2027 and fear of free, fair and credible election

A long queue of Nigerian voters highlights public engagement and the enduring struggle for credible elections.

Liberia Election: Tinubu Hails George Weah For Conceding Defeat

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended his congratulations to Liberia for the successful completion of its Presidential Election. In a statement delivered by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu praised the Liberian government and its people for their commitment to a transparent and peaceful electoral process. President Tinubu specifically congratulated President-elect Joseph Boakai on his victory, urging him to prioritize national unity and harness the overwhelming support expressed by the electorate to drive progress and effective governance in Liberia. The Nigerian President also lauded outgoing President George Weah for his demonstration of remarkable leadership by gracefully conceding defeat, preventing potential socio-political tensions. “President George Weah’s gracious concession sets a sterling example of democratic sportsmanship, especially at a time when democratic values face threats in West Africa,” President Tinubu remarked in his statement.  “His act underscores the importance of respecting the will of the people and avoiding unrest following election outcomes.” Acknowledging the peaceful participation of Liberian citizens in exercising their democratic rights, President Tinubu urged continued dedication to upholding peace and democratic principles in the nation. The recent electoral results showed opposition leader Joseph Boakai leading with nearly 51% of the votes, prompting President Weah to acknowledge the irreversible lead and gracefully accept defeat. In a humble concession speech, President Weah emphasized that while the election might have ended his presidency, the true winners were the people of Liberia.  He highlighted the significance of respecting the electoral process and gracefully accepting outcomes for the greater good of the nation.

Court Declares Zamfara Guber Election Inconclusive, Mandates Rerun in 3 LGAs

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, declared as inconclusive, the governorship election that held in Zamfara State on March 18. The court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of Justices, nullified the return of Governor Dauda Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) as the winner of the gubernatorial contest. It ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to conduct a fresh election in three Local Government Areas, LGAs, of the state. The court however, did not award any cost to the respondents.  The court agreed with All Progressive Congress APC candidate that elections did not hold previously or where results from various polling units were not counted in the three LGAs. In the lead judgement that was read by Justice Sybil Nwaka, the court held that it was wrong for INEC to rely on information it obtained from its IReV portal, to collate the final result of the governorship election. The judgement followed an appeal that was lodged before the court by the immediate past governor of the state, Bello Matawalle, who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the election. More details later…

2024: PDP Unveils Timetable For Edo Guber Election 

The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has unveiled the much-anticipated timetable for the Edo State 2024 gubernatorial election.  This schedule, released after a joint meeting of the Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee at the party’s headquarters in Abuja, outlines the key activities preceding the election. Key highlights from the timetable include: Aspirants eyeing the governorship seat can obtain nomination forms for N21 million, with a 50 percent discount available for youths aged between 25 and 30; Registration of both existing and new members is set between November 16 and December 7, while the crucial party congress, determining the governorship candidate, is scheduled for February 22, 2024; December 14 marks the deadline for the submission of ward registers to the Directorate of Organisation and Mobilisation; Stakeholders’ consultative meetings with the National Working Group will be held from December 19 to 20; Expression of interest and ad-hoc forms will be available for purchase from January 10 to 16, with January 17 as the final date for their submission; The screening of governorship aspirants by the National Working Committee is set for January 18, 2024; Sales of nomination forms for completed expression of interest submissions will take place from January 19 to 25, with January 27 as the deadline for their submission. The governorship primary is scheduled for February 22, while February 24 is earmarked for appeals related to the primary process.

Guber Election: Respect Wishes Of Kogi People, APC Tells INEC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to protect the popular will of Kogi electorate in Saturday ‘s governorship election. Mr Felix Morka, the APC National Publicity Secretary said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. “With the candidate of the APC, Usman Ododo, coasting to spectacular victory in Saturday’s Kogi governorship election, we call on INEC to protect the integrity of the legitimate votes of the Kogi electorate. “Announced and uploaded results, so far, show our candidate maintaining a landslide lead in Kogi West and Central, with a competitive showing in Kogi East,” Morka said. He said the APC was aware of intense pressure, including violent threats on INEC staff by agents and supporters of trailing opposition parties aimed at unduly influencing or disrupting ongoing collation of results in the state. He urged INEC to stand fast in discharge of its constitutional duty to deliver free, fair and credible election in the state, and ensure that the freely exercised will of Kogi electorate prevailed.

