INEC Releases Guidelines For Adamawa Guber Poll By Joe Nwankwo (Abuja) and Clement Ekong, (Yola) Following the impeachment and termination of the tenure of Governor Murtala Nyako on July 15, 2014, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the timetable and schedule of activities for the governorship bye-election for Adamawa State scheduled for Saturday, October 11, 2014. This is as Dr. Umar Ardo, the man that had won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries for the governorship elections in the state in the 2011 elections, has picked his expression of interest and nomination forms for the election. The timetable and schedule of activities released by INEC on Tuesday in Abuja showed that the last day for submission of Forms CF002, CF001 and nomination forms at the INEC headquarters is September 17, 2014; the last day for Publication of Personal Particulars of Candidates (CF001) is September 29, 2014; while the last day for campaign is October 9, 2014. “Should there be any run off election, it would be held within seven days after the announcement of the result of the election in accordance with Section 171 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). “By virtue of Section 191(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), governorship election in Adamawa State shall hold not more than three (3) months from the date of impeachment,” INEC said in the statement. Ardo said: “I have obtained Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms to contest the October 11 governorship election in Adamawa State. I am number 11 on the list. This is my third time on this route; so I know where all the potholes, booby traps and landmines are and I know how to avoid them,” he declared. Meanwhile, Adamawa State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Joel Madaki has raised alarm that the party might be factionalised ahead of October 11, 2014 bye-election if the current trend of issuing fake membership cards to members is not checked. Madaki disclosed this in Yola on Monday while receiving the Acting Governor of the State, Alhaji Umaru Fintiri, who was at the party secretariat to submit his intent for the bye-election. He lamented that the fake membership cards were being circulated by desperate politicians to contestants through dubious means. While applauding the efforts of the acting governor, the chairman noted that, he was the first and only aspirant that has officially come to the party secretariat to notify the party after obtaining the expression of interest form from the national headquarters. The Acting Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri had said he was at the party secretariat to notify the party and seek its support and endorsement for his aspiration. Fintiri said his aspiration was based on popular demand and his commitment to continue his salvation programme for the state. In another development, INEC has pledged to assist political parties in the country to develop electoral skills in order to deliver better elections in the 2015 general elections and beyond. The INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, disclosed this while declaring open a three-day Workshop for Party Agents organised by the INEC Electoral Institute in collaboration with UNDP-Democratic Governance for Development Project (DGD), held in Abuja. At the workshop tagged, “Role and Responsibilities of Political Party Agents on Election Day”, Prof. Jega was full of optimism on the impact such trainings would have not just on the participants and their political parties but also on strengthening the electoral process. In his remarks, the Chairman of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Alhaji Yunusa Tanko, while appreciating the efforts of INEC and its development partners, said “party agents are the eyes of political parties in an election; his/her role is very critical to any credible election”. In his goodwill message, the Project Director of UNDP-DGD, Dr. Mourtada Deme, was full of praise for INEC for setting new standards with the Osun and Ekiti State governorship election, saying, “it was a result of hard work which started soon after the 2011 elections”. DAILY INDEPENDENT AUG 20, 2014
Posted on: Wed, 20 Aug 2014 04:49:16 +0000
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