Election in Nigeria 2015
All Progressives Congress gubernatorial candidate, Abubakar Sani Bello is leading in early results of the Niger State governorship elections held Saturday.
Prelimanry reports from Chanchaga, Bida, Shiroro, Magama, Kontagora, Borgu, Rijau, Rafi and Suleja local government areas areas showed that he is leading from the result collated at the various polling units.
The party is equally coasting home to victory in Lapai,Tafa, Edati, Lavun and Mokwa local government areas of the state.
The Peoples Democratic (PDP) was in early lead in the governorship and State Assembly elections in ten of the sixteen local government councils of Taraba state on Saturday.
The PDP which fielded Darius Dickson Ishaku was leading in Wukari, Donga, Karimlamido, Kurmi, Bali, Takum, Ussa, Zing, Yorro and Jalingo -the state capital.
Bali local government area had voted for the President Elect Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in the presidential election. but the people however voted for the PDP in Saturday’s guber polls.
Ailing Governor Danbaba Suntai left the Government House in Jalingo early morning to his village Suntai to vote for his PDP candidate (Ishaku).
A heavy crowd swarmed him, some shielding tears of love and joy. They queued behind him to vote for PDP.
Suntai voted in his Maman 012 polling unit of Suntai Ward.
The governor did his accreditation and voting in his official car.
The PDP was also leading in the House of Assembly elections.
The PDP candidates in Wukari I and II constituencies were already declared winners as at press time.
Mean while the elections in Kashimbilla and Malushe areas of Takum were postponed for Sunday.
National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Chief John Oyegun on Saturday escaped defeat at his polling unit for the first time since 1999.
Oyegun secured victory for the APC at his Unit one Ward two polling unit in Oredo Local Government Area.
The APC polled 54 votes to defeat the PDP who secured 48 votes at Unit one for the Oredo East Constituency seat in the Edo State House of Assembly.
In unit two, the APC candidate, Osaigbovo Iyoha polled 49 votes to defeat the PDP candidates who scored 43 votes.
President Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, said on Saturday that government officials and other agents of state who work to subvert the nation’s constitution will not go unpunished.
Buhari told journalists at his country home in Katsina that whether in the opposition or in the ruling party nobody that work against the constitution will be allowed to enjoy the privileges conferred by the constitution.
While insisting that he will work in concert with the National Assembly to ensure constitutional amendment where necessary, the President elect said he will encourage the implementation of the Justice Mohammed Uwais report especially as it relates to the institution of a special court to try electoral offenders.
He said: “I will look for understanding and cooperation from the National Assembly when a change of the constitution or electoral act is necessary. So for me to make up my mind here and later try to lobby is out of it because some of them, if they are very hard, they will give me a tough time.
“I will say that I haven’t read the Uwais report, but I have read a few of the extracts from the papers, I think it is a good thing and we will encourage it. But we need to get a comprehensive report from the field.
“The running battle from Rivers, south east and the rest of the South south, especially by governors Rotimi Amaechi, Rochas Okorocha and Adams Oshiomhole with INEC officials and law enforcement agencies is remarkable and I think it has to be totally exposed so that Nigerians will know which of the law enforcement agencies and at what levels are undermining the constitution of Nigeria because the electoral act is derived from the constitution of the country. So that in future, those who are in position will know that they are not beyond the law.
Four aides of South West leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Buruji Kashamu, were arrested Saturday by security operatives on suspicion of committing elections related offences.
The quartet which included Kashamu’s driver and nephew, were apprehended in Ijebu – Itele in Ogun East local government area of Ogun state during the governorship and house of assembly elections.
The two others were alleged to have adorned uniforms of the Mobile Police (MOPOL).
It was gathered that the suspects were riding in an unmarked jeep said to belong to Kashamu, who doubled as the Senator-elect on the ticket of PDP for Ogun East Senatorial seat.
But Kashamu, who spoke with reporters shortly after casting his vote at Ward 06, polling Unit 26, in Ijebu – Igbo, admitted that his aides were arrested while on a legitimate errand at Itele community.
He said his aides were in the area to deliver money meant for the payment of the PDP party agents working at the polls.
Kashamu said; “that is true but we cannot call it arrest. I am the South West chairman Mobilisation and Organisation Committee and of course, I am entitled to INEC pass. But I am a little bit ill and couldn’t go out.
“And last night when they were trying to distribute money to party agents, they couldn’t get enough money and I was told that Ijebu East needed N500, 000 which I gave to them. I sent one of my niece with two colleagues and a tag on my Range Rover vehicle.”
“So, when they got there, the APC, headed by the former deputy governorship candidate in the 2011 general election, Tunde Oladunjoye decided to block them and used their power because they felt they are in power in Ogun state and that they have the backing of all the military. From there, they were arrested.”
Despite the orgy of violence across Rivers State, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, is maintaining a slight lead over his Peoples Democratic Party rival, Nyisom Wike, in the early governorship results obtained from the oil-rich state.
Results so far declared in some polling units across the state on Saturday evening showed that the APC and the PDP earned victories in their major areas.
The Director of Communications for Peterside’s Greater Together Campaign Organisation, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said: “In Port Harcourt Ward 018 Polling Unit 012, APC scored 130, while PDP received 84 votes.
However in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Ward 003 PU 001, PDP scored 62 votes and APC recorded 41. In Eleme Alode Ward 2, out of the 11 available polling units, APC won in nine, while PDP secured victory in two.
“The results await the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s), confirmation and announcement,” Semenitari stated.
