Dr Uloma Osuala, Deputy Country Director, International Foundation for Electoral System (IFES), on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to strengthen the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to Improve on the nation’s electoral system.
She made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, adding that the electoral body should be made to ensure that registration of voters is continuous.
Osuala said that continuous improvement on the mandate and activities of INEC would deepen the democratic system of the country.
According to her, many Nigerians were not able to participate in the last electoral process because there was not enough time for voters’ registration and INEC could not capture many eligible Nigerians.
”IFES in collaboration with the European Union organised a project called `Mitigation of Violence in Election’ to evaluate the last general election.
”The project has an objective to strengthen capacity of stakeholders in Nigeria to prevent and remedy electoral violence and also provide constructive engagement.
”Even when it was said that the last general election was to some extent successful, we still noted some issues that could be improved upon, like the technical issues with the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
“Many people did not get and could not vote.
”There is the need for a continuous voters’ registration, so that it becomes a continual process. We do not have to wait until it is a year to another election before you validate your PVC.
”On the card reader machine, there are few problems that must be fixed to strengthen the efficiency of the machine as well create awareness on the use.
”There should also be continuous training and retraining of INEC officials on the use of the card reader machines and results collation.
”Voter and civic education are part of the global improvement of the education of the people.
” Nigerians must be educated in this field of citizenship and the important role elections play in the democratic process, ” she said.
Osuala also urged the Federal Government to adequately fund INEC to enable it efficiently deliver on its mandate and prepare for future elections.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, has attributed the success of the 2015 general elections to staff of the commission.
Jega, who spoke in Abuja on Wednesday, said the staff contributed immensely towards salvaging the image of the commission.
He described the staff as honest and decent, pointing out that majority of the staff who conducted the 2007 general elections and were accused of various offences were the same people used to record the success associated with this year’s elections.
He said: “Majority of INEC staff are honest and decent people. They did their best for the country.
On welfare, the INEC chairman regretted that the major expectation of the staff has not been satisfied, stressing that the present commission is committed to improving the welfare of staff.
Jega added: “We all know that the issue of a new salary structure in a country like Nigeria is not only too politicized, but it is an issue that successive governments handle like a hot potato. We tried our best to explore ways and means of introducing a new salary structure. I regret that we have not been able to deliver on that major promise.”
Students and Corps members, who served as ad-hoc workers in the last elections, have stormed the Cross River State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Calabar to protest the “reluctance” to pay their allowances, almost two months after the elections. EMMANUEL SHEBBS (Graduate School of University of Calabar) reports.
Tomorrow, those elected in the elections held between March and April will take office. But, about six weeks after the exercise, some of the ad-hoc staff hired by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are yet to be paid their allowances.
INCE hired thousands of ad-hoc staff, mostly Corps members and students, who were trained to join its workers to conduct the elections. The ad-hoc workers were asked to apply on the commission’s website, where they provided their identification details, including bank accounts and National Identity Card numbers. Each applicant obtained a print-out from the website, which they used for accreditation at the commission’s offices nationwide.
But, since the conclusion of the elections, the ad-hoc staff have not been paid. They said INEC officials have been giving them excuses rather than pay them.
Frustrated, some of the ad-hoc staff protested in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, last week to draw attention to their plight.
Most of the protesters were used as polling and presiding officers.
One of them, Kingsley Mark, told our reporter that INEC officials were frustrating their efforts to get their stipends, saying he needed the money to complete his school fee. “I applied to be ad-hoc staff because I needed money to complete my school fee. I am surprised that INEC has been scheming to cheat us,” he said.
The protesters, who marched on major streets in Calabar, said they were being owed training allowance. Emeka Okere, a student of Abia State University in Uturu (ABSU), who worked in a village, said: “The training was supposed to last for three days but it was extended by another day because INEC instructors came very late the first day. When they arrived, they said it was not possible to start the training. We were not paid.”
The training, CAMPUSLIFE gathered, was followed by immediate recruitment and mobilisation of the ad-hoc staff to several polling units as presiding and assistant presiding officers. The polling officers are entitled to N4,500 and N11,000 as training and election allowances. These have not been paid.
