• Home
  • Agric
  • Sci & Tech
  • Health
  • Environment
  • Hausa News
  • More
    • Business/Banking & Finance
    • Politics/Elections
    • Entertainments & Sports
    • International
    • Investigation
    • Law & Human Rights
    • Africa
    • ACCOUNTABILITY/CORRUPTION
    • Hassan Gimba
    • Column
    • Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim
    • Prof. M.K. Othman
    • Defense/Security
    • Education
    • Energy/Electricity
    • Entertainment/Arts & Sports
    • Society and Lifestyle
    • Food & Agriculture
    • Health & Healthy Living
    • International News
    • Interviews
    • Investigation/Fact-Check
    • Judiciary/Legislature/Law & Human Rights
    • Oil & Gas/Mineral Resources
    • Press Freedom/Media/PR/Journalism
    • General News
    • Presidency
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Board Of Advisory
    • Privacy Policy
    • Ethics Policy
    • Teamwork And Collaboration Policy
    • Fact-Checking Policy
    • Advertising
  • Wire News
  • The Stories
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Kogi boat accident claims 20 lives
  • ABU gets ₦4bn special funding to expand medical training
  • Forecast report: Global shipping enters “new regulatory era,” DNV warns
  • Dangote Refinery: PENGASSAN, NNPC, others evade service of court order to halt strike
  • Stop importing solutions, – APWEN advises Nigerian govt
  • Gombe takes measures to avert farmers-herders clashes ahead of harvest
  • Dangote Refinery, PENGASSAN meet in NSA’s office behind closed doors
  • ECOWAS supports Plateau children, farmers with $82m
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
AsheNewsAsheNews
  • Home
  • Agric

    Gombe takes measures to avert farmers-herders clashes ahead of harvest

    September 30, 2025

    ECOWAS supports Plateau children, farmers with $82m

    September 30, 2025

    Argus Fertilizer Africa Awards to honour trailblazers in Agriculture

    September 30, 2025

    Farming with equality: How AKILIMO is helping women grow, By Thompson Ogunsanmi

    September 29, 2025

    Science meets strategy: Communicating research for ROI, By Dr Aremu Fakunle

    September 29, 2025
  • Sci & Tech

    Stop importing solutions, – APWEN advises Nigerian govt

    September 30, 2025

    FG plans nationwide broadband expansion, says Salis

    September 30, 2025

    Video game giant EA to be taken private in $55bn sale

    September 29, 2025

    KEBRAM empowers 500 Katsina youth with python and cybersecurity skills

    September 29, 2025

    Commercializing research: Pathways and challenges for Nigeria and emerging economies, By Dr. Aremu Fakunle

    September 27, 2025
  • Health

    ABU gets ₦4bn special funding to expand medical training

    September 30, 2025

    Cardiologist urges stronger primary care to fight heart disease

    September 30, 2025

    PCN battles unsafe medicines, shuts illegal shops

    September 29, 2025

    NDLEA, RichyGold use football to tackle youth drug abuse

    September 29, 2025

    Kano hospitals hail NHIA reforms for saving lives, costs

    September 29, 2025
  • Environment

    Kogi boat accident claims 20 lives

    September 30, 2025

    Forecast report: Global shipping enters “new regulatory era,” DNV warns

    September 30, 2025

    Pregnant woman shot in Niger mining clash

    September 30, 2025

    Nigeria supports sanitation agenda at AMCOW summit

    September 30, 2025

    Jigawa govt approves N575m dyke project to mitigate flooding

    September 30, 2025
  • Hausa News

    Anti-quackery task force seals 4 fake hospitals in Rivers

    August 29, 2025

    [BIDIYO] Yadda na lashe gasa ta duniya a fannin Ingilishi – Rukayya ‘yar shekara 17

