The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria Decides 2019

  • Three killed, two injured in Sapele

    No fewer than three persons were feared dead at a polling unit in Amukpe area of Sapele, Delta State during yesterday’s elections. Two others were badly injured.

    Eye witnesses described the assailants as political thugs.

    They said the suspected thugs unexpected swooped on the voters who were queuing to vote and opened fire.

    Two died on the spot while three others who were hit were rushed to the hospital. One of them however died.

    A resident said: “I’m not sure if they carted election materials away, but I saw that the ground of the place was littered with election materials, giving me the impression that they only scattered the materials.”

    Read Also; 20 killed as violence rocks polls

    The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adeleke Adeyinka, could not confirm the incident, saying he wanted to get across to the people on the ground in Amukpe to ascertain the truth.

    But a reliable security source said: “immediately we heard of the situation, we moved in to take over the area so as to stabilize it and prevent a further escalation of the situation.”

    Meanwhile, voting was relatively peaceful in most other polling units as voters were seen casting their votes. For instance, Sapele ward 7, units 7 and 8, along Ugberikoko Road, voters were still casting their votes at 2:09pm.

  • Buhari’ll be President till 2023, says Ogboru

    The Delta State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, is confident that President Muhammadu Buhari and other candidates of the party in the area will emerge victorious.

    Speaking with journalists shortly after casting his ballot at Abraka Ward 1, unit 8, yesterday, Ogboru said, “President Muhammadu Buhari has done so well and deserved another term in office to complete his good work.”

    He described the elections as ‘quite peaceful’. “I’ve just voted, though there were rumours of some technical issues about the machines. I have no iota of doubt about the victory of APC candidates,” he said.

    “l know we shall win, and I hope that the elections will be peaceful in other places, I heard that people are still trying to snatch ballot boxes in some places, but I don’t see the need for that when the election is peaceful.”

    Ogboru advised registered eligible voters to vote for all APC candidates to maintain peace, saying that the future is bright for all APC candidates and that they are not expecting anything short of victory for President Buhari, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege and House of Representatives’ candidates.”

    Read Also: Ndoma-Egba wins polling unit, Buhari also

    Senator Ovie Omo Agege, APC Senatorial flag bearer in Delta Central, also brimmed with confidence yesterday about the chances of APC candidates in yesterday’s elections.

    Speaking with journalists in Orhomurho- Orogun, Ward 1, Unit 019 where he voted, Omo-Agege said the elections were peaceful and urged voters to go out and vote.

  • APC, PDP in tight race in Edo

    The All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party are neck to neck in the Presidential and national assembly Elections in Edo State.

    No official results have been announced as collation of results was still going on at each Ward.

    Former Governor Adams Oshiomhole and National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress thrashed  the PDP at his polling unit at Iyamho and Governor Godwin Obaseki won at his polling unit at Emokpae primary school.

    Elections were generally peaceful across Edo State except in some polling units at Egor where ballot boxes were set ablaze.

    Those that spoke hailed the conduct of the elections.

    In some areas, there were initial malfunction of the card readers but they were later rectified.

    In Edo South where Senator Matthew Urhoghide and Patrick Obahiagbon are in the race, unofficial results showed there were no clear winner yet.

    For the House of Representatives seat on Ovia Constituency, Dennis Idahosa of the All Progressives Congress maintained a lead in his stronghold while Barr. Omosede Igbinedion held on to Okada, her hometown.

    Hon Ehiozuwa Agbonnayima took the lead in Ikpoba-Okha while his opponent, Jude Ise-Idehen, is said to win in some wards in Egor.

    Edo State Commissioner of Police, in charge of elections, Dan-Malam Mohammed, who visited several polling units in company of the lnter-Agencies Consultative Committee on Elections warned policemen not to allow anybody enter INEC office.

    Read Also: Ogboru votes, says Buhari’ll be president till 2023

    His words: “Make sure you work with the names on your list. You know lNEC office is very vital during collation of results, make sure it is properly secure.”

