Politics

INEC In Dilemma Over Prosecution Of 1.1million Multiple Registrants

Published

3 years ago

April 17, 2022

The Independent National Electoral Commission says it has not ruled out the possibility of prosecuting the 1,126,359 persons involved in multiple registrations in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration. It said the figure represented those detected between June 2021 and January 2022 alone.

INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye, told Sunday PUNCH in an interview that the commission would decide on the issue after the completion of the CVR, scheduled to end on June 30, 2022.

Notably, Section 114 (b) of the Electoral Act (2022) reads, “A person who presents his or herself to be or does any act whereby he or she is by whatever name or description howsoever, included in the register of voters for a constituency in which he or she is not entitled to be registered or causes his or herself to be registered in more than one registration or revision centre…commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of N1,000,000 or to imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both.”

The Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, had said on Wednesday that in the first and second quarters of the CVR, covering June 2021 to January 14, 2022, the commission discovered invalid registrations while cleaning up the register. This, he said, was due to multiple registrations, failure of the Automated Biometric Identification System and incomplete data.

While describing the situation as worrisome, given the time and resources expended, he pointed out that 45 per cent – and 60 per cent in some states – of registrations conducted during the referenced period were invalid and that the infraction happened in all the states, with no exception.

Yakubu said, “It seems that many registrants, either out of ignorance that they do not need to re-register if they had done so before, or a belief that our systems will not detect this infraction, have gone out to register again. This is despite repeated warnings by the commission against this illegal action. These invalid registrations will not be included in the register of voters.

“This development is worrisome because of the time and resources expended in handling these cases. Even more disturbing are the strong indications that some of our staff members may be complicit.”

Yakubu noted that it was even more disturbing that some of the commission’s staff members could have been complicit in facilitating the infractions despite stern warnings. He said the commission was reviewing reports on such staff members and had commenced a detailed investigation, which might include the prosecution of those found culpable.

He noted that specific registrants associated with the infractions by the commission’s staff members might also face prosecution in line with sections 22 and 23 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

Okoye, however, noted that prosecuting over one million multiple registrants was no “tea party” and that some of the people did it out of ignorance.

He stated, “The commission has not ruled out the prosecution of multiple registrants. The commission will complete the registration before taking a position on the issue of multiple registrants.

“As pointed out by the chairman of the commission, some of the registrants did it out of ignorance, while some thought that our systems are not robust enough to detect them. Prosecuting 1,126,359 multiple registrants for the first and second quarters alone is not a tea party.”

Meanwhile, the commission has called on the National Assembly to expedite action on the bill seeking to establish an Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal for the purpose of handling electoral offences.

“The National Assembly must move and pass the bill for the establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal to handle cases relating to the arrest, investigation and prosecution of electoral offenders,” Okoye said.

‘Multiple voting no longer possible with BVAS’

Ahead of future elections, with the closest being the June 18 governorship election in Ekiti State, INEC said the Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System, introduced as a replacement for the card readers, would eliminate multiple voting.

The BVAS, according to Okoye, is a more modern and robust technology used for the purposes of voter registration, accreditation and uploading of polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing portal, known as iReV.

Okoye said, “The BVAS performs various and varied functions. It serves as an INEC voter enrolment device during voter registration, which was introduced to improve data capturing at the point of enrolling voters’ facials and fingerprints, migrating from the initial mono-biometrics of fingerprints to bimodal biometrics of fingerprints and facials.

“During elections, it transforms to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System during voter accreditation. The commission has added facial technology to the existing fingerprint technology. With bi-modal authentication, no person can come to vote more than once, as the face of the person would have been captured during authentication. During result upload, it becomes the INEC result viewing portal used to improve the openness and credibility of elections.

“The introduction of technology in the electoral process in Nigeria has been impactful. From the introduction of the smart card readers for authentication of voters to the present Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System, the commission has continued to sanctify the voting process by mitigating incidences of electoral malpractices and strengthening voter confidence in the electoral process.

