The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Presidential election

  • APC, PDP set for legal battle

    Atiku, PDP seek access to election materials

    We’ll prove our candidate won, says APC

    Secondus, others march on INEC to reverse verdict

    A legal battle is set to begin between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the February 23 presidential election won by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The PDP and its candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday approached the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) for permission to inspect the materials used for the poll.

    They are seeking the tribunal’s order to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to grant them and their agents access to the materials.

    Also yesterday, the leadership of the PDP took its protest over the poll to INEC’s doorstep in Abuja.

    They were led by the party’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.

    But the APC said its legal team would defend the ruling party’s victory at the tribunal with facts and figures.

    According to it, the PDP has taken the only democratic route to register its grievances by approaching the tribunal.

    The Director of Strategic Communication of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, (SAN, said the ruling party is prepared to prove that the election, won by its candidate President Buhari, was conducted in a free and fair atmosphere, deviod of rigging as being claimed by the opposition.

    In a statement in Abuja yesterday, Keyamo noted that resorting to court was the only democratic way for Atiku to ventilate his perceived grievances about the election, stressing that the council was not in any way prevailing on the former vice president not to seek judicial redress.

    Keyamo denied reports that the council had written to some international organisations and development partners to prevail on Atiku not to challenge the outcome of the election in court, adding that the body that wrote the letter was not known to the council and does not speak for it and the President.

    The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to some news item and posts on social media reporting that we wrote a letter to some international bodies to prevail on Alhaji Atiku Abubakar not to proceed to court to challenge the result of the 2019 Presidential Election.

    “Our investigation reveals that a letter to that effect was purportedly written by a certain ‘Buhari Campaign Organisation’. This is the second time we will be informing the public that the said ‘Buhari Campaign Organisation’ does not act at the behest of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, nor does it represent the Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation in any way.

    “As a result, whatever it has released does not represent the position of the APC Presidential Campaign Council or President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “Our official position is that we believe that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has a constitutional right to seek redress in court and we do not seek in any way to curtail that right. In fact, it is the resort to court that is the only democratic way to ventilate his perceived grievance and any attempt to restrict or discourage the exercise of such right would be an invitation to anarchy.

    “In addition, we are very anxious to meet Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in court in order to show the world in a conclusive manner the free and fair nature of the comprehensive defeat of Atiku at the polls. An election is not termed ‘rigged’ only by the mere claim of it by the loser.

    “That is what Atiku and the PDP want to ram down our throats. Unfortunately for them, international, continental and sub-regional observers (who can be seen as neutral by all standards) ALL declared the election to be free, fair and credible. No ego-massaging narrative can change that.

    “We therefore totally disassociate ourselves from the letter purportedly written by one of, perhaps, many support groups of President Buhari. They may have a right to their opinion, but it does not represent our official position.”

    In their application to the PEPT, Atiku and the PDP prayed that they be allowed to examine election materials

    Their prayers are contained in a motion ex-parte they filed before the tribunal in Abuja, in which they are seeking leave to inspect the voters register, the Smart Card Reader (SCR), ballot papers and other vital documents used in the conduct of the presidential election.

    They also want the tribunal to order INEC to allow their agents to scan and make photocopies of vital documents used for the election to enable them establish what they  alleged were irregularities in the exercise.

    In the motion filed by their lawyer, Chris Uche, (SAN), Atiku and the PDP said that the reliefs being sought against INEC were for the purpose of filing and maintaining an election petition, which they are preparing to file against the outcome of this year’s presidential election.

    The Director, Contact and Mobilisation of the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council, Col. Austin Akobundu (rtd), deposed to a 12-paragraph supporting affidavit filed with the motion.

    INEC, President Muhammadu Buhari and his APC have been listed as respondents to the motion.

    No date has been fixed for the hearing of the motion.

    The Nation learnt yesterday that the motion, being one of the preliminary steps towards initiating an election petition, may not necessarily be heard in the open, but in the chambers of the tribunal.

