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Tag: voters

  • Ekiti 2018: Voters receive cash, gifts from ‘politicians’

    Several voters were given money Friday by politicians to vote for particular candidates in Saturday’s election.

    Those who spoke to our correspondents on condition of anonymity said they got N4, 000 each.

    Our correspondents, who were at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) office where newsmen were being accredited, noticed that people were steadily streaming in and out of the Old Governor’s office in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital.

    Those seen going in and out of the premises were mostly youths as well as middle-aged men and women.

    Read Also:Ekiti 2018: INEC monitors movement of election materials to local govt

    While some ran into the premises apparently to get there before the sharing ended, others walked briskly towards an inner building.

    A woman was overheard raining curses on some people she claimed collected money twice.

    She wondered why some would collect twice while others were yet to collect once.

    She said: “A vehicle will kill all of those that collected twice!”

    Ekiti 2018: Voters receive cash, gifts from ‘politicians’
    The parks of Fero Mobile F110 Phone that was distributed at the old Governor’s office, Oke Bareke, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State

    One of our correspondents approached her and said: “Take it easy madam. You’re a mother. You shouldn’t curse others that way.”

    She said: “The cheating is too much. Some people have not collected, while some have collected twice. It’s not fair.”

    When our correspondent sought to know who was sharing the money, she said: “I’m not a radio. Leave me, I am annoyed.” Then she walked away.

    Several people were seen trying to gain access to the gated inner building within the premises.

    Those coming out of the building told those outside that they must be sure of the wards they were registered to vote.

    Someone was overheard saying that having a Permanent Voter Card (PVC) was required to receive the cash.

    Some of the voters were seen grumbling that they could not locate their names on the list.

    Those whose names were not in the list were asked to go to different locations where money for their wards was being shared.

    A young man who was coming out of the premises was asked if he had collected his own money.

    He was initially reluctant to respond. But when our correspondent spoke to him in Ekiti language, he opened up.

    He said his name was not found in the ward list, and that he was directed to another ward.

    Asked how much was being shared, he said: “Some get N2, 000; others get N4, 000” as he hurriedly left.

    A woman was seen telling her friend that without her voter’s card, she would not be given the money.

    A group of four women were seen talking animatedly. Three of them had succeeded in collecting their cash, but the fourth woman could not collect hers because she did not bring her PVC along.

    The other women, while consoling her, said: “After all, you collected rice yesterday. At least you got something.”

    More people soon gathered at the entrance, banging on the gate. They accused those sharing the money inside of planning to pocket what is left. Some shouted: “Ole, ole!”

    A female security guard opened the gate soon after and everyone trooped into the compound, with pushing and shoving. The gate was shut again as more people gathered.

    A middle-aged bearded man, apparently a party leader, warned those who had collected theirs and were leaving not to allow any “APC member” near the place.

    Looking around as if to identify “APC members” outside the premises, he shouted: “Don’t allow any APC member near here. If any APC member comes near here, I will break his head.”

    Empty packs of F1100 Power Torch Fero Mobile phones littered the scene and around the Old Governor’s Office.

    It was not immediately clear if the phones were earlier shared to the voters.

    Vote buying and inducement is a common theme in most elections, with major political parties culpable.

    As it becomes increasingly difficult to alter election results or adopt other forms of rigging, vote buying and inducement has become the preferred option for garnering votes.

    The Ekiti Governorship election is seen as a two-horse race between the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Dr Kayode Fayemi and his People’s Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart Prof Kolapo Olusola-Eleka.

  • 70,000 voters registered in Kwara

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kwara State has said about 70,000 voters have registered from last April till date

    The Administrative Secretary, Paul Atser, who spoke in Ilorin at a meeting with members of the Inter-party Advisory Committee (IPAC), said the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) PVC of the registered voters were on their way.

    He added that about 4,000 PVCs of the 242,000 unclaimed cards had been collected.

    Atser said the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) was going on peacefully as the state had not witnessed any ugly incidence.

    He promised that the newly-printed PVC for voters who registered since 2017 would soon be ready and that stakeholders would be adequately informed. Cards owners would however have to collect their cards personally.

    The Administrative Secretary said the meeting was called to intimate political parties with developments that had happened since their last meeting.

