Tag: Inec

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said 64,273 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were collected after its continuous voter registration exercise ahead of next week’s governorship election in Ondo State.

The electoral body said it would deploy a total of 4,002 BVAS for the election while 812 BVAS would be set aside as backups. It said non-sensitive election materials for the election were already sorted and batched for distribution to polling units.

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Ondo Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Babalola Oluwatoyin, stated this in Akure, the Ondo State capital at a stakeholders meeting with civil society organizations, security agencies and political parties.

Oluwarotimi said all registration area centres in the 18 local government areas have been prepared, and materials provided for the comfort of the ad-hoc staff camping at the centres on the eve of the election. She said a credible, free, fair and inclusive election could not be achieved without the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, said BVAS machines used for mock accreditation and training would not be used for the election Prof. Yakubu warned INEC officials of dire consequences for dereliction of duties.

The INEC chairman said the commission has accredited 111 domestic and international organisations that would further deploy 3,554 observers for the election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said a total of 64,273 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were collected after its Continuous Voters Registration exercise ahead of next week’s governorship election in Ondo State.

It said it would deploy a total of 4,002 BVAS for the election while 812 BVAS would be set aside as backups.

The electoral body said non-sensitive election materials for the election were already sorted and batched for distribution to polling units.

Ondo Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Babalola Oluwatoyin, stated this in Akure at a stakeholders meeting with Civil Society Organisations, security agencies and political parties.

Oluwarotimi said all Registration Area Centres (RACs) in the 18 Local Government Areas have been prepared, and materials provided for the comfort of the Ad-hoc staff camping at the centres on the eve of election.

She said a credible, free, fair and inclusive election could not be achieved without collaborative efforts of all stakeholders.

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National Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mamoud Yakubu, said BVAS machines used for mock accreditation and training would not be used for the election

Prof. Mamoud warned INEC officials of dire consequences for dereliction of duties.

The INEC Chairman the Commission has accredited 111 domestic and international organisations that would further deploy 3,554 observers for the election.

According to him, “Let me reassure stakeholders that INEC is ready for the election. We are deploying the BVAS machines for voter accreditation at polling units and for the upload of results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.

“We have test-run our election technology in preparation for the Election Day. We are deploying enough technical support staff to address any challenges that may occur. We have made arrangements for land and maritime transportation of personnel and materials. We have arranged for the delivery of sensitive materials for the election to arrive as early as Tuesday next week.

“Election is a multi-stakeholder activity. INEC has a role to play and we have done so always in consultation with stakeholders.”

Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbedokun said 22, 239 policemen would be deployed to the state.

Egbedokun urged the stakeholders to approach the election with open mind and positive mindset.

He assured that the police would do all things to ensure a hitch-free exercise.

• Commission seeks electoral reform to provide time frame for trial of culprits

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is committed to prosecuting electoral offenders within and outside the commission.

It called for an electoral reform programme that would give a time frame in the investigation and prosecution of electoral offenders across the country.

The commission said in the aftermath of last year’s general election, it received case files of electoral offenders involving about 744 offenders for the presidential and governorship polls.

INEC announced that it had begun the prosecution of several electoral offenders in various states, adding that convictions/successful prosecutions had been recorded in Kebbi and Kogi states, while successful prosecutions had been recorded in Lagos, Gombe and Kwara states.

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In a statement, titled: SERAP Misrepresentation of Facts On the Prosecution of Electoral Offenders, the commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, said INEC was working with various agencies, such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), to prosecute electoral offenders.

The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to media reports attributed to the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) accusing the commission of failure or neglect to prosecute electoral offenders arising from the 2023 general election.

“Specifically, SERAP accused the commission of failure to engage independent counsel to prosecute unnamed governors and deputy governors for sundry violations of electoral laws. It also accused the commission of failing to engage private lawyers to prosecute other electoral offences, including vote-buying during the same election. These allegations are untrue and fly in the face of facts already in the public domain.

