The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reacted to the federal high court judgement which ordered it to resume voter registration.
Speaking on a Channels Television’s program on Tuesday, November 22, INEC National Commissioner and Director of Voter Education, Festus Okoye said it would be constitutionally and legally impossible to resume voter registration before the 2023 elections.
Okoye who further revealed that INEC is working on improving the voter registration process for future elections, also suggested that voter registration ahead of the 2023 elections was more or less over.
He said;
“It would be constitutionally and legally impossible for the Commission to resume the Continuous Voter Registration exercise.”
Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately resume the continuous Voter Registration (CVR) until 90 days before the 2023 general elections.
The court gave the order while delivering judgment in a suit filed by one Anajat Salmat and three others against INEC.
The plaintiffs argued that INEC cannot stop the CVR contrary to the stipulated provisions of the constitution.
In a judgment delivered today November 22, the judge directed INEC to ensure that eligible Nigerians are not deprived of the opportunity to have the voter’s card for the forthcoming poll.
According to the judge, it was the constitutional responsibility of the electoral umpire to make adequate provision for the exercise in accordance with the Nigerian laws.
“The case of the plaintiffs succeeds on merit.” the judge ruled
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Imo State has said that over 300,000 permanent voter cards (PVCs) are yet to be uncollected in the 27 local governments of the state.
INEC’s spokesperson in the state, Dr. Chinenye Chijioke-Osuji who confirmed this, urged residents of the state to pick their PVCs in other to participate in 2023 general election.
She also appealed to the citizens to take advantage of the ongoing display of the preliminary register of voters to cross-check the register and put in their claims and objections where necessary.
The INEC spokesperson added that this would enable INEC come up with a clean register for the elections.
The statement added;
“INEC in Imo State craves the indulgence of the citizens, please, as this is a civic responsibility we owe ourselves.”
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says 513 national identity cards and permanent voter cards (PVCs) have been retrieved from foreigners in Katsina.
Kelechi Ekeoba-Jones, NIS controller in the state, who disclosed this to NAN on Monday, November 14, 2022, during a media briefing at the newly established Jibia border command.
He said the special border command in Jibia recovered 202 PVCs and 311 national identity cards from non-Nigerians in the state.
“Some foreign nationals were found in possession of the Federal Republic of Nigeria voter cards and national identity cards issued to them in various states of the country,” he said.
“A total of 513 voter and national identity cards were retrieved from them in various formations of the command.
“Therefore, we are soliciting the support of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to engage us whenever a voter registration exercise is going to be conducted again.
“Only the immigration officials can identify foreigners through our techniques whenever they come to register at any registration centre across the country
“We are calling on INEC, at any point of registration, they should solicit the help of our people to avoid registering foreigners.
“So also, the body responsible for the national identity card registration, it should engage more of our officers whenever the exercise will commence because it’s very important” he added.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given an update on some of the items destroyed after its office in an Ogun state local government was set ablaze by hoodlums.
Festus Okoye, INEC’s commission for information and voter education, said over 65,000 uncollected PVCs were destroyed in the fire.
He said in a statement;
“The resident electoral commissioner (REC) for Ogun state, Dr. Niyi Ijalaiye, reported that our office in Abeokuta South local government area was attacked and set ablaze.
“The incident occurred around 1.15am when some unidentified persons overpowered the security personnel on duty and set the entire building ablaze.
“The main building and all the commission’s movable assets in the office were destroyed.
They include 904 ballot boxes, 29 voting cubicles, 30 megaphones, 57 election bags, 8 electric power generators and 65,699 uncollected permanent voters cards (PVCs).”
An office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at Iyana Mortuary, Abeokuta, Ogun State, has been set ablaze by suspected hoodlums.
Daily Trust reported that the hoodlums numbering about eight, had jumped over the fence into the premises and set fire to the INEC building.
They reportedly soaked loaves of bread with petrol and threw them into the building.
The security guard at the facility, Azeez Hamzat, reportedly made a distress call to the police around 1a.m. on Thursday, November 10, over the incident.
Policemen from Ibara division were mobilized to the scene, while firefighters put out the fire.
The Registration Area Officer’s office and the conference room were affected by the inferno. It was also learnt that non-sensitive materials were also affected.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Niyi Ijalaye, said;
“It is correct that our office was set on fire. The police are investigating. I do not know what to say. I’m in shock myself. We called the police and other security agencies at night. The fire brigade put the situation under control. The level of damage is still being assessed.
