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Electoral Act Bill: PDP heads to court, insists on electronic transmission of results

Nigeria’s main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed not allow the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) led National Assembly to “murder democracy” in Nigeria, vowing to head to court to challenge the decision of the senate to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from transmitting election results directly from polling units.

On Thursday, lawmakers spent more than three hours considering over 100 clauses of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, and the majority of the senators, all APC senators, succeeded in empowering the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to determine the electronic transmission of electoral results.

The legislation is seeking to repeal and re-enact the 2010 electoral act, which has been under consideration for years.

During the clause-by-clause consideration of the bill, Sabi Abdullahi, deputy senate whip, proposed that the NCC must certify that national coverage is adequate and secure, while the national assembly must approve before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can transmit election results electronically.

But Albert Bassey, senator representing Akwa Ibom north-east, kicked against the motion and said the initial proposal made by the committee should be retained.

“The commission may transmit results of elections by electronic means where and when practicable,” section 50 (3) of the report reads.

This led to a rowdy session which lasted about 20 minutes, after which the senate eventually retained Abdullahi’s amendment after a 52-28 vote, with all APC senators voting ‘No’ and all PDP senators voting ‘Yes.’

Reacting to the decision of the senators at press conference on Friday, national chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus on Friday, the said the amendment passed by the lawmakers cannot stand, as according to him, it is a big scam.

Secondus said the party will take all necessary legal steps to ensure that the “APC scam” is not allowed to stand in any way.

“We have called you this afternoon to join our voices and anger with that of Nigerians and all lovers of democracy in condemning what happened in the National Assembly yesterday Thursday and today Friday,” Secondus said.

“How a representative of the people enjoying their mandate blatantly turned their back on them and toed the line of a political party interest that is clearly against the people.

“By the choice of the All Progressives Congress, APC to put party interest before National interest, they have vividly murdered democracy by the actions of their members in the two chambers of the National Assembly yesterday and today. For us in PDP, today is a Black Friday for democracy.

“It’s an established fact in all democracies world wide that a free, fair and credible election is the tripod of any democracy. The action of APC in swaying their members against Electronic transmission of Election Results clearly undermines and shows in unmistaken terms that APC is not ready to face the Nigerian electorates.

“It also shows that the dilly-dallying of APC all the while in amending the Electoral Act is deliberate as they never wanted from inception to do anything that will deepen democracy in our country.

“This is notwithstanding that the party is a huge beneficiary of Electoral Reform carried out by the PDP administration.

“We therefore, unequivocally condemn and reject the amendment of Electoral Act as passed by the National Assembly and urge President Muhammadu Buhari to fulfil his anti-corruption crusade and see this as corruption and the big scam.

“The PDP will take all necessary legal steps to ensure that this APC scam is not allowed to stand in any way.

“We therefore call on all lovers of democracy who see free, fair and transparent election as vital, to stand up against this fraud.

“Before I end these remarks gentlemen of the Press, may I commend members of the PDP in the two chambers for standing up for democracy when it mattered. History will be favourable to them.

“I would like to also urge the Press as vanguard in the democratic struggle to take up their arms against this anti democratic action.”

See List Of APC Senators That Voted Against Electronic Transmission Of Election Results

Members of the All Progressives Congress in the Senate on Thursday voted against electronic transmission of results.

The Committee had, in the report, recommended in Section 52(3) that, INEC “may transmit results of elections by electronic means where and when practicable.”

But an APC senator from Niger North, Sabi Abdullahi, amended the clause to read, “INEC may consider electronic collation of results, provided the national network coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secured by the Nigerian Communications Commission and approved by the National Assembly.”
Members of the Committee on Communications had earlier informed the chamber that the NCC had declared that only 43 per cent of the country was currently under effective telecommunications coverage.

Senate President, Ibrahim Lawan, ruled in favour of the amendment when he conducted a voice vote.

There was a disagreement and the Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, called for a division which would require individual voting on the floor.

Lawan sustained Abaribe’s point of order and called for a division.

At the end of the poll, 88 senators voted, while 28 were not available to vote.

The outcome of the election showed that 52 APC senators, including the chairman of the Senate INEC committee, Kabiru Gaya, voted against the panel’s report, which gives the electoral umpire the sole power to determine the practicability of electronic transmission of results.

The Peoples Democratic Party members on the floor all voted in favour of electronic transmission of results by INEC without interference from either the NCC or the National Assembly.

The APC members, while casting their votes against the amendment, attributed their decision to the claim of the NCC that only 43 per cent of the country has network coverage.

