POLITICS
INEC to Address BVAS Challenges – Yakubu
INEC says it will address challenges experienced with its new technology, Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), at the Isoko South 1 State Constituency bye-election in Delta held on Saturday.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this at the commission’s meeting to welcome three new national commissioners and to swear-in a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Abuja on Wednesday.
Yakubu said that while the result of the new technology piloted in the 84 polling units was very encouraging, there were few challenges that would be addressed before Nov.
6 Anambra governorship election.Yakubu recalled that INEC made history on Aug. 8, by successfully conducting the first election in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Nasarawa Central State Constituency bye-election.
He recalled that in that election, INEC also piloted the first real-time uploading of polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
He added that since then, results of 26 more elections had been uploaded to the portal.
“Only last weekend, we piloted yet another innovation in the Isoko South 1 state constituency bye-election in Delta.
“We introduced the BVAS for efficient human recognition through a biometric verification mechanism, using both fingerprint and facial recognition of voters.
“The result of the pilot in the 84 polling units was very encouraging indeed. It took an average of just one minute for the device to correctly locate the voter in the system and another two minutes to authenticate a voter.
“ In terms of the ruggedness of the device and its battery life, no single BVAS was replaced due to discharge of battery throughout the voting period.
“Most importantly, the device was able to guarantee the credibility of voter accreditation by preventing the incidents of multiple voting or the use of stolen PVCs to vote.
“All voters were accredited electronically using the BVAS. The use of the incident form was eliminated. The Isoko South 1 state constituency bye-election was historic in this respect ,” Yakubu said.
The INEC chairman, however, said there were a few challenges experienced with the technology in the election.
Those challenges according to him, include the difficulty of the BVAS matching the voter’s live image against the image on the register in a few instances, due to the quality of pictures of some voters arising from previous voter registration.
“Secondly, some polling units were not bright enough when taking the photo for the facial authentication.
“Thirdly, there was the age-old problem of thuggery during elections. Our officials were attacked and five BVAS devices snatched by hoodlums.
“Although this did not affect the elections because we deployed extra devices as part of our contingency measures, the incident is being investigated by the Police.
“Nevertheless, we wish to assure Nigerians that the commission will address these challenges, including the installation of a mechanism to disable and track the device in the event of theft.
“This mechanism will be activated ahead of the forthcoming Anambra governorship election.”
Yakubu speaking on Anambra governorship election scheduled for Nov. 6, said the reparations for the election were at an advanced stage with many of the activities outlined in the timetable and schedule of activities for the election, already implemented.
He said that INEC intention was to keep deepening the credibility of the electoral process by improving on all planning, management, implementation and support processes through the deployment of appropriate technology.
The three new national commissioners welcomed by INEC were Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, a Chemist and former Vice Chancellor of Kebbi State University and Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.
Others were Prof. Sani Adam, a lawyer and former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja; and Dr Baba Bila, a Chartered Accountant and former Bursar of the University of Benin.
The newly sworn-in REC is Prof. Sa’idu Ahmad, a Professor of English Literature from Bayero University Kano.
Ahmed, who had been deployed to Zamafara , filled the vacancy for Jigawa , being the only state without a REC, following the completion of tenure of Mr Abdullahi Kaugama, who had earlier served as Secretary to the commission.
Yakubu, welcoming the three new national commissioners and the REC, urged them to join the commission in raising the bar of conducting credible elections in the country.
“The task ahead is challenging but it is also a national call to service. It is important to quickly settle in and familiarise yourselves with the rules, procedures and responsibilities of your office.
“Let me reiterate once again that you should always bear in mind that a credible election draws heavily from the integrity of the election managers. I urge you to join us in raising the bar even higher,” Yakubu said.
He expressed confidence that the four new appointees would bring to the commission, their vast knowledge and experience as scholars and administrators, in further extending the frontiers of free and fair elections in Nigeria.
Yakubu advised them to uphold the integrity of INEC and adhere to rules and regulations in the discharge of their duties.
“In addition to adherence to the provisions of the law, our success in this arduous task also draws from our integrity as election managers.
“We must be strict in the application of the law, firm in handling the public trust bestowed on us and fair in our dealings with political parties and candidates.
“We must remember that in discharging our responsibilities, Nigeria and Nigerians must always come first.
“We must abide by our oaths of office to defend the choice made by Nigerians at the polls in all elections, and continue to protect the sanctity of the vote without which democratic election is meaningless,” Yakubu said.
Zuru speaking on behalf of the appointees, commended President Muhammadu Buhari and leadership of the National Assembly for counting them worthy for the critical national assignment.
Zuru pledged to abide by the oath they took to operate with honesty without fear or favour, in carrying out their assignments.
He added that with the leadership of Yakubu, the new appointees would make INEC and Nigerians proud in advancing the course of democracy in Nigeria.
“I want to assure Nigerians that our objective will be conduct of free, fair and credible elections at all times, at all levels.
“That is the assurance we are giving before Nigerians and our Lord,” Zuru said.
Highlight of the occasion was the swearing in of Ahmed as REC.(NAN)
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
The National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Ajuji Ahmed, has alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been instiating crisis in major opposition political parties as a strategy to weaken them ahead of 2027 general election.
Speaking during the flag-off of the party’s campaign in Akure, Ondo State capital, ahead of the forthcoming off-cycle governorship election in the state, the ANPP Chairman declared that the party will support opposition parties going into alliance to upstate the ruling party and sack President Ahmed Tinubu.
While emphasising that there will be no room to manipulate the result of the poll, Ahmed said, “The fear that APC might want to manipulate the election is being expressed everywhere, no doubt in Ondo State.