“In the first place, governors and deputy governors have constitutional immunity from prosecution. SERAP cannot be unaware of this constitutional provision. In any case, the commission has no record that anyone of them has been arrested, investigated and a prima facie case established to initiate their prosecution.

“If SERAP had done basic fact-check, it would have known that at the end of the 2023 general election, the commission announced that it received 215 case files from the Nigeria Police following the arrest and investigation of alleged violators of the electoral laws across the country.

“These include 52 files involving 238 alleged offenders during the presidential and National Assembly elections and 163 files in respect of 536 suspects for the governorship and State Assembly elections. It is important to also inform the public that the commission’s commitment to the prosecution of electoral offenders is not limited to persons who are outside the commission.

“Indeed, officials of the commission, some of them highly placed, have been affected, including a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) currently being prosecuted in a High Court in Yola.

“Recognising the need for their speedy prosecution and bearing in mind that the commission does not have enough in-house lawyers, it engaged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) under the leadership of the immediate past President, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), for assistance.

“The NBA agreed, and a well-publicised joint press conference was held between the Chairman of the commission and the President of the NBA. The Chairman of the commission and other officials have also been providing updates to the public on the matter, as simple google search will show.

“For the first time in the history of elections in Nigeria, concrete steps were taken between the NBA and the commission to prosecute electoral offences. The NBA, working with a prominent and senior human rights lawyer, provided the commission with a list of counsels nationwide, including Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), who volunteered to render pro-bono services.

“Letters of instruction were given to them through the NBA and work commenced in earnest. As private lawyers, this satisfies the provision of Section 145 (2) of the Electoral Act 2022, which empowers the commission to engage external solicitors to assist it in the prosecution of electoral offences.

“So far, convictions/successful prosecutions have been recorded in Kebbi and Kogi states.

“Similarly, it is well known that the commission has been working with the anti-graft agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), to discourage vote-buying and prosecute vote buyers.

“Specifically, a special joint prosecution team of 18 lawyers drawn from the EFCC and INEC was set up to prosecute suspects. Through this joint effort, successful prosecutions have so far been recorded in Lagos, Gombe, and Kwara states.

“The prosecution of electoral offence is very slow for the simple reason that electoral offences are not time-bound, unlike pre-election and post-election cases which must be determined within 180 days at the trial court/tribunal and a maximum of 60 days at each layer of appeal.

“Furthermore, under Section 145 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022, electoral offences are prosecuted in the jurisdiction where the alleged offence is committed and by the state judiciary. Some cases can go on for several years.

“That is why the commission has been in the forefront of the advocacy for electoral reform to make electoral offences time-bound for speedy prosecution of electoral offenders, including the establishment of an Electoral Offences Tribunal.

“We wish to assure Nigerians that the commission will continue to discharge its responsibilities at all times. The commission is not in contempt of court, as alleged. As an organisation that portrays itself as a leader in advocating for justice, SERAP ought to have availed itself of basic facts that are already in the public domain.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct a mock accreditation on Wednesday, November 6,  to test-run its facilities for the governorship election.

The exercise will be conducted in 12 selected polling units across six local government areas in the three senatorial zones.

National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun said the exercise will enable the commission to assess the level of preparedness for the election.

The statement reads: “In continuation of preparations for the Ondo State governorship election, which will be held on Saturday, November 16, 2024, the commission is test-running the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and result upload to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal for the election using live voters in select locations in the State.

“For this purpose, the commission has designated 12 polling units across six local government areas covering the three senatorial districts as centres for the mock accreditation.

“In Ondo Central Senatorial District, the exercise will be in Akure South and Idanre Local Governments. In Akure South Local Government, the centres are Alagbaka Primary School in Akure and Ijapo High School also in Akue, while in Idanre, Our Saviour Primary School, Aiyetoro/Owena I and Open Space in front of Plot 6, Beside Teaching Service Commission, Owena, are the designated venues.

