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2023: INEC Begins Continuous Voter Registration June 28

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New Voter Device for Anambra Guber

….…APC Extends Membership Registration by Three Week

…PDP Licks Over Extension

By Jude Opara, Abuja

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the Continuous Voter Registration exercise (CVR) to commence on June 28 across the country.

INEC Chairman, Prof.

Mahmood Yakubu said yesterday  in Abuja while briefing newsmen on the arrangements for a hitch-free exercise.

Similarly, Prof. Yakubu also revealed that the use of Direct Data Capturing machine (DDC) would now be replaced with new compact registration devices that would better serve the purpose during elections.

The new device is known as; the INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED) and is based on an Android tablet.

“The Commission is therefore migrating to the INEC IVED, which is based on an Android tablet. The procurement of the devices, the modification of the registration software by our in-house engineers to make it compatible with the Android Operating System, as well as integrating these with the online registration portal require a little time”, he said.

He equally explained that the Commission would not be sending any supplementary request to the National Assembly because the budgetary allocation for the purchase of the DDC machines is intact and would now be used to procure the IVED. 

According to Yakubu, under the arrangement, Expansion of voter access to Polling Units will begin on May 11th, the Building and testing the online registration portal is slated for May 15th, the Arrival of the IVED is scheduled for May 31st while the Recruitment and training of Voter Enrolment Staff is billed begin on June 14th, 2021.

The INEC boss also stated that those who should be registered are those that have just turned 18, those that are above 18 but may not have been registered before, those who may have either lost their voters cards or their own were defaced and those that may want to transfer the voters card. He added that the exercise would last for over a year.

Explaining further, the INEC Chairman said; “Effective from Monday June 28th 2021, the CVR exercise will commence nationwide and carried out simultaneously for over a year until the third quarter of 2022. However, emphasis will initially be on Anambra state where more centres will be established in view of the governorship election already scheduled for Saturday 6th November 2021.”

He also explained why the CVR could not recommence in 2020 saying it was due largely to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In line with the general advise by health officials regarding events involving large groups of people, we considered it inauspicious to restart the CVR at the height of the pandemic. The Commission issued a detailed policy on conducting elections in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which focused mainly on elections proper, since these elections must hold to prevent any constitutional crisis linked to end of tenure. Such elections took place in Edo and Ondo States late last year.”

Prof. Yakubu equally revealed that apart from the introduction of the news IVED, another reason for the delay in the commencement of the CVR was the Commission’s determination to expand voter access to Polling Units. He added that to achieve that, INEC recently embarked on a nationwide engagement with Nigerians in which the fundamental issue of declining voter access to Polling Units across the country was raised.

“The engagement clearly demonstrated that the existing Polling Units are inadequate. They were initially designed to cater for a projected 50 million voters but presently serve over 84 million voters. In addition, many of the Polling Units are inaccessible to voters, especially Persons with Disability (PWDs), and are not conducive to implementing the Commission’s election regulations, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are glad that most Nigerians agree with the Commission on this issue, and we have commenced a far-reaching programme of converting Voting Points and Voting Point Settlements into full-fledged Polling Units and relocating poorly situated Polling Units to better locations. The Commission needs more time to complete this exercise, so that the new Polling Units will be available for registrants to choose during the CVR exercise.”

…APC Extends Membership Registration by Three Weeks

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has again extended its Membership Registration/Revalidation and Update Exercise by three weeks.

The exercise which had earlier been extended, would have ended on March 31, 2021, but APC said its decision was based on the “audit reports received from the National Membership Registration, Revalidation and Update Committee, the States’ Registration Committees and Situation Room, which indicate that most states for varied reasons, started late, and require additional time to conclude the exercise.

National Secretary of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the party, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, in a statement yesterday said the exercise was also extended due to an avalanche of applications from critical stakeholders.

“The Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) under the leadership of His Excellency, Hon. Mai Mala Buni had done everything possible to keep to the earlier timeline, however, it has become imperative to extend the duration of this very important party activity.

“Consequently, the CECPC has approved the recommendation of the National Committee for the Membership Registration, Revalidation and Update to extend the duration of the exercise for three weeks”, he stated. The Forum of APC state Caretaker Chairmen had earlier in the day met and demanded an extension of the exercise.

