Lagos State all Progressives Congress (APC) governorship running mate Dr Idiat Adebule has described as immature the ad hoc staff engaged by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for last Saturday’s elections.
Speaking with reporters at Ward 029 in Iba, Lagos, after casting her vote, Mrs Adebule said more must be done to get the best out of them.
“Where I did my own voting, I must tell you that those guys (Ad hoc staff) there were not committed. Their disposition to people and level of tolerance is equally not encouraging. At every opportunity, they got annoyed, the level of knowledge of some of them cannot comprehend the responsibilities they are being given. At every step, we have to be guiding them.
“I think generally, the Youth Corps members still need to be trained. We can’t continue to use ad-hoc; I’m looking at a process where we will improve more than what we have now. I cannot say precisely as I’m speaking with you which direction the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should take, but I know this process must be reviewed; we must re-evaluate the process we are using now. We must improve on it; we must get it to a standard that is acceptable worldwide,” she said.
Dr Adebule expressed confidence in INEC to ensure free, fair and credible elections, urging the people to support the commission.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega on Sunday said the agency was not under pressure to declare the results of Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections inconclusive. He also said the collation and release of the results of the elections will begin on Monday. Jega said the results from two states were received Sunday night although reports indicated that the ongoing collation process had reached 80 per cent and 90 per cent in some states. He however dismissed claims by the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council that the party was leading in 23 states. Jega, who made the submissions, at a briefing in Abuja on the status of the outcome of Saturday’s elections, said contrary to insinuations, the Card Readers worked in most of the nation’s 150,000 Polling Units. He said failure of Card Readers was recorded in 374 Polling Units out of 150,000 in the country. “We are not under any pressure to declare elections inconclusive. I wonder who will be interested in declaring inconclusive election. I want to believe that candidates would have wanted to be declared winners and not to have an election being declared inconclusive. Really, there is no truth whatsoever to that. “ The INEC chairman said the collation and release of results would begin today(Monday). He said only results of two states were ready as at press time.
Kwali:
The Senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sidi Ali won in Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, beating Sen. Phillips Aduda by 1,035 votes.
He polled 14,645 votes while the incumbent Senator and Chairman, House Committee on Power polled 13, 610 of the 29,320 votes cast.
ADC polled 62 to place third. 13 political parties took part in the election.
Buhari beats Jonathan in Presidential Villa polling units Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari has defeated President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP at the Presidential Villa polling units.
Buhari got a total of 613 votes, while Jonathan polled a total of 595 votes.
11:10
APC wins Senate election in Presidential Villa polling units Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate has also won the election in the two polling units 021 and 022 inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.The total votes scored in the two units showed that APC got 597 votes while PDP garnered 567 votes.
Sorting and counting for the presidential election in the two units is still ongoing.
Reps: PDP loses Presidential Villa polling units
*(A) Reps result for Polling Unit 021, Presidential Villa
(575 accredited out of 2181 registered) APC: 255 PDP: 254 (B) House of Representatives result for polling unit 022, Presidential Villa (770 accredited out of 2278 who registered)
LP: 11 APGA: 45 PDP: 241 APC: 334. Invalid: 16
9:06pm
Results in Jonathan’s unit delayed
Joseph Jibueze, Otuoke
Results are yet to be announced in the Unit 39, Ward 13, where President Goodluck Jonathan voted.
Voting was still ongoing as at 8pm.
When the last person on the queue voted, the electoral officer announced that counting would begin.
But a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agent, who gave her name as S. Otazi, complained that several people were yet to vote.
She said some went home when there were hitches and could return to vote.
The electoral officer then stopped the counting and returned the ballot papers to the boxes. Only about three more people voted afterwards.
5.00pm
Buhari votes in Daura
The presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has voted in the ongoing presidential and National Assembly elections.
Buhari, accompanied by enthusiastic supporters voted at his Daura, Katsina, country home at about 4.50pm.
He arrived at the polling centre at exactly 4.48pm and expressed delight at the massive voters’ turnout.
Many of the supporters milled around the APC standard bearer, shouting Sai Baba! Sai Baba!! Sai Baba!!!
INEC preparation: Lagosians express concern
By Muyiwa Lucas
Accreditation started at around 10am in Moses Adebayo Unit, Ojodu, Ikeja LGA. Despite the heavy downpour, the electorates where not discouraged as they stayed put.
However, as at 4:30 pm, two-third of the accredited voters was yet to cast their votes. This is due to the slow process of INEC officials here. The fear now is that a lot of voters may be disenfranchised.
No provision is made for illumination should the voting extend into the night.
In Isheri, Kosofe Local Government Area, the situation is not palatable. As at 4:35pm, not a single vote has been casted in the entire area.
