The Nation Newspaper

Tag: 2019 ELECTIONS

  • I won’t let you down, Buhari reassures Nigerians

    *Promises to work harder

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday reassured Nigerians that he would not let them down in his second term in office.

    He spoke at the Presidential Villa while receiving the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), who paid him a congratulatory visit.

    Read Also: Buhari ’ll decide senate presidency – Omo-Agege

    According to him, he would work harder in the next four years to address the challenges facing the country.

    “This is my last lap, I will try to work harder. I assure you, I will not let you down.” he stated

    Chairman of the ACF’s board of trustees, Alhaji Adamu Fika who led the delegation, said the visit was to congratulate the president over his victory at the polls.

  • Atiku faces uphill task at tribunal, says Agbakoba

    National Intervention Movement Co-chairman, Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), on Wednesday said Alhaji Atiku Abubakar faces an uphill battle to overturn Presidential Muhammadu Buhari’s victory at the Election Petition Tribunal.

    According to him, it has to be proven that there were electoral irregularities and that they affected the election results.

    Agbakoba, a Life Bencher who chairs the Peoples Trust Party (PTP) and the “third force political parties”, said he was misquoted in his earlier statement to say that Atiku would lose at the Tribunal.

    “That is far from the truth. I meant the former Vice President will face an uphill task, given the circumstances of challenging the election results.

    “My initial decision to charge the former Vice President not to go to court is based on the fact that President Buhari has subverted the Supreme Court by the removal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen, and the appointment of the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.

    “My perception is that we need to resolve the status of the Supreme Court. I wonder what is taking the National Judicial Council so long.

    “I am also worried about the historical precedent, as no petition on presidential election result has ever succeeded.

    “As one of Nigeria’s experienced election petition lawyers, I know that the burden of proof to succeed in an election petition is unfairly huge.

    “We first have to prove that there are electoral irregularities and in my view, once you prove this, you should succeed.

    “Unfortunately, even if you prove electoral irregularities you will have to show how that affected the results of the election.

    “Remember that the gap between former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and President Buhari is about four million votes,” Agbakoba said.

    The former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President believes the presidential election results were “manifestly riddled” with electoral irregularities.

    Read Also: Buhari’ll decide senate presidency – Omo-Agege

    He, however, emphasised that Atiku is constitutionally entitled to approach the tribunal.

    “My personal advice has become irrelevant. I fully support and wish former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar every success,” Agbakoba.

    In the earlier statement urging Atiku not to challenge Buhari’s victory, Agbakoba said: “I understand the PDP is aggrieved about the outcome of the election and alleged massive irregularities. But, I urge former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar not to approach the Election Petition Tribunal.

    “He might have moved backwards by his loss but he should not lose sight of the legacy and greatness that lies in front of him. He is in a strong position to take up the mantle of a statesman.

    “He can build a new Nigeria movement from the motley of small parties, third force actors, change actors and millions who are desperate for a strong, united Nigeria.”

  • Election: INEC replaces erring ad hoc staff in Borno

    The Independent National Commission (INEC) in Borno has replaced erring ad hoc staff to facilitate smooth conduct of the upcoming governorship and State House Assembly elections in Borno.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Borno, Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Maiduguri.

    He said that the replacement was due to the inability of the staff to discharge their duties effectively during the Feb. 23 elections.

    Ibrahim disclosed that some of the affected staff failed to properly handle Card Reader machines, an action which affected the voting process.

    “We replaced ad hoc staff who demonstrated rude behavior and those who could not operate the Card Reader machines or fill the result sheets properly.

    Read Also: Guber election: INEC assures uniform timing nationwide

    “We engaged 22,500 ad hoc staff for 3,932 Polling Units (PUs) and 5,071 Voting Points (VPs). The replacement is completed and we also earmarked reserved staff. INEC is geared to conduct an excellent election,” he said.

    Ibrahim noted that ad hoc workers were selected from Federal civil servants, members of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), university lecturers and teachers of tertiary institutions of learning in the state.

