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Tag: council poll

  • Ondo APC divided over council poll

    Ondo APC divided over council poll

    •Aspirants united

    Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders are divided over whether or not to participate in the April 23 local government election.

    According to some of them, it is a ploy by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to deceive the citizens.

    They spoke at a Leaders’ Consultative meeting at the Akure City Hall, the state capital.

    The meeting also aligned most of the party leaders, including governorship aspirants.

    Present were the party’s Southwest Vice Chairman, Chief Ayo Akinyelure;  Minister of State for Niger Delta Cladius Daramola; former Deputy Governor Ali Olanusi;  State Vice Chairman Ade Adetimehin; Bola Ilori; Mrs. Oladunni Odu; Femi Agagu; Tunji Abayomi;  Rotimi Rahman and Abayomi Adesanya.

    Others include the lawmaker representing Akoko South East/Akoko South East, Kolawole Babatunde; Ademola Adegoroye; Gboyega Adedipe; Gboyega Adefarati; Adewale Omojuwa; Mrs Jumoke Anifowose; Diran Iyantan; Senator Ayo Akinyelure and Pius Osunyikanmi.

    Governorship aspirants include Senator Ajayi Boroffice; Tayo Alasoadura; Olusola Oke; Rotimi Akeredolu; Segun Abraham; Foluso Adefemi; Awodeyi Akinsehinde (Apata); Victor Olabimtan; Odunayo Akinrinsola; Niran Sule; Bode Ayorinde; Derin Adesida; Bukola Adetula and Paul Akintelure, among others.

    The State Chairman, Isaac Kekemeke, described the election as “illegal” and a “sham” meant to trap the APC ahead of the governorship election.

    Kekemeke accused members of the State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) of being chieftains of the Labour/Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The chairman said: “Our participation or otherwise has been thoroughly discussed at the Central Working Committee (CWC), the State Executive Committee (SEC) and the expanded executive.

    “The conclusion reached was that the election is a sham meant to trap our party. It is an illegal ‘election’ about to be conducted when there is a subsisting case on the matter at the Supreme Court.

    “Besides, Mimiko’s ODIEC is composed of LP/PDP membership card carrying members.

    “Worse still, this LP/PDP government is highly deficient in character, integrity and fairness that it cannot be trusted to midwife any free and fair process.”

    Kekemeke’s address was applauded by Babatunde, who said participating in the election would be a fruitless effort.

    Babatunde alleged that “Governor Olusegun Mimiko planned to write the results from his Alagbaka home and if APC participates or not, that does not change anything”.

    “So, I will advise party leaders not to allow our members to participate in the election.”

    But, Akeredolu, who was the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship candidate in 2012, urged party leaders to participate in the election.

    Akeredolu, a lawyer, said this would give the party locus standi to challenge the outcome of the election in future.

    A chieftain of the party from Okitipupa Local Government, Olayeye Ayeniyi, backed Akeredolu’s statement.

    Ayeniyi said: “If Mimiko knows that APC is going to participate in the election, he will postpone the election because he is aware that he has lost his political control in the state.

    “If we participate in the poll, we will give Mimiko a run for his money and also prepare our party for the governorship election later in the year.”

    Oke said the party cannot participate in the election because there is a case still pending in the Supreme Court, challenging the illegality of local government chairmen who were elected during the late Governor Olusegun Agagu’s tenure.

    “As counsel to the litigants, I will write a letter to ODIEC chairman in case he is ignorant of the court case.

    “One of the reliefs sought before the Supreme Court is the reinstatement of the councillors and chairmen sacked by Mimiko.”

    However, Akinyelure said he would officially inform the national leaders on the matter and report back to the party.

    Daramola urged aspirants and supporters to unite, adding that “our common enemies are PDP and Governor Mimiko”.

  • Yobe to conduct council poll with card reader

    The local government elections in Yobe State, coming up later in the year, will be conducted with the use of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) Card Reader (CR), the Chairman of Yobe State Independent Electoral Commission (YBSIEC), Mohammed Jauro Abdu, has said.

    Abdu, who spoke with The Nation in Damaturu at the weekend, noted that his commission decided to take a cue from INEC to use the card reader due to the credibility the technology brought in the last general elections.

