Category: News

Manual collation of results: INEC laying foundation for rigging of 2023 elections – Atiku Abubakar

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is laying the foundation for the rigging of the 2023 election through the manual collation of results.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye in an interview with the Punch on Saturday said the collation of results of the 2023 general elections will be done manually despite the adoption of electronic transmission of results.

Okoye was quoted to have said “Section 60(5) of the Act makes it mandatory that the presiding officer shall transfer the results, including total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballot in a manner prescribed by the commission. Thereafter, the presiding officer shall after recording and announcing the results deliver the same along with election materials under security and accompanied by the candidates or their polling agents, where available to such person as may be prescribed by the commission.

“The implication of this is that the collation process of results is still essentially manual, but the collation officer must collate subject to his verification and confirmation that the number of accredited voters stated on the collated result are correct and consistent with the number of accredited voters recorded and transmitted directly from polling units, he added.

Atiku, reacting through his spokesman, Daniel Bwala, Sunday alleged that with such a statement ” INEC is laying the foundation for the rigging of the 2023 elections”.

The PDP Presidential candidate spokesman examined that “Section 60 is clear. At the close of voting at the polling unit, the voting results will be uploaded, meaning that by the time the officer from the unit goes to the ward, he cannot present a result different from the one that was uploaded, which every voter can have access to it.

According to him, the same thing applies to the local government and the state, because there is evidence that results have been sent to a server where they cannot be manipulated.

He said, what Okoye said means they are creating the room and possibility for somebody to manipulate the result without prejudice to the counting and the result as announced at the unit.

The PDP candidate cautioned INEC that Nigerians are not interested in litigation, but in a free, fair, credible election where their votes will count.

According to him, If INEC relies on manual collation, they will be going around the provisions of the Electoral Act to take the country’s electoral system backwards.

He continued “Sadly, they are trying to find a solution where there is no problem because this same electronic upload and transmission has been done in Anambra, Ekiti, Edo and Osun and they were successful, that procedure has not been challenged.

“If you go to court all the challenges in court were around certificates of individual and whether that individual is qualified or not. But that procedure has worked.

“So why are you trying to fix something that is not broken? It means something is fishy, we smell coffee. And that’s why we’re calling all well-meaning Nigerians and lovers of democracy in Nigeria and beyond to raise their voices and speak with one voice.

“There must be strict compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act with respect to electronic upload and transmission of result, without prejudice to what INEC is thinking about bringing”.

He warned that INEC must never try to change the procedure that has worked in these states mentioned.

Emphasising that, the 2023 election must be free and must be transparent.

“We don’t want litigation. We want the voice and the will of the people to prevail in Nigeria,” he added.

Lagos Council Boss Shot Dead By Gunmen

Francis Olagoke Oguntulu, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area chairman, Kehinde Oloyede, has been shot dead by some armed men at a party.

In a statement from the media office of the LG boss on Sunday, it was revealed that Oguntulu was shot at and axed on Adeyemi street, Oshod, on Friday. Oguntulu died on Sunday morning from his injuries.

Mourning the deceased, the council chairman, Oloyede, said, “We have lost a loyal, jovial and everly friendly man to the cold hands of death. The death came to us as a rude shock. We appeal to the Lagos Police to unravel the cause of the death and ensure those behind the dastardly act are brought to book to serve as deterrent to those planning evil acts.”

“As we mourn Goke, I appeal to our party men and women and all residents of our dear council to remain calm as we have asked the Police to investigate the matter. We will never leave any stone unturned in this case. We will work hand in hand with the Police in the course of their investigations to unmask those behind the act.”

₦2.6BN renewal license debt: NBC suspends shutdown of 53 broadcast stations after IPI Nigeria’s intervention.

Following the intervention of the Nigerian chapter of the International Press Institute, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has suspended the revocation of the operating licenses of 52 broadcast stations owing various sums in licensing fees.

The NBC has now given the affected stations up to 6PM on Tuesday, August 23, to pay up their debts.

In revoking the licenses on Friday, the commission had ordered the stations off air beginning this Saturday, citing Section 10(a) of the 3rd Schedule of the National Broadcasting Commission Act CAP N11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The provision says, “10. A licence may be revoked by the Commission in the following cases, that is (a) where the prescribed fee has not been paid on the due date…”

After the announcement, IPI Nigeria engaged the Ministry of Information and Culture, the NBC and the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) to explore amicable resolution of the dispute.

“We are glad to report that the Director General of NBC, Malam Balarabe Shehu Ilela, has graciously agreed to grant an extension on compassionate ground,” IPI Nigeria President, Musikilu Mojeed, said on Saturday.

“Even though this is a temporary relief, we are hopeful that all parties will engage in the next few days with a view to arriving at a lasting resolution of the matter. We thank the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Mallam Illela for listening to us and allowing a window for dialogue.

“During our engagement with the Commission, the NBC explained that the commission had in the past granted several concessions to broadcast organisations, including writing off substantial parts of their debts and engaging them consistently to fulfill their financial obligations to the regulator.

“We implore the affected broadcasting organisations to take advantage of this window of opportunity by reaching out to the NBC.

“Nobody benefits when broadcasting stations are shut down. Members of the public have come to rely on these stations to know what their governments are doing to keep them safe in this challenging security environment. Other governments’ policies are also disseminated to the public through these channels.

“In view of the nation’s economic downturn, we further appeal to the affected broadcast stations and the NBC to agree a workable payment arrangement of the outstanding dues.”

Suspected Hoodlums Attack Osun First Lady’s Convoy

Mrs. Kafayat Oyetola’s convoy was reportedly ambushed by alleged hoodlums on Friday night.

Although details of the incident were still hazy at the time this story was filed, sources in Owode, Ede, the scene of the incident, claimed that Mrs. Oyetola’s convoy was traveling to Osogbo and was in the area of Owode Market when intermittent gunshots were heard on Friday night at 8 o’clock.

Alayande, a local resident who wished to go by only that name, told Objectv Media on Saturday that a truck had caused a traffic obstruction when the caravan arrived at the Owode market crossroads.

A fight broke out between the security personnel who were part of the convoy as they attempted to get the truck driver to go.

“It was while trying to make the truck driver to move that altercation ensued between security men attached to the convoy.

“I heard several gunshots where I stood near the junction. It was dark but there was altercation between security men and some people suspected to be hoodlums,” he said.

Osun police command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, has not responded to text message sent to her on the matter as of the time of filing this report.

But Information Officer to the office of the First Lady, Oluwatunmise Iluyomade, said the convoy was attacked.

She said “No life was lost in the incident. Some security personnel attached to the convoy sustained various degrees of injuries.”