TheNewsGuru

Tag: INEC

  • Edo election: INEC warns against distruption of results collation process

    Edo election: INEC warns against distruption of results collation process

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned political actors against the disruption of Edo governorship election results collation process.

    Mohammed Haruna, INEC National Commissioner and Member, Information and Voter Education Committee, gave the warning in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

    Haruna said that INEC  was disturbed by reports of a threat resulting to stampede at its office in Okpoba Okha Local Government on Saturday, as well as action of some political actors at its head office in the state.

    He said that following the conclusion of voting yesterday, the Commission activated the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal and uploaded the Polling Unit results, and the same results had also been collated from all the 192 wards.

    Haruna said that similarly, collation the had been concluded in most of the local government areas and the designated officials were already at the collation centre in Benin City or on their way.

    “We are set to commence state-level collation.

    “However, the Commission received a deeply disturbing report from our Resident Electoral Commissioner of a threat to our office in Okpoba Okha on Saturday, resulting in a stampede in which one of our officials was injured.

    “We are similarly disturbed by the overnight presence and demonstrations by some political actors and their supporters at our State Head Office ahead of the commencement of final collation.

    “ These actions are uncalled for. Nobody should disrupt the process at any stage and no one will be allowed to benefit from lawlessness.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the collation of result will proceed as provided by the Electoral Act 2022 and our regulations and guidelines for the conduct of elections,” he said

    The national commissioner said that there was a mechanism for redressing complaints during collation, including the power to review results declared under duress.

    Haruna said that the Commission would not hesitate to invoke such powers where necessary.

    He said that accredited party agents, observers and the media should be granted unimpeded access to all collation centres.

    He called on the security agencies to continue to maintain the same vigilance and professionalism that led to the peaceful conduct of the election as we conclude the process.

  • Collation of results: Too many funny things going on – Ighodalo

    Collation of results: Too many funny things going on – Ighodalo

    Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the Saturday’s governorship in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo has said there are “so many funny things” going on as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) awaits to collate results of the election.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Ighodalo said this in the wee hours of Sunday when he visited the INEC headquarters in Edo State to protest, accusing the electoral umpire and the police of complicity.

    “We actually are not sure what is happening. There are supposed to have been collation in some of the local governments area in Oredo and Ikpoba. But, all of a sudden, some people came in, threw teargas and kind of drove everybody that was there outside.

    “They now insisted that all of those collations should come to the INEC headquarters. The problem is that our agents started telling us that they were not being allowed access into the INEC headquarters. So, my deputy and I came in here to find out why they are not being allowed in.

    “There are too many funny things going on all of a sudden with INEC and police complicity working together and this cannot be right for democracy in this country. They are trying to subvert the will of the people of Edo State and it will not happen,” Ighodalo said.

    Earlier, PDP had in a statement Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary of the party, raised an alarm of plots to invade collation centres and change results of the election overnight.

    The statement reads: “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alerts of plots by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to use its armed thugs to violently assault the Edo State Governorship election Collation Center, disrupt the collation process and change results from the Polling Units which have our candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo in clear lead.

    “Intelligence available to the PDP indicates that the APC is mounting pressure on the INEC Chairman and Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) to suspend the collation process so as to make way for the manipulation of the INEC Portal and replace the real results from the Units with fabricated figures in favour of the APC.

    “Our Party has also been made aware that the APC is mounting pressure on the Military to withdraw from their positions so as to enable the APC convey its armed thugs to disrupt and manipulate the collation process.

    “The PDP in very strong terms cautions INEC and the APC to note that the people of Edo State already have authentic results from the Polling Units across the State and that any attempt by anybody or group whatsoever to alter the results will inflame the already charged situation with very severe consequences on perpetrators.

    “INEC must not lose sight of the violent protest that trailed the criminal attempt by the former Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Hudu Ari to alter the outcome of the 2023 Governorship election in that State which nearly led to the death of some INEC officials.

