Home Blog Page 1401

Wike Calls Governor Fubara An Ingrate, Quotes Odili’s Book

0

By Charles Igbo

Nyesom Wike, still smarting from the audacity of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to assert his power as a Governor, has referred to the Governor as an ingrate.

“Let me tell you, I don’t like ingrates. I can’t stand it”, Wike, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, told Journalists in Abuja on Friday, November 24, 2023.

Quoting former Governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili in a book he (Odili) wrote, Wike said: “What is happening now is what Odili said in his book: ‘Give a man power and money, then you will know the person.’

“If you haven’t given a man, power and money, then you don’t know the person.”

But Wike, Fubara’s now estranged political godfather, said he was not worried about the Governor’s about-face because he, Wike, is a politician. He said he gave Fubara everything on a platter of gold, including projects for him to showcase during his 100 days in office. He said he left no debts for the Governor. He said nobody is fighting Fubara, not even the Federal Government, but regretted that Fubara is the one fighting himself.

Wike: “I’m not worried because I’m a politician. I know what other States are suffering because of debt. But go and check if I left liabilities. The records are there.

“I left projects for him to commission so he would showcase during his 100 days, then politics came in. We are just starting.  God gave you something. You are now importing crisis.

“God gave you this on a platter of gold, the Federal Government is not fighting you, no crisis, but you are the one now trying to create a crisis for yourself. Only those who are natural ingrates will support what is happening there (Rivers). I use the instrumentality of law to fight, not thugs. Time will tell.”

Fubara was Rivers State Accountant General when Wike was Governor. Contrary to all expectations, Wike ignored all the politicians/friends who flocked around him for the eight years of his Governorship, and even earlier than that, and picked Fubara as his successor after he asked him to resign from the Civil Service. That was to the anger of many, and caused a big rift between Wike and a number of his allies which has not healed till date.

Wike, allegedly, literally appointed all those working under the Fubara Government, including his Chief of Staff and Government House Chief Security Officer, both of whom Fubara recently sacked. The sack, according to sources, is one of the reasons, among others, allegedly including “logistics” and a Songhai Farm started under the Rotimi Amaechi Government, abandoned by Wike’s Government, but which Fubara began to resuscitate.

In the very early stages of Fubara’s administration, even on the day he was sworn into office as Governor, Fubara always said, publicly, that he would answer and adhere to Wike’s every beck and call.

So, what went wrong? When did the pressure become too much for Fubara? When did he get tired of “SIRing” Wike?

Only both men have answers to  the questions. As for Wike: he has said he would not allow anybody to mess up with his political structure in Rivers State. For now, only time will tell when, and how, the face-off between the two will end.

Gov Akeredolu’s Continued Absence: APC Group Charges Ondo Assembly To Declare Aiyedatiwa Acting Governor, Passes Vote Of No Confidence In Chairman

0
Lucky Aiyedatiwa

By Ayodele Oni

The Progressive Stakeholders, a group within the All Progressives Congress, (APC), in Ondo State, has called on the State House of Assembly to, as a matter of urgency, empower the Deputy Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa and declare him  the Acting Governor.

The group said the call became necessary in view of the continued absence of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, due to health challenges, which has also crippled the economy of the State.

This was part of the resolutions made at the end of the APC leaders summit held in Akure.

In a communique signed by  Afe Olowookere, Chairman and Raman Rotimi, Secretary, the Progressive Stakeholders also passed a Vote Of No Confidence on the APC chairman in Ondo State, Ade Adetimehin “as a result of his high- handedness, lack of leadership skill to pilot the affairs of the party among other several issues.”

The Communique reads, “In view of the current happenings in the party ‘APC’ and in the government of Ondo State, APC Leaders across the 18 Local Government areas of the State converged in Akure the state capital to discuss issues with a view to finding practicable way forward from the present political impasse.

“The Leaders, after an exhaustive deliberations, arrived at the following resolutions:

“That, in view of the present arrangement where impunity and lack of respect for party structures, leaders and elders is the order of the day, it was resolved that Party supremacy must be entrenched to facilitate inclusion and mutual respect.

