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2023 Polls: INEC Prosecutes 774 Electoral Offenders

Published

5 months ago

February 7, 2025

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC said it currently prosecuting no fewer than 774 electoral offenders in the aftermath of the 2023 general election.

INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this on Friday at a consultative meeting with media executives in Abuja.

The disclosure came as a former Director General of the Nigerian Television Authority NTA, Dr Tonnie Iredia hailed the conviction of a Returning Officer in Akwa Ibom, Professor Ignatius Uduk, who was sentenced to three years in prison for publishing false election results and perjury.

Speaking on an Arise Television breakfast show monitored Friday in Abuja, Iredia said the political class should stop appointing politicians to the electoral commission.

According to him, each time somebody who has some political lineage is brought in, civil society will raise an alarm and nobody will do anything about it.

“The Senate Committee on Electoral Matters will tell you that they don’t see anything wrong about the person, so he will be cleared and he becomes an election umpire. At the end of the day, he embarrasses all of us.

“I think we should be able to follow the rules of the game because the election is based on rules. The Nigerian constitution says that anybody who has had anything to do with elections should not be an umpire. We don’t even need a constitution to say that because it’s common sense.

“I think that we probably need to change our approach to INEC and perhaps other agencies that are involved in the conduct of elections. We need an impartial election umpire.

“It is frustrating when people we consider credible, such as university professors, behave like political thugs and undermine the voting process.” He emphasised that those entrusted with conducting elections should prioritise national development over personal gain”, he stated.

Iredia commended the two judges who delivered the ruling in Uduk’s case, saying while fairness in judicial rulings should be the norm, it has become rare in Nigeria’s election-related cases.

“The two judges, I think that it is important to praise them, not because it is an extraordinary thing for a judge to do his job, but because we hardly find this type of situation in Nigeria. A lot of people, once it comes to election cases that are somersaulting. We need to praise these two judges and to expect that others will emulate them”.

Electoral offenders

Addressing the media executives, Yakubu called for their support in the area id electoral reforms.

“One of these areas of reform is the prosecution of electoral offenders. Judicial and legislative action in the last few days underscore our effort to deal with offences involving officials of the Commission assigned to carry out designated responsibilities. However, it also highlights the challenges we face in dealing with electoral offences.

“The recent successful prosecution of a Returning Officer in Akwa Ibom State is a case in point. The Commission has been diligently pursuing the case which arose from the 2019 General Election. In this particular case, it took nearly six years to achieve the successful prosecution at the trial court.

“Through our collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) cases involving 774 alleged offenders from the 2023 General Election are being prosecuted. So far, successful prosecutions have been recorded in Kebbi and Kogi States while our collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on vote-buying has yielded similar results in Lagos, Kwara and Gombe States. Yet, many cases are still pending”, he stated.

Yakubu explained that a major obstacle to the speedy dispensation of justice in this regard is that electoral offences are not time-bound as is the case with post-election offences through the tribunals.

“Furthermore, they are solely prosecuted by the Magistrate and State High Courts in the jurisdiction where the alleged offences are committed. No priority attention is given to such cases as the courts deal with a variety of other cases.

“Consequently, electoral offences are carried over from one General Election to another which may sometimes affect the diligent prosecution of the cases. It is therefore imperative to renew our call for the creation of the Electoral Offences Tribunal that have a specific jurisdiction and limited timeframe for the speedy dispensation of cases. I urge the media to join in this patriotic advocacy for the good of our electoral democracy”, he urged.

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Uproar As Senate Okays Non-indigene As Rivers Electoral Commission Chairman

Published

12 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Editor

There was an uproar in the Senate on Wednesday following the approval of a non- indigene, Dr. Michael Odey as the Chairman, Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC.

The confirmation of Odey, who hails from Cross River State, alongside other members of the Commission followed the consideration of the report of the Ad- Hoc Committee on Oversight of Emergency Rule in Rivers State presented by its chairman, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti Central).

The development sparked as a few senators objected the appointment of a non-indigene to head a sensitive position as that of a state electoral commission.

Those confirmed as members of the RSIEC are Mr. Lezaasi Lenee Torbira, Prof. Author Nwafor, Prof. Godfrey Woke Mbgudiogha, Prof. Joyce Akaninwor, Dr. Olive A. Bruce and Prof. Chidi Halliday.

Objecting to Odey’s confirmation, Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP Bauchi Central) said bad precedent should not be set by allowing a non-indigene to head the electoral commission of a state.

He said: “I objected as observed because if it is allowed and becomes the norm, it will not be well for the country.

“I do not see the necessity of having someone from another state to chair an electoral body.”

Also kicking against the approval, former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, (APC Borno South), said it is wrong to scout for a non-indigene for such sensitive position when there are over one thousand indigenes who are qualified.

Referring to a comment by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, the Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), said politics was infused into the matter.

