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Tag: Kayode Idowu

  • Paralympians dominate nomination for Nigerian Sports Award

    Paralympians dominate nomination for Nigerian Sports Award

    This year’s Nigerian Sports Award witnessed dominance of nomination by Rio 2016 Paralympians with most of them making the nominees for sports man and woman of the year categories.

    According to the chairman of the award panel, Ikedi Isiguzo, 11 out of the 20 categories of the award would be given out this year following the lack of nomination from the public for nine of the awards.

    Isiguzo who spoke at the unveiling of all the nominees for this year’s award, said that only excellent and not popularity would be rewarded.

    The Executive Director, Unmissable Incentives, Kayode Idowu unveiled Manchester City of England star, Kelechi Iheanacho, Wikki Tourists’ striker, Godwin Obaje and Rangers International star, Chisom Egbuchulam in the footballer of the year category.

    For sportsman of the year, Paralympians Kehinde Paul, Ezuruike Roland and Nnamdi Innocent will compete for the gong, while five Paralympians – Omolayo Bose, Orji Josephine, Lauretta Onye, Lucy Ejike and Flora Ugwunma will jostle for laurel in the sports woman and special sports person of the year.

    The trio of Kehinde Paul, Ezuruike Roland and Nnamdi Innocent will also jostle for the special sports person of the year (men).

    The team of the year is between Dream IV and Rangers International while the coach of the year will be a battle among Samson Siasia, Are Feyisetan and Imama Amapakabo.

    Idowu however, disclosed that there would be special recognition got six athletes who are referred to as sporting heroes. “The performances of our athletes and sports in Nigeria in
    2016 has been very poor. There’s really nothing major to celebrate aside the exploits of our Paralympians. We therefore needs we have decided to add colour to the 5th edition of the award by celebrating some first in Nigerian sports at the highest level with six special recognition to be awarded during the event on December 2 at Banquet Hall, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos,” Idowu said.

    Publics are expected to vote for the sportsman and sportswomen of the year from November 8 to 27.

  • Insurgency: Displaced Nigerians will not vote unless … – INEC

    Insurgency: Displaced Nigerians will not vote unless … – INEC

    February 14, 2015 presidential election unless the law is changed, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Monday.

    Nigeria faces what is likely to be its most closely fought election since the end of military rule in 1999, but the Electoral Act states that voters have to cast ballots in their home constituencies, an obstacle for refugees who have fled attacks by Boko Haram militants.

    A decision on how to deal with the displaced will not be taken before January when the National Assembly next meets, Reuters reports.

    “Unless the act is amended, the IDP (internally displaced person) issue could expose the election to legal challenges by the losing party,” INEC spokesman, Kayode Idowu said.

    President Goodluck Jonathan, the ruling People’s Democratic Party candidate, will face former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, candidate for the opposition All Progressives Congress.

    Voters in northern Nigeria favour the opposition party led by a Muslim northerner. The potential loss of more than a million votes from that area could stoke tension.
    Around 73 million people voted in the last election in 2011.

    The insurgency could also mean some local government areas in three northeastern states may be prevented from holding the ballot if the army deems it too dangerous, Idowu said.

    The Boko Haram sect has been waging a five-year insurgency to carve out an Islamic state in the northeast. Attacks have increased sharply since the government imposed a state of emergency last year in three states – Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

    Thousands of people have been killed. Bombs, ambushes and raids on towns occur on a near-daily basis in the region, particularly in Borno, the stronghold of the militant group.

     

  • 2015: INEC begins voter registration in Lagos, six others Wednesday

    2015: INEC begins voter registration in Lagos, six others Wednesday

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will on Wednesday commence the continuous Voter Registration ((CVR) exercise in seven states of the Federation.

    The exercise which will last till November 17 will hold in Kano, Edo, Plateau, Ogun, Imo, Lagos and Adamawa.

    INEC said the exercise is for eligible persons presently not on the biometric register.

    The commission therefore advised electorates to check their names first before participating in the exercise in order to avoid double registration.

