The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Guber Elections

  • Election: INEC replaces erring ad hoc staff in Borno

    The Independent National Commission (INEC) in Borno has replaced erring ad hoc staff to facilitate smooth conduct of the upcoming governorship and State House Assembly elections in Borno.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Borno, Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Maiduguri.

    He said that the replacement was due to the inability of the staff to discharge their duties effectively during the Feb. 23 elections.

    Ibrahim disclosed that some of the affected staff failed to properly handle Card Reader machines, an action which affected the voting process.

    “We replaced ad hoc staff who demonstrated rude behavior and those who could not operate the Card Reader machines or fill the result sheets properly.

    Read Also: Guber election: INEC assures uniform timing nationwide

    “We engaged 22,500 ad hoc staff for 3,932 Polling Units (PUs) and 5,071 Voting Points (VPs). The replacement is completed and we also earmarked reserved staff. INEC is geared to conduct an excellent election,” he said.

    Ibrahim noted that ad hoc workers were selected from Federal civil servants, members of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), university lecturers and teachers of tertiary institutions of learning in the state.

    He revealed that the commission had conducted refresher training for the ad hoc staff on election duty procedures and their roles.

    The REC added that the measure was to ensure that they discharge their duties effectively in accordance with the laws governing its operations.

    According to him, the commission will commence the distribution of sensitive and non sensitive election materials as well as deployment of workers on Thursday to the 27 local government areas of the state.

    Ibrahim explained that sensitive materials were kept at the Central Bank of Nigeria for safe keeping, adding that 5,071 Card Readers were also re-configured, awaiting redistribution for the election.

    The commissioner stressed that the electoral body had achieved 100 per cent in its preparations for the election, adding that it had also identified and addressed challenges with distribution of sensitive election materials.

    “We made adequate arrangements on movement and delivery of sensitive election materials.

    “We achieved 100 per cent in our preparations for the election; ballot papers, result sheets, voting cubicles and others.

    ”We will commence deployment on Thursday and we made arrangement with security agencies to escort election materials and staff to various places,’’ he said.

    Ibrahim added that the commission has adopted proactive measures to facilitate conduct of peaceful and hitch free exercise through the Inter-Agency Committee on Election Security.

    He called on the electorate to turn out en mass and participate in an orderly manner in the election.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC had registered more than 2.3 million voters for the 2019 election in the state.

  • Niger guber candidates in last minute rush to garner votes

    As the Governorship and House of Assembly elections approach, an eleventh-hour attempt to gather votes and solicit the support of the electorates have been embarked upon by the various Governorship candidates in Niger state.

    These candidates have taken to meetings with various groups to get their support and their commitment to voting for them.

    Most of the candidates who have taken their campaigns to churches while others met with religious leaders to solicit for votes.

    The Nation gathered that the APGA Governorship candidate, Joshua Bawa visited three churches last Sunday, two Orthodox churches and one Pentecostal church.

    According to a member of the Pentecostal church, although Bawa was not given the opportunity to speak, his presence in church spoke volumes as he is not a member of the church.

    The two main contenders, the APC and PDP have been meeting with various religious leaders and youths to get their support.

    The APC candidate who is also the incumbent Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has been tirelessly meeting with various stakeholders.

    The quiet and restricted Government House in Minna has been thrown open to all and sundry as no restriction is been made to stop anyone who intends to get into the government house.

    The Governor in three days has met with the organized labor, religious leaders, various indigenous groups, women, pressure groups and Directors in MDAs across the state while other meetings have been ongoing.

    Although the details of the meeting with the religious leaders were not made available, The Nation learnt that the Governor asked them to see reason why he should be re-elected and how he will work to improve the religious stability in the state.

    With the Organized Labour, the Governor promised more incentives to the workforce and an enabling environment to which the Labor endorsed him assuring him that he has their votes.