    “I believe the use of the card reader by INEC in the last general elections has brought a lot of credibility to the electoral process. We are therefore poised to replicate this in our local government elections coming up before the end of this year.

    “I feel Yobe should take advantage of this good technology and set the pace by being the first state to conduct a local government election with the INEC card readers. Don’t ask me if we are going to procure our own card readers. No. We have already concluded arrangement with INEC,” he said.

     

  • Ortom promises credible council poll in Benue

    Ortom promises credible council poll in Benue

    Benue State Governor-elect Samuel Ortom has promised that his administration will conduct credible a local government election when he assumes office.

    The governor-elect spoke in Makurdi, the state capital, when he hosted a delegation of the Nongov community during a congratulatory visit.

    Ortom hails from Nzorov, a part of the community, in Guma Local Government Area.

    The governor-elect decried the practice of the party outgoing ruling party in the state, which he said always ensured that it won 100 per cent in local government elections.

    He said his administration would allow the people to choose their grassroots leaders through credible, free and fair polls.

    The former Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment said it was incumbent on the leaders of the incoming All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, particularly its governors, to replicate the conduct of credible polls the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) achieved in the last general elections.

    He noted that though the challenges facing the state were frightening, they could be surmounted through collective efforts and the deployment of international best practices.

    President of the Makurdi branch of Nongov Community Development Association, Chief Samuel Aga, told Ortom that members of the association were elated by his election victory.

    He expressed gratitude to God and the people of the state for voting for Ortom to enable him pursuing his aspirations for the state.

     

  • Outrage over council poll in Anambra

    There is outrage in Anambra State, following the local government election conducted by the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) on Saturday.

    Opposition parties had refused to participate, alleging that ANSIEC and the state government were insincere.

    But the All Progressives Congress (APC) announced its withdrawal before the parties, under the aegis of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), decided not to take part in the election.

    Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), who showed interest, cried foul over alleged manipulation by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    Some APGA members protested that the list of those contesting the poll was changed.

    The election was marred by violence and general apathy, with people complaining of the non-availability of electoral materials.

    Declaring the results yesterday at the ANSIEC headquarters in Awka, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Sylvester Okonkwo, said APGA won 20 seats, excluding Nnewi North Local Government.

    Problems arising from the the exercise made the commission to cancel the result. A new election has been fixed for Saturday.

    Some of the 20 councils where the party won are Ayamelum, Njikoka, Awka South, Awka North, Orumba South, Orumba North, Onitsha North, Onitsha South, Anambra East, Anambra West, Nnewi South, Ogbaru, Aguata, Idemili North and South.

    The party also won 304 councillorship seats, leaving 12 for PDP and one for UPP.

    A chairmanship candidates of LP in Awka South, Mr. Uche Ifediorah, decried what happened in Anambra, saying the state had no political future.

    State Coordinator of Transform Nigeria Movement (TNM) Comrade Obi Ochije condemned the election.

    The leader of the Progressives Peoples’ Alliance (PPA) in the state, Mr. Godwin Ezeemo, said ANSIEC did not do a good job, having planned the election for almost eight years.

    He said logistic problems could have been solved to make for a smoother exercise.

     

  • Enugu records low turn-out, late arrival of materials at council poll

    Enugu records low turn-out, late arrival of materials at council poll

    Late arrival of materials and apathy in most places were major features of yesterday’s local government elections in Enugu State.

    With candidates of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) unchallenged in most of the wards and councils, the exercise was a mere rubber stamp.

    Reports from some areas indicated, however, that the elections took off smoothly and witnessed large turnout, especially in the constituencies of chairmanship candidates.

    Voter apathy was visible in most of the polling stations in Achara Layout, Enugu South Local Government Area.

    Voters were yet to arrive for accreditation at the Igbariam Primary School polling station and others as at 10 a.m.

    One of the presiding officers, Mr. Chibueze Chukwu, told NAN that the election materials had not been supplied just as the voters were yet to show up.

    “We are still waiting for the supervisor to come with the materials. Whenever they come, we will start accreditation after which the voting will start,” he said.

    In Udenu Local Government, Area the outgoing chairman, Dr Godwin Abonyi, said that the turnout was impressive, adding that the election was going on smoothly as at mid-day.