INEC Suspends Voting Activities In 9 Wards Of Ogori/Magongo LGA, Kogi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended elections in nine wards of Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of Kogi State.  INEC’s National Commissioner & Member Information and Voter Education Committee Mohammed Kudu Haruna confirmed the suspension in a Saturday statement. According to him, the move is due to reported cases “of electoral malpractices, particularly the incident of result sheets completed before voting”. “This is entirely unacceptable. Any result not emanating from the Commission’s process in the Polling Units will not be accepted,” INEC’s statement read. “The Commission is determined not to reward bad behaviour. Consequently, the election in the nine Wards in Ogori/Magongo LGA (Eni, Okibo, Okesi, Ileteju, Aiyeromi, Ugugu, Obinoyin, Obatgben and Oturu) is at this moment suspended. “The incidences in the other Local Government Areas are being thoroughly investigated, and the outcome, including the way forward, will be announced in the next 24 hours.” The electoral umpire said in the wake of the reported malpractice said it would probe the incidences and fish out those “who may have been complicit in undermining the process”. “We have a record of all officials deployed at various levels as supervisors, monitors, technical staff, or polling unit officials and all election materials issued to them. Appropriate sanctions will be applied where necessary,” it assured. “The Commission assures voters in Kogi State that their votes are protected, and their wishes will be respected,” the statement concluded.

Imo Poll: Labour Party Demands Voiding Votes In Violence-Affected Polling Units

Athan Achonu, the Labour Party’s gubernatorial candidate in Imo State, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel votes from polling units affected by violence. Speaking after casting his vote in Umunumo hamlet, Ehime Mbano Local Government Area, Achonu emphasized the need for transparency in conducting elections, stating that canceling affected units is the only viable solution. Expressing concern over reported violence, he decried the assault on party agents and characterized the situation as a departure from democratic norms, vowing to resist such disruptions for the sake of upholding true democracy and ensuring good governance. “There is no other alternative than to cancel it so that every person will come there and watch it conducted. “They beat up so many of our agents. We are sad, we are going to upload some of their pictures. This is crazy, this is what our democracy has come to. “But we are resisting. Can’t you see the people here? They will not allow it. I hope it is the same thing going on everywhere so that we can have proper democracy and bring in good governance,” he stated.

Guber Elections Underway In Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi As INEC Conducts Off-Cycle Polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday initiated the first off-cycle elections since the 2023 general elections, with residents of Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states casting their votes to determine their governors for the next four years. A total of 46,084 regular and ad-hoc staff have been deployed across the three states, and 126 national and international organizations, along with 11,000 observers, are accredited for the elections. Additionally, 80 media organizations have applied to deploy 1,203 personnel, including journalists and technical/support staff. Security measures are robust, with 92,565 police personnel mobilized, including helicopters and gunboats. The Federal Road Safety Corps has also deployed 1,500 operatives and 105 vehicles. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, revealed that the elections will be held in 10,470 polling units across 649 electoral wards in 56 local government areas. Voting commenced around 08:30 am in observed polling units, following the arrival of INEC officials with sensitive and non-sensitive materials. Over five million voters are expected to participate in the elections, with the outcome potentially influenced by the significant representation of youths and middle-aged individuals, comprising over 60% of the total PVCs collected in the three states. In Imo State, registered voters are 2,419,922, with 2,318,919 PVCs collected. In Kogi, there are 1,932,654 registered voters, and 1,833,160 PVCs collected, while Bayelsa has 1,056,862 registered voters and 1,017,613 PVCs collected. Sixteen political parties are sponsoring candidates in Bayelsa, and 18 in both Imo and Kogi, with elections taking place in 10,470 polling units across the 56 local government areas in the three states. INEC has deployed nine Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and two national commissioners to each state, with 46,000 staff overseeing the elections. The Result Viewing Portal (IReV) is assured to work smoothly despite previous glitches experienced in the technology during the February 25, 2023 presidential poll.

