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  •  PDP to APC: our party’ll win all supplementary polls

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said yesterday it will win all the supplementary elections scheduled for Saturday.

    The polls are holding in Sokoto, Kano, Adamawa, Benue and Plateau State.

    In statement by its spokesman Kola Ologbodiyan, the electorate will resist the alleged plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate the elections.

    “It is ludicrous that the APC could seek to play the victim when all material facts have established that the APC militarised, perpetuated violence and unleashed mayhem in the elections so far held,” the statement said.

    The PDP claimed that a United States (U.S.) States Department’s Bureau reports showed that state apparatus of power was used to intimidate and perpetrate electoral violence in favour of the government.

    The statement reads: “The PDP is, however, undeterred in our imminent victory in the March 23 supplementary elections.

    “In Benue, it is clear that the people have rejected the APC as clearly demonstrated even in the Presidential election. Benue state has always been home to the PDP.

    “It is incontestable that our party has the largest genuine followership in all the units, wards and local government areas of the state and as such, does not need any underhand measure to secure victory in any election in the state.

    “Our winning lead of 81, 000 votes were validly delivered at the polling units and that reality will humiliate the APC as it cannot be subverted.

    “Similarly, Rivers State is an impregnable home to the PDP since 1999. The results of all the elections held in Rivers, including the House of Assembly, showed that the PDP is in control of the state. Moreover, in Rivers, the APC is a vicious interloper, which has been perpetuating violence as a means to subvert and truncate the electoral process since it has no candidate in the election.

    “In Kano, the people of the state are known to be incorruptible and had always detested leaders who are corrupt and incompetent. They have always elected governors that are acceptable to the ordinary people.

    “The incompetence of the Ganduje administration is therefore distasteful to the people and that is why they have collectively rejected the APC and rally with the PDP.

    “In Bauchi, the PDP has already been elected and this reality cannot be altered by the APC. INEC had already established that the APC compromised its official to declare Tafawa Balewa LGA as inconclusive and had restored the votes that were stolen by the APC. It   is imperative for APC to accept the fact that its bunch of broom has become famished.

    “In Sokoto, the people have given us the mandate. The constitution provides for simple majority of votes. The declared results show that our candidate clearly won and that is why our candidate has been mandated to go to the court to seek interpretation of the section of the constitution that deals with the declaration of results.

    “In Adamawa State, the APC is merely hallucinating and seeking ways to subvert the process. Its despicable resort to using a person who did not participate in the election to seek to use the courts to ambush the election is disgraceful.

    “However, INEC had since declared that it cannot be stopped from going ahead with the supplementary election where our party is already in good stead to coast to victory.”

  • PDP, APC get set for make-up elections

    Ahead of the supplementary governorship elections in Adamawa and four other states, political parties are trading words, just as Catholic Bishops suggest ways to have flawless polls in future, report Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja.

    Catholic Bishops seek laws for credible elections in future 

    Catholic Bishops have advised President Muhammadu Buhari to enact and implement laws and policies that will ensure free, fair and credible elections.

    The Bishops said  the general elections witnessed “crude and reckless use of money to buy votes”.

    They demanded that government should acknowledge the inadequacies that characterised the elections and embark on a course for redress.

    A communique issued at the end of the First Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) held in Abuja and jointly signed by the President, CBCN, Most Rev. Augustine Akubeze and the Secretary, Most Rev. Camillus Umoh, reads: “We affirm that elections are an opportunity for people through the ballot to freely choose those who will serve them. We denounce the unfortunate incident of loss of lives and destruction of property, which is ongoing even now. We however, admonish that elections should not be turned into a battle between warriors fighting to capture power and conquer territory and people at all cost. We observe that many of the challenges that emerged during the electoral process were as a result of inadequate electoral laws, which made implementation problematic and at times offered lacunae for evil minded people to exploit the situation to their own advantage.

    “Even where the rules were clear, they were not always adhered to. One of the reported phenomena during the elections was the crude and reckless use of money to buy votes; showing how desperate politicians and political parties are determined to get political power at all cost. Bad elections do not lead to good governance. We demand that the government acknowledge the inadequacies that characterized the 2019 elections and embark on a course for redress. We urge her to enact, endorse and implement laws and policies that will ensure free, fair and credible elections in the future.

    “We enjoin all Nigerians, leaders and the led, to abide by democratic principles such as respect for human life, human rights and the rule of law. We also encourage the electorate to ensure that those who hold public offices in our country are held accountable. We equally urge all Nigerians to eschew all forms of indiscipline and corruption and be resolute rather than lose hope in our struggle for a better future and nation.”

