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Tag: 2019 polls

  • Breaking: We’re good to go for Saturday’s polls- INEC

    ..Deployment of material to end on Thursday

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) has said that the deployment of voting materials to the 774 Local Government Areas of the country will be completed on Thursday.

    INEC also said that it has completed 100% the configuration of the Smart Card Readers (SCRs) which will be used for the accreditation of voters on the 23rd February and 9th March 2019.

    Updating the media and observers on the preparedness of the commission on Wednesday, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Commission said deployment commenced on Wednesday in ten(10) states. This he said will be completed on Thursday.

    Read Also: INEC supporting Emmanuel, says Akpabio

    He also acknowledged that there are reports of missing materials in some states.

    The commission he assured has made good progress in the area of logistics and is good to go.

    He also said that only accredited diplomats will be allowed to move about as there is restriction on movement.

    Details shortly…

  • ‘Dickson’s airport ‘ll attract votes to Bayelsa PDP’

    A stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Reuben Okoya, on Wednesday expressed optimism that projects embarked upon by Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson especially the airport project would attract votes to the party in the state.

    Okoya, a frontline PDP governorship aspirant in 2015, insisted that PDP had done very well in the state over the years and deserved victory in the forthcoming elections.

    Speaking in Yenagoa, the state capital, Okoya said he was particularly happy that the governor made it possible for the first airplane to land in the state describing it as one of the greatest achievements of the PDP government.

    He said: “I am proud of the work that the governor had done to ensure that we get an airport in Bayelsa state, so we must commend him and the PDP for that achievement.

    Read Also: Polls: No life, property would be lost in C/River, Ayade assures

    “Generally, airports are federal projects but the state government led by Governor Dickson decided to take it upon himself to ensure that we have an airport.

    “The benefits of airports are immeasurable; some are intangible you can not feel them. Driving to Port Harcourt everyday you want to fly, is a tough thing to do.

    “So, those of us who fly to Abuja, Lagos consistently will be able to drive 30 to 20 minutes to our airport and fly. Let us commend the PDP. If for no other reason Bayelsa should vote for PDP just for this airport accomplishment”.

    Okoya said he went round the state to campaign for the candidates of the PDP and appealed to voters not to experiment with a new party in the coming elections.

    “PDP has done very well for Bayelsa state, so PDP needs to keep ruling and running Bayelsa state. The success of the party needs to be rewarded by people coming out to vote for PDP en masse.

    “The record of achievement is all over the state. You can see it everywhere, I don’t want to go into details. But I want to employ the people to please vote for PDP for continuity, for success.

    “Let’s not experiment the new parties because we don’t know them very well. Let’s take what we have and try to make it better because there is no family that is perfect. There are always issues, debates, disagreement but ultimately when family sit down together we can always come together and make progress and success”.

  • 2019: Over 10m PVCs collected so far – INEC

    Over 10 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have so far been collected, the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) has said.

    Over 14 million new registered voters were added onto the voter register since after the 2015 general elections.

    The PVCs are to be used for voting in the general elections which commence on Saturday with the presidential and National Assembly elections, while the governorship State Assembly and FCT council polls comes up on the 9th of March, 2019.

    Read Also: Polls: Again, FG reads riot act to INEC

    The polls were earlier scheduled for 16th February and 2nd March 2019 but was however rescheduled following the inability of the commission to successfully execute its logistics arrangement.

    Full story shortly…

  • PDP to military: don’t obey order on ballot box snatching

    The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar and PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, have urged the military and other security agencies not to obey the presidential order asking them to deal ruthlessly with would-be ballot box snatchers.

    The party chieftains described the order as unlawful, insisting that there are enough provisions in the nation’s laws for the arrest and prosecution of ballot box snatching and other electoral offences.

    Speaking at a national caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja on Monday, President Buhari had said: “Anybody who decides to snatch boxes or lead thugs to disturb the election, may be that would be the last unlawful action you would take.

    “I have given the military and police the order to be ruthless. I am going to warn anybody who thinks he would lead a body of thugs in his locality to snatch boxes or to disturb the voting system; he would do it at the expense of his/her own life”.