2m Voters Registered Voters Set For Kogi Guber Election –INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said two million registered voters are expected to vote in the Saturday off-cycle governorship election in Kogi. The election will hold in 3,508 poling units, spread across the 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state. The LGAs included Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ankpa, Bassa, Dekina, Ibaji, Idah, Igalamela/Odolu, Ijumu, Kabba-Bunu, Kogi, Lokoja, Mopamuro, Ofu, Ogori-Magongo, Okene, Okehi, Olamaboro, Omala, Yagba-East, and Yagba-West. Speaking on preparations for the election, Dr Gabriel Longpet, the state Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), said that the commission was 100 per cent ready. Longpet said that the commission had recruited over 15,000 ad hoc staff to help it in the smooth conduct of the poll. “We have 3,508 polling units and each of these units will be manned by four ad hoc staff aside the security personnel that will be around to ensure peaceful conduct of the election. “We shall deploy more staff and BVAS in densely populated polling units to complement those we are going to use. “To be precise, we are going to use more than 900 back-up BVAS. “This is because some polling units have more than 1,000 to 2,000 registered voters, and we have to split the number by creating more voting points for easy voting. “This becomes imperative as we don’t want to give room for anything that will delay the process. “As soon as there is a report of any BVAS failure or challenge, we shall provide another one and configure it to that polling unit for smooth continuation of voting,” he said. Longpet said that the BVAS had been deployed to the 21 local government areas of the state in readiness for the election. Also speaking, the state Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Bethrand Onuoha, said over 40,000 policemen would be deployed across the state to ensure peaceful conduct of the election. Onuoha said that the planned deployment of large number of personnel was due the past experiences in the state, where violence was recorded during elections. “As it is, we have marked out some security flash points for more vigilance even though recent happenings signaled to us that the whole Kogi is a flashpoints. “From the number of security personnel we are deploying for this election, it’s an enough testimony to tell you that the state needs more security checks. “With the presence of adequate security personnel in Kogi, we are calling on every body to come out and exercise his or her civic right in the Saturday governorship election. “We are going to swam the state with enough security personnel and by the special grace of God, with our actions and sanctions, we are going to confound our detractors,” he said. Onuoha added: “God is telling me that this election is going to be better than all the elections ever held here in Kogi. “We have directed our personnel to be fair to everybody because we come here to serve the people and not any particular individual.” The CP urged politicians to play according to the rules of the game, saying that election would come and go, while the people would remain. “We expect that they should adopt politics without bitterness. Your brother is your brother, no matter where he belongs politically, ” he said. Onuoha warned trouble makers especially political thugs, not to try any thing funny as regard the election as security operatives are battle ready to deal with them. “In election, you don’t use matches and guns to force people to give you votes. Such people will meet the wrath of the law. “What we want in Kogi is a peaceful and successful election. Therefore, politicians must play according to the rules of the game or be dealt with. “The traditional rulers should help us talk to their subjects to maintain peace throughout the election period because it will come and go and we will all remain as residents,” said the police chief. Eighteen political parties featuring in the election on Wednesday signed a peace accord, ahead of the poll.Some of the parties were the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Labour Party (LP) and the Action Alliance (AA). Others are the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), the Action Democratic Congress (ADC), the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), the National Rescue Movement and the Action Democratic Party (ADP).

Upcoming Guber Elections: INEC Assures Staff Of Payment Of Full Allowances

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has assured staff of the Commission that all allowances will be paid in preparation for the upcoming gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo scheduled for November 11. Addressing the commission’s staff, Prof. Yakubu acknowledged the staff’s concerns regarding the delay in receiving the 40% palliative meant to alleviate economic hardship caused by the removal of the fuel subsidy whilst empathizing with their dissatisfaction. The INEC chairman reiterated his commitment to ensuring the prompt payment of staff allowances, as well as the commission’s dedication to conducting free, fair, and credible elections, adding that “INEC’s role in overseeing the electoral process is pivotal in upholding the principles of democracy.” “I know that many of you are not happy because you have not received the alert for the 40 per cent palliative awarded to all civil servants to cushion the effect of the economic hardship being experienced due to the removal of the fuel subsidy,” Yakubu said.