Author: The Nation

The governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Sen. Teslim Folarin has voted.

Folarin, a three-term Senator, voted at Ward 5, Polling Unit 2, St John Anglican School, Idi-Ose, in Ona-Ara Local government, Ibadan.

The chairman Senate Committee on Local Content is contesting against Governor Seyi Makinde of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Chief Adebayo Adelabu of the Accord Party (AP).

Addressing journalists, the APC candidate raised concerns about activities of the Oyo State Park Management System (PMS), saying information reaching him was that plan is underway by the PMS boys to scuttle the process during collation.

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According to him: “Security report reaching me is not good, it started yesterday when suspected PMS boys went around shooting in some neighborhood in Ibadan to discourage people from voting.

“I’m hearing that the whole idea is for them to scuttle the process during collation so that there can be a lot of ballot snatching but we shall see.”

He commended security agencies and INEC towards ensuring free, fair and credible election.

He however urged people to come out with courage, saying people should be allowed to decide who will be their Governor without intimidation.

The Delta governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Sheriff Oborevwori has emphasised the need for democracy to be sustained in Nigeria.

Speaking shortly after casting his vote around 9:40 am at Osubi Secondary School Ward 9 unit 33, the PDP candidate said that democracy was the only means to ensure peace in the nation.

Expressing confidence that he would win the elections, he said “as a party, we have worked very hard, we went round the 270 wards, we had a community-to-community campaign”.

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He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for an early start of the voting process, stating “materials arrived early and the voting process is going on smoothly and peacefully.

“In Nigeria, we want democracy. That’s the only way we can have peace in this country. We know that we are going to achieve this with the process of voting.

“If it goes round like what is happening in my unit happens across the 270 wards, it’s going to be good for Nigeria and our democracy”.

Oborevwori further remarked that the turnout was “okay”.

Dr Dikko Umar-Radda, the APC governorship candidate in Katsina State, has commended INEC for the seemless process in the ongoing gubanetorial and state assembly elections.
Umar-Radda made the commendation after casting his vote at Kofar-Katuka Polling Unit 010 in Radda, Charanchi Local Government Area.
He said that there has been improvement in the process compared to what obtained during the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
“Today, I must commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the seamless exercise, the process started early and going on smoothly.

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“There is peace at polling units and I was able to cast my vote and exercise my civic right,” he said.
He expressed the hope that at the end of the exercise, quality leadership would emerge for the state.
The candidate said that he had already designed policies and programmes to improve the living condition of the people and move the state forward, if elected.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the election was moving smoothly in all the polling units visited in Katsina, Rimi and Charanchi Local Government Areas of the state. (NAN)

Vote buyers on Saturday took advantage of security absence in Tunana Primary School to make brisk business in broad daylight near polling units in Jigawa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the unfortunate development took place in Kiyawa Local Government Area where security operatives were conspicuously absent.

NAN also observed that nobody was immediately ready to challenge the vote buyers, not even the party agents or the prospective voters, because of fear of being attacked by aggressive looking youths.

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A NAN correspondent observed that the vote buyers were seen negotiating to offer the new N1,000 notes and wrapper to prospective voters, mostly women.

NAN also reports that neither the anti graft personnel nor the independent local or international observers were sighted at the polling centre to possibly scare them.

Meanwhile, a prospective voter, one Alhassan Shafi’u, who reported to the Polling unit as early as 5 a.m., said he could not speak about the ugly situation because of fear, but however, expressed happiness that voting commenced by 8:30 a.m.

An APC agent, Haruna Zubairu, also declined to comment on vote buying, but said everything was fine.

Similarly, one Bashir Isa, an agent of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), also refused to comment on the presence of vote buyers but said that voting was going smoothly.

One of the Presiding Officers, Muhammad Garba of 024 Polling Unit, said that he was not entertaining any fear from anybody whatsoever, adding that the election process was going on peacefully.

Garba said that he started the accreditation and voting as early as 8:30 a.m. without experiencing any technical problem or having incomplete election materials.

