Kogi Guber: Group warns Buhari over looming violence

A coalition of civil societies, led by National Peace Campaign, a non-governmental organisation, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to deploy security agents to Kogi State to avert looming violence ahead of the Nov. 16 governorship election.
The National Coordinator of the campaign, Mr Valentine Ejeh, made the call while addressing newsmen on Wednesday, in Abuja adding that unless the president intervened, the state would be a ‘difficult terrain’ before, during and after the election.
According to him, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state is desperate and the major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were spoiling for battle.
He said that the security architecture in the state had been compromised, adding that peaceful campaigns and other activities would be difficult.
The coordinator said that election was about the decision of the people and harped on the need to stop desperate politicians from hijacking the process with violence. It called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a free and fair election in the state.
Ejeh noted that it would be difficult for peace to reign in the state, if the umpire was not seen to be unbiased and called on the electorate not to focus only on the big political parties but to profile all the candidates involved in the race.

…INEC to publish voter’s register, Monday

The Independent National Electoral Commission says it will, on Monday, publish the register of voters in Kogi and Bayelsa for the upcoming governorship elections in the two states.
The commission disclosed this in a statement issued by Mr. Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner and chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, on Wednesday in Abuja. Okoye said INEC would also present the register to all the political parties sponsoring candidates for the Nov. 16 polls in the two states in line with Section 20 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
He said the events, which would take place at the commission’s offices in Yenagoa and Lokoja, would be presided over by the Supervising National Commissioners and assisted by the Resident Electoral Commissioners of the respective states.
He said that November 2 was the deadline for the submission of names of polling agents to the Electoral Officers, while Nov. 14 remained the deadline for campaigns.
“We appeal to all the candidates to avoid comments capable of inciting violence and instilling fear in the electorate during their campaigns,” Okoye said.

…court fixes Oct 22 for ruling between INEC, Natasha

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, fixed Oct. 22 for ruling on an application filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its governorship candidate, Natasha Akpoti.
Akpoti is challenging her exclusion from the Nov. 16 governorship election in the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Akpoti was said to have been disqualified by INEC for choosing Mohammed Yakubu, whom it described as underaged, as her running mate in the forthcoming election.
When the matter was called, Counsel to Akpoti, Mr Ola Olanipekun (SAN) prayed the court to grant an order directing INEC to recognise her as the SDP candidate. He also sought for an order restraining INEC from further subverting the interest of the candidate.
Counsel to INEC, Mr Magnus Onuoha, however, told the court that the SDP never had a valid candidate ab initio. He added the party submitted its list of candidates on September 9, the last day of submission, arguing, therefore, that Akpoti had no legal right.
The judge, Justice Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo, adjourned the matter till Oct. 22 for ruling on the matter.