The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised the alarm over the challenges of flooding in most parts of Bayelsa State, saying it was posing a huge threat to the smooth conduct of the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in the state.
The National Commissioner and Chairman, IVEC, Festus Okoye Esq, made this known during a formal meeting with journalists tagged “Meet the Press/Session with NUJ, at the Ernest Sei-sei Ikoli Press Centre in Yenagoa.
Okoye, disclosed that the only thing the commission has the capacity to do is to conduct elections and if unable to conduct in a particular polling unit in account of natural disaster or other disasters, Section 23 of the Electoral Act as stipulated tells the commission what to do.
He noted that people who must have left their homes and currently putting up with their relatives and friends are not IDPs, and will not be considered, noting that the commission has conditions for only IDPs that can be located in a camp, documented and a remedial action will be taken to ensure they vote.
On the readiness of the commission, he said, after the release of the revised timetable with 14 items, INEC has been able to implement 12 already, which remains the end of campaigns and election proper.
“We have implemented almost all. We are on ground zero and everything is set. We have trained all categories of Ad hoc staff that will be needed for the election. All non-sensitive materials are on ground and at the LGAs, while the sensitive materials will arrive few days to election and domicile with the CBN.”
“The question that should be asked is whether political parties are ready because they had enough time to prepare. INEC remains the only body that has the mandate to conduct elections, and no political party can insist that its position in relation to whatever it wants will be accepted, we regulate the political parties and they can’t regulate us,” he added.
Earlier, the state Residence Electoral Commissioner (REC), Pastor Monday Udoh Tom, said INEC Bayelsa has moved to the red zone, which means it’s ready to go.
He emphasized that the commission was ready to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election on the 16th of November in the state, adding that the persons living with disability will also be captured.
Tom commended the media in the state for the level of their partnership with the commission, stating that the cordial relationship had helped in educating and informed voters in the state.
However, history was made, yesterday, in Yenagoa, when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and all the 45 political parties that nominated candidates for next weekend’s Bayelsa State governorship election, signed a peace accord.
In attendance to witness the epoch-making event were, Chairman, Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alfred Diete-Spiff, the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Abubakar, the Director General National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brid-Gen Ibrahim Shauibu, Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) from Adamawa, Anambra, Delta, National Commissioners Festus Okoye, Okey Ibeanu, representatives of Nigeria Immigration Services, Nigerian Correctional Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, among many other stakeholders.
In his brief remarks, commission’s Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, reassured the readiness of the commission for the poll, just as he pleaded with stakeholders to cooperate with the commission.
Delivering her speech, National Commissioner in charge of Bayelsa and Chairman, Legal Services Committee, May Agbamuche, read riot act, warning that vote buyers, ballot box snatchers risk heavy imprisonment of 12 months and/or N1million fine.
“Another very disturbing trend is the use of hate speech and provocative language during political campaigns. This is unacceptable and is an electoral offence under Section 95 ( l ) and (2) of the Electoral Act.
“It is unethical to use language or words that will incite violence in the name of politics, as is character assassination equally destructive and damaging to the very core of our society.
“Stakeholders should rise against this and bring it to an end. With social media hate speech has plunged to ever greater depths.
“A person who contravenes this provision commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of Nl,000,0000.00 or 12 months imprisonment. For a political party, a fine of N2,000,000.00 will be levied in the first instance and Nl,000,000.00 for any subsequent offence.
“We must here also highlight that it is an offence under Section 23 (l)(a) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) for a person to be in possession of a voter’s card that is not bearing his or her name unless he can legally justify why he is in possession of such a card.
“You have a duty to tell your members, constituents and the general electorate that it is an offence to buy or sell a voter’s card. Any person who buys or tries to buy any voters’ card whether on his own or on behalf of any other person, commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to a fine of N1,000,000.00 or to l2 months imprisonment, or to both ad punishment, as stated in section 120(l)(c) and (d) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended)
“There are certain election day offences which I must additionally draw your attention to which are unacceptable within a distance of 300 metres of a polling unit on Election Day.
“These are canvassing & soliciting for votes, persuading any voter not to vote for any particular candidate, loitering around a polling unit or being in possession of any offensive weapon. A person who commits any of these of the above-stated offences is liable on conviction to a fine of N1000,000.00 or imprisonment for a term of six months.
“The particularly odious offence of ballot paper, ballot box and election material snatching is prevalent in our society today. Please, note that a person who commits such an offence of snatching or destruction of any election material is liable on conviction to 24 months imprisonment. And in this situation zero votes will be recorded against that polling unit,” the commission warned.
Stressing readiness of the commission, INEC boss, said: “The commission has also delivered all non-sensitive materials to our office here in Yenagoa long ago. They have all been sorted out, categorized and batched, ready to be delivered to the LGAs, wards and polling units. The sensitive materials are also ready and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is delivering them to Bayelsa State, this weekend.
“The normal process of inspection and distribution within the state will be done in the presence of party agents, security agencies, observers and the media. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Bayelsa State will give the date and time for the inspection and the itinerary for deployment in line with the commission’s standard practice for the inspection and movement of sensitive materials.
“The Smart Card Readers (SCRs) have been configured and will be added to other sensitive materials and delivered together. Once again, let me reiterate that it is mandatory to use the SCRs for voter accreditation and authentication.
“Let me also reiterate that voter inducement in all forms, including vote-buying at polling units is a violation of the law. The ban on the use of mobile phones and other photographic devices in the voting cubicles is still in force and will be strictly enforced and monitored.
“I urge all stakeholders to continue to eschew violence and maintain peaceful conduct during the election. It is our collective responsibility to safeguard the process and to protect all election duty staff including the corps members who serve at the polling units which is the basic level of the voting process,” he said.