    He urged IPAC members to approach the Commission’s office on any issue that is not clear to them.

    IPAC chairman Comrade Abdul-Mumeen Onagun hailed INEC’s openness in handling matters relating to political parties and creating a level playground.

    He, however said registration centres were still inadequate despite the additional centres created, coupled with the fact that they were far from the people.

     

  • Is continuous registration of voters on course?

    Is continuous registration of voters on course?

    Stakeholders have been assessing the on-going continuous voters’ registration, ahead next year’s general elections. How is the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) grappling with the challenges? MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE asks.

    Though the 2019 general elections is about one year away, preparations for the contest are already creating excitements across the country. This was perhaps fuelled by the early release of the election timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the change in the order of the elections by the National Assembly.

    In this regard, INEC commenced the Continuous Voters’ Registration (CVR) exercise April last year, to accommodate those who did not register earlier and those that have just turned 18. Towards the end of last year, there were speculations that the exercise would be terminated by January 31. But, INEC made it clear that the exercise would continue until 60 days before the general elections.

    The commission has been advising eligible voters to go to its offices in all local government headquarters and other officially-designated areas across the country between 9am and 3pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays, to get registered.

    But, many prospective voters from across the country have been complaining about the exercise. For instance, they say INEC appears to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of people turning out for the exercise.  The commission has come under the hammer for not being able to provide adequate staff with the prerequisite training to carry out the exercise. Some people have complained that some of the ad hoc staff conducting the exercise displayed incompetence in the conduct of the task they were recruited to perform.

    In some cases, the machines appear to be slow, making it difficult to register many potential voters. The situation has resulted in the loss of productive hours, given that those who want to participate spend longer time than necessary at registration centres.

    Besides, the commission has been accused of not providing adequate information to prospective voters about the procedure of applying for change of polling units by people that have moved away from where they registered. As a result, such persons do not know how they can transfer of their polling units to their new abode.

    People have equally complained that some INEC officials have been demanding for gratification from people before they get registered. Observers say middlemen who are not even INEC staff have been taking advantage of the ignorance or the frustration of eligible voters — particularly those want to obtain the card for purposes of identification — by extorting money from them.

    The Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Sam Olumekun, said the commission would sanction any erring staff that collects money from the people before registering them. He said INEC would not compromise standard in the conduct of 2019 election.

    Olumekun urged members of the public to report anyone who demands gratification from them to the authorities. He said the fraud was not done by INEC staff alone, but outsiders who collude with them, by turning the exercise into a private business.

    He said: “The commission’s problem in the on-going voters’ registration exercise is extortion. Reports have reached us that some people are being asked to pay some money before they are registered.

    “I must say any staff caught demanding for any form of gratification will be dealt with according to the law. Nobody is supposed to give any dime to anybody before he or she can be registered. The public should watch out and report anybody who falls within the category.”

    The REC said no fewer than 55 registration centres exist Lagos and that INEC headquarters recently deployed additional 30 new machines to address the challenges arising on-going registration exercise.

    He added: “The chairman was actively involved and ensured that new machines were provided for us in Lagos State. Let me assure you that within the last few days when these machines arrived, we are able to register an average of 2,500 voters every day.

    “On this note, I want to assure the people of Lagos that we are not resting on our oars and we implore them to come out to register for coming election. There was this damaging rumour that by January 31, INEC was going to stop the exercise; let me use this forum to tell Lagosians that the exercise continues until further notice.  And for the avoidance of doubt this exercise continues certainly till December 2018.”

    Olumekun cautioned against multiple registrations, noting that people found it more convenient to register afresh each time the opportunity throws itself. He said many of those that have changed their location prefer to register afresh, instead of obtaining the necessary forms at the local government to transfer the registration centre to their new abode.

    He said: “That will result in multiple registrations and it is not acceptable. We implore those who have registered in the past not to come back for fresh registration. What they should do is to confirm their status on our website.

    “I will to call on Nigerians who registered between 2011 and 2015 to check the status of their registration with their phones in the comfort of the homes through the INEC website provided for the verification.”

    An Assistant Director, NOA, Yaba, Lagos, Mrs Abiodun Shittu, who addressed members of Yaba community during the flag off of the exercise, said the agency would ensure that the public were given the necessary information to make them participate.

