As results of the presidential and National Assembly have started trickling in from polling units across Kaduna State, President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has defeated Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at polling unit 024 Ungwan Sarki, Kaduna
At the polling, which is Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai’s voting point, APC scored 369 votes, as against PDP’s 44 votes.
The ruling APC also won the Senate and the House of Representatives seats.
Mr Ahmed Makko, the Presiding Officer of Hassan Manzo 005, announced the result amidst jubilation by APC supporters.
Buhari scored 453 votes to defeat Atiku, who scored 80 votes.
However, in the senatorial election, Gov. Dankwambo won in the unit scoring 325 votes to defeat the APC candidate Alhaji Saidu Alkali who scored 212 for the Gombe North Senatorial seat.
NAN reports that Buhari’s supporters took to the streets to celebrate the victory.
All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has condemned Sahara Reporters for incorrectly linking him with a company called Act Technologies Limited.
A statement issued by Tinubu Media Office yesterday said the APC leader has absolutely no relation to, or interest in, Act Technologies Limited.
“He had never even heard of the company until the PDP (and its cronies in the media) started this campaign of calumny a few days ago.
“Moreover, Asiwaju (Tinubu) has never been involved in the supply of card readers, voter registration and accreditation frameworks or any other materials or services to INEC. Never,” the statement added.
According to it, SaharaReporters’ story is but an unfortunate and crude attempt to malign Asiwaju’s name.
The statement titled ‘Response to Allegations in Saharareporters’ reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a false and reckless story published online by Sahara Reporters wrongfully accusing Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of electoral malpractice and incorrectly linking him with a company known as Act Technologies Limited.
“If lies were sand, this story would be a desert. Perhaps the only thing this story manages to get correct is the spelling of Asiwaju’s name. However, the story is but an unfortunate and crude attempt to malign Asiwaju’s name.
“Asiwaju has absolutely no relation to, or interest in, Act Technologies Limited. He had never even heard of the company until the PDP (and its cronies in the media) started this campaign of calumny a few days ago.
“Moreover, Asiwaju has never been involved in the supply of card readers, voter registration and accreditation frameworks or any other materials or services to INEC. Never.
“Let us be clear in this matter. If any political party was in control of INEC’s procurement practices in 2014/2015, it would have been the one in control of the federal government at that time.
“Asiwaju never asked for, nor did he receive, anything or any contract from Jonathan’s government.
“As incompetent as his administration was, even President Jonathan would not have sat idly by while important electoral contracts were being handed over to his most implacable political foe.
“As often happens with fiction concocted by amateurs, the application of a little common sense causes the entire story to fall apart.
“Even the technological aspects of the report are fantastical and unfounded. The whole thing simply makes no sense from a technical point of view. The report only makes sense as part of a concerted effort to attack Asiwaju.
“Why the PDP and their media boosters fear him so much, we leave for them to answer. But it is odd that they expend so much time and energy manufacturing falsehoods against someone whose name will not even appear on any ballot.
“This story is simply another effort by those opposed to President Buhari and the APC to justify their plans to distort the elections by alleging that the APC government is illegitimate and was rigged into office.
“The only problem being that the facts do not support their claims nor their rationale for cheating.
“These people are incurable. They do not rig because they were once victimised by rigging; they rig because rigging is not only in their blood, it is their blood.
“Such arrant nonsense has no place in our national discourse.
“Sahara Reporters has descended to a new low. To publish such an unfounded report is more than shoddy journalism; it is malicious.
“The publication and its editors should be ashamed.”
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-South zone, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has asked the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to stop doing the bidding of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Rivers APC candidacy for this year’s general elections.
Eze, yesterday in Port Harcourt, urged the INEC chairman, who was reportedly the Director of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), when Wike, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was the Minister of State for Education in the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, to free himself from the entanglement of bias.
Yakubu was admonished not to allow misleading interpretations of court rulings on Rivers elections to put him in judicial troubles.
Eze said: “There is no judgment of the Supreme Court that bars Rivers APC from fielding candidates in the 2019 general elections. INEC chairman is allowing himself to be misled and used by enemies of true democracy, to deny candidates of the party (APC) from participating in the elections, and prevent Rivers people from having the opportunity of voting for candidates of their choice.
”It is unfortunate that despite the rulings of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt and the Supreme Court, the names of candidates of APC have not been published by INEC for the purpose of participating in the 2019 general elections.
”I call on the electoral commission, as a law-abiding institution, to without delay, publish the names of candidates of APC in Rivers State for the 2019 general election, as submitted by the APC.