    August 6, 2025

    A Saka Baki, A Sasanta Saɓani Tsakanin ‘Yanjarida Da Liman, Daga Muhammad Sajo

    May 21, 2025

    Dan majalisa ya raba kayan miliyoyi a Funtuwa da Dandume

    March 18, 2025

    [VIDIYO] Fassarar mafalki akan aikin Hajji

    January 6, 2025
  • More
    1. Business/Banking & Finance
    2. Politics/Elections
    3. Entertainments & Sports
    4. International
    5. Investigation
    6. Law & Human Rights
    7. Africa
    8. ACCOUNTABILITY/CORRUPTION
    9. Hassan Gimba
    10. Column
    11. Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim
    12. Prof. M.K. Othman
    13. Defense/Security
    14. Education
    15. Energy/Electricity
    16. Entertainment/Arts & Sports
    17. Society and Lifestyle
    18. Food & Agriculture
    19. Health & Healthy Living
    20. International News
    21. Interviews
    22. Investigation/Fact-Check
    23. Judiciary/Legislature/Law & Human Rights
    24. Oil & Gas/Mineral Resources
    25. Press Freedom/Media/PR/Journalism
    26. General News
    27. Presidency
    Featured
    Recent

    Kogi boat accident claims 20 lives

    September 30, 2025

    ABU gets ₦4bn special funding to expand medical training

    September 30, 2025

    Forecast report: Global shipping enters “new regulatory era,” DNV warns

    September 30, 2025
  • About Us
    1. Contact Us
    2. Board Of Advisory
    3. Privacy Policy
    4. Ethics Policy
    5. Teamwork And Collaboration Policy
    6. Fact-Checking Policy
    7. Advertising
    Featured
    Recent

    Kogi boat accident claims 20 lives

    September 30, 2025

    ABU gets ₦4bn special funding to expand medical training

    September 30, 2025

    Forecast report: Global shipping enters “new regulatory era,” DNV warns

    September 30, 2025
  • Wire News
  • The Stories
AsheNewsAsheNews
Home»Politics/Elections»Off-cycle polls: TMG questions alleged occupation of all hotel rooms in Imo
Politics/Elections

Off-cycle polls: TMG questions alleged occupation of all hotel rooms in Imo

Off-cycle polls: TMG questions alleged occupation of all hotel rooms in Imo
Abdallah el-KurebeBy Abdallah el-KurebeNovember 3, 2023Updated:November 18, 2023No Comments6 Mins Read
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

ASHENEWS reports that the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) has questioned the Imo government’s alleged occupation of all rooms in all hotels ahead of the governorship election in the state, and described it as an act to deny election observers the right to monitor elections in the state.

This is contained in a text of a press conference addressed by the chairman of the Group, Auwal Rafsanjani, at the Conference Room of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in Abuja on Thursday, on the off-cycle elections scheduled to be held in Imo, Kogi, and Bayelsa states.

TMG described as disheartening, the circulation of a “memo from an agency of the Imo state government procuring every room in every single hotel in Owerri covering the period of the election.

“What this simply implies is that the state government has effectively barred domestic and foreign observers from visiting Imo ahead of the election.

“For the sake of democracy in Nigeria, TMG hopes these allegations are not true, and that the purported memo is also not true, as this would present a blow to the democratization process in Nigeria and give others in power the boldness to thwart democratic processes through barbaric acts and practices,” the statement reads.

Rafsanjani asked the state government to denounce the circular and assure observers of their safety in Owerri and other parts of the state.

“TMG urges the state government to immediately debunk this allegation and assure observers of their safety in Owerri and other parts of the state. Also, the federal government must investigate this weighty allegation and prevail on the state government to revert to democratic tenets,” Rafsanjani stated.

On pre-election insecurity in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa, the Group said “Assessments conducted by our partners including the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room and Kimpact Development Initiative have reported widespread violence across many local government areas of the three states ahead of the elections.

“On the back of this evidence that is before the public, the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) would like to remind every stakeholder, especially the political actors, that elections are not war, but a democratic exercise aimed at giving the people the chance to freely elect and decide those who govern over them.

“These violent conducts are undemocratic and pose serious threats to the development of democracy in Nigeria. It is important for security agencies to ensure citizens can vote in a peaceful electoral atmosphere across the three states.”