    The PDP Candidate, Alhaji Umar Nasko is not left out in his quest to get more votes from the electorates, his meeting with the religious leaders seem to have gone well as he emerged from the meeting with his face beaming with smiles.

    Nasko has also met with various youth groups, indigenous and inter-tribal groups and the private sector informing them of his determination to go for just one ten along with his zeal to improve the lot of Niger state.

    Other candidates have intensified their house to House campaigns in the various local government areas along with solidarity meetings with various groups across the state.

    However, all seems set as these candidates and the people of Niger state are set to go to the polls come Saturday to vote for the person whom they believe will lead them for the next four years.

  • APC: we didn’t bribe Akala to support us

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Southwest has declared that it did not bribe former governor of Oyo State Adebayo Alao-Akala to support its governorship candidate, Adebayo Adelabu in the Saturday election.

    The party in a statement by its Zonal Secretary, Mr Ayo Afolabi, said such belief is being allegedly spread by agents of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which it described as corrupt.

    The party said persuading Alao-Akala to support Adelabu was not a Herculean task being its former member.

    The statement read: “It has come to the notice of our Party, the All Progressives Congress the unfounded rumor going round in the social media and in some blogs that the APC induced Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala with a huge amount of money for his support to sway him and his numerous supporters across Oyo State to the side of APC in the gubernatorial and states house of assembly elections scheduled for March 9, 2019.

    “This type of allegation can only exist in the minds and imagination of heavily corrupt PDP and their supporters. It is out of place for APC to give financial inducement to anyone with a view to gain or get the support of any one talkless of a person of Akala’s calibre who was until some six month ago a strong member of our party. It is true that the party approached former Gov. Akala and appealed to him to lend a helping hand for the success of APC in Oyo State as did PDP in the coming elections, this is normal in democracy.

    “Akala made some demands which include among others: the completion of the teaching hospital in Ogbomoso which he wanted to be put to immediate use as soon as possible, the issue of LAUTECH which he wanted the governments of APC to address immediately and other sundry issues which are the basic ingredients for good governance. For anybody or group of people to accuse our party of offering money to former Governor Akala is share blackmail which can only exist in the imagination of the writer.

    “We therefore enjoin the public to ignore such ranting of lazy minds whose only intention is to play politics with the integrity of our party and confuse the public.”

  • Ladoja, Lanlehin, others adopt Makinde as joint candidate

    Five opposition parties in Oyo state on Tuesday publicly presented a coalition governorship candidate to run against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for Saturday’s poll.

    The parties in the coalition include African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the New Progressive Movement (NPM).

    The coalition adopted the PDP candidate, Seyi Makinde, for the governorship poll while retaining their separate structures for the house of Assembly elections.

    The former governor, who is also the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland and a chieftain of ZLP, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, made the public presentation of the joint candidate during a press conference which at the NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan.

    The event was also attended by party leaders and stakeholders in the coalition.

    The coalition put to rest the much touted and anticipated coalition in their bid to defeat the ruling party.

    While reading a speech entitled “An alliance for the freedom of Oyo State,” the ADC governorship candidate, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, said the parties decided on the move as a workable solution to what it described as “unpalatable situation where Oyo state has been remotely controlled in the last eight years.”

    Talks on the coalition have been rife but with fears mounting on the workability.

    The coalition is the first time in the history of the state that opposition parties agreed to ‘gang up’ against the ruling party.

    Lanlehin said: “It is no longer news that a good number of parties in Oyo state have deliberated intensely over the last few weeks and have come to the resolution that there is an urgent need to free our dear state from the shackles of outside oppression and domination.

    “We have therefore decided that in order to present an effective and workable solution to the unpalatable situation where Oyo State has been remotely controlled for the past 8 years by outside forces and all manner of constituted authority, there is the need to form this alliance of political parties in the state.

    “We have firmly resolved to present one candidate in the person of Engineer Oluseyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party for the office of Governor at the elections holding on 9th March, 2019.