Similarly, in Ward G, Isheri, voters were seen waiting anxiously for ballot papers to arrive. In Wilmer unit, still in Isheri, not a single INEC official was sighted till 4:40pm.
Kayode Oyedele, a voter in Ward G, told The Nation correspondence that it is unfortunate that INEC has shown lack of preparedness for the election regardless of the huge money they were given to conduct the election.
Oyedele and several other voters in the Ward express worries that they might not have a chance to contribute to electing their leader.
“We are sad that INEC has disenfranchised us as a people and as a community. We had a peaceful accreditation; sadly, it is 4:30pm now and we can’t find a single ballot paper in the entire Isheri community which has over 7, 000 voters,” Oyedele said.
Women Arise leader, Dr. Joe Odumakin, in a chat with shortly after casting her vote in Moses Adebayo unit, said so far, reports reaching her across several other places are not impressive.
She said that there have been cases of INEC machines not working in some places like Magodo Shangisha, Mowe Ibafo, etc. “My team has just called from Kogi state now, and we hear that people are finding it difficult to vote in places like Ogori-magongo, Okene, Kabba, Ankpa, amongst others.
It is a worrisome development, but let’s just be calm until the voting is over,” Odumakin said.
3.55pm
INEC extends voting till Sunday
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended voting during the Presidential and National Elections to Sunday in problem areas
It directed all Resident Electoral Commissioners in the country to conduct election on
Sunday in areas where there were hitches.
It said it has also relocated all the contents on its website to another site following hacking by some elements.
It however said it could not still exactly say what went wrong in Otuoke, Bayelsa State which led to the delay in the accreditation of President Goodluck Jonathan and First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan.
The Chairman of INEC Committee on Information and Voters Education, Mr. Chris Iyimoga, who addressed the press at the Media Centre of the National Collation Centre in Abuja, said with some hitches in some parts of the country, there was no way the Presidential and National Assembly Elections could be concluded today (Saturday) .
He said: “Each REC has been informed to conduct election on Sunday where there are hitches with accreditation or voting. I cannot say exactly the number of states affected but the problems are not in all the states.”
2.50pm
INEC meets to review performance of card readers
Remi Adelowo
The national leadership of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is presently meeting to review the performance of card readers nationwide.
The resident electoral commissioner in Lagos State, Mr Akin Orebiyi stated this during a brief chat with journalists.
Orebiyi disclosed that the commission is abreast of the failure of card readers in some polling units in some states and would arrive at a decision which he assured would not jeopardise the conduct of the polls.
“i can’t say much now so as not to contradict the headquarters,” Orebiyi said
2.40pm
Voting on in Epe, Lagos
Raymon Mordi
Voting is finally underway in Epe, Lagos State. Ballot papers arrived at 13: 55pm, but voting finally got started at 2.30pm. In the two polling units close to the APC governorship candidate’s homestead, the exercise has been proceeding peacefully.
Akinwunmi Ambode arrived the venue at 2.40pm to cast his ballot with his wife and retinue of followers.
A voter voting at the polling centre
2.30pm
APC seeks more time for accreditation and voting, hail Nigerians
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked INEC to extend the time for accreditation and voting to make up for the delay being experienced across the country by the use of card readers. In a statement issued in Lagos on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said extending the time for accreditation and voting will ensure that Nigerians who have queued up patiently at their polling units as early as 8 am will not be disenfranchised. It also urged INEC to recognize the letters from the various political party agents, since INEC was not able to fulfill its promise to accredit party agents, which used to be done by the parties themselves.
2.10am
Card readers in Atunrase, Gbagada in Lagos fail to work. INEC officials decline to use voters register for accreditation as at 2.10pm
2.00pm
INEC website back online
1.50am
Voting commences in Ekiti, Katsina, Ogun
Polls: Process peaceful, orderly in Kaduna
….as VP gives pass mark for Card Readers
From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna
The accreditation for the election process has so far been peaceful and orderly in Kaduna with Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo being accredited under two minutes.
The Vice President and his wife, Hajia Amina Sambo were accredited at polling unit 011, Swimming Pool road, by Police College gate in Kaduna.
Sambo who arrived the polling unit at exactly 11:18am was accredited within two minutes with card reader.
Speaking after his accreditation, the PDP Vice Presidential Candidate gave pass mark to INEC for the card reader and called on Nigerians to come out and exercise their franchise.
Meanwhile, the accreditation exercise has been peaceful and orderly at most of the polling units visited.
Though hitches were earlier recorded with the card readers, they have since been working perfectly at all the polling units visited.
However, against the initial fear of voters’ intimidation by security presence in the states, no soldier has so far been sighted at any polling unit. As at the time of filling this report, only policemen were seen at polling units.