    He revealed that the commission had conducted refresher training for the ad hoc staff on election duty procedures and their roles.

    The REC added that the measure was to ensure that they discharge their duties effectively in accordance with the laws governing its operations.

    According to him, the commission will commence the distribution of sensitive and non sensitive election materials as well as deployment of workers on Thursday to the 27 local government areas of the state.

    Ibrahim explained that sensitive materials were kept at the Central Bank of Nigeria for safe keeping, adding that 5,071 Card Readers were also re-configured, awaiting redistribution for the election.

    The commissioner stressed that the electoral body had achieved 100 per cent in its preparations for the election, adding that it had also identified and addressed challenges with distribution of sensitive election materials.

    “We made adequate arrangements on movement and delivery of sensitive election materials.

    “We achieved 100 per cent in our preparations for the election; ballot papers, result sheets, voting cubicles and others.

    ”We will commence deployment on Thursday and we made arrangement with security agencies to escort election materials and staff to various places,’’ he said.

    Ibrahim added that the commission has adopted proactive measures to facilitate conduct of peaceful and hitch free exercise through the Inter-Agency Committee on Election Security.

    He called on the electorate to turn out en mass and participate in an orderly manner in the election.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC had registered more than 2.3 million voters for the 2019 election in the state.

  • Guber election: INEC assures uniform timing nationwide

    Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given assurance that there would be uniform timing in the commencement of Saturday’s Governorship and State Assembly elections nationwide.

    The INEC National Commissioner in-charge of Enugu/Anambra/Benue States, Mr Gestus Okoye gave the assurance in Enugu.

    Okoye, who was interacting with reporters on the preparedness of the commission for the polls, also said that there would be full deployment of the smart card readers nationwide.

    He said that the commission was ready to conduct free, fair and credible elections, adding that it had fine-tuned all the loose-ends encountered during the Presidential and National Assembly polls.

    He said: “This time around, we want to ensure that each polling unit in the federation starts the process at 8 a.m. dot on the day of the elections.

    “So we want to make sure that all our ad-hoc staff and materials got to the polling units before 7.30 a.m.

    “And the usage of the smart card readers will be universal in all the polling units.

    “Any polling unit where the people or political thugs did not allow the presiding officer to use the smart card reader will get zero votes.”

    Read Also: INEC: 63 card readers missing in Bayelsa

    Okoye advised presiding officers to remain calm in the face of any threats from any quarters at the polling units but score that polling unit zero vote at the collation centre.

    He warned that the commission would no longer tolerate the killing, maiming or injuring of its ad hoc staff, who might be corps members serving their fatherland.

    “We have discussed with the Inspector-General of Police “to ensure that all our staff members, including the ad-hoc staff, are given adequate protection from violent attacks during the polls.

    “The commission will protect its own with every passion and means it can muster.”

    He appealed to Nigerians to come out en mass to exercise their civic duty on March 9.

  • Campaign financing: Court to hear suit against Buhari, Atiku, others

    A Federal High Court has scheduled hearing for March 26 in a suit accusing President Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar of violating Section 91(2) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) in their election campaign spending.

    The plaintiff, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/191/2019, filed by the candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) in the February 23 presidential election, Usman Ibrahim Alhaji, alleged that Buhari and Atiku expended more than N1billion in their campaigns in alleged violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act.

    Listed as defendants in the suit are: Buhari, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC).

    The plaintiff is praying the court for the following reliefs

    *A declaration that the 1st and 3rd Defendants (Buhari and Atiku), have brazenly and flagrantly violated the provisions of section 91(2) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), having exceeded the maximum legally allowable N1billion election expenditure for presidential candidates, taking into cognizance, the excessive, profligate and continuous extravagant presidential campaign of the 1st and 3rd Defendants since their emergence as presidential candidates of their respective political parties.

