The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Voter

  • Voter urges court to disqualify PDP’s Osun senatorial candidate

    A registered voter in Ward 7, Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun State, Mr. Ibraheem Khalid, has asked the Federal High Court, Osogbo, to disqualify the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Ganiyu Ayobami Olaoluwa, from contesting the Osun Central senatorial election.

    Khalid alleged that Olaoluwa neither attended nor obtained a School Certificate from Ikosi High School, as deposed to by PDP’s candidate in the electoral forms submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Oluoluwa is the first defendant in the suit while INEC is second defendant.

    He averred that Olaoluwa’s form (affidavit in support of personal particulars of person seeking elective office) “was pasted by the INEC alongside that of other candidates at INEC offices in Osun Central Senatorial District, with an attached Resume, where under education qualification he specifically included “IKOSI Ikosi High School, Ketu, Lagos State (school certificate) – 1982-1988”.

    He averred that “upon reasonable suspicion that his claim in the affidavit in support of personal particulars of persons seeking elective office and the attached resume is false, the plaintiff caused an inquiry to be made from the relevant school and the Tutor General/Permanent Secretary in charge of the Education District where the said Ikosi High School is located as to verification and confirmation of the claim of studentship and qualification of the first defendant.

    Khalid recalled that in response to the inquiry, a letter, dated January 16, issued by the office of Tutor General/Permanent Secretary, Education District II, Ministry of Education, Lagos State government; the summary of the finding is that:

    “From the records available in the school, the individual in question, Ganiyu Ayobami Olaoluwa, was not sighted in the school’s register, most especially between the years 1982-1988, as claimed by him,” he letter said.

    The plaintiff approached the court, seeking the following reliefs:

    “A declaration that the information as contained in the affidavit in support of particulars of candidates of the first defendant deposed to by the first defendant and submitted by the first defendant to the second defendant that the first defendant attended and/or obtained School Certificate from Ikosi High School between 1982-1988 is false.

    “A declaration that the information as contained in the resume attached to the affidavit in support of particulars of candidates of the first defendant and submitted by the first defendant to the second defendant that the first defendant attended and/or obtained School Certificate from Ikosi High School between 1982-1988 is false.”

    “An order disqualifying the first defendant from contesting the election as a candidate to the Senate for Osun Central Senatorial District scheduled to hold on February 16, 2019.”

    No date has been fixed for hearing and the defendant is yet to file a response.

  • Council chief urges participation in voter registration

    Council chief urges participation in voter registration

    The Chairman of Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, Valentine Buraimoh, has urged residents within the voting ages to get their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) during the current voter registration.

    At a meeting of the local government’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Lake View Estate, party faithful gathered to plan ahead for next year’s general elections, especially for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to get a second term.

    Buraimoh urged party stakeholders and other faithful to participate fully in the voter registration.

    The council chief said this would enable the ruling party to have overwhelming support for its candidates.

    He urged party faithful to see themselves as one family.

    Buraimoh said: “Let’s endeavour to register and get our PVCs. I appeal to you: we can only defeat our opponents with our cards. The PVC is your power.”

  • Early voting: Low voter turnout recorded in Anambra Central re-run poll

    Early voting: Low voter turnout recorded in Anambra Central re-run poll

    Low voter turnout characterised early voting in the Anambra Central Senatorial District re-run election organised by the INEC.

    Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited voting centres in Awka South, Awka North, Dunukofia, Njikoka, Idemili North, Idemili South and Anaocha Local Government Areas report that electoral officials were at the polling units by 8 a.m.

    At Aroma Junction I&II polling units in Awka South, Miss Edith Igoromi, the INEC electoral officer, told NAN that five people have voted as at 8.30 a.m, while at ward eight unit three and four, seven and 10 people had voted.

    NAN reports that at Aaba town Hall polling unit 005 and 006 both in Dunukofia, voting began at 8 a.m with four persons and two respectively voting at both units.

    At Akpu in Ukpo also in Dunukofia, voting started at 8 a.m with the same low number of voters recorded.

