A concerned citizen has raised alarm over thousands of Permanent Voter’s Card (PVCs) yet to be collected by their owners in Oko, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
It was gathered that the uncollected PVCs, numbering over 2500 belong to residents who vote in about 28 polling units in the community, but the owners are nowhere to be found, while the deadline for PVC collection, as was given by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is fast approaching.
According to a video currently trending on the social media, the INEC official in charge of distribution of the PVCs usually waits at the collection center at Oko Ward 2 all day long without seeing anyone showing up to pick his card.
When interviewed, he revealed that the yet-to-be-colleccted PVCs belong to voters who cast their votes at College Primary School School, Eze Ene, Agu Ayo, Mgbala Hall, Open Space Health Centre Oko, Federal Polytechnic Oko, Perm. Site, Main Gate, Second Gate, Ihengwu Hall, among others.
A concerned citizen of the community who did not reveal his identity called on the owners of the cards to hasten up to pick up their cards, while also urging residents to please spread the message and inform everyone who votes at Oko Ward 2 to go check their PVC.
As a form of motivation, the good fellow also pledged to give ₦500 transport allowance to everyone who goes to the center to collect his PVC.
Recall that INEC had previously said it would end the PVC collection on 22 January, 2023 having started the process on 12 December, 2022.
But after deliberation recently at the Commission’s headquarters, the Commissioner for Voter Education, Festus Okoye, announced a new deadline for the PVC collection.
In a statement he released on the same day, Mr Okoye said the PVC collection now ends on 29 January.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), says it has destroyed and set ablaze over 317,417kgs (317.4 metric tons) of cannabis sativa in the Opuje forests, Edo.
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The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, disclosed this on Saturday in a statement made available to Journalists in Abuja.
Babafemi said that this happened barely hours after the Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, vowed to make life tough for drug barons and cartels in the new year if they failed to back out of the illicit trade.
He said that Operatives of the agency have dealt a lethal blow to a cluster of cannabis syndicates operating in the said forest during the two-day operation.
“At least, a police impersonator, Omoruan Theophilus, 37, who parades as a Police Inspector to convey the drugs from the forests to the cities, was arrested.
“And three others: Aigberuan Jacob, 42; Ekeinde Anthony Zaza, 53, and Naomi Patience Ohiewere, 42, were also arrested in connection with the drugs,” he said.
Babafemi said that the Opuje community in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo is notorious for cannabis cultivation, where the cartels invest huge resources.
This, he said, involved cutting down economic trees of the forest and cultivating cannabis on a large scale, running into hundreds of hectares.
“After harvest, they build warehouses inside the forest reserves and employ the services of armed youths to protect the warehouses 24/7.
“Accessing the forest on Wednesday January 18, took hours of trekking by hundreds of NDLEA operatives who were ambushed with bonfire by armed youths on their way out of the community the following day.
“They were, however, able to successfully leave the area without any casualty except the heavy investment losses inflicted on the cartels,” he said.
In the same vein, the agency on Thursday, Jan. 19, through intelligence received from the Drug Enforcement Administration of the United States, busted a criminal syndicate.
Babafemi said that the suspect was involved in the trafficking of fake American currency in Lagos.
He said that during a combined operation carried out by NDLEA operatives with their EFCC colleagues, a total of US$269,000 counterfeit currency were recovered from the syndicate.
This, he said, was at Oniru Shoprite area of Lekki, Lagos, where three suspects were arrested.
He quoted Marwa as commending all the officers involved in the two special operations in Edo and Lagos for their professionalism and commitment.
Marwa directed that the suspects arrested (with their fake dollars) in the Lekki operation be immediately transferred to the EFCC for possible prosecution.
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has intensified efforts on his quest to seek for voters from voters in Bauchi central Senatorial District when he visited to various heads of districts and villages, to seek their blessings as part of his re-election campaign.
