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Tag: Inec

  • Kudos, knocks for rerun elections

    A coalition of 18 local and international observers has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to collaborate with the police to prosecute electoral offenders.

    The leader of the coalition, Dr. Ibrahim Baba, of the Centre for Intervention, added that punishing a person or group of persons found to be involved in electoral offences would serve as deterrent to others.

    Baba said: “We give kudos to the security agencies for maintaining the highest level of professionalism before, during and after the conduct of the supplementary election.”

    The group, however, called on the winners and losers to respect the rule of law and caution their supporters to remain peaceful and law abiding.

    The coalition called on politicians to refrain from disseminating false information and channel their electoral complaints and grievances through established legal processes.

    It congratulated the people of Kano State for their, “resilience, dedication, steadfastness towards this great democratic venture.”

    Concerned citizens urge losers to shun violence

    Kano Concerned Citizens Initiative (KCCI) yesterday urged aggrieved politicians to shun violence and seek legal redress.

    The chairman of the group, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, who was presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC), in a statement, said: “ Now that the results of the complementary election are officially declared by INEC, those who experienced disappointment over the outcome should take the opportunity of the adequate windows provided by the laws go redress any type of wrong.

    “We urge that those opportunities be used. So, there is no whatsoever for anybody to resort to illegalities as means of seeking redress.

    “Greater responsibility in ensuring that peace reigns in Kano lies on the shoulders of those who are declared winners. They must shun vindictiveness in whatever in whatever form.

    “They must embrace all Kansas as one family and treat all as equals so as to pursue and agenda for development, as such, the need to be magnanimous in victory.

    “We, however, acknowledge and appreciate Governor Ganduje in this regard who has already made a call for peace to reign in Kano State.”

    He also hailed the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi 11 for his persistent calls for peace to reign in Kano throughout the election period.

    It was license to violence, says Obi

    The vice presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23 election, Mr Peter Obi, has described last Saturday’s governorship supplementary election in Kano as scandalous and the height of brigandage.

    The conduct of the election, Obi said, was akin to giving official licence that could motivate Nigerians into violent acts and thereby destroying the country’s youths.

    In a statement yesterday by his media office, Obi said: “What all democratic watchers saw in Kano State rerun election, amounted to licensing our youths for violence, and setting a very dangerous precedent.

    “We are now institutionalising thuggery and rigging as process of coming into power, which is very dangerous precedent for our country”.

    The main opposition chieftain added that, “proceeds in the name of results from what happened in Kano make the entire electoral process ridiculous and shameful”.

    “They owe Nigerians and election observers a lot of explanations on what happened,” Obi said.

    Obi also questioned the integrity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for hurriedly recognising and acknowledging election results from a process “where machetes carrying miscreants took charge of the process”.

    Obi, whose party lost the election to President Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC), described as regrettable the unnecessary loss of lives.

    He cited the case of another election in the same category, where a Professor was shot in Benue State, in the course of performing electoral duties. “It’s most painful”, he said.

    Making reference to India, Obi said if India, with over 800 million voters, can conduct election without losing such “caliber of people”.

    Plateau polls peaceful, say domestic observers

    Civil Society Organisations in Plateau State and the Coalition of Domestic Observers have described elections in Plateau State peaceful.

    The CSOs and observers made their observations known yesterday at a news conference at the state secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Jos, the state capital.

    The leader of the group, Godwin Okoko, said: “Our observation was collated from the reports of our members stationed at various polling units spread across the 17 LGAs of the state.

    “Generally, elections on the Plateau were the most peaceful, orderly and fair from our assessments.

    “We commend CSOs, security agencies, the media, observers groups, religious groups, traditional institutions, political parties and other stakeholders for their conducts during the elections.

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    “We also commend the electorates for their involvement in the process and peaceful conducts before, during and after the elections. As we look forward to a more peaceful, transparent and credible future elections, we use this medium to once more appeal to the Plateau State Government to ensure the strengthening of peace and security structures in the states through the promotion of peace and strengthening of community cohesion structures, provision of good governance, inclusive participation, accountability, increase youth empowerment programs, employment opportunities and youth/women development.

