….about 70 certificates of return withdrawn
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has
withdrawn about 70 Certificates of Return from those it issued it
to initially and re-issued it to other people following various
court judgement.
This is as the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room said there
was nothing to be proud of the 2019 general elections conducted by
INEC.
The Convener of the group, Clement Nwankwo, during an ‘Electoral
Reform Roundtable” held in Abuja, said any election that lacks
legitimacy will also lack international acceptance.
According to him, the essence of the round table was to look at
the last election critically and take correction where
necessary.
“Both foreign and local observers have filed in their reports on
the last election. The intention of the observers is to highlights
the merits and demerits of the electoral process, with a bid to
moving forward.
“Nobody wants to put Nigeria in a bad light or cast aspersion on
the electoral body. If anything is wrong, as Nigerians, we all have
obligations to say it, and if it is right, we also have the
responsibility to say it the way it is.
“We are concerned with what we saw in our observation during the
last election. It has deteriorated to what it was in 2015.
“Nigeria as the giant of Africa has the responsibility to be a
good example, but we are setting bad example for the continent with
the 2019 elections.
“If we can’t organize election that is credible, there will
always be an issue. With that, we cannot say that we are a
Democratic nation.
“We are not proud of the 2019 elections, resources were wasted,
election was postponed about five hours to commencement. These did
not help out democracy.
“The good thing is that the reaction from INEC to the reports
shows that they will look into it and act on it appropriately.
“Election Reform should promptly be looked into by the Ninth
Assembly. The leadership of the National Assembly should persuade
the President to sign the electoral bill. New issues should also be
looked into”.
The INEC Commissioner on Public Enlightenment, Festus Okoye who
represented the Chairman stated that the electoral body had begun a
review of the process leading to the 2019 election.
“One of the biggest challenges of INEC is the number of
pre-election cases.
“There are 809 pre-election cases, while we have 800
post-election cases.
“INEC has withdrawn about 70 Certificate of Return earlier
issued to winners which court later reversed .
“This is caused by not too transparent primary election
conducted by political parties”.
He also warned that the number of political parties in the
country may shoot up to about 200 going with the current trend as
the commission is still receiving fresh applications for
registration.
He, therefore, called for a review of the registration
process.
In his speech, the President, Kofi Anan Foundation, Alan Doss
expressed joy that June 12 has been recognised as democracy
day.
He stressed that empirical evidence has shown that democracy
unlikely to fight war against each other.
He also pleaded with the leaders to deliver the democracy to the
led and that the electoral process should be transparent.
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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