“It is here that politics is brought into this matter. Nobody is objecting to the personality but to a question of morality this appointment has raised.

“I am not a lawyer and not talking law, we are talking about ethics. This is unethical. We should not intrude politics into what we do here,” Moro said.

But the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North), argued that Odey’s appointment is constitutional and that there is nothing wrong im the confirmation by the Red Chamber.

He said: “The constitution is the ground norm and inasmuch as there is no provision in the constitution that is against appointing a non-indigene, the confirmation is then in order.

“Any Nigerian is free to take up appointment in any state. I can be a governor in Benue State. We are talking about constitution, not morality.”

The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele while appreciating concerns raised, however, appealed that it is a matter that should not be politicized, saying “The matter does not call for grandstanding.”

He argued that Odey is both eligible and qualified as a PhD holder.

Bamidele disclosed that the committee had also raised similar concern during the screening exercise where he called on Odey to provide constitutional evidence of his eligibility.

He said the Odey is eligible and qualified, adding that having the six other members from Rivers State, picking a non-indigene as chairman would create room for transparency and neutrality.

In his remarks, the Deputy Senate President, Barau, who presided over the session, insisted that anybody can work anywhere in Nigeria.

Barau cited an example of an indigene of Edo State who is the Head of Service in Abia State.

He said the objection “is purely politics because it is coming from APC”.

In the same development, the Senate also confirmed the appointment of members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission and Local Government Service Commission nominated by President Bola Tinubu.

The Civil Service Commission consists of five members, including its Chairman, Dr Livinus Bariki, and Ambassador Lot Peter Egopija, Mrs Maeve Ere Bestman, Mrs Joy Obiaju and Mrs Charity Lloyd Harry as members.

Also confirmed are the chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, Mr Isreal N Amadi and Mr Linus Nwandem, Lady Christabel Ego, George Didia, Dr Tonye Willie D Pepple, Barrister Richard Ewoh, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ofik (rtd) and Dr Sammy Apiafi, as members.
(DAILY POST)

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Nigerian Senate Passes 2025 Budget For Rivers State

Published

12 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian senate on Wednesday, passed the 2025 budget of Rivers State, to the tune of N1.485 trillion.

The passage came after the third reading of the appropriation bill on the Senate floor.

This came after the upper chamber considered the report of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State during the Committee of Supply session.

DAILY POST reports that the bill seeks to authorize the issuance of N1,485,662,592,442 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.

According to the approved budget breakdown, N120.8 billion is for debt servicing, N287.38 billion is for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, and N1.077 trillion is for capital expenditure.

Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central), while supporting the passage of the bill, however, raised a concern regarding the additional 50 billion naira earmarked for the payment of outstanding pensions and gratuities.

The lawmaker charged the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee to carry out more rigorous oversight to ensure that the funds reach the rightful pension beneficiaries without delay.

DAILY POST reports that with the passage, the Rivers State 2025 budget will now proceed for assent and implementation.

It will be recalled that President Bola Tinubu in May submitted the 2025 Appropriation Bill for Rivers State to the National Assembly for consideration, after the suspension of the state’s House of Assembly.

In a letter addressed to the Senate President, Goodwill Akpabio, the proposed budget totals N1.481 trillion, with major allocations aimed at revitalizing key sectors.

The president also wrote to the House of Representatives for the Rivers State budget approval, reminding the House that the Supreme Court had nullified the 2025 budget presented by suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

News

Kebbi Govt Mulls Death Penalty For Bandit Informants

Published

12 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Editor

Kebbi State Government has said it would review existing laws to impose death penalty or life imprisonment on convicted informants aiding the criminals in the state.

This is coming in the wake of renewed attacks by armed bandits in parts of the state.

The State Governor, Nasiru Idris made this disclosure on Tuesday, when he paid condolence visits to Tadurga village in Zuru and Kyebu in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Areas, both recently targeted by bandits in attacks that claimed 30 lives.

The governor, while describing informants as deadly to society, reiterated his administration’s zero-tolerance stance on insecurity and promised to treat the issue with utmost seriousness.

He expressed sorrow over the tragic loss of lives, praying for the victims and asking Allah to grant the deceased Aljannah Firdausi and a quick recovery to those injured.

“We are here to see things for ourselves, commiserate with you and reassure you of the urgent steps we have taken to improve security,” he said.

The Governor called on the public to refrain from politicizing security issues or spread unverified information on social media, warning that such actions could jeopardise ongoing efforts to restore peace.

Responding, the Chief of Danko, Ibrahim Al’aji, and the Chief of Dabai, Suleiman Sami, appreciated the governor for his swift intervention and called for enhanced security measures, especially along routes used by bandits entering from neighboring states.

The Emir of Zuru, Rtd. Major General Sani Sami also expressed appreciation for the governor’s visit and ongoing commitment to security in the emirate.