The Nation Newspaper

Tag: 2015 polls

  • Abdulsalami commends Jonathan for conceding defeat

    Abdulsalami commends Jonathan for conceding defeat

    Jonathan accepts defeat

    Former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar on Tuesday commended President Goodluck Jonathan (Peoples Democratic Party) for conceding defeat to the All Progressives Congress Presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari for winning Saturday’s election.

    Abdulsalami, who is the Head of the 2015 Elections Peace Committee, gave the commendation while speaking with State House correspondents after his committee met President Jonathan at the new Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.

    He said that the committee was in the Villa to ensure peace was maintained in the country and that he was happy that President Jonathan had already called Gen. Buhari before the committee arrived at the Villa.

    He said: “We were here to ensure peace is maintained at this moment we thank Nigerians and all international community who came to support during the elections.

    “The elections have been very peaceful despite the hitches here and there. At the end of the elections, at the counting that there are a lot of upheavals that have happened but thankfully they have been contained.

    “We were at the middle of a meeting with the international observers to try to see how we can still water the tension down, when gladly I called Gen. Buhari that we are going to see him, he told me that Mr. President has called him at about 5:15 p.m. and congratulated him and conceded defeat.

    “We were spell bound and the reason we have come here is to thank President Jonathan for this statesmanship. In the history of Nigeria I think this is the first time where a contestant has called his rival to congratulate him and through this point, President Jonathan maintained a point that the blood of Nigerians is not worth his presidency and by his action he has proved that.”

    “He has proven to be a man of his word‎ because during our interaction on this peace committee he has always maintained that he is going to accept the result of the elections whichever way it is done. And he has proved this.

    “And I think we need Nigerians, all of us to join hands in making sure we assist him in the peaceful handing over. And I will appeal to all politicians ‎those who are celebrating and those who are sorrowing to please give peace a chance to be moderate.”

    He went on: “In any contest there is always going to be a winner and President Jonathan has accepted that he lost and we want to thank him. On behalf of Nigerians I want to thank President Jonathan for being the statesman that he is, he has approved that he is a statesman and he has the love of this country in his heart. So Nigerians should please help him to ensure this is real.”

    He said that any Nigerian who is aggrieved has the electoral laws to exploit to seek re-address.

    “So if anybody has ‎any grievance he should apply through the law. I appeal again to our youth, to everybody to please give peace a chance and accept that the chief contestant himself has accepted. So nobody please go and raise any eyebrow and cause any destabilization of this country,”  he stated

    Members of the Peace Committee that met the President included former military Chief of General Staff, Naval Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe; Cardinal John Onaiyekan; Primate of the Anglican Church (Nigerian Communion), Nicholas Okoh; former president of the Nigeria Bar Association, Priscilia Kuye; the President’s Special Adviser on Inter-party Affairs, Ben Obi; and ‎prominent industrialist, Aliko Dangote.

  • Rivers APC chieftain: I didn’t sign any result sheet

    Rivers APC chieftain: I didn’t sign any result sheet

    A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Mr. Steve Worgu, has denied the allegation that he was among those who signed the Presidential result sheets distributed to Ikwerre Local government Area in Rivers State.

    Mr. Worgu made this declaration Tuesday in Port Harcourt, while reacting on the allegation by Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Dame Gesila Khan that he was among those who signed Presidential result sheets in Ikwerre Local government area.

    He said the allegation that he signed the Presidential poll result sheet is a false and a strategy to cover up the fraudulent act that took place in Saturday’s election in Rivers State.

    The APC chieftain whose name has already being published on the Punch Newspaper of Monday 2015 said he has demanded an apology from REC or he will take a legal action against her.

    “I did not sign out the Presidential result sheets from my Local government as being claimed by Resident Electoral Commissioner Dame Gesila Khan who went ahead to publish my name in the Punch Newspaper.

    “I am not an INEC official or one responsible in my Local government to sign those result sheets, except INEC and its agents decided to forge my signature. On this note, I am demanding apology from REC or I will take a legal action against her.”

  • APC campaign organisation blast Orubebe

    APC campaign organisation blast Orubebe

    The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation has said that the display by former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe at the INEC collation centre was a beginning of a sinister thing to come.

    Director of Media and Publicity of the organization, Garba Shehu said in a statement in Abuja that Nigerians should watch out for such antics from the PDP and its agents in the coming days.

    Shehu, said that the bizarre show of shame by Orubebe underpins a larger plot of the PDP and the Jonathan government to foment crisis and subvert our hard-won democracy.

    “Much as disgraceful as the action by Elder Orubebe was this morning, it typifies the kind of things Nigerians should expect from the PDP and its agents, in an expression of their desperation and pent-up frustrations with the popular decisions of Nigerians in the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    “We cannot under-rate the frustrations of these people, and we anticipate that they will not hesitate to do the unthinkable to subvert the course of the electoral process and, indeed, democracy in the country.

