Politics

2023: Low Awareness, Poor Turnout Trails INEC’s Display Of Voters Register – Group

Published

2 years ago

November 15, 2022

Editor

An election monitoring group, Yiaga Africa has observed a number of challenges and discrepancies already trailing the display of register of voters by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) across the country.

Recall that in compliance with Section 19 of the Electoral Act, 2022, INEC commenced the display of the Preliminary Register of Voters (PRV) for public scrutiny on Saturday 12 November and expected to be concluded on Saturday 25 November 2022.

In its preliminary assessment of the display exercise, Yiaga Africa criticised INEC over what it termed poor publicity, a development that is manifesting in low citizens’ awareness and late commencement of the process on November 12 when it kicked off the exercise.

It said reports across the states indicated a possible low citizens’ awareness and late commencement of the process, especially in Kano Central Senatorial Districts, where the process started late with centres opening at 1:00 pm.

In Oyo state, specifically in some wards visited in Egbeda, Yiaga gathered from the INEC officials that they were not aware of the assignment for the exercise until late in the day, hence low awareness of the display, claims and objections in the State.

It was also alleged that INEC did not display the temporary register on the first day of the exercise. While in Ibadan North, a lesser number of electorates came out on the first day to check their details on the register, and make claims and objections.

The monitoring group which deployed no fewer than 822 citizen observers spread across the 774 LGAs in the 36 states and the FCT also recorded a slow start in some of the wards visited in Delta, Ekiti , Kogi and Osun states due to a possible lack of citizens’ awareness.

It stated, “In Kogi state for instance, the process started at noon in Adumu Egume Ward and Ojikpadala ward in Dekina LGA. The same was also reported in Eni and Oshobane wards in Ogori Magongo LGA of Kogi state.

“No Public Display of the Register of Voters in some locations at Commencement: Reports from 28% or 420 of the 1,497 of the registration areas (ward) visited, revealed that INEC did not publicly display the temporary voters’ registers at the commencement of the exercise on Saturday, 12 November 2022.

“For instance, WTV observers reported that the process did not commence on day 1 of the exercise in some of the wards visited in Jigawa North East Senatorial District, Jigawa state. Also in most wards in Ife Central, Ife North, and Ede North LGA of Osun state.

“Reports from Kogi also noted the absence of a temporary register of voters in the Ejule, Ankpa, Ojoku and Enejma ward of the state. Reports from Delta State also revealed that due to the recent flooding challenge that affected 19 LGAs in the state, the Display, Claims and Objections did not commence in many communities and there were no INEC officials present to provide information on when the display will begin.

“The same goes for the hard terrains of the states. From Akwa Ibom, reports revealed that there was no Display of the Preliminary register of voters at the commencement date in the wards visited in Ikono, Etinan, Okobo, Urue Offong/Oruko, Ibiono Ibom, Ukanafun & Nsit Ibom LGAs.

“From Osun, reports indicated that the voters’ register was not displayed in most of the wards visited in Ife Central, Ife North and Ede South Local Governments on Saturday. The delay in commencement for Ede South LGA may be due to the fire inferno that engulfed the INEC office on Thursday, November 10, 2022.

“WTV Observer from Batsari LGA in Katsina State reported that the Register of Voters was not pasted on the walls, because only one(1) copy was provided and they were expected to make all necessary corrections on it and return it back to the INEC office at the end of the activity and display of all the 11 wards within the LGA was done in one ward (GPSS) Batsari.

“Absence of Revision Officers during the Display of the Register in some Wards visited: In Ngwa iyi ekwe ward 13 and in Ugwunago LGA in Abia State and Osuowerre Ward 1in Isiala Mbano LGA of Imo state, the Preliminary Register of Voters was displayed but there were no INEC revision officials present to provide assistance at the center this was also the case in Umu azu Central Primary School Ward 4, and Achala Uno Primary School Ward 5 in Oyi LGA, Ebogidi Akpu Ward 3 and Central School ukpo Ward 2 in Dunukofia LGA, Ogwu Ikpele Ward and Akili Ogidi Ward in Ogbaru LGA of Anambra State”.

In order to ensure the aims and objectives are sustained, the election monitoring group recommends to INEC to ensure that the Preliminary Register of Voters’ is permanently displayed in locations that are physically accessible to citizens for the duration of the Display, Claims and Objection Exercise.

It said INEC should provide information to voters in communities affected by floods on where their Display exercise will be conducted.

The group also noted that while it acknowledge that INEC has introduced the online process, it is important to note there are a large number of voters who are not tech savvy to leverage the online process.

“INEC and other stakeholders especially political parties should intensify the publicity of the Display, Claims and Objections exercise and also increase voter education on the importance of scrutinising voters’ review of the temporary voters’ register.

“Security agencies should ensure effective distribution and adequate presence of their personnel in all registration areas to neutralize threats and increase citizens’ confidence, especially in locations where there is a higher likelihood of intimidation and violence.