    She said: “That is why we brought people who can speak the local dialects of the people to enable them appreciate the importance of the exercise. The agency will move from ward to ward within the Yaba council area to enlighten them on the importance of the exercise.

    “We have a responsibility to inform the people and I am very confident that the NOA will not default as far its mandate to the people is concerned. I must say that the turnout today is an indication that awareness is now high side.”

    The founder and National Chairman of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie, said the idea of restricting the registration centres to INEC offices in local government headquarters is not the very best. He said in most cases, council headquarters are far away from wards and communities where the bulk of the people live.

    Okorie added: “So, it is discouraging for people to move from their areas of residence to council headquarters for the exercise. The people are held down, because of the prevailing economic condition. My suggestion has always been that the registration exercise should be brought closer to the people at the ward levels.

    “Again, the sensitization exercise should be a daily affair; it is equally the responsibility of other stakeholders to be involved in the exercise. The National Orientation Agency (NOA) should see this as its major assignment for now. If all these things are done and INEC do not implement the electronic voting, we may not get the full benefit of improved voter registration exercise.”

    The founding National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) said Nigerians would appreciate the continuous voters’ registration more when they are able to vote electronically. He said: “If you have voters’ registration without voters’ participation the purpose would be defeated. It is only electronic voting system people can be assured that their votes will count. That is the only way many people can leave the comfort of their homes to queue up and vote, knowing that it will count.”

    The commission has also been under severe criticisms, following the circulation of footages of underage voters in Kano State in the socio media. INEC had explained that it was on top of the situation. It said it would get to the root of the matter and that anybody found culpable would face the law. INEC chairman, Prof. Mamood Yakubu, said the commission had set up a committee to investigate the allegation.

    A former National Commissioner of INEC, Prof. Lai Olurode, said he was almost killed, when he tried to prevent under age voters some years back. The commissioner’s statement supported the allegation being raised against the commission that element not qualified to vote were in INEC database.

    The Afenifere Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, said the success of the exercise depends on the will power to correct the mistakes of the past. He said: “It is clear from what has happened in Kano that we do not have credible voters register at the moment. A situation where children of five years are having PVC all over the place is a pointer to buttress what had been said in 2015.

    “When Prof. Attahiru Jega was distributing voters cards, whereas he was busy distributing PVC to individual in the southern part of the country. In the North, PVCs were given to emirs in bulk and they distributed the cards to the people, irrespective of whether they were qualified to have it or not.

    “We have heard that Prof. Oluyede was almost killed, for preventing underage voting in a section of the country. Where we are right now, it means INEC has to clean up the voters registration exercise. If the nation is one country, there cannot be different voting age for people in different parts of the country. If we have agreed that voting age is 18, then it must be 18 in all parts of the country. To restore confidence in the process, INEC has to clean up the voters register to ensure that only those who attained 18 make the list.

    “As for those who have not registered, community leaders, traditional rulers, church leaders and pastors and Imams have to mobilise their members and people to participate in the exercise. They should have their PVC, because it will be useful one day.”

  • PDP faults INEC’s investigation panel on underage voters

    PDP faults INEC’s investigation panel on underage voters

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the composition and scope of the eight-man panel set up by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate the existence of underage voters, particularly in Kano and Katsina states.

    The committee was set up by the chairman of the INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, following public outcry that trailed underage voting in local elections in Kano and Katsina states.

    A statement yesterday by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the panel constituted by INEC lacked credibility.

    The PDP observed that the panel comprised only INEC officials and excluding political parties, civil society organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

    The party expressed fears that the panel might have been detailed to arrive at predetermined findings and recommendations aimed at exonerating INEC and downplaying the existence of underage voters on its register.

    The PDP also repudiated the scope of the inquest, which excluded Katsina State where underage voters were captured on camera in a recent local election.

    The PDP said INEC under Prof. Yakubu had continued to manifest weaknesses and bias, stressing that the commission could not be trusted to conduct the 2019 general elections.

  • Anambra election: Party chieftains beg voters to come out

    Anambra election: Party chieftains beg voters to come out

    Some chieftains of political parties on Friday appealed to voters in Anambra to turn out en masse to vote for candidates of their choices in the Saturday’s governorship poll.