    Read Also: How Adhoc staff sabotaged election in Imo -REC

    *A declaration that the 1st defendant unauthorized use of state resources brand-named ‘TRADERMONI’, with which the 1st defendant through his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has employed to tacitly induce electorates in exchange for their votes, amount to fraud covered within section 124(1)(a) (b) (c) and section 130 of the Electoral Act.

    *A declaration that branded items such as bags of fertilizers, bags of rice, distributed to electorates at campaign rallies by the 1st and 3rd defendants, amount to inducement of electorates in exchange for their votes, amount to fraud covered within section 124(1)(a) (b) (c) and section 130 of the Electoral Act”.

    *An order of this honourable court directing the 5th defendant (INEC) to expunge the names of the 2nd and 4th defendants (APC and PDP) from the presidential ballot papers so as to rescue Nigeria’s democracy from money bags, the influence of money, also to prevent the undue use of money, and to preserve the peoples’ sovereignty as enshrined in section 14(2)(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

    When the case came up on Tuesday, Justice Ahmed Mohammed directed that processes in the case be served on Buhari and Atiku, through the legal departments of their political parties.

    The judge ordered substituted service after plaintiff’s lawyer, Ezekiel Ofou, told the court that his client found it extremely difficult servicing processes on Buhari and Atiku, due to the retinue of security aides around them.

  • Stop attacking Buhari, take rest at 82, Alake advises Obasanjo

    The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Aremu Gbadebo, on Tuesday advised former President Olusegun Obasanjo to desist from his ceaseless attacks on President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The monarch gave the advice in his goodwill message to mark the 82nd birthday anniversary of Obasanjo at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta.

    Gbadebo, who noted that Obasanjo had been ‘‘a warrior’’ all his life, urged him to rest, fight less and rather take a position of a consultant at his new age.

    ‘‘At 82 years, I think you should keep your sword more rather than use it always,’’ he said.

    Gbadebo, who served as a military officer during the military administration of Muhammadu Buhari between 1984 and 1985, said he had always told Obasanjo to leave his boss (Buhari) alone.

    Read Also: Obasanjo keeps mum over Buhari’s reelection

    Obasanjo, who responded to goodwill messages from friends, family members and well- wishers at the programme, responded by saying that the issues between him and Buhari were not personal.

    According to the elder statesman, governance is not a family affair, adding that democracy involves criticisms and consideration of all sides to an issue.

    ‘‘There is nothing personal between President Buhari and I.

    ‘‘In a democracy, you can criticise a policy, a government or a leader because democracy is not a family affair.

    ‘‘If it is my brother that is occupying the leadership role and he is not doing what I believe he should do, he must be criticised and that is what democracy is all about.

    ‘‘I have been in that position longer than any Nigerian will ever be there.

    ‘‘So if I say anybody in government in Nigeria is not doing well, let that government prove that it is doing well,’’ he said.

    Former Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Mangosuthu Buthelezi, delivered a lecture entitled: ‘‘Colonialism, Apartheid, Freedom and South Africa Rising.’’

    Buthelezi, in the lecture, identified corruption as the biggest challenge facing the African continent.

    He expressed concerns that South Africa currently ranked so poorly on the Corruption Perceptions Index of the Transparency International.

    The former South-African Minister attributed the development to ‘‘the mistakes we have made, allowing resources to be consumed by greed and abuse.’’

    Buthelezi, who noted that only six countries in the African Union had ranked above 50 on the corruption index, stressed that ‘‘corruption is pervasive throughout the region.

    ‘‘This is difficult to hear and perhaps, it stirs our anger. We must, however, accept the facts and fix them.

    ‘‘When we consider countries like Seychelles and Botswana who have become paragons of excellence, we need to ask what they did to achieve this.

    ‘‘We know that Botswana, for instance, reinforced its legal and institutional frameworks and made resources available specifically to fight corruption.

    ‘‘There are measures we can take and we must take them.

