Aernan Lubem

The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), has urged Nigerian youths in Anambra state to elect trustworthy leaders in the 2023 general elections.

INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, stated this at the Commission’s Zonal engagement with identified Youth groups on the role of youths ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Mr. Okoye, who is also in charge of South-East Zone, explained that Youth Engagement Programme was part of the Commission’s fourteen-point election scheduled programmes designed to ensure youth consciousness and inclusiveness in the electoral process, describing them as a formidable force for democracy.

Mr. Okoye noted that over 1.4million ad-hoc election staff have been engaged by the Commission for the conduct of the 2023 general election and INEC had secured an insurance policy for them against hazards of the election, if there be a possible attack.

Read Also: INEC to begin screening of Adhoc workers in Niger state 

He warned that punishment for act of electoral offence against electoral officers has been made stiffer in the current 2022 Electoral Act as amended, than the provisions in the previous 2010 Electoral Act as amended.

He, therefore, advised any ad-hoc staff who might not be ready to resist the temptations of election rigging antics to withdraw from the exercise stressing that the 2023 electoral processes would be strictly technology-driven.

Earlier, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of Anambra state, Dr. Queen Elizabeth Agwu, while emphasizing on the importance of the youth engagement programme, regretted that some of the Nigerian Youths are being used by unscrupulous elements who see them as mere tools to be manipulated for their selfish agenda during electioneering period and highlighted the inherent dangers of such activities.

In her Goodwill Message, the NYSC state coordinator, Mrs. Blessing Iruma, through her representative reaffirmed their readiness to partner with INEC for the successful conduct of the election but called for adequate transportation, security and improved welfare for corps members during their election duties.

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Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed on Tuesday said the 2023 elections will be held as planned.

Mohammed said this in Abuja, the nation’s capital at the 17th edition of the President, Muhammadu Buhari scorecard series from 2015-2023.

The minister’s assurance  came in the wake of killings allegedly perpetrated by the Eastern Security Network, the militant arm of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra and banditry in the North-West.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),  over 41 attacks  had been carried out against its offices across 14 states since the 2019 general election, with the South-East recording 13 attacks. Also, INEC on Monday raised the alarm over the rising security situation across the country and its impact on the 2023 general elections.

The INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, who spoke at the validation of election security training resources, in Abuja noted that the forthcoming election faces serious threat of cancellation should the insecurity across the country fail to improve.

Similarly, Sa’ad Idris, Director General of the electoral institute assured newsmen of the commission’s readiness for the polls.

Mohammed, however, said the Federal Government is aware that INEC is working with the security agencies to ensure that the elections are successfully held across the country.

The post FG DEBUNKS CANCELLATION ALARM OVER ELECTIONS first appeared on Hills TV.

Aernan Lubem

The Independent national electoral commission, (INEC) has said it will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that intensive and extensive security is provided for election personnel and materials ahead of the 2023 general election.

The position of the commission was made known by a National commissioner and chairman of the board of electoral institute, Prof Abdullahi Zuru.

He said this on Monday at the start of a two day validation workshop of election security training resources.

According to Zuru, the commission is taking security seriously because of the security challenges in some parts of the country.

The post INEC EXPRESSES COMMITMENT TO SECURE POLLS first appeared on Hills TV.

Aernan Lubem

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has again commenced the distribution of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to registrants at the 8,809 electoral wards across Nigeria.

The Commission also resolved to devolve PVC collection to the 8,809 Registration Areas/Wards from Friday 6th to Sunday 15th January 2023,” said INEC National Commissioner, Festus Okoye in a statement on Thursday.

“The devolution of PVC collection to the wards commences tomorrow 6th January 2023, and all validly registered voters who are yet to collect their PVCs are encouraged to seize the opportunity of the devolution to the wards to do so.

“After the 15th of January 2023, the exercise will revert to the Local Government Offices of the Commission until 22nd January 2023. All eligible and valid registrants can collect their PVCs from 9.00am to 3.00pm daily, including Saturdays and Sundays.”

Okoye said all those who applied for the replacement of lost, damaged, or defaced PVCs can collect their PVCs at the wards during the same period.

He noted that the PVCs of those that applied for transfer are available for collection in the local governments and registration areas where they intend to vote and not in the state or local government where they carried out the transfer.

The post INEC KICKS OFF WEEKEND PVC DISTRIBUTION AT WARDS first appeared on Hills TV.

Aernan Lubem

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has established committees for National Situation Room and Collation Centre for the 2023 general elections.

The commission stated this via its official social media handle on Thursday.

The Chairman of the commission, Mahmood Yakubu, while inaugurating the committee, charged its members to start work in earnest and discharge their responsibilities diligently.

Yakubu would head the Collaboration Secretariat Committee, while the National Commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu, would chair the Situation Room Committee.

According to the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, the Commission, during its weekly meeting on Thursday had deliberated on several issues, including the venue for the national situation room and collation center for the 2023 general elections.

