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Tag: Mahmoud Yakubu

  • Mahmoud Yakubu not dead; hale and hearty, says INEC

    Mahmoud Yakubu not dead; hale and hearty, says INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed viral reports on social media about the purported death of its chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

    Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said in a statement that Prof Yakubu was hale and healthy and has not travelled to London in the past two years.

    A report circulating on social media said the INEC Chairman reportedly died in a London hospital after a brief illness.

    The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a fake news narrative circulated by a section of the social media claiming the purported death of the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu at a London hospital. The story first appeared on Monday, 9th December 2024.

    “We hereby appeal to the public to disregard the rumour. Prof. Yakubu is alive, hale and hearty. In fact, he has not travelled to London in the last two years.

    “He was present at an interactive meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters on Wednesday, 11th December 2024. He also chaired the Commission’s meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners on Thursday, 12th December 2024.

    Read Also: Justice summit to honour Mahmoud, Bello, Okowa, other jurists

    “Both events were widely covered on television and reported on the front pages of most newspapers yesterday, Friday 13th December 2024.

    “The public may recall that mischief-makers on the social media carried a similar fake story in 2021. Three years later, they are spreading the same rumour again. 

    “Those who indulge in this practice, as well as those who spread it, should be mindful of its effect not only on the individual but also the wider society.

    “The Commission will continue to work with genuine media professionals to combat the scourge of fake news and the danger it poses to society.”

  • INEC won’t favour any party in Ekiti Supplementary Poll, Says REC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said the commission won’t derail from its foundational tradition of neutrality and fairness in the conduct of the  supplementary  election for  Ekiti East constituency 1 of the state.

    INEC said the election will hold on Saturday, March 23 in five polling units in the constituency , in line with the directive of the Chairman of the electoral body, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu.

    The election was suspended by INEC  on March 9, when the House of Assembly and governorship elections were held across the country, with results in other 25 constituencies already declared .

    In the election, the battle will be between Mr. Juwa Adegbuyi of the All Progressives Congress and the occupant of the seat and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Hon. Ojo-Ade Fajana.

    Speaking in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, the Acting Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ekiti, Dr. Muslim Omoleke, revealed that INEC would by the week meet the security agencies and brief them on the need to be prepared for the conduct of the election.

    Omoleke said the commission decided to suspend elections in the polling units , thereby making the outcome inconclusive, in line with its commitment to be neutral and fair to all contenders in any election.

    “We are prepared for the election and we won’t deviate from the practice of fairness and neutrality to all political parties.

    Read Also: Supplementary Polls: INEC promises to be fair in Plateau

    ” We will meet the security agencies this week and brief them on how the conduct will look like, so they can plan their own strategies on how to deliver a free, fair and credible election on Saturday.

    “We have received materials from the headquarters and they are being kept in the Central Bank of Nigeria, the materials are under safe custody.

    “We want to assure our voters that we won’t let them down. Let them come out massively and vote and we assure that their votes will count.

    “INEC  did not disappoint in the conduct of the presidential and state and National assembly elections in Ekiti,  this also will not be an exemption”, Omoleke stated”, he said.

  • Polls postponement: Nigerians count losses, condemn INEC

    Nigerians on Saturday condemned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 12th hour rescheduling of the presidential and National Assembly elections slated for Saturday.

    INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu at the wee hours of Saturday announced the shift in dates for the presidential and governorship elections to February 23 and March 9 respectively.

    Yakubu while addressing reporters in Abuja shortly after a meeting with his officers had said the commission would not be able to deliver credible polls due to logistics and operational challenges.

    This announcement did not go well with most Nigerians who said they had made sacrifices to ensure they voted yesterday including travelling to their voting areas.

    Although there were no physical protests, Nigerians took to social media vent their frustrations especially those whose weddings and other social engagements had been fixed for Saturday February 23 and arrangements concluded.

    Lagos traders also lamented the losses they had incurred and those they will suffer next week as a result of the postponement.

    Read Also: INEC was never prepared for 2019 polls – Balarabe Musa

    Expressing his displeasure, a businessman Damilare Akinseye said INEC completely destabilised him by the announcement.