Protest as police stop exercise in Alimosho
By Kunle Akinrinade
Protest rocked Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area of Alimosho in Lagos following the stoppage of accreditation exercise by policemen.
The exercise did not commence until 11.15 am following the late arrival of electoral officers.
The card readers at the polling centres; 040,042,045,046 and 039 did not work.
Voters were shocked when a team of policemen stormed the centres and evacuated the INEC officials.
Efforts made by frustrated voters to prevent the policemen from stopping the exercise were met with resistance as the policemen shot sporadically.
Angry voters later embarked on street protest condemning the aborted exercise.
A voter,Mrs Oroja Giwa said: ” I am angry .The conduct of the policemen is questionable because we have been disenfranchised. They have moved the INEC officials to undisclosed location. We suspected foul play because the policemen were accompanied by some PDP loyalists.”
Obasanjo, Amosun, wife accredited to vote
Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Governor Ibikunle Amosun and his wife, Olufunso, were Saturday morning accredited to vote in the general election.
While Obasanjo got accredited at the his ward 11 polling unit 22 situating Oke – Sokori near his Ita – Eko home in Abeokuta North local government, Amosun and his wife had theirs at the Ajura 1 polling unit at St John’s School, Ajura, in Obafemi Owode local government.
Speaking with reporters shortly after his accreditation, Obasanjo said the accreditation went smoothly but complained that some people won’t vote because unavailability of their voters cards.
Obasanjo said: “it is a constitutional issue and every four years whether for all elective officers in Nigeria, we must go through this ritual. What I have gone through is very okay. They checked my card, my finger print and they said it was okay and that I should come back and vote.”
On voters card, the former President said: “some people have not gotten all the cards but at this hour there is not much anybody can do. What we do hope is that the election that will come two weeks now maybe those without cards now will have their cards then.”
INEC battles to re-host hacked website
Dapo Olufade
Computer engineers of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) are battling to re-host the commission’s website that was hacked into earlier today by a group that called itself Nigerian Cyber Army/Team NCA.
Mr.Kayode Idowu, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman said the message posted on the website by the hackers has been taken down preparatory to the re-hosting of the website.
A short message by INEC on the website said : “ We will be back soon!
“Sorry for the inconvenience but we are performing some maintenance at the moment. We will be back online shortly! Site should be back up soon.”
The hacking occurred midway into the accreditation of voters for today’s elections.
The hackers posted the following on the website: “StruCk By Nigerian Cyber Army | TeaM NCA”
“Sorry xD Your Site has been STAMPED by TeaM Nigerian Cyber Army FEEL SOME SHAME ADMIN!!”
“Security is just an illusion, Remember US GREETINGS OF PEACE TO CITIZEN OF NIGERIA FROM TEAM NCA NIGERIANS No Body Can Give You Freedom No Body Can Give You Equality Or Justice If You Are A Man/Woman YOU TAKE IT”
Poll Advisory on Card Readers
Poll Advisory: Protective film on card readers should be removed for efficient performance. Reports say the approach is working in some centres where the card readers initially failed to recognize voters’ cards.
Card readers working in Matogun
Ozolua Uhakheme
In polling centers 003 and 004 Matogun 1 and 2 Ifo Ifo, Ogun State accreditation is ongoing but started behind schedule. Turnout impressive as voters queue in the sun patiently waiting for their turn. The booths are crowded and two police officers are at the two Centres located at Matogun Primary School maintaining order. So far card readers are working well.
Hackers strike INEC website
By Dapo Olufade
Suspected hackers have blocked the website of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Commission however said it was aware of the hacking and was investigating the matter.
The hacking occurred midway into the accreditation of voters for today’s elections.
The hackers go by the name Nigerian Cyber Army/Team NCA and posted the followingon the website: “StruCk By Nigerian Cyber Army | TeaM NCA”
“Sorry xD Your Site has been STAMPED by TeaM Nigerian Cyber Army FEEL SOME SHAME ADMIN!!”
“Security is just an illusion, Remember US GREETINGS OF PEACE TO CITIZEN OF NIGERIA FROM TEAM NCA NIGERIANS No Body Can Give You Freedom No Body Can Give You Equality Or Justice If You Are A Man/Woman YOU TAKE IT”
I have faith in the electoral process- Senator Tinubu
Despite standing for over two hours, awaiting the arrival of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials to commence accreditation of voters for the presidential and national assembly elections, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has said she still has faith in the electoral process.Tinubu, the incumbent Senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, got to her 034 polling unit along Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, at about 7:55am and expressed her displeasure at the lateness of the INEC officials.“You can see that we are ready. The people have been standing here since morning waiting for INEC to commence the process but we have not seen them yet.“But I am hopeful and still believe in the process because I know my people are enlightened and they will wait patiently and exercise their rights.“The system is not working and by God’s grace Nigeria will be where it’s supposed to be with this election. It is a shame and the world is watching us.“But I still have faith in the credibility of the process because I know the people will do the right things so that at the end of the day, the election will be acceptable to all.“I am really not surprised at the delay because it was expected. Obviously INEC is ready only on paper. Practically they are not ready. It is a good thing that the people are here and have remained orderly. If the voters were not on ground, they would have said it is slow start but we will wait,” she said.Photo: Tinubu being accreditedNational leader APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu being accredited.
