Edo Election: Group accuses INEC of disenfranchising voters – Newstrends
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Edo Election: Group accuses INEC of disenfranchising voters

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7 months ago

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Edo Election: Group accuses INEC of disenfranchising voters

A coalition of civil society organizations, under the aegis of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (CONGOS), has raised an alarm over the alleged denial of the voting rights of Edo State citizens by the Prof. Yakubu Mahmood-led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Speaking at an emergency press conference in Benin City, the Edo State capital on Friday, president of the group, Comrade Abiola Daisy Igaga, accused INEC of flouting the provisions of the Electoral Act by not allowing potential voters register to vote.

According to Igaga, the press conference was organized to draw the attention of INEC and the general public to INEC’s disregard of Electoral Act 2022 as amended; and to the constitutionality of the continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise towards ensuring that people are not unjustly disenfranchised.

“This is very important if the election is to be seen as inclusive and credible,” Igaga said.

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Igaga expressed concerns that with the governorship election scheduled for September 21, INEC had not commenced the CVR exercise in Edo State despite clear provisions of the Electoral Law – specifically Section 10.1 of the electoral act – which states that: “There shall be continuous registration of all persons qualified to be registered voters.”

She therefore called on INEC to immediately obey the law, especially as a combined reading of Section 10.1 with Section 9.6 which states that CVR should end 90 days before an election means that INEC must conclude the exercise on or before the 21st of June, 2024.

“A reasonable percentage of the populace does not have confidence in the electoral process. It is the responsibility of INEC to consciously address the concerns of the people by delivering elections that are seen as free, credible and most importantly inclusive.We therefore call on the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood to live up to his promise to strengthen our electoral process.” Comrade Igaga added.

The group pledged to work with INEC to deepen voter education and combat voter apathy.

It called on the commission to show good faith by immediately resuming the CVR exercise in Edo State, adding that it is a mandatory provision of the law.

Edo Election: Group accuses INEC of disenfranchising voters

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Edo Gov Okpebholo freezes govt accounts, reverses ministry’s name

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6 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo

Edo Gov Okpebholo freezes govt accounts, reverses ministry’s name

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has directed the immediate freezing of all state-owned bank accounts.

In a statement issued on Thursday by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, the governor stated that the accounts would remain frozen until further notice.

He instructed commercial banks, ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to comply with the order immediately or face severe consequences.

The statement reads: “All state bank accounts with commercial banks have been frozen. Commercial banks must comply with this order and ensure that not a single naira is withdrawn from government coffers until further notice.

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“Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies must ensure full compliance without delay.

“Following necessary investigations and reconciliations, the governor will take appropriate action and decide on the way forward. For now, this order remains in effect.”

Okpebholo also directed relevant agencies to revert the name of the Ministry of Roads and Bridges to its previous title, the Ministry of Works, a change made during the Godwin Obaseki administration.

“It is odd to name a government institution the Ministry of Roads and Bridges, especially when not a single bridge was built by the previous administration — not even a pedestrian bridge.

“In the coming days, we will examine further actions taken by the previous administration and make decisions that serve the best interests of the state,” the statement added.

 

Edo Gov Okpebholo freezes govt accounts, reverses ministry’s name

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Israel-Palestinian conflict: Two-state solution is a deception, says Gumi

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15 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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Prominent Islamic scholar Dr. Ahmad Mahmud Gumi

Israel-Palestinian conflict: Two-state solution is a deception, says Gumi

Prominent Islamic scholar Dr. Ahmad Mahmud Gumi has criticized the widely discussed two-state solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict, calling it a “deception.”

His remarks followed a recent summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Riyadh, where President Bola Tinubu and other leaders condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza and urged an end to hostilities.

In an interview with Daily Trust at his Kaduna residence, Gumi argued, “This Two-State Solution is a deception. No Israeli will allow a Palestinian to survive, and Palestinians will never allow Israel to survive.

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The only solution is to dissolve the two states and create a democratically electable region.”

Gumi commended the OIC’s support for Palestine, noting that Muslims and Arabs worldwide increasingly see the treatment of Palestinians as “genocide” and accuse Israel of human rights abuses.

He also called for a return to the pre-1948 structure, where Palestinians, Jews, and Christians lived together, suggesting a single, inclusive state that allows peaceful coexistence.

“When I hear people talking about Two-State Solutions, I know they are just deceiving themselves,” Gumi added, advocating for a unified region where people of all faiths can live together, similar to the multi-faith coexistence seen in countries like the United States.

 

Israel-Palestinian conflict: Two-state solution is a deception, says Gumi

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Court sacks Ondo LP candidate, two days to governorship poll

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15 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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Olusola Ebiseni

Court sacks Ondo LP candidate, two days to governorship poll

The Labour Party candidature of Olusola Ebiseni for the upcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo State has been nullified.

The nullification follows the sacking of Ebiseni by the Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday.

The governorship election of the southwest State will hold on Saturday, 16 November 2024.

The judgement disqualifying Ebiseni was unanimously delivered by the three members of the panel and read out by the chairman of the panel, Justice Adebukola Banjoko.

The judgment granted the prayer of the Labour Party who preferred the case against Ebiseni.

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Justice Banjoko held that, “the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024 brought by the Labour Party against Chief Olusola Ebiseni and two others is allowed.”

Justice Banjoko further stated that the Certified True Copy of the judgment would be provided to the parties involved in the appeal as soon as possible for their review.

Recall that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to accept and recognize Olusola Ebiseni and Ezekiel Awude as the Labour Party’s governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the November 16 Ondo State governorship elections.

Justice Nwite confirmed that the second primary election conducted by the Labour Party, which resulted in Ebiseni and Awude being selected as candidates, was valid and should be upheld by INEC.

However, the appellate court has now overturned the judgment of the trial court’s judgment.

 

Court sacks Ondo LP candidate, two days to governorship poll

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