    The Bishops went on: “The 2019 General Elections have come and gone except in some areas where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled supplementary elections for specified reasons. We commend our people for the patriotism and the maturity displayed, and the electorate who in some places came out en masse especially during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections to exercise their rights and perform their civic duties. We equally note the voter apathy that characterised the subsequent Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections.

    “We believe that this apathy may not have been unconnected with among other things, the violence, malpractice and the unnecessary militarization of the process, all of which contributed to eroding the people’s confidence in the electoral process. We have taken note of those who have been declared winners, and commend the civility of those who rejected the results but have chosen to express their grievances through legitimate means under the law rather than through violence. Whatever the outcome, justice must be seen to have been done. We admonish whoever holds power at the end of the day to remember that power belongs to God and to Him alone. God demands strict accountability for how anyone takes power and uses it, for God cannot be deceived or challenged (Lk 16:2).”

    On the recent killings in Kaduna and other states, the communiqué said: “We have received with deep sorrow, the tragic news of the resurgence of further horrific killings in some parts of Kaduna State, Taraba, Benue, Kogi, Edo, Rivers, Zamfara, Adamawa and other states. Against the backdrop of the violence and bloodshed that characterized the last elections, we are pained that the culture of death is becoming embedded into our daily lives.

    “This persistent devaluation of human life and property poses an existential threat to our personal survival and that of our nation. How can government continue to appear helpless in the face of such shameful tragedy? We strongly appeal to the President, in collaboration with the Governors of Kaduna State and other affected States to seriously take steps to arrest this drift before total anarchy and mayhem consume the entire nation.”

     

    Forum to celebrate Buhari

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Victory Forum has outlined activities to celebrate the party’s success in the 2019 general polls.

    Its national coordinator, Dr. Tom Ohikere, said: “The recent victory of President Muhammadu Buhari at the polls, the APC’s absolute control of the next National Assembly, and the impressive performance at the gubernatorial and state assembly levels is without doubt a referendum on the performance of the APC so far by the Nigerian people.

    “The eventual event will be an all-inclusive two day programme that seeks to project the potential of the party, featuring four main agenda, which will include Pictorial exhibition of APC projects, both at the federal and state levels, National commendation/ awards of key personalities within the APC who have been instrumental in building and facilitating the party into what it is today.

    “There will also be the unveiling of a compendium of all our victorious candidates at the 2019 general election. The fourth agenda is a democracy lecture titled: “APC and the Destiny of the Nigerian Nation,” he said.

     

    APC in UK: Nigerians won’t regret re-electing Buhari

    The United Kingdom Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has assured Nigerians that they will not regret re-electing President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term.

    Mr Ade Omole, the leader of the chapter, gave the assurance in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday.

    He thanked Nigerians for voting for President Buhari and all APC candidates in the just concluded elections, saying they made it happen in spite of the antics of opposition political parties.

    He said Buhari would need the support of well-meaning Nigerians to succeed in his second term in office

    Omole said it only required the support of Nigerians to guarantee the needed peace to enthrone good governance that would bring about the desired development.

    He said peace was critical to take the country to the next level of economic and infrastructure development and make her the envy of other nations.

    Omole said now that the elections were over, politicians should join hands with the President Buhari-led APC administration, irrespective of party affiliations,  to move the country forward in the interest of all.

    He said that Nigerians in the Diaspora felt that whatever pains and suffering the people might be going through at the moment would be for the moment.

    “Whatever it is we are passing through at the moment, is just a phase which would soon be over with President Buhari on the saddle of leadership.

    “All that is required is a bit more sacrifice and support, we are going through refining and like raw gold and we will come out better and shinning,” Omole said.

     

    Adamawa extra election holds in 14 local govts

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says the governorship supplementary election scheduled on March 23, would be conducted in 14 local government areas of the state.

    Mr Kasim Gaidam, the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Yola.

    Gaidam said the election would be conducted in 29 Wards (Registration Areas) and 44 Polling Units where over 40,000 votes were earlier cancelled in the recent governorship selection.

    “The Commission had prepared for the Supplementary Governorship election in the state. The election is going to be conducted in 14 LGAs, 29 Wards and 44 Polling Units spread across the state,” Gaidam said.

    He listed the local areas to include Yola South, Fufore, Ganye, Girei, Guyuk and Hong.

