The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ELECTION

  • Rivers: INEC cancels election in four councils

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has announced the cancellation of rerun elections of National and state Houses of Assembly in four Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the Rivers state.
     The LGAs are, Khana, Gokana, Andoni and Bonny.
    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Aniedi Ikoiwak  who announced the cancellation at a briefing on Saturday afternoon at the state INEC office in Port Harcourt said the decision  followed attacks of INEC officials at the areas by political party members who alleged that the electoral materials sent to them were fake.
    “I am not aware of any fake materials sent to any LGA in this elections, all the electoral materials for the elections were distributed in the presence of political party representatives, everything sent out from here were genuine materials,” he said.

     

  • TUC calls for transparency in Rivers election

    The Trade Union Congress (TUC), Rivers State chapter has called for transparency in the re-run legislative elections coming up tomorrow.

    In a statement, TUC Chairman,  Rivers State chapter, Comrade  Hyginus Chika Onuegbu, urged eligible voters to come out and vote for candidates of their choice.

    Onuegbu said  the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of Directorate State Security and Service Chiefs of the Armed Forces should provide adequate security to ensure  free and fair re-run elections, adding that no voter, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) personnel or accredited election observer should be intimidated, hurt or killed.

    “By now, we expect that the security agencies working in collaboration with the INEC should have their election security strategy that cover all phases of the electoral process and aimed at protecting electoral integrity. It is important to state clearly that the greatest threat to the Rivers State re-run elections is insecurity, as many of our people are scared going by the level of insecurity in the state.

    “The INEC as the umpire must ensure that the elections are free, fair and credible. It is important that election materials arrive early to the polling stations, so that voting and accreditation can be completed on time in line with the guidelines for the elections,” he said.

    Onuegbu said the youth should shun  violence and embrace peace, adding that political parties and their candidates should work towards safe and peaceful re-run elections.

    “Once again, we appeal to all Rivers people, especially the youth to embrace peace and shun all acts of violence. Indeed, acts of violence of whatever kind should be frowned upon by all and strictly shunned and punished collectively as it diminishes our democratic culture and whittles down the remaining collective respect we have as a people and as a state,’’ he added.

  • Scare tactics in Rivers election re-run

    SIR: The spate of killing of APC members and ascribing same to cultists is the most disingenuous electoral wool-gathering ever concocted in the history of electoral democracy. The bloodshed being orchestrated is an attempt to scare away electorates with allegiance to APC’s electoral fortunes.

    Needless to say that the discountenance of the killing interlude by the Supreme Court in its determination of the governorship election petition has emboldened murderous gang in Rivers State.

    With insecurity at its peak, the re-run contest seems to favour the PDP whose members have the unbridled electoral space to express their franchise.

    Drafting huge numbers of security agents is not enough going by past experiences; the federal government may have to wield the big stick in declaring a state of emergency if the carnage persists.

     

    • Bukola Ajisola,

    Victoria Island, Lagos.

  • Orbih re-elected as Edo PDP Chairman

    Mr Dan Orbih, was on Monday re-elected as Edo state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 31 positions were contested for, with most of the candidates returned unopposed at the state congress held in Benin.

    Other elected were: Mr Emmanuel Ugbon, Deputy State Chairman; Mr Edoba Omorogie, Legal Adviser; Mr Isreal Aguele, Treasury, and Mr Chris Nehikhare , Publicity Secretary, among others.

    Mr Sergeant Awuse, Chairman of the Electoral Panel, urged all the elected members to work for the success of the party in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

    Awuse further appealed to party leaders and members to settle their differences amicably, as time used to write petitions could be used to woo more members to the party.

    Orbih promised to do everything possible to ensure that PDP returns to power in Edo.

     

  • Rivers Election: IGP deploys DIG, AIG, CPs, 6000 officers for re-run election

    • Nwuche: killings beyond cult clashes

    Inspector General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase has deployed a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, three Commissioners of Police and 6,000 officers for Saturday’s re-run elections in Rivers State.

