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Tag: 2019 ELECTIONS

  • Obaseki orders payment of February salary to Edo workers

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Thursday, ordered the immediate payment of February salary to workers in the state, ahead of the February 23 general elections.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, disclosed this in a statement in Benin City, Edo State capital.

    Osagie said the governor’s decision to pay workers well ahead of the usual 26th day of the month, when salaries are usually paid in Edo State, was informed by the need to cushion the effect of the rescheduled elections and also provide support for those who will have to travel to their various voting centres to participate in the general elections holding on Saturday, February 23.

    He said the governor was aware that the rescheduled polls disrupted a lot of plans of residents and may have left many stranded, noting, “This is why he has decided to pay them earlier than the 26th day of the month, which is the payday for government workers in the state. Among other things, this gesture will enable them to travel to their various local government areas and fully participate in the February 23 general elections.”

    He added, “Edo workers will get their February salaries before the close of business today, Thursday, February 21, 2019. There is no denying that Governor Obaseki is committed to the welfare of workers in the state, and this amplifies this stance.”

  • Elections: FG closes borders tomorrow

    The Federal Government has announced the closure of all Nigerian land borders with effect from 12:00 noon on Friday, February 22 to 12:00 noon of Sunday, February 24, 2019.

    Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdrahman Dambazau who gave the order said the development is to restrict movements across the borders during the election days.

    Read Also: FG grants visa free waiver for accredited election observers

    According to a statement issued by the Comptroller General (CG) of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede and made available to The Nation: “Further to the Presidential Election taking place on the February, 23, 2019, the Honourable Minister of Interior has directed the closure of all Nigeria Land Borders with effect from 12:00 noon of Friday February 22 to 12:00 noon of Sunday February 24, 2019.

    “This is to restrict movements across the borders during the election days. The public is to take note and ensure compliance.”

  • ‘Buhari’ll win, handover to Igbo President in 2023’

    *Says PDP would lose states in the S’south

     

    A Christian cleric in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Prophet Udeme Bassey, has predicted victory for President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressive Congress (APC) over Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Saturday.

    He also predicted that Buhari would handover to an Igbo president in 2023, after successfully completing his tenure and bowing out as the most celebrated president in the nation’s history.

    Prophet Udeme, who was spot on with his predictions in the 2015 election and Edo state 2016 governorship election, further stated that Buhari’s victory would defy the gang-up by former President Obasanjo and other prominent ex-rulers.

    “PDP kept Nigeria in the current situation that Nigeria is in today. They have killed and buried Nigeria for 15 years, but God is very pleased with President Muhammadu Buhari and even one million OBJs and Atikus cannot unseat him.”

    Bassey claimed that the PDP candidate is only on a mission to buy the remaining national assets that he failed to secure from 1999 – 2007 when he was Vice President.

    Similarly, the cleric who said his prediction followed 31-day fasting and prayers for the 2019 general election, predicted that 70percent of current elected office holders would lose their election.

    Read Also: Tinubu: Buhari didn’t order shoot on sight

    “The APC will take over four of the six South-south states and weaker candidates in weaker parties would be favoured. Seventy percent of current politicians would lose their seats to their opponents in 2019.

    “PMB will appoint more youths, women and Igbo politicians in his cabinet and his second tenure will be more friendly and his governance style will make Nigerians smile again,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Christian cleric has urged Nigerians to be tolerant of others’ political and general views, stressing that his experience had shown that people are not comfortable with unfavourable truth.

    He particularly lamented his predicament in the hands of his erstwhile landlord (names withheld) who allegedly threw him out of his apartment because of accurate prediction of the 2016 Edo state governorship race.

    “I was not owing him rent, but he said that he could not harbour a man who is against his interest in his own house.”

  • 2019: ADD adopts PT’s Olawepo-Hashim as consensus presidential candidate

    Three days to the rescheduled presidential election, polls conducted online by a team of panelists commissioned by Alliance for Defence of Democracy (ADD) has resulted in the adoption of People’s Trust’s (PT) Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as a consensus presidential candidate for the 2019 elections.

    ADD is a newly launched advocacy coalition of third force stakeholders in Nigeria.

    In a communique announcing Olawepo-Hashim as a consensus presidential candidate yesterday, the ADD Selection Council urged Nigerians to vote the pyramid symbol of PT for the third force in Saturday’s presidential elections.

    The communique reads: “Following months of consultations, frantic efforts and rigmarole, the process of picking  a consensus presidential flagbearer from among new breed presidential hopefuls of the third political force for the 2019 elections climaxed last weekend in Nigeria as over seven million Nigerians, mostly youths and women, among others, voted to pick their preferred consensus presidential candidate.

