The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kwara State

  • APC will win Kwara gov with higher margin – Lai Mohammed

    Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed has boasted the All Progressives Congress (APC) will win the Saturday’s Governorship and State Assembly elections in Kwara with higher margin than the Presidential and National Assembly polls.

    The minister, who is the leader of APC in the state, said this on Monday after a meeting with the party leaders from the 16 local government areas in the state.

    He said the meeting reviewed the past elections and strategised on how to garner more votes in the Saturday’s governorship and state assembly polls.

    Mohammed told voters in the state to ignore the threat by the opposition to disrupt the Saturday’s poll, assuring them that the government would provide adequate security to protect them.

    He said he got the information that the opposition was planning to unleash political thugs to attack and intimidate voters during the Saturday’s polls.

    “We have been hearing a lot of things that they have imported a lot of thugs to Kwara to disrupt the Saturday’s elections.

    Read Also: Kwara is free at last – Lai Mohammed

    “If anyone does so, he or she will be risking his or her life.

    “We are appealing to our people that the Federal Government is going to provide adequate security for all,” he said.

    The APC won the Presidential, all the three senatorial and six House of Representatives seats in Kwara in the Feb. 23 elections.

    The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, lost his bid for re-election into the Senate from Kwara Central on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

    Saraki lost to Dr Ibrahim Oloriegbe of the All Progressives Congress, in the senatorial election.

    Oloriegbe polled 123,808 votes to defeat the Saraki, who scored 68,994 votes in the four local governments of Kwara Central Senatorial District.

    NAN

  • 2000 PDP members defect to APC in Kwara

    ANRP governorship candidate declare for Abdulrazaq

     

    No fewer than 2000 members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara state on Sunday defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). The defection was the second of such major exodus from the party in one week after the crushing defeat it suffered in the presidential and National Assembly elections.

    The mass defections took place in Taiwo area of Ilorin, the state capital and was led by a former member of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Bamidele Aluko.

    Before his defection, Aluko was a staunch foot soldier of Senator Bukola Saraki.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki on Saturday vowed that the PDP would bounce during the March 9th governorship and state House of Assembly election in the state.

    Aluko, leader of the decampees, was chairman of the Kwara United Football Club and the PDP leader in Badari Ward of Ilorin West, the most populated local government area of Kwara State.

    Other top defectors included Alhaji Alao Abdulyekeen, another PDP top gun from Baboko area of Ilorin, and Akeem Dare youth leader from Balogun Fulani ward 1.

    Also on Sunday in Ilorin, over 500 PDP members from Asa local government area joined the  APC.

    Leaders of the defectors said the outcome of the National Assembly elections was the clearest manifestation yet “that Kwarans have decided to reject and retire Senator Bukola Saraki for reasons of bad governance, oppression and non-inclusive leadership.”

    “Our people are tired. Salaries don’t get paid in the true sense of the word and the infrastructure on the ground is not commensurate with the resources the state has received over the years. Worst still, people are tired of leaders who see everything from their own comfort zone,” Aluko said at a reception held for them by the APC as represented by Barrister Kunle Suleiman and Hon. Olawoyin Magaji.

    “People are tired of the status quo. People are angry and fed up with dictatorial leadership and the result is what you just said.”

    The mass defection came a few days after over 500 PDP members from Osin Wara Osin Egbejila ward and others declared allegiance to the APC in Surulere area of the state capital, describing the party’s governorship candidate AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the “Moses of our time who is changing the political history of the state.”

    Also, the governorship candidate of the ANRP in Kwara State Dr AbdulMumeen Yinka Ajia has declared his support for APC’s AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, saying the latter largely represents his dream about the state.

    Ajia, a leading candidate with appreciable following among the youth, said in a statement at the weekend in Ilorin that AbdulRazaq’s victory will turn the page for the political history of Kwara.

    Ajia also announced his immediate resignation from the ANRP and movement to the APC “because the situation in Kwara is really not about party but our struggle against retrogressive leadership as a people.”

    He called on his supporters to deliver their bloc votes for the APC candidate.

    “I have also gone through his manifesto and I am assured that the progressive, people-centred Kwara that I envisioned can be kick-started under his leadership,” Ajia added.

