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  • Anambra poll: Bungled by INEC

    Anambra poll: Bungled by INEC

    Political leaders, candidates and voters in the Anambra State governorship elections have tales of woe to tell about the conduct of the exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The admission of failure by its Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, has also fuelled the fear that the umpire may repeat the mistakes in future elections, reports Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU and JOSEPH JIBUEZE.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had one year to prepare for the Anambra State governorship election. Following the Ondo State governorship poll, its Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, said that the agency would focus on the next electoral challenge and ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated. However, not only were the mistakes repeated, the INEC emerged last weekend as the greatest obstacle to free and fair elections in the country.

    The failure of the commission to hold a hitch-free poll has heightened the fear that future elections may also be jeopardised by the unpatriotic elements in the agency.

    In many polling units, the ballot box was assaulted. The late arrival of polling materials, shortage of electoral manpower, absence of polling officers and disputed voters’ registers marred the poll. Where there were voting sheets, the result sheets were absent.

    On Saturday, the election was inconclusive. Many polling areas had been excluded by the electoral officers without explanation In Obosi, Idemili Council, Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka, the state capital.. Many people returned home without exercising their franchise. Those who waited behind to protest the absence of their names on the register still forfeited their right to vote.

    Alarmed at the glaring incompetence of the electoral officers, Jega admitted that a failed election was conducted by his men. He immediately handed over the Polling Officer in charge of Idemili Council to the police for interrogation.

    The candidates and leaders of the political parties were embarrassed. Little did they think that the decision of the umpire to “clean up” the voter’s register will result into the massive disenfranchisement of voters.

    “INEC has moved a step forward and several steps backward”, complained the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Dr. Chris Ngige. “We have reasons to believe that polling materials were not supplied deliberately to places considered as my areas of strength. In Alor, Nnewi and Obosi, the preparation was poor. Voting did not take place in many places”, added the senator, who accused INEC of partiality and incompetence.

    His Progressives Peoples Alliance (PPA) counterpart, Chief Godwin Ezeemo, frowned at the late arrival of materials in some parts of the state. He said the materials did not get to Umuchu, Aguta Council, in time, although many people had been accredited around 11 am. Also, Chief Ifeanyi Ubah of Labour Party (LP) warned that the people may lose faith in the commission, judging by the flawed exercise.

    To for Tony Nwoye, the PDP candidate, it was a different ball game. He had complained to reporters in the morning about the late arrival of materials, but when the register was opened, he got the shock of his life. His name was not found. Nwoye alleged that the delay was a ploy by the opposition to disenfranchise voters in his area.

    “My finding is that it is a desperate move by my opposition to win the election. I gathered that materials arrived other polling booths as early as 6.30 a.m., but as you can see, no material has arrived my polling booth for inexplicable reasons. I have called the federal commissioner in charge of the Southeast to make my complaints known to him and he expressed shock. For materials that moved since last night to local government areas not to have reached polling booths by this time, is an attempt to provoke the youth and disenfranchise them,” he said.

    However, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Chief Willie Obiano, was not perturbed. He gave INEC a pass mark, saying :”So far, INEC is doing well.”

    Midway into the exercise, the APC leadershipit would not accept the results of the election, unless there is voting in all local governments areas, especially in Idemili North, Idemili South and Akwa South. Its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Layiwola Mohammed, chided INEC for “apparently-contrived logistics nightmare”. The party called for the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Anambra, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukogu.

    In Idemili Local Government, there are 180,000 voters. But the materials meant for the area was allegedly hijacked by unidentified persons. Mohammed complained that the materials meant for the strongholds of APGA and PDP were protected. The APC also expressed dismay at the fact that the voter registers for Idemili South, where Ngige comes from, did not contain the names of voters in the local government, despite the assurances of the INEC Chairman.

    ‘’Before the election, political parties were given voter’s registers that largely contained the names of most voters. However, about four days to the election, Jega said at an interactive stakeholder’s forum that there were problems with the registers, which would be rectified before the election. However, when the supposedly-corrected registers were brought back, most of the authentic names in them have disappeared without explanation,’’ Mohammed fumed.

    In the opinion of the APC lead-

    ers, Onukogu was very partial

    and incompetent. The commission under him also exhibited unprofessional conduct in the 2011 elections, the party said.

