The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reassured that it will not support any candidate or political party in the 2023 general election, as it is only interested in the electoral process.

Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman, INEC said this when he addressed Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) for the 2023 general election in Abuja.

Mr Yakubu urged them to be committed to their oath of neutrality and allegiance to Nigeria.

He advised them not to see their job as service to INEC but to the country as a whole in which they were equal stakeholders.

“The commission is determined that the 2023 general election will be the best ever and you are the people that will help the commission to make it happen and help to ensure that Nigeria has a pleasant experience on election day.

“INEC is not a political party. INEC has no candidate in the election. Our only interest is in the processes. The choice of who becomes what in Nigeria is left to the Nigerian people to decide,” he said.

Mr Yakubu described the work of the SPOs as critical to the success of the 2023 general election, urging them to uphold the integrity of the process.

“You are the people who supervise those who will work at the most important level, the Polling Units (PUs) level. That is the only place where voting takes place.

“The collation officers at the polling units level are collating results from the PUs. When collation officers at the PU go to the local government level, they are collating results from the PUs.

“When it goes to the state level they are collating results from the PUs and when they come to Abuja, where we collate the presidential result it would have passed through all these processes.

“So, by the time the results come to Abuja, Nigerians would have known the outcome of the election,” he said.

Mr Yakubu added;

“Our responsibility is simply to collate. So you are playing a very critical role. What will help you help the commission, help Nigerians and the electoral process is your Integrity as individuals.”

He said that the training was going on simultaneously in all states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).He said that the training was a further reassurance to Nigerians of INEC readiness to conduct elections on February 25 and March 11.

“Today we are commencing the training of the most critical staff for the 2023 general election. Between today and tomorrow, we will train the PSOs.

“In the FCT we require 282 SPOs but we are training more than that now. We have added 70 to make it a total of 352 in case some are unable to make it on election day for one reason or another, we have a buffer.

“What is happening in FCT is happening in all the 36 days of the federation at the same time.

“Between today Feb. 11 and tomorrow Feb. 12, we will train the SPOs. Then on Tuesday the Feb. 14 to Thursday Feb. 16, we will train the Presiding Officers and Assistant Presiding Officers (APO) 1, 2 and 3,” he said.

INEC’s Deputy Director of Information and Communications Technology, Lawrence Bayode has reassured Nigerians that the Bimodal Voter Registration System cannot be manipulated.

Appearing on a Channels Television programme on Wednesday, February 8, Bayode said the BVAS will be deactivated from the backend so that the snatched device won’t be manipulated. He added that this would be done after being reported by the Polling Officer.

Bayode said;

“If a BVAS is snatched, we have a system in place that can deactivate that particular BVAS.

“We deactivate it so that whoever snatches the device will not be able to do anything with the device because the device pushes the accreditation data automatically on its own even without the operator pushing a button. When it is idle, it pushes that accreditation data to the backend.

“If such a thing happens, the PO reports and from the backend, that device is deactivated so that the person who took away that device will not be able to do anything with the device.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will work with the Lagos state parks management committee for the distribution of election materials and personnel in the state.

Olusegun Agbaje, INEC resident electoral commissioner in Lagos, spoke on Tuesday, Feb. 7, during the inter-agency consultative committee on election security (ICCES) meeting at the commission’s office in Lagos.

Agbaje said;

“There is a ban on the NURTW and RTEAN, we are only left with the Park Management system and NARTO (National Association of Road Transport Owners) and we are already working with NARTO.

“NARTO is not even able to meet up with 40 percent of our vehicle requirements for this election. The commission in Lagos State does not have any option than to use park management system.

“We are not dealing with Oluomo, we are dealing with the park managers. Individual people that have vehicles are those we are going to use. “So, it will be working against the law if INEC has to continue to work with NURTW or any other group that is proscribed in the state.

“At the Central Bank of Nigeria where they are going to move our materials, there will be security agencies and party agents including the military to monitor and escort these vehicles from CBN to Local Government Areas (LGAs).

“So, I don’t see how this can compromise the election in any way. Our politicians should see the peculiarity in Lagos State; we cannot work with banned NURTW or RTEAN.

“We need over 5,000 vehicles for this election, including trucks, buses and so on to carry our people and materials for the elections. There is no other way we can go.

“We cannot go to other states and bring vehicles here, it is not allowed by law. The only way we can operate is through the park management system.

“These are the only people that can give us any type of vehicles. In fact, most of the NURTW drivers are working with the park management system.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is investigating allegations of extortion by its officials at permanent voter card (PVC) collection centres.

In a statement released on Thursday, Jan. 12, and signed by Festus Okoye, its national commissioner and chairman, information and voter education, the commission said officials found guilty will face disciplinary action.

The statement reads:

”The Commission is investigating allegations of extortion by officials at some of the collection centres and inducement by some unscrupulous voters to circumvent processes in order to obtain their PVCs. Those found culpable will face disciplinary action and/or prosecution.

“Similarly, the Commission is disturbed by allegations of discriminatory issuance of PVCs in some locations. This is against the law. All bonafide registrants are entitled to their PVCs and to use them to vote on Election Day in any part of the country where they are registered.

“Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) have been directed to ensure that no such practices occur nationwide and take immediate disciplinary action against violators.”

