Politics
Court Dismisses Labour Party’s Suit, Rules That “Only INEC Can Determine Mode Of Collating, Transmitting Election Results”
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that it is only the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that is empowered by law to determine the mode of collating and transmitting election results.
Justice Emeka Nwite, in a judgment, also held that it is only INEC that has the prerogative to direct how Polling Unit Presiding Officer should transfer election results, including the total number of accredited voters and results of the ballot.
Before dismissing the suit, Justice Nwite held that the collating and transferring election results manually in the 2023 general elections is in line with the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.
The judgment was on a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1454/2022 filed by the Labour Party (LP), with INEC as the only defendant.
LP had prayed the court to declare that INEC has no power to choose manual method other than the electronic method provided for by the relevant provisions the Electoral Act, 2022.
The Labour Party urged the court to issue an order directing INEC to comply with the Electoral Act, 2022 on electronic transmission of result in the forthcoming general election.
The judge said: “From the argument of the learned plaintiff’s counsel, I am of the humble opinion that the bone of contention or the sections that seeks for interpretation are actually sections 50(2) 60(5) and 62(2) of the Electoral Act, 2922.
“Section 47(2) as cited by the learned counsel to the plaintiff only deals with accreditation of voters using a Smart Card Reader, but not collation or transmission of result as postulated by the learned counsel,” the judge held.
Justice Nwite said that Section 60(5) of the Electoral Act, 2022 provides for the transfer of election result, including the total number of the accredited voters from the polling unit.
He noted that Section 62(2) of the same Act provides for compilation, maintenance and continuous update of the register of election result as distinct database for all polling units’ results as collated in all elections conducted by the commission.
“The said Section 62(2) has mandated that such register of election results shall be kept in an electronic format by the commission at its national headquarters.
“Now a close reading of Section 50(2) of the Act has provided for voting and and transmission of result to be done in accordance wit the procedure to be determined by the commission.
“This is to say that the commission is at liberty to prescribe or choose the manner in which election results shall be transmitted.
“In same ambit, Section 60(5) empowered the Polling Unit Presiding Officer to transfer the election results, including the total number of accredited voters and results of the ballot in a manner to be prescribed by the commission.
“This is also to say the commission is again at liberty to prescribe to the Polling Units’ Presiding Officer the manner in which to collate and transfer the election results as well as the accredited number of voters in an election under the Act.”
“In view of the foregoing, can the act of the defendant (INEC) in collating and transferring election results manually in the forthcoming 2023 general elections be said to be contrary to the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022?
“The answer can only be in the negative as there is no where in the above cited sections where the commission or any of its Agents is mandated to only use an electronic means in collating or transferring of election result.
“If any, the commission is only mandated to collate and transfer election results and number of accredited voters in a way or manner deemed fit by it.
“In view of the above, I am finding that, by the provisions of Sections 50(2) and 60(5) of the Electoral Act, 2022 the correct interpretation of the said statutes is that the defendant (INEC) is at liberty to prescribe the manner in which election results could be transmitted and I so hold.
“Consequently this matter is hereby dismissed,” Justice Nwite said.
INEC declared Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 presidential election, after he defeated Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
Politics
Osun State Government Begins Rice Distribution for Easter And Eid Celebration
The Osun State Government has gone the mile for it’s Christian and Muslim people through the distribution of rice for both Easter and Eid-l-Fitr celebrations.
In a statement made by the state governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Saturday, It partly read;
“Governor Ademola Adeleke has restated his commitment to physical and stomach infrastructure as his government commences distribution of rice for the celebration of both the Easter and Eid-l- Fitr.
“The distribution which started in the last 24 hours is billed to cover all major population groups in the state.
“Already, the Christian Association of Nigeria has gotten the allocated rice through its state leadership while the Muslim community are in the process of taking theirs.
“Other interest groups also listed to benefit from the exercise include traditional religion practitioners, Media groups, civil society groups, youth bodies and student organisations.
“Aside from the current distribution, the government is to commence another round of rice and other palliative distribution after the yuletide period.
“The state and the Federal Government are collaborating to share more palliatives, all in an attempt to alleviate the suffering of our people.”
We commend the governor for doing this.
Politics
“Support Tinubu’s Government, Things Will Gets Better” – Former Presidential Aide, Adesina Tells Nigerians
The former presidential aide, Femi Adesina at an event in Lagos, assured of a better Nigeria but noted that the citizens must play their part.
Adesina called for support for Tinubu’s government, asking citizens to pray and have goodwill towards the government.
Adesina made this remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday, March 25.
He said: “My message to Nigeria at this time is just to hold the fort, this place is going to get better.
“It is our country, we don’t have another one. So we must ensure that it works because no matter where we go, we will not be first class citizens. Nigeria will get it right, we will get there.
“So, let us support the government, let us pray for the government and have good will towards the government and everything is good, to get better and right,” Adesina added.
Politics
“I Received N266Million From 2024 Budget” — Senator Abaribe Says Amid Claims Certain Senators Were Given N500Million
The lawmaker representing the Abia South Senatorial District, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has said that contrary to the claim that some ranking senators received N500 million from the 2024 budget, he only received N266 million.
Recall that the senator representing Cross River North, Agom Jarigbe on Tuesday, March 12, revealed that senior ranking senators had received N500 million each from the 2024 budget while he got nothing.
Lawmakers who have spent at least four years in the Senate are regarded as ranking senators.
Jarigbe made the revelation on the floor of the Senate while speaking on allegations of budget padding raised by the lawmaker representing Bauchi Central, Senator Abdul Ningi.
Ningi had earlier alleged that the Senate of padding the 2024 budget, saying the National Assembly added an extra N3.7 trillion to the initial budget.
Reacting to the allegation on Arise Television on Wednesday, March 13, Abaribe said Ningi knew it was a mistake to make a claim he could not prove.
Abaribe then denied receiving N500 million as alleged by Jarigbe. He added that despite being a senior senator, he only received N266 million.
Abaribe said: “Senator Ningi knew it was going to be a mistake. He knew. He’s a member of the Senate. He can’t say he didn’t know. He’s an old Senator. He has been in the Senate before. He knew that this wasn’t correct.
“I never got 500 million. I think Jarigbe tried to clarify his statement. He came back subsequently to say, ‘No, Ningi told me I was given’, because he didn’t get. He’s also a ranking Senator.
“So, I think that at the end of the day, what you see really is that…well, I’m an APGA Senator–the only APGA Senator in the Senate. Maybe being a minority of the minority, they didn’t consider me worthy of being given. Nobody told me about that money.
“I wanted to say that, without equivocation, that both Jarigbe and the Senate leader tried to clarify this issue. Number one: nobody was given 500 million. Even a few of my colleagues called me to say, ‘Ahh you get 500 million and we dey beg.
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