The Nation Newspaper

Category: Verdict 2015

Election in Nigeria 2015

  • Governorship election maybe shifted in Borno

    The governorship election in Borno State may be shifted forward till Sunday, The Nation gathered on Saturday.

    Our correspondent discovered that the Labour Party logo was not printed on the initial ballot papers for the gubernatorial election supplied to Borno State.

    At the time of filling this report, the new ballot papers were yet to be supplied across the state.

    The Borno State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Samuel Madaki, said the ballot papers will be conveyed by plane from Gombe to the southern part of Borno State.

    The Nation learnt that if the distribution of the ballot papers is not done in time, the governorship election may be shifted for a day.

  • Polls: Obasanjo lauds peaceful process

    Polls: Obasanjo lauds peaceful process

    The governorship and state house of Assembly elections began peacefully in most parts of Ogun state with accreditation of registered voters.

    Many of them turned up for the exercise as early as 7:45am and accreditation also took off seamlessly but the number of voters’ in some of the polling units were perceptibly low compared to what obtained during the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who arrived at his polling centre 21 in wards 11, Abeokuta North Local Government Area was accredited at about 10: 30am.

    Also, governor Ibikunle Amosun of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and who is seeking re – election arrived his polling unit 004 at St John’s Nursery and Primary School, Ajura ward 4 in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area was accredited 1:05pm.

    His wife, Olufunso Amosun, was accredited few minutes later.

    However, former President Obasanjo who spoke to reporters after accreditation, lauded the voters for coming out in large number at his unit, said Nigeria is getting it with the 2015 general elections.

    He said subsequent polls in the country would be better with improvement.

    Meanwhile, no fewer than five Police officers including an Inspector and Divisional Police Officer, on election duty in Ogun state were injured when their vehicle crashed in Wasimi village (Ewekoro) along Lagos – Abeokuta expressway.

    It was gathered that the police driver of the Pick – Up patrol van conveying them lost control following bid to evade an obstruction on the road, crashed into a concrete median before it careened on the roadside.

  • PDP chairman killed in Ebonyi

    PDP chairman killed in Ebonyi

    Gunmen suspected to be political thugs in the early hours of Saturday killed the Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, in Ishielu local government area of Ebonyi State, Mr. Emeka Nworie.

    Sources revealed that the late PDP chairman was attacked at his house in Ezzagu and shot severally by his assailants on different parts of his body until he died.

    The state’s police spokesman, ASP Chris Anyanwu, confirmed the incident to our reporter.

    He said the incident took place at around 3:00am on Saturday morning.

    Anyanwu said the assailants, before killing the PDP chief asked for money which was generously given to them after which they proceeded to shoot him to death.

    The state has witnessed several politically motivated killings since last November.

    Two persons were killed earlier in the week when supporters of PDP and  the Labour Party clashed in Ikwo.

  • 2015 Polls: Low turn out of voters in Ogun

    2015 Polls: Low turn out of voters in Ogun

    Accreditation of voters started as early as 8:20am in most of the polling units in Akute, Ajuwon, Alagbole, Ifo local government areas of Ogun state.

    ‎In polling unit 9, Fabolude, Akute area, accreditation started at 8:20am with about 572 registered voters in this Unit.

    In Unit 008, Ward 6, Fabolude, accreditation started at about the same time but with 586 registered voters in this unit.

    In Unit 11, Ishasi, it was a different story when The Nation visited the polling unit.

    As at 10:00am, not a single voter had been accredited. Although INEC officials were available at the unit as early as 8am, accreditation could start because the card readers did not work.

    The Polling Officer at the Unit explained that the card readers had since been returned to RAC for checks.

    He told The Nation that the option of manual accreditation of voters was completely rejected by party agents, hence, no electoral activity has taken place.

    When this reporter returned to the unit at 11:30am, intending voters were seen sitting in small groups, waiting for when the card readers would be returned.

    INEC officials there were also still expecting “further directive” from their superior officers.

    In Ogunlowo Unit 005, Ward 6, located in Akute‎/ Ajuwon, voters’ accreditation began at about 8:30am with total registered voters being 488.

    Oladipo Adebisi, Adekunle Olaoye, and Jimoh Ibrahim, agents of APC, PDP and SDP respectively, expressed satisfaction with the accreditation process.

    Ibrahim said voters took time before coming out because INEC officials did not arrive early during the Presidential elections; so they expected same today.