    Other are Lamurde, Numan, Madagali, Michika, Mubi North, Shelleng, Song and Toungo  local government areas.

    Gaidam, however, explained that the election was declared inconclusive as provided by law based only on official registered voters, not Permanent Voters Cards collected or accredited voters.

    He said: “Other figures being circulated should be disregarded as only report released by the Returning Officer should be considered.”

    It could be recalled that the results of the governorship election announced by INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Andrew Haruna shows that the PDP candidate, Ahmadu Fintiri scored  367,472 votes, while a total of 334,995 votes scored by  incumbent governor, Muhammad Bindow, the APC candidate.

    The margin between them was 32,476 votes.

     

    Bauchi APC: INEC committee denied us fair hearing

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Bauchi State chapter has alleged that the fact-finding committee sent by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to probe the irregularities in the governorship election of 9 March denied the party fair hearing.

    Its Chairman, Alhaji Uba Nana, made the allegation at a news conference in Bauchi at the weekend.

    INEC announced on Friday night that a new returning officer will resume the collation of the Bauchi governorship election results on Tuesday. It also amended the result of four polling units in Ningi local government from 25330 to 2533. The decision meant that the commission will announce the winner of the election thereafter.

    “The fact-finding Committee chaired by Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee denied fair hearing to APC as a political party whose agents were not invited during hearing of the facts leading to the cancellation of the results of Tafawa Balewa LGA.

    “Any decision taken in violation of fair hearing is illegal, null and void. The composition of the Committee was also questionable as the Committee Chairman, Festus Okoye is a close ally and former solicitor to Hon. Yakubu Dogara of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP),” he said

    Nana added  that no justice can be done by the Committee Chairman who is interested in the whole issues and the instant circumstances.

    He pointed out that this was proved by the fact that PDP and Yakubu Dogara on Facebook pre-empted the outcome of the Committee’s finding before formal publication by INEC.

    The APC chairman said that the decision of INEC based on the Committee’s Report was already prayed for at the Federal High Court, Bauchi in Suit No. FHC/BAU/CS/18/2019 filed by Bala Mohammed and PDP against INEC.

    “Unfortunately, the extant decision of INEC reversing the cancellation of Tafawa Balewa Results was earlier sought for but refused by the Court in the said suit at interim stage. Now INEC has granted what was refused by the Court of law in the interest of justice,” he said.

    Nana said the Party rejected in totality, the report of the fact-finding Committee on the disruption of collation process at Tafawa Balewa and the subsequent decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reverse its earlier resolution cancelling the entire results of Tafawa Balewa LGA.

    He said the position taken by INEC is illegal, null and void having regards to the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and INEC Guidelines for 2019 General Elections.

     

    ‘I took advantage of ‘Not Too Young to Run’ Act’

    House of Representative member-elect Kayode Akiolu (APC-Lagos), said that he took advantage of the “Not Too Young to Run” act to win the February 23 election.

    Akiolu, in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja, said the Act paved the way for young people to seek political office in the country.

    “In Nigeria today, more than half of our population are younger than 30. So, if we’re old enough to vote, we’re old enough to run for office too.

    “That’s the idea behind the #NotTooYoungToRun. The campaign initially launched in support of Nigeria’s Age Reduction Bill.

    “Signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on May 31, 2018, it has given young Nigerians like me the opportunity to serve my constituency and my Nation,” he said.

    Between 1999 and 2015, the average age of the country’s representatives rose from 43 to 50.5 years.

    “All the while, Nigeria’s population trended younger and younger, until reaching its current median age of 18.”Akiolu, who is 38 years, is the son of the Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu.

    “As one of the first few young Nigerians who have benefited from the movement, I will make sure that the act will not be out of order.

    “Let’s not forget that the absence of youth in decision-making processes in government has created disillusionment among Nigerian youths with regards to Nigeria’s political parties and the ruling class.

    “Presently, Nigeria has a high unemployment rate, most of them youths, but there are lesser policies than those required to halt this problem. If the youths of a country are jobless, then there is bound to be an increase in vices,” he stated.

    Akiolu said that since politics was a way addressing social issues in Africa, priority would be given to such issues when he assumed office.

    He added that the interest of the people that elected him would be uppermost in his agenda.

    “I scored 12,988 votes to defeat the candidate of the PDP, Adamoh Olagbenga, who scored 4,345 votes; the people of my constituency longed for change to get me here and I won’t disappoint them. Being a young person and having confidence in me, their interest will be uppermost,” he explained.

