Category: Lead

Gunmen have killed the abducted All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Coordinator in Ahoada-West Local Government Area of Rivers State, Chisom Lennard.

The gunmen, dressed in police uniform, reportedly whisked Lennard away during voting for the Governorship and Assembly elections at Ibagwa polling unit 2 ward 10 in Ahoada West LGA

The APC stalwart was said to have tried to stop the gunmen from snatching electoral materials when they seized and took him away.

Rivers APC Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju confirmed the incident.

Read Also: Gunmen abduct Rivers House of Assembly candidate 

Nwauju said: “He was abducted from his unit during the voting process and taking away.Nobody knew where they took him to. It was later in the evening of yesterday (Saturday) that his body was discovered.

“He was APC LGA Caretaker chairman and was a PHD student at the Rivers State University.”

Lennard’s body was seen riddled with bullets in the pool of his blood along the Ibueahi-Ubeta road in Ahoada-West LGA.

The late APC chieftain was said to be an estate surveyor and a former board member of the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority during the tenure of Rotimi Amaechi.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Grace Iringe-Koko, said she would find out from the Ahoada Area command.

…Tight race in Kano, Ogun, Delta, Abia, Ebonyi, Bauchi, others

• Malami, Diri, Lai Mohammed, others hail conduct of polls
• Voter apathy, sporadic violence in several states nationwide
• Lagos LP candidate Rhodes-Vivour trying to incite violence – APC
• ANALYSIS: Understanding low voter turnout in governorship polls

By Emmanuel Oladesu/Precious Igbonwelundu/Kolade Adeyemi,Jos/Sunny Nwankwo,Umuahia/Ogo Anioke,Abakaliki/ Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his All Progressives Congress (APC) appear to be heading for victory in yesterday’s governorship and house of assembly elections after recovering from the shock of the party’s unexpected defeat in last month’s presidential election in the state.

Early results in Kwara State are also in favour of Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRasaq and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.

Same applies to PDP’s Siminilaye Fubara in River State and APC’s Prince Bassey Otu in Cross River.

The results however show tight contests in Ogun State between incumbent Governor Dapo Abiodun and PDP’s Ladipo Adebutu, and in Ebonyi State between APC’s Francis Nwifuru, All Progressive Grand Alliance’s (APGA’s) Bernard Odoh and PDP’s Ifeanyi Odii. But Abiodun, in a tweet on his official handle @dabiodunMFR at about 10pm yesterday assured his supporters that there was no cause for alarm.

His words: “With the look of things, it is safe to tell our well-wishers ‘e lo fokan bale’ DA 4+4 is sacrosanct!”

Many of the results were on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal last night.

Information Minister Lai Mohammed, Bayelsa State Governor Duoye Diri and Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Mr Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) hailed the conduct of the polls.

Labour Party’s (LP’s) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, who had hoped to cash in on the momentum of his party’s defeat of the APC in the presidential election, was roundly beaten across the state yesterday, losing his polling unit 01 at Oshifila Street, Anifowoshe, Ikeja to Sanwo-Olu.

Rhodes-Vivour polled only 18 votes to the governor’s 29 while Peoples Democratic Party’s Olajide Adeniran got only two.

An apparently disappointed Rhodes-Vivour accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the police of “provoking Lagosians”. Labour Party’s (LP’s) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, who had hoped to cash in on the momentum of his party’s defeat of the APC in the presidential election, was roundly beaten across the state yesterday, losing his polling unit 01 at Oshifila Street, Anifowoshe, Ikeja to Sanwo-Olu.

Rhodes-Vivour polled only 18 votes to the governor’s 29 while Peoples Democratic Party’s Olajide Adeniran got only two.

An apparently disappointed Rhodes-Vivour accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the police of “provoking Lagosians”.

He threatened that “if tonight Lagos catches fire, it is not our fault.”

The APC said the LP candidate’s statement portrayed him as a bad loser.

Spokesman for APC in the state, Seye Oladejo, said in a statement that “this scaremongering is typical of bad losers who lack the spirit of sportsmanship.”

Oladejo asked the security agencies to take note of Mr Rhodes-Vivour’s “threat to set Lagos on fire as his predilection for violence and warmongering is well known to Nigerians.”

He added: “Should there be any breakdown of law and order in any part of our state, law enforcement agencies should know who to grab – Mr Rhodes-Vivour.

“We are compiling reports of how APC supporters were harassed and attacked today. Some of the reports are really scary.

“Now the LP candidate is playing the victim. This old trick won’t work. Discerning Lagosians know they are all lies deployed to attract sympathy. Our party has no need to be violent because we are sure of the glittering credentials of our candidate Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, who will never be associated with violence.

“We advise LP and its candidate to embrace peace instead of threatening to bring down the roof on everybody. It won’t work.”

Rhodes-Vivour had in a tweet alleged intimidation of LP supporters in the state, saying: “From all over Lagos, we are getting distressing reports of voter intimidation, voter suppression. The worrying thing about this is that INEC and the police have shown to be complicit in this.

“INEC still has hours to do the right thing. With the help of security agencies, the commission will be able to calm down a lot of things. A lot of areas are still under intense attacks by thugs and hooligans of the APC.

“I call on INEC, most especially, and the police not to set Lagos on fire. This is a state that houses 22 million people. Having that many people angry because of being disenfranchised is not something Nigeria needs now.”

Some of the results in Lagos:

Ibeju-Lekki local government Governorship Result: APC: 1,535; PDP: 124; LP: 226

House of Assembly results: APC: 1483; PDP: 176; LP: 218

Final Results at Ward F Agege: Governorship

 APC: 3292; LP: 929; PDP: 214

House of Assembly APC: 3126; LP: 1003; PDP: 191.

Ikosi-Ejirin LCDA Governorship: APC: 6594; PDP: 1181; LP: 159

Ibeju-Lekki LG Ward A Governorship: APC: 1,535; PDP:176; LP:218

Reports from Kwara State showed that Governor AbdulRasak recorded 867 votes in Oro Ward 1 against 456 for PDP’s Alhaji Shuaib Yaman Abdullah. The governor also got 1788 votes in Oro Ward 2 while Abdullah received 600.

The results reflect the trend of voting across the state yesterday.

APC, PDP in close race in Ebonyi

The APC and PDP are locked in a close race in the Ebonyi State governorship election.

The APC flag bearer Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru appears to be in the lead in most local governments in Ebonyi North senatorial zone.

He is also getting lots of votes across all the local governments in Ebonyi South zone except in Onicha local government area, the home base of PDP’s  Ifeanyi Odii.

The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Bernard Odoh, is leading in some local governments in Ebonyi Central, especially Ezza North and Ishielu. He is also doing well in Afikpo North.

Mr Odii is doing well in Abakaliki Urban and across many local government areas.

Read Also: BREAKING: LP’s Rhodes-Vivour loses polling unit to Sanwo-Olu

In all, it appears to be a tight race between the PDP and APC. Their performance in key swing local governments like Ịkwọ and Afikpo South may determine the winner of the elections.

Suspected hoodlums shot dead as violence, apathy rear head

Although turnout of voters was generally low across the country, there were scattered incidents of violence.

Some suspected hoodlums were shot dead while attempting to disrupt the elections.

One of such was shot dead at Ago Palace Way area of Lagos after allegedly snatching a ballot box at Jemtok.

A voter, who gave his name as Innocent Chukwudi, said the suspect had seized the phones of some journalists who were recording his action.

“The same thug seized some journalists’ phones, saying nobody should do a video of him at the scene. He was yelling that people should do ‘whatever you want to do and leave here. We do not need Red Cross or journalists here,’ Chukwudi said.

