Politics
APC shifts Rivers elective congresses indefinitely
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has indefinitely postponed the scheduled Rivers State Chapter’s elective congresses.
The congresses were scheduled for this Saturday at the ward level, next Saturday at the local government level, and the Saturday thereafter at the state level.
APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, who announced this in a terse statement on Tuesday night, said new exercise dates will be announced in due course.
“The All Progressives Congress (APC) Rivers State Chapter’s elective congresses earlier scheduled for 26th October 2024 (Ward Congress), 2nd November 2024 (LGA Congress) and 9th November 2024 (State Congress) have been postponed.
“New dates for the Congresses will be announced in due course”, the statement reads.
Politics
ZLP clinches 15 chairmanship seats, YPP 2 in Abia LG election
The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) has won 15 out of 17 local government areas in the local government election conducted in Abia State on Saturday.
Chairman of the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), Prof Chima George, disclosed that ZLP won the 15 LGAs while announcing the results of the election.
Prof George announced that the Young Progressives Party (YPP) won in the Osisioma and Ugwunagbo local government areas of the State.
The Abia local government election results were announced by ABSIEC Chairman at the commission’s headquarters in Umuahia, where he said said that the chairmanship and councillorship polls took place in the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and that the exercise was “free fair and credible”.
“We have carried out the duty we were inaugurated on September 5 to undertake. It was not an easy task, but we went out on our way to create awareness about the elections across the state.
“It must be noted that, in recent times, this commission has not conducted an election where over 12 political parties took part, this on its own is a plus to the commission,” George said.
He stressed the election was a demonstration of the commission’s dedication, focus and efficiency. He expressed joy that the commission successfully completed, in just two months, a task that typically required six to 12 months of effort.
“I congratulate the winners and the losers too, because in any election there must be winners and losers. The most important thing is that Abia has been peaceful and I want the peace to continue.
“I appreciate the security agencies for their support, political parties for playing the game according to the rule,” George said.
TNG reports ZLP won in Isiala Ngwa South, Isiala Ngwa North, Umuahia North, Umuahia South, Ukwa East, Ukwa West, Obingwa, Aba North, Aba South, Isuikwuato, Umunneochi, Arochukwu, Bende, and Ohafia LGAs, while the remaining two LGAs of Osisioma and Ugwunagbo were won by YPP.
Politics
Our Chairman not in contempt of court – INEC replies SERAP
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has refuted accusations by the Socio-economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, that its chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu flouted a court order regarding the prosecution of electoral offenders.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, said this in a statement Wednesday in Abuja.
Olumekun said the commission’s attention was drawn to media reports attributed to SERAP accusing the Commission of failure or neglect to prosecute electoral offenders arising from the 2023 General Election.
Recall that SERAP had specifically accused the Commission of failure to engage independent counsels to prosecute unnamed Governors and Deputy Governors for sundry violations of electoral laws.
SERAP also accused the Commission of failing to engage private lawyers to prosecute other electoral offences, including vote buying during the same election. These allegations are untrue in the face of facts already in the public domain, the agency said.
Reacting, INEC said Governors and Deputy Governors have constitutional immunity from prosecution and that SERAP cannot be unaware of this constitutional provisions.
The electoral umpire further stated that in any case, it has no record that any of them has been arrested, or investigated and a prima facie case was established to initiate their prosecution.
“Furthermore, if SERAP had done a basic fact check, it would have known that at the end of the 2023 General Election, the Commission announced that it received 215 case files from the Nigeria Police following the arrest and investigation of alleged violators of the electoral laws across the country.
These include 52 files involving 238 alleged offenders during the Presidential and National Assembly elections and 163 files in respect of 536 suspects for the Governorship and State Assembly elections.
“It is important to also inform the public that the Commission’s commitment to the prosecution of electoral offenders is not limited to persons who are outside the Commission.
Indeed, officials of the Commission, some of them highly placed, have been affected, including a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) currently being prosecuted in a High Court in Yola,” INEC said.
Politics
Ondo guber: Parties to sign peace accord November 8
The various political parties participating in the forthcoming Ondo State governorship election will sign a Peace Accord on November 8.
The National Peace Committee and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, coordinated the initiative aimed at securing a peaceful election process.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, announced this on Thursday in Abuja, saying the Commission has identified potential flashpoints in Ondo and alerted security agencies for effective conflict mapping.
Speaking during the fourth quarterly meeting with Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, Yakubu noted that INEC would conduct a final readiness assessment next week, involving stakeholders, officials, security agencies, and transport providers.
The INEC boss also shared that the Permanent Voter’s Cards, PVC collection period concluded recently, with 64,273 out of 89,777 PVCs distributed—a collection rate of 71.6%.
He credited CSOs with helping mobilize voters for card collection and indicated that INEC would publish cumulative PVC collection figures by polling unit on its website.
Yakubu expressed satisfaction with improvements to the voter accreditation process and result upload procedures, as well as enhancements in media and observer accreditations.
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