The Nation Newspaper

Category: Election 2019

  • Benue: INEC reschedules election in three LGAs

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rescheduled voting in three local government areas of Benue state.

    Voting was generally peaceful on most parts of the state and the strong contention for power by leaders of both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appear to have greatly energized their grassroots support base for a good turnout on Saturday.

    The Resident Electoral Commission in Benue state, Dr. Nentawe Goshwe on Saturday evening explained that there are logical and valid reasons for rescheduling the elections.

    He explained that the governorship and House of Assembly election in Mbalon ward of Gwer East Local government area because of the volume of electoral materials burnt by thugs.

    He also said that elections are being rescheduled in Yandev North ward of Gboko local government and in Tarka local government because  INEC staff were held hostage there.

  • Eze boycotts guber election in Enugu, alleges foul play

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Enugu State, Senator Ayogu Eze, on Saturday boycotted the governorship/state assembly elections in the state.

    Eze told journalists in his country home at Umuozzi in Enugu-Ezike, Igboeze North council of the state that he was angry that his name was not included among governorship candidates contesting in the state.

    He alleged that INEC published final list of governorship candidates leaving out his name in spite of Appeal Court order reinstating him as the APC governorship candidate.

    “INEC claims to have party logos on the ballot paper so why didn’t they publish only the logos of all the political parties and leave the candidates?’’ Eze complained.

    The APC candidate said that his supporters refused to vote because they were angry that they had not been treated well by INEC.

    He said that he pleaded with them to go and vote but they insisted that he would not vote until INEC created a level playing ground.

    When contacted, the INEC Residential Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr Emeka Ononamadu debunked the allegation saying that the commission included his name on Friday, March 8.

    The REC told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that as soon as it received directive from INEC headquarters in Abuja, he restored his name.

    According to him, at the commencement of work on Friday, March 8, the administrative memo arrived and his name has been inserted back at the appropriate place as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for over 24 hours.

    The REC urged the residents especially the media to get things right by informing the people appropriately on developments at the commission.

    “After this briefing, I will take time to show you the communication from our headquarters in Abuja.

    “And those communications are purely administrative and it is clear that we put back his name on time after the Thursday’s Appeal Court Judgment.

    “I saw the thing, the administrative communications concerning the issue, on Friday, in the morning when I came to work. It was then resolved.

    “However, let me say, that the APC before now has been in the ballot paper.

    “If you go to the polling booth now, you see APC name abbreviated with its logo in the ballot papers,’’ he said.

    Ononamadu explained that INEC is one and the Enugu office is a sub-section of the INEC headquarters, Abuja.

    He added that the INEC Enugu office would always take directives from its national headquarters since it did not have the powers to remove or add any name of candidate or party for election. (NAN)

  • One killed at APC gov candidate’s home

    One person has been reportedly shot dead at Umuida, Igboeze North local council, home of the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Senator Ayogu Eze.

    Eye witness said the victim was hit by a stray bullet fired by policemen trying to scare away an angry mob who were about lynching suspected thugs who stormed the polling station.

    Trouble started when who posed as reporters came around and demanded to see the APC candidate for an interview.

    But they failed to produce the identity cards when asked to identify themselves.

    The crowd that gathered grew suspicious and descended on them.

    In the ensuing chaos, the policemen around the area started shooting into the air following which a stray bullet hit one of them.

    The police in Enugu said they were yet to receive the report as at the time of filing this report.

  • I’ll accept outcome in good faith – Tambuwal

    AFTER casting his vote at the Waziri A Primary school polling unit in Tambuwal town, Sokoto state Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has promised to accept outcome of exercise in good faith.

    He also described the turnout of voters particularly of women as impressive.

    Tambuwal spoke shortly while fielding questions from reporters who were monitoring the conduct of the election in Tambuwal town.

    “In my opinion, the exercise is peaceful across the state even though with minimal challenges. No case of any violation or crises reported to me,” he said.