“It is very shocking and untoward. The security agencies are doing their very best. We are meeting again later today to come up with other strategies (toward securing our facilities).”
The Nigerian Army said its troops conducted a search and rescue operation to extricate a soldier from captivity and never invaded Amangu community in Abia State, as reported on social media.
Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, said the soldier, Bassey Ikunugwan, a staff sergeant, was abducted in Ohafia on November 2.
Nwachukwu said during the search and rescue operations for the missing soldier in Amangu forest, troops clashed with gunmen.
Nwachukwu said weapons and materials belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were recovered from hideouts during the operations.
According to the army spokesperson, a soldier died during the gun battle while one of the criminals was neuralized.
“The attention of the Nigerian Army (NA) has been drawn to some publications making the rounds on social media and some mainstream media alleging that troops of Headquarters 82 Division NA invaded Amangu community in Abia state.
Considering the weighty nature of the allegation, the Nigerian Army deems it necessary to clear the air on this atrocious incident,” the statement read.
“On 2 November 2022, a soldier named Staff Sergeant Bassey Ikunugwan, who was officially on leave pass, was abducted along Road Okwu-Ebem Ohafia in Abia State.
Consequently, on Thursday 3 November 2022, acting on credible intelligence report, troops embarked on a Search and Rescue Operation at Amangu Village/Forest, having confirmed same as an Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) enclave, where the soldier was reportedly held hostage.
During the search and rescue operations, contact was made with members of the proscribed armed groups resulting in exchange of fire.
“In continuation of the search and rescue operations, on 4 November 2022, troops deployed at Okon Aku in Abia State came in contact with members of the armed groups, during which troops neutralized one of the criminals and recovered one AK 47 rifle with a magazine loaded with 7 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) and one mobile phone.
“In a follow up operation on 5 November 2022, troops raided another enclave of the groups around Amangu Village in Abia State.
During the operation, troops neutralized two of the criminals, while some fled with gunshot wounds.
Troops recovered two locally fabricated AK 47 rifles, four Pump Action guns, one locally made Pistol, one Sniper rifle, six magazines, 13 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) and one Motorcycle.
“Other items recovered from the dissidents are 2 CCTV cameras, one solar panel, flags, one walkie-talkie, 2 mobile phones, two pamphlets of Biafran anthem, one INEC box, 12 face caps, machetes, pairs of combat boots, pairs of rain boot, camouflage uniforms, one transistor radio, two jungle hats, two knee guards, one power bank, one INEC image capturing machine and a PVC. Sadly, during these engagements, one soldier paid the supreme sacrifice.
“The NA will leave no stone unturned in the search of the abducted soldier. The NA assures the general public that all operations will be conducted within the ambit of the law and in line with global best practices, Rules of Engagement and Code of Conducts guiding NA operations.
“It should be clear to all that criminal acts of attack on and abduction of service personnel is an act against the State which will not go without consequences.
The recourse to employment of propaganda by these criminal elements will not deter the Army from carrying out its constitutional mandate.
“Law abiding citizens of Amangu community are also advised to go about their legitimate businesses without panic, as the military is always on ground to protect lives and properties.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reassured Nigerians that data on the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System will not be compromised.
Appearing on a Channels Television program on Wednesday, November 9, INEC’s Deputy Head of ICT Lawrence Bayode said they’ve loose end towards ensuring that the BVAS is safe tightened every loose end towards ensuring that the BVAS is safe.
He said;
“I want to say again that we have done everything to ensure that the BVAS is not compromised. The data on the BVAS will be secured.
“After the poll, when the data is transmitted to our backend server, the data in transit will be secured. By the time the data gets to our backend server, the data will also be secured there.
“We have looked at the machine, and we looked at a lot of things. As I said earlier, you cannot build such a system and would not fortify the system to solidify it.
“Whether we like it or not, people will try a lot to beat this system. But the more they try, the more they meet a brick wall.
“I can say categorically that we have taken care of every surface attack vulnerability on this system, and we have also tried our best to ensure that the system cannot be hacked into on election day and I can say again that BVAS cannot be compromised.”
Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that the preliminary number of registered voters in Nigeria is now 93 million.
