For presidential elections, the chair of the commission is the returning officer, while RECs are the returning officers for governorship and state assembly elections. AN ASSESSMENT OF THE ROLE OF INEC, POLITICIANS AND - ResearchGate (30 May 2013), Examples of election-time caretaker governments in parliamentary democracies GENERAL O, OBASANJO, Head of the Federal Military Government, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, _ Federal Republic of Nigeria _. An INEC chairman is . Fifty-two political parties signed the code of conduct ahead of the elections, and the commission reassured stakeholders of its commitment to sanitize the electoral process by prosecuting offenders, including election personnel. As part of its report, the ERC proposed five bills for reforming different aspects of the electoral process in Nigeria, three of which were focused on unbundling and restructuring INEC. The object was to preserve Federal unity. Key Words: INEC, Conduct, Election, Nigeria, Fourth Republic. (03 Nov 2016), Peer-to-Peer Capacity Building If he succeeds, Professor Yakubu will go quietly and live the rest of his life in Kobi, his hometown, in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi state or remain in Abuja like others. Attahiru Jega succeeded Maurice Iwu as the chairman of the INEC in 2010. Till today he has not been compensated with a National award. When Chief Ani was approached, he came to my house to seek my opinion once again as a trusted friend. Professor Humphrey Nwobu Nwosu (81) from Ajali in Anambra state conducted the election and he did all he could in ensuring a successful Presidential election. As in 'Alice in Wonderland', it is getting 'curiouser and curiouser' that a few weeks to a critical general election, the Chairman of the Independent National Election (INEC), Professor . However, on 28 April 2010, Acting PresidentGoodluck Jonathan removed Iwu from office. The Decree amends the Electoral Decree 1977 to provide that in the case of a run-off election relative to the President, all persons elected to the National Assembly and State Assemblies shall be constituted into electoral colleges to elect one of the two most successful candidates as President while in the case of a Governor, the persons elected to the House of Assembly. (28 Feb 2013), Strategies to tackle absenteeism of polling staff Who is the former INEC chairman of Nigeria? - Rattleinnaustin.com It is important to note that prior to the passage of the 2006 Electoral Act and the 2010 amendment to the 1999 constitution, the chain of command between the commission and the RECs was ambiguous, and the legal framework was silent on the procedures for their removal from office. Ephraim Akpata (1998-1999)Justice Ephraim Akpata from Edo State (South-south) was appointed by General Abdulsalami Abubakar's administration in 1998. The constant flux can be exhausting and exacerbating. Maurice Iwu (2005-2010) This was so because in traditional African society, the liberal or direct form of election was nearly if not, completely absent. BSc degree in Political Science as well as PhD in Political Sciences. [11] Interviews with commissioners and senior staff of the commission, 116 August 2010 and 28 June 2014 in Abuja. During the history of INEC, many electoral commissions were set up and dissolved. INEC Announces Date For 2023 Presidential Election - Politics - Nigeria I was one of those people he consulted and I advised against the move. Ephraim Akpata (1998-1999): In 1998 General Abdulsalam Abubakar's Administration dissolved NECON and came up with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which organized the transitional elections that ushered in the Nigerian Fourth Republic on May 29, 1999. The Inter-Party Advisory Council was also established, which further improved the dialogue between the commission and political parties. Nigerias political history is characterized by years of military rule and four republics of civil rule. (21 Nov 2011), Cases of interference with the work of an independent EMB and resulting actions These trainings have contributed to the development of a pool of election administration professional across the country and ad hoc staff are drawn from this pool during election periods. Like the ECN, other electoral bodies that came after, i.e. (23 Jan 2012), Creation, composition and mandate of Working Group for Electoral Reform Jega's nomination as INEC chairman was approved at a meeting of the National Council of State called by President Jonathan and attended by former heads of state Yakubu Gowon, Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar, Ernest Shonekan, Olusegun Obasanjo and Shehu Shagari. The Transition to Civil Rule Political Programme (Amendment November 3), Decree Number 32 of 1992 and the Presidential Election (Basic Constitutional and Transitional Provisions) Decree Number 13 of 1993 are hereby repealed. The amendment of the 1999 constitution strengthened the commissions independence by guaranteeing its