    Tambuwal, who cast his ballot 12:25pm after he was accredited, called on electorates to maintain the peace by been orderly in their quest to electing their leaders.

  • I’m confident of delivering my area for APC, says Umana

    The Managing Director of the Oil & Gas Free Trade Zone, Obong Umana Umana, said he is satisfied with the conduct of the election so far and that he will deliver his area for his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    There are three voting points in his unit, with a voting strength of 1,800 registered voters.

    Speaking with reporters in his Indiya Unit 1, Ward 4, in Nsit Uboum Local Government of Akwa Ibom State, he said the party won massively in the unit during the presidential and National Assembly elections.

    Umana said though he cannot give a comprehensive picture of what is going on in the entire local government, “but everything has proceeded smoothly and without any incident here”.

    Read also: Oyo speaker commends INEC

    The APC chieftain said he has received reports of violence and disorder in some wards. For instance, he said materials were hijacked in the polling unit of retired Capt. Iniobong Ekong, very close to his unit.

    He said: “The materials were hijacked and many of the prospective voters were injured in the process. We have reported the matter to the authorities.

    “The innocent voters do not deserve the violence meted out to them. I urge the authorities to take appropriate action to bring the perpetrators to book.”

  • Oyo speaker commends INEC

    Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olagunju Ojo on Saturday commended the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) for the early arrival of electoral materials and officials for the Governorship and House of Assembly election.

    Ojo who spoke with newsmen after casting his vote at his polling booth, Ward 8 inside Ahoro Dada Primary School, Ahoro Dada, Oriire South LCDA, Ogbomosho noted that the early arrival is an improvement on the presidential and national assembly elections which held a fortnight ago.

    He however lamented the apathy showed by voters in not showing up early yoncast their vote, adding that the late arrival of electoral materials and officials in the last election could have been responsible.

    Read Also: Man caught with human skull in Oyo

    He said, “I commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies for the peaceful conduct of today’s Governorship and House of Assembly Elections

    “The exercise has been hitch-free at least in my polling booth and going by reports I heard. I think its an improvement on the last election.

    “However, I am not too satisfied on the low turnout of the voters. The experience of the presidential and national assembly election could have been responsible anyway. We can only enjoin our people to go out and cast their votes.”

  • Ganduje votes, optimistic of victory

    Kano state Governor and candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the gubernatorial election, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has declared that he is sure of victory, as he described the exercise peaceful, violent-free and orderly.

    Ganduje who voted at exactly 10:30 a.m. at Ganduje Chikin Gari Polling Unit 008 in Ganduje town, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, described as impressive.

    Speaking to Reporters shortly after casting his vote, he stated that, “I am sure of victory. I am sure of getting more votes than what President Buhari got during the presidential election.

    “The turnout is very impressive. People came out en mass, particularly women. I am satisfied with security arrangements. Also, I have to commend INEC officials, as they came out early with all the required materials.”

    Ganduje, however, appealed to voters to continue to conduct themselves peacefully.

  • Police intercept vehicle loaded with ballot papers in Kano

    Police in Kano on Saturday intercepted a vehicle loaded with thumb printed ballot papers in Kano metropolis.

    The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Haruna Abdullahi, confirmed the arrest of the vehicle in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Saturday.

    He said the vehicle was intercepted at Magwan Polling Unit at Magwan Primary School in Nassarawa Local Government area of the state.

    According to him, the Divisional Police Officer from the local government area reported the matter and he was directed to move the vehicle to the police command.

    He said the vehicle was under the Police custody and investigation had commenced to ascertain the persons behind the act so that they could be prosecuted.

    “Yes, it is true a vehicle was intercepted with ballot papers around 12 noon and it is now with the Police at the state CID.

    “The investigation will reveal whether the ballot papers are genuine or not,” the Police spokesman said.

