Politics

Edo Guber: Govt, APC, INEC Trade Words Over Alleged Rigging Plot

Published

3 weeks ago

May 24, 2024

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo | Benin

The Edo State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Edo State Government, Friday, May 24, 2024, pointed accusive fingers at each others over alleged plot to rig the state governorship election slated for September 21st, this year.

State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Peter Igbingie, during a press briefing in Benin had raised the alarm that the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration in connivance with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has concluded plans to use the forthcoming Continuous Voters Registration, CVR, exercise to rig the governorship election.

But responding to the allegation, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, said “the APC are aware they have the worst candidate who they are finding difficult to market,” describing them as gathering of “confused people who have nothing to offer.”

The APC Publicity Secretary in the allegation further said the state government plot to rig the election,
ICT officials of the electoral umpire are the ones pencilled down to do the job for the Edo State government.

But INEC Head of Voters Education and Publicity in the state, Mr. Timidi Wareowei, denied the allegation, noting that if any party has anything against the commission, that should have been raised during a stakeholders’ meeting held on the 16th of this month where all parties were present, or better still approached the state Residential Electoral Commissioner whose doors, according to Wareowei, are always opened.

The state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation further responding said “allegation they made against INEC is like that of a man who is not prepared to write an exam that has been fixed for a certain date. We are embarrassed that this is the quality of opposition the APC is offering in the state.”

The APC image maker in the state further alleged that, working under the guise of no adequate personnel for the CVR exercise, arrangements have been allegedly concluded with INEC to “deploy the services of Edo teachers and civil servants in addition to members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, as Ad Hoc staff.”

He further said: “It has become expedient that our Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), raised this alarm and bring to the notice of well-meaning Nigerians, the ingnoble plans by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State to circumvent and rig the 2024 Governorship Election in the State using the forthcoming Continuous Voters Registration, CVR, Exercise as a formidable platform.

“Additionally, the APC has found out that Governor Obaseki is working closely with the head of INEC ICT unit so the PDP can manipulate the Voters Register and the BIVAs.

“We have on good authority and from multiple sources that some gullible officials of INEC in most of the 18 local government areas that make up our state, have approached the outgoing Edo State government to provide them with ‘logistics’ for the CVR. In anticipation, these unpatriotic INEC officials have promised to allow the PDP unfettered access to INEC data capturing machines.

“The APC is also aware that the INEC officials have hidden under the guise of no adequate personnel for the exercise, to make frivolous complaints to the outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki aimed at undermining the core mandate of the institution.

“Cashing in, the Governor has agreed with INEC to deploy the services of Edo teachers and civil servants in addition to members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, as Ad Hoc staff.

“He has promised to bankroll their stipends after the CVR exercise.”

The APC State Publicity Secretary who alleged that the state government has concluded plans to register underage persons with a view to giving such cards to adults to vote during the election, advocated “strict compliance with the INEC designated venues for the CVR exercise which is the Ward Headquarters.”

Igbingie also demanded the “immediate deployment of INEC Head of ICT in Edo State who we know is working closely with a female INEC staff in Bayelsa State: She is the wife of a PDP chieftain Edo State,” and “complete restriction of transfer of voters from neighbouring states during the CVR exercise.”

But in his response, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation fired back: “We want to say as a government that we are interested in our people coming out to register during the CVR exercise. That is what the government does. Also, political parties encourage the people to come out to register because it is the vote of the people that decides who governs them.

“When INEC graciously decided to resume registration of voters, we were excited and as a government encouraged our people to come out because we believe that it is when more people register, then the government can be held accountable.

“But APC has a party is disgruntled. Firstly, they have nominated a candidate that cannot express himself and they cannot sell to Edo people. They are worried about that, and instead of admitting to their failure, they are busy making allegations to an unbiased umpire, which is INEC.

“We are not saying that INEC is totally unbiased, but they have a duty to register voters and we will give them whatever support they need.

“The Edo State Government has nothing to do with the manipulation of the CVR. What we believe in is getting Edo people to come out and register. When they register, we know they will vote for us because they have seen what we have done. That’s why they are afraid, because their government has brought so much hardship to Nigerians with increase in the price of goods and services

“The election is here and they are afraid that Edo People will reject them.”

INEC head of publicity further noted: “All the parties were there and nobody raised any issues. Now, a party will now call a press conference and saying things. Our doors are open. It is not good to antagonize the commission when we have not done anything wrong. It is not fair that they have taken this old fashioned. This is not the way to go. If anyone has anything to say, he should come to the Resident Electoral Commission. It is wrong to dish out those allegations as we do not have anything to do with them.”

Related Topics:#edo poll #INEC APC Edo Guber PDP

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Politics

Edo Guber: Oshiomhole Advocates Peaceful Election As APC Inaugurates Campaign Council

Published

2 days ago

June 14, 2024

Editor

The Edo State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday inaugurated its governorship Campaign Council with the charge to members and supporters of the part work for the victory of the APC candidate.

Inaugurating the members of the campaign council which is made up of 36 directorates, a former governor of the state Senator representing Edo North at the red chamber, Comrade Asams Oshiomhole, expressed confidence on the caliber of persons in the council.