The PDP senators, on the other hand, said allowing the NCC and the National Assembly to meddle in the affairs of INEC will affect the integrity of the polls

Here’s a list of how the lawmakers voted:

A COMPILATION OF SENATORS VOTE FOR OR AGAINST ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF ELECTION RESULTS (A few names still missing)

Robert Ajayi Boroffice YES

Surajudeen Basiru NO

Adenugba Fadahunsi YES

Clifford Ordia YES

Matthew Urhoghide YES

Francis Alimikhena NO

Kola Balogun YES

Ezekiel Ayuba NO

Abubakar Kyari NO

Gyang Istifanus YES

Senator Gyagung Ladi NO

George Sekibo YES

Ali Ndume NO

Opeyemi Bamidele NO

Biodun Olujimi YES

Mpigi Barinada YES

Betty Apiafi YES

Gobir Abdullahi NO

Abdullahi Danbaba NO

Philip Aduda YES

Chukwuka Utazi YES

Mohammed Goje NO

Danbaba YES

Yusuf Yusuf NO

Isa Shuaibu Lau NO

Mohammed Goje NO

Bomai Ibrahim Mohammed NO

Francis Onyewuchi YES

Yau Sahabi NO

Uba Sani NO

Danjuma La’ah YES

Kabiru Gaya NO

Ishaku Elisha Abo NO

Baba Kaita NO

Adamu Aliero NO

Yahaya Abdullahi NO

Yakubu Oseni NO

Isa Jibrin NO

Smart Adeyemi NO

Ibrahim Oloriegbe NO

Oluremi Tinubu NO

Solomon Adeola NO

Tanko Al-Makura NO

Godiya Akwashiki NO

Abdullahi Adamu NO

Musa Mohammed Sani NO

Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi NO

Bima Enagi NO

Patrick Akinyelure YES

FINAL VOTE FIGURES ON ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION

AYES: 28
NAYS: 52
ABSENT: 28
ABSTAIN: 0
TOTAL VOTES: 80
TOTAL NO. OF REGISTERED SENATORS: 109

(as announced by Clerk of Senate and validated by Senate President, Ahmad Lawan)

Just In: Lagos APC Treasurer Is Dead

The Treasurer of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sumbo Ajose, has died.

It was gathered that Ajose reportedly died in the United States of America on Tuesday, 13th July, 2021.

According to information, she had been battling for her life with an undisclosed illness for a while and was on a sickbed receiving treatment when she died.

Confirming her death, the Party’s Publicity Secretary, Seye Oladejo, described it as “sad and unfortunate.”

Meanwhile, a member of the House of Representatives from Zamfara State, Kabiru Amadu, has formally dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Society gazette reports that the lawmaker formally announced his defection to the APC on Wednesday.

Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, read the letter of defection from Amadu at the plenary.

Amadu is the last of the six members from Zamfara who had earlier declared their defection at the state level along with Governor Bello Matawalle.

The lawmaker from Zamfara blamed the crisis in the PDP for their defection to the APC.

The legislators cited the crisis in the Zamafara State chapter of the PDP which led to the dissolution of the state chapter by the national leadership of the party as their reason for defecting to the APC.

PDP Crisis: ‘I Am Not Your Mate’ – Okupe Scolds Wike

A former presidential aide, Doyin Okupe, has slammed Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, declaring himself a leader and senior to the incumbent governor.

Okupe was reacting to a recent public attack on Prince Uche Secondus, the National Chairman of the main opposition party.

Naija News reports that Governor Wike had during the last weekend described Secondus as a serial liar and one that could not be taken for his words.

Secondus, who also attended the event, stormed out after delivering his speech wherein he talked about character and good leadership.

Reacting in a series of post on his Twitter page, Okupe asked the Rivers State Governor to apologise for his outburst.

The former presidential aide described Wike’s statement as reckless, indecent, irresponsible and unacceptable.

“I have observed that there are too many anomalies and practices which are alien to party politics which are being thrown to the upcoming young ones as the norm,” Okupe wrote.

In another post later, Okupe said he has the right to call derailing members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to order as a senior member of the party.

Okupe who was a former aide under ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan boasted that Wike is not his contemporary in politics.

“I believe I have the right and the merit to call our members to order irrespective of their status in the party,” Okupe stated in a statement he shared on the micro-blogging platform, Twitter.

According to the PDP chieftain, those who can wade shoulders with him in politics in Rivers State are the likes of Peter Odili, Rufus Ada George and not Wike, adding that he is a leader and senior to the current governor.

