The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria Decides 2019

  • My defeat unfortunate, says Ajimobi

    Despite his loss at the senatorial election, Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has thanked the people of the state for their turnout and peaceful conduct during the last Saturday polls.

    Ajimobi, a candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who contested the Oyo South Senatorial District lost to his rival Dr. Kola Balogun, younger brother to the Otun Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun.

    A statement by the Special Adviser to the governor on Communication and Strategy, Mr Bolaji Tunji, quoted the governor as saying the people of the state have shown their love for the APC by voting massively for President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC candidates in the elections.

    From the results released so far nationwide, he said that the APC was coasting home to victory.

    The governor equally congratulated the APC and its candidates in the state, who picked nine out of the available 14 Federal Constituency seats and two out of the three Senatorial seats.

    Ajimobi said: “We appreciate our people for coming out last Saturday, which led to APC winning two, out of the three Senatorial and nine out of the 14 Federal Constituency, seats in the state.

    “The victory has shown the unassailable leadership of the APC in Oyo State. It has also shown that our people are appreciative of the developmental strides of the APC in the state and the country at large.

    “We have taken Oyo State to an unprecedented level in terms of massive infrastructural renewal. Most importantly, we have ensured peace in the state.”

    The governor described the loss of the Oyo South Senatorial ticket seat as unfortunate but noted that no sacrifice was too much for a leader to make.

    He enjoined all APC members to gird their loins for the March 9 governorship election, stressing that battle was not over yet.

    Ajimobi emphasised that the loss of Oyo South Senatorial seat would not deter him from his firm resolve and that of the APC to work hard for the party’s victory in the governorship election.

    The governor said: “The results of the Oyo South Senatorial District election have been released by INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) indicating that I lost to the PDP (People’s Democratic Party) candidate.

    “I hereby accept the result announced by INEC. Although there were a number of grievous infractions and established electoral malpractices, I have decided to let go in the interest of peace. I, therefore, congratulate the declared winner, Hon Kola Balogun and our APC Senators-elect, Abdulfatai Buhari and Teslim Folarin.

    “If I lose the ticket and the party was able to gain, then it is nothing to feel sad about. APC has done well but we can always do better. If we won two out of the three Senatorial seats and we picked nine out of 14 federal constituency seats, then we should congratulate ourselves.”

    “To the teeming members and supporters of our party who came out in their thousands to show their preference for the APC, I thank and urge you to keep the faith especially as we look forward to the governorship and the House of Assembly elections.

    “With the impressive results we currently have, we should proudly go forth with greater sense of confidence and unity of purpose. Let us work together to ensure victory for our governorship candidate, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, and all our candidates for the House of Assembly.”

  • Anambra: INEC confirms loss of election results in Obosi violence

    …replaces lost results sheet

     

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) in Anambra State has confirmed the loss of results sheets in Obosi ward 1 in Idemili North LGA of the state.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Chief Nkwachukwu Orji who disclosed this at the collation centre in Awka, however said the situation had been handled.

    He said the commission had to invoke a section of the electoral act that permitted it us to get the duplicate from the police so as to complete collation in the ward.

    “We’ve lost the original copy but have the duplicate which is secured with the police,” he said.

    Orji who announced the presence of the commissioner of Police, Rabu Ladodo invited him to formally hand over the results sheets to the commission.

    “I’m happy the CP is here with the duplicate of the copies to enhance confidence in what we’re doing,” he said.

    Reacting, the CP said no casualty was recorded in the crises, aside a corpse member who sustained injury on the right leg.

    He however said some arrests were made in connection with the crises.

    Expressing regrets over the incident, Ladodo called on the citizenry to resist joining in any act capable of marring the electoral process.

    “I’m ready to give instructions for appropriate action on anyone that wants to foment trouble in the state,” he warned.

  • Kwara is free at last – Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says with the outcome of last Saturday’s elections, Kwara is free “from a choking and pauperising political hegemony of a self-imposed dynasty”.

    The Minister, who is the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara, stated this while briefing newsmen on Monday in Ilorin.

