The Nation Newspaper

Tag: by-election

  • By-election: Aspirant petitions PDP

    A senatorial aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Borno Central, Umar Mohammed Goni, has petitioned the party over alleged irregularities in the primaries conducted last month.

    Goni, who submitted his petition at the national headquarters of the PDP in Abuja, called for the cancellation of the primary election.

    His petition was submitted to the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus.

    The aspirant, who addressed reporters, urged the party to consider the issues raised in the petition.

    The petition reads: “Sequel to the primary election held at the PDP secretariat in Borno State for the nomination of candidate for the Borno Central by-election, having taken notice of irregularities in the conduct of the primary election on September 21 and declaration of result of same, I do hereby petition the panel as follows:

    “A third aspirant in the name of Alhaji Umar Kaleri, who is also the zonal chairman of the same senatorial district, emerged to participate in the same primaries despite not purchasing the senatorial nomination form. Neither did he undergo any screening by the screening committee set up by the party in Abuja.

    “Apparently he has not been cleared by the screening committee to participate in the primary election. His participation in the primaries affected either my votes or that of Hon. Kaka Bolori, which can be a plus or minus for either of the two cleared aspirants that may influence different outcomes in the results.

    “Alhaji Kaleri did not resign as stipulated by the guidelines from his position as zonal vice chairman, Borno Central, before participating in the primaries.

    Being the head of the senatorial zone, he has an influence in the selection of the three delegates per ward to replace most of the vacant slots, as there was no election held for the selection of delegates.

  • APC kicks as PDP wins Niger East by-election

    APC kicks as PDP wins Niger East by-election

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Dr. Shem Zagbayi Nuhu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the Niger East Senatorial by-election.

    He defeated Mr David Umaru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with 92,056 votes.

    Umaru had 87,405 votes.

    The by-election was first held on August 30 but was declared inconclusive, following irregularities in 21 polling stations across six of the nine local government areas in the district. A supplementary election was held last Saturday.

    The Returning Officer, Professor Wole Morenikeji, said the APC recorded 2,716 votes and the PDP 2,416 in the supplementary poll, but the PDP won the total number of votes.

    Morenikeji said Nuhu had 4,951 votes more than Umaru, adding that 8,042 votes were invalid.

    Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu hailed the conduct of the election. Aliyu said the result was a reflection of the people’s confidence in the PDP.

    However, the APC rejected the result.

    Its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jonathan Vatsa, said the party was studying the result.

    Vatsa said: “Though the party is yet to take a decision on the outcome of the by-election, I know that the result announced by INEC is not acceptable and in due course, the APC’s official position will be announced. The next line of action on the by-election will be taken after consultations at the state level. We are also in touch with the national headquarters of the party and our position will be made known.”

    The APC spokesman querried Aliyu’s statement that the people had confidence in the PDP.

    Vatsa said: “It is a known fact that the by-election was rigged by the PDP and INEC. It took a party that has been in power for over 15 years to use money to induce voters, use fake security agents to intimidate them and INEC to doctor the results.

    “It is sad that our governor, who presides over failed 10-kilometre road projects in each of the 25 local government areas and many other failed, inflated and abandoned projects, could say that the PDP is popular. The governor has no moral right to speak because he lost the last by-election in his unit, ward and local government. In fact, the governor has never won any election in his local government, ward and unit.”

     

  • Will INEC conduct by-election in Edo?

    Will INEC conduct by-election in Edo?

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is in a fix  in Edo State. The commission has received two letters from the  House of Assembly. The first letter is from 15 All Progressive Congress  (APC) members led by Speaker Uyi Igbe. The second letter is from nine Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members led by impeached Deputy Speaker Festus Ebea.

    In the lettwer, INEC was informed about vacant seats in the House and  the need to conduct by-elections within 90 days. The seat of Abdulrazaq Momoh (Estako West 1) was declared vacant by the Speaker, following his  defection to the PDP without following the due process.  In reaction, the PDP declared the seat of Victor Edoror (Esan Central) vacant for defecting to the APC

    Crisis hit the House on June 9 after four lawmakers-Jude Ise-Idehen (Ikpoba-Okha), Friday Ogierhiakhi (Orhionmwon South), Festus Ebea (Esan Southeast), and Patrick Osayimwen (Oredo East) were suspended for alleged gross misconduct and attempt to woo other lawmakers to the PDP.

    The suspended lawmakers were also accused of offering APC lawmakers N50m to join the APC. Before the suspension, four lawmakers of the APC including Ise-Idehen, Patrick, Friday and Momoh had defected to the PDP. With the defection, the PDP lawmakers rose to eight against 16 APC lawmakers before the impeached Deputy Speaker pitched tent with the PDP.

