The Nation Newspaper

Category: Election 2019

  • Polls: SARS allegedly arrest scores in Kogi communities

    … allegations baseless, says CP

     

    Less than twenty four hours to the commencement of the presidential and National Assembly elections, scores of people have been reportedly arrested from across Kogi State, by operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), Lokoja.

    The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Busari, has however debunked the allegations of indiscriminate arrest of persons.

    He said that those spreading the falsehood were doing so in bad faith.

    The police, he said, will always do its routine work, irrespective of the season.

    Speaking with The Nation on the telephone, the CP said that those peddling the ‘falsehood’ were doing so, for ulterior motives.

    He said that six persons were arrested about two weeks back, based on petitions against them, adding that four were released after investigation, while two others who were later arrested, also based on petitions, are being investigated, and will be released, if cleared.

    According to him: “It is falsehood; these people are doing it for ulterior motives.

    “One politician and former governor for three months alleged that people were arrested; petitions were written and after investigations, we invited six persons. Four were released, while two others are still being investigated.

    “If they are cleared, they will be released. This is election period and anything that happens, they will ascribe to ethnic, political or religious colouration. There is nothing as such; police will always carry out its routine duty, whether it is election or not. We are doing our work.”

    The said arrests, according to sources, who did not want their names in print, began as early as 3am, in Mopa, Mopa-Moro Local Government Area (LGA), Kogi West, where former Acting Governor, Clarence Olafemi hails from, and where no less than fifteen persons, including a septuagenarian Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Women Leader, were said to have been ’rounded up’.

    Read Also: Kogi East: Court orders NASS to swear-in Alfa

    Those arrested were said to have been moved to the SARS operational base located at the ‘A’ Division, Lokoja.

    “At 3am this morning, men of SARS Lokoja, came to Mopa, broke down doors of people’s homes and commenced indiscriminate arrests; beating up pregnant women and damaging properties.

    “They alleged they came on the order of the CP and local government administrator. They were accused of gun running. Among those picked up are the PDP Women Leader, Marion Alege- 74yrs, Emma Amufasaiye, PDP exco member, Abayomi Akeju, PDP ward chairman, Little (44), PDP LG secretary and ten others,” said a source.

    While the CP debunked the allegation, others yet allege that close to a hundred people have so far been arrested, on the eve of elections.

  • Lagos CP assures residents of peaceful polls

    Lagos Police Commissioner Zubairu Muazu has again appealed to residents to come out on Saturday and exercise their franchise, assuring that nothing would disrupt the peace, security in the state.

    Muazu gave the assurance after a meeting with all heads of security agencies in the state held at the command headquarters in Ikeja.

    According to the police chief, security had been adequately deployed across the state to ensure peaceful conduct of the exercise, security of lives and properties.

    A statement released by the spokesman for the command Chike Oti, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) appealed to residents to contact emergency numbers- Control 1: 08127155132 and 07035068242; Control 2: 08127155150 and 08065154338 Control 3: 08127155071 and 08063299264- in case of any distress.

    Oti said: “The CP restates that the command, as part of its commitment to a peaceful conduct of the polls, has adequately deployed men and officers to different parts of the state.

    “He assures Lagosians that the command in collaboration with other sister agencies has put in place all the necessary security measures to ensure that the exercise is free, fair and credible.

    “The CP says eligible voters have no cause to entertain fear or feel intimidated in performing their civic duty, urging them to conduct themselves in a peaceful and orderly manner.

    “He warns violence-minded people to steer clear from engaging in acts capable of truncating the election, noting that whoever is caught will face the full weight of the law.“

  • Last minute defections, victory for APC – Buni

    Alhaji MaiMala Buni, the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) Governorship Candidate in Yobe, has described the late defection of the state PDP Chairman, Alhaji Inuwa Nguru, to the APC as an additional victory to the party.

    Buni said this on Friday while fielding questions from newsmen in Damaturu.

    He said Nguru joined the party for his personal conviction that President Muhammadu Buhari and APC are truly committed to national interest and remains the best option for Nigeria’s democracy.

    “The defection of Inuwa Nguru and his supporters is a major political fortune for the party who will work assiduously for the re-election of President Buhari and the victory of the party at all levels.

    “Alhaji Inuwa Nguru has practically and personally seen the achievements of the President Muhammad Buhari-led administration and the commitment towards a better life for Nigerians.