    “At close of collation and count of votes on Thursday, 14th February 2019, our poll moderators and panelists with strong mandate from ADD, facilitators of the third force presidential primary polls are satisfied to declare Olawepo-Hashim, as the consensus presidential flagbearer for the fresh breed, third force political parties to slug it out with President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) during Saturday’s  presidential elections

    “The polls conducted online by our team of panelists commissioned by ADD witnessed an unprecedented 7,539,000 votes in all, especially from young adults and professionals between the ages of 18 and 45, who desire political ideological paradigm shift in the politics and governance of Nigeria.

    “However, in a somewhat innovative dimension, voters were requested to choose three presidential candidates from among five already shortlisted contenders namely; Donald Duke of Social Democratic Party of Nigeria (SDP), Kingsley Moghalu of Young Progressives Party (YPP), Fela Durotoye of Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Omoyele Sowore of African Action Congress (AAC) and Olawepo Hashim of PT, who eventually clinched the consensus presidential ticket of the third force to lead the fresh breed credible alternatives against the presidential flagbearers of the APC and PDP in Saturday’s general elections.”

    “The results of the polls collated by the Tactical Selection Council, led by Prof. Anthony Kila, Director of Centre for International and Advance Professional Studies (CIAPS), showed that Olawepo Hashim scored 5,735,000 and the runner up, Sowore Omoyele of the AAC received 2,342,000.”

    Duke of SDP scored 2,310,000 votes to come third and Kingsley Moghalu of YPP, who was recently endorsed by literary giant, Prof. Wole Soyinka, came fourth with 1,950,000 votes. Fela Durotoye of ANN came fifth with 1,570,000 votes.

  • ‘Kwara result sheets mistakenly taken to FCT INEC office’

    Kwara state Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mallam Garba Madami, on Wednesday said the results sheets for last Saturday’s rescheduled presidential and National Assembly elections were mistakenly taken to the Federal capital Authority (FCT), Abuja’s INEC office.

    He added the ones for Lagos were inadvertently brought to Kwara while that of Lagos were taken to Nasarawa state.

    Madami added: “The result sheets for kwara was found in our FCT office in Abuja and they are going to be sent today .I will be here (CBN) till they bring it

    “Also the results sheet of Lagos was found here. I have sent it back, that of Lagos was also found in Nasarawa .You can see the reason the election was postponed,” the REC said.

    Madami said this in Ilorin, the state capital while addressing party agents at the commencement of distribution of sensitive elections materials from the Ilorin office of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to local government areas.

    It was witnessed by representatives of various security agencies including the Police, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerian Prison Service and media

    He however said the commission was expecting to take delivery of the results sheets to be used for rescheduled elections before the end of the (Wednesday).

    He informed the commission has taken delivery of other materials needed for the rescheduled polls.

    “The result sheets are not going to be used not until Saturday we would get it before then,” he said.

    Read Also: Buhari, APC arm-twisting security, INEC to rig polls, PDP alleges

    He said the commission began the movement of the election materials to various local government areas in the state to ensure those going to the difficult terrain arrive early enough.

    “We are stating with the local government that are far way, we are moving our materials to Baruten, Kaiama, Patigi where there are riverine communities, “he said.

    Asked whether the materials were secured, Madami said armed security personnel were already at the RAC rack centres to ensure safety of the materials and personnel.

    Speaking on the success of Permanent Voters card PVCS collection in the state, Madami said that the commission has recovered 82 per cent success with only a balance of 257,431 uncollected.

  • Nigeria more important than winner on Saturday, says Ribadu

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential campaign Council has said that while it is confident that President Muhammadu Buhari will emerge victorious at this weekend’s Presidential election, it also believe that the contest is not a do or die.

    Director, Field Operations of the Council, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu told newsmen that all those involved in the election should be aware that the contest is about Nigeria and should therefore not do anything that will undermine the interest of the country.

    Ribadu said: “The opposition party and those who we are contesting with, they should please understand it is not a do or die affair. It is about Nigerians.

    “Let Nigerians be the winner. If Nigerians are winners, then that is what politics is all about and that is what the future will look like. It is not about them or us, let Nigerians be the winners and the only way Nigerians can be the winner is if they play it fairly, honestly, justly, that is what is needed/required.”

    Ribadu assured that supporters and agents of APC would not be involved in criminal activities during the elections on Saturday, adding that the APC believes that Nigeria is more important than the party that wins the Saturday’s election.

    While saying that the APC was ready for the election, Ribadu said, “We would say we are prepared and we have worked hard. Twenty-four hours day and night we have been on this to prepare our supporters, particularly our volunteers and canvassers. We have over 300,000 of such people across the Country who has formally declared they are working for us.

    “We have given them all the necessary information they need to know that will help to sell our candidate very well and we have told them to do it peacefully in a way that we would have free and fair elections. They are ready and are all out there. We have sent a message across that we must conduct ourselves with all decorum, dignity with the APC/ PMB volunteers.