    He stressed that never again would the people of Kwara be treated like slaves in their own land.

    “Enough is Enough – O To Ge!,” he said.

    The minister said the official results of last Saturday’s National Assembly elections in the state were a clean sweep for the APC.

    “All three seats in the Senate and all six in the House of Representatives were won by our party.

    “The match between our party and the PDP ended 10-0 (1-0 President, 3-0 Senatorial, 6-0 House of Reps)

    He advised that with the unprecedented victory the state should declare Feb. 23 of every year as the Day of Liberation for Kwara State.

    “I want to ask the incoming Governor of our state to, immediately he is sworn in on 29 May 2019, to declare Feb. 23rd of every year as the Day of Liberation for Kwara State.”

    The minister gave gratitude to God for the victory and thanked the good people of Kwara for coming out to vote for APC.

    “No single individual can claim credit for this victory. It belongs to the people of Kwara.

    “All of us, the party leadership, were fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time to lead the process.

    “But the ultimate credit goes to the people who resoundingly said NO to the PDP last Saturday.

    “Fired on by perhaps the most impactful, three-word political slogan ever in the history of party politics in this land –” O to Ge” meaning Enough is Enough”.

    “Kwarans have confirmed the saying that the power of the people is much stronger than the people in power,” he said.

    The minister said the victory in Kwara was achieved in the sweetest way because the election was conducted in an atmosphere of peace and harmony.

    He said: “not a single shot was fired throughout Kwara, no one snatched ballot box rather it was an atmosphere of conviviality.”

    Mohammed said the election was a sharp departure from what used to be in the state.

    ‘It confirms what we have been saying, that when there is adequate security, there will be a level playing ground for all the parties, and for all Kwarans.”

    The minister thanked the security agencies, all the party members, supporters and leaders of the party across the state.

    He urged the party members to note that the job was not completed yet, until they deliver the March 9 governorship and State House of Assembly elections for APC.

  • APC claims all NASS seats in Niger

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)) has officially declared the Dr Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Mohammed Sani Musa and Mohammed Bima of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) as senators-elect in Niger State.

    The results were announced at the various senatorial collation centers across the state.

    The Niger South Senatorial zone was won by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullah of the APC, who polled 161,420 against PDP’s Honorable Muhammad Sani Duba 77,109 votes.

    Mohammed Sani Musa of APC won the Niger East Senatorial zone polling 229, 415 votes ahead of the PDP candidate Barrister Ibrahim Ishaku, who polled 116,143 votes.

    Mohammed Bima of APC won the Niger South senatorial zone with 160,614 votes defeating PDP Baba Shehu Agaie who polled 90,978.

    APC also won the seats of the Federal constituency however results for four federal constituencies are still being expected.

    For the Rijau/Magama Federal Constituency, Shehu Sale of APC polled 39,889 while Garba Dukku of PDP polled 23,747.

    In Borgu-Agwara Federal Constituency, APC candidate, Jafaru Mohammed Agwara polled 32,840 votes against PDP candidate, Abdurahman Bala Gambo, who polled 20,357.

    In Bida-Katcha-Gbako Federal Constituency, APC candidate, Abdullahi Saidu Musa polled 57,746 as against PDP candidate, Sharu Mohammed Baba 37,993 votes.

    In Suleja-Gurara-Tafa Federal Constituency, APC candidate, Abubakar Lado polled 54,224 votes while PDP candidate, Mukhtar Iya polled 38,732 votes.

    In Chanchaga Federal Constituency, APC candidate, Mohammed Umar Bago polled 39,391votes while PDP candidate, Abdullahi Buba polled 17,869 votes.

    In Kontagora-Mariga-Mashegu-Wushishi Federal Constituency, APC won with 95,454 votes but the name of the candidate was not announced due to court case while the PDP candidate, Sa’adatu Kolo polled 25,182 votes.

    Results are still being awaited from four federal constituencies, Bosso-Paikoro, Shiroro-Munya, Lavun-Edati-Mokwa and Lapai-Agaie.

    However, the collation of the presidential election results shows that APC is maintaining lead so far, winning 21 out of the 25 local government areas collated as at 4.30pm.

