TheNewsGuru

Tag: INEC

  • 2019: INEC uncovers illegal registration centre in Kwara

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday said it discovered an illegal registration centre in Kwara State.

    The Commission’s administrative Secretary in Kwara, Mr Paul Atser, made this known in a statement in Ilorin on Friday.

    “It has come to the notice of Independent National Electoral Commission, Kwara State that some unscrupulous persons are carrying out illegal registration of voters in Offa Local Government area,” Atser said.

    According to him, the perpetrators of the illegal registration were using Corel Draw application to change the particulars in a scanned INEC PVC.

    The INEC official said one suspect was arrested and undergoing interrogation by the police.

    “The general public is advised to be watchful and ensure that they go to only INEC designated registration centers to be captured for the PVC,” Atser added.

    He said a list of all designated centers were available at the INEC State office as well as INEC offices in the 16 local government councils in Kwara.

  • BREAKING: Court orders NASS to shun election re-ordering bill

    The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday ordered the National Assembly to stop taking any further actions on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018, which seeks to provide the order in which the Independent National Electoral Commission must conduct the 2019 general elections.

    The restraining order issued by Justice Ahmed Mohammed is to last till March 17, which is the next hearing date.

    Delivering ruling on an oral application by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), lawyer to the plaintiff, Accord Party, Justice Mohammed held that the restraining order was made to preserve the substance of the main suit.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had, on Tuesday, informed the National Assembly that he had withheld his assent to the bill which was earlier passed by both chambers of the National Assembly.

    There have been threats by some legislators that the National Assembly would evoke its powers under Section 58(5) of the Constitution to override the President’s withholding of assent by two-thirds majority votes of both chambers.

    The oral application by Olanipekun for a “preservative order” was opposed by the counsel representing the National Assembly, Chinelo Ogbozor, during Wednesday’s proceedings.

    The Attorney-General of the Federation, the second defendant to the suit, was not represented by a counsel.

    But INEC, the third respondent, was represented by its lawyer, Mr. Taminu Inuwa, who said he had no objection to the application.

    Ruling, the judge held that the National Assembly was not likely to suffer any prejudice if it was restrained from going ahead with the amendment processes before the next hearing date.

    He added that on the other hand, if no restraining order was issued and the National Assembly went ahead to exercise its powers under Section 58(5) of the Constitution by overriding the President’s withholding of assent, the essence of the whole suit would have been defeated.

    The judge therefore ordered all parties to maintain the “status quo.”

    He fixed ‎Tuesday for the hearing of the motion for the interlocutory injunction, the same order which was granted during the Wednesday’s proceedings but would likely last till the final determination of the suit if the application succeeds.

    The Accord Party is, by its suit, challenging the constitutionality of the ‎ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act.

  • JUST IN: House of Reps to override President Buhari’s veto on 10 bills

    The House of Representatives is to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto power on ten bills including the Nigerian Peace Corp bill.

    This was made known at the House plenary session on Wednesday after Buhari declined to assent to the amendment of the 2010 Electoral Act forwarded to him by the National Assembly (NASS).

    A second look at why Buhari declined to assent to the Electoral Act amendment indicates the President cited Section 25, Section 138 and Section 152 Subsection 325 of the Principal Act to give reasons why he withheld assent.

    “The amendment to the sequence of elections in Section 25 of the principal act, may infringe upon the constitutionally guaranteed discretion of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organize, undertake and supervise elections provided in Section 15(A) of the third statue to the Constitution.

    “The amendment to Section 138 of the principal act to delete two crucial grounds upon which an election may be challenged by candidates, unduly limits the rights of candidates in elections to a free and fair electoral review process.

    “The amendment to Section 152 Subsection 325 of the Principal Act may raise Constitutional issues over the competence of the National Assembly to legislate over local government elections,” he stated.

    However, it is yet to be known if the House will override Buhari’s veto power on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018 as well.

    Meanwhile, a professor of law at the Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli in Enugu state has said that Buhari’s decision to withhold assent to the Electoral Act as amended by the National Assembly is in order.

    Professor Osita Ogbu said that the prevailing circumstance needed not be misconstrued as a constitutional crisis, and that there was no cause for alarm as the president acted within the law.

    He said that if the NASS felt undone by the action of the president, they would have to muster third-majority of their members to veto such presidential decision.

