Politics

INEC Worries Over Pre-election Violence In Edo

Published

1 year ago

July 30, 2024

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, on Monday expressed concerns about the political tension in Edo State ahead of the September 21 governorship election in the state.

Yakubu said INEC would be meeting with security agencies to address the concerns.

The INEC Chairman, speaking at the quarterly meeting with political party leaders in Abuja, on Monday, called the attention of the stakeholders to the recent attack on the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Edo State, which led to the death of a security officer.

He said with 53 days until the Edo election, some political parties had still not submitted the list of their polling and collation agents, adding that the portal would close on Tuesday (today).

Speaking on deadlines, the INEC chairman said only 14 political parties had uploaded details of the polling agents and collation agents for the Edo election.

He announced that three parties had yet to upload a single polling agent, while five parties had not uploaded agents for ward, LG and state collation centres.

“As of yesterday, Sunday, 28th July 2024, 14 political parties have uploaded the details of 38,354 polling agents and 819 collation agents for the Edo State governorship election.

“Three parties are yet to upload a single polling agent while five parties have not uploaded a single agent for ward, local government and state collation centres. The deadline is tomorrow, Tuesday 30th July, 2024 when the portal automatically shuts down at midnight. I urge you to ensure that you meet the deadline so that the commission can produce the accreditation tags and deliver them to you for distribution to your agents in good time.”

He called for compliance with stipulated rules and guidelines to ensure a smooth process.

“Campaign by political parties and candidates is in full swing in both Edo and Ondo states. This is the time for party leaders to demonstrate compliance with the commission’s regulations and guidelines for political parties, especially the aspect dealing with rallies, processions, and campaigns already available on our website.

“As a reminder, however, hard copies of the document have been included in your folders for this meeting. The campaign period has often been characterised by acrimony and tension. Sadly, it is also a period of verbal abuse and physical confrontation among parties, candidates, and their supporters.

“The commission finds the recent event in Edo State, resulting in the death of security personnel worrisome. Happily, there has been no incident known to the commission since then. Nevertheless, the commission will meet with the security agencies under the auspices of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.

“I want to assure you that security in Edo and Ondo will be a major issue to discuss at the meeting. We are as concerned about the safety of your candidates, agents, and supporters as we are about the security of our officials, observers, journalists, service providers, and, above all, the voters,” he said.

Speaking on the preparation for the election, the INEC chairman said, “It is now 53 days to the Edo State governorship election coming up on Saturday, 21st of September 2024.

“Our preparations are going on in earnest. I am glad to report that we have recovered from the torrential rainfall that resulted in the severe flooding of our state headquarters in Benin City two months ago.”

The INEC chairman revealed that additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines had been provided to Edo State to train election duty personnel and for contingency support on election day.

He continued, “The damage to the physical infrastructure has been fixed. Vehicles have been repaired while other movable and immovable facilities have been serviced, refurbished or are being gradually replaced.

“We have delivered additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines to Edo State for the training of election duty personnel as well as contingency for Election Day support.

“We have since published the final list of candidates but we are once again sharing the list with party leaders at this meeting, given the recent court order mandating the commission to replace the running mate of the candidate of the Labour Party. The amended list is already published on our website.”

Yakubu added that after completing the Continuous Voter Registration process, the register was displayed for claims and objections from citizens.

He explained that data clean-up was performed using the Automated Biometric Identification System and the final register for the 2024 governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states is currently being completed.

“Before the end of this week, the commission will publish the final figures of new voters in the states as well as their distribution by gender, age, occupation, and disability.

“Thereafter, the timetable for the collection of uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards from previous registration and new registrants from the latest CVR will be published.

“The commission is aware that according to our timetable and schedule of activities, the voter register will be published no later than 30 days before the date fixed for the election.

“We wish to reassure the chairmen of political parties that each party fielding candidates in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State will receive the softcopy of the register on August 20, 2024, while that of Ondo State will take place on October 15, 2024,” he said.

The Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Yusuf Dantalle, said as a key player in the political process, IPAC remained steadfast in its commitment to ensuring electoral integrity.

He said the organisation was dedicated to upholding the sanctity of the ballot box, respecting the will and mandate of the people, and promoting political stability and the well-being of Nigerians.