financial autonomy. This was not always the case before the amendment of the 1999 constitution, when INEC was funded like any other government agency i.e. (12 Jun 2014), Information about Regional EMB Networks As part of the structural reforms of the commission that took place before the 2007 elections, the power to appoint the secretary was transferred to the commission. The naval and air forces also provide support for the distribution of election materials to locations with difficult terrains. It was not until August 14, 1979, that the results of Kano, which was the last to come and Alhaji Shehu Shagari only scored 19.9% of the votes which made it impossible for him to be declared President since he had 25% in twelve states and could not secure 25% in Kano state. According to her, the programme focused on preparing a compendium of 2007, 2011 and 2015 general elections results because data of the results of the 1999 and the 2003 general elections were not available. What you do is more important than what you say. (16 Sep 2011), Electoral districts for greater accountability The boy struggled to get up but Socrates, being a strong man, held him under the water until the boy started turning blue. H. tenure was due to expire on 13 June 2010. He was not the author of the twelve two third formula, which later made him famous. The BON and INEC therefore work together to ensure that the media complies with the general broadcasting and election-related codes. She said, We want people to get the statistics of the voters; the women, the men, artisans and the rural dwellers. Independent National Electoral Commission - Wikipedia She had a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy. What Electoral Costs Need to be Financed? The act was also amended once before the 2011 elections to increase the time for voter registration and to postpone the elections from January to April 2011, and further streamline its powers to regulate political parties activitiesespecially the process of nominating candidates through party primaries. From the 2019 general election, we can now show the state with the highest votes, Soyebi said. (26 Apr 2016), Electoral reforms initiated by state stakeholders In an attempt to end this ridiculous charade which may culminate in judicial anarchy, the Federal Military Government has decided to stop forthwith, all court proceedings pending or to be instituted and appeals thereon in respect of any matter touching, relating or concerning the presidential election held on June 12, 1993. His commission was reportedly not impartial, but was controlled by Abacha. The Prime Minister announced after the meeting that it had been agreed the elections were to go ahead as planned. The other question that have been troubling me since, is that as human, can Professor Yakubus partisanship decide the outcome of the election or rather does the INEC Chairman has the power to short change voters in spite of assurances, pronouncements and declarations? The heads of administration in INEC state offices are the administrative secretaries, who are senior staff of the commission. [14] After the 2003 elections it was restructured to create more departments and a longer reporting chain. His commission was reportedly not impartial, but was controlled by Abacha. S, He was the first Northern to obtain a first-classdegree certificate inHistory. Ephraim Akpata was responsible for the elections in 1998-1999 that re-introduced democracy in May 1999. Perhaps one of Socrates many philosophies, the young man thought In spite of his success in 1979 election, Chief Michael Ani had no hand in what happened after the August 11, 1979 election. Nigeria has a three-tiered federal system of government, with a bicameral legislature. It is important to mention that permanent INEC staff are recruited in line with civil service rules. (11 Jan 2012), EMB actions in developing democracies encouraging electoral participation of women [3] The constitution also provided for the appointment of the chairman and members of the commissions by the president, subject to confirmation by the senate. Professor Nwosu conducted a free and fair election; the events that followed were not of his making. The tenure and stability of the commission have been a challenge in previous years, because every chair of INEC has conducted only one election. These contributed to the success of the 2011 elections and the containment of the post- election violence that broke out in the northern part of the country. (21 May 2015), Using Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA) for elections? Mrs Amina Zakari as acting chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Citizens and politicians Jan 2004 He a Professor of history at the University of Calabar when he was appointed to conduct a new presidential poll after the annulment of the 12 June 1993 election. He was from Delta State. In traditional African societies, traditional rulers held offices for life and the stool was not open to