    INEC in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr. kayode Idowu,  enjoined residents of the affected states who are yet to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to first check  the Register and ascertain whether or not they are already on it.

    INEC explained that those whose names are on the Register but are yet to collect their PVC need not present themselves for CVR.

    “The way to check if they are on the Register of Voters is simply to send an SMS to dedicated lines with the following information: Name of state, surname, the last five or six digits of the VIN (i.e., Voter Identification Number) on their Temporary Voter Card (for example: Lagos, Salama, 06782: please ensure the coma in-between) and send to 08171646879.

    Alternatively, someone doing the checking could preface the short message with INEC (e.g.: INEC, Lagos, Salama, 06782) and send to 20120.

    “The interrogator will get an instant response giving his / her full profile on the Register and the polling unit number if the person is actually on the Register; or an advise to the contrary if the person is not.

    “If a person is on the Register and has not been able to obtain his / her PVC, he / she should go to the relevant local government office of INEC where distribution of the cards will continue daily till the end of January 2015. For avoidance of doubt, only those who the SMS service shows are not on the Register need to present themselves for CVR, in addition to persons who are registering for the first time ever. If only the people who genuinely need to register present themselves for CVR, the exercise will be efficient and far-reaching.

    “It should be noted, however, that the SMS facility is also available for people who want to check the Register of Voters from every other state of the Federation,” the commission explained.

  • INEC to voters: go to local councils for PVCs

    INEC to voters: go to local councils for PVCs

    THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has told Osun State’s registered voters to go to local government areas for their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

    Only voters with the permanent cards, the commission said, will be allowed to vote in the August 9 governorship election.

    The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, in a statement yesterday, urged voters who are yet to collect their cards to head to their local council areas.

    He explained that PVCs yet to be collected are at the 30 local government offices of the commission in Osun State, awaiting legitimate holders to come for them.

    He stressed that the commission disallows proxy collection to prevent abuse of the cards by unscrupulous persons.

    He said: “In line with INEC’s guideline for the exercise, uncollected PVCs were at the end of the polling unit level distribution in March taken to respective local government office of the commission in the state for subsequent issuance to legitimate holders. The distribution at the local government level has been on-going since then.

    “In other words, all PVCs yet to be collected are at the 30 local government offices of the commission in Osun State, awaiting legitimate holders to come for them. But the Commission disallows proxy collection to prevent abuse of the cards by unscrupulous persons. Prospective voters in the August 9 election who are yet to collect their PVCs are therefore urged to do so in readiness for the election.”

    He explained that “the distribution of PVCs to duly registered persons has been on-going since March 7th, 2014, contrary to suggestions that there is a hindrance in the distribution of the cards.

    “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) therefore urges every prospective voter in Osun State, who is yet to collect his / her PVC to urgently do so, ahead of the state governorship election scheduled for August 9, 2014.

    “For avoidance of doubt, only registered voters with PVCs will be able to vote during the election.

    “This clarification is necessary against the backdrop of calls on the commission in the last couple of days to ensure timely distribution of the PVCs. A political party had, at the weekend, accused INEC of being “painfully slow in processing the permanent voter cards;” while a non-governmental organisation, on Monday, urged the commission to ensure timely distribution of PVCs before the governorship election – suggesting that the contrary is presently the case.

    “It should be recalled, however, that the commission undertook polling unit level distribution of PVCs to registered voters in Osun State from Friday, 7th March, 2014 to Sunday, 9th March, 2014, simultaneously with the conduct of the exercise in Ekiti State.”

     

     

  • ID Cabasa, Terry G, D-tunes in search of Naija Street Champ

    ID Cabasa, Terry G, D-tunes in search of Naija Street Champ

    ACE music producers, ID Cabasa, Terry G and D-Tunes, on Wednesday in Lagos, threw their weights behind a new talent hunt competition tagged Naija Street Champ.

    The contest, according to the organisers, is aimed at discovering new street music solo talents.

