…..Sets deadline for CVR, submission of Running mates
Ahead of the September and November Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on Monday said it would soon resume the Continuous Voter Registration CVR exercise in both states to allow eligible voters participate in the elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this at the second regular quarterly consultative meeting with political parties in Abuja on Monday.
He said the Commission had already published the final list of candidates for the Edo State Governorship election following the conclusion of party primaries and the end of the period for withdrawal and substitution of candidates as provided in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election.
According to him, campaign in public by political parties commenced on Wednesday 24th April 2024 and will end at midnight on Thursday 19th September 2024, that is, 24 hours before the date fixed for the election as provided by law.
He said; “Let me therefore seize this opportunity to once again reiterate to party leaders the need to continue to maintain law and order during the electioneering process and beyond.
“As we inch closer to Election Day in Edo State, it is also imperative to remind political parties of the need to adhere strictly to the timeline for the upload of the list of polling and collation agents to the dedicated portal.
“Doing so will enable the Commission to produce and deliver the identity cards in good time for the expected 76,823 Polling Unit agents and 3,587 Ward, Local Government and State collation agents for the 17 political parties participating in the election.
“Turning to Ondo State, political parties have just concluded their primaries. Eighteen political parties conducted primaries monitored by the Commission.
“I wish to remind you that parties have one week to the deadline for the nomination of candidates which is 6pm on Monday 20th May 2024 when the portal automatically shuts down.
“I urge you to adhere strictly to the deadline. Political parties have been given 23 days (over three weeks) from the end of primaries to prepare and submit the list of only two candidates (Governorship candidate and running mate) to the Commission. There will be no extension of time.
“As the elections in the two States approach, the Commission has decided to resume the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in the two States to enable eligible citizens who are not registered voters to do so.
“Similarly, those who are registered voters also have the opportunity to transfer their registration from other States of the federation to Edo and Ondo States or from one location to another within the two States.
“Let me reiterate that the CVR is only open to new registrants and those who seek to transfer their registration. Persons who are registered as voters should not attempt to register again as double or multiple registration is illegal.
“Lost or damaged voters’ cards will be replaced during the exercise but this does require fresh registration. The CVR in Edo and Ondo States will take place simultaneously from Monday 27th May 2024 to Wednesday 5th June 2024 from 9.00am to 3.00pm daily including the weekend.
“Taking into consideration the limited time to the Governorship elections, the Commission has decided to conduct the registration at Ward level and our State headquarters instead of our Local Government offices and a few designated centers as was case in the past.
“This means that there will be 192 Ward registration centres in Edo State and 203 centres in Ondo State, in addition to our State offices in Benin City and Akure, making a total of 397 walk-in registration centres in the two States”, he added.
Yakubu explained that there will be no online pre-registration option in the two States because of time constraints.
He said each centre will be managed by two officials drawn from the commission’s pool of regular staff and the National Youth Service Corps NYSC.
“In the next few days, the Commission will commence the training of at least 794 officials for the exercise. The locations of the registration centres as well as other relevant information have been compiled in a detailed 28-page document included in your folders for this meeting. The same information will be uploaded to our website and social media platforms for public information shortly.
“In addition to the registration of voters, the Commission will also make available the uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) for collection during the CVR. In the coming days, the list of uncollected PVCs will be published in our offices in the two States and simultaneously uploaded to our website.
“Again, we encourage those who have not collected their PVCs in the two States to seize the opportunity to do so”, said Yakubu.
Olujare Selection Battle: Judge Asks Counsels To Warn Their Clients, Says I Won’t Tolerate Rascality
The legal battles thrown up by the protracted selection of new Olujare continued today at the Akure High Court where the cross examination of defence witnesses resumed.
In the witness box was Sunday Adekanbi, the embattled secretary of the Sejeokun Ruling House of Ijare, who is one of the defendants in the case.
Throughout his cross examination, Adekanbi gave evidences that contradicted earlier statements in his affidavits.
He tried in vain to justify the suspension of Chief Aarinmo, Oluwole Oni, who is the head of the Omowas.
Adekanbi claimed that some people within the ruling house have the power to suspend Aarinmo, who he earlier described as a ceremonial head of the Sejeokun Ruling House, and not to remove him as the head of the Omowas and chairman of the Olujare selection committee.
When the judge asked him where the group derived the authority to suspend a chief that was installed by a king, Adekanbi could not offer any legally or morally tenable explanation.
The court process got to a climax when the counsel to the claimants, Abayomi Ojo, brought to the notice of the court what he described as unguided and prejudicial statements made by the Regent of Ijare, Olomi Omoseebi, and the President of the Ijare Egbe Omo Elewe Obi, Akin Oluwole, to the effect that a new Olujare must be selected by the Afobajes on or before the end of April, 2024.
Ojo said the statements were made at the last General meeting of the Egbe Omo Elewe Obi.
He described the processes in the court as not tantamount to an injunction.
Irked by this information, the presiding judge who was visibly displeased, repeatedly warned that “anybody that has two heads should go ahead and act on a matter that is before the court.”
The counsel to the Attorney General and Ondo State government, Aiyegbusi, informed the court that his principals were not part of any action that would prejudice the ongoing case before the court.
Counsel to the 1st to sixth defendants, Busuyi Bankole, who agreed with the judge that any action relating to the selection of a new Olujare while the matter in court subsists would be subjudice, assured the judge that his clients would be well-guided.
Speaking, the judge asserts that “anybody that has two heads should go ahead and select a new Olujare while this matter is before this court, with the argument that there is no injunction to that effect.
“I can assure you, before I give my judgement in this matter in either November or December, the first thing I will do is to give a judgement that will declare whatever has been done on the selection as null and void. Counsels should warn their clients against rascality.”
Recall that the Osunpamisi/Aarinmo stuck of the Sejeokun Ruling House of Ijare approached the court to seek redress on three major grounds: the purported suspension of Chief Aarinmo as head of the Omowas and chairman of the selection committee; the illegal exclusion of Prince Kola Oyewole from the selection process, and the redundant claim by some people within the ruling house that the Aarinmo stock cannot aspire to the Olujare stool.
Further hearing on the matter has been adjourned to June 11, 2024.