    A voter, Mrs. Bello Bolatito, confirmed the smooth flow of the accreditation. She said the turn out today is more impressive than that of a fortnight.

    Asked why she stayed back after accreditation, she simply said: “I want to see everything myself; I have brought my food along and there are food vendors around here, so no problem,” she said.

    Similarly on Moses Adebayo street, Lagos state, voting commenced at 1:10pm in Unit 019, Ward B, Ojodu, Lagos with about 416 accredited voters in this unit.

    Mrs. Muhammud Kayafat, an agent to one of the political parties, told The Nation that the process had been peaceful since the commencement of accreditation till voting started.

  • Low voters’ turnout in Kano

    Low voters’ turnout in Kano

    Low voters’ turnout greets the gubernatorial and state House of Assembly elections in most areas visited by our Correspondent in Kano.

    In places like Sabon Gari, Brigade Quarters, Tudun Wada, Taurani and Ungogo, voters did not turn out in large numbers like they did during the presidential and National Assembly elections.

    However, in areas like Gwagwaruwa, Kurna Asabe, Gingiyu, Jirgiya, Albasu town, and Ganduje, the home town of Kano State Deputy Governor who is the All Progressive Congress governorship candidate, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, voters turned out en mass to perform their civic responsibilities.

    Our correspondent observed that as early as 6:00am, the Independent National Electoral Commission officials and security men on duty were already at the polling units, waiting for voters to come for accreditation which commenced properly at 8:00am.

    Though not pronounced, there were pockets of crises recorded in few places, but security agencies were always on ground to handle the situation.

  • Explosion, sporadic shooting in Buguma, other towns in Rivers

    At least two persons were feared killed in Buguma town, headquarters of Asari Toru local government area of Rivers State when armed youths blew up a public building.

    Sources said the building in Kalabari National College was set ablaze because the gunmen, who entered the town on Friday night, thought that sensitive election materials were being kept there.

    A source said, “When we got to Buguma, thick smoke was coming out of the town. They said the boys entered the community last night and they went to where they thought election material were being kept and blew it.

    It was however gathered that the security operatives have moved into the town and restore sanity at the time of this report.

    Reports from Ahoada East and Ogba/Ndoni/Egbema LGAs also indicated that scores of persons were injured when gunmen invaded polling units and carted away election materials.

    In Usokun community in Degema LGA, pandemonium broke out when a gang of armed youths hijacked election materials and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission in presence of security operatives.

    “There was sporadic shooting as a group of boys came to take away ballot boxes, materials, INEC materials and security operatives,” a voters at the scene said.

    In Egi, Omoku area of ONELGA, our reporter was told that gunmen made away with materials meant for Ward 9, while people were waiting to be accredited. Election materials were also reportedly hijacked at Obogoro, Ward 5.

    Meanwhile, in Abonnema community of Akuku-Toru LGA, it was gathered that the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Chief Fenibo Jack and other members of the All Progressive Congress have gone into hiding after gunmen, reportedly led by a former warlord in the area invaded the town in search of APC supporters.

    Abonnema is the home town of Minister of Sport, Dr. Tamunno Danagogo.

  • APC cries out over violence, voting disruptions in Lagos, Rivers, Ondo

    APC cries out over violence, voting disruptions in Lagos, Rivers, Ondo

    The All Progressives Congress on Saturday alerted the security agencies to cases of violence and disruption of voting in several areas of Lagos, Rivers and Ondo states, urging them to swing into action to ameliorate the situation.

    In a statement issued in Lagos on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said in many parts of Lagos, thugs are on rampage, shooting sporadically to scare away voters and carting away voting materials.

    It said the development confirmed earlier statements that some parties had been engaging in gun running in Lagos, with a view to arming thugs to disrupt the polls.

    Some of the cases are listed as follows:

    – Armed thugs attack in Abule Okuta area of Bariga LCDA. Their sporadic shootings have disrupted the accreditation exercise in the area as INEC officials, voters and residents scamper for safety.

    – Thugs harassing and intimidating APC agents, and INEC officials are refusing to show result sheets to APC agents who demand such. There are fears that those results sheets may have been handed over to some individuals.

    – Agents of the opposition storm Polling Units in Apapa Ward A Unit 009 with persons who do not belong to the Polling Units and they were accredited

    – OPC thugs under police protection attacking voters and INEC officials all over Lagos.

