Vreporters

Category: Politics

  • INEC Confirms Election Postponement, Gives Reasons

    INEC Confirms Election Postponement, Gives Reasons

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed the postponement of the governorship and state elections by a week.

    Vreporters through Gazette Newspaper had earlier reported that the exercise had been moved from March 11, 2023 to March 18, 2023.

    Sources in the commission had told this newspaper that more time was needed for the conduct of the exercise.

    Confirming the postponement in a statement on Wednesday night, Barr. Festus Okoye, National Commissioner & Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, said the commission needed time for the reconfiguration of the BVAS used for the Presidential election held on 25th February 2023.

    He recalled that on 3rd March 2023, the Presidential EPT had given an ex-parte order for some political parties to inspect materials used for the presidential election, including the forensic inspection of over 176,000 BVAS used in the election which are located in INEC LGA offices across the country.

    “The commission approached the Tribunal to reconsider the order, given that the BVAS Systems were to be deployed for the Governorship and State Assembly elections and that the lack of a clearly defined timeframe for the inspection could disrupt the Commission’s ability to conduct the outstanding elections.”

    For instance, the BVAS can only be activated on the specific date and time of an election. Having been used for the Presidential and National Assembly elections on 25th February 2023, it is necessary to reconfigure the BVAS for activation on the date of the governorship and State Assembly elections.

    “While the ruling of the tribunal makes it possible for the commission to commence the preparation of the BVAS for the governorship and state assembly elections, it has come far too late for the reconfiguration to be concluded.

    “Consequently, inrcthe commission has taken the difficult but necessary decision to reschedule the governorship and state assembly elections which will now take place on Saturday 18th March 2023.

    “By this decision, campaigns will continue until midnight of Thursday 16th March 2023 i.e. 24 hours before the new date for the election. This decision has not been taken lightly but it is necessary to ensure that there is adequate time to back up the data stored on the over 176,000 BVAS machines from the Presidential and National Assembly elections held on 25th February 2023 and then to reconfigure them for the Governorship and State Assembly elections.

    “This has been the practice for all elections, including the period when the commission was using the Smart Card Readers (SCRs),” Okoye said.

    Recall how the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja granted the request of INEC to reconfigure the BVAS it used for the presidential election.
    The court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of justices, held that preventing the commission from reconfiguring the BVAS would adversely affect the governorship and State Assembly elections.

    It dismissed objections by the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, against the request.

  • Sponsored: ENGR. WOKILI EXTOL VIRTUES OF GOVERNOR YAHAYA BELLO ON HIS REMARKABLE 6TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY

    The leading, versatile and most reliable aspirant for the Member Kogi State House of Assembly, Adavi Constituency, Engr. Abdulaziz Yakubu Wokili had described the executive Governor of Kogi state, his excellency Alhaji Yahaya Bello as a charismatic leader, who has done everything humanly possible to significantly improve the security and welfare of the state and her residents since his emergence.

    The witty and grassroot gladiator commended the Governor and his team for their tireless efforts geared towards the betterment of Kogi state, ranging from Security down to Educational, Agricultural and Infrastructural development. The establishment of Confluence University of Technology (CUSTECH), Refernce hospitals across the state, good roads network among host of other projects are indeed laudable achievements that have put the state at an enviable heights.

    Finally, he enjoined the good people of Kogi State and entire Nigerians, especially the youths and women who are numerically at advantage in GYB’s led administration, to support the presidential ambition of the 4th executive Governor of Kogi state, towards taking our dear country to greater heights.

    GYB TO PYB is the solution

    Together we can achieve greater things

    WOKILI MEDIA TEAM (WMT)

    For

    Engr. Wokili Yakubu AbdulAzeez

  • INEC Declares Ex-Bayelsa Governor Winner of Bayelsa West Senatorial District Bye-election

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has declared the immediate past Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Henry Seriake Dickson, as the winner of Bayelsa West Senatorial District Bye-election.

    The Returning Officer, Prof Ekechukwe, Okeke, Dean of Humanities, Federal University of Technology, Otuoke, returned Dickson as the Senator-elect having polled 115257 to defeat his closest opponent, Hon Peremobowei Ebebi of the APC who polled 17541.

    Chief Dickson who spoke in his country home of Toru Orua shortly after his return dedicated the victory to God, the voters, Bayelsa, and the Ijaw nation.

    He said that the mandate was beyond the Sagbama/Ekeremor Senatorial district but an opportunity to galvanize unity and solidarity in Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation.

    He said that his legislative mission would focus on the pursuit of the imperative of restructuring of the country which he described as a task that must be done.

    He said he would exploit the opportunity of his contacts to build new bridges of understanding, consolidate existing bonds, and effective network with critical stakeholders.

    The former Governor also said that the quest for electoral reforms and a deepened democratic system would command a major aspect of his mission at the Senate.

    The Senator-elect said that he would link up with senators to call attention to the mindless rape of the Niger Delta environment by the multinational oil companies.

    He stated that the oil firms commit environmental terrorism against the people of the oil-bearing communities and even sponsor killings in collusion with their pipeline protection contractors, without sanction.

    Chief Dickson noted that he would also focus attention on Police, law and order, and justice sector reforms.

    He assured the people of Bayelsa that he would network with friends and contacts to attract development to the state and called on the people to give the necessary support to Governor Douye Diri deliver on his electoral promises.

    He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission and the security agencies for their commendable conduct which he said was a marked departure from the practice in the past.

    He stated also that the outcome of the election signified a resounding rejection of the APC by the good people of Bayelsa.

    However, invited his opponent, Ebebi, who described as his brother to join him in the mission to attract the needed development to the area now that the elections have been concluded.

  • Winner of Lagos East Senatorial Bye-election, Abiru Reacts To Victory

    Winner of the just concluded Lagos East Senatorial Bye-election, Tokunbo Mukhail Abiru, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to his victory at poll.

    Abiru disclosed this in his victory speech on Sunday after the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him winner of the poll.

    The former Managing Director of Polaris Bank defeated Babatunde Gbadamosi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    He commended APC leader, Bola Tinubu; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Chairman of Lagos State APC, Babatunde Balogun; Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC); the State Executive Council (SEC); State Working Committee (SWC), and his campaign council for putting up a formidable structure that earned the people’s mandate.

    Noting that the election was won with a landslide, Abiru said, “Now that we have secured this Senatorial mandate; we cannot afford to fail our people.

    “We cannot afford to fail those who voted for us; those who chose not to vote for us for whatever reasons and those who did not vote at all. We cannot afford to betray the invaluable trust our people reposed in us as a political party and as their representatives in government.

    “Now is the time to translate all the promises we made into positive and tangible outcomes our people are expecting us to bring about. Now is the time to take our people from the realm of expectations to the limelight of fulfillment.”

    The former bank chief committed himself to offering people-focused quality representation and ensuring welfare of constituents.

    Abiru promised to work with his colleagues in the National Assembly to ensure special status for Lagos, and promote policies to improve national economic performance and financial sector development.

    “Others are implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), facilitating completion of all federal and state road projects in Lagos East, promoting ease of doing business, supporting the 5 for 5 agenda for police reform, supporting fiscal federalism and joining forces with colleagues in the National Assembly to ensure devolution of powers to the sub-national governments.

    “Within the limits of our statutory mandate, this is the time to make the aged smile; empower our jobless youths; minister to the vulnerable; secure the future of brilliant indigent children and support the implementation of the ideals of our party”, he added.