The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Inec

  • Jonathan defends Conference

    Jonathan defends Conference

    •Council of State okays plan

    Members of the Council of State challenged President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday on the plan to pick delegates to the proposed National Conference.

    Who are the stakeholders who will nominate 282 of the 492 delegates, the President was said to have been asked.

    The former leaders also sought to know the difference between nomination by the Presidency and the Federal Government.

    Although the Council members endorsed the conference, according to sources, they advised the President to revisit the deference to “unknown or undefined stakeholders”, who will nominate delegates to the conference.

    They urged the President to avoid the nominations being hijacked by vested political interests and turning the exercise into a “Presidency-only show”.

    They said the nomination, which will take place within the next three weeks, is vital to the outcome of the conference.

    The President, who took time to rationalise the need for the conference, noted the observations of Council members and promised a tidy process, it was learnt.

    He also said his administration chose nomination because the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it could not conduct the election of delegates earlier than April.

    On the delay in convening the Council of State meeting, the President admitted that the timeline for holding the session was too long – in view of state matters that had been coming up.

    He bought the idea of hosting the Council meeting once per quarter and pledged to start its implementation immediately.

    According to sources, who pleaded not to be named because they are not allowed to talk to the media, the major part of the meeting at the Presidential Villa centered on the proposed National Conference.

    It was learnt that members felt nomination of 282 of the 492 delegates by undefined “stakeholders” was ambiguous.

    Those to be nominated by “stakeholders” are retired military/ security personnel(18); traditional rulers(13); retired civil servants at one per zone(six); Organised Private Sector(eight); Nigerian Youth Organisations(12); Women groups(24); political parties(10); Muslim and Christian leaders(12); Civil Society Organisations(24); Nigerians in the Diaspora(eight); People Living With Disabilities at one per geopolitical zone(six); NPAN, NGE ,NUJ and BON(eight); Socio-political/Cultural and Ethnic Nationality Groups(90); professional bodies(13); National Academies at one per Academy(six); and Former Political Office Holders(24).

    A source at the session, who spoke in confidence, said: “The Council members did not object to the National Conference, but they raised issues on the reference to stakeholders who will nominate most of the delegates.

    “They advised the President to avoid the choice of stakeholders based on partisan politics and vested interests.

    “They also sought clarification on the difference between nomination by the Presidency and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    On nomination of conference delegates, another source said: “President Goodluck Jonathan explained that he opted for this method instead of outright election because INEC said it cannot conduct the election of delegates earlier than April.

    “He said since April will be close to some elections in 2014 and preparation for 2015 polls, he does not want to confuse the electorate. He added that he does not want Nigerians to read meanings into the intention of the Presidency.”

    Another source, who was also at the session, said: “The Council members do not want nominations to be dependent on the President and those with political interests. They do not want the National Conference turned into political patronage.

    “The President noted observations from Council members on the National Conference. He asked for the cooperation of governors who he advised to meet and coordinate nomination of ethnic nationalities and youth organisations.

    “The next three weeks will determine whether the President will heed our advice or not.”

    On other issues tabled at the meeting, a governor said: “The President briefed members of the Council on the appointment of Service Chiefs which he described as routine.

    “He also said he sent the list of Service Chiefs to the National Assembly because one civil society person went to court that the nomination process did not follow the law. So, the government decided to comply with the law.

    The President was said to have presented his list of nominees for the chairmanship of the National Population Commission (NPC).”

    On security challenges, another source at the meeting said: “The National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, briefed the meeting on the problems and how the military and security agencies were curtailing them.

    “From his submissions, there are security challenges in all parts of the country. But he assured us that these problems are being addressed. We all pledged to cooperate with him and all agencies,” the source said.

    Speaking with reporters at the end of the meeting, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha said all governors threw their weight behind the national conference because it was essential that Nigerians sat and discussed about the future of the country.

    He said the All Progressives Congress (APC), his party, was yet to come up with an official position on the conference. He promised that Imo state would send its delegates to the conference.

    He also said that the Council discussed the nation’s security situation and cautioned politicians against making unguarded statements that can heighten tension and cause chaos in the country.

    Okorocha refuted claims that the APC federal lawmakers had taken instruction from the party to deliberately block the passage of the Budget.

    He explained that the directive to the lawmakers was merely to draw the attention of the Executive to issues with question marks in the budget.

