The Independent National Electoral Commission said on Wednesday it has commenced the printing of 40 million permanent voters’ cards.
The commission’s Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, made this known in Abuja, when he met participants at the International training seminar on national security organised by the Defence Intelligence School, Abuja.
He said the cards were part of the 70.5 million cards being planned by the commission, adding that the balance of 30.5 million cards would be ready by 2013.
He said INEC had been working round the clock to ensure the success of the project.
“We have gone very far, we are producing the first batch which is about 40 million of the 73.5 million voters who have been registered,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted Prof. Jega as saying at the seminar.
INEC chairman said that by the end of 2013, every registered voter in the country, would have been provided with permanent voter’s card to enable them vote in the 2015 general elections.
The permanent cards contained security features such as barcode, hologram, micro text, fingerprints, contactless/embedded chip with printed voter details and photograph.
The Commandant of the school, Wing.Cdr. Idris Hassan, said the visit was to “avail the 30 participants with the understanding, working and the concepts of national security from the INEC perspectives.”
Hassan said the school was responsible for the provision of strategic intelligence and specific training to members of the armed forces and other relevant agencies in the country.
This effort, he added, was being done in collaboration with France, Germany, America and Israel.
Tag: Inec
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‘INEC begins printing of 40 million permanent voters’ cards’
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Destruction of masts
•It is the Boko Haram bulls’ eye attack on northern economy
The security crisis plaguing Northern Nigeria has taken a new dimension with the orchestrated destruction of telecommunications masts across several states in the zone. Obviously the aim is to cripple communications and businesses, and unless the wave is contained, insecurity in the region will worsen.
The Boko Haram sect, which has claimed responsibility for most of the insurgency in the region, has also claimed responsibility for this new development. Tragically, as the infrastructure of the telecom companies are being destroyed, members of their staff and innocent bystanders are also killed by the hoodlums.
With this new tactics, the Boko Haram sect is out to destroy what remains of the distressed economy of the region. As seen in recent times, the sect has been attacking federal and state institutions, alongside the schools that have been their original target. Last week alone, about 16 persons were reportedly killed in Damaturu and Potiskum, Yobe State, while the Ministry of Religious Studies, Pilgrims Welfare Board, Hajj camp, local government INEC office, and Government Secondary School, Damaturu, were targeted with Improvised Explosive Device (IED). In the same week, the masts in Kano and Maiduguri were also targets of the incendiary activities of the sect.
The political leadership in Nigeria as we have severally argued must rise up to the primary responsibility of government, which is the protection of lives and property. Because of the persistent wanton destruction of lives and property, it is gradually turning to a permanent state of affairs in the region. In such situation, more businesses close down, more people get displaced, and a major chunk of the scarce resources is spent fighting the insurgency. The result is that poverty worsens, and those orchestrating the violence get more members from the population of frustrated Nigerians, and the result is a cycle of violence and poverty.
The Joint Task Force (JTF) on the Boko Haram crisis in Yobe State reported that four persons have been arrested in connection with the destruction of the masts, and are being interrogated. We urge the JTF to do more than it has done. It is strange that despite assurances by the Federal Government that it is on top of the situation, the facts on ground remain increasingly slippery. While the Federal Government has changed some key officials and spent huge resources, if the budget is anything to rely on, the results are merely trickling in.
Unfortunately even before the Boko Haram insurgency started, the North-Eastern part of the country was the least educated, and also at the lowest rung of poverty index in the country. Little wonder that the crisis started and is dominant in that area. With all efforts concentrated on containing the crisis, there is no doubt that the zone will be moving further down the rudder of underdevelopment. Targeting education and any modicum of modern development, the religious sect is obviously determined to return the area to its rustic settings of the previous centuries.
Even more tragic is that members of the sect are also destroying the communications channels that they also use. While condemning everything western, they rely on modern facilities, including destructive IEDs to spread mayhem. The sect no doubt uses telephones to communicate and pass down instructions, and it is strange that despite their original claim to be fighting against government and other religions, they have now started destroying private properties that are beneficial to all.
