TheNewsGuru

Tag: Elections

  • Kenya re-run: Kenyatta blasts Odinga, says ‘We’ll go ahead with elections despite your withdrawal’

    Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday said a re-run of August’s nullified presidential election would go ahead as planned on Oct. 26 after opposition leader Raila Odinga said he was withdrawing from the race.

    “We have no problem going back to elections.

    “We are sure we will get more votes than the last time,” Kenyatta told a rally in the southern town of Voi, speaking in Kiswahili.

    Kenya opposition leader, Odinga had announced his withdrawal from the presidential re-run elections scheduled for Oct. 26.

    Odinga said at a news conference in Nairobi that he was boycotting the polls because his demands for electoral reform had not been met.

    A re-run of the presidential vote was announced after Kenya’s Supreme Court nullified the result of the Aug. 8 election due to Odinga’s complaint.

    Odinga claimed that the computers of the electoral commission had been hacked to generate a victory for President Uhuru Kenyatta.

    The initial results announced on Aug. 11, gave Kenyatta a second term with 54 per cent of the votes, followed by Odinga with 44.7 per cent.

    Since the annulment, Odinga and his National Super Alliance coalition (NASA) have been demanding the removal of top managers of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and a change of suppliers of polling materials and technology.

  • 2018: INEC fixes dates for Ekiti, Osun gov elections

    2018: INEC fixes dates for Ekiti, Osun gov elections

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced the dates for the governorship election in Ekiti and Osun states.

    The electoral umpire said Ekiti State Governorship election will hold on July 14, 2018, while Osun State Governorship election will hold September 22, 2018, INEC disclosed on Thursday.

    INEC national commissioner, Solomon Soyebi, who disclosed the dates, said commencement date of campaigns for Ekiti Governorship election is April 15, 2018.

    Campaigns for Osun election is scheduled to start on June 24, 2018.

  • Corruption: Yakubu spits fire, says ‘We might get rid of everybody in INEC before 2019 elections’

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on Tuesday said the Commission under his leadership might overhaul the entire system in order to kick out the corrupt officials before the 2019 general elections.

    The INEC boss noted that the commission will continue to cooperate with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to fish corrupt officials in the within its fold.

    Yakubu also disclosed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was already probing the commission’s officials in 20 states over alleged electoral fraud.

    He said this during a quarterly consultative meeting with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Regarding the prosecution and probe of 205 of its officials for allegedly receiving part of the N23bn reportedly disbursed by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani-Alison Madueke, the INEC boss said he would continue to cooperate with the EFCC.

    Yakubu said the last report given to him by the EFCC involved 16 states. He said the EFCC was already probing INEC officials in 20 other states

    He said, “I want to say that this is the first time in the history of our elections that in one fell swoop, 205 officials were disciplined based on the interim report we received from the EFCC covering 16 states.

    “Under the terms and conditions of service what we can do is to interdict them which means placing them on half salary and suspending them from work until their innocence or guilt is established. The last report covered 16 states and only last week I heard they had started prosecuting them.

    “However, after receiving the report, we had a discussion with the EFCC and told them that for the outstanding 20 states, they should not submit any interim report to INEC but just prosecute them.

    “Once they are taken to court, we activate the provisions of the terms and conditions of service. Whatever we need to do we will do even if it means getting rid of everybody in the commission and recruiting afresh for the purpose of the 2019 elections. We are committed to doing so.”

    Giving a breakdown of the Continuous Voter Registration conducted between April and September 2017, the INEC boss said about 667, 103 persons registered to vote in the South-South geopolitical zone. The zone comprises Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers states.

    The South-West came in second with 532,172 persons registered to vote while the North-West, which has seven states, had a combined 477, 056 registered voters.

    The North-Central came in fourth with 374, 923 while the South-East which has five states recorded 352,942 voters.

    In the North-East, 350,398 registered within the same period.

    Rivers State recorded the highest number of registered voters at 151, 398 while Lagos came second with 144, 076. Ondo recorded the lowest number with 29, 766.

    In total, about 2, 786, 405 persons registered to vote between April and September. However, only 108, 752 had come forward to claim their cards.

    Yakubu said eight million voter cards remain unclaimed.

    Yakubu lamented that out of the eight million PVCs were unclaimed nationwide, Lagos accounted for about one million.

    He said, “Some of you will also recall that Lagos has recorded the least collection of PVCs not in terms of numbers but in relation to the numbers that registered. Out of the eight plus million PVCs still uncollected nationwide, over a million are uncollected in Lagos.”

    The INEC boss said the voter apathy in Lagos was worrisome as various strategies employed by INEC seemed not to be working.

    He said the last two by-elections in Lagos had recorded very low turnout.

    The INEC chairman said the commission was ready for the Anambra governorship election which comes up next month.

    He said over 6,000 smartcard readers would be used for the election

    The INEC boss said the commission would not be discouraged by the legal obstacles it was facing in the process of recalling the Kogi-West lawmaker, Senator Dino Melaye.

    Yakubu said constituents had the right to recall anybody they wanted to in a democracy.

    The INEC boss also warned politicians seeking to run in 2018 and 2019 to stop campaigning as this was in contravention of the Electoral Act.