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After he visited the six emirs on their palaces Governor Bala visited districts Heads palaces and held political rallies in the seventh Local Government areas of Bauchi North Senatorial zone that included Gamawa, Zaki, Itas/Gadau, Jama’are, Shira, Giade and Katagum.
The Governor deployed door-to-door campaign, while pledging good governance to the traditional rulers, religious leaders, political groups and urged them to elect him for the second to enable him consolidate on his achievements as part of effort to reposition the State.
Governor Bala believed could convince their subjects to endorse him.
He told the traditional leaders not to prevent other candidates from seeking their blessings.
“I urge you to receive any other politician that comes here for campaign. Don’t run away; receive them because you are a father to all,” he had told the monarchs.
In Dagauda, District in Dambam Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Governor Bala Mohammed inaugurated The Multimillionaire Naira Education, Health and Water Sanitation Supported Programme has been inaugurated at
The Project has three Major components including Model Primary School, Primary Healthcare Center PHC as well as Water Sanitation and Hygiene WASH under the Bauchi State, Federal Government and African Development Bank supported programme.
The Model Primary School Project comprises twenty six classrooms, ICT facilities Administrative Block and Staff Quarters while twenty bed capacity PHC was equiped with State of the Art Medical facilities for effective service delivery.
Inaugurating the projects at Dagauda Town, Governor Bala Mohammed said similar facilities were provided in two other Local Government Areas of Giade and Alkaleri.
Governor said Dagauda Community was chosen for the project considering it’s distance from the state capaty and limited access to quality education and healthcare services.
He advised the benefiting community and the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Local Government to protect the facilities provided for the benefit of future generation.
The Governor used the opportunity to solicit for support of his second term candidacy when he visited palaces of District Heads of Dambam and Mashema.
Bala Mohammed also addressed thousands of PDP supporters at Dambam Central Primary School Where he reaffirmed commitment to do more if re-elected.
Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State on Friday inaugurated a primary school and Primary Healthcare Centre at Dagauda community in Dambam Local Government Area of the state.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other projects inaugurated included Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities.
Mohammed said the project had been executed in collaboration between the federal and state government with support of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
He said the school project was designed with 26 classrooms, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities, administrative block and staff quarters.
The governor said the 20-bed capacity clinic has been equipped with State of the Art medical facilities to enhance access to quality healthcare services.
“Similar facilities has been provided in two other local government areas of Giade and Alkaleri.
“We chose Dagauda community for this project considering its distance from the state capital and limited access to quality education and healthcare services.
“I hereby urged the community and the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Dambam Local Government Council to protect the facilities for the benefit of future generation,” he said.
Mohammed urged the electorate to vote for him and other PDP candidates at all levels, and promised to provide more development projects, if elected.
Also speaking, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the council, Mr Mohammed Dambam commended the gesture and pledged to ensure effective of the facilities.
The several amendments/inclusions that came with the Electoral Act 2022, continue to draw attention and concerns from public affairs analysts, political office holders, politicians, legal minds, and the general public. The dilemma that followed the addition of section 84(12) to the Electoral Act 2022, was finally laid to rest when in a unanimous decision by a seven-man panel of Justices led by Justice Muhammad Dattijo, the Supreme Court held that it lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit which it said amounted to an abuse of the judicial process. It held that the President was not a proper person to approach the court with such a suit, owing to the nature of reliefs that were sought. The President and the Attorney General of the Federation had taken the National Assembly to the Supreme Court as the court of first instance to seek the removal of section 84(12) from the Electoral Act as the same was inconsistent with the provisions of Sections 42, 65, 66, 106, 107, 131, 137, 147, 151, 177, 182, 192 and 196 of the 1999 Constitution as well Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. Following the decision of the Supreme Court, the section since remained a part and parcel of the Electoral Act 2022.
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Recently, attention has been drawn to section 65 of the Electoral Act which makes provision concerning the announcement of results by returning officers of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC). The section is herein produced in full.