10.55am
Jonathan, wife finally accredited
Joseph Jiibueze
President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife have finally been accredited to vote in the election.
They were both accredited through the voters list following the failure of the card reader to recognize their cards.
President Jonathan had earlier left Unit 39 in Ward 13, Otuoke where the card readers failed to read his Permanent Voter Card (PVC).
It was an awkward situation as two of the cards readers in the unit failed to read the president’s PVC.
The machines also could not verify his wife’s PVC.
Electoral officers battled to make the cards work, but to no avail.
They were even overheard arguing among themselves.
One of them said: “Go and bring another card reader from a close-by unit.”
The officers sent for another card reader from a nearby polling unit, which eventually worked, but still could not read the president and his wife’s PVCs.
Only President Jonathan’s mother and his ADC were accredited.
The president arrived at about 9.20am for accreditation, and stood till about 10.05 am when he addressed the media and left with his wife and aides.
The president continued to smile as he stood waiting for the machines to work, but none did.
Tired, his wife Patience sat down, fanning herself.
The president arrived in a motorcade at 9.20am, and chided the electoral officers for not starting the accreditation on time.
As at the time he arrived, no one had been accredited.
The president told the presiding officer: “I decided to come in a little late. I don’t need to be the first person to be accredited. You should have started before now. By 8am you should have started.”
President Jonathan stood patiently for over 45 minutes without asking for a seat.
After his mother was successfully accredited, he spoke to her in his local dialect, apparently urging her to keep her PVC intact.
When his PVC could not be read by the machine, the president said: “Try my wife’s own.”
He later asked his wife, who put on her sunglasses, if she had been accredited, and she said no.
“Why is it that they didn’t start on time,” the president asked again.
Jonathan’s ADC handed him a phone, and he was overheard saying: “Chairman, have you been briefed about…? Across the country what’s the situation?”
After listening, he ended the call and handed the phone over to his ADC.
However, after the President left, the card readers were able to verify the PVCs of other registered voters.
The president did not fill any form before leaving. He is expected back at his unit for voting.
10.02am
Be patient with INEC officials – Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan has urged voters nationwide to be patient with INEC officials despite the hitches with card readers and other logistics.
Jonathan who was not accredited after about 20 minutes of waiting said he was hopeful that the election will go well nationwide.
“There may be hitches since this is the first time we are using the card readers. If we have problems with my own case and that of others, as long as we able get it right nationally it is okay.
9.49am
President Goodluck Jonathan has not been accredited
9.35am
Card readers malfunction in Jonathan’s unit
Joseph Jibueze, Otuoke
Card readers have malfunctioned in Unit 39, Otuoke, where President Goodluck Jonathan is to be accredited.
The president arrived at about 9.20am for accreditation, but as at the time of writing, he is still standing and waiting on the officials.
Card reader not updated
Olukemi Dauda
At the polling station 005″ Junction Disu Adeigbe, Isele 1, Ikorodu, Lagos, voters are not happy that the car reader dedicated for the polling station was not updated. The machine is reading Feb 14,2015′.
The INEC officials there said they are waiting for their senior officials to attend to the machine.
Voters accredited with register in Katsina
Adekunle Yusuf, Katsina
At a polling booth in Amis Gidan Baran, a remote village in Mashi LGA, the card reader recognized on two voters for accreditation. But there’s problem as voters are being accredited using voters register.
At all 14 in bumbum, a rural setting in maiadua LGA, Katsina state, accredidate is going on well without any problems.
At gojogojo in maiadua LGA, Rt honorable speaker of katsina state house of assembly, alhaji Yay gojogojo, who is contesting for senatorial seat under PDP, has just been accreditted.
9.02am
I like the integrity of the system- Buhari
Tony Akowe, Katsina
APC presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari has commended INEC’s arrangement for the election.
Speaking after being accredited at his polling booth in Daura, Katsina on Saturday, Buhari said he liked the integrity of the system.
“ I am very pleased about it. That means that if people are allowed to vote, rigging will be virtually impossible.
“I think that INEC have done very well and I have said it to your colleagues elsewhere that from their presentations to the National Council of States which I happened to be a member, this time around, INEC has done extremely well.”
