INEC employs blind Ex-NYSC member who lost his sight during 2011 elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has employed an ex-youth Corps member, Daniel Oluwatobi, who lost his sight while serving as INEC ad hoc staff in Yobe State for the 2011 elections.

Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who led a team of INEC’s National Commissioners, Secretaries and Directors to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) headquarters for the presentation ceremony, praised Corps members for their patriotism, dedication and commitment to election duties.

INEC declares Seriake Dickson winner of Bayelsa governorship election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday night declared the incumbent governor of Bayelsa State and the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the Bayelsa governorship election, Seriake Dickson, has the winner of the election.

 Dickson defeated his closest rival Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC). state.

In the result announced by Professor Zana Akpagu, the returning officer of the governorship election, Dickson got a total of 134, 998 while Sylva, a former governor of the state, polled a total of 86, 852. 

The Trent Names Goodluck Jonathan As Person Of The Year 2015

One of Nigeria's most influential online newspapers, The Trent has named former President Goodluck Jonathan Person of the Year 2015.

"We are delighted to launch our Person of the Year Award with such a deserving statesman," the newspaper's, President and Executive Editor, Ms. Aziza Uko told journalists in Lagos, Monday. "This marks our second anniversary and our Editorial Board decided to launch this award to celebrate the best among us, to present to the country, especially, the young generation, real symbols of hope."

President Buhari is not sincere with corruption fight – Sagay

Professor Itse Sagay, SAN, headed President Muhammadu Buhari’s advisory committee on anti-corruption. He speaks with OLAKUNLE TAIWO on the legal implications of the Kogi governorship election, why some key institutions are corrupt, the president’s integrity and his anti-graft crusade, among others. Excerpts:

AS a constitutional lawyer, what do you think would have been the right thing to do in Kogi when the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Prince Audu Abubakar, died before the declaration of the results of the election?

You know the issue is new and there was no provision for such at all in the constitution, but somehow the decision should have been at the discretion of the Attorney-General of the Federation or the prerogative of the court to actually decide which way to go. It was like a lacuna or lawless case, where anybody can just act the way he feels, because there was no provision for it. So, both parties can do what they like and that is just it. Sincerely, there is an extent to which the case can be prosecuted legally, because having no provision for it, it has created a loophole for anybody to act anyhow. We will just be making noise. Therefore, in such a case, the judiciary or anybody can be influenced.

How do you mean sir?

APC sends Bello's name to INEC as late Prince Audu’s replacement

APC has picked and forwarded to INEC Yahaya Bello's name to be its substitute for late Prince Audu Abubakar in the Kogi state supplementary governorship election come December 5th. This move puts a note of finality to who will be representing the party in the supplementary election.

INEC’s Deputy Director in charge of Publicity, Nick Dazang. who confirmed this new development said " They have sent the name of their replacement candidate, the second runner-up in their primaries, that is Yahaya Bello, to the commission.”.

Pathetic Last Hours of APC Governorship Aspirant, Abubakar Audu

That APC gubernatorial candidate, Abubakar Audu who was earlier on today leading in the yet to be concluded Kogi election, that he is dead is no longer news.

What’s yet to be told is how the controversial former governor died of stroke this afternoon, Sunday, November, 22nd, 2015 after hearing the bad news that the election is inconclusive.

According to the National Enquirer, family sources told them Prince Abubakar Audu's health predicament began yesterday when he was said to have complained of stomach cramps before going to bed.

Abubakar Audu, APC's Governorship Candidate In Kogi Election Is Dead

The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi state, Mr. Abubakar Audu is dead.

Mr. Audu died of undisclosed medical reasons shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared his victory at the elections inconclusive. Saharareporters could not determine the cause of Mr. Audu's death. 

Guber Tribunal Judgement: We’ve been vindicated - Rivers APC

….Urges security agents not to allow Wike escape

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says it has welcomed the judgement of the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which on Saturday, October 24, 2015 afternoon in Abuja annulled the declaration of Chief Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the April 11, 2015 governorship poll in the State.