    According to him, the Council agreed that all state governments are to fully participate in marking Nigeria’s 100 years anniversary.

    He said: “We deliberated on how to move the nation forward, we also discussed other national issues including the Centenary celebrations, Security matters and issues of national conference and basically how to move the nation forward.”

    “We have to adopt some new strategies on how to move the nation forward. Politician have also been warned against unguarded utterances so as not to heat up the polity. The meeting has helped to resolve a lot of issues.”

    “On centenary message, we said that Nigeria must stay together as a nation,” he added.

    Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam said: “The president briefed us about a lot of things including the impending Conference. There were a lot of contributions and the council approved it.”

    According to him, the Council also approved a list of the new chairman and members for the National Population Commission.

    He said: “The National Security Adviser briefed us on the general security situation in the country. All members of the council contributed to the way forward and the decisions that will be taken to address some of the security issues affecting the country.”

    “The National Security Adviser said some of the unguarded statements by some prominent Nigerians are capable of inciting people, that we should be careful as major actors in the polity to avoid making some unguarded utterances that could unwittingly incite the generality of Nigerians.”

    “The council took note of that and agreed that people should be more careful about what they say as public office holders,” he stated.

     

  • Be vigilant, Fayemi tells APC members

    Be vigilant, Fayemi tells APC members

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has urged All Progressives Congress (APC) members to participate in the activities organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the June 21 governorship election.

    He spoke at the weekend in Iyin-Ekiti at a meeting of APC leaders, hosted by former Governor Niyi Adebayo.

    Fayemi said members must monitor the electoral process to ensure that it conforms to the Electoral Act.

    Urging members to be prepared for the task ahead, he explained that the APC membership registration, which begins in Ekiti tomorrow, would be followed by the INEC stakeholders’ forum, manual registration of voters, confirmation of names and distribution of permanent voter cards.

    Fayemi said the APC membership registration was aimed at authenticating members and would be done at polling units across the state.

    He said: “We have to be prepared for the task ahead. The registration process starts on February 5, which is aimed at authenticating members of the party. The INEC process will follow while the INEC stakeholders’ forum comes up on February 12. That will include manual voters’ registration, confirmation of names, distribution of permanent voter cards, validation and continuous registration of new voters until campaigns formally begin on March 23. I urge members to be alert and be part of the process. We must monitor it well and do everything within the constitution and Electoral Act to promote a credible, fair and free process.”

    The governor urged aspirants for political offices in 2015 to work for the party’s success in the governorship poll, adding that victory in the June 21 poll will motivate members to work harder in 2015.

    Adebayo, who is the APC interim national vice-chairman, Southwest, urged members to troop out for the registration; adding that it was one way to work towards APC’s victory in the election.

    He backed Fayemi, saying Ekiti would witness more transformation, if Fayemi is re-elected.

    Director-General of the Fayemi Campaign Organisation Mr. Bimbo Daramola, who is a member of the House of Representatives, described the belief that no governor could be re-elected in the state as a myth, saying Fayemi’s achievements were evident and speak for him.

    Daramola said besides Adebayo, Fayemi is the only governor who finished his four-year term, adding: “So there is no jinx around re-election since his predecessors never completed their terms, let alone seek re-election.”

    The meeting was witnessed by a crowd of party faithful.

     

     

  • Tribunal: APGA stifles process with 500 witnesses

    Tribunal: APGA stifles process with 500 witnesses

    •16 SANs appear

    •PDP presents 126 witnesses, APC 100

    The pre-hearing of the Anambra State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal began yesterday in Awka, with 16 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) appearing.

    But the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) may be stifling the process by calling 500 witnesses.

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is calling 126 witnesses, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) has 100.

    The parties are challenging the declaration of Chief Willie Obiano of APGA as winner of the November 16 poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    At the resumed hearing, four petitions challenging were mentioned; Dr. Chike Obidigbo’s against Obiano and two others; Senator Chris Ngige against INEC, Obiano, APGA and Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD); PDP versus INEC and 25 others; and Tony Nwoye versus INEC and 25 others.

    Ngige’s lead counsel Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) said the petitioners withdrew the petition against ACD.

    “We have also filed a motion, asking the tribunal to direct preliminary points of law or objection to be taken with the final addresses of parties,” he said.

    Other SANs, who appeared at the tribunal and raised motions, were Patrick Ikwueto, representing APGA and Osita Nnadi.

