The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: Inec

  • INEC issues final warning to parties on deadline for list, particulars of candidates

    INEC issues final warning to parties on deadline for list, particulars of candidates

    Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday, issued July 15 deadline final warning to political parties to upload the lists and personal particulars of their nominated candidates.

    It also urged the political parties to scrutinise the list and personal particulars of the candidates they propose to sponsor at the election to avoid any mix-up and duplication of names.

    In a statement by National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, the commission insisted candidates that emerged from validly conducted primaries would be accepted.

    Giving update on uploading of list and particulars of nominated candidates, the commission said: “By the timetable and schedule of activities released by the commission, political parties that conducted valid governorship and state Assembly primaries shall upload the list and personal particulars of their nominated candidates between July 1 and 15, 2022.

    “We urge political parties to scrutinise the list and personal particulars of the candidates they propose to sponsor at the election to avoid any mix-up and duplication of names. Political parties are advised not to wait until the last day before uploading the list and personal particulars of their candidates.

    “The candidates nomination portal will shut down at 6pm on July 15, 2022. Political parties that have challenges with uploading documents should contact the commission’s help desk, through the dedicated telephone lines or contact the candidate nomination centre at the commission’s headquarters.”

    On the issuance of certified true copies (CTCs) of documents, the commission noted: “We have been inundated with applications for CTCs of various documents. So far, 186 requests for CTCs, some running into hundreds of pages, have been processed. The commission is working round the clock, including weekends, to attend to all such requests.

    “We wish to assure political parties, aspirants, candidates, and all applicants for CTCs that their applications will be treated expeditiously and will be issued in earnest.”

    On the continuous voters’ registration (CVR) exercise, it announced that it would continue nationwide pending further directives.

    “The commission has consistently reiterated its resolve to continue to provide electoral services to the Nigerian people and register all eligible Nigerians that are interested in registering.

    “The commission has yet again deployed additional machines to areas of pressure and will continue to serve the people of Nigeria. Furthermore, the case at the Federal High Court relating to the terminal date of the CVR came up on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, and based on the request of the commission, the court granted an accelerated hearing and adjourned the matter to Monday, July 4, 2022 for hearing of the substantive matter. The commission will give an update after court hearing next week,” INEC said.

    (Sun)

  • INEC issues Parties, one week deadline to submit names of presidential candidates, running mates

    INEC issues Parties, one week deadline to submit names of presidential candidates, running mates

    Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued Friday June 17 deadline to the political parties to submit names of their presidential candidates and running mates to the commission.

    Commission’s Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, gave the order at a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja, yesterday.

    “For state elections (governorship/deputy governorship and state Houses of Assembly), the list of candidates shall be uploaded from July 1 to 15, 2022 as already provided in the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general election already released by the commission.”

    He further announced that the commission has eliminated physical interface between party officials and INEC staff for the purpose of submitting the list of candidates for the 2023 general election.

    Yakubu also revealed that a nomination centre has been set up at the commission’s headquarters to receive and process all nominations the political parties submitted online in a dedicated INEC Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP).

    “All political parties are required to upload the details of their candidates for each constituency to the INEC ICNP. To achieve this objective, four officials recommended by each of the 18 political parties were trained on the procedure for uploading the nomination forms to the dedicated web portal. Confidential Access Codes to the portal have already been given to each political party to facilitate the uploading of its nominations.

    “For emphasis, the commission wishes to remind political parties that only the names of candidates that emerged from democratic primaries as provided by Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2022 shall be submitted to the commission. Similarly, the list of all presidential and governorship candidates must be accompanied by the names of their running mates (i.e. vice presidential and deputy governorship candidates) without which the nomination is invalid.

    “All nominations must be uploaded to the portal on/or before the deadlines. The portal will automatically shut down at 6.00pm (1800hrs) on Friday, June 17, 2022 for national elections and 6pm (1800hrs) on Friday, July 15, 2022 for state elections” he said.

    (Sun)

  • We’ll suspend online voters’ registration May 30: INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it would suspend its ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) online pre-registration on May 30.

    INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, in his remarks at the commission’s quarterly meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on Wednesday in Abuja, said this would give time for online pre-registrants to complete their registration physically.

    “For this reason, the commission has decided to suspend the online registration in the next three weeks, that is May 30.

