The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

  • INEC declares Dr Mugu winner of Kaura constituency

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Dr Yusuf Mugu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the State Assembly seat to represent Kaura in the Kaduna State House of Assembly.

    INEC Returning Officer in the LGA, Prof. Nafiu Abdu, who announced the result in Kaura on Sunday, said that Mugu polled 37,606 votes to defeat Mr Gregory Bature of the All Progressive Congress (APC), who got 8,286 votes.

    “Yusuf Mugu, having  satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest votes is hereby declared winner,” Abdu said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mugu aspired for the seat in 2011 and 2015 without success at the primary  level.

    In the Governorship election, the Collation Officer in the LGA, Dr Luka Maude, said that Isa Ashiru of the PDP also polled 38,764 votes to defeat Gov Nasir El-Rufa’i of the APC who got 8,342 votes in the LGA.

    Mr Donatus Shemang, PDP Chairman of the LGA described the development as victory for the people of Kaura constituency.

    “It is the peoples victory because they have tried us and we have not failed them, and so they gave PDP their mandate to more dividend of democracy.

    “I have said before that PDP will win all electoral seats in the LGA and it has come to pass. I want to assure the good people of Kaura that PDP will not fail them.

    “The people have put their trust on us and we will deliver on our promises of improving the lives of our people through numerous people oriented project that would soon be rolled out,” Shemang said. (NAN)

  • Gombe Assembly elections: APC wins Deba constituency

    The candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) Mohammed Sa’idu has been declared winner of Deba constituency by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Dr Mukhtar Baba, the INEC Returning Officer who announced the result in Deba on Sunday, said Sa’idu scored 19,957 to defeat his closest rival Lano Salihu of the People Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 9,526 votes.

    Read also: APC set to win 23 seats in Edo

    He said that the election recorded 31,999 total vote cast, 1,495 rejected votes and 30,504 total valid votes.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Deba constituency has four registration areas which are Deba, Kuri, Kabawa/wajari and Nono.
    NAN also reports that the result was announced in the presence of Party Agent’s and security personnel.(NAN)

  • Ngige, APC petition INEC over alleged stolen materials for election

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), have petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged stolen electoral materials meant for two constituencies.

    The petition was addressed to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Anambra State, Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji.

    Addressing reporters yesterday, Ngige said the two constituencies were Ihiala I and Awka South I, stressing that electoral materials kept in the custody of the local government chairmen were stolen.

    According to him,  “So far, there are reported cases of pilfering of INEC materials at Ihiala I and Awka South I, where our party agents have reported that materials kept in custody of the local government chairmen were no longer complete on the morning of the election at the RAC.”

    “We have petitioned the INEC through the REC, bringing his attention to that situation otherwise the elections in those two places would have been compromised ab initio,” he said.

    On the election, the Minister said, “Anambra is not doing governorship, we are doing legislative House and it has somehow affected the turnout of voters.”

    “But be that as it may, it’s a very important election as it affords the Anambra people the opportunity to form one arm of the government, State Assembly, which is for making state laws and which is the ambit of governance that is nearer to the people.”

    However, he said card reader was not much of a problem this time; adding that INEC should look into it very seriously as majority were still rejecting peoples thumbs.

  • 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.

  • Six INEC staff kidnapped, released in Kogi

    Six staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were kidnapped and later released in Lokoja, Kogi State during the state assembly election on Saturday.

    The kidnapping of the staff was one of the incidents recorded during the election that was  generally marred by violence.

    The staff  were kidnapped by armed thugs decked in fake police and army uniforms at the polling unit inside the Crowther Memorial College in Lokoja.

    They were taken away in a van  by their armed abductors.

    The Director of publicity in Lokoja office of the INEC, Mr Ahmed Bimabo said the victims were released few hours later and were  being medically examined at the Lokoja office of the commission.

    He did not say whether the workers returned with the sensitive election materials and ballot boxes that were seized by the hoodlums as they were taken away.

    Also in Ward D area of Lokoja , the election was marred by violence launched by thugs who invaded the area when the election was underway.

    A witness  said that voting took place in only in one out of the five polling units.

    Hoodlums were also on the rampage at the workers village on Hassan Usman Katsina Road in Lokoja.

    Masked armed hoodlums invaded the village and  carted  away ballot papers and sensitive election materials from the only polling unit in the area,  amid gunshots.

