Politics

Activist Urges New INEC Chairman to Digitize Nigerian Elections

By Web News 411

By Jeffrey Ahonmisi

Human rights activist, Dr Oluwakemi Aremu has called on Professor Joash Amupitan, the newly nominated Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to digitise Nigeria’s voting process and ensure electoral transparency.

Dr. Aremu made the call while reacting to the National Council of State’s approval of Professor Amupitan’s appointment in an interview with Radio Nigeria.

She cited a history of non-transparent elections in Nigeria and emphasized that technology would strengthen the credibility of the electoral process.

Dr. Aremu described the incoming INEC Chairman as thoroughly versed in the rule of law—a foundation for credible and free elections.

She also urged Professor Amupitan to introduce digital voting devices to prevent ballot snatching and polling station violence, incidents that have marred previous elections.

Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, a native of Kogi State in North-Central Nigeria, serves as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.

President Tinubu nominated him after the ten-year term of the former INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, ended in October 2025.

Professor Amupitan is the first person from Kogi State to receive a nomination as INEC Chairman.

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTubeChannels, and also join our WhatsApp Update Group.

Politics

We are ready to deal with electoral offenders – INEC Boss

By Web News 380

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, said on Tuesday that the commission is setting up a legal team to deal with cases of electoral offenders during the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly polls.

This was as he said the forthcoming governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections will be expectedly more demanding than the presidential poll and urged the security agencies to be on guard.

The INEC boss spoke at the meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security in Abuja on Tuesday.

Yakubu advised political parties to caution their supporters, stressing that the March 18 governorship and state Assembly elections are a contest and not war.

He said INEC was looking forward to receiving electoral offenders’ case files as promised by the Inspector-General of Police.

Yakubu said, “The governorship and state Assembly elections this weekend involve more constituencies than the national elections held about three weeks ago. Unlike the last elections involving 470 constituencies (one presidential, 109 senatorial districts and 360 House of Representatives seats), the state elections will involve 1,021 constituencies (28 governorship and 993 state Assembly seats). There will also be more candidates involved and more collation centres to protect. There are also local elections involving keen contests.

“It is, therefore, important for parties and candidates to speak to their agents and supporters to see the elections as a contest and not war. They should refrain from acts of violence that may mar the elections or compromise the security of our personnel, observers, the media and service providers.

“The commission is encouraged by the directive to state commands by the Inspector-General of Police to handle all cases of electoral offences expeditiously. We look forward to receiving the case files. We will immediately set up a legal team to handle such cases in earnest.”

On his part, the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, described Saturday’s polls as complicated but gave the assurance that security agencies would ensure peace.

Monguno said a lot of meetings had been going on, especially with the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector-General of Police, to ensure peaceful polls.

He said, “Of course, the elections on Saturday are going to be much more complicated, and contextually different. First of all, we are going to have 1,021 constituencies, which means more people are interested, and more people will vote. Obviously, the dynamics would be much more different than the elections that were just concluded.

The NSA urged political parties and candidates to demonstrate high level of discipline and maturity during and after the polls, advising them to caution their supporters.

Punch/Oluwayemisi Owonikoko

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTubeChannels also join our Whatsapp Update Group

Politics

No election in 240 polling units – INEC

By Web News 578

Less than 12 days to the general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission says election will not hold in 240 polling units.

The INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu stated this at a meeting with leaders of political parties on Monday.

Yakubu stated nobody chose to vote in these polling units.

Details later….

Culled / Titilayo Kupoliyi

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels also join our Whatsapp Update Group

Politics

We are poised to beat Ekiti guber poll feat – INEC Chairman

By Web News 440

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has given assurance that the commission is prepared to beat the good record of Ekiti poll during the Osun guber election billed for July 16th 2022. 

Professor Yakubu made this known today while inspecting non-sensitive materials at the INEC office, Osogbo alongside Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Abdulganiy Raji with other officials of the commission. 

The INEC boss, who boasted that INEC would deliver a hitch-free governorship election, urged electoral officers of the commission to be proactive in their duties ahead of the election especially on logistics before the exercise. 

Speaking to the officers of the commission in the Osogbo INEC office, he said, “Identify the Registration Area Centers (RAC) so that on the election day you can activate the centres as early as 6 am. We should be waiting for the electorate not otherwise. 

“Remember, Ekiti was good, but we want Osun to beat our record in Ekiti and the 2023 General election. 

“We rely on you for transportation arrangement, early movement of materials, liaison with the security, moving them in good time…we must do this right. At the RAC centres, ensure adequate electricity so that they can recharge some of the equipment like the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and power banks so that on Election Day we can have a seamless exercise.” 

After the inspection of non-sensitive materials at the INEC office, Osogbo, Professor Yakubu visited some polling units which included Salvation Army School, Alekuwodo, CAC Araromi, Osogbo, Oloti Unit 3, Iragbiji, and Ikirun. 

He later visited Laro Grammar school Osogbo where corps members are been trained by the commission ahead of the poll. 

While addressing newsmen at CAC Araromi, Osogbo, Professor Yakubu said the inspections were to assess the level of preparedness of the commission ahead of the Osun state poll. 

He said, “We are here on readiness assessment of the commission to conduct the election on the 16th of July 2022 and also to visit some designated centres while we are doing a mock accreditation exercise. 

“In this particular centre, we achieve 100 per cent success for all those who presented themselves for accreditation so far. 

“Next week, I will be back in the state again to meet with stakeholders, then there would be signing of Peace accord under the auspices of National Peace Committee…so that is our mission.”