    “The president has the constitutional right to veto the document but if the NASS can muster two- third majority against that decision, it can be overridden. This is a democratic process and part of checks and balances in the art of governance,” Ogbu said.

     

  • Delta: INEC bemoans state of office in Patani

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday bemoaned the state of its office in Patani, Patani Local Government of Delta.

    This was disclosed by the Administrative Secretary, Mrs Rose Orianran-Anthony during the inspection of the continuous voters registration (CVR) across the state.

    Orianran-Anthony said that Patani office was the worst INEC office in the state.

    She said that the commission would relocate to a rented apartment for now pending the building of a prototype office.

    She said that the commission would not conduct the 2019 election in its present location but would move to a rented apartment immediately.

    She, however, appealed to the local government authority and the traditional ruler of the town to provide the commission a land to build its prototype office.

    She said that it was a policy of the commission that it should not buy land for office building.

    She said that so far, the CVR was going on smoothly, the crowd orderly and the machines were in good working condition.

    She said that the turnout had been encouraging and the cooperation from the local government was encouraging.

    At the Isoko North Local Government, the Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Egbabor said that he was committed to the exercise and INEC had done well.

    Egbabor said that he would continue to push to make sure that the people get registered.

    He, however, appealed that INEC should look into creating additional constituents.

     

  • Electoral Act amendment: PDP criticizes Buhari for withholding assent

    The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has criticized President Muhammadu Buhari for withholding assent to the amendment of the 2010 Electoral Act that reordered the sequence of general elections in the country.

    The PDP in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said it is no surprise that the President withheld his assent, “particularly given the tendencies he has continued to display as a politician”.

    “The PDP believes in democracy and subscribes to all its tenets including the respect for the powers of the National Assembly to make laws and to amend such laws as occasion demands.

    “In the light of this development, the PDP, and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians, now eagerly await the final decision of the National Assembly on this amendment,” the statement read.

    “As a party, we are not afraid of the 2019 general elections because we know that Nigerians have already rejected President Buhari and his dysfunctional All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “Against this backdrop, the PDP assures to provide all the members of our great party a level playing ground to choose a Presidential candidate in a National Convention that promises to be open, free, fair, credible and transparent.

    “We know that with the support of Nigerians, any candidate that emerges on our platform ahead of 2019 will clinically defeat President Buhari at the polls and lead our nation back to the path of progress, national cohesion and a vibrant economy,” the statement further read.

     

  • Second look at why President Buhari declined assent to Electoral Act amendment

    President Muhammadu Buhari has presented reasons why he declined to assent to the amendment of the 2010 Electoral Act forwarded to him by the National Assembly (NASS), but here is a second look at the reasons he cited.

    The reasons President Buhari presented for declining to assent to the amended electoral act are contained in a letter he addressed to both chambers of the NASS, which was read on the floor of the Senate House by Senate President Bukola Saraki today.

    Buhari in the letter stressed that a section of the amendments conflict laws establishing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    “The amendment to the sequence of elections in Section 25 of the principal act, may infringe upon the constitutionally guaranteed discretion of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organize, undertake and supervise elections provided in Section 15(A) of the third statue to the Constitution,” he stated.

    TheNewsGuru reports the NASS amended Section 25 of the Principal Act seeking majorly to provide for the re-ordering of the sequence of polls during general elections.

    According to the Section as amended, general elections shall be held in the following order: (a) National Assembly election (b) State Houses of Assembly and Governorship elections (c) Presidential election.

    This amendment, which is at variance with INEC elections time-table earlier published in accordance with the Principal Act, and which stipulates Presidential and National Assembly elections were to hold first, while governorship and state assembly would follow, did not go down well with President Buhari.

    The President also stated that “The amendment to Section 138 of the principal act to delete two crucial grounds upon which an election may be challenged by candidates, unduly limits the rights of candidates in elections to a free and fair electoral review process”.

    He also stated that “The amendment to Section 152 Subsection 325 of the Principal Act may raise Constitutional issues over the competence of the National Assembly to legislate over local government elections”.

