The Nation Newspaper

Category: Verdict 2015

Election in Nigeria 2015

  • INEC equips ad hoc staff with life jackets

    INEC equips ad hoc staff with life jackets

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday said more than 300 life jackets had been provided for ad hoc staff posted to the riverine communities in Epe for Saturday elections.

    Mr Okpighe Henry, the INEC Electoral Officer in Epe, Lagos State, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    Henry said that the commission had also made provision for quality canoes and flying boats to convey the workers on election duties to the riverine areas.

    The electoral officer also said that adequate arrangements had also been made with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) for the transportation of INEC ad hoc staff and election materials by road.

    He said that the commission had perfected work on the area of lapses discovered during the March 28 elections.

    Henry assured people of Epe that INEC would ensure free, fair, credible and peaceful elections on Saturday.

    He lauded the efforts of stakeholders toward the successful conduct of the presidential and National Assembly elections in the area.

  • Rivers: Ogunsakin urges special squad to be neutral

    Rivers: Ogunsakin urges special squad to be neutral

    The Assistant Inspector-General (AIG), of Police Zone six, Tunde Ogunsakin has given marching order to policemen on election duty in Rivers state to ensure professionalism and neutrality in their duty posts or risk sack.

    Ogunsakin gave the order, Friday in Port Harcourt while addressing the special team of Mobile Police men drawn from parts of the country for Saturday’s governorship and state House of Assembly general elections in the state.

    Also in his speech, the Election Duty state Commissioner of Police (CP), Hassan Hosea Karma strictly charged them to ensure that peaceful and credible elections are conducted their respective locations, without any loss of life and no one disenfranchised.

    The AIG who noted that Saturday’s election was crucial to all Nigerians, including the Police Force, warned against Policemen escorting politicians in and out of polling units.

    He said a monitoring team has already been set up to monitor the conducts and activities of the men on their duty posts and threatened that any police man caught in any nefarious activity, including escorting politician, aiding manipulation at the polling units among others would be sanctioned, and prosecuted together with his principal.

    “The success of this election rests squarely on you doing what you are known for. Election is a divine moment to check and find out whether you will be rewarded with promotion, rewarded for doing what is good and right or whether you will be punished for doing what is wrong.

    “The election we are doing on Saturday is very important to Nigerian Police, Nigerians on the whole and all of us, I urge you that as we post you to your different locations, to imbibe the tenets of what Mobile Police is known for.

    “You are directed to go out there to be fair to all the parties, and do your work as professional policemen. I see all of you ready to go out there to do what is right, be polite, strong and do your work effectively anywhere you are posted to carry out your duty.

    “You are going to be posted to eight different areas for action. We are not unaware that some criminals are planning to cause havoc, and wherever you find yourself, you are supposed to be as agile as possible and to deal mainly with anybody that will cause break down of law and order.

    “There will be no sacred cow. Let me warn you, if you are posted anywhere, know that Policemen are not expected to escort VIP or whatever name you call him, every politician, voter should go and cast his/her votes quietly and go back to their homes.

    “Every police man on this election duty must behave professionally. The Mobile Policemen I am addressing are going to be as fair as possible, we are not politicians, we do not belong to any political party, so there is no reason to take side,” he insisted.

    The men who were drawn from Benin in Edo state, Abuja Federal Capital Territory, Awka, Onitsha Anambra and Bayelsa states, were posted to Ahoada, Bori in Ogoni and Port Harcourt Divisions.

    “Do your work the way it is supposed to be done, ensure there is no violent, loss of life anywhere, you will be rewarded. Allow every legitimate voter to go and cast his/her vote for the candidate of their choice, the world is watching you.

    “Mopol men are special people, you are our last hope, do not disappoint us.

    “Avoid accidental discharge, but if you see somebody carrying any illegal weapon, he must not go,” Karma sounded warned.

     

  • Ondo APC opens situation office for Assembly Poll

    Ondo APC opens situation office for Assembly Poll

    All Progressives Congress(APC) in Ondo State has opened a situation room for the purpose of Monitoring Saturday’s house of Assembly Election in the state.

    A statement issued in Akure by the Secretary of Media Committee of APC, Charles Titiloye, directed members and the general public to call the following Hotline of the situation room to report events in their polling unit and collation centres as it relates to the said election.

    Besides, it said “You can also share picture taken during the election with us for adequate media coverage with these Numbers 08134529554, 08174160170.”

    The Party called on APC supporters to troop out enmass and vote on Saturday.