Wherever you have a ruling party, the ruling party might not want to have a good opposition around it.“But at the end of the day, it is left to us to guard our votes on the voting day by having a credible agent who will protect the votes and who will also be in charge of supervising the counting. Once we have that, we believe that there is nothing the APC can do as such.
“I do not believe that the APC is trying to create crises in opposition parties; I believe that the APC is doing whatever it can to ensure it wins the 2027 general elections.
“Certainly, there is evidence everywhere that they are interfering in other parties, but it is left for the other parties to maintain their integrity and ensure that they remain one and a viable opposition to the APC before and after the 2027 general elections.
“I believe there should be a plan by the opposition parties to unite ahead of the 2027 election. The NNPP will also be part of it if at all it materialises. We have our doors open in such a way that if there is going to be a coalition of all the political parties to go into the election, we are ready for that. But if every individual party wants to go on its own, the NNPP is also preparing for that eventuality.”
On his part, Edema, who urged the electorate not to be intimidated by the power of incumbency, appealed to them to resist any form of vote-trading capable of prolonging the current hardship in the land.
While maintaining that the antics deployed by the ruling party in Edo State will be resisted by the people of Ondo State, the NNPP standard-bearer said, “We are saying Ondo State is not Edo State. Ondo is not Lagos State. The people of Ondo are one of the most enlightened in the whole country and we are capable of protecting our votes and we will protect it.
“We do not fear them. We will dare them.
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
South-South zone of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has annulled the purported suspension of the Minister of State (Petroleum) Heineken Lokpobiri by the party’s executive in his local government in Bayelsa State.
In a statement by the Zonal Legal Adviser of the, Chukwuemeke Ogbuobodo, the party said the APC executive in Lokpobiri’s Ward lacks the power to suspend him as the action runs afoul of provisions of the APC constitution.
The APC South-South Zonal officers described the action as “illegal, null and void,” contending that the local government area executive cannot be a judge in its matter.
Ogbuobodo referred the local government council party executive and “whoever that is sponsoring it, to see article 21.
3 (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (a) (b) (c) (d) and (e) of the party’s Constitution and see the procedure for hearing and determination of complaints or allegations.”He also warned the local council executive that they are not above the law and not to see any other person as beneath it; “APC is not a party for supermen but a party guided by rules of law.
Recall that the APC in Southern Ijaw and Ekeremor local government areas in separate press briefings had last week purportedly suspended Lokpobiri and the 2019 gubernatorial candidate of the party in Bayelsa State, David Lyon.
But Ogbuobodo warned the persons behind the purported suspensions to be mindful that the entire executives in the state were invalidated by the decision of the Bayelsa State High Court in Suit No YHC/16/2022.
“As a consequence, the decision by the so-called LG Executive of APC is unknown to both the party’s Constitution and the laws of the land.”
He stated that to avoid this kind of unwholesome intervention by imposters in the affairs of the party in Bayelsa State given the current vacuum created by the judgment of the High Court of Bayelsa State in suit no. YHC/16/2022 and as a law-abiding entity, party chieftains in the South-South zone would now move swiftly to get the APC National Working Committee, NWC to appoint a caretaker committee to help oversee the party’s activities in the state in the interim pending the election of a substantive state executive.
By Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed deep sorrows over the tragic petrol tanker explosion which resulted in the death of over 150 people with many others injured in Majiya Town, Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
The party in a statement by its Spokesman, Hon.
Debo Ologunagba, on Thursday called on the Federal Government to investigate the remote and immediate cause of the explosion in order to take measures to ensure safer transportation and prevent recurrence of such sad incidents.“This is another sad commentary on the wave of calamitous events that have befallen our nation as a result of worsening infrastructure, economic hardship and social disorientation in the last nine years.
“Our party is saddened that innocent and heavily deprived Nigerians especially our youths and bread winners of families continue to bear the ugly brunt of misgovernance in our country,” the statement said, and lauded the efforts and courage of the police, firefighters and other Nigerians who helped to put off the fire and rescued some of the victims.
The PDP commiserated with the Government and people of Jigawa State and prays to God to grant speedy recovery to the injured and fortitude to the families of the deceased.
FCTA Begins Post-development Audit of Buildings in FCT
Share The Federal Capital Territory Administration has began a post-development audit of buildings in the FCT. Chief Felix Obuah, Coordinato...
Price of 5kg Cooking Gas Stood at N6,699.63 in September- NBS
Share The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the average price of 5kg of cooking gas increased from N6,430.02 recorded...
FG Revokes Section of Abuja-Kaduna Road Contract Handled by Julius Berger
Share The Federal Government has revoked a section of the Abuja-Kaduna highway contract being handled by Julius Berger over irregularities....
WHO Accuses Israel of Denying Medical Specialists’ Entry to Gaza
Share The World Health Organisation (WHO) has accused Israel of barring medical specialists from entering Gaza to support clinics in...
Germany must Ensure Ukraine War Does not Spread to NATO – Scholz
Share It is Germany’s responsibility to make sure that a war between Russia and Ukraine does not become a war...
Kebbi Govt Shuts Down College of Health Sciences Jega Indefinitely
Share The Kebbi Government has announced the closure of the College of Health Sciences and Technology, Jega, indefinitely following a...
Boundary Dispute: Delta Community Seeks FG’s Intervention to Avert Bloodshed
Share The Oleh community in Delta State has petitioned the Federal Government to wade into the land dispute between it...
NYSC Members Lack Nothing in Daura – Emir
Share The Emir of Daura, Alhaji Faruk Umar- Faruk, says National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) members do not suffer anything...
Host Communities, Litigations Delay Trust Fund Implementation – HOSTCOM
Share The Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM) says some delays in Host Community Development Trust (HCDT)...
Nigerian Army Emphasises Responsible Social Media use for National Security
Share The Nigerian Army has stressed the importance of responsible social media usage in contributing to national security and development....