The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on
Wednesday said it had withdrawn and re-issued over 70 certificates
of return after the 2019 general elections.
Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner, Chairman,
Information and Voter Education Committee, said this at an
electoral reform round-table organised by the Nigeria Civil Society
Situation Room and the Kofi Annan Foundation in Abuja.
Okoye said that one of the biggest challenges facing the
commission is the large number of pre-election matters that are
still pending in various courts of law.
“As at today, the commission has a total of 809 pre-election
matters while we have just 800 post-election matters, so the
implication is that we have more pre-election matters than
post-election.
“As at yesterday, the commission has withdrawn and reissued over
70 certificates of return that were previously issued to those who
were elected into the various states and national assembly
positions.
“There are more that we are still withdrawing and more that we
are still re-issuing, some of these things arose from the not too
transparent party primary elections that were conducted by the
various political parties.
“It is really a source of concern that up till today, there are
still a number of cases arising from pre-election matters in
courts,’’he said.
Okoye said that one of the things the commission is looking at
is whether the fourth alteration to the Constitution of Nigeria
would properly address the issue of pre-election matters.
He said this is because the fourth alteration, gave the court of
first instance a total of 180 days within which to determine cases
and issues arising from pre-election matters.
“But 180 days from the period of the conduct of party primary
elections and the end of substitution period dovetailed into the
conduct of elections and even beyond.
“This more or less distorts what the commission’s activities and
also puts it on edge in terms of knowing which political parties
would be on the ballot and which would not,” he said.
He said that the commission is looking at a situation where it
could shorten the regime of the determination of pre-election
matters to make it possible for it to have some level of sanity
before going into any major election.
Okoye said that the issue of the number of political parties is
also a challenge because the ballot papers are getting longer and
the result sheets are getting bigger and creating a big challenge
for the voters.
He said that the number of political associations waiting to be
registered are more than the existing ones adding that if they are
registered Nigeria would have over 200 parties in 2023
elections.
“So I think we need to have a national conversation to see
whether we really need the number of political parties in existence
in the country or not,’’Okoye said
He called for the necessary reforms to be put in place.
The European Union Ambassador, Mr Ketil Karlsen said that the
union made recommendations from its election observations not to
castigate Nigeria but to instigate reforms to strengthen the
electoral process.
Karlsen said that four years is not a long time to begin
electoral reforms and urged the nation to consider a wider form of
reform to enhance inclusiveness, especially of women.
Mr Idris Wase, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives,
reiterated the 9th assembly’s commitment to carrying out electoral
reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.
“We will partner together with all stakeholders for the purpose
of improving our laws, we will begin now and not wait till the end
of our tenure to start it,’’ Wase said.
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Police Arrest 38 kidnappers, Recover 30 Firearms, 160
Cattle
Police operatives attached to Operation Puff Adder have between
5th June, 2019 and today, 19th June, 2019 arrested a total of
Thirty-two (32) kidnap suspects including 4 involved in the kidnap
of UBEC Chairman, his daughter and the killing of his driver. The
Operatives also recovered Eleven (11) AK47 Rifles, Two (2) Pump
Action Guns, Three (3) Locally Made Pistols, Twelve (12) Dane Guns,
Two (2) Revolver Pistols, Ten (10) Live Cartridges, Seventy-seven
(77) Live Ammunition and Two (2) Volkswagen vehicles.
The arrest of the four (4) suspects is sequel to the massive
manhunt launched to apprehend the fleeing members of the kidnap
gang involved in the kidnap of UBEC Chairman. It would be recalled
that some gang members had fled following the death of their Gang
Leader/Kidnap Kingpin, one Sumaila Sule a.k.a Shaho, who died on
18th May, 2019 as a result of bullet injuries sustained during a
shoot-out with Police Operatives.
Similarly, the Police Operatives, within the period under
review, have following raids of criminal hideouts in Kainji, New
Bussa, Mariga Bangi and Charagi in Niger and Kwara State
respectively and Birnin Yero forest along Birnin Gwari, Garu
Rahama, Gaidan Gaya in Kaduna State, arrested twenty (28) other
notorious kidnappers/armed robbers, including one Abubakar Umar
a.k.a Buba Dogo. Investigation reveals that Abubakar Umar is a
specialist in the kidnap of foreign nationals whom he keeps hostage
until substantial ransoms are paid.
Also, the Operatives have intercepted trucks conveying One
thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy Two (1972) bags of grains and
Two Hundred and Eight (208) bags of beans to Bandits’ hideout in a
Forest in Zamfara State. This action, no doubt, will cut-off food
supply and hopefully neutralize their stronghold in their
camps.
Meanwhile, the IGP has observed that the achievements recorded
so far by the Operatives of Operation Puff Adder would not have
been possible but for the immense support and cooperation of the
public. He reiterates that the support has come in a manner that
clearly demonstrates the increasing determination of citizens to
support the Police in restoring internal security.
DCP FRANK MBA
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS
ABUJA