    But speaking Wednesday in Abuja, at the 84th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the PDP, the two opposition chieftains cautioned President Buhari not to let loose anarchy in the country during the upcoming elections.

    Atiku said it’s shocking for any head of state to utter such words in a democracy and that Nigerians should not accept it from President Buhari, adding “We have fought more ruthless dictators than himself”.

    According to him, Buhari’s actions and utterances since he mounted the saddle in 2015 have been painful reminders of the era of military dictatorship.

    “General Buhari has consistently violated the constitution; he failed to uphold the rule of law. Recent instances include the unconstitutional suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria a day before he was supposed to inaugurate the committee for the election tribunals that will decided any appeals or whether our elections were subject to manipulation, thereby crossing the immutable line that divides the executive from the judiciary.

    “When you people are talking about democracy, I have always said that Gen. Muhammadu Buhari is not a democrat, he has never been a democrat. We started the fight to drive the military, he was never there, he never participated.

    “You can see that he just wore the garb of democracy so that he can come back to power and do whatever he is doing. So Gen Buhari is not a democrat, he doesn’t believe in democracy, he is a lip service, he is more of a power monger than a democrat.

    “A precondition for free, fair and credible election is that the people are able to freely vote the candidate of their choice. You owe it to the people to let them give their verdict in the same way that you were elected. If you do so and if you win, then the people will commend you for it. Otherwise, history will condemn you for it. But before history does that, we will condemn you for it,” Atiku added.

    Secondus said Nigerians were still in shock as a result of the order, stressing that the same President who has been “off duty” since the needless bloodletting in various parts of the country over the years, could give what amounted to shoot-on-sight orders against ballot snatching.

    Secondus said, “By that directive, ordering soldiers to kill our citizens without recourse to the law and with impunity, the President has unwittingly given license to APC leaders to carry military personnel on Saturday.

    “The agenda of that directive is clear; to scare away voters and agents, that we have directed to defend their votes, so as to give way to a military protected political thugs to come into the polling booths, and implement their result replacement strategy.

    “The President’s body language alongside that of his party hierarchy appeared remorseless for the damage done to our democracy or the huge private and public resources wasted by the inability of APC hawks acting as contractors and consultants to allow INEC to operate.

    “I can indeed make the conclusion, that from inception, President Buhari, was not ready for free and fair elections, otherwise he would easily have signed the amended Electoral Act, which would have enabled peaceful and hitch free elections in 2019.

    “President Buhari’s disregard for institutions of states, which started with the attempt of the Executive to hijack the Legislature, has continued unabated, with the illegal suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen, and the swearing in of an acting CJN”.

    The party chair insisted on non-deployment of military or paramilitary units to electoral duties, as, according to him, elections are civil activities, which the police are best trained to handle.

    He also sought assurances from the Federal Government that all communication assets – fixed and mobile, including the Internet, will not be interrupted or compromised during the elections.

    The party chair similarly urged adherence to steps taken by the government to safeguard the conduct of the elections, including restriction of movements and closure of the nation’s borders with the Republics of Chad and Niger.

    The meeting, which lasted several hours, was attended by key party stakeholders, including governors, federal lawmakers, former cabinet Ministers and members of the Board of Trustees.

  • INEC officials colluding with Gov Emmanuel, Akpabio alleges

    Former Akwa Ibom Governor Senator Godswill Akpabio has alleged some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were colluding with Governor Udom Emmanuel to compromise the forthcoming elections.

    He accused some of the INEC officials of being not completely independent, alleging they have been compromised by Governor Emmanuel.

    Akpabio told newsmen in Abuja the governor has deployed huge sums to entice voters and electoral officials.

    The former governor alleged Emmanuel has no single project to show and has consistently told the people that there is no money in the state, even after collecting refunds spent to construct federal roads by his government.

    He, however, expressed confidence President Muhammadu Buhari will emerge victorious in Saturday’s rescheduled presidential elections.

