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Tag: Mahmood Yakubu

  • Elections cannot hold in an atmosphere of violence – INEC

    Elections cannot hold in an atmosphere of violence – INEC

    Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu has said elections cannot be held in an atmosphere of violence.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Prof Yakubu said this at a meeting with the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) held in Abuja on Monday.

    According to Yakubu, Electoral Commissions in West Africa and beyond have expressed concern about the impact of prevailing insecurity on the conduct of elections.

    “These are critical conditions for peace. Election Management Bodies are major beneficiaries of your work. This is because elections and electoral activities cannot be successfully conducted in an atmosphere of violence.

    “For this reason, INEC always appreciates the role of UNOWAS in our sub-region and the Sahel. At different fora, Electoral Commissions in West Africa and beyond have expressed concern about the impact of prevailing insecurity on the conduct of elections, particularly with regard to insurgency, banditry, and other forms of armed conflict.

    “We believe that your visit today will not only encourage us in our determination to conduct credible, transparent, inclusive, and verifiable elections but we will also share the outcome of our discussion with colleagues from other electoral commissions in West Africa and beyond.

    “Since you arrived in Nigeria, we have followed your engagements with stakeholders. In particular, we appreciate your fervent appeal for support to the efforts of INEC to conduct peaceful elections. With just 81 days to the 2023 General Election, we have made tremendous progress in our preparations so far.”

    Yakubu commended UNOWAS work in the areas of preventive diplomacy, political mediation and facilitation in West Africa and the Sahel.

    Consequently, the INEC Chairman disclosed that a nine-nation conference of Electoral Commissions and election experts would be held in the course of the week in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

    He listed participating nations to include Benin Republic, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo from West Africa; and the Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo from Central Africa.

  • Attacks on our facilities won’t stop 2023 poll – INEC Chairman

    Attacks on our facilities won’t stop 2023 poll – INEC Chairman

    The National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said recent attacks on its facilities won’t stop the conduct of the 2023 general election.

    The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said this when he received a delegation from Africa Union Special Pre- Electoral Political Mission led by Phumzile Mlambo- Ngcuka on Monday in Abuja.

    Yakubu, who acknowledged that some election materials for 2023 general election were lost in the attacks, said that INEC would replace them ahead of the election.

    “In the last three weeks, three of our local government area offices were attacked in three different states of the federation and the last one occurred yesterday in the South Eastern part of the country.

    “Although there were no casualties but quite a number of the materials already acquired and delivered for the elections have been lost.

    “Now, the good thing is that so far, we can recover from all the looses but it’s a source of concern. This shouldn’t be allowed to continue.

    “So, we will continue to engage with the security agencies to make sure that these offices as well as personnel and our facilities are protected ahead of the election,” he said.

    Yakubu said that the deployment of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the Results Viewing Portal (IReV) for voter accreditation and uploading of PU results on real time had come to stay.

    “We may express some concern about the attack on these facilities but it will never deter the commission from going ahead with the election as scheduled,” he said.

    Yakubu said there was no going back on the deployment of those technologies because it was a requirement of the law making it mandatory for INEC to do so.

    He said that between August 2020 and July 2022 the technologies were deployed for about 105 off cycle and by-election including the Anambra, Ekiti and Osun governorship election.

    Yakubu said that the body of political parties, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) had also attested to their efficacy in election conduct.

    “We are happy with the pilot that we have conducted and these are results you can still view on the portal.

    “We kept asking particularly political parties to compare the results given to them at the point, that is the hard copy signed by their agents and what we uploaded on the IREV portal and we have been asking them if there are discrepancies.

    “So far, all the political parties have confirmed that its 99.9 per cent accurate so we are happy with that pilot,” he said.

    Yakubu said that although INEC may suffer a little hitch here and there but overall, it was required to proceed with the election.

    “We are required to proceed in the manner that the law requires us to do using the deployment of technology for the purpose of accreditation and uploading of Polling Unit level result from the PU on election day for transparency.

    “The good thing is that since we started this process, we hear less and less of litigation arising from the conduct of elections by the commission.

    “Now we have more litigations arising from the conduct of primaries by Political parties rather than the main election conducted by the commission,” he said.

    Yakubu also said that INEC was better prepared for the 2023 general election.

    Earlier speaking, Mlambo- Ngcuka, said they were in Nigeria as partners on supportive mission.

    Mlambo- Ngcuka,a member of the panel of the wise and former deputy president of South Africa, added the the mission was very keen to ensure that Nigeria has peaceful and credible election process.