    Others are Mr. Adegboyega Awomolo, Arthur Obi-Okafor for INEC, while Mr. Onyechi Ikpeazu appeared for Obiano.

    Akeredolu and Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN) appeared for APC, while Prof. F.C. Dike represented Dr. Chike Obidgbo, who is contesting the APGA ticket with Obiano.

    Chief A. O. Ajana (SAN) was for PDP, while Mr. Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) represented Mr. Tony Nwoye with D.C. De Nwigwe (SAN) and Ikechukwu Ezechukwu (SAN).

    Justice Ishaq Bello said with the number of lawyers, there should be a radical approach to the cases.

    He said the tribunal would allow more processes to be filed, while the possibility of consolidating motions would be looked into, to allow expeditious proceedings.

    One of Senator Ngige’s lawyers, Chief Ngige, said he was worried about the number of witnesses called by APGA, adding that it was a delay tactic, considering that the tribunal had 136 days to sit.

    After listening to the lawyers, Justice Bello adjourned proceedings till February 11.

     

  • Oshiomhole faults INEC timetable

    Oshiomhole faults INEC timetable

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has faulted the 2015 timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The governor said the poll schedule left much loopholes for rigging.

    Addressing reporters yesterday in Asaba, Delta State, after a stakeholders’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Oshiomhole said: “Nigerians cannot afford to continue to be a laughing stock, even by West African standard.”

    The governor said there were fears that elections would be rigged and the people were worried.

    According to him, INEC must recognise that matches were determined by the conduct of the referee and not the attitude of the players.

    Oshiomhole said: “I don’t understand why INEC wants to climb the tree from the top; they do recognise they have explanations to make. Common sense demands that you climb a tree from the bottom for good reason.

    “In any case, we have been in this democracy for 15 years since 1999. What makes Nigeria is the collection of the federating sates.

    “When you want to do Presidential election first, and you are deviating from an old pattern, you have some explanations to do.

    “But it is more so when under the leadership of this INEC, National Assembly election was first done the last time and people complained that the House of Assembly should have been first.

    “If you know you still have to do some test- running, you rather try some test-running with smaller units because the governorship election will not be taking place in the 36 states. The election into the Houses of Assembly can’t be as problematic as the Presidential election.

    “INEC has to convince us that its policies have been formed by strategy they can speak to, that they need to speak to it by the commitment to deliver on free and fair election.

     

  • Suspicious timetable

    Suspicious timetable

    • It shows how underdeveloped we still are as a nation

    The brouhaha over the recently released timetable for the 2015 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) casts aspersion on the integrity of the electoral umpire. Nigerians have expressed concerns about the scheduled order of the elections. The commission, according to Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, its secretary, places the presidential and National Assembly elections for February 14, 2015; the state assembly and governorship elections hold on February 28, 2015.

    The timetable also puts commencement date of primary elections of political parties for between October 2, 2014 and December 11, 2014. Political campaigns for presidential and National Assembly elections will commence on November 16, 2014 while campaigns for governorship and state assembly elections will take off on November 30, 2014. However Professor Attahiru Jega, INEC chairman, at a recent Chatham House, London presentation on “2015 Elections in Nigeria: Expectations and Challenges’’ defended the timetable which he said was “informed by rational and logical considerations, not sentimental or ulterior motivations.”

    However, the heap of doubts on the timetable is, regrettably, becoming a periodic issue. In the days preceding the 2011 general elections, something akin to this happened. This led to forced alteration of the timetable by a then largely suspicious National Assembly that believed that the Presidency influenced that year’s INEC timetable perceived to be detrimental to their interests. The National Assembly re-ordered the election schedule by putting its own elections first, followed by the presidential, governorship and state house of assembly elections. Shockingly too, due to lack of confidence in the system, some pundits are already calling for the intervention of the legislature in the matter again. We wonder: How long will partisan interests, rather than national, continue to dictate election timetable?

    INEC’s poor antecedent in the realm of election conduct in recent time has been shattering. The obvious bias displayed by the commission in last November’s Anambra State governorship election further amplify doubts about its capability to conduct free and fair elections in the country. For whatever it is worth, we, like most people, do not believe that the newly released timetable putting presidential election as first item on the agenda was done out of altruistic motive. It is also not out of place to contemplate the bandwagon effect that may ensue if the president’s party wins the presidential election. We share the sentiments of many Nigerians that are equally concerned about whether the elections will be free and fair in a country where institutions of state are imperilled by the whims and caprices of those in authority.