    A visit to the Edo College, in Ward 8, in Oredo Local Government in units 27 to 30,  the security agencies made up of Army, DSS, Custom, NCSDC, lmmigration and others to verify the situation on ground, the PDP and APC agents complain about shortage of sensitive materials like ballot papers and other logistic plights to the police.

    ln Udo, Ovia South West, ballot boxes were snatched and a suspect was arrested with arms and ammunition.

    Police spokesman, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor confirmed the arrest.

  • Large crowds, peaceful elections in Cross River

    In Cross River State the presidential and national assembly elections witnessed an unprecedented turnout of voters.

    In spite of the crowds that came out to exercise their votes, the elections were relatively peaceful.

    A voter at polling unit 15 along Etagbo Street in Calabar in the southern district of the state, Mr. Joe Ogar, commended the exercise.

    He said he did not expect the polls to go as smoothly as it had.

    “We voted freely and even finished in time and the votes are comfortably being counted as we speak. The method of accreditation and voting at once is excellent as it made the process much faster. It is a good exercise,” he said.

    Even in the central district of the state always notorious for election violence the polls went smoothly.

    In Ikom Local Government Area, where our reporter monitored the exercise, crowds had started gathering at the various polling units in preparation for the exercise.

    Even the northern part of the state, where, Governor Ben Ayade comes from had a calm election.

    Ayade expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the elections, describing the exercise and turnout as both peaceful and massive.

    Read Also: I’ll accept result if poll is credible -Atiku

    Accompanied by his wife, Linda, he arrived Kakum Town Hall, Ipong polling unit, Obudu, with registration area code CR/09 at about 11:05 where they voted.

    However, there were pockets of incidents of issues as late arrival of materials, card reader issues, mix up of election materials and violence.

    For instance in Ikom, vehicles to transport materials to 25 polling units and 64 voting points under Ikom Urban area were not available until around 12pm. In the confusion a couple of result sheets were mixed up. The problem was however sorted out but a lot of time was wasted.

    In some polling units in Calabar like Ward 12 Unit 44 voting did not commence till about 1pm.

    In Imabana in Abi Local Government Area of the state, there were reports of an APC agent being stabbed.

    However, generally, the elections in the state seemed a success, especially against the background of the experience of previous elections.

  • I’ll accept result if poll is credible -Atiku

    The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, voted in his Ajiya Ward polling unit in Jimeta, Yola, yesterday with a pledge to accept the result of the presidential election even if he loses, provided the poll is credibly conducted.

    Atiku said as a democrat he has no problem with accepting poll results. “I am a true democrat unlike others. So far so good,” he said.

    The former Vice President who had a brief chat with the media after casting his vote at the Unit 012 in Ajiya Ward near one of his houses at Old GRA, Jimeta, reiterated that although he was sure he would win, he would accept defeat if the conduct of the poll turned out to be transparently free and fair.

    Read Also: Buhari defeats Atiku at El-Rufa’i’s polling unit

    He expressed satisfaction with the turnout of voters to exercise their franchise during the polls, and said he hoped all those officiating the conduct of the election would do their jobs in all honesty.

    “I am impressed with the turnout of the voters. I hope the electoral officers would be able to cope with the crowd,” Atiku said. Earlier,  Alhaji Auwal Tukur, a former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also said he was satisfied with the turnout of the electorate to vote, saying that  the last postponement appears not to have had impact on voter turnout this time.

  • Smartcard reader rejects Dogara’s finger-print

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, was on Saturday rejected by the Smart Card Reader at his Gwaranga primary school polling unit of Gwaranga town in Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

    A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent reports that Dogara arrived the polling unit at about 9:44 a.m., but the Card Reader failed to authenticate his finger-print, as a result of which he had to use the authentication form to vote.

    His wife, Mrs Gimbiya Dogara, however voted smoothly without any hitch.

    Read Also: Dogara is a sinking man, says Bauchi gov

    Speaking after casting his vote, the Speaker commended the orderly conduct of the elections at his polling unit.