He opined that the APC is poised to dethroning the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from power in Edo State democratically, adding that “the APC is fielding a candidate with minimum words but maximum wisdom.

He said: “We are going to win this election democratically. We are campaigning for peaceful election and that is what democracy is all about.

“The campaign is operation win your unit, ward, local government and senatorial district. Talk to your uncle, nephew, neighbour who is a member of APC, and who has a son who is in APC.

‘We want to win this election democratically without violence. We are campaigning for peaceful change of government. That is what democracy is all about”, he submitted.

Speaking also, the Director-General of the campaign council, Sen. Matthew Urhoghide, thanked the party for the confidence reposed on the council.

He tasked members of the campaign council to work assiduous for the victory of the APC candidates, noting that “we have a job to do as we are fighting th replacement that the governor wants to impose on us”.

While appealing to aggrieved members of the party to shield their swords and work for the success of the party in the election, Sen. Urhoghide, admonished the APC candidates to shun any avoidable distraction from friends and relatives.

Earlier in his brief address, the acting State Chairman of the APC, Emperor Jarrett Tenebe, expressed confidence ob the composition of the campaign council.

He said that the state has never been polarised as obtainable currently, arguing that the state government has brought more hardship to the people than the way he met them.

On his party, the APC governorship candidate, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, promised to bring inclusive governance to the people.

Those who attended the inauguration include former deputy governors of the state, Hon. Pius Odubu, Mr. Lucky Imasuen, Gen Charles Airiavhere.

Others were former speaker of the state house of Assembly, Hon. Justin Okonebo, Hon. Gani Audu, Hon. Chris Okaebe, former APC chairman, Col. David Imuse (rtd), Hon. Osaro Obazee, Mr. Lawrence Okah, Edo State APC Secretary and Hon. Frank Ilaboya.

Politics

Ondo Poll: INEC Publishes Candidates’ Final List, Fixes Date For Campaigns

Published

3 days ago

June 13, 2024

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday released the final list of candidates for the Ondo State governorship poll.

The agency also fixed June 19, as the date for the commencement of public campaigns for the election scheduled to take place on November 16, 2024.

Seventeen political parties fielded candidates, but notably, no female candidates were among the governorship candidates.

However, one candidate from the African Democratic Congress is a paraplegic.

According to the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, the commission’s publication followed the replacement of candidates by two political parties, the New Nigeria Peoples Party and the Social Democratic Party, which conducted fresh primaries by the June 10 deadline.

Additionally, five parties; African Action Congress, the Action Democratic Party, the Peoples Democratic Party, the Peoples Redemption Party, and the Zenith Labour Party replaced their running mates only.

The final list, available at INEC’s Akure office and online, includes detailed information on the candidates’ age and academic qualifications.

“The Commission is pleased to announce the publication of the final list of candidates for the Ondo State Governorship Election. Following the initial primaries, the Commission published the personal particulars of the Governorship candidates and their running mates in the State and Local Government offices.

“In line with the provision of Section 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, two political parties conducted fresh primaries to replace their earlier nominated candidates and their running mates by the deadline of June 10, 2024. The parties are the New Nigeria Peoples Party and the Social Democratic Party, while five only replaced their running mates. They are the African Action Congress, the Action Democratic Party, the Peoples Democratic Party, the Peoples Redemption Party and the Zenith Labour Party.

“Overall, seventeen political parties are fielding candidates for the election. No political party has nominated a female candidate while one candidate nominated by the African Democratic Congress is a person with disability (a paraplegic). The final list also gives the breakdown of the candidates by age and academic qualifications.

“The list has been published at our office in Akure and also uploaded to our website and social media platforms for public information,” Olumekun said.

As public campaigning begins on June 19, 2024, INEC has emphasised the need for civility and adherence to legal guidelines, urging parties to avoid incitement, violence, and voter inducement.

The national commissioner added that campaigns will run until midnight on November 14, 2024, just two days before the election on November 16.

He said, “With the publication of the final list of candidates, the next activity is an electioneering campaign. As provided by Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, campaigns by political parties in public shall commence not earlier than 150 days before polling day and end 24 hours before that day.

“Therefore, political parties are now permitted to start the campaign in public from Wednesday, June 19, 2024, and end at midnight on Thursday, November 14, 2024, as indicated in items 8 and 12 of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election.

“As parties commence this critical phase of the election, the Commission once again reminds candidates, agents and their supporters of the provision of the law and the Commission’s guidelines governing such activity.

“For emphasis, parties shall conduct their campaigns with civility and decorum.”

Politics

Release Young People Arrested During ENDSARS Protest, Shehu Sani Appeals To Tinubu [VIDEO]

Published

4 days ago

June 13, 2024

Editor

Senator Shehu Sani has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to pardon the young protesters arrested and still being detained over the #EndSARS protest in 2020.

In 2020, some Nigerian youths had taken to the streets to protest against police brutality and the situation in the country. The protest led to attacks on police stations, formations, and officers across the country.

While some of the arrested protesters were released, others are believed to continue being held up in various police stations.

While speaking at the Democracy day Presidential dinner held at the State House Conference Centre Abuja, Sani said those who took part in the protest should also be considered as champions of democracy.

Watch video below: