The Nation Newspaper

Category: Verdict 2015

Election in Nigeria 2015

  • Imo guber: Araraume declares support for Okorocha

    Imo guber: Araraume declares support for Okorocha

    Last minute efforts by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to reconcile the PDP governorship candidate, Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha and a former governorship aspirant of the party, Senator Ifeayin Araraume Thursday collapsed as the Senator, who is still laying claim to the governorship ticket, teamed up with All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Governor Rochas Okorocha.

    The Senator, who commands large followership in the State, directed his supporters to vote for the APC candidate in the governorship election.

    The directive which has dealt a damaging blow to the chances of the PDP candidate was hailed by APC chieftains, who described the Senator as a distinguished Imo indigene who puts the interest of the state ahead of party or personal considerations.

    The Nation gathered reliably that Ararraume, may join the APC soon after the elections.

    However, when contacted, the Media Assistant to the PDP stalwart, Dr. James Okoroma, said the Senator is not thinking of defecting to the APC but took the decision to ensure that at least the APC will have at least one state in the Southeast in the overall interest of Ndigbo.

    According to him, “the Senator has not joined APC, what he did was to direct his supporters to vote for Governor Okorocha since Imo is the only APC state in the Southeast and he wouldn’t want Ndigbo to lose out completely”.

    Meanwhile, notable members of PDP in the State have defected to APC; among them were two former governorship aspirants of the party, Chief Jerry Chukwueke and Chief Bethel Nzimako.

  • Lecturers storm INEC over unpaid allowances

    Lecturers storm INEC over unpaid allowances

    Academic staff in the University of Calabar (UNICAL) that served as returning officers in the May 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections Thursday, stormed the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Calabar to protest the non-payment of their allowances.

    They threatened to boycott Saturday’s Governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    One of the protesting lecturers told journalists that they embarked on the action to protest the ill-treatment meted out on them by the commission.

    He disclosed that what they have been receiving in previous elections was higher than what the commission offered them in this year’s elections, though he declined to disclose the figure.

    According to him, ‘they (INEC) slashed our honorarium without explanations, and could not even pay what they claim they were going to pay us.’

    Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Sylvester Ezeani condemned the protests by the lecturers describing their action as ‘unfortunate.’

    He said such action was expected of students and not academic staff, adding that efforts will be made to pay them.

  • Polls: Police nab hoodlums in Army uniforms

    Polls: Police nab hoodlums in Army uniforms

    The Delta state governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has warned trouble makers to steer clear of the state during Saturday elections in the state even as he announced the arrest of suspected criminals in security uniforms.

    Governor Uduaghan, while addressing a pre-elections’ press conference in Warri Thursday, urged the people of the state to conduct themselves peacefully during and after the elections, warning that security agencies in the state had expressed their readiness to decisively deal with trouble makers.

    The governor also assured the electorate in the state that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had put everything in place to see that everything goes hitch-free even as it had perfected lapses observed in the earlier elections.

    According to the governor, security agencies had obtained certain intelligence information about the use of illegally procured army uniforms by some hoodlums, some of whom he said had been arrested.

    “The security agencies have assured me of their readiness to confront trouble makers and ensure a peaceful conduct of the elections. We can make their work easier by making sure that there is peace.

    “I want to make it abundantly clear that trouble makers will not be given a breathing space before, during and after the elections as the full wrath of the law awaits such people. We have enough intelligence to indicate that people with fake uniforms, especially military uniforms, might be involved in the elections process. In actual fact, some were arrested in Sapele Thursday and they are in police custody,” he said.

    Meanwhile, in an earlier meeting with leaders and stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Governor Uduaghan expressed optimism that the their party would be victorious in Saturday’s elections in the state.

     

  • April 11 poll: 9 Guber candidates step down for El-Rufai

    April 11 poll: 9 Guber candidates step down for El-Rufai

    Ahead of Saturday’s governorship election, nine governorship candidates in Kaduna State have stepped down their ambition for the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Malam Nasir El-Rufai.