    At Ganaja village , a former Commissioner for information in the state, Mr Anthony Puke lost his bungalow and three cars, as they were  set  ablaze by hoodlums.

    Puke is said to be a chieftain of the APC. Why the hoodlums attacked him was not so clear.

    Also incidents of  ballot box snatching were recorded  during the election in Kabba/Bunu, Yagba West, Yagba East and Ijumu local government areas of the state.

    Sunday Karimi, who represents Yagba federal Constituency in the House of Representatives described the election as sham.

    ” There is no need for future election . They have taken us back to the old days when crude ways and outright manipulation of figures were the order of the day,” he said.

    Karimi lamented the use of armed thugs in fake police and military uniforms for ballot box snatching and arm twisting of traditional rulers to win election at all cost.

    Meanwhile , the election has ended and results being collated at the ward level.

    The turnout for the election was generally low but the card readers performed better than what happened during the Feb. 23 elections.

    It was.also observed that the INEC made better preparations when compared with the Presidential and National Assembly  elections on 23 February. ( NAN)

  • Election: Bagudu sweeps results announced in Birnin Kebbi

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has began announcing the results of Saturday’s Governorship and State Assembly elections in polling units in Birnin Kebbi, the Kebbi capital.

    The Governorship Candidate of All Progressives Congress, Gov. Atiku Bagudu has so far won in polling centres announced by INEC returning officers.

    Bagudu scored 572 against Sen. Isa Galaudu Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, who got 7 votes at Iyan Gwandu polling unit 012, Marafa ward.

    In the State House of Assembly election, APC got 574 while PDP got 15, according to INEC Presiding Officer,Ogundeji Johnson, who announced the result.

    In Nasarawa 2 polling unit 002, Gov. Bagudu of APC got 526 votes while Galaudi of PDP got 98.

    In the state assembly, APC got 402 while PDP scored 203.

    Read also: El-Rufai wins polling unit

    The Presiding Officer at the unit,Victory Omatsola, announced that invalid votes were 11 for the governorship and 10 for the state house of assembly.

    In another polling unit 008 at GRA Kindi Zauro, Nasarawa ward in Birnin Kebbi, Bagudu scored 354 while Galaudi, scored 87 while in the state assembly, APC got 303 and PDP 104 votes.

    The Presiding Officer, Fagbenro Hafizo, announced the result in the unit.

    In Garkar Mai-Alelu polling unit 006, where the governor cast his vote, the APC received 745 votes against 23 garnered by the PDO in the governorship election while APC got 734 to PDP’s 23 votes in the assembly contest.

    The Presiding Officer, Mubarak Muhammad, announced that invalid votes at the unit for governorship and state assembly were 11 each and a total 1,575 votes cast.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other polling units are still collating their results.(NAN)

  • Amosun seeks reduction of registered political parties

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reduce the number of registered political parties to six.

    He said the present arrangement where we have 91 political parties is unwieldy.

    Amosun stated this while answering questions from journalists after casting his vote at Ward 6 Unit 8, Itagbangba, Itoku, Abeokuta South West.

    The governor argued that a reduction in the number of political parties will enhance quick release of results.

    “When you look at the ballot papers, imagine seeing 60 political parties and I believe with just six parties, this will reduce the efforts put into collating and announcement of results.

    “As I am going back to Senate now, I am going to canvases for political parties to be reduced to six. I really think we should do something about it,” he said.

    He added that too much political parties put too much stress on the parties, voters and INEC.

    Governor Amosun also expressed conviction that the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) candidate, Adekunle Akinlade would win the governorship election in the state.

    He said the main reason he campaigned for him was because he believed in his capability to govern the state.

    Amosun was elated that turnout of the electorates have been impressive and far more than was recorded during the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    He thanked the people of the state for ensuring peaceful and orderly elections devoid of rancour and acrimony.

    Read Also: Buhari, Amosun meet in Aso Rock

    He said the reports from all local government areas of the state were heart -warming.

    In a related development, a former Minister for Mines and Steel, Sharafadeen Ishola also commended the people of the state for ensuring a peaceful conduct of the election.

    Ishola told journalists after voting at his unit Mokola, Abeokuta the conduct of electorates during the exercise showed that democracy has come to stay.

    He noted that the pattern of voting has also shown that the people have become wiser and can now differentiate between parties and individuals wanting to ride on party platform to victory.