    “If we can overcome these challenges in Africa, we will open the possibilities for growth, development and social justice that were the dreams of my generation,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • Counter protest rocks Bayelsa community ahead of polls

    A day after some women urged President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend elections in Nembe-Bassambiri, Nembe Local Government Area citing violence, scores of residents on Tuesday held a counter protest, declaring the community as peaceful.

    Women agitating for suspension of elections told Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that their place was no longer safe for polls.

    Spokesperson of the Women, Mrs. Sotonye Samuel-Johnson, said that the call to postpone the election in the community was to safeguard the lives and properties of women and children in the area.

    Samuel-Johnson said that women and children, who fled the community to nearby Ogbolomabiri and Yenagoa had not been able to return to their homes following activities of political thugs.

    But on Tuesday scores of women, elders and youths marched the streets of Nembe- Bassambiri and said there was no violence in their community.

    They described all the reports of violence as propaganda orchestrated by the state government to intimidate and stop them from voting for their preferred candidates.

    The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as: “Seven years in office no single project in Nembe-Bassambiri “and “Toru-Orua for PDP while Nembe- Bassambiri is for APC”, said there was no truth in the reports that thugs had sacked the community.

    A woman leader in the area, Ingoebiye Braid, alleged the state government was persecuting them because of their political differences.

    Also, the Secretary, Community Development Committee (CDC) Kombonimi Awo, debunked insinuations the community was deserted following alleged violence that occurred in the area during and after the presidential elections.

    He further said the last elections held peacefully in the community contrary to claims by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Read Also: Bayelsa urges Buratai to produce killers of photographer, PDP chief

    He said: “People are carrying rumours and are being sponsored by the Bayelsa Government that the community has been deserted but all these are false.

    “Nobody is running out of the community. The elders, chiefs, women and youths are going about their businesses without fears and molestations.

    “There is no fight or crisis in the community during and after the National Assembly and Presidential elections.

    “The only people that are out of the community are those hired with fake uniforms and thugs.

    “The rumours that the whole community has vacated is a pure lie. Those paid to stage protest in the state capital are paid agents of destabilisation. The call for the cancellation of the last election is wicked and should not be honoured by INEC. We voted peacefully without intimidation.”

  • Ladoja, Lanlehin, others adopt Makinde as joint candidate

    Five opposition parties in Oyo state on Tuesday publicly presented a coalition governorship candidate to run against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for Saturday’s poll.

    The parties in the coalition include African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the New Progressive Movement (NPM).

    The coalition adopted the PDP candidate, Seyi Makinde, for the governorship poll while retaining their separate structures for the house of Assembly elections.

    The former governor, who is also the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland and a chieftain of ZLP, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, made the public presentation of the joint candidate during a press conference which at the NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan.

    The event was also attended by party leaders and stakeholders in the coalition.

    The coalition put to rest the much touted and anticipated coalition in their bid to defeat the ruling party.

    While reading a speech entitled “An alliance for the freedom of Oyo State,” the ADC governorship candidate, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, said the parties decided on the move as a workable solution to what it described as “unpalatable situation where Oyo state has been remotely controlled in the last eight years.”

    Talks on the coalition have been rife but with fears mounting on the workability.

    The coalition is the first time in the history of the state that opposition parties agreed to ‘gang up’ against the ruling party.

    Lanlehin said: “It is no longer news that a good number of parties in Oyo state have deliberated intensely over the last few weeks and have come to the resolution that there is an urgent need to free our dear state from the shackles of outside oppression and domination.

    “We have therefore decided that in order to present an effective and workable solution to the unpalatable situation where Oyo State has been remotely controlled for the past 8 years by outside forces and all manner of constituted authority, there is the need to form this alliance of political parties in the state.

    “We have firmly resolved to present one candidate in the person of Engineer Oluseyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party for the office of Governor at the elections holding on 9th March, 2019.

    “He shall be heading by the special grace of God and the power of the people of Oyo State, a Government of Unity which will cater for the interest of all our people irrespective of political association.”