Yakubu disclosed this at the third quarterly meeting with political parties on Wednesday October 26.
He revealed that 9,518,188 new voters have been added to the existing register of 84,004,084 voters.
He said;
“It is preliminary because section 19(1) and (2) of the electoral act 2022 requires the commission to display the hard copies of the register of voters for each registration area (ward) and local government area (and simultaneously publish the entire register on the commission’s website) for a period of two weeks for scrutiny, claims and objections by citizens not later than 90 days to a general election.
“Accordingly, in the next few days, the commission will print 9,352,228 pages of the register. The hard copy will be displayed for each of the 8,809 registration areas (wards) and 774 local government areas nationwide while the entire register will be published on our website for claims and objections as required by law.
“The display of the physical register will take place at the designated centers from Saturday, 12th to Friday, 25th November 2022.
Further details, including the procedure for filing claims and objections, will be released by the commission next week. I would like to appeal to all Nigerians to seize the opportunity of the display to scrutinize the list and help us to clean it up further so that the final register of voters for the 2023 general election can be compiled and published.”
Yakubu also said that the permanent voter cards (PVCs) will be available soon as they are working hard to finish the printing process.
He added;
“In the coming days, we will also inform Nigerians of the detailed plan to ensure a seamless collection of the PVCs.
We are aware that Nigerians expect an improvement in the procedure for PVC collection.
Since the end of the CVR in July this year, we have been working to ensure that citizens have a pleasant experience when they come to collect their cards.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission has expressed fear of elections in the South-East, North-West and North-East region of the country being hampered by insecurity.
Speaking at an event organized by National Endowment for Democracy and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems at the NED Headquarters, Washington DC, United States of America, INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood noted that while insecurity has spread to some parts of the country, he has received assurances from the service chiefs that they would secure the voting environment during the 2023 polls.
He said;
“Are there concerns about the 2023 general election? I’ll be the last to say there are no concerns. The first concern is the perennial issue of insecurity in different parts of the country, compounded by the traditional issues of thuggery during elections organized by some of the political actors.
“I say it is a perennial issue because, at the end of the day, it is nothing new. However, the dimension of the insecurity is concerning in the sense that in the past, it was localized or confined to a particular part of the country, the northeast.
But now, it is more widespread and we are keeping our eyes, particularly on the northwest and the southeastern parts of the country.
“Elections are conducted by human beings. We worry about the security of our officials, voters and the materials to be deployed. Without them, we cannot conduct elections.
We have spoken to the security agencies and they have assured us that the situation will improve before the elections.“So, fingers crossed.
Those who are supposed to secure the environment have assured us that they will secure the environment for us to conduct elections. Our responsibility is to conduct elections.”
On the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), Yakubu said the technology has eliminated the flaws in previous elections, including identity theft and multiple accreditations.
He also said the commission has dispatched the BVAS to over 23 states of the federation.
Yakubu said;
“The BVAS has eliminated multiple accreditations that were observed in previous elections. Now, you are sure that the person who is accredited is the voter and the bearer of the card.
“It has increased public confidence in the outcome of elections as shown in the recent off-cycle elections. People tend to be more confident now with the protection of the process of accreditation using technology.
“It has eliminated the use of the Incident Form. For those of you who have been following our elections for a long time, when the Card Reader was introduced, the machine would read the card but it may not read the biometrics.
“So, when it fails to read the biometrics, they then say – give the voter the Incident Form. And through that, many people voted using identity theft. We have eliminated the Incident Form.
So, every registered voter must go through the biometric and the facial, and we jokingly say that the only way the two processes can fail, particularly the facial, is when the voter forgets his or her face at home on election day.
The system of using the BVAS for the conduct of elections has come to stay. There’s no going back.”
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Yakubu Mahmood has revealed that 2.7 million double registrations were weeded out of the last Continuous Voters Registration exercise conducted by the commission.
Speaking on Tuesday October 11, at a National Endowment for Democracy event in Washington DC in the United States, Yakubu also said the new Permanent Voter Cards will be made available by November.
He also revealed that about 50% of the new PVCs are ready but yet to be distributed to collection centres.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that political parties can no longer substitute the candidates whose names have been published on its final list.
The commission which disclosed that the window for the withdrawal and substitution of candidates has closed, added that only dead candidates and those whose nominations are voided by the courts can be substituted.
