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Server Controversy: INEC staff indict management

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Several officials who said they were deployed as electoral officers by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2019 presidential election said they transmitted results electronically to a ‘central server’ through smart card readers.

This they said was done in compliance with the directive given by the commission during a three-day training before the polls.

The 20 officials deployed to various states, who mostly worked as presiding officers, said they were told that there was a “central server in Abuja” where results are collated electronically.

It is not immediately clear on which “central Server” the officials admitted to transmitting results but this has added a new twist to the ongoing confusion trailing INEC’s consistent denial that it used no server for the election.

A manual issued to the electoral officials by INEC for the 2019 election revealed that the “Communicate” icon on the Smart Card Reader should be used to transmit the accreditation data to the central server.

Another handbook for election officials in 2018 was however more précise on how presiding officers should use the card readers for electronic collation and transmission of results.

It said it became necessary to apply technology to transmit data and results from the polling units due to irregularities that take place after the voting process.

“After successfully filling the EC8A result sheet and announcing the result, the presiding officer shall tap the e-collation application on the home screen”, a part of the book read.

Backstory

The runner up in February’s presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari at the election tribunal.

Determining whether the commission operated a central computer database that received election results has become central to the dispute after Mr Abubakar said results obtained from the server proved he won the election with 1.6 million votes to defeat Mr Buhari.

But INEC has strongly denied the claim, saying it neither transmitted results electronically nor saved them on any server. It said such activities were not permitted by the electoral law yet. The commission also accused Mr Abubakar of circulating fake results.

CONTRADICTIONS

Following the controversy over the veracity of INEC’s position on not using a central database, PREMIUM TIMES randomly interviewed about twenty electoral officers who worked in various states during the election.

While most of them admitted to sending the results electronically using the internet enabled smart card readers as directed, the rest said they only sent the number of accredited voters and rejected votes, “to the central server”.

Some of the officials, who requested to speak anonymously for fear of victimisation, said they were instructed to turn in the card readers after sending the results.

“INEC asked us to paste the result sheet and also send them electronically through the card reader,” a serving corps member who worked as an ad-hoc staff at Ido Local Government of Oyo State said.

“The results, as we were told, were sent into a central server in Abuja. The results can’t be more than the accredited voters on the card reader. It will reject it… You can’t submit your card reader without posting the results.”

Gbenga Oladayo, an Assistant Presiding Officer (APO) in Ipetumodu area of Osun State, described INEC’s denial as ‘contrived’.

“They told us there’s a server that automatically records the number of accredited voters, cancelled votes and rejected voters.”

The APO2 for polling unit 023 at Maryland, Kosofe Local government in Lagos corroborated this.

“We did that as we were told during the training. I was shocked when I also saw the news that INEC claims that there is no server.”

‘How we handled results’

An ad-hoc staffer for PU8, Ode Ajibade Ward, Ilorin East Local Government, Ode Ajibade in Kwara State explained how they handled the results as instructed.

“We were instructed, in line with the guidelines, to record the results on form EC8A and paste at the polling unit and also transmit the result via the electronic card readers through the e-collation option, and this was communicated to us during training. The revision was done by ‘RAC TECH’ guys too.

“The challenge we had was bad network. However, we ended up transmitting the results via the electronic card readers when we got to the collation centre. You must send the results before submitting the card readers.”

When asked where the results were transmitted to, he said he believe ”it’s to the central server”.

“Not only were the results sent. Figures regarding accredited voters were also transmitted. I did all these as the PO, and I also had an APO (VP).”

Another ad-hoc staffer for PU10, Ologbenla ward, Ifetedo Local Government, Osun State gave a similar account.

But the Presiding Officer (PO) at PU002, Ward 8, Agege Local Government of Lagos State disputed this.

He said ”they were not directed to do anything with the result”.

Hitches

Others who spoke said they experienced hitches in sending the results to the “central server” due to network challenges.

Ayo Aderibigbe, the P.O for Kware Local government in Sokoto State said during the training, said, “We were told to press the ‘send’ button on the card reader after the voting and the counting has been done.”

“They told us it would automatically get to them. But on Election Day, it was not going through because of the poor network, and after trying for hours, we paid one of the INEC technical officers at the local government, Raphael. He promised to help us upload this to the server when it was less congested,” Mr Aderigbe, a corps member, said.

Another corps member, who was the P.O at PU 022 ward 2 of Jos South local government In Plateau State, had a similar experience.

“I could not sleep that night. The issues most people had was the network. The network was not responding.”

But Collins, a student of Obafemi Awolowo University on election duty at PU008 of Fajuyi hall, Ile-Ife in Osun State said the network was “okay”.

“At exactly 1:40 p.m. that day, we sent the necessary information that should be sent via the card reader. I was shocked by INEC’s denial.”

Conundrum of INEC laws

details of INEC’s budget for the 2019 elections, and the spending plan shows the electoral body collected N1.47 billion from the federal government for servers.

But a spokesperson for the commission, Festus Okoye, told this Newspaper that the budget for servers was made in anticipation that President Buhari would sign the amended Electoral Act to allow electronic transfer of voting results.

NEWS

FCT HOS: Why President Tinubu Extends Atang’s Tenure By 6 Months

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By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has approved the extension of Atang Udo Samuel, as the the Head of Service, HOS,  for Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, in order to stabilise and consolidate the ongoing process in repositioning, the administrative structure of FCTA.