    They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in interviews in Lagos that voters who would fail to exercise their franchise should not complain of poor leadership.

    Chief Charles Nwodo, the National Chairman of Progressive Action Council, advised the people to avoid apathy.

    “We believe that the people of Anambra know that if they fail to come out to vote, they are creating chances for poor leadership.

    “There is no alternative to democracy; we are appealing to IPOB to cooperate with the electoral body and allow the people to exercise their franchise,’’ Nwodo said.

    He urged security agencies not to intimidate any voter, urging adding that they should ensure peace and order.

    Chief Osita Okereke, the National Chairman of African Liberation Party, also urged voters to come out and exercise their franchise.

    “Voters should be wise in their decision,’’ Okereke added.

    Chief Perry Opara, Secretary-General of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), urged people of Anambra to come out en masse to vote as there would be enough security.

    Mr Damian Ogbonna, the National Chairman of Peoples Progressive Party, advised miscreants to avoid being used to foment trouble.

    He appealed to all stakeholders in the election to ensure its success. (NAN)

  • Vote to avoid state of emergency, Oduah tells voters

    Vote to avoid state of emergency, Oduah tells voters

    Senator Stella Oduah (Anambra North) has urged the electorate to come out en masse and vote peacefully in Saturday’s governorship election to avoid creating a vacuum of governance in the state.

    Addressing reporters yesterday in Abuja, the nation’s capital, Princess Oduah said: “Therefore, if we fail to cast our votes, if we fail to come out to vote and have a new governor, what will happen is that the Federal Government will provide an administrator and declare a state of emergency.

    “That is not what we want. It means that democracy will elude us; who is governing us would not be who we voted for or who we desired…”

  • A note to Anambra voters

    SIR: As the countdown for the Anambra State gubernatorial election begins in earnest, the electorates have suddenly become the beautiful bride for the highly ambitious politicians.

    The stage is already set for the familiar campaign of calumny, mudslinging and innuendos always associated with Nigerian politicians. As at the last count, the number of the contenders for the governorship seat has risen to 37 most of them pretenders.

    The time has come therefore, for Ndi Anambra to carefully beam their search light on the serious contenders whose antecedents and political pedigree are easily verifiable to enable them make up their mind on whom they will entrust with their sacred mandate for the next four years.

    The candidates must be subjected to intense scrutiny by Ndi Anambra on their past records as well as their financial capacity to prosecute their campaign efforts. In addition, the sources of their finances must equally be ascertained. After decades of bad governance, gangsterism and mindless looting of the state’s scarce resources fuelled by the godfatherism syndrome which sadly portrayed Anambra State in bad light as a pariah state, Ndi Anambra have become wiser and will no longer be taken for a ride by conscienceless and self-serving politicians. For the past 11 years or so, Anambra State witnessed tremendous transformation in all spheres of human endeavour. From security of lives and property to socio-economic development of the state, it has been a spectacular success story and nothing whatsoever must be done to stop this orderly march by Ndi Anambra.

    Another burning issue to be carefully considered is the current debate on the rotation of political offices with particular reference to the office of the governor of the state. The office is presently zoned to the North Senatorial District from where the incumbent Governor Willie Obiano hails. Through consensus by the major political parties in the state, the governorship seat was zoned to the North for two terms of eight years. The Central Senatorial Zone had earlier produced former Governor Chris Ngige who was on the saddle for about three years and was quickly followed by ex-Governor Peter Obi who held sway in the state for eight years making a total of 11 years the zone had occupied the exalted office. The North now has four more years to complete its term before the office finally moves to the South Zone. This arrangement no doubt makes for equity, justice and fairness where all the people of the three zones will have a sense of belonging in the affairs of the state.

    Lack of equity, justice and fairness obviously is the bane of the Nigerian political system which has given rise to the current agitations across the country.

    Media reports quote both the candidates of the PDP, Osaeloka Obaze and that of the APC, Dr Tony Nwoye as having made solemn commitments to serve only one term in office if elected so as ostensibly to complete the second term of the incumbent governor. This is nothing but simply a political gimmick aimed at hoodwinking the unsuspecting electorate. It is a well known fact that political promises are hardly kept by the new crop of Nigerian politicians and as such the reported promises by the two eminently qualified contenders could be taken with a pinch of salt.

