Politics
Why Seven Million Diasporans, Other Nigerians Unregistered – INEC
Published
2 years agoon
By
EditorThe Independent National Electoral Commission has revealed why about seven million Nigerians who started their pre-registration process could not complete their voter registration.
The commission recently disclosed that out of 10,487,972 Nigerians who carried out their pre-registration online, only 3,444,378 completed the process at a physical centre.
The National Electoral Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, INEC, Festus Okoye, in a chat with our correspondent on Tuesday, explained that most of those who could not complete the registration are Nigerians living in Diaspora.
READ ALSO: 2023: Why We Can’t Extend Voters Registration – INEC
Okoye, therefore, absolved the commission of any wrongdoing, saying the majority of the affected registrants could not have been able to appear in person as they are based abroad.
He said INEC is ready to avail data relating to online registration to various groups or individuals accusing the commission of disenfranchising the said seven million registrants from voting in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
He was reacting to the letter of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project dated August 13, 2022, and signed by the group’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, urging INEC to allow the seven million registrants to complete the CVR or face legal action.
SERAP had stated, “Denying a significant number of eligible voters the time and opportunity to complete the registration for their PVCs would impair the right to vote of those affected, deny them a voice in the 2023 elections, and lead to disparate and unfair treatment of these voters.
“The failure of the applicants to complete their registration may be due to factors entirely outside of their control, especially given the well-documented challenges faced by many Nigerians at registration centres across the country.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP and the affected Nigerians shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel INEC to comply with our request in public interest.”
However, Okoye explained that some of the seven million registrants that SERAP alluded to are in diaspora, and could not meet the legal requirements and threshold of physical biometric capture as mandatorily provided in Section 10(2) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
He said, “SERAP should approach the commission and properly and comprehensively understand the processes and procedures of the commission. Their conclusive assertion of the existence of seven million disenfranchised registrants is a product of poor understanding of the processes and procedures of the commission. The commission is ready and willing to avail them of the data relating to online registration if they avail themselves of the option of engagement.
“The seven million individuals they alluded to are some of those that are in diaspora and could not meet the legal requirements and threshold of physical biometric capture as mandatorily provided in Section 10(2) of the Electoral Act 2022.
READ ALSO: 24 Hours To End Of PVC Registration, Abuja Residents Blast INEC Over Inability To Register
“Some of the seven million started the online pre registration and abandoned same and proceeded to carry out physical registration.”
Okoye added that the commission is currently carrying out adjudication and cleaning up the register, preparatory to the display for claims and objections.
PUNCH
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Politics
NNPP Faction Suspends Kano Governor For Six Months
Published
1 day agoon
April 16, 2024By
EditorA faction of New Nigeria Peoples Party under the leadership of Major Agbo on Tuesday suspended the Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, for six months over his failure to appear before a disciplinary committee to defend an alleged Infraction against the party’s constitution.
Yusuf’s suspension was announced by the National Secretary of the faction, Ogini Olaposi, at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
Addressing journalists at the party secretariat, Olaposi disclosed that the Board of Trustees took the decision to suspend the governor in the interest of the party.
The factional secretary said they have yet to come to terms with what the governor, a national figure who was elected on the platform of the NNPP, was doing at an ‘illegal national convention’ of the Kwankwasiya group led by Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso in Abuja on April 6.
READ ALSO: Man Jailed 27 Years For Stealing N2.3m In Ekiti
He said, “We called this media conference to brief you on developments resulting from the recent invitation to Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano to appear before a disciplinary committee to explain infractions on the party constitution.
“Nigerians need to know the position of the New Nigeria People’s Party following the failure of the governor to appear before the Disciplinary Committee to explain the reason(s) His Excellency, who was elected on the party’s platform and a national figure of NNPP participated in an illegal/ factional national convention of NNPP held by the Kwankwasiya group at Wuse 2 in Abuja on Saturday, 6th April.
“The leadership of the NNPP to strengthen our internal disciplinary and democratic measures, most especially in the area of party supremacy without prejudice, is left with no other options than to decisively take necessary action according to the letters of NNPP Constitution 2022 as amended.
“With the approval of the Board of Trustees of New Nigeria Peoples Party and the unanimous decision of the National Working Committee of our great Party, His Excellency, Gov. Abba Yusuf of Kano State is hereby suspended for six months with immediate effect.
READ ALSO: NNPP CRISIS: Kwankwaso Moves To Change Party Logo, Amend Constitution
Reacting via a phone chat, the National Secretary of the Kwankwasiyya faction of NNPP, Dipo Olayoku, described the purported suspension as a joke taken too far by ‘a bunch of clowns’ who he claimed had long been expelled from the party.
“Gov Abba Yusuf was suspended in what capacity? These people are not members of the NNPP. They only want to make news. We don’t know them because they are not members of our party. After all, they have all been suspended, and there is a court order banning them from parading themselves as party members.
“So, how can non-members of NNPP suspend a governor? They are just clowns having fun because you can only suspend someone if you have a party. They don’t have a party and INEC has a record of members of the party. They are just out there making people laugh,” he stated.
