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Tag: Nigeria Decides 2019

  • Live Updates: supplementary elections

  • Senate boils over alleged militarisation of 2019 general elections

    Senate on Wednesday boils over alleged militarisation of the just concluded 2019 general elections.

    This followed the consideration of a motion on militarisation of Nigeria electoral process sponsored by Senator Dino Melaye and seven others.

     

    Details shortly…

  • Polls: Six NASS candidates file petition at tribunal

    A total of six candidates that lost during the National Assembly election have filed petitions at the Edo State Election Petitions Tribunal.

    The six candidates comprise three candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party and three candidates of the All Progressives Congress.

    They are all asking the tribunal to declare them winner of their various elections for scoring majority of lawful votes.

    Those that have filed petitions for the House of Representatives are Hon Ehiozuwa Agbonyinma, Hon Omosede Igbinedion, Hon Idiake Patrick and Chief Blessing Agbomhere.

    The senatorial candidates that filed petitions are Engr. Abubakar Momoh for Edo North and Mr. John Inegbedion for Edo Central.

    In his petition against Jude Ise-Idehen of the PDP, Hon Agbonyinma urged the tribunal to declare him winner of the election.

    He said he wants to reclaim his mandate ‘that was stolen by some dubious characters in INEC in collaboration with some PDP leaders and security men and women.’

    According to him, “I have always said the APC won the Presidential election for Mr. President and I won the election for Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Constituency which I contested for.”

    Agbomhere said nobody in Estako Constituency voted for the APC in the February 23rd elections.

    He said he scored the highest votes cast.

    “There was massive corrupt practices and thump printing of ballot papers by leadership of the APC. Nobody in Estako voted for the APC.

    “I am asking the tribunal to declare me winner of the election.”

    Engr Momoh who contested against incumbent Senator Francis Alimikhena, insisted that he won the election because he scored over 80,000 votes which has been the required numbers to win election in Edo North since 1999.

    “I have the required votes anybody has gotten since 1999. I am asking the tribunal to expunge all the votes the APC allocated to themselves

    “Once you have votes up to 80,000 in Edo North, you have won. Whatever’s they have is a product of manipulation.”

    Inegbedion who is challenging the election of Senator Clifford Ordia of the PDP in Edo Central said he would prove malpractices and thump printing of ballot papers during the election.

    Read Also: Six policemen detained over burning of INEC facility

    He said he won the election.

    Omosede who lost to Dennis Idahosa of the APC said she won majority of lawful votes in the election and that the results were not a true reflection of the people of Ovia Constituency.

    Her words, “There are several grounds which we intend to challenge the election. First thing is the candidate of the APC. There are so many things we know that tell us he was not worthy to contest the election.

    “We want to contest the results which was not a reflection of Ovia Constituency. The people of Ovia came out to vote for the PDP. Where the discrepancies came from in Ovia South West were unfounded. I have several projects and there was no reason for us to lose the election.

    “This mandate will be recovered. We are going to prove that he is not worthy to be at the House of Representatives. I am asking the tribunal to declare me the winner.”

  • Reps to amend Electoral Law over inconclusive elections

    The House of Representatives is set to amend the Electoral Act over spate of unconcluded elections in the 2019 general elections.

    The House would set up a Committee to look into the issues leading to the declaration of inconclusive election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the view of ascertaining areas to be amended in the Electoral Act.

    This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance by Sunday Karimi (PDP, Kogi) who said INEC does not possess the powers to declare elections inconclusive.

    The lawmakers were in agreement that the trend of inconclusive elections should be urgently addressed.

    The proponents of the motion said INEC lacked the powers to cancel votes at collation centers and should desist from elevating its election guidelines about the Constitution and the Electoral Act.

    However, the House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila and those who spoke against the motion urged their colleagues to be mindful of the fact that INEC was empowered by law to declare elections inconclusive, an action backed by the pronouncement of the Supreme Court.

