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Tag: Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).

  • Supplementary Elections: APC calls for redeployment of Rivers REC

    All Progressives Congress (APC) National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, has called on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to immediately redeploy Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Obo Effanga.

    Issa-Onilu said in a statement that the redeployment became necessary to prevent the REC from skewing the forthcoming supplementary elections in favour of the opposition.

    He added that it was on record that Gov. Wike, through the Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Obo Effanga, engaged PDP card carrying members as Local Government Area (LGA) Collation Officers in the last poll and was capable of repeating same in forthcoming elections.

    He recalled that since the suspension of the electoral process in Rivers, Gov. Wike and the State REC, Obo Effanga, had been re-writing and doctoring unit results in Rivers State Government House to favour Wike.

    Issa-Onilu observed the proactive steps taken by security agents to checkmate a repeat of the 2015 killings and destructions, and that the report of the security saying this should be applauded by all peace loving people.

    He, however, called on Nigerians and the international community not to be hoodwinked into believing that Nigerian security agencies interfered in the electoral process in Rivers.

    “It is a misleading narrative being planted in the media to particularly blackmail the military and the Federal Government into pulling out security agents from the state,” he said.

    This, the APC spokesman said would return the state to the killing field many witnessed before, during and after the 2015 elections.(NAN)

  • Polls: REC commends security agencies’ conduct in Enugu

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Enugu State, Dr Emeka Ononamadu, has hailed the synergy between security agencies and INEC during the general elections.

    Ononamadu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Sunday that security breach during the elections was negligible, attributing the situation to the cooperation of security agencies.

    NAN reports that the joint security agencies for the election included  the army, air force, police and Department of State Security, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

    The others are Federal Road Safety Corps, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Prisons Service, Federal Fire Service and State Vigilant Services.

    Ononamadu said that  security breach during the entire election period “is just about two per cent’’.

    Read Also: Ugwuanyi coasts to victory in Enugu

    According to him, the cooperation and unity-of-purpose shown by the joint security agencies is unprecedented.

    “The set of security personnel that participated in the general elections  in the state lived up to expectations.

    “They displayed a high sense of professionalism, which must be appreciated by INEC.

    “It is of late we had little security skirmishes in some rural areas, which is  negligible anyway.

    “ I am quite impressed in their general conduct,’’ he said.

    The REC said that the agencies contributed greatly to the peaceful and successful conduct of the elections in Enugu State.

    NAN

     

  • INEC office inferno will not stop polls – A’Ibom REC

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in Akwa Ibom, Mr Mike Igini on Friday said that the burning of its Local Government Area Office in the state would not stop Saturday’s polls.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that hoodlums on Friday set fire to the INEC office in Ibesikpo/Asutan local government area of Akwa Ibom.

    Reacting to the incident, Igini said that the  heinous act would not deter the commission from carrying out its duties, as most of the sensitive materials for the conduct of the
    elections were still intact.

    The REC, who went on the spot assessment of the incident, said: “there is no going back on the March 9 elections in Akwa Ibom.

    “Election will hold as scheduled, no matter the plot.”

    Read also: Two drug dealers bag seven years imprisonment in Ibadan

    He revealed that some Card Readers, electricity generators, computers and other office equipment were burnt.

    Narrating how the incident occurred, INEC Director of Public Affairs in the state, Mr Don Etukudoh, said the fire started at about 3:00 a.m on Friday.

    According to him, an explosive device was thrown into the building which ripped the roof open and substantial damage done to the wall with several card readers burnt.

    “From our findings, the place was attacked with explosives because we noticed huge damage done to the walls and the roof completely shattered.

    “We have been able to order several cards readers from the neighbouring states and we are presently configuring them in readiness for the elections,”  he said.

    The Electoral Officer (EO) for Ibesikpo/Asutan, Mr Victor Inyang, said that the polls would go on as planned because no ballot paper was destroyed by the fire.

