Tag: Inec

THE Department of State Security (DSS) has alleged that materials used for the National Assembly election in Kogi West Senatorial District were tampered with by yet-to-be identified persons.

A preliminary report dated July 6, issued by the DSS on its investigation into the complaint by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said some materials used for the poll were tampered with.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hussaini Halilu Pai, on June 20 told the DSS that some “sensitive electoral documents” were tampered with.

INEC has confirmed that Dino Melaye was properly nominated as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the National Assembly election in Kogi West.

DSS said in its report by I. Mustapha (principal staff officer, Investigation) that “it was reported that in the quest to make available these electoral materials for tribunal proceedings in the court, multiple thumb-printing was discovered on the used ballot papers, among other anomalies.”

The report said “several INEC workers from Kogi Local Government and the state headquarters, who were believed to, in one way or the other, played a role in the movement and took custody of the INEC materials, were invited to the command headquarters for questioning.”

The report added that from written statements by INEC workers, “some categories of INEC workers were, by their action or inaction, culpable in the matter.

“It is observed that the matter under investigation may not be unconnected with the above categories of INEC workers, who handled the materials at one point or the other.”

The investigation team, which said it was yet to unveil the identities of those involved in the crime, added that investigation was stalled by their inability to screen the materials being used at the tribunal.

INEC, in its report on the primary election of December 8 last year, signed by the INEC monitor for APC, Kogi West, Shehu Bala Saggi, showed that Melaye won the primaries held at the Township Stadium, Kabba, with 2,077 votes, as against Bidemi Odeyemi, who polled 326 votes.

“Arising from the results, Melaye was returned as the elected candidate of the APC in Kogi West,” INEC said in its report, a certified true copy of which was obtained yesterday.

A witness for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday said allegations of rigging and the hijack  of electoral materials in the Rivers governorship election were false.

An Electoral Officer (EO), Mr Ebikoru Tebekaemi, gave evidence in support of INEC at the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja.

The tribunal is considering a petition filed by the APC candidate, Dr Dakuku Peterside, challenging the return of Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner.

[ad id=”403656″]INEC counsel Mr Onyechi Ikpeazu said the commission would call witnesses to prove its claim before the tribunal.

Ikpeazu led Tebekaemi, who supervised the election at Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, in evidence before the tribunal.

Tebekaemi, an electoral officer at the election, said the election was duly conducted in 15 of 17 wards in the local government area he monitored.

“My lords, it was only at wards 12 and 13, which are Rumuigbo and Rumokuta, that election did not take place. I was also not aware that people were seen at a football pitch thumb-printing ballot papers in favour of Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),’’ he said.

According to him, sufficient electoral materials were distributed across Obio/Akpor and other parts of the state.

He tendered as exhibits a copy of the election result sheets of Obio/Akpor.

Tebekaemi denied irregularities when asked by the counsel to the petitioners, Chief Akin Olujimi, (SAN) if he was aware of rigging and snatching of electoral materials by armed thugs.

The witness told the tribunal that from his records, 304,745 voters were accredited at the local government area, adding that 40,481 were accredited by the Card Reader Machines.

Tebekaemi’s statement contradicted evidence by two senior INEC officials, who told the tribunal that the election was marred by violence and that all over the state less than 300,000 were accredited.

INEC’s Deputy Director on Information Communication Technology (ICT), who also heads its Data Management Unit, Mrs. Abimbola Oladunjoye, said only 293,072 voters were accredited all over the state.

Head of INEC Election Monitoring Unit Charles Okoye described the election as sheer terrorism.  Giving testimony under subpoena, he said no elections took place in the state.

“The election we observed was warfare. It is also militant terrorism and a sham. It was a kangaroo election and a mockery of democracy.

“The election was characterised by largescale violence and disruption of polls in many places. There were snatching of materials, nonstop shooting, allocation of figures and all forms of impunity.

“All these happened on April 11. What happened on that day could not have passed as an election and my observations are in that report which I signed with members of my monitoring team,” he said.

When he was asked by counsel to the PDP, Mr. Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) if it was true that lack of electoral materials marred the governorship poll, Tebekaemi said he could only give evidence with regard to Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, which was under his control.

“But I can confirm that sufficient electoral materials were distributed across Obio/Akpor and other parts of Rivers State during the governorship election,” the witness added.

The Justice Suleiman Ambrosa-led tribunal adjourned till today to enable INEC produce more witnesses.

The petitioners closed their case on Wednesday after they calling 58 witnesses, who testified that the election was marred by violence and widespread irregularities?

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo State, Segun Agbaje, yesterday said the Ilaje II House of Assembly election could not be declared inconclusive because of the security report on the safety of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officers.

He said from reports available to him, the election was marred by irregularities and violence.

The REC spoke when he took the witness stand at the House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal.

Agbaje said the Electoral Officer, Olusegun Ajala, called to inform him about the tense atmosphere in the area.

He said the electoral officers were advised to declare the result after seeking security advice from the then Commissioner of Police, Isaac Eke, who confirmed the situation.

The REC said: “On that day, at 3.45pm, Ajala called me about the tense atmosphere in the area.

“He said his life and that of the returning officer were in danger. I told him, I will call him back.

“At 3.50pm, I phoned the then Commissioner of Police, Isaac Eke. He said he was going to call me back.

“At 4.10 pm, he called back and told me that he had gotten in touch with his officers, who confirmed him that the area was tensed.”

Agbaje added that Eke advised him that for the safety of the INEC officials in the area, the result should not be declared inconclusive.

He said it was based on the security situation and because the returning officer was held hostage, he was compelled to announce the result eventually.

The REC said the police commissioner advised that the returning officer should announce the result at Ilaje and come back to Akure to write his report.

“My lord, I am a retired director of the State Security Service (SSS) and I understand the security implication.

“Consequently, I phoned my officers that the result should be declared. The result was announced,” Agbaje said.

Corroborating Agbaje’s story, the Returning Officer, Dr. Joseph Adewuyi, who was issued a bench warrant, said he wrote a letter to the REC on April 13 that he announced the result under duress.

The letter was later tendered as evidence by the counsel of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Gbenga Edema.

The bench warrant issued against Adewuyi was discharged by the tribunal chairman, Justice G. O Imadegeelo, as the witness came to court voluntarily.

Edema urged the tribunal to order a fresh, credible and transparent election in Ilaje II.

Having called all his witnesses, the petitioner’s lead counsel, Rotimi Akeredolu, announced his decision to close the case.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Malachi Coker, are expected to open their defence.

In another petition, PDP and its candidate, Mrs. Kemi Adesanya, have opened their defence against the petition filed by the APC and its candidate, Festus Aregbesola.

Aregbesola’s counsel, Akeredolu, grilled the PDP’s witnesses during cross examination.

A witness, who claimed he could not read and write, later read out figures in an exhibit given to him.