    “The former chairman was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the re-election of President Buhari and APC was the best option for Nigeria and this informed his last minute decision to abandon PDP for APC.

    “In spite of all persuasions by the opposition party, the former chairman took an independent and honest decision in the interest of the nation and in accordance to the dictates of his conscience.’’

    According to the governorship candidate, Yobe has enjoyed major intervention programmes including completion of the 330KVA power transmission line, Nguru-Gashua-Bayamari federal highway, education and healthcare delivery.

    “We are proud to say that at the state level, the APC administration has more than ever provided democracy dividends in road network, healthcare delivery, education, agriculture and economic empowerment to the citizenry.

    “It is on record that while most states could not pay salaries, the APC administration in the state had consistently paid salaries, pension and gratuities to retired civil servants making it a leading workers friendly state in the country,” he said.

    Buni expressed optimism that Buhari and APC National Assembly candidates would record landslide victory in the Saturday elections.

    “We are hopeful that the rescheduled election will be free, fair and peaceful as INEC has promised and assured Nigerians of their preparedness,” he said.

  • Elections: IYC warns security agencies against jungle justice

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has warned security agencies against relying on the position of President Muhammdu Buhari on ballot box snatching to perpetrate jungle Justice during the elections.

    The council condemned Buhari’s position against electoral offenders describing the President’s warning that ballot box snatchers would do so at the expense of their lives as undemocratic and less presidential.

    The IYC in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Mr. Alfred Kemepado, said its members would not tolerate anything illegal, including the snatching of ballot boxes to undermine the sanctity of the electoral process within its territories.

    Kemepado, however, said that the desire and resolve to ensure credible, free and fair elections should involve the promotion of undemocratic values.

    He said the President’s speech had the capacity to instigate violence and make law enforcement agents take laws into their hands.

    Noting that Nigeria must be built and sustained as a country of law and order and not a country of jungle justices, the IYC scribe appealed to Buhari and other candidates to desist from heating up the polity.

    He said: “The President must realize the place of his body language, which may have made it possible for his loyalists like Governor El-rufai to issue inciting and provocative statements like that of the “body bag” speech.

    “The oil of the Niger Delta is not available to fund body bags but to promote the unity of Nigeria that will be subjected to restructuring for the benefit of all Nigerians.

    “We call on International bodies to come to the aid of harmless and willing electorates who are willing to express their franchise to get the needed change, so they are not shot at or butchered by the Nigerian military or police in the guise of harvesting ballot box snatchers.

    “The IYC reaffirm the commitment of the Ijaw Nation to align itself with the laws of Nigeria, and will resist any form of ballot box snatching and electoral violence. This we will do across party lines, as free and fair election is what all Ijaw youths desire, which is for our collective national interest, and for the betterment of One Nigeria.”

  • Ballot snatching:PDP chieftain to Buhari: explain when soldiers can shoot

    President Muhammadu Buhari has been requested to break down the circumstances that may warrant action by security agents against those assumed to be constituting threat to a smooth conduct of elections.

    Making the request at a media briefing in Warri on Friday, a member of the Campaign Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Warri North council area of Delta state, Chief Newuwumi Omolubi, said he requested for the clarification so as to preserve the lives of his people during the elections.

    Describing the president’s pronouncement as dangerous and disturbing to his people, especially those in his ward where about four military houseboats are already stationed, he said an explanation would help to prevent occasions that could lead to fatality, considering the fact that the people have always helped staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in conveying their materials to polling units.

    He said, “in between the four communities in my ward, there is a military houseboat. Now if the people who most times help the INEC people to convey their materials, at which stage will Buhari want the soldier to shoot.

    “The communities are the ones that help the INEC staff to move these materials because of the distance and the difficult terrain, so at which stage does it become dangerous for my people.

    “I am seeking this clarification to guide my people to know when to stop their services to the Adhoc staff of INEC to avoid killing of innocent civilians whose main concern is to help INEC smooth operation”, he said.

    He used the opportunity to call on the people of the communities and Deltans in general to come out enmasse and vote the PDP and its candidates.

  • Seven arrested for alleged PVCs racketeering in Ekiti

    Seven members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State have been arrested for illegal collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from eligible voters in Ikere Ekiti.