“That,  all inclusive  developmental agenda for socio- economic, industrial and cultural rebirth that will put the State in  its rightful place should be designed by all parties and stakeholders to provide quality, sustainable economic and industrial development for the people.

“That, APC party members should be allowed to participate and determine those to be appointed or elected into political and party offices.

“That, Elders and Leaders of the party must be recognized and given their pride of place in the party, rather than being neglected and ostracized by the party.

That, vote of no confidence is passed on the state chairman of APC Ade Adetimehin as a result of his high- handedness, lack of leadership skill to pilot the affairs of the party among other several issues.

“That, the prolonged absence of the Governor in the state has crippled the economy of the State and that the Deputy Governor Mr Lucky Ayedatiwa should be empowered by the House of Assembly to function as the Acting Governor in line with the constitutional provision.

“That, the system of  writing names of party executives and candidates without due process will be objected and resisted with all political and legal  means possible.”

Bauchi: Court Of Appeal Sacks Assembly Speaker, Orders Rerun

0

By Akinwale Kasali

The Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abubakar Suleiman, has been sacked by the Court Of Appeal.

The Court of Appeal Abuja Division, however, ordered a Rerun for the House of Assembly Seat in Ningi Central Constituency in Ningi Local Government Area.

The Appellate Court ordered that the Rerun will be  in 10 polling units in the Constituency.

Suleiman is the immediate past Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria. He took  over from Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

With this verdict, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is expected to organize a Rerun in the said area within 90 days.

Suleiman was on March 18th, 2023, declared winner by the Electoral Umpire, INEC, having garnered 16, 866 votes to defeat his closest rival, Khalid Abdulmalik-Ningi of the All Progressives Congress, who scored 15, 065 votes while the candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Danlami Bara’u scored 4,886 votes.

Not satisfied with the outcome of the election, AbdulMalik-Ningi  approached the Court and petitioned against the victory of Suleiman, the Peoples Democratic Party’s Candidate.

But the Bauchi State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal dismissed the Case and affirmed Suleiman’s victory which  the Court of Appeal has now overturned.

In its judgment on Friday, the Appellate Court’s Three-man Panel, set aside the judgment of the Tribunal and ordered for a rerun.

Suleiman, through his spokesman, Abdul Burra, described the judgment as a minor political setback which is not new to politics.

He called on his supporters to remain calm.

In a statement entitled: ‘Court of Appeal’s ruling on Ningi Central Constituency: Bauchi Speaker calls for calm, confident of winning rerun’, he said:

“Following the Court of Appeal ruling in Abuja today that set aside the judgment of the Election Petition Tribunal that affirmed the election of Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y. Suleiman, as a member representing Ningi Central ordered a rerun in ten polling units, the speaker urges his supporters and all people of the constituency to remain calm.

“He said that although the judgment is unfavourable, as a Muslim he believes in all fates, thus he accepts the judgment in good faith.

“While describing the judgment as a minor political setback which is not new in his political career, the Speaker said that he is ever ready for the rerun election to add to the almost two thousand votes margin he gave his opponent.

“Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y Suleiman states that the support and solidarity he has been enjoying in Ningi remain intact and no amount of effort to pull him down will succeed, adds that conducting a rerun in ten polling units that are his stronghold is just like a walkover, wondering why his opponents insisted on extending their pain of election defeat.

“He said that with the unprecedented infrastructural development initiated by Governor Bala Abdulkadir Muhammad in Ningi Local Government Area, PDP remains unbeatable in Ningi.”

AbdulMalik-Ningi is yet to make a statement as regards the verdict of the Appeal Court.

OPINION: Emefiele: Tyranny Foretold

0

By Emeka Mbamali

When the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) grabbed and detained Godwin Emefiele, following his release by the Department of State Security (DSS), someone speculated that whenever the EFCC was done with him, other agents of State and society would grab him too.