    The IGP directed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of Department of Operations, Sontoye Wakama, to proceed to Rivers to hold meetings with stakeholders and police officers on the need for peaceful conduct before, during and after the election.

    Also, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 6 Calabar, Adisa Baba Bolanta has been directed to relocate to Port Harcourt on March 14 for pre-elections preparation.

    The Police High Command explained that the deployment is with a view to emplace conducive environment for free, fair and credible election.

    A statement in Abuja yesterday by the Force spokesperson Olabisi Kolawole said three Commissioners of Police (CPs) have also been deployed to supervise security arrangements within the three Senatorial Districts of the state, Rivers East, Rivers West and Rivers South East.

    In addition to the senior officers,  the police boss also stated that 6000 conventional Policemen and 14 Units of Police Mobile Force personnel (MOPOL), would be deployed to compliment the personnel of Rivers State Command during the election.

    The IGP, while assuring the electorates of a secured and enabling environment to exercise their franchise, warned all security details to desist from accompanying their principals and politicians to polling booths and collation centres during the election.

    He noted that only security personnel specially assigned for election duties must be seen within and around the election designated places.

    Former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Chibudom Nwuche yesterday condemned the “brutal and unrestrained” killings going on in Rivers State.

    Nwuche asked the Federal Government to urgently intervene in the crisis in order to avert anarchy and further loss of innocent lives in the State.

    He insisted that the victims of the killing spree are mostly members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) or the party’s sympathisers.

    The former Deputy Speaker in a statement released in Abuja at the weekend, “bemoaned the fact that Rivers State had, in the last six months, degenerated into a terrible state of barbarism and brigandage with wanton killings, beheadings, brutal assaults, kidnapping, rape, destruction of property and near total breakdown of law and order have become daily occurrences.”

    He noted with regret in the statement entitled “Rivers Killing fields: A descent into anarchy” that the unrelenting killing spree unleashed on the state by organised criminal groups has led to the death of several Rivers sons and daughters.

    He underscored the fact that even though “the perpetrators of these heinous crimes against humanity are well known to the law enforcement agencies, the perpetrators have somehow always succeeded in evading arrest and prosecution.”

    The situation, he said, has invariably led to the loss of further lives and total collapse of human rights and dignity.

    While urging the Federal Government to urgently take immediate steps towards bringing to an end “what is now known as the unbridled homicidal killings in Rivers State”, Nwuche condemned “the penchant of high-ranking Rivers State government officials, some sections of the media and Non-Governmental Organisations, as well as some law enforcement personnel to label what are clearly organised crimes against the people as mere cult clashes.”

    He said the tendency by these groups of persons to diminish the barrage of horrific and organised acts of criminality currently engulfing the state smacks of cover-up and complicity.

    He added, “One would have expected that these groups and individuals to be in the fore-front of efforts to end  the ongoing human crises in Rives State, as well as help bring the culprits to book , rather they are spiritedly trying to play down the scope and magnitude of the crises.”

    Nwuche asked, “What are these cults? Who are these cultists? Do they include the hundreds of victims of these heinous crimes such as hordes of defenseless and aged men and women killed in Omoku and the fourteen persons recently murdered in cold blood in one fell swoop at Ula Upata, Ahoada East Local Government Area or the 44 person assassinated so far plus sixty-nine persons kidnapped in Ahoada, as well as Kingsley Obi who was beheaded and Chief D. C. Ena who was assassinated in his palace?

    “How come these victims are invariably members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) or their sympathisers? Why are the victims always un-armed while the perpetrators of these crimes are heavily armed with sophisticated weapons?”

    He lamented that as a result of the bloody onslaught, the value of life has greatly diminished in the state under the present Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration.

    Nwuche noted that a lot of notable persons who ordinarily reside in the state have fled to set up abode in other states out of fear for their lives.

    He said it was wrong to categorise him as sponsor of the organised killings for his constructive criticism of the happenings in the state.