“As he picked the ballot box, the policemen shouted at him to drop the box and shot him when he resisted. The man died on the spot and he was taken away by the operatives.”

Hoodlums also struck at Oke-Afa, Surulere, Amuwo Odofin, Isheri-Osun and Ikate areas of the state.

Police arrest ‘thugs’ with five pump action guns in Anambra

The police in Anambra State arrested five suspected political thugs with guns in the state, according to online publication, The Cable.

It quoted the police as saying: “Five armed thugs (have been) arrested in Ihiala Anambra State where four pump actions (were) recovered. Further development shall be communicated.”

Briefing journalists on the development,  Aderemi Adeoye, Commissioner of Police in charge of elections in Anambra, said the suspects were “brought into the secretariat” by a local government official.

“The second one is at Iyiala LGA, where a local government official brought in armed thugs to the secretariat. The thugs have been arrested. They are five in number,” he said.

 “Five pump-action guns have been recovered and the thugs have been detained,” he said.

“We did warn from the outset that we will not tolerate thuggery and snatching of boxes, and we will come hard on anyone who violates the electoral act and guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of this election,” he added.

IGP storms Jos for election monitoring

Police Inspector General Usman Alkali Baba flew to Jos yesterday to personally monitor the election in Plateau State.

He commended the Police and other Security agencies for their synergy in providing adequate security for the polls.

The IGP stated this evening while briefing Journalists at the Plateau State Police Command headquarters in Jos, while on election monitoring to some states.

“I have seen compliance in terms of restriction of movement. I have seen compliance in terms of people coming out to vote in orderliness and I have seen synergy among the security agencies in trying to police the election process,” the IGP said.

2023 polls most credible, transparent – Lai Mohammed

Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed described the 2023 polls as one of the most transparent and credible ever held in the country.

The minister spoke in his home town, Oro, Kwara State while speaking with newsmen after casting his vote in the governorship and state assembly elections.

Mohammed, who voted at about 9.45 a.m. at Polling Unit 006, Oro Ward 2, said the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) was a game changer in tackling the issues of multiple accreditations, voting and rigging.

“With what I have observed both in the February 25 and today’s elections, there has been a remarkable improvement in the performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

“Without any doubt, the introduction of BVAS has been a game changer in the sense that with BVAS, you are able to get the actual number of people who are accredited.

“Also with BVAS, it is now not possible for you to vote twice because your biometric and facial are captured.

“That explained why though INEC said there were 84 million voters in Nigeria, the last election showed that only about 24 million people cast their votes,” he said.

The minister said in spite of the obvious improvements in the electoral process, he was worried about the controversy that trailed the outcomes of the February 25 Presidential and National Assemblies elections.

He said most of the issues being raised about the credibility of INEC in conducting the polls were distractive.

According to the minister, the electoral law does not recognise electronic voting while the decision of a federal high court in Abuja gives INEC the power to determine the manner it collates and transmits election results.

Mohammed said he was happy that some of the aggrieved parties in the concluded elections had approached the court to ventilate their grievances.

He, however, berated the activities of some non-state actors making analysis and propositions which he said were incendiary and injurious to the harmonious and peaceful co-existence of Nigeria.

The minister said the activities of some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) had also been very unhelpful because many of them came out to unjustifiably discredit INEC and set one ethnic and religion against the other

He said the media should also be circumspect of what they report on the elections and must show professionalism in the discharge of their duties.

“What we noticed is that some media houses had taken position for one candidate and this makes rubbish of most of the analysis we see on their platforms,” he said.

Wike thumbs up INEC for improved conduct of election

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike said he noticed an improvement in INEC’s performance yesterday.

“From what I have seen, and I have not heard any complaints, I can say they’ve done very well. So, it’s just a question of percentage. They have improved more than what we had on the 25th of February,” Wike said after casting his vote in Ward 9, Unit 7, Rumueprikom in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.

“I’m happy with the peaceful nature of the election. It means that the security agencies are doing what they are supposed to do.”

He commended the security agencies for ensuring a peaceful election atmosphere in the area, although he said voters’ turnout could have been better.

INEC has improved, says NBA

Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Mr Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) said there was noticeable improvement on the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The NBA President spoke during a virtual news conference from Kebbi, where he observed the elections.

Maikyau said that from the reports of the 210 observers the association deployed across the country, there was an improvement in INEC’s performance in the elections.

According to Maikyau, based on the preliminary reports, 33.6 per cent of their 210 election observers nationwide scored INEC high, saying the conduct of the election so far is satisfactory.

He said that according to the preliminary reports, there was significant improvement in the deployment of polling materials and personnel by INEC.

“INEC officials arrived polling units on time and voting started at 8:30 am across many polling units and this appears to be the trend across the nation.”

NBA equally reported that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines (BVAS) functioned very well during the elections and that voting ended earlier unlike the previous elections.

The association, however, said it observed that there were pockets of violence in some states including Lagos.

His words: “Our observers on the field said there were incidences of violence in some polling units including Lagos State.

“In a certain polling unit, it was reported that thugs attacked voters who were not voting for a particular party.

“We have verified video report sent by our observers, which showed thugs openly announcing on the streets in Ajegunle that any voter who will not vote a particular political party should not come out to vote.”

The NBA president also said that cases of vote buying were also noticed by their observers.

“We also observed that there was vote buying across the country, even in some places where I observed the elections.

“There seem to be some discouragement among the political parties, knowing that it is difficult to do so without being caught. But you can also see that voters are also expecting that they will be approached for the purpose of buying their votes.”

While commending the conduct of security personnel and party agents, the association observed that some polling units were not manned by security agents.

Maikyau said that the NBA would continue to update Nigerians on the outcome of the elections as it continued to receive reports from its observers on the field.

Jonathan, Diri condemn destruction of ballot materials

Former President Goodluck Jonathan and Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri condemned the destruction, hijacking of ballot boxes and Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices during the House of Assembly polls in parts of the state.

Four wards in Ogbia Constituency 2 in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state, Yenagoa Ward 8 and 9, Ogboloma Ward 7 in Yenagoa and some constituencies in the state were marred by snatching of ballot boxes, destruction of BVAS by unidentified thugs and burning of electoral materials.

Though the election started late in some polling units in the state, many people  believed that yesterday’s  polls were an improvement on the last general elections in terms of early arrivals of polling materials.

Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, while casting his vote at Ward 13, Unit 39 in Otuoke, Ogbia LGA, condemned the alleged hijacking and burning of election materials.

 He called for the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators to serve as a deterrent in future elections.

Governor Diri deplored the destruction of ballot materials in four wards under Constituency 2 in Ogbia by suspected party thugs in compromise with some armed security men.

He claimed that all the voting materials meant for Ogbia wards 2, 3, 4 and 5 in the House of Assembly election in the state were reportedly carted away by the armed men and hoodlums in the early hours of Saturday.

The materials were also said to have been burnt.

Diri described the act as highly condemnable and warned those behind any form of electoral violence in the state to desist forthwith as the full weight of the law would be brought down on culprits.

The Bayelsa State governor called on the Commissioner of Police to arrest the perpetrators of the act and ensure that anyone found culpable was brought to book.

He said his administration abhors any form of criminality, especially electoral violence as it prevents the electorate from exercising their franchise.

Diri restated his position that elections should be about the ballot and not bullets, as it is not a war situation.

It was gathered that thugs launched renewed attacks on Yenagoa Constituency 2, Wards 8 and 9 with the snatching of ballot boxes and other voting materials.

LP’s Otti raises the alarm over ‘plot’ by PDP to rob him of victory

The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, yesterday alleged that the ruling PDP government in the state was in the process of robbing his party of victory in the governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

“From virtually all the results uploaded and released, Labour Party won by landslide. Unfortunately the PDP government has refused to allow some of the results stand, and they are doing this with the active connivance of some compromised INEC Staff and some security agents,” Otti said in a statement.

