Politics

INEC In Dilemma Over Prosecution Of 1.1million Multiple Registrants

Published

2 years ago

April 17, 2022

Editor

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

Edo Poll: LP Group Hails Tinubu For Adhering To Zoning, Says Party Has Murdered Sleep In The State

Published

1 day ago

May 2, 2024

Editor

A pressure group known as Shine Your Eyes Group, ( SYEG), Thursday, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leaders of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Edo State for adhering to the principle of fairness, equity in the choice of it governorship candidates and running mate.

The group in a statement signed by its Chairman, Comrade Jonah Ifada and Secretary Osagie Omoregie, and made available to INFO DAILY late Thursday night, said the LP has murdered sleep in the state when the leadership of the party decided to go against the core principle of fairness, equity and justice by throwing a candidate from Edo South in a skewed primary.

The group members who are members of the LP in the state, was apparently reacting to a news report by the Benin Youth Council, (BYC), on Wednesday where its appealed to Barrister Ken Imansuangbon to sheath his sword and join hands with Olumide Akpata in his governorship bid.

Shine Your Eyes Group said Akpata should rather step down to a more popular Imansuangbon to avoid embarrassment at the September 21st governorship election in the state, noting that it is not the turn of Edo South.

The group argued, “Look at what President Tinubu and the leadership of APC did in Edo State. They decided to abide by the principle of fairness, equity and justice which are fundamental to any development just like what the PDP did. The Labour party should have taken a cue from the APC.

“Are you saying Olumide Akpata is more popular than great and experienced politicians like Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Lucky Imansuen and others who decided to drop their ambition in support of zoning? Akpata should do the needful and step down for Imansuangbon now and save the Labour party from shame. Imansuagbon has vowed to fight his case to a logical conclusion”, SYEG noted.

Recall that Imansuangbon had gone to court to challenge the emergence of Olumide Akpata as the candidate of the Labour Party.

Imansuangbon, in his petition, stated that Mr Olumide Akpata committed offences ranging from giving false information to the acquisition of citizenship of another country, which is a grand departure from the Nigerian Constitution’s accepted norms

The educationist wanted the court to determine whether Akpata “has not supplied or otherwise given false information to the INEC within the meaning or contemplation of the provisions of section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022 read together with section 182(1) (a) and (j) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), among other allegations.”

Politics

Edo Poll: Youth Leader Tackles Orbih, Shaibu Over Anti-Ighodalo Stance, Wants Them Suspended

Published

2 days ago

May 1, 2024

Editor

The Deputy National Youth Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, Timothy Osadolo, has called on the leadership of the party to suspend the National Vice Chairman, South-South of the party, Dan Orbih, and other members of the Legacy Group, including former deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, who have vowed to work against the party in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.

Osadolo said the declaration by Orbih and the members of the Edo PDP Legacy Group was tantamount to anti-party activities, saying they should be sanctioned.

The Edo PDP Legacy Group had met in the three senatorial districts of the state with the latest on Sunday in Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area of the Edo Central Senatorial District, where they declared their reservations on the way Governor Godwin Obaseki had treated them after they helped him to realise his second term ambition in 2020.

The group, which has the former deputy governor, Shaibu, former Speakers of the state House of Assembly, Kabiru Adjoto and Frank Okiye, in its ranks, vowed to work against the party and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, if their grievances were not addressed.

Orhib said, “With all that is before us today, it is not about the PDP, APC or Labour Party. What is before us is the future of Edo State. Whoever will address the problems of our people and give our people a strong sense of belonging is the person we are going to vote for. Let us pray to God to give us the wisdom and direction we must go. We cannot be fooled a second time.

“About two days ago, I saw my name in a campaign council and I have come out clearly to decline to serve in the Edo state PDP Governorship Campaign Council. My decision rests on how I feel. The members of the PDP are badly treated after the reelection of Obaseki.”

However, in a statement on Tuesday, the PDP National Youth Leader said Orbih and his group should be suspended for anti-party activities.