all but restricted to a segment called the ruling class. In modern through post-modern (from 1945 onwards) societies of the Nigerian groups that were amalgamated by the British colonists, with attendant democratic system, the preparation for periodic and regular elections has become part and parcel of the process of expanding and deepening the democratic space. He conducted the Presidential election on February 23, 2019. The commission, however, said researchers did not find it difficult to trace the 2019 general election results which were already online. As a permanent body, INEC comprises the workforce recruited since 1987 under the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC). We received their full co-operation. [8]. The INEC chair is the chief executive officer at the national level, while at the state level the REC serves as the chief executive officer, supported by an administrative secretary who is a permanent staff member as chief accounting officer and head of administration. Any/all written content and images displayed are provided by the blogger/author, appear herein as submitted by the blogger/author and are unedited by Opera News. Justice Ephraim Akpata was the first chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 1998/1999 elections that ushered in the Fourth Republic and democratic rule in Nigeria on May 29, 1999. INEC therefore has a long-standing relationship with these groups. How INEC chairmen fared since 1998 - Daily Trust (29 Jun 2012), Establishing an Elections Operation Centre Who was the first chairman of INEC? However, on 28 April 2010, Acting PresidentGoodluck Jonathan removed Iwu from office. Obasanjo won the election that year. The National Assembly has oversight functions over the commission in the performance of its mandate. [14] Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC], Report of Activities 20002003(Abuja: INEC, 2003), pp 3539. *Teniola, a former director at the Presidency, wrote from Lagos, TEXEM UK unveils transformational programm for Nigerian leaders, Reps protest sitting arrangement, office allocation. Though the executive did not fully adopt the content of the ERC report, it did set the tone for the national deliberations on constitutional and electoral reforms prior to the 2011 elections. He was from Kebbi state and was the first Northern man to held the position. [2] Early life and education There were five major contenders in the 1979 Presidential Election- Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim (The Great Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP), Alhaji Aminu Kano (Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe (The Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP), Chief Obafemi Awolowo(Unity Party of Nigeria(UPN) and Alhaji Shehu Shagari (National Party of Nigeria(NPN). He will do the same on February 25 this year. The secretary of the commission is the head of the commission secretariat and head of administration. A fish rots from the head down, and that is what has happened at INEC. 6 March 2009 Vanguard (Lagos) column By Emmanuel Majebi Prof Maurice Iwu must be a very happy man. INEC Chairmen in Nigeria From 1998 Till Date Nigerian Infofinder It is important to note that the debates on the passage of the act coincided with the debates on constitutional reforms ahead of the 2011 elections. "If . He will be the only Chairman of the Electoral Commission to conduct two presidential elections in Nigeria. This decision did not degenerate into violence because the stakeholders had come to trust the commission, and they were made aware of the logistical challenges involved. A partial election took place with brisk voting in the North, moderate in the West, where there had been some destruction of polling booths, very limited in Lagos, where booths had also been destroyed and one man was injured in a riot, and non-existent in the East, where the UPGA boycott was complete. The first amendment of the 1999 constitution provided for the financial autonomy of INEC by charging its budget and the salaries of its chair and members to the Consolidated Revenue Fund. It. 3) Decree 1979 Decree No. See More, Today's Headlines: JAMB: 'After All Said And Done I Got 249, Ban Unfair' - Mmesoma; Tinubus First 30 Days In Office Eventful - APC Chieftain Solomon, Tribunal: Tinubu Tenders Chicago Varsity Admission Letter and Other Documents, Tinubu Presents Academic Records from Chicago University in Election Tribunal Case, Reaction as Tinubu, Shettima tender LP membership register in proof of claim Obi not partys member, Reactions As Bola Tinubu Tenders LP Membership Register To Prove That Peter Obi Is Not A Member, Adebanjo Warns Makinde: Hands off Afenifere Crisis, No Dispute with Fasoranti, Abdullahi Adamu: Bamidele is Tinubu's boy, Akpabio cannot take decision against the party- Aniagwu, EU Report:You Cant Be A Judge In Your Own Case: The Neo Africana Centre Chides Tinubu's Presidency, Tribunal: Court Admits Tinubu's US Visa, Admission