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2023 general election

Kaduna PDP writes INEC, warns it against trampling on its own regulations, guidelines

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The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in Kaduna State has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC)reminding the Commission of its provision in the INEC Regulations and Guidelines in declaring election results.

The letter which was signed by the PDP State Collation agent, Danjuma Bello Sarki and addressed to the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kaduna State on Monday was against the backdrop of controversy that has bedevilled collation of results of the governorship and State House of Assembly election conducted on Saturday March 18, 2023 with a winner yet to be declared 78 hours after in Kaduna State.

Governorship election in Kaduna State has been keenly contested between Senator Uba Sani of the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) and Hon. Isah Asiru Kudan of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party, (NNPP) and others.

The opposition PDP insisted on observance of “the provision of Paragraph 82 of INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of elections, 2022 and to be guided by same in the discharge of your duties as Returning Officer of the Governorship Election in Kaduna State, especially as it relates to the Declaration of the Winner of the Election.”

Copy of the letter which was made available to CAPITAL POST on Monday read: “I hereby write as Returning Officer of the Peoples Democratic Party for the
Governorship Election in Kaduna State to draw your attention to the provision of Paragraph 82 of INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of elections, 2022 and to be guided by same in the discharge of your duties as Returning Officer of the Governorship Election in Kaduna State, especially as it relates to the Declaration of the Winner of the Election.

“Section 82 Where the margin of lead between the two leading candidates is less than the total number of PVCs collected in the Polling Unit(s) where election was held or was cancelled in line with Sections 24(2 and amp; 3), 47(3) and 51(2) of the Electoral Act 2022 the Returning Officer shall decline to make a return until polls have taken place in the affected Polling Unit(s) and the results incorporated into new Form EC8D and subsequently recorded into Form EC8E for Declaration and Return.”

The letter further cited the celebrated case of GIDADO & ANOR V. MOHAMMED & ORS (2015) LPELR – 40356 to insisted on the strict observance of the guidelines before declaring Kaduna election results.

The letter further cites: “Where the margin of win between the two leading candidates is not in excess of the total number of registered voter of the polling unit(s) where election was cancelled or not held, decline to make a return until another poll has taken place in the affected polling unit(s) and the result incorporated into the new form EC 8C (1) and subsequently recorded into form EC 8E (1) FOR Declaration and Return.

“I have earlier indicated in this Judgment that the margin of votes between the 1 st Appellant and the 1 st respondent is 488 votes the total number of registered voters in the 4(four) polling units where elections were cancelled is 1,365 registered voters.

“The circumstance as presented by the scenario come within Paragraph 46 (5) of the approved guidelines and regulation for the conductof 2015 general election for which the 3 rd respondent should invoke its powers to hold a re-run election in those units…”

PDP claimed massive cancellation of election results conducted in many polling units of Kaduna State particularly in Kudan Local Government where the election result in two Wards of Garu and Kauran Wali North Wards were not entered in the collated Governorship election result for the Kudan Local Government Council.

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2023 general election

2023 polls: Abdulsalami Peace Committee opens up on pressure to ask for cancellation

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Abdulsalami Abubakar

The National Peace Committee (NPC) has opened up on pressure it faced to intervene in the 2023 Presidential Election results. During a report presentation in Abuja, led by General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the committee disclosed that it received numerous requests to push the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to halt results collation or cancel the election due to alleged violations of the electoral act.

Key issues included concerns about the 25% vote threshold requirement for the Federal Capital Territory, with some advocates calling for a runoff.

The NPC emphasized its role as a moral authority rather than a regulatory body, highlighting its mandate to promote peace and compliance with the law, without the power to arrest or punish violators.
The committee acknowledged a gap in public understanding of its functions and the importance of moral persuasion in fostering electoral integrity and peace.

Before presenting the report to the public, the committee had earlier met with the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and other management staff of the commission where it was briefed on the electoral umpire’s preparation for the forthcoming Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states.

Other members of the committee are Okoh Ebitu Ukiwe (Vice Chairman); Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah (Convener); Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III; John Cardinal Onaiyekan; business icons, Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola; Vanguard Newspapers Publisher, Sam Amuka Pemu; Ameze Guobadia; Idayat Hassan; Dame Priscilla Kuye; Gen. Martin Luther Agwai; Mahmud Yayale Ahmed; Channels TV owner, John Momoh; Roseline Ukeje; and, Fr. Atta Barkindo, its Head of Secretariat.

Part of the report reads; “As the election day progressed, criticisms and counter criticisms became abundant. The NPC was already being faced with a flurry of phone calls and the need to call INEC to order.

“The Peace Committee was flooded with requests for intervention. Both the Chairman of the Committee, General Abdulsalami A. Abubakar, the Convener, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and the Head of NPC Secretariat, Fr. Atta Barkindo, were inundated with calls, requests, and petitions demanding the intervention of the NPC.