     

  • No postponement of Anambra governorship election – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Wednesday said the Anambra State governorship election would hold on November 18 as scheduled.

    The commission said it would not allow any shift of date, adding that to do so would adversely affect the cost of running the election.

    The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji, who stated this in a meeting with the executive members of Inter-party Advisory Council in the state, said the commission would resist any attempt to truncate the electoral process.

    He said, “We want the election to hold as scheduled. We have 58 days to the election and we are on top of the preparations. There would not be any need for postponement.

    “Any attempt to shift the date would be a waste of resources. We need to conclude the election as scheduled so as to focus on the 2019 general elections.”

  • We’ve nullified 117 elections since 2015 – INEC

    We’ve nullified 117 elections since 2015 – INEC

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, said one of the major challenges of the commission was failure of political parties to properly conduct primary election.

    Mr. Yakubu made this known at the second annual conference of Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, on “Internal Party Democracy: A Recipe to a Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria’’ on Tuesday in Abuja.

    He said that 80 elections were nullified by the courts after the 2015 general elections, while 37 others were also nullified with order on INEC to issue certificates of return to the petitioners.

    Mr. Yakubu said that the commission had studied the various judgments and discovered that most of the elections were upturned due to the failure of political parties to conduct proper primaries or follow the outcome.

    He said that though INEC had no power to reject any candidate presented to it by a political party, the court had been playing the role.

    He said that the courts had been nullifying elections at the expense of the country to conduct re-run elections that should not have been nullified if party primaries were properly conducted.

    Mr. Yakubu, therefore, urged political parties to ensure that their primaries were properly conducted in accordance with the provisions of the law.

    “Some of the re-run elections are at great expense of the nation. We can save cost if parties truly conduct primaries.

    “In addition to proper primaries, parties should also comply with the requirements of the law. I am appealing to parties to be guided by certain judgments of the Supreme Court.’’

    He said that building a strong democracy started with political parties, who were responsible for sponsoring candidates for elections.

    The INEC chairman also advised political parties to ensure that women and persons living with disabilities were given equal opportunities in elections.

    He reassured that the commission would never fail Nigerians in executing its responsibilities of conducting free, fair and credible elections, especially as the commission prepared for 2019 general elections.

    “Whoever wins at the ballot box becomes the person so elected.

    “We will continue to discharge these responsibilities; what it takes is that we shall continue to be courageous. We will only be courageous on the side of Nigeria.

    “The vote you cast will continue to determine who wins until the short tenure that we have been given under the law comes to an end. There will never be in an election, memory still revisiting the past.

    “We have taken a leap forward and INEC will never be found wanting,’’ he assured.

    On registration of political parties, Mr. Yakubu said that INEC would continue to register parties that met the criteria.

    “As at last week, 103 applications were pending, and I am sure we would have received more applications for registration.

    “We will continue to be guided by the provisions of the law and any association that qualifies will be registered as a political party.

    “At the same time, we will also be courageous to de-register any political party that failed as recommended by the law.’’

    (NAN)

     

  • BREAKING: Senate approves INEC to conduct LG elections

    The Senate at the plenary on Tuesday approved that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to conduct local government area elections.

    President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, who presided over the debate on the report by the National Assembly Joint Committee on Constitution Review, put the proposed amendment to vote and the ayes had it.

  • #LagosCouncilPolls: Police Arrest 5 with incriminating materials

    The Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Lagos State Police Command on Saturday arrested five men with incriminating materials in Ikeja, as the local government elections got underway.

    The spokesman for the command, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, confirmed the arrest in Lagos.

    Famous-Cole said that the suspects, who claimed to be agents to a political party, were arrested with incriminating materials at 8.30a.m.

    “They have been handed over to the Area F Command, which will send them to the special team for election crimes at the state Criminal Investigation Department for further investigations.”

    Meanwhile, security agencies, including the police, military, Security and Civil Defence Corps and Immigration, have deployed their personnel to strategic locations in different parts of Lagos to ensure peaceful local government elections.

    A senior police officer who sought anonymity on the Funso Williams Avenue in Surulere, where security men put barricades, said that the area command observed that some residents were flouting the restriction order.

    He, however, gave the assurance that those with genuine reasons would be allowed to continue their journey.

    The movement restriction began at 7.00am. It will end at 3.00pm.

    Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission is conducting Chairmanship and Councillorship elections in its 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas.

    Twelve political parties are participating in the election.

    They are: Accord Party (AP), Action Alliance (AA), Alliance for Democracy ( AD ), All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ), Labour Party (LP) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    The others are United Democratic Party (UDP), United Progressive Party (UPP), Kowa Party (KP), National Action Council (NAC) and Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM).

  • #LagosLGpolls: Follow live updates on TheNewsGuru.com

    Follow TheNewsGuru.com for timely updates on activities surrounding the ongoing Local Government elections in Lagos State.

    The election is expected to usher in new chairmen and Councillors in the 20 local governments and 37 local council development areas (LCDAS) across the state.

     

    The morning rain led to flooding in some areas as captured in the images below from Surulere.