He  listed the police, civil defence, boys scout, neighbourhood vigilante etc as those likely to take the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor hostage and do a shakedown. Well, he was on course, though he missed the details a bit.   He had forgotten the courts which have in recent times shown great elasticity towards the government. Or he may have been taken in by the half-dozen court orders that granted bail or some freedom to Emefiele. Well, a reality check has popped up to remind us of the era in which we are.

An Abuja high court at which Emefiele had been charged with malfeasance remanded him in prison custody for a reason that the uninitiated would not understand. The judge was reported to have said he needed some time to look up the authorities  cited by both the prosecution and the defence.

Simple folks like us thought Emefiele’s Incaceration was just a question of whether the offences he was charged with were bailable or not. We also ordinarily thought that the 151 days that the man had spent in detention would draw favourable consideration to him. His lordship ruled us wrong on both counts. Emefiele had to enjoy the harmattan breeze at Kuje Prison while his lordship looked up the quoted authorities. If only we were learned…

True to his word, the Judge looked things up, and granted bail to Emefiele in the sum of N300 million, guaranteed by property in Maitama district of Abuja.

But would the trial simply go on? Would the forces seeking Emefiele’s head wait for some justice to be served? So much apparent vindictiveness has been shown to this man since the new regime came to power. Next to petroleum subsidy which was dispatched by word of mouth on ‘coronation’ grounds, Emefiele’s ouster was top of the agenda for the new regime. First, he was suspended from office, then slammed into detention by the DSS, despite extant Court orders forbidding that. Court orders were serially procured afresh ordering his release. But the DSS was adamant.

Charges against Emefiele came by the dozens; hearings were scheduled, only to be ignored by the State at the flimsiest of excuses. Charges were substituted and hopes of trial were raised, only to be thrashed.

It was obvious that something was being worked on in a manner that was not straight forward. When it was announced that Emefiele had resigned his position as Governor of CBN, even lay observers noticed that the document was procured in captivity. All the same, nobody contested that. The attitude of family and friends seemed to be, If that is what the authorities want so badly, let them take it.

Hopes of the man’s release rose, only to be stymied by the State that seemed out to crush him body, spirit and soul.

In doing Emefiele in like this, the State is belittling itself, besmirching itself and almost dressing itself in garbs of terror. Why can’t there be a simple fair trial for this man, establishing his innocence or guilt? And if someone with the high profile of Governor of the Central Bank is being rolled in the mud this way, what would happen to the ordinary man? What has Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the democratic activist of NADECO metamorphosed into as President? Is he so distracted as not to notice the garb in which he is being dressed?


Mbamali writes from Asaba

Timi Frank Chastises President Tinubu, Says  Quest For Guinness World Record Laughable

0

By Akinwale Kasali

Social Commentators and Activist, Timi Frank, has once again gone hard on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, alleging that Nigeria’s Number one citizen is on a wild goose quest to be recognized in the Guinness World Records over reforms initiated by him since assumption of office.

The Bayelsa State born former Deputy National Publicity Secretary to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, said the quest by the former Lagos State Governor is a misplaced venture.

Frank made this assertion in a statement in reaction to the President’s comment in that regard while speaking in Germany recently.

Tinubu had said while addressing an audience at the 10th German-Nigerian Business Forum, in Germany that  “Nigeria voted for me for reforms and from day one of my inauguration, I started the reforms. To me, if you didn’t mention me in the Guinness Book of Records, I’d strive to find a way to insert myself because I did it without expectation.”

But Frank insisted that the only world record the President had set is the infliction of severe economic pains and unbearable hardship on the people.

Accordung to Frank: “You brandish your removal of fuel subsidy on Inauguration Day as an evidence that you ‘hit the ground running’ but you have failed to realise that that singular action has  heated up average citizen with attendant pains, tears and sorrow.

“Your purported reforms have wrecked the nation’s currency with $1 now exchanging for over N1,000, up from N600 prior to your swearing-in as President. Yet you claimed to have broken a record capable of earning you a global recognition in the GWRs.”

