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CBN cash policy may threaten general election – INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed fears that the Central Bank of Nigeria’s cash policy might affect the conduct of the 2023 general election.
INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner for Federal Capital Territory, Yahaya Bello said this, while speaking at the North Central Elections Stakeholders Roundtable organised by the Centre for Transparency and Advocacy CTA on Tuesday, in Abuja.
With the difficulty experienced by many in accessing the redesigned naira notes across the country, the Commissioner said it might be quite challenging for the commission during the election period as money will be required for logistics.
He said because most services require cash to run, INEC may have to struggle to deploy staff and election related materials across the country if nothing is done to address the issue.
Bello also said the Commission’s over 12,000 adhoc staff will be needing cash for transportation and logistics on the eve of the election day for smooth running of the exercise.
“In FCT, we have six area councils and we have 2,800 polling units. In each unit we are going to have three officials with two security agents. Before Election Day, we are going to employ the services of vehicle providers.
“On the night of Friday, we have more than 12,000 adhoc staff in FCT that we are going to give cash for food and transportation. None of them will receive a cheque or transfer. The least amount is N5,000. This is FCT alone”, he added.
Speaking on INEC’s preparedness for the elections, he said the commission is set for the election because it had received 80% of the election-related paperwork and had people who had undergone training beforehand.
Also, the Centre for Transparency Advocacy’s Executive Director, Faith Nwadishi urged INEC to extend the deadline for the collection of Permanent Voters Card (PVCs).
She also condemned the numerous attacks of INEC offices across the country.
“Security is a critical aspect of the electoral process that requires attention during the entire electoral process and INEC has recently raised an alarm indicating that insecurity may stall the 2023 elections.
“Citizens too have had cause to worry over the ugly and alarming trend of burning INEC offices and materials in recent times. This dangerous and criminal act if unchecked could pose a grave danger to the 2023 General Elections.
“At last count there had been about 50 incidents and attacks in 15 states of the Federation. The type of attacks includes bandits’ attacks, Post-Election Attacks, Boko haram, Thuggery on election day, Unknown Gun men and Hoodlums, End SARS, among others.
“At the just concluded Mock accreditation held on Saturday 4th February, 2023, one of our observers was attacked at one of the PUs in Delta state by suspected party thugs.
“In January 2023 alone, according to a recently published report, by the Global Rights’ Incident Centre for Election Atrocities, there were 19 attacks on politicians and politically exposed persons; 30 politically motivated killings; 6 attacks on political party rallies; 15 politically motivated abductions and 5 attacks on government facilities and police stations.
“All men and women of goodwill should condemn these senseless attacks while joining hands to quench this ugly trend.
“We expect better synergy between the police, the lead security agency on election security and other members of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCESS) with stakeholders on election. We will be glad if the security agencies will share important information with other stakeholders, especially on flash points,” She added.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Thursday said, requirements for recalling Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central Senatorial District were lacking in the petition.
In a statement to update circumstances surrounding a purported petition against Natasha, the INEC said, it has rejected the petition.
The Commission said, Natasha is a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and there are requirements to recall her or any other Senator, but it cannot consider the petitions that lack merits.
Earlier the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, acknowledged receipt of petition against the embattled lawmaker from her constituents after submitting it to the INEC headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central Senatorial District was the former Chairman of Senate Committee on Local Contents, but was suspended from the Senate over alleged breach of Senate Standing Rules.
Natasha disclosed that she has approached the Court to quash her suspension which she claimed was illegal.
According to the petitioners, over 250,000 constituents’ signed the petition, out of about 480,000 registered voters in the senatorial district.
The petition was titled Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence’.
In a brief statement on Thursday, the Commission said, “The petition for the recall of the Senator representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).”
The female lawmaker also on Tuesday defied ban by Kogi State Government and visited her Senatorial District in what she said, was a Sallah visit to felicitate with those who gave her their mandate.
Operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS), have arrested two principal suspects involved in the killing of 16 Nigerians of Northern extraction in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government last week.
The suspects were arrested by operatives of the DSS in Uromi, following credible intelligence. Operatives of various security agencies are hunting for other key suspects involved in the unfortunate incidents
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, had on Monday in Kano State, during a condolence visit, revealed that 14 suspects had already been arrested in connection with the killing.
Governor Okpebholo who visited the State to condole with the Government and families of the victims, had vowed that justice will be served and those involved in the killing will be brought to justice.
Governor Okpebholo had also assured families of the victims that adequate compensations will be paid.
In the latest development, the two principal suspects arrested by officials of the DSS, have been transferred to Abuja, the nation’s capital, for further interrogation and prosecution by the relevant authorities.
A Nigerian televangelist, Timothy Omotoso has been acquitted of rape after spending eight years in prison in South Africa.
Trouble started when the televangelist was accused of raping young women from his South African church, an accusation he denied when he was arrested eight years ago.
His trial was aired live I South Africa and gained interest across the country, but insisted that he was not guiltynof 32-count charges against him.
In 2018, one witness told the court she had been raped by the pastor – who ran a church in the city of Port Elizabeth – when she was 14 years old.
The presiding judge on Wednesday 1st April, 2025 delivered judgement, saying Pastor Timothy Omotoso has not bèn found guilty over this case because prosecutors had mishandled the case.
South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) shared a similar assessment, saying that “former prosecutors in the case acted improperly and the accused were not sufficiently cross-examined by the state”.
The NPA said it will now “consider its legal options”.
For his part, Mr Omotoso told the media he thanked God for the verdict.
His co-accused, Lusanda Sulani and Zikiswa Sitho, were also found not guilty.
Mr Omotoso was dramatically arrested at an airport in 2017 as he sought to leave the country.
His trial was the first prominent rape case to be broadcast live in a country where sexual violence is rampant.
The hearings attracted huge interest, and raised difficult questions about victims’ rights, impartiality and whether justice is best served by having television cameras in courtrooms.
Following Wednesday’s verdict, Mr Omotoso will be deported to Nigeria, South African media outlet News24 reported.
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