    The candidates who converged at Kwara State Government Lodge in Kaduna to address newsmen on the development said the decision was reached after a wide consultation with their teeming and magnanimous supporters and NEC members.

    According to them, “We the following gubernatorial candidates in the 2015 election schedule to take place on 11th April, 2015 after due consultation with our teeming and magnanimous supporters/ NEC members of our great parties we have unanimously and unequivocally resolved this day 9th April, 2015 to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) Gubernatorial candidate in the 2015 general election, Malam Nasir El-Rufai.

    “Having duly, adequately and articulatively study the manifesto’s of the APC and seeing that it aim, objectives and principles are in complete compliance to our aspiration and desire to run for the gubernatorial election in our dear state such as security of life and property, economic empowerment, women and youth empowerment.

    “We therefore call on our teeming and enthusiastic supporters to come out en mass come Saturday 11th, April 2015 and vote for Malam Nasir El-Rufai of the APC.

    “We pray for a successful free, fair and credible and violence free election,” they stated.

    The governorship candidates who stepped down include, Isa Adaamu Abdullahi, National Conscience Party (NCP), Alhaji Mohammed Sani Ahmed, Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), Arch. Kabir Ahmed Jibril, Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Alhaji Lawal Yusuf, United Party of Nigeria (UPN) and Bala Mohammed Yunusa, African Democratic Congress (ADC).

    Others include Dr. Sani Abdulkadir, NNPP, Alhaji Mohammed Ribadu, APA, Garba Moh’d Suleiman, ACPN and Nayaya Mohammed Lawal, PDC.

     

  • Edo APC accuses PDP of recruiting fake INEC staff

    Edo APC accuses PDP of recruiting fake INEC staff

    The All Progressive Congress in Edo State has raised an alarm over recruitment of students by the Peoples Democratic Party with a view to sabotaging Saturday’s House of Assembly elections.

    It said the PDP hoped to bribe some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to adopt the students as adhoc staff for the election.

    State Publicity Secretary of APC, Comrade Godwin Erhahon, in a press statement said thugs have been recruited by the PDP to unleash mayhem in areas where the PDP could not rig elections.

    Erhahon warned the students’ mercenaries to steer clear of polling units and collation centres especially in Orhionmwon or they would be dealt with in a lawful manner that would jeopardize the student’s future.

    He urged parents not to allow their children to be used to sabotage the election by politicians whose children are schooling abroad.

    Erhahon advised INEC not to allow its ranks to be infiltrated as it did in the March 28 general elections.

    Responding, a chieftain of the PDP, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, denied the APC allegation and said it amount to insanity.

  • April 11 polls: IGP orders restriction of vehicular movement

    April 11 polls: IGP orders restriction of vehicular movement

    The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, has ordered restriction of vehicular movement in the 36 states, from 8a.m. to 5p.m. for the governorship and House of Assembly elections on Saturday.

    This is contained in a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, on Thursday in Abuja.

    The statement explained that the measure was to ensure safety and security during the polls.

    “There is no restriction of vehicular movement in the Federal Capital Territory as there is no election taking place there on the said date,’’ the statement said.

    It added that the restriction excluded “vehicles on essential duty such as Fire Service, ambulances and vehicles used by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and law enforcement/security agencies.’’

    The statement assured that adequate security logistics and manpower had been strategically deployed to achieve conducive atmosphere for the polls.

    It said that policemen on election duty had been properly briefed on their roles as stipulated in the Electoral Act.

    “They are expected to be professional, non-partisan, civil but firm in their approach and relation to the public.’’

    It called on the citizens to remain vigilant and report all suspicious movements or dealings to appropriate police authority.

  • Ex-senate president, others woo Abia voters for Ikpeazu

    Ex-senate president, others woo Abia voters for Ikpeazu

    Chief Adolphus Wabara, Nigeria’s Fourth Republican Senate President and other political stakeholders in Old Aba Division have called on Abia indigenes and residents to vote for the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu and other PDP candidates on Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly polls.