    He said: “They have just thwarted all my plans. Already I have lost money on Friday and Saturday as a result of this election. Things I was supposed to have done on Friday, I had to shelve them so that I can be around for the elections. Now, they want me to incur losses again next week?

    “It continues to baffle me why a country that has spent so much preparing for this election will at the last minute cancel it. Considering all the monumental sums that have been given to INEC, what is the issue of logistics here?

    “It is very annoying, appalling and I am not pleased with it. Whoever has done this did not put in place the rigjt structure to work. In advanced countries, they have good logistics structures.

    “It is sad that we have weak institutions in this country. That is what is leading to all this hitches we are having. Despite the postponement I will vote. I belief that Nigeria will be great.

    “The federal government should know that Nigeria is a sovereign state, and we should do things in accordance with standard. We should not turn ourselves into laughing stock in the comity of nations. Our leaders should do things in a civilized way.”

    A tomato seller at Mile 12 market lamented low patronage stating that most of their customers had either travelled for the polls or were sceptical about coming out.

    “You can see how everywhere is still empty for yourself. A lot of people travelled to their villages to vote. They would have made this announcement some days back so that people will not travel. Now, they have made us to lose money this Saturday and next Saturday we will not sell. They should be considering the sufferings of ordinary Nigerians before taking such decisions,” she said.

    Island Club Manager Olubunmi Fasan described the shifting of the polls as disappointing and demoralizing, noting that it came very late.

    “The announcement was made when it was least expected. It is demoralizing and there are multiplier effects of the cancellation on both our social affair and economic areas of our lives in Nigeria.

    “Apart from the discomfort associated with it, a lot of economic gains that would have been accrued if today had not been earlier chosen could not be achieved. Lots of people had their occasions cancelled, students came back from schools, talk more of international delegates who travelled far and wide to Nigeria to monitor the conduct of the election who are now forced to stay back or go back to their base to come back next week for same exercise.

    “Notwithstanding the above, what is worth doing at all is worth doing well. If the postponement is to allow for a better logistics in the conduct of the election that would be seen thereafter to be free and fair to the majority of the populace so be it.

    “It is a call to service and it is obligatory that I vote. Since I am still within the vicinity where I am to carry out my vote, I will still carry out my civic duty by voting for the candidate of my choice at the appointed date, because it is only patriotism that can swallow the disappointment of the postponement,” he said.

    A student Folayemi Ireoluwa said she was angry when she learnt of the shifting.

    She said: “Immediately I got the news of the postponed election, I was angry, destabilized, sad for our dear Nigeria, because majority of students had to rush down home just to be safe. Important appointments were postponed even to the newly selected date. Now what do we do?”

    A journalist, Tosin Adesile described the postponement as gross incompetence on the part of INEC especially because they had four years to deliver on this singular task.

    “Be that as it may, I will still perform my civic duties next week,” said Adesile.

  • Update: INEC sets to announce outcome of meeting with stakeholders

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) crucial meeting with stakeholders, including international and local observers over today’s Presidential and National Assembly election has ended.

    The Chief Press Secretary to Mahmoud Yakubu, INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, told journalists that a decision has been taken and the commission will address them soon.

    Details shortly…

     

  • Committal hearing against INEC chairman for Friday

    For allegedly disobeying a valid court order, the Young Democratic Party (YDP) has asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to commit Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof Mahmoud Yakubu to prison.

    The party alleged Yakubu refused to recognise its leader Henry Nwabueze as Acting National Chairman.

    The case will come up for hearing before Justice Ayokunle Faji Friday.

    YDP filed Form 49 against the alleged contemnor inviting him to appear and show cause why he should not be sent to prison for refusing to comply with a November 29, 2018 judgment by Justice Faji.

    The Form 49 reads: “Take notice that the defendant will on a date as approved by the Court apply for an order for your committal to prison for having disobeyed the judgment of the Federal High Court by Justice A.O. Faji made on 29th November 2018 enjoining you to recognise the second defendant as the Acting National Chairman, Hon. Henry Nwabueze, of the Young Democratic Party and thereby neglected to obey the said judgment”.

    Relying on the case of John Ebhodaghe vs Mike Okoye, the applicant’s counsel Yemi Akinyeme said an order of committal against Yakubu would be proper and deserving given that he was granted adequate notice to comply with the order.

