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Tag: Independent National Electoral Commission

  • Buhari poorer now than in 2015, says Osinbajo 

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says President Muhammadu Buhari is probably poorer now than when he assumed office in 2015.

    Osinbajo spoke during a dinner in Abuja in honour of volunteers who canvassed for votes for the All Progressives Congress  (APC) during the campaigns for this year’s general election.

    His words: “When I looked at his assets declaration form, I was checking it in 2015, I said to him, ‘Mr President, I am so much richer than you, it is an embarrassment.’

    “He said, ‘I am only a soldier, you are a big lawyer, so you should have more money than me.’

    “I can tell you that he is perhaps  even poorer than he was in 2015 when I saw his declaration of assets form.”

    Osinbajo urged Nigerians to vote for APC candidates in the March 23 supplementary elections.

    The supplementary elections will take place in six states of Nigeria where the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared last Saturday’s gubernatorial election inconclusive.

    He said “We are still not done with the elections.

    “On the 23rd of March, we still have some outstanding states and as you know we are re-running in about six states.

    “We can’t afford to slack off and say the job is done; we still have some things to do.”

    Recalling his personal experience during this year’s electioneering, Professor Osinbajo said his encounter with Nigerians as he crisscrossed the country, campaigning for votes, showed that Nigerians are so trusting and supportive of their leaders.

    “I think that one of the main characteristics of the Nigerian is how so supportive and trusting many of our people are and they don’t ask us for too much.

    “They never really ask for anything that is impossible to do.

    “And that’s why, for many of us that went around this country, we realized the tremendous amount of work that there is to do and our capacity to do so much work.

    “What our people need, as we discovered, isn’t that much.

    “As a matter of fact, I do not know any nation where the people are so generous, no matter how poor they are.

    Vice President Osinbajo said there was need for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to connect more with the people.

    “It just struck me that what we really need to do a lot more is to connect with the people.

    “All the people need is opportunity for us to interact with them.

    “We should have a way by which everybody is involved one way or the other.

    “One of the complaints that people made about our government is that we were not communicating enough.”

    The vice president acknowledged that the diligent communication carried out to put across the APC message in 2015 was not sustained, making the administration lose some ground to the opposition, especially in the social media.

    He said the new administration would ensure that it makes change in that regard.

    Osinbajo said that he would take up everyone who has challenged the administration on the issue with a view to getting its communication of programmes and policies better.

    Speaking at the event, the APC Woman Leader, Salamatu Eluma, commended the volunteers for believing in the vision of the President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo and working for their re-election.

    Earlier, the Deputy Chief of Staff in the State House, Ade Ipaye, said the volunteers worked during the campaigns to demonstrate the integrity and capability of the candidates of the APC.

  • Cross River: APC alleges killing of members

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State has alleged the killing of several of its members, who refused to be compromised, during the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections by agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led state government.

    The party, which made the accusation in a statement by its acting chairman, John Ochala, rejected the results of the election, which saw the PDP emerge winners.

    The statement, made available to The Nation in Calabar reads, “The All Progressives Congress, Cross River State, hereby informs the general public, that, we dissociate ourselves from this rape of democracy in the name of Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections. We are all witnesses to the daylight robbery of our collective will and mandate, led by the PDP state government in active connivance with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security operatives.

    ”Despite the very responsible manner in which our teeming party faithful and supporters went about their civic responsibility, the PDP in desperation to perpetuate their evil agenda killed several of our members who refused to compromise and resisted the vote stuffing carried out by the PDP.

    ”We call on all APC members and well-wishers to remain calm and go about their lawful duties without let or hindrance while the party leadership explores all avenues within legal limits to correct this aberration.”

    Also addressing reporters in Calabar, the governorship candidate of the Young Democratic Party (YDP), Emmanuel Undie, rejected the results saying there were no elections in the state.

    Undie accused the security agencies and INEC of colluding with agents of the PDP to rig the elections.