“Some of the requests wanted the NPC to prevail on INEC to stop collating election results because there were gross violations and lack of compliance with the electoral act. Others demanded that the tenets of the Peace Accord signed were not adhered to and therefore the Committee should call for cancellation of the election entirely.

“The most significant call was related to the 25% threshold for Abuja as the Federal Capital Territory. Some of the analysts who reached out to the committee asked that the final election result should not be announced because the resumptive president-elect did not score the required 25% as stated in the electoral act. If anything, there should be a runoff.

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2023 general election

EU reports: LP says FG is feebly adopting face saving measures

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***EU only hit the nail on the head

The leadership of the Labour Party has countered the Federal Government of Nigeria for discrediting the European Union’s conclusion on the 2023 General Election wherein it faulted the modalities by which the conclusion was reached.
It reiterated what it believed as the accurate testament of the European Union’s conclusion on the 2023 general elections which merely hit the nail on the head.
A statement by the National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh said,
“Eropean Union’s Conclusion on the 2023 general elections are nit Jaundiced but accurate Testament of the outcome of the FG and INEC alliance to change the will of the electorate.”
“We see this face-saving measure by the Federal Government which is coming days after the submission of the report as feeble and medicine after death.

“It will interest the government to note that the European Union’s report is only one out of numerous submissions by other international Observers who have described the outcome of the election as a sham and an exercise that did not reflect the will of the majority of Nigerians.

“Labour Party stands by the position of the EU observation mission. We have always said that this election was massively rigged in favour of the APC and their candidate.
“What the FG is saying is just an afterthought and a shameless effort to mask the obvious. Even the blind can see, the deaf can hear and they know this election was manipulated.
“Huge pieces of evidence abound for even the deaf and the blind to hear and feel. We are only hoping that the judiciary will dispense justice without fear or favour in the interest of the nation and posterity.
“Nigerians already know the true winner of the 2023 presidential election and no amount of slandering, denial, or rebuttal can change the fact that the party in power has no mandate of the electorate.

“We must also note that whatever position the INEC has taken is with active connivance with the Federal Government to deny the electorate and it clearly shows that INEC is not in any way independent.
“The Commission’s action is at the whims and caprices of the government and we know it. But Nigerians looking to the Judiciary for justice. That’s where we stand.”

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2023 general election

FG tackles EU over report on 2023 general elections

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The Federal Government has countered the European Union’s report on the 2023 general elections, describing the conclusions therein as “jaundiced”.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy gave the indication in a statement on Sunday.

“We urge the EU and other foreign interests to be objective in all their assessments of the internal affairs of our country and allow Nigeria to breathe,”
According to him, the February 25, 2023 presidential election was “clearly and fairly” won by Tinubu, the then candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC).

He also advised that the EU allow Nigeria to breathe and not meddle in the affairs of the country.

“We find it preposterous and unconscionable that in this day and age, any foreign organisation of whatever hue can continue to insist on its own yardstick and assessment as the only way to determine the credibility and transparency of our elections,” he said.

He said the presidency was not unaware of the “machinations of the European Union to sustain its, largely, unfounded bias and claims on the election outcomes”.

Alake further stated that there is no substantial evidence provided by the EU or any foreign and local organisation that is viable enough to impeach the integrity of the 2023 election outcomes.

“We would like to know and even ask EU, how it reached the conclusions in the submitted final report with the very limited coverage of the elections by their observers who, without doubt, relied more on rumours, hearsay, cocktails of prejudiced and uninformed social media commentaries and opposition talking heads,” he stated.

“We have many reasons to believe the jaundiced report, based on the views of fewer than 50 observers, was to merely sustain the same premature denunciatory stance contained in EU’s preliminary report released in March.

“We strongly reject, in its entirety, any notion and idea from any organisation, group and individual remotely suggesting that the 2023 election was fraudulent.”

The media aide said Nigeria has put the elections behind, and Tinubu is facing the task of nation-building.

“As a country, we have put the elections behind us. President Tinubu is facing the arduous task of nation-building, while those who have reasons to challenge the process continue to do so through the courts.”

On June 27, 2023, the EU presented its report on the 2023 elections in Nigeria to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The EU said the election exposed enduring systemic weaknesses and therefore signaled a need for further legal and operational reforms to enhance transparency, inclusiveness and accountability.

The EU also identified six areas for improvement in Nigeria’s electoral process moving forward.

Some of the key areas listed by the Mission are ambiguities in the law, the establishment of a publicly accountable process for the selection of the INEC members, ensuring real-time publication of results as well as access to election results.

It also highlighted the need for protection for media practitioners while decrying the discrimination against women in elective and appointed positions as well as impunity regarding electoral offences.

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