The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed, has called on political parties to caution their members, especially the youth, against causing trouble during elections.

 

C.P Ahmed gave the advised at a stakeholder’s interactive forum convened by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, ahead of the by-election in Port Harcourt State Constituency Three.

 

The message of the Commissioner Police was delivered by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations Stephen Hasso, while addressing participants during the meeting at INEC Secretariat in Port Harcourt.

 

He observed that most of the problems witnessed during elections are caused by young members of the various political parties.

 

Earlier in his remarks; the Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Obo Effanga, assured that the commission would deliver a free and fair by-election in PHALGA Constituency Three.

 

On his part, the State Director of the National Orientation Agency, Oliver Wolugbom, said the forthcoming by-election would serve as a test-run for the 2019 general election.

 

Our correspondent Chinedu Iwunna reports that about thirty-nine political parties were represented at the stakeholders’ forum.

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Three officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, have been arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos for allegedly benefitting from the multimillion dollars looted funds used to finance the 2015 election of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.

 

Yemi Akinwunmi, Atiba Dickson and Ogunmodede Oladayo were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi.

 

The EFCC is prosecuting Akinwunmi, Dickson and Oladayo on eight counts of conspiracy, diversion of public funds and money laundering to the tune of one hundred and seventy-nine million, eight hundred thousand naira.

 

The defendants are alleged to have collected the slush funds from former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, in the build-up to the 2015 presidential election.

 

EFCC spokesman said in a statement that investigation revealed that the money was disbursed to some chieftains of the PDP, as well as some retired staff of INEC in Ogun State in order to compromise the 2015 general elections.

 

However; all three defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them, following which the prosecution counsel, Nnaemeka Omewa, asked the court for a trial date and also prayed that the defendants be remanded in prison custody.

 

However, counsel to the defendants, Ayo Ogungbesan, moved an oral application for bail on behalf of his clients, which the trial judge refused, insisting that the counsel must make a formal application for bail.

 

Consequently, Justice Hassan adjourned the matter to August 6, 2018 for hearing of the bail application and ordered the defendants to be remanded prison custody.

 

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 The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has commenced training of its personnel of its legal department ahead of the 2019 general election.

 

The training on prosecution of electoral offences, which is holding on Victoria Island, Lagos, is also being attended by personnel of the Nigeria Police Force.

 

INEC big wigs from the National Secretariat and the Secretariats of the thirty-six states are attending the workshop alongside other key stakeholders.

 

Meanwhile; the Independent National Electoral Commission says it is targeting the registration of about thirteen million new voters by the end of the Continuous Voter Registration in August.

 

INEC’s projection was raised from its initial target of ten million new voters due to the volume of Nigerians who are turning up to participate in the registration exercise.

 

The electoral body has also said it was aware of concerns by stakeholders regarding the delayed approval of the budget for the 2019 general election.

 

It therefore expressed confidence that all of the concerns would be resolved and the election budget would be approved on time before the elections next year.

 

This assurance was given by the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, while responding to questions on a national television programme.

 

Rotimi Oyekanmi is the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmud Yakubu.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has scheduled by-election for Port Harcourt State Constituency Three on Saturday, 18th of August.

The election notice was announced in a statement signed by INEC Secretary, Augusta Ogakwe, which was dated 26th July.

A copy of the Press Release seen by our correspondent indicates that INEC took the decision following notification of the vacancy by the Rivers State House of Assembly.

It further disclosed that another by-election shall hold on the same day to fill the Takum One State Constituency Seat in the Taraba State House of Assembly.

The INEC Secretary, Augusta Ogagwe also said the Commission has approved a timetable and schedule of activities leading up to the by-elections in Rivers and Taraba states next month.

 

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INEC GIVES VOTERS REGISTRATION DEADLINE

Thursday, 19 July 2018 19:00

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced that the on-going Continuous Voter Registration exercise will be suspended on 17th of August, until after the 2019 general elections.

 

Against the backdrop of that decision, INEC has also resolved that beginning from Wednesday, 1st of August, the registration centres would open from 9AM to 5PM daily.

 

INEC said voter registration would also be done at the designated centres on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as on public holidays during the period.

