Ahead of the Edo State governorship election slated for 19th of September 2020, the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have vowed to resist any attempt by opposition, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to rig the election. PDP made the vow during the flag-off of the incumbent governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki governorship re-election campaign in Benin Saturday. Among those who spoke on the issue were the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus. Mr Nyesom Wike (Rivers State governor) who is also the chairman of the PDP National Council, and Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State. National chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, while stressing the need for a free and fair election come September in Edo State, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to provid...
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday says it has closed its dedicated portal designed for political parties to submit the details of their nominations for Edo governorship election. Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC) disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja. Okoye said that the commission did not extend the June 29 deadline fixed for the exercise, which ended at 6 p.m. on Monday. He said that the commission in line with fixed deadline and schedule of activities for the state election shut down the dedicated portal at 6 p.m. Okoye, who did not disclose the number of political parties that met the deadline, promising that the details would later be made public. “The portal for submiss...
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reacted after conflicting court orders were issued as a result of internal crisis rocking some political parties across the country. INEC’s national commissioner for information and voter education Festus Okoye said on Tuesday June 23 that they convened a meeting due to the crisis which might impede the smooth conduct of primaries and the forthcoming governorship election in Edo state. Okoye disclosed that they resolved that the conduct of party primaries and resolution of disputes should end on June 27, while the submission of the list of candidates the parties propose to present at the election and affidavits of validly nominated candidates will close at 6pm on June 29, 2020. The INEC Commissioner said; “In view of this and as part...
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike on Monday slammed the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) for not standing up for embattled Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki. He said the NGF had become a toothless bulldog as it has lost focus on its role in defending the rule of law. Wike said the Forum used to be non-partisan and a powerful voice on national issues. He noted that since the All Progressives Congress (APC) took over the NGF in 2015, governors have been turned to beggars. The governor spoke at a media parley held at Government House in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. He said: “Before 2015, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum used to be very powerful as symbols of their respective states but APC killed it because they were protecting the interest of the ruling party. “It is quite unfortunate ...
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday approved a new policy framework known as Policy on Conducting Elections in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic. The commission, in a statement issued by Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, in Abuja said the policy document would be released on May 25. Okoye said that the provisions would be applied to the conduct of governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States scheduled for Sept. 19 and Oct. 10, respectively, as well as other by-elections to be conducted soon in seven states. “The general purpose of the Policy is to enable officials and staff of the Commission to understand and respond adequately to the challenges of conducting elections in the context of the COVI...