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Tag: Inec

  • Jega, 21 commissioners to conduct Anambra guber poll

    Jega, 21 commissioners to conduct Anambra guber poll

    The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega and six national commissioners will conduct the Anambra governorship election on November 16.

    The INEC Administrative Secretary, Mr. Oscar-leo Amaechi, who made this known in Awka on Friday, said 15 Resident Electoral Commissioners were also expected in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Amaechi spoke at a stakeholders meeting of Inter-Agency Consultative Security Committee with political parties and candidates.

    He reiterated the preparedness of the commission to conduct free and credible poll.

    The commission, he said, would move election materials to registration centres close to polling booths to ensure that the election commenced at exactly 8am on that day.

    The administrative secretary urged political parties to submit the names of their agents on time to enable the commission train them on their roles during the election.

    He warned that INEC would not allow substitution of agents on election day.

     

  • ‘Why there is voter apathy’

    ‘Why there is voter apathy’

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why there is voter apathy in Anambra State.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukaogu, spoke yesterday at the Awka South Local Government when he addressed rulers on voter education.

    He said before 2011, the electorate had no confidence in INEC.

    Onukaogu said they feared their votes were usually not counted. He assured that the votes would be counted this time.

    “The excessive use of security at the polling units, wards and collation centres instils fear in the people.

    “We’’ll ensure that the security officals conduct themselves in a way that will not infringe on the safety of the electorate.

    “The electorate in Anambra State are disillusioned by politicians who engage in smear campaigns.

    “This heats up the polity and creates fear. Besides, they make empty promises.

    “We’ll address these issues by creating an atmosphere for the kind of election we want.”

    Onukaogu told the monarchs to tell their subjects to avoid thuggery.

    “We wantto show that our commission is ready to conduct free, fair and credible elections,” the REC said.

    The ruler of Awka, Obi Gibson Nwosu, responding on behalf of the monarchs, promised they would talk to their subjects.

  • INEC admits multiple, underage registration in 2011 polls

    INEC admits multiple, underage registration in 2011 polls

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said multiple registration and underage voter registration were major challenges to the 2011 voter registration, despite its acclaimed improvement over previous exercises.

    Prof Istifanus Ishaku Dafwang, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Gombe State, spoke yesterday in Gombe in a paper he presented on INEC and its preparation for the 2015 general elections.

    The programme was part of the commission’s voter education in the state.

    The REC, who delved into the challenges and role of stakeholders, also decried political parties’ inability to ensure internal democracy and accountability.

    He called for an end to what he called “the partisan use of state resources at federal, state and local government levels, through power of incumbency and monetised politics”.

    Dafwang said INEC was praying the National Assembly to consider enacting an edict which would compel the completion of electoral petitions before the swearing-in date of election winners to minimise costs.

    The REC assured the electorate that INEC had identified the weaknesses, strengths and opportunities of the 2011 electoral process and was restructuring to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

    He said the commission had developed a strategic plan for 2012 to 2016 with the primary objective of “providing electoral operations system and infrastructure to support delivery of free, fair and credible elections”.

  • Court convicts ‘fake’ INEC worker in Cross River

    A magistrate’s court in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, has sentenced a 24-year-old man, Mr. Obot Silas, to a six-month jail term for parading himself as a worker of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Silas was charged with operating a fraudulent employment syndicate, falsely presenting himself as an INEC worker and obtaining money from the public, to which he pleaded guilty.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Mike Igini, said following actionable information to INEC of a syndicate fraudulently engaged in an illegal recruitment exercise, the police were informed, arrest was made, incriminating fake employment forms of unsuspecting job seekers were recovered, leading to the arraignment of Silas.

    He said: “The convict, who presented himself as an INEC worker on September 28 at Limit Hotel, Mayne Avenue, Calabar, under false pretence, fraudulently obtained N12,000, N7,000, N4,000 and N5,000 from four people that he is a worker with INEC capable of providing them with employment in the commission, thereby contravening Section 108 of the Criminal Code under which he was charged at the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Calabar.