Osadolor said: “A few days ago, what seemed unbelievable happened in Ogbona, the village of Dan Orbih and a few hours later in Edo Central, where members of a group that fancies itself as Legacy Group within the PDP, organised a show where they declared their resolve to work against the PDP in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.

“As odious as this inconsiderate and unfortunate statement of theirs was, it was nothing compared to the disappointment, when you noticed that the leader of the pack is Orbih.

“This is a man that despite all PDP has done for him, and given him, has not been able to say thank you to the PDP by assisting in even producing a councillor in his ward. It is on record, the most miserable years of the PDP in Edo State were under his over-a-decade chairmanship, wherein the PDP lost elections.

“At the last NEC of the PDP, a disciplinary committee was set up by NEC. Moreso, the NEC gave the NWC powers to act on its behalf, pending the next NEC. Having heard the unfortunate comments by Orbih, where he openly said he would not be voting or working for the PDP to win and also asking people to do the same, it is important that the NWC do the needful by wielding the big stick on Orbih and his co-travellers.”

Osadolor said he was not surprised at the conduct of Shaibu, given that he was recently removed as deputy governor.

“The case of Comrade Philip Shaibu, a newfound ally of Orbih, can be explained, after all he has put himself through in these last few weeks, being human, can make one act in a diverse way.

“This is the time for PDP NWC to show Nigerians that it is a serious party that wants power and believes in the principle of justice, fairness and discipline. The time to start sanitising the PDP is now and a first bold step in this direction is to suspend Orbih for open anti-party activities,” he said.

Politics

Why Candidate Who Needs Interpreter Can’t Be Edo Gov – Shaibu

Published

2 days ago

May 1, 2024

Editor

A former deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has said any governorship candidate who can not speak the Edo dialect cannot govern the state.

Speaking during the Edo Central PDP leaders and stakeholders meeting held in Irrua, the administrative headquarters of Esan Central Local Government Area of the state on Monday, Shaibu said he would support only a homeboy to become the governor of the state.

He added that a candidate who needed the help of an interpreter did not qualify as a homeboy because of his inability to speak the dialect of the Edo people.

He stated, “Today, we have decided that a homeboy that we know will become the governor of Edo State. You already know that Edo born in Lagos State is not a homeboy.

“Is somebody who comes here with an interpreter a homeboy? So, if that is a minus it means we will look for a homeboy.”

Although Shaibu didn’t mention the candidate he was referring to, the governorship candidate of the PDP, Asue Ighodalo, had been under fire after he hired an interpreter to announce his intention to his kinsmen at a ward in Ewohimi, Esan South East Local Government Area of the state earlier.

Ighodalo was seen in a video when he met with his kinsmen.

In the video, Ighodalo, who was vying for the PDP ticket then, addressed the crowd in English Language to seek their support while an interpreter translated his words into the Esan Language.

Also speaking, the party’s National Vice Chairman, South-South Zone, Dan Orbih, vowed not to campaign for the party if the crisis in the party is not solved.

Orbih said the re-election of Godwin Obaseki has only brought pain and anger to members of the party and the people of the state at large.

“In Edo State PDP, all is not well. Until I see concrete steps taken by the PDP government in the state to address all those issues that we have raised in the cause of our campaigns, until I see concrete steps to address the promises we made to the Edo people, I will not be able to face anybody to say vote the PDP at the next election.

“If they can treat you the way they treated you, you can imagine what it will be if we allow them to continue. I can see pain and anger in the faces of our people and members. I can not pretend to say all is well and I have come out clearly to decline to serve in the Edo State PDP governorship Campaign Council. My decision is based on how I feel. Members of the PDP were badly treated after the re-election of Godwin Obaseki,” he stated.

Prior to the PDP governorship primary election, Obaseki and Shaibu, along with their supporters have been in disagreement over who will be the PDP’s candidate.

Ighodalo, however, emerged as the winner of the PDP primary election with Shaibu being impeached as the deputy governor of the state.

This, however, deepens the division within the state chapter of the party as opposition gathers within the party against Obaseki and the party’s candidate.