    ‘’In 2011, when Prof. Onukogu conducted the general elections in the state, he was very partial. During the House of Assembly polls in Onitsha South 11 and Idemili South 11, he declared the results of both inconclusive, only for him to announce the results at 12 midnight.

    “After we challenged the results in court and a rerun was ordered, we won both constituencies. We subsequently petitioned INEC and the Commission assured us that the same person will not be allowed to conduct subsequent election. Alas, he was left in place to do another damage to INEC as an institution through his glaring incompetence and partiality, which have seriously affected the credibility of this governorship election,’’ Mohammed added.

    Former Minister of Information Prof. Dora Akunyili said in Agulu, where she was accredited that there were few INEC officials. She called for the review of the electoral timeframe. “I have been accredited and I am waiting for the 12.30pm time to be counted and vote. But I must say that the timeframe is not very helpful as many voters may not be able to make it back by then. We must not disenfranchise anybody. If you look at this place now, this is past 12 noon and only one INEC official is here. Look at the long queue. When will they all be accredited and when will they vote?” she queried.

    At about 4.30 p.m, there were signs that the poll had failed. The INEC Office, Awka, which was the final collation centre, was devoid of activities. No result had come from any local government. Instead, stakeholders inundated the office with various complaints. Some people stormed the office, complaining that election had not started in three polling centres in Ogidi – Ilo Ngwodo Ward 1, Central School Akpakaogwe, and Eke Ngweje Ward 1. Also, prospective voters allegedly attacked INEC Electoral Officers for failing to present the result sheet to them before beginning accreditation. At Afor Agulu Square, Awka South, reputed to be the largest ward in Anambra, the exercise became rowdy during the counting of votes. Voters were anxious and eager to know the result.

    At Central School 1, Akpakaogwe, in Ogidi, Idemili North, an election officer said she was beaten up by the youths at the polling station. “They requested for the result sheet and I told them we don’t have it yet. They insisted they must see it and began to hit me. They were dragging me, took the ballot paper, and squeezed the register,” said the NYSC member.

    In some areas, policemen pre-

    tended as if nothing was happen-

    ing when some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains stormed polling units to give money to prospective voters in Akaboukwu Ward 2, Uruagu Nnewi, and Edoji, Uruagu Nnewi.

    In the afternoon, there was uproar in Awka among the election observers. Many of them had been rounded up by the poloce and detained. But four hours later, INEC’s Director of Monitoring, Bala Ibrahim Shittu, said that they had been released.

    A voter, Chigbundu Ositadinma, complained that INEC did not prepare for the challenge beyond the rhetoric on the pages of news papers. “We registered to vote and now, we cannot vote. Why is our name not on the register? This is not an election,” he said.

    According to observers, less than 50 per cent of the registered voters voted. Asked if they tried to confirm their names when the register was published before the election, some of the affected would-be voters said they did not know when the list was published. Others said that the list was not pasted.

    It was rowdy across the state. Voices were raised. “They won’t tell us anything. We are stranded here,” said another would-be voter Felix Udoji. “I have been here since 9 a.m,” he said. The time was about 2 p.m.

    “We were told that INEC officials were are bringing another list containing more names, and that our names would be there, but up till now nothing has happened.

    “People have even started going home due to tiredness,” Udigi added.

    As at 1.30pm when this reporter left the polling unit, voting was yet to begin.

    There were similar tales in several other poling units. A voter, Uchenna Nwaneri, told our reporter: “In my unit, only names from ‘A’ to ‘N’ were found in the list. But ‘O’ to ‘Z’ didn’t come in the register. We made enquiries and complained, and there was no response.

    “It’s really quite worrisome because they have disenfranchised many people actually. It looks like something that is intentional, because we used the same register to vote in the 2011 presidential election in the same polling booth.

    “The names were placed before the election, but have all been torn ou,” Nwaneri said.

    There were early signs that there would be hitches. Accreditation did not begin at various polling units on time because voting materials arrived late. The exercise, which ought to begin by 8am, did not begin in several places as at 11am.

    At a voting unit in Ogbankwa, Awka South Local Government Area, accreditation began at about 10.am. There was confusion over a voting centre in Nziko in Oyi Local Government Area as two major polling units were urgently relocated for security reasons.