“The LGs involved are Obingwa where the outgoing governor is from, Osisioma, Aba North and Aba South where we won overwhelmingly.

“Obingwa is a very interesting case, because in the majority of the wards, with the active connivance of INEC, the BIVAS was not used, so they are making effort to push in fake results.”

He asked the Federal government and INEC to ensure that “the right thing is done in Abia State. So I expect that any result that is not coming out of BIVAS accreditation will not be accepted.

“I urge the INEC chairman to prevail on the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Abia and other INEC staff to give peace a chance and ensure that the right thing is done.”

APC, NNPP in verbal war over Kano election results

The APC and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kano State yesterday launched into a war of words with each side accusing the other of rigging in the elections.

The NNPP presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwanso, fired the first salvo when he accused the APC of vote-buying and rigging in the state.

But spokesman for the APC governorship campaign council , Muhammad Garba, said NNPP was sharing fake results to cover up its failure in the election.

Garba, therefore, urged the people of the state to disregard the fake results.

He said: “With the result of Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections showing the All Progressives Congress (APC) in early lead in Kano, the party has called on its members, supporters and the public to be wary of unauthenticated election results been circulated by the opposition New Nigeria People’s Party with a view to inciting violence.

“The NNPP, apparently sensing defeat, shared the fake results to deceive the unsuspecting public that the election might have been rigged.

“We called the people in the state to await the outcome of the election from official channels and not allow themselves to be used to cause trouble.”

PDP accuses INEC, APC of seeking to rig in Ogun

The Ogun State chapter of PDP claimed that the Army and INEC officials were conniving with APC to manipulate the results in the state.

Spokesman for the opposition party, Akinloye Bankole, alleged that soldiers were deployed to aides of the Governor and APC chieftains “who have been moving from one collation centre to the other, sending other party agents away and changing the results already announced at the polling units.”

He added: “We will not stand by and allow a mandate given by the people to be stolen by those who should protect the fairness of the poll.

“We are hereby calling on the Department of the State Security Services to disarm these operatives and warn the GOC to call his troops deployed for Afolabi at Oke Ilewo to pull back immediately.”

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rescheduled voting for today in 10 polling units at Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lagos, following disagreements over the relocation of the polling units.

Voting has also been rescheduled for today in Butura Ward in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State as well as Asari-Toru Local Government Area (LGA) and parts of Degema LGA in Rivers State.

The commission had moved the 10 polling units to locations outside the gate of the VGC as against their original designated spots.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the State, Mr Olusegun Agbaje, told newsmen after speaking with the residents that voting would now be held today between 8.30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m.

He said the residents had earlier been informed of the relocation of the polling units to spots outside the VGC gate following an alleged hostage-taking of INEC officials during the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections.

He said: “We had an issue during the February 25 presidential and National Assembly Elections when our corps member ad-hoc staff claimed that they were held hostage till about 4 am on February 26.

“Most of them were hesitant to come here today.

“Consequently, we sent a message to the estate leadership to inform them that today’s elections would be held in front of the gate.

“We mobilised and our officials were here before 8 a.m., but the estate’s leadership claimed that non-resident hoodlums might destabilise the process outside the gate. So, they did not feel secure.”

Agbaje added that statistics show that VGC has eight polling units at the VGC Park and two others outside the park, all designated by INEC.

He said also that statistics showed that there were 6,024 registered voters in the city, 5,624 of whom collected their Permanent Voter Cards.

“When we got here, we saw a different situation where it was even difficult for security operatives to contain.

Read Also: INEC has improved on polls, says NBA

“I had to inform INEC national headquarters about the situation and it was agreed that we should mobilise here tomorrow morning at 8.30 to conduct the election.

“We are still appealing to the corps members to come on Sunday. But if they don’t come, we shall mobilise our regular staff because they will be free after today’s exercise,” Agbaje said.

In Plateau State, INEC rescheduled voting in Butura Ward in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State to today, owning to logistics problem.

The state INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Oliver Agundu, told reporters that election materials such as ballot papers meant for the ward were taken to another LGA in error.

He said that in order not to disenfranchise members of the community, the election in the area would now hold on Sunday, March 19.

He regretted any inconveniences caused by the delay and eventual shift of the election.

He urged members of the community to come out in their numbers to exercise their franchise.

In the case of Rivers State, rescheduled voting will take place in Asari-Toru Local Government Area (LGA) and parts of Degema LGA.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State, Dr. Johnson Sinikiem, said elections were not conducted in the affected places yesterday “as a result of the voters resisting deployment of election officials and materials for Governorship and State.”

He added: “House of Assembly election. Voters and other stakeholders demanded seeing the Ward Collation Officers before they would allow election to commence.

“At Ward 14 of Degema LGA, voters equally demanded that the SPO must come to the RAC with collation sheet which is the responsibility of Collation Officers, thereby not allowing election to hold.

“Standing on this premise and relying on section 24 of the Electoral Act 2022, the INEC has decided to conduct the election of Asari-Toru local Government Area and Ward 14 of Degema Local Government Area on the 19 of March, 2023.”

•Adamu, Rhodes-Vivour, Ortom, Folarin lose

Yusuf Alli, Moses Emorinken, Keffi, Tajudeen Adebanjo, Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta, Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin, AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Kaduna, Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

President, Muhammadu Buhari , President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Oyo State governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, and his Anambra State counterpart, Chukwuma Soludo  won  their polling units in the Governorship and House of Assembly elections held across the country yesterday.

  Rivers State PDP governorship candidate, Sim Fubara, Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, APC governorship candidate in the state, Senator Uba Sani also caged their opponents in their various units.

But National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, Oyo APC governorship candidate, Teslim Folarin and Labour Party’s governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, all fell like packs of cards in their units. 

President  Buhari gave the APC in Katsina State a resounding victory by winning the governorship and State House of Assembly elections in his ward.

The APC scored 261 votes  to beat  the PDP which polled 32 votes. The NNPP  didn’t get a single vote in the election .

Similarly, the APC scored 240 votes in the State House of Assembly election while PDP scored 50 votes.

In Lagos State, the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, won his unit to give the incumbent governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, a bright chance in the election.

The APC candidate polled 43 votes, his closest contender, the Labour Party candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, had five votes, while the National Rescue Movement had one vote.

Tinubu’s wife and First Lady in-waiting, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, won her Polling Unit 034 at Falomo, Lagos, for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

In the poll results announced at the polling unit, APC polled 66 votes as against 21 by the Labour Party, one by the PDP, one by the ADC with one declared void by the INEC official. In the House of Assembly election, APC scored 68 votes to defeat Labour Party which polled 20 votes. The PDP scored two votes with one void.

APC Lagos West Senator-elect, Dr Idiat Adebule also delivered her Polling Unit 029, Iba in Ojo for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and House of Assembly candidate Segun Ege.

APC polled 115 votes leaving the Labour Party (LP) candidate with 57 votes. PDP came third with seven votes.

APC got 113 votes in the  House of Assembly result.  Labour Party garnered 52 votes while the PDP struggled to get only seven votes.

Lagos State PDP governorship candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, put up a brave fight in the election as he defeated his closest rival, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. 

Jandor, as the PDP candidate is popularly called, polled 79 votes while Sanwo-Olu secured 66 votes. Rhodes-Vivour got just a vote as consolation in the unit.

In the House of Assembly election, PDP won with 81 votes against 76 polled by the APC. Labour Party again got just a vote.