“The commission believes that technology appropriately channelled can reduce pernicious human interference in the electoral process. The commission rolls out its technological innovations based on its satisfaction of its robustness and fit for purpose.”

Asked if the commission had procured all the BVAS machines needed for forthcoming elections, being a new technological innovation, he said, “The commission is procuring the BVAS in batches and a substantial number has been delivered to the commission.”

INEC to deposit uncollected PVCs with CBN

Owing to the growing voter apathy, which manifests in the usual reluctance of Nigerians to collect their PVCs or vote during elections, INEC has said it will mop up uncollected PVCs and deposit them with the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Asked if the commission had fixed a deadline for the collection of PVCs ahead of the 2023 general elections, Okoye said, “The Continuous Voter Registration is ongoing. The fourth and final phase will terminate on June 30, 2022. Thereafter, the supplementary voter register will be integrated with the main register and published.

“The commission has printed 1,390,519 voter cards for those who registered during the first and second quarters of the CVR. The commission has also printed a total of 464,340 replacement cards for those who applied for transfer and those who lost their PVCs or have defaced PVCs.

“The cards of those who registered during the third and fourth quarters will be printed ahead of the 2023 general elections. At the appropriate time, the commission will give the cut-off date for the collection of the PVCs and thereafter all uncollected PVCs will be mopped up and deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“The commission is doing its best to remain within the ambit of the law. Section 9(6) of the Electoral Act makes it mandatory that the registration of voters, updating and revision of the register of voters shall stop not later than 90 days before any election covered by the Act.”

PUNCH

Politics

FULL LIST: APC Sweeps Rivers Elections, Wins 20 Of 23 LGAs

Published

19 hours ago

August 31, 2025

Editor

The All Progressives Congress has emerged victorious in a landslide victory in the Saturday Rivers State local government elections, securing 20 out of the 23 LGAs.

According to The PUNCH, the Chairman, Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, Dr Michael Odey, announced the results at the commission’s Headquarters along Aba Road in Port Harcourt on Sunday afternoon.

According to Odey, the Peoples Democratic Party managed to clinch the remaining three LGAs.

The full list of chairpersons-elect is as follows:

1. Abua/Odual: Ofori Owolabi (APC)

2. Ahoada East: Solomon Achoma (APC)

3. Ahoada West: Eugene Epelle (APC)

4. Akuku Toru: Bob Fubara (APC)

5. Andoni: Lucky Promise (APC)

6. Asari Toru: George Onegiyeofori (APC)

7. Bonny: Abinye Blessing Pepple (APC)

8. Degema: Michael John Williams (APC)

9. Eleme: Obarilomate Ollor (APC)

10. Emohua: Chidi Loyd (APC)

11. Etche: Njoku Boniface (APC)

12. Gokana: Dekor Confidence (APC)

13. Ikwerre: Charles Wobodo (APC)

14. Khana: Bariere Thomas (APC)

15. Obio/Akpor: Gift Worlu (PDP)

16. Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni: Shedrach Ogbogu (PDP)

17. Ogu/Bolo: Vincent Nemioboka (APC)

18. Okrika: Akuro Tobin (APC)

19. Omuma: Obasi Uchechwuku (APC)

20. Opobo/Nkoro: James A. James (APC)

21. Oyigbo: Okechukwu Akara (APC)

22. PHALGA: Allwell Ihunda (PDP)

23. Tai: Mbakpone Okpe (APC)

The RSIEC Chairman also disclosed that certificates of return will be presented to the winners on Monday, September 1.

This election marks the first time the APC has gained such dominance in Rivers State since the return of democracy in 1999.

Politics

Keyamo Warns PDP Against Fielding Jonathan, Obi In 2027

Published

20 hours ago

August 31, 2025

Editor

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has warned that the Peoples Democratic Party risks serious setbacks in its 2027 presidential strategy if it opts for former President Goodluck Jonathan or ex-Anambra governor Peter Obi as its standard-bearer.