    The collation of the result of the presidential election is still ongoing.

  • Abdulrazaq: Saraki’s defeat has moved Kwara from Egypt

    Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman has said that Saturday’s historical electoral feat for the APC has taken the people of the state many miles away from Pharaoh’s Egypt.

    He attributed the victory to the resilient people of Kwara state, congratulating “all our lawmakers-elect for their deserving victory.”

    Mallam Abdulrazaq told reporters in Ilorin, the state capital adding that “together with our people, we have fought a good and noble fight in defence of our people’s dignity.

    “We have gone down in history as the breakers of the long-standing political jinx in Kwara.

    “We have also proven that our people, with their massive votes for President Muhammadu Buhari, believe in good governance, probity and decency.

    “Our feat is now being acknowledged across the world and that

    underscores the historical relevance of this development in our state.

    “But we mustn’t relent. It is not over until we repeat the same feat

    100% on March 9 during the governorship and House of Assembly polls.

    Let’s continue to educate and mobilise our people to understand that the job is only half-done at the moment. Total liberation comes only when we take over government in Kwara State through the ballot box and then use same to restore sanity and good governance in our state.

    “We thank the security agencies and the electoral commission officials for standing firm in the face of some last-ditch efforts to suppress people’s votes. We look forward to the same patriotic action before, during and after the March 9 elections.”

  • APC wins reps seat in Cross River

    The All Progressives Congress ( APC ) has won the Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency seat in the Central Senatorial District of Cross River State in the results announced so far.

    The state has eight House of Representative seats and Egbuna’s victory has disrupted the possibility of an all People’s Democratic Party (PDP) affair, as it presently is.

    The candidate of the APC, Dr Alex Egbuna, scored 29, 432 votes to beat the candidate of the candidate of the PDP John Gaul-Lebo, who came second with 26, 971. The returning officer was Dr Chike Ekeopkara.

    Abi/Yakurr is the constituency of former governor, Liyel Imoke of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

  • There’ll be no run-off UK, US-backed observer YIAGA predicts

    There’ll be no run-off UK, US-backed observer YIAGA predicts

    A civil society organisation, the Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement ( YIAGA ) Africa, has said there will be no run-off in the presidential election, adding that a clear winner will emerge.

    In a statement on Monday on voter turnout and results, the group, which undertook the Watching The Vote (WTV) project, said no candidate will receive over 55 per cent of the votes.

    YIAGA Africa has as its technical partners the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the US-based National Democratic Institute.

    It deployed 3,906 observers throughout the country including 3,030 Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) observers deployed in pairs to a random, representative statistical sample of 1,515 polling units where they remained throughout the day.

    “With this methodology, YIAGA Africa is able independently verify the accuracy of the official presidential election results announced by INEC,” the group said.

    In the statement by WTV Working Group Chair Dr. Hussaini Abdu and YIAGA Africa Executive Director Samson Itodo, YIAGA added: “Although YIAGA Africa currently has a stable estimated range for the election outcome, it is the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that has the mandate to announce results.

    “However, based on currently received observer reports, there will be no run-off for the Presidential elections because a clear winner will emerge. YIAGA AFRICA’s PVT shows that no candidate will receive more than 55 per cent of the vote share.”

    YIAGA Africa said preliminary estimates indicate that turnout for Saturday’s presidential elections should be between 36 per cent and 40 per cent based on official turnout figures collected from the PVT’s representative statistical sample of polling units across the 774 LGAs in the country.

    “If INEC’s official turnout falls within WTV’s estimated range then it accurately reflects the ballots cast at polling units.

    “Only INEC has the legal mandate to announce the election results and return a candidate as a winner.”

    The group added: “We urge all stakeholders to respect the commission’s constitutional power and refrain from declaring election results. YIAGA Africa enjoins citizens to remain calm and maintain the peace as INEC collates the results.

    “YIAGA Africa continues to monitor the results collation until the final completion.

    “As soon as INEC announces the official results, YIAGA Africa will convene a press conference to share its own statement on the accuracy of the election results.”