    Voters were said to have come out for accreditation but did not meet any official in the units said to be located in a forest. It was learnt that the centre was eventually moved near a school.

    Presiding Officers were forced to extend the time allotted for accreditation of voters.

    In most voting units in Aguata Local Government, voters complained of similar challenges. In a voting centre at the Civic Centre in Umuchu Ward 1, accreditation was said to have started a few minutes to 11am. Ezeemo said the presiding officer in Civic Centre Unit 001 asked him to return by 2.30pm when voting will start.

    “INEC officials told me voting will start by 2.30pm because materials arrived late. The Presiding Officer said there were delays. Reports I have received from other places also show that materials arrived late in various centres,” he said.

    In Ihiala Local Government Area, electoral officers encountered logistics problems caused by the reposting of some ad-hoc staff, caused by the withdrawal of some of the staff over allowance issues.

    The candidate of the PDP, Mr. Tony Nwoye, could not vote at the Offia Nta Nsugbe Ward 1 unit 008 because his name was not on the voter register.

    “We couldn’t even find the names of my father, my mother, my uncle and wife on the register. When I first came at 10am this morning, the INEC officials told me they would trace the anomaly and rectify it,” he said.

    Nwoye returned to the polling unit at 3:30pm, yet his name was found. Out of the 500 people who registered in the unit, only 50 found theirs.

    Electoral materials were not enough in most of the polling units in the stronghold of the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Ngige.

    Where there were materials, they were incomplete. In some places, result sheets were not included among materials distributed.

    Ngige lamented that the attempt was aimed at reducing the votes in his stronghold, and said he felt betrayed by INEC, which had promised during the stakeholders meeting to deliver a credible election.

    There were no result sheets

    in most of the polling units

    visited in Alor and Uke in Idemili South.

    National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who were used as presiding officers in Idemili North LGA, which is Ngige’s strong base, were said to have embarked on strike in the early hours of the day because they allegedly were not paid their allowances.

    At Igbo-Ukwu in Aguata Local Government Area, a former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwumeka Ezeife, prayed that future elections in the state would be better.

    “With the proposed national dialogue, I am very confident that things would work for the better and the next election in Anambra State would be devoid of these irregularities,’ he said.

    Following the hiccups, INEC rescheduled election in Obosi, Idemili North Local Government area. But few people turned out to vote yesterday. It was unlike Saturday when polling units were filled with people. Several units had few people voting.

    Ngige was at the INEC headquarters yesterday to submit a protest letter, in which the APC demanded fresh elections in four local government areas and rejected the rescheduled election.

    He told reporters, who kept vigil at the INEC office for early collated results to come in, that there was a calculated attempt to alter the people’s will.

    “As a political party and as a candidate, the idea of conducting election on a Sunday is against the principles and beliefs of members of our party. Sunday is a holy day, a day of rest for Christians, and we don’t want to impinge on the sensibilities of our supporters.

    “A lot of them called us since that announcement was made on radio, so we came to intimate the commission that even members of the clergy who would have even assisted us with announcing the rescheduling have stoutly refused to do so, and told us that that their masses and church services start from 6-7 a.m and that the last ones end about 2-2.30 p.m. That’s about the time you do accreditation and do the voting,” Ngige said.

    INEC Chairman Prof Attahiru Jega, speaking on AIT, said the Electoral Act did not say that election cannot hold on a Sunday.

    “The law did not stop the holding of an election on any particular day. Where the exigencies require, and when you get the consent of the community, then it can be done,” Jega said.

    The INEC Chairman attributed the challenges encountered in Idemili to an act of sabotage by its official, who he said had been handed over to the police. He said further investigation would be conducted.

    On the missing names in the registers, Jega said they were those who did not update their data during the last verification exercise.

    The missing names were those on ‘addendum lists’ which the commission is trying to do away with, Jega said.

     

  • ‘It’s a failed exercise’

    ‘It’s a failed exercise’

    In this interim report, the  Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER), which monitored the Anambra State governorship election, highlights the irregularities in the poll and what the electoral commission can do to avert the mistakes in the future.