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“In Ondo North Senatorial District, the two council areas are Owo and Akoko Southwest. In Owo, the Methodist Primary School, Fajuyi Road and Imade College Gate, Ajaka Street I, shall serve as centres and the Open Space at Ago Ajayi, Oba and L. A. Primary School, Oba are the designated locations for Akoko Southwest Local Government.

“In Ondo South Senatorial District, the two councils are Odigbo and Okitipupa. In Odigbo, the selected locations are St John’s Primary School, Ajue and Isero Grammar School, Odigbo. In Okitipupa, the Open Space at Oladipupo Lebi Street, by Zhomelo Lodge and the Baptist Primary School, Ode Aye, shall serve as centres.

“The mock exercise will be held on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at the designated polling units from 8.30 am to 2.30 pm.

“A graphic containing the names and locations of the centres has been uploaded to our website and social media platforms for public information.

“The commission appeals to registered voters to come out with their PVCs for the exercise. Only registered voters for the designated polling units are invited to participate in the exercise. Voters from other polling units will not be part of it.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is to conduct a mock accreditation exercise to test run facilities for the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State on Wednesday November 6.

The exercise is to be conducted in 12 selected polling units across six local government areas in the three Senatorial zones of the state. 

National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, S Olumekun said in a statement the exercise is to enable the commission access the level of preparedness for the election. 

The statement reads: “In continuation of preparations for the Ondo State Governorship Election holding on Saturday 16th November 2024, the Commission is test-running the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and result upload to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal for the election using live voters in select locations in the State.

“For this purpose, the Commission has designated 12 Polling Units across six Local Government Areas covering the three Senatorial Districts of the State as centres for the mock accreditation.

“In Ondo Central Senatorial District, the exercise will take place in Akure South and Idanre LGAs. In Akure South LGA, the centres are Alagbaka Primary School in Akure and Ijapo High School also in Akue while in Idanre LGA, Our Saviour Primary School, Aiyetoro/Owena I and Open Space in front of Plot 6, Beside Teaching Service Commission, Owena, are the designated venues.

Read Also: INEC to deploy over 4,000 BVAS

“In Ondo North Senatorial District, the two LGAs are Owo and Akoko South West. In Owo, the Methodist Primary School, Fajuyi Road and Imade College Gate, Ajaka Street I, shall serve as centres while the Open Space at Ago Ajayi, Oba and L. A. Primary School, Oba are the designated locations for Akoko South West LGA.

“In Ondo South Senatorial District, the two LGAs are Odigbo and Okitipupa. In Odigbo LGA, the selected locations are St John’s Primary School, Ajue and Isero Grammar School, Odigbo. In Okitipupa LGA, the Open Space at Oladipupo Lebi Street, by Zhomelo Lodge and the Baptist Primary School, Ode Aye, shall serve as centres.

“The mock exercise will be held on Wednesday 6th November 2024 at the designated Polling Units from 8.30am to 2.30pm.

“A graphic containing the names and locations of the centres has been uploaded to our website and social media platforms for public information.

“The Commission appeals to registered voters to come out with their PVCs for the exercise. Please note that only registered voters for the designated polling units are invited to participate in the exercise. No voter from another polling unit can be accredited by the BVAS.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it would deploy more than 4,000 Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems for the Ondo State governorship election.

INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ondo State, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, stated this in Akure the state capital, at a forum for reporters and on-air personalities as part of preparation for the poll.

The REC said a total of 4,002 BVAS would be deployed while 812 others would be set aside as backups.

Read Also: INEC distributes 55,859 PVCs for Ondo Gov poll

According to her, INEC was preparing to ensure a smooth and efficient electoral process across the polling units while 17,705 ad hoc staff, who have been adequately trained, would be deployed for the election.

Babalola said INEC, in collaboration with security agencies, has made adequate arrangements for the safety of participants in the election, including members of the media.