The Nation Newspaper

Tag: 2015 poll

  • ‘Card readers working across Lagos’

    A fortnight after the presidential election, Nigerians went to the polls again to vote for governors and state lawmakers.

    However, unlike the last election, the electronic card readers functioned effectively and the accreditation went on smoothly in many polling units visited across Agege, Ogba, Egbeda, Idimu and environs.

    By 11: 00am many voters had been accredited at most polling stations visited.

    However, there was confusion at Ward 041 on Ailegun Road, Ile Epo Bus Stop, on Ejigbo Road.

    The voter list from the Independent National Electoral Commission omitted some names and the presiding officer said his deputy had gone to collect the missing list.

    This made some voters stop the exercise.

    They claimed the move was a ploy to disenfranchise them.

    A voter, Patsy Usman, said, “over 400 names are missing on the list. We cannot vote like that.”

  • Lagos restriction may extend to 8pm – Mbu

    Lagos restriction may extend to 8pm – Mbu

    The restriction on human and vehicular movement may be extended from 5pm to 8pm on Saturday.

    The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Mbu Joseph Mbu, gave this indication during a visit to the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos State, Mr. Akin Orebiyi, in his office.

    The police chief said the peculiarity of the state makes it imperative to take this preemptive action in order to ensure that there is no breach of security in the state during and after the polls.

    As part of security measures put in place by police authorities, Mbu disclosed that three commissioners of police would be in charge of security in the state’s three senatorial zones.

    He added that the commissioners would be held accountable if anything goes wrong within their areas of jurisdiction.

    The AIG appealed to residents of the state to maintain peace, warning that he would not tolerate any attack on his men.

  • Militants abduct APC chieftain’s mother in Warri

    Militants abduct APC chieftain’s mother in Warri

    The mother of Chief Ayirimi Emami, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, was abducted and beaten to pulp on Friday evening by armed thugs, allegedly working for a former militant leader and Peoples Democratic Party enforcer in Warri South West local government area of Delta State.

    Mrs. Elizabeth Emami, was on her way to Ugborodo, an Itsekiri riverside community, when she was snatched by the gang. She was only released after the intervention of a Brigade Commander of the Nigerian Army and an officer of the Nigerian Navy in the area, who moved in to restore sanity in the area.

    Emami, a former Chairman of the PDP in Warri South West local government area, who moved to the APC with scores of his followers, told our reporter that the attack was aimed at stopping him from going to his Ajudaibo, Ugborodo community to mobilise and vote for the APC.

    “My stepmother was attacked at Kurutie community by three speedboats in a manner similar to the attack on 14 journalists last November. She was abducted and taken to a location and was only released after the intervention of some security operatives.

    “Several persons identified as my supporters and members of the APC going to cast their votes in Ugborodo were severely beaten and tortured by the gang and their sponsors who are afraid of losing the election.

    “The driver of one of the boats is battling for his life due to the torture he suffered. This is a desperate ploy by our opponents within and outside my area to intimidate me and my supporters,” Emami told our reporter in a telephone interview.

    Our checks revealed that the votes from Ugborodo and other Itsekiri communities in the area are considered very strategic to the emergence of all winners of the last four governorship contests in the state.

  • Voter apathy mars elections in Cross River

    The huge voter turnout which characterized the Presidential and National Assembly elections two weeks ago was absent in the Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Cross River State on Saturday.

    In several polling units visited across the state, the electoral officers were just idle as voters were not coming out to get accredited and vote.

    In other units there were just scanty voters.

    A voter who chose to stay back said he did so because he did not believe the election would be free and fair.

    “Just like me, other voters don’t have any faith in this election. They don’t believe it would be free and fair.

    “Why would people come out to waste their time when they know very well the election would be rigged?

    “People came out en masse in the last election because there was some faith that the election would be free and fair and that their votes would count. But after seeing the results of that election, they just lost faith in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who they believe is just working in favour of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

    “So they just feel they should not waste their time and rather stay home and rest,” the voter told our correspondent.