Telecommunication investments in the North have to be protected. Moreover, states in the region would increase the tempo of whatever effort they are making to redeem the north from irreversible destruction. It is also necessary for the states to reconsider their stand on state police, which we have argued may be necessary to stem the apparent descent into anarchy.
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INEC releases voters’ register tomorrow
•Flays invasion of ACN Secretary’s home
The Ondo State Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it would tomorrow publish the official voters’ register for the October 20 governorship election.
The electoral body said only 55 persons requested the transfer of their voters’ cards from intra- and inter-states.
It said INEC would use the 2011 general elections voter’s register.
The Residential Electoral Commission (REC), Mr. Akin Orebiyi, spoke in Akure, the state capital, at a stakeholders’ forum.
He said 30 persons had requested the transfer of their voters’ cards to Ondo State, adding that 25 others requested the transfer of their voter’s cards within the state.
Orebiyi debunked the report that INEC had accepted over 10,000 transfers of voter’s cards, particularly from Ogun, Ekiti, Osun and other states.
According to him, INEC is working on how to conduct the freest and fairest election in the state.
He added that the outcome of the October 20 poll would justify the credibility of the electoral body in its preparation for the 2015 general elections.
The REC said the INEC has corrected the errors that occurred before last year’s general elections.
Orebiyi said: “Before last year’s elections, some of the Data Base electronic machines brought to the state were damaged. This forced us to use manual system to conduct the election. Due to this, some voters were deprived from voting. But now, we have been able to retrieve the names from the damaged machines to prevent any further prevention of legible voters to perform their constitutional rights.”
The REC condemned the recent invasion of the home of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Secretary, Mr. Adegboyega Adedipe, by some security operatives, following false information allegedly given to the security agents by politicians.
“We are really amazed about the recent invasion of the home of a party chieftain by security agents. He was alleged to have been conducting a voter registration in his home at Ijapo. But when the police got to the house, they could not find any criminal object. This looks embarrassing. Politicians should stop raising false alarm. This is not good for Nigeria’s politics.”
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How INEC can conduct fair polls in 2015, by Opadokun
•CODER chief urges implementation of Uwais Report
For Nigeria to avoid future electoral disaster, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must be repositioned, pro-democracy activist, Mr. Ayo Opadokun, has said.
Opadokun who is the Coordinator of Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER), said INEC under the leadership of Prof. Attahiru Jega may be an obstacle to free and fair elections in the country, unless urgent steps are taken to prevent the looming disaster.
He told reporters in Lagos that the electoral process has not been sanitised in the country.
Recalling that the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, who acknowledged that the 2007 poll was flawed, set up the Uwais Committee to make suggestions on electoral reforms, he lamented that the report was thrown into the dustbin.
Opadokun said: “I have my doubt about the bonafide of Prof. Attahuru Jega to preside over a credible electoral umpire. When he was nominated, despite the hailing by the leadership and their collaborators, I told Nigerians that Attahiru Jega could not be trusted and that he should not be hailed as the messiah that would conduct free and fair election in the country. This has been confirmed by what is happening in that body.
“I was disappointed that President Goodluck Jonathan nominated him. He was a member of the Electoral Reforms Committee led by Justice Mohammed Uwais, which recommended that no sitting executive, President or governor should appoint the electoral umpire that will supervise election in which he, his party or candidate will participate. If I was part of a committee that made that such recommendation, I will not be willing to accept, even if I was offered, the appointment through the wrong procedure and that is what Attahiru Jega has done”.
Opadokun said Jega was offered the appointment through the back door, adding that his acceptance of the offer contradicted his gentlemanliness and his claim to any principled stand. He alleged that, since he took over as the INEC boss, he had taken some suspicious steps.
He added: “Because of the international focus on Nigeria’s electoral misfortune, European Union, United States of America and a number of development partners did a lot of capacity building for INEC. But what was the result? N80 billion for computerised voters’ register. Do we have such a register now that is foolproof? He cannot deceive us”.
The pro-democracy crusader said INEC’s capacity to hold credible elections has been in doubt, recalling that, if non-governmental organisations and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the governor of Edo State, had not openly castigated Jega, the result of governorship election in the state would have been a different ball game.
