Tag Archives: State Assembly

Rivers rerun: INEC suspends pending polls into NASS, State Assembly seats.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has again suspended all action concerning elections into federal and state assembly election in Rivers State pending the receipt of a comprehensive report from its Field Officials and Monitors on the state of security in the affected constituencies.

 

The commission also added that the suspension does not affect the constituencies where the exercise has been completed and the results declared by the Returning Officers.

 

INEC’s Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, in a statement yesterday night said “Pursuant to the Orders of the Court of Appeal, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted elections into various seats in both the National and the Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday, the 19th of March, 2016.

 

“Rather unfortunately, some of these elections witnessed the disruption of the process, including the barricading of some of the INEC Local Government offices and Registration Area Centres (RACs) used for the distribution of Electoral materials which led to the late commencement of the exercise in some places and consequently, its smooth take off.

“Of more serious concern was the level of threats, violence and intimidation of election officials and voters by well armed thugs and miscreants allegedly acting on behalf of some politicians, which marred the elections in some areas. There were reports of numerous attacks resulting in fatalities, kidnappings, ballot snatching, diversion of officials and materials, amongst others, which necessitated its suspension in 8 Local Government Areas.

 

“Regrettably, such deviant behaviour has continued today. Several permanent and ad hoc staff engaged have been attacked, again resulting in fatalities, while some have been forcibly abducted and taken to presently unknown destinations.

 

“Under such difficult circumstance, the Returning Officers were only able to collate and declare results in 1 Federal and 9 State constituencies where the disruption and malpractices were not so widespread.

 

“Having reviewed the situation, the Commission is compelled to suspend all further action concerning the exercise in all the other constituencies in the State pending the receipt of a comprehensive report from its Field Officials and Monitors. For the avoidance of doubt, it should be noted that the suspension does not affect the constituencies where the exercise has been completed and the results declared by the Returning Officers.”

Nasarawa Assembly Investigates Alleged Release Of N390m To ex-LG Chairmen

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The Nasarawa state House of Assembly has set up a six-man ad hoc committee to investigate the alleged release of N30 million to each of the former local government chairmen.

 

The money, meant for capital projects, was allegedly released two days to the end of their tenure in office.

 

The house constituted the committee on Tuesday during its proceedings in Lafia.

 

Mr Godiya Akwashiki (PDP-Nasarawa Eggon West), the Deputy Speaker of the house, directed the committee to do a thorough job on the allegation.

 

Akwashiki said that the information given by the complainants should be investigated before any further action on the matter.

 

Mr. Mohammed Udege-Ukpoku (APC-Udege/Loko), Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation who read the letter, said the complainants alleged that the state government released the amount to each of the chairmen for capital projects.

“A concerned group known as Nasarawa Concerned Group, Keffi, has alleged that the state government released N30 million to each of the immediate past local government chairmen.

“The letter was signed by the group Chairman, Mohammed Usman and the group Secretary, David Ose.

 

“The group said that the money was said to be for capital project and pleaded with this honorable house to verify the information,” Udege-Ukpoku said.

 

The house unanimously agreed to set up the committee.

 

Members of the committee were drawn from the House Committees on Public Complaints and Petitions, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and that of Finance and Appropriation.

 

They are to submit report on April 4.

 

NAN also reports that the two-year tenure of the elected local government chairmen and councilors expired on March 24.

 

(NAN)

INEC Announces Dates For Rerun Elections Into National, State Assemblies

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The Independent National Electoral Commission on Tuesday announced dates for the conduct of rerun elections into federal and state constituencies and senatorial districts across the country.

 

 

This followed the nullification of about 80 elections in 16 states of the federation by the Court of Appeal.

 

 

All the affected elections, according to the commission, are to hold between February 13 and March 19, 2016.

 

 

Notice of the rerun election was contained in a statement issued and signed by the Secretary of the Commission, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu.

 

 

The states where the rerun polls will hold include Taraba, Adamawa, Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Abia, Imo, Anambra, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Rivers.

 

 

The commission said that elections in Gombe state had been conducted.

 

 

The statement read in part, “stakeholders in the electoral process and public interests in the subject, INEC at its meeting held on Monday, February 1, 2016 considered and approved dates for the conduct of elections as ordered by the Court of Appeal.”

 

 

The commission however, said there would be no fresh primaries in constituencies where the court disqualified a candid?ate based on improper conduct of the party primary.

 

 

The commission added that while elections in 69 constituencies of the affected states would be with the same political parties and their respective candidates who participated in the annulled elections, some political parties in 11 constituencies, cut across seven states, would not be participating in the rerun polls.

 

 

Credit : Punch