Politics

Group Drags INEC To Court Over Vote-buying In Ekiti

Published

2 years ago

July 24, 2022

Editor

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has filed a lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission for “failing to prosecute those suspected of vote-buying and electoral bribery during the recently concluded Ekiti State governorship election.”

SERAP noted that according to reports, there was a brazen pattern of vote-buying and electoral bribery at several polling units during the recently concluded governorship election, including bargaining prices for votes and payments made in uncompleted buildings.

In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1189/2022 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP sought “an order of mandamus to direct and compel INEC to seek and obtain detailed information about reports of vote-buying by the three leading political parties in the 2022 Ekiti State governorship election.”

SERAP also sought “an order of mandamus to direct and compel INEC to promptly and effectively prosecute those arrested, and to bring to justice anyone who sponsored, aided and abetted them.”

SERAP is arguing that, “Vote-buying is a threat to fair and representative elections. Vote-buying amounts to undue influence and improper electoral influence.”

According to SERAP, “Wealthy candidates and their sponsors ought not to be allowed to profit from their crimes. Arresting and prosecuting vote-buyers will end widespread impunity for vote buying ahead of the February 2023 general election.”

SERAP is arguing that, “Vote-buying encourages poor governance and weakens citizens’ capacity to hold their ‘elected officials’ accountable for their actions.”

SERAP is also arguing that, “Vote-buying undermines the ability of INEC to discharge its responsibilities under Section 153 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended), paragraph 15(a) of the third schedule of the Constitution, and the Electoral Act 2022.”

SERAP is also arguing that, “Corruption of the ballot box intrudes on the freedom of Nigerian voters to make up their own minds. Vote buying and other forms of electoral corruption freeze out the less wealthy candidates and parties.”

SERAP is arguing that, “When political candidates or their sponsors decide to buy the support of the people rather than contest fairly for their votes, there are possibilities that such candidates and sponsors will show a disregard for democratic rules and a disposition to adopt illegal means becomes inevitable.”

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi, read in part: “Vote buying is entirely an act of election malpractice connected with vested interest since an election can be said to be free and fair when it is devoid of vote buying.

“Ending impunity for vote-buying and electoral bribery would contribute to free and fair elections. A corruption-free electoral process is essential for building public confidence in the electoral process, and the credibility and legitimacy of the 2023 elections.”

“One of the people’s most sacred rights is the right to vote. INEC has a constitutional and statutory responsibility to ensure the effective exercise of the right of all eligible voters to participate in their own government in free and fair elections.”

“Preventing and combating vote buying and electoral bribery would advance the people’s right to vote and to participate in their own government, as well as bolster the ability of INEC to effectively discharge its constitutional and statutory mandates.”

“Many years of allegations of vote-buying and electoral bribery and entrenched impunity of perpetrators have undermined public confidence in the electoral process.”

“Prosecuting allegations of vote-buying and electoral bribery would be entirely consistent with the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the country’s international human rights anti-corruption obligations.”

“Agents of the three dominant political parties in the state, namely the All Progressives Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Social Democratic Party were reportedly involved in buying votes across the state, and voters offered as high as N10,000 in exchange for their votes.”

“The Nigerian Constitution provides in Section 14(1)(c) that, ‘the participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.’”

“Section 145(2) of the Electoral Act provides that, ‘a prosecution under this Act shall be undertaken by legal officers of the Commission or any legal practitioner appointed by it.’”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

PUNCH

Related Topics:#INEC Ekiti SERAP Vote-buying

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Politics

JUST-IN: PDP Clears All 33 LGA Chairmanship Seats In Oyo

Published

17 hours ago

April 28, 2024

Editor

The Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) has declared all the 33 candidates of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winners in the local government areas elections conducted across the state on Saturday.

The declaration on Sunday came amid controversy of irregularities as echoed by the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), which alleged irregularities in the voting process.

The APC in the state while the exercise was ongoing on Saturday had described the election as a sham which it noted was capable of causing the Pacesetter state untold disrepute if allowed to stand.

The opposition party then sought the rescheduling of the election for another day when OYSEIC “is ready to conduct a free, fair and credible poll.”

Oyo State APC Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, in a statement regretted that “another opportunity to deepen democracy and return power to the people at the grassroots has had to be missed due to the insensitivity and insincerity on the part of the ruling class in the state.

“With what is happening at the moment in most Polling Units across the state, Gov. Seyi Makinde has again disappointed the whole world. He promised the people that their votes would count today but the opposite is the case. The good people of the state desired to participate in an election to elect a new set of council officials but what they are experiencing is nothing but a sham.

“Even if OYSIEC comes out later to declare all the candidates of the APC, we would not rate this election as credible and acceptable as it falls below the minimum global standard of election conduct. The best thing is for the Commission to suspend the exercise and choose another date for a proper conduct rather continue to connive with a few anti-democratic elements in the ruling PDP to perpetrate electoral fraud and desecration of democracy in the land,” the statement read in part.

The Oyo state government however disagreed, insisting that the victory of all PDP candidates in the Saturday’s elections was predictable.

The state Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, after the announcement of the results, attributed the victories of the PDP candidates to outstanding performance of Governor Makinde in the last five years.

The Commissioner also attributed the election result to the quality of the candidates which the ruling party presented.

“This is a glowing tribute to the governor and his government as this is the last election under his watch till 2027 when he and the just elected LG chairmen and councillors will end their tenures.”

He lashed out at the opposition for starting to rehearse their complaints barely 30 minutes to the commencement of the elections as early as Saturday morning.