    “INEC and the APC must note that any attempt to change the results of the Edo State governorship election will provoke worse consequences as the people have indicated their readiness to use every means allowed in a democracy including legitimate physical confrontation, if necessary to protect their votes.

    “The PDP charges the Electoral Commission to resist the pressure by the APC and ensure that nobody tampers with the results as obtained from the Polling Units.

    “Our Party commends the military for its professionalism in defending our democracy in the Edo State governorship election and urges the Military High Command not to succumb to the pressure from the APC to withdraw from their posts and allow for the manipulation of the process.

    “The PDP again charges the people of Edo State to remain at the Coalition Center in their numbers and monitor the collation process so as to ensure that their Will as expressed in the election is affirmed”.

  • BREAKING: INEC reveals time to begin collation of Edo election results

    BREAKING: INEC reveals time to begin collation of Edo election results

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the time to begin the collation of results for the 2024 governorship election conducted in Edo State on Saturday.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo made the announcement, disclosing that collation of results for the Edo governorship election will begin at 10 a.m. today.

    “This is to inform the general public, political stakeholders and observers that the collation of results for the ongoing Edo State Governors Election will resume today (Sunday) 22nd September, 2024 at 10:00am.

    “The Collation process is being conducted transparently and in accordance with the extant laws and guidelines of the Independent National. Electoral Commission (INEC). We appreciate the patience and cooperation of the parties as we strive to ensure a credible and accurate outcome of this important Election.

    “We urge all stakeholders to maintain peace and order as we conclude the collation process. INEC remains committed to delivering a free, fair and transparent Election in Edo State,” Onuoha said.

  • Edo State election: 98.27% results uploaded to INEC IReV

    Edo State election: 98.27% results uploaded to INEC IReV

    Presiding officers from Polling Units (PUs) in the 2024 governorship election in Edo State have uploaded 98.27% of result sheets to the results viewing (IReV) portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) so far.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the electoral officers commenced uploading of Polling Unit (PU) level results to the IReV portal at the close of the polls on Saturday with voting time extended in areas where the process started late.

    As at 6:24:07 am today, a total of 4,441 out of 4,519 election result sheets from across the 18 local government areas of the State have been submitted to the IReV. At the time of filing this report, results upload for Owan East, Esan South East, Esan North East and Igueben local government areas had been completed.

    The complete results are expected to be uploaded to the portal via the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) soon.

  • BREAKING: INEC investigates over-voting in Edo election

    BREAKING: INEC investigates over-voting in Edo election

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is currently investigating cases of over-voting reported in the 2024 governorship election in Edo State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) had earlier reported a case of over-voting at Osholo Primary School, Osholo polling unit in Etsako East local government area of the State.

    However, INEC revealed that the Osholo Primary School, Osholo polling unit case is the second case of over-voting it received in the election. The Commission vowed to deal with any proven infraction.

    “The Commission’s attention has been drawn to an allegation of wrong figures entered into polling unit result sheets in the ongoing Edo State Governorship election.

    “This is the second complaint we have received out of the 4,519 polling units used for the election. The Commission will immediately investigate the matter and deal with any proven infraction,” a statement by INEC reads.

    Edo Governorship Election: PDP urges supporters to follow results

    Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has directed its members and supporters in Edo to follow the results of the State governorship election from the polling units to the ward, local government and state collation centre.

    The party gave the directive in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba in Abuja on Saturday, noting that the directive was to prevent any manipulation or alteration.

    Ologunagba also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that all results as announced at the polling units were transparently uploaded to its server and duly declared at the collation centers.

    Ologunagba said that the announcement and uploading of the results should be done in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 and INEC Guidelines for the Edo State governorship election.

    He commended the people of Edo for their resilience in enforcing their will at the polling units.

    He also urged them to be alert and ready to defend their votes as they await the declaration of the final result.

  • BREAKING: Edo election result of over-voting uploaded to INEC IReV

    BREAKING: Edo election result of over-voting uploaded to INEC IReV

    A presiding officer identified as Josephine Obozuwa has uploaded a result of over-voting in the Edo State Governorship Election to the results viewing (IReV) portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Checks by TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reveals that the result for the polling unit at Osholo Primary School, Osholo in Etsako East local government area of the State was uploaded by Obozuwa at about 4:06:09 pm on Saturday.