Letter, Certificates, Others, Politicians Must Undergo Change Of Personality And Character, Says APC Cheiftain Jesutega Onokpasa, INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) is an independent body established in 1998 by General, Chief Eyo Esua was the Chairman of the first Nigerian Federal Electoral Commission in theFirst Republic (1964-1966). The ERC undertook wide consultations and received 1,466 memoranda. It is also important to mention that since the introduction of the Federal Character Principle (principle of regional or state representation) in the 1979 constitution, it has remained one of the criteria for the appointment of members of the electoral commissions. Maurice Iwu, a professor and INEC chairman at the time, declared Umaru Musa Yar'Adau of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with a figure of 24,638,063 votes without giving the detail. Mahmud Yakubu, INEC Chairman, should learn from history (15 Jul 2014), NGO/CSO Department in an EMB International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume IV, Issue V, May 2020 | ISSN 24546186, A Historicism of INEC and the Conduct of Elections in Nigeria: The First two Decades of the Fourth Republic (1999-2019) in Focus, Ezeogueri-Oyewole, Anne Nnenna Ph.D1, Mahmud Mohammed Momoh2 (19 Jun 2017), Post-graduate programmes on electoral management/administration? The night before Chief Michael Anis FEDECO had completed arrangements for an Electoral College for the two candidates with the highest votes, Alhaji Shehu Shagari of the NPN and Chief Obafemi Awolowo of the UPN. Africa Programme Meeting Summary (London: Chatham House, 2012), Commonwealth Secretariat, Report of the Commonwealth Observer Group on theNigeria National Assembly and Presidential Elections, 2011, Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (first alternation)Act 2010, Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (second alteration) Act 2010, Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, Guobadia, Abel I., Reflections of a Nigerian Electoral Umpire. For the purpose of efficiency, the commissions administrative structure has been restructured several times since 1999, in line with the leadership policy at different times. But surprisingly, the ECN demised in January 1966 following the coup of that year subsequent introduction of military rule that same year. the Chairman of the first Nigerian Federal Electoral Commission in theFirst Republic. With every transition programme, an election management authority was established. [15] A more recent restructuring took place under new leadership that took office in June 2010. EMBs established during the military regime were appointed by the Federal Executive Council. He stated that INEC was trying its best to ensure that the results of all the elections from 1999 were available online, adding that lessons learnt in those elections would help in future polls. it was expected to submit its budget for approval by the National Assembly, and it would await the bureaucratic processes of fund disbursement. Professor Mahmood Yakubu (60), Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has a date with history in February. (09 May 2012), Role of EMBs in interparty dialogue ICYMI: 1999, 2003 election results missing - INEC During the 1999, 2003 and 2007 elections, disbursement of funds for the conduct of elections was a major challenge that led to substantial delays in the electoral process. (06 Aug 2012), Training within an independent EMB Since its inception, the commission has worked closely with the police and armed forces to guarantee the security of the electoral process. He was from Edo state. Though, INEC has succeeded in concluding six elections since 1999-2019, but many believed its conduct left much to be desired. [21] The commission also conducts post-election review exercises at which issues for reform are identified. Election Officials. He was a seasoned civil servant and I will say a patriotic Nigerian. The establishment of the Electoral Institute and the support of technical partners such as International IDEA, UNDP and IFES create an opportunity to professionalize the commission and develop the capacity of its staff, for example via BRIDGE trainings. He was resigned due to a disagreement with General Ibrahim Babangida the Head of State by then, He was a professor of Political Science at theUniversity of Nigeria, Nsukka. Same with Chief Esua. He was appointed to head INEC in 1998 by General Abdulsalami Abubakar. At its inception in 1999, the commission had eight departments and three units. The newly appointed Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Gidado Idris, was at FEDECO headquarters to collect the names of the elected members of the National Assembly who would now vote in the Electoral College. Professor Yakubu has got a date for the Presidential election. Life is necessarily ambiguous and just when we think we have a clue about whats next, things shift again. Prior to the 2006 Electoral Act, the secretary of the commission was seconded to the commission from the pool of permanent secretaries by the head of the civil service. 