Opadokun said electoral materials were not available in some places where information confirmed that majority of people were ready to vote for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). He said it would have been catastrophic, if the scenario occurred in a general election.
The CODER chief also accused INEC of nepotism, saying that major and critical departments were being headed by people from the far North. He doubted if an agency with that baggage would be able to conduct free and fair polls.
Opadokun added: “It has now been revealed that Jega wrote a letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation, requesting him to explain state if he was the accounting officer of INEC. The Minister of Justice Mohammed Adoke replied that, given the state of extant rules and laws governing INEC, Jega as the chief executive officer is not the accounting officer of INEC.
“Jega is lobbying the National Assembly so that he can be the one that will be appointing the resident electoral commissioners, not the President. I don’t know what that means to you. But I see it from his perspective of lust for power; power to be in charge of resources and the likes. Majority of Nigerians complained against Maurice Iwu. What is now being witnessed in that place is not different”.
Opadokun called for the full implementation of the Uwais Report, which he described as a significant milestone, assuring that it would lead to free and fair elections inn the country.
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Group to partner INEC
A non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Centre for Human Rights and Ethics in Development (CHRED), has said it would partner the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a free and fair governorship election in Ondo State on October 20.
The group hailed the electoral body for conducting a successful election on July 14 in Edo State.It noted that the outcome of the poll demonstrated that there could be transparent election in Nigeria, if stakeholders play their role according to the rules of the game.
CHRED said as part of efforts to ensure that votes count, it has constituted an institutional framework, to be called the Stakeholders’ Consultative Advisory committee (SAC). It comprises the representatives of INEC, the media, political parties, security agencies, lawmakers, among others.
It said SAC would be domiciled in the state capital with dedicated phones for information and complaints as well as maintain contacts with those it described as election rovers from the 18 local governments.
A statement by its Executive Director, Mr Mohood Erubami, said the Ondo State governorship poll would be another test for the INEC to prove that it is capable of conducting free and fair elections in 2015.
The statement reads: “The Centre for Human Rights and Ethics In Development (CHRED) as a vital component of democratic governance, in collaboration with stakeholders has therefore decided not to be indifferent to the possible dangers already raring their heads in the state such that caused political acrimonies in the past.
“We have decided to set an election observation platform to checkmate political office holders and their opponents from the contest for power with bitter divisions and rancour such that can make political violence a recurrent feature of Nigeria’s political life.
“CHRED will use its election observation platform-the voters to compliment the efforts of INEC to improve on the challenges and achievements recorded during Edo election so as to make the coming Ondo State Gubernatorial election acceptable to all stakeholders.
“The voters under the umbrella of the Centre for Human Rights and Ethics in Development (CHRED) will ensure that conditions for credible election set by INEC are met by observing the early distribution of sensitive and less sensitive materials arrival of materials, and officials at pulling centres,
“It will ensure conducive atmosphere for accreditation and monitor voting in all the voting centres, adherence to set voting time adequacy of voting materials, and good conduct of electoral officials, voters and security agencies.
“The group will in addition, initiate and establish a rapid response intervention program to halt the trends towards dreadful and violent disruption of an electoral process and create a peaceful atmosphere for credible and legitimate election instead, so as to allow democracy to flourish.
“In this way, the hegemonic violence trend will be crushed via the establishment of an institutional framework to be known as the Stakeholders Consultative Advisory committee (SAC), comprising of the Representatives from INEC, Media, Political Parties, Chief Security Officers, Legislators and Security Agencies.
“SAC will take complaints of malpractices against the electoral act and INEC guidelines from people and take immediate proactive actions to remedy the situation before it escalates into big conflicts.
The statement said’’ In the process, peaceful democratic transition is ensured and guaranteed.” -
Defending bigotry and cant at both inec and the federal character commission
INEC and Federal Character Commission have to do more to convince Nigerians that they have no ulterior motives
Nothing can be more indicative of the synergy between the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Federal Character Commission in their determined bid to protect inequity at INEC than the fact that while Prof Jega, the INEC Chairman had caused Kayode Idowu, his Chief Press Secretary, to do a lengthy defence of INEC’s indefensible management composition, Prof Oba has, himself, resorted to granting newspaper interviews to achieve the same result. But only the unwary can be deceived by either of these two professors who head very vital, indeed strategic, national institutions.