    NAN correspondents, who visited polling unit at Obosi Central School in Idemili North, Enugwu-Uku in Njikoka, polling unit eight located in Nri Primary in Anaocha also report that voting commenced at 8 a.m though the turnout was still low.

    NAN reports that in all the polling units visited; only the agents of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) were sighted at the voting centres.

    Mr Okonkwo Jisike, APGA agent, told NAN at Aroma Junction that he was impressed with the peaceful conduct of the exercise, adding “though the turnout is low, the exercise is going on peacefully’’.

    NAN reports that observers were yet to arrive in the voting stations visited while there were impressive presence of security in all the polling units visited. (NAN)

  • Council chief seeks voter registration at wards

    The Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Abdullahi Candido has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise to the ward level.

    Candido pleaded that a lot of his constituents cannot afford to pay their way to the CVR locations, thereby missing out on the exercise. He made the call during the flag-off of the nationwide exercise by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission Professor Mahmud Yakubu.

    He said,” There are many people within AMAC who cannot afford to come to the Local Government office to get registered. Bringing it closer to them will ensure no one is disenfranchised.”

    The INEC chair gave the clearest indication that the commission will eventually take the registration exercise to the wards or polling units to avoid disenfranchising Nigerians who want to be a part of the process.

  • The dilemma of the Nigerian voter

    Poor Nigerian voters. The more they think they are in control, the greater their illusion. After the parties have worked the electorate into a frenzy, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is forced to shift the February polls to March/April. As usual, while the politicians trade blame, Nigerians,the poor victims of a gravely dysfunctional country, are handed six weeks to lick their psychological wounds. As INEC chairman has urged, Nigerians are compelled to ‘keep hope alive’.

    Few days before the polls were shifted, all the people I interacted with, had made up their minds over the presidential candidates, they will vote for; and their reasons were as a diverse as the people that make up our dear pseudo-federal republic of Nigeria.Those I spoke with included artisans, public servants, professionals and business people.They were mainly Igbo and Yoruba, with a few others, from the Delta. Our informal discussion revolved around who they will vote for,and why, between the two leading presidential candidates, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

    For those angling for Gen. Buhari, the major reason they prefer him, is his reputation as an incorruptible person. They claim that if he makes it to the presidency, many of the Nigerian elite, who indulge in corrupt practices would have a tough time ahead. They cite his ascetic life style, despite his exposure to political offices. Among this group, corruption is viewed as the major challenge facing the nation, and they belief a Buhari presidency will kill the debilitating corruption ravaging our country. Indeed for many within this group, should Buhari win, many corrupt elites will simply join the next available flight, out of the country.

    Another major argument of those supporting a Buhari presidency is believe that he will defeat the Boko Haram insurgency in the north east. They argue that as a former military leader, he will run the insurgents out of the country, with ease. They excitedly refer to his exploits as former commander of the Third Armoured Division, based in Jos; when he reportedly chased insurgents into a neighbouring country.Again this group believe that the army will be more committed to the fight against the insurgents than they are under President Jonathan, a civilian. In fact, some even tout the unrealistic claim that the General will lead the fight.

    On the flip side, the strongest argument against Gen. Buhari is that he comes from a tribal group that has ruled Nigeria for the longest period, and as such he should allow President Jonathan, a minority,from oil bearing region of the country, another chance. They also argue that should Buhari become a president, there will be a resurgence of the born-to-rule mentality, and the unfair privileges and access to government offices by the Hausa-Fulani, as in the past. They cite examples when they had preferential treatment with regards to promotions in the public service. They also raised issues about Buhari’s sponsors.

    Another major worry of those against Buhari’s presidency is his excessive strictness; indeed, many used very harsh words against him. They cite many of the claims in a campaign documentary as evidence, and even when one points out that some of the claims may not be true, considering the time when it happened, the claim that he has no mercy sticks with them. Here, there is also the claim that he bears responsibility for some of the violence in the north, considering some of his outbursts, when he claimed that the elections were rigged against him.