65.—(1) The decision of the returning officer shall be final on any question arising from or relating to— (a) unmarked ballot paper ;
(b) rejected ballot paper; and
(c) declaration of scores of candidates and the return of a candidate :
Provided that the Commission shall have the power within seven days to review the declaration and return where the Commission determines that the said declaration and return was not made voluntarily or was made contrary to the provisions of the law, regulations, guidelines, and manual for the election.
(2) A decision of the returning officer under subsection (1) may be reviewed by an election tribunal or court of competent jurisdiction in an election petition proceedings under this Act.
This section implies that where a returning officer makes an announcement or takes a decision as it relates to unmarked ballot papers, rejected ballot papers, declaration of scores, and the return of a candidate, that result is still subject to review by INEC, as to whether it was made voluntarily or per not provisions of the law, regulations, and guidelines, and manual for the election. It further implies that the announcement or decision taken by the Returning Officer is not a final decision as the same can be changed based on review by INEC if done within 7 days.
The inclusion of this section in the Electoral Act might not be unconnected to the incident that happened in Imo State stated above, where INEC insisted that Sen. Rochas would not be given the certificate of return having confirmed from its investigation that the returning officer for Imo West senatorial district election had reported that he declared Governor Okorocha winner “under duress”. However, the Abuja division of the Federal High Court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to with immediate effect, issue a certificate of return to former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, as the senator-elect for the Imo West Senatorial District. The court had stated thus amongst others:
“once the declaration is made under Section 68(c) of the Electoral Act, INEC has become functus officio and INEC has no lawful authority to withhold the certificate of return for any reason whatsoever….Therefore the issue of duress is unknown to both the Electoral Act and the Constitution.”
However, with the introduction of section 65 into the Electoral Act, this judgment of the Federal High Court has been overtaken and is no longer applicable. A returning officer or the commission only becomes funtus officio after 7 days of the announcement of the result.
One interesting thing about this section is that it is not new to the Nigerian electoral system, but this is the first time that it is being codified. We had a few isolated cases in the recent past.
In February 2019, the Returning Officer for the Imo West Senatorial District election, Professor Ibeawuchi Innocent, said that he declared Governor Rochas Okorocha the winner of the poll under duress. While addressing the press, they stated thus “I declared this thing before under duress; I’m still under duress declaring this one,” INEC, according to its spokesperson, refused to recognize Rochas as the winner of the election having confirmed that the returning officer declared the said results under duress.
During the same election, the Returning Officer for Anambra South senatorial election in last Saturday’s poll, Prof Meshach Umenweke, has denied publication by some national dailies that he declared the candidate of the Young Progressives Party(YPP), Ifeanyi Ubah, winner to save his life. He stated that he never at any point said he announced the result of the Anambra South senatorial election under duress nor in the mode that is implied (by the newspapers). He then re-affirm his declaration that Ifeanyi Ubah, the candidate of the YPP, is the winner of the Anambra South senatorial seat.”
On 7th November 2021, The Returning Officer of the Orumba North Local Government Area, Dr. Michael Otu, said he nearly lost his life when thugs attacked the Local Government collation center during the Anambra Governorship Election held in the state. He said that he was teargassed when trouble ensued. He narrated that the score sheets were mutilated and he was made to sign a fake result under duress. He further stated that INEC officers attached to him were compromised.
In my view, this novel section of the Electoral Act comes with its advantages and disadvantages.
The advantage of the section is that it allows the Returning Officer to make retractions where a result has been declared under duress or was made contrary to the provisions of the law, regulations and guidelines, and manual for the election. We know the terrain in Nigeria and how elections have over the years been tainted by hooliganism, ballot-snatching, theft of election materials, kidnapping of political opponents, the assassination of political rivals, arson, assault, and physical destruction of election materials, and even intimidation, and outright molestation or killing of election officials. These listed challenges could affect the returning officer who in turn is forced to announce a result in favour of a particular candidate. But once the coast is clear and the tempers are down, the returning officer with the intervention/investigation of the commission can retract on the result announced and give proper grounds/reasons for the retraction.
