The Nation Newspaper

Category: Election 2019

  • Drama as collation officer struggles with tabulated figures

    There was a little drama on Monday as the Collation Officer for Ondo state, Prof. Kayode Soremekun, struggled to match correctly tabulated figures with the political parties.

    The renowned Professor of International Relations on many occasions mixed up scores for political parties, prompting the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to ask him to go back.

    Yakubu was forced to ask Soremekun to go back and reconcile the results.

    Read Also: Two break into police officer’s home

    Meanwhile President Muhammadu Buhari has maintained lead in six states already announced.

    In the latest results announced, Buhari won in Kogi state wirh 285 894 to Atiku’s 218, 207.

    There were 1,640, 449 while 570, 773 were accredited for the elections.

    Prof Michael Atiku, Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja, who is the Collation Officer for the state, revealed that 89,101 votes were cancelled.

    This he said was due to lots of hostility at the polling stations.

    The opposition parties however kicked over the figure of cancelled votes.

     

  • Barde wins Chikun/Kajuru Federal constituency in Kaduna

    The incumbent member representing Chikun/Kajuru Federal constituency, Rt. Hon. Umar Yakubu Barde has been reelected to represent his constituency for the fifth term.

    Hon. Barde of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who is the minority whip at the green chambers garnered total votes of 92,547 to defeat his closest opponent Barrister Bashir Yahaya Wushiri of APC who scored 34,022 and Ekene Abubakar Adams of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) who polled 16,813 votes.

    In the keenly contested election, Hon. Barde polled 69,416 votes in Chikun local government area and 23,131 votes in Kajuru local government area.

    Barrister Wushiri of the APC scored 23,505 votes in Chikun local government area and 10,517 in Kajuru local government area.

    Mr. Adams got 11,636 votes in Chukun local government area and 5,177 in Kajuru local government area.

    Announcing the result at the collation centre at Kujama headquarters of Chikun local government area of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office, Professor Emmanuel Bamidele from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, said, “Yakubu Umar Barde haven satisfied and scored the highest votes cast is hereby declared winner and returned elected.”

  • Ngige: INEC shouldn’t be crucified for electoral irregularities

    Minister of Employment Dr. Chris Ngige on Monday absolved the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of culpability over certain irregularities experienced during Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    He said the involvement of non-permanent staff of the commission makes it impossible for electoral irregularities not to be witnessed in any election.

    Fielding questions from journalists at the INEC collation centre in Awka, the Minister attributed most of the problems to the ad-hoc staff recruited for the exercise.

    He said: “You see when we talk about INEC, I like to be fair to them. INEC has both permanent and ad-hoc staff.

    “Lots of these problems emanate from the ad-hoc staff and you know they don’t owe deep loyalty to the commission.

    Read Also: Ndigbo endorsed Atiku in error, says Ngige

    “Government has tried to find a way around it by insisting they use federal government civil servants and lecturers in federal universities.

    “So if these ones misbehave, they can be punished according to civil service rules.”

    Ngige however canvassed early training for the ad-hoc staff and continuous training for the permanent ones as a way of mitigating the challenge.

    On the Presidential results so far released by the INEC, the Minister said he was not surprised at the outcome, expressing confidence that President Buhari would be re-elected.

    “What else do you expect? We’re expecting to clear more states, especially those with big votes,” he asserted.

    He however asked those who eventually emerge winners to be magnanimous with victory while those that lost should accept defeat in good faith.

    He said: “We expect that as a game, those who lost will try next time and for those who win to be magnanimous with victory.”

  • INEC declares APC’s Sabo senator for Jigawa South West

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared APC’s Mohammed Sabo as winner for Jigawa South West Senatorial District.

    The Retuning Officer for the election, Prof. Adamu Isge who announced the result in Dutse on Monday, said that Sabo scored 224,543 votes to defeat his PDP opponent, Mustapha Sule Lamido, who scored 143,611 votes.

    Read Also: I’ll wait for INEC’s final results, says Buhari

    Isge added that Ashiru Sunusi Katanga, the candidate for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) scored 3,496 votes.

    “I, Professor Adamu Isge, hereby certify that I am the returning officer of Jigawa South West Senatorial District election which took place on the 23 day of February 2019.

    “That Mohammed Sabo of the APC having satisfyied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mohammed Sabo, popularly known as Nakudu is the serving senator for the senatorial district.

  • Okorocha warns against rigging of Imo guber election

    Imo state governor and Senator-elect for Imo West, Rochas Okorocha, has cautioned against any attempt by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and politicians to rig the governorship election slated for March 9.

    The governor who was almost denied the Imo West Senatorial seat by the Collation Officer, Professor Ibeawuchi Francis, after garnering the highest vote, warned that the people will resist any attempt to rig the governorship election.

    Okorocha who addressed journalists shortly after been declared the winner of the Senatorial election, said that the action of the Collation Officer was embarrassment to INEC and the institution he represents.