    For President Jonathan, his supporters claim that he has turned around the economy, for better. They cite the claim by the Minister for Agriculture that Nigeria is now nearly self-sufficient in rice production. They are also excited that our economy is now the biggest in Africa, and according to government officials the preferred destination for direct foreign investment in Africa. Another claim they make is that Nigeria has under the government of President Jonathan become a net exporter of cement. Still on the economy, they tout the claim that corruption has been eliminated in the distribution of fertiliser.

    The other strong claim by the supporters of the President is that he has done well with infrastructure, citing the famous Ore-Benin highway, and the revived railway. They also cite the privatisation of the power sector, which they claimed the past presidents could not do. They relay the claim by the government that ghost workers have been eliminated in the civil service, and that he has spread universities across the states that had none. One major claim based on sentiment is that coming from the Niger Delta, Jonathan deserves a second term.

    On the flip side, there is the contention that the president is soft on corruption. They cite the fuel and kerosene subsidy scam. Also the pension fraud and the allegations against the NNPC and other major government agencies. Another major issue against the president is the rampaging insecurity in the country and debilitating unemployment. They argue that the President lacks the capacity to fight the Boko Haram menace, despite the huge resources allocated to the military over the years. Like the argument against the Hausa-Fulani aristocrats, there is the argument that young Niger Delta Turks have replaced the former, particularly in accessing unearned privileges. Indeed many contend that their excesses contribute significantly to the ascendency of corruption in the country.

    Notably, none of those I encountered raised query over the position of the candidates, with regards to restructuring of the country. Again, though ethnic bias is a factor for the preferences, there were strong supporters of the two candidates across the two major ethnic groups. Since I am not anexpertise on voters’ attitude, I hope the delay will not result in apathy and change of preferences.

  • Candidate to voters: be alert

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Kebbi State, Senator Atiku Bagudu, has urged voters to protect their votes during next month’s general elections.

    Bagudu spoke at a campaign rally in Argungu, Kangiwa Local Government Area.

    The governorship candidate told the crowd that when they vote for APC, they should stay and ensure that their votes were counted.

    “Don’t be intimidated by the presence of security men. Don’t fear because you are doing the right thing by protecting your votes against rigging, “he said.

    He urged APC supporters not to engage in violence.

    “If voted into power, APC government will ensure a better Nigeria with security topping on the agenda,” he said.

    He also promised to improve agriculture, especially rice production in Kebbi State, provide quality education, improve health care and provide employment for the youth.

    Some notable speakers at the campaign rally include APC Kebbi central senatorial candidate, Senator Adamu Aliero and APC Kebbi North Senatorial candidate, Dr. Yahaya Abdullahi.

  • Knocks for INEC as Nigerians can’t get voter cards

    Knocks for INEC as Nigerians can’t get voter cards

    Barely a month to the February 14 general elections, many of the more than 70 million Nigerians captured as eligible voters are still grappling with a major hurdle – to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) – without which they cannot vote. Managing Editor, Northern Operation, YUSUF ALLI, x-rays the politics of the PVC, challenges facing INEC and implications for the polls.

    The furore over the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) reached its peak on January 5, when President Goodluck Jonathan read the riot act to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega to ensure that all Nigerians have their voter cards on or before the 2015 poll begins on February 14.

    “To the chairman of INEC, luckily you are here, all Nigerians must get their voter cards, we cannot conduct an election where some people will not have the rights to vote…and INEC must do everything possible to make sure that all Nigerians have their voters’ cards because we cannot have a situation where some Nigerians will not vote that day,” Jonathan told the INEC chief.

    The President’s order was the climax of the nationwide protests against alleged irregularities in the distribution of the PVCs by INEC.

    Barely 36 days to the 2015 poll, many eligible voters, including former Heads of State, governors, and the downtrodden are still struggling to get the all-important PVCs.

