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

CSO, PDP Bicker Over Fagbemi’s Stand On Osun LG Crisis

Published

16 hours ago

June 27, 2025

Editor

An Osun-based civil society group, The Osun Masterminds, has urged the State Government to respect the opinion of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, regarding the leadership crisis rocking local government areas in the state.

The group said Fagbemi, being the number one law officer of the federation, his opinions on issues relating to law are not just official, but are also binding.

This was disclosed by the Executive Director of the group, Prof. Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, while speaking with journalists at the monthly media briefing of the organisation held in Osogbo on Friday.

Oyedokun-Alli, who said accused the state government of disregard for, not just the Appeal Court, but also the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, adding that the group has studied several legal positions on the Osun local government disputes and came to the conclusion that the government was swimming against the tide of clear court pronouncements.

“We are to point out, however, that the utter disregard for, not just the Appeal Court, but also the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, by the Osun State Government is a matter of grave concern. Where we understand that the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, is the number one Law Officer of the Federation, we must realise that his opinions are not just official, they are also binding.

“We have studied several legal positions on this matter, especially from highly revered silks who have dissected the pronouncements of the Court, and one thing remains obvious – the Osun State Government is swimming against the tide of clear Court pronouncements.

“The question that begs answers, however, is why the Osun State Government is so unwilling to work with Local Government Chairmen elected under a different political platform. Where we respect the principles of separation of powers, should we not be willing to work together even if the political parties are not the same? Has the APC-led Federal Government refused to work with the Adeleke Government because it is of the PDP?”, Oyedokun-Alli said.

Calling on the stakeholders to prevail on the Osun State Government to end the LG crisis, Oyedokun-Alli, however, urged the residents, regardless of party affiliation, to cohabitate in peace.

Responding to issues raised by the group, the spokesperson for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, Oladele Bamiji, said TOM was a partisan organisation that has consistently supported the All Progressives Congress in the state.

Bamiji further said, “Their so-called ‘civil society’ posturing has long collapsed under the weight of its hypocrisy and shameless servitude to the dictates of APC in Osun and beyond, and it is sad they are dead to their dented image out there.

“TOM has again confirmed to the people of Osun that it is nothing but a busy body propaganda irritant of the APC, issuing monthly rankings, not out of civic concern but to earn its monthly stipend from its political sponsors.

“We find it laughable and frankly disturbing that any group claiming to possess civic literacy would hold binding the personal opinion of a political appointee like the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, over and above the ruling of a competent court of law.”
(PUNCH)

Politics

BREAKING: Confusion As APC Chair, Ganduje Resigns

Published

21 hours ago

June 27, 2025

Editor

National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, has resigned from his position, Saturday Vanguard has learned.

Although the exact circumstances surrounding his resignation remain unclear as of press time, a senior party official confirmed the development, stating simply, “Yes, it is true. He has resigned.”

Sources revealed that Ganduje’s personal belongings were earlier moved from his office at the APC national secretariat, further fueling speculation.

The development has thrown the party’s headquarters into confusion, with staff and visitors visibly shocked by the unexpected news.

Politics

‘Peace Has Returned To Rivers’ — Wike, Fubara Speak After Meeting Tinubu

Published

1 day ago

June 27, 2025

Editor

After months of political tension and division in Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, have publicly declared an end to their rift, assuring residents that peace has finally returned.

The truce followed a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Thursday night, where both leaders, along with other stakeholders, reached a resolution to work together for the state’s progress.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, expressed gratitude to God for the breakthrough.

Wike said, “I want to give God the glory that today is the 26th of June 2025, that peace has finally returned to the state. We all agreed to work together with the governor, and the governor also agreed to work together with all of us. We are members of the same political family.”

He acknowledged that disagreements are part of politics but emphasised that the resolution marked a fresh start for the state.

He said, “Just like humans, you have disagreements, and then you also have a time to also settle your disagreements, and that has been finally concluded today, and we have come to report to Mr President that is what we have agreed.

“So for me, everything is over, and I enjoin everybody to work together with everybody. There is no more acrimony; there is nothing to say. We have disagreed; we have all agreed on everything, so thank God. For me, it’s a day we have to thank almighty God.”

Governor Fubara, who also spoke to journalists, said the return of peace is crucial to the state’s development.

He said, “For me, it’s very important that this day has come to be. What we need for the progress of Rivers State is peace, and by the special grace of God this night, with the help of Mr President and the agreement of the leaders of the state, peace has returned to Rivers State.”

Fubara pledged to do everything within his power to sustain the peace, describing it as a step toward lasting stability and governance in the oil-rich state.