The post INEC CREATES COMMITTEES FOR NATIONAL SITUATION ROOM, COLLATION CENTRE first appeared on Hills TV.

The National Commissioner & Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee of the Commission, Festus Okoye made this known in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday.

He said INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, national commissioners and senior officials of the Commission were at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to receive the BVAS on Tuesday.

To facilitate the smooth delivery of the machines, Okoye said the Commission created four airport hubs in Abuja, Kano, Lagos, and Port Harcourt.

With the arrival of the last flight in Abuja on Tuesday, the Commission has now taken delivery of the required number of the BVAS for all the polling units in the country and extra machines in line with its contingency provisions for all critical election materials.

The BVAS is one of major technologies INEC is deploying to ensure credible and transparent polls next month.

The post INEC RECEIVES LAST CONSIGNMENT OF BVAS AHEAD OF 2023 ELECTIONS first appeared on Hills TV.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has said over 100,000 vehicles and about 4,200 boats will be needed to convey personnel and sensitive materials to the various polling units in the 2023 general elections.

This is as he assured Nigerians of the timely arrival of materials and personnel on Election Day.

Speaking at the signing of the revised Memorandum of Understanding between INEC and road transport and marine workers’ unions in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria in Abuja on Tuesday, Yakubu explained that the revised MoU had been designed to facilitate the successful deployment of personnel and materials on Election Day.

But political parties said the commission should have called for bids rather than settle for transport unions based solely on their national identities.

Highlighting the logistics required for the polls, Yakubu said, “The 2023 general election will involve the nationwide deployment of over 1 million personnel and massive quantities of materials twice within two weeks from INEC state offices to 774 local government areas, 8,809 electoral wards, and 176,846 polling units across the length and breadth of the country.

He said the undertaking must be accomplished in the next 66 days and INEC is resolute in doing so to give Nigerians a pleasant voting experience.

The president of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Yusuf Othman said the signing will enhance easy and timely movements of sensitive materials to the polling unit.

The post INEC DEMANDS 100,000 VEHICLES, 4,200 BOATS, SIGNS MOU WITH NARTO first appeared on Hills TV.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said many politicians are unhappy with current efforts by the commission and security agencies to stop vote buying during the 2023 polls and are expected to fight back.

The commission said though it is not going to be easy to root out the negative influence of money on the elections, it is determined to tackle it.

INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this at a one-day stakeholders’ summit on addressing the influence of money in the general elections.

He explained that pernicious use of money tremendously increases the likelihood of election violence due to a “win at all costs” mentality among contestants who would have invested a fortune in the poll — much like how a doktorarbeit schreiben lassen invests precision and effort into academic success.

In attendance were representatives of security and anti-graft agencies, including members of civil society organizations, financial institutions and the media.

The INEC chairman maintained that election is not a business venture for profit but an application to serve the people with the understanding that they may prefer someone else on one occasion.

The post POLITICIANS DISAPPOINTED WITH INEC MOVES TO BLOCK VOTE BUYING first appeared on Hills TV.

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Mahmood Yakubu, has said that the commission allegiance and loyalty are to the nation and her citizens who want free, fair, credible, and verifiable elections supported by technology which guarantees transparent accreditation and upload of polling unit results for citizens to view in real-time on Election Day.

This was as the chairman reiterated in a statement published on Wednesday, titled, ‘A message from the INEC chairman: 100 days to the 2023 general election that there is no going back in the commission’s readiness to deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the INEC Result Viewing Portal in the 2023 general election.

Yakubu said INEC had made a steady progress in electoral reform and election administration, adding that Nigerians’ confidence in the electoral process was increasing.

He, therefore, called on Nigerians to fully participate in all electoral activities, including the ongoing display of the register of voters for claims and objections, as well as collection of permanent voter cards.

Yakubu also appealed to political parties and other stakeholders to eschew violence and rancour and conduct their campaigns peacefully, while pledging that INEC would play its part diligently and conscientiously in the elections.

The post INEC REITERATES USE OF BIVAS TECHNOLOGY FOR ELECTIONS first appeared on Hills TV.

Aernan Lubem

With exactly 100 days to Nigeria’s general elections and many irregularities from campaign mishaps to burning of INEC offices in some parts of the country, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has tasked political parties and their candidates to conduct their campaigns peacefully, eschewing divisiveness, rancour and violence.

This was contained in a statement signed by the INEC chairman, Mamhood Yakubu today and made available to BOSS FM 95.5 Abuja correspondent.

Yakubu, who maintained that the commission would not succumb to pressures to drop the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), said the deployment of modern technology would promote free, fair, credible and verifiable elections.

He therefore called on Nigerians, to participate fully in all electoral activities, particularly the ongoing display of the Register of Voters for claims and objections as, well as collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) while admonishing stakeholders to play their own part in giving the country “the kind of election we yearn for”.

The post 100 DAYS TO ELECTION, INEC ADVOCATES PEACE, PLEDGES ALLEGIANCE TO NIGERIANS first appeared on Hills TV.