”The enemies of democracy that are bent of ensuring that Rivers APC is not reflected in the ballot during the February 23 and March 9 polls are out to frustrate the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari, by weakening the APC’s structure in Rivers State and causing members of the main opposition party to be disillusioned, thereby leading to apathy.”
The APC chieftain also urged the Rivers electorate, especially the party faithful, to stay focused and ignore the propaganda of PDP and the INEC collaborators.
Eze admonished party loyalists to come out en masse and vote for President Buhari and other candidates of APC.
Meanwhile, the lawmaker representing Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe, has said that he and 42 allies, who lost on Thursday at the appellate court in Port Harcourt, will approach the Supreme Court for proper interpretation of the merits of their suit for declaration, that, they should be affirmed as authentic candidates of APC in Rivers.
Abe said, yesterday in Port Harcourt, that, ”There is need to ensure that justice and equity prevail for Rivers APC members who participated in a lawful process, but were wrongfully excluded from the polls.”
The senator, who was Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG) in the administration of Rotimi Amaechi, now Transportation Minister, also urged Nigerians to massively vote for President Muhammadu Buhari and other candidates of APC.
He noted, that, there was the need for Rivers people and other Nigerians to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner before, during and after the 2019 general elections, while backing President Buhari’s directive to the military and police to deal decisively with ballot box snatchers and other miscreants who might attempt to disrupt the elections.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Yobe State are locked in a verbal war after the PDP chairman in the state, Alhaji Sani Inuwa Nguru, defected to the ruling party on the eve of the presidential and national assembly elections.
The PDP fired the first salvo ,saying the APC is celebrating a bad product it does not know.
Speaking to reporters in Damaturu, the state capital, the PDP governorship candidate, Alhaji Umar Ilya Damagum, said Nguru was more of a liability than an asset to the party.
He said the former party chairman’s defection would not affect the PDP fortunes, but rather enhance its chances in this year’s elections.
His words:” It is a season of cross carpeting. Everyone is changing places that suit them and it didn’t come to me as a surprise because he came through the same process on the eve of the last election because he has that antecedent.
“Of course, human behaviour is situational. It all depends on what he feels at that particular time. The decision he took at that time was out of certain circumstances. Only God knows the offers that he has got or what has gone into his mind.
“I don’t think his defection could affect the fortunes of our party, looking at what we have done so far.
“As I am talking to you, I am going to receive some defectors from Zone C where he comes from.
“Some of them told me that they left the party because of him and now that he has gone, they’re coming back. There are people that have been disenchanted in the party because of his presence.
“Now they have activated their mode to work with the party with his exist less than 24 hours.So if you look at it from that angle, his departure has no harm to the fortunes of the party but will only increase our success.
“We are going to have election God willing tomorrow; we will assess ourselves. When someone does this kind of act at this particular time, then two questions are in place:the question of credibility and the question of sincerity.
“I am sure those that are receiving him know him more than us who had received him four years ago. For us, he is a bad product that shouldn’t be celebrated.”
But the APC governorship candidate in the state, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni, attributed Nguru’s defection to the integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari .
He said the Buhari’s integrity has been attracting more politicians of note to the APC.
He said: “The defection of Inuwa Nguru and his supporters is a major political fortune for the party. They will work assiduously for the re-election of President Buhari and the victory of the party at all levels.
“Alhaji Sani Inuwa Nguru has practically and personally seen the achievements of the President Buhari-led administration and remains the best option for Nigeria’s democracy.
“The former chairman was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the re-election of President Buhari and the APC was the best option for Nigeria and this informed his last-minute decision to abandon the PDP for the APC.
“In spite of all persuasions by the opposition party, the former chairman took an independent and honest decision in the interest of the nation and in accordance to the dictates of his conscience.
”Yobe State has enjoyed major intervention programmes, including the completion of the 330kVA power transmission line, Nguru-Gashua-Bayamari federal highway, education and healthcare delivery.
“We are proud to say that at the state level, the APC administration has more than ever provided democracy dividends in road network, healthcare delivery, education, agriculture and economic empowerment to the citizenry.
“It is on record that while most states could not pay salaries, the APC administration in the state has consistently paid salaries, pensions and gratuities to retired civil servants making it as a leading workers friendly state in the country.”
In another development, the son of the defected PDP Chairman Lawan Sani Inuwa, popularly known as Mr. LAS, who is contesting for the State House of Assembly Election on the platform of PDP, said he would not jettison his ambition or follow his father to the APC.
Inuwa said on the phone that he had not spoken with his father since his defection became public.
He vowed to pursue his ambition to actualize his dreams of becoming a lawmaker in the state.
The Kwara State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday condemned the gun attack on party members during Thursday’s visit of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to Ilorin.