    A member of the Atiku/PDP legal team confirmed to our reporter that the motion was filed to enable the team gather sufficient materials to prepare their petition.

    The member said that such a motion was one of the preliminary steps in filing election petitions.

    He said: “Since the petition was intended to challenge the outcome of the election, it was necessary to inspect vital materials used for the election to enable the intending petitioner source sufficient materials to prepare his/her petition.”

    He was optimistic that his team would file the petition before the end of this week.

  • APC to Nigerians: We are humbled in victory

    The APC Presidential Campagna Council said on Tuesday that they were humbled by the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in the recent Presidential election, saying Nigerians should regard the election as a no victor, no vanquished situation.

    Director General of the Council and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi who spoke at a news conference at the council headquarters in Abuja also said that the PDP plan to write to the United Nations on the outcome of the 2019 Presidential election was just an exercise in futility as the supreme body in the country still remain the President.

    Amaechi who said President Buhari has already assured that he will run an all-inclusive government, pointing out that those asking the governme t to stop blaming the PDP for the problems of the country are not students of history.

    He said “The President has said that no only will he run an all incusive government, but he is guided by the fact that Nigerians have suffered alot and this is the time to use Nigerian money. In the accounts of Excess Crude, there was 68 billion by Obasanjo and the cost of the railway project from Lagos to Ibadan to Kano was 7.8 billion. If that money was well utilsied, we should have had one now. Lagos to Calabar is 11 billion. we could have had the rail from Lagos to Calabar.

    “But nobody is asking where is that money Obasano left behind? By the time we came, they had taken away that money and you said we should not blame the PDP. we cannot stop blaming the PDP because that i history which is a record of past events and the present. What happened in the past influence our present. They took away the money leaving behind only 2.5 billion dollars. So, how do you operate.

    “The focus of this Press conference was to thank Nigerians and say we are grateful to PDP, you should not pursue this matter in court, let us prepare for the next four years when we come be for another election and encourage INEC to conduct a free and fair election and that is what the President was emphasising.

    “Whether the PDP did well or not, we now have another four years to prove them wrong by doing better. we cannot keep crying that they didn’t do well. No excuses because the President has promised to run a government that will satisfy Nigerians. As Journalists, please try and investigate so that you can find out what is happening. I am embarrassed because in Rivers state, to be a candidate, the court disqualifies you.”

    On statements credited to the National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus that election may not holding in 2023, the Former Rivers governor said “The PDP Chairman is not the President of Nigeria. Not even the President of Nigeria can stop elections holding in 2023 because we have the constitution.

    “To say you are going to the UN, let me say that there is no superior authority in Nigeria other than the constitution and the constitution has said that after every our years, there should be elections. So, nether the PDP or APC chairman can say there will be no election.”

    reacting to reports that the President got more votes in 2015 that what he got this year, he said “there was voter apathy because Buhari supporters have the feeling that he has already won and did not come out to vote. We had a huge turn out during the campaigns that in Borno, people were hanging on trees.

    “We should be praying for the souls of the faithfully departed in the course often campaign and during elections. Because of campaign, we lost 10 persons in Taraba, Four in Borno and fifteen in Port Harcourt. The one in Port Port Harcourt was unnecessary because the event was over and people were leaving when bad boys came to forment trouble and people panic and we had stampede.

    “We are satisfied with the votes we got. You can say that this election was a score card for the President on whether Nigerians are satisfied with what he has done. 15.5 million Nigerians said they were satisfied with his performance.

    “We are very proud of that and We are humbled in victory. Even the President is quite about it and even told Nigerians that they should go ahead to vote for whoever they want. We believe that our brothers in the other party will see reasons. But we will try and see what will happen.”

    while thanking Nigerians for putting their trust in the Buhari led administration, Amaechi said “I call this Press Conference to thank Nigerians for voting President Muhammadu Buhari and the need for Nigerians to support the President. We think Nigerian for turning out in their large number to vote for the President.