     

    How electoral body

    opted for PVC

     

    The road to the introduction PVCs began after the filtration of the Voters Register. According to INEC, at the end of the general registration of voters in 2011, 73. 5 million eligible voters were captured, including the records of multiple registrants. But after the de-duplication with the Automated Fingerprint Identification Software (AFIS), the actual figure stood at 70,383,427 voters. The result of the 2011 presidential election showed valid votes of 39,469,484 96.81 with valid votes turnout of 53.7 per cent. The invalid votes were 1,259,506 3.19.

    Thereafter, INEC came up with a 10-year PVC system to eliminate multiple registrations, check rigging through ghost voters and feed the card with biometrics that would prevent impersonation at the polls.  In the beginning, Jega, who addressed an INEC/civil society dialogue,  said: “With the design of the card and specification, it will serve for an average of 10 years, as it could also be used for the 2019 elections. The electronic voters’ card would check people buying voters card,   eliminate multiple voting, electoral fraud and ensure credible and transparent polls.”

     

    Troubled timeline of PVC

     

    Based on INEC’s proposal, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), had in April 2012, awarded the contract for the printing of 40 million PVCs. The INEC’s ICT Director, Mr. Chidi Nwafor, had disclosed that the printing of the 40 million  PVCs would cost N2.6 billion and the production was expected to be handled by Art Technology Limited, with the technical partner “Obature” in France, at the cost of N65 per card. He also said INEC was working toward achieving the 40 million voter cards before the end of 2012 in the first phase of the distribution of the cards. Similarly in 2013, the contract for additional 33.5 million cards was awarded by the FEC.

    Speaking on the timeline, Jega said INEC would commence “the issuance of permanent voters’ card early in 2013, as the contract for the production of 40 million voters registered card out of the 73.5 million registered had been awarded. He said by the middle of last year, all the eligible voters who had registered would have been given their PVC’s.

    He said: “There are 73.5 million eligible voters but for the first phase we will print 40 million and another part of it for completion is in the budget for 2012.”

     

    Why Nigerians have to wait to get voter cards

     

    Several factors accounted for the delay in the distributing of the PVCs. They included: slow production of the cards which affected INEC distribution timelines; logistical challenges in delivery of the cards; disappearance of data in some polling units; high-level insecurity in some states; poor handling by some ad-hoc staff; apathy by some voters who had change residences among others.

    The immediate past Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Lagos, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola said: “The reason you could not find INEC officials at some polling units was that the data for those units no longer exist. We will be taking our machines to those polling units to re-register the residents, and two machines have been allocated for those units.”

    A top INEC director , who spoke in confidence with our correspondent on Thursday also said: “The truth is that we have been receiving the PVCs in batches. What we did was that instead of waiting for the whole cards, we decided to be distributing the cards piecemeal too. This was what accounted for the complaints by some eligible voters in some states.”

     

    Protests galore over shoddy distribution of cards

     

    If there is any issue that has stained the image of INEC, it is PVC distribution. From Lagos to Niger, Sokoto to Delta, there were complaints and fears of likely disenfranchisement of voters. The Chairman of Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) and Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu  said: “As I speak to you, myself, former military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar, have not collected our PVCs.” He asked the nation to stop the use of PVCs in the coming polls.

    Also, Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola said: “Honestly, as I said earlier, I have the Temporary Voter Card (TVC). On one hand, you say we should go and register again, but I have already registered, so why should I register again? It does not make any sense, because anyone can then say the governor registered twice.

    “I think INEC should stop hiding behind a finger and tell us truly what their reasons are. They have failed without any logical explanation   for it. The system can’t crash in part. If you store data in one place, it’s either you lose it or recover it. Where is the integrity of INEC if it is telling us that it does not have a data recovery system?

    “This is an exercise INEC told us they are going to be ready in August, then they moved it to September, then November and they still didn’t get it right. If people are feeling that this is a rigging plan, then we need to be careful and know if INEC is nurturing or threatening this democracy. INEC is giving Nigerians the impression that it is a referee with an interest. From the foundation of the election, the participants are saying this is already wrong and we may be heading for trouble.”

    On his part, Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun said: “This exercise has not started. It will hold on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Anything short of that is not acceptable to us in Ogun State. This is a mess as you can see yourself that people are complaining, it is everywhere.”