    While Buhari was not specific about the “two crucial grounds” in Section 138 that were deleted, Section 152 states that, “Without prejudice to the other provisions of this Act, the Commission may delegate any of its powers and functions to any National Electoral Commissioner, Resident Electoral Commissioner, Electoral Officer, any other officer of the Commission or any other officer appointed under the provision of this Act subject to any conditions or limitations which it may consider necessary or expedient to impose and no such delegation shall be construed to limit the right of the Commission to exercise such power itself”.

    However, Section 152 Subsection 325 President Buhari referred to in the Principal Act was not immediately clear after due consultation of it.

    TheNewsGuru reports the NASS also amended section 87 by adding a new section 87(11) with a marginal note: “time for primaries of political parties”.

    “The primaries of political parties shall follow the following sequence (i) State House of Assembly (ii) National Assembly (iii) Governorship, and (iv), President.

    “The dates for the above stated primaries shall not be held earlier than 120 days and not later than 90 days before the date of elections to the offices,” the marginal note read.

    The NASS also amended section 36 to allow for running mate of a candidate that dies before the conclusion of elections to inherit his/her votes and continue with the process.

    Section 35 that states if before an election a candidate dies he will be replaced by the next contestant with the highest vote was also amended.

    The amendment indicated that if a nominated candidate died in the election process, the next person from the same political party with the second highest votes in the primary election should replace the deceased.

    It stated that the name of the new person should be submitted to INEC, which should accept such replacement as if the deceased was alive.

     

  • Gov. Wike raises alarm over illegal vigilante groups in Rivers

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has alerted the country of the plot by some opposition politicians to set up “illegal vigilant” groups he said might clash with the State Neighbourhood Watch.

    Governor Wike, who stated that the move is to pave way for the police to ban his new security outfit, said such political plots will fail, adding: “the State Neighbourhood Watch has come to stay” and stressed that only a court of competent jurisdiction can stop the Neighbourhood Watch.

    Speaking during a courtesy visit by Usman Abubakar, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 6 Calabar at the Government House Port Harcourt on Tuesday, Governor Wike said that the Neighbourhood Watch is strictly a security organization that will support security agencies with intelligence to promote the security of the state.

    He said that the Neighbourhood Watch is fashioned in line with the operations of a similar agency set up in Lagos State to support security agencies.

    “In setting up the State Neighbourhood Watch, we adopted the process established in Lagos State. This is a replica of what is already in existence in Lagos State.

    “We are setting up the State Neighbourhood Watch for intelligence gathering. Policemen and other security agencies cannot be everywhere. They need the relevant support to maintain security across the state,” Wike said.

    Governor Wike announced that the State Government has acquired six gunboats for the State Police Command to help it fight criminals along the waterways.

    He warned against the politicization of security operations, saying that such actions will be detrimental to the stability of the country.

    He reiterated his advice to INEC and the Police to work towards the successful conduct of the 2019 General Election.

    He said that the police should not be used to indiscriminately arrest opponents of the ruling party ahead of the elections.

    In his remarks, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 6 Calabar, Usman Abubakar, said that the Zone 6 Police Command is fashioning out ways to reduce cultism, kidnapping and violent crime in the area.

    He appealed to stakeholders to work with the Police to reduce crime ahead of the 2019 General Election.

    The Assistant Inspector General of Police called on all groups to come to a round table to work for peace as the police will not tolerate lawlessness.

     

  • Breaking: Buhari declines assent to 2010 Electoral Act amendment

    President Muhammadu Buhari has declined to assent to the amendment of the 2010 Electoral Act forwarded to him by the National Assembly (NASS).

    TheNewsGuru reports the amended 2010 Electoral Act seeks, among other objectives, to re-order the sequence of polls during general elections.

    NASS amended section 25 of the Principal Act and substituted it with a new section 25(1).

    According to the section, the elections shall be held in the following order: (a) National Assembly election (b) State Houses of Assembly and Governorship elections (c) Presidential election.

    This amendment, which is at variance with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) elections time-table that stipulates Presidential and National Assembly elections were to hold first, while governorship and state assembly would follow, did not go down well with President Buhari.

    The NASS also amended section 87 by adding a new section 87(11) with a marginal note: “time for primaries of political parties”.

    “The primaries of political parties shall follow the following sequence (i) State House of Assembly (ii) National Assembly (iii) Governorship, and (iv), President.

    “The dates for the above stated primaries shall not be held earlier than 120 days and not later than 90 days before the date of elections to the offices,” the marginal note read.