The disadvantage of this provision is that a Returning Officer that allows him or herself to be influenced by politicians or moneybags may decide to retract a good result in favour of a tainted result. These are the sides to section 65 which makes it a good legislation and the same time a bad one.
As it stands today, a returning officer can retract a result upon investigation by the commission once it is proven that the announcement of the result was done voluntarily or not done in accordance with the provisions of the law, regulations and guidelines, and manual for the election. This remains the position of the law and so it remains until it is either set aside by another legislation or by an order of the court. The good part of the legislation is that the decision of the Returning Officer or the commission, whether the original result announced or the reviewed result, both results may be subject to an election tribunal petition proceedings as provided for in Section 65(2) of the Act.
Akintayo Balogun Esq., LL.B (Hons), BL, LL.M, is a legal practitioner in private practice based in Abuja, FCT. A prolific writer, public affairs analyst and commentator on national issues.
The Imo State Police Command now has a new PRO, he is ASP Henry Okoye and he takes over from CSP Michael Abattam who has been redeployed.
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In a press statement signed by the outgoing spokesperson Michael Abattam,ASP Henry Okoye hails from Idenmili North Local Government Area, Anambra State. He graduated from the prestigious Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, Kanu, with a First Class Honours (B.Sc) in Mathematics in 2018.
Until his posting to Imo State as the Police Public Relations Officer, he served at Oji River Divisional Police Headquarters, Enugu State Command.
The People’s Democratic Party in Imo State says it is worried that nearly one week after the attack on it’s candidate for Ideato Federal Constituency Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, security agencies in Imo State are yet to unmask, arrest and prosecute the masterminds of the bloody attack.
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In a press statement by the party made available to 247ureports.com the party says “the silence of the security agencies in Imo, particularly the DSS, Police and Army, and their inability to provide necessary intelligence and effect arrests since this ugly incident took place cannot be rationalized. It has become disturbing.”
Imo PDP, therefore, calls on the Director-General of the Department of State Service and the Chief of Army Staff to immediately redeploy the heads of their agencies currently serving in Imo State. This will engender confidence in the non-partisanship of the security establishment in Imo and create an atmosphere conducive for free and fair electoral contest.
The party says the heads of the security agencies in Imo have been bought over by the ruling party in the state and this has emboldened the governor Hope Uzodinma to exploit the attack on Ikenga Ugochinyere to distort facts and again serve the public another menu from his massive buffet of lies.
PDP claim that the APC regime in Imo State has declared war on everyone suspected to have played a role in exposing the “Omuma Magic” voter register fraud. INEC officials who were suspected to have released intelligence on the matter got arrested and detained by the iron-fist regime of Senator Hope Uzodinma, and charges preferred against them. It was the court that set them free.
The candidate of the peoples Democratic Party in Aboh Mbaise/ Ngor Okpala federal constituency of Imo State, Albert Agulanna, has been sacked by a federal High court sitting in Abuja.
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The appellant court which delivered its verdict on Friday ordered that a fresh primary be held in the federal constituency within the next 14 days.
The case was instituted by Dr Uzoma Ugochukwu from Aboh Mbaise.
The affected federal constituency is where the immediate past governor of the state, Emeka Ihedioha hails from.
This came less than one week after the PDP candidate for Imo West senatorial district, Jones Onyereri, was sacked by the supreme court.
While Ihedioha, was accused of masterminding the sacking of Onyereri, the national secretary of the party, Samuel Anyanwu, has been fingered as being responsible for the sacking of Agulanna.
Ihedioha and Anyanwu are said to be interested in the PDP’s ticket for the November 11 Imo State governorship election.
Reacting to the court ruling, spokesperson of the party in the state, Collins Opuruozor, said that enemies of the party who were afraid of PDP’s public acceptance were using the courts to knock off PDP from the ballot
The Imo State government has accused the State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of plotting to truncate democracy in the State by calling for the declaration of a State of emergency.