    Wabara in a press conference held at the Aba Town Hall called on both Abians and its inhabitants to see the project of making Ikpeazu the governor of the state as a collective venture than a personal thing if they must achieve their ambition of adopting Ikpeazu as their sole candidate.

    The former Senate President who described politics as dynamic said that making any other person the governor of the state apart from the PDP gubernatorial flag bearer would be a wasteful venture and counter-productive for the state.

    He called on Abians to come out en mass and vote massively on Saturday, April 11 governorship and House of Assembly elections and vote massively for the PDP candidates.

    Earlier in his speech, the leader of Old Aba Division, Elder Emmanuel Adaelu said that they have consulted other senatorial districts of Abia Central and Abia North who also affirmed their support for the candidature of Dr. Ikpeazu, adding that they would consider it a serious disservice to “this land, if any person or group decides to work against us on this particular issue.”

    Adaelu however expressed optimism that electing Ikpeazu as the governor of the state would restore dead medium and small industries in Aba, “rebuilding of our hospitals, Roads, Markets, take the security of our people and property to the next high level, including electricity, give agriculture its appropriate priority in the scheme of things.

    “We appeal to our brothers in Abia North and Abia Central zones to support the people of Abia south to produce the next governor, it will be wrong for them not to support us after we have supported them for the past 16 years.  We supported Abia North to produce Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu as governor of Abia state and Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu as governor for eight years. We also supported Abia central to produce Chief Theodore Orji who is concluding his second term as governor. In Aba North and south, we have done a lot of work. Anambra state alone has 170 unions in Aba, we have reached them all, the market unions and town unions of various communities. So, let this be a chance for payback time. It is time to show grand appreciation to the people of Old Aba Division. We are very optimistic that residents of Abia state will vote for our son, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu will be vote in as governor on April 11.”

    He assured that the bond and relationship which has been existing between the people of Old Aba Division and the various communities living in Aba would blossom to greater heights when Ikpeazu is elected governor.

  • Aprill 11 Polls: IGP redeploys 20 AIGs, CPs

    Aprill 11 Polls: IGP redeploys 20 AIGs, CPs

    • Special forces for Rivers

     

    The Inspector General of Police IGP Suleiman Abba has deployed Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police to supervise the gubernatorial and State Houses of Assembly elections in different states.

    This deployment is in addition to the deployment of six Deputy Inspector-General of Police to coordinate Police activities in the six geo-political zones.

    Also, due to the volatile nature of activities in Rivers, Special Forces have been deployed to oversee electoral activities in the State.

    This is contained in a statement Thursday by the Force Spokesman, Emmanuel Ojukwu.

    According to the statement, the 16 AIGs affected by the deployment are: “AIG Usman A. Gwary – Abia State, AIG Olufemi Adenaike – Kwara State, AIG Mbu J. Mbu – Ogun State, AIG Patrick Dey Dokumor – Kaduna State, AIG Tambari Y. Muhammed – Jigawa State, and AIG Mohammed Jinjiri Abubakar – Gombe State.

    Others are: “AIG Ikemefuna R. Okoye – Oyo State, AIG Tunde Ogunsakin – Rivers State, AIG Jubril O. Adeniji – Bauchi State, AIG Yerima Irimiya – Imo State, AIG Baba Adisa Bolanta – Akwa Ibom State, AIG Lawal Tanko – Lagos State, AIG Ballah M. Nasarawa – Benue State, AIG Musa Abdulsalam Daura – Edo State, AIG Aderele T. Shinaba – Plateau State and AIG Bala A. Hassan – Sokoto State.

    To ensure adequate security, four Commissioners of Police have also been deployed for election duties to the following States: CP Sam Okaula – Anambra State; CP E. J.  Ibine – Ekiti State;  CP Adamu Mohammed Enugu State; and  CP Valentine Ntomchukwu -Osun State.

    In addition to the officers, Abba also deployed Commissioners of Police to command each of the Senatorial Zones of these States; Gombe, Bauchi, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Benue, Edo, Plateau and Sokoto.