    “The conviction underscores the call by INEC to the public to beware of claims by individuals or groups operating as a syndicate, who exploit the unemployment in the country to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians to pay money for employment.

    “INEC under the leadership of Prof. Attahiru Jega does not and did not collect fees or charges from those that the commission recently employed.

    “We enjoin anyone requested to pay fees or charges to cross-check first with my office or any of our area offices, specifically through our public affairs departments for clarification before dealing with anyone on any issues concerning the activities of INEC.

    “Anyone with information on any person or groups collecting such fees or charges for employment in the name of the commission should report such illegal activities to the nearest police station or the nearest INEC office.

    “We hope the conviction of Mr. Silas will act as a deterrent to other criminally-minded groups and public organisations, which collect fees and charges from job seekers.”

  • INEC distributes non-sensitive materials

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it has begun the movement of non-sensitive electoral materials to Anambra State.

    INEC’s National Commissioner, Prof. Lai Olurode, said in Abuja that with the early movement of materials, the commission was re-assessing its operational strategy to ensure a hitch-free governorship election on November 16.

    He said sensitive materials would be moved from the commission’s headquarters a week to the poll.

    Olurode said the commission had put in place strategies to ensure integrity and transparency to make the outcome of the election acceptable to all.

    He said the commission had created area centres close to polling units, for the distribution of sensitive materials to ensure prompt arrival of election materials during the poll.

  • INEC begins distribution of ‘non sensitive’ materials in Anambra

    INEC begins distribution of ‘non sensitive’ materials in Anambra

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the commission had commenced the movement of non-sensitive electoral materials to Anambra in readiness for next month’s governorship election in the state.

    The INEC National Commissioner, Prof. Lai Olurode, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that with this early movement of materials, the commission was re-assessing its operational strategy to ensure a hitch-free election in the state.

    He said sensitive materials would be moved from the commission’s headquarters a week to the election.

    Olurode said the commission had put in place various strategies to ensure a high standard of integrity and transparency to make the outcome of the election acceptable to all.

    The commission had created area centres close to polling units, for the distribution of all sensitive materials to ensure prompt arrival of election materials during the election.

    “A combination of four wards will form a registration centre from where materials will be distributed to polling units. This will enhance synergy for timely arrival of materials,’’ he said.

    Olurode said the creation of the centres would guard against the problem of late arrival of materials, delay in accreditation and voting.

    It would also forestall discrepancies in voter registration statistics noticeable during past elections.

     

     

  • Anambra: INEC, APGA, Obiano dragged to court over double registration

    Anambra: INEC, APGA, Obiano dragged to court over double registration

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and its governorship candidate, Chief Willie Obiano, have been dragged to court by Abum Emeremgini in Anambra State over an alleged double registration.

    Also joined in the suit at the Federal High Court in Awka is the INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof Chukwuemeka Onukaogu.

    Emeremgini, is praying for an injunction restraining the 1st and 2nd defendants (INEC and REC) from parading and recognising the APGA candidate as a candidate in the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State.

    This, according to the plaintiff, is for having not fulfilled the constitutional requirements for the qualification of a governor of a state.

    The plaintiff is also praying for an injunction restraining the officers, servants and agents of 1st respondent (INEC) from interfering or deleting data of the 4th respondent, Willie Obiano, from the register of INEC.

    He alleged that proper procedure has not been followed for the transfer of the name of the 4th respondent (Obiano) from Lagos to Anambra State in the transferred voter’s list of the 1st defendant’s register.

    Again, that any purported transfer was not done in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

     

  • INEC to monitor campaign expenditure, party finances

    INEC to monitor campaign expenditure, party finances

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will strictly monitor the campaign expenditure and finances of all political parties during the 2015 campaign, a national commissioner Mallam Mohammad Wali, said yesterday.

    He told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the move become imperative because the commission was determined to sanitise the electoral process and checkmate politicians who spend huge amount of money on political campaigns.

    Wali said it was unfortunate that politicians always exceeded the limits of the amount each candidate should spend during campaigns.