    The National Leader of the All Progressives Party (APC) and former Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, also described the distribution process as shoddy.

    He said: “Just as we (APC) merged to form a formidable opposition party, they (INEC) have merged with Jonathan to form a formidable rigging machine. This exercise is a colossal failure.

    “INEC has the responsibility to give us a date when the exercise which they did. They were the ones that picked the date. On the eve of the exercise, they announced they could only carry out the exercise in 11 local government areas out of the 20 recognised by the Federal Government.

    “Rather than outright boycott, we endured the frustration and appealed to the public to participate. Our field report and personal experience indicated that the exercise in those 11 LGAs failed and it is unacceptable. In some instances, you didn’t find INEC and then in some they did not start on time. …to me, this exercise has failed, it is not acceptable, and we consider it as a rigging exercise. INEC has colluded with the presidency and the opposing party to rig the election from the data to the end.”

    Some protesters, under the aegis of Activists for Good Governance (AGG), The Nucleus Group, and TNG added their voice too. Speaking on behalf of the AGG, Comrade Declan Ihekaire said: “2015 is here already and any attempt to disenfranchise Nigerians will mark the beginning of action. What we see is that INEC is short of staff and you are already being nicknamed as trying to rig the election next year. INEC must ensure the PVCs get to the people and  they should not attempt to rig the election. Those in power know that there will be protest votes in 2015 and that is why they are trying to rig the election.”

     

    INEC chair disputes failure

     

    But Jega does not believe that the commission was lagging behind in the distribution of the PVCs. At a meeting with the  Special Representative of the United Nations  (UN) Secretary-General for West and Central Africa, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, the INEC chairman said the challenges experienced during the third phase of PVCs’ distribution and Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in some states were transient and do not threaten the Commission’s readiness to deliver superlative elections in 2015. He gave insights into what INEC had been doing.

    He said: “Since the 2011 elections, the Commission has devoted a lot of time and energy to keep on improving the processes and setting up policies and mechanisms that can help us have remarkably better elections in 2015. We’ve done quite a lot…Of course, there are challenges; and we have to acknowledge these challenges.

    “One of the key things we have done is that we have updated the register, we have cleaned it up and we have been working very hard to produce and distribute what the law says we should – Permanent Voter Cards. We have gone very far with this.

    “So far, we have produced PVCs and distributed them in 24 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and we have also done an update of the register in those states.

    “The last phase of the distribution of PVCs and updating the register was to cover the remaining 12 states. I must say with regret that we experienced some challenges in the production of those cards within our defined time schedules, and this has necessitated adjustment of the timeline for distribution of the cards.

    “Whereas we had wanted to distribute the cards within the same period in all the remaining 12 states, we now have to stagger it in order to ensure that we have all the cards before they are distributed. And, of course, people have been very anxious and many have been disappointed – not just by the change in the timetable for distribution of the cards but also by the logistical challenges and operational delays experienced in the field.

    “But these are minor challenges as far as we are concerned. We are absolutely sure that before the February elections, every validly registered Nigerian will have his / her PVC to be able to exercise their voting right. And we are doing everything possible to ensure that happens.”

     

    The PVC situation as at last week

     

    Records obtained from INEC on Thursday confirmed that the electoral body had issued  54,341,610 so far; distributed 38,774,391.00 in all the 36 states, representing (71.3 per cent) and had a balance of 15,567,219 to issue to eligible voters. The list is as follows:  Kano(2,771,185); Kaduna (2,643,517); Lagos (2,159,091); Katsina (1,965,840); Bauchi ( 1,509,255); Jigawa (1,460,620); Rivers (1,253,606); Sokoto (1,211,717);  Delta (1,260,728); Akwa Ibom (1,177,910); Oyo (1,141,405);  Benue (1,132,187); Niger (1,089,002) Plateau (1,072,352);  Kebbi (1,035,780) and Abia (1,020,601)

    Other states are Ekiti (481,198); Osun (992,310); Bayelsa ( 370,062);  Enugu (662,445); Gombe (802,959); Kogi (755,775); Taraba (921,637); Zamfara (925,302); Anambra (862,747); Cross River (763,436); Ebonyi (687,402); and FCT (411,935).

