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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says out of 18 registered political parties, 15 have notified their intention to conduct primaries to nominate candidates for the Edo Governorship election.
Mr Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, said this in a statement after a virtual meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.
Okoye said that the notice was in accordance with Sections 85 and 87 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
“By the Timetable and Schedule of Activities issued by the Commission on Feb. 6, party primaries for the Edo Governorship election will take place between June 2 and June 27,” he said.
Okoya said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would hold direct primary on June 22, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would hold indirect primary between June 19 and June 20.
According to Okoye, the African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Party (ADP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) will also conduct indirect primaries on June 25.
He also said that the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Labour Party (LP) and Young Progressives Party (YPP) had notified the commission that they would conduct indirect primaries on June 27.
Other parties to hold indirect primaries were Action Peoples Party (APP) on June 26, National Rescue Movement (NRM) June 20 and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) June 14.
Okoye appealled to the various political parties to conduct their primaries in full compliance with the provisions of the laws and guidelines.
These, according to him, include the 1999 Constitution and Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Political Party Primaries (2018) and the INEC Policy for Conducting Elections in the context of COVID-19 Pandemic.
“Political parties must shun all acts capable of breaching the peace and unsettling the peace and order of the State and jeopardising the health and safety of party members, election officials and observers,” he said.
On prosecution of election offenders, Okoye said that INEC had received 16 case files arising out of the 2019 general elections.
“In the understanding that impunity encourages perpetrators of election offences, the Commission is vigorously prosecuting offenders.
“So far, 16 case files arising out of the 2019 General Elections have been provided by the Police (the lead agency for electoral security) on conclusion of investigation.
“The cases are in Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Gombe, Kogi, Lagos and Niger States, ranging from snatching and destruction of election materials, disorderly conduct, unlawful possession of ballot papers and Permanent Voters’ Cards to canvassing for votes at polling units on election day.
“Besides, two cases emanating from the Bayelsa Governorship election and relating to snatching and destruction of electoral materials are also being prosecuted,” he said.
Okoye therefore urged the political parties sponsoring candidates and participating in the Edo and Ondo Governorship elections to eschew violence and conduct their activities in the best traditions of electoral democracy.
He said that the commission would not condone acts of electoral impunity during the end of tenure of Governorship elections and the forthcoming by-elections.
“The commission will work collaboratively with all the security agencies to ensure a good electoral environment for the conduct of elections,” he said.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won the 2020 Local Government election in the 18 councils and 196 electoral wards of Cross River.
The election, held on May 30 in all council areas of the state, was contested by the All Progressive Congress (APC); Labour Party (LP); Young Progressive Party (YPP; New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the PDP.
Declaring the result at a press briefing on Sunday in Calabar, Dr Mike Ushie, Chairman, Cross River Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC), said that PDP won in all the 18 councils of the state.
Ushie said the PDP won in Akamkpa; Akpabuyo; Bakassi; Calabar Municipality; Calabar South; Etung; Ikom; Obubura; Odukpani; and Yakurr LGAs.
He said the party also won in Obanliku; Ogoja; Bekwarra; Obudu; Yala; Biase; Abi; and Boki councils.
Ushie said: “CROSIEC does not generate result. All the results we announced today came from the field. We only declare results and issue the Certificate of Return.
“The issuance of certificate of return will be on June 2, unless otherwise announced,” he said.
The Chairman, who thanked journalists for their patience, said that results from some of the LGAs arrived late due to the terrain of those areas.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is to deploy a total of 451 personnel to Patigi for the bye-election into the vacant seat in the state House of Assembly scheduled for March 14.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kwara, Malam Garba Attahiru-Madami, made this known at a media briefing in his office in Ilorin on Wednesday.
The News agency of Nigeria reports that the Patigi constituency seat became vacant following the death of Hon Saidu Rufai (APC) in December 2019.
Attahiru-Madami said that the figure was made up of one returning officer, 10 supervisory presiding officers, 10 collation officers and 10 registration area centre technicians, with the remaining 421 being presiding officers and assistant presiding officers.
He said that the commission had received both sensitive and non-sensitive materials for the bye-election, adding that the sensitive ones were ballot papers and result sheets.
The REC added that the sensitive materials had been deposited at the CBN to be transported to Patigi on Thursday after inspection, in the presence of representatives of political parties, security agencies and journalists.
He further said a total of 52,233 voters were registered in Patigi local government, out of whom 51,476 permanent voter cards (PVCs) were received.