    “We have received very strong message from PMB and from everybody that no misbehavior will be tolerated. Our people will behave very well, our people will not be involved in any criminal activities, our people are going to conduct themselves according to the law and we believe that victory will be ours because we have prepared and worked hard.

    “I am very happy and excited with our level of preparedness towards the forthcoming exercise on Saturday. We only pray that we would be able to have it from all the players to adopt same attitude of free and fair election and let the winner emerge through a peaceful process.”

    On his trust on the Independent National Electoral Commission readiness, he said, “We hope that INEC is better prepared this time, we have witnessed what happened last weekend. We were all prepared and out then suddenly the got disappointed. We hope and pray that it is not going to happen again that they are fully prepared and everything is on ground for the elections on Saturday.

    “Also, the other players, the opposition party and those who we are contesting with, they should please understand it is not a do or die affair. It is about Nigerians. Let Nigerians be the winner, if Nigerians are winners then that is what politics is all about and that is what the future will look like.

    “It is not about them or us, let Nigerians be the winners and the only way Nigerians can be the winner is if they play it fairly, honestly, justly, that is what is needed/required.

    “My concern is that I hope they are also going to do exactly how we are doing, very well prepared, go to the field, convince the voters and let the vote count. Let Nigerians be winners in this matter.“

  • Buhari, APC arm-twisting security, INEC to rig polls, PDP alleges

    The Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari and leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of arm-twisting key stakeholders in the electoral process.

    The main opposition party listed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies as being arm-twisted to rig the February 23 elections in favour of President Buhari and the APC.

    At a media briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, accused the Presidency of launching ferocious plots with INEC and security agencies to ambush the rescheduled elections and foist Buhari on the nation.

    The PDP vowed the “evil plots” of the “fear stricken” Buhari and the APC come to naught.

    Commenting on the alleged plots, Ologbondiyan said: “Since the postponement, the Buhari Presidency and APC have been breathing down the neck of the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, in a desperate and feverish bid to consolidate their control of the operations of the commission and execute their rigging plot.

    Read Also: Buhari will get 80 percent votes, Enang boasts

    “At a meeting held in Buhari Presidency/APC situation room in the Presidential Villa last night, where Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, the Managing Director of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mustapha Boss, among others, were in attendance, Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) were directed to issue out result sheets to APC agents to falsify and declare results in favour of the APC.

    “Intelligence at our disposal reveals that the INEC Chairman has succumbed to back channel bullying by the Buhari Presidency and APC to accede to their demand to replace Electoral Officers (EOs) in various critical states with APC agents who will vehemently execute President Buhari’s rigging plans in the February 23, presidential election”.

    The PDP said it is in possession of full details of how the Department of State Services (DSS) has allegedly been interfering with operations of critical departments of INEC, including the ICT department, to do APC bidding.

    The party also claimed to have details of President Buhari’s Tuesday night meeting with some APC northern governors and Service Chiefs where pressure was allegedly mounted on the Service Chiefs in connection with the APC rigging plans.

    Continuing, the PDP spokesman said: “We alert Nigerians that the INEC Chairman has been intimidated with threat of ‘Onnoghen’s treatment’ to accept a list of APC members and agents and post them to serve as EOs in various states including Kano, Kaduna, Rivers, Bauchi, Akwa-Ibom, Zamfara, Benue, Sokoto, Lagos, Plateau, Taraba, Borno, Adamawa, Kogi, Delta, Ebonyi among others.

    “These APC EOs have been briefed to ensure the diversion of sensitive electoral materials from designated polling centres, delay the accreditation process, so as to frustrate voters’ enthusiasm, compromise the collation process to allocate and announce fictitious results for President Buhari and muddle up the process to pave way for result cancellation where it becomes impossible to rig for President Buhari.

    “The PDP stands with Nigerians in directly rejecting this latest arm-twisting of security agencies as well as the nefarious plots to use APC members as INEC Election Officers”.

  • Atiku is desperate to be president – APC chieftain

    …says, int’l, local gang-up against Buhari will fail

     

    A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and strong ally of President Muhammadu Buhari, Engr. Kailani Muhammad has said that, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is desperate to be president of Nigeria.

    He also said that Atiku Abubakar has bribed Muslim and Christian clerics across the country.

    Muhammad who based his allegation on the recent disclosure by the Chairman Voice of Northern Nigeria Christian Movement, Pastor Kalamu Musa Dikwa that clerics were given N7billion bribe, however, said that those hell-bent on corruption should go on exile, as Buhari will come after them.

    Addressing a press conference in Kaduna on Wednesday, Muhammad said, “Most frightening and daunting of Atiku’s desperation to occupy the presidential villa is manifest in his bribe of Christian and Muslim clerics across Nigeria.”