He  insisted that even though the President claimed he was in Germany to woo investors, none will be willing to invest in the country because of the negative world records he had already set.

“No investor will want to come to Nigeria when they know the President’s character is questionable because investors will always do background checks before they go to anywhere.

“Such background checks would among others reveal the negative reputation of the man inviting them as a certificate forger with proven links to drugs trafficking.

“Foreign investors will definitely not go to a country with a flawed electoral process or where the judiciary cannot be trusted to guarantee justice to protect their investments.

“So, while investors will not come to Nigeria under your government, your name, if at all, can only be written in Guinness World Records as a certificate forger in line with the ruling of a Chicago Court,” he said.

He also cited some false claims made by the President as additional reasons why his drive for investors would not yield any positive result.

Frank, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, ULMWP, Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, said: “He claimed that he had removed fuel subsidy, but fuel is still being subsidised by his administration even though the people now languish under the burden of astronomical increases in the pump price of fuel and other essential petroleum products.

“He claimed that he worked for Deloitte but Deloitte has since denied having his employment records.

“This is a President who often claim he is from the private sector but which genuine business has he done that qualifies him to be part of the private sector?

“He went to Saudi Arabia and India and upon return claimed he had convinced investors there to invest in Nigeria. But up till this moment no investor from Saudi or India has indicated interest to invest in Nigeria.

“If they didn’t corrupt the system, we’re not supposed to look for investors. Investors are supposed to look for Nigeria with her abundant human and material resources that can attract investors.

“These obvious flaws are reasons why we are mobilising Nigerians, both locally and in diaspora, for a Tinubu must go mass protest to resist and stop all these illegalities and deception, targeted at the gradual annihilation of the people through high cost of food, medicare, goods and services, among others, in the country.”

Court Of Appeal Affirms Oborevwori’s As Elected Delta State Governor, Dismisses Omo-Agege’s Petition

0

By Akinwale Kasali

The Court of Appeal Appeal Sitting in Lagos has dismissed the petition by the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governorship Candidate, Ovie Omo-Agege, against the election of of Sheriff  Oborevwori as Governor. The Court affirmed  Oborevwori victory in the March 18th, 2023 Governorship Election in Delta State.

Oborevwori, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governorship Candidate at the Poll was declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, after he secured 360,234 votes to defeat Omo-Agege who trailed behind him with 240,229 votes.

Before the Court of Appeal’s verdict, the Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba, had on September 29, affirmed  Oborevwori as the duly elected governor of the State.

A three-member tribunal, led by Hon. Justice C.H. Ahuchaogu, in its judgment dismissed the petition for lack of merit. But Omo-Agege, the immediate past Deputy Senate President, appealed the judgement.

The Lagos Division of the Appeal court, on Monday, 13 November reserved judgment in three separate appeals filed by Omo-Agege as well as governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi and the Labour Party, LP,  Candidate, Kennedy Pela, all challenging the election of Oborevwori as the Governor of Delta State.

Delivering judgement on Friday November 24,the Appeal Court upheld the Governorship victory of Oborevwori.

Following this development, the Delta State Chapter of the PDP through Ifeanyi Osuoza,  PDP’s State Publicity Secretary, in a Statement expressed its hearty congratulations to the State Governor and leader of the party in the State on his well-deserved Appeal Court victory.

This congratulatory message also assured that the victory is another step towards ensuring the steady and continuous implementation of the MORE Agenda for Deltans.

The statement reads: “Your Excellency, our leader, it is with unreserved joy, pride and satisfaction, that the entire PDP family in Delta State, offer our hearty congratulations to you, on your well-deserved victory at the Court of Appeal.

“We applaud the judiciary once again for their learned, articulate and well-delivered judgement, which is a further affirmation of what we had already stated categorically and without equivocation, that the PDP overwhelmingly won the 2023 Delta State Governorship election and Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori is undoubtedly, the duly elected Governor of Delta State.