    He vowed to pursue all constitutional means to ensure the exercise is cancelled.

    ”There were no elections in Cross River State. It was not free and fair, a lot of people were disenfranchised and there was no safety and security for the people. I personally saw SUVs filled with thugs with automatic weapons moving freely with government number plates.

    ”We witnessed carting away of materials by thugs, multiple thumb printing. There was also swapping of result sheets, hence whatever happened in the field was an exercise in futility. People only went out to waste their time. The police, who were supposed to protect law-abiding citizens, were aiding thugs against the citizens. The results were cooked up,” he alleged.

  • Egbona gets INEC certificate, renews commitment to serve

    Hours after receiving his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Abuja, House of Representatives legislator-elect for the Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency, Cross River State, Alex Egbona, has renewed his pledge to selflessly serve his constituency.

    Egbona said, in a statement, on Friday, that, he cannot afford to disappoint those who voted for him, despite what he called the stiff opposition he faced from those who were equally desirous of the seat.

    Stressing that his election was a testament to the people’s confidence in him, Egbona said he is seriously committed to the promises he made to the people.

    “My people came out in their numbers to choose me as their representative. The whole world now knows, that, I remain the only APC candidate in the just concluded elections to have won.

    “What that tells me is that my people love me. They demonstrated this love with their votes. They voted for me and defended their votes. They followed up till I was declared the winner.

    Read also: Libya deports another batch of 174 Nigerians

    “So, I am indebted to them in many ways. During the electioneering campaigns, I made promises to them. I like them to hold me accountable to those promises. They know that I am a man of my words and I will keep those promises,” Egbona said.

    He urged his opponents to join hands with him towards the development of the federal constituency, promising to carry everybody along.

    According to him, “All we are waiting for is the inauguration. But even before the inauguration, I already have set things in motion, to hit the ground running. Every Abi/Yakurr person should know that better days are ahead.

    ” I will run an inclusive, people-oriented system of representation in the lower chamber of the National Assembly. I will adopt the bottom-top approach in my service to the people.”

  • APC elders to INEC: declare Jime winner

    Ahead of March 23 governorship re-run election in Benue state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders Councils has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare Emmanuel Jime as winner of the 9th March gubernatorial poll.

    The elders council said from reports available, there were plans to disrupts the re-run especially in APC strongholds.

    Addressing the reporters in Makurdi, spokesman of council, Chief Terlumun Akputu, said there was need to declare Jime the winner of the contest immediately.

    Read also: Six policemen detained over burning of INEC facility

    Akputu also advised INEC to cancel votes in states were card reader was not used especially in Guma , Buruku and Logo areas of Benue in compliance with its earlier announcement that card readers must strictly be used in the elections and were they are not used votes will be canceled.

    The Elders Council expressed concerned that in March 9th governorship and State Assembly election, APC recorded zero votes in some Local Governments which is not acceptable.

    “There is nowhere in Nigeria where the APC recorded zero votes except in Guma Local Area Government area despite having candidates and agents who were said to have been chased out of the polling units,” he lamented.

  • Six policemen detained over burning of INEC facility

    Six policemen have been arrested over the attack on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Registration Area Centre (RAC) by hoodlums in Ebonyi state.

    The arrested officers were deployed to Ezza North Local Government Area for the March 9 Governorship and Assembly Elections in Ebonyi State.

    The hoodlums had attacked the INEC facility around 2 am on the Election Day, burning down three RAC buildings which had all the sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials for the election in the area.

    It was gathered the policemen were arrested and detained for allegedly allowing the hoodlums to carry out their action without arresting any of the suspects or preventing them.

    Commissioner of police, Mr. Awoshola Awotinde, who reported the incident to Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of election monitoring in south East, ordered for the immediate arrest and proper investigation of the incident.

    Read also: APC rejects Ebonyi governorship result, heads to tribunal

    Police Spokesman, Loveth Odah, confirmed the arrest of the policemen.