Oyelade charged them to behave like sportsmen and stop mixing fantasy with democracy.

The Commissioner hailed the commitments of the security team, the OYSIEC chairman and his team for daring to make a difference after the challenges of the past two local government elections.

Politics

Ondo 2024: lT Expert Emerges As SDP Candidate

Published

20 hours ago

April 28, 2024

Editor

An Information Technology expert, Dr. Segun Oyebolu, weekend emerged the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic party, in Ondo state.

Oyebolu, will be the party’s flagbearear in the November 16, governorship election in the state.

He emerged during the party’s governorship primary held in Akure, Ondo state capital.

The election, was supervised by the officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies.

Speaking at the end of the exercise, the Chairman of the partys primary committee in the state, Joseph Abu, declared Oyebolu as winner

of the exercise having polled 59 votes of the 60 votes cast by the party’s delegates.

Abu who explained that one of the votes was voided, described the election as free and fair and devoid of any rancour or any trouble.

He said that “We have a single candidate and all the delegates voted for the candidate.

” I want to assure you that SDP will win the next governorship election in the state come November by the grace of God.

“I want to thank the people of Ondo state for embracing our party and I am assuring them that SDP will deliver dividend of democracy at their doorsteps.

In his acceptance speech, Oyebolu, assured that his government will focus in freeing the state from the vested interest that had contributed to the underdevelopment in the state.

Oyebolu said that “enough is enough, we are taking our state back”.

“This is therefore a notice to Governor Ayedatiwa to start parking his bags and baggages as our dear Ondo State prepares to replace him with SDP.

“We are duly set to uproot the APC from Ondo State Government House. This is therefore your quit notice served in advance.

“For many of our people yearning for a new day and a new hope – My administration will bring back the good, old days.

“The many destructions wrought on us as a people shall end and in November 2024, SDP shall indeed begin the emancipation of the South West.

” I want to reassure you that the days ahead will witness challenges which collectively we shall overcome as we prepare to return power and comfort to our people”

According to him, SDP is a better alternative to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

He said the ruling party in the state had not changed the lives of the people for better but said the SDP was ready to find solution to the problems of Ondo State if voted to power in the November governorship election.

He noted the current economic crisis facing the people of the state was as a result of the maladministration and ineffective leadership on the part of the party in power in the state.

“We are here today to signal a completely new path, new way and new mindset. What you may call a shift from the unrealisable transformation programme of the APC.

“Our party seeks new way and better alternative entrenched in integrity of managing people, infrastructure and economy for people’s empowerment and emancipation,” he said.

He expressed assurance that the party would defeat the APC and PDP to win the governorship election, said the party is ready to work for the people of the state to rebuild and reposition the state.

The National Secretary of SDP, Dr. Olu Agunloye, while reacting to the primary exercise said “the issue at stake in Ondo State is about ensuring a breakthrough to take the State from its present moribund state to become a prosperous model state.

“This is by leveraging on its abundant human and natural resources, not about the despicable struggle for the purse strings of the State to perpetuate further underdevelopment because of personal interests and unethical agenda.

“In our great Party, the Social Democratic Party we are focused on efforts to move the State forward to social justice, peace, progress, and prosperity”

Politics

Edo Poll: AAC Guber Candidate Unveils ‘Humanity First Manifesto’, As Thousands Of LP Members Defect To Party

Published

21 hours ago

April 28, 2024

Editor

Thousands of Labour Party, LP, members in Edo State on Sunday defected to the African Action Congress (AAC) at the official flag-off of the campaign of the governorship candidate of the party, Dr Udoh Oberaifo.

INFO DAILY reports that Edo State governorship election holds September 21st, 2024.

The defectors drawn from the three senatorial districts of the state, formally defected to the AAC alongside the running mate to Oberaifo, Lord Osunde, who was said to have been a staunch member of the LP and a pioneer Edo Obidient Movement leader.

The running mate who told newsmen that he had defected to the AAC two months ago before the official unveiling, was the organiser of the first Two Millions Obidient Movement Walk in the state in the build up to the 2023 general election.

Speaking at the event, the gubernatorial candidate, Oberaifo, said he decided to make Edo people first in his agenda if elected, hence christening his manifesto ‘Humanity First’, meaning the people (Edo people) first.

A cross section of party members at the event on Sunday, April 28, 2024.

“By God’s grace, my leadership, if elected, will stand for true leadership; will stand for a new perspective; will stand for vibrancy. My government will stand for innovation, and it will answer all the questions of Edo people especially the youth and the women and Edo people in general.

“Humanity first at this time means Edo people first. The People before politics; the people before power mongering; the people before godfatherism; the people before profits. You must put the people first as a good leader, and you will get it right. That means that when you see people through the eyes of God or the way God sees them, you will definitely get it right. I repeat, humanity first,” he declared.

The governorship candidate who said the AAC was an alternative to rescue the state and its people from political, social and economics quagmire it has found itself, lamented that the state had experienced the era of PDP and APC without tangible results.

Speaking on how he intends to develop the state, Oberaifo said being a young businessman, he intends to invest hugely in small businesses in the state, adding that this will boost the state’s IGR and also reduce unemployment.

He said: “We must empower our small businesses. It is the sure way and the easiest way the government can raise IGR. An IGR is what we need to develop our state. it is the only way the government can solve the problem of unemployment.

“When you empower MSMEs, they are better, they create jobs. And when they create jobs, the unemployment rate reduces. The people will have more jobs because if I empower you now, I support you by giving you all you need for you to run your business, one year time, you might employ ten, and five years time, you might employ 20, and the chain continues.”