    “He shall be heading by the special grace of God and the power of the people of Oyo State, a Government of Unity which will cater for the interest of all our people irrespective of political association.”

    Governorship candidates Sharafadeen Alli (ZLP), Bolaji Ayorinde (SDP) and Col. Feyisayo Ladoye (NPM) appealed to their supporters to vote for Makinde.

    Giving a short remark before raising Makinde’s hand, Ladoja said “It is my pleasure to present to you the agreed candidate for the election coming up on Saturday March 9, and who Insha Allah, will become governor-elect on that day, and will be subsequently sworn in on May 29 as governor of Oyo State.

    “He is my son. I present to you Engineer Seyi Makinde.”

    In his acceptance speech, Makinde who expressed happiness at the coalition noted, the election would put opportunity before the people to do two things.

    “Two weeks ago, the people of Oyo South Senatorial District rejected Ajimobi and now is the time of the entire people of the state to reject Bayo Adelabu who is going to be the third term of Ajimobi.

    “The second thing is that we want Oyo State money to stay in Oyo state and that is what voting for PDP will do for the people of this state,” Makinde stated.

  • APC candidate survives machete cut in Onitsha

    …as aide’s toes chopped off

     

    All Progressives Congress ( APC ) House of Assembly candidate for Onitsha 1 State Constituency, Afam Emejulu, Tuesday survived attack by suspected cultists at Egerton Street, Onitsha, Anambra state.

    The attack, coming barely four days to the governorship and House of Assembly elections, was believed to be sponsored by political opponents.

    The Nation gathered from family sources that the victim was leaving his house in the early hours of the day when he was attacked.

    “He was taken unawares by the thugs numbering about ten who laid ambush and accosted him, with one of them hitting him on the head with a hammer.

    “Others clubbed, marched on him and hit him while he was forced to lie face down,” the source alleged.

    The source further alleged that one of the boys to the victim, who rushed to rescue him, had his three toes chopped off with machete.

    Elder brother to the victim, Raphael Emejulu, who confirmed the incident to newsmen, said he was away when the news got to him and had to rush back.

    He said, “On my way back, I saw Police Patrol team and I asked them to accompany me and they obliged.

    “On arrival to the scene, my brother who was still lying face down was unconscious with blood gushing out of his nose and mouth.”

    According to him, the thugs immediately took to their heels as they shot sporadically in the air.

    He however said two of them were arrested while some ran into Onitsha Central Police barracks from where they escaped during a gun duel with the police.

    He said the case has been reported at the police while the APC candidate and the boy whose toes were cut were taken to the hospital.

    He added, “I personally incidented the matter and made statement at Central Police Station Onitsha.

    “The police medical report was signed by one Edna Solomon, an Inspector of Police attached to the station and Dr. Okonkwo O. C. Of Onitsha General hospital.”

    Although the reason of the attack on Afam was still sketchy as at press time, Raphael said it must have been politically motivated.

    He said, “His campaign team the previous day mobilised over 3000 supporters for a road show where they displayed their capacity.

    “It appeared their political opponents were uncomfortable. But power belongs to God, not man.”

    When contacted, the Divisional Police Officer for CPS, Onitsha, Ifeanyi Iburu, said the matter was yet to be reported to him.

    He said, “As the DPO of the Division, I would have heard the development if it actually happened.”

  • IGP bans covered vehicle number plates

    The Inspector-General of Police, Ag. IGP Mohammed Adamu has banned the use of covered Vehicle Number Plates by all unauthorized users across the country.

    The order which is with immediate effect came following intelligence report that covered number plates may be used to commit electoral offences.

    Asides the threat to the polls, the IGP also noted that covering of vehicle number plate amounts to clear breach of the Road Traffic Act and other relevant laws of the land.

    The IGP also warned that any security personnel found escorting their principal with an unmarked vehicle or those with masked vehicle number plates will be arrested and dealt with accordingly.

    This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday by the Force Spokesman, ACP Frank Mba.