    He said: “Regrettably, we have not been able to monitor this in the past, because tracking and monitoring of campaign finances in Nigeria has not been very easy as there is no mechanism in place.

    “Spending is being done in secrecy as people also give donations without proper records, but as we approach 2015, we are determined to monitor campaign expenditure of candidates and put it under check.’’

    The commissioner said as part of the measure a unit had been established in the commission to monitor party finances.

    “We are working with our international partners for capacity building on finance tracking,’’ he added.

    He said there were penalties against overshooting the ceiling as provided by the law and anybody caught violating it would be prosecuted.

    Prof. Lai Olurode, also a national Commissioner in INEC, told NAN in a separate interview that it was unfortunate that some political parties had gone ahead to commence campaign ahead of 2015 elections.

    He said it was clear that INEC has not lifted the ban on electoral campaign.

    “It is so unfortunate that the commission does not have the power of arrest, because it is a criminal offence and it is only the police that has the right to arrest,” he said.

  • INEC denies plans to rig for APGA

    INEC denies plans to rig for APGA

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied allegations that it plans to rig the November 16 Anambra State governorship election for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    The commission said yesterday in Awka that it was not working for any party, adding that it would ensure a free and fair election in Anambra State on November 16.

    INEC said its clarification was based on reports in the media that the non-display of the voter register 30 days before the election was a ploy by the commission to rig the poll in favour of APGA.

    It was also alleged that contrary to sections 19 and 20 of the Electoral Act 2011, INEC refused to integrate the supplementary voter register compiled in August, into the 2011 register.

    INEC’s spokesman Frank Egbo described the allegations as baseless.

    He said before INEC conducted the supplementary voter registration in August, the 2011 voter register was displayed at the centres for three days.

    Egbo said the exercise took place between August 19 and 26 and the register was displayed for one week.

    According to him, INEC allowed claims and objections, which had been addressed.

    The INEC’s spokesman said he did not understand why people believe the commission would work for APGA when the register did not allow the electorate to indicate their party affiliation.

    Egbo queried: “How would INEC know that a person has registered to vote for a particular party when he is not required to indicate his or her party on the voter card?”

    This explanation followed suspicion that the reason INEC did not want to display the supplementary voter list and integrate it into the 2011 register was because opposition parties had more registered supporters during the exercise.

  • Court bars new PDP

    Court bars new PDP

    …Restrains Atiku, Baraje, others from interfering in PDP’s operations

    It was a major loss on Friday for the faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) backed by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, as a Federal High Court in Abuja restrained the faction’s officers from parading themselves as officers of the party.

    Justice Evoh Chukwu, in a judgment ordered Alhaji Kawu Baraje, Jaja Sam Jaja and Olagunsoye Oyinlola (claiming to be National Chairman, Deputy National Chairman and National Secretary of the New PDP) to stop parading themselves in that capacity.

    The judge also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its officials from recognising Baraje, Jaja and Oyinlola as national officers of the PDP, either new or old.

    Justice Chukwu further restrained the three and Atiku (described as the leader of the New PDP) and their aides or employees from “interfering and continued interference with the duties and functions” of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and other officers of the PDP elected at the August 31 special convention of the party.

    The judge also restrained Baraje, Jaja, Oyinlola and Atiku from opening or operating parallel national, states, local and ward secretariats of the PDP.

    The judgment was in a suit instituted by Tukur and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP against INEC, Baraje, Jaja, Oyinlola and Atiku.

    The plaintiffs had accused Baraje, Jaja and Oyinlola of unlawfully holding themselves out as national officers of the PDP, with the backing of Atiku. The plaintiffs contended they were the truly elected officers of the party by virtue of the party’s last special convention and that unless Baraje, Jaja and Oyinlola were restrained, INEC would accord them recognition as officers of the PDP.

    Justice Chukwu noted that although Baraje, Jaja and Oyinlola claimed to have been elected as officers of the party at a convention held at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja on August 30 this year, they failed to provide material evidence to support their claim.