    He said that he was not aware of how the exercise was going on in other places, but added that if the situation were the same in other units, then INEC had done a good job.

    Dogara expressed optimism about his chances of winning a re-election to the House of Reps.

  • Boko Haram attack stops Yobe gov from voting

    Yobe State governor, Ibrahim Gaidam could not travel to Bukarti, his country home, in Yunusari Local Government Area of the state to vote due to an early morning attack on Geidam by Boko Haram insurgents.

    Abdullahi Bego, Director General, Media Affairs to the governor, confirmed the development in a statement released to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Damaturu.

    Bego stated that the governor could not partake in the exercise.

    “The security agencies would naturally seek to reinforce and increase security around the governor for him to travel to cast his vote.

    “The increased security around the governor will mean that vital security resources that are needed elsewhere in the state would have to be diverted and allocated to the governor,” the governor’s spokesperson said.

    NAN reports that the governor, in consultation with security agencies, decided that it was more prudent to make the sacrifice.

    “It is better and more useful for the security agents, including soldiers, police, civil defence, DSS, to focus their attention on providing security for the election, than devoting large security contingent for the governor to cast his vote,” Bego said.

    Gaidam, who is also a senatorial candidate in yesterday’s election, commended security agencies for their effort to ensure a peaceful and successful election across the state.

    Alhaji MaiMala Buni, the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in Yobe, said adequate preparations by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies ensured the success of the elections.

    He made the observation after casting his votes on Saturday in Damaturu, saying the timely commencement of the elections, adequate provision of election materials and security to the electorate made the election successful.

    “The massive turnout of voters was encouraged by the security apparatus put in place and the commitment to the preparations made by INEC. “The turnout is very impressive and the momentum should be maintained,” he said.

  • Ballot box snatching, insufficient materials mar election in Imo

    The Presidential and National Assembly elections in Imo State were marred by late arrival and insufficient voting materials, as well as absence of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Officials.

    Though the turnout of voters was impressive, they were reported cases of ballot box snatching, shooting, among other repressive actions.

    In some places, aggrieved voters alleged that INEC officials in collusion with some politicians made away with the sensitive materials.

    There were also reported cases of ballot box snatching by hoodlums dressed in Military and Police uniforms in AbohMbaise,Ohaji-Egbema, Oguta, Oru East, IsiallaMbano and OwerriNorth  Council Area.

    A former governor of the state, and governorship candidate of the Accord party, IkediOhakim, who could not vote as a result of non-arrival of voting materials in his OsuOwerre Ward 1 in IsiallaMbano Council Area, until 3pm, expressed dissatisfaction over the conduct of the election.

    Addressing journalists, the former governor stated that, “here in OsuOwerre Ward 1, we have not seen INEC officials by 1pm and voting will stop by 2pm. I am afraid that this will disenfranchise the people”.

    Also expressing dismay over the late commencement of voting, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), IfeanyiAraraume, tasked the electoral umpire to put measure to ensure an improved performance during the next election.

    Meanwhile, the Imo State governor, RochasOkorocha has expressed satisfaction over the turnout of voters and the conduct of the election.

    The governor who addressed journalists shortly after casting his vote at ward 2 Ogboko in Ideato South Council Area alongside his wife, NkechiOkorocha, confirmed that the postponement did not affect the turnout of voters.

    Okorocha who arrived his polling Unit at about 11:04 expressed confidence that President Muhammadu Buhari will win the Presidential election with a wide margin.

    He said, “I am here with my wife at ward 2 Ogboko, for now I will say that everything is going on well. There is security everywhere.

    “I also had the rumour of ballot box snatching in Osemoto, among other areas. But given the Presidential Order many people are afraid. If not by now you will see alot of people carrying ballot boxes.

    “However, surprisingly there is no voter apathy; our people have realised that it is for the future of this country.

    “I have full confidence that Buhari will win and I will also win my senatorial election with God on our side”.

