By Gom Mirian, Abuja 

The Inspector General of Police(IGP),Usman Alkali Baba, has said a total of 781 electoral offenders were arrested in the just concluded 2023 general elections across the country from a total of 489 major electoral infractions.

He disclosed this on Monday, at the meeting with Strategic Police Managers of the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja.

The meeting aimed at evaluating Police performance during the 2023 General elections, highlight lessons and strengths, and dissect complex dynamics for subsequent optimal performance drew participants from across the country.

The participants  present at the meeting comprised of  the Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs) and members of the Force Management Team, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs), Commissioners of Police (CPs) and other Tactical Commanders.

Baba at the accession, tasked all commands to submit casefiles centrally at the Electoral Offences Desk located at the  Office of the IGP at the  Force Headquarters in Abuja, for coordinated processing to INEC Legal Section.

According to him, the Police Force would effectively collaborate with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to expeditiously and transparently prosecute the 781 electoral offenders apprehended.

The Police boss, also charged the Strategic Police Managers to readjust strategies and operations towards ensuring a stable post-election security order and refocus policing attention on routine law enforcement duties.

“I firmly admonish all political actors and their supporters to submit to democratic norms, peaceful means, and legal procedures in advancing their interests as the Police and other security agencies shall not tolerate the resort to incitement or any act designed to threaten our national security”, he said.

From David Torough, Makurdi

The Convener, Atiku Grassroots Movement, Terzungwe Atser, has said the officials of a council ward of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),lacked the powers to suspend a member of the National Working Committee (NWC). 

This was contained in a statement, which he issued on Monday in Makurdi.

According to the statement, the party’s officials of Igyorov Council Ward, Gboko Local Government Area, Benue were not aware of  section 57 subsection 7 of the PDP constitution where it is stated that only the National Executive Committee of the party has the power to take disciplinary measures against a national official of the party.

“The perpetrators of this shameless act must also be aware that the ward officials lack the powers to suspend or take any other disciplinary measure against a national officer of the party. 

“By virtue of section 57 subsection 7 of the PDP constitution, only the National Executive Committee of the party has the power to take disciplinary measures against a national official of the party.

“Ignoring the provisions of the party’s constitution and going ahead to do so only points to intended mischief by the perpetrators and their sponsors,” Atser said. 

He pointed out that the purported letter of suspension was also full of inaccuracies and blatant lies, noting that the letter was dated  March 24 but was announced on Sunday, March 26.

He disclosed that the ward officials acted acting under duress. 

The letter also claimed that the National Chairman could not deliver his polling unit and ward to the PDP. 

He further said that to the accusation that PDP lost in Ayu’s polling unit was false, stressing that evidence on ground showed that the PDP won overwhelmingly in Mkovur Market polling unit where the Chairman voted and also won in Igyorov council Ward.

“In the governorship election, all other parties got zero votes while the PDP got 200 out of 203 accredited voters. The results are on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Irev portal to be verified by any concerned person.

“The claim that the National Chairman did not vote in the governorship and state assembly elections is also a figment of imagination of the authors as the chairman voted and stayed at the polling unit with all members of his family until the votes were counted and announced. This too can be verified,” he said. 

From Jude Dangwam, Jos 

The All Progressive Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate in Plateau State, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda has gotten the approval of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal setting in Jos the Plateau State Capital to inspect materials used in the 18 March, 2023 governorship election in Plateau State.

The Media Officer of the Generation Next, Shittu Bamaiyi in a statement signed and made available to Journalists yesterday in Jos said “the governorship Election petition tribunal sitting in Jos gave ruling this morning, after hearing the two applications moved by Nentawe’s Counsel.

In a motion exparte and motion on notice; the Counsel, Jim Gotom told the tribunal that his motion is supported by a six paragraph affidavit he placed reliance on all of them.

Counsel to the applicant applied for leave and order of the Tribunal to permit Nentawe, his lawyers and agents to inspect election materials such as “Tendered voters list, Electoral material Receipt, Ballot Paper Account and Verification Statement.”

Other materials demanded to be inspected include, “statement of Invalid, Rejected and Cancelled Ballot Papers, Statement of Unused and Spoilt Ballot Papers,Tendered Ballot statement, Results of Poll from Polling units, Summary of Results for Local government areas, Summary of Results for the State and Summary/Declaration of Results for candidates.”

Gotom also requested that his client be permitted to inspect the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and the Back End Server Report from the BVAS for all the polling Units and other relevant documents used by the Commission.

Meanwhile the Governor-Elect Barr. Caleb Mutfwang has also filled a similar motion and application for leave of the Tribunal to also carry out similar exercise as requested by the APC on his emergence which has been granted concurrently.

Mutfwang through his Counsel, Kingsley Mallan sought the Tribunal to allowed his client inspect materials used for the March 18th governorship election also as requested by the APC.

Counsel to INEC, Elekwa Oyemauche in his submission stressed that the prayers contained in all the applicants applications are the same and therefore should be consolidated to save the Tribunal’s time.

The Tribunal in her ruling granted the application and prayers of the parties and ordered that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should give them access to jointly inspect the materials.