    “This will enable the online registrants to complete their registration physically at the designated centres before the exercise is suspended on June 30,” Mr Yakubu said.

    According to Mr Yakubu, the development would allow INEC clean up the registration data and print the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) ahead of the general elections.

    The INEC Chairman also disclosed that the commission would finalise the regulations and guidelines for the conduct of future elections by next week.

    According to Mr Yakubu, these include the forthcoming Ekiti and Osun Governorship elections and the 2023 General Election.

    (People’s gazette)

  • Presidential Primaries: Pressure mounts on INEC to extend deadline

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is under pressure to extend  the deadline for the conduct of primaries by political parties by some weeks.

    Section 29(1) of the new Electoral Act deals with the time frame within which political parties must submit their list of candidates before the general elections. It stipulates that parties must conduct primaries and submit their list of candidates at least 180 days before the general elections. Key political parties have fixed dates for the conduct of presidential primaries.

    Daily Sun, however, learnt that powerful interests within the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been mounting pressure on INEC for an extension to buy time to complete ongoing negotiations for the late entrance of their presidential aspirant.

    It was also learnt that the interest  had reached  out to the   opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other parties to get their buy-in.Both INEC and PDP , the source claimed , have rejected the move.

    The source said“The move is being resisted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political parties that are members of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC). They’re insisting that the primaries must be held as already scheduled by INEC in its elections guidelines,” a source privy to the deal said.

    Already, INEC has given the first week of June as deadline for political parties to conduct and submit names of candidates.

    It is unclear if the electoral umpire would  cave in and adjust its earlier elections timetable to accommodate concerns raised by the APC leaders.

    Daily Sun learnt that the entry of a new aspirant from the North East into the presidential race has altered the permutations in the APC. It was learnt that the new aspirant, whose entry has further polarised the APC is also causing ripples in the Villa.

    The source said: “INEC has been under immense pressure to adjust the timetable for political parties to conduct primaries. INEC is not succumbing . But the pressure keeps mounting. Unfortunately, INEC cant  get the buy-in of major opposition political parties like  the PDP and members of IPAC. Without their support, INEC can’t do anything.

    “It appears APC  has lost that fight. The new division in the party is over  the entry of a ranking member of the National Assembly into the race. He was suddenly drafted by financiers of a southern candidate who withdrew from the race citing the unwillingness of some powerful forces  in the APC and the presidency  to give him clear  assurance.

    “APC has a lot to do before the deadline. It has not set up a committee on zoning and time is not on its side. The coming weeks will be interesting and the party may face tough challenge  if it doesn’t manage the growing list of aspirants who want to succeed Buhari.”

    •APC extends sale of nomination forms

    As if to lend credibility to the extension plt, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC, yesterday,  announced extension sales of expression of interest and nomination forms to Tuesday, May 10.

    The party in a statement by the its National Publicity Secretary,  Felix Morka, also fixed a new date for congresses to elect local, state and national delegates.

    “In a revised timetable issued by the APC National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu, the last day for submission of completed forms and accompanying documents is now set for Wednesday, May 11 while congresses to elect Local Government Area (LGA), state and national delegates would now be Thursday, May 12 May to Saturday, May 14.

    (Sun)

  • Encourage the conduct of third-party testing of the INEC technology platform to ascertain its performance – Chidoka to INEC

    Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Osita Chidoka, has called for an integrity test on the technology of the Independent National Electoral Commission for the 2023 general election.

    Chidoka called on INEC partners to encourage the conduct of third-party testing of the electoral umpire’s technology platform to ascertain its robustness, integrity, and performance.

    This was contained in a statement signed by his Special Assistant (Media), Ikechukwu Okafor, that quoted Chidoka who spoke at a conference on US Policy and Nigeria’s 2023 elections held on Friday, March 11, at the Kenney Auditorium at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Washington DC.

    The former Minister of Aviation stressed that INEC’s improvement in the use of technology would be key to the success of the elections, adding that a third party test from consultancy firms would address the issues experienced during the Anambra governorship and the FCT council elections.

    Chidoka also praised INEC’s drive to adopt technology and continuous innovation, describing the slow adoption by political parties as the weak link in the political process.

    “The experiences of failures and downtimes affecting voter accreditation in Anambra and FCT municipal elections makes the testing and certification essential.