    “We also appeal to the Governor-elect, Simon Bako Lalong, as a leader of the state to begin the healing of wounds, closing of gaps, division and polarization through the processes of reconciliation irrespective of party affiliation We also encourage all good sons and daughters of the state to give a supportive hand to the Governor-Elect towards a stronger, developed, peaceful and united Plateau State.”

    EU observer team knocks security

    The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU-EOM) has faulted the security arrangement for last Saturday’s supplementary polls.

    EU deployed observers to the five states where supplementary elections were held for the governorship position.

    A statement by the EU Electoral Mission reads: “On 23 March, extensive electoral security problems were observed, particularly in parts of Kano where polling became inaccessible to EU observers in some areas. The environment was intimidating and not conducive to voters’ free participation in the election. Party leaderships locally and centrally did not appear to take any steps to rein in supporters and prevent evident violence, intimidation or other misconduct. Throughout the day, INEC did not comment on electoral disturbances, despite its overall responsibility for the election and security arrangements.

    “In Nasarawa local government area (LGA) in Kano, which accounted for approximately one-third of all registered voters for the supplementary governorship election, EU observers witnessed organised intimidation of voters. For example, groups of youths with clubs and machetes patrolled the streets, and people with party agent tags harassed voters. During collation in Kano, EU observers saw that several INEC polling staff had been attacked. Large groups of men with weapons were not contained by the police.

    “Due to intimidating crowds and disturbances, EU observers in Kano could not access or continue observation in polling units in Dala and Nasarawa LGAs. The electoral process in Kano was further compromised by the harassment and obstruction of citizen observers, and journalists from BBC Hausa, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), and TVC. This compromised scrutiny of both polling and collation of results in the affected areas.

    “Isolated violent incidents also disrupted voting and counting in other states. In Bauchi, EU observers witnessed around 50 people with clubs disrupting counting in one polling unit. In Benue, election materials were burnt, resulting in the cancellation of polling affecting 13,000 registered voters, and a collation officer carrying result sheets was shot in the leg.”

    The EU electoral team also accused the leading political parties of interference in the electoral as noticed in Kano, Benue, Plateau and Sokoto.

    It’s stated, “Party agents were seen interfering more in the process than on the previous two election days. Some polling units in Kano were dominated by controlling party agents and supporters. Of the 40 polling units that EU teams could fully observe, agents were present in all and in five cases were seen interfering in the work of polling officials, in Benue, Plateau and Sokoto. EU observers in all five states also saw party agents trying to influence voters, assisting voters or voting on their behalf. Supporters and agents were sometimes present in polling units in excessive numbers, resulting in overcrowding. EU observers also saw vote-buying in Sokoto by both the leading parties, and indications of vote-buying in Kano. Citizen observers also reported party agents involved in vote-buying, and bribery of polling staff and police.”

    On the overall conduct of the polls, EU Mission noted improved logistical arrangements on the part of the electoral body.

    “INEC improved logistical arrangements with most polling units observed open within half an hour of the official opening time. In the 40 polling units that EU teams could fully observe, procedures were mostly followed. Smart card readers were used to accredit voters in all polling units observed. However, manual accreditation procedures were not always correctly followed if card readers failed to authenticate fingerprints. The secrecy of the vote was not always sufficiently protected in nearly one-third of polling units observed.

    “The collation process was finalised in Bauchi, Benue, Plateau and Sokoto within 24 hours, but in Kano it was suspended for several hours due to concerns over the safety of lower-level collation staff. For security reasons, collation of results in two of 29 LGAs in Kano had to be undertaken at the state collation centre. Similarly, ward collation had to be undertaken at one LGA in Bauchi. Adding to transparency of the process, the media provided live coverage of state-level collation. EU observers visited 12 collation centres and observed party agents present in all. EU observers noted that overall collation procedures were followed and the process was generally transparent,” EU stated.

    The EU EOM will continue to observe the results and petitions’ processes, and will remain in Nigeria until early April.

    The Chief Observer, Maria Arena, will return in June to present the mission’s final report, which will include recommendations for future electoral processes.

    Kwankwaso, PDP instigating violence in Kano, says Buhari group

    The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) yesterday accused the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of instigating violence in Kano.