    He stated that his constituents had conferred on him the right to legislate on their behalf and represent their interest at the House of Representatives.

    Akiolu stated that such trust would motivate him to attract developmental projects to his constituency as well as to partner with the State Government in moving the state towards good governance and progress.

    According to him, economic opportunity is the leading domestic issue of the time and the key to reinvigorating the economy is quality education.

    Akiolu said he would work to provide ideas on improving education, training and jobs to close the opportunity gap in his constituency.

    “I have vowed to increase the standard of education of my people and to ensure that more Federal Government presence is attracted to my constituency in terms of projects and social welfare interventions.

    “As a legal practitioner of over a decade, I joined politics to use my experience and the instrumentality of the law to bring about positive legislation that will impact the lives of the people of Lagos Island federal constituency 2, Lagos State and the nation as a whole, ‘’ he said.

    He, however, added that he would be accessible and accountable to his constituents, not forgetting the elderly, the less privileged and the physically challenged.

    The Not Too Young to Run bill was an initiative pushed by about 54 youth’s organisations in the country, calling for more youth inclusion in the nation’s politics and policy-making.

    The initiators requests include reducing the age required to contest for the posts of the president, governors, senators and House of Representative.

    The act now provided for Nigerians to contest for President at the age of 35 and Governor or Senator at the age of 30.

    It is a change from the initial 40 and 35 years limit, which was mandated by the Constitution.

    The bill also stipulates “that 25-year-old people can now legislate in the National and State Assemblies across the country.”

  • APC, PDP prepare for Adamawa supplementary poll

    Victory in the governorship election may go either way in Adamawa State between the All progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Parry (PDP).

    The outcome could hardly be predicted, as all factors place both parties and their candidates on equal rating.

    The APC is the government in power, but the PDP had governed the state previousely and had retained popularity in many communities as the APC. The Buhari bandwagon in the APC and the Atiku Abubakar factor in the PDP, which influenced voting during the presidential election of February 23 would not count for much.

    Governor Jibrilla Bindow of the APC has a history of performance to help his reelection bid Umaru Fintiri, a former Speaker of the House of Assembly, who became an acting governor in 2014 has earned for himself the reputation of a notable achiever in less than three months in power.

    Both candidates campaigned widely Fintiri had an edge. Bindow  had more money to oil his way and cover the gap.

    Fintiri hit the lead and maintained it, gathering 367,471 votes.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) adjudged the election inconclusive on the premise that the difference between the 362,471 and Bindow’s 334,995; which is 32,467, is lower than the number of registered voters in 44 polling units (PUs) where voting was cancelled.

    How did PDP’s Fintiri manage to achieve his lead in the election against the uncertainty that preceded the election?

    When results of quite a number of LGAs had been collated at the collation centre in Yola and Sen Abdul-Aziz of the African Democratic Party (ADC) was noticeably making the third best candidate, voices at the centre began to remark that Abdul-Aziz who was in the APC before the election and whose father remained in the APC, had become a spoiler in the game at the expense of APC’s Bindow.

    “Bindow must begin now to realise that he made a grave mistake in not retaining the goodwill of the Nyako’s,” a voter said.

    Abdul-Aziz Nyako got 113,205 votes, a figure which someone again noted would have made all the difference for Bindow if the senator had not left for the ADC.

    Bindow is being blamed for Abdul-Aziz’s ‘adventure’ by people who accuse him of distancing himself from Abdul-Aziz’s father, Murtala Nyako, and creating enmity that gave the Nyakos the justification for Abdul-Aziz to seek Bindow’s job in another party, even while Murtala Nyako remained in the APC.

    Bindow’s critics say ex-governor Murtala Nyako, because of his close relationship with Bindow’s father, helped Bindow to become senator in 2007 and then helped him in 2015 to become governor, but that Bindow curiously ‘dumped’ Murtala Nyako immediately he (Bindow) became governor, refusing to have anything to do with the Nyakos thereafter.

    “If Bindow had not alienated himself from Murtala Nyako the way he did with many notable people, he would not have lost this election,” a critic emphasized.

    Bindow’s APC thinks differently, however. The party insists that Bindow would have won the election outrightly, without a need by INEC to declare it inconclusive if certain irregularities had not marred it.

    “We want to bring it to the notice of the public that we reject these results as they have been received. We have itemised the local governments that card readers were not used, there were overvoting and intimidation of our agents,” said Comrade Mustapha Salihu, the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East).

    Salihu, who called for a probe of some election officials, added: “We strongly feel this election was marred with irregularities.”

