The Nation Newspaper

Tag: electoral materials

  • INEC suspends Nasarawa LG results in Kano

    PDP leads governorship poll 

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended icollation of Nasarawa local government area indefinitely, following criminal destruction of electoral materials by suspected thugs.
    Results of 43 local council areas had been declared.
    Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, wgo is candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won in 29 local government areas and Eng. Abba Kabiru Yusuf held firm in 14 local government areas declared so far.
    With the inconclusive results, the PDP candidate maintained strong lead with a difference of 6,608 votes.
    The results of Nasarawa local government area, which is a subject of controversy bewteen the PDP and the APC, has been delayed following cancellation of some polling units in Gama ward.
    Speaking to reporters at INEC collation centre about 4:00 am, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Riskuwa Shehu Arabu, suspension of the collation of the result of Nasarawa local government followed disturbing reports of electoral violence.
    According to him : ” We have received disturbing reports of destructing of results collation of Nasarawa local Governorship polls by some people which led to the destruction of some of the result sheets”.
    Professor Riskuwa noted that INEC could not continue with collation and final declaration of the result due to the commotion that obstructed the compilation of the results.
    He explained that INEC has resolved to referred to it primary and secondary data from the polling units and wards that will confirm those that will be acceptable within the electoral act.
    The INEC REC maintained that the process will be carried out with party agents to ensure transparency, leading to the regeneration of the Nasarawa local government results.

  • Gunmen burn electoral materials in Benue

    Ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and waiting voters fled yesterday when gunmen stormed the Roman Catholic Missionary Primary School in Mbalon Council Ward of Gwer East Local Government Council, Benue State, shortly after 8 am

    No one suffered bodily harm from the hoodlums but some were injured while fleeing.  About 20 gunmen arrived, firing shots in the air and subsequently proceeded to burn down all election materials.

    Confirming the incident, the INEC Electoral Officer for Gwer East, Mrs Ngunan Yongo, however, declined to give further details as she switched off her phone.

    She said that the materials affected were meant for polling units on Mbalon ward. A senior staff of INEC, Mr Thaddeus Ujah, also confirmed the attack at Mbalon ward.

    “I am overwhelmed; we were not expecting anything of that nature, I am short of words.  I can’t see some of my people; they ran into the bush, some of them got injured. The most important thing to me now is to get those people and take them back,” he said.

    There were also reports that the PDP ward office in Wannunen, the village of Benue APC strongman, Senator George Akume, was razed down by angry youths but The Nation was yet to authoritatively confirm the incident.

    Asked for clarification, the state’s new Commissioner of Police, Mr Umar Muri, who resumed duty on Friday, said that he was not yet aware of such incidents.

    “As far as I am concerned, there is nothing like that,” Miri told The Nation on telephone.

    In most parts of Makurdi, the state capital, INEC staff arrived early and voting began much earlier than what obtained during the presidential and national assembly elections.

  • INEC confirms electoral materials hijack in 4 C/River councils

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Cross River has confirmed the hijack of electoral materials in four local government areas of the state.

    The local government areas are: Abi, Bakassi, Obubra and Etung.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Frankland Briyai, confirmed the development shortly after monitoring the voting process at some polling units in Calabar Municipality and Calabar South.

    He said that report of hijack at Yakurr Local Government Area of the state was yet to be confirmed, noting that the commission would record zero scores in all areas where materials were hijacked.

    “We have had cases of hijack of materials today. I got a call on hijack of materials in Abi, Bakassi, Obubra and Etung Local Government Areas.

    “In Yakurr Local Government Area, I got a call concerning hijack of materials but I am yet to confirm that.

    “I have said it before, if they deliberately refuse to make use of the card reader by hijacking electoral materials, the affected areas will score zero.

    “Every Cross Riverian and politician is aware of this.’’

    He, however, expressed satisfaction with high turnout of voters in some areas and applauded voters for their peaceful conduct during accreditation and voting.

    “The security agents were doing their work accordingly in all the areas we visited and I must commend them for that,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • Two killed as thugs burn buses conveying electoral materials in Akwa Ibom

    TWO persons have been killed reported killed in Akwa Ibom State after suspected thugs set buses carrying sensitive electoral materials to Obot Akara local government area of the state.

    The buses which were also conveying election personnel were set on fire and some of the drivers wounded with machetes.

    The personnel and drivers escaped and  found  their way  to the  INEC office to report the incident.

     

  • Two killed as thugs burn buses conveying electoral materials in Akwa Ibom  

    Two persons have been killed reported killed in Akwa Ibom State after suspected thugs set buses carrying sensitive electoral materials to Obot Akara local government area of the state.

    The buses which were also conveying election personnel were set on fire and some of the drivers wounded with machetes.

    Read also: EU, AU, UN, other observation missions urge INEC to adhere to new dates

    The personnel and drivers escaped and  found  their way  to the  INEC office to report the incident.

  • APC seeks joint access to electoral materials

    APC seeks joint access to electoral materials

    As the pre-trial for the National Assembly election tribunal began yesterday, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in Oyo Central Senatorial Election, Sen Monsurat Sunmonu, have filed an application seeking joint access to election materials.

    Accord and its candidate, Chief Bisi Ilaka, are challenging the election.

    APC sought an order of the tribunal to allow the inspection and obtain Certified True Copy (CTC) of all documents used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Senator Sunmonu, through her counsel, Tola Oshuobi, asked the tribunal to grant them joint access to the electoral materials used by INEC during the National Assembly election.

    “We have also filed an application challenging the pre-trial proceedings. We have  filed an application challenging the competence of the hearing itself and our submission is that the hearing is entirely defective and the matter should be dismissed and should not proceed to trial. Our application for joint inspection will be heard today.

    According to him, “our position is that any inspection should be carried out by both parties instead of one party going to INEC office alone.

    “These are very sensitive election materials which will be used in the course of trial and we think it will be fair for both parties to be present there. So we shall know our fate today and date to hear our other applications too will also be decided tomorrow

    The three-man panel-Justice J.G Abundaga, Justice G.C Nnamani and Justice A.H Suleiman- unanimously agreed to hear their applications today.