    Governorship candidates Sharafadeen Alli (ZLP), Bolaji Ayorinde (SDP) and Col. Feyisayo Ladoye (NPM) appealed to their supporters to vote for Makinde.

    Giving a short remark before raising Makinde’s hand, Ladoja said “It is my pleasure to present to you the agreed candidate for the election coming up on Saturday March 9, and who Insha Allah, will become governor-elect on that day, and will be subsequently sworn in on May 29 as governor of Oyo State.

    “He is my son. I present to you Engineer Seyi Makinde.”

    In his acceptance speech, Makinde who expressed happiness at the coalition noted, the election would put opportunity before the people to do two things.

    “Two weeks ago, the people of Oyo South Senatorial District rejected Ajimobi and now is the time of the entire people of the state to reject Bayo Adelabu who is going to be the third term of Ajimobi.

    “The second thing is that we want Oyo State money to stay in Oyo state and that is what voting for PDP will do for the people of this state,” Makinde stated.

  • IGP bans covered vehicle number plates

    The Inspector-General of Police, Ag. IGP Mohammed Adamu has banned the use of covered Vehicle Number Plates by all unauthorized users across the country.

    The order which is with immediate effect came following intelligence report that covered number plates may be used to commit electoral offences.

    Asides the threat to the polls, the IGP also noted that covering of vehicle number plate amounts to clear breach of the Road Traffic Act and other relevant laws of the land.

    The IGP also warned that any security personnel found escorting their principal with an unmarked vehicle or those with masked vehicle number plates will be arrested and dealt with accordingly.

    This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday by the Force Spokesman, ACP Frank Mba.

    The statement reads: “The IGP gave this order on Tuesday, 5th March, 2019, following intelligence report that the unwholesome practice may be deployed by some unscrupulous persons to aid the commission of electoral related offences before, during and after the Saturday, 9th March, 2019 Gubernatorial/House of Assembly elections.

    Read Also: Guber polls: IGP warns would-be troublemakers

    “Apart from the above immediate possible threats to the polls, the IGP also noted that the covering of Vehicle Number Plate amounts to a clear breach of the Road Traffic Act and other relevant laws of the land.

    “In addition, the act could also impact negatively on national security and safety and has the capacity to; heighten criminal activities, engender atmosphere of lawlessness, shield perpetrators of crime and place unnecessary pressure on security agencies in their routine crime prevention and monitoring tasks.”

    The IG also directed all Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) and Commissioners of Police (CPs) in the Zonal and State Commands to strictly enforce the restriction order at their various Areas of Responsibilities (AOR) and to ensure that all defaulters are dealt with according to the law.

  • Polls: INEC receives sensitive materials in Kwara

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kwara, Malam Garba Attahiru-Madami, says the commission has taken delivery of all sensitive materials for Saturday’s Governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    Attahiru-Madami told our reporter on Tuesday in Ilorin that all the sensitive materials were in the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    He added that officials of the commission would commence sorting the materials on Wednesday in the open within the premises of the CBN.

    The REC added that the sorting of sensitive materials would be done in the presence of representatives of political parties, security agencies, election observers and the media.

    The sensitive materials included ballot papers, Form EC 8 and result sheet form.

    The REC said that after sorting of the materials, they would be moved to the various local governments accompanied by armed security personnel.

    Read Also: Group hails Kwara polls

    Attahiru-Madami said non sensitive materials like ballot boxes, ink, stamp pads and other items had earlier been moved to the 16 local governments.

    The REC added that all the sensitive materials would be kept at the Divisional Police Headquarters in each local government headquarters.

    According to him, the sensitive materials would be moved to the 193 Registration Centres (RACs) on Friday evening where they would be sorted out according to various polling units in the open glare of representatives of political parties and security personnel.

    Attahiru-Madami assured the people of the state that INEC would conduct credible and internationally accepted governorship and House of Assembly elections on Saturday.

    NAN