Buhari being accredited in Daura
9.00am
Anxious voters wait for INEC officials in Alimosho
Kunle Akinrinade
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials were not on duty in several parts of Alimosho Local Government Area as at 9am
They were not in sight at various polling units around Iyana Ipaja, Akowonjo, Egbeda axis of the council area.
Anxious voters lamented the absence of the officials while a number of them engaged in discussion about the situation.
The situation was the same at a polling unit on Idimu Road,Egbeda, where the Deputy Governor of Lagos State,Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire was expected to vote.
8.54am
Voting materials arrives Jonathan’s unit
From Joseph Jibueze, Otuoke
Voting materials have arrived the polling unit where President Good Jonathan will vote.
The materials were brought to the unit in Ogbia Ward 12 by 8.24am.
There are two polling units in Otuoke, one directly across the president’s country home.
As at 9am, electoral officers were still sorting out and arranging the materials.
Even before the materials arrived, journalists, including foreign media, had arrived the venue, awaiting the electoral officers’ arrival.
No fewer than 50 journalists are in Otuoke to cover President Jonathan voting.
Everyone is now waiting for accreditation to begin and for the president to come out for accreditation.
Security agents include men and women of the Department of State Security (DSS), police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) are guarding the unit.
8.53am
APC presidential candidate General Muhammadu Buhari has been accredited to vote at his polling booth in Katsina
Photo: Accreditation begins at Buhari’s
Accreditation begins at Buhari polling unit in Katsina, Tony Akowe
polling unit
Reps election postponed in Jigawa
Yusuf Alli
INEC has postponed election into the House of Representatives in Jigawa State because of problem of logistics including inadequate result sheets and ballot papers.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa State is stranded as result sheets for Senatorial Election in the state were still in Abuja. INEC official sent to the commission’s headquarters missed his flight and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja air space is already shut.
Early turn out of voters recorded in Abuja underscoring Nigerians interest in the presidential race.
Empty roads
By Joe Agbro Jr
07:44 am
The country woke on Saturday, ready for the 2015 presidential elections. In Lagos, as early as 5am, the usual morning rush was absent. Only few motorists and people were seen on major roads across the metropolis.
Ipaja road, Iju road, Oba Ogunji road, Oba Akran road, Kodesho Street, and Mobolaji Bank road were virtually empty. Even commercial buses stayed off the roads as only very few were sighted.
At Ikeja Under Bridge, the only noticeable buzz was the activities of newspaper sellers who scurried to distribute the newspapers to waiting vendors.
While army personnel placed barricades at spots in Agege and Iyana Ipaja and searched booths of vehicles moving before the 7am restriction of movement, police officers gathered in formation, ready to ensure a hitch-free polls.
Mr. Akin Orebiyii, the Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC, says voting will continue in five Local Government Areas of the state on Sunday.
Orebiyii made the disclosure at a press conference on Saturday night in Lagos, while giving an update of the presidential and national assembly election in the state.
He said that voting would continue on Sunday in five council areas of Alimosho, Oshodi-Isolo, Kosofe, Eti-Osa and Somolu.
“The commission advised that as a result of the time lost in tackling the challenges encountered with the smart card readers at some voting points, we should conclude the exercise tomorrow (Sunday).
“So, wherever it has not been concluded, it will be rounded off tomorrow.
“We observe that the electoral process will not be concluded in few polling units across five local governments in Lagos State.
“The local governments are Alimosho, Eti-Osa, Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, and Somolu,’’ he said.
Orebiyii said that the specific polling units in the affected areas would be announced in the early hours of Sunday.
According to him, there will be some restriction of movement in the affected areas but it will not affect religious worship.
He said that the accreditation would hold from 10:00am to 2:00pm while voting would commence at 2:30pm till the last person duly accredited voted.
NAN reports that some prospective voters had difficulties with their accreditation because of the malfunctioning of smart card readers in some units in the state.
The challenge made the commission resort to the use of electronic voter register for accreditation in the state.
This delay made voting to start late in many polling units across the state.
All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the voting period in Lagos to enable prospective voters perform their civic duties.
He alleged plans by some unscrupulous elements to subvert the electoral process and suppress the votes in Lagos, adding that the plot will not work.
Tinubu, spoke with reporters, shortly before and after casting his vote at his Polling Unit OO45/EC 30 along Sunday Adigun, Alausa, Ikeja, during the presidential and national assembly elections and the performance of the electoral agency. He was inundated with complaints by party chieftains and other prospective voters in many parts of the state about the failure of the card readers, lack of polling materials and absence of polling staff.
Warning against the plot by enemies of democracy to truncate the process, he charged INEC to quickly correct the anomaly and restore public confidence.