In my article: ‘What game is the North up to at INEC?, 18 August, 2010, and sundry other publications, attention was drawn to the overwhelming preponderance of officials of Northern extraction in the management of INEC. My aforementioned article went the extra mile of accusing the Federal Character Commission of being an accessory to the fact of this out rightly illegal composition going by the constitutionally prescribed functions of the FCC.
In his laboured defence, Prof Shuaibi Oba Abdulraheem, the Executive Chairman of the commission said as follows: ‘the Federal Character Commission is essentially focused on the public service recruitment, at the entry point only. That is when we ensure equity of opportunity of all persons to be able to enter into an establishment by drawing the benchmark for merit’. In a quick volte face, as if he could not see the contradiction, he went on: ‘the other point which we get interested in is at the management level, which is where the INEC thing you are talking about comes in. We encourage all establishments that when it comes to management positions, there must be a practice of equity of distribution of offices among the various interest groups in Nigeria. The issue of INEC is about the management structure which is arising from the internal development of the individuals within that structure up to a particular level. Yes there are some issues there, but it is not intentional in the sense that at the management level we have given instructions, guide lines. Our circulars are there, that for all establishments, all management positions must be advertised and made public, even while we are practicing equitable distribution, but some institutions have been sufficiently clever enough and have been protected by whatever forces, I don’t know how they are able to manipulate the internal structures and appoint persons into, for instance, management positions…’
Exactly the point that critics now being demonised are making.
But beyond that it can safely be said that Prof Oba was being economical with the truth when he claimed that FCC is concerned only with the entry point, that is, unless he has since changed the practice at the Federal Character Commission since he became the emperor.
One of the earliest reactions to my article of the 18 August, 2012, was a telephone call from my former boss at the University of Ife, (Dr J.G.O.Adegbite who, for many years represented Ekiti State on the Federal Character Commission .As he vividly recalls, the commission was nothing but an ombudsman which guided not only entry point appointments but also ensured an effective federal character presence in the workforce, especially, at the management level. Otherwise, why would Chief Executive Officers, only, of federal agencies and ministries be invited to present and defend their extant staff positions? Indeed, Dr Adegbite remembers, in particular, an occasion when, Mallam el Rufai, as the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Privatisation Agency, was about being refused entry into the chambers believing he was not the Chief Executive Officer, because of his generous stature.
Professor Oba should tell Nigerians if he has since changed this procedure.
Dr Adegbite also went further to inform me that non-compliant agencies, where management placements are noticed to have been unduly skewed in favour of a particular zone were always given a 6-month grace period to make amends. I will personally not be surprised if this has changed since our professor took charge of affairs at the commission.
And what was INEC’s effete defence?
Let us listen to Mr Idowu.
After berating the Media for being a washed with what he called weird tales of goings-on within the commission, he generously informed us as follows, like we were some kindergarten: It is also alleged that there is regional disproportion in the chairmanship of INEC committees by the National Commissioners. That, simply, betrays grievous ignorance of legal provisions setting up the Commission and governing its operations. Section 14 (1) (a) of Part 1 (F) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Federal Constitution (as amended) provides that The Commission shall comprise the following members: (a) a Chairman, who shall be the Chief Electoral Commissioner; and (b) twelve other members to be known as National Electoral Commissioners. In practice, the 12 National Commissioners are appointed by Mr. President on geo-political basis: two from each of the six geo-political zones making up the country. Also, Section 7 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as gazetted) provides that “the Commission may appoint one or more committees to carry out any of its functions under this Act.”
He then went further to educate us on the criteria for appointment into the chair of these committees which he listed as: ‘personal expertise, previous experience and ultimate responsibility.’ What he failed to tell us is that only Northerners have these in overflowing abundance since we would have required that eternal truth as proof positive of how unbiased the composition of INEC management is.