Meanwhile, there have also been complaints by some persons over non-availability of their PVCs. But the commission, in its statement, said it has printed all PVCs of new registrants and those who requested transfer. It, however, directed issuing officers to compile complaints on unavailability of cards.

“The Commission has printed 13,868,441 PVCs for all new valid registrants as well as applicants for transfer or replacement of cards,” the statement reads.

“Nevertheless, issuing officers should compile any complaints about non-availability of cards and forward them to their immediate supervisors for the attention of Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) who shall compile and forward them for necessary action.

“The Commission once again appreciates the patience and perseverance of citizens as we continue to finetune our process to make the collection of PVCs easier.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will from today, January 6, commence the distribution of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to registrants at the 8,809 electoral wards across Nigeria.

INEC national commissioner and chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said this on Thursday, January 5.

All validly registered voters who are yet to collect their PVCs are encouraged to use the opportunity of the devolution to the wards to do so.

After 15th of January 2023, the exercise will revert to the local government offices of the commission until 22nd January 2023.

The statement read;

“The Commission also resolved to devolve PVC collection to the 8,809 Registration Areas/Wards from Friday 6th to Sunday 15th January 2023.

“The devolution of PVC collection to the wards commences tomorrow 6th January 2023, and all validly registered voters who are yet to collect their PVCs are encouraged to seize the opportunity of the devolution to the wards to do so.

“After the 15th of January 2023, the exercise will revert to the Local Government Offices of the Commission until 22nd January 2023. All eligible and valid registrants can collect their PVCs from 9.00am to 3.00pm daily, including Saturdays and Sundays.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said no critical election material was during the attack by gunmen on its Imo headquarters.

Festus Okoye, INEC national commissioner and chairman, information and voter education committee disclosed this in a statement released on Monday, December 12.

Okoye noted that there is a systematic attack targeted at the Commission’s assets across the country, more so on the day that the collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) commences nationwide ahead of the 2023 General Election

He said;

“The response of the security and emergency services (the Fire Service) curtailed further damage to the building and other assets of the Commission. No critical election materials were destroyed. There were also no casualties involving staff of the Commission.

“This is third attack on the Commission’s facilities in Imo State in less than two weeks following the earlier attacks on our Orlu LGA office on Thursday 1st December 2022 and Oru West LGA office on Sunday 4th December 2022.

“Our Imo State Headqurters is located in the centre of the Owerri, the State capital, between a court and the State secretariat. This is therefore yet another systematic attack targetted at the Commission’s assets across the country, more so on the day that the collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) commences nationwide ahead of the 2023 General Election.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will begin the distribution of the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) today, December 12, as confirmed by its Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye.

Speaking at a parley with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Okoye said the commission had met to discuss several issues on the 2023 general election, including PVC.

He further disclosed that Nigerians can collect their PVCs between 9 a.m and 3 p.m daily, including Saturdays and Sundays.

In a bid to ease difficulties in collecting PVCs, the commission has approved the collection of the PVC in 8,809 Registration Areas/Wards across the country.

He said;

“After January 15, 2023, the exercise will revert to the local government offices of the commission until January 22, 2023.

“Those who are unable to collect their PVCs at the local government offices of the commission can do so at the Registration Areas/Electoral Wards.

“INEC had held a retreat in Lagos with its Administrative Secretaries and RECs from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT between November 28 and December 2, 2022.

“At the retreat, the commission finalised the procedure as well as the timetable for collection of PVCs.”

Ahead of the 2023 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission has lamented the poor understanding of the Electoral Act by key political actors and stakeholders in the country.

The Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Festus Okoye, stated this at the weekend during a media/civil society organisations’ parley with INEC on identifying and mitigating flashpoints of electoral misinformation and disinformation.

Organised by the International Press Centre with support from the European Union, the event brought together eminent personalities including the Chairman, Senior Fellow, Centre for Democracy and Development, Professor Jibrin Ibrahim.

Speaking on a keynote address, “Issues, Perspectives and Flashpoints of Electoral Misinformation and Disinformation,” Okoye said stakeholders were yet to transition from the Electoral Act 2010 to the new Electoral Act, 2022.

He also identified poor understanding of the commission’s processes and procedures by those who ought to know some of the issues the public should be aware of and be guided accordingly.

The Independent National Electoral Commission office in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State was, on Thursday, vandalised and partially set ablaze by some unknown people.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, on Friday.

This is the fourth attack on Local Government INEC offices within the space of three weeks, following attacks in Ogun, Osun and Ebonyi states.

The building which is undergoing extensive renovation was earlier set ablaze in 2020.

According to the statement, three out of seven construction workers were abducted but later released.

The statement read, “The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Imo State, Professor Sylvia Uchenna Agu, reported that our office in Orlu Local Government Area was attacked. The incident occurred yesterday Thursday, December 1, 2022.

“The building, which is undergoing extensive renovation following an earlier attack, was vandalised and partially set ablaze.

“Three out of seven construction workers were abducted but later released.

“The damage would have been more extensive but for the quick response of the Nigeria Police which has deployed its personnel to the site.

“This is one attack too many. The Commission once again expresses its concern over the spate of attacks on its facilities and the negative consequences on our preparations for the 2023 General Election.”