    According to him, “the Chairman Voice of Northern Nigeria Christian Movement, Pastor Kalamu Musa Dikwa confirmed that clerics were given money. What is surprising is that, they are saying they gave money to Christian clerics, but they did not mention the amount they gave to Muslim clerics. They gave the Christian clerics N7 billion on the 26th January, 2019.

    Read Also: Delta youths endorse Atiku, Okowa others

    “The issue wanted to cause confusion among the clerics, because the following day, the Muslim clerics were given N12 billion,” he said.

    The APC chieftain also alleged that, there is international and local gang-up against the President, which he said will fail, because the masses of Nigeria are with President Muhammadu Buhari.

    According to him, unlike former President Goodluck Jonathan who failed due to such International gang-up in 2015, President Buhari will come out stronger, because he is incorruptible.

    He highlighted the achievements of President Buhari, to include the resuscitation of the railway system, dredging of the Baro Port and Anchor Borrowers project among others.

  • APC to INEC: You must earn the confidence of Nigerians again

    …says asking Yakubu to resign not the solution

     

    The All Progressives Congress ( APC ) Presidential Campaign Council said on Wednesday that asking the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to resign is of the solution to delivering a credible election this weekend, saying the commission must work to earn the confidence of Nigerians again that they can deliver a credible poll.

    Director, Election monitoring and Planning, Babatunde Raji Fashola who spoke at a news conference in Abuja said many Nigerians have sacrificed so much for Nigerian democracy, pointing out that their sacrifice must not be allowed to waste, pointing out that any party asking the INEC Chairman to resign does not understand the workings of government

    He said “Election and lack of elections have consequences. Many people have fought hard for this democracy, it has delivered uncomfortable results in the past as well as results we can live with and every effort to continue to improve it is an opportunity we must not turn our back on. Every party is disappointed, every well-meaning Nigerian is disappointed, but that is no reason to throw the baby away with the bath water.

    “So, it is for the INEC Chairman and his team to reclaim the confidence of the people and show us that they can deliver on what they have been asked to do. If you ask him to resign, will that give us an election?

    “If he resigns, will that give us an election? If the person who has been there for four years is having challenges now, who is prepared that will replace him and do what he has not been able to do in three and half years. The party that is thinking that way does not even know how government works. The solution is for all Nigerians to rally round INEC to get it right and that is what we intend to do.”

    Fashola who is also the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, said Nigerians must not allow the action of anti-democratic agents dampen our enthusiasm. Although a week looked like eternity, it has trickled down and is getting closer to the reversed date.

    He said “lots of Nigerians have sacrificed greatly and sometimes supremely with their lives to give us this democracy. We must covert the disappointment 16th February 2019 to an all-time determination on the 23rd of February 2019 that others have made. It is democracy that will preserve our freedom and the vigilance, particularly those appointed to serve as agents of our party must be all time high. The vigilance of those appointed to serve as agents of our party must be all time high.

    Read Also: I remain APC candidate in Enugu east senatorial zone- Ezeh

    “Our agents must know what their rights are and notice the public of our commitment to a free election. The agents have a right to be admitted to polling centres and collation centre in the area where the party is contesting election.

    “They have a right to take notes and statistics in a manner to undermine or impugn the integrity of the electoral process. They have a right to object to a prospective voter if he is suspected to be an impostor or if he has voted earlier and the record shows that if he does not belong to that polling unit. These are steps taken to ensure free and fair election. They also have a right to ask for a recount of the ballot only once at his polling unit after his presiding officer might have counted it in his presence.”

  • Ohanaeze cannot influence Igbo voters -Moghalu

    Chief Kingsley Moghalu, presidential candidate of the Young People’s Party (YPP), says the endorsement of a particular candidate by Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo is in vain.

    Moghalu disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, on Wednesday in Awka.

    He said youths in South East are now wise to know who to vote for and not for Ohanaeze to compel them on what to do.

    “We in the South East now know that our elders in Ohanaeze have been economical with the truth, they tell us what they want us to believe for reasons best known to them.

    “This time around the youth in the region have decided to vote for candidates that appeal to them in terms of development plans for the country,” he said.

    Moghalu said he has done much for Nigerians to deserve their votes in Feb. 23, poll.

    Read Also: Moghalu storms Lagos for presidential campaign

    “I did so much for the country while serving as the deputy governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    “I introduced POS services; the ATM card was also my initiative as well as Bank Verification Number (BVN) for identification of accounts.

    “I did all these to make the economy vibrant, it is also my contribution towards making ease of doing business possible.

    “If given the chance, I will do more for the country to enable it join the league of developed countries where youths will be proud to stay and earn their living,” he said.