Though the governorship and state house of Assembly elections that took place nationwide Saturday was generally peaceful in Akwa Ibom State, 10 corps members and a soldier were reportedly arrested at the home of a retired General and former NYSC Director, Gen. Edet Akpan, by men of the Department of Security Service for electoral offences.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barr Austin Okojie gave this report while taking a break from the election to brief the press in Uyo, the state capital.
Okojie who reacted to general complains about late arrival of result sheets and compromise by some INEC officials said INEC received sensitive materials on Tuesday, despatched to local government areas on Thursday for early dispatch to polling units.
He regretted that the issue of late arrival of result sheets is never the policy of INEC, as the commission has no reason to withhold any sensitive material.
“The issue of late arrival of result sheet should not even arise because we issue all the sensitive materials at once and have trained and warned our electoral officers against dispatching any electoral material to politicians.”
Okojie who reported cases of violence in Uyo, Ibesikpo, Nsit Ubium and Mkpat Enin, Nsit Ibom and Etinan local government areas said these are basically security issues and commended security agencies for being alive to their responsibilities.
He further reported prompt replacement of card readers in areas where a few were reported to have malfunctioned.
The governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party in Adamawa State, Malam Nuhu Ribadu and his Peoples Democratic Movement counterpart, Dr. Ahmed Modibbo Mohammed, have pledge to accept the results of the election in good faith following the peaceful conduct of the exercise in the state.
They commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for the considerable improvements noticed during the election, describing the turnout of voters as impressive.
Specifically they lauded INEC for improving on the use of the card readers which had drawn criticism from some stakeholders during and after the March 28 presidential elections.
Speaking with reporters in Yola immediately after casting his vote at Dedore polling units, Bako ward in Yola South local government area of the state, Ribadu said the conduct of the polls was satisfactory and peaceful.
He also described as commendable the way and manner the electorates conducted themselves in the state, saying reports reaching him indicated that the elections were largely peaceful, orderly and with impressive number of registered voters.
Ribadu explained that the conduct was devoid of violence which was contrary to the initial insinuations, fears and anxiety generated around the state preparatory to the election.
“The insinuations created fears in the people, but you can see that the election is free of violence and peaceful, the people have conducted themselves well,” he stated.
Speaking at his residence in Yola shortly after his accreditation at Toungo ward, Modibbo said the conduct of the polls was impressive as voters conducted themselves in orderly manner.
He praised the INEC for improving on the use of the card readers, saying the commission has improved in its performance since the presidential election.
The Peoples Democratic Party candidate chieftain in Southwest, Chief Bode George, lost in his polling unit during Saturday’s governorship poll in Lagos.
His party polled 87 votes, while the All Progressive Congress scored 137.
Mr. Jimi Agbaje is PDP’s governorship candidate in the state, while Akinwunmi Ambode is flying the APC flag in the poll.
Like the Presidential Poll in Rivers State where a lot of INEC materials were hijacked by unknown gun men, the Governorship and State House of Assembly polls in some identified risk areas also witnessed a repeat of what happened during Presidential poll in the state.
There were shooting and hijack of electoral materials in Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre,Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Gokana, Buguma and Asari/Toru Local governments areas of Rivers State.
In Ikwerre Local government area, the LGA of Governor Chibuike Amaechi where one Mr. Henry Worgu, an APC leader was shot; He was immediately rushed to the hospital and a source from his family said the APC supporter is in a critical condition.
Under this Local government, INEC officials and materials arrives the various communities and units at about 10:40-10:57 am and accreditation started late including voting.
Though, elections were peaceful in some of the communities in the area.
At Igwuruta in Ikwerre Local Government, unit 5 and 6 were cancelled by the INEC due to suspected irregularity.
Ward 3, unit 5 of Elele community was also cancelled after some unknown armed thugs stormed the unit and hijacked the voting materials.
Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local government had been on negative news of political killing for the past two weeks and voters were not surprise on the turnout of event during the governorship and House of Assembly elections in the area.
The APC youth leader in the area Hon. Cleaver Orukwowu was murdered by unknown gunmen in military uniforms by 12:01pm.
He was shot while trying to resist the armed men from carrying the electoral materials.
INEC materials at Omoku, Egi ward 5 and 6 were also carted away by armed thugs.
Another APC supporter in Ogba/Ebema/Ndoni Local government whose name was yet to be confirmed when this report was filed was reportedly shot death at Omoku town while arguing with the opponent that the materials sent to their units were fakes.
The APC chairman in the area, Mr. Felix Ejechi who confirmed the killing of its members in the area said most of the polling units in Ogba/Ebema/Ndoni Local government area witnessed shooting and hijack of INEC materials by armed thugs allegedly suspected to be members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said, “Gunmen have taken hostage of most of the wards and units in the area, for now two persons in the area have been confirmed death. Most of the materials brought in were fakes; of course, we cannot accept that, but to ensure that those units were cancelled.”
Reacting on the fake materials, the INEC National Commissioner in-charge of Akwa-Ibom, Cross Rivers and Rivers State, Thelma Iremiren said the issue of fake materials on the field is a mere rumoure that should not be considered by voters.
At Etche Local government area, some wards are not experiencing election while other communities are exercising their civic responsibility. This is was due to a security report that a police officer in the area was arrested with voting material and result sheets belonging to the wards where elections were not taking place.
In Obio/Akpor Local government area, the home town of the PDP governorship candidate in Rivers State Chief Nyesom Wike, armed men invaded some wards in the area and carted away electoral materials.
At ward 15 and 16, INEC materials was hijacked but APC in the area mobilized their supporters to ensure that election in the two wards was cancelled. They protested immediately at the INEC office in the area and the wards was canceled and rescheduled for tomorrow.
However apart from the areas where hoodlums invaded, the elections generally were peaceful in some part of the State.