The Nation reported that INEC also revealed that only the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) had approached it to replace Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau who defected to the Peoples Democratic Party PDP.
Shekaru was nominated as NNPP’s senatorial candidate for Kano Central before he dumped the party, forcing the NNPP to approach INEC for substitution. INEC rejected NNPP’s request because it was made after the window for substitution had elapsed.
Confirming the development, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye said;
“The period for the withdrawal and substitution of candidates has elapsed and the Commission has published the final list of candidates standing nominated for national and state elections.
“At this point in time, a candidate can only get on the list if the duly and validly nominated candidate dies. Any form of withdrawal on grounds of voluntary withdrawal or incapacitation can no longer take place.
“Yes, the Commission is aware of some pending litigations. At the end of the day, the Commission will comply with valid court orders based on constitutional dictates. We urge political parties to focus on their campaigns and rallies as the next big thing in the electoral process.
“The Commission is now focused on making the Permanent Voters Cards available for collection by legally registered persons.
The Commission is also focussed at making sure that voters are equitably distributed to the various polling units.“The Commission will not be distracted with belated requests for withdrawals and substitution of candidates.
All the registered political parties have a copy of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities released on the February 26, 2022 and the schedule and timelines are clearly delineated.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has alerted Nigerians about a fake recruitment link circulating on social media and some online platforms.
The commission in a statement released on Wednesday October 5, said the link: ‘inecnigeria.govservice.site’ is fake.
It also disclosed that its original links remain; ‘pres.inecnigeria.org & inecpress-app.com/pres.’
INEC also said that its ad hoc recruitment exercise is free of charge and no payment of any kind is required throughout the process.
The statement read;
“Our attention has been drawn to a fake ad hoc recruitment link being circulated on various social media platforms, frequently visited sites and blogs with the intention to defraud unsuspecting citizens.
“We implore Nigerians to disregard the fake link and avoid falling victims of swindlers.”
Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept and publish the name of Godswill Akpabio as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Akwa Ibom North/West senatorial district in 2023.
Delivering judgment in a suit filed in the court, the presiding judge held that INEC acted illegally for refusing to accept and publish Akpabio’s name even when it was sent to it by the APC as its candidate.
In August, INEC refused to acknowledge Akpabio and Senate President Ahmad Lawan as APC Senatorial candidates.
Both Lawan and Akpabio had contested the APC Presidential primaries. However, after losing, both of them were listed as senatorial candidates by the APC, but INEC refused to recognize them.
Akpabio approached the court to compel INEC to recognize him as the legitimate Senatorial candidate.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, on Wednesday, announced the commencement of recruitment of election staff for the 2023 general elections.
To this effect, the electoral umpire said it had opened its portal for recruitment, adding that eligible applicants should begin applying for the role.
INEC made the announcement in a post on its Facebook page on Wednesday. It said the portal which opened on Wednesday (today) would be closed on November 30, 2022.
The statement read,
“The Commission has approved the re-activation of INECPRES both the Mobile App for Android phones only and the web portal (laptops only).
“To this end the portal will be open to eligible applicants for registration of all categories of ad-hoc staff (SPO/PO/APO/RATECHS/RAC Managers) except the Collation officers.
“The portal opens on Wednesday the 14th of September and ends on the 30th November, 2022.”
The PUNCH reports that electioneering for the 2023 election will kick off later this month, signaling the commencement of activities that would culminate in next year’s general elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why it is yet to publish a comprehensive voters’ list for 2023 polls.
Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman who spoke at a stakeholders’ validation meeting on the 2022 revised framework and regulations for voting by internally displaced persons (IDPs), held in Abuja on Tuesday September 6, said claim of them not being willing to display the comprehensive voters’ register as provided by section 19(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, is false.
He disclosed that the list would be released soon and will integrate fresh voters registered under the last CVR.
Yakubu said;
“This claim is incorrect. What the commission displayed for claims and objections in our local government area offices nationwide for a period of one week — from August 15 to August 21 — was not the entire register of voters.
“It was the list of fresh registrants at the end of the fourth and last quarter of the continuous voter registration exercise, covering the period from April 11 to July 31.“This has been the practice for several years.