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan suffered crushing and humiliating defeat during the 2015 Presidential election largely due to the written promise he allegedly made to his party PDP that he would serve only one term in office but later reneged on the promise. In order to keep the zoning formula alive therefore, it is only logical and sensible that the incumbent Governor  Obiano should be supported by all Anambrarians despite any misgiving, to complete his second term from his zone which barring any unforeseen circumstances will definitely end in 2022.

     

    • Nze Nwabueze Akabogu (JP),

    Enugwu-Ukwu, Anambra State.

  • Registered voters may hit 80m by 2019 – INEC

    Registered voters may hit 80m by 2019 – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has projected that the registered voters in the country might increase by about 10 million to over 80 million by 2019.

    The Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, made the prediction at a roundtable organised by the European Union Electoral Follow-up Mission to Nigeria and West Africa, held in Abuja.

    A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi on Sunday in Abuja, noted that the roundtable was also attended by Civil Society Organisations and other stakeholders.

    Yakubu speaking on the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) said that no fewer than 3.2 million Nigerians had been register in addition to the 70 million registered voters for the 2015 general elections.

    According to him, the credibility of election depends on the credibility of the Voter Register. We are now doing it continuously. We have seen some challenges and we are responding to them.

    “We started in April and as at last week, and we have registered 3.2 million Nigerians on top of the 70 million registered voters for the 2015 general elections that we had before.

    “Our projection is that the Voter Register will probably be over 80 million by 2019,” Yakubu said.

    He also revealed that about eight million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were yet to be collected by their respective owners.

    “We haven’t made much progress in the last two years, but we have made elaborate arrangements with the states to ensure that the cards are collected.”

    Giving a summary of the Commission’s preparations towards the 2019 general elections, Yakubu said that INEC would come up with a figure of the cost for 2019 general elections hopefully by next week.

    According to the chairman, the commission have a Strategic Plan 2017 – 2021 and a Strategic Programme of Action.

    “We have just completed the draft Election Project Plan for 2019,” he said.

    Yakubu said that as at today, INEC had conducted elections into 172 constituencies since the 2015 general elections.

    “The last election was three weeks ago in Gombe, the next election will come up in eight days time in Sokoto, followed by the Anambra governorship elections.

    “We have issued the timetable for Ekiti and Osun governorship elections.”

    Yakubu said that in Bayelsa in January 2016, INEC combined accreditation and voting simultaneously, adding that it was well received and has been going on very well.

    Also speaking on the Nov. 18, Anambra governorship election, Yakubu reinstated that the governorship election would be combined with the Idemili North state constituency election.

    According to him, all arrangements – logistics, staff training, and security are already in place, while nine out of the 14 activities lined up for the governorship poll had executed.

    On expressed fears that the security agencies could postpone the election at the last minute, the INEC Chairman observed that the responsibility of securing the environment before, during and after elections was not within the Commission’s jurisdiction.

    He said be that at it may INEC would continue to maintains a close relationship with all security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

    He said that was why the commission had also decided to issue the timetable and schedule of activities well ahead of all elections.

    “In Anambra, we issued the timetable in February for an election that will take place in November. We have done the same for Ekiti and Osun.

    “We have taken care, in both cases, to avoid party politics, national festivals and students’ examinations.

    “The last (governorship) election in Ekiti took place on June 14, but June next year is likely to coincide with the fasting period and Salah.

    “Since the law says that we should conduct the election at least 30 days to the end of the tenure (of the incumbent), we shifted it to July when there is no festival or examination.

    “The same for Osun – instead of August 4, we’ll conduct the election in September.

    “Interestingly in Osun’s case, we have given a one-year notice and we have always made copies of the timetable and schedule of activities available to the security agencies,” he said.

    On party primaries, Yakubu alluded to the Electoral Act, which provides that once the national headquarters of a political party recommends a candidate to the Commission for election, the Commission could not reject such candidate.

    “I think it was an amendment to the Electoral Act, borne out of our previous experience where the Commission with the security agencies were disqualifying candidates.

    “The power was taken from the Commission and given back to the political parties.