In a long post on his X account on Sunday, Keyamo said the opposition party remains in a “non-enviable position” after failing to zone its 2023 ticket to the South, a decision he said cost the PDP support in its traditional strongholds in the South-South and South-East.

Keyamo argued that nominating Jonathan carries a constitutional danger tied to section 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which he suggested could bar anyone sworn in twice as president from contesting again.

“If he is fielded, the Party runs the RISK of NOT HAVING A CANDIDATE AT ALL,” Keyamo wrote, warning that such a legal challenge would ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court.

“The constitutional amendment was made AFTER the court judgment which cleared him (Jonathan) to run in 2015, so nothing is decided yet on that new amendment, hence I use the word ‘RISK’ advisedly. All the arguments as to whether the section can be interpreted to affect him will not be decided on Social Media, but at the Supreme Court.

“If he is barred from running AFTER nominations have closed and the PDP is declared as having no candidate, nobody should scream ‘judiciary is corrupt’ because such a large party saw the judicial danger ahead and deliberately ignored it.”

He added that the party would bear responsibility if it ignored the legal risk and lost its candidacy after nominations closed.

“All the arguments … will not be decided on social media, but at the Supreme Court,” he said.

Keyamo also dismissed the likelihood of a successful South-West flagbearer for the PDP.

“If the PDP decides to field its most attractive S/West candidate, no other region of the country will vote for a fresh Yoruba candidate who would be eligible for a fresh two terms in office.

“And that candidate will battle with the well-oiled APC structures in the S/West. You need a majority of at least 3 to 4 regions in Nigeria to win the Presidency.”

On Peter Obi, the minister said bringing the former Labour Party candidate into the PDP fold would not solve the party’s problems.

He suggested doubts about Obi’s credibility, plus his past one-term pledge, could dilute support among his core followers.

“The principled ones amongst the ‘obidients’ will see him as going back to his vomit … and may not be too vociferous in their support anymore,” Keyamo wrote.

Concluding his assessment, the minister blamed the PDP’s current predicament on what he called its “original sin” of not zoning the 2023 ticket to the South.

“The young social media warriors may lampoon anyone talking about these zoning sentiments, but that is the REALITY of our politics,” he said, adding that unless “something EXTRAORDINARY happens, the Party may have to wait till 2031.”

The PDP has not publicly responded to Keyamo’s comments.

Politics

Ex-Tinubu Campaign Coordinator Resigns From APC

Published

20 hours ago

August 31, 2025

Editor

The former Tinubu/Shettima 2023 Presidential Campaign Coordinator in Zamfara State, Senator Kabiru Marafa has confirmed his resignation from the All Progressives Congress.

Marafa, who confirmed his registration to Channels Television via text message on Sunday, left the ruling party after a meeting with his political structure last Wednesday and Thursday.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the leaders of the group unanimously resolved to dump the APC over what they described as injustice, neglect, and worsening insecurity in Zamfara State.

They expressed grave concern over the deteriorating security situation, citing recent statistics that placed Zamfara as the state with the highest number of kidnapping cases in the country.

The group also accused the Federal Government of politicising insecurity during the recent Kaura Namoda bye-election, alleging that security forces were deployed to secure the APC’s electoral victory rather than protect lives.

“The entire structure with all its supporters hereby formally resigns from the All Progressives Congress in protest against the sustained injustice, mistrust, marginalisation, and deliberate neglect of Zamfara State and its people. We shall, in due course, announce our next political direction, guided by the collective interest of the good people of Zamfara State,” the communiqué, issued on Friday, partly read.

On political appointments, Marafa’s loyalists faulted what they termed the deliberate marginalisation of Zamfara, despite the state’s contribution to the APC’s 2023 presidential victory.

They noted that while other states in the North-West secured multiple ministerial slots, Zamfara got only one, and communities devastated by banditry attacks have received little or no federal intervention.

The statement, signed by Comrade Bashir Muhammad Mafara (Chairman) and Dr. Mannir Bature Tsafe (Secretary), added that the group will soon announce its next political direction in line with the aspirations of the Zamfara people.