Patrick Ukatu, a student in Cross River State, who worked as an Assistant Presiding Officer (APO) in Ekori, Odukpani Local Government Area, said: “We have been frustrated by the way INEC is treating us. They keep postponing the payment of our allowance. The other day, they said we should be patient and up till now, I have not heard anything. Each time we meet them, they will say they are working on it. But, for how long?”
The protesters, under the aegis of Joint INEC Creditors, marched on the INEC office on Murtala Mohammed Highway. They carried placards and stood under the sun to present their case.
Students from Abia State claimed that they were cheated by INEC. Moses Nwankpa, who was deployed in Ukwa East Local Government, said INEC promised to pay them N4,500 and N3,500 as training and feeding allowances. The money, he said, was not paid before the elections.
“There was no arrangement for our welfare. No food and water. We were sent to go and suffer. They have not paid any other money to us,” he said.
To Mary Ukandu, a student of Federal Polytechnic in Nekede (NEKEDE POLY), INEC used and dumped its ad-hoc workers. She said: “They recruited us during the elections and forgot about us because the elections are over. Before and during the elections, they were sending text messages to us, communicating with us and we thought that was a good way to relate with your temporary workers. But, now it is time to pay us, they have run away. No calls. No messages. No e-mails.”
Joy Ikpi, a Batch “A” Corps member, served as polling officer in Ukwa East Local Government, where she did her primary assignment.
She said: “I stayed back after my passing out to participate in the elections. I had thought INEC would pay us immediately after the election. I didn’t know all these frustrations would come afterwards. They told us to drop our account numbers and promised that the money would be sent to us. As I speak to you now, we have not received anything.”
Dr Phillip Andrew, a lawyer, said the protesters could sue the commission for breach of agreement. He said: “Some INEC officials lost their lives and some were wounded during the exercise. I don’t know if there is any serious effort made by the commission to compensate the families of the dead when those alive have not earned what they deserve. Who will fight for the dead?”
Esther Ode, a student of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), who served in Calabar Municipality, said she has not heard from the INEC since after the elections. “INEC has not given me anything. I disappointed myself to have spent the little money I had with me to run up and down during the training and the election period,” she said.
Mr Chris Okereke, INEC’s Director of Operations in Calabar, who addressed the protesters, blamed the delay on what he called inconsistencies in sorting out the ad-hoc workers’ details. He said some gave incorrect bank account numbers, which the commission would want to correct before paying them.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, on Thursday said the last general elections in the country proved false prophets wrong.
He said although the elections might not have been perfect, it was however generally free, fair, credible and peaceful.
Jega made the comments when he received a delegation led by the Ambassador of Mexico in Nigeria, Marco Antonio Garcia Blanco, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, Thursday.
He said, “We are indeed very happy that our elections turned out to be well and have been recognized both nationally and internationally as free, fair, credible and also peaceful. Leading to the election, some impressions had been created, particularly in the international media as if this may be the end of our country. Thank God it was doomsday prediction which turned out to be false.”
Jega, who was delighted by the offer to share experiences with the other countries, explained that although the 2015 elections were not perfect, they were much better than that of 2011 and admitted that there was room for improvement.
He added: “We know that the elections had not been perfect, we know that it was better than 2011. But there is also a lot of scope for improvement and that is why we welcome every opportunity to visit other countries and to see how they do their own elections and to be able to exchange ideas and to also learn good practices. These processes we hope to adapt to our own circumstances for continuous improvement of our own electoral process.”
Born on June 6, 1959, Orubebe was appointed Nigerian Minister of Niger Delta Affairs in 2010 when President Goodluck Jonathan (then Acting President) announced his new cabinet.
He is a graduate of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), obtaining a B.Sc in Political Science in 1985, but later obtained a Masters Degree in International Relations from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, in 2005.
Orubebe became a Supervisory Councilor, and later Chairman of Burutu Local Government Area. In July 2007 under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, he was appointed a Minister of Special Duties.