    “I dont know how true it is, but I saw in the coaisl media that New Times wrote that it was a selection between corruption and integrity. Election is over and we are no lnger discussing corruption, but wants to implement the policies that will ensure that monies that belong to Nigerians are kept for Nigerians alone.

    “Like you know, the cardinal point the President has consistently campaign on is that he will fight corruption. He also focuses on not only rehabilitating the economy, but also to make it good.

    “We had this challenge as soon as we took over in 2015 and the President has said that the economy will not grow if we don’t focus on security and ensure that lives are secured. We are saying that none of these cardinal objectives will be forgotten by the President and he has said that he will run an all-inclusive government. Many Nigerians have asked what he intends to do.

    “I want to say to Nigerians that we are grateful and we are humbled by the number of people who turned out, not just for the election, but at the point of campaign, not only in the north, but also in the south. The support in the south increased tremendously against what we had in 2015 which is a clear indication of the acceptability of the President. I told some people that it is only those that failed election that gathers for meeting. Those who wins will only share champegene.

    “In celebrating, we are conscious of the fact that in this election, we want to repeat what Gowon said in the seventies that is no victor and no vanquish. We enjoined our colleagues in PDP to join hands and ensure that Nigerians have good governance.”

    Speaking on the violence in Rivers during the last election and whther he ws remorseful, Amaechi said “if you are a Christian, yu have already found me guilty without any trial. If you are sking me whether I am sympathising with those killed, that I can answer. But if you ask me whether I am remorseful, it is like founding me guilty and asking me whther I am sorry for being found guilty.

    “I want to say that many people like my name as former governor and former Speaker and currently a Minister. All do is to vote and go home. let us take the violence in River state one after the other.

    “The first violence was in Abonema. Lieutenant was standing and protecting INEC staff when hired killers came from outside the area and open fire on military men and killed one. What do you expect and when they responded in self defence, people protested that they don’t want the military in an area where you have militant.

    “I am avoiding talking about the current governor of Rivers state because people will say that you have governed for eight years, allow this man to govern. I keep away so that he will not say Amaechi is not allowing me to govern. You should investigate when I was there.

    “I have never gone away with the type of money Wike went away with, N117 billion and nobody complained. Rivers state is one state where there should not be a candidate at all especially if the court found you guilty and disqualifies you. Two days after elections, they went back to the same place and killed three soldiers and cart away their guns. i am neither a military man nor am I from Abonema, not did I leave my house to Abonema to vote.

    “In Emoha, when it was time to collate result, thugs came shooting and everybody ran away. The fourth one was in Andoni, the home town of the PDP Chairman. Majority of the people dying are APC member. As leader of the APC, will I go and kill my own people. They did not only kill those people, they cut off their neck and went away with their corpse. Nobody is asking why people are killed just because of the ambition of one person?

    “I was governor of that state and I fought militants. i don’t know them, I don’t greet them. Wike established neigbourhood watch and who are the members of that body? He armed them and you are asking me about what is happening in Rivers state. Which law in Nigeria permits you to establish a para military organisation.”

     

  • Governors greet Buhari, Osinbajo on re-election

    GOVERNORS across the country have congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for their victory in the presidential election.

    They spoke through their individual statements issued yesterday.

    President Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was in the early hours of Wednesday declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

    The President polled 15,191,847 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who got 11, 262,978 votes.

     

    Ambode: victory well-deserved

     

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, said the victory was a confirmation of the people’s love for Buhari and an attestation that Nigerians were happy with the progress the Federal Government has made in the last four years.

    The governor said: “Let me join millions of our loyal party faithful in the state and across the country to congratulate President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo for their resounding victory at last Saturday’s polls. “

     

    Re-election is appreciation of good governance, says Oyetola

     

    Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola, in his congratulatory message, described President Buhari’s victory as the appreciation of good governance and quality leadership.

    Oyetola, who maintained that “the outcome of this election shows that President Buhari has done very well and his victory gives hope for our democracy,” said Buhari’s triumph is well-deserved.