    According to him, “what baffles me is the attitude of the returning officer in this our exercise. It looks to me that there was a script been played out, which is coming to me as a rude shock, especially the manner elections here have been conducted in Imo State.

    “May I put it straight that if election was conducted the way it should be and in line with our Constitution and electoral act, we would have won the entire election. What we see here is a lot of people changing the rule and doing certain things to favour a particular party in the State”.

    Read Also: Okorocha to Ndigbo: vote Buhari or forget 2023

    The governor added that, “I find it a bit surprising because right now as I speak results are not been collated the way it should be. The centers provided by the Constitution is not been used rather the INEC boss is making other arrangements not really clear to me, because as the result gets there, it is been changed. As I speak to you now, there are attempts to change the President’s results.

    “On my own election, after having recorded victory in 9 out of the 12 Local Government Areas that were announced, we heard that they are now trying to move the result sheets to Owerri but when we inquired why, the man said he is tired and doesn’t feel safe, when nobody was threatening him. At the end of it, we discovered he doesn’t have the declaration sheet. I wonder where this is taking us to. I hope INEC would change this system because we will resist them if they try it in the next election”.

    The governor continued that, “they should examine the Returning Officer to know his mental state. If he is not mental, then he must be a criminal to ever think of that. How could someone ask you to change the result of an election he has already won? My score is above 90,000 and the nearest to me is slightly above half of it, when you combine both Jones and Izunaso’s votes. They can’t match or contest against me in Imo State not to talk of Orlu zone. Am I even supposed to contest for senate in Orlu, I never campaigned but only declared and campaigned for 3 days.

    “I ask the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner here to quickly correct these anomalies. The Returning Officer is a bloody liar who may be acting a script. I enjoin him to return the money he may have collected from those who understand only rigging in election”.

     

     

  • PDP lost 300,000 votes to card reader failure, says Umahi

    Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi on Monday stated the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lost over 300, 000 votes to the operational failure of Card Readers during the conduct last weekend’s presidential election in the state.

    The governor stated this while speaking to reporters in Abakaliki, the state capital on arrival from his hometown Uburu.

    On the success recorded by the party in last presidential election, Umahi described election as a game in which there is no permanent enemy and friend but permanent interest within a political arena.

    According to him: “I want to thank Ebonyi people for coming out to cast their votes.

    “I want to thank politicians and political parties that participated in the election. Election is a game. It comes and goes. No permanent enemy.

    Read Also: PDP to INEC: declare Atiku winner of presidential election

    “I want to congratulate all those that won. Everybody has destiny. I want to commend the security agencies in the country. They refused to be induced.

    “I also commend the officials of INEC. I want to console the families of electoral officials who died in active service. My prayer is that God will grant them eternal rest.

    “Buhari still remains my friend whether is losing or passing. I can’t castigate him and I can’t cajole him.

    “Over 300, 000 votes were discarded in Ebonyi because of the hiccups of the card readers.

    “We have issue between constitution and guidelines. We have given 260, 000 votes to PDP. The rest is what INEC announces. PDP has done well.”

    He added: “The truth is that I can’t speak for all the state. If you were declared winner and you didn’t use card readers, you may lose.

    “I call for improvement and electronics voting. Card readers may not have been used in other parts of the country.

    “The issue of the card readers was a problem. Every responsible Governor must respect the President. He is the boss of all the Governors.

    “You can’t get anything by castigating him. If you make your leader happy, he can assist you in making progress. I am in a hurry to change the narrative of Ebonyi.”

  • Wamakko wins Sokoto North senate seat

    Northern Senators Forum Chairman and candidate of the All Progressives Congress in 2019 polls, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko has won five out of 8 local governments that constitute Sokoto North senatorial District with wide margin to defeat his PDP opponent, Senator Ahmed Muhammadu Maccido.

    Not less than 172, 989 votes for Wamakko separated him with his opponent who scored 138, 970.

    Maccido won Gudu, Silame and Binji local governments respectively.

    However, Wamakko returned Sokoto North, Sokoto South, Kware, Tangaza and Wamakko local governments accordingly.

  • APC claims all NASS seats in Niger

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)) has officially declared the Dr Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Mohammed Sani Musa and Mohammed Bima of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) as senators-elect in Niger State.

    The results were announced at the various senatorial collation centers across the state.

    The Niger South Senatorial zone was won by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullah of the APC, who polled 161,420 against PDP’s Honorable Muhammad Sani Duba 77,109 votes.

    Mohammed Sani Musa of APC won the Niger East Senatorial zone polling 229, 415 votes ahead of the PDP candidate Barrister Ibrahim Ishaku, who polled 116,143 votes.

    Mohammed Bima of APC won the Niger South senatorial zone with 160,614 votes defeating PDP Baba Shehu Agaie who polled 90,978.

    APC also won the seats of the Federal constituency however results for four federal constituencies are still being expected.