He said: “There are many areas that are affected. There are various problems. We should be patient. What I will call for is that INEC should take a decision to extend. Equally, they take responsibility for issuing agents cards after the submission of their names. Not all agents were given these cards. We have cause to suspect what is going on.
“But, we will be patient. They have various delay problems in Alimoso, Ikeja, Mile 12, Magodo, Ogba, Maryland, Omole Phase 11. We should believe in the institution that was set up with public fund to serve the public. INEC’s integrity depends on all of these. They can no longer give excuses. It is better for them to extend the voting time here in Lagos today and ensure that they send various supervisors to the affected local governments.
“Rapid response is what is required. You don’t say a work in progress will be perfect in a day. But, the majority of the affected areas may be substantially disenfranchised. And that is my worry. If they are ready to vote and you call them to come and vote, you should not frustrate them. You called them out. They should exercise their civic rights. It will be a shame, if quick and remedial action is not taken to ameliorate the suffering of the people.”
Tinubu denied sending messages to voters that they should vote for President Goodluck Jonathan, saying that it was a fabrication.
He said: “People are calling from all areas. They started with the fraud that I sent a text message that people should vote for Jonathan. I didn’t. I have a record on my phone. I did not send any text message. I have made my number public so that people can even call and verify. They are doing this to convert or confuse people. What kind of leadership is this? What kind of character. A nation must be ruled by the people of great character, vision and responsibility.”
The former Lagos State governor added: “This is my phone number. I can still make it public; 08062240104. I didn’t send any text message. That is part of the gimmick and the desperation of the ruling party; when they pack some fraudulent people in office, trying to subvert the right of the people to freely exercise their civic duty. Again, that is fraudulent. I didn’t authorise any network to do anything. That one we will discuss when we go to court. I cannot campaign today. But, I know what I have told my supporters and the supporters of our party. You all know which party I belong. And you know the candidate of that party.
“The only text message I can send is that people should believe in me, our party and the presidential candidate, senatorial candidate, House of Representatives candidates. You know the party I am. Don’t believe in any text message coming from me to do otherwise. I stay firm, I stay credible, I stay resolved. I am determined and committed. I am a leader of the party. If anybody sends to you a fraudulent message, you should know they are cowards. They know they are going to be defeated. That is why they resort to fraud. That is why they should not even be in government. That is the more reason they should be out. That is the truth. I have received texts and several calls from people to verify the so-called text messages. But, I have consistently denied that. It is disturbing. It is annoying. It is terrible that people will resort to fraud. What kind of leadership, what kind of legacy, what kind of ethics are we teaching our people?
“How can I compromise the platform that I lead? I help built, and by the grace of God, the best platform that is available? So, it is a lie. And I will go to any extent to investigate this to know whether my phone is cloned or who sent fraudulent messages on my behalf. The investigation has started. It is a fact. I work tirelessly for our platform. No change. Why should I change yesterday? If you were in my house yesterday, who would have seen the crowd in their thousands? We instructed them to wash their hands; comply, keep peace, don’t be violent.
“They were the ones shooting all night to scare the voters from coming out to vote. It is democracy, not war. Their leader said he won’t step on anybody’s blood. But, if agents are killing and scaring people on your behalf, you must be held responsible, that is the truth. I made so much sacrifice for this platform.”
Tinubu urged Lagosians to make more sacrifices for democracy, assuring that their labours will not be in vain.
He said: “Nigerians should just endure. You are blessed. You should persevere. Exercise your right. This is the only time you can apply commonsense revolution; to begin to hold leaders accountable. If leaders are not performing and they know you can vote them out every four years, they will sit up. If leaders are dishonest, they can only fool you for four years.
“After four years, you change them. This is your turn to choose who you want to rule you in this circumstance. I believe that, looking at your faces, many of you have families who are suffering. The economy is down. The newsprint you use is imported. The exchange rate is high. Industrialisation of the country is a must. That is why we must behave true to our education. It is disgraceful that we are not behaving to it, despite the fact that we are educated and sophisticated and we have the capacity to compete. Knowledge is money. Commitment is virtue.
“Ethnic difference is not what will put bread on the table of the people. Poverty has no trade mark. Let’s work our way out. Hard work will take us out of this mess.”
At the unit, 241 voters voted. At the close of the poll, APC got 180 in the presidential election. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) got 55. In the senatorial election, APC got 181. The PDP got 53, while in the House of Representatives poll, APC had178 votes. PDP got 53 votes.
Governor Adams Oshiomhole has expressed shock over reports that accredited INEC officials were restricted and stopped by soldiers from conducting their lawful duties in some parts of Edo State.