The APC Chairman in the state, Mr. Bashir Bolarinwa, asked the security agencies to swiftly arrest and bring the perpetrators to justice.
He said the unprovoked attack was the second of such in three days against APC members and supporters in the state.
Bolarinwa recalled a similar attack on the campaign train of the party’s candidate for the Kwara South Senatorial district, Lola Ashiru, in Ojoku that left one dead, another fighting for his life and many others injured.
He said it was an unacceptable act of impunity for criminals to be so emboldened as to carry out an attack while the country’s number two
man was visiting.
“We are therefore calling on the security agencies to clamp down on these criminals and swiftly bring them to justice in order to create a peaceful atmosphere for the people of Kwara to exercise their franchise at the polls on Saturday and on March 9, “ he said.
The Kwara APC Chairman said he is aware that the security agencies have started arresting thugs, hoodlums and other criminals across the state.
He urged them to intensify their efforts in order to rid the state of those who are bent on sabotaging the elections.
Bolarinwa commended APC faithful for showing restraint despite the unprovoked and obviously pre-meditated attacks against them, and urged them to continue to maintain peace before, during and after the elections.
“Our members should never resort to self-help, because we have confidence in the ability of the security agencies to ensure the security of life and property across the state,” he said.
The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Okrika Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State, has appealed to president Muhammadu Buhari to provide adequate security, during and after the Presidential and National of Assembly elections in the area.
The appeal followed the alleged plans by the leadership of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), to unleash mayhem on APC members and voters in the LGA.
A statement by stakeholders of the APC, Okrika chapter, in Port Harcourt, the state capital, yesterday, alleged that the PDP has moved thugs and cultists from Ondo, Bayelsa and other states into Okrika, and concluded plans to station their gun boats at strategic locations to ensure that all the polling units in the riverine wards are hijacked.
The APC also alleged, that, the PDP has already purchased PVCs ahead of the polls.
In the statement by APC, they stated, “We have been reliably informed, that, PDP leaders have acquired uniforms of police, army and other security agencies, with the intention to use these uniforms to perpetrate their evil plans and portray these security agencies in bad light.
”They have procured PVCs which they intend to give to strangers who are currently in Okrika ahead of the elections today.
”We have it on good authority that money have been paid to the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials and these officials have accepted to collide with the PDP in rigging the elections.
”They have concluded plans to storm and burn all collation centres should their above plans fail to ensure the victory of the PDP in Okrika.”
The APC demanded that the Commissioner of Police, Director, DSS and President Muhammadu Buhari, ensure that the conspiracy is not carried out in Okrika.
But in a swift reaction, PDP spokesman in the state, Darlington Orji, denied the allegation describing it as bogus and unfounded.
Orji queried the reason PDP would instigate trouble or involve in vote buying in an election that it will win.
According to him, “Everybody knows, that, it is APC that is known for violence. We are on the ground in the state, more so in Okrika; so why should PDP want to make trouble or think of vote buying in an election we are going to win.
”APC is not participating in the polls, they have been mobilising their thugs to cause trouble during the exercise and the security operatives should be aware of that fact,” he said.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded the immediate release of its presidential campaign spokesperson in Kogi State, Mr. Austin Okai, who was allegedly abducted Friday evening by armed thugs allegedly unleashed by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The party also said the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, should immediately disband the checking point in Banda, Lokoja-Abuja highway where members of opposition are allegedly being harassed and intimidated.
In a statement on Friday night by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said its members, as well as the people of Kogi state cannot stomach the abduction of Mr. Austin Okai as well as the arrest of its members for flimsy reasons by the APC.
The statement said: “PDP cautions that the continued stay in captivity of Kogi state party leaders can spark off crisis in the state.
“We urge the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, to immediately step into the matter to forestall a breakdown of law and order. This is because, if Mr. Austin Okai and others are not immediately released by the APC, it would send a very wrong signal to the already agitated youth and lead to a resort to self-help.
“The PDP also alerts of the arrest of its ward chairmen in Rivers state by soldiers, particularly in Abua-Odual Local Government Area, ostensibly in compliance with the orders of the Buhari Presidency.
“The mass arrest in Rivers is coming on the heels of the clampdown of PDP members in Kano state with the arrest of our party leaders and campaign officials including our Senatorial candidate Ahmed Haruna Bichi and a serving member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ahmed Garba Bichi.
“The PDP notes that these are two very volatile states and any act that suggests a clampdown by the authorities might lead to vehement resistance by the people and trigger crisis in the state.
“We call on Nigerians to note how the Buhari Presidency and the APC are pushing Nigerians to the wall and invite the international community to hold President Buhari directly responsible for these infractions against innocent Nigerians”.