Chairman of the Borno state APC who also chairs the forum, Alhaji Bukar Dalori who signed the communiqué issued at the end of the forum’s meeting in Abuja said his members have seen tremendous turnout of Nigerians and the mass increase in the party strength in the last few months “and it is only proper that we allow the exercise to progress to the best of conclusion.



…PDP Kicks Over Extension


Meanwhile the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP* has asked APC to stop pushing its membership registration exercise in the public space, saying Nigerians have lost confidence in its capacity to govern.

The PDP also added that moves by the APC to declare another extension of the membership registration, “confirms that the entire exercise is a mere sitting room manipulation designed to produce a bogus membership figure”.

The statement signed by its publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party noted that it had nothing “but pity for the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led APC caretaker committee, which has become overwhelmed by the burden of producing an inflated membership register, following the rejection of the APC by Nigerians.”

The party further said Nigerians were already aware of the disagreements among APC leaders over allocation of figures, “which led to the bloody clashes that trailed the failed exercise in many states of the federation.”

POLITICS

Osun 2026 Guber: APC Aspirants Should Not Waste Money Contesting Against Adeleke – Ex Party Chieftain, Jackson Ojo

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By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

A former Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Jackson Lekan Ojo has advised those in the race for the APC ticket not to waste their resources as the victory of Governor Isiaka Adeleke is practically a done deal.

In a video post on his Facebook page, Jackson Ojo said Governor Adeleke has won the heart of the people of his state with his transformation of all the 30 local governments in the State and prompt payment of workers and pensioners.

According to him, the achievements of Governor Adeleke has already done 80 percent of his campaign ahead of the election.

Jackson Ojo, who is a Security Expert and global affairs analyst, from Osun State, stressed that he has always advised political office holders to perform while in office as this is the greatest strategy and tactics to win future elections.

He stressed that the abysmal performance of the APC at the Federal level and the poor performance of previous APC governors in Osun state will count heavily against any candidate that is presented by the party to contest against governor Adeleke.

The former APC chieftain added that he is not patronizing the governor for any personal gain as there is nothing that the governor can give him that God has not already given him.

He stressed that his intervention in the Osun governorship race is to stop opponents of the governor from wasting their resources for an election they can never win.

His words: “Two weeks ago I resigned from partisan politics, so I am no longer member of any political party in Nigeria. When I speak now I am not speaking in favour or against any political party. So, I am very free to air my views

“This is my views on the forthcoming governorship election in Osun state. I still see some people struggling for governor in Osun state come 2026.

“That is highly impossible for an APC aspirant. What is the APC government doing at the national level, what are the doing in the Senate, what are they doing in the House of Representatives to encourage Nigerians?

“If we are in a place like America or United Kingdom (UK) APC will not be able to win ordinary councillorship again in this country. Is it in the management of economy, education, health, security and others?

“In all these areas put together they have not scored up to 10 percent. I can boldly mark them today they they have woefully failed in area of agricultural development, educational development, health development, security, economy and infrastructural development. In all ramifications this party has failed.

“Look at the antecedents of the APC in Osun state. Aregbesola tried a bit, yes, but then Aregbesola left the State aground.

“When Baba Jeje, Mr. Go Slow, the unfortunate Minister of Blue Economy or whatever they call it, came there was nothing to write home about during his tenure as governor of Osun State. He came, he bartered the state, he rubbished the State, he insulted the state, he disgraced the State on the platform of APC.

“Now another APC is coming out now thinking of winning? Winning where, defeat who?

“Governor Adeleke does not know me, there is no benefit Adeleke can give me that God has not given to me. I can’t be a Commissioner in Osun state. No. I can’t be Special Adviser or whatever. I can’t even take their contract. I don’t think they can award the kind of contract that I need to an individual.

“But then, Adeleke has tried. If you go to my community you will see the way he has positively turned the community. Even if I am the governor of Osun State I don’t think I can do what Adeleke has done in my town and that transformation cuts across all the 30 local government areas of Osun State. All the communities, all the local governments, all.

“This man is no longer paying half salary of quarter salary. This man is not owning workers, he is not owning pensioners. This alone has spoken, this alone has done 80 percent of his campaign.

