Displaying items by tag: Anambra Election

Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has directed staff participating in the Anambra governorship election to ensure that all votes count.

Yakubu gave the directive on Friday in his message to the commission’s staff.

He said in spite of the challenging situation in the build-up to the election — including attacks on INEC facilities — the commission’s determination to ensure that the election holds as scheduled had remained unshaken.

He reminded the staff that over the next few days, all eyes would be on the commission.

He also said INEC had delivered all sensitive and non-sensitive materials for the election on schedule and deployed election duty staff.

Yakubu also explained that INEC has made logistics arrangements to move personnel and materials to thousands of locations in Anambra where voting and collation of results would take place.

“It is therefore imperative for all of you to ensure that every single vote counts,” he said.

“You must remain true to our commitment that only the voters in Anambra State determine who becomes the next Governor of the State.

“In doing so, you must be guided by the extant laws, our guidelines/regulations and good conscience. You should remain vigilant, principled and committed to the vision and mission of the Commission.”

He added that despite the challenges encountered, INEC had rebuilt its fixed assets and replaced movable facilities.

“We also sought and obtained the support of the security agencies, political parties and candidates and all other stakeholders for a successful exercise,” he said.

“As you are aware, Nigerians expect the Anambra Governorship election to be an improvement on the high standards achieved in recent elections.

That is why we introduced the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for fingerprint and facial biometric authentication of voters. We have trained staff on the new technology.”

 

THECABLE

Kayode Ajulo, lawyer, politician and Civil rights activist is of the opinion that some states need that "declaration of emergency rule."

Ajulo made this know on Saturday as guest on CityTalks with Reuben Abati.

The Proposed state of emergency rule by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami have being criticized by the Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano and the Ohaneze Ndigbo.

Their arguments were referenced to the killings in Borno, Yobe, Plateau, Benue, Katsina, Niger and even in Kaduna State and yet elections were held in all those states and nobody contemplated a state of emergency in those states.

According to Ajulo’s views, “I’m sure that the legality of it is not the issue, What I think that everybody is concerned is the policalization of the issue of the state of emergency.

“The truth must be told, whether we like it or not, Nigeria is at war particularly some part of the nation is at war and declaring a state of emergency is very parity.”

The civil activist added, “I sympathize with them and I appreciate their sentiments particularly in the sense that Anambra state is not the only state in the federation where we are having insecurity challenges, the question today is that why should it be Anambra?”

The crisis trailing the Governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress and the People’s Democratic Party that produced their governorship candidates have taken another dimension.

The Young People’s Party, (YPP) has filed a suit before a Federal High Court in Awka, Anambra state to challenge the processes.

Senator Andy Uba and Valentine Ozigbo had emerged as the standard-bearers of the APC and the PDP, respectively, ahead of the November 6 governorship election in the South-East state. YPP candidate in the election is
Senator representing Anambra South, Ifeanyi Uba.

In the suit filed by YPP counsel, D.C Nwigwe, SAN, the party, amongst others prayers is asking the Court to determine the validity of the primaries conducted by the two major political parties in the country which produced their standard-bearers.

Citing Provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act, the YPP counsel noted that both documents were observed in breach by the political parties and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The YPP governorship candidate in the forthcoming election is asking Federal High Court to interpret Section 285 (14)(c) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), Section 87(1) of the Electoral Act (2010) as amended, and the Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of party primaries as provided by the INEC for the conduct of the 2021 Anambra State Gubernatorial Election in view of the primary elections that the PDP and the APC conducted in the state.

In suit No. FHC/AWK/C5/53/21 in which INEC, PDP and APC were joined as defendants, the YPP asked the Court to determine the validity or otherwise of the purported Primary which the PDP conducted on 26th June 2021. According to the YPP, in view of Rule 4.5.1 and 4.5.2 of the guidelines for the Conduct of Political Parties Primaries 2018, the court should determine if the PDP’s purported primary is valid following the party’s failure to submit its delegates list 7 days before the date of the primaries.

The party further referenced the judgement of the FCT High Court in Suit No. FCT/HC/BW/CV/160/2021 between Akaeze Ugochukwu Vincent and Peoples Democratic Party, and the decision of the Supreme Court in APC V. Marafa (2020) 6 NWLR (Pt. 1721) and asked the Court to determine if INEC is right not to have barred the PDP from holding the purported Primary on 26th June 2021 that produced Valentine Ozigbo as the party’s flag bearer for the state’s 2021 governorship election and from further participation in the process of nomination of candidates for the aforementioned election.

In a related development, the YPP on Friday, asked the Federal High Court, Awka to determine whether the purported Primary conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) on 26th June 2021 produced Senator Andy Uba as the party’s flag bearer is void or otherwise. In Suit No. FHC/AWK/C5/52/21, the party through D.C DeNwigwe, SAN, asked the Court to determine the validity of the aforementioned Primary in view of Section 285 (14)(c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), Section 87(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and Guidelines for the Conduct of Party Primaries as provided by INEC and the Commission’s Monitoring Committee Report on the purported Primary conducted by the APC.

Source: Tribune