    The remaining distribution rates in other states are:  Kwara (670,694); Ondo (824,715); Yobe (740,336); Adamawa (912,312); Edo (930,276); Ogun (672,017); Nasarawa (799,991); and Imo (682,046).

     

     What next for INEC?

     

    Despite the misgivings, INEC has continued to demonstrate the optimistic that it could distribute PVCs to a large number of voters before the elections. The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chair, said: “We are working round the clock to ensure that all those who were registered collect their PVCs. We are hopeful that most of them will have their PVCs.

    “Eligible voters have up to January 31 to collect their PVCs. In fact, we are thinking of adding more days in February to enable Nigerians get these cards.

    “The Electoral Act only stipulates when INEC can display register of voters. There is no time-limit in law for the distribution of the PVCs.”

    Without much ado, it is obvious that INEC may not be able to distribute PVCs to all voters in line with Section 16 of the Electoral Act. The section says: “The commission shall design or cause to be printed and control the issuance of voters’ cards to voters whose names appear in the register. The commission may, whenever it considers it necessary, replace all or any voters’ cards for the time being held by voters.”

    There are four options before the electoral commission: to go ahead with the innovation of PVCs irrespective of those who might be disenfranchised or suspend the use of PVCs by allowing eligible voters to exercise their rights with the TVCs issued for the 2011 poll; and by allowing the acceptance of PVCs and TVCs during the February polls.

    The fourth alternative is to shift the poll until the PVCs are sorted out in order not to disenfranchise some Nigerians. Section 26 of the Electoral Act gives INEC liberty to exercise discretion in such emergencies.

    The Section reads: “Where a date has been appointed for the holding of an election and there is reason to believe that a serious breach of the peace is likely to occur if the election is proceeded with on that date or it is impossible to conduct elections as a result of natural disasters or other emergencies, the commission may postpone the election and shall in respect of the postponed election, provided that such reason for the postponement is cogent and verifiable.”

    An INEC within the electoral body said the commission will go ahead with the use of PVCs because the disenfranchisement might not substantially affect the outcome of elections at all levels. “We will not change our plans to use PVCs for the polls, we have gone far on this project to change our position,” the source added.

     

     Can legal action on pvc invalidate 2015 poll?

     

    Though INEC is adamant on the use of PVCs, it might face legal action from some smart politicians who might not be favoured by the outcome of the polls. Findings however revealed that those likely to be disenfranchised might not win such a matter because once the denial of voting right has no substantial effect on polls’ results, those affected may have no case. It was learnt that the Supreme Court had made a pronouncement on this type of electoral challenge in Bola Ige vs Victor Olunloyo, 1984 1 SC.

    An Abuja-based lawyer, Yoonus Abdulsalam, said: “The disenfranchisement of an eligible voter is an irregularity but to invalidate any election, the irregularity has to be substantial to warrant annulment.”

     

    Will electoral umpire survive poitics of PVC

     

    There may be no legal inhibitions against INEC for disenfranchising some eligible voters but the electoral commission may not be able to survive the attendant politics which such a shoddy exercise might attract. If the PVC problem overwhelms INEC at the last minutes, it can erode the confidence of Nigerians in the electoral umpire, affects its credibility, and it may make the outcome of the poll questionable. The ball is in Jega’s hands to guide INEC to ensure the success of the PVCs and deliver credible polls. Will INEC slump into the booby trap of “failure-seeking” politicians because of PVCs? Only time will tell.

  • PVCs: Youths seek voter education

    A group in Oyo State, Youth Development Organisation (YDO), has urged political parties to educate voters to ensure the success of Permanent Voter Cards’ (PVCs) collection and Continuation of Voter Registration (CVR).

    The group’s chairman, Comrade Olufunmi Bamgbose, made the call at a voter  sensitisation yesterday on the PVCs and CVR in Egbeda and Ona-Ara local government areas.

