5b for the purpose of the projects in the wards to be driven by the GLOs.  Go back to your ward and work out how to create Jobs. Take charge of the eco-system.  The GLOs are all challenged to create all the enabling environment for transformation.  You are the flagship of the essence of democracy.  We shall make the state the hob of the economic drive of the south east and by extension the nation.

    “We are also concerned with the issue of security.  The GLOs should allay with traditional rulers and others to review the issue of Imo Community Watch.  At 40 we intend to do things differently to move Imo state forward. Imo is not a fool at 40.  Therefore, we are here gathered to improve the steps and legs of Imo state.  GLOs are created to restructure the wards for greatness.

    “They are to ensure that we develop the resources of the various wards and create jobs and ensure development of the wards.  You can call the GLOs mini-governors.  Today, we have challenges of all types hence the need to decentralize power for result and to build Imo of our collective dream.”

     

    He added further that, “we want to create Jobs and boost the economy of the state.  The GLOs with the traditional rulers and others working together can make a big difference.  This will also help us to fish out new leaders because if one can fix his ward, he or she can also fix the local government and state.”

    He charged the GLOs to look inwards and create more economic activities in their localities.

    He reminded them that the Rescue Mission Government made bold promises of Job, Job, Factory, Factory, Industry, Industry, in his campaign manifesto and this cannot be achieved without a proper structure upon which the wheel of job, Job, rotates, pointing out that they must think outside the box to create at least 100 jobs for 100 youths in each ward within the shortest possible time.

    The Governor also empowered them to oversee the activities of their wards and make recommendations of who should be appointed for certain positions for the purpose of job creation which he said must be agro-based

    He explained that the money set aside is to sponsor agricultural activities in the wards with the purpose of creating wealth.  “Our strength now lies in agriculture since oil is no longer a good story for Nigeria, we must diversify our economy and the first point of call should be agriculture.”

    Responding, the Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, who is equally a GLO, commended the Governor for the trust reposed in them, promising that with the calibre of people inaugurated as GLOs the set objective will be achieved.

    He equally assured on behalf of his colleagues that within the next 90 days significant impacts will be felt at the wards and the government and people of the state will be proud for giving them the opportunity to serve in that capacity.

     

  • INEC releases time table for rerun elections in 15 states

    INEC releases time table for rerun elections in 15 states

    The Independent National Electoral Commission Tuesday released the time table for the rerun elections.

    The elections which cut across 15 states of the federation, according to the electoral body will only involve political parties that participated in the last election with their respective candidates.

    The elections are for the electoral issues that terminated at the Appeal Court.

    According to the released time table, constituent election for Gombe will hold on the January 27th, Adamawa, February 13th; Kaduna, Plateau, Niger, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Taraba and Imo February 20th.

    That of Abia, Anambra and Bayelsa have been scheduled for March 5th; Akwa Ibom slated for March 12th while Cross River and Rivers scheduled for 19th March.

    The Commission noted in a terse statement signed by its Secretary, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu that “consequent upon the judgment of the court, the commission will conduct the elections in 69 of the said constituencies with the same political parties and their respective candidates.”

     

     

  • INEC urged to release certificate of returns to Chris Uba, others

    INEC urged to release certificate of returns to Chris Uba, others

    Chief Chris Uche, (SAN) has written to  the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) demanding the  release of certificates of returns to Chief Chris Uba, Senator Annie Okonkwo, Senator John Emeka and 41 others.

    This is coming on the heel of  last week’s Supreme Court Judgment which resolved the leadership crisis in the  Anambra State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the favour of the Ejike Oguebego faction which conducted primaries for the affected persons.

    The apex court, in a unanimous judgment by a five-man bench upheld Ejike Oguebego led executive committee of the party against the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

    Uche was the counsel to the Oguebego faction at the court.

    In his letter addressed to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, titled “Compliance with judgement of Supreme Court Anambara state PDP National Assembly Candidates SC/37/2015-Ejike Oguebego and Anor vs Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)” dated 29th January 2016,  Uche stated that the effect of the Supreme Court judgment is that those who were not part of the list of candidates produced by the congress/primary elections under the watch of Oguebego and his executive committee ought and must vacate the positions they presently occupy on the ground that they were not validly nominated.

    Already, there is confusion over the fate of the present members of the National Assembly on the list of the other faction of the party.

    The names of Chris Ubah, Annie Okonkwo and 42 others were replaced following the Appeal court judgment of 6th February 2015, prior to the 2015 general elections.