    “It is worrisome that a government agency, INEC, is leading technology adoption while the political parties are lagging and making little or no effort to adopt technology in their processes,” Chidoka stated.

    Commenting on the issues concerning the decline in voter turnout since the 2011 election, Chidoka argued that a decrease in voter turnout could be due to several factors.

    According to the former minister, these factors may include the increasing number of voters in the register without a corresponding clean up to reflect death, double registration and other issues that contribute to the growth of the voter register.

    He said, “INEC cannot determine Nigeria’s election voter turnout until the voter register is cleaned up through removal of dead people, de-duplication and clean up of the register started since 2011.”

    The conversations at the conference focused on ways US policy can strengthen democratic institutions in Nigeria and help the country manage its security challenges, and help affirm commitment to civilian electoral rule in Nigeria.

    Speakers at the conference included US academics such as Carl Levan, Peter Lewis, Darren Kew, US Deputy Assistant Secretary Bureau of African Affairs, Michael Gonzales and Brig. Gen Saleh Bala (retd).

    Nigeria Civil Society had Dr Hussaini Abdu, Ayisha Osori, Uge Timipanipre and Cynthia Mbamalu who joined online as panelists at the conference.

    Other panellists included Bishop Mattew Kukah, Oge Onubogu, Kole Shettima and DJ Switch.

    (Punch)

  • INEC – We don’t recognise Sani-Bello as APC chair

     

    There seems to be no let up in the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Yesterday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the party could only remove the National Chairman of Caretaker / Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Governor Mai Mala Buni, and other officers after a 21-day notice to the electoral body.

    INEC said it cannot attend the emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of APC next week because the party was yet to comply with relevant laws and regulations.

    It faulted the party for notifying it of its NEC meeting without the signatures of Buni and the Secretary of CECPC, Sen. John James Akpanudoedohe.

    It asked APC to follow due process if it wanted to effect change of leadership.

    INEC made its position known in a March 9, 2021 letter to APC by the Secretary, Mrs. Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

     

    (The Nation)

  • INEC urges FG to pass amended electoral bill

     

    Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, called on both chambers of the National Assembly to harmonise and speedily pass the amended Electoral Act Bill.

    INEC said it was already racing against time with regard to preparations for the 2023 general election, noting that the framework was needed to back up its actions.

    National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education (IVEC), Festus Okoye, made the call in Asaba, Delta State, on the sidelines of the opening of a two-day capacity building workshop for heads of Voter Education and Publicity (VEP) and Public Affairs Officers of INEC from the 17 southern states.

    The workshop was organised with support from the European Centre for Electoral Support (ACES) and the European Union. Okoye, who declared it open, told newsmen that the commission was determined to deepen democracy through a technologically-driven electoral process in 2023 and beyond.

    Explaining why the bill needed to be urgently passed and signed into law, Okoye said there was a provision in the proposed law for 360-day notice of elections before the commencement of polls.

    “And you know, INEC has already fixed February 18, 2023 as date of election, so when you count backwards, you will see there is a limited time within which we have to give the notice of election based on the new bill. The bill also makes it mandatory that election funds shall be released to the commission at least 12 months before any election.

    “So, we are desirous for the bill so that whatever fund is due to the commission for the purpose of procurement can be released so that we can procure ballot boxes on time, procure cubicles, procure additional BVAS and procure any other thing we need to procure on time and begin to prepare well for the conduct of the election.

    “Also, under the new bill, political parties are obligated to submit list and personal particulars of their nominated candidates at least 180 days to the election. The implication is that parties must conclude their primaries ahead of time, at least six months to election for them to remain within the framework.

    “National Assembly is aware of this, and we are confident as a commission, that whatever issues are involved relating to why the bill has not been passed would be resolved any moment from now. There are so many provisions in the bill that would impact fundamentally on the electoral process,” Okoye said.

    Addressing participants while declaring the workshop open, Okoye urged them to, as a matter of importance, assist their resident electoral commissioners (RECs) to engage the media.

    “Running away from the media will not make them go away. Engage the media within the ambit of your own ability and expertise. You must not be an orator. You must not be charismatic. Your business is communication and you must communicate in knowledge and humility,” he said.

    Project Coordinator, ECES, Hamza Fassi-Fihri, expressed the agency’s commitment to ensuring an efficient and seamless communication system in the nation’s electoral process.