    The House of Assembly member representing Ikere Constituency 1, Mr. Wale Ayeni, who allegedly masterminded the voter cards racketeering was said to be on the run.

    Ayeni escaped being arrested by the whiskers when the policemen swooped on his situation office in Oke’kere area of the town where the alleged PVCs racketeering was going on.

    The armed policemen believed to be acting on tip-off stormed the area few minutes before 1pm and recovered unspecified number of PVCs from the suspects.

    Ayeni was said to have blocked the federal highway that passes through the area gathering eligible voters to collect their cards.

    The operation caused confusion as the seven other PDP members allegedly assisting Ayeni to collect the PVCs were apprehended by the policemen.

    Party members arrested are said to be cooling their heels in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) where they are stating all they know about the incident.

    The lawmaker is the Deputy Director General of PDP Presidential Campaign Council in charge of Ekiti South senatorial district of which Ikere is part.

    Ayeni could not be reached on his mobile phone at the time of filing this report.

    When contacted, Police spokesman Caleb Ikechukwu said the report of the incident was yet to be brought to his office.

  • PDP to voters: don’t be scared by shoot-at-sight order

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has urged voters across the country not to be scared by what the party described as a shoot-at-sight directive against would-be ballot box snatchers.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had, during the week, ordered the military and other security agencies to deal ruthlessly with anyone caught snatching ballot boxes during Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.

    Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus urged Nigerians to be focused and refuse to be intimidated as they go out to cast their votes.

    The party chair described the President’s directive a ploy to manipulate the result of the elections.

    Secondus said: “When the President threatened the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the elections, the intention was to frighten and cow them into playing along with the All Progressives Congress (APC) agenda.

    “When they harass, arrest and block bank accounts of the opposition stakeholders, what they want is to win at all cost.

    “When they drag military institutions into politics, the aim is obviously to destroy that institution the way they are doing to the legislature and the judiciary.

    Read Also: PDP’ll be defeated on Sat, says Tinubu

    “But I urge you Nigerians to refuse to be intimidated or provoked but remain focused and fix your eyes on the ball, which is victory that is coming on Sunday.”

    The chairman appealed to stakeholders in the election, particularly the INEC, security agencies and political party agents, to remember that the election is about Nigeria.

    “This election is about rescuing this country, it’s about sustaining our democracy”, he added.

    Chairman of the Strategy Committee of the PDP Presidential Organisation, Osita Chidoka, said that the world is watching Nigeria and urged voters to be patient, peaceful and tolerant.

    He urged Nigerians to demonstrate to Africa and the world that the country is irrevocably committed to democracy, transparency and the rule of law.

    Chidoka said the PDP had learnt its lessons from previous elections and was determined to give Nigerians the confidence that their votes, as expressed at the ballot, will count.

    According to him, the PDP is fully prepared to resist intimidation, extra judicial procedures and partisanship on the part of security agencies.

    Chidoka said: “We remind security agencies that it is only an election and not a war against Nigerians. The choice of language of the government and security chiefs leaves us with the impression that the peaceful election of 2015 is not the model for 2019 election.

    “We call on the military, the police, and all other security agents to do their patriotic duty to the citizens of this great country, hold true to their legal mandate, display their commitment to the rule of law, act with restraint and in accordance with the law.  Regardless of party, our security forces serve and protect Nigeria and her citizens first.

    “As the party to beat in this election, we assure Nigerians that we are prepared to work with voters to #DefendYourVote.

    “Our innovative Simultaneous Vote Count System (SVC) has been deployed to ensure that the result of the polling units remain the trusted source to validate the final collated results.

    “The SVC is a crisis de-escalation mechanism that will assure that PDP members accept the results of a free and fair election and that the country remains peaceful and respectful of its differences”.

     

  • Ganduje blames Kwankwaso for Kano killings

    Kano state Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has described as unfortunate the attack on a group of All Progressive Congress (APC) supporters by members of the Kwankwasiyya group of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) while on campaign in Bebeji/Kiru Local Government Area on Thursday.

    He called on security agents to fish out perpetrators of the attack, which left at least five persons dead and other seriously wounded.

    According to him: “The Kwankwassiyya group has continued to brazenly attack members and supporters of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

    “The latest just happened on Thursday when they attacked our members while on a special prayer session in Bebeji local government area which was organised for peaceful conduct of the forthcoming general elections in the country, leaving some party members dead and others with injuries.”