For ease of reference, and to help Mr Idowu, I recall writing as follows in my article under reference: ‘INEC’s top management is made up as follows: 1. Prof Jega (Chairman)- Kebbi 2. U.F Usman (Director of Logistics) –Kebbi 3.A. Muktar (Director of Human Resources) –Sokoto 4. A.A Uregi (Director of Finance) –Niger 5. M. Kuta (Internal Auditor) –Niger 6. E.T Akem (Director ICT) –Benue 7. I. Biu (Director of Voter Education) – North East 8.I.K Bawa (Dep. Director, Legal) –Plateau 9.Okey Ndeche (Director, Operations) –Anambra 10. Nyise Torgba (Director M& E/Performance) –Benue 11. A.A Adamu Head, Commission, Secretariat) –Kogi 12. M.Ekwunja (Director, Civil Societies) 13. E. Umenger (Director, Public Affairs) –Benue 14. Regina Omo-Agege (Director, Political Monitoring) –Delta. 15. B.E Edoghotu (Estate & Works).
INEC’s national commissioners who head the vital committees overseeing the most important departments are as stated hereunder though he tried to delude us into thinking that no committee is more strategic than the other:
1. Col. Hamanga ( Chairperson, Logistics Committee) –Adamawa
2. Dr Nuru Yakubu ( Chairperson, Operations Committee) –Yobe
3. Ambassador Wali (Chair person, Procurement Committee) –Sokoto
4. Prof Jega (Chairperson, F&GP) –Kebbi
5. Prof Jega ( Chairperson, ICT) –Kebbi
6. Hajia Amina Zakari (Chairperson, Political Monitoring) –Jigawa
7. Membership of a newly constituted INEC 9-Man Strategic Planning Committee reads as follows: Nuru A. Yakubu, Istianus Dalwang, Mustafa Kuta, M.S Mohammed. Torgba Nyitse, Emanuel Akeem all from the North with only Mike Igini and Okechukwu Ndeche from the South.’
What needs be added is the undue emphasis on the restructuring going on in INEC. What Nigerians have seen, and which I suspect is the leitmotif for the exercise, is Professor Jega’s undue eagerness to emerge much more powerful by being crowned the commission’s accounting officer as if not being that had, in any considerable way, stymied his effective performance.
In all, our friends at both INEC and the Federal Character Commission will have to do much more than what they have offered till date to convince Nigerians that there are no ulterior motives at play in INEC as things stand today, albeit, without a whimper from the almighty national ombudsman..
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Court restrains INEC from deregistering NCP
Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from deregistering the National Conscience Party (NCP).
The party was founded by the late rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi.
Justice Okon Abang, in a ruling on an interlocutory application by the party, held that the order shall subsist, pending the determination of NCP’s suit challenging INEC’s powers to deregister parties.
The judge ordered the plaintiff to endorse a Form 48 (notice of consequences of disobedience of court orders) and serve it along with the court order, on INEC’s Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega personally.
Justice Abang refused the second leg of the plaintiff’s prayer to the effect that INEC should be restrained from deregistering any political party in the country.
The judge held that it was improper for the court to make an order in favour of parties not before it. He claimed that the other political parties were not parties in the suit before the court.
Justice Abang also noted that the need to restrain INEC from deregistering the plaintiff before the determination of the main suit was with the consent of parties, particularly INEC’s lawyer, Adeniyi Lawal, who undertook that INEC will not deregister the plaintiff until the main suit is decided.
Justice Abang, who noted that INEC defaulted in filing processes within the stipulated time, granted the commission additional time to respond to the suit. His decision, he said, was informed by the need to ensure justice to all parties.
The judge adjourned to November 27 for hearing of the substantive suit.
NCP had, in an affidavit supporting its interlocutory application, argued that unless restrained, INEC would carry out its alleged threat to deregister some parties.
“If the third respondent (INEC) is not restrained promptly from deregistering the first plaintiff (NCP) or any political party pending the determination of the substantive suit, it may carry out its threat to do so, and this will cause irreparable damage to the plaintiffs,” the party had argued.
Named as defendants in the suit are the National Assembly, Attorney General of the Federation and INEC.
In the substantive suit, INEC is particularly, challenging the constitutionality of the provisions of Section 78 (7) (ii) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.