    Nwuche said he would not be deterred from insisting on the urgent intervention of the Federal Government to curb the obviously sponsored genocidal killings.

    He said, “I and other concerned stakeholders have in the past six months, been constructively engaging the authorities and law enforcement agencies in trying to ensure an immediate halt to the mayhem going on in our state.

    “No amount of spurious and laughable allegations will stop us from getting the authorities to bring to an end this sad and painful saga in the history of our state, as well as bring the perpetrators to book.”

  • APC wins by-election

    The House of Assembly candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Arewa Local Government, Samaila Saliu Bui,   yesterday, won the by- election.

    The result was announced by the Returning Officer, Usman Umar Kardi.

    The APC candidate polled 20,577 votes to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Sulaiman Yaldu, who got 10,362 votes.

    Thirteen parties participated in the poll.

  • Amata wins DGN Presidential election

    Amata wins DGN Presidential election

    Lucky at his third attempt for the post of President, Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN), and filmmaker Fred Amata finally clinched it on Saturday. Amata polled 48 votes to defeat his fellow contenders – Kingsley Omoefe (7), Dickson Iroegbu (3), and Lancelot Imasuen (43). He will preside over the affairs of the Guild for the next two years.

    The election climaxed the three-day session of the Guild at the Tourist Resort Hotel, Asaba, Delta State. To set the stage for the election the DGN  president and filmmaker, Andy Amenechi, on Thursday night,  passed the baton to an electoral body that took over the tension-filled atmosphere.

    Delegates had gathered for three days at the popular Tourist Resort Hotel & Suites, Asaba,  Delta State, for the voting exercise which was preceded by an Annual General Meeting, Unveiling of DGN Electoral Committee (DGNEC) members and manifestos on Thursday.

    Other positions contested for in the election are Welfare Office, Public Relations Officer,  National Secretary, Director of Finance and Assistant Secretary General. While other offices fielded unopposed contestants, the welfare office was contested between Prince Isaac Kola and Dan Chukwueze; the vice presidential position between Mike Ogundu and Okey Zubelu.

    The hotel was a beehive the manifesto proved huge debate as candidates pruned their responses to questions to just two minutes.

    And just few minutes to the elections, Dickson Iroegbu announced his withdrawal from the race, sparking a brief uproar. Iroegbu then tried to announce his support for a particular candidate but was not allowed to. He then publicly told The Nation that he would want his supporters to back Fred Amata.

    “The truth of the matter is that I was not in the race for some selfish reasons,” he said.

    “It was about the Directors Guild of Nigeria and the entire Nollywood. That was why my campaign was centered on Nollywood rebirth.

    “But I observed the desperation being expressed and being a candidate who has interacted with other aspirants, I decided to make a sacrifice for DGN. Yes, I’ve stepped down, not because of any inducement, not because of any horse trading but because we are not politicians.

    “This is a professional Guild.  So I have to make the sacrifice as part of my intention to serve. I have to step down so that the bickering could subside.  And get someone whom most of us can say we’ve made a good choice.  This is not a political decision but one that is good for the Guild I want to represent as president, “Iroegbu said.

    On who he would want his supporters to vote for as DGN president? Iroegbu said; “considering the presentations made by us, I have sensed that supporting Fred Amata will be better.”

    While some delegates pitched their tent of loyalty with their candidates based on ‘indebtedness’ , others voted with their conscience on the ground of conviction and performances during the manifestos and debate sessions.

    Earlier, the candidates had been asked about their disposition should they lose?

    “I will not lead DGN by proxy,” said Dickson, “I will not abandon a child I was part of his conception,” said Imasuen,  “We’ll will work together no matter what,” said Omoefe, while Amata said, “The four of us will come together to move the Guild forward.”

  • Why we upheld Ikpeazu’s election, by Apex court

    Why we upheld Ikpeazu’s election, by Apex court

    The Supreme Court, on Friday, held that Okezie Ikpeazu was returned as governor of Abia State because Alex Otti failed to prove the allegations brought against his victory in the April 11, 2015 governorship election.