The Governor who feared that the soldiers must have acted based on some illegal orders from their Commander said; “Yesterday (Friday), I addressed the Press and I did say that Brigadier Odidi has chosen to frustrate this election in Edo North. Ironically, Brigadier Odidi is from Agenebode and he is the one who is giving this unlawful order.”
Reports said INEC officials who were taking election materials to Ward 10, Unit 1 in Iyamho, Etsako West Local Government Area, were stopped by soldiers who had laid siege to the home town of Governor Adams Oshiomhole. The INEC officials told reporters that they were forced to sit on the ground, alongside their police escort for several hours.
They were later allowed to leave after they got calls from their superiors. The soldiers said they were acting on orders from above.
Even journalists were not spared the soldiers’ ordeal as the INEC accreditation cards and reflective jackets were ignored while each reporter was asked to produce their company ID cards. The soldiers said the reporters were not permitted to monitor the exercise from one unit to another as they were only allowed to monitor at particular units.
Miffed by the restriction, Oshiomhole continued, “Why the Nigerian Army will be used in this manner, only God knows. So I am surprised that they are restricting INEC Officers from distributing materials. I have told the Brigade Commander and I am waiting to see what he is going to do but when you bear in mind that time is of essence, you will fear for this country,” he said.
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cancelled elections in seven federal constituencies in Jigawa state. Briefing newsmen, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Alhaji Halliru Aliyu Tambuwal, said the decisions followed the non supply of sensitive materials in four constituencies and shortfalls of ballot papers in three federal constituencies in the state.
According him, the elections had been shifted to another day to be announced later. Tambuwal explained that constituencies where elections would not hold include Dutse/kiyawa, Ringim/Taura, Hadejia/Auyo/Kafinhausa and Jahun Miga. Others are Gumel/Gagarawa/Maigatari/Suletankarkar, Gwaram, Kaugama/Malam-madori constituencies.
“But elections will be conducted in Babura/Garki, Birniwa/Guri/Kirikasamma, Birninkudu/Buji and Kazaure/Gwiwa/Roni/Yankwashi federal constituencies,” he said.
Professor Attahiru Jega, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has described what happened at the Polling Unit of President Jonathan as ‘regrettable and a national embarrassment.’
Jega stated this while speaking on National Television Authority on the failure of some card readers at Otuoke where President Jonathan and family voted.
Jega said: “In general, we believe that in spite of the challenges things have gone very well. Despite our challenges, we believe that the card readers have done the best for credible elections.
“The card reader still has substantial credibility together with the permanent voter cards in these elections.
“The turnout has been quite large and voters have been patient in exercising their franchise. As we know man proposes, and God disposes and we have experienced some challenges.
“There is not a single election we have postponed in any state for lack of result sheets. The only PU were we said they can come back tomorrow and do elections was the PU that at 1pm, the process had not began.
“For the election that we rescheduled to April 11, it will be done with Governorship elections.”
Speaking about the attack on the commission’s website earlier today, the chairman said: “What I want to stress is that no database on the website is compromised, but only the information on the website.
“The hack did not disrupt our plans and we were able to restore the website.”
“We thank God because in general the elections have been peaceful.”
Today’s presidential and National Assembly elections have turned out to be a big nightmare for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, with the members being killed, attacked and disenfranchised in various parts of the State.
“Armed militias working for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have intensified their killing of APC members. Scores have already been killed and several others marked for elimination. This morning in Kpite Town, Tai Ward 2 and other areas of the State, five people were shot dead by PDP’s armed militia, and that was before accreditation commenced,” Rivers APC Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, said in a statement in Port Harcourt.
Lamenting his party’s ordeal, Ikanya said: “It is sad that PDP and its collaborators are targeting APC strongholds and chieftains for attacks and killings. To intimidate our people and contrary to the court ruling forbidding the use of the Army in this election, there has been a massive deployment of soldiers in the State with clear instruction to shoot at sight any APC agent that refuses to comply with the evil plot of PDP to write the results of the election at some designated areas of the State in favour of PDP.”
Chief Ikanya gave the following specific examples of APC’s travails:
•Hon. Chidiebere Okwuwolu, former Commissioner and currently an APC leader, was arrested by police and taken to Olu Obasanjo Police Station in Port Harcourt along with 99 other arrested APC members scattered in various Police Stations in the State.
•At Ubima, the home town of Governor Chibuike Amaechi, the INEC results sheets are currently with Chief Nyesome Wike, the guber candidate of PDP in Rivers State. Governor Amaechi has refused to embark upon any accreditation because of lack of result sheets in all the polling units in the State, a situation contrived by INEC and PDP to make room for PDP to rig the election.
