Politics
INEC To Introduce E-Voting In Anambra Guber Poll
The Chairman, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, says the commission will introduce electronic voting in 2021 Anambra State governorship election.
Yakubu made this known in an interview with journalists on the sideline of the 2021 budget defence at the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters on Wednesday in Abuja.
“It is difficult to give you an idea of cost or when the process would be concluded, but we are determined that we are going to deploy electronic voting machines, electronic balloting machines very soon in our elections.
“Possibly beginning with the Anambra governorship election next year,” he said.
Earlier, Yakubu had told the members of the committee that the budget of the commission had continued to decline over the years.
He recalled that in 2019, the envelop for INEC was N45.5 billion while for 2020, the envelop was N40 billion.
The chairman said that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the budget further dropped to N36 billion.
“As a result, the commission decided to look inward, we have the INEC fund established under Section 3 of the INEC Act where we have some savings from previous budgets because we are not expected to remit unspent funds.
“We are on the first line charge and because of the peculiarities of our work, it is in the realisation of this that the parliament in amending the Electoral Act introduced the INEC fund for a number of reasons.
“One, that we cannot be truly independent if we are not financially independent, secondly, there are so many commitments that arise in the middle of a financial year and we cannot meet these obligations except some source of funding.
“So many by-elections had risen unforeseen, and the constitution has prescribed time limits for conducting such elections.
“For example, if constituents decide to call back a member, this is not what you can project at the beginning of a fiscal year, so we have the fund, established since 2010 and we have been growing it since then,” he said.
He said that the commission decided to take N5.2 billion from the fund to supplement the budget.
In terms of the 2020 budget performance, Yakubu said that the N36 billion that was reviewed in September, the commission received N28.3 billion on monthly installment basis.
According to him, from the N36 billion, we still expect a little over N7 billion, if you add this to the N5.2 billion, that will take it to N12.6 billion.
For personnel cost, he said N22billion was appropriated and that releases at the end of September was N16 billion, saying that INEC still expects N6.10 billion on personnel emoluments.
For overhead cost, Yakubu said that N2.2 billion was earmarked, N1.8 billion was so far released and the outstanding is N931 million.
“For electoral expenditures, the budgetary provision was N15.8 billion, release is N9.7 billion and we have a balance of N5.3 billion.
“Capital expenditures, N1.03 billion was appropriated, the releases is N816 million and what is outstanding for the year N520 million.
“In terms of performance, of the N36 billion appropriated, we have so far received N28.3 billion and what is outstanding is N12billion.
“For 2021, the total envelop is N40 billion, the personal cost is N23.2 billion, overhead cost is N2.4 billion and the capital expenditure is N300 million,” he said.
The House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters said it would do anything within the law to help boost the operations of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
Its chairman, Rep. Aishatu Dukku who made the pledge said the door of the committee was open to support the commission.
“The door of the committee is always open to INEC on any issue that will aid the commission meet all necessary operational commitments.
“We are partners in progress whose goal is to strengthen our electoral process and aid INEC in discharging its functions,” she said.
Dukku congratulated the INEC chairman on his reappointment as the chairman of the commission by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Tide source reports that the committee, reportedly backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, is making moves to reclaim the Wadata Plaza headquarters months after it was sealed following a violent clash between rival factions of the party.
Senior officers at the FCT Police Command told our source that while they had not received an official briefing, police personnel would be stationed at the secretariat and other key locations to maintain peace.
The Acting National Secretary of the Mohammed-led committee, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, announced last week that the secretariat would reopen for official activities on Monday (today).
He dismissed claims that ongoing litigation would prevent the reopening, saying, “There are no legal barriers preventing the caretaker committee from resuming work at the party’s headquarters.”
However, the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) has fiercely rejected the reopening move, insisting that Sen. Anyanwu and his group remain expelled from the PDP and have no authority to act on its behalf.