    A low performer in the governorship election is the Social Democratic Party (SDP), whose candidate, Chief Emmanuel Bello, created huge visibility for himself and the SDP in the runup to the election through intensive campaign.

    Bello, a former House of Representatives member, was all over the state, and did the most comprehensive campaign among the four most promising of the 29 candidates.

    He was always going to come fourth, considering the longer standing pedigrees of the other three candidates: Bindow, Fintiri and Abdula-Aziz. But, he was expected to get a lot more votes than the 29,785 that he managed to gather in the end.

  • APC Rep-elect dies in Kano

    A Federal House of Representatives member-elect, Garba Muhammad Butalawa, representing Kura, Madobi and Garun Mallam in Kano, is dead.

    The Nation gathered that the late Garba contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He died at the Prime Clinic, Lamido Crescent on Saturday at around 2:30pm. His personal driver, Balarabe Shehu Butalawa, confirmed his demise.

    The House of Representatives member-elect died after a protracted illness, which he was admitted for since Thursday.

  • ‘PDP, APC guilty of electoral fraud’

    Civil society groups in Akwa Ibom State have said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) were involved in electoral fraud during the general elections.

    According to the groups, the February 23 and March 9 elections were characterised by voter inducement and intimidation.

    Chairman of Civil Societies Forum Harry Udoh said voters were induced and harassed by the two foremost political parties.

    According to Udoh, findings show that the two parties started buying votes since last December last year.

    He said: “If you ask me if people were induced or if there was vote buying, I will say yes, though I can’t substantiate it. The strategy was such that I think they started buying people’s minds from last December.

    “The massive voters’ intimidation and vote-buying were perpetrated by both parties. Nobody can change my mind on that. Perhaps the party with the biggest amount of money got the day, but people actually went to the polling units and voted.”

    Udoh also absolved the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mike Igini of partisanship.

    He specifically said Igini never vowed to frustrate the APC from winning elections as alleged by the party’s spokesman, Eseme Eyiboh.

    “Each time Mike Igini met with civil society organisations, I was always there as the chairman of civil societies forum. We never had that kind of discussion except I was not there when he said that. It is not true that he made that kind of statement,” Udoh added.

  • INEC to hold Ekiti Assembly supplementary poll March 23

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday said that it had fixed the only constituency poll for the Ekiti State House of Assembly that was not concluded on March 9 to March 23.

    The election in Ekiti East Constituency 1 had been declared inconclusive by the INEC, following reported cases of violence and other factors.

    INEC’s Administrative Secretary in the state, Dr Muslim Omoleke, who also doubles as the Commission’s Acting Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state announced the new date in Ado Ekiti.

    He asked those political parties that would be participating in the supplementary election to be getting ready.

    He assured the parties that the commission would not deviate from the tradition of neutrality and fairness in the forthcoming supplementary election.

    He said that the election would hold in five polling units in the constituency area, in line with the directive from the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

    NAN reports that the election of Ekiti East Constituency 1 was suspended by INEC on March 9, when the house of assembly and governorship elections were being held across the country.

    The INEC official had declared the results in the other 25 constituencies which were in favour of the ruling APC.

    Omoleke said that INEC would meet with the security agencies during the week and brief them on the need to be well prepared for the conduct of the supplementary election.

    He explained that the commission decided to suspend elections in the polling units, thereby making the outcome inconclusive, in line with its promise to be neutral and be fair to all contenders in any election.

    “We are prepared for the election and we will not deviate from the practice of fairness and neutrality to all political parties.

    “We will meet the security agencies this week and brief them on how the conduct will look like, so they can plan their own strategies on how to deliver a free, fair and credible election.

    “We have already received materials from the headquarters and they are being kept in the Central Bank of Nigeria, the materials are under safe custody.

    “We want to assure voters that we will not let them down. Let them come out massively and vote and we assure them that their votes will count.

    “INEC did not disappoint in the conduct of the presidential, the state and national assembly elections in Ekiti, this also will not be an exemption,” Omoleke said.

    NAN

  • APC, PDP in battle of wits ahead supplementary polls

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are locked in a battle of wits as the clock ticks towards this weekend’s governorship supplementary elections in some states.

    While the  PDP chairman in Kano State, Alhaji Rabi’u Suleiman Bichi  is boasting that his  party is  ” always ever prepared to win ”  the  election, the  APC dismisses  the statement as wishful thinking .Leaders of the two parties in Sokoto State are also racing against time to tidy up loose ends ahead of the Saturday supplementary polls.