    “Since the November 2015 gubernatorial election in Kogi State inconclusive elections has become a demon hunting the Nigerian electoral system, eroding the confidence of the electorate in the electoral system and has become a tool for subverting the will of the people during elections in Nigeria.

    “Prior to the 2015 Gubernatorial Election in Kogi State, there were very few isolated cases of inconclusive and re-run elections in Nigeria, due to over-voting in some polling units and wards, and also due to non-voting in some words. This was the case in Ekiti State in 2009, Anambra in 2010 and Imo in 2011.

    “The escalating trend of inconclusive elections has cast a shadow on the neutrality of INEC as an umpire in the Nigerian election process.

    “The frequency of cases of inconclusive elections in Nigeria has created in the electorate lack of confidence in the election process.

    “The apprehension and deprivation caused by the rising case of inconclusive elections in Nigeria is a potential security risk in the country.

    He said he was aware that the Electoral Act in Section 153 gives the INEC power to make regulations, guidelines and manuals for the conduct of elections in Nigeria and as a result, the Commission issued the 2015 General Election Guidelines and the 2019 General Election Guidelines, as Subsidiary Legislation to the Electoral Act.

    “The March 9 General Elections, out of the 29 gubernatorial elections conducted, five gubernatorial elections in Sokoto, Benue, Bauchi, Kano, Plateau and Adamawa States, elections were declared inconclusive despite leading candidates having met the provisions of Section 179(2) of the Constitution, thereby causing apprehension, insecurity and eroding the confidence of the electorate in the Commission.

    “We are aware that as a result of the power of the Commission to issue guidelines, the INEC 2015 Guidelines in pages 22-23 paragraph 4, Section N, direct the Returning Officer to where the margin of win between the two leading candidates is not in excess of the total number of registered voters of the polling units where elections were cancelled or not held, decline to make a return until another poll has taken place in the affected polling units and results incorporated into a new form EC 8d and subsequently record in EC 8e for declaration.

    “This provision of the Election Guideline which was reproduced in the 2019 Guidelines is the basis for which the Commission whimsically declares election inconclusive.

    “It a source of concern that paragraph 4 of Section N of the 2015 General Election Guidelines is causing apprehension and lack of confidence in the nations electoral system, since Sections 134,179 and 111 of the Constitution provides for the emergence of the winner of Presidential, Gubernatorial and Area Council Elections in Nigeria.

    “The Constitution provides that the winner of the Election into Chief Executives offices in Nigeria shall emerge where the winner has majority votes of the total votes cast, scores one quarter of votes cast in each of at least two third of the votes in all States, Local Government and Wards respectfully.

    “Also, section 26(1) of the Electoral Act 2010 provides that where a date has been approved for the holding of an election and there is reason to believe that there will be serious breach of peace if the election is proceeded with that day, or that it is impossible to conduct the elections due to natural disaster or other emergencies, the Commission may postpone the election and fix a new date for the election.

    “The combined effect of Section 134,179, 111 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended) and 26(1) as well as Section 53(2)&(3) of the Electoral Act shows that inconclusive elections is not envisaged in our laws, except where there was over-voting in a polling unit, not where votes already cast were cancelled.

    “The Commission should not be allowed to continue to whimsically declare elections inconclusive”.

    His prayer that INEC be told not to subvert the will of the people by resorting to the provisions of the Guidelines (relating to inconclusive elections) but to adhere to the Constitution and allow aggrieved parties to proceed to the relevant Election Tribunals in order to ensure peace and security and to promote the credibility of the electoral process, was rejected though.

    Following the same argument against INEC, Aliyu Madaki (PDP, Kano) said declaration of inconclusive elections by the electoral body amounts to military rule dictatorship, which the people of Kano State would resist.

    He said: “We are talking about the integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari – his integrity, if he has any, is being questioned seriously.

    “If he is watching, he has been declared as a winner while the margin of victory is less than the number of canceled votes all over Nigeria but he has been declared winner and our candidates of PDP in six States of northern Nigerian have been declared as inconclusive.

