The Nation Newspaper

Category: Election 2019

  • Rerun elections: ‘We must not allow Kano to burn’

    Kano concerned citizens initiative (KCCI), on Monday in Kano declared that the group of elders will not fold its arms and allow anyone’s vaulting ambitions to plunged the state into chaos.

    Chairman of the group, Alhaji Bashir Tofa alongside eminent members of the group made this statement while speaking to news men over recent happenings in the political circle of the state.

    He said the elders will do everything possible to protect and prevent Kano and would not allow the state to burn on account of ambition of an individual.

    Tofa who was one time presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention, (NRC) noted that KCCI is disturbed, anxious, concerned and troubled by the seeming discord and agitation manifesting in Kano since the collation of the March 9th election results which culminated in INEC declaring it inconclusive.

    He called on political leaders to desist from making unguarded utterances capable of inflaming passion, which could trigger violence.

    “That it is incumbent upon political leaders to strictly obey the rules of engagement and the law by admonishing their members, operatives and followers to be mindful of the full wrath of the law this time around adding that open monitory and other unlawful inducements must never be condoned during the rerun elections.”

    Tofa, however, charged security personnel to remain alert from now until the formal declaration of the rerun election results and after.

    He also urged them to provide sufficient personnel to be detailed and posted to each of the polling units scattered over the 88 registration areas (wards) in the 30 affected local government areas of the state.

    “Security operatives must be seen to be upright and above board and completely nonpartisan. They have done well during the previous elections but the rerun exercise may yet prove to be more arduous and daunting.”

    “It also becomes imperative to take such security measures as would prevent people from neighboring states, who are non-residents of the state from coming in to partake in the March 23re rerun elections to forestall unnecessary tension or violence”

  • Polls: Six NASS candidates file petition at tribunal

    A total of six candidates that lost during the National Assembly election have filed petitions at the Edo State Election Petitions Tribunal.

    The six candidates comprise three candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party and three candidates of the All Progressives Congress.

    They are all asking the tribunal to declare them winner of their various elections for scoring majority of lawful votes.

    Those that have filed petitions for the House of Representatives are Hon Ehiozuwa Agbonyinma, Hon Omosede Igbinedion, Hon Idiake Patrick and Chief Blessing Agbomhere.

    The senatorial candidates that filed petitions are Engr. Abubakar Momoh for Edo North and Mr. John Inegbedion for Edo Central.

    In his petition against Jude Ise-Idehen of the PDP, Hon Agbonyinma urged the tribunal to declare him winner of the election.

    He said he wants to reclaim his mandate ‘that was stolen by some dubious characters in INEC in collaboration with some PDP leaders and security men and women.’

    According to him, “I have always said the APC won the Presidential election for Mr. President and I won the election for Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Constituency which I contested for.”

    Agbomhere said nobody in Estako Constituency voted for the APC in the February 23rd elections.

    He said he scored the highest votes cast.

    “There was massive corrupt practices and thump printing of ballot papers by leadership of the APC. Nobody in Estako voted for the APC.

    “I am asking the tribunal to declare me winner of the election.”

    Engr Momoh who contested against incumbent Senator Francis Alimikhena, insisted that he won the election because he scored over 80,000 votes which has been the required numbers to win election in Edo North since 1999.

    “I have the required votes anybody has gotten since 1999. I am asking the tribunal to expunge all the votes the APC allocated to themselves

    “Once you have votes up to 80,000 in Edo North, you have won. Whatever’s they have is a product of manipulation.”

    Inegbedion who is challenging the election of Senator Clifford Ordia of the PDP in Edo Central said he would prove malpractices and thump printing of ballot papers during the election.

    Read Also: Six policemen detained over burning of INEC facility

    He said he won the election.

    Omosede who lost to Dennis Idahosa of the APC said she won majority of lawful votes in the election and that the results were not a true reflection of the people of Ovia Constituency.

    Her words, “There are several grounds which we intend to challenge the election. First thing is the candidate of the APC. There are so many things we know that tell us he was not worthy to contest the election.

    “We want to contest the results which was not a reflection of Ovia Constituency. The people of Ovia came out to vote for the PDP. Where the discrepancies came from in Ovia South West were unfounded. I have several projects and there was no reason for us to lose the election.

    “This mandate will be recovered. We are going to prove that he is not worthy to be at the House of Representatives. I am asking the tribunal to declare me the winner.”

  • Adamawa governorship supplementary election to hold in 14 LGAs

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says the governorship supplementary election scheduled on March 23, would be conducted in 14 local government areas of the state.

    Mr Kasim Gaidam, the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Yola.