    The Chairman and Secretary of the group, Niyi Akisiju and Cassidy Madueke, in a statement in Abuja, said the party set the tone for the outbreak of violence with a threat that the state would be plunged into violence if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) victorious.

    BMO said: “Some of the gory pictures posted online were found to have been from a bar brawl in Ghana while at least one showing a machete sticking out from an individual’s shoulder was actually a special effect shot by a make-up artiste.

    “Yet another set of gory pictures were taken from previous Jos crises, all in an effort to discredit an election that the Coalition of INEC Accredited Observers said was largely peaceful.”

    The group expressed dismay that a former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso was at the centre of the call for public disobedience in the state at a time when former Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Wamakkko was in Sokoto urging aggrieved APC supporters to be calm after PDP candidate and incumbent Governor Aminu Tambuwal was declared re-elected for a second term in office.

    “Nothing could be more shocking than seeing a high-profile politician like Kwankwaso, a two-time Governor, a Senator  and a one-time defence minister, who had on more than one occasion aspired to be president of the country making comments on national TV that could best be described as inciting public disorder.

    “Even while the election was still on, he was reeling out incidents of violence based on social media posts in an interview on Channels TV and he is on record to have told his supporters before Saturday that there was no way PDP could lose the election.

    “But somewhere in Sokoto, another former governor, who is also a Senator, did not make any inciting comment even after the APC gubernatorial candidate Ahmed Aliyu lost the election by a slim margin of 342 votes.

    “Rather, he called for calm and promised to challenge the outcome of the election at the tribunal. That is what is expected of true statesmen instead of a call for ‘unprecedented crisis’ like PDP leaders did in Kano”, it said.

    The pro-Buhari group also acknowledged the statesmanship exhibited by President Muhammadu Buhari, not only during the run-up to the March 23 election, but also during the process.

    “In the midst of all these, we are impressed by the dignified and impressive neutrality of President Buhari who did not take any extra-constitutional measure to tilt the electoral scale in favour of his party especially in the states that he won with overwhelming majority on February 23.

    “That is the main reason the re-run was a tight contest between the contending candidates in Kano and Sokoto.

    “We challenge leaders of the opposition to mention at least one PDP-era President who did not interfere with the electoral process during supplementary elections, with a view to ensuring victory for his party’s candidates.”

    Kano rerun: Remain calm, PDP urges supporters

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday urged its supporters to remain calm and law-abiding as they await the outcome of the election petition tribunal.

    The party, in a statement by Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, the spokesman of its governorship candidate, Abba Kabir Yusuf, rejected the result of the election.

    According to the statement, “the PDP in Kano is proud to be distinctly civil and uniquely peace-loving. We condemn this fraud in its entirety. We have decided to take legal action through the Election Petition Tribunal with overwhelming evidences that has been gathered, and Insha Allah, soonest the mandate of the good people of Kano state shall be reclaimed.

    “However, we urge the good people of Kano state and particularly our teaming supporters to be patient and remain calm. Kano state is our only home. We have no other place better than this noble state and no blood of any citizen is worth shedding.”

    PDP accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies of joining forces to rig the election in favour of the APC.

    The statement further stated that, “in the political history of Kano, we have undergone the most horrific elections ever where the ruling APC and Kano State Government deployed all mechanisms to orchestrate violence against the citizens.

    “Indeed, the good people of Kano state have witnessed a broad daylight robbery of their mandate by the enemies of democracy. It is with tremendous zeal and courage that we joined the 2019 Kano gubernatorial contest, believing in the impartiality of the umpire – the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies, being on a mission to restore the lost glory of our dear state from the hand of political predators who destroy every meaningful programme and policies set by the previous administration of Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso.”

    INEC worked with PDP, Taraba APC claims

    The All Progressive Congress APC in Taraba State has said theý elections in the state did not meet the minimum standard for the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.

    The party said the elections were characterised and marred by massive rigging, non-usage of card readers, ballot box stuffing and snatching, outright allocation of votes, intimidation and physical harassment of APC agents.