  • Polls: Saraki confident of victory

    In spite of his humiliating defeat during the presidential and National Assembly elections, Senate President Bukola Saraki is confident of victory for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s governorship candidate Razak Atunwa and other candidates in March 9th governorship and House of Assembly election.

    He urged his supporters not to be discouraged by the outcome of the presidential and National Assembly elections in the state, urging them to troop out en masse to vote for the PDP governorship and House of Assembly candidates come March 9 elections.

    Saraki was given a heroic reception on arrival at the Ilorin International Airport by crowd of supporters.

    He added that the PDP has the number to emerge victorious in the remaining elections.

    Addressing his supporters at the Charity House at his Iloffa GRA residence in Ilorin, the Senate President urged his people to close ranks and work in unison for the PDP in the governorship and house of assembly elections.

    Senator Saraki appealed to his supporters and other aggrieved stakeholders to overlook wherever the system might have erred in the overall interest of Kwara state.

    Saraki reminded them that “those you voted for in anger are not your people and cannot attend to your needs as we, who are your brothers will do.”

    Read Also: Horror moments for Saraki, Southwest politician

    He thanked the people of the state for their support, assuring them that he would always be around to cater for their needs.

    He added “I can’t run away. My covenant with my people transcends politics. I will never abandon my people. We should not fight. I leave everything to God. I will not fight even with those they declared winnners of the last weekend’s elections. We must cooperate for the governorship election. Once we do this, we shall win the election.”

    He charged his followers to be more committed like the opposition’s supporters.

    “We should stop internal wrangling. We shall emerge victorious in the remaining election. I’m here to assure you that I shall never abandon you, my people. The people you have voted for are not known to you. We should forgive ourselves and move forward in the interest of our state, ” he stated.

  • Again, Abdulrazaq floors Balogun-Fulani

    The Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital has struck out a suit filed by the expelled Ishola Balogun-Fulani led All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara.

    Balogun-Fulani’s exco had approached the court seeking to nullify the nomination of Kwara APC governorship candidate AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

    Balogun-Fulani had asked the court to enforce December 19th, 2018 judgment of the Kwara State High Court which had purportedly proclaimed him the authentic chairman of the party.

    But the Appeal Court had in a judgment on February 12 set aside the ruling of the state high court, holding that the court below lacked the jurisdiction to hear the Balogun-Fulani’s case in the first instance.

    In that judgment, the Appeal Court also upheld the nomination of AbdulRazaq, affirming that only the National Working Committee of the APC has the powers to nominate candidates for elections.

    But in an argument before the Federal court counsel to Balogun-Fulani, Wahab Bamidele had urged the court to adjourn the matter until their appeal at the Supreme Court is decided. Counsel to AbdulRazaq, Jimoh Lawal, objected, urging the court to strike out the case for want of jurisdiction.

    Delivering his judgment on Friday, Justice Babagana Ashigar of the Federal High Court said the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain a suit previously heard and decided by a court of coordinate jurisdiction.

    Justice Ashigar also said the court could not hear a suit bordering on a judgment of the court of coordinate jurisdiction.

    Read Also: PDP calls for cancellation election in Kwara

    “Since the Kwara State High Court knew that it would not have jurisdiction over INEC it shouldn’t have assumed jurisdiction over the matter,” the judge further held.

    He also held that since the same matter is already before the  Supreme Court, there was no way the Federal High Court could hear it again whichever way it is decided by the apex court.

    The court therefore struck out the case, refusing to grant any of the reliefs sought by Balogun-Fulani.

  • PDP calls for cancellation election in Kwara

    THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State yesterday called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the results of the last Saturday presidential and National Assembly election in the state.

    Its chairman, Kola Shittu said this in Ilorin, the state capital, while addressing reporters on the outcome of the election.

    He  said the party was ready to employ legal means to redress what he descibe as manifest irregularities that characterised the elections across the three senatorial districts.

    Shittu  who was flanked by other executive members of the party,  said the elections were marred by electoral malpractices, malfunctioning of 90 percent of card readers, multiple voting as well as over- voting.