    She said that having failed to protect the election materials, they were arrested and undergoing orderly room trial.

    She assured if found guilty, they would face their punishment which may include dismissal from the force.

     “Two mobile policemen were posted to each of the three RACs that were attacked.

    “We post them there because we know such attack could come or for them to counter such attacks, but also because they needed to be closer, while calling on tactical unit once there is any eventuality.

    “But we were surprised that the invaders came and got all the materials and the building burnt unchallenged.

    “Just like I use to tell you every day that police cannot sweep public complaints under the carpet, we don’t tolerate indiscipline and as we checkmate the public, we also checkmate our colleagues.

    “So the Commissioner of Police ordered for their arrest. They have been under investigation to ascertain whether their claims were true,” she said.

    She went on: “The most senior among them said that as soon as those thugs arrived, they switched off the generator and everywhere became dark to the extent that someone could not see the rare end.

    ”The six of them were posted to the three RACs that the incident happened.

    “We are waiting for INEC officials who were posted to come and give their own statement because it will be vital information in the investigation and it will help us to ascertain if what the police officers said is true.”

    Meanwhile, INEC is set to conduct supplementary elections in the two-state constituencies affected by the attack.

    36,000 voters were disenfranchised as a result of the incident forcing the electoral body to declare the election inconclusive.

    The supplementary election is according to a statement by INEC in the state will hold on Saturday, March 23.

    The statement by the Acting Administrative Secretary of INEC in the state, Mr. Andy Ezeani said supplementary election will also hold in some polling units in Izzi local government area.

    “For Ebonyi State consequently, supplementary elections will be held in the following Constituencies; Ezza North West (Ekka Registration Area – 16 PUs and Oriuzor Registration Area, 32 PUs/VPs); Ezza North East (Okposi Umuoghara Registration Area – 27 PU/VPs)

    “Izzi East 19 PUs across the following Registration Areas; Igbeagu Nduogbu, Igbeagu Ndietta, Igbeagu III, Mgbaluku I, Mgbabeluzor and Ndieze Ndiabor Ishiagu,” Ezeani said in the statement.

  • Tafawa Balewa collation officer, writes INEC chair over inconclusive election

    The returning officer for Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area in the gubernatorial election, Mrs Dominion Anosike, has written to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, requesting to appear before the Committee set up to investigate controversies over the cancellation of the results of the election in Abuja and not Bauchi, due to what she described as threats to her life.

    The letter, dated 13th March, 2019, was addressed to the chairman of INEC and was received in the office of the National Chairman on March 14, 2019.

    The letter reads in part: “I superintended over the above election in Tafawa Balewa LGA as the Returning Officer and I believe that there will be need for your committee to find out from me what transpired at the collation centre that led to the cancellation of the result by the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Bauchi State.

    The purpose of this letter to your good offices, is to indicate my desire to appear before the team in another location, preferably Abuja- as doing that in Bauchi State would constitute a threat to my life, as I have already been threatened with instant death, should I be found anywhere in or near Bauchi State.”

    It would be recalled that the Returning Officer for Bauchi state Governorship election Prof Mohammed Kyari had cancelled the election of Tafawa Balewa LGA on Sunday evening citing failure of Mrs Anosike to use the prescribed form to enter the result of the elections collated across the local government.

    This was despite the explanation given by her to the commission that the result sheets for the governorship election were carted away by thugs who invaded the collation centre in Zwall, Tafawa Balewa LGA, in the early hours of Sunday.

    She had also notified the commission via an explanatory memorandum signed by all stakeholders in the election at the collation centre who unanimously agreed to collate and record the result on another form, and addressed same to the Resident Electoral Commissioner and the State Returning Officer, which was submitted in Bauchi on Sunday.