Dantalle stressed that IPAC’s efforts were focused on maintaining the credibility of elections and supporting the democratic process to benefit the entire nation.

He called for the immediate scrapping of the States Independent Electoral Commissions as a way of deepening democracy in the country.

“The charade called elections SIECs conduct is an aberration, dent and mockery of our emerging democracy; a waste of taxpayers’ money that ought to have been channelled to developmental projects.

“To restore confidence in the electoral system, INEC should be empowered to conduct all LG elections. Politics is local, citizens should be encouraged to actively participate in grassroots politics and contribute to building a better society.

“In this vein, IPAC calls for the amendment of the Constitution and the Electoral Act to empower INEC to conduct all LG polls. Council rejects the proposed bill by the Senate to create the so-called Local Government Independent Electoral Commission, bearing in mind that it would be another SIEC in disguise.

“It is unacceptable, ill-conceived, another electoral jamboree that will impede the nation’s democracy and waste public funds at a time when citizens demand a smaller government to reduce the cost of governance,” the IPAC chairman said.

Speaking on the elections in Edo, he said: “For the Edo State governorship election, the die is cast. There is no substitute for a free, fair, credible, transparent, inclusive and peaceful poll.

“The success of this election along with Ondo’s election will go a long way in restoring trust in the democratic process essential for enduring representative governance.

“Flawed elections that produced incompetent leaders are the remote cause of economic stagnation, political upheavals, and socio-religious disharmony in the polity, as the imposed leaders seek personal interests in place of national interest,” he added.

PUNCH

Politics

JUST IN: El-Rufai Formally Joins ADC

Published

2 hours ago

November 27, 2025

Editor

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has formally joined the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

El-Rufai, a founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, left the party earlier this year for the Social Democratic Party, SDP.

In his resignation letter from the SDP, dated November 26, 2025, the former governor stated that his focus is on contributing to the strengthening of a unified democratic platform that can offer a credible political alternative to the people of Nigeria.

“I wish to notify that I have resigned my membership of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, effective 26 November, 2025,” he said.

Politics

Wike Bloc Asks Court To Nullify PDP Convention

Published

1 day ago

November 26, 2025

Editor

The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order nullifying the party’s convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State on November 15 and 16 by the faction aligned with the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde.

The suit marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/250/2025, has as plaintiffs the PDP, its Acting National Chairman, Mohammed Abdulrahman, and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.

They are asking the court to declare the convention and all resolutions “null, void and of no effect.”

They want the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the convention.

The move follows earlier legal actions by aggrieved PDP members who argued that proceeding with the convention violated the party’s internal rules, the Electoral Act, and other statutory provisions.

Previous complainants include Imo PDP Chairman Austin Nwachukwu, Abia PDP Chairman Amah Abraham Nnanna, and South-South PDP Secretary Turnah Alabh George.

On October 31, 2025, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja restrained INEC from recognising the convention.

In a separate suit, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido successfully challenged his exclusion from purchasing a nomination form to contest for national chairman, with Justice Peter Lifu ordering that the convention should not proceed unless he was allowed to obtain the form.

In contrast, Justice A. L. Akintola of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, issued an interim order permitting the PDP to hold the convention as scheduled.

Despite the conflicting rulings, the party went ahead with the Ibadan event under heavy security, during which Anyanwu, Wike, former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose, and eight others were expelled.

In the new suit dated November 21, the plaintiffs listed 18 defendants, including INEC, the Inspector-General of Police, the FCT Commissioner of Police, the State Security Service, and several PDP officials.

They allege the convention was conducted “in flagrant disregard” of three subsisting Federal High Court orders and seek to prevent recognition of the new officers, restore access to party offices at Wadata Plaza and Legacy House, and compel security agencies to enforce the earlier judgments.

The plaintiffs also request judicial determination on whether any authority can lawfully recognise the Ibadan convention in light of the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the PDP constitution.

The suit has not yet been assigned to a judge, and no hearing date has been fixed.

