The Nation Newspaper

Category: Kogi 2015

  • Card reader’s failure, a plot to frustrate poll – Wada

    Card reader’s failure, a plot to frustrate poll – Wada

    Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Kogi, Idris Wada, has alleged that there is a plot to frustrate the state’s governorship election.

    The governor complained about the failure of the card reader to verify his Permanent Voter Card (PVC)

    He was also riled by the fact that an electoral officer said there were few incidence forms.

    According to him, there was a likelihood the election would not be credible with the developments.

    Wada said: “There was a failure of the card reader. How can that happen? In a single election, one day in the whole of Nigeria? How can we have card reader incidents? INEC said they were providing backups.

    “There are so many people here who are going to be completely disenfranchised. This is wrong!

    “They said they have few incidence forms and there is no photocopy machine here! So, how are people going to vote?

    “It seems to be a deliberate attempt to frustrate the whole process. I am going to call the REC now when I leave here, and I hope that they can do something about it.

    “Most Nigerians were looking forward to this election. Before I came here, I believed that the whole process was free and fair, with the massive security.”

  • Wada accredited, card reader fails to verify PVC

    Wada accredited, card reader fails to verify PVC

    Kogi State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Idris Wada has been accredited in his polling unit.

    But it was not a smooth process for him as the Card Reader failed to verify his Permanent Voter Card.

    Wada arrived the Odu Ward 1 Unit in Anyigba at about 11.20am for accreditation.

    But he was not accredited until about 20 minutes later.

    Several attempts to make the card reader work failed.

    The presiding officer, in a shaky voice, said: “His Excellency needs an incidence form.”

    On failure of card readers, an obviously agitated Wada said: “How can that happen?”

    He said there was a plot to frustrate the election, vowing to call the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) to make an official complaint.

    The governor expressed optimism that he would win if the process is free and fair.

    His wife, Halima, could not find her name on the register and also had to fill an incidence form.

  • Audu accredited

    Audu accredited

    Prince Abubakar Audu, APC governorship candidate was accredited at exactly 12:18pm, at unit 010, Ogbonicha ward.

  • Kogi: APC, DPP chieftains laud INEC, security agencies

    Kogi: APC, DPP chieftains laud INEC, security agencies

    Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) have commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for ensuring smooth accreditation of voters in the Kogi Governorship election.

    Mr. James Faleke, the APC governorship running mate, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview, shortly after being accredited at his Oja Ode polling unit in Ekinrin-Adde ward of Ijumu Local Government Area, that the arrangement by INEC was impressive.

    He commended INEC and security agencies for the measures put in place at making sure that the processes were peaceful.

    Faleke also thanked the people of Ekinrin Adde and the entire Okun land for coming out en-masse for the accreditation.

    ‘’Victory belongs to God.

    “All power belongs to God and I am optimistic that victory was sure.’’

    In a separate interview with NAN, Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim, DPP’s Governorship Candidate in the state, also commended the INEC for ‘’job well done’’.

    Ibrahim also made the commendation shortly after being accredited at the polling unit located within the Crowther Memorial Anglican Church in Lokoja.

    He expressed happiness over the timely arrival of INEC officials and election materials.

    He said that with the Kogi experience, INEC had laid a foundation for the conduct of free, fair and credible election in the country.

    Ibrahim was also full of praises for the voters for their enthusiasm, describing the whole situation in Lokoja as calm and peaceful.

    The candidate was full of praises for the Inspector-General Police, Mr Solomon Arase, for deploying over 16, 000 policemen to the state, describing the measure as reassuring.

    Also speaking with NAN in separate interview, a chieftain of APC in the state, Alhaji Kassim Mabo, lauded the peaceful nature of the exercise in the state.

    Mabo, who spoke after undergoing accreditation at the polling unit at Maigari palace in Lokoja, said that no single negative incident was recorded since the exercise commuted at 8 a.m.

    He also commended the security arrangement put in place by the police and other security agencies.

  • Aged voters, pregnant women get priority accreditation

    Aged voters, pregnant women get priority accreditation

    Elderly persons, pregnant women as well as Persons with Disabilities are being given special priority to facilitate their accreditation for the Kogi governorship election.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the affected persons were being prioritised by the electoral officials in most of the polling units across the state.

    Miss Juliana Nwadike, a corps member on election duty in one of the polling units, said that ‘’elderly men and women, people living with disabilities and pregnant women’’ were being accredited first before other eligible voters to make the process easier for them.

    In Ajaokuta Local Government Area, NAN reports that most of the voters were youths while the turnout of women was low.

    Some of the voters, who spoke with NAN, however, decried the slow process of accreditation by the officials handling the card reader machines.

    Meanwhile, there was low turnout of voters in Okene and its environs.

    NAN reports that many of the polling units with an average of 500 – 700 voting population in the area only managed to accredit between 50 and 70 voters between 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

    At Ogaminana, Nagazi and Obangede in Adavi and Okehi local government areas, the process was smooth.

    Mr Torres Chrrs, a United States embassy observer, told NAN that the accreditation process was ‘’great and good’’.

    At Ogori-Magongo Local Government Area, the exercise was also peaceful while voters turned out in large numbers to discharge their civic responsibilities.

    Meanwhile, accreditation of voters commenced at about 8:45 a.m. at Idah in Kogi East Senatorial District with heavy presence of security personnel in most of the polling stations.

    At New GRA ward, Unit 001, the Presiding Officer, Ms Joy Okonkwo, told NAN that the two card reader machines deployed to the unit were in perfect condition.

    At Ofukolo ward unit 006, the Presiding Officer, Mr Ubonnu Kelechi, however, told NAN that although electoral materials were adequate, the card reader machines were malfunctioning.

    A NAN correspondent who visited some of the polling units in the area reports that the turnout of voters was impressive as at 9 a.m. with women and youths dominating the process.

  • Kogi deputy governor happy with poll logistics, security

    Kogi State Deputy Governor, Mr. Yomi Awoniyi, on Saturday expressed satisfaction with logistics and security arrangement for the governorship election in the state.

    Awoniyi spoke during his accreditation at Mopamuro local government area of the state.

    Meanwhile, accreditation of voters has commenced in several parts of the state.

    Voting is expected to start at 1:00pm on Saturday.

  • #KogiDecides: Restricted movement of vehicles

    #KogiDecides: Restricted movement of vehicles

  • Kogi Poll: Awoniyi accredited

    Kogi State deputy governor, Mr. Yomi Awoniyi, has been accredited in Mopamuro local government area of the state.

  • Kogi: Accreditation still ongoing

    Kogi: Accreditation still ongoing

    Accreditation of voters is currently ongoing in various polling units in Kogi State.

    At Government Secondary School, Ayingba, voters queued up to get accredited.

    There is heightened security presence on the roads, with police officers and soldiers mounting several road blocks.

    There are reports of card readers malfunctioning in some units.

    The accredation process requires three steps. Voters go to the polling unit where they registered with their voter registration card.

    They are then required to present their Voter registration card to the INEC official and ensure that their names are in the register.

    Finally, their fingers would be marked with ink to show that they have been accredited.

    Governor Idris Wada is expected to arrive Unit Ward 1 in Odu Ward 1, Ogboyaga in Dikena LGA for his accreditation.

    According to party agents and observers, accreditation began at exactly 8am at Odu Ogbeyaha Market, where there are two polling units.

    A party agent, Aliyudeen Omedibo said there were no issues with card readers.

  • Kogi poll: Dekina under security lock

    Kogi poll: Dekina under security lock

    As the Kogi guber poll commences, there are reports that there is security lock down at Dekina local government council.

    Details later…