  • Surrender with honour, Dogara tells Bauchi gov, Abubakar

    Speaker Yakubu Dogara has expressed dissatisfaction over the Bauchi gubernatorial election, which was declared inconclusive on Sunday by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Sen. Bala Mohammed was leading his closest rival, Governor Mohammed Abubakar of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

    Dogara stated INEC chairman Prof. Mahood Yakubu, an indigene of Bauchi, has a question to answer from the people who he claimed had been deprived of their mandate.

    “I want to say that the Chairman of INEC, who is from Bauchi State, just like all of us has a question to answer.

    ‘’ They say charity begins at home. Will he sit down in Abuja and watch a presiding REC deprive PDP of their mandate.

    ‘’Will he sit down and sleep in peace when he sees that that the position of his own people has been held by agent of the commission over which he superintends?

    “That is the question that Prof.Mahmud Yakubu my name sake will have to answer and the people of Bauchi are watching.

    ‘’We want to see whether he will cast his vote with the people of Bauchi State or those who are seeking to oppress the people of Bauchi State.”

    It would be recalled the collation officer of Tafawa Balewa local government area, Mrs. Dominic Anosike, had earlier said she was forced under duress to announce the result at the collation centre by some political thugs, who she alleged unleashed violence at the centre in Tafawa Balewa.

    The Speaker, while addressing a press conference in Bauchi on Monday together with his PDP counterpart, Sen. Mohammad Bala and other PDP chieftains over the cancelled result of Tafawa Balewa, argued it was thugs belonging to the APC that invaded the collation centre.

    He also urged Gov Abubukar to surrender with honour, saying it will be an unprecedented shame for him who had twice called him a light weight politician to now seek for votes in his constituency in a supplementary election.

    “You have heard him say about twice that I as a speaker, I am a lightweight politician because I represent an area that is my constituency, that the highest votes that come from that area is 70000 and in the last 2015 election.

    ‘’He (Gov Abubukar) won his election with over 300, 000 votes that he doesn’t require a vote from my constituency to be governor.

    “Now I want the media to ask him, will it not amount to any act of unprecedented shamelessness for him to now go to Tafawa Balewa, my constituency, with only 70,000 votes that he doesn’t require to go and campaign for their votes or illegally source for votes from them to make up and be the governor.

    “If there is any honour on his part, having declared he doesn’t need one single vote from there, I think honour demands that he should surrender at this point that he’s lost the election.”

    Mohammed boasted that his party had already won “it is left for the governor to start preparing his handover notes.

    “Even the Presidency has interfered into our election, am not afraid to say it because reliable sources told us the INEC Chairman was called not to act on the election.”

    Meanwhile, the APC while reacting to the allegations during a separate press conference, hailed INEC for declaring the result inconclusive saying that the decision of the commission was legal.

    Chairman of the party Ahmed Uba Nana said: “It is what is supposed to be. If you look at it, a whole local government election cancelled.

    “The margin was nothing to write home about if you compare it with the registered voters, it is clear.”

    The APC chairman accused the PDP of crying foul unnecessarily saying, “If you have somebody who is used to committing an offence, he will run to the police station first to absolve himself.

    “The collaboration officer had Tafawa Balewa alleged that she was put under security threat and that she wrote the result under duress.

    “I want to call on the security agencies to probe it and whosoever is found guilty should face the wrath of the law.”

  • INEC declares Sokoto guber election inconclusive

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday declared the Sokoto State governorship election inconclusive.

    The returning officer,  professor Fatima B. Mukhtar said the margin of votes that separates the two parties in the election was far below the total of number of 75,000 registered voters where cancellations were effected in 136 polling units across 22 LGs

    “Considering the party with the highest votes which margin is 3,415 above its opponent and is too narrow and far below the cancelled  registered voters, I hereby declare the exercise inconclusive.”

    According to her” INEC will decide on the next line of action.”

    However, PDP candidate, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal polled 489,558 while his opponent, Ahmed Aliyu of the APC scored 486,145 votes.