Citizens should continue to engage in the electoral process, especially by checking their details in the published voters’ register to ensure they can vote in the 2023 elections,” the group recommended.
DAILY POST

Politics

JUST IN: Ex-PDP Deputy National Chair, Oyedokun Defects To APC

Published

2 days ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, has resigned his membership of the party and announced defection to the All Progressives Congress.

Oyedokun, a notable personality within the political circle in Osun State and beyond, said he decided to dump the PDP after consultation with his loyalists.

He said he would be joining APC, where his experience, efforts, and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.

His resignation letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP through the ward, local government and state chairmen of the party obtained late Thursday further read, “As a functional member and leader of PDP (Ward 13, Jagun/ Osi-Bale Ode, Odo-Otin South Local Government, Osun State,) whose high electoral productivity and value have been credibly and positively acknowledged in my ward, across the local council, state and country-wide for the enhancement of the fortune of the PDP, I have the honour (though with pain) in announcing the renunciation of my membership of the party on principle, having observed that the ideals of we, founding members, had been sorely contaminated.

“In taking this step which is not even without due consultation with my teaming loyalists in the PDP, I have consequently decided to shift my allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where I believe my experience, efforts and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.”

Oyedokun’s defection to the APC is coming at the time the aspirant he supported during the 2022 Osun governorship primary of PDP, Mr Dotun Babayemi is also moving to the national ruling party.

Osun APC said on Wednesday that Babayemi and his supporters would be dumping PDP and joining the party at a rally scheduled to be held in Osogbo on Friday.
PUNCH

Politics

Poll: APC Has No Sellable Candidate, Nothing To Campaign On – Edo Govt

Published

5 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

The Edo State Government claimed on Monday that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has no credible candidate for the September 21 governorship election.

This was an assertion made by the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, at a press conference in Benin City.

Nehikhare also alleged that the party is using lies and propaganda as its campaign strategy.

According to him: “The only APC strategy for the governorship election is to resort to lies and propaganda. When a party takes lies and propaganda as an election strategy, it means it has nothing to offer the people. The party lacks people with character, capacity, and intellect.”

The commissioner who took journalists through a screened shot WhatsApp chat said: “What we have here is the official APC WhatsApp platform, their own people screenshot their discussion. One of them who has a conscience asks, is this the only thing we have?”

Nehikhare, who said APC is ashamed to campaign for its candidate, noted that, as of today, nobody had heard of what the party has for the state.

“All we heard is how they are going to help their paymaster, lies and propaganda that will not help the state,” he added.

He opined that lies and propaganda are not strategies the opposition party, like APC, can use to win the September 21 governorship election.

The commissioner, who warned against misinformation and fake news ahead of the governorship election, urged media practitioners to be neutral in matters concerning lies and propaganda.

He, however, noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration has a lot of achievements to market and sell its candidate for the election.

Politics

Defection: Edo Govt, Ex-PDP BoT Member, Idahosa In Verbal War

Published

5 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

Edo State government and a former member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, Charles Idahosa, on Monday traded words over the latter defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Recall that Idahosa resigned
formally resigned who had last month resigned from PDP, rejoined the APC on Monday in Benin City.

Speaking during his formal presentation to the APC in Benin City, he noted that he left the party four years ago due to internal crisis.

Idahosa added that he dumped the PDP because of what he described as the “damning deeds of the Obaseki-led administration in the last four years”.

He took a swipe at Obaseki for saying that PDP would win the forthcoming September governorship election with 80 per cent of votes.

“I thank God, four years later we all are wiser now. Like the Secretary said, I was a founding member of ACD, ACN and APC. The damage we did four years ago, the APC never remained the same.

“But I am glad we are back to the family. I was nominated to the Board of the Railway when I was in the APC. When I moved to the PDP, I wrote to resign my membership but it was rejected and showed my wide acceptance.

“At 71, I am not here to contest position with anybody, I am here to work. I want to urge APC to keep their eyes on the ball. It is not over until it is over.”

While lambasting Governor Obaseki for his comment that those leaving PDP have been given money, he noted that his greatest regret was not allowing the governor to resign after his first four years in office.

“When he came to beg me like a weather beaten chicken, how much did he give to me? Anytime he goes religious gathering he would say those leaving PDP have been given money.

“He came to me three times in my house to say he wants to resign, that he was tired of being governor but I appealed to him, telling him it was not about him but Benin interest.”

But in a swift reaction, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare alleged that Idahosa was never a PDP member.

Nehikhare noted that Idahosa was also never a BOT member of the party, because the party in the state rejected his nomination.

He alleged that it was as a result of the rejection that he found his way back to APC.

“I heard that he claimed to be a member of BOT of PDP but I want to challenge him to tell us when he was sworn in as a member of PDP BOT. He was not a fit and proper person. Even though he was nominated he was shunned by the party.

“It was this that drove him back to APC which he never left in the first place. He was holding on to the board appointment which was offered him while in APC prior to 2020 governorship election.

“He has reached the end of his political career. He has nothing to offer any political party or any group he joins because he believes in bread and butter politics,” Nehikhare said.