    A resolution at the end of a meeting signed by the Chairman APC Taraba State, Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi, said ýelections did not properly take place in some local government areas, such as Wukari, Donga, Takum, Kurmi, Ussa and Zing, where APC agents were physically molested and chased away, while votes were fictitiously allocated in favour of PDP and imposed on the INEC Returning Officers, most of whom had already been threatened and compromised.

    He said: “Indeed, the Card Reader is not electronic voting but an indispensable part of the accreditation process without which no voting could take place. ýBoth the Returning Officer and the Collation Centre ought to have outrightly rejected all votes not produced through the card reader.

    “In virtually all the polling units across the state, PDP had in their possession, thousands of uncollected PVC’s including those of IDP’s and deceased persons, which they freely used to conduct multiple over-voting, in active support by INEC officials. PDP were also in possession of ballot papers, which they freely used in stuffing ballot boxes in some Local Government Areas like, Lau, Bali, and Sardauna Local Government Areas.”

  • APC urges Police, DSS to invesitgate Atiku’s claim to access to INEC server

    DID Atiku Abubakar have access to the server of the Independent National Electoral Commission?

    This is the puzzle the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has asked the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to resolve, following claims by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of obtaining information from the server.

    The council’s Director of Strategic Communication, Festus Keyamo (SAN) has petitioned the police and the DSS, saying Atiku’s claim confirmed fears that the opposition party had perfected ways of hacking the INEC server before the election.

    Keyamo said the calim revealed why the PDP was insisting that President Muhammadu Buhari should sign the 2018 Electoral Act, which recommends electronic transmission of results.

    The petition reads: “It would be recalled that an Electoral (Amendment) Bill containing the provision for electronic transmission of results to INEC’s central computer system (otherwise called “server”) was sent to President Muhammadu Buhari by the National Assembly for assent late in the year 2018.

    “Despite the shortness of time before the Presidential/National Assembly Elections, and the lack of time to first simulate the process to ensure its effectiveness in a country like ours with problems of effective networks in many rural areas and constant failure of technological devices, together with its violation of the time frame of such laws as provided for in regional and continental Protocols in terms of the length of time required for the passage of such laws before any major election, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party was hell-bent that the President should sign the Bill into law. That was the first indication that the main opposition was up to something sinister regarding the electronic transmission of the results.

    “Upon the last-minute postponement of the February 16, 2019 Presidential/National Assembly Elections, the nation was shocked to see already prepared presidential elections results floating around in the cyberspace just less than 24 hours after the postponed election was originally billed to hold. The fake results had details of the scores of the candidates of the major parties. Of course, the fake results gave victory to the candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, even when elections did not hold.

    “The only conclusion one can draw from the above is that the PDP had prepared those results which were to be smuggled into the INEC Server. However, the sudden postponement of the election scuttled that evil plan, but it was too late to restrain the release of the fake results.

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    “The proper elections were held on February 23, 2019 and President Muhammadu Buhari declared the winner. Despite the approval of the elections as credible by nearly all local and international observers (except some few known PDP acolytes masquerading as local observers), the PDP cried foul and made a shocking claim: it claimed that from purported results it obtained from INEC’s server, it has so-called proof that its candidate won the election by about 1.6million votes!

    “Shockingly and coincidentally, this margin was about the same margin by which it also purportedly ‘won’ by the fake results released just hours after the postponement of the February 16, 2019 Presidential/National Assembly Elections.

    “As if this expensive joke was not enough, the PDP and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, have gone ahead to file an election petition against the clear victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and have repeated the same outlandish claim of having access to INEC’s server, which shows that they have some purported results at their disposal giving “victory” to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

    “We wish you to note that INEC’s server is the back end of electronic records of INEC. This is not INEC’s website but its server! Although, the purported results have been conclusively shown by public engagements to be false and even ridiculous, especially as the total number of accredited voters is exactly equivalent to the purported votes of the APC and PDP candidates, this criminal claim of the PDP has revealed that It is now clear that some criminally-minded PDP operatives have access to the INEC server to be able to smuggle in fake results into that server.

    “The only means by which they could have access to the INEC server is by the criminal hacking of the server or through the criminal conspiracy of some INEC officials.