    “We will like to hear from you how much u are prepare for this election. How much consensus. Is there a margin, on the electoral process and potential dialogue that you may need to encourage among the contesting parties as well as society.

    “We will like also to know that is the working relationship between yourself and the contesting parties is proceeding as expected.

    “We’re also keen to hear about the role and contributions of CSO, women and young people in particular which we know as people are very much interested in the process and the outcome of this elections.

    “And in general, all methods that you may want to share with us about these elections including how much supported you’re financially and the means it takes to work for it,” Mlambo- Ngcuka said.

  • 2023: Production of critical non-sensitive materials on course – INEC

    2023: Production of critical non-sensitive materials on course – INEC

    Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman said the commission has made tremendous progress in the production and delivery of critical non-sensitive materials ahead of the 2023 general elections.

    Yakubu disclosed this at the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room National Stakeholders Forum on Elections supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), on Wednesday in Abuja.

    He said that with about three months to the polls and based on the 14 activities listed in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities released by the commission on Feb. 26, nine had so far been implemented.

    Yakubu said:“Similarly, we have made tremendous progress in the production and delivery of critical sensitive and non-sensitive election materials to our State offices,recruitment and training of ad hoc staff for the election are ongoing.

    “On electoral logistics, particularly the arrangements for the movement of personnel and materials to various locations during elections, the commission had met again with the service providers.

    “We have reviewed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the road transport unions.

    “Arising from our experience in previous elections, the commission hsar expanded the scope of collaboration to include the marine union for the riverine areas.

    “Very soon, the revised MoU will be signed with the service providers to cover both land and maritime transportation.”

    Yakubu, however, said the commission has said repeatedly that the perennial insecurity in the country was a source for concern.

    He said that the existing challenge was being compounded by the unfortunate incidents of attacks on campaigns, rallies and processions across all political parties.

    According to him, the commission is determined to tackle the matter of campaign finances frontally.

    Yakubu listed the areas of violation to include: Parties’ and candidates’ expenditures beyond what was provided by law and the obnoxious practice of vote buying at polling units on election days.

    He added:’`Beyond that, we are mobilising every national institution with the responsibility for tracking and combating the illicit flow of funds as well as the broadcast and print media regulatory agencies to confront the problem head-on. ‘’

    Yakubu said that the Electoral Act 2022, required the commission to deploy technology on election days for voter accreditation and the upload of polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.

    He said the processes would be achieved through the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and reassured Nigerians that the BVAS has come to stay as the only means of voter accreditation.

    Yakubu said:’`For the last two years, the commission had published results direct from polling units in 105 off-cycles governorship and bye-elections in real-time and the results can still be viewed on the IReV portal.

    “The 2023 general elections will not be different. There is no truth in any insinuation to the contrary.”

    On collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs),Yakubu said for fresh registrations in 2022 as well as applicants for transfer to other polling units and the replacement of damaged or lost cards, the commission would soon release the timelines and procedure for the collection of PVCs.

    The Convener, Situation Room ,Ene Obi,said the Situation Room represented Civil Society Organisations at the fore of working to strengthen democracy in Nigeria.

    Obi said the interventions of the Situation Room as a platform and those of its partners organisations have contributed tremendously to the improvement of the electoral process, holding stakeholders accountable and enlightening citizens.

    She said that this had been with the support of development partners desirous of seeing an improved electoral process in Nigeria.

    According to her, in 2021, the Situation Room launched its Credibility Threshold for the 2023 general elections for the second time,the first having been issued in the 2019 polls.

    She said the document, which outlined minimum standards that the election needed to fulfil to be regarded as credible would be the basis by which Situation Room would analyse the 2023 polls.

    Obi said although,the coalition was pleased to see several improvements in the off-cycle governorship elections that had been held since the 2019 general elections, there were still several challenges of utmost concern.

    She said: “This year’s stakeholders forum on elections is focused on the Role of Stakeholders in Ensuring Free, Fair, Peaceful and Credible Elections.

    “The fact that the 2023 general elections will take part in this context of a grave security crisis is of huge concern.’

    Obi said that the group was using the platform to canvass for improved electoral system and hoped to see a better electoral environment ahead of the 2023 general elections.

    Ms Elizebeth Drew, Head, Governance and Stability, FCDO, British High Commission, Abuja, said that the contribution of civil society to electoral reform processes was laudable.

    Drew said: ‘`The UK stands ready to continue to support INEC and all relevant actors in efforts to effectively execute the polls within this context.

