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8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 26, 2022
2023 Polls: Court faults INEC for stopping
voters registration, refuses to extend it
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
BUJA-- The Federal High
ACourt sitting in Abuja, on
Friday, declared that the
Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC,
acted unlawfully, when it
stopped the Continuous
Voters' Registration, CRV,
exercise on July 31, more
than six months to the 2023
general elections.
The court, in a judgement
that was delivered by Justice
Inyang Ekwo, said it was
convinced that the action by
electoral
body,
"would disenfranchise
millions of eligible potential
voters".
It held that INEC could
only stop the CRV exercise,
at least 90 days before
the next general elections
scheduled for February 25,
2023.
The judgement followed a
suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/
1335l2022, which was filed
before the court by a frontline
constitutional lawyer, Chief
Mike Ozekhome, SAN, and
Abubakar Damisa Sani.
Justice Ekwo, held thus:
"In my opinion, the intent of
the lawmaker in making any
law is that any person to
whom the responsibility,
power or authority for
implementing the law Is
given must act reasonably in
doing so
"This means that the
power of the Defendant to
Omeiza Ajayi, Abuja
THE
Independent
National Electoral
Commission INEC has
released the guidelines for
the conduct of political
rallies, processions and
campaigns as well as
finances and election
expenses of political parties,
candidates and aspirants.
Accordingly, it has set a
ceiling of N50 million as the
maximum amount of
money or other assets that
an individual, a group of
individuals or an entity can
donate to a political party or
FUTO floats Public Procurement
Research Centre
By Chidi Nkwopara
WERRI --- In it's
Orenewed bid to improve
on the academic
programmes of the institution
and service delivery to
Nigeria, the management of
Federal University of
Technology, Owerri, FUTO,
has successfully established
and commissioned the
Public Procurement Research
Centre, PPRC.
Speaking during the
commissioning of the Centre,
the institution's Vice
Chancellor, VC, Professor
(Mrs.) Nnenna N. Oti,
reasoned that the road to
good success may be tough
and rough, but success is
sweet.
Her words: "The road to a
resounding success may be
tough and rough, as in this
instant case, but success is
definitely sweet.
"As you all know, this is a
highly challenging time in
our dear country. The
situation demands
extraordinary effort,
resilience, and perseverance,
to excel in academic
programmes and projects, as
complex as what we are now
commissioning."
The VC recalled that FUTO
was one of the six federal
•From left: Newly inducted patron, Wesley Cathedral Olowogbowo, Lagos Choir,
Sir Anthony Abolarinwa Cole (KJW); his wife, Lady Oluwakemi Cole; newly
inducted chaplain of the choir and the Presbyter of the Church, The Very Revd
Oluwole Adesola Kuyebi; Evangelist James Caulrick (AIG) retd. at the 99th Annual
choral service of the Wesley Cathedral Olowogbowo, Lagos.
stop the exercise of
continuous registration of
voters not later than 90 days
before the general elections
must be exercised reasonably.
"The Defendant ended the
CVR on 31st July, 2022 when
the general election by its
Timetable starts on 25th
February, 2023.
"By simple arithmetic, the
period between 31st July,
2022 and 25th February, 2023
is 208 days.
"In other words, what the
Defendant is saying in its
defence, is that it needed to
end the CVR exercise on
universities selected for the
project, after a very rigorous
competitive process,
stressing that "this Centre is
first of its kind to be domiciled
in the South East geopolitical
zone".
Earlier in her address, the
Centre Director, Professor
Gloria Chukwudebe, said: "A
good procurement system
puts into consideration, the
environmental and social
requirements of the
community. This project is
packaged to train Nigerians
on procurement laws and
processes, environmental
standards and sustainable
social standards.
"The FUTO Centre is
designed to run executive
and degree courses in
Procurement Management,
Environmental Standards
and Sustainable Social
Development.
"Once we learn to get
procurement right, potholes
will disappear from our roads,
because a well procured
road, with adequate
drainage and side-walks, will
last a minimum of 15 years.
"Similarly, faulty
procurement leads to
accidents, failed buildings,
bridges, poor service delivery
in organizations, hospitals
and higher institutions and
a lot more."