    “This exercise is very important to you as political parties because a single card not collected means a vote lost to a political party. Therefore, as critical stakeholders, you have a responsibility in ensuring the success of this exercise.

    “The cards are very important towards ensuring your success at the polls because the voters need the card to vote for your candidates. And as you are all aware, no PVC, no voting.

    “It is also important for those who are yet to register to do so. Inform your friends and loved ones,” he said.

    He also advised those who attained 18 years to register because the data would provide basic statistics for planning and other activities that would benefit the state and its people.

  • Akeredolu to electorate: don’t sell your voter cards

    Akeredolu to electorate: don’t sell your voter cards

    •Alleges plot by LP to disrupt election in ACN’s strongholds

     

    The campaign train of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) moved to Ikaleland yesterday where the standard bearer, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), enjoined the electorate to resist overtures to sell their voter’s cards to desperate politicians.

    Urging the people to treasure the voter’s cards as their licence to a prosperous future, Akeredolu also advised them not to yield to the violent antics of the ruling party.

    He advised the electorate to shun violence, adding that ACN members would gain a lot from persuading and convincing more Labour Party (LP) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters to vote for ACN on the election day.

    Akeredolu stormed Okitipupa, the headquarters of the Ondo South Senatorial District about 2:50pm, after visiting Ode-Irele, where he assured the people that ACN government would fight the infrastructure battle in the area.

    He addressed party supporters in the front of the ACN office, at Broad Street, after alighting from a chopper. A large crowd of party faithful swarmed him and his running mate, Dr. Paul Akintelure, dancing and waving brooms. Shouts of “Aketi” and “ACN” filled the air as Akeredolu was introduced by a party chieftain, Mr. Femi Johnson, the deputy director of his campaign organisation in the senatorial district.

    Johnson, an acclaimed youth leader, said: “Aketi is our chosen governor who will liberate Ondo State from slavery.”

    Akeredolu, who was accompanied by party leaders, including Comrade Sola Iji and Mrs. Lola Akinseloyin, told the crowd that a new lease of life was on the way, urging them to stand firm.

    He said: “This is the last time Labour Party will feature in Ondo State election. Don’t sell your voter’s cards. It is the future of your children. It remains 12 days. Let each of us mobilise 10 people. One of them may be a traitor like Mimiko. The other nine will be for us.

    “We will win. They say they will disrupt voting in our strongholds. They will fail. But ACN will not spill blood. Just use your votes to chase them away. Don’t fight LP and PDP supporters. Woo them. Convince them to vote for us.”

    The ACN candidate reiterated his determination to create 30,000 jobs for the youth, if elected as a governor.

    He stressed: “Our youths have suffered. Your future is our concern. We will employ 30,000 youths. It will be more than that. Ondo State has the money to do it. Let our women go and join cooperative societies. We will empower you because you have laboured much. We will give you loans without interest.

    “There will be a security trust for the elderly and women. They will get monthly stipends so that they will enjoy in their old age. They must enjoy the dividends of democracy from the government they vote into office. “Okitipupa is the headquarters of the South District.

  • Voter cards: Court reserves ruling till Oct 22

    An Akure Chief Magistrate’s Court, presided over by Magistrate J. O. Adelegan, yesterday reserved ruling till October 22 in an application for bail brought by Labour Party (LP) chieftains, Mr. Olaolu Oladipo and Omolade Raphael.

    They were charged to court on Monday for conspiracy and unlawful possession of 1,123 voter’s cards.

    The offence was allegedly committed on October 5 about 4:30pm at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Ondo West Local Government.

    At the resumed hearing of the case yesterday, the police prosecutor objected to the bail application of the accused on the grounds that by virtue of Section 150(2), it is only INEC or its lawyer that can prosecute an electoral offender under the Electoral Act.

    The prosecutor noted that he could not under the law respond to the bail application.

    He sought for an adjournment to contact (INEC) to take over the case or appoint a prosecutor.