Politics

INEC Denies Blocking Igbos From Election Duty In Lagos

Published

2 weeks ago

March 16, 2023

INEC Denies Blocking Igbos From Election Duty In Lagos

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has denied blocking south-east and south-south ad-hoc staff from participating in the Lagos state governorship election.

A Twitter user had on Wednesday alleged that INEC excluded staff from the geopolitical zones from sensitive election duty ahead of the March 18 poll.

“They did not give any reason, but it was said that the INEC leadership which takes directives from the Tinubu political group said they do not trust the Igbo/SS staff to do as they will want them to do at the election,” the tweet reads.

“INEC is supposed to be a neutral federal agency, but they have been badly compromised beyond recognition.”

Reacting in a statement signed by Tadese Adenike, HOD, voter education and publicity in Lagos, the commission said it read the allegation on social media with “great surprise”.

INEC said while 738 ad-hoc staff (collation officers) were engaged during the national elections, the forthcoming governorship and house of assembly will only require the services of 427 collation officers because only two elections are involved.

“It is pertinent to state unequivocally that members of staff that are Igbos were all returned to work as Collation Officers in the forthcoming elections while SPOs (Supervisory Presiding Officers) maintained their positions,” the statement reads.

INEC said it was equally alleged that Olusegun Agbaje, INEC REC in Lagos, was in cahoots with some political actors to rig the gubernatorial election in the state.

“Whoever has information concerning the day and time of the said telephone conversation should not hesitate to make it public,” the statement reads.

“Going by the above frivolous allegations, it is obvious that the orchestrated stories were fabricated to impugn INEC and taint the reputation of Mr Olusegun Agbaje MFR, mni the honourable resident commissioner INEC Lagos state.

“Without mincing words, Mr Olusegun Agbaje MFR, mni is a man of integrity, sincerity, fully committed and dedicated to the service of the commission and the entire citizens of Nigeria irrespective of ethnicity or political affiliation.

“The public should shun fake news, misinformation and disinformation and allow INEC in Lagos state focus on the forthcoming election in order to achieve the desired result.”

Politics

PDP Names Damagum As Acting National Chairman

Published

3 hours ago

March 28, 2023

Tunde Osunfemi

PDP Names Damagum As Acting National Chairman

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national working committee (NWC) has named Iliya Umar Damagum as the acting national chairman.

Until his appointment, Damagum was the PDP national deputy chairman (north).

Debo Ologunagba, the PDP spokesperson, made the announcement on Tuesday at a press conference in Abuja.

The appointment follows a high court order restraining Ayu from parading himself as the party’s national chairman.

Politics

OBIdient Movement Is Not Tribal – Peter Obi

Published

1 day ago

March 27, 2023

Peter Mary Tanimu

OBIdient Movement Is Not Tribal - Peter Obi

The second runner-up of the concluded presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Peter Obi has dismissed claims that the OBIdient movement is fueled by tribe, ethnicity, and religion.

According to the Labour Partyman in a statement from his official social media handle, the movement is the arrowhead in the take-back Nigeria mission, and saving of democracy.

He wrote; “In the life of every nation, there is a turning point. For Nigeria, that time is now; a time to save Nigeria, save our democracy, and give the Nigerian youths hope. The OBIdient Movement has been the arrowhead in the take-back Nigeria mission.”

The former governor of Anambra claims that his position in the Movement is that of a focal point, emphasizing the fact that Nigeria is still a secular nation.

As a result, the movement is neither about tribe nor faith, nor is there any attempt to Christianize Nigeria or further Igbo interests.

Peter Obi continued by expressing his desire for a brand-new Nigeria in which the progeny of nobody will rise to prominence.

A country where the interests of the whole youth from the six geopolitical zones are prioritized over the interests of any particular group; one where national interests, rather than those of any particular group, are the driving force.

“No one should ascribe ethnic or religious coloration to the OBIdient Movement. Nigeria is one and my ambition is to become the President of a United and Indivisible Nigeria,” he added.

Politics

INEC Budgets Over N3bn To Defend Election Results

Published

1 day ago

March 27, 2023

Tunde Osunfemi

INEC Budgets Over N3bn To Defend Election Results

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has budgeted over N3bn to defend the results of the February 25 presidential and national assembly election and the March 18 governorship and state assembly polls.

It was gathered that several candidates who lost in the elections have filed petitions at the presidential and state election petition tribunals to challenge the outcome of the polls.

So far, over 100 election petitions have been filed by aggrieved candidates and their parties across the country.

The presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar; the Labour Party, Peter Obi; the Action Alliance, Solomon Okangbuan; Allied People’s Movement, Chichi Ojei, have also filed petitions for the nullification of the presidential election results.

INEC had on March 1 declared the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, as the winner of the February 25 presidential election, but the five candidates filed petitions seeking the nullification of the poll.

Also, election petition tribunals in over 12 states have equally received petitions from National Assembly candidates who are not satisfied with the results of the just concluded elections.

The states where the petitions had been received included Edo, Plateau, Ondo, Kwara, Ogun, Bayelsa, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Bauchi, Lagos and Niger states.