    “They thought the election materials were kept in the store,” he added.

    The incident, he reiterated, would not deter the conduct of the polls in all the 177 polling units in Ibesikpo Asutan as other sensitive
    and non-sensitive materials other than the card readers were not affected by the inferno.

    The fire was extinguished by men of the state fire service. (NAN)

  • Police debunk alleged plan to kidnap Rivers REC

    The Commissioner of Police (CP), in Rivers state, Usman Belel has debunked the alleged plan to kidnap the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in the state ahead of Saturday’s governorship and state House of Assembly elections.

    The state government through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media, Simoen Nwakudu in a statement on Tuesday had raised an alarm on an alleged plan by members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the state to kidnap the State REC ahead of the polls to push for the postponement of the exercise in the state to a later date.

    But the CP who apparently felt embarrassed by the development in a statement he signed in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Tuesday described the allegation as unfounded and unverifiable urged members of the public to disregard it.

    He assured the people of the state that the command and other security agencies in the state are on top of the security of the state during the elections, insisting that nothing will go wrong.

    The state security Boss said, “The attention of the Rivers State Police Command has been drawn to a Press Statement Signed by Simon Nwakudu , S.A to the Governor of Rivers State on Electronic Media , on the planned kidnap of the Resident Electoral Commissioner and  subsequent Postponement of the Gubernatorial and House of Assembly Elections Scheduled to hold on Saturday 9th March, 2019.

    “The Nigeria Police Force being the lead Agency in Internal Security and on Election Security Duties is disturbed by this unverifiable, unfounded, baseless and malicious allegation and hereby wishes to refute and condemn the allegation in the strongest terms and to allay the fears and apprehension generated by that unnecessary and alarmist report by the Rivers State Government,” he said.

    Read also: APC, PDP ready for elections in Zamfara, as INEC distributes materials

     

    Speaking further said, “To this end, it has become increasingly necessary to refute that phantom allegation and herein State as follows:-

    “The Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security    (ICCES) headed by the Commissioner of Police, ahead of the 2019 Elections met severally and fashioned out modules on the Security of the entire Election process, which was largely responsible for the successful conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly Elections in the State.

    “The Committee remains irrevocably committed and untiring in its efforts to ensure that the Gubernatorial and State Assembly Elections scheduled to hold on Saturday are peaceful, credible and devoid of violence.

    “The Rivers State Government, is levying this weighty allegation on the Security Agencies at this crucial moment, is indeed sad and unfortunate, when in actual fact, the Security Agencies should be encouraged and prayed for by all and sundry, to entrench a credible process that will stand the test of time.

    “The allegation of kidnap of the Resident Electoral Commissioner and postponement of the Elections, are all serious issues that touch on State Security, hence they will be thoroughly investigated, to ascertain the veracity or otherwise and bring anybody or group found complicit to Justice.”

    Belel appealed,  “Consequently, may I at this point appeal to the Residents of the State to remain calm and go about their normal activities, as there is no cause for alarm.

    “The allegation, for all intents and purposes, is politically motivated and only intended to heat up the polity and create unnecessary tension in the State.

    “It is further noted, albeit, regrettably, that, the  allegation is a calculated attempt to undermine and overreach the Security Agencies and the  Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), hence I call on the good people of the State  and the public at large, to disregard and discountenance same, as lacking in merit .

    “Finally, I want to use this medium to reiterate our commitment to serve you better, remain professional, focused and provide a level playing field for all the Political Parties and the Electorates to exercise their franchise.” he pledged.

  • Electoral materials in safe custody, INEC assures Lagosians

    Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Sam Olumekun has said materials for the governorship and State House of Assembly election are in safe custody.

    He urged eligible voters to vote on Saturday.

    In a statement, he added that the smart card readers are being reconfigured, noting that refresher training would hold tomorrow to prepare its ad hoc staff for the task.