“We wish to assure Nigerians that the commission will display the comprehensive register in all the 8,809 wards and 774 local government areas/area councils nationwide as envisaged in section 19(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
“The date will be announced as soon as the commission completes the ongoing automated biometric identification system (ABIS) to weed out all double/multiple as well as ineligible registrants.
“We appeal to some of our friends in civil society organisations to be guided accordingly.”
A staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Anthony Nwokorie, who was killed in April by unknown gunmen in Imo State, will be buried on Thursday (today).
INEC on its Twitter handle mourned the 35-year-old and revealed that he was killed at Nkwo-Ihitte (Polling Unit 004) while on official duty during the just concluded Continuous Voter Registration in Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State.
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said if the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), does not renege on his pledge not to interfere with the conduct of the 2023 general elections, the All Progressives Congress will be doomed.
The governor, however, said Buhari’s resolve means he is serious about leaving an enduring legacy of conducting free and fair elections.
Wike made the assertion at the commencement of the construction work of Igwuruta internal roads in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state that was performed by the governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, on Wednesday.
He said:
“I thank Mr President that he wants to leave a legacy of conducting a free and fair election.”
He expressed doubt concerning the public promise made by the Independent National Electoral Commission to deliver better elections to Nigerians.
“My problem is INEC, whether they will do what they said they will do. They are making promises now. I don’t know whether they will keep to them.
“If INEC will keep to the promises that Nigeria will get a better election, I will be so happy. Everybody will see with their eyes, Abuja does not vote. It is the people here that will vote,” he said.
The governor described as unfortunate the inability of some former military generals to use their contacts with the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States of America to solve the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria.
He maintained that such generals should have been more concerned about the insecurity situation in the country, and resolve to use their CIA contacts to restore peace across the country, instead of threatening him and his friends to succumb to their biddings.
Wike also took a swipe at an unnamed leader from the South-South who is seeking personal gains instead of that of the region.
He said:
“What will they tell their children? People who will like to eat their own share, eat their children’s share and eat their grandchildren’s share.
“When somebody at the age of 70 something is lobbying to be Chief of Staff, what will his own children lobby for?”
The Peoples Democratic Party has instituted a lawsuit compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission to prevent All Progressives Congress Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu; and Labour Party standard bearer, Peter Obi, from replacing their running mates with Senator Kashim Shettima and Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed respectively.
The PDP is also asking the court to declare that Tinubu and Obi be disqualified unless they contest alongside their previous running mates – Kabiru Masari and Doyin Okupe respectively.
In the originating summons with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1016/2022, the PDP is seeking an order barring the Independent National Electoral Commission from replacing the running mates of Tinubu and Obi.
Those listed as first to seventh respondents in the case are INEC, APC, Tinubu, Masari, Labour Party, Obi and Okupe.
Recall that Tinubu had nominated Masari as a surrogate running mate or placeholder in order to beat the June 17 INEC deadline. Obi had also nominated his campaign manager, Okupe, as an interim running mate. However, INEC gave a grace period of about one month to substitute their names.
After weeks of consultations, Tinubu and Obi nominated Shettima and Baba-Ahmed respectively while Masari and Okupe resigned.
However, the PDP asked the court to determine if by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the constitution, Section 29(1), 31 and 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s timetable, Tinubu and Obi are bound by the submission of Masari and Okupe respectively as their running mates.
The party also asked the court to determine if “by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sections 29(1), 31, 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, the first defendant (INEC) can validly accept any change or substitution of the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Okupe) defendants as running mates of the 3rd (APC) and 6th (Labour Party) defendants.”
The PDP is also seeking five reliefs including a declaration that by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the constitution, Section 29(1), 31 and 33 of the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC’s timetable, both Tinubu and Obi must be bound by their submission.
The party asked the court to rule that both Tinubu and Obi will be disqualified the moment they substitute the names of their running mates.
One of the reliefs reads, “A declaration that by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Sections 29(1), 31, 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, the 1st defendant’s (INEC’s) election timetable, the 3rd (Tinubu) and 6th (Obi) cannot validly contest the 2023 Presidential election without the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Obi) respondents as their respective running mates.”
The PDP also based its argument on the fact that the term ‘placeholder’ is unknown to Nigerian law.