    He said: “We call on INEC to cancel the election because its outcome does not reflect the wishes of the people”, he said, adding : “We also received report of how APC agents made use of unclaimed PVCs to vote at some polling units across the State particularity within Kwara Central. Also, many of the local observers accredited by INEC to monitor the election were APC members.

    “Additionally, prior to the day of the election, the Federal Government backed APC made some retrogressive and undemocratic moves, using state apparatus to intimidate and arrest some of our members and supporters in some parts of the state.”

    Asked if the party was ready to approach  the tribunal for redress, the PDP chairman said once a political party announces its dissociation from an election result,  there are procedures for it to follow.

     

  • PDP demands cancellation of Presidential, NASS elections in Kwara

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara state on Thursday called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the results of the last Saturday presidential and National Assembly election in the state.

    State chairman of PDP Engr. Kola Shittu said this in Ilorin, the state capital while addressing reporters on the outcome of the election.

    He said the party was ready to employ every legal means to redress what he termed manifest irregularities which he alleged characterized the elections across the state’s three senatorial districts.

    Read Also: Delta PDP petitions police over members’ death

    Shittu, who was flanked by other executive members of the party, said the elections were marred by electoral malpractices, malfunctioning of 90 percent of card readers, multiple voting as well as over- voting.

    He said: “We call on INEC to cancel the election because its outcome does not reflect the wishes of the people.

    “We also received report of how APC agents made use of unclaimed PVCs to vote at some polling units across the State particularity within Kwara Central.

    “Also, many of the local observers accredited by INEC to monitor the election were APC members.

    “Additionally, prior to the day of the election, the Federal

    Government backed APC made some retrogressive and undemocratic moves, using state apparatus to intimidate and arrest some of our members and supporters in some parts of the state.”

    Asked if the party was ready to approach the tribunal for reprieve, the PDP boss said once a political party announces its dissociation from an election result there are procedure for such party to pursue.

     

  • Saraki should leave as Senate President immediately, says Senator Ibrahim

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Labour and Productivity, Senator Abu Ibrahim, on Tuesday said the humiliating defeat Senate President Bukola Saraki suffered in the Saturday Presidential and National Assembly elections was an indication that he should vacate the Senate Presidency immediately.

    Ibrahim, who represents Katsina South in the Upper Chamber, told reporters in Abuja that Saraki should vacate the Senate Presidency seat immediately to save the little good will left for him.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain also declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) completely dead in Katsina State.

    He said if Saraki failed to heed the damning defeat handed him by his people to vacate the seat of the Senate President, he would be a lame duck head “because his over bloated image has been completely destroyed.”

    He said the prediction that APC would retire Saraki from politics has become a reality.

    Read Also: Saraki wins polling unit

    Ibrahim said the greatest undoing of Saraki in Kwara State politics was self- centeredness.

    According to him: “Some of us predicted that APC will retire Saraki. It has come to pass. It was obvious that Saraki was not going to win the election.

    “Saraki was always for himself. Selfishness does not serve any politician well. That was Saraki’s greatest undoing.

    “Kwara people showed clearly that they were tired of Saraki and his antics. His image mostly over bloated has been destroyed completely.

    “If I were Saraki I will throw in the towel immediately. He should not wait until the end of the Eight Senate.

    “If he refuses to go immediately, he will be a lame duck Senate President because nothing is left for him to cling on.”

    Asked why the APC failed to stop Saraki’s loyalist, Senator Dino Melaye from returning to the Senate, Ibrahim said since the party had dealt with the root, the branches were not important.

  • Saraki to Kwara senators, Reps elect: I wish you best of luck

    …People who emerged are not my enemies

     

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Tuesday broke his silence over his defeat in the Saturday Presidential and National Assembly election in Kwara State.

    Saraki stated that in spite of the reported inadequacies that attended the elections in Kwara State, he is wishing the candidates who emerged from the elections the best of luck.

    The Senate President in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, noted that while the election was generally peaceful there were inadequacies like the card readers not used in over 70 percent of the polling units.

    He added that there were also “multiple voting, over-voting and other discrepancies” that were reported by agents of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) across the state.