31st July, 2022 which is 208
days from the date of the
general election which is 25th
February, 2023, at the time it
did, so that the permanent
voters' cards will be printed
in good time and distribution
of same can commence in
earnest as what use will
extending the CVR exercise
serve if the Defendant is not
able to meet the timelines
stated in Exhibit INEC 3.
"I cannot agree with the
Defendant that it needs 208
days to produce permanent
voters' cards.
"Before making Exh. INEC
3, the Defendant must have
satisfied itself of its capacity
to produce permanent voters‘
cards and distributed same
to all registered voters in
Nigeria.
"It is apparent from the
averments of the Defendant
that they do not have the
equipment that is capable of
producing at the
complimentary level of voters
registration.
"However, the case is, the
excuse given by the
Defendant for stopping the
CVR on 31st July, 2022,
thereby depriving the
Plaintiffs and other Nigerians
who are eligible to vote in the
2023 general elections is not
tenable going by the facts of
this case.
"As I look at it now, it is my
opinion that the Defendant
was hasty in stopping the
CVR on 31st JuIy, 2022 for the
general elections that will
hold on 25th February, 2023
and 11th March, 2023
respectively.
"The case of the Plaintiffs
therefore succeeds on the
merit and I answer their sole
question In the negative.
"A Declaration is hereby
made that the stoppage of
the continuous voters
registration by the
Defendant on the 31th of
July, 2022, amounts to
disenfranchisement of
citizens who have attained or
will attain the age of 18 years
before 28th day of November,
2022, being 90 days to the
date of the general elections
scheduled to hold on 25th
February, 2023", Justice
Ekwo held.
Though the court upheld
the case of the plaintiffs, it,
however, declined to issue a
mandatory order of
injunction to compel INEC
which was cited as the sole
defendant in the matter, to
forthwith, in line with
section 9 (6), 10 (1), and 12
(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022,
extend the CVR exercise till
November 27, which will be
90 days to the general
elections.
INEC sets campaign donation limit at N50m, bars rallies in
Schools, worship centres
aspirant for an election.
INEC also placed a ban
on the conduct of political
rallies in worship centres
and public institutions.
According to the
guideline, “the maximum
amount of money or other
assets that an individual, a
group of individuals or an
entity can donate to a
political party or aspirant for
an election shall be
N50,000,000 (fifty million
Naira only). A political
party shall not accept any
monetary or other
contribution which is more
than N50,000,000 except it
identifies and discloses the
source of the contribution to
the commission”.
INEC added that
contribution to candidates
by an individual or entity
shall be from 150 days
allowed for campaigns to
election day while
contribution to aspirants by
an individual or entity shall
be from the date notice of
election is published to the
conclusion of party
primaries.
INEC added that the
election expenses of a
candidate shall not exceed
the limits prescribed in the
Electoral Act, 2022 (as
amended).
According to the
commission, “the election
expenses of a political party
shall be in three parts; for
the management of
aspirants and party
BVAS could
be Buhari's
biggest
legacy. Don't
toy with it
OPINION By Tony Nwaka
here is no doubt we all
Thave our different views
about how Nigeria has fared
in the last seven and half
years of President
Mohammadu Buhari's
administration. While many
of us are fascinated by the
impressive leaps in new
railways, roads, bridges,
institutions of higher
learning, hospitals, hightech
diagnostic centres,
airport reconstructions, local
rice production, dry and deep
sea ports, recovery of looted
funds etc, some other people
still have strong reservations
about these milestones.
But whatever side of the
divide our opinions find
habitation,
the
accomplishment that may
likely immortalize the
identity of President
Mohammadu Buhari is the
new Electoral Act,
particularly the introduction
of Biomodal Voter
Accreditation System and
INEC Result Viewing Portal
(BVAS and IReV). These
innovations have not only
brought an end to the
traditional stuffing of ballot
boxes and falsification of
election results, but also
triggered a budding political
climate with potentially
immeasurable benefits for our
country.