He later became Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs when that ministry was created in December 2008 to oversee the amnesty programme for militants from that region.
In January 2010, he said the proposed 10 per cent equity share policy on infrastructural development in the Niger Delta region would make vandalism and crisis a thing of the past.
Controversially, on March 31, 2015, the elder, acting as a polling agent for the PDP, almost distrupted the collation of president election results when he threw caution to the wind and accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, of bias.
He later apologized to Nigerians over his conduct, urging them not to follow in his footsteps.
The aftermath of the controversy made thousands of Nigerians raised eyebrow on Tuesday when a post appeared on his twitter handle, allegedly declaring his plans to join the All Progressive Congress (APC).
However, his media aide has denied that there is no truth in the post claiming that the PDP chieftain remains loyal to the party.
One will think that such an important agency as the Independent National Electoral Commission will have a library where important books and other documents are kept for reference purposes and ease of access of information by staff of the commission as well as researchers and academic scholars.
Well, that was not the case with the Ebonyi State office of the electoral body until a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member serving at its headquarters in Abakaliki set up one.
A Batch ‘B’ member of the corps, Mr Omolekun Oluwole has handed over the mini-library equipped with research materials to the Commission in Abakaliki.
In his speech during the inauguration and handover of the library, Oluwole said that the project was part of his Community Development Service (CDS), an integral part of the four cardinal programmes of the NYSC.
He stated that after assessing the documentation and references challenges of the Commission’s workers, he was motivated to provide a solution after getting the go-ahead nod of the Commission’s leadership.
•Corps member Omolekun Oluwole who donated a library to the Ebonyi State Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), explains a point when he handed over the facility to Commission in Abakiliki
Oluwole, who noted that the library would serve as a model of inquiry, learning, building knowledge and confidence in seeking and processing information among the workers, added that it would also help to promote staff’s outward thinking and positive mental reasoning and perception?
He maintained that service year was not a merriment year but a time to make sacrifices for community development.
He said: “Community development service is one of the integral part of the four cardinal programmes of the scheme of NYSC in which corps memebers work with the local community to promote self-reliance by systematically prospecting and executing development projects which will in turn impact positively on the social-economic development of the host communities through the period of national service. It is worthwhile mentioning that since its inception in1973, the NYSC has been making great contributions in the social, political and economic transformation of the nation”.
“One of the major aims and objectives is to produce the forum for corps members to experiment with ideas and translate them into concrete achievements thereby relying less on foreign technology and harnessing the enormous talents and skills of corps members into an effective machinery of change in their various communities”.
“However, I observed critically and logically the challenges faced by my immediate community on the lack of accessibility to relevant information in the commission among the staff and others. Thereafter, I discussed with the head of department, General Administration and procurement (INEC Abakaliki), Dr. S. Johnson and former administrative Secretary, Royson Obijuru on the need to equip the staff of the commission with relevant information within and outside the commission by establishing a mini-library. Immediately the idea was welcomed and approved.”
“The creation of mini-library i.e. construction of two book selves, purchase of plastic chairs, reading table and equally equipping it with relevant books, manuals, journals/magazines has served as my personal contribution to the development of the commission and entire community and with other CDS projects which includes the following”.
“(1) Sensitisation talk/seminar on career choice for three different government secondary schools in Ebonyi LGA. The career talk was centered on the topic “making the Right Career Choice” with three subtopic delivered by three resource personnel form different works of life”.
“(2) Donation of two hundred copies of forty leaves exercises books to each of the three government secondary schools respectively”.
“(3) Organising an intensive extea-mural lesson on English language for two government senior secondary schools for the period of one month in order to prepare them toward their external examination (WAEC and NECO). At the end of the lesson there will be an assessment in order to evaluate their performance and the best students in both schools will be awarded with an English textbook. The relevance and benefits of these projects to the community cannot be overemphasised”.
“The relevance and benefits of the library to the commission include the following: It will help in providing a model for inquiry, learning, building knowledge and confidence in seeking and processing information among the staff”.