Alhaji MaiMala Buni, the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) Governorship Candidate in Yobe, has described the late defection of the state PDP Chairman, Alhaji Inuwa Nguru, to the APC as an additional victory to the party.
Buni said this on Friday while fielding questions from newsmen in Damaturu.
He said Nguru joined the party for his personal conviction that President Muhammadu Buhari and APC are truly committed to national interest and remains the best option for Nigeria’s democracy.
“The defection of Inuwa Nguru and his supporters is a major political fortune for the party who will work assiduously for the re-election of President Buhari and the victory of the party at all levels.
“Alhaji Inuwa Nguru has practically and personally seen the achievements of the President Muhammad Buhari-led administration and the commitment towards a better life for Nigerians.
“The former chairman was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the re-election of President Buhari and APC was the best option for Nigeria and this informed his last minute decision to abandon PDP for APC.
“In spite of all persuasions by the opposition party, the former chairman took an independent and honest decision in the interest of the nation and in accordance to the dictates of his conscience.’’
According to the governorship candidate, Yobe has enjoyed major intervention programmes including completion of the 330KVA power transmission line, Nguru-Gashua-Bayamari federal highway, education and healthcare delivery.
“We are proud to say that at the state level, the APC administration has more than ever provided democracy dividends in road network, healthcare delivery, education, agriculture and economic empowerment to the citizenry.
“It is on record that while most states could not pay salaries, the APC administration in the state had consistently paid salaries, pension and gratuities to retired civil servants making it a leading workers friendly state in the country,” he said.
Buni expressed optimism that Buhari and APC National Assembly candidates would record landslide victory in the Saturday elections.
“We are hopeful that the rescheduled election will be free, fair and peaceful as INEC has promised and assured Nigerians of their preparedness,” he said.
Nigerians got yesterday a plea from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) – come out tomorrow and cast their ballot.
It described voting for its candidate President Muhammadu Buhari as a move forward to the next level and doing otherwise as returning the nation to the era of treasury looting.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the party said that Nigerians should use their votes to stop treasury looters from hijacking presidential power by all means.
The statement reads: “As we head towards Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections, our great party, the APC, calls on Nigerians to turn out en masse and use their votes to send a clear message to treasury looters who want to hijack presidential power by hook or crook.
“The time has come for Nigerians to again reject the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their discredited candidates. Never again should Nigerians allow them return to power to continue embezzling our resources.
“We must all remember how, under the PDP’s 16-year watch, our commonwealth was wantonly privatised and used to fund their political activities. The world has been daily assailed by outcomes of investigations showing the humongous funds that past PDP administrations stole and laundered for private use.
“In the most inhumane manner, counter-insurgency votes were channeled to private pockets while terrorists ravaged communities, the citizenry and seized our territory.
“Our national economy was pushed to the verge of recession and cleverly papered over with voodoo economics employed by the PDP administrations.
“Confronted with the realities of a poorly-managed national economy and neglected infrastructure, the APC took over the administration of the country when Nigeria began slipping into recession. Commendably, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration worked prudently to pull out the country from recession.
“Today, the APC administration has degraded Boko Haram that had under the previous administration annexed and hoisted their flags in at least 28 local government areas in the northeast zone. We have also been surefooted in the fight against corruption, rebuilding our dilapidated infrastructure and diversifying our economy.
“While the choices that have presented themselves before us in these elections are many; the APC offers the best credible alternative in terms of an incorruptible presidential candidate that can sustain the march towards a national rebirth.
“We, therefore, call on our country men and women to choose between moving forward to the Next Level of economic growth, shared prosperity, infrastructural development, and secure future, which the APC and President Buhari offer; or going backward to the era of looting and plundering of our commonwealth by a few elites, which the PDP and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar offer.”
He also urged Nigerians, especially party members and supporters to pray for peace and the success of the elections and cautioned all Nigerians and APC members not to be involved in any act of electoral malpractice and irregularities.
Issa-Onilu: “We should stay safe and work collectively to ensure that the general elections are free, fair, transparent and credible. Security agencies have been given the marching order to bring the full weight of our laws to bear on anyone that perpetrate violence or electoral offence no matter how highly placed.
“We encourage our members to come out to vote and protect the ballots. Our great party has enough support nationwide to win with a landslide. We must now work to ensure that the election is decided by one man one vote, which guarantees our victory.
“We caution Nigerians and all involved in the electoral process not to be influenced by huge money the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is moving around to buy votes and compromise the system.
“Our future should not be mortgaged to the leaders of PDP who are using our commonwealth they stole over 16 years to seek a return to power.”