Tag: #NigeriansElect2015
-
Most searched for Presidential candidate
Based on searches conducted on google.com.ng from January 1 2015 to March 27, 2015 -
INEC not for perfect election, says Kebbi REC
- Concludes distribution of sensitive materials
The Resident Electoral Commissioner of Kebbi State, Jibril Ibrahim Zarewa, yesterday said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is not out to conduct a perfect election today, but rather an election that is better than previous ones.
Zarewa who stated this at a press briefing in Birnin-Kebbi how ever added that the agency had successfully distributed all sensitive materials throughout the 21 local governments in the state in readiness for the polls.
He added that the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection in the state is now 95 per cent and that there is still a window to enable those who have not collected theirs to do so on the day of voting at the polling units.
He said: “We are going to have some challenges but if we are able to get the logistics right, we will set up small distribution centres so people can still collect their PVCs and vote.”
Zarewa while responding to a questions on measures put in place by INEC to curb corruption related activities between its ad-hoc staff and politicians, said: “The issue of corruption is not between the ad-hoc staff and politicians, but rather let us say in the entire process.
“I think Nigerians have settled for so many changes, Now those changes are intended to improve what we do. We cannot solve all problems over night.
“INEC does not expect to make a perfect election but our hope is to have an election that is free, fair and that is better than all the ones we have ever conducted and after we come to review, we will see the areas we made mistakes that will need further improvement in future.
“But it is not going to be a perfect election but we want it to better than all the elections we have had before.”
According him, the number of registered voters in Kebbi State is 1,470,648, while PVCs supplied to the state is 1,467,992.
He said that of the PVCs supplied 1,389,041 have been distributed representing 95 per cent of number of PVCs supplied.
He added that 1,459,725 were supplied to the state out of which 1,458,474 which include five per cent on the number of register voters in the state have been distributed.
He said the balance of 1,251 ballot papers have been returned to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for safe keeping.
He said that the elections will be conducted in a total of 3,190 polling units and voting points made up of 2,398 polling units and 792 voting points.
The Kebbi REC said a situation room to monitor the conduct of the elections as well as interface with the INEC headquarters in Abuja has been opened.
He said the situation room has been equipped with necessary gadgets to allow for online real time monitoring activities of field officers.
He said it would also allow the headquarters in Abuja to monitor election progress in the state during and after voting.
He said even though the INEC would receive substantial information from the field before the end of collation and counting of votes, it would announce election results until it’s officers turn their reports.
He said the advance information is meant to safeguard the sanctity of actual figures arrived at the polling centres.
He said the Commission had made provision for 170 buses to enable the movement of both men and materials to the polling units on time.
He advised the electorate to arrive the polling centres on time to enable the voting process to commence as scheduled by 8am.
-
USA/Chicago APC warns against intimidation of voters
- Seeks free, fair elections
The United States of America (USA)/Chicago Branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday warned security agencies in the country against undue harassment and intimidation of voters ahead of the Presidential and National Assembly elections today.
Vice Chairman/Assistant National Publicity Secretary of the association, Mr. Olawale Ebietomiye, spoke during an interview with newsmen in Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State.
Ebietomiye said that Nigerians deserves a free and fair elections from the government of President Goodluck Jonathan.
He insisted that no life must be lost or property destroyed during the elections.
He stated that Nigerians have the right to go to the polling booths, cast their ballots and return home peacefully to resume their normal businesses.He stated that most Nigerians in the Diaspora are prepared to return home if the Presidential candidate of the APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, wins.
Ebietomiye said: “We the APC in USA and Chicago wants to make sure that our people benefit from the dividends of democracy and the reason is because it is nice for us as Nigerians to make sure that we take care of our people regardless of any differences or any political party we are in support of.
“Our stand is that we must have a free and fair election and again, no life must be lost because of election. And again, property should not be destroyed. We are one Nigeria. We are not divided.
“We will not let anything divide us, neither anything to bring us back. This is 21st Century. We see the way they do it in other countries – the United States, Europe they did elections and they were free and fair. Somebody must win when there is an election.
“So, anybody that wins, let’s declare the results. Lets’s make it free, make it fair and let everybody go on their way. After the election we are still one Nigeria, so why should we destroy ourselves or kill ourselves down because of election.
“Our message is that for these coming elections, let us make sure it is free and let our people go out and and vote and exercise their right. We don’t want anybody to intimidate anybody during the elections.
“The atmosphere should be good for us to exercise our franchise – people should be able to go to the polling booths, cast their votes and go to their homes peacefully and if there is any observer to observe the election, they have the right to do that.
So we should not intimidate anybody. We should make sure we take care of people – they come to the polling booths, they cast their votes, they go home safe.
“They don’t want to go home injured or anybody being killed because of the election. So this is what we stand for.”
He added that the country needs change in all its ramification if it must develop and ensure good quality of life for its people.
He said: “As an APC supporter, we need a change. We need a change in everything – in the economy, agriculture and education. The way we are going is not the best.
“We want to go a direction that our people will have quality education, have sound economic system, have good agriculture and develop ourselves.
“We Nigerians are agile people – we work and we stay by what we do. Even the Nigerians in Diaspora, if you see them, they work, they send money home to their families to take care of their families and to take care of their people.
“All the things that we do here. So this is what we want our government to have at the backs of their mind.”
On whether he plans to relocate to Nigeria if there is change as a result of the elections, Ebietomiye said: “Of course, if there is change, I will tell you that 99 per cent of Nigerians will like to come back home because wherever you go in the world, no matter how good or how better it is, you are still a second class citizen.
“Your coming to your home country makes you a first class citizen. You will be free to work around.
“You will be free to communicate with your people, there is nobody that will intimidate you because this is a country that you were born and bred in, so if our country in conducive, for people to move around and there are good roads, electricity and water, our people will come back home.