Attahiru-Madami added that 41,695 PVCs were collected, leaving 7, 781 uncollected PVCs at CBN.
He said that the bye-election would take place in10 wards, 59 polling units and 46 polling points across Patigi local government area.
NAN reports that six political parties would take part in the bye-election.
They are the All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), People Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), African Action Congress (AAC) and Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq
Six out of the eight political parties that signified their intention to participate in the March 14 by-election into Patigi state constituency in in Kwara have submitted their Forms EC9 and EC9E to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kwara, Malam Garba Madami, confirmed this to the Nigeria News Agency on Wednesday in Ilorin.
Madami said INEC headquarters communicated the list of the six political parties to Kwara through a letter signed by the Commission’s Secretary, Mrs Rose Anthony.
The letter, dated Feb. 20, 2020, was titled: “Forwarding of Forms EC9 and final list of candidates for Patigi State Constituency By-election scheduled for 14thday of March, 2020.”
The REC explained that by the letter from INEC headquarters, only six political parties would take part in the by-election.
He listed the six political parties and their candidates as: Shehu D. Usman (AAC), Zubairu Shaba Musa (ADC), and Ahmed Rufai Adam (APC).
Others are Mohammed Aishetu (APM), Oladipo Benjamin (NNPP) and Mohammed Salihu Yahaya (PDP).
Madami added that the commission has published the list of the candidates that would take part in the March 14 by-election in accordance with Section 31 (3) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.
NAN recalls that eight political parties had earlier conducted their primaries to elect candidates for the by-election.
They were Action Alliance (AA), African Democratic Congress (ADC), African Action Congress (AAC), All Progressives Congress (APC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Peoples Party (APP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Patigi constituency in the House of Assembly became vacant following the death of the member representing the constituency, Mr Ahmed Rufai, on Dec. 3, 2019.
NAN also reports that the Clerk of Kwara House of Assembly notified INEC about the death of the member via a letter dated Jan. 27, 2020, in line with Section 116 (2) of the 1999 Constitution.
Edited By: Muhammad Suleiman Tola
The National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday deregistered 74 out of 92 registered political parties in the country.
Announcing the de-registration in a press briefing in Abuja, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said they were deregistered for their inability to fulfill requirements for existence based on Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
He recalled that prior to the 2019 general election, Nigeria had 91 political parties while one more party was registered by court order after the election, making a total of 92 political parties.
Yakubu said that the 1999 Constitution (as amended) vests in INEC, the power to register and regulate activities of political parties.
He also recalled that in 2018, the Constitution was amended.
“In addition to the extant provision for the registration of political parties, the Fourth Alteration to the Constitution (Section 225A) empowers the commission to deregister political parties.”
Yakubu said that in order to implement the provision of the Fourth Alteration to the Constitution, the commission carried out an assessment of political parties to determine compliance with the requirements for their registration.
He said that similarly, following the conclusion of the 2019 general election, including court ordered re-run elections arising from litigations, the commission was able to determine the performance of political parties in the elections.
Yakubu said that in addition, the parties were also assessed on the basis of their performance in the Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) the only Local Government elections which INEC was empowered to conduct.
He said consequently, the commission had determined that 16 political parties fulfilled the requirements for existence based on Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution, while 75 parties did not satisfy the requirements of the fourth alteration to the constitution.
“However, one of the political parties, the Action Peoples Party (APP) filed a suit in court and obtained an order restraining the commission from deregistering it.
“The party remains registered pending the determination of the case by the court.
“The new political party, Boot Party (BP) registered by court order after the 2019 general election will also continue to exist.
“Accordingly, 74 political parties are hereby deregistered. With this development, Nigeria now has 18 registered political parties,” Yakubu said.
Yakubu recalled that based on this provision, the commission, between 2011 and 2013, deregistered 39 political parties.
“However, several of the parties challenged the power of INEC to deregister them, particularly on the grounds that the Electoral Act is inferior to the constitution and that deregistration infringed their fundamental rights under the same constitution.
“Subsequently, the courts ordered the commission to reinstate the parties.
“It was for this reason that the National Assembly amended the Constitution to empower the commission to deregister political parties on the following grounds:
“Breach of any of the requirements for registration as a political party.
“Failure to win at least 25 per cent of the votes cast in one State of the Federation in a Presidential election or 25 per cent of the votes cast in one Local Government Area of a State in a Governorship election.