    “We are more than ready, especially as we have won the election conducted on the 9th of March. We are happy that the security agents have ensured security of lives and property of everybody by protecting the electorate,” Bichi told The Nation in Kano.

    “We have already won the election. The only thing left for us now is to consolidate on the areas where the rerun will be held. We have no fear as we are battle ready for the rerun.”

    But the Kano Commissioner for Information, Youth and Culture, who doubles as the Chairman, Publicity Committee of the Kano APC Campaign Organization, Malam Muhammad Garba dismissed PDP’s position as wishful thinking.

    He said: “we are very confident of victory because the local government areas where the rerun will take place remains an APC stronghold and the electorate in these areas have made up their mind to vote massively for the Governor they trust.

    “I believe that from what is happening, we are very much prepared this time around; and as such, there is no cause for alarm because we have been able to identify some grey areas in the conduct of the inconclusive election, and we have taken cogent measures to ensure that by God’s grace, we will win the election.”

    Declare Jime winner now APC elders call on INEC 

    The Elders Council of the APC in Benue State have asked INEC to declare the party’s governorship candidate, Mr. Emmanuel Jime as winner of the March 9 election.

    The elders council said it had been informed of plans by anti-APC elements   to disrupt the supplementary election in the party’s strongholds.

    Addressing reporters  in Makurdi, spokesman for the  APC Elders Council, Chief Terlumun Akputu, asked INEC  to cancel votes in  in Guma, Buruku and Logo areas of the state where, according to him, card readers were not used on March 9.

    He added: “There is nowhere in Nigeria where the APC recorded zero votes except in Guma Local Area despite having candidates and agents who he said were chased out of the polling units.”

    Parties busy with

    strategy meetings

    Ranking members of the two parties in Sokoto State have been holding meetings upon meetings to emerge victorious in the supplementary polls.

    Stalwarts of the PDP were summoned for one of such meetings at the Government House, Sokoto on Friday.

    The State Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma, said: “We are going by the electoral umpire’s arrangement to participate in the coming supplementary polls across 136 polling centres across 22 local governments.

    “We have no fears whatsoever. Only that certain things are going wrong which is making the atmosphere a bit uncertain. We are hearing that the opposition is mobilising stalwarts from other states.

    “Our concern is that there should be transparency in the conduct of the rerun. I can assure you that the process is credible and transparent, PDP will win. Otherwise, we won’t accept it. Especially where we notice foul play”, Milgoma pointed out.

    His APC counterpart, Alhaji Sadiq Isah Achida, said his party was equally set for the supplementary election.

    He said:”Those cancelled polling units are our strong holds. We want fresh sets of INEC officials for the rerun. We have the belief and conviction that those that conducted the last elections had been compromised.

    “Kebbe local government is our traditional strong hold where supplementary polls will be conducted in 35 polling units.”

    Achida, after speaking to The Nation left for Sokoto east where the party expects huge votes from   Gada, Rabah and Goronyo among others to woo the electorate.

    Court injunction

    threatens Adamawa

    supplementary election

    The situation in Adamawa State is not all that clear following a court injunction restraining INEC from conducting the supplementary election.

    An Adamawa State High Court judge, Justice Abdul-Aziz Waziri, gave  the ruling in a suit filed by the governorship candidate of the Movement for Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD), Rev Eric Theman.

    The judge said, “The defendant herein, INEC, is restrained … from proceeding with the supplementary election in respect of Adamawa State governorship pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”

    While the APC says the court action is in order the PDP is of the view that it is a non- issue.

    The state secretary of the APC, Mr. Wafarninyi Theman, said: “From what I have seen, the complainant has a genuine case, except INEC comes out to tell us that this party was not cleared for the election. But it’s a legitimate party and it had a legitimate candidate to contest in the election. And if they didn’t find the logo of their party on the ballot paper, it means they were deprived of the chance to be voted for. So, I think INEC should have admitted in the first place that they made a mistake. However, we are waiting for the response of INEC.”

    On his part, the state chairman of the PDP, Mr. Tahir Shehu said, “We do know that by the provisions of the Electoral Act, no court of law can stop the process of election. So the purported order is invalid. INEC is not bound to comply with it… The law says no court can stop either primary, general or supplementary election. Notwithstanding, we are taking steps to get that order set aside.”

    Police ban rallies

    in Bauchi

    The Bauchi State Police command on Friday banned political rallies because of the violence that broke out in parts of the metropolis during a protest over the planned supplementary election.