    “The APC Presidential Campaign Council hereby prays that the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services use your good offices to investigate the hacking of and/or illegal tampering with the INEC server by the PDP. The leadership of the PDP must be invited, interrogated and investigated and those identified as perpetrators must be arrested and prosecuted.

    “Opposition is healthy in a democracy but it is not a licence for criminality and illegality. A country governed by laws cannot be blackmailed or cowed into indolence by the perceived underdog status of the opposition so as to condone such a blatant criminal claim by the PDP of having illegal access to INEC’s server.”

  • Appeal Court nullifies Zamfara APC primary elections

    THE Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division yesterday set aside the judgment delivered by the Zamfara High Court allowing the All Progressives Congress (APC) to field candidates in the 2019 election.

    The appeal was filed by Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) Senator Kabiru Marafa and 129 others through his counsel, Mr. Mike Ozheokome, SAN.

    Respondents are Kabiru Liman-Danalhaji and 139 others represented by Mr. Mahmud Magaji SAN as lead counsel.

    Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Tom Yakubu held that the lower court failed in its duty to properly evaluate the evidence before it.

    The judgment was adopted by two other Justices Tijjani Abubakar and Jamilu Tukur.

    Justice Yakubu said judges have the legal power to produce judgment and reach decisions with reason, noting that in the instance case, it was not done.

    “I am convinced that the lower court has failed to evaluate the evidence before reaching the decision. The Appeal Court has power in law to access pieces of evidence on appeal, which we have done.

    “Based on available facts, the respondents did not contradict the INEC evidence on conducting the said primary election,” Yakubu said.

    The presiding judge, said: “Documented evidence has upper consideration than oral ones.”

    Justice Yakubu held that the plaintiffs being card-carrying party members and aspirants in the said primary election have the legal capacity to institute the suit.

    He added that Federal, states and FCT High Courts have jurisdiction to entertain such matter.

    The judges agreed that the judgment should serve as “bitter lesson” for political parties as they ought to follow legitimate guidelines and rules.

    “Domestic affairs of political party activities must act within the confines of the law in dealing with party members and elections” the judges agreed.

    A Zamfara High Court recognised the primary election that produced governorship, state and National Assembly candidates held by APC in the state and declared that INEC accepts the party candidates for the elections.

    Unsatisfied with State High Court decision, the appellants approached the Appeal Cour, challenging the decision on the ground that the State High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit among others.

    But, Zamfara State Governor Abdul Aziz Yari yesterday appealed to APC members and residents to be calm, law-abiding and go about their normal businesses in a peaceful manner pending the release of the judgment.

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    The governor stated this after the Appeal Court set aside ruling of Justice Bello Shinkafi of High Court on the governorship and state House of Assembly primary elections that was conducted on October 3 and 7, last year.

    The governor, who spoke through his media aide, Malam Ibrahim Dosara, stated however that “unlike the rumours now awash all social media platforms that the Court of Appeal Sokoto Division has nullified our elections, it is not true. The statement is incorrect. Those circulating the rumour are doing so to cause mayhem in our state to satisfy the ego of their masters”

  • Court clears INEC to conclude Bauchi governorship poll

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abubakar and the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenging the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resume collation of the March 9 governorship election results in the Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area.

    INEC had declared the election inconclusive on the grounds that the number of cancelled votes was higher than the margin of lead between the two top political parties – the ruling APC and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    The electoral body later announced that it would resume collation because it discovered that the number of cancelled votes was tampered with, a decision Abubakar and his party challenged in court.

    In a judgment yesterday, Justice Inyang Ekwo declined jurisdiction and disagreed with plaintiffs’ lawyer, Ahmed Raji (SAN), who said the suit related to pre-election matters.

    Justice Ekwo set aside the order for maintenance of the status quo earlier made by the court and ordered INEC to proceed with its activities geared at concluding the governorship election in Bauchi State.

    The judge said, although his court has jurisdiction to determine the questions, relating to the interpretation of the Constitution and Electoral Act raised in the suit, he would prefer to allow election tribunal with an overall jurisdiction over election matters to handle the case.

    He directed that INEC should be allowed to conclude its constitutional responsibilities in relation to the governorship election in Bauchi, following which any aggrieved party could approach an election tribunal.