  • Guber election: Security agents warn ballot box snatchers, hoodlums

    Guber election: Security agents warn ballot box snatchers, hoodlums

    Ahead of saturday’s governorship and state houses of assembly elections across the country, the 222 battalion, Zone 2 of Sector 1, JTF, Pulo Shield, Agbarha-Otor, Nigeria Police Force, NPF, Nigeria Civil Defense Corps, Vigilance group, Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC and Red Cross Friday embarked on a show of force across its command in readiness for the election.

    Among the local government areas covered during the show of force by the 222 battalion and other security agents were Ethiope East, Ughelli North/South, Udu, Ndokwa North/East, Isoko North/ South, Patani, Okpe and Bomadi local government areas of Delta State.

    The Commanding Officer, 222 battalion, Lt. Col. Mathew Oyekola who led the security agencies across the eleven local government areas of Delta State, warned all ballot box snatchers, desperate politicians, hoodlums, assassins to beware of polling booths or be ready to face the wrought of the security agents.

    Oyekola who said his men and other security agents around his command will not entertained any form of electoral crime before, during and after the general elections, explained that his command will not compromise to any undue electoral process that will deter the smooth process of the today’s elections.

    Speaking further, the Commanding Office, Oyekola said that his command had before now deployed security agents to all strategic areas that are prone to electoral violence and ones spotted as grounds for ballot snatching, hoodlums and political malpractices.

    Oyekola said, “We came out to for this show of force to tell our parents, brothers and sisters around these areas my command is covering that there is no need for them to be afraid since the security agents are there to protect them during the election. They should go and cast their vote without violence.

    “We were not unaware of the prone violence areas in my command and how some of this desperate politician have been carrying out their operation in their areas but we are we out to tell them that we are up to the task and that is what we will continue to maintain throughout today election.

    “You and l know that the Nigeria police are saddled with the responsibility of protecting the ballot boxes and all the polling units, but we will be there to ensure that the electorates who are out to cast their votes are protected without harassment from anybody in the disguise of anything to disrupt the exercise.”

     

  • April 11 poll: NSCDC deploys 2,000 officers for elections in Lagos

    April 11 poll: NSCDC deploys 2,000 officers for elections in Lagos

    The Lagos State Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Friday said it would deploy 2,000 personnel to monitor Saturday’s Governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state.

    The commandant, Mr Gabriel Abafi, made the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) while speaking on the readiness of the organisation for the elections.

    Abafi, said that the corps’ personnel had been adequately briefed on what is expected of them in assisting other security agencies to ensure a fair and violence-free elections.

    He said that its personnel would serve in the 20 local government areas of the state.

    “We have put necessary measures in place towards effectively monitoring to ensure the elections are violence-free.

    “The command will not tolerate any form of indiscipline from anybody and anyone caught trying to cause unrest will be arrested and prosecuted,’’ Abafi told NAN on telephone.

    He also said that the command was aware of areas that are prone to election violence, adding that its officers were fully prepared for the task.

    The commandant said the NSCDC surveillance team would be moving around during the elections due to the metropolitan nature of Lagos to curtail violence.

    “Any `area boy’ or miscreant found loitering around during the elections will be arrested and taken to the appropriate place for necessary prosecution,’’ he said.

    He cautioned youth against carrying dangerous weapons around voting centres, noting that anybody found with such would be arrested immediately.

    He appealed to youths to shun vices and ensure they were not used as instruments to cause violence and disruption of the elections.

  • Polling Centres: Police to arrest politicians with armed security

    Polling Centres: Police to arrest politicians with armed security

    Preparatory to Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections, the Nigeria police Friday vowed to arrest any political office holder who parades polling centres with armed security personnel.

    Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Training and Development, Mr. Olufemi Adenaike told reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital while speaking on the level of preparations for Saturday’s election.

    He added that, the police authorities has deployed all necessary personnel across the 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory so as to record another huge success like that of presidential and national assembly polls in the country.

    Mr. Adenaike said that the “the police would not allow any political office holders to carry guns and ammunitions to the polling booths in order not allow any intimidation of voters during the poll.”

    He said that; “the political office holders should comport themselves according to the law of the land by going to the polling booths to cast their votes without ‎any intimidation whatsoever.”

    Adenaike who said he was in Kwara to supervise the elections added that, the people should obey the restriction period of 8am to the 5pm.

    He said that, police would not allow any movement of people across the length and breadth of the country so as to prevent any alleged plans by any politicians to move voters to other places in the country.

    ‎He said that, the police was poised to achieve another success like the last presidential and national elections across the country.

