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Tag: Inec

  • INEC presents Tambuwal, Legislators-elect certificates of return

    The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday presented Peoples Democratic Party candidate Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and his running mate, Alhaji Muhammad Mannir Dan Iya their certificates of return.

    Also presented certificates of return were the 30 Assembly members-elect.

    Presenting the certificates, INEC National Commissioner in charge of Sokoto, Kebib and Zamfara states, Mrs. Amina Zakari, said the commission remained committed to the course of ensuring smooth and transparent conduct of elections.

    According to her: “While we have concluded the 2019 polls exercise, we are looking forward to 2023 with a reminder to Nigerians that sustainable democracy can only be achieved through peaceful, free, fair, transparent and credible polls.”

    Zakari urged politicians and political parties to always ensure democratic process dictate their activities through adherence to INEC guidelines as well as peaceful conducts before, during and after elections.

    She regretted that Sokoto state, which was known for its peaceful electioneering process, had in the just -concluded polls lost its place due to violence and other wrongs.

    “This is the first time in many years we are experiencing this. I will like to state clearly that narrow lead margin was not the only reason why elections are declared inconclusive but violence and other reasons,” she stated.

    Sokoto Returning Electoral Commissioner, Sadiq Musa Abubakar, who noted the journey to the successful conclusion of the elections in the state was not an easy task, said INEC was able to deliver a credible and transparent exercise that ensured every voted counted to the last moment when the rerun was conducted.

    “We conducted the 2019 elections without fear or favour but commitment to the realisation of an acceptable exercise.

    “All struggles and efforts towards this day are over. I urge the people of Sokoto state to join hands together and forge ahead for the development of the state in unity and progress.”

    Tambuwal reassured of his resilience to building a Sokoto state that would symbolise prosperity for the people.

    He said nothing would be left out in the course of transforming the state and its people.

  • I’m not owing any bank, Okorocha insists

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha yesterday restated that his administration never borrowed money from any bank within or outside the shores of the land.

    He gave a seven-day ultimatum to any financial institution with a counterclaim to come up with proofs.

    The governor’s explanation came on the heels of a promise by governor-elect Emeka Ihedioha to look into the finances of the state under the watch of Okorocha when he assumed office on May 29.

    Okorocha also disclosed that his administration does not owe workers salary arrears, adding that workers’ salaries have been paid up to February.

    In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, the governor challenged any bank with contrary claim to “openly indicate and give details of such transaction for the public to know.”

    The statement reads: “We have come up with this position because the PDP is synonymous with falsehood and propaganda. And even as a party, if they know any bank the government of Rochas Okorocha has borrowed one naira from, they should mention such bank and state the particulars of the transaction so that interested persons can verify or forever, they should keep their mouths shut.

    “Owing to Governor Okorocha’s monumental achievements, opponents of the administration have always erroneously concluded that he must have borrowed heavily from the banks.

    “And that is the reason we are now stating openly that the Rescue Mission administration which Owelle Okorocha has superintended for almost eight years now has not borrowed money from any bank.

    “We also want to state that Imo State government has paid workers’ salaries up to the month of February 2019, and the payment of the month of March salaries is about to commence. In other words, the State government is not owing any outstanding salary.

    Read also: Non-issuance of Certificate of return: Okorocha is on his own, says APC

    “Again, the government of Governor Okorocha is not owing any contractor. And if any contractor has any claim to the contrary he or she should immediately go to the Office of the Secretary to the government of Imo State with the relevant papers before May 29, 2019.

    “We are doing this so that people would not come after the governor has left office to lie against him or make dubious claims.

    “It is also on record that the administration has run free education since 2011 from primary to tertiary and no child pays one kobo as tuition fee, while the government also repurchased state-owned companies sold by the previous administrations, including the Resin Paint Industry Mbaise.”

  • Non-issuance of Certificate of return: Okorocha is on his own, says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday spoke on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s decision not to issue Certificate of Return to Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha.

    The commission said it has no official position on the issue since the governor is still under suspension.

    National Publicity Secretary Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu spoke at an interactive session with reporters that the governor has also not informed the party of the problem he is having with the electoral management body probably because he is aware of his suspension.

    INEC has said it will not issue Certificate of Return to Okorocha, because, according to the commission, he was declared winner under duress by the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state.

    Asked whether the party planned to intervene in the matter, Onilu said Governor Okorocha is still under suspension, adding that until such is vacated, the party will not intervene.

    Read also: I’m not owing any bank, Okorocha insists

    “On the refusal of INEC to issue Certificate of Return to the governor, who was announced winner of the Imo West senatorial ticket, this party cannot take any action. Don’t forget that he is on suspension and as far as this party is concerned, that situation remains because there is no way we can say that somebody is on suspension and still go ahead to intervene in his case.