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Reacting to a press conference by the PDP that the federal government should declare a state of emergency in Imo should insecurity persist, the Government blamed the Party for the security breaches because it is still bitter that it lost the 2019 governorship election in the State.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon Declan Emelumba, the Government said the PDP has been a sour loser bent on rocking the boat, after it was sacked by the Supreme Court in 2020.
It noted that the suggestion by the PDP was a smokescreen to cover its real intention of destabilizing the State with a view to stopping the 2023 election.
It disclosed that contrary to the claims of the PDP, the Government has not been intimidating the opposition, pointing out that both the PDP Presidential candidate and Labour Party counterpart had campaigned in the State without any untoward incident.
The Government asked the federal government to ignore the PDP as its desire is to overthrow Governor Hope Uzodimma in a violent manner instead of facing elections.
Students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State have craved for rescue and urgent intervention of the State Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo over the recent spike in incidences of murder, robbery, and rape of students, among other crimes now trending in the school environment.
It was gathered that no fewer than ten different lodges have been robbed on gunpoint in recent time, while no fewer than five female students were raped just yesterday, January 19, at the Ifite area of the students.
According to reports, some of the lodges recently raided by the hoodlums include: Rubez Villa, Ugo Residence, Novenna Lodge, Swiss Lodge, and others, all in Ifite.
One of the female students who recently raped two times by the hoodlums was said to be a virgin, and has been so traumatized to the point that she attempted to commit suicide, having cried in pains all day long.
Other forms of crime, including murder, have also been reported in Ifite in the Ifite area in recent time.
This reporter, Izunna Okafor, was reliably informed that the students of the institution planned to stage a protest in Awka metropolis on Friday, to register their grievances and discomfort with the situation. The protest was, however, suspended by the students, in obedience to a plea by the leadership of the Students Union Government (SUG) of the institution.
In an interview with this reporter, the SUG President of the school, Comrade Charles Ijeomah described the situation as very worrisome, and noted that the students of the institution now live in fear, as no one knows when and where the miscreants will storm.
While noting that such situation should not be left for the school Management or the Students Union Government to handle, Comrade Ijeomah called on Anambra State Governor, Prof. Soludo, to urgently intervene and tighten up the security of the area.
He said the security of the students in the area and their property are no longer guaranteed, even as he reminded the government of the state of its primary responsibility, which is protection of lives and property.
“This should not be left for the school Management or the SUG. It is the primary responsibility of the government to protect lives and property. And all these things are happening in Awka which is even the seat of government. And these students live in lodges owned by private individuals who pay taxes to the government…,” he said.
He then wondered what the government and the security agencies in the state are waiting for before they would come to the rescue of the students.
“Government should please come to our rescue, as these things are obviously getting out of hands,” Ijeomah concluded.
However, in a press statement issued to newsmen on Friday, the Spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, said the Command met with the management of the University, the SUG leadership and some principal officers of the state government, with the aim of addressing the said security challenges.
He further noted that some resolutions were reached at the meeting, and added that a more elaborate meeting will still be scheduled on the same issue.
He said: “Today, 20/1/2023, Anambra State Police Command, met with the Management of Nnamdi Azikwe University, the Student Union Government, and the Commissioner of Homeland Security Affairs in the Vice Chancellor’s Conference Hall at UNIZIK. The meeting was aimed at addressing the recent security breaches in some of the hostels along Ifite.
“Some of the resolutions include another elaborate meeting with the private hostel owners, the president of hostels, and other stakeholders, especially along with Ifite on the need to provide securities to the hotels.
“The Commissioner of Police, represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DCP John Obuagbaka noted that the command had since embarked on an intensive patrol, improved operational positioning, and deployment of combat operatives as a solution to the security situation in the area. He also emphasized the need for cooperation and actionable intelligence.
“Among other concerns, the command also wishes to reiterate the control room number 07039194332. Furthermore, to request security services, you can call the Area Commander, Awka 07067950441, DPO B Division 08064521837, DPO Central Police Station, Awka, 07031583583, and the Command Public Relations Officer 08039334002 for a prompt response.”
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