    Adenaike who described Kwara as a peaceful state said that, the people of the state should come out without any hindrance to cast their votes.

  • Elections: Edo Compol sues for peace

    The Commissioner of Police in Edo State has told Hon. Samson Osagie of the APC and Pharmacist Mathew Urhuonghide of PDP in the Edo South Senatorial poll suspended in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, last month by INEC, to prevail on their supporters to ensure that the remaining part of the election scheduled for Saturday, is conducted under a peaceful atmosphere.

    COMPOL Adegbuyi stated this when he invited the two major contestants to have an audience with security chiefs in Edo State.

    The meeting held at the office of the Commissioner of Police, Edo Police Command headquarters, Benin City, Friday.

    ” The reason why we assemble here is to synergise and put in place a conducive atmosphere for the successful conduct of the forthcoming election slated for 11th of April, 2015.

    ” This meeting becomes inevitable in view of the tension already generating in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State.

    ” There is need to task both candidates, the APC senatorial candidate Rt. Hon. Samson Osagie, the PDP senatorial candidate Pharmacist Mathew Urhuoghide to advise all their teeming supporters that the remaining part of the electoral process be conducted under a peaceful atmosphere…. while security agents present would maintain law and other,” the police boss stressed.

    In their separate responses, Rt. Hon. Osagie and Urhoghide reaffirmed their commitment to a peaceful election in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the Edo State.

    They however appealed to the police commissioner and other security chiefs present to ensure that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, sensitive material and personnel are closely monitored and protected before, during and after the elections.

    The senatorial hopefuls warned any person who may want to foment trouble during and after the polls to have a rethink as their political ambition or interest is not worth the live of any individual.

    It will be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, suspendend the election of March 28, 2015 in Orhionmwon Local Government Area.

    The senatorial election was however rescheduled to run with the State House of election.

    Present at the meeting included the Edo State Director, State Security Service, SSS, Immigration, Airforce, Army, NSCDC and FRSC.

  • Election: INEC caution Nigerians against false assurances

    Election: INEC caution Nigerians against false assurances

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has advised Nigerians to disregard false assurances that are contrary to the commission’s electoral rules and regulations.

    The advice is contained in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Kayode Idowu, on Friday in Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Governorship and State Assemblies elections will hold on Saturday.

    The statement said that the commission would not allow the use of the Temporary Voter Cards (TVCs).

    It stated that the commission received a report that some political leaders were asking the public to disregard INEC’s resolve to use Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and Smart Card Readers (SCRs) for the poll.

    “A particular state governor in the North Central geo-political zone is reported to have assured voters in the state that they could come out to vote on Saturday with the TVC if they do not have the PVC.

    “And that INEC will not be allowed to insist on the use of SCRs for voter accreditation.

    “The public are strongly advised to disregard false assurances that contradict the regulations that INEC has outlined for the elections,’’ it stated.

    It reaffirmed that only voters with genuine PVCs should come out to the polling units on the election day, adding that guidelines issued on the use of SCRs for the Saturday elections would be strictly applied.

    “Any action infringing these guidelines would be an electoral offence, and security agents would be on hand to apprehend offenders,’’ the statement added.

    The statement lauded Nigerians for their peaceful conduct and exemplary behaviour, even in the face of minor challenges during the Presidential and National Assembly elections on March 28.

    It, however, said it was unfortunate that some leaders would misguide the public and thereby prepare ground for needless disruptions to the polling process on Saturday.

    “INEC hereby warns that any obstruction to the processes it has put in place for the elections by any person, no matter how highly placed will constitute an electoral offence punishable by law,’’ it stated.

    The statement also said the commission had assigned the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Kogi, Alhaji Hussaini Pai, to supervise the conduct of Saturday elections in Kano State.

    The deployment, the statement explained, followed the demise of the former REC of the state, Alhaji Munkaila Abdullahi.

    The statement recalled that before his posting as Kogi REC, Pai was the Ekiti State REC, who conducted the Governorship Election of June 21, 2014.

    “In his absence, the REC for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Prof. Jacob Jatau, will supervise the Saturday conduct of the State Assembly election in Kogi,’’ the statement added.