    The former Senate Minority Leader said: “You know that INEC is an Independent body but some of its officials are not totally Independent.

    “In some states, we have noticed some unholy alliances with the government in power in those states.

    “For example, in a place like Akwa Ibom, we have seen the body language of the government, which clearly shows that they will not be able to conduct free and fair elections, giving all the parties, particularly the APC, a level playing field.

    “This is very easy for you to see and from the body language of people they have recruited to run the affairs, including the ad hoc staff and other support staff for the election.

    “This can be seen from the body language and the kind of things that the trainees are being told. What the National Chairman observes about opposition against APC does exist.”

    He went on: “There are two things happening in my state. One is a lot of fake news coming from the opposition and secondly, is massive deployment of funds to buy people.

    “James Hardley Chase said in one of his books that fear is the key that opens the wallet of the rich.

    “He told the people that there was no money to do project and so, there is nothing on the ground in the state.

    “They have not been able to commission a single project. All the big me that come to my state, they take the churches to pray.

    “When former President Obasanjo came, they took him to church to pray but when they go to other states, they commission projects but nothing to commission in my state.

    “So, now that people are clamouring for change, money is now flowing all over the state. Fear opens the wallet of the rich that is what is happening to the opposition in my state.

    “You can only rig election in a place where you are popular. Today, the APC is all over Akwa Ibom state.

    “80-90 percent of the people are APC. So, when you go to rig election and you don’t succeed, you bring anarchy.”

    On the chances of Buhari, he said: “Nigerians know the difference between apples and oranges. The reality is that this President has done very well considering the fact he took us out of recession.

    “He met many projects on ground and is completing them such as the railway lines. He has invested in massive infrastructure never seen before.

    “I have been a governor and I know that federal budget usually contain 70 and sometimes 80 percent of recurrent expenditure and sometimes, what is left is less than 20 percent for capital projects.

    “But this President has been able to block the loopholes in the system and free more money for developmental purposes.

    “The TSA is a major innovation and as you know, some ministries were operating more than 50 accounts.

    “Today, we have been able to mobilise those funds into one account and over 30 percent of the budget now goes for capital projects. Nigerians are clamouring for infrastructural change and better educational facilities.”

  • PDP jittery over directive on ballot box snatching – Presidency

    The Presidency on Tuesday said that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) is jittery over the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to security agencies to deal ruthlessly with anybody that attempts to snatch ballot box during the forthcoming elections.

    Reiterating that anyone who dares to snatch ballot box during the elections will be doing it for the last time, the Presidency said that it should be seen as a strong message against the long history of savagery associated with elections in the country.

    Speaking with State House correspondents, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, recalled some past elections in parts of Nigeria, during which innocent voters lost their lives while ballot boxes were snatched by armed thugs.

    He said the President had the safety and security of Nigerians uppermost in mind when he made the comment, and should be praised rather than criticized for issuing this stern warning to potential ballot box snatchers.

    He also expressed concern about those attacking the president’s comment, and their worry over the fate of anyone caught snatching ballot boxes.

    Read Also: PDP alleges plots by Buhari, APC to truncate democracy

    He said “This sounds like members of the opposition, specifically the People’s Democratic Party, PDP who have perfected plans to rig the elections and to snatch ballot boxes.

    “They can tell that President Buhari is not prepared to tolerate their antics this time around, and they are afraid. They have shown their intent.” he said

    Shehu noted that no one had anything to fear from the President’s comments if their conscience and intentions were clear.

    He said, “Let’s just have free and fair elections and no one need worry about anything.

    “Snatching ballot boxes often entails putting the lives of innocent Nigerians at risk. About 10 years ago, evidence was brought before an election tribunal from one of the states in North Central of the gruesome killing of 26 prospective voters by ballot box snatchers.

    “Their modus operandi is well known. They storm election venues in commando style, overwhelm the law-enforcement agents and seize ballot boxes leaving a trail of death and injury.”

