The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Inec

  • Ooni,others named in NANS special committee to end FG, Academic staff union crisis

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has constituted a committee made up of Elder statesmen in the country to help provide permanent resolutions to the Federal Government and Academic Staff Unions crisis in Nigeria.
    Danielson Bamidele Akpan, president of NANS in a statement on Saturday said the committee’s resolution will bring about new dawn in the educational sector.
    He said, “History has it that Nigeria education system was good such that other countries sent their nationals to acquire tertiary education in Nigeria. Until the inglorious days set in beginning in the year 1988 when the academic staff unions of universities started what is today known as the “ASUU Strike”
    “It is no longer news to Nigerians that not only has ASUU strike affected the standard of education in Nigeria but that other academic staff unions have followed suit, e.g Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU).
    “Consequently, we began consultations to seek the support of elder statesmen and eminent Nigerians to interface with ASUU, ASUP, COEASU, other unions, stakeholders and the federal government  to bring a permanent solution to the incessant academic strike actions which has damaged our educational sector and made us a subject of ridicule in the comity of nations.”
    Named in the committee are HRM. (Oba) Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi II, Ooni of Ife, HRM. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II, Emir of Kano, HRM. Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe I, Obi of Onitsha, HRM. (Dr) Victor Folagbade Olateru – Olagbegi III, Olowo of Owo.
    Others are Chief Edwin Clark, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, Aare Afe Babalola, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Mrs. Folorunso Alakija Prof. Suleiman Bala Mohammed, Vice Chancellor, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Prof. Rukayat Mohammed, a former minister of Education,
    Chief Femi Falana and Barr. Kayode Ajulo.
    Bamidele said the association is of the belief that the selected elder statesmen have all the requisite and will be patriotic enough in the discharging of this ‘life time task”.

  • Polls: Ambode assures of adequate security

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State Wednesday assured voters that security challenges experienced during Presidential and National Assembly elections will not repeat itself on Saturday during gubernatorial and House of Assembly polls,

    He said efforts have been intensified to ensure that everyone registered in the state by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC for the exercise participate without any security hindrances.

    The governor, who was accompanied by his deputy, Dr. Idiat Adebule, and other cabinet members, gave the assurance yesterday after the weekly Executive meeting at the State House Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja.

    He stressed that the security challenges experienced after the just concluded election have been dealt with and efforts have been made to ensure such does not repeat itself.

    Read Also: Buhari’s victory well deserved, says Ambode

    “We were very much aware of the incidences that occurred after the Presidential and National assembly election in the state. We have taken proper care of that. We understand that everyone in Lagos are same.

    “The peace, harmonious relationship and security that had existed in the state are very paramount to this government. We will ensure that everyone that is eligible to vote perform his civic duties without intimidation,” Ambode added.

    The governor argued that the state government understand that the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos and efforts would be made often to ensure it sustain that status.

    “We will ensure that Saturday election is held without hitches. We want to assure all residents of the state of their safety. Lagos is a cosmopolitan state and it will remain like that even after the election.

    “We encourage every resident that had been registered by INEC to come out and perform their civic duties. The security agencies have assured us that there will be adequate security in the state during and after the poll.”

    The governor however, noted that giant strides recorded in Lagos could only be sustained when every electorate vote for the All Progressives Congress, APC governorship candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other candidates of the party.

    Adding that, “We believe in continuity in this government and that is why we have decided to back every candidate of the party. So, we urged everyone to support and vote every APC candidates in Lagos.”

  • Election: INEC replaces erring ad hoc staff in Borno

    The Independent National Commission (INEC) in Borno has replaced erring ad hoc staff to facilitate smooth conduct of the upcoming governorship and State House Assembly elections in Borno.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Borno, Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Maiduguri.

    He said that the replacement was due to the inability of the staff to discharge their duties effectively during the Feb. 23 elections.

    Ibrahim disclosed that some of the affected staff failed to properly handle Card Reader machines, an action which affected the voting process.