    “From information available to me, in the next two weeks when we are going for the election they will use every resource available and declare APC as winners in these elections. Let me sound a note of warning that we will not take it”.

    Mohammed Soba (Kaduna) said INEC must be resisted on the inconclusive election if the law states that valid votes from polling units cannot be cancelled while it would rather act on its own guidelines

    Henry Achibong (PDP, Akwa Ibom) wondered if INEC was ever independent, while suggesting that the electoral laws be reviewed.

    Adamu Chika (Niger) also reiterated that elections cannot be cancelled at collation centers, adding that whoever is found culpable in the cancellation must be brought to book, “We must stop inconclusive elections,” he added.

    Diri Douye (PDP, Bayelsa) urged his colleagues not to form opinions along party lines but to see themselves as Nigerians first, adding that electronic voting is the solution to electoral challenges facing the country.

    Umar Barde (PDP, Kaduna) Deputy Minority Leader and Tajudeen Yusuf also spoke against INEC on the issue.

    However, House Leader Gbajabiamila captured the arguments of Femi Adebanjo ((APC , Lagos), Idris Wase, Muhammad Monguno (APC, Borno), Babale Bashir (APC, Kano), among others that the issue at stake is not for the House to decide since the Supreme court has interpreted the law in previous election matter.

    The opponents of the motion suggested that the parliament should rather look at how to amend the Electoral Act with a view of making inconclusive elections irrelevant to our electoral process.

    Gbajabiamila said since everyone is concerned about the situation, all the lawmakers were in agreement with the trend only that the approach to the solution may differ.

    “The debate today centered on the interpretation of the law but unfortunately, since we run a democracy, we are not empowered to interpret the law but that is what’s done here today.

    “While inconclusive elections should be a thing of the past, how do we get there? It’s to get the electoral law amended within weeks.

    “The Supreme court has already ruled on it when INEC used it’s guidelines to declare the 2015 Kogi gubernatorial election inconclusive by looking at all the processes.

    “So, there’s a position already and the only solution is to amend the law and have Supreme Court change its interpretation.

    “Even on cancellation of results, INEC is still empowered according to the Supreme Court, and that’s how Faleke lost his case.

    “My advice is, let us tarry for a while and allow the arm of government that has the authority and the power to complete its job.

    We must take a legislative approach through amendment to address all the areas of concern.

    “Before now, the APC caucus discussed it yesterday (Tuesday) because it’s an important issue involving too many sSates,” he added.

    The motion was unanimously adopted following the amendment to its prayers after a voice vote.

  • Kwara polls met accepted standards- Observers

    Accredited Election Observers have adjudged the February 23 and March 3rd elections in Kwara state to meet with the accepted standards in line with the Electoral Laws.

    They therefore urged all the candidates and political parties to accept the results as true reflection of the wishes and decisions of the electorates.

    The observers added that the elections took place under a conducive and peaceful atmosphere across the entire state.

    State team leader and secretary of the observers, Richard Adebayo and Olaniyan Matthew hailed the “Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) for considering it necessary to conduct the 16 local government election in the state and providing a level playing ground for all political parties.”

    They recommended “the government and electoral management body should engage committee of civil society groups on intensive civic voter’s education, sensitization and mobilization ahead of every election. This will go a long way to ensuring voters participation in elections.

    “The political parties should engage in civic voter’s mobilization as proactive way of campaign. Priority should be given to the difficult terrains and hard to reach local government areas and communities in the state in terms of distribution of election materials to ensure quick and timely commencement of elections in such areas.

    “Political parties should ensure a wide presence of their party agents in all the polling units for effective party representation during election.”

    The team also applauded the electoral umpire “for wonderful

    preparation in providing all needed logistics and materials on time which actually encouraged the success of the election; the security agents are hereby applauded for providing a secured and peaceful environment for the elections.”

  • EFCC arrests 24 for internet fraud, one for vote buying

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) in Ilorin has arrested 24 suspects for internet fraud and one other for vote buying in Kwara.