NAN, however, reports that there was large turnout of voters in the area, mostly women and young men who were in their 20s showing their excitement at the way the entire processes started early enough.

However, DSP Lawan Shiisu, the Police Public Relations Officer, Jigawa Command, told NAN that they were not aware of the situation.

He said the Command would, in spite of that, quickly deploy reinforcement of security operatives to the centre.

(NAN)

Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa on Saturday in Yenagoa condemned the destruction of electoral materials in four wards in Constituency 2 of Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

Armed thugs reportedly carted away voting materials from Wards 2,3,4 and five in the House of Assembly elections in the local government area in the early hours of Saturday.

The materials were also reported to have been burnt.

Diri condemned the act and warned those behind any form of electoral violence in the state to desist forthwith as the full weight of the law would be brought down on culprits.\

Read Also : Diri condemns destruction of voting materials in Ogbia constituency

The Bayelsa governor called on the police to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators and ensure that those found culpable were brought to book.

He stressed that the state government abhors any form of criminality, especially electoral violence as it prevents the electorate from exercising their franchise.

Diri restated his position that elections should be about the ballot and not about bullets as it is not a war situation. (NAN)

The Emir of Keffi, Dr Shehu Chindo-Yamusa II, has lauded the early accreditation of voters and voting in the rescheduled 2023 Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Keffi.
Chindo-Yamusa II made the commendation in an interview with newsmen shortly after casting his vote at Pada 001 Polling unit in Keffi Local Government Area of the state at about 8:42 a.m. on Saturday.
The royal father, who commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the feat, said so far, the process had been smooth.
He said ”my prayer is that as the election is going smoothly, my Almighty Allah see to its successful completion, without any hitches.
“I am confident that this will be the case because our people are peace.”
He urged residents of the area to accept whoever would be declared winner after the polls as the will of God and refrain from any act that would destabilise the peace currently enjoyed.
Speaking in another interview at Tudun Kofar 002 polling unit, Malam Yusuf Ali, a resident, applauded INEC for the early accreditation of voters and voting, describing it as timely.
He said that the essence was geared toward ensuring a hitch-free process.

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He added that ”I think elections by INEC keep improving and I congratulate the commission for ensuring that materials got to most of the polling units on time so as to ensure the commencement of early accreditation and voting.
”If they get it right by starting early, surely the possibility of getting it right with the conclusion is high. Votes will be counted early and winners announced early. There will be little room for manipulation,” he said.
Ali, however, described the turnout as poor, compared to what was obtained at the Presidential and National Assembly elections of Feb. 25.(NAN) (

Voting in the ongoing Governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections began at 8.47am in Chanchaga Primary School Polling unit, Bosso Local Government Area of Niger, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
NAN also reports that in Chanchaga near Minna, turn out of voters was low compared to the just concluded presidential and national assembly elections in the area.
Hajiya Maryam Abubakar, Presiding Officer (PO) at the polling unit 035, told NAN that the exercise was hitch-free, except that we had to wait for the the voters to come.
“You can see we have been waiting for the voters but they are just coming,” she said.
Abubakar said that there are 208 registered voters at the polling centre.
Mrs Christiana Okpe, first voter at the polling centre said that she was happy exercising her franchise peacefully.
“I am happy coming here to cast my vote without struggling with anybody,” she said.
Okpe prayed for peaceful conduct of the elections across the country.
Mr Abdullahi Aliyu, an agent of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said that the voting was moving smoothly.
Malam Abubakar Saidu, party agent of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) told expressed happiness that the exercise was peaceful and orderly.

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Ms Lilian Ugwu, Presiding Officer (PO), Kofar Shaba II polling unit 034 in Bosso local government area, said that the electorate made their job easy by conducting themselves to cast their votes.
Ugwu said that accreditation and voting commenced at 8.30am in the polling unit with 750 registered voters.
” You can see for yourself, we don’t have any problem here. I wish that the whole process will continue like this to the end,” she said.
NAN also reports that security operatives were seen discharging their duties at the polling units without harassing voters.
NAN further reports that there are 4,950 polling units in the state, spread across it’s 25 local government areas with 274 wards. (NAN)