    Uche who is the counsel to affected candidates on the list of Oguebego in his letter to the electoral body stated further that now that the apex court has finally settled this matter, it was the responsibility of INEC to enforce and comply with the said judgement.

    Uche who also copied the Chairman, Legal Service Committee, INEC Headquarters, Abuja; Ibrahim Bawa, (SAN), Director, Legal services department INEC and Hassan Liman, SAN INEC Lead Counsel stressed that there was no other primary election conducted by PDP to produce any candidates other than the one that produced his clients.

    The letter reads in part: “the effect of the Supreme Court judgment consequently is that all those who were  not part of the list of candidates produced by the congress/primary elections that the Ejike Oguebego and his executive committee participated in, and monitored by INEC ought and must vacate the positions they presently occupy having not been validly nominated.

    “In the light of the foregoing, we therefore demand that your commission complies promptly with the said judgment of the Supreme Court by issuing forthwith Certificates of Returns to our clients as the authentic and legitimate candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party for Anambra state who won the election, the entire gamut of litigation having been exhausted.

    “We look forward to your timely cooperation and compliance.”

  • Uba brothers, Oduah, others battle for Anambra senatorial seats

    Uba brothers, Oduah, others battle for Anambra senatorial seats

    A key member of the Ejike Oguebego faction of Anambra State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Chris Uba, has warned his brother, Senator Andy Uba, Ms. Stella Oduah and other to stop parading themselves as senators.

    Uba, while arguing that the judgment of the Supreme Court last Friday, which affirmed an earlier High Court verdict recognising the Ejike Oguebego exco as the state’s authentic leadership, advised the affected senators and House Representatives members to step down.

    He said he would lead other candidates, who emerged  under the Oguebego-monitored primaries, to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday to demand their certificates of return.

    Andy and Oduah faulted the assumptions that the Supreme Court removed them from office, arguing that they were not party to the suit, which dealt with leadership crisis in Anambra PDP.

    Chris, who described himself as the “senator representing Anambra South,” while speaking with reporters in Abuja yesterday, said he was shocked that those who should be conversant with the laws could be deceiving the public regarding their true status after the Supreme Court failed to recognise the alleged dubious way through which they got to the Senate.

    He said: “The time for substitution had passed and we were busy doing our campaigns when, one week to the election, the Andy Uba faction went to the Court of Appeal and set aside the judgment of the High Court. Based on that, they took the judgment to INEC and their names were used to substitute our own. We cried foul, insisting we were not party to the suit. But INEC insisted that our names were initially published based on a court order and that we should appeal.

    “We appealed to the Supreme Court and the verdict on Friday vindicated our position, as the Supreme Court set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal and agreed with the High Court and granted our five prayers.

    “Now, they (Andy Uba and Oduah) went on the air and issued press statements to deceive the public that the order from the Supreme Court did not affect them because they were not a party to the suit. The question is: when our names were removed by INEC and replaced with theirs, were we party to the suit? Now, they are shouting and trying to misinterpret a clear judgment that has removed them and given us victory. They are just deceiving the public. We will demand our certificates of return from INEC on Monday because the judgment is clear. We do not need to seek any further clarifications.”

    Uba added:  “When the exercise started, INEC wrote a to the PDP headquarters, telling the PDP that the Ejike Oguebego exco was the one that it would recognise based on an order of a Federal High Court in Abuja.

    “Unfortunately, the PDP ignored that letter and, instead, set up a two-man caretaker committee to come to Anambra State to conduct primaries. Of course, there was no room for that caretaker committee to operate in the state because the key to conducting the primaries is the three-man delegates from the 326 wards in the state.

    “It was obvious that without the state exco, the caretaker committee cannot be functional because the people to organise the state congress were expected to liaise with the state chairman. From there, they would set up a committee to go to the wards where the delegates to elect candidates into the legislatures, would emerge from. So, when they set up this caretaker committee, the Ejike Oguebego exco went to court and got a judgment recognising it as the right exco, therefore, making null and void the caretaker committee.

    “The judgment also instructed INEC and the PDP to conduct the electioneering exercise under the Ejike Oguebego exco, including the candidates participating. So, we obeyed the court order and did our primaries. The exercise was monitored by INEC and the relevant papers signed.”

    He said it would amount to injustice if the court had ruled in favour of the other group, comprising Andy, Ms. Oduah and others, who allegedly did not undergo any primaries nor visited Anambra.