“It will help in providing access to abstracts and descriptions for approximately 100 journals, magazines, newspaper and include and include general interest materials on social research, environment, science, current affairs arts and humanities”
“It will help to promote the staff outward thinking and positive mental reasoning and perceptions”
“It will help to play a key role as a place for encouraging innovation, curiosity, creativity and problem solving for all the staff”
“It will help to equip staff with lifelong learning skills, opportunities and develop the imagination, enabling them to live as more responsible citizens”
The mini library, he said has been equipped with book shelves, plastic chairs, reading tables, relevant books, manuals, journals/magazines.
Oluwole said it was his personal contribution to the development of the Commission and the entire community and charged the Commission to take further steps to expand the library.
Unveiling the library, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner,(REC),Dr. Lawrence Azubuike who thanked Oluwole for coming to their rescue.
He recalled how the Commission existed for years without a place where workers can access information.
Represented by the Head of Department, General Administration and Procurement, Dr. S. Johnson, the Commissioner described the Corps member as humble and hard-working and urged his colleagues to emulate him.
He noted that INEC and NYSC have maintained cordial synergy for years just as the Commissioner paid tribute to the Corps for the success of the just concluded general elections and described the Corps as an indispensable tool in Nigeria’s Electoral process.
The NYSC state Coordinator, Mrs E.G. Mbachi in her speech noted that the purpose of establishing NYSC has been achieved through the likes of Oluwole and urged his colleagues to emulate him.
The State Coordinator who was represented by the zonal Inspector, Abakaliki, Mr. E. J. Isau described NYCS as a wonderful initiative that has brought national integration to the country.
For weeks, many were wondering what happened to the results of the House of Assembly elections conducted in Akwa Ibom State. The governorship election result was released and many wondered what happened to the Assembly election. Even when other states were issuing certificates of return to elected officials, only the governor-elect got his in Akwa Ibom State.
Then some days ago, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Uyo, the state capital issued certificates of return to the 26 elected members to the State House of Assembly. This took place exactly 25 days after the governorship and House of Assembly elections.
Speaking at the State INEC office in Uyo, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Austin Eni Okojie said the amended Electoral Act empowers the commission to issue a Sealed Certificate of Return within seven days to every candidate who has won an election under the Act.
He added that the essence of Section 75(1) which empowers the issuance of the Certificate is to among others validate and give legal approval to the declaration of the candidate by the electoral umpire as the winner of the said election.
He urged the winners to be magnanimous in victory and extend a hand of fellowship to those who did not make it. He reminded them to remember their campaign promised to the people and work towards fulfilling them reminding them that in four years time they will have to face the people again.
Twenty-five of those who received the certificates are of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the same party which produced the governor-elect, Udom Emmanuel. The 26th member is of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Those who received their certificates are: Hon. Friday Etim Iwok from Abak State constituency; David Lawrence Udofia, Eket; Nse Effiong Ntuen, Essien Udim; Usoro Samuel Akpausoh, Edit Eket/Ibeno; Udo Gabriel Toby, Etim Ekpo/ Ika; Aniefiok Denis Akpan, Etinan; Hon.Aniekan Nyong Uko, Ibesikpo/Asutan; Hon. (Barr) Ime Bassey Okon, Ibiono Ibom; Hon. Victor C.Udofia, Ikono; Hon. Uduak Alphonsus Odudoh, Ikot Abasi/ Eastern Obolo; Hon. Idongesit Ntekpere, Ikot Ekpene/Obot Ankara; Mr Emmanuel Ekpenyong, Ini; Idongesit Uko Ituen, Itu; Samuel Asuquo Ufuo, Mbo; Otobong Anietie Ndem, Mkpat Enin; Hon Mark Udo Esset,Nsit Atai; Mfon Etim Ekong, Nsit Ibom; Hon. Barr Onofiok Luke, Nsit Ubium; Hon Princess Felicia A. Bassey, Okobo; Nse Udofot Essien, Onna; Effiong Okon Bassey, Oron/ Udung Uko; Hon.Udo Kierian Akpan, Oruk An am; Otobong Jonathan Akpan, Ukanafun; Aniekan Etim Bassey, Uruan; Hon. Monday Eyo Okon, Uyo, all PDP members while the only APC member of the House is Asuquo Edet Archibong, Urue Offong / Oruko State Constituency.