    “The parties have a role to play in strengthening our political processes.

    “Yesterday’s solution has apparently become today’s problem because the political parties are now abusing the process.”

    The chairman said that INEC look forward to whatever it could do to engage with stakeholders and the National Assembly.

    He said that was not with the intention to have the power brought back to the Commission, but in such a manner that could address some of the issues and challenges being witnessed.

    He warned that wherever a political party comes out openly to raise funds beyond the limits provided for in the Constitution, the Commission will apply sanctions.” (NAN)

  • INEC and Continuous Voters Registration

    In April 27, in what can be described as voluntary strict adherence to the provisions of the law, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) embarked on Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria. It was the first time in the history of the nation’s electoral system. INEC said the exercise was aimed at giving ample opportunity to Nigerians that attain the constitutional age of 18 and other eligible persons to have their names on voters’ register.

    There is no doubt that there can’t be a credible election without a credible voters register. It is thus inexplicable why previous INEC leadership failed to conduct continuous voters’ registration, as prescribed by the Electoral Act, which would have produced near perfect register. Even the immediate past chairman of the commission, Prof Attahiru Jega, was no exception, despite his pristine overall performance. Before the 2015 general election, INEC under him registered voters for a maximum of 11 days in any given state of the federation. Some state had only four days for voters’ registration! That was why, partly I think, most voters said they couldn’t receive their permanent cards before the general election.

    Thus, the decision by the Prof Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC to commence a registration process that would run continuously for almost two years into the next general election is indeed commendable. There would be enough time to ensure all eligible, and desiring, voters get registered. More importantly, there would be sufficient time to guarantee a clean and credible voters register. At least names of Mike Tyson and Bill Clinton would not possibly creep into our voters register as they did during the tenures of Jega and Yakubu’s predecessors.

    However, some electorates have complained that the registration centres were far from their places of residence. These are mostly people who live outside their local government headquarters, which are the designated areas for the exercise. I really felt concerned when I first saw the report about this (and by the way, I still do).

    It is a naked truth that most communities in the country are several miles away from their local government headquarters, which may ultimately result in discouraging some eligible persons from expending their hard-earned resources on such a gruelling adventure. But in a country that has been battling with the ugly pangs of a crippling recession, the decision to limit the exercise to the local government headquarters is a well-thought out decision that balances the demands of the law, the eligible voters and that of the nation’s struggling economy.

    The electoral umpire, Yakubu has said, is currently spending zero kobo on personnel to register voters at local government headquarters, since its staffers in those areas are doing the work. However, INEC doesn’t have workers at the polling units. So it will need to spend about N1.379 billion every day to pay hoc staff in the 119,973 polling units. Imagine! More than one billion naira every day, in this hash economy where other important sectors are competing for attention.

    Furthermore, I found out that INEC’s approved budget for the whole of this year can’t even pay for the workers needed at the polling units. “The provision for CVR (Continuous Voters Registration) in the commission’s 2017 budget is N1, 216, 346,068 for all Voter Registry Department’s activities, including off-season elections that have become regular since the 2015 General Election,” Yakubu said. That falls below the N1.379 billion needed for the daily wages of ad hoc staff.

    While access to register by all eligible persons is crucial to election credibility, expanding the continuous voters registration exercise to the 119,973 polling units in the country would have also cost INEC the sum of N137.4 billion, in a country whose 10 months financial releases for all capital projects of federal government was N635.7 billion in 2016.

    Besides proximity, some have also complained about the failure of some of the Direct Data Capturing (DDC) machines. While it is not something new for mechanical devices to sometime malfunction or fail to work as in the some reported cases, it was however assuring that INEC said it was thoroughly proactive by making sure such machines were replaced with immediate alacrity.

    My major concern on the exercise, which was a great fulfilment of the law as it also met the yearning millions of Nigerians who craved to be part of the electoral process, was the question raised on the location of the registration centres at the local government headquarters. In the past, voters’ registration was only tied to elections. It was only conducted intermittently rather than continuously as enshrined in the Electoral Act despite the fact that the credibility of a democratic election largely depends on a credible and regular updated voters’ register. That is why many stakeholders have commended INEC in bringing about such cutting-edge changes aimed at ensuring credibility and transparency in all elections.