In a memo that was obtained by Daily Asset, and signed on behalf of FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, by the Chief of Staff, to the Minister, Chidi Amadi, in Abuja.

The memo stated that Atang’s  tenure was extended for six months with effect from Wednesday 27th March, 2024.
The memo reads, “I am directed to refer to the above subject matter and to inform you that His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has graciously approved the extension of your service for a period of six months with effects from Wednesday 27th March 2024 when you would have attained the mandatory age of 60 years.

“The extension of your service premised on the need to stabilise and consolidate the ongoing process to reposition the administrative structure of FCT Administration occasioned by the recent inauguration of FCT civil service commission”.
It would be recalled that Forty Seven years after creation, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) finally got a Civil Service Commission, a few days ago .
On that same day, FCT Head of Service, HOS, Udo Samuel Atang, and ten Permanent Secretaries chosen from Directors of the FCT Administration, took their oaths of office.
And on Wednesday 27th of March, the HOS attained the mandatory age of 60 years for retirement in civil service.

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FGGC Benin Emerges Winner of 2023 National Senior Secondary Schools’ Debate

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By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Federal Government Girls College, Benin has emerged overall winner of the 2023 National Senior Secondary Schools’ Debate Competition.
This remarkable achievement came after fierce competition from schools across the six geo-political zones of the country.


The grand finale of the competition was organised by the Senior Secondary Education Department, Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja on Tuesday.

The topic debated on was “Democracy has done more harm than good to the nation.”
The students of FGGB Benin impressed the judges with their outstanding performances, securing the overall first position, while Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba and Federal Government College, Potiskum, secured the second and third position respectively.

The Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, said the competition was aimed at igniting the student’s quest of academic excellence and the growth of critical thinking abilities.
Sununu, represented by his Special Adviser on Project, Mr Rufai Adamu, charged the students on their continued contributions to the intellectual enrichment of the society.
“The debate exercise is an effective method for developing students’ critical thinking skills as well as a spirit of inquiry and reasoned conversation.
“The topics discussed throughout this competition have spanned a wide spectrum of issues, reflecting the diversity and complexity of the world we live in.
“From socio-economic challenges to environmental concerns, the students have demonstrated an impressive ability to grapple with multifaceted issues and present well-reasoned arguments.
“As we witness the grand finale, let us remember that education is not merely a means to an end but a lifelong journey of discovery and growth.
“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that the education system continues to foster critical thinking, creativity, and a sense of civic duty,” he said.
In her remarks, Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, the event convener, Director, Senior Secondary Education Department in the ministry,  said the competition was designed to promote effective critical thinking and development of excellent oral and written communication skills.
“As we all know that debate promotes critical thinking, boosts confidence and promotes effective communication skills, encourages teamwork, It stimulates independent research, supports democratic values and tolerates opposing views.
“It increases knowledge sharing and professional attributes to mould and bring about a successful career. It equally fosters a sense of unity among students by encouraging open, respectful and constructive debates on a topic of national importance,” she said.
Meanwhile, the President General, Unity School Old Students Association (USOSA), Michael Magaji, appealed to the ministry to go beyond debating but introduced a global initiative just as the UN global club to bring students to the current levels of global thinking.
 Highlights of the competition featured cash awards as FGGC Benin got a cash prize of N150,000 while FSTC Yaba got a cash prize of N100,000.
Other consolation prizes were given to the students by Cisco Network Academy, Skool Media and USOSA and the Ministry of Education.

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We’re Meeting Our Targets on Airport -Kuje Road Construction – Wike

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By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, haom Wednesday,  expressed satisfaction with the quality and speed of the ongoing road constructions in Kuje, Kuje Area Council.
The roads that were inspected by the Minister included, the six-lane dual carriageway from Airport Expressway to Kuje Junction and the five-kilometre dual carriageway from Garage Junction to LEA Secretariat, in Kuje.


The minister explained that the five-kilometre dual carriage way from Garage Junction to LEA Secretariat was nominated by the council’s chairman and stakeholders in the area.

He said that the contractor has done earth work covering 2.
5 kilometres, adding that what would follow was the drainage.
According to the Minister, “The Area Council Chairman and the stakeholders in Kuje were the ones that nominated this road. And the road is 5 kilometers and just like what the contractor said, they started from where they have difficulty so that by the time they get to where there is consent they would have sorted out the issues.
“From what they have said today, they have done the earthwork to 2 kilometers and they said before the end of the year they would have completed this particular road.
“And the one from the airport to Kuje city here, which is being handled by the Arab contractors, you can see that their work is going on very well.
“And with the quality of work we are quite satisfied too. The contractor said before the end of the year they would have completed the earthwork. It gladdens our heart that we are meeting our targets.”
Earlier, Mr Shehu Ahmad, Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority, said that the road, linking the Airport Expressway to Kuje township would cover 11 kilometres.
Ahmad explained that between the airport expressway to Kuje junction, the road would cross over two rivers and also cross over the Outer Southern Expressway that would link the city centre with Gwagwalada Expressway.
He added that the Airport Expressway to Kuje Junction would cover nine kilometres, while the remaining two kilometres would extend backward towards Kyami District.
He explained that one of the major constraints affecting the delivery of the road was the presence of five towers belonging to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) along the road corridor.
The FCDA boss added that TCN have been contacted and have agreed to relocate the towers, stressing that until the obstructions were removed, work could not take place in the affected areas.

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