    The Osholo Primary School, Osholo polling unit is located in Weppa Ward in Etsako East and has the polling unit code of 12/08/04/009.

    The result sheet for the polling unit uploaded to the INEC IReV shows that 493 persons registered to vote at the polling unit. However, only 213 persons were accredited to vote.

    Further checks revealed that Obozuwa assigned 352 votes to the All Progressives Congress (APC), 52 votes to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and one vote each to the Labour Party and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    Total number of valid votes at the polling unit, therefore, amounted to 406 votes. With a total of 213 accredited voters at the polling unit, this is a clear case of over-voting.

    See attached result sheet uploaded to the INEC IReV below:

    BREAKING: Edo election result of over-voting uploaded to INEC IReV

    Meanwhile, at the time of filing this report, over 93% of polling unit results have been uploaded to the IReV portal as at 8:26 pm. A total of 4,239 out of 4,519 results have been submitted to the portal.

    Over-voting: PDP reacts

    Meanwhile, the PDP has reacted over the obvious over-voting case at the Osholo Primary School, Osholo polling unit.

    In a statement signed by Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary of the party, the PDP demanded the prosecution of Obozuwa.

    The statement reads: “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) demands the immediate arrest and prosecution of an APC-compromised INEC Presiding Officer (PO) in the Edo State Governorship election, Obozuwa Josephine, for brazenly allocating non-existent votes to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “The election result sheet for Osholo Primary School Polling Unit, Weppa in Etsako East Local Government Area shows that whereas 213 voters were accredited, Obozuwa Josephine criminally and fraudulently allocated 352 votes to the APC, 52 to the PDP and one to the LP, giving a total of 406 as votes cast.

    “It is highly provocative that the INEC PO Obozuwa Josephine could be so compromised by the APC to audaciously and feloniously allocate unearned 352 votes to the APC above the 213 voters officially accredited in that Polling Unit.

    “This reckless act by Obozuwa Josephine is reminiscent of the criminal conduct of the former Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Hudu Ari, during the 2023 Governorship election in that State, which provoked violent protest by the people and nearly led to the loss of lives of INEC officials.

    “Obozuwa Josephine should take note that this criminal action by her could provoke similar consequences.

    “Our Party holds that Obozuwa Josephine’s action is one of the many cases of electoral fraud, ballot manipulation, betrayal of public trust and crime against the State perpetrated in this election by the APC and unscrupulous INEC officials which must not go unpunished.

    “Nigerians can recall that the PDP had on several occasions alerted that the APC had compromised the INEC system by planting APC members as Polling Officers to manipulate the electoral process and alter results in favour of the APC.

    “The PDP demands that INEC effects the immediate arrest and prosecution of the indicted Presiding Officer Obozuwa Josephine, cancel the election in Osholo Primary School Polling Unit and take steps to address other such infractions in this election.

    “Our Party again commends the people of Edo State for their vigilance and urges them to remain resilient till the end”.

  • Edo poll: INEC uploads 90.33% of results on IREV

    Edo poll: INEC uploads 90.33% of results on IREV

    The Independent National Electoral Commission has uploaded 90.33 percent of the results from the Edo governorship election to its Result Viewing Portal.

    Results from 4,082 out of the 4,519 polling units where elections were held in the state have been successfully transmitted.

    Earlier today, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Edo, Anugbum Onuoha, reassured the public during an interview on Arise Television that electronic transmission of results would proceed smoothly, barring any network disruptions.

    “We have trained the operators for the BVAS. They are set. BVAS is to accredit the voters and to know the total number of voters that will vote at that level and that polling unit.

    “After that, the voters will start voting. At the end of the day, they will count the results, and it will be uploaded to our IReV,” he assured.

    With more than 2.2 million permanent voter cards collected, candidates from various parties, including Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party, are competing for the governorship position.