Anambra State governor, Chukwuma Soludo showed class against the rampaging LP supporters as he successfully delivered his Isuofia Ward in Aguata Local Government Area for the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.

The former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, led APGA to score 1,900 votes to beat the Labour Party, LP, which polled 431 votes. The YPP beat the PDP which scored 33 votes to clinch the third position with 258.

Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun won the governorship election conducted at former governor Olusegun Osoba’s polling unit 15 ward 14 situating at Open field. near Chief Omololu house, Ibara House Estate, Abeokuta.

Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 89 votes to defeat his main challenger, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu of the PDP, who garnered 43 votes.

Senator Ibikunle Amosun backed candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Barr. Olubiyi Otegbeye scored 36 votes.

Kwara State governor, AbdulRaman Abdulrazaq wore the victory crown  as he was declared winner of the election in his Idigba ward polling unit 004.

Abdulrazaq is seeking reelection under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state polled 243 votes in the governorship ballot as against PDP’s 58.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed delivered his polling unit 006 Oro Ward 2 in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State with 174 votes in the governorship election.

The Peoples Democratic Party came second with 22 votes while the Social Democratic Party polled 16 votes. Labour Party didn’t record any votes.

Similarly, former senate president and the leader of the PDP in the state, Dr Bukola Saraki also delivered his polling unit

The PDP polled 240 and 204 in the polling unit 005 and 006, Ode Opobiyi, Ajikobi in Ilorin West Local Government Area while the APC scored 55 and 99 respectively.

The PDP governorship candidate, Alhaji Shuaib Abdullahi Yaman also won on his Tsonga ward 1 at Polling unit 003, Kuchita primary school, Edu Local Government Area where he polled 243 votes against 24 scored by the APC.

PDP’s Plateau State governorship candidate, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang, also  won his Pushik 1 polling unit in Ampang West, Mangu local government area of the State.

He scored a total of 723 to defeat the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, and that of the Labour Party, LP, Dr. Patrick Dakum.

Yilwatda scored 22 votes while Dakum scored only two votes at the polling unit.

The PDP also showed class in Oyo State where Governor Seyi Makinde, won with 174 votes. The APC scored 28, Accord Party scored 5, Labour Party scored 3 votes. Four votes were voided.

Makinde was  also won the polling unit of candidate of Accord Party, Bayo Adelabu.

He  polled 60 to defeat Adelabu of Accord, who scored 38 and Teslim Folarin of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with 22 votes.

Adelabu casts his vote at polling unit 10, Ward 9 in Ibadan South East Local Government area of the state.

The total registered voters is 472, while accredited was 138.

In Kaduna State, the incumbent governor, Nasir El-Rufai, won his Polling Unit 024 Ungwan Sarki, Kaduna give victory to the APC.

With the towering clout of the governor, the APC candidate, Senator Uba Sani polled  257  votes to beat  the PDP candidate, Isa Ashiru who scored 81 votes in the governorship poll.

The APC governorship candidate, Senator Uba Sani floored the PDP and other parties at his own Polling Unit in Kawo, Kaduna North Local Government Area.

Sani scored 85 votes to defeat his closest contender, PDP’s Isa Ashiru who polled 54 votes, while Senator Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi of NNPP scored 12 votes.

 In Enugu State, APC guber candidate, Chief Uche Nnaji proved pundits wrong as he beat his opponents to emerge winner of his polling unit. 

Nnaji polled 74 votes in his Ogbashi Polling Unit 15  to beat his closest opponent Peter Mbah who polled eight  votes.  Frank Nweke of APGA polled 4 votes while Edeoga of Labour Party polled no vote.

Nnaji  equally got  a sweet victory in an  adjoining polling unit at Ogbashi Polling Unit 16, Ward 3.  He got  75 votes defeating Mba, Edeoga and Nweke who polled 4, 2 and 0 votes respectively.

Labour Party governorship candidate in Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti LP fired a warning message to the ruling PDP about his readiness to replace the incumbent governor, Okezie Ipkeazu as he  swept polling unit 023 at St. Stephen’s Primary School with 61 votes in Umuahia.

His closest rival, Enyinnaya Nwafor of the Young Peoples Party, YPP, came a distant second with six votes.

All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Professor Greg Ibe came third with five votes.

PDP’s Okey Ahiwe got just two votes while Chief Ikechi Emenike of the APC and Bishop Sunday Onuoha of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, scored one vote respectively.

Cross River State governor, Ben  Ayade won his polling unit 033, Ipong Ward for the APC. In the governorship election the APC scored 283 to beat the PDP which polled 11votes. LP got 10 votes while ADC got a vote.

The ruling party also subdued the LP in the House of Assembly election.

 The APC polled 164 votes, LP 140 votes  and PDP seven votes.

Adamu, Rhodes-Vivour, Ortom, Folarin  lose 

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, on Saturday lost his polling unit – Angwan Rimi Ward, GRA (A1), Keffi, Nasarawa State to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the governorship and House of Assembly elections.

In the governorship race, while the APC garnered 129 votes, the PDP led with 158 votes. Other parties’ results are: LP, 0; NNPP, 0; and SDP, 1.

The flag bearer of the APC in the gubernatorial election, who is also the current governor of Nasarawa State is Engr. Abdullahi Sule, while the candidate for the PDP is Dr. David Ombugadu.

In the House of Assembly election, the PDP also led with 133 votes, which was closely followed by the APC with 108 votes. Other parties’ results are: LP, 5; NNPP, 1; SDP, 33; AA, 1; and APGA, 1.

In another polling unit, GRA (GC – PB), Keffi, Nasarawa State, monitored by The Nation, the PDP led the Governorship poll with 218 votes, while the APC had 110 votes. Other parties’ results are: LP, 2; NNPP, 3; and SDP, 2.

In the House of Assembly election, the PDP also led with 202 votes, while the APC had 97 votes. Other parties’ results are: LP, 10; NNPP, 1; SDP, 25; NRM, 2; and APGA, 1.

Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom was politically demystified by APC governorship candidate, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia in Benue State Government House, Makurdi .  Ortom lost the two polling units to the APC.

Father Alia polled 130 votes to defeat PDP’s candidate, Engr. Titus Uba, who scored 43 votes at the Arts theatre polling unit 011.

At the Protocol polling unit 022, APC scored 36 votes while PDP scored 10 votes.

But it wasn’t a good news for the APC in Oyo State where the candidate Teslim Folarin was seriously pummeled in his polling unit at Idi Ose in Ona Ara Local Government Area of Oyo State  by PDP’s Seyi Makinde.

Folarin polled 89 votes while Governor Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, 196 votes.

Adebayo Adelabu, the gubernatorial flag bearer of Accord Party, AP, got only six votes.

LP’s governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour was humiliated at his polling unit 045, OSHIFILA/Abule Igbira of Ikeja Local Government, by the incumbent governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. He polled 18 votes against Sanwo-Olu’S 29. 

Gbadebo’s fate was also shared by the  governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Akwa Ibom State, Uduakobong Udoh who lost his polling unit to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Umo Eno, the PDP governorship candidate, defeated Mr Udoh in Ward 11 Unit 11 in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

Eno polled 86 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Bassey Albert of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) who scored 57 votes.

Mr Udoh came a distant third with 35 votes.

Bauchi State deputy governor was made to look insignificant in his unit by the  APC.

APC governorship candidate in Bauchi, Sadique Abubakar, defeated Governor Bala Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Unit 036, Kofar Adamu Umar in Azare Local Government Area

The deputy governor, Baba Tela, cast his vote at the unit.

Abubakar polled 165 votes; the PDP got 113.

The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour has lost his polling unit to the governorship candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Sanwo-Olu polled 29 while Rhodes-Vivour garnered 18 votes in PU 045 Anifowoshe, Ikeja.