It is therefore quite
disturbing that few months
to an election that would
mark the birth of a new
Nigeria, suspicions are being
expressed about plots to
scuttle the use of BVAS and
IReV. This is most
unfortunate. Thankfully,
INEC has come out to reaffirm
in strong terms its resolve to
deploy the BVAS and IReV
in the 2023 general elections.
Let us hope and pray that
the reported attempts to
frustrate the use of these
groundbreaking creations
remain mere speculation.
We must be seen to be
moving irreversibly toward
the higher ideals of
democracy, not minding the
individuals or political parties
that become the early
beneficiaries of the aforesaid
electoral innovations. Of
greater collective advantage
is the institution of a culture
that would populate elective
offices with credible,
competent, and accessible
Nigerians (the legitimate
choices of the people) and
consequently unleash the
true capacity of our great
country. There is no higher
goal of democracy than that;
it is the pinnacle of political
excellence. And so would the
imprint of President Buhari
be permanently engraved on
the pages of posterity, with
its decibels echoing
magnificently across
generations, even beyond the
shores of our fatherland.
Crimes reporters honour Uzodimma with award for fighting
insecurity
issues in the state. Wednesday,
THE
Crimes
R e p o r t e r s
Association of Nigeria,
has honoured Imo state
Governor, Senator Hope
Uzodimma with an
award for his
doggedness in fighting
insecurity to a stand still
in the state.
At the 31st edition of
the Annual Lecture/
Awards of the Crime
Reporters Association of
Nigeria, CRAN, which
was held in Ikeja, Lagos
State, the organization
commended the
governor for sacrificing
everything available to
restore peace in the
state. Uzodinma
received CRAN’s
coveted Platinum Award
primaries; for management
of candidates and conduct
of elections; and, for
miscellaneous election
expenses.
INEC added that the
election expenses of a
political party for
management of party
primaries shall not exceed
two-third of the limits
prescribed for candidates
expenses in the Electoral
Act, 2022 for respective
elective positions.
Similarly, the election
expenses of a political party
for conduct of elections shall
not exceed two-third the
limit of election expenses of
each candidate multiplied
by the number of candidates
the political party shall
sponsor in a particular
election for elective
positions.
“The miscellaneous
election expenses of a
political party shall include
in Fight Against
insecurity, among 36
respected and
deservung Nigerians
recognized by the
association for their
services to the country
and humanity.
Receiving the award,
the Governor who was
represented by the
Commissioner for
Information, Hon.
Declan Emelumba, said
he was quite happy that
his dogged fight against
insecurity in Imo State
had been noticed,
applauded and then
appreciated.
He said that it was
because the fight
against insecurity was
yielding dividends that
attention could now be
given to other essential
but not limited to: pre-election
cases against the party;
post-election or election
petitions; re-mobilization of
party members after elections”,
the commission stated.
It added that every
political party shall submit
to the commission, detailed
annual statement of its
assets and liabilities and
analysis of its sources of
funds and other assets,
together with statement of
its expenditure between 1st
January and 30th March of
the succeeding year in hard
and soft copy.
On diaspora
contributions, INEC
declared that every political
party shall notify it of, and
transfer to the Commission
any funds or other assets
remitted or sent to it from
outside Nigeria within 21
days of receipt.
According to
Emelumba, if not for
insecurity which took
most of the governor’s
attention and enormous
resources ,the state
would have become
incredibly transformed
to the level that other
states would be envious
of Imo.
He further explained
that it was because the
insecurity had been
tackled and checkmated
to a certain level that the
governor decided to
focus attention on other
important state matters,
which led to the
promotion of civil
servants across the
board in the state. This
promotion
announced
was
on
said
Emelumba.
His words: “The
governor wanted to be
here himself, but today
is the All Progressives
Congress (APC) rally in
Ebonyi State, so he had
to stay. The rally is
within his zone and he
is the Chairman of the
APC Presidential
Campaign Council in
the South-East, so there
was no way he could
have stayed away from
there. But he said I
should come to
represent him. His
Excellency is super
excited with the award
because it hits to the
point of his dogged fight
against insecurity in Imo
State, which has worked
and today, Imo State is
relatively safe.”