 

The position of INEC was contained in a statement signed by the National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education Committee, Mallam Mohammed Haruna.

 

The decisions were reached at the end of INEC’s regular meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners from all thirty-six states and the Federal Capital Territory.

 

The INEC leadership also reviewed the conduct of the governorship election in Ekiti State on 14th July and resolved that it was satisfactory.

 

However; the meeting noted with deep concern the rising phenomenon of vote buying during the election and restated its commitment and determination to continue to work with all stakeholders to stem the ugly trend.

 

On the upcoming governorship election in Osun State; the INEC officials unanimously agreed to further improve on the successes recorded in the Ekiti governorship election.

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Less than one month after signing the 2018 Appropriation Act, President Muhammadu Buhari has sent a Supplementary Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly for consideration.

 

President Buhari wants the National Assembly to reallocate the sum of over one hundred and sixty-four billion naira in the 2018 Budget meant for the 2019 general election.

 

The President therefore requested the Legislature to approve a budget supplement of two hundred and forty-two billion naira to cover the general election next year, which he said was based on projected expenses put forward by the Independent National Electoral Commission and the security agencies

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In a copy of the letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, who was read on the floor of the Red Chambers at plenary, the President further asked the lawmakers to reinstate certain cuts made on funding for critical projects as provided in his original budget draft.

 

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The Ekiti State governorship election stakeholders meeting has ended without a clear resolution after the presentations degenerated into a shouting march.

 

The meeting was convened by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to work out modalities for a smooth conduct of the election on Saturday.

 

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmud Yakubu was present at the meeting, alongside representatives of the political parties, traditional rulers, civil society stakeholders and election observers.

 

But despite the disruption of the meeting, IGP Idris and the INEC Chairman, Professor Yakubu, assured that everything was being done to ensure that they deliver credible election in Ekiti State.

 

(that's the voice of IGP Idris and INEC chairman Yakubu)

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The battle line for the 2019 general elections has been drawn the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and a coalition of about forty other political parties, led by the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

 

After months of underground negotiations and sometimes public taunts, the PDP has successfully sealed an alliance with thirty-nine other political parties under the umbrella of Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, in a bid to wrest power from the APC.

 

The CUPP coalition leaders declared at the unveiling of the platform in Abuja after signing a Memorandum of Understanding that their aim is to present a unified presidential candidate for the election next year.

 

PDP Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus; Alhaji Buba Galadima of the so-called Reformed APC; Olagunsoye Onyinlola of ADC, and Chief Olu Falae of the SDP made the joint declaration on behalf of other coalition partners.

 

 

 

The CUPP unveiling ceremony in Abuja was witnessed by other notable opposition politicians, including the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and former Senate President, Senator David Mark.

 

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The Police High Command has confirmed plans for the deployment of thirty thousand personnel, two helicopters and two hundred and fifty patrol vehicles, including five Armoured Personnel Carriers for the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State.

 

The security operation for the poll would be supervised by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Operations, Joshiak Habila, who would be assisted by an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, four Commissioners of Police, eight Deputy Commissioners of Police and eighteen Assistant Commissioners of Police.

 

The Force Public Relations Officer, acting DCP Jimoh Moshood, in a statement explained that each senatorial district will be manned by a Commissioner of Police.

 

Moshood said the deployment is to ensure adequate security and safety of life and property before, during and after the elections.

 

The deployment, the Police said, also included 10 Armoured Personnel vehicles, Police Mobile Force Units, Counter-Terrorism Unit, the Special Protection Unit, the Anti-Bomb Squad, conventional policemen, the Armament Unit, Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department and the sniffer dogs section.

 

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The Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Dakuku Peterside says the massive low turnout that characterized the controversial local government election in the state on Saturday is a clear sign that what he said it Governor Nyesom Wike’s treachery has expired.

 

In a statement issued by his media team, the APC stalwart said that several members of the People’s Democratic Party called him, accusing the governor of manipulating everything, including changing the names of some candidates at the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.

 

He noted that despite only PDP contesting the election against some imaginary opponents, the RSIEC still connived with the ruling party to inflate figures even in the governor’s home local government where he claimed that voters chose to stay at home.

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