    “We wish to alert that Orubebe’s drama aimed at disrupting the announcement of the results of the presidential election is just act one scene one in a plot that has many more acts and scenes ahead. The elements of the drama might involve a breach of law and order.

    “We therefore call on Nigerians to be watchful, vigilant, and prayerful and remain resolute to protect our democracy from the machinations of agents-provocateurs.”

  • Taraba Acting Governor, Bwacha win senate seat

    Taraba Acting Governor, Bwacha win senate seat

    Taraba Acting Governor Abubakar Sani Danladi has won the Northern Zone senatorial election.

    Danladi who had been impeached by the House of Assembly but was recently reinstated polled 106, 163 votes to beat Sani Kona of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who garnered 99,446 votes.

    Philip Kundila of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) came a distant third with only 17, 963 votes.

    Senator Emmanuel Bwacha representing Southern Taraba district was also returned.

    Bwacha who contested in the PDP swept the five local government areas of southern Taraba: Takum, Donga, Ussa, Wukari, Ibi and Yangtu Special Development Area to cruise to victory.

    Former Adviser on Bureau for Local Governments Bashir Marafa won the Central Zone senatorial election.

    He defeated Senator Abubakar Tutare of the SDP and other candidates to carry the day.

  • APC wins Vandeikya/Konshisha constituency in Benue

    APC wins Vandeikya/Konshisha constituency in Benue

    Hemen Hembe of the APC has retained his seat in the National Assembly by defeating his PDP opponent, Terhemen Hon, in Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly polls.

    Announcing the results on Tuesday in Makurdi, the Returning Officer for the constituency, Mr Amokaha Aboho, said Hembe scored 50,818 votes to defeat Hon with 27,289 votes.

    Aboho said the number of registered voters for the constituency was 188,693; accredited voters, 89,776; valid votes, 81,915 while rejected votes were 2,471.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Hembe first won the election in 2007 on the platform of the PDP but defected to APC.

  • Presidential Election: Buhari maintains lead

    Presidential Election: Buhari maintains lead

    • As INEC reconvenes 10am Tuesday

    The All Progressives Congress candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari is ahead of President Goodluck Jonathan in the presidential election result so far announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday night.

    Out of the 19 states announced at about 11pm Monday, Buhari maintained the lead with 10 states while Jonathan topped in 9 states.

    The margin between APC and PDP is over 2 million votes. The collation will continue on Tuesday as INEC reconvenes by 10am.

  • Jonathan leads in Edo

    Jonathan leads in Edo

    Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, President Goodluck Jonathan, has won in 15 local government areas out of the 17 local government results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo State.

    Election is yet to be conducted in Orhiomwon local government and INEC is yet to fix a date for the election.

    Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Prof. Faraday Orunmwense, who announced the results, said the President Mohammadu Buhari polled 208,469 against 286,969 votes of President Jonathan.

  • APC mantains lead in Adamawa

    APC mantains lead in Adamawa

    The results of last Saturday’s presidential elections have started trickling in from 18 local government councils of Adamawa state.

    In all the APC so far polled 274282, while the PDP  scored 202822 votes, the results of three local government councils are still being awaited.

    The collation of the results as released by returning officers at the Gen Murtala Mohammed College showed that the All Progressive Congress, APC, is leading in 12 local councils followed by the Peoples Democratic, PDP, which won in six local government councils.

    The results showed that APC won in Girei, Maiha, Hong, Mayo-Belwa, Yola South,Yola North, Toungo, Mubi North, Shelleng, Gombi, Ganye and Jada while the PDP won in Madagali,Lamurde, Michika, Guyuk, Song and Demsa local council areas.

    In Girei, APC polled 17,149 votes as against PDP 9285 votes, in Maiha APC recorded 15,432 votes as against PDP 2603 votes, and in Hong local government, APC recorded 17365 votes PDP 1662 votes.

    Also in Mayo-Belwa APC scored 24483 votes as against PDP 17789 votes, while in Yola South APC polled 39,019 votes as against PDP 10988 votes and in Yola North APC scored 47139 votes against PDP 13790 votes.

    In Toungo the results showed that the APC won the local government with 6891 votes as against the PDP 4239 votes, while in Mubi North APC polled 20641 votes against the PDP with 12964 votes.

    The APC won Shelleng with 14656 votes as against the PDP which scored 9053 votes, Gombi APC won with 13603 against PDP 12035, Ganye APC won with 24611 against 8551 for PDP and in Jada APC won with 27082 against PDP 12257.

    The PDP however won the election in Madagali with 4997 votes against APC 3331 votes, while in Lamurde, the PDP won with 17919 votes as against APC 7322 votes and in Michika PDP won with 6762 votes against APC 3527 votes.