    The REC in charge of Delta State, Monday Udo-Tom, expressed optimism that the outcome of the workshop would enhance INEC’s communication and perception management strategy, and also enrich the electoral process.

     

    (Sun)

  • Zoning: 2023 Elections

     

    When the news broke last Monday that APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu disclosed to Nigerians that he had been in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to inform President Muhammadu Buhari of his intention to contest for the nation’s top job next year, my mind was at once settled and in turmoil over the declaration.

     

    Settled because the man we all have come to know as the Jagaban has officially put to rest any doubts about his presidential ambition and confirmed that the activities of various support groups in the past few months were fore-runners of the big word from the big man himself.

     

    I was equally troubled because the announcement threw up the issue of rotation or zoning again.This is because after President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC, from the North, it had become the natural expectation that the next presidential candidate of the ruling party from the APC must come from the South, in line with the informal rotation credo of the power elite, irrespective of which faction, in which party, is in power at any time.

    By that, all competent Nigerians from the North, including those from Katsina, Buhari’s home state have been automatically excluded.

     

    Similarly, the main opposition party, the PDP, which practised and religionised zoning in the 16 years it held federal power is currently enmeshed in gritty politicking over which part of the country should get its presidential ticket.

     

    The argument in the PDP is worsened by the political arithmetic being peddled to the effect that in the 16 years of the PDP, the South held presidential power longest — eight years by Obasanjo, three years by late Umaru Yar’Adua, five years by Goodluck Jonathan, as a result of which the presidential ticket should go to the North, amid an uproarious clamour for a Southern president.

     

    I do not expect much from the other political parties, most of which are trading platforms and special purpose vehicles used to reclaim senatorial, house of assembly, and in some past cases, governorship seats.

     

    They will, after wheeling and dealing, announce that they have adopted the candidates of one party or the other.

     

    In September 2021, the governors of our Southern States met in Asaba, and among other things, declared in their communique that the next president of the country should come from the South.

     

    That resolution, along with their position on the issue of VAT generated much applause.

     

    I have never liked rotation, or zoning. My personal view of the idea is that it elevates the politics of exclusion to the high pedestal of political righteousness by justifying exclusion of one part with arguments in support of inclusion of the benefitting zone or region. The polemics change at every election cycle.

     

    The most potent argument against zoning, in my view, is that we stand to lose all the time by it.

     

    If the PDP arithmetic gains traction, it means another president from the North. On the converse, if the clamour for a Southern president succeeds, the best hands that this nation needs at these times may never smell the office. Zoning helped drive us to where we are today.

     

    Recall that in the November 5, 2021 edition of this column, I posited that religion and zoning are red herrings in Nigerian politics. They have, since 1975, been used by militicians (military politicians) to mask incompetence in the management of public affairs and institutionalise graft in governance.

     

    It has also been used to suck politicians of all ethnic groups into the dragnet of corruption in national life. Zoning is actually a creation of the military administration that succeeded General Yakubu Gowon.

     

    The Gowon Administration which preceded the Murtala/Obasanjo regime had as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters — Brigadier Emmanuel Ekpo, and later, Rear-Admiral Joseph Edet Akinwale Wey.

     

    As the names show, General Yakubu Gowon and his two chiefs were Christians, in addition to the Vice-Chairman of the Federal Executive Council, till 1971, being another Christian in the person of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Murtala Muhammed, a Moslem, had Obasanjo, a Christian as deputy.

     

    When Murtala died and Obasanjo succeeded him, he appointed Shehu Musa Yar’Adua as his deputy.

     

    That was the take-off.

     

    Today, zoning has become a mantra that must not just be sung by politicians irrespective of party affiliation, it has assumed the status of an unwritten political grundnorm.

     

    Whether I am right or wrong about zoning will not matter if we continue politicking the way we always do.

     

    As I write this, at least four politicians from the South have indicated interest in the presidency.

     

    They are Asiwaju Tinubu, David Umahi, Orji Uzor Kalu, and Dele Momodu.

     

    The number may increase by the time you are reading this. What I want all of us to take to the bank is that Southern Nigeria will splinter its electoral treasure, while those adept at political manipulation, and who always voted for politicians of their ethnic stock run away with the prize in 2023.