Okupe added: “For a fact, my contemporaries in the political hierarchy of Rivers State are former Govs Rufus Ada George and Peter Odili. So I am a senior and leader to our indefatigable Gov Wike politically.

“Therefore, I consider it a duty to intervene at this juncture,” he said.

APC Announces Date To Begin Sale Of Forms For Congresses

The ruling All Progressives Congress has announced plans to commence the sale of forms for its national congresses.
The development was disclosed by the director of the organisation, Prof Al-Mustapha Medaner, on Sunday.

Medaner in the statement released said the decision was in line with the approval of Governor Mai Mala Buni-led APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the party.

He further stated that the purchase of forms for ward congresses would start from July 1 to July 7, while the inauguration of wards and local government congresses, screening and screening appeals committee would hold on July 10.

Medaner added that the screening of the ward positions would start from July 12 to July 16, while the inauguration of the ward and local government congresses and congresses appeals committee would hold on July 19 and ward congresses on July 24.

He said the party has set July 26 to July 29 to entertain appeals from the ward congresses.

Medaner said: “Purchase of forms for the local government positions will be from July 26 to July 30 and screening of aspirants for local government party positions will be from July 19 to July 26.”

The APC Director said appeals from local government congresses would be entertained from August 16 to August 20.

He said the sales of forms for state executives positions would occur from August 23 to August 27, while the inauguration of the screening appeals committee for state executives would hold on August 30.

“Screening of aspirants for state executives will be from Sept.6 to September 8 and appeals arising from screening for state executives will be held from September 12 to September 15.

“State congresses will hold on September 18 and appeals arising from state congresses will hold from September 19 to September 21.

“By this notice, aspirants will purchase forms as follows: ward chairman – N10, 000; ward vice-chairman, secretary and treasurer – N5,000, other offices – N 2,000.

“Local government chairman – N25,000, local government vice chairman, secretary and treasurer – N15,000.00; other offices – N10, 000,” he said.

Medaner said female and physically challenged aspirants would pay 50 per cent of the prescribed fees for each position.

AN APPEAL TO ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU AS HON DIPO OLORUNRINU FINALLY SUBSTITUTED

We have always nursed the fear that certain key figures within the All Progressives Congress will cause the untold embarrasement for the party with the way the just concluded All Progressives Congress Local Government Council Primaries elections. It is worrisome that these personalities are not taken into consideration the presidential ambition of our revered National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as their actions is destroying the fabrics of dignity of our great party.

Majority of Executives and Members of All Progressives Congress in Amuwo Odofin voted overwhelmingly for Dipo Olorunrinu in the Primaries elections which held on Saturday, 29th May 2021. This was followed by the publication of his name (Hon Dipo Olorunrinu) in The Nation (Page 6) and Guardian Newspapers likewise online Newspapers on 4th June 2021.

The people’s joy was elated on the news of his candidature. Hon Dipo Olorunrinu has exhibited so much benevolence as a poltical figure in Amuwo Odofin.

As stakeholders, we want to graciously appeal to our National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in resolving this issue that is capable of affecting the fortunes of the party in Amuwo Odofin on the following grounds;

1. Hon Dipo Olorunrinu has shown so much committment to the growth of the party since he joined over two years.

2. He is currently spearheading the campaign of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Presidential ambition across the Badagry Division with a functional Secretariat at 204 Road, House 5 in Festac Town.

3. Despite that he has been out of office for over two years, all his humanitarian programs such as free school bus, economic support programs for petty traders, youth reformation programs, health support programs, etc for Amuwo Odofin community are still going on.

4. He financially supported the last membership registration of our great party. He also mobilized new members in large numbers for registration.

5. He has acted as a bridge builder between major ethnic groups in Amuwo Odofin.

6. He has remained very peaceful since the primaries despite obvious provocations from one of the Aspirants.

7. He has gotten the commitment of the Igbo communities to not only support but financially support all APC Candidates in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.

8. Those who have lost their shops in the various demolition exercises of major markets (Agboju and 23 Road Market in Festac Town) are strongly hoping that Hon Dipo Olorunrinu will bring succour when he assumes office as the Chairman. They mobilized their respective families to register in the membership registration because of Hon Dipo Olorunrinu.

9. Hon Dipo Olorunrinu have the requisite experience, knowledge, intelligence, expertise, network, etc to revamp Amuwo Odofin from state of dearth infrastructures.

