INEC Lacks Power To Withhold My Certificate Of Return – Okorocha

The Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha On Wednesday declared
that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, lacks the
power to withhold his Certificate of Return.

Okorocha described the decision of INEC to withhold his
Certificate of Return after being declared winner of the Imo West
Senatorial election as unfortunate and unconstitutional.

Speaking at the state’s Government House in Owerri, the state
capital, Okorocha claimed that INEC was being used by those
fighting to stop him from going to the Senate.

According to the governor, it is only the courts that have the
powers to nullify any election after a winner has been declared,
insisting that the electoral umpire does not have such power.

He said: “In my own case, my Certificate of Return has not been
issued and I wonder why INEC will withhold my Certificate for a
frivolous reason, without hearing from me. I am not a violent
person and those who know me know that. This is why we have peace
in Imo State.

“The Returning Officer could not have done that under duress
under the watchful eyes of the Police, DSS and party agents. I am
not unmindful of the facts that those who are fighting me from
Abuja are anxious to see me removed as a Senator. I urge INEC to do
the right thing immediately by releasing my Certificate.

“Let me tell every Nigerian that I fought no one and no one
should fight me. If anyone fights me, he will be the loser at the
end of it all. My INEC Certificate cannot be touched or seized,
doing so is belittling democracy in Nigeria. It is only the
Tribunal that has the right to say otherwise once a result is
declared. INEC cannot seize my Certificate by mere petition written
by somebody in a case I was not given the opportunity to present my
own side of the story.”

JAMB Fixes New Date in April for Mock Exam

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation has fixed Monday, 1st
April, 2019 for its 2019 mock examination earlier scheduled for
Saturday, 23rd March,2019. This change is due to certain
circumstances beyond the Board’s control.

Candidates who had indicated interest in the mock examination at
the point of registration and have since printed their mock
examination notification slips need not print another one. All the
details on the slips remain the same except the examination date
which is now 1st April, 2019.

The Board has also scheduled to conduct the 2019 Unified
Tertiary Matriculation examination (UTME) from Thursday, 11th
April, 2019. Candidates are to begin the printing of the 2019 UTME
notification slips from Tuesday,2nd April,2019.

All candidates who registered for the 2019 UTME are to ensure
that they print their examination notification slips before the day
of the examination as no excuses would be entertained.The public
should note that the Board would not reschedule examination for any
candidate.

Candidates can print their slips anywhere.
Nigerians would recall that the Board had closed the sale of its
Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and Direct Entry
application document on Thursday,21st February,2019. At the close
of the sale and subsequently close of registration portal, it was
discovered that 41,063 candidates created profile and procured
either UTME or DE ePINS but were unable to complete their
registration formalities after initiating the process. In view of
this consideration the Board has open the registration portal
effective from Wednesday 13th March, 2019 for all candidates with
either UTME or DE ePINS to complete their registration formalities.
The portal would be closed on Friday, 15th March,2019 by
12midnight.

This opportunity is for only candidates who had created profile
and procured UTME or DE ePINS before the close of registration
portal as the sale of ePINS had since been closed.
Please endeavour to register before Friday midnight if you are
holding any of the ePINS (UTME/DE).

Dr. Fabian Benjamin
Head of Media
JAMB