    Justice Ekwo said: “My view is that this court has jurisdiction to interpret the provision of the Constitution as to the alleged breach of the plaintiff’s fundamental right to fair hearing and interpret the provision of the Electoral Act tabled before the court.

    “And also looking at the provision of Section 60 of Electoral Act, the court or tribunal can determine the issues thereof. It can then be said that there is concurrence of jurisdiction between this court and the Election Petition Tribunal on this issue.

    “The difference in this case is that the alleged infringement occurred in the process of an election and the decision of the defendant in Exhibit B (the press releases issued by INEC on March 15, 2019) also occurred in the process of an election.

    “There is no debate that the issues concerning elections are to be exclusively handled by the election tribunal.”

    Justice Ekwo said if the court decides to look into the issue raised by the plaintiff’s, it could amount to piecemeal approach to adjudication, which could lead to multiplicity of suits.

    He added: “In my view, the election tribunal has the jurisdiction to handle every facet of the claims arising from electoral process.

    “This court will defer to the election tribunal for its holistic jurisdiction on electoral matters, so that the tribunal can exercise same jurisdiction.

    “It is my opinion that, if the defendant (INEC) is allowed to conclude the process, any party desirous of ventilating his grievance can then approach the election tribunal. The tribunal can then determine all the issues of concern to the parties.” “Finally, having declined jurisdiction, the order of status quo made by this court on March 19, 2019 is hereby vacated.

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    “Consequently, I hold that there is no legal impediment preventing the defendant from proceeding with their decision in their press release of March 15, 2019 forthwith. Accordingly, I make an order dismissing this case.”

    The judge adjourned till Thursday, hearing in the suit by the African Action Congress (AAC) and one other, querying the propriety of INEC’s handling of the last governorship and State Assembly elections in Rivers State, particularly as it relates to its announcement of the results.

    The suit has AAC, Biokpomabo Festus Awara and Pastor (Dr.) Ben-Gurion John Peter as plaintiffs, with INEC and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    The plaintiffs noted that INEC had earlier admitted that the election in Rivers State was marred with substantial violence that compromised the credibility of the entire process, and thereby suspended the election.

    They added that without calling for a fresh election, INEC announced, via a press release, that it was now set to continue with the election from Wednesday March 20, 2019.

    Yesterday, Justice Ekwo said since the defendants have reacted to the suit, and in view of its nature, he will do away with the motion ex-parte and motion for interlocutory injunctions filed by the plaintiffs and proceed to hear and determine the substantive suit.

    He adjourned to March 28 for the hearing of the substantive suit.

    The Body of Bauchi Lawyers of Conscience (BOBOLAC) yesterday hailed the court’s decision on the state’s governorship election.

    It called on the INEC to immediately resume the collation of the results in the affected council area.

    Addressing reporters, the group’s convener, Shipi Rabo, said: “The suit of the APC and Governor M.A. that was dismissed moment ago (yesterday) represented a desperate attempt to scuttle the people’s victory on the matter.”

    Another member of the group, Jibrin S. Jibrin, argued that the governor ought to have waited for the conclusion of the collation and declaration process before seeking judicial redress.

  • ‘INEC should issue Okorocha his Certificate of Return’

    Observer groups have berated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for withholding the Certificate of Return of Imo West Senator-elect, Rochas Okorocha.

    The groups noted that the electoral umpire is overstepping its bounds, saying it lacks the powers to stop any candidate after he or she has been declared winner.

    At a news conference in Owerri yesterday, Emmanuel Azuike of the Women Fest for Better Life Living Initiative, said the allegation of duress upon which INEC is relying to withhold Okorocha’s Certificate of Return can only be established by a court of competent jurisdiction.

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    According to him, allegation by the Collation Officer, Innocent Ibeawuchi, was outrageous and criminal

    He said: “We were observers at Imo West for the Senatorial election, and we noted that the election and the entire processes were peaceful and credible. We were also at the Collation Centre at Orlu INEC office where the election results were received, and we saw that Rochas Okorocha won with a wide margin and the Retuning Officer, Prof Innocent Ibeabuchi, declared him winner.