     

    Watch, and may The Almighty preserve us all till then and beyond.

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.vanguardngr.com

  • INEC: APC delays convention form sale

     

    The All Progressives Congress national convention may not hold in February as planned as the Independent National Electoral Commission has confirmed to The PUNCH that the APC has not informed the commission of any convention.

     

    Section 85 (1) of the Electoral Act says, “A registered political party shall give the commission at least 21 days notice of any convention, congress, conference or meeting convened for the purpose of electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any of the elective offices specified under this Act.”

     

    In a chat with The PUNCH, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said the APC had not yet sent any notification. He, however, said the party still had time to do so.

     

    He said, “Before any political party conducts its convention for the election of officers, it is required to serve the commission a 21-day notice as provided by Section 85 (1) the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). Between now and the end of February is more than the three weeks required by law. Therefore, while the party has not served any notice yet, there is still time to do so.”

     

    Two chairmanship aspirants told The PUNCH that the APC had not announced the sale of forms for all persons planning to contest positions of the National Working Committee.

     

    One of the aspirants said on the condition of anonymity that he was fearful that forms would be sold secretly in order to scheme out some people.

     

    He said, “Currently only Buni and his clique know what is happening in the party. There are 21 elective positions. So far, we are about 11 chairmanship aspirants alone. The APC has neither announced the sale of forms nor revealed the cost of the forms.

     

    “It is either they plan not to hold the convention next month or they are planning to sell forms to a few in order to deny others.”

     

    Meanwhile, it was learnt on Thursday that the crisis rocking the party had shown no signs of abating. Apart from in Gombe State where Governor Inuwa Yahaya and Senator Danjuma Goje have agreed to bury the hatchet, about 11 other states including Ekiti, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Kwara, Akwa Ibom, Zamfara, Kano are still facing internal frictions.

     

    Attempts to speak with the Spokesman for the APC, Senator John Akpan Udo-Edehe, proved abortive as he ignored repeated calls and three text messages.

     

    Chairman of Progressive Governors’ Forum, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, after a meeting with the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on November 22, 2021, said the President had approved February 2022 for the convention. However, no exact date was given.

     

    Stakeholders demand progressive govs DG’s sacking, threaten protests

    In a related development, stakeholders of the APC under the aegis of the APC Youth Development and Solidarity Forum have called on all governors elected on the platform of the party to sack the Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum, Salihu Lukman, with immediate effect.

     

    They said they were ready to stage a massive nationwide protest if Lukman continued as DG of the PGF.

     

    Their call came on the heels of an open letter authored recently by the DG and sent to party leaders, which he reportedly leaked to the media to achieve his “alleged objective of destabilising the APC.”

     

    The group, in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Tobias Ogbeh, noted that what Lukman had done was to practically provide reference materials for “a contrived PDP win in the 2023 general elections.”

     

    The National Coordinator of the group, Chief Donatus Okereke, told journalists in Abuja that the party was clearly not ready for a national convention with the crises engulfing some state chapters, urging the national leaders of the party to ensure “proper and thorough reconciliation” before any national convention is staged.

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • State Governors oppose direct primaries ammendment in the Electoral Bill

     

    Civil society groups on electoral reforms have said that state governors opposed to certain amendments in the Electoral Bill cannot dictate to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

     

    They described the position of some governors on the mode of primary and other items in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill as “unpopular and narrow,” stating that their interest should not override the public interest.

     

    The CSOs stated this in a statement titled, ‘Electoral Act: Governors cannot dictate to Buhari,’ issued on Sunday by the Executive Director, Adopt A Goal for Development Initiative, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, and endorsed by the Centre for Liberty, Raising New Voices, Youth and Students Advocates for Development Initiative, The Nigerian Alliance, The Art and Civics Table and Speak Out Africa Initiative.

    The coalition observed that since the President could not dictate to the governors what they do with bills passed at the state level, it was also his prerogative to sign the Electoral Bill into law based on popular demand.

     

    The CSOs also urged the governors not to obstruct the popular will of Nigerians on the bill, but they should concentrate on rebuilding their parties, ensuring internal party reforms, digitisation of membership registration and dues payments.

     

    The statement read in part, “The position of some of our governors on the new Electoral Act Amendment Bill is unpopular and narrow, and it conflicts with the public interest of Nigerians.