    He noted that the state chapter of PDP will take a position on the right response to the inadequacies.

    Saraki said “However, whatever the final outcome of the election, I wish the candidates that have emerged all the best in their attempts to serve our people. It is my prayers that the good people of Kwara State will always have the best from any government both at state and federal levels.

    “As a product of a family and a political structure that is, from its foundation, devoted to the service and development of our state and its people, it is my wish that our people will always have a good deal at all times.

    Read Also: Saraki loses Senate seat – News

    “The new development will even provide the people the opportunity to compare and contrast. After all, the people who have emerged from last Saturday’s election are not my enemies. They are fellow Kwarans.

    “As we prepare for the March 9, 2019 Governorship and House of Assembly elections, let me reiterate my position that the candidates of the PDP in the election represent the best materials for our dear State, Kwara.

    “Therefore, I enjoin our people to come out en-mass on election day and vote for them. I am going to work with our party leaders to further sell the PDP candidates to the general public.

    “I thank all Nigerians for their goodwill and to enjoin all of us that as we patiently await the outcome of the Presidential election, we pray for peace, unity and genuine development in our country.

    “It is also our prayers that at all times, the wish of the people will always prevail in the choice of the leadership and the electorate will always enjoy the benefit of good governance.”

  • NDE, Saraki empower 10,000 in Kwara

    The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in collaboration with Senator Gbemisola Saraki has empowered 10,000 youths and women in Kwara State.

    The empowerment scheme came up recently in Ilorin, the state capital at the Stella Obasanjo multipurpose hall.

    It came after NDE has trained the beneficiaries for weeks.

    Senator Gbemisola Saraki, younger sister of Senate President Bukola Saraki said: “Almost all beneficiaries of the empowerment scheme were recently trained on cosmetology, auto mechanic, Fashion designing and many mores by experts in guidance of NDE Officers and today they are given starter packs to go and start better life with what they have learned”

    “The different between this particular empowerment with those I used to do in the past is numbers of beneficiaries involved in this.

    “If you notice National Directorate Of Employment are making serious difference in reducing unemployment in the society especially in the last 3 years and it all goes down to the determination of president Muhammed Buhari in ensuring the masses and most especially unemployed youths and women engaged in handiwork in the absent of white collar job”

    She added that the empowerment was comprised of eleven different schemes from auto mechanic, fashion designing, block making, shoe making and many more. She added that six hundred people would also be given N10,000 to start small scale business .

    In his speech, the Director General of National Directorate Of Employment, Dr. Nasir Argungu hailed Senator Saraki in putting smile in the faces of the less privileged in the society by her constant support for the implementation of NDE programs in Kwara State.

    NDE state coordinator Gabriel Ademola Adeyemo urged the beneficiaries of the empowerment schemes to ensure the proper usage of the starter packs given to them and enhance the economy of the state and country.

     

  • Senator Ibrahim arraigned in court, granted bail

    A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital Monday granted bail to Senator Rafiu Ibrahim and nine others.

    Senator Ibrahim who represents Kwara south in the Senate was arrested by the police last Friday in connection with a political violence that occurred in his Ojoku country home early last week.

    Senator Ibrahim was also the Kwara South senatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the last Saturday elections.

    He alongside other nine suspects has been in police custody since Friday last week before their arraignment in court.

    They were granted bail alongside nine other suspects by Magistrate Bio Saliu.

    They were accused of allegedly inciting disturbance of public peace and for firing at a campaign train in Ojoku, Oyun local government area of the state.

    Their act was said to have led to the death of one Samuel Abidemi Adeosun.

    Read Also: Two in court for alleged phone theft

    The Officer In Charge of Legal Department, Kwara State Police Command, DSP Adeyemi Ajibola prayed an adjournment of the case but,

    Counsel to the suspects Tunde Olomu and Rasaq Bola Gold  urged the court to invoke section 36 (5) and section 128 of the constitution to admit the defendants to bail  saying they are still presumed innocent until proved otherwise.

    In his ruling, Magistrate Bio admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N500, 0O0 two sureties each in the like sum in which one of them must own a landed property.

    He then adjourned the matter to 28th March, 2019 for further mention.