    Read Also; INEC releases final list of candidates for 2019 general elections

    Quoting former Supreme Court Justice, the late Niki Tobi, the lawyer said obedience to orders of court is fundamental to the good order, peace and stability of the nation.

    He, therefore, asked the court to cite the INEC chairman for contempt as provided by Order 35 Rule1 (2) (b) of the Civil Procedure Rules of the court.

    The applicant’s counsel further cited Section 72 of the Sheriff’s and Civil Process Act: “If a person refuses or neglects to comply with an order of court made against him other than for payment of money, the court instead of dealing with him as a judgment debtor guilty of the misconduct defined in paragraph F of Section 66 of the Act, may order that he be committed to prison and detained in custody until he has obeyed the order.”

  • Kogi Senate aspirant task INEC chairman on vote buying

    An aspirant for Kogi Central Senatorial seat under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Hon. Abdulkarim Salihu, has charged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu to as a matter of urgency address the issue of vote buying during election.

    The former two term member of the House of Representatives called on the INEC boss to tackle the scourge before it damages the country’s hard earned democracy.

    Salihu who gave the charge on Monday while submitting his nomination form at the Kogi PDP secretariat in Lokoja, said the conduct of the governorship election in Ekiti State recently, served as wake up call to the electoral umpire to be awake to its responsibility of discouraging vote buying in order to protect democracy and give credence to the Nigeria’s electoral process.

    According to him: “What happened in Ekiti during the governorship election is enough signal that our democracy is nosediving and requires urgent measures to nip it in the bud so that such act will not take the centre stage in our country’s democracy.

    “If the major agenda of the federal government is to fight corruption, then buying votes should be seen as an act of corruption, which should be dealt with before it collapses the hard earned democracy.

    Read Also: ICPC to partner INEC to curb vote-buying

    “Vote buying is one of the major challenges that will affect the integrity of the 2019 elections, as it will not allow the electorate to support and vote for the candidates of their choice and if this is not discouraged, elections in Nigeria will lose credibility and where there is no credibility in an election, the desired dividends of democracy will not be enjoyed by Nigerians, as the politicians would gear their effort in recovering the money spent during the election.”

    He said the situation where the ruling party in the state prevented the opposition from organising activities in the state, noting that democracy cannot thrive in the absence of a strong and virile opposition, to checkmate the activities of the ruling party.

    “I have never seen in modern political civilization where the opposition parties are not allow to conduct their activities; the beauty of democracy is when the ruling party is being checkmated, in order to fulfil electioneering campaign.

    “All these are happening because of poverty of ideas and by the time the ruling party knows the enormity of their actions, they will allow the opposition parties to thrive in the state and the country at large,” he noted.

    On his mission and vision for his constituency if given the opportunity,  Hon. Salihu said he will introduce a need assessment committee where the people will have an input on the types of projects they needed, noting that the era of sharing motorcycles and sewing machine is over.

    While calling on the electorate to vote according to their conscience during elections,  the aspirant urged INEC to do the needful during elections.

  • Appeal Court halts execution of arrest order on INEC Chair

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja has ordered a stay of execution of the warrant of arrest issued against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmoud Yakubu.

    Read Also:2019: INEC budget stuck as Senate won’t reconvene

    The order for stay of execution made on Monday by the court’s three-man panel, led by Justice Abdu Aboki, is to subsist pending the determination of an appeal filed by Yakubu and an application he filed along with it.

    The appeal is against an earlier judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, while the application challenges the propriety of the order for the INEC boss’ arrest.

     