•At Andoni, the Local Government Area of Rivers State APC Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, and Chief Uche Secondus, the National Vice Chairman of PDP and his cousin, Engr Tele Ikuru (the Deputy Governor of Rivers State who few days defected to PDP) hell has been let loose; electoral materials have been hijacked by PDP agents in connivance with the Army that has been threatening to arrest and kill any APC chieftains in sight.
•The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Andoni Local Government area, Esuku Esuku, has been ordered out of Ngo, headquarters of Local Government, by the Joint Task Force (JTF)/army personnel deployed to Ngo, or be killed.
•At Abonnema, headquarters of Akuku-Toru Local Government, materials are being distributed from the house of Minister of Sports, Chief Tammy Danagogo, instead of the INEC office, without any security personnel. Danagogo has held the policemen that ought to escort these materials to the polling units hostage and injuring DPO of Abonnema, Mr. Joseph Kayode for daring to accompany Hon Isobo Jack the Commissioner for Urban Development to the Polling Unit, relevant pictures attached.
•PDP thugs hijacked materials and INEC personnel meant for Akuku-Toru Wards 15, 16 and 17. The hijacked materials and men were taken to Freetown, a hinterland coastal community. The attack was led by two youths whose identities are known.
•In Tombia, in same Akuku-Toru Local Government, PDP had by Friday night filled the community with Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) bouncers who were attacking APC members and, at the same time, preventing those returning home to vote from entering the town. They were doing so in the presence of soldiers who were too few in number. The Caretaker Committer Chairman and others were injured on Friday. The over 30 APC members that were to act as agents were arrested.
•In Buguma, which is the Headquarters of Asari-Toru Local government, policemen were busy all day arresting APC chieftains.
•In Gokana Local Government, trained INEC ad-hoc personnel were replaced with untrained manpower suspected to be PDP members. This is believed to have been done in connivance with the LGA Electoral Officer (EO).
•At Opobo/Nkoro, the Local Government Area of Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, the gubernatorial candidate of APC, the house of Opobo/Nkoro Caretaker Committee Chairman, Loveday Jaja, was torched after he escaped to avoid being killed by the PDP hoodlums. Electoral materials meant for the Local Government Area have been diverted to John Africa/Ada Tom Pepple Compound area where they are thumb-printing in favour of PDP. One Barrister J.B Pepple was caught with stained thumbs and he admitted to thumb-printing. Another person Alafagha Oko-Jaja had his head broken head and he is seriously bleeding. No one is sure if he will survive.
The army has been going around the community harassing people while Chiefs in Kalaibiama are compelling them to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan of PDP. This is said to be on the orders of Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Kenneth Minimah, who is also from the town.
Mr. Harold Peterside a PDP Agent in Unit 006 Ward, Oopbo/Nkoro was caught with INEC Register and fake Results Sheet at the Polling Unit.
•At Oyigbo LGA, 40,000 incident forms were being given out at 6:30 a.m. but they stopped when the APC Agent complained about it. He was however asked to leave the INEC office at about 11:30 a.m. Already, 120,000 incident forms have been to Port Harcourt LGA, 80,000 to Obio/Akpor and 50,000 to Ikwerre LGA. The incident forms are one of the ways PDP plans to use to rig the elections around the country, especially in the South South and South East.
•In Okrika, there was sudden change and appearance of fresh and inadequately trained INEC ad-hoc staff who tried to persuade voters to undergo manual accreditation, claiming that card readers assigned to Okrika LGA polling booths were not working (even without trying them). In a few units where APC supporters insisted on ‘No Card, No Accreditation’, the card readers mysteriously began to work. But in majority of the places manual accreditation is being undertaken.
Also in Okrika, there is insufficient delivery of electoral materials by INEC. Up till now no one, not even party agents, has seen the original result collation sheets. The INEC officials claim it is not everything that they must explain. Meanwhile, INEC delivered incident forms far excess of the number of registered voters.
Meanwhile, PDP stalwarts are openly parading bundles of PVC cards in their possession. Rowland Sekibo, accompanied by police and PDP thugs armed with guns, are going around chasing away APC members from doing accreditation. They had done so in wards 1, 7, 8, 9 and 2. They tore the tags of our agents, beat them and chased them away, injuring scores of them.
“We condemn this brazen rape of democracy by PDP in collaboration with INEC and the security agents. It is unacceptable as this is not what democracy should be. PDP should allow Rivers people to vote without guns pointed at their throats,” Dr. Ikanya said in the statement.
Dr Ikanya passed a vote of no confidence on the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Gesila Khan, declaring that she has failed woefully as she is bent on carrying out her secret agreement with PDP to return victory to the party at all cost. Whatever trash she will announce as the result of today’s election is not acceptable to us and we ask for her immediate transfer and a new date be set for a proper election in Rivers State than the sham and charade that was calculated to rubbish INEC and democracy.