    Tambuwal got his votes from 12 LG while Aliyu Sokoto won 11 LGs.

  • Breaking: Gov Umahi re-elected in Ebonyi

    Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state has been declared winner of the March 9 governorship election in the state.

    Declaring the result at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, State Headquarters in Abakaliki, the Returning Officer, Prof. Chukwuemeka Eze, said the governor garnered a total of 393,343 votes cast across the 13 local governments in the state.

    His closest Challenger, Sonni Ogbuoji of the All Progressive Congress (APC) got a total of 81703 votes cast to place a distant second.

    The candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Chibueze Agbo place third will just 10,129 votes.

    Eze said the total valid votes was 48,2018 while 10, 984 votes were rejected bringing the total votes cast for the election to 493002.

     Umahi thanked the people of Ebonyi state for re-electing him.

    Umahi, in in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, declared his unalloyed loyalty to the patriotic citizens of Ebonyi State for re-electing him for a second term.

    He promised to consolidate on the aggressive infrastructural, human development and aggressive industrialization of the state, the tripod on which his administration stands.

    The Governor also reiterated his readiness to hand over power to Abakaliki bloc in 2023 after completing his second term so that power will continue to rotate round the three senatorial zones of the state in the spirit of equity and justice.

    Umahi described the election as a reflection of the wishes of the people who have been resolute and desirous of consolidating on the already achieved development in the state.

    The statement as signed by Uzor also quoted Umahi as saying that the election was the best in terms of credibility and professionalism on both the sides of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and all security agencies and called on those that contested with him to accept defeat as the consensus of the people of the state.

    He promised that his second term projects would include the construction of Ebonyi airport, mega Olympic size stadium and completion of the already started 198km Abakaliki ring road and many more.

    He noted that within the first four years of his administration, over 534km of roads have been constructed on rigid pavement with over 100 year life span, mega shopping mall, International market, Ecumenical Centre as well as new government House.

    He further noted that the stigma on the Abakaliki man was removed by reconstructing and making Ebonyi State the model of development.

    Final Official Results of Ebonyi Governorship election

    Registered voters:  1.2m

    Accredited- 497, 291

    A-122

    AA-45

    ACD181

    ACPN- 103

    AD-92

    ADC-429

    ADP 500

    APC 81703

    APP 284

    ASD 94

    BNPP 474

    CAP 30

    DA 41

    DPC 51

    DPP 75

    FJP 54

    GPN 30

    ID 12

    JNPP 32

    KP 43

    LP 211

    MAJA 114

    MPN 136

    NCP 119

    NFD 87

    NPC 180

    NRM 772

    PDC 376

    PDP 393,043

    PPM 681

    PT 181

    RPM 54

    SDP 10129

    UDP 28

    UPN 41

    UPP 175

    ZLP 294

    VALID VOTES 482, 018

    REJECTED 10,984

     TOTAL VOTES 493,002

  • Bauchi gov commends INEC for prompt exercise

    Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar, has cast his vote at his polling unit in Duremi Jahun, Bauchi Local Government Area, lauding the Independent National Electoral commission, INEC, for prompt commencement of voting activities as early as 8:00am.

    The governor, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, arrived Gindi Durimi polling unit 078, alongside his two wives, Hajiya Adiza Abubakar and Hadiza Aisha Abubakar, by at 9:55 a.m. to cast his ballots.

    Abubakar, who came almost  two hours late, said he was surprised that voting commenced so early,  compared to the last presidential and national assembly elections, where voting was delayed. He added that he was pleased with the large turn-out of voters.

    He further told newsmen that he was ready to accept the outcome of the gubernatorial election, provided it was free and fair.

    The Presiding Officer at the unit, Mukail Salisu, told The Nation correspondent that there were no hitches of card reader failure or shortage of materials as at 10am.

    He said in the three voting points at the polling unit, over 1000 voters turned out en masse to vote for the candidate of their choice.