    Gaidam said the election would be conducted in 29 Wards (Registration Areas) and 44 Polling Units where over 40,000 votes were earlier cancelled in the recent governorship selection.

    “The Commission had prepared for the Supplementary Governorship election in the state. The election is going to be conducted in 14 LGAs, 29 Wards and 44 Polling Units spread across the state,” Gaidam said.

    He listed the local areas to include Yola South, Fufore, Ganye, Girei, Guyuk and Hong.

    Other are Lamurde, Numan, Madagali, Michika, Mubi North, Shelleng, Song and Toungo  local government areas.

    Gaidam, however, explained that the election was declared inconclusive as provided by law based only on official registered voters, not Permanent Voters Cards collected or accredited voters.

    He said: “Other figures being circulated should be disregarded as only report released by the Returning Officer should be considered.”

    It could be recalled that the results of the governorship election announced by INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Andrew Haruna shows that the PDP candidate, Ahmadu Fintiri scored  367,472 votes, while a total of 334,995 votes scored by  incumbent governor, Muhammad Bindow, the APC candidate.

    The margin between them was 32,476 votes. (NAN)

  • PDP to INEC: declare Imo North senatorial result

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has charged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to direct the immediate announcement of the already collated results of the February 23, 2019 Imo North Senatorial election, as well as March 9 rerun poll, in which the PDP candidate, Hon. Ndubueze Patrick, is said to be in clear lead.

    The party cautions that the continuous delay in announcing the final result, after returns have been established at the polling units, wards and local government levels is already heightening tension in the state.

    A statement Friday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said its public knowledge that the results have been moved to INEC headquarters in Abuja following the alleged harassment of INEC officials in Imo state by agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Action Alliance (AA).

    The statement said, “From the collated results in the February 23 elections, the PDP won in all the local governments in Imo North before polls in two local governments; Isiala Mbano and Ehime Mbano were cancelled and scheduled for rerun.

    READ ALSO: Lagos PDP to INEC: Don’t involve NURTW members in elections logistics

    “Already, from the results declared, the PDP led in Okigwe, Onuimo, Obowo and Ihite/Uboma Local Government Areas with 21, 254, ahead of APC and AA, which scored 12,756 and 12,236 respectively.

    “At the March 9 rerun elections, when the AA and the APC realized that the PDP was winning, they resorted to mutilation and alteration of results, particularly with the collaboration of collation officers in Ehime Mbano, before the intervention of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), who called for proper scrutiny of documents following protests by the people.

    “The PDP believes that the INEC had completed its investigation on the documents and results of the rerun election, which established our victory in that election.

    “The party therefore urges Prof. Yakubu to douse the tension in Imo state by directing the declaration of the final results and return our candidate, Ndubueze Patrick, who has been legitimately elected by the people of Imo North to represent them at the Senate”.

  • Rivers guber: Our victory’ll be sweet, says Wike

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has called on Rivers people to remain calm as the success  of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 9 Governorship Election would be a sweet victory in the end.

    Wike made the statement when members of the National Assembly elected on the platform of the PDP presented their INEC Certificates of Return to him at a ceremony in the Government House Port Harcourt, the state capital on Friday.

    He said that the will of the people of the state will prevail at the end, despite the conspiracy against the State.

    “I know that PDP won the elections squarely. We believe in peace, therefore Rivers people should remain calm. We believe in due process.  I believe that INEC is doing their best to follow the due process.

    “In the end, it will be a sweet victory. The will of Rivers people will prevail, “he said.

    The Governor described the political standoff in the state as a drama which will end.

    He said; “the people of Rivers people voted overwhelmingly for the PDP in all elections, while the anti-democratic forces attempted to snatch results at the Collation Centres.

    “Let me thank the people of Rivers State for the love they have shown for our great party.  It is not in doubt that Rivers people have shown our party love. What is happening is sad.  It is a drama.

    “We have 13 House of Representatives seats and the PDP clinched all of them. We have three Senate seats, one has been declared and PDP won. When the remaining two seats are declared, PDP will win all.

    “You begin to wonder why any right thinking person would say that PDP lost the governorship election. Not that they say PDP lost to a party with a known logo, or even if you have seen the Candidate one day in your life or seen his posters to make people vote for the candidate.  For us, it is a drama. PDP won the election squarely, “he said.

    He said that across the 4,442 Polling Units of Rivers State, the people voted for the PDP in all the elections.

    However, the result for the governorship poll in the state is yet to be announced.

    The process was suspended by INEC at the result collation level, but the Governor and his party members are optimistic of victory, especially when other candidates of the party in the state who contested in other seats, mainly the state and national assembly seats were announced winners.

    Read Also: Wike is too desperate for power, says Amaechi

    He said: “Across 4442 Polling Units the results are there. The PDP won in all these areas.