“The Electoral Act makes no provisions whatsoever for placeholder or temporary running mates. The acts of the 2nd (APC), 3rd (Tinubu), 5th (Labour Party ) and 6th (Obi) defendants in nominating and forwarding the names of the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Okupe) defendants as running mates for the 2023 Presidential elections is valid and subsisting,” the party added.
In a supporting affidavit sworn to by Evelyn Oroh, a litigation secretary in the law firm of Gordy Uche (SAN), it was stated that some of the defendants had stated openly that they were mere placeholders.
“I know that the 3rd (Tinubu) and 6th (Obi) defendants have stated in media interviews and publications that the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Okupe) defendants are not their real running mates but merely holding the place as placeholders for the real running mates,” it stated.
When contacted on the telephone, the Labour Party’s lawyer, Alex Ejesieme, said he had received the court processes.
“I have received the processes and we are filing a response already,” he simply stated.
We’re aware of the suit – Tinubu’s legal team
The Head, Legal Directorate, Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Babatunde Ogala (SAN), said he was aware of the suit when contacted by one of our correspondents on Thursday.
Ogala, a former Legal Adviser of the APC, however, said Tinubu’s legal team had not been served a notice by the court. “Yes, I’m aware (of the matter). But they have not served us.” When asked to confirm the service, he restated, “They have not.”
Earlier, INEC National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, had in an interview with Arise TV, described the issue of placeholder as a unique invention that had no place in the constitutional and legal framework of the country.
He had said, “Political parties’ candidates have submitted names of associates to run with them, and that is the position of the law as of today and nothing has changed.
“For there to be a substitution of a candidate, the vice-presidential candidate must write to the INEC, with an affidavit stating that he is withdrawing from the race within the time frame provided by the law, as that is the only way there can be a substitution of candidates.”
Also, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun State, Prof Abdulganniy Raji, had said, “Being a part of the umpire, I will not say I see danger or I didn’t see danger (in party submitting place holders instead of running mate).
“I will rather abide by the constitutional provisions, the extant laws. The Electoral Act makes provisions for the procedure of how to nominate and there are also provisions for the substitution of the names, either in case of death or withdrawal by any candidate, whether the substantive candidate or the running mate.”
Senior lawyers, in separate interviews with The PUNCH on June 20 had said the only risk involved in the place holding arrangement would be the refusal of the running mate to step down.
A senior advocate, Adegoke Rasheed, said a placeholder could only be withdrawn if he died or voluntarily withdrew as neither INEC nor the court could make him relinquish the position.
Another SAN, Rotimi Jacobs, said political parties had taken advantage of the silence of the Electoral Act on the issue.
He said, “The political parties are just taking advantage of the provision of the Electoral Act: Section 33 permits the candidates to withdraw or an account of death or may be substituted. The political party will conduct another primary election. Or if he voluntarily withdraws, the political party that is affected must within 14 days conduct fresh primary elections to produce another candidate.”
It officially announced the extension on Friday after deliberations on some concerns around the exercise, among other emerging issues ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Like Mr Yakubu, the commission, in its latest statement signed by its spokesperson, Festus Okoye, did not also stipulate when the exercise will officially end.
“The Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will continue nationwide, and all the Resident Electoral Commissioners and Electoral Officers have been directed to continue with the exercise pending further directives from the Commission.
“The Commission has consistently reiterated its resolve to continue to provide electoral services to the Nigerian people and register all eligible Nigerians that are interested in registering. The Commission has yet again deployed additional machines to areas of pressure and will continue to serve the people of Nigeria,” Mr Okoye said.
INEC, in the last few weeks, has received knocks from Nigerians following the hiccups witnessed by many registrants in some registration centres in the country.
There are also complaints about the unprofessional conduct of the Commission’s staff in some states and the shortage of registration machines.
Apart from the daily affronts from Nigerians on social media, INEC ’s planned deadline has been stalled by a pending case initiated by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and some displaced Nigerians.
“The case at the Federal High Court relating to the terminal date of the CVR came up yesterday Wednesday 29th June 2022, and based on the request of the Commission, the Court granted an accelerated hearing and adjourned the matter to Monday 4th July 2022 for hearing of the substantive matter. The Commission will give an update after the court hearing next week,” Mr Okoye said.
As the July 1 to 15 window for the upload of the list and personal particulars of nominated candidates by political parties approaches, INEC urged parties to properly scrutinise their documents to “avoid any mix-up and duplication of names.”
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