    He said all staff who performed below expectations have been replaced, stressing that the commission had fulfilled its obligations to those who participated in the presidential election.

    He said discussion was ongoing with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) for the prompt delivery election materials.

    “Let all eligible voters come out enmass and exercise their franchise by voting for candidates of their choice. Let all conduct themselves in a peaceful manner throughout the period of the election.

    Read also: Former reps defects to PDP in A’Ibom

    ” The security agencies have assured us of maximum security before, during and after the elections.  Our sympathy goes to those persons who were victims of the violent in the last election.”

    Olumekun said the commission observed that six federal constituency elections were inconclusive as a result of political thuggery, violence, snatching and disruption of ballot papers and boxes.

    He said in conformity with subsisting law, the commission would address issues that came up during the presidential election, noting it would guide against repetition of the shortcomings.

    According to him, rerun election would hold in 76 registration areas in 148 polling units with a total of 43,660 registered voters.

  • 44 parties pass vote on confidence on REC Igini

    Forty four political parties have vouched for the integrity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Mike Igini.

    The parties under the aegis of Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC) also passed a vote confidence on Igini saying they will swim and sink with Igini despite attempts to remove him as Akwa Ibom REC.

    In a statement by IPAC’s legal adviser, Mr. Mfon Peters, the 44 political parties alleged that several attempts were made to lure the REC against the will of the people during the presidential and senatorial elections but he “chose his integrity instead”.

    IPAC applauded what it described an unbending noble character displayed by Igini in the face of intimidation and fat offers which they said played out in Ikot Ekpene.

    “We have noticed that after the Presidential and National Assembly elections in our State, the ‘Igini Must Go’ assemblage which had receded has been rekindled. The reason is not far- fetched.

    “We applaud the unbending noble character of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, in the test offered by the scenario that played out at Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District elections.

    “Despite monetary inducement, connection, influence and power play, Igini was uncompromising.

    Read Also: How to protect ballot box, by Igini

    “He insisted that only the valid votes cast at the polling units and collated by the designated officers will count.

    “This did not go down well with some political gladiators who hitherto thought that what money cannot do, more money can do.”

    The assemblage of political parties further alleged those seeking transfer of Igini have so far created spurious stories and blatant lies against the REC in a bid to discredit the just concluded election which was adjudged by their respective Units Agents and International Observers as credible and transparent.

    They called on the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof Mahmood Yakubu to discountenance the renewal of calls for the redeployment of Igini, stressing they were are ill-intentioned and in absolute bad faith.

  • Delta REC threatens to cancel rescheduled polls

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Delta State, Dr. Cyril Omoregbe, has threatened to cancel the rescheduled polls should the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters fail to send materials for the polls.

    He said: “If all election materials do not arrive by 2pm on Friday, I will not hesitate to cancel the election. I will not wait till 2am to cancel the poll. Some of the discrepancies we spotted in the materials include those of other states wrongly sent to Delta and vice versa. Some council areas did not have result sheets as well.”

    Prior to last weekend’s postponement, the REC said the commission, due to non-receipt of some sensitive materials, did not deploy to the field.

    Omoregbe, who spoke to reporters yesterday in Asaba, said sensitive materials which where warehoused at the Central Bank in Asaba were intact as none had been deployed. “It is pertinent to state that no single sensitive material had been deployed to the field before the postponement was announced.”

    He added that election materials will be deployed to the field earlier than expected, especially to inaccessible parts of the state.

    The REC added that reconfiguration of 5,823 card readers was on and the configuration was in compliance with the timeline of activities of the new dates.

  • INEC to retrieve all sensitive materials in Enugu–REC

    Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Emeka Ononamadu, of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Enugu State has said that all sensitive materials already distributed in the state would be retrieved.

    The Rec said the materials would be  returned to the custody of  Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) branch in the state.

    Ononamadu said this at a news conference on Saturday evening in Enugu.

    “We have been directed to return all the sensitive materials to the CBN, Enugu.