8. The retirees have expressed so much joy when the name of Hon Dipo Olorunrinu was published as the Chairmanship Candidate of All Progressives Congress because Festac Town have lost its glory under the present administration.

9. We are stating emphatically that Hon Dipo Olorunrinu is the most preferred and credible Candidate for All Progressives Congress in the forthcoming Local Government Council elections.

10. Any attempt to substitute Hon Dipo Olorunrinu for Valentine Buraimoh will jeopardize all our efforts in strengthening the party not only in numbers but financially.

11. Hon. Dipo Olorunrinu has been taking good care of party Apex Leaders, Local Government and Wards Executives since Hon Valentine Buraimoh refused to support the party.

Our revered National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we are passionately appealing that you should not allow certain high ranking members of our party mislead you into taking a decision that will not only affect the fortunes of our party in Amuwo Odofin but across Lagos as we gear up towards 2023.

We have remained Loyal despite all the sufferings endured under Valentine Buraimoh. Our only hope for taking Amuwo Odofin to a greater height is Hon Dipo Olorunrinu. So he shouldn’t for any reason be substituted.

Issued by;

APC AMUWO ODOFIN STAKEHOLDERS
APC YOUTH VANGUARD FOR PEACE
5th June 2021

1. Alhaji Ayodele Ahmed. 2. Alhaji Waheed Adewunni. 3. Alhaji W A Lawal.
4.PaAyodele Ajibolade. 5. Alhaji Riskat Ebiti.
6. Mrs Wunmi Kaffo.
7. Hon. Ahmed Mohammed. 8.Engineer Sheyi Ipinlaye. 9. Hon. Sultan Adeniji Adele. 10. Pastor D O Omotosho. 12. Mr Femi Ilesanmi
13. Mrs Adaeze umeadi. 14 Alhaja Talatu
15 Mallam Abubakar Mai. 16. Alhaji I O Bello.
17. Alhaji Bada
18. Mr Chike okonma
19. Mrs Adeyinka Adegbuyi. 20. Mr Jimoh Ismaila.
21. Mr Sulaiman Taofeek. 22.Mr Demola Oni
23. Mr Wale Akorede
24. Mr Abdulahi Usman 25 Mr Omoniyi Odofin. 26. Mr Omoniyi Olugbenga. 27. Mr Rotimi Saka.
28. Mrs Vivian Okonta. 29 Mrs Yemisi Ijiyemi.
30. Mr Stands Sulaiman. 31. Mrs Chinyere Anagbalu. 32. Mr Afeez Adejuwon. 33. Tawa Dosunmu.
34. Mrs Oyekwnmi.
35. Alhaja Awaa.
36 Peter Ambili.
37.Dauda Oko Osi.

PRINCE NIXON OKWARA (CHAIRMAN IGBO STAKEHOLDERS IN LAGOS)

CHIEF IYKE OCHIAGHA

MAUREEN CHIKA ASHARA (VICE CHAIRMANSHIP CANDIDATE)

FEYISOPE IDOWU (COUNCILLORSHIP CANDIDATE WARD B2)

HAMMED OLANREWAJU MOHAMMED (COUNCILLORSHIP CANDIDATE WARD C)

ANUOLUWAPO OLATUNBOSUN ADEOSUN (COUNCILLORSHIP CANDIDATE WARD B1)

OLU BETHEL (COUNCILLORSHIP CANDIDATE WARD A1)

FEMI IWAKUN (COUNCILLORSHIP CANDIDATE WARD J)

EGOBI OSAGIE DANIEL (COUNCILLORSHIP CANDIDATE WARD K)

2023: See the top five politicians that could emerge as Apc vice presidential candidate

As the 2023 Presidential Election gathers momentum, the Race for the APC Presidential Ticket has begun in earnest as Top Political Gladiators in the ruling party are already warming up to slug it out for the party’s 2023 Presidential Ticket. All things being equal, Below is the list of Top 5 Politicians Likely to Emerge as the APC Vice-presidential Candidate in 2023.

1. Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong

The 57years-old Lawyer turned Politician is a Second-term Governor in Plateau State in the North-Central Zone. Prior to his emergence as Governor in 2015, Lalong has previously served as Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly between 2000 and 2006.

2. Boss Mustapha

Mustapha, 65 hails from Adamawa State in the Northeastern Part of the Country, He is a trained Lawyer and Politician who currently serves as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). He belongs to the ACN Bloc of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

3. Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara

The 53years-old Dogara is the immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, a position he occupied from June 2015 to June 2019. The Fourth-term Lawmaker currently represents Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency of Bauchi State in the Lower Chamber.