    The PDP won in Guyuk with 19 808 votes as against APC 9575 votes and in Song local government PDP aslo won with 18,495 votes while APC scored 17354 votes.

    In addition, PDP won Demsa local government by scoring 19,625 against APC with 6211 votes.

    The Senate and House of Representatives results are still being awaited.

  • Jang, Dariye, Huseini won plateau senate seats

    Jang, Dariye, Huseini won plateau senate seats

    Governor of Plateau state, Jonah Jang has been declared winner of the senatorial election for Plateau North senatorial zone.

    Also elected were Joshua Dariye in Plateau Central and Gen Jerimiah Huseini for Plateau South.

    From the results announced by the director public education and information Osaritin Imahierebo, gov Jang polled 234,455 while his APC opponent Eunice Sambo scored 221,455.

    In Plateau Central senatorial zone, the incumbent senator who cross-carpeted from Labor Party to PDP before the party primaries polled 189,159 to beat the APC candidate who scored 99,322.

    In Plateau South where two retired General contested, Gen Jerimiah Huseini of PDP scored 126,154 to beat General John Shagaya of APC who scored 89,868

    How Plateau voters voted in the presidential election:

    1. Langtang North LGA –    PDP 28, 677.                      APC 9, 416
    2. Langtang South LGA –    PDP 15, 569.                      APC 7, 977
    3. Shendam LGA – —— – PDP 22, 447.                      APC 25, 839
    4. Mikang LGA – ———    PDP 12,947.                        APC 4,909
    5. Mangu LGA – ———    PDP 52,503.                        APC 43,487
    6. Pankshin LGA ———    PDP 33,101.                        APC 11,558
    7. Kanke LGA ————    PDP 24,800.                        APC 8,863
    8. Wase LGA ————-  PDP 10,697.                          APC 35,787
    9. Bokkos LGA ———–  PDP 32,677.                          APC 13,117
    10. Riyom LGA ————  PDP 29,437.                          APC 5,291
    11. Barkin Ladi ————  PDP 49,741.                        APC 11,765
    12. Jos South LGA ———  PDP 89,741.                        APC 22,490
    13. Jos East LGA ———– PDP 9, 104.                          APC 10,875
    14. Bassa LGA ————– PDP 32,519.                          APC 22,625
    15. Quan-Pan LGA———  PDP 23,048.                        APC 19,616
    16. Jos North LGA ——–    ?????????                            ????
    17. Kanam LGA ———–  PDP 9, 518                            APC 58,880

    The overall results for the presidential election has not been announced until the remaining local government is added to it.

    The results for the 8 House of representative seats are yet to be announced as at the time of sending this report.

  • INEC suspends release of NASS election result in Delta

    INEC suspends release of NASS election result in Delta

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on Monday suspended the collation of results of the National Assembly elections held in Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta state after a protest by the Labour Party in the area.

    The Returning Officer of the senatorial district, Prof Greg Okagbare, who announced the suspension, said it was occasioned by protest against the exercise noting that “Some people are not satisfied with the results that we are collating.”

    He said further: “I decided to suspend the collation till I get further directive because they said there is need for them to seek clarification and look at the basic information that led to the final figures we are collating.”

    Prior to the pronouncements, the governorship and senatorial candidates of the LP, Chief Ovadje Ogboru and Barr Ovie-Omo-Agege respectively had stormed the INEC collation center Ughelli, headquarters of Ughelli North Local Government Area to register their displeasure with alleged manipulation of the NASS election result in the district.

    It was learnt that the protest followed report that the PDP candidate, Chief ighoyota Amori had suddenly overtaken the party’s candidate who was earlier leading in over half of the eight LGAs.

    Chief Ogboru said, “We are appealing to the chairman of INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega to change all the Electoral Officers, EO in the state before the governorship elections. If the commission as the electoral umpire fails to do this, my party would decide the next line of action at the end of the day.”

    For his part, Omo-Agege said: “I am here to make sure that the right thing is done. For the collation to continue, the card reader must be interrogated, they must also produce some of the sensitive forms and they should invite all the candidates and we sit down together and we go through the ballot papers and anybody who wins, let him win, we just want the right thing to be done.”

    It was also alleged that two of PDP leaders from Ughelli North ward 2/6 were said to have taken two different results to the Electoral Officer from same wards, which they said was questioned by the Electoral Officer and protested by the agents of the Labour Party.

    However, it was gathered that the peaceful protest by the LP chieftains got out of control when security agents refused them entrance into the INEC office. When they insisted on entry, teargas was shot randomly to disperse them.

    The action of the security operatives led to pandemonium as residents and some of the protesters ran for their dear lives. But calm later returned when the duo of Ogboru and Omo-Agege were allowed inside to lodge their complaints.