    “We are proud of our long-term partnership and support for INEC as it has worked to continue to improve the electoral system and of our decade-long support to the Situation Room that has allowed the active participation of citizens.

    “It is fundamental to that process that citizens are able to turn out and exercise their franchise in a peaceful and conducive environment.

    “As the largest democracy in Africa, Nigeria’s leadership on electoral reform and practice is important for the continent and beyond, other countries look to Nigeria on democracy issues.’’

    Drew, therefore, said that the execution of the 2023 polls would be a significant milestone in this respect.

    “As a long-standing partner, we believe in Nigeria, and we believe in democracy in Nigeria, we are keen to see a successful general election in Nigeria,’’she said

    The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, represented by ACP Onaghise Osayande ,said the force was working to guarantee an enabling environment for the conduct of the 2023 elections.

    Baba, however, said that with synergy with other stakeholders, the elections would be free ,fair and credible in a peaceful atmosphere.

    He said that nobody was above the law ,and the force would prosecute electoral violators within the police.

    The I-G added, “by the grace of God, the elections will be free and fair and there will be no need to prosecute any officer because they will all behave well.’’

  • FACT-CHECK: Is INEC investigating Tinubu’s case of criminal forfeiture?

    FACT-CHECK: Is INEC investigating Tinubu’s case of criminal forfeiture?

    A trending Press Release purportedly issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the Commission had commenced an investigation into a case of criminal forfeiture against the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Party Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    The statement alleged that INEC was liaising with the Northern Illinois District Court in order to establish more facts about the case before taking a decision.

    “We are also studying the judgement in order to determine whether offences which contradict the INEC guidelines and Electoral Act 2022, has been committed,” it read in part.

    HOW TRUE IS THIS CLAIM?

    The purported statement released on Friday 11th November bore semblance with previously published statements by the Commission, signed with a signature that matched that of INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee Festus Okoye.

    However, the Commission on Saturday distanced itself from the statement, saying it is the handiwork of mischief makers and utterly fake.

    “A Press Release purported to have been issued by the Commission has been trending online since yesterday Friday 11th November 2022. It claims that the Commission has commenced investigation into a case of criminal forfeiture against one of the Presidential candidates in the forthcoming General Election.

    “The said Press Release did not emanate from the Commission nor is it pursuing the purported course of action.

    “Press Releases from the Commission are uploaded to the INEC Press Corps platform and simultaneously through our website and official social media handles,” INEC tweeted via its verified handle @inecnigeria.

    Further checks by TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) on the Commission’s website for Press Releases published on its verified Twitter handle did not show results for Press Statements. What this means is that not all Press Releases published on the Commission’s social media handles are published on the website as claimed.

    Verdict:

    The purported Press Released has been debunked by the Commission as fake and the public is advised to disregard the information.

  • INEC Chairman swears in 19 new RECs

    INEC Chairman swears in 19 new RECs

    Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on Thursday swore in 19 new Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), charging them to ensure strict compliance with the law.

    Speaking at the ceremony, Yakubu said that they must ensure transparency and non-partisanship in their conduct.

    “Furthermore, you will also interact with various stakeholders. You should maintain the established practice of consultation with them.

    “However, in dealing with the general public, you should be guided by the provisions of the commission’s Code of Conduct.

    “You should not be visitors to government houses and must never hold unofficial meetings with politicians, even after official working hours.

    “All matters pertaining to official responsibilities should be conducted in the office attended by the relevant staff and properly documented. This is your best protection against mischief.

    “Do not compromise the neutrality of the Commission or create the perception of partisanship,” he said.

    Yakubu also advised them to ensure that their loyality was to Nigeria, adding that INEC must continue to ensure that the choice Nigerians on election day prevailed.

    “I urge you settle down quickly and familiarise yourselves with the demands of your new responsibilities,always bearing in mind our commitment to free, fair, credible, transparent and verifiable elections.

    “With exactly 113 days to the 2023 General Election, we are aware that the task ahead of us is not easy but we must never disappoint Nigerians.

    “Our loyalty is to Nigeria and our allegiance is to Nigerians. Only their votes should determine winners in the 2023 General Election.Nothing more, nothing less.

    “There should be no deviation from this path of honour and integrity,” he said.

    He said that the only means for voter accreditation in the 2023 general election was the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) while results will be uploaded to the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV) in real-time on Election Day as provided by law.