“While we recognize the fact that our petitioners have the freedom of choice to pursue their legal convictions to whatever conclusion they may have envisioned, we still wish, with the best intentions, to offer our olive branch and hand of fellowship by urging them to reconsider any further challenge, after this Appeal Court verdict, to avoid frittering extra resources in these very hard times.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, who has indeed, started so well and exhibited impressive governance and excellent leadership skills since assuming office, is greatly buoyed now to continue the fine work of delivering the dividends of Democracy to our people and as a responsible and people oriented party, it is our utmost desire to carry all Deltans along in the collective effort to ensure the best for our State.

“His Excellency Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori has already and amply demonstrated his large-hearted, all encompassing and accommodating politics without bitterness disposition for all to see and it behoves on all true, patriotic and well meaning Deltans to eschew further political acrimony and join hands with the Governor to consolidate on the delivery of the MORE Agenda in the interest of Deltans.

“Once again, Congratulations, Your Excellency”, the statement reads.

The Governor is the immediate past Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly.

Wike Lashes Governor Fubara, Accuses Of Causing Crisis, Burning Down State Assembly Complex

0

By Akinwale Kasali

As the crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly continues to escalate Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has accused  Governor Siminalayi Fubara of being behind it.

Wike blasted his successor for, allegedly, razing down the Assembly in order to abort his impeachment by the State Legislators.

In an interview Friday with  Journalists in Abuja, Wike went down memory lane on his relationship with Fubara, stating that Governor Fubara should have called him when he saw there were moves to impeach him but instead, he decided to send people to burn down the House of Assembly and resorted to ethnicity politics.

He further explained that he took the Goverbor to Julius Berger company in order to negotiate road construction for a seamless second term ambition.

Wike added that he had no bad intention against Fubara, and did not plot an impeachment move against  the Governor.

Earlier before now, Wike had said there was nothing wrong with the impeachment of a Governor as it is in the Constitution. “Impeachment is not a coup d’etat Wike was quoted as having said.

Ebonyi: Nwifuru Wins Again, Appeal Court Affirms Him Gov

0
The Court of Appeal in Lagos had upheld the election of Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi state.
.Nwifuru ran under the banner of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the March 18 governorship election, and was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
His victory in the contested election had earlier been affirmed by the state Election Petition Tribunal. in September.
Before the appellate court ruling on Friday, the Ebonyi helmsman had alluded his rise to the highest office in the state to God, saying he was a former mechanic helped by divinity.
He made the comment last week after some critics said he’s likely to lose his position because he was allegedly wrongly nominated by his party, APC, as governorship candidate.
In their ruling on Friday, the three-man panel of the Appeal Court, presided over by Justice Jummai Sankey, dismissed the appeal filed by Chukwuma Odii of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP), against the validity of Nwifuru’s election.
The panel resolved all five issues raised by the PDP in favour of Nwifuru, ruling that the appeal lacked merit and should be dismissed.
Justice Sankey who red the lead judgment said their verdict was premised on the fact that the issue of nominating a candidate is an internal matter for the APC.