    The governor spoke with reporters at the Government House in Osogbo while reviewing the outcome of the presidential election.

    The governor, who congratulated the President and APC members said: “This is a renewed hope for Nigerians. I feel great and very happy that President Buhari has been re-elected. This victory depicts that our President has done very well in all areas.”

    On Tuesday, the governor went on a road show across major streets of Osogbo to join the people in the state capital, who trooped out in large number to celebrate Buhari’s victory.

    The governor said the state would continue to benefit massively from the social investment initiatives of the Federal Government.

     

    Masari: president ’ll build on APC’s successes

     

    Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari described the President’s re-election as an act of God.

    Masari, who spoke with reporters at the Government House, congratulated the President and expressed confidence that he would use the opportunity of his second term to build on the successes already recorded by the APC administration since 2015.

    According to Masari, “we thank God for making this victory possible for President Buhari and for Nigerians. We had a very successful presidential election with few minor incidences that are natural for an occasion of this size and nature.

    “We thank the people of Nigeria for re-affirming their confidence in the ability and capacity of President Muhammadu Buhari to steer the affairs of this nation for the next four years.”

     

     Buhari’s election was a referendum, says Ajimobi

     

    Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi described Buhari’s re-election for another four years as a referendum in support of integrity, good governance and the fight against corruption.

    A statement by the governor’s Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, Mr. Bolaji Tunji, congratulated the President for his landslide victory over his major challenger, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

    Ajimobi thanked the Oyo State people for their steadfastness and support for the APC over the years, which he said puts a question mark on the purported victory of the PDP in the presidential election result in the state.

    He also expressed gratitude to the people for ensuring the emergence of nine out of 14 House of Representatives candidates of the party and two senatorial seats out of three, which he said would give the state a strong voice in the National Assembly.

     

    Yari expresses happiness

     

    Zamfara State Governor Abdul Aziz Yari hailed Zamfara people for successful and peaceful conduct of the elections despite insecurity bedeviling the state.

    Yari spoke in an interactive session with reporters at his residence in his hometown of Mafara in Mafara Local Government Area.

    He hailed the media for a very good job in disseminating information that is based on facts and not biased.

     

     Okorocha: it’s best political development

     

    Imo State Governor and the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum Rochas Okorocha, in a statement signed by his Chief Press  Secretary,  Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, said  the “election of President Buhari for second term could be adjudged the best political development for the nation at the moment because there would not have been any better alternative in the circumstance”.

    He also observed that “the way Nigerians voted for him only showed that he has done well in his first tenure and has enviable popularity among Nigerians”.

    Okorocha also lambasted the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo,  Chief Nnia Nwodo, for dragging the Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation into partisan politics for pecuniary gains.

     

    Abubakar asks Atiku to accept defeat

     

    Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar advised the PDP presidential candidate and his party to accept the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari  in good faith,  saying there is another chance to contest in future.

    The governor, who gave the advice through a statement issued by his press secretary, Abubakar Al-Sadique, urged the PDP to support the incoming administration in the onerous task of nations-building.

     

    ‘It’s the will of the people’

     

    Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje joined well-meaning Nigerians in congratulating the President and the APC for overwhelmingly winning the presidential election.

    Ganduje attributed Buhari’s victory to the successes recorded in his administration, which he described as one of the most successful in Nigeria’s democratic governance.

    The congratulatory message indicated that “the re-election of President Buhari is the will of the people, who are supporting his administration’s change agenda that has brought about transformation in all facets of development in the country”.

     

    Akeredolu: victory belongs to Nigerians’

     

    Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi  Akeredolu also joined millions of Nigerians to congratulate the President on his re-election.

    Akeredolu, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary(CPS) Segun Ajiboye, said Buhari’s victory in the keenly contested presidential election signified the acceptability of his leadership by the majority of the citizens.

    The governor noted that the victory belongs to all Nigerians, irrespective of their ethnic and religious beliefs.