“Failure to win at least one ward in a Chairmanship election, one seat in the National or State Assembly election or one seat in a Councillorship election.”
The 16 parties that scaled through were, Accord Party (A), Action Alliance (AA) African Action Congress (AAC) African Democratic Congress (ADC) African Democratic Party (ADP) All Progressives Congress (APC) All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Other parties which also met the requirement were, Labour Party (LP) New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), National Rescue Movement (NRM) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) Social Democratic Party (SDP) Young Progressive Party (YPP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The deregistered parties included, Alliance National Party (ANP) Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP) African Peoples Alliance (APA) Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP) Fresh Democratic Party (FRESH), Hope Democratic Party (HDP) and Nigeria Community Movement Party (NCMP).
Others included, National Unity Party (NUP), Peoples Coalition Party (PCP), Peoples For Democratic Change (PDC), Peoples Trust (PT), Reform and Advancement Party (RAP), United Democratic Party (UDP), Unity Party Of Nigeria (UPN) and United Progressive Party (UPP)
Edited By: Chioma Ugboma/Ismail Abdulaziz
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday, deregistered 74 political parties out of exiting 92 registered, leaving the country with 18 registered parties.
INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the disclosure during press conference at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Yakubu said the parties were deregistered for failure to satisfy the requirements of the Fourth Alteration to the 1999 Constitution.
He said the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) vests in INEC, the power to register and regulate activities of political parties.
The INEC boss recalled that in 2018, the constitution was amended; noting that in addition to the extant provision for the registration of political parties, the Fourth Alteration to the Constitution (Section 225A) empowered INEC to deregister political parties.
Yakubu said in order to implement the provision of the fourth alteration to the constitution, the commission carried out an assessment of political parties to determine compliance with the requirements for their registration.
“Similarly, following the conclusion of the 2019 general election, including court-ordered re-run elections arising from litigations, the commission was able to determine the performance of political parties in the elections.
“In addition, they were also assessed on the basis of their performance in the Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which coincided with the 2019 general election.
“It should be noted that the FCT is the only part of the country where INEC is empowered by the constitution to conduct Local Government elections,’’ Yakubu said.
He said that consequently, the commission determined that 16 political parties fulfilled the requirements for existence based on Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), while 75 parties did not satisfy the requirements of the fourth alteration to the constitution.
“However, one of the political parties, the Action Peoples Party (APP) filed a suit in court and obtained an order restraining the commission from deregistering it. Consequently, the party remains registered pending the determination of the case by the court.
“The new political party, Boot Party (BP) registered by court order after the 2019 general election will also continue to exist.
“Accordingly, 74 political parties are hereby deregistered. With this development, Nigeria now has 18 registered political parties,” Yakubu said.
The 16 parties that scaled through were: Accord Party (A), Action Alliance (AA) African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), African Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Other parties which also met the requirement were Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), National Rescue Movement (NRM), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressive Party (YPP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The deregistered parties were: Advanced Allied Party (AAP), All Blending Party (ABP) Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD), Allied Congress Party Of Nigeria (ACPN), Alliance for Democracy (AD), Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP), and Alliance For New Nigeria (ANN).
Also deregistered were: Alliance National Party (ANP), Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP), African Peoples Alliance (APA), Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP), Fresh Democratic Party (FRESH), Hope Democratic Party (HDP), Nigeria Community Movement Party (NCMP).
Others include National Unity Party (NUP), Peoples Coalition Party (PCP), Peoples For Democratic Change (PDC), Peoples Trust (PT), Reform and Advancement Party (RAP), United Democratic Party (UDP), Unity Party Of Nigeria (UPN) and United Progressive Party (UPP).
Yakubu recalled that based on this provision, the commission, between 2011 and 2013, deregistered 39 political parties.
“However, several of the parties challenged the power of INEC to deregister them, particularly on the ground that the Electoral Act is inferior to the constitution and that deregistration infringed their fundamental rights under the same constitution.
“Subsequently, the courts ordered the commission to reinstate the parties.
“It was for this reason that the National Assembly amended the Constitution to empower the commission to deregister political parties on certain reasons.
This according to him includes, breach of any of the requirements for registration as a political party or failure to win at least 25 per cent of the votes cast in one state of the federation in a presidential election or 25 per cent of the votes cast in one Local Government Area of a state in a state election.
Edited By: Chioma Ugboma and Isaac Ukpoju