    “We replaced ad hoc staff who demonstrated rude behavior and those who could not operate the Card Reader machines or fill the result sheets properly.

    Read Also: Guber election: INEC assures uniform timing nationwide

    “We engaged 22,500 ad hoc staff for 3,932 Polling Units (PUs) and 5,071 Voting Points (VPs). The replacement is completed and we also earmarked reserved staff. INEC is geared to conduct an excellent election,” he said.

    Ibrahim noted that ad hoc workers were selected from Federal civil servants, members of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), university lecturers and teachers of tertiary institutions of learning in the state.

    He revealed that the commission had conducted refresher training for the ad hoc staff on election duty procedures and their roles.

    The REC added that the measure was to ensure that they discharge their duties effectively in accordance with the laws governing its operations.

    According to him, the commission will commence the distribution of sensitive and non sensitive election materials as well as deployment of workers on Thursday to the 27 local government areas of the state.

    Ibrahim explained that sensitive materials were kept at the Central Bank of Nigeria for safe keeping, adding that 5,071 Card Readers were also re-configured, awaiting redistribution for the election.

    The commissioner stressed that the electoral body had achieved 100 per cent in its preparations for the election, adding that it had also identified and addressed challenges with distribution of sensitive election materials.

    “We made adequate arrangements on movement and delivery of sensitive election materials.

    “We achieved 100 per cent in our preparations for the election; ballot papers, result sheets, voting cubicles and others.

    ”We will commence deployment on Thursday and we made arrangement with security agencies to escort election materials and staff to various places,’’ he said.

    Ibrahim added that the commission has adopted proactive measures to facilitate conduct of peaceful and hitch free exercise through the Inter-Agency Committee on Election Security.

    He called on the electorate to turn out en mass and participate in an orderly manner in the election.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC had registered more than 2.3 million voters for the 2019 election in the state.

  • Guber election: INEC assures uniform timing nationwide

    Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given assurance that there would be uniform timing in the commencement of Saturday’s Governorship and State Assembly elections nationwide.

    The INEC National Commissioner in-charge of Enugu/Anambra/Benue States, Mr Gestus Okoye gave the assurance in Enugu.

    Okoye, who was interacting with reporters on the preparedness of the commission for the polls, also said that there would be full deployment of the smart card readers nationwide.

    He said that the commission was ready to conduct free, fair and credible elections, adding that it had fine-tuned all the loose-ends encountered during the Presidential and National Assembly polls.

    He said: “This time around, we want to ensure that each polling unit in the federation starts the process at 8 a.m. dot on the day of the elections.

    “So we want to make sure that all our ad-hoc staff and materials got to the polling units before 7.30 a.m.

    “And the usage of the smart card readers will be universal in all the polling units.

    “Any polling unit where the people or political thugs did not allow the presiding officer to use the smart card reader will get zero votes.”

    Read Also: INEC: 63 card readers missing in Bayelsa

    Okoye advised presiding officers to remain calm in the face of any threats from any quarters at the polling units but score that polling unit zero vote at the collation centre.

    He warned that the commission would no longer tolerate the killing, maiming or injuring of its ad hoc staff, who might be corps members serving their fatherland.

    “We have discussed with the Inspector-General of Police “to ensure that all our staff members, including the ad-hoc staff, are given adequate protection from violent attacks during the polls.

    “The commission will protect its own with every passion and means it can muster.”

    He appealed to Nigerians to come out en mass to exercise their civic duty on March 9.

  • INEC insists on Smart Card Readers

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has insisted that  Smart Card Readers will be deployed in the Saturday’s polls.

    The commission is conducting  governorship elections in 29 states  and the 36 states assemblies and also  council polls in FCT.

    The commission, in a statement  by Festus Okoye, National Commissioner, in-charge of Information and Voter Education also denied the allegation of selective use of Smart Card Readers in the last elections.

    The statement reads: “The general public and all officials engaged for the elections are hereby informed that the Commission is not reconsidering the use of these Smart Card Readers which has greatly improved the credibility of our elections and instilled a high level of public trust in them.