    At a press briefing in Lagos, Mr. Kayode Idowu, General Manager, Unmissable Incentives Limited, said: “Naija Street Champ challenge is an open-mic music competition that allows young people ‘free-style to a beat’ as the train tours Lagos major neighbourhood in search of new solo singing talents, who will be working with renowned music producers.” Idowu disclosed that the winner would be determined by the public and music producers.

    According to him, the contest will provide a springboard for launching the careers of street singers and bonafide singers.

    He added: “Interested persons from 18 years and above could enter for the competition by downloading a beat on the company’s website at www.naijastreetchamp.com and fill an audition form after obtaining a registration PIN at N1, 000 at Zenith Bank branch. After the completion of the form, the contestant is also expected to submit the form and receive a confirmation message.”

    Contestants are expected to compose a song with the beat, which will be presented at the auditions scheduled to hold between May 10 and June 1. He also stated that each contestant would be required to come to the audition with the registration confirmation message, any form of identification and a song. The winner of the Naija Street Champ challenge will go home with N1, 000,000.00 (One million naira) and a three-year contract deal.

    “The audition zones are Campus/Island zone, Ketu/Ojota/Ikorodu zone, Ajegunle zone, FESTAC zone, Ikeja zone, Agege/Ogba/Iyana-Ipaja zone, Surulere/Mushin zone and Bariga/Akoka zone,” he stated.

  • PDP rally: INEC faults early campaign

    PDP rally: INEC faults early campaign

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said yesterday that campaign by any political party or group of politicians ahead of the lifting of the ban oN campaigns is a violation of the rules governing elections in the country.

    Reacting to complaints trailing the several rallies across the country by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the latest being the North Central zonal rally held yesterday in Minna, the electoral commission maintained that it was illegal for anyone to begin campaign outside INEC guidelines.

    Speaking in a telephone interview, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said the Commission views all forms of early campaign by political parties as contraventions of the Electoral Act.

    The INEC spokesperson said the position of the constitution on when campaigns should start is very clear.

    He said:”INEC will not respond to allegations against individual political parties but our position on early campaigns like this remain the same. For us, it is a contravention of Section 99, sub section 1 of the Electoral Act which stipulates that campaign can only start 90 days to the election and end 24 hours to the election. Any political party or group that does anything aside this is going against the Constitution.

    “We have said that before. We issued a press release on this recently. Our position remains the same irrespective of which political party you are talking about. If we respond to your question about party A, another person will be quick to point out things done by party B which appears to him or her as some form of campaign. That is why we will not respond to allegations against individuals.

    “And let me tell you that it is not for INEC to take an action against such contraventions because there are institutional structures meant to address all forms of constitutional breaches. This is not an exemption. INEC is not a security agency. We can only call on the relevant security agencies to do the needful in this situation.”

    Idowu warned that early campaigns would only heat up the polity.

    “There is no doubt that the tendency by political parties towards pre-emptive electioneering is of concern to us at INEC. Like i said, it is a violation of statutory provisions and this will only heat up the polity,” he warned.

    Before yesterday’s rally in Minna, President Jonathan had addressed rallies in Sokoto, Owerri and Ilorin.

  • 2015: INEC cautions politicians against early campaign

    2015: INEC cautions politicians against early campaign

    The Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr. Kayode Idowu, has cautioned politicians against early campaign to avoid overheating the polity.

    Idowu made the call in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.

    He said INEC had issued timetable which clearly indicated the timeline for commencing campaign by political parties and candidates in the country.

    According to him, the commission has repeatedly warned political players to always abide by the provision of the Electoral Act to ensure sanity in the political process.

    “We have issued a timetable to indicate the timeline for campaign. INEC has also repeatedly warned politicians on the need to play politics by the rule,” he said.

    He said that though INEC was not a law enforcement or security agency, it was however in a position to ask law enforcement agencies to help in enforcing laws on electioneering campaign.

    Idowu reiterated the determination of the commission to provide level playing ground to all political parties to ensure justice and fair play, with a view to enhancing citizens’ confidence in its activities.

    He tasked the media to be factual and objective in their reportage, adding that the use of the media to perpetrate partisan manipulation could affect the success of the INEC.