    In a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Youth and Culture, Malam Muhammad Garba, Ganduje accused the Kwankwasiyya PDP thugs of being behind the attack.

    Read Also: Kwankwaso presents staff of office to emir of Kano

    According to him: “They attacked our peaceful supporters under the watchful eyes of their leader, Rabi’u Kwankwaso, who was on a campaign rally in the area, brandishing all sorts of deadly weapons, attacked the prayer session, which is being organised by member representing Kiru/Bebeji constituency, Hon. Abdulmumini Jibrin Kofa for meanness free polls.”

    The attack, the statement, he lamented: “is the latest in series by the Kwankwasiyya ruffians in an apparent attempt to put a clog in the wheel of progress toward ensuring free and peaceful election in the state.”

    The Governor lamented: “The group is superficially venting its anger on members and supporters of the APC, having gotten a sign of defeat at the polls, as part of a calculated attempt to scamper peaceful 2019 elections.”

    He prayed for the departed souls and condoled with the bereaved families, just as he also prayed for the quick recovery of those injured during the heinous attack.

    Ganduje also directed security agencies “to fish out perpetrators of the monstrous blitzkrieg with a view to ensuring that they are dealt with accordingly.”

  • Seven PDP members arrested for alleged PVCs racketeering

    Seven members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State have been arrested for illegal collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from eligible voters in Ikere Ekiti.

    The House of Assembly member representing Ikere Constituency 1, Wale Ayeni, who allegedly masterminded the voter cards racketeering was said to be on the run.

    Ayeni escaped being arrested by the whiskers when the policemen swooped on his situation office in Oke’kere area of the town where the alleged PVCs racketeering was going on.

    The armed policemen believed to be acting on tip off stormed the area few minutes before 1pm and recovered unspecified number of PVCs from the suspects.

    Ayeni was said to have blocked the federal highway that passes through the area gathering eligible voters to collect their cards.

    Read Also: PDP are jesters, says Ondo APC

    The operation caused confusion as the seven other PDP members allegedly assisting Ayeni to collect the PVCs were apprehended by the policemen.

    Party members arrested are said to be cooling their heels in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) where they are relaying all they know about the incident.

    The lawmaker is the Deputy Director General of PDP Presidential Campaign Council in charge of Ekiti South senatorial district of which Ikere is part.

    Ayeni could not be reached on his mobile phone at the time of filing this report.

    When contacted, Police spokesman Caleb Ikechukwu said the report of the incident was yet to be brought to his office.

     

  • Amosun working against Buhari – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State has accused Governor Ibikunle Amosun of discreetly working to undermine President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential and National Assembly elections rescheduled for Saturday.

    In a statement on Thursday in Abeokuta by Publicity Secretary of Ogun State APC Caretaker Committee, Tunde Oladunjoye, the party alleged Amosun was to reduce the margin of the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in Ogun East and Ogun West Senatorial Districts in a vainglorious attempt to send a wrong signal of his popularity in Ogun State and undermine the Vice President.

    The statement reads: “We have at our disposal, confirmed intelligence reports that Governor Amosun has been holding nocturnal and clandestine meetings in the last three weeks with a failed governorship Aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) whose father is a renowned betting agent.

    “The purpose of the meetings is to work against APC at the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    “The objective, for which the governor distributed the sum of N200, 000 per polling booth last week, before the postponed elections, was to ensure that President Buhari loses the election or to drastically reduce the margin of his victory in the two Senatorial districts, especially in Ogun East, where the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, hails from.

    Read Also: PDP are jesters, says Ondo APC

    “It would be recalled that the failed governorship aspirant recently, without any justification whatsoever, took to the mass media to disparage the Vice President, blaming him for his woes arising from the loss of the PDP’s governorship ticket, only for the same aspirant to turn around few days after to contradict himself with a boast that INEC would soon name him as his party’s candidate”.

    The party added: “Governor Amosun is insisting on the posting away of some corps members in Ogun West Senatorial District where he is sponsoring an APM candidate against his former Chief of Staff, Chief Olu Odebiyi, who is of the APC.

    “The party is using this medium to ask the Presidency to tame Governor Amosun before he sets Ogun State on fire over his egoistic and moribund self-preserving ambition.”