    9:00 am: As of 9 am, electoral officials were seen setting up for the election in several polling units, one hour after voting was scheduled to start.

    9:02 am: Slow start at GRA Primary School, Adekunle Fajuyi Road, Maryland. Electoral workers are still setting up.

    9:15 am: A gridlock at the Berger end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, worsens leaving many motorists that have hoped to dash in and out of the state ahead of the election stranded. The gridlock which result of a blockade by the police is also preventing journalists expected to cover the election from going about their business.

    9:33 am: Governor Ambode votes at Unit O33, Ward 6, Ogunmodede Ogunmodede Junior and Senior College, Epe.

    9:33 am: Governor Akinwunmi Ambode votes at Unit O33, Ward 6, Ogunmodede Ogunmodede Junior and Senior College, Epe.

    10:00 am As at 10 am accreditation of voters has not commenced at most polling units in Ikoyi.

    Citizens report [Time unverified] : Voting materials are yet to get to ALIMOSHO Area of Lagos despite presence of LASIEC ad-hoc staff

     

    News updates … #LagosLGpolls

    Read: Lagos LG poll: Opposition party agents discover ballot papers inside commercial bus in Agege
    Read: Lagos LG Elections: Ambode votes in Epe, says LASG will ensure peaceful electoral process

    Read:#LagosCouncilPolls: Police Arrest 5 with incriminating materials

  • NBA assigns 20 lawyers to monitor Lagos LG election

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Epe Branch, is to assign no fewer than 20 lawyers to monitor the forthcoming local government election in Lagos State.

    According to a statement signed by the Chairman of the association, Mr Sunday Abimbola and the Social Secretary, Mrs Funmilola Adeogun, on Thursday in Lagos, those assigned will monitor the election in Epe.

    The chairman said that the monitoring would assist the state government to achieve its desired peaceful election.

    Abimbola noted that Epe was one of the peaceful areas in the state.

    He said that the association volunteered to monitor the elections to ensure that “the election in Epe is free and fair’’.

    Abimbola said that as legal practitioners, it was their duty to ensure that both the electorate and the candidates kept to the rules and regulations guiding the election.

    “We voluntarily organised and released 20 lawyers to monitor the local government elections.

    “We are urging everybody to be law abiding and maintain peace, in order to allow the good work of His Excellency, Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, to continue.

    “Ambode has touched the lives of the people of Lagos State positively and everybody should partner with him to ensure the smooth running of the state,’’ he said.‎

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the local government elections in Lagos state are scheduled to hold on Saturday, July 22. (NAN)

  • Lagos Assembly’s amendment of electoral laws 3 days to LG elections may brew violence – TMG

    Lagos Assembly’s amendment of electoral laws 3 days to LG elections may brew violence – TMG

    Transition Monitoring Group, TMG, has said the decision of the Lagos State House of Assembly to amend and pass sensitive portions of the electoral laws barely three days to the local government elections may brew violence in some parts of the state.

    This is contained in a statement signed by Abiola Akiyode–Afolabi, Chairperson and Sulaimon Arigbagbu, South West Coordinator, TMG on Thursday.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, LASIEC had fixed Saturday, July 22 for the elections.

    The statement reads in part: “We are also concerned about the speed with which the Lagos State House of Assembly passed an amendment to the Lagos Electoral Law regulating the conduct of election to allow for the substitution of a party candidate before the elections.

    “The new bill allows a political party to withdraw and substitute candidate not later than three (3) days to LASIEC verification. It also states that any candidate can withdraw from contesting not later than three (3) days to the election by personally taking a letter of withdrawal to the State Secretary of the party involved who must also personally take same to LASIEC not later than 12noon, three (3) days to the election.

    “TMG is worried about the implications and dangers such amendment portends on the credibility of the Saturday, 22nd Lagos State Local Government Area (LGA) Council elections as scheduled by LASIEC. Conduct of credible, free, fair and legitimate elections cannot be achieved in this kind of arrangement with an amendment taken place just three days to the election.

    “Furthermore, we are also apprehensive of the implications of the multiplicity of court cases relating to party candidatures giving the fact that the election is just three days away. Such conflicting decisions could cast aspersion on the credibility and legitimacy of the elections.

    “We also express displeasure over the latest pronouncement by the authorities of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LAISEC) regarding its planned accreditation plan and observer’s deployment for the Saturday Local Government Election in Lagos State.

    “Our concern is further heightened by the refusal by LASIEC to deploy Card Reader for the conduct of this coming elections. This is an anti-climax to the widely acknowledged improvement to our Electoral System during the 2015 General Elections.

    “As a flagship organization on election and governance monitoring in Nigeria, TMG is seriously concerned about the plethora of allegations trailing the preparations for the election and the lopsided observer’s deployment plan adopted by LASIEC. TMG urges the commission to reconsider its decision on these issues.

    “We call on LASIEC to ensure highest standard in the conduct and administration of the coming Lagos LG/LCDAs elections, by carrying out their responsibilities in accordance with law, and without fear or favour. We hope that LASIEC is committed to an open, genuine, free and appropriate process that is devoid of any suspicion misgiving in the process leading to the election”.