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Tag: festus okoye

  • BREAKING: INEC redeploys 5 RECs, 4 directors

    BREAKING: INEC redeploys 5 RECs, 4 directors

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has redeployed five state Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).

    INEC disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja by Mr Festus Okoye, its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee.

    Okoye said that those affected included Mr Olusegun Agbaje, who was redeployed from Osun to Ogun and Prof. AbdulGaniy Raji, who was redeployed from Ogun to Osun.

    “In the same vein, the REC of Bayelsa, Dr Cyril Omorogbe, will take up his new role as the REC for Cross River, while Dr Emannuel Alex Hart proceeds to Bayelsa as the REC from his former office in Cross River.

    “The REC in Zamfara, Dr Asmau Sani Maikudi, has also been redeployed to Kaduna State,” he said.

    Okoye said that the INEC Director (Voter Education and Publicity), Mr Nick Dazang, had proceeded on terminal leave.

    “Consequently, Mr Victor Aluko has been reassigned from Director (Administration) to Voter Education and Publicity as Director, while Mr Mikah Thabbal Lakumna is redeployed to administration from his erstwhile position as Director (Security).

    “Mr Nduh Samson moves from the office of the secretary to the commission to Director (Security). Mr Yakubu Duku, Director in the Electoral Operations Department, proceeds to Niger as the substantive Administrative Secretary,” he said.

    He stated that the handing/taking over activities would be completed by Monday Sept. 13.
    Okoye said that the redeployments were part of the commission’s routine administrative postings.

  • 2019: INEC speaks on condition of card readers

    2019: INEC speaks on condition of card readers

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed confidence in the performance of the Smart Card Readers to be used at the forthcoming general elections.

    Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, expressed the confidence in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja.

    Okoye confirmed that the card readers had been enhanced for better performance.

    He added that the commission did not expect the card readers to malfunction.

    “The batteries of the enhanced card readers can last longer now. The window of the smart card reader is wider and can read fingerprints better now.

    “We have upgraded the smart card readers and the ones to be used for the election are smart card readers that can perform very well.

    So, we do not envisage the issue of malfunction. It will be reduced to the barest minimum.

    “The issue of card readers unable to read peoples biometrics will be reduced to the barest minimum,” Okoye said.

    The national commissioner said that the commission had required qualities as well as quantity to conduct the nationwide elections.

    “What we did was to make up for short falls. Additional cards readers that we wanted have already arrived the country and have been distributed to all the states.

    “So we don’t have challenge to the quality of smart card readers that would be used for these elections,” he said.

     

  • Breaking: APC fails to field candidate for by-election in Cross River

    Breaking: APC fails to field candidate for by-election in Cross River

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed to field a candidate for the by-election scheduled to hold for lkom II State Constituency of Cross River State.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday released list of candidate(s) to partake in the by-election with the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) conspicuously the only party represented.

    INEC in a statement by Barrister Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, said it had earlier issued timetable and schedule of activities for the by-elections on 29th October 2018.

    By the said timetable and schedule of activities, 4th of November, 2018 was set as the last day for the conduct of primaries by the political parties to select candidates for the constituency, in accordance with Section 87 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

    In the same timetable and schedule of activities, the last day for the submission of Forms CF001 and CF002 was 6th November 2018.

    According to the statement, as at the close of nomination, only PDP submitted their list of candidate (CF002) and personal particulars (CF001) for the by-election.

    The by-election is scheduled to hold November 17, 2018, with Egbong Stella Nkoro of the PDP the only candidate in contention.

     

  • Buhari writes senate, demands confirmation of 26 new appointees [ Full list]

    President Muhammadu Buhari has written the Senate to confirm Festus Okoye as National Commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Mr Okoye is among 26 new appointees the president wrote, in separate letters, to the Senate for confirmation.

    Mr Buhari’s request on Mr Okoye was contained in a letter read by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, shortly before the Senate adjourned plenary on Tuesday.

    “In accordance with the provision of section 154(1) of the 1999 constitution as amended, I rise to forward to the distinguished senators the name of Barrister Festus Okoye for confirmation as National Commissioner representing South-east geo-political zone.

    “While hoping that this request will receive the usual expeditious consideration, please accept Mr President the assurances of my highest regard,” the letter reads.

    Mr Okoye, an indigene of Imo State, is the Executive Director, Human Rights Monitor, and a Solicitor at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

    In other letters dispatched to the Senate, Mr Buhari also sought the confirmation of 23 members of National Population Commission and two non-legal practitioners as members of Federal Judicial Service Commission.

    The two non-legal practitioners are; Abba Ali (Katsina-North west) and Mohammed Sagir (Niger-North central).

    The 23 nominees for the National Population Commission are; Nwanne Johnny Nwabuisi (Abia), Dr Clifford Zirra (Adamawa), Mr Chidi Christopher Ezeoke(Anambra), Barrister Isa Audu Buratai (Borno), Navy Captain Charles Iyam Ogwa(Cross River), Sir Richard Odibo(Delta), Okereke Darlington Onaubuchi (Ebonyi) and Mr A.D. Olusegun Aiyajina (Edo).

    Others are; Ejike Ezeh (Enugu), Hon. Abubakar Mohammed Danburam (Gombe), Prof. Uba S.F. Nnabue (Imo), Dr. Abdulmalik Mohammed Durunguwa (Kaduna), Sulaiman Ismaila Lawal (Kano), Prof. Jimoh Habibat Isah (Kogi), Dr. Sa’adu Ayinla Alanamu (Kwara), Nasir Isa kwarra (Nasarawa).

    Also nominated are: Barrister Aliyu Datti (Niger), Yeye (Mrs) Seyi Adererinokun Olusanya (Ogun), Prince Oladiran Garvey Iyantan (Ondo), Senator Mudashiru Oyetunde Hussain (Osun), Mrs Cecilia Arsun Dapoet ()Plateau, Dr. Ipalibo Macdonald Harry (Rivers), Sale S. Saany (Taraba).