    We are aware, as a matter of fact, that millions of Nigerians are itching for change in 2015 despite manifesting concerns that the enabling environment may not be allowed if INEC has indeed been compromised by those who may covertly want to win at all cost. Pointers – Quite unusual of INEC tradition before releasing such important programmes, the newly unfurled 2015 election timetable did not benefit from consultations and deliberations with political parties and other stakeholders. Also, INEC has so far not been purged of officials who have been indicted by courts and election petition tribunals for their involvement in electoral malpractices in recent past. This has necessitated the question: Why? It is not in doubt that such disgruntled elements might have been used by external forces to influence this controversial timetable.

    We consider as discouraging a situation where an otherwise routine issue such as election timetable will be taking much of national attention. That shows how backward the nation still is in terms of election conduct. In a normal clime, where there is rule of law and respect for institutions, election timetable is actually taken as a foregone issue. The question: When is Nigeria going to get there with the inept approach of Professor Jega to handling election conduct in the land?

     

  • Learn from APC registration, ex-Lagos deputy governor tells INEC

    Learn from APC registration, ex-Lagos deputy governor tells INEC

    Former Lagos State Deputy Governor Femi Pedro has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to learn from the All Progressives Congress (APC) membership registration, which begins today.

    Pedro told reporters in Akure, Ondo State, that arrangements were made to ensure a smooth registration, urging INEC to study how materials and personnel would be moved to polling units.

    He urged prospective party members to register at the polling units where they usually vote

    Pedro said: “We are ready in terms of logistics, machines and others. Akure will be agog tomorrow and our people will get registered in all polling units.”

    He debunked the report that there was crisis in Ondo APC, adding that “it was just a family misunderstanding.”

    Pedro described the APC as one big family, which co-exists in love, peace and unity.

     

     

  • Oshiomhole faults INEC timetable

    Oshiomhole faults INEC timetable

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has faulted the 2015 timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The governor said the poll schedule left much loopholes for rigging.

    Addressing reporters yesterday in Asaba, Delta State, after a stakeholders’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Oshiomhole said: “Nigerians cannot afford to continue to be a laughing stock, even by West African standard.”

    The governor said there were fears that elections would be rigged and the people were worried.

    According to him, INEC must recognise that matches were determined by the conduct of the referee and not the attitude of the players.

    Oshiomhole said: “I don’t understand why INEC wants to climb the tree from the top; they do recognise they have explanations to make. Common sense demands that you climb a tree from the bottom for good reason.

    “In any case, we have been in this democracy for 15 years since 1999. What makes Nigeria is the collection of the federating sates.

    “When you want to do Presidential election first, and you are deviating from an old pattern, you have some explanations to do.

    “But it is more so when under the leadership of this INEC, National Assembly election was first done the last time and people complained that the House of Assembly should have been first.

    “If you know you still have to do some test- running, you rather try some test-running with smaller units because the governorship election will not be taking place in the 36 states. The election into the Houses of Assembly can’t be as problematic as the Presidential election.

    “INEC has to convince us that its policies have been formed by strategy they can speak to, that they need to speak to it by the commitment to deliver on free and fair election.

    He said “the noise that has heated up the polity points to the fact that the political class still take the people for granted’’.

    While urging the leadership of INEC to take another look at the the timetable, Governor Oshiomhole stressed that conducting the election from House of Assembly to governorship and National Assembly before the Presidential would pay off.

    Oshiomhole hailed the Delta State leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for its determination to develop the party.

    He said: “When you have a party that is not organised around godfathers, where you recognise that the party is about the people, free people must engage in free contests because party and democracy are a contest of ideas and not monologue but dialogue.”

    The governor stressed that the All Progressive Congress (APC) is different from other parties based on the principle of popular participation, inclusiveness rather than exclusion.

    He advised the residents to register in the APC membership registration exercise today.

  • INEC to curb electoral violence

    INEC to curb electoral violence

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said there are measures in place to curb violence in the 2015 elections.

    Its Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, said the commission would be transparent to earn the trust of its various stakeholders.

    The commission said inflammatory and hate speeches among politicians are possible sources of pre- and post-election violence.