    Anambra State governorship election was greeted with much anticipation and hope because both INEC and citizens see it as a litmus test for 2015 general elections. While we must commend the people of Anambra for having conducted themselves in a peaceful manner so far, reports from our observers deployed across the state shows critical areas the election has fallen short of people’s expectations. Some of the irregularities observed in some local governments include ballot snatching, massive thump printing, lateness of materials to polling units, absence of INEC officials and materials at some polling units, inadequate logistic provision for security officers deployed from other states, hostile polling officers to observers, complicity of the security agents in electoral fraud, display of campaign posters and a host of other irregularities were observed in some (sensitive) local governments in the state.

    CODER observed that election materials did not arrive on time in many polling units specifically in Idemili North, South and Ihiala local government. In Nnokwa Ward, Idemili South LGA, names starting with O-Z were missing from voters register. As at 1pm, no INEC officials or materials were seen in Nkpor 4, Idemili North LGA. As a result of late arrivals of voting materials, accreditation could not start on time in Idemili South, Idemili North and Ogbaru LGAs. Although accreditation and voting periods were extended in some of these polling units, INEC needs to do more to enhance people’s confidence in the polls.

    Furthermore, CODER observers report that many polling officers in Awka south were hostile and seem not to possess the knowledge of the role of observers in an election. Information that would help observers fill their checklists were denied them and security officials were used to intimidate and harass duly accredited observers. We therefore seize this opportunity to call on INEC to provide adequate training for its polling officers on the complimentary role observers plays in an election before deploying them to the field.

    From the foregoing, to increase the credibility of the polls in this election in fairness to all candidates, it is important that INEC conducts a rerun election in four local governments where massive irregularities and electoral fraud were recorded as against the three wards in Idemili North comprising only 65 polling units. The rationale for this call is to address the palpable notion that there was a deliberate attempt to subvert people’s choice and ensure a particular candidate whose supporters and strong base are in these LGAs does not win in these areas. The second reason is that with the combined voting population of these LGAs at over 300,000, it becomes imperative for INEC to show the election itself as an unbiased umpire by adhering to the wishes of the people to have rerun in these three LGAs.

    Some of the specific electoral malpractices and fraud observed in these local governments are:

    · Most fraud committed in the election happened in Idemili North and South local government which happens to be the support base of one of the candidates. There appears to be a deliberate attempt to subvert people’s mandate in these areas

    · Some wards did not see any INEC officials nor voting materials two hours after voting ought to have commenced

    · At Ogidi Ward 2, polling unit 007/008, Idemili North, people refused to vote due to absence of result booklet. At PU 007, one Obiora Okonkwo came in company of policemen with vehicle number PF 2317 SPY. He asked one Bassey Effiong (Force No. 375774) to force people to vote but they were resisted

    · It was alleged that APGA and PDP were offering 10,000 naira to each polling officers and non credible observers to allow them operate freely in Nteje ward, PU 004, Ama Okpo and Orikabi

    · No election materials and no result sheets at Nbakwu

    · Election materials diverted at Ethel Obiakor Estate, Awka South

    · Insufficient polling officers noticed in Nnewi LGA, Assistant Polling officers were introduced to fill the shortfall without prior training.

    · No result booklet brought to Ogidi ward 2, polling units 007/008, Idemili North LGA.

    · Police made vulnerable to electoral fraud due to lack of logistics for their accommodation and feeding.

    We therefore join our voices with other Nigerians to call on INEC not to declare any results relating to the election until a rerun election is conducted in the local governments where many citizens were disenfranchised from exercising their constitutional rights rather than the few polling units it plans to repeat the exercise. CODER also appeals to INEC and security agencies not to only document but put to use lessons gleaned from this election to improve the conduct of future ones’.

     

  • Metuh: Poll was peaceful

    Metuh: Poll was peaceful

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday expressed satisfaction with the Anambra State governorship poll, saying that it was peaceful. The party also President Goodluck Jonathan for providing adequate security and an enabling environment for credible, free and fair election, in spite of the perceived hitches.

    The National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said in a statement that the party is also satisfied with the performance of its candidate, Comrade Tony Nwoye, at the poll.

    He said: “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hereby commends President Goodluck Jonathan for providing adequate security and the enabling environment for the conduct of credible, free and fair governorship election in Anambra State last Saturday in spite of any perceived hitch(es)

    “In the same vein we commend the entire people of Anambra State and all stakeholders, who played key roles in ensuring peaceful and orderly conduct of the process.