    The statement reads: “The IGP gave this order on Tuesday, 5th March, 2019, following intelligence report that the unwholesome practice may be deployed by some unscrupulous persons to aid the commission of electoral related offences before, during and after the Saturday, 9th March, 2019 Gubernatorial/House of Assembly elections.

    Read Also: Guber polls: IGP warns would-be troublemakers

    “Apart from the above immediate possible threats to the polls, the IGP also noted that the covering of Vehicle Number Plate amounts to a clear breach of the Road Traffic Act and other relevant laws of the land.

    “In addition, the act could also impact negatively on national security and safety and has the capacity to; heighten criminal activities, engender atmosphere of lawlessness, shield perpetrators of crime and place unnecessary pressure on security agencies in their routine crime prevention and monitoring tasks.”

    The IG also directed all Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) and Commissioners of Police (CPs) in the Zonal and State Commands to strictly enforce the restriction order at their various Areas of Responsibilities (AOR) and to ensure that all defaulters are dealt with according to the law.

  • ‘Why Wike is desperate to be sole gov candidate in Rivers’

    The governorship candidate of Accord Party in Rivers State, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, has stated Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is desperate to be sole governorship candidate in Rivers because of his poor performance and failure to deliver real dividends of democracy to people of the state.

    The oil magnate (Lulu-Briggs), who until September 28, 2018 was a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), spoke on Friday in Port Harcourt at a news conference.

    Lulu-Briggs said: “We state in very strong terms that we are aware that this case (by Baridoo) is another dubious shenanigan by Wike, who is afraid to go into any legitimate contest in the forthcoming Rivers State governorship election and he is doing everything possible, including sponsoring court cases against strong opponents, in order to achieve his primitive ambition to contest the 2019 governorship election against himself alone.

    “Wike’s connection in this dubious act is buttressed by the fact that Baridoo’s counsel, Wori N. Wori Esq, is from the law firm of Emmanuel Aguma, SAN, the deceased immediate past Attorney-General to Wike.

    “Baridoo got elected as Rivers Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), months after his purported nomination as Accord Party’s governorship candidate, a position known to be occupied only by the cronies of the governor.

    “We are at a loss to fathom how Baridoo, who claims to have resigned as Rivers State Accord Party’s Chairman to contest the October 4, 2018 governorship primaries could be elected a month after (in November 2018), as the State Chairman of IPAC, a position reserved only for party chairmen. It is obvious that Baridoo and his paymaster, Wike, are out to insult the intelligence of Rivers people.

    “They said Baridoo, who has since been disowned by the Accord Party’s National Working Committee (NWC), was appointed into the caretaker committee of Khana LGA of Rivers State by the Wike-led PDP government.

    “During the recent PDP’s presidential rally at Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, Baridoo did not only declare support for the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, he led 56 so-called governorship candidates to step down for Wike and endorsed him for a second term.”

    He added: “My quest to liberate Rivers State from the shackles of wicked politicians, who want to continue to punish and impoverish our men and women, instigate our youths into violence and bloodshed and deny our children quality education, is still on track.

    “Dumo Lulu-Briggs is still in the race by the grace of God. I have no godfather, but God the father and by the grace of God and the will of Rivers people, we shall triumph and start the process to secure the future of every Rivers man, woman and child.”

    The governorship candidate of Accord party also urged Rivers people to be law abiding and continue to support Accord as a political party.

    He insisted that he was the recognised and officially-endorsed Rivers governorship candidate of Accord party, both by the NWC, leadership of the party and by INEC.

    The oil magnate also maintained that Baridoo did not participate in Accord party’s primary election, conducted by the NWC/NEC of the party on October 4 last year as he claimed, with the national executive of the party earlier stating that Baridoo did not procure the expression of intent and the governorship nomination forms of the party.

    The governorship candidate of Accord party noted that there was no proof that INEC issued Baridoo with form CF001, which is the document given to officially-nominated party candidates.