    Mr Isyaku Sharu, Zonal head of EFCC, Ilorin, who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in his office, said that most of those arrested ”were vibrant, young and energetic youths, aged between 18 and 25.

    “Among those arrested are two corps members, some students of University of Ilorin and others from the Kwara Polytechnic, including their girlfriends

    “15 of them have been taken to court, while the remaining 10 girls are still under investigation, until we find something against them,” he said.

    Sharu said that before the Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship and State Assembles Elections, the commission embarked on an enlightenment programme on both the local media, English and Yoruba media warning citizens against vote buying

    ” We informed them that vote buying was a criminal offence as structured in the Electoral procedure act

    “We published our numbers for people to call, and during the last Gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections, we got calls and we were able to arrest one person for vote buying and we will soon charge him to court,” he said.

    Sharu said that the commission, in collaboration with the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), also arrested a fake Customs controller, who swindled members of the public, issuing them forms for employment and collecting huge sums of money.

    “Unsuspected citizens were given forms for employment into the NCS by the suspect, who collected up to N500,000.

    “He has since been charged to court,” he said.

    He said the EFCC will collaborate with stakeholders in the state, like the security agents, law enforcement, traditional institution, Corps members and students against economic and financial crimes in the state.

  • 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.”

  • APC alleges killing of members in Cross River

    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 People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led state government.

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

    The statement, made available to The Nation in Calabar read, “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 day light 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 Monday, 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 plate numbers.

    “We witnessed carting away materials by thugs, multiple thumb printing. There were 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, supposed to protect law abiding citizens, were aiding thugs against the citizens. The results were cooked up,” he alleged.

  • APC in early lead in Ondo

    Contrary to penultimate Saturday Presidential/National Assembly election results in Ondo state in which the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) had a dismal outing against the opposition Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), results trickling in from the 18 local governments put the APC in early lead to clinch majority seats at the State House of Assembly.

    Although the results were yet to be officially collated and announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), results from units to units signed by various party agents showed that APC was coasting home to victory.

    However, allegations of vote buying and ballot box snatching were more pronounced, while there was poor turn out of voters unlike the previous election.

    There was no governorship election in the state, which assumably made the exercise violent-free, the contestants for the House of Assembly election in the APC, PDP and Social Democratic Party (SDP) across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state were alleged to buy votes openly with impunity.

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu had earlier while casting his votes in Owo, decried the apathy shown by the electorate during the polls.

    He mobilised people to come out and exercise their franchise, stressing that the State Assembly was crucial aimed at choosing people at the grassroots that would represent their constituencies to facilitate good governance.

  • I’m not convinced my vote will count -Atiku

    The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in penultimate Saturday’s presidential election Atiku Abubakar voted in Saturday’s Governorship and House of Assembly election in Adamawa State not convinced his vote will count.

    Atiku, who voted about 12.30 pm at his Ajiya Ward in Yola North local government area, said the low turnout was evident of loss of faith in the electoral process by the people.

    He claimed the elections of two weeks ago were marred by irregularities.

    “Suddenly, I’m not convinced that my vote will count. You can see a very low voter turnout. I believe the last elections were marred by a lot of malpractices,” Atiku said.

    Atiku, who had arrived his 012 polling unit at 12.26 pm to shouts of ‘Never give up’ from his supporters, urged the supporters to keep faith with him, even as he quipped that the electoral process “has no faith.”

    Responding to the question of how to rectify the situation, he said: “It requires the coming together of all Nigerians and the leadership to be able to redress all the challenges we face in the last elections.”

    Expressing another source of worry, Atiku said: “I particularly abhor the participation of the military in electoral process. It’s absolutely unconstitutional and unlawful.”

    Asked how optimistic he was, he said, “I have always been optimistic.”

    As his supporters hailed “Sai Waziri. Buhari Must Go” as the Waziri Adamawa left his polling unit to return to his house.