    – No Electoral Officers in PUs in Ogudu, a known APC stronghold.

    – Police in Iyana Ipaja arresting intending voters holding PVCs and locking them up in police stations, thus preventing their accreditation

    – Electoral materials hijacked in many Polling Units in Ibeju Lekki. PDP thugs waylay INEC officials, vowed to kill them if they come to the PUs.

    – Ballot boxes snatched in three Polling Units in Eti-Osa LG

    – Shortage of Card Readers in many Polling Units in Ikorodu.

     

    RIVERS

    – Over 50 soldiers have been posted to Nyesom Wike’s residence in Old GRA area of Port Harcourt. The troops have been harassing people in the area.

    – Home of Commissioner for Women Affairs in Rivers State, Joeba West, set ablaze in Buguma.

    – INEC registration area centre in Kalabari National College in Buguma also set ablaze

    – Police patrol vehicle also burnt in Buguma by suspected thugs.

     

  • Accreditation: Lawmaker applauds INEC

    Accreditation: Lawmaker applauds INEC

    All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos State House of Assembly candidate, Honourable Olarenwaju Layode has applauded the ongoing accreditation exercise in Badagry, describing it as an improvement on the March 28 elections.

    The lawmaker, who is seeking another term to represent Badagry Constituency 1 said, “It has been okay today compared to what happened in the last election.

    “The process is now part of our people and I can assure you that there would not be any problem. I have spoken with my colleagues across the area and the responses have been very commendable.

    “The INEC officials came early with the ballot papers unlike in the last election where the people had to wait after accreditation for the ballot papers to be brought,” he said.

    Layode predicted that Alhaja Safurat Layode Abdukareem, his sister and running mate to People’s
    Democratic Party’s governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje, would soon defect to the APC.

    The lawmaker, who is seeking another term, said the family has always belonged to progressive parties; adding “My sister would soon quit the PDP to join the progressive party, APC. She lost gallantly here during the presidential election and would equally lose woefully today.

    “Our family has always belonged to progressive parties but I guess she joined the PDP because of marriage. She would soon return to where she truly belongs.”

    Speaking after being accredited, Alhaja Safurat Abdukareem noted that being in a different political party from his brother should not bring about any quarrel, adding:” In my family, we were all given the
    freedom to belong to  wherever we want, so, there shouldn’t be any reason to fight. We are one family.”

    Assessing the accreditation exercise, she said: “There is a remarkable improvement in the exercise today. They have designed ways to get the people accredited with ease and it is good to see that the people came out in large number.”

    The accreditation exercise commenced at exactly 8am across the area as electoral officers and security agents arrived few minutes after 7am with soldiers mounting road blocks at strategic points.

    The electorate also acknowledged that there is an improvement on the performance of the Card Reader machines being used for the accreditation.

    One of them, Hon Nasiru Abdugafar, said: “We are satisfied with how the Card Reader has worked today. The accreditation has been very smooth and fast but it could have been better if we were allowed to vote immediately. The implication of not doing so is that many people will go home and may not have the energy to come back again.”

  • Lagos REC tours polling units

    Lagos REC tours polling units

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos State, Mr. Akin Orebiyi, has begun a tour of poling units across the state.

    His first port of call was Ward 08, Unit 20 at about 10:45am.

    At the unit, he asked polling officers on the challenges they have faced so far and was told that everything was going on smoothly.

    One of the prospective voters at the unit, Mrs. JB Ogunlaja, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for a job well done.

    She added that the card reader was working very well, and also praised INEC staff and security agents for arriving well on time.

  • 2015 Polls: Large voters’ turnout in Niger

    2015 Polls: Large voters’ turnout in Niger

    In Niger State the turn out of electorates in Minna the state capital was relatively fair while in Kontagora axis of the state, large number of voters were seen on queues as early as 7 am awaiting the electoral officers for accreditation.

    Reports from other parts of the state showed that the accreditation did not start on time but when it eventually did, it was peacefully conducted.

    Unlike during the Presidential and national assembly elections, the Smart Card Reader Machines were found to be more efficient during the elections in most polling units visited.  

    In Bida, Lapai and Mokwa voters came out in large numbers while in Borgu and Magama local government areas of the state accreditation did not start until 9:30am due to late arrival of electoral officers as a result of delay in distribution of election materials.