  • Protesters march on INEC Headquarters in Makurdi

    It took a firm and timely response from armed soldiers to stop two groups of protesters from storming the state Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters along One Jang Road in Makurdi, Benue state on Monday afternoon.

    Shouting no Akume, no Election and other slogans, scores of angry youths insisted on storming the collation centre within INEC complex where results were being collated.

    Another group which claimed to be members of the PDP descended on the area, insisting on forceful entry into INEC office to foreclose the possibility of incumbent Senator George Akume declared as winner.

    “We believe that they (INEC) can do whatever he wants but there are disputes over election figures in Akume’s Zone B ( Benue North-West senatorial zone) and he must be stopped,” one of the PDP youth who gave his name as Terseer Tyav told The Nation.

    However, one of those leading the pro-Akume group, Clement Iordaar, alleged that there was a mischievous ploy to deny Akume reelection.

    “Suswam and Abba Moro of PDP have won two of the senatorial seats but they are insisting on truncating Akume’s victory so that another PDP member, Orker Jev can take the seat and fulfill Ortom’s boast about retiring Akume from politics,” he said.

    However, alert soldiers effectively blocked the two groups of protesters from entering the INEC compound.

    Collation of the presidential results was still ongoing during the protest and results from fifteen local government areas had been declared.

    Those of the National Assembly elections were being awaited.

  • Former Governor Orji wins Abia Central Senatorial seat

    Abia State former Governor and Senator representing the Abia Central senatorial district, Chief Theodore Orji, has been declared the winner of the just concluded senatorial election.

    The returning officer Prof. Yusuf Omeh declared him winner on Monday at the Independent National Electoral Commission office, Adelabu road, Umuahia the State capital.

    According to Prof. Omeh Orji polled 55,461 to defeat his closet rival and the candidate the All Progressive Congress (APC) Sen. Nkechi Nwaogu.

    The Returning Officer also announced that Nwaogu scored 29,860 Votes to come second in the election while the candidates of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) Chidi Ajaegbu who polled 19,534 votes to clinch the third position.

    In related development the member representing Ikwuano/ Umuahia Federal Constituency, Chief Johnson Onuigbo has been declared the winner of the Houses of representatives’ election in the constituency.

    The Returning Officer Prof. Georgina Ugwuanyi declared him winner after announcing that he polled 30,669 votes to defeat the All Progressive Congress candidate Mr. Ikechukwu Apugo who scored 23,279 votes.

    Ugwuanyi also announced that the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance Chief Markdonald Uba scored 10,312 votes.

    Also the member representing Arochukwu/ Ohafia Federal Constituency Chief Nko Nkole of the People s Democratic Party was declared winner of the seat.

    He scored 7,072 to defeat the APC candidate Chief Iroh Orji who polled 5496 votes.

  • Gov Al-Makura wins senate seat as Adamu returns

    Nasarawa state governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura has defeated Senator Suleiman Adokwe to pick the ticket for the Nasarawa South Senatorial seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Al Makura polled a total of 112,485 votes to defeat Sen. Adokwe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who got 104,246 votes.

    The governor defeated the three-time senator in Lafia, Awe and Keana local government areas while Adokwe won in two, Doma and Obi.

    In Awe local government, the APC polled 22,180 to defeat PDP which polled 10,699 votes. In Keana local government, it was a close contest as the APC got 9,714 votes while the PDP got 9,141 votes.

    Also, Senator representing Nasarawa west, Senator Abdullahi .Adamu has been declared winner of last Saturday’s National Assembly election.

    Adamu of All Progressives Congress(APC) was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation officer Professor, Ahmed Yakubu Ashuku of Federal University, Lafia having polled 115,298 to defeat Alhaji Bala Ahmed Aliyu of PDP, who scored 85,615 votes and Dr. K’tso Nghargbu of APGA with 28,857 votes respectively.

    The Returning Officer put the total votes cast at 238,000, valid votes 232,494 while the rejected votes stood at 5,506.

    According to Prof. Ashuku, the total registered voters were 696,877 while 249,877 stood for accredited votes.