“We have been vindicated in our persistent claim that the election in Rivers State was a sham and that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) erred in declaring Wike governor. We repeat that there is no way under the heavens that Chief Wike can beat our candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, in a free and fair election,” Rivers APC said in a statement issued in Port Harcourt and signed by its Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya immediately after the Tribunal judgement.

Tension in Bayelsa over Alamieyesiegha's planned extradition to UK

Fresh moves to extradite ex- governor, Diepreye Alamieyesiegha to the UK is generating serious tension in Bayelsa State. Already, many socio-political organisations have described the plan as a wrong step in the wrong direction.

 Chairman of the Bayelsa State caucus in the National Assembly, Foster Ogola, condemned the plan in Yenagoa during a function where Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, was endorsed for a second term by several Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the civil society organisations.

He raised posers on the rationale for the extradition notice by Britain.

According to him, the latest moves were suspicious, adding that Alamieyesiegha had gone through a legal process, prosecuted by a competent court of jurisdiction, indicted, sentenced and was granted presidential pardon.

Wike is spending his last days in office, declares APC

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said Chief Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is spending his last days in office as Governor of Rivers State. 

The party was reacting to the statement credited to PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, who was quoted as saying about the failure of PDP and INEC counsels to appear before the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Friday, September 18: “Even if our lawyers and witnesses didn’t appear at the Rivers Tribunal today and the remaining days, it doesn’t stop us PDP from winning at the judgment. But should we fail at judgment, we shall win even above 1.5 million votes in Rivers State re-run Governorship and other elections.” 

Rivers APC in a statement issued Monday in Port Harcourt and made available to NF-Reports by its Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, dismissed Metuh’s position as mere day-dreaming. 

'Sahara Reporters suspicious motives for attacking Bukola Saraki' - press statement

This is a press statement from the office of Senate president, Bukola Saraki. Read below...

On Thursday, August 6th, 2015, SaharaReporters published a totally fabricated report entitled: "Nigeria's Senate President Saraki Lied In His Official Election Forms" on its website. In that dubious and utterly false report, SR alleged that the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, is not a Nigerian citizen. The article went further, based solely on suppositions to infer that Dr. Saraki intentionally avoided question 10 on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) form for candidates contesting National Assembly elections and by so doing must have sworn to an oath of allegiance to another country, such as United Kingdom, the report concluded. 

The article also suggested that the Senate President avoided stating his place of birth on the INEC form, and that he is intentionally concealing his UK citizenship to avoid being disqualified in any way from political office.

INEC office in Abia state burnt down

The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission at Obingwa Local Government of Abia state was razed today August 2nd by some hoodlums. Residents of the community say the fire outbreak was politically motivated as suspected political thugs armed with knives, cutlasses and guns stormed the local government before setting the electoral office on fire. This action comes ahead of the August 10th date fixed for the commencement of the state election tribunal. Results from the local government is among many issues that is strongly being contested.

Rivers APC alleges gang-up by INEC, Judges to frustrate election petitions

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has alleged a grand conspiracy between the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and some judges to frustrate the party’s petitions brought before the tribunals in respect of the March 28 and April 11 general elections in the State. 

The party made the allegation following the shocking ruling on Tuesday by the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in the matters of Dr. Dawari George and Mr. Lucky Odili of Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Federal Constituency respectively. Both men had filed petitions challenging the victory of Hon. Boma Goodhead of Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency and Prince Nnam Obi of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Federal Constituency. The Tribunal surprisingly dismissed the petitions on the grounds that APC’s revised notice for the conduct of the party’s primaries for the said elections was not within the stipulated 21 days. 

Rivers APC Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, said in a statement issued on Monday in Port Harcourt: “While the party was still grappling with the seeming partiality of Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt which deliberately denied the 22 elected Local Government Chairmen the right to fair hearing in a matter brought before it by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), another panel of judges presiding over the National Assembly election petition tribunals moved again to create its own laws outside the Electoral Act 2011, denying Dr. Dawari George and Mr. Lucky Odili the right to fair hearing in their petitions against INEC and PDP. 