    “To clear any doubt or ambiguity, we wish to state that the deployment and mandatory use of Smart Card Readers in next Saturday’s elections will not only be uniform but also universal and the provisions of the Regulations and Guidelines will be strictly and vigorously enforced. All stakeholders are to note and be guided accordingly please.”

    The commission said: “Since the conduct of the February 23. 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections, there have been allegations from certain quarters that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was selective in its use of Smart Card Readers (SCRs) in its conduct of the electrons. These allegations have led to speculations that INEC may be forced to jettison their use in the March 9, 2019 Governorship, State Houses of Assembly and Federal Capital Area Council elections. “

    “INEC hereby states categorically that the allegations are absolutely false and the speculations are without any basis whatsoever. The use of the Smart Card Readers is not only mandatory but its deliberate non-use attracts the sanction of possible prosecution of erring officials in accordance with the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of elections. This is in addition to the voiding of any result emanating from such units or areas as was done in the Presidential and National Assembly elections of February 23, 2019, the commission added.  “

     

     

  • How Adhoc staff sabotaged election in Imo -REC

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Imo State, Prof. Francis Ezeonu, Tuesday gave detailed account of how Adhoc Staff engaged and trained for the Presidential and National Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), compromised the election in connivance with politicians.

    The REC who convened a Stakeholders’ meeting to review the performance of the Commission in the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state, disclosed that most of the Adhoc Staff who were recruited from reputable National institutions to serve as Supervisory Presiding Officers and Collation Officers, swapped their positions with politicians after collecting money.

    He noted that the development allowed the politicians masquerading as INEC Adhoc Staff to manipulate the results of the election.

    Read Also: PDP candidate escapes assassination in Ondo

    According to him, “most of the Adhoc Staff sold their tags and letters of appointment to politicians who took over their positions. We were monitoring the election from our situation room and we were getting complaints about total strangers taking over the duties of our Adhoc Staff, we tried to reach them on phone but they all switched off their phones, then we moved in and made some arrests.

    “It is too bad that someone could sabotage a national assignment of that nature without minding the implications. In the coming election we are using INEC Staff because they won’t go to the extent the Adhoc Staff went to compromise the election”.

    He also disclosed that the Electoral Officer, an INEC Staff, Mr. Andrew Erefurukuma, was arrested and suspended for hoarding voting materials meant to be distributed to polling stations.

    The REC also hinted that the distribution of sensitive materials for the Saturday’s election will begin on Wednesday.

  • Poll: INEC insist on use of Smart Card Readers

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has insisted that the Smart Card Readers will be deployed in the Saturday polls.

    INEC is conducting elections governorship elections in 29 states of the Federation and the 36 states assemblies and also the council polls in FCT.

    The commission in a statement signed by Festus Okoye, National Commissioner, in-charge of Information and Voter Education also denied the allegation of selective use of smart card readers in the last election.

    The statement reads: “The general public and all officials engaged for the elections are hereby informed that the Commission is not reconsidering the use of these Smart Card Readers which has greatly improved the credibility of our elections and instilled a high level of public trust In them.

    Read Also: We’ll probe INEC on polls’ shift, says senator

    “To clear any doubt or ambiguity. We wish to state that the deployment and mandatory use Smart Card Readers in next Saturday’s elections will not only be uniform but also universal. and the provisions of the Regulations and Guidelines will be strictly and vigorously enforced All Stakeholders are to note and be guided accordingly please.”

    The commission explained further “Since the conduct of the February 23. 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections. there have been allegations from certain quarters that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was selective in its use of Smart Card Readers (SCRs) in its conduct of the electrons. These allegations have led to speculations that INEC may be forced to jettison their use in the March 9, 2019 Governorship, State Houses of Assembly and Federal Capital Area Council elections. ”

    It therefore added, “INEC hereby states categorically that the allegations are absolutely false and the speculations are without any basis whatsoever. The use of the Smart Card Readers is not only mandatory but its deliberate non-use attracts the sanction of possible prosecution of erring officials in accordance with the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of elections. This is in addition to the voiding of any result emanating from such units or areas. as was done in the Presidential and National Assembly elections of February 23, 2019. “

  • INEC omits APC guber candidate in Enugu

    All Progressives Congress (APC) may not field a governorship candidate in Enugu state for the February 9 gubernatorial election.