    The winner will succeed Governor Godwin Obaseki, who will leave Osadebe House on November 11 after completing two terms in office.

  • BREAKING: INEC extends voting in Edo governorship election

    BREAKING: INEC extends voting in Edo governorship election

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended voting in the ongoing governorship election in Edo State in areas where the process commenced late. Mohammed Haruna, INEC’s National Commissioner and member of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee made this known on Saturday.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports voting officially commenced in the Edo governorship election at about 8:30 am with polling units expected to stop accepting votes from 2:30 pm. However, some polling units experienced delay in the commencement of the exercise.

    A statement by Haruna confirmed that INEC’s monitoring had indicated that although there were early commencement of polls in many polling units, there were also reports of late commencement in some locations.

    According to INEC, the extension is to ensure that no voter is disenfranchised. The Commission also stated that voting will be extended wherever it commenced late and will continue until the last voter on the queue who arrived at the Polling Unit by 2.30pm has voted.

    “The Commission continues to monitor the ongoing governorship election in Edo State from our situation room at the National Headquarters in Abuja. Our monitoring indicates early commencement of polls in many Polling Units, but there are also reports of late commencement in some locations.

    “To ensure that no voter is disenfranchised, the Commission wishes to reiterate that, in line with our Regulations and Guidelines, voting will be extended wherever it commenced late and will continue until the last voter on the queue who arrived at the Polling Unit by 2.30pm has voted.

    “Accordingly, we have drawn the attention of our office in Edo State to ensure that, where necessary, there is adequate power supply from our back-up electric generators in the affected Polling Units or Ward Collation Centres,” the statement reads.

  • Edo govt raises alarm over political thugs attempt to overrun INEC offices

    Edo govt raises alarm over political thugs attempt to overrun INEC offices

    Edo Government on Friday expressed concerns over an alleged attempt by political thugs to overrun INEC offices in some local government areas across the state.

    The government also commended the military for successfully halting the activities of the suspected thugs on INEC office in Oredo Local Government, located in the state capital.

    Chris Nehikhare, the Edo Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, raised the alarm at a news conference in Benin.

    According to Nehikhare, the political thugs also attempted to seize control of INEC offices in Etsako West, and Esan West.

    He said that although the soldiers repelled the thugs at the Oredo INEC office, the group retreated and held sway across the road from the facility.

    Nehikhare praised the military for their professionalism and discipline in preventing the invasion, urging them to extend similar interventions to the remaining 17 LGAs in the state.

    He stated that Edo people would not be intimidated or deterred by the actions of political thugs, and encouraged citizens to come out en masse to exercise their right to vote.

    Nehikhare added that the military had regained control of the Oredo INEC Secretariat and was actively safeguarding both the people and INEC facilities throughout the state.

  • Nigerians writing us to recall federal, state lawmakers – INEC

    Nigerians writing us to recall federal, state lawmakers – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed requests being made by citizens and groups across the country.

    The Commission revealed that it has been receiving requests from different groups across the country, seeking the recall of their representatives in the national and state assemblies.

    This is just as the commission released the revised Regulations and Guidelines for the recall of federal and state lawmakers as well as councillors in the Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Mr Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC revealed these in a statement on Thursday at the end of the management meeting of the commission.

    He said that the decision was taken in addition to reviewing the final preparations for the off-cycle Edo State governorship election on Saturday.

    He said that some groups even requested the commission to initiate the process of the recall on their behalf.

    “For clarity, the process is initiated by the voters in a constituency. The commission only implements their request in line with Sections 69, 110 and 160 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Sections 2(c) and 113 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

    “Accordingly, the commission has reviewed the regulations and guidelines, providing a detailed procedure for recall,” Olumekun said.

    He also said that the 10-page document had been uploaded to INEC website and social media platforms for the guidance of prospective petitioners and for public information.

    He urged constituents interested in the recall of their elected representatives to be guided by the provisions of the regulations and guidelines in preparing and submitting their petitions to the commission.