Politics

Crack In Edo APC As Group Accuses Party Chieftain Of Acting Opposition’s Script

Published

2 days ago

November 25, 2025

Editor

All seems not well with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a pro-APC group known as Sustainable Development and Progress accused a chieftain of the party, honourable
Luqman Mohammed of playing the script of the opposition parties to destabilise the APC in Edo North Senatorial District.

This, according to the group, is responsible for the sharp division in Etsako West Local Government Area.

A statement by the spokesman of the group, Peter Mohammed, the body accused Mohammed and “his cohorts of convening a secret meeting at the residence of a top chieftain of the party where it was decided that the destabilization of the APC would begin from Edo North ahead of the 2027 General election.”

The cracks in the APC were sad to become obvious when Mohammed, who they claimed is an ally the immediate past Attorney- General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, (SAN), allegedly led some leaders to suspend Alhaji Shaka Okwilague, the leader of ward 11 in Etsako West Local Government Area (Edo North ) of the state.

This action, according to the group, worsed an already tensed political situation in Edo North APC, and in retaliation, the suspended leader, Okwilague alongside other members moved against those that they claimed are behind the suspension—allegedly led by Mohammed.

The APC group also accused the former Edo State House of Assembly member of being a mole and a willing tool planted by the opposition leaders to destabilise the existing peace in the party.

The group alleged that “Luqman Mohammed attends APC meetings during the day and PDP’s meetings at night,” and vowed to expose and resist his efforts.

The group, while stating that Mohammed’s action amounts to “…working against the interest of the party,” alleged that “his recent outburst against the party was part of PDP and ADC’s plots and called for a thorough investigation of the weighty allegations.”

Meanwhile, a communique issued by the Ward Executive Committee and leaders
Etsako West Local Government Area, a resolutions, part of which is the suspension of some executive officers, and members.

The communique reads: “The ward 11 APC Executive Committee and leaders held a meeting on Monday 10 November, 2025 at 6:00 pm in the party secretariat Jattu-Uzairue Etsako West Edo State.

“The meeting aimed to discuss the following. The purported suspension ‘carryout’ (sic) by the Ward Chairman, Secretary and Youth Leader against Uzairue Leader Alhaji Shaka Okwilague aka Shamac.

“Anti-party activities fractionalizing and creating parallel party disobedience in carrying out lawful directives of the party. The meeting was focused to know if those allegedly suspended ‘violate’ article 21 of APC party constitution.

“It was unanimously agreed to set up a disciplinary committee to investigate and report back to the house which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino.

“According to the disciplinary committee set up which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino, the Ward Chairman Daudu Jafaru Abubuakar, the Ward Secretary Yusuf Bala Bello and Youth, leader Francis Aliu ‘contravene’ and violated the article 21 of APC party constitution thereby recommended immediate suspension for them.

“At the end of the investigation the Ward Executive Committee (WEC) considered the report of the disciplinary committee which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino. Having carefully reviewed the finding and recommendation, the Ward Executive Committee resolved to approve their immediate suspension from the APC in Ward Eleven.

“Their actions had undermined the unity and integrity of the party, warning them against identifying as a member or acting on behalf of the party in any capacity. The LGA, ‘part’, SEC party and NWC party should as a matter of urgency ratify the above ‘mention’ names.

“It was unanimously agreed again that the Vice Chairman Mrs. Josephine Dokpesi should immediately be the Acting Chairman in line with the APC party constitution and oversee the political affairs of the ward pending time lifting of the suspension of the above ‘mention’ names.

“The entire Ward Executive Committee of Ward Eleven passed an implicit and undiluted vote of confidence on our indefatigable leader, the person of Alhaji Shaka Okwilague aka Shamac.”

Reacting, Mohammed denied allegations leveled against him and blamed the crisis on outsiders who have invaded ward 11 where he is the number one leader, to impose their stooges.

The former Deputy Governor of the state, Comrade Philip Shaibu is also from the ward.

While defending himself via a telephone interview, the former Edo House of Assembly member and later Board member of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), frowned at the composition of the panel established by the State Working Committee to investigate the crisis in ward 11, especially the appointment of Mr. Blessing Agbonmere as head and Alhaji Shaka Okwilague, the suspended leader as member of the panel.

Mohammed said Okwilague cannot be a judge in his own case and that Agbonmere is an interloper working to implement a script.