Politics
Edo Guber: Trouble Looms As Imansuangbon Seeks Disqualification Of Akpata As LP Candidate
Published
1 day agoon
April 16, 2024By
Editor…files suits in Benin, Abuja in pursuance of Akpata’s disqualification
An ex-governorship aspirant of the Labour Party (LP) Barr. Kenneth Imansuangbon, has asked the court to prevent the “alleged governorship candidate” of the party in Edo State from the September 21 election.
In a suit No. FHC B/CS/26/2024, filed at the Benin division of the Federal High Court by his counsel A.A. Malik & Co, Imansuangbon said that Labour Party erred by declaring Olumide Akpata as the winner of the party’s primary conducted on February 23, 2024.
In the suit filed in Benin, Akpata served as the first defendant, LP second defendant while INEC stands as third defendant.
In the suit, Imansuangbon said Akpata was not qualified to have contested the primary having violated the provisions of the section 222(c) of the Nigeria constitution as well as Article 28 of the party’s guidelines for the conduct of the primary.
Imansuangbon further averred that votes garnered by the first defendant in the primary be declared invalid and wasted.
The plaintiff who listed nine issues for determination and 18 others for declaration by the court, asked the court to set aside the LP February 23 governorship primary in the Edo state.
READ ALSO: Edo Poll: LP Guber Candidate, Akpata Replaces Running Mate
He asked the court to determine if Akpata is qualified to have contested the primary having failed to sign or endorse the indemnity form issued to him by the second defendant.
He also asked the court to determine if the votes garnered in the purported primary should not be voided and wasted in the face of “outright disregard” to the constitutional provisions of the country and that of the party.
Similarly, Imansuangbon asked the court to determine if he that scored the second highest votes in the said primary should not be declared the winner and validly nominated to be the governorship candidate of the LP.
Alternatively, the court was asked to determine if the party conducted the February 23 governorship primary in a manner outlined, prescribed or otherwise circumscribed by section 84 of the electoral Act, 2022.
That the court should also determine if the primary did not run foul of the provisions of section 84(2), (3), (4) & (5) of the electoral Act, 2022.
In his declaration, the plaintiff told the court to bar the INEC or any other agent, from recognizing Akpata as the governorship candidate of the LP for the September 21 Edo governorship poll.
READ ALSO: Students Attack LP Guber Candidate At UNIBEN, Akpata Fingers Govt Official
He also called for the withdrawal of the certificate of return issued by the second defendant to the first defendant as the purported winner of the said primary.
While asking for the sum of N20 million as the cost of the suit, Imansuangbon asked that a fresh primary should be conducted not later than 30 days of the judgement of the court.
In a similar suit filed in the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, Imansuangbon alleged Akpata and his running mate to have lied under oat and supplied false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In the Abuja suit filed on April 12, 2024, Akpata is the first defendant; his running mate, Alufohai Faith, second defendant; LP third defendant, while INEC is the fourth defendant.
In the suit filed in Abuja division, Imansuangbon alleged Akpata supplied false information to the INEC according to information provided in their form EC9.
He said where Akpata claimed to have been Akpata Olumide Anthony, but filled his name to be Akpata Olumide Osaigbovo.
READ ALSO: [BREAKING] Edo Poll: Akpata Emerges As Gov’ship Candidate Of Labour Party
Similarly, his running mate who said that she was born in 1981, claimed to have had her first school leaving certificate ysame year she was born.
She was also alleged to have gotten three certificates, OND, HND and PGD in the same year in 2005.
According to Imansuangbon, their actions contravene the provisions of section 29(5) of the 2022 electoral Act and also section 182(i),(a) &(j) of the 1999 constitution of the federal government of Nigeria as amended.
He thus sought for their disqualification and restrained from participating in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.
Imansuangbon Abuja suit was accompanied with the affidavits in support of the originating summon.
Politics
Edo Poll: LP Guber Candidate, Akpata Replaces Running Mate
Published
2 days agoon
April 15, 2024By
EditorOlumide Akpata, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the forthcoming election in Edo State, has replaced his running mate, Alufokhai Oluyinka, with Prince Kadiri Yussuf Asamah (SAN).
Prior to his nomination, he served as a partner and head of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice Group at the law firm of Jackson, Etti & Edu.
His extensive experience and expertise in civil and commercial litigation, arbitration, mediation, negotiation, and regulatory compliance make him a valuable asset to the legal community.
He has also earned a reputation for his meticulous approach and dedication to achieving favourable outcomes for his clients.
READ ALSO:Students Attack LP Guber Candidate At UNIBEN, Akpata Fingers Govt Official
His nomination as running mate to Akpata has reportedly caused a mix of excitement and concern within the Auchi political circles.
While some are excited hoping his nomination would serve as a breath of fresh air and also infuse a reasonable degree of credibility into the political process, the critics, however, contended that he has been largely apolitical until now and may not change the tide in the political arena.
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