    “The Retuning Officer, Ibeabuchi, was not under duress to announce the results whatsoever, not at gunpoint, knife point or any form of harassment. All security agencies, police, DSS, Army were there to protect him and everybody present in the collation room. For him to say he was under duress was a big lie and deceit of the highest order.

    “We, hereby, urge INEC to issue Rochas Okorocha his Certificate of Return as senator-elect of Imo West or we will go to court to compel INEC to issue the Certificate of Return.”

  • Observer groups to sue INEC over Okorocha’s Certificate of Return

    Observer Groups Monday lampooned the Independent National Electoral Commission for withholding the Certificate of Return of Imo West senator-elect, Rochas Okorocha.

    The groups noted that the electoral umpire is overstepping its bonds, adding that it lacks the powers to stop any candidate after he or she has been declared winner.

    At a press Conference in Owerri, Emmanuel Azuike of the Women Fest for Better Life Living Initiative, an Independent Observer group, said that the issue of allegation of duress upon which INEC relying on to withhold the Certificate of Return can only be established by a Court of competent jurisdiction.

    According to him, the allegation by the Collation Officer, Innocent Ibeawuchi, was not only outrageous but criminal

    He said, ”we were observers at Imo West Senatorial election and we observed that the election and the entire processes were peaceful and credible. We were also at the collation center at Orlu INEC office where the election results were received and we saw that Rochas Okorocha won with a wide margin and the Returning Officer, Prof Innocent Ibeabuchi, declared him winner”.

    He continued that, “the Returning Officer, Ibeabuchi was not under any form of duress to announce the results whatsoever, not at gunpoint, knife point or any form of harassment.”

    “All security Agencies, police, DSS, Army were there for the protection of the Returning Officer, and everybody present in the collation room.”

    “For him to say he was under duress was a big lie and deceit of the highest order.”

    “We hereby urge INEC to issue Rochas Okorocha his certificate of Return as senator-elect of Imo west senatorial zone or we will go to court to compel INEC to issue the Certificate of Return to the winner of the elections earlier declared.“

  • Kano supplementary poll license to violence – Obi

    The vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23 election, Mr Peter Obi, has described last Saturday’s governorship supplementary election in Kano as scandalous and the height of brigandage.

    The conduct of the election, Obi said, was akin to giving official license that could motivate Nigerians into violent acts and thereby destroying the country’s youths.

    In a statement Monday by his media office, Obi said what all democratic watchers saw in Kano state rerun election, amounted to licensing our youths for violence, and setting a very dangerous precedent.

    He said, “We are now institutionalizing thuggery and rigging as process of coming into power, which is very dangerous precedent for our country”.

    The main opposition chieftain added that, “proceeds in the name of results from what happened in Kano make the entire electoral process ridiculous and shameful”.

    Mr Obi wondered how the Nigeria Police, which mobilised its top officers and men to Kano, to secure the state during the election, could watch while political thugs took over control of the process.

    “They owe Nigerians and election observers a lot of explanations on what happened”, Obi said.

    Mr Obi also called to question the integrity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for hurriedly recognising and acknowledging election results from a process “where machetes carrying miscreants took charge of the process”.

    He warned that with the Kano incident, the country is dangerously bequeathing to the society a trend that is bound to consume not only the youths, but also, the entire country.

    The former Anambra state governor declared that country further ridiculed itself and made itself a laughing stock, wondering how would anyone think that the process witnessed in Kano during the said election, could produce leadership that can grow the state.

    Obi, whose party lost the election to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC), described as regrettable the unnecessary loss of quality hands and minds heads to the exercise.

    He cited the case of another election in the same category, where a Professor was shot in Benue State, in the course of performing electoral duties. “It’s most painful”, he said.

    Making reference to India, Obi said if India, with over 800 million voters, can conduct election without losing such “caliber of people”.

    Obi wondered if President Buhari and the APC could come into power in 2015 without such “senseless” loss of lives, then why should it be the case now?

    He prayed God for repose of the souls of the victims and fortitude for the families and relatives.

  • Updated: Court dismisses suit against conclusion of Bauchi Guber election

    *To hear case over Rivers Governorship, Thursday

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by the Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar and the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resume collation exercise in the state’s gubernatorial election.