    Ishola also commended INEC for the conduct of a successful election in the state.

  • Kosofe LGA: INEC officials still absent in some PUs at 2 p.m.

    Voting did not take place in many polling units at Ogudu and Ojota in Kosofe Local Government of Lagos as at 2 p.m. on Saturday as Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials failed to show up.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondents covering the exercise in the area report that many voters, who had arrived the polling units as early as 7 a.m. left at about 2:30 p.m. frustrated when they could not exercise their franchise.

    NAN reports that among polling areas affected were Ward D, units 044, 064, 082, 084, 085 in Ramat Crescent, Kolawole Ashimi St., Alhaja Abass St., and Buari St. in Kosofe council area.

    Contacted, INEC Spokesman in Lagos, Femi Akinbiyi, told NAN that the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos, Sam Olumekun, was meeting with the security agencies on how to resolve the problem.

    According to him, the ad hoc staff protested over speculations that INEC was paying some people while others were left out.

    “INEC does not pay cash to any of its ad hoc staff; all payments were done through electronic payment to the bank accounts of its ad hoc staff.

    “If anyone had not seen his or her own allowance, it may be due to some issues emanating from  his or her bank.

    “Each ad hoc staff is entitled to receive N9,000  as honorarium, N3,000 for movement  and N1,000 for feeding;  making a total of  N13, 000 for each election.

    “The only time we paid cash of N4,500 was  when we paid the training allowance,’’ he said.

    A concerned voter, Mr Gbenga Ajibola, said that voters who came out very early in the area on Saturday with lots of enthusiasm to cast their votes went back home after waiting endlessly for INEC officials.

    “This shows that we operate a failed system in Nigeria, things like this should not be happening. By this time, people should have cast their votes by now and gone back home,” Ajibola said.

    Mr Fola Oyedapo, an elderly voter, said though he was tired, he was still waiting and hopeful that he would cast his vote.

    “We are in the dark, we have not been given any information about what has been happening, a lot of people were here in the morning around 8a.m. and 10 a.m.

    “Now it is 2.50 p.m. and the crowd has thinned out and even if INEC officials eventually come, voters might not be willing to come out again. (NAN)

  • APC will win Akwa-Ibom, Etibet assures

    Former Minister of petroleum Resources and Caucus Chairman of the APC in Akwa Ibom, Atuekong Don Etiebet, has claimed the rigging machinery of the PDP in the state has been busted.

    Etiebet, who hailed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for delivering materials as early as 5am to all the units and wards in Oruk Anam LGA, said he was sure that the APC will win the governorship and the 26 house of assembly seats in the state.

    Read Also: One killed at APC gov candidate’s home

    He commended INEC for smooth conduct of governorship and state houses Assembly election in Akwa Ibom .

    Speaking at Ikot Ibritam, the headquarters of OrukAnam council, Etiebet said INEC has improved in logistics than the previous election which he said was characterized by rigging and all manners of malpractices.

    The former Petroleum Minister said APC had blocked all loopholes that helped PDP to win the last election.

  • Extend voting hours, Adebule tells INEC

    Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr. Idiat Adebule has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the the time stipulated to conclude the ongoing election in Iba and other areas where voting commenced late.

    Adebule, who voted at Polling Unit 029 Devince, Iba, Lagos, said the ad hoc workers arrived late to the polling unit due to logistic process.

    “Considering the numbers of registered voters in my polling unit which is about 1,380, the stipulated time will not be adequate because the voting process started by 12pm.

    “Obviously they cannot stop by 2pm. If election starts by 12pm, meaning we have just two hours to vote. The voting period should be extended,” she said.

    The deputy governor said the late arrival of INEC officials may affect the turnout of voters.

    Read Also: Adebule to voters: INEC will deliver

    “It is still early to compare the turnout of voters at the presidential election with this ongoing election because people have returned to their various houses due to the absent of INEC officials at the polling unit but as soon as they are inform that they are around they will surely troop out to perform their civic responsibility,” she said.

    She advised INEC to perfect the electoral process and rectify all inadequacies that might have cause the delay in the voting process, adding “no matter how perfect an organisation will be, they are bound to have challenges but the most important thing is for INEC to learn from their mistake, ensure that they perfect the electoral process and rectify all issues that affect smooth and early take off.”