    Idowu, who said that INEC was making efforts to improve its activities, urged the media to join the commission for the realisation of free, fair and credible elections in the country.

     

  • INEC warns politicians, parties to stop campaigns

    The National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned political
    parties and politicians in the country to stop all acts of electioneering campaign.
    The electoral body noted that the unbridled campaign towards the forthcoming General Election, which is contrary to the provision of Section 99(1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended),  is alsready heating up the polity.
    It has therefore called on security agents to apprehend violators, whose activities in this regard pose a threat to public order.
    Section 99(1) of the electoral law states that “For the purpose of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 90 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.”
    According to a statement issued by Mr. Kayode Robert Idowu, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Political parties are advised to note that campaigning outside this provision is a violation of the law.
    The commission which observed that campaign posters are being indiscriminately displayed, while electioneering broadcasts are being aired outside the statutory provision also warned that it will not hesitate to apply appropriate sanctions against culprits as provided by relevant sections of the law.
    The statement reads:
    “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has observed that some politicians and registered political parties have begun unbridled campaign towards the forthcoming General Election, thereby heating up the polity.
    “It is observed that campaign posters are being indiscriminately displayed, while electioneering broadcasts are being aired outside the statutory provision for campaigning towards elections into various elective offices.
    This trend is unhealthy and portends ill for the political process. Indeed, it is a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
    “The Commission hereby reminds all players of the provision of Section 99(1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended), which states as follows:
    “For the purpose of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by       every political party shall commence 90 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.”
    “Political parties are advised to note that campaigning outside this provision is a violation of the law, and the Commission will not hesitate to apply appropriate sanctions against culprits as provided by relevant sections of the law.
    “Meanwhile, INEC calls on security agents to apprehend violators, whose activities in this regard pose a threat to public order.
    ” The Commission enjoins all parties to play strictly by the rules, as part of a collective effort to ensure the success of the 2015 elections.”

  • INEC de-registers two more parties

    INEC de-registers two more parties

    The Independent National Electoral Commission has de-registered two more political parties, bringing the total number of de-registered parties to 38.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the affected political parties are Change Advocacy Party (CAP) and Democratic Front for a Peoples Federation (DFPF).

    A reliable source at INEC told NAN that the decision to de-registered the parties was taken at the commission’s meeting of February 5.

    The source also said that the political parties affected did not meet the requirements stipulated by the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

    When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu confirmed the de-registration of the parties.

  • INEC condemns Kano by-elections

    INEC condemns Kano by-elections

    …Indicts security agents

    From the Independent National Electoral Commission on Wednesday came a damning verdict on last Saturday by-elections into Gaya and Garko state assembly constituencies in Kano State.

    A statement by the commission’s Chief Press Secretary, Kayode Idowu, alleged that voters and officials were harassed, intimidated and assaulted by armed youths, while security agents failed to intervene.

    The statement reads: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received reports of assault, intimidation and harassment of voters and election officials during the by-elections into Gaya and Garko state assembly constituencies in Kano State held on Saturday, February 2, 2013.

    “Field reports available to the commission revealed that mobs of armed youths disrupted the electoral process in some areas, harassing and intimidating innocent voters. Electoral officials were also intimidated, harassed and threatened, while some INEC supervisory officials were assaulted.

    “The commission is highly disappointed that the culture of thuggery, intolerance and unruly conduct by partisans yet bedevil the electoral process in our country.

    “Regrettably, reports also showed that despite the overwhelming show of force by armed youths during the Kano State by-election, security agents failed to intervene. INEC is concerned that under the circumstance, the elections were conducted in an unwholesome atmosphere that interfered with voters’ exercise of their freedom of choice.

    “The commission hereby affirms that this sort of situation must not be allowed in our political process because it subverts the fundamental principle of free, fair and credible elections. INEC therefore calls on security agencies to remain vigilant; and to promptly intervene, whenever necessary, against the use of thuggery to intimidate or harass voters, thereby subverting the political process.”