    “While we now await the official result, we wish to express our satisfaction that the election was conducted without disturbances, despite the massive importation of political thugs to introduce violence, disrupt and rig the poll.

    “We also commend the candidate of our great party, Comrade Tony Nwoye for his resilience, grass root appeal and credible outing which brought him to the forefront in the race despite having only two weeks to campaign.

    “While we charge all our members to continue to remain calm and focused, we wish to state that our final position on the election will be made known when the overall result is declared by the INEC.”

  • Aspirants urge KWSIEC to postpone October poll

    •Ex-Rep urges National Assembly to scrap agency

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship aspirants in Kwara State have urged the State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC) to reschedule the October 26 local government election.

    The aspirants noted that anything outside that would amount to a violation of “our inalienable rights under the Nigerian constitution, which we tend to believe your commission will avoid doing”.

    Addressing reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, Oloyin Lateef and Abdulrazaq Amode said: “The fundamental question that agitates the minds of fair-minded individuals in the state of harmony today is: how will the conduct of a local government election, in accordance with the present timetable issued by your commission, will not disqualify, incapacitate and violate the rights of the individuals who would have contested the election under the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP)? But due to no fault of theirs, they now found themselves in the newly registered party, which cannot sponsor candidates in the election.

    “As at May 28, when your commission issued a 150-day notice of the local government election to different party officials and stakeholders, the APC had not come into existence. In essence, unlike other parties that had adequate notice to prepare, the APC had no notice at all. Besides, a notice is not a formality but a fundamental step towards the conduct of a credible, free and fair election. This, no doubt, is in conflict and inconsistent with the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).”

    A former member of the House of Representatives, Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, yesterday urged the National Assembly to scrap the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC).

    The lawmaker premised his reason on the electoral body’s “electoral fraud” following last Saturday’s election in Offa Loc al Government Area.

    Bolarinwa noted that only the scrapping of the KWSIEC would restore peace to the state.

    He said the KWSIEC had demonstrated its failure to align with the popular interests of the electorate.

    The politician said last Saturday’s local government election in Offa should not have generated any controversy, if the electoral body and the other stakeholders in the state had acted as fair umpires.

    He said: “Such a vital election was supposed to expose the real feelings and aspirations of the electorate. But sadly, when the electoral bodies, which should serve the parties and other stakeholders dispassionately and in good faith, failed in that regard, there would be a crisis such as we have been facing after the Offa election of last Saturday.

    “This is why it is important for the National Assembly to scrap the KWASIEC to restore people’s trust in our electoral process…”

     

  • Parties battle Cross River’s electoral body over council polls

    The first indication that all was not well with the September 21 local government elections in Cross River State emerged when the National Conscience Party (NCP) and the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) raised the alarm over the decision of the State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC) to shift the date of the close of nomination forms and submission of candidates.

    Their grouse was that it was to favour the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which failed to meet the deadline. The parties said the umpire had “benevolently” agreed to shift the date under the guise of trying to accommodate the merger of some political parties.

    The NCP and PPA dragged CROSIEC to court over adjustment to the election timetable.

    According to the timetable issued by the commission, the period for the submission of candidates’ names was to last from May 17 to June 17. Also the period for sales of nomination forms was to last from May 20 to June 21.

    CROSIEC chairman Patrick Otu said the deadlines were extended to the first week of July. This, he said, followed a meeting with political parties where they agreed that the extension should be allowed to accommodate the merger attempt by some political parties.

    Since then it has been a barrage of complaints against the commission.

    An originating summons 3 dated July 9 from the High Court in Calabar shows fhat the NCP and PPA want an order restraining the defendant from selling on or acting on or processing any nomination form sold to any political party candidate after June 21 and the issuing of CROSIEC forms LGE001A and LGE002 to any political party after June 17.

    The defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) accused the electoral umpire of arbitrary charges of which it had instituted a case in court to protest the development. Otu said the only money collected from candidates were N90, 000 for chairmanship and N30, 000 for councillorship candidates for security fee, election deposit and processing fee, which he said applied to all parties.

    Chairman of the defunct ACN, Hiilard Eta had also protested against the voters register which he said would disenfranchise a lot of Cross Riverians who had attained the voting age of 18 between when the last elections was held and now.