4. Mallam Nasir El-rufai

The 60years-old El-rufai is a Second-term Governor of Kaduna State. He belongs to the CPC Bloc of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). El-rufai has previously served as Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) and Minister of F.C.T under the PDP Administration of Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007.

5. Senator Atiku Bagudu

The 58years-old is the incumbent Governor of Kebbi State, he assumed office in 2015 and was re-elected in 2019. He was a Chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) until 2014 when he decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Senator Bagudu has previously served in the Nigerian Senate where he represented Kebbi Central Senatorial District between June 2011 and May 2015.

Ifako-Ijaye: Trouble Looms As APC Leaders Ignore Asiwaju’s Order…Turn Primary Election Into Jankara Market

Not unaware of how some party elders and others in APC in Lagos state use his name to perpetuate all kinds of shenanigans to subvert smooth electoral process, APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as regards APC primary election towards upcoming chairmanship election in the state, days ago made a categorical statement that he didn’t endorse any aspirants and that such tales should not be entertained.

He went further to charge the party officials and other leaders that they should ensure the process of the election is transparent and all aspirants are given equal opportunities.

Meanwhile, against the order and counsel of the former governor, Tinubu, news are making round that some party elders in some local government ahead of the commencement of the primary election have turned the whole process in to an ugly and worrisome situation as they are alleged to have seen opportunity to make brisk money in the affair.

A source particularly made preference to the situation in Ifako-Ijaye where he alleged the APC leaders have turned themselves to money mongers thereby jettisoned ideal arrangement to one that will ensure their pockets are swollen. They are alleged to have collected huge amount of money from a particular aspirant who now banks on that to win the election.

Meanwhile, according to source, the situation is beginning to generate tension as observation revealed things might result into a crisis and chaos because supporters of other aspirants who had hitherto prepared for a free and fair election are aware of the plot by the leaders and the particular aspirant and they are poised to ensure no aspirant is shortchanged.

LG Election: Ifako-Ijaiye Leaders Allegedly Toe Highest Bidder Route To Subvert Primary Process

There’s a worrisome piece of information currently making the round in Ifako-Ijaye as regards process to determine who becomes APC flag bearer in the upcoming local government elections in Lagos state.

According to the information, leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area are alleged may have embarked on moves likely to disrupt what is expected to be a free and fair primary. The said move by the leader, it was alleged may not be unconnected with funds that may have greased their palms.

Sources alleged that the leaders had given agreed to work for a particular candidate on account of bribe they were alleged to have collected. This, it was learnt is against what the party hierarchy had ordered that a level playing ground should be guaranteed for all aspirants that will be taking parts in the primary election.

Sources further hinted that every aspirant were called for interview by the leaders and that in the process, the man who seems to have more money to part with as bribe to buy their support was secretly endorsed.

Pundits who are already in the know of the unhealthy arrangement are of the view such practice that is common in the electoral process in the country is the reason wrong set of people have always clinched positions by buying through their ways. They added such “investors” end up recouping their money and stacking up money to buy their way in subsequent elections, all at the detriment of the people, when they get to office.

It is on record that Asiwaju made a categorical statement that he had no annoited aspirants and that leaders still bent on using Tinubu’s name to perpetuate their selfish wish by collecting money to favor aspirants against other and that it’s the situation of things in Ifako-Ijaye where money is said to have changed hands among some leaders to favor a particular aspirant.

Our interest will be better served in APC – Ayade Assures Cross River youths

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River has said that aligning with the All Progressives Congress (APC) party would bring federal assistance to the state.

While addressing the youths who held a rally to welcome him to the party at the governor’s office in Calabar on Thursday, Governor Ayade said he joined APC for the benefit of the state.

According to him, a party is an appropriate vehicle that will bring full economic benefits to the state, which he said is the APC.

“We have to re-sucket into the centre to drive the value of governance into the state where our interest will be better served,” he said.

He said that Cross River has a lot of mineral resources but the resources required to exploit the hydrocarbons were beyond the capacity of the state.

The governor lamented that Cross River was economically disadvantaged, noting that the state is the 35th in terms of revenue allocation received from the federal government.

“The state does not have reasonable allocation. We are not part of the 18 per cent derivation. We are not part of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). We do not have oil,” he said.

Mr Ayade also said he expanded the government to accommodate 38,000 young people and urged the youths to go and register as APC members in their respective wards.