  • Ex-Commissioner returns to APC from PDP

    A former Commissioner in Edo State who defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in December 2014, Dennis Idahosa has apologized for his wrong decision in betraying the trust and confidence reposed in him by the state.
    Idahosa made the appeal on Friday in Government House when he formally returned to the All Progressive Congress (APC) fold with his supporters.
    Addressing the Governor at the ceremony, Idahosa said, “I was a Commissioner in Edo State under Comrade Oshiomhole. I resigned and I made mistakes, I went to PDP, now I am back home. On behalf of my Local Government, I want to say sorry for my wrong actions and I believe that God knows the best.
    “I am back to the family of APC and I will do my best for every other task that is ahead and I will do all my best to be faithful to this party. To some of my colleagues that I see here, I am saying sorry for letting you down and I am going to do more to make sure that everyone is proud of me.”
    Receiving the former Commissioner and his supporters on behalf of the Party Chairman, Barrister Anselm Ojezua, Oshiomhole said “let me assure you that the event of last week, of March 28th has redefined the future of our youths in fundamental ways.
    ” Buhari Government will move away from politics of tokenism, celebrating token skills to one that would radically transform our country from being a country notorious for consuming what it doesn’t produce and exporting without adding value to what it produces. That way the economy will grow and that growth will be job led growth and many of our young people will have jobs to do.”
    He added, “For the political class, those changes in Abuja have had profound implication for all of us. Like I said somewhere during the week, by June 29, certainly not later than June 30th, by the time all Federal Boards, Commissions, Parastatals and Agencies are dissolved, almost a million vacancies will arise in Abuja and Edo State will fill its own shares of those vacancies.
    “Unlike the other party, we will ensure that opportunities are given to everybody and these will be fairly distributed across the state so we will have something to take care of our younger ones who look up to us for empowerment. Even the SURE-P that became an instrument of blackmail; if you support me, you collect a letter for SURE-P and you will get J-Alert, now all of that is now SURE-APC.”
    Oshiomhole said, “Unlike the way it was done before, if I am happy with you I give you job the day I am not happy, I withdraw, General Buhari Government will approach job creation in an institutional way, not based on tokenism or individual”.
    Governor Oshiomhole however eulogized the humility of the former Commissioner in realizing his mistakes and taking bold steps to correct them by returning to his own home, the APC.
    According to him, “I am very delighted to welcome you back because you have shown uncommon humility. There are people who make mistakes and rather than own up to those mistakes they rather seek to defend those mistakes or to perpetrate it because of issues of ego. Only God can make no mistake.
    “I fully understand the circumstances and I was actually touched when you called me after you have left to tell me you regretted your actions just barely 22hours later so that for me is something to be admired. A lot of us when we make errors of judgment tend to continue with it so as not to be laughed at by people but forgetting that it is only the one that God laugh at that can complain, no man can laugh at another because life is about learning”.

     

  • Guber elections: Jega appeals for calm in Benue

    Guber elections: Jega appeals for calm in Benue

    INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, has appealed to politicians to refrain from acts capable of truncating the electoral process by encouraging peaceful conduct of elections on April 11.

    Jega, who made the appeal on Thursday in Makurdi during a meeting of stakeholders convened by INEC, said the scale of violence that was recorded in Benue during the Presidential and National Assembly polls was regrettable.

    “The scale of destruction witnessed in Benue during the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections was incomparable with anything in any part of the country.

    “The commission lost over 200 card readers and two of our offices were burnt down with one staff member.”

    He said the stakeholders’ meeting was necessary to address electoral malpractices and issues capable of causing violence.

    Jega expressed regret over the violence and said the commission had achieved milestones in the conduct of credible elections in the country.

    He called on politicians to support the commission to improve its performance in future elections.

    “It is our desire to have better polls in April 11; we therefore, appeal for your cooperation and calm during the elections.”

    He assured the state that the 200 card readers that were destroyed would be replaced and urged politicians to ensure the safety of INEC officials and materials during the elections.

    He warned against spilling of innocent blood during elections and charged the politicians to engage in good conduct.

    Also, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of operations, Mr. Sotonye Wakama, called on the electorate to report all cases of electoral malpractice to the security agencies.

    The police chief also warned them against taking the laws into their hands.

    He also called on them to use smart phones to document electoral malpractice.

    A cross section of politicians expressed dismay over the unbecoming attitude of contestants who insisted on winning elections at all costs.

    They called on the security agencies and INEC officials to be neutral in the discharge of their duties and use sanctions against erring staff.

    Two incumbent senators, who were returned in the National Assembly election, Barnabas Gemade and George Akume, appealed to INEC to remain steadfast in declaring credible results.

    They also appealed to security agencies to apply the law on all regardless of positions.

    The PDP Chairman in the state, Mr Emmanuel Agbo, called on INEC to re-consider the posting of the Resident Electoral Officer, Prof Istifinus Dafwang.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was attended by politicians, local and international observers, INEC officials, traditional rulers and academicians.