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Edo Guber: INEC Cautions Politicians On Use Of inflammatory Languages

Published

5 years ago

August 20, 2020

Political parties and their candidates for the forthcoming Edo State governorship election have been charged to eschew the use of intemperate, inflammatory, and base language designed to inflame passions or incite violence as the election draws nearer.

Festus Okoye, Esq, National Chairman, , Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, IVEC, gave the charge Thursday in Benin at a workshop organised for journalists in the state.

The workshop was titled: 2020 Edo Governorship Election: Processes and procedures.

Okoye urged stakeholders to therefore conduct their activities in a manner that does not jeopardize the due and constitutional conduct of the election.

According to him, the Commission has deployed all the non-sensitive materials required for the conduct of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections, stressing that training for all categories of ad-hoc staff towards a successful election is in full gear.

He added that the Commission is conducting the Edo and Ondo governorship elections and fifteen outstanding bye-elections within the context of COVID-19 pandemic that has substantially altered the previous ways of doing things.

” Furthermore, the Commission has deployed all the non-sensitive materials required for the conduct of the Edo and Ondo Governorship Elections.

” The training of all categories of ad-hoc staff is in full gear and all the sensitive materials required for the conduct of the election will be delivered ahead of time.

” As we have pointed out, the Edo and Ondo Governorship elections are end of tenure elections with strict and immovable constitutional and legal timelines,” he said.

Speaking on the training for journalists, Okoye said INEC identifies the media as an important and indispensable component of democracy process hence the training.

He noted that the programme was part of a series of measures put in place by the Commissions to engage all critical stakeholders in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State, and that the media role cannot be underestimated.

He said, “The media is an important and indispensable component of the democratic process, and we will continue our robust partnership with members of the 4th estate of the realm as we seek to consolidate Nigerian democracy.

” This programme is part of a series of measures put in place by the Commissions to engage all the critical stakeholders in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State. The Commission is aware that it can only communicate effectively when the media understand and key into its processes and procedures especially at this difficult period.”

While thanking the media for the support in the past, the INEC Commissioner urged the media to be alive to its responsibility of holding public institutions and individuals accountable for their actions.

“We urge the media to be alive to its responsibility of holding public institutions and individuals accountable for their actions. The media must continue to name and shame those that dwarf the prestige and integrity of our country and bring the electoral process to disrepute,” he said.

On his part, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Edo State, Dr. Johnson Alalibo said the workshop becomes necessary due to the new processes and procedures in conducting election that has been occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stating that journalists are saddled with the responsibility of informing the public what is happening in the society, Alalibo noted that this makes the workshop apt and timely.

“It is therefore important to note that the advent for the COVID-19 as changed the narrative of the processes and procedure of conducting election.

“It is pertinent for journalists to be conversant with the new processes and procedures in conducting election in this pandemic era,” Alalibo noted.

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NiMet Predicts Three-day Rain, Thunderstorms From Monday

Published

9 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

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JUST IN: Ooni Visits Olubadan-designate Ladoja In Ibadan

Published

15 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday, paid a visit to the Olubadan designate, Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The PUNCH reports that Oba Ladoja will be installed as the 44th Olubadan on Friday, September 26, 2025, following the demise of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who joined his ancestors on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 90 years.

The two paramount rulers are currently exchanging pleasantries.

Details later…

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JUST IN: FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses Over Unpaid Fees

Published

15 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has announced a fresh revocation of not less than 1,263 mineral licenses.

These licenses, which will now be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.

The minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, gave the revocation announcement in a statement issued by his special assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday in Abuja.

The minister explained that the directive was issued due to the companies’ failure to comply with the requirement of paying their annual service fees.

The latest revocation brings the total mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3, 794 including,619 mineral titles revoked for defaulting in paying annual service fees and 912 for dormancy last year.

By opening up the areas formerly covered by these licenses, the revocation is expected to spur fresh applications by investors looking for fresh opportunities.

The statement read, “Not less than 1,263 mineral licenses will be deleted from the portal of the Electronic Mining Cadastral system of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, MCO, following their revocation by the Federal Government.

“These include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.”

Approving the revocation following the recommendation of the MCO, the Minister said applying the law to keep speculators and unserious investors away from the mining sector would make way for diligent investors and grow the sector.

“The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder, while financially capable and industrious businessmen are complaining of access to good sites, is over.

“The annual service fee is the minimum evidence that you are interested in mining. You don’t have to wait for us to revoke the license because the law allows you to return the license if you change your mind,” the minister said.

He warned that the revocation does not mean the Federal Government has pardoned the annual service debt owed by licensees, adding that the list will be forwarded to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission to ensure that debtors pay or face the wrath of the law.

“This is to encourage due diligence and emphasise the consequences of inundating the license application processes with speculative activities.”

In the recommendation to the minister, the Director-General of the MCO, Simon Nkom, disclosed that there were 1,957 initial defaulters when the MCO published the intention to revoke licences in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025.

He informed the minister that the gazette was distributed to MCO offices nationwide to sensitise licencees and encourage them to comply within 30 days in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations.

He observed that the delay in the final recommendation was due to complaints of several licensees who claimed to have paid to the Federal Government through Remita and had to be reconciled.

Earlier this month, the DG MCO had hinted that more mining licences would be revoked as part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the solid minerals sector and protect investors from fraudsters.

According to Nkom, the clean-up exercise, which covers expired, speculative, and inactive titles, is necessary to make room for genuine investors and ensure compliance with the law.

This is part of ongoing efforts at sanitising the sector since the inception of the Tinubu administration, and the salutary effects of the reforms are massive and manifest despite the attempts to push back by defaulters and their agents.