    “In any case, he has not even come up to inform the party of his problem because he has realised that he is on suspension. Therefore, until it is vacated, the party will now step in to intervene as a party member who has problem to resolve.”

    On whether former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Ameachi had committed anti-party activity for allegedly supporting governorship candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), Onilu said: “I will emphatically say no because if you liken it to the situation in Imo and or Ogun states, it will be wrong. In Rivers State, APC does not have any candidate and as a party, Rivers State is very important to us. The state has been in the hands of pillagers for too long.

    “If we have the opportunity of working with a party willing to abide by our principles, then it is within our right to work with such a party to ensure we free the people of Rivers State from the locust. In this case, he has not abandoned a particular candidate that belongs to the APC for a candidate of another party. They are entirely different issues and in that case, there is no anti-party. Whatever Amaechi has done is completely normal and acceptable to this party as far as working with other party is concerned.”

    On the supposed suspension of Senator Kabiru Marafa by his ward in Zamfara, Onilu said: “It s within the powers of the party executives at the ward level.

  • We’re ready for Adamawa governorship rerun, says INEC

    ALL is now set for Adamawa State supplementary governorship election as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday insisted on holding the election today.

    The rerun will, however, hold as the court, which earlier granted the injunction against it, is yet to give judgment on a motion by a governorship candidate asking for the nullification of the original March 9 election.

    The candidate claimed that his party’s logo was not on the ballot paper for the election.

    The court, at a sitting yesterday in Yola, adjourned till today for a ruling on preliminary objections against its insistence on jurisdiction over the case and then on the motion seeking the annulment of the election.

    With INEC going ahead with the supplementary election despite the continuing court process and the indisposition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to it, the PDP will be going into it with the advantage of an unassailable lead.

    The state governorship election on March 9 had been declared inconclusive with the PDP already having 367,471 votes. About 32,467 votes higher than the 334,995 votes polled by the next leading party, the APC.

    INEC declared the election inconclusive because the 32,467 margin of lead was lower than the 40,948 registered voters in the polling units, where voting was cancelled.

    Read also: We’re ready for Adamawa governorship rerun, says INEC

    The polling units where voting was cancelled are 44 and they are located in 14 local government areas.

    But, the APC has in many ways shown reluctance towards the supplementary election.

    Its state organising secretary, Ahmed Lawan, has been quoted as saying the party would boycott the supplementary election because INEC rushed to pick a week day for it when many voters might be unable to go for voting.

    It was unclear if Ahmed was expressing the party’s view, because when asked for an update of the party’s position on the matter yesterday afternoon, its Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Abdullahi, merely said the party would speak on the matter at the appropriate time.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Kassim Gaidam, said INEC would organise the supplementary election today.

  • CLO indicts APC, PDP others for electoral malpractice

    The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) in Akwa Ibom State has slammed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well security operatives for their roles in undermining the credibility of the elections.

    Chairman Franklin Isong, who addressed a news conference yesterday, accused the groups of aiding and abetting electoral malpractices.

    Isong, who accused the APC and PDP of engaging in vote buying, accused security operatives of intimidating voters.

    According to him, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not do enough to cover the electoral lapses, and advised the electoral umpire to go back to the drawing board to address them.

    HE said: “INEC should return to the drawing board to address the lapses which came to the fore during the general elections.

    Read also: March for Army in Rivers over INEC’s accusations

    “The critical stakeholders in the electoral process such as INEC, security agencies, political parties, civil societies and the press, should close ranks and ensure that elections remain free, fair and credible.

    “Perhaps, the greatest undoing of the elections was the large scale vote-buying which pervaded the state. Cash-for-vote was so pervasive that they were done in the open. Voters were made to write their names before voting and collect the cash after voting. In most cases thugs were fighting over money and sharing formula.

    “In Unit 7, at Village hall, Ikot-Anwanna Asanga Asanga Usung in Ikono Local Government Area, it was a free for all fight, and voting had to be stopped until the voters were paid. There is hardly any polling unit in the state where votes were not paid for, all happening in the presence of the security men”.

    He called for a reform in the country to address all the lapses in the elections.

  • ‘INEC should conclude result collation’

    Leaders and members of 85 political parties in Rivers State have urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conclude the result collation it suspended on March 10 and declare the results of the March 9 governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    The party faithful, which marched on the streets of Port Harcourt yesterday, also celebrated Governor Nyesom Wike’s re-election and admonished INEC to declare him winner and issue him a Certificate of Return.

    The protesters, under the aegis of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), gathered at the Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt, for a “Peace Walk”.

