The Nation Newspaper

Tag: #NigeriansElect2015

  • Election updates as results trickle in

    Election updates as results trickle in


  • Agbaje loses polling unit

    Agbaje loses polling unit

    The Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Lagos, Mr. Jimmy Agbaje, lost his polling unit to his All Progressive Congress rival, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, in Saturday’s governorship poll in the state.

    Agbaje polled 84 votes, while Ambode scored 124.

    Counting of votes is ongoing in most polling units across the state.

  • Agbaje’s running mate loses at polling unit

    Agbaje’s running mate loses at polling unit

    • Polls 138 against APC’s  252

    Alhaja Safurat Layode Abdukareem, running mate of the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje, Saturday lost at her polling unit to the APC. She polled 138 votes against APC’s 252.

    Shortly after casting her vote, she had pleaded that candidates of the leading political parties and their supporters should accept the outcome of the gubernatorial election in the state in good fate.

    She expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the elections.

    She voted at Awhanjigoh Ward B, unit 009 in Badagry Local Government Area at exactly 2:25pm.

    She noted that the election, from what she saw, was free and fair and devoid of malpractices.

    “The election has been going very fine. From what I have seen so far, I can adjudge it to be free and fair.”

    She expressed contrary opinion to claims that the election witnessed low turnout of voters, saying: ” The turnout is very much okay. It is not in any way lower to what we saw penultimate weekend. It all depends on how you see it but for me, the turnout is very impressive.”

    Alhaja Abdukareem lauded the Independent Electoral Commission for improving on the performance of March 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

  • Citizens’ election reports: Obanikoro wins PU

    Citizens’ election reports: Obanikoro wins PU

    MAIL from Sunday Moses: Election on course peacefully in my area ward 022 of Ogun state. No cause for alarm

    MAIL from sunnipy: Accreditation is going on here smoothly at polling unit 16 and 17 at Shomolu constituency II Gbagada-Lagos, there’s a turn out and electorate came as early as 7:30 am.

  • PDP chairman killed in Ebonyi

    PDP chairman killed in Ebonyi

    Gunmen suspected to be political thugs in the early hours of Saturday killed the Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, in Ishielu local government area of Ebonyi State, Mr. Emeka Nworie.

    Sources revealed that the late PDP chairman was attacked at his house in Ezzagu and shot severally by his assailants on different parts of his body until he died.

    The state’s police spokesman, ASP Chris Anyanwu, confirmed the incident to our reporter.

    He said the incident took place at around 3:00am on Saturday morning.

    Anyanwu said the assailants, before killing the PDP chief asked for money which was generously given to them after which they proceeded to shoot him to death.

    The state has witnessed several politically motivated killings since last November.

    Two persons were killed earlier in the week when supporters of PDP and  the Labour Party clashed in Ikwo.

  • 2015 Polls: Low turn out of voters in Ogun

    2015 Polls: Low turn out of voters in Ogun

    Accreditation of voters started as early as 8:20am in most of the polling units in Akute, Ajuwon, Alagbole, Ifo local government areas of Ogun state.

    ‎In polling unit 9, Fabolude, Akute area, accreditation started at 8:20am with about 572 registered voters in this Unit.

    In Unit 008, Ward 6, Fabolude, accreditation started at about the same time but with 586 registered voters in this unit.

    In Unit 11, Ishasi, it was a different story when The Nation visited the polling unit.

    As at 10:00am, not a single voter had been accredited. Although INEC officials were available at the unit as early as 8am, accreditation could start because the card readers did not work.

    The Polling Officer at the Unit explained that the card readers had since been returned to RAC for checks.

    He told The Nation that the option of manual accreditation of voters was completely rejected by party agents, hence, no electoral activity has taken place.

    When this reporter returned to the unit at 11:30am, intending voters were seen sitting in small groups, waiting for when the card readers would be returned.

    INEC officials there were also still expecting “further directive” from their superior officers.

    In Ogunlowo Unit 005, Ward 6, located in Akute‎/ Ajuwon, voters’ accreditation began at about 8:30am with total registered voters being 488.

