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INEC Suspends Physical Registration Of Voters In Anambra

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INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended physical registration of voters in Anambra, though online pre-registration of voters in the state would still continue.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this at the commission’s 3rd quarterly meeting with leaders of political parties on Monday, in Abuja.

He said that the decision was to enable the commission to prepare for the state governorship election scheduled for Nov. 6.

This is just as he disclosed that 717, 947 Nigerians had so far participated in the nationwide physical registration at INEC state and local government offices, beginning from July 26.

“Today, it is exactly two months (or 60 days) to the election. As you are aware, the commission devolved the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) to the 326 Registration Areas, in addition to the 21 Local Government offices and the State office of the Commission.

“The physical exercise was suspended yesterday, i.e. 60 days to the election, as required by Section 9 (5) of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended.

“However, the online pre-registration option will continue to be available, but no appointment for completion of registration can be scheduled until after the election.

“The commission will use the next few weeks to compile the register of voters for claims and objections, clean up the data, print the PVCs for collection by registrants and compile the register for each of the 5,720 polling units in the state”, he said.

Yakubu assured that every newly registered voter in the state, including those who applied to transfer from within and outside the state, or for the replacement of damaged or lost Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), would have their cards printed and made available to them before the election.

He said each political party fielding candidates in the election would be given a copy of the voters’ register on Oct. 7.

On the weekly updates for week 11 of the nationwide CVR, Yakubu said as at 7am on Monday, Sept. 6, a total of 2,729,819 fresh voters had completed their pre-registration online.

On the nationwide physical registration at INEC state and local government offices, which began on July 26, Yakubu said so far 717,947 Nigerians had completed their registration at the designated centres.

“With the benefit of technology, we have also been providing detailed information on the cumulative distribution of registered voters by age, occupation, gender and disability on weekly basis.

“By doing so, we hope leaders of political parties will use the information in articulating their manifestos and planning their campaigns to target the concerns of specific categories of citizens.

“For instance, in terms of age, young Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 34 constitute 65 per cent of new registrants and 72 per cent of completed registrations so far.

“In terms of occupation, students constitute 32 per cent of the new registrants and 42 per cent of completed registrations and remain the largest category since the exercise began 11 weeks ago.”

Yakubu said that the latest detailed statistics had been uploaded on the commission’s website and social media platforms, adding that as the commission continued working on the register of voters, it had also been innovating on how to strengthen the credibility of voter accreditation and result management during elections in Nigeria.

He described the introduction of the machine-readable PVC, combined with the Smart Card Reader (SCR), as well as the uploading of polling unit results in real-time on election day, as important innovations.

“The reality is that technology always advances with the passage of time.

“Consequently, the commission must keep pace with the ever-changing world of global information and communication technology. We are at one such crossroad at the moment”, he added.

The INEC Chairman also disclosed that the commission had now introduced a Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for voter verification on election day, in reaction to calls by stakeholders for INEC to strengthen the voter accreditation process during elections.

He said this was especially with reference to the use of incident form, where the SCR fails to authenticate the fingerprints of a voter, stressing that such concern was legitimate given the fact that the SCR successfully verifies any card that belongs to the polling unit for which it was configured, irrespective of who presented it.

Yakubu recalled that their apprehension was that by using the incident form to cover those whose fingerprints were not authenticated by the SCR, a voter may be able to use another person’s PVC to vote during an election.

“To address this concern, the commission attempted to introduce the facial biometric authentication during accreditation of the voters using the Z-Pad tablet to complement the fingerprint process, through the card reader, before the Edo Governorship election in September 2020.

“However, the commission was not entirely satisfied with the pilot held in the Nasarawa Central state constituency bye-election a month earlier in August 2020.

“We, therefore, suspended the idea to enable us to do some more work. Over the last one year, we reviewed the situation and we think we have found the appropriate technology to address it.

“The Z-pad was, therefore, only used to upload Polling Unit results to the IReV portal during elections, the functionality of the Z-pad has now been integrated into the IVED currently used for voter registration.

”On election day, the same device will be used for the BVAS for fingerprint authentication during accreditation and where it fails for facial authentication of the BVAS.

“We believe that this multi-layer process will eliminate the possibility of voting by identity theft, using another person’s PVC.

“Where the voter fails both the fingerprint and facial authentication, he/she will not be allowed to vote. In other words, no electronic authentication, no voting”, he said

Yakubu explained that the commission was convinced that the new machine was robust enough to further guarantee the credibility of voter authentication and transparent management of results during elections.

“Accordingly, the Commission intends to carry out a pilot exercise, using the new device in Delta State at the Isoko South 1 State assembly constituency bye-election holding on Saturday, Sept. 11.

“The BVAS will now perform the functions of both the SCR and Z-Pad in the bye-election. Thereafter, it will be deployed in the Anambra Governorship election in November” he explained.

Crystal News learnt that there was a presentation of the new device and a practical demonstration of its functions to the political parties at the meeting.