    He added “Anyone who dares to put the lives of innocent citizens at risk in their desperation to rig elections must be prepared for the possibility of losing their own lives because our security agents will certainly not stand by, clap for them and watch them kill and maim.“

  • Polls: IGP warns troublemakers

    *Says ballot box snatchers will face grave consequence

     

    The Acting Inspector General of Police ( IGP ), Mohammed Adamu on Tuesday warned politicians and other Nigerians that it is fully prepared to deal with anybody planning to snatch ballot boxes or make trouble during the forthcoming elections.

    He gave the warning while briefing State House correspondents after security meeting Presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The meeting had reviewed security situation in the country, especially towards the general elections.

    Adamu assured that the police is ready to protect every eligible Nigerian to exercise his or her civic responsibility.

    Anybody that tries to disrupt the elections by engaging in ballot boxes snatching, he said, would have himself or herself to blame.

    He also said that any act of thuggery and touting during the polls will be met with grave resistance.

    He said, “Today, members of the security community and intelligence community came and briefed Mr. President on the security situation in the country.

    Read Also: We are ready for Saturday elections, APC boasts

    “We deliberated on the consequences and came up with the resolve to further provide adequate security within the country so that the electorate will come out and cast their votes without any fear of molestation.

    “Every Nigerian is encouraged to come out on the election day and cast his or her vote without any fear of molestation. The security personnel are ready and prepared to protect everybody.

    “Anybody that feels that he can come out and disrupt process should have a rethink because that situation will not be allowed. If you plan and allow yourself to be used as touts, whatever happens to you, you will take it.

    “Ballot snatching, ballot buying, thuggery will never be allowed, anybody that is planning to snatch ballot boxes or planning to be used as a tout, will have his or herself to blame on the Election Day. So you better don’t allow yourself to be used.” he said

  • Polls:INEC allays fears of insecurity in Adamawa

    Mr Kassim Gaidam, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa, on Tuesday, allayed the fears of the people over insecurity, stressing that the forthcoming elections in the state would be peaceful.

    He described as false, the notion in some quarters that the elections could be hampered by insecurity.

    Gaidam, who made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Yola, said that Adamawa had been calm and peaceful in recent times.

    The REC said, “We have been holding regular meeting with relevant security agencies ahead of the Feb. 23 and March 9 polls.

    “The state is calm, we do not have bombing here again and we only hope the situation remains so.

    “Security situation in Adamawa is peaceful; the few cases of attempt to cause violence in the Northern region of the state have been nipped in the bud by security operatives.

    “The people always support security operatives; their vigilance in alerting the security agencies makes it impossible for miscreants to hatch their plans to disrupt electoral process.

    “There is also high level of cooperation among security agencies in Adamawa. Their collaboration is encouraging and we hope it continues before and after the general election.”

    He described the traditional and religious institutions, youths and women groups, in the state, as indispensable partners in the maintenance of peace, adding that they had been contributing to peaceful atmosphere, so far.

    The REC solicited the continued support and cooperate of the institutions concerned with the commission to build confidence and promote people’s participation in electoral processes.

  • Police prosecute 600 electoral offenders in Kano

    Over 600 hoodlums have been prosecuted in Kano electoral- related crimes, Commissioner of Police Mohammed Wakil has stated.

    Wakili, who spoke during an interactive session with reporters at the Command headquarters, added his men arrested over 780 suspects in connection to alleged electoral violence and political thuggery in the state.

    According to him, the command is determined to ensure the conduct of peaceful rescheduled elections.

    He said the rate at which youths were turned into political thugs was very alarming, especially at this moment of electioneering.

    He stated: “we have arrested over 780 youths and suspected bandits who are being used as political thugs.

    “These criminal elements also engage in pick-pockets, harassment of innocent citizens who they waylay and snatch their phones and other personal belongings.’’

    Wakili noted over 600 out of the suspects have been prosecuted, adding that arrangements have been concluded to arraign others.

    “We are serious on this mission to stamp out thuggery from Kano politics.

    Read Also: Police parade 63 suspects over pre-electoral violence in A’Ibom

    “We are leaving no stone unturned to make sure that Kano remains peaceful before, during and after the general elections.