    He was optimistic that the next level promised the citizens by the President would indeed take the country to unprecedented heights.

     

    Lalong: it’ll usher in prosperous Nigeria

     

    To Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, the re-election of Buhari would usher in a prosperous Nigeria that would be a country of destination in the comity of nations.

    Lalong, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mark Longyen in Jos, said: “Mr. President, your taking over the reins of power in 2015 and re-election now is God’s divine intervention to usher in a new and prosperous Nigeria that will be the country of destination for the global community.

     

    ‘Re-election confirms Nigerians’ trust in President’

     

    Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi said the victory of APC in the presidential and National Assembly elections represented true reflection of the peoples’ will.

    Fayemi said the President’s re-election was a great testimony to the fact that Nigerians appreciated Buhari’s efforts at making life more comfortable for the people in the last four years.

    The governor, who described President Buhari as a focused, compassionate and sincere leader with genuine concern for the overall good of the citizenry, said the Nigerian electorate have demonstrated that given a choice, they would readily choose a sincere leader, who cares for their well-being above other considerations.

    He added that the President would not take the trust for granted.

  • Domestic observers applaud presidential election

    About 18 accredited local observers, who participated in Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections, have adjudged the process as close to perfect.

    The exercise, they said, meets international best practices.

    Addressing news men in Abuja, spokesman for the groups of observers, Tunde Bafunsho of the Organisation of Justice for Equity Sustenance (OJES), said the conduct of the elections was 80 percent credible.

    While asking those who won to be magnanimous in victory, he said losers must also accept defeat with dignity so that Nigeria and Nigerians will become beneficiaries.

    The observers said: “We wish to commend the electoral management body, INEC for their immeasurable contributions to the success recorded during the just concluded presidential and National Assembly Election.

    “Conducting elections anywhere is never an easy task, requiring the collective input of all stakeholders, including political parties, security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders as well as the entire Citizenry.

    “It is our considered view that the postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections originally slated for the l6 of February and 21 of March 2019 respectively, evidently helped in putting certain measures in place that culminated to the success recorded eventually on the 23 of February rescheduled presidential exercise.”

    They said the processes leading to the election were far better than what the country had in the past.

    According to them: “We wish to place on record that both sensitive and non-sensitive materials for last Saturday’s elections arrived their various destinations on schedule and adequate for the conduct of both elections with an overwhelming and unprecedented turnout including the massive participation of women.

    “Majority of the voters, media, party agents, observers, security agents and poll officials witnessed the sorting of ballots, counting and recording of result sheets signed by all concerned stakeholders and collation of result at the various collection centers, especially local government and State collection centers.

    “There was separation of Presidential/ National Assembly collation centres where presiding officers conducted their activities professionally and transparently.”

    They stressed that all stakeholders that participated in the 2019 Presidential and NASS Elections performed their roles towards the sustenance of a credible, peaceful, transparent electoral process and democracy in Nigeria.

    “INEC having performed satisfactorily in the conduct and monitoring of the exercise, they should strive to sustain such noble attainment during the upcoming governorship and State Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, 9th March, 2019 and all other future elections.”

  • President’s victory ’ll guarantee growth of critical infrastructure, says BON DG

    Voice of Nigeria (VON) Director General Mr. Osita Okechukwu has described the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in the just concluded presidential election as a guarantee for uninterrupted growth of critical infrastructure.

    Okechukwu lashed out at some leaders in Igboland, who adopted the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as the Southeast candidate.

    He lamented that the President General of Ohanaeze, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, deliberately adopted Atiku, even  when he knew he stood no chance in the North against Buhari, who has a vote-bank of 12 million voters.

    “One would have thought that our big brother, Chief Nwodo, could had been more reticent and pragmatic before adopting Atiku, in view of the  itinerant nature of Ndigbo, who reside in every nook and cranny of our dear country. How can a leader railroad the destiny of his people into irrelevance? The choice of Atiku from day one didn’t add, in view of collective Igbo interest.”