The Nation reports Sanwo-Olu won his Polling Unit 006, Ward governorship candidate of the E3, Eiyekole, Lagos Island in a landslide victory. 

Full results:

Guber

APC-29 

LP -18 

PDP -2

House of Assembly 

APC- 34 

Labour Party -15 

PDP – 1

• Four others to face probe panel

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the compulsory retirement of the Chief Judge of Taraba State High Court , Justice Philibus F. B. Andetur with immediate effect.

The recommendation was directed to Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State.

Justice Andetur was recommended for compulsory retirement following his indictment in a petition written against him by Senator Muhammed Sanusi Dagash.

According to a statement by NJC’s Director of Information, Soji Oye, the council took the decision at its 101 meeting held on March 16.

Dagash, it was said, had in the petition accused the Chief Judge of suppressing judgment by failing to deliver judgment in Suit No: TRSJ/134/17 involving Mallam Kassim Yahaya Ahmad Vs Shittu Wurmo & Shuwari Farms Limited.

The statement noted that, though the constitution provides that court’s decision must be delivered within three months after the adoption of final addresses, Justice Andetur was said to have failed to deliver judgment for 30 months after the adoption of final addresses by lawyers to the parties.

The NJC found that the Chief Judge breached the provisions of S.294 (1) of the 1999 Constitution and therefore, recommended him for compulsory retirement with immediate effect to Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State.

The council said, in the interim, and in exercise of its disciplinary powers under the constitution, it has suspended Justice Andetur from office pending his compulsory retirement by the state governor.

It directed Justice Andetur to hand over to the next most senior judge in the state.

The NJC also considered the report of one of its Complaints Assessment Committees and agreed with the committee’s recommendation to empanel four committees to further investigate four of the seven petitions forwarded to it while it dismissed three others.

One of the three petitions was dismissed for being subjudice and the remaining two were dismissed because the affected judges had retired from service and by virtue of Rule 18(2) (h) of the NJC Judicial Discipline Regulations 2017, the judges, having retired, are no longer under the disciplinary control of the council.

Similarly, the Council was said to have considered the list of candidates presented by its Interview Committee and at the end of deliberation, recommended the appointment of six Heads of Courts and five judges for the High Court of Plateau State.

The Heads of Courts are Justice Ikpambese Maurice Ahemba as Chief Judge for Benue State; Justice Hafsat Abdulrahman

as Chief Judge for Adamawa State; Justice Abiodun Ayodele Adebara as Chief Judge for Kwara State, and Justice Iyabo Subulade Yerima as the Chief Judge for Oyo State.

Others are Hon. Kadi Ibrahim Wakili Sudi as Grand Kadi for Sharia Court of Appeal, Adamawa State and

Hon. Justice Audu James Balami as President, Customary Court of Appeal, Adamawa State.

The NJC also recommended the appointment of five lawyers as judges of the High Court of Plateau State.

They are Charles Donglong, Ashahabu Suleiman Wase,

Shikamma Kassam Sheltu, Mary Abah Izam and Nanle Titus Komak

The statement added that the NJC equally received notification of retirements of eight judges of the federal and state courts and notification of death of a Court of Appeal Justice.

• Court orders commission to transmit Akwa Ibom poll results electronically

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed how results from polling units will be transmitted after the governorship and House of Assembly elections taking place across  the federation today.

Speaking on Arise News yesterday,  the Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said the Commission had learnt worthy lessons from the Presidential and National Assembly polls.

Okoye stressed that the law has prescribed a dual mode of either transmission of results or transfer of results.

He explained that the Presiding Officer who superintended the polling unit would enter the scores of the various political parties in form EC8A which is the polling unit-level result after the conclusion of elections in various units, adding that presiding officers must sign that particular and copies must be given to relevant stakeholders.

“The PO will sign that particular result sheet and stamp it, the PU agent or party agent if available will also countersign and copies will be given to them and the police.”

 Okoye added: “That original result will be what will be scanned and uploaded to our INEC Result Viewing Portal for public viewing. Not only that, the accreditation data that have arisen from that polling unit will also be uploaded, but the physical result and the BVAS itself will also be taken to the Registration Area Collation centre.”

He also stressed that the Collation Officer would be able to verify the original results, the BVAS, have the benefit of looking at the accreditation data as transmitted and the result sheet as transmitted from the polling unit.

“That is the dual mode which the law has prescribed for the Commission and that is the mode that we’re going to use for the purpose of this election,” he said.

Okoye further stated that results would be transmitted on IREV as soon as the polls closed from various polling units.

“The Commission is determined to improve on its previous performance. What we have done is to learn valuable lessons from previous elections that we conducted, and we’re going to put those lessons into our planning purposes and processes, and into our deployment purposes.”

Okoye added that INEC is prepared to conduct the 28 governorship and 993 state assembly constituency elections.

“It’s a huge election and INEC will be paying very close attention to what is going on in the various states.”

The Commission has, however, been ordered to electronically transmit today’s  Governorship and House of Assembly election results in accordance with its regulations and guidelines.

A Federal High Court, Abuja, gave the order on Friday.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu, in a judgment, also ordered the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation  System  (BVAS) to upload a scanned copy of the EC8A to INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) immediately after the completion of all the polling units voting and results’ procedures in Akwa Ibom.

 The commission was equally instructed by Justice Egwuatu to conspicuously paste the publication of its result posters EC60(E) at polling units after completing the EC8A result sheets in the state.

He equally ordered INEC to enforce the observance and compliance of Section 27(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022 in the distribution of electoral materials during the conduct of the polls in the state by engaging the services of independent, competent, and reliable logistic companies who are non-partisans or known supporters of any political for the distribution of electoral materials and personnel.

Egwuatu held that since the electoral umpire averred in its filed affidavit that it was aware of its responsibilities under the law and had not failed to carry them out, granting the prayers sought by the applicants would not do any harm to the commission but instead, energise its performance.

He gave the judgment following a suit filed by the Labour Party (LP) and its governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom, Uduakobong Udoh, including 13 state Houses of Assembly candidates for the March 18 elections.

The applicants, in the originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/334/2023 dated and filed on March 15 by their lawyer, Moses Usoh-Abia, had sued INEC as sole defendant.

The applicants, who sought seven reliefs, prayed the court for an order of mandamus compelling INEC and all its agents to comply with and enforce the provision of Clause 37 of the Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of the Saturday’s governorship and house of assembly elections in Akwa Ibom.

They also prayed the court to mandate the presiding officers of all polling units to conspicuously paste the publication of result posters EC460(E) at the polling units after completing the EC8A result sheets.

They sought an order of mandamus compelling the commission to mandate the presiding officers of all polling units in the state to electronically transmit or transfer the result of the polling units, direct to the collation system and use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to upload a scanned copy of the EC8A to INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) immediately after the completion of all the polling units voting and results procedures.

They said this was in compliance with the provision of Clause 38 of the guidelines for the conduct of the polls.

The applicants equally prayed for an order directing INEC to enforce the observance and compliance of Section 27(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022 in the distribution of electoral materials during the conduct of the polls by engaging the services of independent, competent, and reliable logistic companies who are non-partisans or known supporters of any political for the distribution of electoral materials and personnel, among other reliefs.

• States now allowed to generate, transmit, distribute electricity

By Tony Akowe, and Nicholas Kalu,. Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law the fifth alteration to the 1999 Constitution requiring the President and Governors to send the list of ministers and commissioners to the legislature within 60 days after inauguration.

The bill, fifth alteration no 23 which is one of the bills which got two third approvals of state legislatures was sent to the President for assent by the National Assembly.