    On the deployment to Rivers state, the following Special Units deployed are: “32 Units of Police Mobile Force (PMF), 4 Units of Counter terrorism Units (CTU), 4 Units of Special Protection Units (SPU) and 6 Crack Teams of Detectives from Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) and complements of Intelligence officers”.

  • Mimiko, Ondo APC in supremacy battle over Assembly polls

    Mimiko, Ondo APC in supremacy battle over Assembly polls

    Ondo state Governor, Olusegun Mimiko and other leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state have engaged in an intensive effort to ensure the victory of the party in tomorrow House of Assembly election in the state.

    The PDP lost in the last Presidential election in the state, hence the rigorous efforts by the Governor to ensure that the party wins majority of the seats in the state House of Assembly in the forthcoming election.

    Efforts by Mimiko and other leaders of the party in the state were aimed at ensuring that the PDP dominated the House of Assembly to produce Speaker of the House.

    However, with the defection of many PDP leaders including its 2012 governorship candidate, Chief Olusola Oke and many others from the Southern District, might not be easy task for Mimiko as usual.

    The Governor, it was gathered had met with his loyalists and supporters across the state on how to ensure that the party wins overwhelmingly in the Saturday’s election.

    Also, Mimiko and some members of his cabinet including contestants for the House of Assembly election had engaged in intensive campaign ahead of the election.

    It was learnt that Mimiko had also embarked on grassroots campaign in order to gain the hearts of the people of the grassroots ahead of the election, but many are said not to be favourably disposed to his style of politics.

    Already, the state House of Assembly is being controlled by the PDP, but the Governor is said to be worried by the outcome of the last Presidential election in the state, hence the last minute campaign across the state.

    It was gathered that the Governor is not giving any chance to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to take over the leadership of the House, as he still has almost two years to spend in office as the Governor of the state.

    But, for now the original owners of PDP in the state have left the party for the APC with a view to join forces and defeat Mimiko in the election.

    It was observed those in the present PDP are members of the old Labour Party (LP) who accompanied Mimiko to PDP and still loyal to him.

  • ‘Igbos will vote for Ambode’

    ‘Igbos will vote for Ambode’

    A notable Lagos based administrator, Benedine Eloka-Umuoji, has called on Igbo residents and other non indigenes in Lagos to regard Oba’s comments as his personal opinion and vote for Akinwumi Ambode and other APC candidates.

    Eloka-Umuoji, who is one of the Igbos based in Lagos, said it would be unfair to visit Akiolu’s sin on Ambode, whose party; All Progressives Congress (APC) has since dissociated itself from the monarch’s comments.

    ‎‎She also urged her kinsmen not allow the opinion of the Oba to derail them from fulfilling their promise to vote for Ambode as the next governor of the state.

    According to her, “We are in a symbiotic relationship and must do everything so support our host.‎ Nonetheless; we give Oba Akiolu kudos for reminding us that we are strangers. The truth is that we are strangers here. Lagos belongs to some people, just like Onitsha and Aba. Let’s not carry on as if this place is a no man’s land. It is not!

    “The Oba’s statement only succeeded in opening our thoughts to start considering shifting investments down our real father land. However, the Oba of Lagos does not have the impetus to insult us and we therefore demand his apology.

    “Nevertheless, we would troop out en-mass to vote for Ambode because we believe in Fashola’s administration and its uniqueness. ‎At least Lagos is being re-branded. APC government would support our objective, and so we would reject sarcastic words opposing our journey to our rehoboth. Such is the Oba’s statement. It is devil’s strategy. Please let us ignore it.”

    ‎Eloka-Umuoji, therefore urged Ambode to as a matter of urgency address the alleged extortion of money from Igbo traders in all markets in Lagos state by Yoruba Market union leaders immediately he assumes office on May 29.

    “The in-coming governor should ensure more representation of the Igbos in his government‎, give approval of Certificate Of Occupancy for properties owned by non indigenes, provide adequate compensation for properties demolished for public interest belonging to affected persons, and the Igbos in the state, curtail the excesses of the Law enforcement agencies particularly the LASMA that hid under Fashola Law to mete hardship and punishment on Lagosians and ‎review Okada riders policy,” she added.