    Skirmishes between supporters of the APGA candidate and their PDP counterparts were reported in the area, although voting later commenced.

    Governor Sullivan Chime and Chairman of PDP in the state, Chief Vita Abba, expressed satisfaction with the peaceful conduct of the election.

    The governor said the exercise marked yet another milestone in the quest by the state to entrench democracy and good governance at the grassroots.

    Chime, who spoke shortly after casting his vote at Premier School, Udi, said the conduct of the election, which is the fourth since the inception of his administration in 2007 was worthy of emulation.

    He attributed the comparatively low turn-out of voters for the election to the fact that all the chairmanship candidates and most of the councillorship candidates were running unopposed.

    Speaking after voting at Community Primary School Ede-oballa, Nsukka Local Government Area of the state, Abba said that there was a tremendous improvement in the turnout and organisation of the poll.

    “The process is very transparent and there is a lot of improvement than what it used to be. We pray and continue to work for further improvement in elections in Enugu state,” he said.

    On the complaints by the opposition parties that they were excluded from the exercise, the Enugu PDP helmsman said the complaint by one individual does not matter but the process.

     

  • Plateau council poll holds Dec. 21

    The Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) yesterday reaffirmed its readiness to conduct the local government election on December 21. It advised the public to ignore any rumour to the contrary. “There is no going back on the December 21 date for the conduct of the local government,” PLASIEC said through its Public Relations Officer, Mrs Christiana Choji. Mrs Choji told NAN that the commission was ready to conduct a “free and fair elections,” adding that necessary arrangements were in place to ensure a hitch-free conduct. “The commission still stands by the election timetable released to all political parties on September 2. PLASIEC also wishes to remind political parties that collection and return of PLASIEC form 001 by parties will end on November 7,” she said.

  • Edo fixes October 22 for council poll

    Elections into the executive council of the Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State have been fixed for October 22.

    Esan North East is the only council without elected council executives since April 20 when elections were held in other local governments.

    The date for the election was announced yesterday by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC).

    Four political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP) and Accord Party will participate in the poll.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Council poll won’t threaten Xmas, says Jang

    Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang has assured that the conduct of the local government election in the state on December 21 would not threaten the celebration of Christmas.

    The governor gave the assurance following a protest by the Christian community that the election was placed too close to the Yuletide.

    They have begun to mobilise their members for a mass protest against the government.

    The aggrieved Christians alleged that the election was fixed close to Christmas to deny them the fun of the season.

    The Chairman of the umbrella opposition parties in the state, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Alhaji Muhammed Usman Kanam, said the parties were not consulted before the government announced the new date.

    He said the action showed the government’s alleged insincerity in the matter.

    But the government said the new date was not meant to deprive anybody or group the fun of their religious festivities or to manipulate the election.

    In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Publicity, Abraham Yiljap, the government said: “Following the shifting of election date by the state electoral commission by two weeks, the government wishes to state that it is determined to allow the people to choose their leaders at the council level.”

     

     

     

     

     

  • Gombe postpones council poll

    Gombe postpones council poll

    Gombe State has postponed the local government elections indefinitely.

    The chairman of Gombe State Independent Electoral Commission (GOSIEC), Mr. Caleb Maina, told party leaders that the polls were postponed due to situations beyond the commission’s control.

    The party leaders have converged on the office of the agency for a meeting. The date, guidelines and nomination forms for the election were slated for discussion at the meeting.

    Maina explained that the postponement became necessary because of complaints that certain politicians who claimed to be leaders of some political parties were not recognised by their national headquarters and state offices.

    He said: “We received complaints from members of some political class that most of those claiming to be leaders of their political parties are not recognised by their national headquarters and even in the state.”

    Besides, GOSIEC, according to Maina, does not have the official list of the political parties that have been deregistered. He said the postponement would allow the commission to seperate the wheat from the chaff.

    He added: ”The commission, therefore, decided to postpone the election indefinitely to enable us verify and rectify the problem because we intend to print the names and logos of only registered political parties on the ballot papers”.

    Speaking on behalf of other political parties, the state chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Audu Kwami, urged the commission to obtain the comprehensive list of leaders of the various registered political parties in the state to avoid future conflict over leadership claims.

    At the meeting were leaders of the Accord Party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), CPC, Labour Party (LP) and KOWA Party.