    He spoke yesterday in Enugu during a party organised by the Buhari Support Organisation/Zikist Buharist Movement to celebrate the President’s victory.

    According to him, the resounding victory of Mr. President has provided a lifeline to ongoing development of critical infrastructure, such as roads, rail and massive investment in agriculture, geared towards diversification of the country’s economic base and attaining self-sufficiency in food production.

    “The Eastern Rail Line Corridor, Enugu Coal, 2nd Niger Bridge, Enugu Urban Water Scheme et al, are now guaranteed. This is why the jubilation.”

  • APC criticises PDP for asking INEC to declare Atiku winner of presidential election

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday described the call by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar as winner of Saturday’s presidential election as an unwarranted attack on democracy and Nigerians.

    In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary Lanre Issa-Onilu, the APC said the call was shameful.

    He said: “The PDP in that statement, recklessly calls on the INEC to arbitrarily declare its candidate, Atiku Abubakar the winner of the presidential election.

    “This call is shameful and alarming; unwilling to wait for INEC, the constituted legal authority to complete its task, the PDP seeks a short cut by false and premature claims of victory, this cannot stand.

    “Our nation is trying to perfect its democracy, not turn it into a mockery, sadly, this objective is lost to the PDP.”

    The ruling party accused the PDP of trying to intimidate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare its candidate even before the collation of the result begins.

    Issa-Onilu said the APC believed in the sanctity of the ballot box and the rule of law, stressing that what the PDP was trying to do was throw the nation into a state of confusion.

    He accused the PDP of being desperate to take over power, noting that it was not patient enough to allow the INEC carry out its constitutional responsibility of collating the results as expressed by the people before declaring the winner of the election.

    He said the statement by the PDP was not helpful to the electoral system, adding that seeking a short cut to power will be counter-productive.

    Issa-Onilu said: “Sadly, this objective is lost to the PDP. The PDP’s guiding principle is distilled to the following: because they want something, then they should get it. What they use to guide themselves actually blinds them instead.

    “They want the presidency so badly that they have engaged in all manner of misconduct and spared little cost to achieve their aim, they now believe that they are entitled to claim victory, notwithstanding the vote and will of the people. But this is not the way of democracy. Democracy means the people choose for themselves not that the PDP chooses for them.

    “That may have been the way in the past when they engineered and kidnapped elections to achieve their desired end, notwithstanding the true will of the people. Thankfully, those days are gone and gone forever.

    “These elections are supposed to be democratic exercises, not a platform for the PDP to impose their selfish designs on a hopeful nation. The PDP should honour and follow the sovereign will and sober dignity of the Nigerian people.

    “The people patiently waited the additional week for Election Day to come. The vast majority of people again exercised patience as they peacefully voted on Election Day.

    “Unfortunately, isolated incidents of violence took place. We are deeply saddened by the violence and disruption that did occur. Nigerians died yesterday (on Saturday) and that should never have happened and should never happen again during an election of any kind in our land. Their deaths are needless tragedies that marred what was otherwise a celebration of our maturing democracy.

    “Instead of the discordant and provocative statement it released, the PDP should be appealing for peace and for INEC to diligently and thoroughly perform the vital task assigned it.

    “Curiously, the majority of violent incidents and reports of electoral malpractice emanate from states which the PDP controls. It appears the PDP just cannot break from their old ways.

    “The PDP press statement is but a continuation of the sordid games that party has mastered. While all evidence points to the misconduct of their people, they make outlandish and false claims against the APC.

    “This is but the typical modus operandi of a master swindler. They seek to distract the public eye from their own wrongs, by falsely accusing the APC of the very things they had conspired to set in motion months before this election even took place.

    “From trying to falsify results on the ground to attempts at hacking the INEC software, they are willing to say and do anything to obtain victory, no matter how tainted by the wrongs they commit.

    “On our part, the APC has governed and campaigned as we believed was right. Because of this, we are content to await the verdict of the people. We also believe that only INEC has the authority to announce election results.