    Ikpeazu and Otti contested the election on the platforms of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) respectively.

    Giving reasons for its February. 3 judgment, Justice Suleiman Galadima, held that Otti and the APC were unable to prove the issue of over voting, allegations of violence and corrupt practices, allegedly perpetrated by the respondents.

    “On the issue of over voting, the court holds that there was no sufficient proof as the voter register and the card reader report were not tendered.

    “The criminal allegation of corrupt malpractices carried out by PDP loyalists for the benefit of the governor was not also proved,’’ he held.

    On the cancellation of the election results in Obingwa, Osisioma Ngwa and Isiala Ngwa by the returning officers, Galadima held that it was wrong.

    “That action amounted to the disenfranchisement of voters. It was also inappropriate for the tribunal to order the cancellation of election.

    “All of this misappropriation only gave room for the unlawful declaration of the APGA candidate by the lower court.

    “Those actions were perversion of justice and the apex court could not have allowed them,’’ he said.

    Galadima further held that the evidence placed before the court showed clearly that the tribunal usurped the constitutional duties of INEC.

    “On the card reader, the court maintains its earlier position that the tribunal cannot supplant the voter register.

    “The gadget is only meant to authenticate bearers of voter card and not meant to usurp the statutory power of the voter register.

    “At the moment, the voter register remains the only authentic document as provided by Section 49 of the Electoral Act to prove allegation of fraud in elections,’’ Galadima declared.

  • Plateau PDP rejects rerun results

    The Plateau state chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the results of the rerun election in Plateau south constituency held on Saturday.

    State Chairman of PDP, Mr. Raymond Dabo made the position of the party known in a statement issued in Jos on Sunday.

    The All Progressive Congress( APC) candidate Alice Dimlong was declared winner of the rerun elections into the State House Assembly by-election for Pankshin North constituency

    Similarly Pharm Gideon Dashe of APC also won the rerun elections for Pankshin South.

    According to The PDP Chairman, the rejection of the result by the party was based on irregularities that characterized the election in polling units of that constituency.

    He said, “PDP is not only rejecting the results, they should be cancelled out rightly because that result was not the true reflection of what transpired at the polls.

    “Our candidate for the same election, Hon Istifanus Muansat was denied acess to the polling unit, our party agents were chased out, my very self was also not allowed to come near the polling units, but APC members and agents were allowed freely to come in and manipulate the election.

    “Thugs hired by APC chased me away from the polling unit. It was a display of impunity by the rulling APC government, and a flagrant show of power because the Deputy Governor who is not from the polling unit was allowed to be there but any PDP members were not allowed” he said.

    “I declared that what happened today in Pankshin south was not an election. It was impunity of APC to have their ways they way they wanted and all these happened with the support of Nigerian Police. “

  • Kogi rerun: one shot in Idah

    One person was reportedly shot at Ogegele ward in Idah, Idah Local Government Area of Kogi State during Saturday’s rerun election for the state assembly constituency seat.
    Ogegele is the only ward where the rerun election took place in the area.
    Apathy and low voters turnout however marred the rerun in Kogi Central and Kogi East senatorial districts.
    Electoral materials and INEC officials arrived polling units where the process started as early as 8am.
    While election was on there was no restriction of movement as usual during elections.
    At polling units in Okene, the logo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was conspicuously missing on the ballot papers, indicating that the party’s candidate, Senator Mohammed Salami Ohiare was not part of the rerun election.
    The APC logo was likewise missing on the ballot papers for the House of Representatives rerun for Okene/Ogori/Magongo Federal constituency making it an unopposed contest for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Tijani Damisa.
    There was also low voters turnout in Kogi East, which might not be unconnected with the exclusion of some candidates from contesting the election.
    Senator Abubakar Abdulrahman’s election was annulled and the Court of Appeal barred him from contesting in the rerun.