    Also, the defunct Congress for Democratic Change (CPC) has instituted a legal action in the Federal High Court seeking to bar the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) from handing over the Voters’ Register to CROSIEC for the conduct of the Council election without first carrying out a comprehensive review of the register.

    The CPC is querying INEC’s power to handover the voter register to CROSIEC to organise the local government election in Cross River State on September 21 without a revision of the Voters’ Register.

    CPC also wants an update of the register by INEC.

    With the merger of the ACN, CPC and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) into the All Progressives Congress (APC) registered on July 31, Eta said the commission’s legal advisers would advise on the way forward.

    Speaking at a meeting convened by the chairmen of the three defunct parties, he said they were already harmonising their structures.

    However, the fate of the APC hangs on the balance as to whether it will be eligible to present candidates in the local government elections with the deadline for submission long due, a situation CROSIEC has refused to comment on. But with the adjustments of the timetable severally to accommodate various interests, it is believed they may have a case.

    In a surprising development, PDP jumped into the fray of parties attacking the umpire.

    PDP Chairman John Okon told reporters in Calabar that the umpire has lapses. One of his grouses was CROSIEC’s failure to publish the list of screened candidates at the time stipulated by the timetable. He raised fears about the commission’s readiness to handle the elections.

    Okon said: “Our candidates submitted themselves for screening and from CROSIEC time-table stipulated that the screened list will be published at area offices between 15th-19th July, 2013. As we speak today, the list of screened candidates is not published.

    “We demand that CROSIEC publish the list of screened candidates and the parties that sponsored them immediately. We don’t want to believe that CROSIEC wants to smuggle names of candidates of parties that did not submit nomination as at 7th July, 2013.”

    On why is the PDP was worried over the umpire’s noncompliance to timetable when it had been a beneficiary of an alteration to timetable before to accommodate their own interest, he said the first instance was done in a “transparent” way.

    When The Nation visited Otu on Wednesday, he was unwilling to talk. But after being persuaded, he wondered what the PDP was fretting over.

    He said: “It is just that they were expecting the list and they have not seen it yet. Whenever they see it, let them take it. This thing is not easy. We are working towards it. It is not easy screening all the candidates. Maybe it would be out next week. I will not say more.”

    Already, with the elections less than a month away, the umpire’s hands are already looking full. There are speculations that the local government elections would be shifted.

     

  • Youths seek credible polls in Anambra

    The youth wing of the All Progressives Congress Party (APC) in the Southeast has appealed to the leadership of the party to insist on a free and fair ballot in the forthcoming primaries of the party at which it will select a governorship candidate for the November 17 governorship election in Anambra State.

    The Anambra State acting Leader of All Progressives Youth Forum, Comrade Unegbu Ozoemena warned that imposition of candidates in the governorship election will derail the feat the party is already recording and will affect its chances of winningn the election.

    Unegbu, who spoke after a meeting of the zone in Awka, said the youths will resist any plan to impose a candidate, stating that democracy should be allowed to play its role in Anambra State.

    He said the meeting was attended by the zonal coordinators, state caucus and local government representatives of all the five states of the Southeast comprising Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra, Imo and Abia states.

    Unegbu explained that the reason for the formation of the youth forum is to have a large spread of youths mobilisation in wards, communities, which will be part of the decision-making body of the party.

    He, however, appealed to APC stakeholders to create an enabling environment for choosing the right candidate at the primaries.

    “APC believes in internal democracy and we want internal democracy to play its role in choosing our candidate; we are totally against any form of imposition at the detriment of the party members,” he said.

    Unegbu also reminded the party faithful of the need to choose a marketable candidate who will be accessible at all times.

    “We need a candidate who is accessible. All the aspirants in our party are okay and can deliver but we need a new person who will have the interest of the youths at heart and it is not what we will do in a hurry; we need to cool down and fish out such a candidate through free and fair primaries and not by appointment or imposition. We cannot tolerate that this person has done this or that or he is a serving or former senator. If APC makes the right choice in the primaries, there will be no more APGA [All People’s Grand Alliance]”.