    “What the PDP is trying to do, by claiming without any factual basis that Atiku has won, is usurp INEC’s constitutional authority. Moreover, PDP’s words are rash eruptions that may incite needless violence and unrest.

    “Thus, we ask the PDP to live up to the status it claims for itself as a large political party. The PDP should behave more responsibly instead of acting the role of spoiled children who threaten to upset the dinner table if not fed their preferred meal. The APC asks and encourages INEC to do its job as mandated by law and by good conscience and not by the screams of those who do not fully believe in these ideals. We hope INEC can begin to release results soon and do so in a way that protects and honours the vote of every Nigerian who cast a ballot.

    “We also ask our members and supporters to exercise patience and conduct themselves peacefully. Democracy is a contest of issues and visions. Not one of muscle and fighting. Let there be no more violence among us. Remember that we are all Nigerians and belong to the same national family despite our political differences.

    “On this day, may democracy and sovereign will of the electorate reign. There is no worthy substitute for this despite the malign protestations of the PDP.  If Nigeria is to stand for something, let it be democracy and let it be today, so that we assure for ourselves fruits of a brighter future.”

     

  • PDP to INEC: declare Atiku winner of presidential election

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately announce results as delivered from the polling units and declare its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, the winner of Saturday’s presidential election.

    The party said its position is predicated on clear and verifiable results across the nation, showing that Atiku Abubakar is in clear lead both in spread and total number of votes cast.

    In a statement yesterday by its spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said intelligence available to it showed that INEC was delaying the announcement of results following directives by the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    According to the main opposition party, the delay was a ploy to alter the figures from the polling centres and allocate fictitious figures for President Muhammadu Buhari, particularly in the northern states.

    The statement reads: “Curiously, INEC server is now shut down, results are no more being transmitted and the reason is to enable the APC to inflate figures from six designated states.

    “We call on international observers and election monitors to insist on a transparent process of transmission of results and the monitoring thereof.

    “We already have reports of how APC governors in the northern states have been making desperate effort to tamper with the results of the elections in their respective states with the view to awarding conjured votes to President Buhari.

    “In Kogi State, Governor Yahaya Bello has been making frantic moves to change results to suit APC’s intent and purposes as against the wishes of the people, expressly delivered at the polls.

    “Nigerians already know how the Minister of Transportation and the Director-General of the Buhari Campaign, Rotimi Amaechi, used the military to hold an INEC official in River State, Mrs. Mary Efeturi, hostage and insisted that she will not be released until she alters the results in favour of President Buhari.

    “The PDP calls on INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to note that in this age of Information Communication Technology, Nigerians already have the results as delivered at the polling centres and any attempt to alter any figure will be faced with vehement resistance.

    “In delaying the announcement of the results, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu is allowing the APC to turn him into a villain and directly pitching him against the people.”

    The PDP urged the INEC chair to extricate himself from the grip of the APC and be on the side of the people, by immediately announcing the results as already delivered at the polling units and declare Atiku Abubakar winner.

    It insisted that “anything short of this will not be acceptable to Nigerians, who had already expressed their wishes and aspiration at the polls”.

  • Osifo defects from PDP, promises 15m votes for APC

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Stanley Osifo, who defected to the ruling party a day to the eve of the postponed presidential election, has promised to deliver 15 million votes to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Speaking to the press in Lagos, he stressed that his supporters nationwide are in support of his decision. He said: “I have consulted widely with my supporters nationwide and we saw the need to support the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is to officially announce my defection to the All Progressives Congress.”

    He explained that his movement was not necessitated by issues in PDP, but for the consistency in the fight against corruption by the ruling party, maintaining that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has demonstrated its commitment to the infrastructural development of the country, adding that the railway project that suffered decades of setback has received life.

  • NUPENG pledges seamless fuel distribution

    Ahead tomorrow’s Presidential and National Assembly elections, the National Executive leadership of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has assured that there will be free flow of petroleum products across the country.