“I will tell you, 99 per cent of Nigerians in abroad will not want to stay over there. They talk about it, they want to come back home.
“Personally because of the business I do, I have interaction with many Nigerians and they come in they share their feelings. We see our medical doctors, coming abroad to do to less menial jobs.
“That does not befit us as Nigerians because we have this sound education. Our people want to come back home if the country is conducive for them to stay.”
-
Jonathan’s broadcast on elections
NATIONAL BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR ON THE 2015 GENERAL ELECTIONS,FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015
Dear Compatriots,
1. As we prepare to go to the polls tomorrow, I have come before you this morning to express my immense appreciation for the opportunity you gave me to lead this great nation of ours in the past four years.
2. I also wish to place on record, once again, my sincere gratitude for the support you have given my administration without which the significant progress we have made in recent years would not have been possible.
3. In spite of the many challenges we have had to contend with since 1999, our present democratic dispensation continues to endure and grow stronger in keeping with the yearnings and aspirations of our people.
4. We have all worked very hard to nurture and strengthen our democratic institutions and promote the good governance practices which they were designed to deliver for the better well-being of our people.
5. I believe I can say without fear of contradiction that we all clearly cherish the democracy we now have and will never willingly give it up for any other form of governance.
6. This much-cherished democracy of ours is about to be put to the test once again.
7. I urge you all to troop out en-masse to peacefully perform your civic duty of voting for leaders of your choice tomorrow.
8. As we do so, let us all – political party leaders, contestants, party members, party agents, supporters and ordinary voters alike, be very conscious of the fact that the eyes of the entire world are on us.
9. We must therefore comport ourselves in a manner that will further strengthen our democracy and consolidate our place in the comity of truly democratic nations.
10. I made a commitment on assumption of office to progressively deliver freer, fairer and more credible elections in our country. In keeping with that commitment, the Federal Government has given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) all necessary support to ensure that it conducts very successful elections tomorrow and on April 11.
11. We have all been assured that INEC is fully ready for the elections. I believe that we can all trust that they are certainly more ready now than they may have been before security issues and other concerns necessitated a re-scheduling of the dates for the 2015 general elections.
12. As an administration, we welcome the fact that millions of Nigerians who were yet to receive their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) as at February 14, and would therefore have been unfairly disenfranchised if the polls had gone ahead on that date, have seized the opportunity of the re-scheduling to collect their cards and can now exercise their right to vote tomorrow.
13. We are also glad that our gallant Armed Forces have successfully stemmed the seizure of Nigerian territories in the North-East by the terrorist group, Boko Haram.
14. They have recaptured most of the communities and territories formerly occupied by the insurgents, making it possible for thousands of internally-displaced Nigerians to begin returning to their homes and communities.
15. I heartily commend the very courageous men and women of our Armed Forces for the immense sacrifices which they continue to make in defending the nation and protecting its citizens.
16. I also thank all Nigerians for keeping faith with us over the past six weeks.
17. I call on all political parties and politicians in the country to allow the free, unfettered will of our people to be expressed without any hindrance in the coming elections in keeping with the hallowed principles and tenets of democratic governance which we all profess.
18. The will of the people freely expressed through the ballot is the bedrock of all democracies and ours cannot be an exception
19. Let us all therefore be prepared, as true democrats, to graciously accept the outcome of the elections as the rightful choice of our people from whom all political powers in our democracy must emanate
20. My administration has done its utmost best in the past four years to deliver on our promise to positively transform our country
21. Tomorrow’s election is another very important milestone as we continue our march towards the fulfillment of our God-given potential for greatness.
22. The election offers us another opportunity to empower leaders of our choice once again, and to show the world that genuine democracy is alive and well in our beloved nation.
23. I will like to restate my belief that no political ambition can justify violence or the shedding of the blood of our people.
24. I reaffirm once again, my personal preparedness to ensure fair play during the elections and to deploy the resources and institutions of state only in the manner prescribed by our laws.
25. Let me warn, however, that as President, Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, I am under oath to protect the lives of all Nigerians and the security of our country at all times. I will never abdicate my responsibilities in that regard.
26.26. Democracy allows dissent. It encourages differences and even fervent disagreements. But elections must never be mistaken for war or an opportunity to set fellow citizens against each other and tear our beloved nation apart.
27. Those who may harbor any intentions of testing our will by unleashing violence during the elections in order to advance their political ambitions should think again as all necessary measures have been put in place to ensure that any persons who breach the peace or cause public disorder during or after the elections are speedily apprehended and summarily dealt with according to our laws.
28. The nation’s security agencies are also fully prepared and ready to deal decisively with any group or persons who attempt to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the elections or cause any form of public disorder
29. Our dear country, Nigeria is the largest democracy amongst black nations of the world. We are a nation of great accomplishments, with a proud history of evolving affinities
30. Let us go out tomorrow to vote peacefully and set a fitting example of political maturity for other emerging democracies to follow.
31. I wish you all and our dear nation, very peaceful and successful elections.
32. May God Almighty continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
33. I thank you all. -
BREAKING! Nigeria prepares for poll, shuts border
As Nigeria rounds up all plans for the forth coming general elections, the Minister for Internal Affairs, Comrade Abba Moro, has directed that all sea and land borders be closed.
The directive, which was made available in a statement by the ministry, stated the borders should be closed from 12 midnight of Wednesday 25 of March till 12 midnight Saturday 28 or March, when the presidential election would have been concluded.
Abubakar Magaji, Permanent Secretary to the interior minister, who signed the release, noted that the closure of the borders is necessary ‘to allow for the peaceful conduct of the forthcoming national elections’.
The Nigeria Immigration Service, (NIS) was also directed to ensure that foreigners do not participate in any part of the election process.