    It said: “Sequel to the declaration of Bauchi State Gubernatorial Election held on 09/03/2019 as inconclusive by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and subsequent scheduling of rerun election on 23/03/2019 in some parts of the State, the Bauchi State Police Command calls on the good people of the State to remain calm and avoid any act capable of causing breakdown of law and order at this critical time.

    “With regards to some reported cases of attacks on innocent members of the public by suspected Sara-Suka thugs which most times emanated from political rallies in Bauchi metropolis, the Command wishes to assure the members of the public that, it is on top of the situation and is  taking necessary measures to deal with the menace once and for all.

    “Consequently, for the interest of peace and harmony, the Command has placed a total ban on all forms of rallies and procession in the State without its approval.

    “It is done in the best interest of peace loving people of the State and to ensure that, the relative peace and security in the State is sustained,” it assures.

     

  • NASS: APC may retain 2015 zoning arrangement

    • Consultations on over S/East, S/South agitations

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) may stick to its 2015 zoning formula in picking the leadership of the incoming 9th National Assembly, according to feelers from the ruling party.

    Although there are ongoing moves to alter the existing zoning formula for various reasons and considerations, multiple sources told The Nation that leaders of the party may have resolved to retain the present arrangement.

    Consequently, the northeast will produce the Senate President and the Southwest Speaker of the House of Representatives.

    However, sources said that given the several alterations the initial zoning arrangement of 2015 was subjected to before it was truncated by NASS members led by Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Reps Speaker Yakubu Dogara, the party will meet with elected national assembly members and other stakeholders next week to iron out the issue.

    It was also gathered that the majority of the members-elect, especially returning lawmakers, have agreed in principle, that the party should co-ordinate the emergence of the next leadership of the national assembly.

    “Most of them are of the opinion that the party, being the vehicle through which they all got elected, should provide leadership on the matter,” one source said.

    “At an informal meeting with the president and some leaders of the party, the members-elect, especially returning legislators, urged the party to put the process of deciding how the principal officers will emerge in motion immediately, promising to abide by the suggestions of the party in nominating the leadership of the two chambers of the assembly upon resumption,” the source added.

    The APC leadership, it was also gathered, is holding consultations with stakeholders on how to address the fears of the South-south and the South-east on the sharing of positions in the legislature.

    Some APC federal lawmakers from the two zones are understood to be interested in the senate presidency and other plum positions.

    One source said:”It is true the party has received some letters and deputations on the agitations of the two zones (South-south and South-east) seeking to be considered for certain positions in the national assembly.

    “We indeed appreciate these moves. It is in confirmation of our collective resolve to promote party supremacy in all we do as a way of strengthening our democratic experience the more.

    “Consequently, I can tell you that consultations and talks are ongoing with concerned stakeholders on how to address some of the issues being raised in such a way that everybody is fairly taken care of and the party is the better for it.

    “Don’t forget that there are minority positions too and we will not be involved in determining those ones.”

    Another top level source said: “With more zones, groups and individuals daily showing interest in the positions, the party is looking for the best way to handle the matter.

    “And one of the suggestions that have received wide applause and support is the idea of bringing back the zoning arrangement proffered in 2015 before Saraki and his supporters truncated efforts by the party to midwife a leadership for the assembly.

    “The presidency will remain the same in May 2019 as it was back then.

    “Those promoting the idea are saying since the zones that produced the president and the vice president will not change, the zoning arrangement shouldn’t change.

    “And a look at the members-elect revealed that the zones favoured by the 2015 arrangement can still boast of capable and reliable hands to man the principal offices if given the opportunities.”

    From the results of the national assembly elections so far released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the APC has the majority in the red chamber with 63 senators, followed by PDP with 38 while Youth Progressives Party (YFP) has a seat.

    Elections in seven other senatorial districts are inconclusive.

    In the green chamber, the APC also has the majority of members – 211.

    The PDP has 111 members while the remaining 16 seats are shared as follows: APGA – 6; African Democratic Congress (ADC)-3; Action Alliance (AA) -2; Peoples Redemption Party (PRP)-2; African Democratic Party (ADP) -1; Allied Peoples Movement (APM) -1; and Social Democratic Party (SDP) -1.

    Twenty-two seats are still up for grabs where elections were declared inconclusive.

    Make-up polls in the affected federal constituencies (excluding in Rivers State) have been fixed for March 23

    No matter the outcome of the supplementary elections, the APC will retain its majority in the two chambers; hence will provide leadership for the national assembly.