    Extending the registration to the 8,809 registration areas (ward level) nationwide, as some have suggested, would have meant INEC coughing out not less than N21 billion to carry out the exercise, while at the local government headquarters level, the entire cost is not more than N463 million per quarter. In the past when registration held at the ward level, complaints of inadequate Direct Data Capturing machine, poor power supply and faulty machines, among others, had characterized the exercise. Moreover, the exercise only lasted for few days.

    However, INEC should pay attention to the complaints in some states that the exercise is at a snail-speed, in comparison with other states. Media reports had it that Akwa Ibom, Anambra and Osun states have an average of only 30 voters registering daily. That figures, if true, sure pan into insignificance when compared to the ones from other states.

    Nevertheless, INEC has done well for starting this process two years ahead of general election and making it continuous. It is therefore the duty of the rest of us to ensure we register, collect our cards, and wisely use it to select those we want manage our collective wealth.

     

    • Ossai is a former newspaper editor.
  • Recall: Why court can’t save Melaye, by Kogi West voters

    Recall: Why court can’t save Melaye, by Kogi West voters

    •Court to hear case next Monday

    About 188,521 voters in Kogi West Senatorial District, seeking Senator Dino Melaye’s recall, have said the lawmaker cannot be saved by the court.

    According to them, they have complied with the legal requirements to ensure the success of the recall process.

    They have given detailed reasons why they want Melaye recalled and urged a Federal High Court in Abuja, before which Melaye’s suit against his recall was pending, not to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from performing its constitutional duties.

    They noted that while Melaye was not protected by any law from being recalled, Section 69(1) and (2) of the Constitution grants registered voters the right to recall an erring legislator upon losing confidence in him/her.

    The registered voters said there was contradiction in the senator’s position, who they said claimed that the signatures accompanying the petition against him were those of dead people and were forged.

    On the other hand, the voters said Melaye sought to restrain INEC from conducting a verification and authentication exercise on the petition and the signatures.

    They faulted Melaye’s suit, describing it as premature.

    They argued that Melaye cannot hide under the fundamental rights enforcement procedure to challenge his recall by merely pleading lack of fair hearing.

    They said the option opened to him was for Melaye to await the outcome of his recall process, which he can only query by way of a judicial review.

    These formed part of the arguments contained in a bundle of documents filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja by the 188,521 registered voters in Melaye’s Senatorial District, who signed the petition for his recall.

    The documents were filed on behalf of the voters by three individuals – Chief Olowo Cornelius, John D. Anjorin and Mallam Yusuf Adamu – who said they were acting for themselves and the 188,521 registered voters.

    The documents filed by their lawyer Chief Anthony Adeniyi include motion by Cornelius, Anjorin and Adamu to be named as co-defendants in the case and their joint response to the substantive suit by Melaye.

    On why they were necessary parties in the suit, the three said they coordinated the petition against Melaye’s recall and the signatures of voters submitted to INEC.

    They said since the suit was mainly against the recall process, which they engineered, it was ideal that the case be decided with their involvement.

    On why they seek Melaye’s recall, Cornelius stated in a supporting affidavit that the electorate in Kogi West were tired of the senator’s conflicting and confusing roles in the Senate.

    He noted that while Melaye has barely spent two years in the Senate, he was preparing “seriously” to contest a councillorship position in his ward in Ijumu Local Government.

    Melaye actually made this fact public when, in paragraph 20 of the affidavit supporting his originating summons, he claimed: “I am interested in contesting for a councillorship position in my Local Government Area, Ijumu…”

    Cornelius said: “Since he (Melaye) cannot simultaneously hold the offices of a senator and councillor, his constituents are voting more competent, reliable and worthy replacement to represent them in the Senate.

    “Before the election, he claimed he had eight university degrees from universities within Nigeria and abroad, and particularly from Harvard University. It turned out that he did not attend Harvard University and the best of the certificates he parades is a 3rd Class.

    “He (Melaye) was elected because he was sponsored by the APC (All Progressives Congress), and now he has taken up arms against the party and the leaders of the party at the state and national level.

    “None of the numerous motions and Bills he claimed to have moved or facilitated in the Senate is of any direct benefit to the state in general and to Kogi West in particular.