Speaking at the INEC office, Emmanuel said his administration would accord respect to elders and work for the youths and women among his numerous other developmental programmes.
Speaking on behalf of other elected members, Hon. Udo Kierian Akpan who is serving as the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, promised a cordial working relationship with the Executive to be led by Udom.
Though the shape of the next Akwa Ibom Assembly is now clear, it will always be an issue that it took almost forever for the lawmakers-elect to be unveiled.
The Lagos State election petitions tribunal has granted leave to the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, to inspect all polling documents and devices used for the April 11 election in the state.
The tribunal chairman, Justice Sylvanus Oriji, granted the prayer of the petitioner while ruling on an application filed by Agbaje through his counsel, Clement Onwuenmonor.
Justice Oriji also ordered the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide certified true copies of all polling documents including printed data from card readers in each polling units in the state.
The two orders were given out of five prayers filed by the petitioner before the tribunal.
The tribunal had earlier taken the submissions of Agbaje’s counsel and that of the All Progressive Congress, Ademola Sadiq.
In his reaction to the ruling, the APC counsel noted that the ruling was made on point of law.
Meanwhile, Justice Oriji has warned lawyers against delaying the petitions before it.
He said the tribunal would not tolerate strategies aimed at delaying the expeditious hearing and determination of petitions by lawyers.
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it may begin consideration for deregistration of political parties that performed woefully in the just-concluded general elections after the review of the entire exercise.
Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman Mr. Kayode Idowu, who said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday, added that the commission’s immediate focus was to have a comprehensive review of the elections before looking into other aspects associated with the electoral process.
Idowu said although the commission had the power to deregister political parties based of their election performances, it often waited for issues around the elections, especially petitions at tribunals, to be settled.
“For instance, some people have gone or will be going to the tribunal. We have to wait for the verdict that could emanate from those kinds of things,” he said.
Section 78 (7) (I & ii) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, empowers INEC to deregister parties “either on the breach of any of the requirements for or for failure to win presidential or governorship election or a seat in the National or State Assembly elections”.
Idowu said the provision to deregister political parties was still in force, stressing that it had not been removed “even though the commission has proposed an amendment to it since 2012’’.
He added that INEC had proposed that rather than deregister political parties, they should be allowed to exist and “criteria for them to be on the ballot paper will be provided.”
“The proposal is that if a party wants to be dealing with climate change in the corner of a local government, even in a ward, let the party go on.
“But you provide the criteria not to have logistic difficulties in just having long ballot papers of parties that are largely not functional.
“That has been the position of the commission before, but the provision of the law as we have it now is still that political parties can be deregistered; but that will come later.
“That is not what the commission will be thinking of in the immediate because it has to do a review of the election,’’ he added.
He stated that the commission had already begun the review process of the elections, saying: “As we speak, a committee has been inaugurated to write a report on 2015 general elections and that committee is at work.
“Only on Tuesday, the commission met to do a very decisive review on what has gone wrong.’’
Idowu added that the commission leadership would sometime in May meet with directors and electoral officers as part of the review process.
The Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Wednesday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to release electoral materials used for the just-concluded House of Assembly elections to the Alliance for Democracy (AD).
The tribunal said the party should inspect and analyse the materials to enable it prove its case that the House of Assembly election did not take place.
Justice Ononeze Madu gave the order while adjudicating a case filed by the AD candidate for Southern Ijaw Constituency 4, Mr. Victor-Ben Eredei.
Ruling on the exparte motion brought by the applicant’s lawyer, M.J Numa, Madu ordered that INEC should release all the polling materials.
She said the materials should include ballot papers, copies of the EC8 series and electronic print out from the Central Data Base of accredited voters obtained through the card readers used for the conduct of the election in the area.
Moving the motion exparte earlier, Numa, sought the order of the tribunal to compel INEC to allow the party inspect the election materials used for the conduct of the April 11 State Assembly election in the constituency.