  • Presiding officer, corps member abducted in Anambra

    Anambra State Police Command yesterday announced the abduction of a presiding officer and a youth corps memberby unknown persons during the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

    As a result, seven suspects have been arrested by the command, including two armed police personnel on illegal duty during the elections.

    Briefing reporters yesterday evening in Awka, Anambra State, the new Police Commissioner for the state, RabiuLadodo, said the cases were under investigation.

    According to him, “I have gone round the state along with heads of other security agencies both on Aerial and vehicular patrols, in order to assess levels of deployment by the security agencies at various polling units and to ensure that the electorates exercise their franchise without hindrance”

    “The election is generally peaceful and all the places visited have witnessed significant turnout of voters amid tight security in the areas.”

    “However, despite the relative peace recorded so far, there are few isolated incidents recorded; such as ballot box snatching at OnumaImeobi Square ward six unit 4 Onitsha, vote buying, disruption of election in some polling units, alleged abduction of a presiding officer and a youth corps member in Indiokolo unit, Orumba North LGA of Anambra South Senatorial Zone”

    “Consequently, the Command has arrested Seven (7) suspects in connection with vote buying and disruption of electoral Process. The Command equally arrested two (2) armed Police mobile personnel on illegal duty. All cases are under investigation at the State CIID, Awka and effort is being intensified to rescue the abducted persons and bring perpetrators to justice,” he said.

    Read Also: EFCC operatives at INEC collation centre in Lagos

    He said exhibits recovered from the suspects included, one mini shuttle bus, two motorcycles, sum of one hundred and ten thousand, nine hundred and twenty naira (N110,920),two handbags containing dry leaves suspected to be Indian hemp and two knives.

    “The public are equally advised to report any incident or suspected persons through the Police emergency numbers availed to the public for prompt response, please,”the new CP said.

  • Voters’ names missing on manual lists in Suleja, Tafa

    Many polling units under Suleja and Tafa Local government areas of Niger State experienced some hitches during the presidential and national assembly elections yesterday.

    The hitches mainly centred on some individuals with Permanent Voters Card (PVC) not finding their names on the manual list pasted at the polling units.

    In some of the polling units, such individuals whose names were missing on the manual list were accepted by the card readers and were able to vote successfully.

    But others were not lucky as they could not vote at their polling units.

    While some of the units experienced problem controlling the large crowd that turned up to exercise their civic responsibility, others complained of inadequate provision of writing markers, stamp pads and inks.

    But none of the polling units visited by our correspondent complained of inadequate ballot papers or problem with the card readers.

    In most of the polling units, accreditation and election started by 8.00a.m while most of the voters reported to their polling units before 7.00a.m.

    Read Also: Three killed, two injured in Sapele polling unit shooting

    Pulling units visited by our correspondent in Suleja included Tungasasauni polling unit 013, Bakin-Iku Filling Station polling unit 007, Bakin-Iku Primarily School polling unit 012 with three voting points.

    Others were Gwazunu 1 polling unit 008 and Gwazunu II polling unit 009.

    Under Tafa local government, polling units visited included Gidan-Isua polling unit 0010, Gidan-Gwamna I polling unit 009, Gauraka Primary School I polling unit 001 with three voting points and Angwa-Tiv polling unit 006 all in Gauraka village.

    At the Bakin-Iku Filling Station, polling unit 007 where accreditation and voting started around 9.07a.m, Iluwa Abdukareem, whose name was missing on the manual list was accepted by the card reader and voted at the unit.

    At the polling unit, there were complaints of provision of only one writing marker while no stamp pad was provided at all for the exercise.

    The Presiding Officer (PO) for Gauraka Primary School I polling unit 001, Misbahuden Mohammed, controlling three voting points said, “Everything is going on well here. So far, we have no single challenge here except controlling the crowd. We have also put that under control.”

    But one Daura Abdulrahim, showing our correspondent his voter’s card for the polling unit, complained that he could not find his name on all the manual lists pasted at the polling unit.