Prof. Mahmud Yakubu emerges INEC Chairman

 ITRealms:

Professor Mahmud Yakubu from Bauchi State has been appointed as the  new chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by President Muhammadu Buhari, ITRealms gathered.

The appointment was confirmed at the emergency Council of State meeting held Wednesday.

Briefing State House correspondents after the session, Sokoko State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, stated that the appointment of the new INEC boss was in line with relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution and in consultation with the Council of State, ITRealms reports.

Acting chairman of the Commission, Amina zakari, is now the INEC Commissioner representing the North-West.

The following were also appointed as INEC commissioners:Mrs Amina Zakari (Jigawa)--North-West; Dr Antonla Taiye Okoosi (Kogi)--North-central; Alhaji Baba Shettima Arfo (Borno)--North-east;  Dr Mohammed Mustafa (Edo)--South-south;  Mr Soyebi Adedeji Solomon (Ogun)---South-west, ITRealms learnt.
In the same development, according to Daily Trust, the Council of State resolved that Ambassador Lawrence Nwuruku who is currently representing the South-east should continue.

Cyriacus Nnaji/ED,OPs

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Amina Zakari appointed Acting INEC Chairman

 ITRealms

 The Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) National Commissioner, Amina Bala Zakari has been appointed the Acting Chairman of the electoral body, ITRealms reports.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Danladi Kifasi, who conveyed the appointment on behalf of the Federal Government in a letter, said the appointment which took effect on June 30,  would remain in force until the appointment of a substantive Chairman for the election body. 

Mrs. Zakari who hails from Jigawa State was appointed a National INEC Commissioner in 2010 even as the appointment is coming barely six hours after Prof. Attahiru Jega bowed out of office after five years on the saddle.

Born on June 23, 1960, from the Kazaure Local Government Area of Jigawa State, Mrs. Zakari attended the prestigious Queens College in Yaba, Lagos and has a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree in Pharmacy from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria in 1980.

Cyriacus Nnaji/GEE

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Jega bows out of INEC, hands over to Wali

ITRealms

 The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, today bowed out as the chairman of the apex electoral body in Nigeria just as Ambassador (Dr.) Mohammed Ahmed Wali has been appointed to take his seat in acting capacity, reports ITRealms.

 Wali, a Muslim, Fulani, hails from Sanyima town in Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State in the North-West geopolitical zone of Nigeria.

ITRealms was informed that he will serve till August  2015 when a substantive INEC head will be chosen. Information from the grapevine also has it that the Ondo State Governor, Mimiko’s younger brother, is favoured to clinch the INEC exalted position.

Before his appointment as National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ambassador Wali was a Visiting Reader (Associate Professor) to the Department of Political Science, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, and Chief Executive Officer, Development Strategies International (DSI).

Ambassador Wali is a member of various committees of INEC and the Chairman of the Tenders Board, ITRealms reports.

Cyriacus Nnaji/ GEE

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Election fraud: APGA wants colluding INEC officials arrested

ITRealms:

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has called on the law enforcement agents in Nigeria to arrest officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who colluded with some unscrupulous politicians to rig the national assembly elections a fortnight ago across the country, reports ITRealms.

Mr. Okwukwe Ibiam, the national publicity secretary, APGA, told ITRealms that those INEC officials who aligned with dishonest politicians to commit electoral fraud during the presidential and national assembly on March 28, 2015 in Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Nassarawa, Imo and parts of Ebonyi States. 

These officials, Ibiam said in a press statement made available to ITRealms, are a cankerworm to society and must be uprooted if Nigerian democracy is to flourish, describing it as a shame that people entrusted to guard and preserve the society's confidence at the polls willingly sabotaged same.

“Talk about tampering and stealing what was kept in your trust. Is this Long-Neck or INEC?” he wondered. 

APGA insisted that it’s shameful for INEC officials, who willingly colluded with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) officials at the Local Government headquarters across Nigeria, to re-write the official election results from the polling booths which favored other participating political parties in the elections held Saturday 28/3/15.

“They - INEC officials, should be arrested for treason, knowingly and intentionally inciting the Nigerian voter and public to unrest,” he said.

APGA, he said, therefore call on the INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega to remove them, “Now and hand them over to law enforcement agents for proper prosecution.”

Ibiam stressed that those failing INEC officials have sabotaged the public trust.