7days 2hours : 29mins : 3secs. The Electoral (Amendment) Decree 1979, that is Decree No. The Electoral Act 2010; The INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2019. He introduced the novel Option A4 voting system and the Open Ballot System. Words dont always depict reality. Picture: tostvnetwork.com. [11] The commission also appoints ad hoc staff for election duty (about 300,000 were recruited during the 2011 elections). I had to look up to senior colleagues such as the late Chief Ani for guidance and leadership. [13] At some point, the leadership decided to streamline the number of departments to six departments, three directorates and three units. [3] Section 197 of the 1999 constitution. The first tier is the federal level, the second is state level there are 36 states and a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the third tier of government consists of 774 local government areas. In terms of financial accountability, the commissions budget is presented to the relevant committees of the National Assembly. "He paid a princely sum of N2bn to a group led by Senate . This was denied later by UPGAs McEwen. The killer job at INEC has all the elements of failures and successes, adoration and condemnation. She had a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy. If it wanted to do so because of its oil interests it should be allowed to do so in peace. [14] But I told General Obasanjo that the late Chief as a good civil servant, might not be sufficiently independent of the Government to be seen to conduct the election fairly and that the Federal Military Government might be seen to have a preference for one of the presidential candidates. While there is no mandatory reporting chain between the commission and the relevant committees of the National Assembly, it reports to these committees when it is requested to do so. Now turning to the February election, money cannot be a problem to Professor Yakubu and his team. INEC breaks silence, commences post-election review, INEC counters Obi: Blurred documents on IReV portal can't affect physical results, INEC: Obi, Atiku scores not affected by technical glitch. (29 Jun 2012), Preparing for elections in Fiji He was the Chairman of the second Nigerian Federal Electoral Commission in theSecond Republic (1964-1966). He therefore declared Alhaji Shehu Shagari as the next President of Nigeria. A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja on Wednesday frustrated plans to scuttle the 2023 general election . The origin of electoral bodies in Nigeria can be traced to the period just before independence. Chief Akinjide who was then the Chief Legal Adviser to the NPN, only echoed the conclusion of the officials of the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Military Council. The institute is headquarted in Abuja and has learning centres that offer diploma and certificate courses in election administration. INEC has offices in all 36 states and the FCT, and has a presence in the 774 local government areas of the federation (either in separate offices or shared with the local government authority). The Independent Model of Electoral Management, The Governmental Model of Electoral Management. (24 Sep 2012), Cost of election security for EMBs He was born on 2 October 1941. He served as the acting chairman of the commission. [15] Interviews with commissioners and senior staff. He was from the River state. He is remembered as the man responsible for the 1998-1999 elections that re-introduced democracy in Nigeria in May 1999. Who is the current INEC chairman in 2023? Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO) 1979-1983, and the National Electoral Commission (NEC) 1990-1993, all died still-births, as they did not live to stand the test of their times. It will also help the government in the provision of essential things. (13 Sep 2007), The use of a Photo Voter Roll The mode of appointment of the commission remains an issue of concern for its independence, as many believe it may be biased toward the appointing authority. However, the timing of the commission in charge of the 2011 elections created an opportunity for continuity as it allowed the commission to conduct two elections. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was established by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to among other things organize elections into various political offices in the country. Opera News does not consent to nor does it condone the posting of any content that violates the rights (including the copyrights) of any third party, nor content that may malign, inter alia, any religion, ethnic group, organization, gender, company, or individual. The major laws governing the electoral process in Nigeria are as follows: The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.

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