A statement from the House Committee on Constitution Review disclosed that the President has signed the bill no 23 and 15 alterations into law.

The statement, however, did not state when the bills were signed by the President, but quoted the Chairman of the Committee and Deputy Speaker as commending the President for signing the bills into law.

Bill number 23 seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to require the President and Governors to submit the names of persons nominated as ministers or commissioners within 60 of taking the oath of office for confirmation by the Senate or State House of Assembly.

Other bills signed by the President include the Bill that seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for the financial independence of State Houses of Assembly and State Judiciary.

It also includes the Bill that seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to regulate the first session and inauguration of members-elect of the National and State Houses of Assembly; and for related matters.

Others are “the bill that seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to delete the reference to the provisions of the Criminal Code, Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Act, Criminal Procedure Code or Evidence Act;

“The Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to exclude the period of intervening events in the computation of time for determining pre-election petitions, election petitions and appeals;

“The Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for the post call qualification of the Secretary of the National Judicial Council; and for related matters.

“The Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to delete the item “prisons” in the Exclusive Legislative List and redesignate it as “Correctional Services” in the Concurrent Legislative List;

“The Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to move the item “railways” from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List;

“The Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to allow States generate, transmit and distribute electricity in areas covered by the national grid;

“The Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to require the President and Governors to submit the names of persons nominated as Ministers or Commissioners within sixty days of taking the oath of office for confirmation by the Senate or State House of Assembly;

“The Bill seeks alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to correct the error in the definition of the boundary of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; and

“The Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to require the Government to direct its policy towards ensuring right to food and food security in Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the  16 Constitution Amendment Bills into law.

Wase also lauded members of the 9th National Assembly for working tirelessly to ensure the passage of what he described as momentous legislations, which altered some provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

Wase, who doubles as the Chairman, Special Ad-Hoc Committee on the Review of 1999 Constitution, noted that the Constitution (Fifth Alteration) Bill, 2023 is fragmented into 16 Bills assented as detailed below-

1. Fifth Alteration (No.1), the Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to change the names of Afikpo North and Afikpo South Local Government Areas; and for related matters.

2. Fifth Alteration (No.2), the Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to change the name of Kunchi Local Government Area; and for related matters.

3. Fifth Alteration (No.3), the Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to change the names of Egbado North and Egbado South Local Government Areas; and for related matters.

4. Fifth Alteration (No.4), the Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to correct the name of Atigbo Local Government Area; and for related matters.

5. Fifth Alteration (No.5), the Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to correct the name of Obia/Akpor Local Government Area; and for related matters.

6. Fifth Alteration (No.6), the Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for the financial independence of State Houses of Assembly and State Judiciary; and for related matters.

7. Fifth Alteration (No.8), the Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to regulate the first session and inauguration of members-elect of the National and State Houses of Assembly; and for related matters.

8. Fifth Alteration (No.9), the Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to delete the reference to the provisions of the Criminal Code, Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Act, Criminal Procedure Code or Evidence Act; and for related matters.

9. Fifth Alteration (No.10), the Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to exclude the period of intervening events in the computation of time for determining pre-election petitions, election petitions and appeals; and for related matters.

10. Fifth Alteration (No.12), the Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for the post call qualification of the Secretary of the National Judicial Council; and for related matters.

11. Fifth Alteration (No.15), the Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to delete the item “prisons” in the Exclusive Legislative List and redesignate it as “Correctional Services” in the Concurrent Legislative List; and for related matters.

12. Fifth Alteration (No.16), the Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to move the item “railways” from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List; and for related matters.

13. Fifth Alteration (No.17), the Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to allow States generate, transmit and distribute electricity in areas covered by the national grid; and for related matters.

14. In Fifth Alteration (No.23), the Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to require the President and Governors to submit the names of persons nominated as Ministers or Commissioners within sixty days of taking the oath of office for confirmation by the Senate or State House of Assembly; and for related matters.

15. In Fifth Alteration (No.32), the Bill seeks alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to correct the error in the definition of the boundary of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; and for related matters.

16. In Fifth Alteration (No.34), the Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to require the Government to direct its policy towards ensuring right to food and food security in Nigeria; and for related matters.

Essentially, Fifth Alterations Bills No. 6, 7, 16, and 17 deals with devolution of powers/promoting true Federalism and also strengthening of State Houses of Assembly and Judiciary 

The Deputy Speaker also congratulated members of the 9th National Assembly for working tirelessly to ensure the passage of these legacy legislations.

• Tense gubernatorial contests also expected in Rivers, Kaduna, Delta, Enugu, Abia, Plateau
• Soludo, Obaseki, Adeleke in fierce battles to control Anambra, Edo, Osun assemblies
• 41 National Assembly seats up for grabs in supplementary polls

Hostilities are resuming across the 36 states today as the various political  parties seek to reinforce their  popularity in the governorship and state assembly elections.

At stake are 28 governorship seats and 993 state assembly slots.

Supplementary election into the National Assembly is also expected to be conducted in 15 states today.

The polls are coming three weeks after the presidential election won by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the National Assembly contest also won by the party.

The tension generated ahead of today’s polls snowballed into violence in Ibadan on Thursday when APC supporters clashed with those of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Ile-Tuntun area of Ibadan South East Local Government. Three persons died in the clash.

The Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee called for calm ahead of the polls while expressing worries over ”open threats of intimidation and violence by certain elements within the society.”

Only 11 of the serving governors are seeking re-election today while the tenure of the remaining 17 will expire on May 29 upon the completion of the maximum two terms allowed by the constitution.

The governorship election will take place in Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.

That of Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Osun, and Ondo is ‘off-season’ but the state assembly polls will be conducted in all the states today.

Seeking re-election as governors are Adamu Fintiri (Adamawa), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Muhammad Inuwa (Gombe), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun)Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe) and  Bello Matawalle (Zamfara).

Observers believe that the governorship election will be particularly tough in Lagos, Kano, Rivers, Kaduna, Oyo, Delta, Enugu, Abia, Plateau, Gombe, Nasarawa and Cross River among others, in view of the upsets recorded in the states during the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections.

In Lagos, the APC is determined to reverse its loss to the Labour Party in the presidential election and to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kano.

Sanwo-Olu and other APC leaders, including House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, hit the roads campaigning vigorously for the party.

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, who is on war path with his party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and failed to work for him in the last election, is pulling all the strings to ensure victory for his anointed governorship and state assembly candidates.

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde is believed to be walking a tight rope as he battles to recover the grounds lost by PDP to APC in the last polls in the state.

Makinde is a member of the G-5 in the PDP against Atiku’s aspiration.

The other members of the group are Wike and Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuayi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Samuel Ortom (Benue).

Governors Inuwa and Sule also face an uphill task in their states in their re-election bids.

Governors Ortom, Ugwuanyi, Ikpeazu, Darius Ishaku (Taraba), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Ben Ayade (Cross River), and Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) all lost their bids for the Senate, while Delta Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who is  also the  PDP vice presidential candidate, could not deliver the state for his party.

The upsets provoked a flurry of meetings, consultations, strategy sessions and intense campaigns by the parties with the winners optimistic of repeating their feats today while the losers say they have learnt their lessons and have fixed whatever went wrong the last time.

The upsets have also put many politicians and political appointees under severe pressure to deliver their polling units or wards for their parties today or face the consequences.

At least one local government in Enugu State has suspended payment of salaries and allowances to all political appointees until after the election, with a warning to them to deliver their polling units for  the PDP  today.

The PDP, for the first time since the return of civil rule in 1999, was floored in the state in the presidential election.

Igbo-Etiti Local Government, in a February 28, 2023 memo to its political appointees entitled ‘Cessation of Salaries and Other Allowances’, said: “Be informed that salaries and allowances of all political appointees of the local government council have been put on hold until after the election.