    The NASS also amended section 36 to allow for running mate of a candidate that dies before the conclusion of elections to inherit his/her votes and continue with the process.

    Section 35 that states if before an election a candidate dies he will be replaced by the next contestant with the highest vote was also amended.

    The amendment indicated that if a nominated candidate died in the election process, the next person from the same political party with the second highest votes in the primary election should replace the deceased.

    It stated that the name of the new person should be submitted to INEC, which should accept such replacement as if the deceased was alive.

    President Buhari, in a letter addressed to both chambers of the NASS, and read on the floor of the Senate House by Senate President Bukola Saraki today, declined assent to the amendments stating it conflicts laws establishing the INEC.

     

  • INEC may burn unclaimed PVCs – REC

    The new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo State, Rufus Akeju, says the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is considering burning unclaimed Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) before the 2019 general elections.

    Akeju told newsmen on Monday in Akure that all attempts had been made by the commission through sensitisation campaign to reach out to the affected voters to collect their PVCs.

    He said the commission was making efforts almost on daily basis for voters to get their PVCs, adding that the commission may be compelled to resort to the burning of the cards or destroying them to check being used to manipulate elections.

    The REC said that the burning process would be made public for all Nigerians to witness.

    Akeju said that a total number of 1,659,186 are eligible voters and 1,288,722 cards had been distributed so far, adding that 370,464 are unclaimed.

    He also said the commission was doing everything possible to ensure a credible election that would meet with global best practices.

    “We now have new and improve data capturing for moderate and effective capturing.

    “We have introduced additional card readers in case one is malfunctioning in a particular unit,’’ he said.

    The REC solicited the support of all journalists in the state, saying they remain major stakeholders in educating the general public.

    He, however, urged journalists to report accurate stories they gather from INEC offices in the state without bias.

    The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state, James Sowole, promised that the union would continue to support the commission in its activities.

  • NASENI ready to supply INEC with electronic voting machines – Haruna

    NASENI ready to supply INEC with electronic voting machines – Haruna

    The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) says it is ready to partner with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make available its electronic voting machines for the 2019 General Elections.

    Mr Mohammed Haruna, the Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, made this known while responding to questions at a news conference during NASENI Day at the ongoing Technology and Innovation Expo 2018 in Abuja.

    He, however, said that he was not in the position to take such decision on behalf of the INEC.

    “Technical team of INEC, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and NASENI have reviewed this and it has been demonstrated, it has been presented to INEC.

    “They know best what they want. So the technical team is working to see to the visibility vis-à-vis the restriction of the Electoral Act; how much of the electronic operation is the law allows,” he said.

    On whether the agency has enough of the voting machines to take care of the election, he said: ‘’If it is needed, large scale will be produced; if we are asked to do it in good time before the election.”

    On the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) brought for exhibition, he said though UAV was originally produced for agricultural purposes, it has multi-purpose functions.

    ‘’It can be used as herbicide, pesticide, etc. But in the process, we discovered with the liquid that can be used as chemicals for spraying or fertilisation, it can as well quench fire in high-rise building.

    “So it means we can as well use it for fire fighting. It can also be used for intelligence and surveillance because it carries camera which immediately transmits data in real time.

    ‘’It can also be used in traffic control and other emergencies. In fact, the Armed Forces can use it to complement their intelligence gathering,” he said.

    Haruna said that the UAV could be used to monitor pipelines and power lines against vandalism.

    Mr Otis Anyaeji, former President of Nigerian Society of Engineers, said efforts should be made to close the gap between products from research and development and the market.

    “Closing of that gap is of course the factoring in of the investment, entrepreneurial and financial communities so that they can make it possible for entrepreneurs to pick up these products of research and then go to commercialise them and produce them on a larger scale.’’

    Anyaeji said this would in turn create jobs opportunities for Nigerians and boost the country’s economy.

    The former Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University, Prof. Oye Ibidapo Obe, said NASENI had done very well over the years, urging the Federal Government to encourage the agency.

    He said the agency had human resources to propel the nation forward.

    ‘’So NASENI should be encouraged. There should be a regular meeting between NASENI and the President of Nigeria which encompasses total infrastructural development in science and technology.

    “They must look at how this knowledge can go into full production,” he said.