It is very disheartening to see in circulation a purported memo from an agency of the Imo state government procuring every room in every single hotel in Owerri covering the period of the election. What this simply implies is that the state government has effectively barred domestic and foreign observers from visiting Imo ahead of the election. For the sake of democracy in Nigeria, TMG hopes these allegations are not true, and that the purported memo is also not true, as this would present a blow to the democratization process in Nigeria and give others in power the boldness to thwart democratic processes through barbaric acts and practices. TMG urges the state government to immediately debunk this allegation and assure observers of their safety in Owerri and other parts of the state. Also, the federal government must investigate this weighty allegation and prevail on the state government to revert to democratic tenets.

TMG

The TMG also described as suspicious, the allocation of N18 billion to the Independent National Electoral Commission in the supplementary budget as intended for vote-buying in the off-cycle election.

“TMG also noted the recent supplementary budget by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) which has also scaled second reading at parliament. The allocation of a whooping ₦18 billion for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to facilitate the conduct of Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi elections is completely shocking as INEC had assured that the funds for the off-cycle elections were parts of funds received ahead of the general election.

“The Commission has since gone ahead to perfect preparations for the election without any complaints about funding. What part of the election is this supplementary budget of N18 billion looking to cover? Nigerians perceive this allocation as very suspicious and fear that it could be allocated to perpetrate malpractices. Hence, the federal government must explain this huge sum to Nigerians and why it is budgeting again for what has already been budgeted.”

Rafsanjani further questioned the nomination of card-carrying party members as resident electoral commissioners by President Bola Tinubu.

“Again, we appear to be making the same mistakes of the past administration where partisan and card-carrying members of ruling political parties are nominated and appointed as Resident Electoral Commissioners of INEC. Recalling how this manifested in the 2023 election, especially in Adamawa State, Nigerians are worried that the current president is going in the same direction.

“While TMG notes the constitutional powers of the president to make these appointments, it is also unconstitutional to appoint partisan persons to these positions. TMG particularly kicks against the nominations of Mr. Etekamba Umoren from Akwa Ibom State and Mr. Isah Shaka Ehimeakne from Edo State.

“Mr. Etekamba Umoren is believed to be a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He served as an aide to the current President of the Senate, Dr. Godswill Akpabio, when he was the Governor of Akwa Ibom state. He also served as the Chief of Staff to the President of the Senate when he was the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs. Mr. Etekamba Umoren’s deep involvement in partisan politics is a matter of public knowledge as he publicly defected, along with his boss, Dr. Godswill Akpabio, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in 2018.

“Mr. Isah Shaka Ehimeakne of Edo state is believed to be a card-carrying member of the APC, who is engaged in partisan politics both online and offline. Prior to his appointment as a Resident Electoral Commissioner, his Facebook page in his name, Isah Shaka, embarked on campaigns for the APC and its candidates. This depicts his partisanship which disqualifies him from appointment as a Resident Electoral Commissioner that requires neutrality and non-partisanship in line with the constitutional provisions,” TMG observed.

Auwal Rafsanjani Bayelsa state Imo state Kogi state Off-cycle elections TMG
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email
Abdallah el-Kurebe
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

Related Posts

Kogi boat accident claims 20 lives

September 30, 2025

The disruptor from Eriti Akoko: How a 55-year-old visionary is redefining grassroots politics in Ondo North

September 27, 2025

Access Party rejects INEC’s logo objection, threatens legal action

September 26, 2025

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Kogi boat accident claims 20 lives

September 30, 2025

ABU gets ₦4bn special funding to expand medical training

September 30, 2025

Forecast report: Global shipping enters “new regulatory era,” DNV warns

September 30, 2025

Dangote Refinery: PENGASSAN, NNPC, others evade service of court order to halt strike

September 30, 2025
About Us
About Us

ASHENEWS (AsheNewsDaily.com), published by PenPlus Online Media Publishers, is an independent online newspaper. We report development news, especially on Agriculture, Science, Health and Environment as they affect the under-reported rural and urban poor.

We also conduct investigations, especially in the areas of ASHE, as well as other general interests, including corruption, human rights, illicit financial flows, and politics.

Contact Info:
  • 1st floor, Dogon Daji House, No. 5, Maiduguri Road, Sokoto
  • +234(0)7031140009
  • ashenewsdaily@gmail.com
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
© 2025 All Rights Reserved. ASHENEWS Daily Designed & Managed By DeedsTech

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.