    Eye witness told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) the vehicle, a Sienna with registration number TRN 54 GR, was allegedly arrested along with five others occupants of the vehicle.

    The eye witness alleged that 5,000 of the intercepted ballot papers were for governorship election, while 2,500 were for the state assembly election. (NAN)

  • Hoodlums snatch ballot boxes in Lokoja

    Some armed thugs in police and army uniforms invaded polling units in Adankolo community in Lokoja, shooting sporadically to scare away voters on the queue.

    Our Correspondent reports that the armed hoodlums arrived in a van and immediately started shooting.

    Voters and electoral officers scampered to safety, a development which made it possible for the thugs to carry away ballot boxes, ballot papers and other sensitive election materials.

    Worst hit were the five polling units at St Luke Primary School at Adankolo where materials at all the five polling units in the school premises were taken away.

    Also at the Polling Unit in NEPA area in Lokoja, the hoodlums, some of whom were masked, also made away with election materials after scaring away INEC officials and voters.

    Other areas under the siege of armed thugs were polling units in Ward A in Lokoja Constituency 1.

    At Okengwe Polling Unit in Okene Local Government, voting was temporarily disrupted when hoodlums attempted to snatch ballot boxes and other election materials.

    There had been fears about the possibility of armed attack on the election day among residents before now.

    One of the candidates contesting for a seat in the state House of Assembly had earlier raised the alarm over plans by some elements to disrupt election in the ward.

    The candidate, Mr Suleiman Babadoko of the PDP, had appealed to the police and DSS to quickly move in to stop the violence.

    NAN

  • Dickson: Security agencies, INEC colluding with APC to produce fake results

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has accused the Military and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials of colluding with a former governor of the state to churn out fake results in the state House of Assembly election.

     Dickson made the accusation while speaking with journalists shortly after casting his vote in his home town, Toru Orua, Sagbama Local Government Area.

    A statement by his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei, quoted the governor as saying that federal agencies deployed to the state were planning to foist an unpopular political, party, the APC, on the state.

    According to the governor, reports at his disposal indicated that several PDP members were prevented from voting in various communities including, Peremabiri, Okpoama and  Bassambiri.

    The governor stressed that the APC was resorting to brigandage because it lacked the support base to win election in Bayelsa.

    The governor, who described the development as barbaric, criminal and undemocratic, flayed the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state for his failure to enforce the electoral guidelines.

    He said that it was a sad commentary on the nation’s security apparatus that it had failed to carry out its constitutional responsibility to provide the conducive environment for the citizens to cast their votes to elect their representatives and leaders.

    The governor said that reports at his disposal indicated that soldiers carted away electoral materials in Epebu, Olodi and Ayakoro in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state.

    He called on the people to remain calm in the alleged face of unwarranted intimidation and harassment by soldiers, he assured that his administration would take appropriate measures to seek redress.

     Dickson further expressed regret over the militarisation of the Niger Delta states and urged all well- meaning Nigerians to stand up in defence of democracy.

    He said: :”We have major challenges in this state arising from militarisation and clear failure on the part of the agencies to do their jobs as it should be.

    ‘In Peremabiri in Southern Ijaw, several peopple, almost a thousand people couldn’t vote as they are now IDPs hiding in Yenagoa and other places.

    “Criminals supported by the Nigerian military services have held the community hostage.

    “Some security personnel who managed to get to Peremabiri were turned back and you ask me whether we have a nation within a nation.

    “In Bassambiri, PDP leaders and followers were pushed out by force and they are now IDPs in Ogbolomabiri, Yenagoa and other communities.

    “This is because the APC knows that they are not on ground in this state so they want to win by force.

    “I have just received an alert that in Ayama Constituency, military officials are trying to overpower electoral officers to cart away materials so that they can write any result.

    “And the REC and his team in our state have not demonstrated courage, professionalism, competence and respect for their own guidelines, all because they want to crown APC in Bayelsa by force.”