  • Ballot box snatching in Epe, Etiosa, Yaba

    … Shooting in Ogudu

    The Executive Chairman of Epe local government area of Lagos State, Hon. Ahmed Seriki, has alleged that there were reported cases of ballot boxes snatching at Ibeju Lekki area of the state.

    “We received a report from Ibeju Lekki that ballot boxes were snatched from INEC officials. I’m trying to get in touch with the Area Commander, to ensure that police gets there to keep peace, because we learnt that PDP thugs snatched ballot boxes from INEC officials, to prevent them from going to their polling units. This can lead to chaos in that area; that’s why I’m alerting the police,” he told The Nation.

    Also, shooting and snatching of ballot boxes had also been reported in some parts of Ogudu, Yaba and Etiosa areas of the state.

  • Low voters’ turnout in Ikorodu

    Low voters’ turnout in Ikorodu

    Voters turnout at most poling units in Ikorodu and its environ is very low. In most of the polling units visited by The Nation at Ikorodu, specifically in Owutu, Agric, Igbogbo, Ibese and other areas, party agents complained of low voters’ turnout.

    The security situation is very relaxed as private vehicles, okada and Keke NAPEP operators move freely and convey voters to polling stations without any security agent asking them question.

    Party supporters were seen giving money to voters in some of these areas.

    A chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (name withheld) was seen inside police vehicle moving from one polling unit to another to give money to voters.

     

  • Accreditation begins in Epe

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) appears to have sorted out the transport logistics problems that nearly marred the presidential and National Assembly elections in the coastal town of Epe, one of the 20 local government areas in Lagos State.

    INEC officials were on ground before 8: 00am in all the polling units visited by our correspondent.

    Accreditation started promptly in almost all the polling units. But, unlike two weeks ago when people turned up in large numbers as at 8:00am, prospective voters seem to be taking their time today.

    As a result, INEC officials were sitting idle in some polling units because are staying away from the polling units. People probably did not expect the INEC officials to arrive on time.

    Besides, the tension that gripped the town two weeks ago appears to be absent. People sat in clusters in front of their houses, discussing, while others, particularly women, were busy with household chores.

    As at 8: 30am however activities were already in full swing in most polling units.

    WardA5, Polling Unit 33, located in Ogunmodede Junior College, Papa-Epe, the polling booth of the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the state, Akinwunmi Ambode, is not an exception.

    Ambode believes that INEC performance has improved significantly, compared to two weeks ago, saying if that is sustained throughout the state, the election would be more credible.

     

  • Accreditation commences in Alimosho

    Accreditation commences in Alimosho

    The accreditation of voters has started in some units and wards in the Alimoso Local Government Area, Lagos State.  The exercise started at 8:00am.

    In some of these wards, hand wash sanitizers and tissue papers are provided to allow for easy function of the card readers.

    Scores of vehicles were still moving on the roads, while commercial motorcycle operators were doing brisk business. The no movement restriction is slightly relaxed relax unlike what happened in the March 28 election.

     

  • INEC staff caught with thumb printed ballot papers in Niger

    INEC staff caught with thumb printed ballot papers in Niger

    An ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was arrested on Friday night in Sambo ward, Rijau local government area of Niger State, in possession of thumb printed two booklets of ballot papers.

    The INEC staff, a supervising presiding officer, Ibrahim Tanko was arrested with the ballot papers in favour of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate,  Mohammed Gado Nasko.

    A source in the town said the electoral officer after collecting all election materials went back to complain that there was a short fall in the ballot papers given to him.

    Unknown to Tanko, some people had seen him hiding the two booklets in a car purportedly owned by a former minister in the state.

    The suspect was immediately arrested and handed over to the Divisional Police Officer in the town.

    Contacted on phone, the head of Voter Education Unit in the state INEC office, Malam Mohammed Wase, confirmed the incident, saying investigation to ascertain those involved in the incident was ongoing.

     

  • 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.”