    They carried placards, chanted pro-Wike songs, while insisting that their votes should not be manipulated. They also passed a vote of confidence in the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Obo Effanga.

    Some of the inscriptions on the placards read “”Army, stop disrupting collation process in Rivers State”; “Army, please allow INEC conclude collation process”; “Rivers people overwhelmingly voted for Wike on March 9”; “We shall continue to defend our votes”; “Obo Effanga is a professional and we are confident of his capacity to deliver”.

    IPAC Chairman Precious Baridoo said: “Let the election process continue in Rivers State. We are telling INEC to follow through with the process. We condemn calls by a few persons that the REC be removed. We want him to continue and conclude his job.

    “Nothing should be done outside the law because the INEC’s process is constitutional and it must be allowed to take place. It should be done normally for the peaceful co-existence of Rivers State.”

  • Rivers AAC’s deputy chairman defects to PDP

    Rivers State Deputy Chairman of African Action Congress (AAC), Amezhinim Atuma, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    His defection took place barely 72 hours after deputy governorship candidate of African Action Congress (AAC) in Rivers State, Chief Akpo Yeeh, also joined the PDP.

    Atuma, on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, announced his resignation and defection.

    Atuma, who tore his membership card of AAC, claimed his decision to quit the AAC was necessitated by his commitment to the advancement of the democratic interest of Rivers and the peace of people of the state.

    Atuma claimed that he could no longer in good conscience associate with the AAC/All Progressives Congress (APC) alliance, which only interest, he alleged was to unleash mayhem on Rivers people through the use of security forces.

    He said: “As at March 27, 2019, every arrangement has been made to disrupt the collation and announcement of the governorship and House of Assembly elections’ results, as scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) between April 2 and 5, 2019.

    “There are plans to cause bloodshed, leading to total breakdown of law and order between April 1 and 5, 2019.

    “This is in furtherance of their plan to create a state of emergency in Rivers State, wherein Governor Wike’s term in office would have expired.

    “The petition filed against the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC in Rivers State, Mr. Obo Effanga, and the Chairman of the electoral commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, by the defeated AAC’s governorship candidate (Awara) contains the same false allegations with his suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja.”

    He also claimed that the content of the affidavit sworn to by Yeeh was true.

    Atuma claimed that from available data from AAC agents, the 2019 governorship election in Rivers was won by Wike and lost by Awara.

    He said: “Our (AAC’s) party agents inundated us with information from across Rivers State that the PDP won the governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    “There is a sinister plot by members of the AAC and APC to rig the 2019 elections in Rivers State and subvert the will of Rivers people.”

    But Rivers Publicity Secretary of APC, Chris Finebone, declared the bribe-induced defection of Atuma was despicable.

    Read also: ‘Wike never offered AAC’s guber candidate N3b to drop ambition’

    Finebone said: “No one should be surprised. In a state where the government is said to be government of one man, by one man and for one man, the people are bound to suffer poverty of the worst type.

    “In almost four years of Wike, Rivers people have become so impoverished that a meal a day is a major challenge.

    “So, if Rivers governor has chosen to dangle baits at AAC members to abandon their mandate, it should not really be a surprise.

    “Wike dangled N3 billion at Engr. Biokpomabo Awara, the AAC’s governorship candidate, and he (Awara) turned it down.

    “Then, the governor turned to the deputy governorship candidate (Yeeh)  with N200 million and got his (Awara’s) man.

    “This time, the deputy chairman has also swallowed the bait and jumped ship. It might just be that Wike might be the loser at last, while those he bribed feel they had to survive, though in exchange with their conscience. It is despicable.”

  • INEC presents certificates of return to Taraba governor, others

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Wednesday issued the Certificate of Return to Governor Darius Ishaku and his deputy, Haruna Manu.

    Speaker of the Taraba State 24-member House of Assembly, Peter Abel Diah, also received his Certificate of Return.

    All the winners of the House of Assembly polls, including Mark Useni, representing Takum II constituency, were given the Certificate of Return.

    The documents (Certificates) were given at the INEC Conference Hall, Jalingo -the Taraba state capital.

    The governor, who contested on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), had polled 520,433 votes in 12 of the 16 local government areas to defeat Sani Abubakar Danladi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who trailed him with 362,735 votes.

    Speaker Diah, who also won in PDP, had polled 14,814 votes to slam his closest rival of the APC who got 7,842 votes.

    The INEC Resident Commissioner, represented by the administrative secretary, said the certificates were given in compliance with Section 75 of the Electoral Act 1999.

    He congratulated the poll winners and urged them to serve in the interest of the people who voted them into office.

    Read also: INEC presents certificates of return to 26 Ekiti lawmakers- elect

    Receiving the Certificate of Return, Ishaku asked for peace to enable him perform.