    Other sources, the commission said, are the “do-or-die” attitude of politicians to politics; the lack of internal democracy among parties, that is, the failure of parties to respect their constitution; ignorance and low civic education; the use of thugs to achieve victory; unwillingness of politicians to accept election results; monetisation of electoral processes by politicians and attempts to compromise election officials.

    Prof Jega spoke in Abuja when he presented a paper, titled: Curbing the rate of pre-and post-election violence in Nigeria, at the beginning of the Youth Against Election Violence, organised by Common Wealth Youth Council (CYC).

    The INEC chairman, who was represented by an electoral commissioner, Nne Gladys Nwafor, said: “Over the years, our elections have been dogged by violence across the country. The violence that attended the 2011 elections is still fresh in our minds.

    “To ameliorate violence, the commission has introduced transparent measures to elicit the trust and support of stakeholders. It has increased its enlightenment with stakeholders, such as the media, civil society organisations, politicians and political parties.”

    Reaffirming the role of the commission and its workers, Prof Jega noted that it was paramount to remain transparent in INEC’s engagements and diffuse tensions, reduce suspicion and speculations that could lead to election violence.

    According to him, INEC officials must work closely with state institutions, including security agencies, to identify early enough possible sources of violence so that the commission could prevent them.

     

  • Be vigilant, Fayemi tells APC members

    Be vigilant, Fayemi tells APC members

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has urged All Progressives Congress (APC) members to participate actively in the activities organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the June 21 governorship election.

    He spoke at the weekend in Iyin-Ekiti at a meeting of APC leaders hosted by former Governor Niyi Adebayo.

    Fayemi said members must monitor the electoral process to ensure that it conforms to the provisions of the electoral act and leads to a credible election.

    Urging members to be prepared for the task ahead, he explained that the APC membership registration, which begins in Ekiti tomorrow, would be followed by the INEC stakeholders’ forum, manual registration of voters, confirmation of names and distribution of permanent voter cards.

    Fayemi said the APC membership registration was aimed at authenticating members and will be done at polling units across the state.

    He said: “We have to be prepared for the task ahead of us. The registration process starts on February 5, which is aimed at authenticating members of the party. The INEC process will follow while the INEC stakeholders’ forum comes up on February 12. That will include manual voters’ registration, confirmation of names, distribution of permanent voter cards, validation and continuous registration of new voters until campaigns formally begin on March 23. I urge members to be alert and be part of the process. We must monitor it well and do everything within the constitution and electoral act to promote a credible, fair and free process.”

    The governor urged aspirants for various political offices in 2015 to work for the party’s success in the governorship poll, adding that victory in the June 21 poll will motivate members to work harder in 2015.

    Adebayo, who is the APC Interim National Vice-Chairman, Southwest, urged members to troop out for the registration; adding that it was one of the ways to work towards the APC’s victory in the forthcoming election.

    He backed Fayemi’s candidacy, saying Ekiti would witness more transformation, if Fayemi is re-elected.

    Director-General of the Fayemi Campaign Organisation Mr. Bimbo Daramola, who is a member of the House of Representatives, described the belief that no governor can be re-elected in the state as myth, saying Fayemi’s achievements are evident and speak for him.

    Daramola said aside Adebayo, Fayemi is the only governor who has finished his four-year term, adding: “So there is no jinx around re-election since his predecessors never completed their terms, let alone seek re-election.”

    The meeting was witnessed by a mammoth crowd of party faithful.

  • Cleric demands free, fair poll

    Cleric demands free, fair poll

    Anglican Bishop of the Niger, Anambra State, Bishop Owen Nwokolo, yesterday urged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, to ensure that next year’s elections would not be muddled up as the previous ones.

    He enjoined the INEC boss to make sure that a comprehensive update of the voter register was done before the poll, to boost Nigerians’ and international community’s confidence in the electoral process.

    The cleric spoke in an interview after a collation service for archdeacons and cannons at the All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha.

     

     

    He said lack of a comprehensive and credible register would vitiate the credibility of the election, no matter INEC’s efficiency. Nwokolo said the electoral body should also ensure that the electoral materials were distributed in time to avoid confusion and lateness, which characterised previous elections.

    The bishop stressed the need for INEC to engage in public enlightenment to sensitise people on the preparation for the poll, the role they are expected to play and the need for them to vote on election day.