     

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    “Our governors should not serve as obstacles or constitute an impediment to the signing of the new Electoral Bill because it has substantially met the expectations of Nigerians.

     

    “It is the prerogative of Mr. President to sign the bill and make history, and it is not in the public interest for the governors to ask him not to sign it.

     

    “The President has a glorious opportunity to take a popular action, etch his name in gold and side with the people by signing the bill into law.”

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

     

  • Anambra Poll: INEC yet to distribute PVCs

     

    The Igbos for Progressive Nigeria has decried the Independent National Electoral Commission’s failure to give PVCs to would-be voters in the November 6 Anambra governorship election.

     

    The group expressed worry over the non-release of the permanent voter cards to those that participated in the last registration exercise, a few weeks to the poll, and described it as a dangerous signal.

     

    Michael Chibuzo, the national secretary of IPAN, said INEC should urgently distribute the PVCs to prospective voters.

     

    “I call on us all to be committed to a peaceful electoral participation by all – the elderly, young, and special persons, the future is ours to make,” said Mr Chibuzo.

     

    He also called on eligible voters for the November 6 governorship election in Anambra to be vigilant to perform their civic responsibility by voting right.

     

    IPAN advised the Anambra electorate to assess the governorship candidates based on their pedigree, either in private or public life, to determine who can manage the tiny resources of the state better.

     

    Lawrence Onuzulike, IPAN national president, made the charge at a press conference on Sunday in Awka.

     

    “Anambra cannot afford to make the mistake of voting in one who has no serious agenda for the people, who just wants to be called governor but does not have a purposeful vision,” said Mr Onuzulike.

     

    He added that the November 6 election is an opportunity to right the wrongs of the past, regretting that Anambra leaders in the past paid little attention to the issues that matter most.

     

    According to Mr Onuzulike, the incoming governor needs a political base  with a general spread.

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • Election technology: INEC commends NASS

     

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has lauded the National Assembly for empowering the agency to determine and deploy appropriate technology in future elections.

     

    The commission also appealed to the National Assembly to make broad provisions of laws to empower it to continue innovating without restriction to a specific technology.

     

    INEC’s Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this at a meeting with the Senate and House of Representatives Conference Committee on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 in Abuja, yesterday.

     

    “Understandably, the issue of technology in elections has dominated recent public discussions in Nigeria. The commission appreciates the decision of the National Assembly to empower INEC to determine and deploy appropriate technology in future elections. For us in INEC, this is one of the progressive decisions by our National Assembly. As you finalise on the Electoral Amendment Bill, I urge you to continue to endow the commission with power to determine what technology to deploy in our elections at the appropriate time.

     

     

    “One way of doing so is to make broad provisions of the law that will empower the commission to continue to innovate without restricting us to a specific technology, such as the Smart Card Reader, which could in due course become obsolete, inapplicable or irrelevant as is already the case, following the recent introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) by the commission. The commission looks forward to the conclusion of the process without which we cannot make the regulations and guidelines to give effect to the provisions of the law. Without the regulations and guidelines, we cannot finalise on the manuals for the training of officials that will conduct elections. There are extensive provisions in the current Bill that require clear guidance by the commission. With only 484 days to the 2023 general election, time is of the essence.”

     

    Yakubu said in addition to the Anambra State governorship election holding on November 6, the commission had already scheduled three major elections to be conducted next year.

     

    “First is the Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) holding on February 12, 2022, followed by Ekiti governorship election on June 18, 2022 and Osun governorship election a month later on July 16, 2022. The Commission also has five pending bye-elections made up of three federal constituencies and two state constituencies to contend with.

     

    “The Electoral Act is one of the most important laws in any democracy. Election is a process anchored on a legal framework. First is the constitution, followed by the Electoral Act. In all jurisdictions, the Electoral Act provides more detailed provisions to govern the conduct of elections and the electoral process. One of the unique aspects of the current amendment of the Electoral Act is that it started well ahead of the forthcoming general election, unlike previous exercises which came too close to elections. The importance of starting early is that it allows for a thorough debate by citizens on aspects of the Bill long after the conventional public hearing as witnessed recently. Clearly, the Electoral Amendment Bill 2021 is one of the most extensively debated Bills in Nigeria,” he said.

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com