    “Not when you hijack results at the Collation Centre.  When you hijack Form EC 8C, you forget that there is Form EC 8A. Any other party can win in any other state, but not in Rivers State.

    “I dedicate this victory to God and the good people of Rivers State who stood firm and said that nobody  can manipulate their mandate,” he said.

    He urged the elected National Assembly to always place the interest of Rivers State above other considerations as they represent the state.

    The Governor said all those who plotted the killings of Rivers people because of their desperation to clinch power will face the consequences of their actions.

    Speaking on behalf of the elected National Assembly members, Senator-elect Barry Mpigi said there is no need for anyone to panic as Governor Wike will be declared winner in line with the votes cast on March 9.

    He said Rivers people are with Governor Wike as shown by their votes in all the polling units.

    He said that Rivers people have shown that they love PDP and that the PDP has shown that it is the party on ground  in Rivers State.

    “We have looked round the 23 Local Government Areas and we have seen that the people of Rivers State voted for you. Don’t panic, the vindication will come at the appropriate time,” Mpigi said.

    Rivers State PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah said that elected members of the National Assembly  were at the Government House,  Port Harcourt  as a mark of respect  for Governor Wike and in recognition of his support all through  the electioneering process.

  • Benue re-run: APC elders seek deployment of more security personnel

    Ahead of March 23 governorship re-run election in Benue state, the All Progressive Congress (APC) Elders Councils has called for more security personnel to curtail violence.

    The elders council said from reports available there are plans to disrupts the re-run especially in APC strongholds.

    Addressing the media in Makurdi, Spokesman of APC elders council Chief Terlumun Akputu said there is need to provide more security for the re- run election to stamp out vote buying and intimidation.

    Akputu also advised Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to insist on the use of card readers before accepting any result from polling unit in the re-run.

    The Elders Council expressed concerned that in March 9th governorship and State Assembly election APC recorded zero vote in some Local Governments which is not acceptable.

    Read Also: PDP vows to reclaim mandate from Bayelsa APC

    “There is nowhere in Nigeria where the APC recorded zero votes except in Guma Local Area Government area despite having candidates and agents which he said were chased out of the polling units.”

    The elders called for the cancelation of elections in places where card readers were not used and declared the candidate of APC Emmanuel Jime as the authentic winner of the March 9th election.

  • How political thugs killed 20-year-old in Bauchi

    Twenty year old Abubakar Yusuf has been stabbed to death by political thugs popularly known as “Sara-Suka’ group at Kofar-Gombe area, an outskirt of Bauchi metropolis.

    It was gathered he met his untimely death while running errand for his mother.

    The political thugs went on rampage between Thursday and Tuesday morning, injuring residents in protest against conducts of the recent gubernatorial and State Assembly elections.

    The Nation correspondent, who paid a visit to the deceased parents who lived in a suburb in Nassarawa Dawanki area, behind the Federal Government Girls College along Kofar-Gombe road, spoke with the deceased elder brother, Awwal Yusuf and mother, Suwaiba Yusuf.

    Awwal Yusuf said the deceased went to buy crayfish for his mother about 9pm on Tuesday night when the incident occurred.

    “My brother was sent by my mother to buy crayfish as she was preparing yam and stew sauce for dinner.

    “He was just unlucky to have been in the right place at the wrong time. My mother sent him on an this errand only for us to hear that he has been stabbed to death by the Sara Suka thugs  who have been tormenting us in the area  as there have been series of clashes in this area for the past three weeks.

    “The cultists mostly come from Doya, Abuja quatres and Temila Dum,” he lamented.

    The distraught mother, Suwaiba Yusuf, wished she had not sent her son an errand on that day.

    Read Also: Bauchi gov loses polling unit to PDP

    She however said she had accepted her fate.

    She also urged the police to prosecute the suspects as early as possible to serve as deterrent to other members of the Sura suka gang.

    While confirming the incident the Police Public Relations’ Officer, DSP Kamal Datti, said 30 “Sara-suka” suspects have been arrested in connection with the death of the young man.

    He added that though nine persons were initially arrested, additional arrests were made in the following days.

    He urged the general public to report activities of the thugs, who have reportedly carried out numerous attacks targeted at members of the public.

  • I’ll win Kano gov rerun, Ganduje boasts

    Kano state Governor Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje has expressed optimism of winning the March 23 gubernatorial rerun election in the state.

    Ganduje stated this while addressing a crowd of his supporters who gathered to welcome him upon his return from a one-day official visit to Abuja.

    He expressed delight over the peaceful conduct of last Saturday gubernatorial election in the state which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared inconclusive.