“If you perform well in office that is the highest strategy and tactics that you can use to win the heart of the people.

“Come 2026 whoever is putting money on ground in Osun state to go and contest governorship in Osun state, honestly that person has money to waste. It is sadaka, the money they have stolen they want to come and do sadaka. It is Adeleke till 2030.”

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POLITICS

Former DG of PDP Governors Forum Defects to ADC

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By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

Former Director General of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, Hon C.I.D Maduabum has resigned from the party and joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

In a statement made available to Daily Asset in Abuja on Sunday, Hon Maduabum said he is dumping the PDP because the party has been “hijacked by self-serving, unscrupulous elements who are more interested in personal power grabs than in party discipline, internal democracy, or national interest.

Part of his statement read: “After deep reflection, extensive consultations, and careful evaluation of the current political realities within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), I have taken the difficult but necessary decision to resign my membership of the PDP with immediate effect.

“As a committed democrat, a two-term member of the House of Representatives, and former Director-General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, I have dedicated significant portions of my political life to building the PDP as a platform for democratic consolidation and national development.

“However, the soul of the party I once served with pride has been hijacked by self-serving, unscrupulous elements who are more interested in personal power grabs than in party discipline, internal democracy, or national interest.

“The PDP today is a shadow of its former self. It has descended into chaos, internal betrayal, and systematic destruction by diverse forces who have no regard for the principles upon which the party was founded. Sadly, voices of reason are no longer welcome, and genuine reformers are vilified or silenced.

“I can no longer in good conscience remain in a house that has been stripped of its moral compass and overrun by opportunists.

“In light of this, I am proud to announce that I am joining the African Democratic Congress (ADC) — a party that now stands as the only credible democratic alternative for Nigeria.

“The ADC is emerging as a beacon of hope for good governance, integrity, accountability, and inclusive politics. It offers the opportunity for principled politics, genuine people-oriented leadership, and a platform for rebuilding our nation from the grassroots up.

“The ADC Coalition includes progressive minded people like Mr. Peter Obi and others.

“I join the ADC not merely as a defector but as a reformer committed to helping build a new political culture — one based on merit, ideology, discipline, youth inclusion, and national unity.

“The time has come for all well-meaning Nigerians to take a stand against the decay in our political system. I call on all patriots, especially those disillusioned by the dysfunction in the traditional parties, to rally around this movement for a new Nigeria through the ADC.

“I remain committed to the democratic ideals of justice, equity, and service to the people. The struggle to rescue Nigeria and restore its promise continues — and it begins now on a new, firmer footing.”

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POLITICS

Anambra: INEC Registers 96,085 New Voters, Extends CVR by Three Days

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has registered 96,085 new voters in nine days and extended the exercise by three days in Anambra.

The commission disclosed this in a statement by Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, on Thursday in Abuja, after its weekly meeting.

He said that on the preliminary stage of the CVR, 56,017 representing 58 per cent of new registrants were female while 50,429 52 representing 48 per cent were young people between the ages of 18 and 34.

“The commission is pleased with the turnout of registrants in Anambra and the peaceful conduct of the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) in all the 326 registration centres in the state.

“As of yesterday, Wednesday, 96,085 new voters have successfully registered in nine days. On average, the Commission registered over 10,600 voters per day.

“In addition, 12,595 voters applied for transfer of their registration both within and outside the state while 7,061 persons applied for the update of their records or the replacement of their damaged or lost Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).

“The CVR in Anambra ends today. However, in response to appeal from citizens, the Commission hereby extends the exercise for three more days. It will now end on Sunday, July 20,” he said.

Olumekun said that the commission would thereafter display the register for claims and objections by citizens as provided by law.

This, according to him, will be followed by a further clean-up of the data using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).

“Subsequently, the detailed breakdown of the new registrants by age, gender, occupation and disability will be published for public information,” he said.

Olumekun also disclosed that INEC had received five more letters of intent from associations seeking registration as political parties.

According to him, the new application brings the number received so far by the commission to 134.

Olumekun stated that the details of the new associations, indicating their proposed names, acronyms, logos, addresses and interim leaderships were already published on INEC website and other platforms for public information.

He said that INEC would continue to keep the citizens up to date on all its activities.

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