  • Rivers Guber: PDP urges INEC to declare Wike winner

    Following the results of the fact finding committee set up by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate the manifest disruption of the collation of the results of the 9th March 2019 Governorship and House of Assembly general elections, the state PDP has called on INEC to announce its candidate as winner of the election.

    This is contained in the statement by the Rivers State PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah, and made available to the Nation on Saturday.

    The Rivers State PDP said it has accepted the pronouncements INEC made, after receiving the report of the fact finding committee, as substantial representation of the true state of the electoral process before the suspension.

    According to the statement, “After a thorough and holistic review of the report and findings of its Committee, INEC has in a release on the night of Friday 15th March 2019 made three fundamental verdictson the elections in Rivers State, as follows:

    “It has the complete collated results of the Governorship and House of Assembly elections in 17 local Government Areas of the State in safe custody;

    “21 out of 32 State constituency results of the State had already been declared and returned as elected prior to when it suspended the electoral process in the State; and it would on 20th March 2019 issue detailed timelines and activities for the completion of the election in the State.”

    The Rivers State PDP, however, wished to draw the INEC’s attention to the fact that in addition to the 17 Local Government Areas with fully collated results, the elections also successfully held and results declared at the unit and ward levels in five of the six other Local Government Areas where full collation of results is still pending.

    The Rivers PDP therefore urged the INEC to follow its guidelines to fill the missing gap, if any, in the collation process for the remaining five Local Government Areas by generating the full results from the unit results already in its custody and declare our candidates the clear and unassailable winners of the 9th March 2019 Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Rivers State.

    “We commend the INEC for standing by the truth and for its courage and principled determination to ensure that the votes of the people of Rivers State as freely and overwhelmingly expressed on the 9th of March 2019 in favour of the PDP effectively count.

    “We also commend the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Yusuf Tukur Buratai for inaugurating the Major-General TA Gagariga’s led Committee to probe the allegations of misconduct, including the assassination attempt on our Governor, His Excellency Nyesom Ezenwo Wike by soldiers during the 2019 general elections,” the statement added.

    The party also called on the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Abubakar Mohammed Adamu to institute a similar panel to probe the brazen involvement of the Rivers State Commander of F-SARS, Mr. Akin Fakorode and his gang of police operatives in the organized invasion of polling units, collation centers, abduction of electoral officers and the shooting and killing of innocent persons during the general elections at Khana, Gokana, Ikwerre, Eleme, Tai, Oyigbo and Ogu/Bolo Local Governments of the State.

  • INEC resumes collation of Bauchi guber election results

    The Independent National Electoral Commission has decided to resume from Tuesday, the collation of the governorship election result in Bauchi State and may declare the winner of the poll, hitherto ruled as inconclusive.

    The commission announced the decision in a press statement on Friday night after resolving some issues around the result of Tafawa Balewa local government and some polling units in Ningi local government.

    INEC did not state whether by the decision, the scheduled supplementary election on 23 March has been cancelled.

    According to INEC, the number of cancelled votes in four polling units in Ningi Local Government was 2,533 and not 25,330 as recorded.

    On Tafawa Balewa Local Government election result, where collation was disrupted by armed gangs, affecting 7 out of 11 registration areas for governorship and 6 out of 11 for state assembly elections, INEC said a committee set up, has found that the results in polling units and registration areas are “available and in safe custody”.

    INEC thus decided to resume the resumption and conclusion of the collation of results of the council area for both the governorship and state assembly elections

    A new collation and returning officer for Tafawa Balewa has been appointed “to continue and conclude the collation process in place of the original collation officer, who withdrew from the exercise citing threats to her life and those of her family members”. The threatened collation officer was Dominion Anosike.

    The governorship election in Bauchi state is a straight fight between incumbent Mohammed Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress and former minister, Bala Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party.

    Bala was said to have won the Tafawa Balewa Local government election, putting him in an overall lead of his APC counterpart, but the INEC returning officer, Professor Mohammed Kyari, declared the election inconclusive.

    In declaring the election inconclusive, Kyari, gave the scores of incumbent governor as 465,453 votes and Bala Mohammed of PDP as 469,512 votes.

    “The margin between the winner and opponent is less than the total number of votes cancelled in some polling units.By law, since the margin of winner is less than the total number of votes cancelled and registered voters in the areas where the votes have been cancelled, this elections is hereby declared inconclusive,” he said.

    He said his decision was in line with section 26 part 53 of the Electoral Act.

    NAN