The provisions confer powers on INEC to deregister political parties for failure to win a sit in the National Assembly or state Assembly.
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Jonathan dumps 7-year single tenure proposal
•Dr. Jonathan Two new states likely. INEC ‘lacks power to seek amendment’
The Presidency bowing to public pressure, may have dropped the idea of a seven-year single tenure, The Nation learnt yesterday.
But the government is determined to create one or two states “to ensure some balance and equity”, a source said, pleading not to be named.One of the new states may come from the Southeast, which is the only geopolitical zone with five states.
Also, the government has foreclosed state police in the proposed amendments to the Constitution. It will not be on the list it plans to send to the National Assembly.There might, however, be significant proposals on local government and justice sector reforms.
A government committee on the proposed amendments has almost concluded its work.The popular thinking in government circles is that the single term tenure is not popular among Nigerians, hence the decision to dump it.
The source, who spoke last night, said: “In deference to public opinion, the Presidency will no longer push ahead with the seven-year single-term tenure because the proposal has been beclouded with political sentiments and unnecessary speculations.
“The intention of President Goodluck Jonathan is to stabilise the system and reduce political frictions and post-election crises to the barest minimum but most people erroneously assumed that he is trying to perpetuate himself in power.
“Whether we like it or not, posterity will certainly vindicate Jonathan on this single tenure system.“So, as things stand, the Presidency will retain the present provision of a renewable four-year tenure system – in line with Section 135 of the 1999 Constitution.”
On state creation, the source said: “President Jonathan believes in equity and fairness. I think his administration is favourably disposed to the creation of one or two states to address obvious imbalance.“One of the states might be from the Southeast, which is the only geopolitical zone with five states. The other five zones have six states, with the exception of the Northwest with seven states.”
On other likely areas of amendment, the source said: “We want to ensure autonomy for local governments, especially on the need for the abolition of Joint Accounts. Most of the 774 local government areas in the country have become appendages of the state governors.
“The administration of President Jonathan is disturbed that there is no democracy at the local government level, let alone good governance. This is a vital tier of government.
“Also, Nigerians should expect fundamental reforms in the justice sector, especially access to justice, quick dispensation of justice and criminal justice reforms.”
The source admitted that the government is considering the proposals of Justice Alfa Belgore Committee, the report of the Steering Committee on the Implementation of the Justice Sector Reforms in Nigeria and other similar reports to draw up its proposed amendments.
While submitting the report of its committee to the President in July, Justice Belgore harped on the need to save the local government system and reform administration of justice.He said: “We have viewed many parts of the Constitution. In particular, we put new visions into creating an optimally independent, incorruptible and stabilising local government system that shall always be administered by democratically elected officials that must be accountable, responsive to local needs, directed, controlled and sanctioned by appropriate laws.
“In our view, this is necessary in order to deepen principles of democracy and sound resource management at the grassroots where it really matters for this country.
“Of special significance is that we also looked at the judiciary vis-à-vis the Bar, which is just one. That means there is only one Bar.
“The procedures we inherited from the colonial times, which were originally meant for jury, has not helped the speedy dispensation of justice. There is no reason earthly why judgments and hearing in cases must take more than one year.
“The British have done away with these procedures in some of their Acts while we still insist on their being sacrosanct, which is unfortunate.”
It was gathered that plans by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to initiate independent amendments to the Constitution and the Electoral Act 2011 may not work.
By law, the electoral commission cannot approach the National Assembly directly, but through the Federal Government.
A top government official said: “INEC cannot go ahead to seek amendments to the Constitution without doing so through the Federal Government.
“By virtue of Section 153 of the 1999 Constitution, the electoral commission is one of the Federal Executive Bodies. So, anything INEC wants to do must be through the government and not as an independent body.“What INEC should do is to submit its proposed amendments to the government for harmonisation and the government in return will look at it on merit and forward these proposals to the National Assembly.”
INEC is proposing an amendment to its Act to stop a sitting President from appointing Resident Electoral Commissioners. The commission is seeking powers to appoint RECS in order to enhance its independence and be able to conduct a free and fair poll.