After previous failures, I was scared of contesting the 2015 election - Buhari

President Buhari says he was scared of contesting in the 2015 presidential election after his failures in past elections. He said this while addressing APC leaders during the breaking of the Ramadan fast at the presidential villa yesterday July 14th

"No matter the level you are, drop your influence so that we can help achieve the manifesto – security, economy, employment and corruption- because if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria. We have to ensure that people we bring forward are those that will move the society forward. 

I always like to go down the memory lane to show how lucky we are as a political group. At no stage was the decision taken by chance, it was all deliberate. The leaders of the parties felt the only way to wrest power from the PDP was for us to come together. I, in particular, was scared after previous failures of the elections of 2003, 2007 and 2011. We dissolved our various parties to form APC, then we applied to INEC, for once I was grateful to INEC. We had gone with nine people to INEC to apply and INEC advised us that we needed at least 25 people to form a political party. We were able to go back and raised 35 members across the country and then successfully registered the party. INEC then informed the federal government that we have met the requirements hence we cannot be denied registration. Many doubting Thomases said merger had never succeeded in Nigeria but here we are. I went into this long explanation so that you will appreciate how far we have come and for a society as ours, if we respect the constitution, then all the greed and problems will be a thing of the fast.”he said

President Buhari Turns Down Dasuki's Resignation Letter - Report

Col. Sambo Dasuki, National Security Adviser

The resignation letter of the National Security Adviser, Colonel Sabo Dasuki, has been rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari. The report said Dasuki’s resignation was rejected on the ground that he must account for funds received and spent under his tenure in the prosecution of the Boko Haram insurgency. 

President Buhari was reported to have said Dasuki’s resignation is‘unacceptable’ ” following intelligence reports showing the fake military hardware, consumables and large cache of money unaccounted for due to improper filing of contract papers under the office of the NSA” the paper reported. Government sources was also that the unaccounted funds poses a “significant financial risk and demonstrates a lack of internal control over the NSA’s office which diminished the roles and 

powers of the Ministry of defence and more than $50 billion in which contract files were incomplete or could not be located at all which he has to account for before leaving government”.

Former INEC chairman Prof Jega resumes as a University lecturer

  

Professor Jega who retired as INEC Chairman on June 30th resumed as a lecturer at the department of Political Science, Bayero University Kano today July 6th. Professor Jega had said he would be returning to the classroom to teach once he retires as INEC chairman.

More photos of him on the school campus after the cut...

PDP rejects Amina Zakari's appointment as INEC acting Chairman

The leadership of PDP has rejected the appointment of Mrs Amina Zakari as the acting Chairman of INEC.

At a press briefing in Abuja today July 1st, the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Olisa Metuh, said the PDP was rejecting Mrs Zakari's appointment based on her closeness to the Presidency as well as one of the APC governors. Mr Metuh also said that due process was not followed for her selection as acting chairman.

Acting INEC Chairman Mrs Amina Zakari assumes office

Mrs Amina Zakari who was appointed acting chairman of INEC by President Buhari yesterday June 30th is pictured above receiving notes from Ambassador Ahmad Wali who Professor Jega handed over to yesterday June 30th. She will stay in office until a new chairman is appointed!

Jega Ends His Tenure As INEC Chairman

Attahiru Jega‘s tenure as INEC Chairman has come to an end. His departure was formalized on Tuesday during a handover ceremony conducted behind closed doors at the Commission in Abuja, according to Sahara Reporters.

A national commissioner from Sokoto State, Ahmed Wali will be taking over as interim chairman.

National Identity Number Mandatory From September

FROM September 1, the National Identity Number (NIN) shall become mandatory for all transactions involving the identification of individuals in the country.

To that end, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), which is in charge of NIN issuance, has urged Nigerians to avail themselves the opportunity of enrolling in the national identity database to get their NIN.