    Also responding, the Acting National Secretary of All Progressives Youth Forum (APYF) Mr. Ausca Uchenna Obi, averred that the principle of democracy stated that people should be allowed to choose their candidates.

    “Their can’t be any imposition unless if it is on consensus but the law says credible primaries.”

    In their separate speeches, the Enugu State chairman of APYF, Mr Titus Nnamani and his Enugu East Senatorial zone colleague, Comr. Michael Nnamani stressed that the emergence of APC has answered the yearnings of Nigerians but regretted that some political parties elect old people as youth leaders in their various political parties, an action they said has crippled youth development in the country.

  • Poor logistics mar Kaduna council poll

    LATE arrival of electoral materials and officials of the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission as well as poor logistic arrangement yesterday marred the conduct of the local government election in the state.

    Accreditation did not start in most of the polling units within Kaduna metropolis until around 11 am, about four hours behind schedule as most of the places visited by The Nation were empty with only party agents, security officials and a handful of voters present.

    As at 11.30am, electoral materials were yet to arrive the polling unit close to the private residence of Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo which is located about 10 minutes drive from the headquarters of SIECOM, while the closest polling units to the SIECOM office were also without voting materials.

    The first sign of what looked like a semblance of voting was at the Queen Amina College polling unit in the Kakuri area of the metropolis where The Nation discovered that voting had already commenced at about 11.45 am, while the process was also going on peacefully in Makera, Kakuri Hausa and Kakuri Gwari.

    One of those spoken to in Kakuri Hausa said that the electoral materials arrived there at about 11.00am.

    However, at the Barnawa Shopping comply and the Government Girls Secondary School, Barnawa both in Kaduna south local government which houses about five polling units each, materials were yet to arrive at about 2.30pm.

    As to what caused the delay in the arrival of electoral materials at the Barnawa Shopping Complex, the Chairperson of SIECOM, Mrs. Hanatu Biniyat, said on phone that she would send officials of the State Security Service (SSS) to verify the claims and promptly switched off her phone.

    In Narayi area of the metropolis, voting did not start at the estimated time due to the late arrival of officials who were said to have arrived at 12.00 noon, while in some of the units, officials were just beginning to set up the polling unit as at 12.32pm for the commencement of the exercise.

    Despite the delay, there were willing voters who had to wait for hours for the officials and voting materials to arrive, while those who could not endure the long wait left.

    A 75-year-old man who identified himself as Samaila Dankande told The Nation at the Barnawa Shopping complex at about 10.30 that he got to the polling unit as early as 8.00am to exercise his franchise, but lamented that as at that time, the electoral officials were yet to arrive the venue.

    “I have been here since morning. They told us that the election would start as early as 8.00am, but right now, you can see that there is nobody here. Many people have come and gone because they are discouraged.”

    He advised people to be patient and see if there will be an improvement in the system, especially the administration of local government.

    The Ward Head of Barnawa Lowcost North, Alhaji Jibril Ibrahim also told The Nation that several people had called his residence wanting to know when the accreditation and voting would start.

    He said, “many people have been to my house this morning demanding to know when the accreditation would start. So, I drove out of my house to go and see what was happening so that I could report back to my people. But I have gone round and I cannot see anything. I don’t know what is happening.”

    A highly placed government official who would not want his name in print told The Nation that there could be sabotage by those who would want the SIECOM Chairperson to fail in conducting a smooth, free and fair election.

    Echoing similar sentiments, Independent Election Monitoring Group led by Barrister Festus Okoye told The Nation that poor logistic arrangement by the State Independent Electoral Commission was responsible for the hitches being witnessed during the election.

    Okoye said: “one of the hallmarks of a good election is proper organisation. If you don’t organise and plan well, you will definitely fail. For me, the Chairperson of SIECOM was in Kwara State during their local government election. She monitored the election and saw the way the elections went.”

    However, despite the late commencement of the exercise, The Nation saw some officials of the SIECOM being escorted by the police carrying electoral materials to the collation centre in Kaduna north local government at about 1.30pm, an indication that the exercise was over in such polling units.

     

  • Tiny northeast town casts first votes in U.S poll

    Tiny northeast town casts first votes in U.S poll

    The first ballots of the 2012 White House race were cast in the tiny northeastern town of Dixville Notch Tuesday, with Barack Obama and Mitt Romney each receiving five votes.