    Oladipo Adebisi, Adekunle Olaoye, and Jimoh Ibrahim, agents of APC, PDP and SDP respectively, expressed satisfaction with the accreditation process.

    Ibrahim said voters took time before coming out because INEC officials did not arrive early during the Presidential elections; so they expected same today.

    A voter, Mrs. Bello Bolatito, confirmed the smooth flow of the accreditation. She said the turn out today is more impressive than that of a fortnight.

    Asked why she stayed back after accreditation, she simply said: “I want to see everything myself; I have brought my food along and there are food vendors around here, so no problem,” she said.

    Similarly on Moses Adebayo street, Lagos state, voting commenced at 1:10pm in Unit 019, Ward B, Ojodu, Lagos with about 416 accredited voters in this unit.

    Mrs. Muhammud Kayafat, an agent to one of the political parties, told The Nation that the process had been peaceful since the commencement of accreditation till voting started.

  • Low voters’ turnout in Kano

    Low voters’ turnout in Kano

    Low voters’ turnout greets the gubernatorial and state House of Assembly elections in most areas visited by our Correspondent in Kano.

    In places like Sabon Gari, Brigade Quarters, Tudun Wada, Taurani and Ungogo, voters did not turn out in large numbers like they did during the presidential and National Assembly elections.

    However, in areas like Gwagwaruwa, Kurna Asabe, Gingiyu, Jirgiya, Albasu town, and Ganduje, the home town of Kano State Deputy Governor who is the All Progressive Congress governorship candidate, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, voters turned out en mass to perform their civic responsibilities.

    Our correspondent observed that as early as 6:00am, the Independent National Electoral Commission officials and security men on duty were already at the polling units, waiting for voters to come for accreditation which commenced properly at 8:00am.

    Though not pronounced, there were pockets of crises recorded in few places, but security agencies were always on ground to handle the situation.

  • Lagos REC tours polling units

    Lagos REC tours polling units

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos State, Mr. Akin Orebiyi, has begun a tour of poling units across the state.

    His first port of call was Ward 08, Unit 20 at about 10:45am.

    At the unit, he asked polling officers on the challenges they have faced so far and was told that everything was going on smoothly.

    One of the prospective voters at the unit, Mrs. JB Ogunlaja, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for a job well done.

    She added that the card reader was working very well, and also praised INEC staff and security agents for arriving well on time.

  • 2015 Polls: Large voters’ turnout in Niger

    2015 Polls: Large voters’ turnout in Niger

    In Niger State the turn out of electorates in Minna the state capital was relatively fair while in Kontagora axis of the state, large number of voters were seen on queues as early as 7 am awaiting the electoral officers for accreditation.

    Reports from other parts of the state showed that the accreditation did not start on time but when it eventually did, it was peacefully conducted.

    Unlike during the Presidential and national assembly elections, the Smart Card Reader Machines were found to be more efficient during the elections in most polling units visited.  

    In Bida, Lapai and Mokwa voters came out in large numbers while in Borgu and Magama local government areas of the state accreditation did not start until 9:30am due to late arrival of electoral officers as a result of delay in distribution of election materials.

  • Large turnout of female voters in Yobe, Borno

    Large turnout of female voters in Yobe, Borno

    There has been high turnout of female voters across Yobe State for the governorship and house of assembly polls.

    Though the general turnout is averagely low, our correspondent observed that most of the voters seen on queue were females.

    Some of the INEC officials explained that the turnout will improved as the accreditation progresses, attributing the turnout to bad weather.

    “You can see, it’s too early to say there is low turn because the people are yet to come out. The weather is also bad today,”  the official said.

    Voters accreditation however  started early in most of the polling stations visited at the IDPs voting camps in Damaturu, Tarmuwa and Dapchi local government areas.

    Accreditation began at about 8.00am in some of the polling station.

    In maiduguri, the Borno State capital, accreditation is going on peacefully with voters queuing up for accreditation.

    Many people were pleased with the efficacy of the card reader as against the last election.