    A final list for the March 9 governorship election published on the website of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showed that Enugu APC had no candidate.

    The list signed by Rose Oriaran-Anthony, Secretary, INEC, said it was in obedience to court order as the party was yet to submit a fresh name after Ayogu was sacked.

    In the 330-page final list of candidates, Enugu occupied pages 100 to 111, with the APC having candidate.

    A Federal High Court in Abuja, had allegedly sacked Senator Ayogu Eze as the governorship candidate of the party in Enugu State.

    In the judgment delivered by Hon. Justice I. Ekwo of the Federal High Court 5, the court asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to recognize Barr. George Ogara as the candidate.

    Read Also: Polls: INEC receives sensitive materials in Kwara

    However the APC National Working Committee (NWC), which earlier declared that Ayogu was still the candidate known to the party was yet to obey the order of the court, which had asked that Ogara’s name be submitted to the INEC.

    The Ayogu Eze campaign organization, however could not offer any reaction to the development.

    The spokesman of the campaign organization, Okey Ezerigwe told The Nation that Ayogu Eze was in Abuja to tackle the issue, assuring that “he is making some progress and is due back to Enugu on Tuesday.”

     

     

  • 63 card readers missing in Bayelsa, says INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) in Bayelsa has raised the alarm over its missing 63 card readers in the state.

    The commission appealed to persons in possession of the card readers to return them before Wednesday ahead of the House of Assembly election scheduled for Saturday.

    The commission said it discovered the missing item after the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    Speaking on Tuesday in Yenagoa, Head of Department, INEC Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Wilfred Ifogah, said the card readers were found missing in Brass, Sagbama, Southern-Ijaw, Nembe and Yenagoa local government areas.

    Ifogah explained that one smart card disappeared in Brass ward 6 unit 19; 24 in Nembe, ward 1, 4, 12 and 13 while 24 were not found in Southern-Ijaw, ward 1, 2, 3, 12, 15.

    He said; Eight are missing in Sagbama ward 1 unit 5 and ward 6 unit 3 while in Yenagoa, a total of six are also missing in ward 1, 11 and 16 respectively.

    “Yes, about 63, card readers are missing. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) has issued a statement that those involved should return it to a point where it will get to INEC on or before Wednesday”.

  • Polls: INEC receives sensitive materials in Kwara

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kwara, Malam Garba Attahiru-Madami, says the commission has taken delivery of all sensitive materials for Saturday’s Governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    Attahiru-Madami told our reporter on Tuesday in Ilorin that all the sensitive materials were in the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    He added that officials of the commission would commence sorting the materials on Wednesday in the open within the premises of the CBN.

    The REC added that the sorting of sensitive materials would be done in the presence of representatives of political parties, security agencies, election observers and the media.

    The sensitive materials included ballot papers, Form EC 8 and result sheet form.

    The REC said that after sorting of the materials, they would be moved to the various local governments accompanied by armed security personnel.

    Read Also: Group hails Kwara polls

    Attahiru-Madami said non sensitive materials like ballot boxes, ink, stamp pads and other items had earlier been moved to the 16 local governments.

    The REC added that all the sensitive materials would be kept at the Divisional Police Headquarters in each local government headquarters.

    According to him, the sensitive materials would be moved to the 193 Registration Centres (RACs) on Friday evening where they would be sorted out according to various polling units in the open glare of representatives of political parties and security personnel.

    Attahiru-Madami assured the people of the state that INEC would conduct credible and internationally accepted governorship and House of Assembly elections on Saturday.

    NAN