    INEC had declared the election inconclusive on the grounds that the number of cancelled votes was higher than the margin of lead between the two top political parties.

    The electoral body later announced that it would resume collation because it found out that the number of cancelled votes was tampered with, a decision Abubakar and the APC challenged in court.

    In a judgment on Monday, Justice Inyang Ekwo declined jurisdiction and disagreed with plaintiffs’ lawyer, Ahmed Raji (SAN) that the suit related to pre-election matters.

    Justice Ekwo set aside the order for maintenance of status quo earlier made by the court and ordered INEC to proceed with its activities geared at concluding the governorship election in Bauchi State.

    The judge said, although his court has jurisdiction to determine the questions, relating to the interpretation of the Constitution and Electoral Act, raised in the suit, he would prefer to allow election tribunal with an overall jurisdiction over election matters to handle the case.

    He directed that INEC should be allowed to conclude its constitutional responsibilities in relation to the Bauchi Governorship election, following which any aggrieved party could approach an election tribunal.

    Justice Ekwo said: “My view is that this court has jurisdiction to interpret the provision of the Constitution as to the alleged breach of the plaintiff’s fundamental right to fair hearing and interpret the provision of the Electoral Act tabled before the court.

    “And also looking at the provision of Section 60 of Electoral Act, the court or tribunal can determine the issues thereof. It can then be said that there is concurrence of jurisdiction between this court and the Election Petition Tribunal on this issue.

    “The difference in this case is that the alleged infringement occurred in the process of an election and the decision of the defendant in Exhibit B (the press releases issued by INEC on March 15, 2019) also occurred in the process of an election.

  • Kano re-run: Observers’ group tasks aggrieved politicians on peace

    The Coalition of INEC Accredited observers for the re-run Governorship election in Kano State have advised losers and other aggrieved politicians to channel their complaints through established legal processes.

    The leader of the group, Dr Ibrahim Baba, gave the advice at a news conference in Kano on Monday following the declaration of the incumbent governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje as the winner of the re-run election.

    He said there was need for those who felt cheated during the Saturday’s March 23 supplementary election to seek legal redress instead of disseminating false information and inciting people for violence.

    “We call on the winners/losers to respect the rule of law and call on their supporters to remain peaceful and law abiding.

    “They should also refrain from disseminating false Information and channel their grievances through established legal processes,’’ Baba said.

    READ ALSO: Kano re-run: PDP vows not to sign result sheets

    The leader of the group, who represents Centre for Intervention, commended security agents for maintaining the highest level of professionalism before, during and after the conduct of the exercise.

    He said the collaborative relationship between INEC and Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security contributed to the generally peaceful atmosphere in the state.

    Baba said: “despite some reports of election-related violence and intimidation, the overall political climate in the entire state during the election remained largely peaceful and conducive for the conduct of democratic elections.

    “We also observed significant improvement on the issues raised during the March 9 election like the card reader and other electoral materials on the unpreparedness of INEC.’’

    The group commended the citizens of the state for their resilience, commitment, dedication and steadfastness toward this great democratic venture.

  • Tambuwal pledges continued people-oriented policies

    Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State on Sunday assured the people that he would execute projects that would improve their living standards.

    Tambuwal, who addressed jubilant supporters on Sunday in Sokoto, advised the people to maintain peace while celebrating the party’s success at the polls.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Tambuwal, who contested on the platform of the PDP, scraped through by garnering 512,002 votes, 342 votes more than his former deputy and APC challenger, Ahmad Aliyu, who got 511,660 votes.

    He said that the victory was not only for him but for the entire people of the state.

    “We have succeeded in wining this election with all of you and we will ensure a strategic government that will involve all so as to develop Sokoto State and maintain its credibility and respect in the country and the world at large.

    “We have won the election and we need to celebrate it, but I urge all of you to maintain peaceful victory rallies and also pray for the best leadership of our dreams,” he said.

    Tambuwal further thanked the people for giving him another chance to serve them and assured them that they would not regret that trust.

    NAN reports that wild victory celebrations enveloped Sokoto State immediately after the Chief Collation/Returning Officer for the state, Prof. Fatima Mukhtar, declared Tambuwal as duly elected. (NAN)