    What the PDP needed was to woo four more lawmakers to effect leadership change in the House, which would have led to the impeachment of Governor Adams Oshiomhole and his deputy, Pius Odubu. Ebea was said to have been penciled down for the position of acting governor, if the plan had succeeded.

    For about four weeks, Benin-City was enveloped in anxiety as lawmakers battled for the control of the House. The police took over the premises and put a blockade on roads leading to the city centre where the Assembly complex is located. It was a daily exchange of blows for the PDP and the APC lawmakers. Legislative businesses were put on hold.

    The crisis persisted because the lawmakers insisted on attending plenary sesions,  despite a court order restraining them from gaining access to the  complex. Several meetings supervised by the Commissioner of Police, Foluso Adebanjo, failed to resolve the crisis as the APC lawmakers said they would be disobeying court orders by allowing their suspended colleagues to attend plenary.

    On July 7, Speaker Igbe moved the plenary session to the old legislative chamber inside the Edo Government House, citing the on-going renovation of the complex. PDP lawmakers kicked against the relocation of the plenary session and vowed not to attend the sitting. Legislative staff were asked to resume work at another location.

    The roof of the hallowed chamber was removed. Armoured doors and iron bars were used to seal the chamber and offices of the suspended lawmakers.

    PDP lawmakers however, broke the armoured doors and resumed plenary session inside the unkempt hallowed chamber. They recruited two former  workers-Omoregbe Osagie and Okoh Godwin-to assist them. Omoregbe and Okoh served as Sergeant at Arms and Clerk for the PDP lawmakers.

    Victor Edoror was named the new Deputy Speaker by APC lawmakers while PDP lawmakers also replaced principal officers. The latest action of the divided House was the sacking of two lawmakers. Speaker Igbe declared the seat of Momoh vacant while PDP lawmakers declared the seat of the new Deputy Speaker vacant.

    Whose resolution will INEC obey? The 15 APC lawmakers or nine PDP lawmakers?

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Baritor Kpagih, confirmed that the commission has received two letters from both camps informing it about the vacant seats. But, he said  the commission was yet to take a decision on the matter.

    Baritor  said a by-election was not important to the commission than the distribution of Permanent Voters Cards.

    He said the INEC does not take decision on a by-election at the state level , adding that its activities are guided by law.

    “We have received two letters, but what is important to us is the distribution of permanent voters cards and thereafter, we register those that are yet to register.

    “Regarding the by-election, the House of Assembly has notified us. As far as we are concerned, we don’t take decisions on such matters here at the state level. We have communicated to the INEC office, Abuja and, once a decision is taken, we will act on it.”

  • ACN wins by-election in Lagos

    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has won the bye-election conducted by the Lagos State dependent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) into the Ward A Council of Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government Area.

    The councillorship seat became vacant, following the death of the ACN councillor, Mr Abayomi Akintokun, on September 3, last year..

    LASIEC Returning Officer, Mr Akin Agbaje, announced that Mrs Buki Wilson of the ACN scored I,965 votes out of 2,365 total votes cast. Seven political parties contested in the election, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which scored 339 votes, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Alliance for Democracy (AD), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Alliance (AA) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). The election, which held in 39 polling units, kicked off at 9am and ended at 3pm.

    Reacting to the result of the election, the PDP Chief Collation Officer, Chief Sunday Kudehinbo, faulted the election, saying that the exercise violated the due process. He said: “The election process was faulty. Accreditation was done along with voting, which should not be so.

    “I will report to my party for their final decision on it”.

    LASIEC Secretary Mr Yinka Jeje told reporters at the collation center that the commissioon was impressed with the conduct and turn out for the election. On why the election took place on a working day, he said that “election can hold any day”.

    Jeje added: “Fixing this election on a working day has not affected the outcome in any way”

    LASIEC Electoral Commissioner Mr Olalekan Mabinuori described the election as violent-free. He said: “We had some complaints over identification, but we moved in swiftly and resolved it”.

    The Chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Mr Akionla Obadia, commended LASIEC for conducting a successful poll. He said: ““This may be a ward election, but we hope LASIEC will maintain the good work it has done today in future elections”.

    Obadia however, explained that INEC’s deregistration of over 30 registered parties affected the number of parties that contested the ward election.

    The Chairman of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Mr Popoola Ajayi, said: “LASIEC has done well. The election was peaceful and the entire process was good.”