    He said: “When I make a promise I keep it. All the promises I made in 2019 electioneering campaign shall be kept.

    “I will ask for what I requested in 2015: Give me peace and I will give you development.

    “Peace is the antidote for development because there can never be any development where violence thrives.

    “Ask all the communities that gave me peace -they are enjoying developmental projects I provided.

    “In Taraba state, the potentials are huge. Thus, all hands must be on the desk for us all to tap it,” he said.

  • Ikpeazu receives Certificate of Return

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday issued a Certificate of Return to Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia and his deputy, Chief Ude Chukwu.

    Ikpeazu won the governorship election for a second tenure on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party.

    Speaking at the event, which took place at the INEC office in Umuahia, he restated his commitment to embark on programmes that would fast track infrastructure development.

    He said that he would strive to improve on the administration’s performance of the five pillars in the areas of education, industrialisation, trade, commerce and agriculture.

    He also promised to initiate policies and programmes that would drive the process for job creation to provide employment for the teeming unemployed youths of the state.

    The governor extended the olive branch to his opponents at poll and urged them to join hands with his administeation to take Abia to greater height.

    “This is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the welfare of Abia people.

    “I said in 2015 that this government is for the common and ordinary people,” Ikpeazu said, while rededicating himself to greater service to the state.

    He commended INEC “for conducting in Abia one of the most transparent elections in Nigeria.”
    He also lauded security agencies for their role in ensuring that Nigeria remained united and peaceful country.

    Earlier, Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu, the National Commissioner of INEC, called on the elected people to consider their victory at the polls as an expression of trust from the people.

    Ibeanu charged them not to betray the confidence but make the people’s welfare a top priority.
    “In Nigeria, we need to develop a culture of post-election healing. Elections are necessarily divisive and even more so in our context.

    “We must work together and I request you to treasure this mandate and at the end of the day you would have written your names in gold,” he said.

    Also, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Joseph Iloh, appealed to the elected representatives to address the basic infrastructure needs of the people.

    Iloh also commended the security agencies for providing a conducive environment for the peaceful conduct of the 2019 general elections in the state.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that certificates of return were also presented to the 24 members-elect of the state House of Assembly.

  • Okorocha on his own on non-issuance of certificate of return, says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday reacted for the first time to the decision of the independent national Electoral Commission (INEC) not to issue certificate of return to Imo state Governor Rochas okorocha.

    It said the party has no official position on the issue since the governor is still under suspension.

    National publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa- Onilu, said at an interactive session with reporters that the governor has also not informed the party of the problem with the electoral management body probably because he is aware of his suspension.

    INEC has said it will not issue certificate of return to Okorocha, who was declared Senator-elect, insisting he was declared winner under duress.

    Asked whether the party planned to intervene in the matter, Issa- Onilu said Okorocha is still under suspension, adding until such is vacated the party will not intervene.

    “On the refusal of INEC to issue Certificate of Return to governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha, who was announced winner of the Imo West senatorial ticket, this party cannot take any action.

    “Don’t forget that he is on suspension and as far as this party is concerned, that situation remains because there is no way we can say that somebody is on suspension and still go ahead to intervene in his case.

    “In any case, he has not even come up to inform the party of his problem because he has realised that he is on suspension.

    “Therefore, until it is vacated, the party will now step in to intervene as a party member who has problem to resolve.”

    On whether former Rivers state governor Rotimi Ameachi had committed anti-party activity for allegedly supporting governorship of African Action Congress (AAC), Issa- Onilu said: “I will emphatically say no because if you liken it to the situation in Imo and or Ogun states, it will be wrong.

    “In Rivers state, APC does not have any candidate and as a party, Rivers state is very important to us. The state has been in the hands of pillagers for too long.

    “If we have the opportunity of working with party willing to abide by our principles, then it is within our right to work with such a party to ensure we free the people of Rivers state from the locust.

    “In this case, he has not abandoned a particular candidate that belongs to the APC for a candidate of another party.

    “They are entirely different issues and in that case, there is no anti-party. Whatever Amaechi has done is completely normal and acceptable to this party as far as working with other party is concerned.”

    Read also: Kwara PDP passes confidence vote on Saraki

    On the supposed suspension of Senator Kabiru Marafa by his ward in Zamfara, Onilu said: “It’s within the powers of the party executives at the ward level.

    “If they have good reason to take punitive action against a member that they considered to have flaunted the rules of the party.

    “In this case, we don’t have all the facts because it has not been brought to NWC attention and they don’t really need to come that far before they can take that decision.

    “Whoever that has happened to has the window to seek redress. So, we are watching to be sure that they stay within the rule.”