Speaking with The Tide source, the committee’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, declared: “They are living in fool’s paradise. The worst form of deceit is self-deceit, where the person knows he is deceiving himself yet continues with gusto.
“Even INEC, which they claim has recognised them, has denied them. They are indulging in a roller coaster of self-deceit.”
Mr Ememobong further revealed that letters had been sent to both the Inspector-General of Police and the FCT Commissioner of Police, stressing that the matter was still in court and warning against any attempt to “resort to self-help.”
“The case pending before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik was instituted by the expelled members. They cannot resort to self-help until judgment is delivered,” he said.
He warned that reopening the secretariat would amount to contempt of court.
A senior officer at the FCT Police Command, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that officers would be deployed to the area to avert a repeat of the November 19 violence that led to the secretariat’s initial closure.
“The command would not stand by and allow a breakdown of peace and order by the party or anyone else. Definitely, the police will have to be on the ground,” he said.
Another officer added, “There will definitely be men present at the secretariat, but I can’t say the number of police officers that would be deployed.”
When contacted, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, said she had not been briefed on the planned reopening and declined to comment on whether officers would be deployed.
Asked to confirm whether the secretariat was initially sealed by police, she responded, “Yes,” but refused to say more about the current deployment plans.
The Kano State House of Assembly has debunked the purported impeachment plan against the Deputy Governor, Aminu Gwarzo.
The Tide source recalls that the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, recently sparked controversy during an interview session with a local radio station.
Mr Waiya called on the deputy governor to resign for failing to follow his principal, Gov. Abba Yusuf, in defecting from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the spokesperson to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Kamaluddeen Shawai, while addressing journalists in Kano on Saturday, described reports circulating in some media outlets about Mr Gwarzo’s impeachment as baseless and misleading, emphasising that no such plan is underway.
Mr Shawai further stated that the House remains focused on its legislative duties and oversight functions rather than engaging in speculative political manoeuvres.
The spokesperson urged members of the public and the media to verify information before sharing it, stressing the importance of accurate reporting in maintaining political stability in the state.
He said, “There is absolutely no motion or initiative within the House to remove the deputy governor.
“These reports are false and should be disregarded by the public. The deputy governor continues to serve in his capacity with full support from the House.
“Our priority is good governance and serving the people of Kano, not circulating rumours.”
She made the declaration during an interview with Nigerian football legend, Mr Segun Odegbami, during a live radio interview on Saturday.
Prof. Obasanjo, who is also former commissioner in the state, ruled out a return to the Senate, stating that her focus was firmly on the governorship race.
“So, moving ahead, I’m not going to be Commissioner. Like I said, I’m not even going back to the same party because I think that’s old and I don’t see the use of it. And I’m not going to go back to the Senate,” she said.
“Like the Americans would say, there’s no need. And this is what I told my associates, when this all started. I said, the only thing I’ll come back to do is the governorship.
“And we have started that journey. We are going to see it through. And so that’s the journey I’m on. And we are very serious about it. I mean we are very dedicated to it.”
The politician also confirmed that she recently joined the APC, explaining that her return to active politics followed persistent calls from supporters.
“Like I told you, a group of people who I did not bring together, have been working, I think, for two years now. And then they started talking to me about a year ago, saying, ‘Look, we think you are the best candidate. We want you back,’” she added.
Her declaration sets the stage for what may become a keenly contested governorship race in Ogun State ahead of the 2027 elections.
-
Sports1 day agoArsenal Women End Man City’s Invincibility
-
Sports1 day agoU-20 WWC: Falconets claim qualifier win
-
Environment24 hours agoRivers State Government Suspend Fire Service Collection Levies
-
Sports1 day agoInsurance Deepen Enyimba’s Trouble
-
Environment24 hours agoLASEMA pushes attitudinal change to cut fire outbreaks in Lagos
-
Sports1 day agoYouth Olympics preparation Gears up
-
Sports1 day agoTornadoes Set For NPFL exit over Stadium Ban
-
Sports1 day agoCologne Youth Team Set Crowd Record