    The new RECs included Uzochukwu Chijioke- Abia, Nuru Yunusa- Adamawa, Queen Elizabeth Agu- Anambra, Mohammed Nura -Bauchi, Samuel Egwu-Benue, Yomere Oritsemolebi-Cross River, Onyeka Ugochi-Ebonyi and Obo Effanga- Edo.

    Others were Ayobami Salami-Ekiti, Umar Ibrahim-Gombe, Sylvia Agu-Imo, Muhammad Bashar-Jigawa, Abdu Zango-Kano, Yahaya Ibrahim-Kastina, Ahmed Garki-Niger, Agboke Olaleke-Osun, Agundu Tersoo-Plateau, Nura Ali-Sokoto and Ibrahim Abdullahi –Yobe.

  • No plan to remove INEC Chairman – Femi Adesina

    No plan to remove INEC Chairman – Femi Adesina

    The Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Mr Femi Adesina, has dismissed speculations of a plan to remove the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and stop the use of Bimodal Voter Registration System (BVAS) in 2023 general elections.

    Adesina stated this at a policy dialogue programme organised to mark the 2022 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (IDEI), in Abuja on Tuesday.

    The policy dialogue, themed “Media, Civil Society and Violence-free Election in Nigeria”, was organised by the Ministry of Justice, Kano State Government and Managing Conflict in Nigeria Programme.

    Adesina advised journalists not to give attention to people with hiding intentions to disrupt the 2023 general elections by spreading rumour.

    “Recently, there was one group that said the chairman of INEC was going to be removed because may be they didn’t want BVAS.

    “How many times has the President spoken about the role of technology in getting him into office?

    “He has spoken about it locally, internationally that three times he contested three times he ended at the Supreme Court because the government of the day will just write results.

    “Then he said until technology came and there was a permanent voter cards and so it was difficult to write results.

    “So, how and why can the same person has issues with BVAS? I saw that group on television, alleging that there was plan to remove the INEC Chairman and the media gave them that opportunity.

    “Such things should be treated with contradictions because they don’t make sense, at least not under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari,” he stated.

    Adesina said that just on Monday, Buhari at a meeting in Imo, he also gave matching order to police to ensure 2023 general election is credible.

    “If you are going to rig elections, of course the police will be critical in rigging it and here you hear the president saying at every opportunity that don’t rig election.”

    Adesina said while Buhari has always described his commitment to credible elections, the media, the electoral management body and other stakeholders have critical roles to play to achieve that.

    Earlier in his remarks, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that the Federal Government was committed to supporting journalists in discharging their social and constitutionally guaranteed responsibility.

    Mohammed, who was represented by Adesina, said that the Buhari-led administration was doing that through the provision of enabling atmosphere for quality journalism practice.

    He said that has always demonstrated his commitment to freedom of information and quality journalism in Nigeria.

    Mohammed advised participants of the policy dialogue to acquire needed information to help create awareness that would promote credible and violence free elections in 2023.

  • 2023: We can’t force candidates to attend debates – INEC

    2023: We can’t force candidates to attend debates – INEC

    The Independent National Election Commission has said that it lacked the power to force any electoral candidate to attend a debate.

    INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu,  made this known yesterday during the quarterly consultative meeting with media executives in Abuja.

    According to him, debates are democratic rights and cannot be forced on any candidate and there were, however, “unspoken consequences” for those who failed to attend.

    He also stated that even in most advanced countries, nobody can be compelled to do anything in a democracy.

    He explained that debates, like voting, are a democratic right meant to better inform the voters and nobody can be compelled to participate in them.

    “I am not sure we can compel someone to attend the debate. You cannot do that,” he said.

    “Even in most advanced countries, you can’t compel someone to do anything in a democracy. Debate, just like voting, is a democratic right.

    “We know debates are to make citizens be better informed. However, there is an unspoken consequence for candidates not participating.

    “I also understand that some candidates prefer not to attend in order to avoid making mistakes that would drive voters from them.

    “We are, however, happy with the job the election debate group is doing. The effort of the media in this aspect should be supported, but they should also be non-partisan”.

  • 95 million Nigerians to vote in 2023 elections – INEC

    95 million Nigerians to vote in 2023 elections – INEC

    Not more than 95 million Nigerians will vote in next year’s general elections, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for 25th February, while the governorship and state assembly polls hold a fortnight after.

    At an event organised by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems at the NED headquarters in Washington DC, United States, the INEC Chairman, Prof, Mahmood Yakubu said: “There are 18 political parties in the race to produce the next President to be elected by 95 million voters. We had over 84 million registered voters in 2019. But with the last Continuous Registration of Voters, we are going to add at least 10 million Nigerians and that will take the register of voters to 95 million”.