    For the Rijau/Magama Federal Constituency, Shehu Sale of APC polled 39,889 while Garba Dukku of PDP polled 23,747.

    In Borgu-Agwara Federal Constituency, APC candidate, Jafaru Mohammed Agwara polled 32,840 votes against PDP candidate, Abdurahman Bala Gambo, who polled 20,357.

    In Bida-Katcha-Gbako Federal Constituency, APC candidate, Abdullahi Saidu Musa polled 57,746 as against PDP candidate, Sharu Mohammed Baba 37,993 votes.

    In Suleja-Gurara-Tafa Federal Constituency, APC candidate, Abubakar Lado polled 54,224 votes while PDP candidate, Mukhtar Iya polled 38,732 votes.

    In Chanchaga Federal Constituency, APC candidate, Mohammed Umar Bago polled 39,391votes while PDP candidate, Abdullahi Buba polled 17,869 votes.

    In Kontagora-Mariga-Mashegu-Wushishi Federal Constituency, APC won with 95,454 votes but the name of the candidate was not announced due to court case while the PDP candidate, Sa’adatu Kolo polled 25,182 votes.

    Results are still being awaited from four federal constituencies, Bosso-Paikoro, Shiroro-Munya, Lavun-Edati-Mokwa and Lapai-Agaie.

    However, the collation of the presidential election results shows that APC is maintaining lead so far, winning 21 out of the 25 local government areas collated as at 4.30pm.

    The collation of the result of the presidential election is still ongoing.

  • There’ll be no run-off UK, US-backed observer YIAGA predicts

    There’ll be no run-off UK, US-backed observer YIAGA predicts

    A civil society organisation, the Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement ( YIAGA ) Africa, has said there will be no run-off in the presidential election, adding that a clear winner will emerge.

    In a statement on Monday on voter turnout and results, the group, which undertook the Watching The Vote (WTV) project, said no candidate will receive over 55 per cent of the votes.

    YIAGA Africa has as its technical partners the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the US-based National Democratic Institute.

    It deployed 3,906 observers throughout the country including 3,030 Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) observers deployed in pairs to a random, representative statistical sample of 1,515 polling units where they remained throughout the day.

    “With this methodology, YIAGA Africa is able independently verify the accuracy of the official presidential election results announced by INEC,” the group said.

    In the statement by WTV Working Group Chair Dr. Hussaini Abdu and YIAGA Africa Executive Director Samson Itodo, YIAGA added: “Although YIAGA Africa currently has a stable estimated range for the election outcome, it is the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that has the mandate to announce results.

    “However, based on currently received observer reports, there will be no run-off for the Presidential elections because a clear winner will emerge. YIAGA AFRICA’s PVT shows that no candidate will receive more than 55 per cent of the vote share.”

    YIAGA Africa said preliminary estimates indicate that turnout for Saturday’s presidential elections should be between 36 per cent and 40 per cent based on official turnout figures collected from the PVT’s representative statistical sample of polling units across the 774 LGAs in the country.

    “If INEC’s official turnout falls within WTV’s estimated range then it accurately reflects the ballots cast at polling units.

    “Only INEC has the legal mandate to announce the election results and return a candidate as a winner.”

    The group added: “We urge all stakeholders to respect the commission’s constitutional power and refrain from declaring election results. YIAGA Africa enjoins citizens to remain calm and maintain the peace as INEC collates the results.

    “YIAGA Africa continues to monitor the results collation until the final completion.

    “As soon as INEC announces the official results, YIAGA Africa will convene a press conference to share its own statement on the accuracy of the election results.”

  • Former Governor Orji wins Abia Central Senatorial seat

    Abia State former Governor and Senator representing the Abia Central senatorial district, Chief Theodore Orji, has been declared the winner of the just concluded senatorial election.

    The returning officer Prof. Yusuf Omeh declared him winner on Monday at the Independent National Electoral Commission office, Adelabu road, Umuahia the State capital.

    According to Prof. Omeh Orji polled 55,461 to defeat his closet rival and the candidate the All Progressive Congress (APC) Sen. Nkechi Nwaogu.

    The Returning Officer also announced that Nwaogu scored 29,860 Votes to come second in the election while the candidates of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) Chidi Ajaegbu who polled 19,534 votes to clinch the third position.

    In related development the member representing Ikwuano/ Umuahia Federal Constituency, Chief Johnson Onuigbo has been declared the winner of the Houses of representatives’ election in the constituency.

    The Returning Officer Prof. Georgina Ugwuanyi declared him winner after announcing that he polled 30,669 votes to defeat the All Progressive Congress candidate Mr. Ikechukwu Apugo who scored 23,279 votes.

    Ugwuanyi also announced that the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance Chief Markdonald Uba scored 10,312 votes.

    Also the member representing Arochukwu/ Ohafia Federal Constituency Chief Nko Nkole of the People s Democratic Party was declared winner of the seat.

    He scored 7,072 to defeat the APC candidate Chief Iroh Orji who polled 5496 votes.