    Details later…

  • INEC chairman shuns court summons

    Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday, failed to honour a court order directing him to appear in court or risk going to jail.
    Justice Stephen Pam of the Taraba division of the Federal High Court but sitting in Abuja on the directives of the Chief Judge of the court gave the order on July 5.
    At the resumed hearing, counsel to Yakubu, Mr Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) told the court that it was the right of a respondent to decide if he wanted to be heard during vacation.
    Awomolo said that he had not consented to his case been heard during the court’s vacation.
    “There is also no affidavit of urgency stating that the case needs to be urgently heard. I also want to notify the court that I have filed an appeal against the ruling.
    ” I have also filed an application praying further hearing to be stopped until the appeal is heard and determined by the Court of Appeal.”
    The senior lawyer added that in any case, he was not in the right frame of mind to argue the matter because he had lost his mother and wanted to go and bury her.
    Mr Chris Uche, (SAN) counsel to the other party Mr Ejike Oguebego, however, said that the chief judge in the exercise of his administrative discretion, agreed to having the matter heard during the vacation.
    “Order 46(5) of the court rules that govern vacation has two arms and it makes room for a case to be heard during vacation except on a Sunday or public holiday.
    ” Where the action is urgent or where the parties apply, and in this case, given the nature of the case, the chief judge applied his administrative discretion in our favour.
    “This is a preelection matter which started since 2014, what could be more urgent,” he wondered.
    Justice Pam in a short ruling said that court orders must be obeyed and counsel must ensure that their clients obeyed them.
    “Counsel must desist from making their clients disregard orders of court. Consistent disregard of orders of court amount to contempt of court.
    ” An applicant cannot while continuing to be in contempt of court, seek the court’s favour.”

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    According to the judge, the fiat issued by the chief judge to hear this matter during vacation is still subsisting and the case will go on during the vacation.
    “The contemnor must appear in person before this court on the next adjourned date.”
    He adjourned the matter until Aug. 1 to allow Awomolo go and bury his mother.
    It would be recalled that the Supreme Court had in Jan. 2016 declared the list of candidates submitted by the Ken Emekayi led faction of the Anambra PDP, illegal.
    That pronouncement emanated from a suit filed by the Ejike Oguebego faction  on behalf of themselves and others including Mr Chris Uba.
    The suit was for the apex court to determine who were the legal and validly nominated candidates of the party to stand for the last general elections for the party in the state.
    Going by the ruling, the list of nominated party candidates in the 2015 general election from the Oguebego-led executive of the Anambra PDP was the only one to be recognised by  INEC.
    In the list, Chris Uba, John Emeka and Annie Okonkwo were said to be the duly nominated senatorial candidates for Anambra South, Central and North in the March 28, 2015 general election.
    Similarly, Justice John Tsoho of a Federal High Court, Abuja, had in 2017 ordered INEC and its chairman to appear before it to answer to contempt proceedings pending against them.
    Justice Tsoho gave the order in his ruling on arguments on whether or not the physical presence of INEC and its chairman was necessary for the court to determine the contempt proceedings.
    The proceedings were initiated against them by Oguebego and Chuks Okoye – Chairman and Legal Adviser of PDP in Anambra.

  • Ondo election holds Saturday – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday said the Ondo State governorship election slated for Saturday will hold as scheduled.

    The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this at the stakeholders’ meeting on the election, held at Akure, the state capital.

    The event was attended by the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, political parties’ candidates and traditional and religious leaders.

    Yakubu said the yet to be resolved political parties’ crisis does not warrant postponement of the election.

    He said, “I wish to assure you of INEC’s preparedness and neutrality. We are not unaware of the partisan insinuation of bias in the nomination of candidates by one of the political parties.

    “We are equally aware that party primaries for the selection of flagbearers by some of our political parties tend to be rancorous.

    “For this reason, while each activity under our election time table is tied to a specific day, the conduct of party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from the nomination of candidates, was allocated a whole month from August 18 to September 19, 2016.

    “However, where an intra-party dispute becomes the subject of litigation resulting in specific orders of court, INEC shall obey such orders until they are set aside by a superior court. We remain guided by this principle.

    “Our responsibility is to ensure that, as a legal process, elections are conducted strictly in conformity with the provisions of the law.

    “We have taken every step within the powers of the commission to ensure that the election this weekend is held as scheduled and that it is free, fair and credible.”

     

     

  • ‘INEC ready for Kogi, Bayelsa polls’

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed its readiness for the Kogi and Bayelsa States gubernatorial elections.

    The Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, stated this at the inaugural meeting of the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters and Political Affairs in Abuja.

    Yakubu said people’s votes will count in the elections.

    He said although a standard had been set by his predecessor, Prof. Attahiru Jega, INEC under his watch would do very well.

    “INEC is ready for Kogi and Bayelsa elections, whatever the people decide, that is what we are committed to. We are committed to building on the success of the 2015 elections,” he stated.

    The INEC chief revealed that an additional 48, 000 people have been further registered with their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) ready and distributed.