“All concerned (political appointees) are to deliver on their political mandates in their various polling units, etc to the PDP in the elections with evidence thereafter  after which the restrictions on salaries and allowances will be lifted, if need be.”

For Governors Charles Soludo (Anambra), Godwin Obaseki (Edo) and Ademola Adeleke (Osun), their common headache is how their parties can win the majority of the assembly seats and spare themselves the stress of having a hostile legislature.

In Kwara State, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, will be hoping to beat his main challenger from the PDP, Alhaji Shuaib Yaman Abdullahi, for a fresh mandate in Government House ,Ilorin.

The APC is also expected to do well in the state assembly election after making a clean sweep of the National Assembly polls  and delivering the state for its  presidential candidate,Asiwaju Tinubu  with 263,572 votes.

The APC had come from the brink  to keep the PDP and former governor of the state, Dr.Bukola Saraki out of power for at least another four years.

NASS supplementary election scheduled for 15 states

Forty-one National Assembly seats in eight senatorial districts and 33 federal constituencies will be contested alongside the governorship and assembly elections today.

They include the senatorial election in Enugu East which was shifted on account of the death the Labour Party candidate, Oyibo Chukwu, and the House of Representatives election in Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben which was deferred because of the omission of the logo of one of the parties.

Following is a breakdown of the supplementary senatorial election: Enugu East, Kebbi North, Plateau Central, Yobe South, Zamfara Central, and Sokoto East, North and South.

Supplementary elections into the House of Representatives will be conducted in Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika and Ikono/In both in Akwa Ibom State; Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben and Orhionmwon/Uhunmwode in Edo State; Ikeduru/Mbaitoli and Isu/Njaba/Nkwere/Nwangele in Imo State; Doguwa/Tudun Wada and Fagge in Kano State; Arewa/Dandi and Koko/Besse/Maiyoma in Kebbi State; Ibadan North East/Ibadan South East and Oluyole in Oyo State; Gokana/Khana and Port Harcourt II in Rivers State and Ummi/Bukkuyum and Gusau/Tsafein Zamfara State.

The elections will also take place in Takum/Donga/Ussa in Taraba State; Bassa/Dekina in Kogi State; Gumel/Maigatari/Sule Tankarkar/Gagarawa in Jigawa State; Ezza North/Ishielu in Ebonyi State; Southern Ijaw in Bayelsa State and Igbaru in Anambra State.

Abdulsalami: We’re alarmed by threats of intimidation, violence

The Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee warned that the ‘open threats of intimidation and violence by certain elements within the society’ ahead of today’s elections was alarming.

He deplored the resort to ethnic and religious sentiments by some people to achieve their political goals.

He therefore called for calm by all and sundry.

“The presidential election has come and gone. However, problems have arisen from the process of the collation, transmission and release of the final results,” he said in Abuja.

He added: “This has generated the crisis that we now find ourselves in. Notwithstanding all this, we are pleased and encouraged by the mature attitude of the candidates who contested the presidential election.

“We are encouraged by the restraint they have exhibited and their commitment to seek justice through due process. This is in keeping with the spirit of the Peace Accord. We therefore appeal to supporters of all the parties and our citizens to please follow the good example of their leaders and remain law abiding till the process is brought to an end.

“This weekend, on March 18 2023, the second round of elections for the governorship and state assemblies will be conducted. We are worried by the open threats of intimidation and violence by certain elements within the society who are using ethnic and religious labels to achieve their intentions of voter suppression.

“We appeal to the security and law enforcement agencies to remain alert and to bring to book anyone, no matter their position in society, who poses a threat to the peaceful conduct of the elections. We encourage all citizens not to be intimidated and to go out and exercise their God given rights.”

On the same day, suspected thugs of the PDP attacked APC members who were holding a meeting at Ile-Tuntun area of Ibadan South East Local Gvernment Area, killing three people and destroying vehicles.

The APC assembly candidate in Constituency 2, Wariths Alawuje, who was at the meeting, escaped death by a whisker.

17 political parties commit to peaceful election in Sokoto

The 17 political parties participating in the March 18 governorship and state House of Assembly election in Sokoto State have committed to ensuring peaceful polls in the state.

The parties, under the auspices of Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), made the commitment at a press conference in Sokoto.

Alhaji Abba Sidi, the state IPAC Vice Chairman, said the party chairmen had come to an agreement that any person who creates violence during the election should be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

Sidi, the Chairman of Action Peoples Party (APP), said: “We have all agreed that whoever causes any violence before, during and after the election is doing so at his own risk and security agencies should take charge.

“So, our party supporters should take note that we are not going to take responsibility for any election violence.”

Also speaking, Alhaji Isa Sadiq-Achida and Alhaji Bello Goronyo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairmen respectively, said they are all committed to the agreement.

The chairmen, in separate remarks, assured that the political parties had agreed that whoever emerges at the polls would be accepted by all.

“We have made the commitment and accepted such, so the good people of Sokoto State who are eligible to vote should come peacefully without any fear of intimidation to elect their leaders.

“Our gubernatorial candidates have signed a peace accord which we are also committed to,” the Chairmen added.

Lawan launches ward-to-ward campaign for Yobe gov

Senate President Ahmad Lawan on Thursday embarked on a ward-to-ward campaign for Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni ahead of today’s polls.

Buni is seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Lawan, a close ally of Buni, campaigned across his Yobe North Senatorial District to return Buni for a second time and also for all APC candidates for the State House of Assembly.

Shortly after his re-election last month for a fifth term in the Senate, Lawan began intense consultations with his constituents in Yobe North ahead of these Saturday governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

On Thursday, Lawan visited Dumsai/Dogon-Kuka Ward in Nguru Local Government Area, Jajimaji in Karasuwa LGA and ended up in the night at Jakusko LGA.

APGA hopeful of guber victory in Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu — Chairman

All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) National Chairman Victor Oye said the party is contesting the governorship and state assembly elections to win.

Oye told journalists in Awka that APGA would sustain a firmer majority seats in Anambra State House of Assembly because of the quality of governance it has delivered in the state in the last 17 years as well as the quality of candidates it is fielding across the 30 state constituencies.

Oye, who maintained that APGA remained the third largest party in Nigeria, warned the Nigerian electorate and Anambra in particular not to vote according to emotions but credible candidates.

He said that APGA was fielding the best candidates in Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu states in the persons of Prof. Greg Ibe, Prof. Benard Odo and Mr Frank Nweke Jr. respectively.

He said the candidates were the most qualified among their opponents, adding that they were unblemished, exposed and with proven records of public service.

He said: “APGA is going into this election as a strong and formidable force across the country, from Taraba to Benue, Plateau to Abia, and all other states where we have governorship and House of Assembly candidates.

“We hope to win in Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu states, and that will bring the number of states controlled by APGA in the Southeast alone to four and by November, Imo will join.

“For Anambra, we expect nothing less than 30/30 victory for APGA because the party has performed from the time of Mr Peter Obi till now. It has paid salaries regularly, given the state an international airport, sports stadium and convention centre.

“We are not taking support for granted. Prof Chukwuma Soludo is performing excellently well. Anambra people voted for him because they believed in his mission to build a livable and prosperous Ànambra, so they should support him.”

Gobir, YPP guber candidate, steps down for AbdulRazaq

The governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in Kwara State, Waziri Yakubu Gobir, said on Thursday he had stepped down for Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

Gobir told newsmen in Ilorin shortly after a brief meeting with the governor that his decision was in the interest of the state.

According to him, he had extensive deliberations with AbdulRazaq over the past few weeks on how to further move the state forward.

He said: “In the last leg of this election trail, it has become apparent that the best way to achieve the goal we have before us is to forge alliances and combine ideologies.