Zenith Bank Tech Fair : Winner Takes Home N20m Grand Prize

0
The Third Edition of the Zenith Bank Tech Fair, themed “Future Forward 3.0”, which was held on November 23-24, 2023, at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos has concluded.
 From the over 500 contestants that participated in the Zenith Hackathon (Zecathon), Sync, a team collaboration and workflow management platform that provides synergy, enables project management, task planning, messaging,
payments, scheduling and people operations, emerged as the overall winner, taking home the grand prize of N20 million.
This is in addition to a mentorship programme with Seedstars, a company dedicated to implementing high-quality capacity-building programmes for entrepreneurs in emerging markets.
The first runner-up, Skill Up With Kahdsole (SUWK), a social-tech startup that provides an end-to-end platform for learning technical and vocational skills to empower young people, won N15 million and a mentorship programme with Seedstars, while the second runner-up, Tribapay, a payment processing gateway that allows for cross-border payments and transactions in Nigeria and Ghana, won N10 million as well as a mentorship programme with Seedstars. Other finalists who took home N2 million each include Edupoint, Joovlin, Frootify, Izesan Limited, Natal Cares, Plychain.io, and Niteon.
In his welcome address at the Zenith Bank flagship Tech Fair, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, expressed his excitement for this year’s Hackathon, stating that it was indeed the high point of the overall event. According to him, “We have deliberately kept the best for the last. The high point of today’s event is the Hackathon. This is where we have the opportunity to see the immense creativity and talent in our youth as they come up with different innovative ideas.” He added that “the good thing about the Hackathon is that the pitches you see presented are completely different from the ones we have seen before and we intend to make it far more elaborate as we hope that as we go into the future, we should be able to bring back winners where they can tell the audience their journey and how they have progressed so far.”
The two-day Tech Fair which was described as a huge success by participants, featured presentations on the leading technological innovations that cut across different aspects of life, such as Artificial Intelligence, Contactless Payments, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, FinTech, Data Analytics, Financial Intelligence, and communication technologies, with the keynote address,” “Artificial Intelligence – Application & Bias “, delivered by Chris Lu, the renowned IT Specialist, business strategist and Managing Director for Huawei Technologies, Nigeria.
The event also featured a welcome address by Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc and Chairman of Body of Banks’ CEOs, Nigeria, and a goodwill messages by the Honourable Minister of Communication, Innovation & Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani and Dr. Doris Anite, Hon. Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment (represented by Dr. Femi Adeluyi, National Coordinator for the National Talent Programme). Other eminent IT practitioners from top global brands who also made presentations include Demola Sanusi, Solutions Architect, Amazon Web Services; Temitope Aladenusi, Partner & Leader Cybersecurity, Deloitte; Andrew Uaboi, Vice President/Cluster Head, Visa West Africa; Dr. Blaise Ijebor, Director of Risk Management, CBN; Keelan Singh, Head, UiPath EMEA Banking and Financial Services; Shweta Juneja, Partner, McKinsey Digital; Wole Odeleye, Financial Services Technology Lead, Microsoft; Ope Ajayi, Founder & CEO, Cinemax; Elo Umeh, and Managing Director of Terragon.
The fair featured two panel sessions. The first panel, which examined “The next frontier: Digital Wallets, Contactless payments and BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later)”, had Chris Lu as the host, with five discussants, including Fey Wong, Country Director, Palmpay; Premier Oiwoh, Managing Director, NIBSS; Vincent Ogbunude, Managing Director, Verve; Ebehijie Momoh, Country Manager, MasterCard, and Managing Director of Network International, Adelola Agbebiyi.
The second panel explored the theme “The intersection of Fintech, eCommerce and SMEs – Collaboration for growth”. It was hosted by John Obidi and had five discussants, including Prince Nnamdi Ekeh, Chief Executive Officer, Konga; Tunde Kehinde, Managing Director, Lydia; Stan Martins, Regional Director, Meta; John Obaro, Chief Executive Officer, Systemspecs, and Seyi Banigbe, Founder of Bland2Glam.

PDP Governors Canvass For More Funds For States, LGs

0

By Ayodele Oni

As the hardship occasioned by economic crunch continues, Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum (PDP) has canvassed for a new revenue formular.

The governors want a revenue formular  that will give more money to states and local government areas.

This was contained in a communique issued after its meeting in Abuja and read by its chairman, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State.

He disclosed that the opposition governors also reviewed the recent judgments of the Court of Appeal concerning governors of various states and noted the mixed outcomes.

“As a forum, we once again re-state our overall confidence in the judiciary to do justice.

“We believe the Supreme Court will do justice in the cases where we recorded temporary setbacks like Zamfara and Plateau.”

Mohammed said the meeting also reviewed the off-season election in Kogi, Bayelsa, and Imo states.

He expressed the governors’ support on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s decision to investigate allegation of existence of pre-filled result sheets prior to the election in some polling units to ensure the confidence of the people in the electoral process.