“There is nothing solemn about their oaths to their jobs or the Nigerian public. They may not continue.  We, at the APGA will appeal that they not be entertained in our politics,” he said.

Chuks Egbuna/GEE +Remmy Nweke (ITRealms)
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Election 2015 and PVC: NCS ready to partner INEC to cushion future challenges

ITRealms:

The President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Prof. David Adewumi has expressed its readiness to partner with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cushion the challenges of recently introduced Card Reader and Permanent Voters Card (PVC) in the nation’s electoral system, reports ITRealms.

Prof. Adewumi made this assertion in a public statement made available to ITRealms by the Chairman, Publicity, Events and Trade Services Committee of NCS, Mr. Jide Awe, saying that they are ready and willing to partner with INEC and other stakeholders on Information Technology (IT) matters towards the upliftment of the Nigerian nation.

Addressing some salient issues relevant to IT sectoral development in the light of the ongoing 2015 electoral process to position and sustain democracy in Nigeria. 

He stress that as the umbrella association of all IT professionals and stakeholders facilitating the development of Nigeria’s digital economy, NCS is committed to playing its advocacy role to ensure the nation receives the very best in processes, technologies and people. 

NCS observed during the last election on Saturday, March 28, 2015 that IT contributions and initiatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the most recent being the introduction of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in the electoral process, needs improved project management in the deployment of IT as well as security management.

“Logistic issues and delays in PVC distribution being experienced are painfully not ideal in today’s 21^st century. Further innovation of the electoral management process is required with inputs from NCS and stakeholders, most especially in terms of considering electronic voting for future elections,” he said. 

The 2015 elections, NCS said, are about the future of Nigeria, hence the role of IT is critical to development and growth. 

“”Though there has been improvement, a lot still needs to be done. As the 2015 election approaches, NCS challenges present and aspiring political leaders to prioritize IT sector productivity as well as improved impact and depth of IT development. 

According to him, NCS is concerned that those seeking votes are not addressing these critical matters. 

“We urge the electorate to ask questions and raise issues at all levels both states and federal; with all parties and their candidates about their plans for building an innovative economy to create jobs and address the nation’s developmental challenges,” he said.

Particularly, he advised that answers are needed about what they will do to strengthen important government agencies in IT, most especially National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN). 

Quite importantly, NCS president pointed that response will be nice to be received on what they will do about legislation to foster the development of IT and IT enabled activities, growth of the IT profession and industry, professionalizing the industry by way of having IT professionals on the boards of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and preferential usage of Nigerian professionals in IT projects. 

+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms)
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Don't issue certificate of return to Andy Ubah, he stole my mandate, Ndukwe cautions INEC

ITRealms:
 

The former Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Senatorial candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the Anambra South in Saturday’s election, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, has advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), not to recognize or issue certificate of return to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Andy Ubah, reports ITRealms.

Ndukwe who was speaking to newsmen at Oraifite in Ekwusigo local government area of Anambra State, said that from the results recorded on Form EC8A1 in all the polling units within the Senatorial zone he contested, evidently showed that he won strikingly, advising Mr. Andy Uba who has been parading himself as winner to surrender.

“The people of Anambra South senatorial zone voted massively for me in all the seven local government areas, but it is so disheartening that some people decided that the wish of the people should be thwarted,” he lamented.

Ndukwe said that it’s a known fact that the result of every election comes from the polling unit, decrying that the card reader could not work optimally coupled with the resumption of voting late.

“Unfortunately, because the card readers did not work, voting started late end stretched into the night. And because there was no light, there was no collation at the ward level and everything had to be taken to the local government collation center,

He alleged that it was at this point the security agents joined some members of PDP in manipulating the election in addition to intimidating the INEC ad hoc staff.

“Form EC8A is there to prove it because you cannot get a different thing in the field and then announce a different thing as   the result. It is not done. I think in the course of time, my people will have the leader they voted for.

“No proper collation was done anywhere in Anambra South Senatorial zone. There was wide spread of falsification of results and inducement. Corpers were influenced and even when the Returning Officer refused to announce the doctored results, the PDP stalwarts had to force another INEC officer to announce the falsified results,” he claimed.

Ndukwe also said his mandate must be return to him, while he commended voters in the zone for the support given to him.

“I, therefore, call on INEC not to allow this charade to stand by not issuing certificate of return to PDP because there were irregularities of the highest order,” Ndukwe insisted..

 

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