“To this end, the Young Progressives Party hereby adopts the incumbent Governor as candidate of YPP in the upcoming gubernatorial election.

“I assure you that this decision is not one that was made lightly.

“It was made after weeks of deliberation and a final concession that the incumbent Governor consider some of the policies outlined in my manifesto (the State of Kwara) alongside his equally well-intentioned 10-year Sustainable Development Plan (2021-2030).

No alliance with any political party, I’m not stepping down –Jandor

The PDP governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Abdul-Azeez Adediran a.k.a. Jandor declared that his party had no official alliance with any political party and he was not stepping down for any candidate.

Adediran told reporters in Ikeja that he was the race to win and bring a breath of fresh air.

He urged residents to support his ambition, having presented himself against all odds to challenge the status quo in the state.

His words: “We are here stating that all the rumour that are out there purportedly being sold by some people in some quarters is nothing but false.

“Lagos PDP is not in alliance with any political party. As the candidate of the party, I have not stepped down for anybody, we are not stepping down for anybody, and we are not going to step down for anybody.

“There has not been any formal meeting between Lagos PDP and any political party as such to say that we are on a round-table discussing alliance,” he said.

Adediran claimed he had worked more than any other candidate to meet people in various communities across the 245 wards in the state.

“We have traversed everywhere in the state and we have been able to sell our candidacy which is a radical departure from the stereotyped norm to everybody in Lagos.

“What we need Lagos residents to do in this coming election is to take a critical look at all of us running for this office and make their choice in a free and fair election,” he said.

Adediran, however, noted that the party did not have any issue going into any alliance but only concerned about putting the best foot forward, which he said some leaders truncated.

PDP seals alliance with LP in Nasarawa

The PDP in Nasarawa State sealed a pact with Labour Party (LP) in the state which saw the LP governorship candidate Joseph Ewuga step down for Dr. David Ombugadu.

Former information minister Labaran Maku said in Abuja that the move was to “give us a real state and good governance.”

Enugu leaders of thought endorse Mbah

Leaders of thought from the three senatorial zones of Enugu reaffirmed their support for the PDP governorship candidate, Peter Mbah ,saying their decision was in tandem with the established power rotation principle that has seen power go seamlessly around the three zones.

They appealed to residents of Enugu to help the state to maintain the power rotation tradition in the interest of peace and development.

Ex-Senate president Ken Nnamani said the choice of Mr Mbah resonated with the power rotation principle, justice, and Enugu’s quest for credible and capable leaders.

Why I’m being persecuted, by Obaseki

Edo State Governor  Godwin Obaseki has told youths in the state that the only reason some people are now against him is his refusal to throw open the public purse for looting.

Obaseki, who spoke against the background of the poor showing of his party in the presidential and National Assembly elections said he would not have had a problem “if we had come and said let us do it as they have been doing it.”

He added: “We would not have had a problem.

“Money comes every month, we share the money, there would not have been a problem. Nobody will attack me. But Edo will not make progress.”

Army ready for polls monitoring, says COAS

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Faruk Yahaya vowed ahead of the elections that the military would provide a secure and safe atmosphere for the citizenry to exercise their civic responsibility of choosing their leaders during today’s elections.

He therefore directed formation and unit commanders of the Army to ensure that troops remain professional and apolitical during the polls.

He charged the troops to adhere strictly to the guidelines in the Code of Conduct for Operation Safe Conduct, as any contravention will attract dire consequences.

The army released an updated list of hotlines for monitoring and reporting of emergencies and acts capable of disrupting the coming elections.

It asked the public to call the phone following numbers in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja to report any security breach during the elections.

ABIA STATE – 09029568595;   07067880707

ADAMAWA – 08022750987

AKWA IBOM STATE – 09070077175; 08163256562

ANAMBRA STATE – 08030881453

BAUCHI STATE – 08128063675

BAYELSA STATE – 08107855752; 08143247308

BENUE STATE – 08080754339

BORNO STATE – 09099616160; 08086987079

CROSS RIVER – 08037084192

DELTA STATE – 09044400064; 08144464947

EBONYI STATE – 08158274048

EDO STATE – 09066325953

EKITI STATE – 08037851448

ENUGU STATE – 0903210221208023097458

GOMBE STATE – 07063908779; 08082557782

IMO STATE – 08069587883; 08164120381

JIGAWA STATE – 07017791414; 08100144363

KADUNA STATE – 07031544227; 08028580978; 08035242633

KANO STATE – 08038432656

KASTINA STATE – 08108854061;09012998054

KEBBI STATE – 09130213661

KOGI STATE – 08033217964

KWARA STATE – 09060001270

LAGOS STATE – 07034769430; 09127604098

NASARAWA STATE – 09051009404

NIGER STATE – 07031346425

OGUN STATE – 09116589494; 08032466245

ONDO STATE – 08036130535

OSUN STATE – 09019683922

OYO STATE – 07047703000

PLATEAU STATE – 08037116395; 07031260622

RIVERS STATE – 08064274222

SOKOTO STATE – 07069084570; 07052693532; 08136913284

TARABA STATE – 08136728969;08060902363

YOBE STATE – 08061397656

ZAMFARA STATE – 08140075541

37. FCT – 09114913164; 08186690471; 08079153860; 0816430425509159793968

Police restrict vehicular movement from 12am-6pm

Police Inspector-General Usman Baba placed a restriction on vehicular movement  from 12am to 6pm today across the 36 states.

The federal capital territory (FCT) is excluded from this directive as no election will take place in the area.

Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), observers, and other persons carrying out essential services are also excluded from the restriction.

The police said: “Sequel to the forthcoming Gubernatorial and State Houses of Assembly elections scheduled to hold on the 18th of March, 2023, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, CFR, has ordered the restriction of all forms of vehicular movement on roads, waterways, and other forms of transportation, from 12 am to 6 pm on election day in all states where elections will be conducted with the exception of those on essential services such as INEC Officials, Electoral Observers, Accredited Media and Observers, Ambulances responding to medical emergencies, firefighters, etc,” the statement reads.

“This directive excludes the Federal Capital Territory as no election is being conducted therein.

“Similarly, the IGP reiterates the ban on all security aides to VIPs and escorts from accompanying their principals and politicians to polling booths and collation centres during the election.

“State-established and owned security outfits/organizations, quasi-security units, and privately-owned guard and security outfits are also barred from participating in election security management.”

Vendors of food, alcohol, other consumables barred from polling units

The Police and other Heads of Security Agencies in Oyo State have barred vendors of food, alcohol and other consumables from operating around polling units during the Saturday’s election.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Adebowale Williams, made this known while briefing newsmen on the outcomes of the strategic security meeting of all Heads of Security Agencies and paramilitary organisations on Thursday in Ibadan.

Present at the meeting were the Heads of NSCDC, FRSC, Nigerian Army, Customs, NDLEA, DSS, Nigeria Correctional Service, among others.

He said the measure was to secure a safe and conducive environment for the electorate in the interest of Public Order and Safety, the extant ban on the following remains in force; VIP escorts, accompanying their principals to polling units.

He said: “Vendors of food, alcohol and other consumables shall not be allowed to operate around polling units/wards as no opportunity shall be created for points of negotiation to aid vote-buying.

“Going armed is a criminal offence and would be viewed seriously on. On election day, don’t be caught with as little as a knife being in your pocket.

“In addition, residents are advised against placing physical objects such as bricks, wooden materials or stones on streets and major roads under the guise of recreation as it might debar immediate intervention during times of distress.

Williams said that a total number of 15,000 personnel of all the security agencies in the state would be deployed for the Saturday elections, while every area would be adequately monitored.