The Nation Newspaper

Tag: 2015 poll

  • Ribadu, Modibbo pledge to accept poll results

    Ribadu, Modibbo pledge to accept poll results

    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.

     

     

  • Bode George defeated in his polling unit

    Bode George defeated in his polling unit

    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.

  • APC will win Lagos polls – Fashola

    APC will win Lagos polls – Fashola

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on Saturday said he is optimistic that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will win the governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state.

    Fashola made the remark shortly after casting his vote alongside his wife Abimbola Fashola and his son Ademola at polling unit 002, State Senior Grammar School, Itolo, at exactly 2:39pm.

    He dismissed insinuation of voters’ apathy, saying such conclusions can only be drawn after voting and counting of votes.

    He said,” I have always been optimistic in any contest, so I am optimistic.”

    On general assessments of the election and the perceived voters’ apathy, he said: “The answer is to check whether there is a voting point here in addition to a voting unit. If there is, then it means here, you have 500 possibly 1000 people and then that is the way by which you can measure the numbers.

    “By scientific measures, what percentage of people actually came out to accredit themselves, how many people came back to vote after accreditation, and that will only be possible to know after the votes are counted.

    “It is then that you will be able to measure how many people voted, how many people came for accreditation, how many people were registered and how many people collected PVC. So, all of these questions to my view are a little premature as far as turnout is concerned.”

    The governor added that reports at his disposal indicated that the Independent National Electoral Commission officials and materials for election arrived at many polling units and points on time, just as accreditation went smoothly.

     

  • Buhari votes, woman dies in Katsina

    Buhari votes, woman dies in Katsina

    The President Elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and his wife, Aisha Buhari voted at the Sarki Yara, polling unit in the Kofar Baru ward, Daura local government area of Katsina State, in the governorship and state Assembly election at about 2.55pm on Saturday.

    Buhari adorned in a blue babariga with a blue cap and black shoes to match was accompanied to the polling unit by hordes of security details who barricaded the place, preventing people from gaining access to him.

    About 459 voters were accredited for the election at the polling unit as against 502 that were accredited for the presidential and National Assembly elections two weeks ago.

    The Nation observed an increased security presence around the president elect with anti bomb squad of the Nigeria Police Force conducting a thorough search of the area before Buhari arrived to cast his vote.

    The Nation observed that accreditation was faster than it was during the presidential election.

    However, the weather in Daura and other parts of Katsina was unfriendly as hamattan haze causing poor visibility.

    Meanwhile, unconfirmed report said that a 50-year-old woman, Yar’Baba Yusuf Babangida, slumped and died while waiting to vote in Funtua, Katsina State.

    The report said the deceased who was hypertensive was on the queue at Kofar gidan Hamisu polling unit in Makera ward, Funtua local government area of the state, when she suddenly slumped.

    She was reportedly rushed to Funtua General Hospital where health personnel certified her dead.

     

     

  • Kaduna: PDP’s threat caused low voters’ turnout – El Rufai

    Kaduna: PDP’s threat caused low voters’ turnout – El Rufai

    The All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has blamed the low turnout of voters in the state on alleged threat by the Peoples Democratic Party to cause chaos in the state.

    However, the state’s Governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, has told his supporters and entire people of the state to accept whatever is the outcome of the election.

    He made the call after he was accredited for the election in Zaria.

    In areas like Gonin Gora, Barnawa and Narayi in Southern metropolis of the state, electorates were in relaxed mood and not bothered about the accreditation exercise.

    In other parts of the state, specifically in places like, Sabon Gari and Tudun Wada, voters turned out in large number for the polls.

    Speaking to journalists after casting his vote at polling unit 024, Angwan Sarki, El-Rufai blamed the low turnout on the threat by the PDP led government to unleash terror on the electorates.

    The former FCT minister said the electorates were afraid of showing up at their polling units because of the PDP threat.

    The opposition candidate, who arrived the polling unit at about 9:55am and was accredited without taking much time, praised the exercise, saying, “accreditation commenced on time compare to what happened during the presidential elections.”

    He expressed satisfaction with the use of card readers, which he described as effective.

     

  • Navy, soldiers disrupt polls in Ikorodu, Mile 12, others

    Navy, soldiers disrupt polls in Ikorodu, Mile 12, others

    Soldiers and other security agents took over all major roads leading to Ikorodu on Saturday, thus disrupting the governorship and House of Assembly elections in the process.

    There were at least three check points from Mile 12 to Ogolonto and other areas in the axis.

    The soldiers and police officers at Ikorodu round-about delayed The Nation reporters and subjected them to serious searching before allowing them to go. Accreditation started at Ojogbe and other areas of the town around 8.30am.

    Findings revealed that many of the voters may not be able to vote as majority of them registered at Ketu, Alapere, Ojota and other areas of the state.

    Party supporters are using public address system to canvass eligible voters to come and vote.

    Several people that queued up for accreditation were arrested by naval officers.

     

  • 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.

  • 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.