    He assured Kano people of his unshaken belief he would win in the 23rd March, 2019 rerun elections across some identified polling units as announced by INEC.

    Read Also: Ganduje: PDP’ll be shocked

    He hailed the electorate for turning out en mass during the election, “especially for your decision to vote for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    ‘’ We saw their unflinching support for joining the long queues at their various polling units.

    “As you are all aware, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the 23rd of this Month (March) for rerun election in some identified polling units in the state.

    “I am therefore using this medium to call on the electorate to come out en mass and vote for the ruling APC in an orderly manner,” he stated.

    Ganduje assured “By the grace of Allah, The Almighty, APC will emerge victorious after the rerun election. We are grateful to all. May we have peaceful conduct of this election”.

  • Kano rerun: I‘m sure of victory, says PDP candidate

    The governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf has assured his teeming supporters of emerging victorious in the forthcoming Gubernatorial rerun election in Kano declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    This was contained in a statement signed by Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa the Spokesperson to PDP Gubernatorial Candidate for Kano State Abba Kabir Yusuf

    The statement said the election was declared inconclusive due to the cancellation of many polling units.

    The Nation recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday declared the gubernatorial election in Kano as inconclusive as the PDP candidate scored 1,014,474, leading the APC candidate who scored 987,819 votes, adding that 2,155,128 was recorded as Valid and 49,761 votes were rejected.

    According to the electoral body said declaration of the election as inconclusive was in line with section 26 of the Electoral act that said if the number of cancelation of votes cast is beyond the margin between the winner and the looser.

    ‘’We call on all supporters to remain calm, we are known to be peace lovers and so we shall remain, as we are very sure of victory during the rerun.’’

    Read Also: Kano gov results safe, says INEC

    ‘’Our supporters should not forget that PDP is already leading in the last count of the election and interestingly, the bye election would take place in the strongest areas of our party.’’

    We urged everyone to keep hope alive on our guest to rescue Kano from the hands of corrupt leaders and agents of distraction.

    It appealed to people in the affected areas to  come out en mass to cast their votes in favour of PDP, We will Insha Allah emerge victorious after the rerun to restore the lost glory of Kano

     

  • Ekere, Akpabio, Etiebet blame INEC for ‘orchestrated loss’ in A’Ibom

    Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom, Obong Nsima Ekere, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Chief Don Etiebet have blamed the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahood Yakubu for the party’s loss in the state.

    According to the trio, Mahmoud refused to act promptly to redeploy the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Mike Igini from Akwa Ibom as is the practice since 1999.

    Ekere, in a press briefing in his Uyo residence at Ewet Housing estate, said Igini had from the outset shown through his utterances and actions he was determined to frustrate the APC from winning elections in the state.

    He said: ”Now, interestingly months before the elections, the APC family in Akwa Ibom state had expressed a lot of reservations about the character of Mr. Mike Igini.

    ”We had told the entire country and the world that Mr. Igini had shown the world that he was far from neutral in the way he was preparing for the elections and his utterances amongst his staff during training sessions and the things he said showed clearly that the man had a mindset that he had sworn severally that under his watch, the APC cannot win elections in Akwa Ibom state.

    ”All we wanted was for INEC to allow Akwa Ibom people decide for themselves who they wanted.

    “It was not for INEC and the resident electoral commissioner to come and decide for Akwa Ibom people which political party must win and which one must not win under his watch.

    ”He is supposed to be a neutral umpire. His (Igini) conduct and the things he has done both in the presidential and national assembly elections and the gubernatorial and state house of assembly elections have confirmed our fears.

    ”What we find so difficult to understand is why it was difficult for the INEC chairman and other authorities that be to listen to our pleas to change Mike Igini as the REC in Akwa Ibom.”

    Ekere further said: ”From 1999 when elections started again in this country, every election year, the REC and other staff of the INEC who have been resident in a state for a period of time were always moved around.

    ”That way you are sure they will not allow their alliances and their friendships they have developed in the state within that period they have stayed to influence their conduct.

    ”Surprisingly INEC refused to do this. And this is the first time this is happening. They allowed Mr. Igini to frustrate the wishes of Akwa Ibom people. This is most unfortunate,” he said.

    Akpabio also attributed APC’s failure in the state to Igini, saying he found it hard to understand why his local government, Essien Udim, with voting strength of 105,000 was allotted just a bit above 6,000 votes.

    He said the recent elections in the state were massively rigged by the PDP in connivance with the INEC headed by Igini.

    Etiebet, on his part, vowed the APC will do everything legally permissible to reclaim its victory, insisting that the party won in 26 local government areas of the state.

    He accused the INEC of changing the results announced at various polling units which the APC a clear lead above the PDP.