Akinola Adenitan

Politics

We are Poised for Credible Guber Poll in Ekiti – INEC

By Web News 475

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is ready to conduct a good governorship election in Ekiti State.

During an interview with Newsmen, Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said the commission would deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for the June 18 election.

Okoye who stated that INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, was already in the south-western state, revealed that stakeholders would sign the peace accord on Wednesday.

“Expect a good (governorship) election in Ekiti State,” he said. “The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission was in Ekiti two weeks ago on readiness assessment.

“We visited five local government areas and all the non-sensitive materials have already been diced in accordance with registration areas. Presently the chairman is in Ekiti State and there is going to be a stakeholders’ engagement today and tomorrow, there will be a signing of the peace accord.”

To avoid glitches in the election, the INEC commissioner said the electoral body conducted a mock accreditation in 12 polling units across the three senatorial districts of the state two weeks ago.

“We are confident that the BVAS will perform optimally. So we expect a very good election in Ekiti on June 18, 2022,” he stated.

Okoye also spoke about the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and the plans by the electoral body for the 2023 general elections.

He stated that INEC would ensure that every Nigerian was registered to participate in next year’s polls, adding that eligible voters who did not get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) before the 2019 elections could do so.

“We want to assure Nigerians that every Nigerian who is desirous of registering will have an opportunity of doing that,” the INEC spokesman said. “INEC chairman has promised that the commission will do whatever it takes and will keep every option open to make sure that all Nigerians can register.”

Reacting to viral videos showing some Nigerians being denied entry into some churches or public places for not having their PVC, Okoye said he will not dabble in religious matters.

He, however, explained that it was the right of every Nigerian to decide whether or not to participate in elections.

ChannelsTV / Titilayo Kupoliyi

Politics

2023: INEC Seeks Collaboration of Security Agency

By Web News 516

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has sought the support of the Nigerian Air Force in deploying personnel and airlifting election materials to remote and insecure areas across the country.

The commission also solicited the support of the Air Force to provide security in volatile areas just as it had been doing during the off-cycle elections.

The INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, made this known during his visit to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, in Abuja on Wednesday.

“On February 25, 2023 and March 11, 2023, the commission will deploy personnel and materials to about 190,000 voting and collation locations nationwide for 1,491 executive and legislative offices across Nigeria,” the INEC boss disclosed.

He added, “Beyond logistics support, the Air Force has also deployed its assets to provide security during off-cycle elections, especially in areas of difficult terrain.

“Election constitutes the most extensive mobilisation and complex logistics operations that could happen in a country in peacetime.

“These activities must take place simultaneously, stretching over 923,768km2 within a space of six voting hours (8.30am – 2.30pm) involving a projected population of 90 million voters.

“In handling such a huge national assignment, the Commission cannot do it alone as national assets must be mobilised. It is in realisation of this objective that the law empowers the Commission to seek the support of the security agencies in general and the Armed Forces in particular in delivering materials for election and the protection of election officials.

“Provided that the Commission shall only request for the deployment of the Nigerian Armed Forces for the purpose of securing the distribution and delivery of election materials and protection of election officials.”

He also requested the help of the Air Force in handling the delivery of outstanding election materials to Ekiti and Osun governorship elections.

Yakubu added, “There is no time to waste. The 2023 general election is only 261 days from today. However, the Ekiti State Governorship election holds in the next 10 days on Saturday, June 18, 2022 while the Osun Governorship election holds in 38 days on Saturday, July 16, 2022.

“We will seek the support of the Air Force in handling the delivery of outstanding election materials to the two States while the commission bears responsibility for all subsequent deployment within the states to the Local Government Areas and beyond as has been the practice.”

Responding, Amao commended INEC for strengthening electoral processes in the country.

He promised to give INEC necessary NAF support and coordination in airlifting all the election materials, logistics including staff coming up in Nigeria to any parts of remote areas of any state to ensure a hitch-free, inclusive and fair election.

Punch / Titilayo Kupoliyi

Politics

1 Month to Go: INEC’s 20m New Registrants Target Stuck at 29%

By Web News 496

The plan of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to register at least 20 million Nigerian voters before the end of June seems unlikely to come to fruition as only 5.8 million people representing 29 percent of INEC’s target have actually registered.

According to INEC, as of May 16, 9,238,991 fresh registrants had registered online but of this figure, only 5,845,751 had completed the physical registration process.

The INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, had said last year that the commission was expected to register 20 million Nigerians before July this year.

The intended target was mostly youths who had crossed the age of 18 since the 2019 elections.

However, with barely a month left to INEC’s deadline, over 70 percent of those INEC had thought would register have failed to do so.

When contacted on the telephone, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said the commission would not extend the deadline which is June 30.

He said, “The commission will not extend the CVR (Continuous Voter Registration) which started on June 30 last year. For the first time ever, the commission introduced the online pre-registration option, to make it easier for eligible Nigerians to register.”

“As of 7 am on Monday, May 16, there were 9,238,991 fresh registrants. But only 5,845,751 have completed the registration process so far. However, you will agree with me that one year is long enough for a serious individual to register as a voter.”

“Anyone who fails to register before June 30 this year will have another opportunity when the CVR resumes after the 2023 general elections.”, Mr Oyekanmi added.

Punch/Maxwell Oyekunle

Politics

New INEC REC Assumes Duty in Ekiti

By Web News 621

A new INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, has assumed duty in Ekiti State.

He is Dr Tellar Rahmon, a native of Osogbo, Osun State.

Dr Rahmon was recently sworn-in by the INEC National Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu in Abuja.

Until his appointment, Dr Tella Rahmon was a lecturer at the Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management, Osun State University, Osogbo.

Amos Ogunrinde