    “And the process is already on as I am briefing you now under heavy armed security to ensure that integrity of the materials will be ensured.

    “It will be in the protective custody of the CBN, under heavy security presence, until Wednesday when it will be escorted by the same security personnel back the council headquarters.

    “While in the following day, beginning from Thursday, the sensitive materials will be moved to the Registration Area Centres (RAC) under heavy security as well,’’ he said.

    He assured residents of Enugu State of the integrity of the electoral materials especially the sensitive materials – ballot papers, its accessories and result sheets.

    The REC, who expressed regrets for the postponement and inconveniences it might have caused said the decision was taken to protect democracy.

    “It is a painful decision but one that must be taken to ensure integrity, a free and fair process,’’ he said.

    Ononamadu, however, noted that few lapses observed in the commission’s work in the state would be corrected before Saturday.

    The REC also revealed that over 1.7 million Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) had been collected so far among the 1.9 million registered voters in the state.

    “I will urge the residents of the state to keep faith with the commission as we are poised to organise credible, fair and free elections come Feb. 23,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • INEC declares ballot papers for Niger East, North missing

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Niger State on Friday said that senatorial elections in Niger East and Niger North may postponed as the ballot papers meant for the zone are missing.

    Prof. Samuel Egwu, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, made the declaration while interacting with newsmen in Minna.

    “The issue has been reported to the INEC’s Headquarters in Abuja for urgent attention,” he said.

    “The officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria saddled with the responsibility of securing the electoral sensitive materials have gone to Abuja for the last batch of the sensitive materials for  Saturday’s elections in the state, so we are waiting,’’ he said.

    Read also: How President Buhari, wife will vote on Saturday

    Egwu said that 85 per cent of the needed facilities for the conduct of free and fare elections in the state had been provided with the non-sensitive materials already moved to various destinations across the 25 local government areas of the state.

    He said that the commission trained 23,000 ad hoc staff for the elections in the state.

    The REC also said that 2,181,400 eligible voters would participate during the general elections in the state.

  • 1,254,467 PVCs collected in Osun, says REC

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Osun State, Olusegun Agbaje has disclosed that 1,254,467 Permanent Voters’ Cards have been collected by the eligible voters in the state.

    He said the PVCs collected so far represented 75.50 per cent of the total figure of 1,681,930.

    Making the disclosure while holding separate meetings

    with religious leaders and political parties’ leaders at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office along Gbongan road in Osogbo, Osun State capital, the REC said the balance of 427,463 PVCs (25.42%) are yet to be collected.

    He called on residents of the state to go to where they have registered for collection of their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), saying they have up till Monday January 21 to do so.

    However, the INEC boss, who warned that the PVCs will not be given in proxy, enjoined the prospective voters to keep their voter’s cards safely “because it going to be the tools for you to elect the candidates of your choice and no other identification document will be be accepted in place of the PVCs.”

    He continued: “Accordingly, those that are yet to collect their PVCs are advised to cash in on this opportunity to do so because only those that are with their valid PVCs are going to be allowed to cast their vote during the general elections.”

    Educating electorate on how to guard against vote voiding, the REC advised the electorate to apply finger print only in one box which according to him corresponds with the party symbol of their choice.

    Read Also: Group urges youths to collect their PVCs

    He also warned voters against violence before, during and after the polls.

    The INEC boss, who denied given PVCs to All Progressives Congress (APC) as alleged by some political parties, said some politicians’ attitude of wining by all means was a major challenge the commission is facing.

    According to him, wining at all costs attitude by the politicians had led them to deploy all sorts of illicit means such as vote buying, use of thugs to disrupt election process, raising of alarm and dissemination of fake news to whip up unnecessary sentiments.

    He said: “If we must get rid of all these wicked forces that have continuously threatened the credibility of our elections in Nigeria, the political class must change its ‘do or die’ attitude to good conduct in politics.”