    “I call on parents and political leaders to guide their wards and followers. It is no fun for us arresting these youths, but they should obey the law and become good ambassadors of the society,” he stated.

    He maintained that the Police in the state had embarked on special operations aimed at curtailing the menace of drug abuse in Kano.

    According to him: “We have also declared total war against drug dealers and users because drug abuse is the major catalyst that drives these youths crazy and lead them into committing all sorts of crimes.”

    He urged parents, guardians, community and religious leaders to collaborate with the Police and other security agencies aimed at addressing the challenges of drug abuse in Kano.

  • Police parade 63 suspects over pre-electoral violence in A’Ibom

    …..recovers stolen PVCs

     

    The Akwa Ibom State Police Command on Monday paraded 63 suspected political thugs.

    Also paraded were suspects arrested in connection with the pre-election violence in Obot-Akara local Government area where two persons were killed and thirteen vehicles burnt on Saturday.

    The suspects were allegedly hired from Bayelsa, Delta and Ondo States, it was learnt.

    Recovered from the suspects are one locally-made short gun, 25 live cartridges, two machetes, charms of different types, a knife, phones and human hairs and two axes, PCVs were some of the items recovered from the suspects.

    State police commissioner, Bashir Makama while parading the suspects at the state police command, Uyo, said a total of 41 of them who claimed to be observers on monitoring mission for the election were
    arrested on Friday, February 15th at Angellyne hotel in Uyo, without INEC identification number and could not give proper identity of themselves.

    Makama who was represented at the briefing by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Odiko Macdon, said 20 other suspects were arrested on the same day, February 15th at Ukanafun Local Government Area.

    Read Also: Political thugs set 30 buildings on fire in Ebonyi

    The CP said the suspects were allegedly brought in from Port Harcourt, Rivers State by one Uduak Dick, on the pretext of attending the burial ceremony of a Lance Corporal in the Nigerian Army, one Udo Essien.

    Makama said some suspects on February 13th set ablaze INEC office at Eastern Obolo Local Government Area but the timely intervention by the police saved the office and all the materials meant for the election.

    The Commissioner added that one Anietie Peters who hails from Mkpat-Enin Local Government Area was arrested on Friday in possession of 34 Permanent Voter Cards while one Ayaya Bassey and Asequo Ebio, arrested from Ikot-Ekpene Local government Area had confessed to bepolitical thugs hired by a politician from Cross River state.

    He said the Command on February 12th also killed two suspected killersof one Anthony Ikechuwu, a pharmacist who was shot dead by thehoodlums at St. Michael Primary School Abak, Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

    Makama who said the victim’s Lexus Jeep with registration number, AKD 850 has been recovered, adding that the suspects were traced to their hideout in Aba, Abia state. They were killed in a gunduel with members of SARS from Akwa Ibom State, while a locally made revolver pistol with four live cartridges were recovered from the suspects.

    Makama used the occasion to warn politicians in the state to play by the rules and advised their supporters to conduct themselves or risk arrest by the police.

    “Let me use this opportunity to call on politicians to play the game based on the rules. Let me assure you that the non-partisan nature of the police in Akwa Ibom State will not change, we will remain
    apolitical, neutral and committed to free, fair and credible elections. We will at all times act professionally based on International best practices” Makama said.

    One of the forty-one arrested suspects, Okoroda Ken from Bayelsa state said they were arrested in Angellyne hotel by 3am on Friday, 15th February, 2019 where they lounged, adding that they were yet to reach their coordinator who booked the hotel for them.

    He said, “We all submitted our passport to Society for Advancement for Credible Leadership and Observation. This organisation is registered and credited by INEC. Since we submitted our passport, we were told our names were submitted to INEC and that we will likely monitor the election in Uyo.

    “We came on Thursday to confirm whether our names were there or not. We were in the Angellyne hotel booked for us by the Coordinator of the group, Berefa Bedfon. When we were arrested, all our phones were taken from us and we have not been able to contact anyone. INEC can prove if our names have been registered with them”.