    The first-in-the-nation vote, held shortly after midnight, was tied for the first time in its history, another indication of the knife’s edge separating the two candidates in a race that should be decided by the end of the day, AFP news agency reports.

    Tanner Tillotson, 24, who cast the first ballot at 12:00 am (0500 GMT) in the upscale Balsams Grand Resort Hotel, said he voted for President Obama.

    “I hope it will inspire people to get out and make their voice heard,” he said.

    “I think (the result) is very indicative, that this is the first time in Dixville Notch’s history that there is a tie. We’re still a much divided nation and it will be interesting to see how the rest of the country is.”

    The tiny New Hampshire town, some 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Canadian border, boasts the first vote in United States elections, but is seen as more of a curiosity than a national bellwether.

    Early voting has been under way for several weeks in some states, and recent days have seen long lines outside of polling stations as the two campaigns have carried out intensive get-out-the-vote efforts.

    The Republican candidate has won Dixville Notch in every election since the tradition began in 1960, except for 2008, when Obama won.

    Polls show Obama as the slight favorite, with the two candidates in a virtual tie in national polls but the president holding a narrow lead in the key swing states needed to win the all-important electoral college.

     

  • Opinion poll gives it to Akeredolu

    Opinion poll gives it to Akeredolu

    THE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate in Saturday’s governorship election, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akredolu, will win the poll, an opinion poll predicted at the weekend.

    The poll, conducted by Total Loyalty team, rates the ACN candidate ahead of the others in the 18 local governments in the state.

    In a statement, Total Loyalty President, Oluwatoyin Balogun, said the poll revealed “the people’s hunger for a change.”

    Another poll by Nigeria Gallop Poll Watch, in association with Track Pool Limited, United Kingdom, last week rated Akeredolu to win with 40.28 per cent ahead of the Labour Party candidate, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko (24.84 per cent) and Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Olusola Oke (22.84 per cent).

    A breakdown of the result of the Total Loyalty Team in the 18 local governments is as follows:

    Akoko North West Local Govt- 75% ACN, 10% P.D.P, 15% L.P

    Akoko South West LG-70% ACN, 5% PDP, 25% L.P

    Akoko South East LG-80% ACN, 5%PDP, 15%L.P

    Akoko North East LG-65%ACN, 15%PDP, 20%L.p

    Akure North LG-90%ACN, 5%P.D P, 5% L.P

    Akure South LG 50% ACN, 15%PDP, 35% L.P

    Ese Odo LG-40% ACN, 50%PDP, 10%L.P

    Idanre LG 30%ACN, 25%PDP, 45% L.P

    Ifedore LG 35%ACN, 15%PDP, 50% LP.

    Ilaje LG-35ACN, 50%PDP, 15%LP.

    Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo LG- 35%ACN, 25%PDP, 40%LP.

    Irele LG-40%ACN, 50%PDP, 10%LP.

    Odigbo L.P 40%, ACN15%, PDP 45%LP.

    Okitipupa LG 40%ACN, 45%PDP, 15%L.P

    Ondo East LG 35%, ACN 29%, PDP, 45%L.P

    Ondo West LG 30%ACN, 15%PDP, 55%L.P

    Ose LG 80%ACN, 15%PDP, 5%L.P

    Owo LG 80%ACN, 15%PDP, 5%L.P

  • Sensitive poll materials in CBN’s custody

    A head of next Saturday’s governorship poll in Ondo State, the sensitive materials for the conduct of the election were yesterday brought into the state from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) headquarters in Abuja. The materials, which were brought into the state in an aircraft, were received by CBN officials, witnessed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, political parties’ agents and reporters. They have been kept in CBN Akure branch vault.

    The materials are expected to be kept in the bank till a few days to the conduct of the election when they will be transferred to the 18 local governments.

    Speaking with reporters at the airport, the Administrative Secretary of INEC in the state, Mr. Kayode Oladimeji, said the CBN is known for keeping sensitive items including money, and it has been keeping items for INEC over the years.

    He assured of the safety of the materials in CBN’s custody.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Akin Orebiyi, said INEC is not officially involved in the issue of sensitive materials now.

    He said INEC officials were around to witness the arrival of the materials, which would be in the custody of the CBN, Akure branch.