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LG Elections: Senator Yayi Criticises Governor Abiodun Over Alleged Imposition of Candidates

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Senator Adeola Olamilekan, popularly known as Senator Yayi, representing Ogun West Senatorial District, expressed strong concerns over the upcoming local government elections in Ogun State. His remarks followed the heated discussion on the Benue LGA elections, which Senator Abba Moro described as a “sham” on the Senate Order Paper. Yayi drew parallels between the situation in Benue and what he termed “undemocratic practices” in Ogun State.
Speaking on the matter, Senator Yayi highlighted the increasing interference by state governors in local government elections, specifically pointing fingers at Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, for allegedly handpicking candidates for the upcoming local government polls without conducting proper primaries. According to Yayi, all candidates vying for the 20 chairmanship positions and 236 ward councillor seats in Ogun State’s LGAs were selected based on their loyalty to the governor rather than their competence or popular support.
The senator further alleged that the chosen candidates, all members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), were required to swear an oath of loyalty to Governor Abiodun and the candidates reportedly submitted letters of resignation, effectively surrendering their positions even before assuming office, ensuring that they would remain under the governor’s control, all these alleged to have happened at Mitros Hall, located opposite the Presidential Lodge in Abeokuta.
Senator Yayi expressed his frustration over the exclusion of party members who maintained ties with other influential political figures in the state, including former governors and himself. “This imposition of candidates and deliberate sidelining of legitimate party members is not only undemocratic but also dangerous for the future of local governance,” Yayi remarked, emphasizing the need for transparency and fairness in the electoral process.
Governor Dapo Abiodun is not the first Ogun State leader to face accusations of manipulating local government elections. Former governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, had similarly been criticized during his tenure for allegedly imposing candidates in local elections, sparking tensions within the state’s APC structure. Other governors in Nigeria, such as Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue and Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna, have also faced similar accusations, raising concerns about the broader issue of state interference in grassroots democracy across the country.
One of the key issues raised by Senator Yayi, and echoed by several other senators during the debate, is the negative impact of not granting local governments full autonomy. Local government autonomy is seen as a vital aspect of democracy, ensuring that grassroots governance is effective, accountable, and responsive to the needs of the people. However, the current practice in most states, where governors exercise disproportionate control over local government elections, undermines this principle.
Critics argue that when state governments handpick local government candidates, it leads to a breakdown in democratic processes at the grassroots level. Local government officials, often mere extensions of the governor’s political machinery, become unresponsive to the electorate’s needs. This top-down control stifles innovation, hampers development projects, and creates an environment where local government executives are more loyal to the state governor than the people they were elected to serve.
Senator Yayi stressed that the situation in Ogun State is emblematic of a larger national problem. “If we continue to allow state governments to hijack the local government electoral process, we are undermining democracy itself,” he warned. “Local governments must be allowed to function independently, free from the political manoeuvrings of state governors.”
As Ogun State prepares for its local government elections, the growing dissatisfaction among stakeholders like Senator Yayi raises important questions about the legitimacy of the process. The allegations of candidate imposition and demands for oaths of loyalty represent a significant challenge to democratic norms, and they highlight the urgent need for reform in the relationship between state and local governments in Nigeria.
With tensions rising within Ogun’s APC structure and the local government elections looming, all eyes will be on Governor Dapo Abiodun to see whether the elections will reflect the true will of the people or remain another example of state-level control over grassroots governance.

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APC chieftain Akinterinwa felicitates Adejoke Orelope Adefulure on 65th birthday

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A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state, Wale Akinterinwa, has extended his warm congratulations to the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, on her 65th birthday anniversary.

In a statement on Sunday, Akinterinwa described Orelope-Adefulire, the former Deputy Governor of Lagos State as an iconic woman whose remarkable leadership traits continue to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians and humanity.

Akinterinwa maintained that Orelope-Adefulire has displayed exemplary leadership and compassion both in her private and official capacities.

He praised her for her ‘unforgettable’ contributions to the growth and development of Ile-Oluji community in Ondo state.

The statement reads, “On behalf of myself, my family and the good people of Ile-Oluji, I celebrate an iconic woman, the Special Adviser to the President on Sustainable Development Goals.

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Senator Gbenga Daniel Congratulates Edo Governor-Elect Monday Okpebholo

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Otunba Gbenga Daniel, representing Ogun East senatorial district and former governor of Ogun State has extended his congratulations to Senator Monday Okpebholo following his victory in the Edo State Governorship election held on Saturday, September 21, 2024.
In a message on behalf of the people of Ogun East Senatorial District, Senator Daniel commended Okpebholo and the All Progressives Congress (APC) for their success in the polls.
Daniel highlighted Okpebholo’s previous role as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Procurement, where he earned a reputation as a standout leader. He praised Okpebholo for his contributions to the committee, noting his leadership and strong relationships with fellow members.
“Your campaign efforts in towns and villages, combined with your humility and respectful engagement with voters across party lines, have paid off,” Daniel said. He described Okpebholo as a “deep thinker” and “highly responsible strategist,” adding that his election marks a victory for Edo State.
In his closing remark, Otunba Gbenga Daniel concluded by offering his best wishes to Okpebholo as he embarks on his new role as Governor of Edo State, assuring him of his highest regards.
The congratulatory message underscores the unity within the APC and the shared optimism for the newly elected governor’s administration in Edo State.

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