    Yakubu further said: “The election is significant because the incumbent President is not eligible to run, this being his second and final term.

    “I say this and I won’t be tired of saying it to an audience like this: In West Africa, there are 15 countries including Nigeria. But the total number of registered voters in the 14 countries combined is 73 million. In Nigeria, it’s going to be 95 million”.

    The campaign for the elections have now officially commenced with the state elections – governorship and state assembly – being allowed from today to mobilise support. The presidential and National Assembly elections campaign had been flagged off two weeks ago.

  • CVR: INEC deletes 2.7m double registrants, PVCs ready in November

    CVR: INEC deletes 2.7m double registrants, PVCs ready in November

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said new Permanent Voter Cards will be made available by November.

    INEC Chairman Prof Mahmoud Yakubu said this yesterday at a National Endowment for Democracy (NED) event in Washington DC in the United States.

    Yakubu said 2.7 million double registrations were weeded out of the last Continuous Voters Registration exercise conducted by the commission.

    According to him, about 50% of the new PVCs are ready but yet to be distributed to collection centres.

    He also raised concerns about the rising levels of insecurity across the country, saying the Commission has its “fingers crossed”.

    “It is a perennial issue because, at the end of the day, it is not new but the dimension of the insecurity is new in the sense that in the past, it was localised or confined to a particular part of the country – the North-East but now, it is more widespread,” he said.

    “We are keeping our eyes, particularly, on the North-West and the South-Eastern part of the country. Elections are conducted by human beings. We worry about the security of our officials, materials, and even the voters themselves. Without them, elections cannot be conducted. ”

    The INEC chief, however, said they “have spoken to the security agencies and they have assured us that the situation will improve before the elections. So, fingers crossed.”

  • Telecom infrastructure critical for success of 2023 elections – Danbatta

    Telecom infrastructure critical for success of 2023 elections – Danbatta

    The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta has said telecom infrastructure is very critical to the success of the 2023 elections, and therefore, every Nigerian in every community should join hands in protecting them for the benefit of the country.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Danbatta said this in Lagos State at the 6th Edition of the Annual Conference of Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), which had the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu in attendance.

    The NCC EVC said that with the planned transmission of election data and results riding on telecom infrastructure, there was a need to ensure the fidelity of the transmission systems to enhance the credibility of such data.

    “If telecom infrastructure is vandalised or damaged, it would create problems in the area of the data transmission during election; citizens will find it difficult to use their phones to seamlessly communicate and the journalists too might find it difficult in being able to access their web platforms to disseminate necessary information which members of the public require to make informed decisions at every point in time,” he said.

    Danbatta recalled that over the years, the telecoms sector has continued to face destabilising situations arising from negative attitudes and actions of hostile communities; theft of diesel, batteries, and power generators from telecom base stations; digging up and cutting of fibre optic cables by construction workers; indiscriminate sealing/locking-up of Base Transceiver Station (BTS) sites by state governments, other governmental and community stakeholders; as well as other disruptive activities that must be decisively tackled.

    He reiterated the importance of telecommunications in all aspects of our lives, including the forthcoming election and other national activities and programmes, and said that without telecom infrastructure, it will be difficult to communicate with family and friends over long distances or conducting banking, insurance, or accessing government and other social services, including education, entertainment, and other essentials services that enhance quality of life.

    “This means that telecom infrastructure is important, and we must all ensure that we guard and protect those critical national infrastructural assets now, during the upcoming elections and thereafter. So, every citizen in Nigeria must take responsibility for the protection of telecom facilities for the benefits to all,” Danbatta said.

    He enjoined GOCOP members to use their credible media platforms and enviable experiences to collaborate with the NCC in creating greater awareness and public enlightenment on the need to protect telecoms infrastructure.

    At the event which was chaired by the Founder, Centre for Alternative Policy Perspectives and Strategy (CAPPS), Dr. Umar Ardo; with other personalities including former Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase; Regional Director Ford Foundation, Dr. Chidi Aniagolu-Okoye; and distinguished members of GOCOP, most of who are senior media professionals, Danbatta commended GOCOP members for their contributions in the promotion of awareness of derivable benefits of ICT through their online platforms.

    “The NCC would like to commend the leadership and entire members of GOCOP for the good work you are doing in your professional practice of disseminating timely and accurate information to Nigerians to enable citizens to take inform decisions”, he said.