    In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Williams Akporeha, urged his members across board to remain law-abiding and exercise their civic responsibilities during the conduct of the electoral process.

    “In specific term, the leadership wishes to notify the teeming members who traverse the nooks and crannies of Nigeria in refining and distribution of petroleum products for domestic, commercial and industrial purposes to remain unfettered in discharging their legitimate duties so that the electoral process will be smooth and hitch-free.

    Read also: Ogun APC chief: no ballot papers found in my house

    “NUPENG will not deter in contributing its quota in sustaining and promoting the unity and corporate existence of Nigeria as an indivisible entity; determined to avoid any conduct or behaviour that will endanger the political stability and national security of Nigeria,” the statement read.

  • Integrity factor and the presidential election

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s electoral victory in 2015 was not just a resounding endorsement of his platform and incomparable integrity. More importantly, it was also an indictment of the politics that preceded him. This fact is at the heart of the surprising miscalculations many are making when they compare his hard-won reputation of honesty and integrity with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s who is also the presidential candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

    Although President Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC, assumed power at an extremely difficult period in the nation’s history, amidst global geo-political turbulence to boot, the sheer weight of his integrity, patriotism, focus and genuine sincerity has undeniably, positively impacted the narrative. With Buhari, the recurring theme is integrity, integrity, integrity. Not without good reason.

    It is against the backdrop of Buhari’s unquestionable integrity that considerable outrage was provoked when Alhaji Atiku Abubakar recently told Nigerians he was going give amnesty to looters if elected. Here, the dodgy fog that has come to define Atiku’s trajectory and persona in public service was clearly, inescapably mirrored in the Adamawa-born politician’s (mis)calculations.

    What kind of signal will a president be sending to his constituency if he assures them they won’t be sternly prosecuted if caught in corrupt acts including stealing of public funds? This will only popularize criminal behaviour which no serious, progressive nation on earth tolerates. There could simply be no better way to degrade and ground society than that.

    But good a thing, Buhari will have none of that. The world over, the best form of deterrence against corruption or theft, is prosecution. This also implies some time in prison. If citizens know that there is no punishment for a crime besides some token restitution, they will simply keep committing the crime. That Buhari favours stern prosecution of criminals and looters, however highly placed, has made him even more popular with ordinary Nigerians.

    Clearly, Atiku’s ‘amnesty-for-looters’ anticipatory policy template is a dangerous, slippery slope to further institutionalization of corruption in the country and rubbishing Nigeria’s transformation. The emerging consensus amongst Nigerians is that this footing will represent a destiny-killing option.

    Significantly, Atiku also labours with a self-inflicted reputation for corrupt enrichment since he served as the Comptroller General of Customs in the ‘70s. His ritual response to explain away this moral quandary remains that he has never been indicted. This cuts little ice with discerning Nigerians and considerably diminishes his stature as a potential leader Africa can trust.

    Certainly, pretty few personalities in the nation’s recent history can be compared with Buhari’s spartan leadership that feeds his revulsion for corruption and unconscionable acquisition of wealth through plundering and pillaging of public treasury. Management of the nation’s resources is fundamentally the main purpose of governance – to manage the nation’s resources for the wellbeing of the citizens in the sphere of provision of infrastructure and other facilities.

    With such widely acknowledged moral credential which resonates with the majority of Nigerians and also translates to critical electoral capital, even his closest challenger in the midst of many can never hope to beat the Daura-born ex General and unassuming nationalist in Saturday’s presidential election.

    There is more.

    Buhari came to power on the back of three key electoral promises to change the nation’s sad governance story. These include caging insecurity, especially the Boko Haram insurgency, prosecuting a stern anti-corruption war and restoring a vibrant economy. Notwithstanding the tough challenges flowing from catastrophic mismanagement of the these key governance arenas by the previous administrations under the PDP, Buhari can proudly beat his chest on account of the impressive grounds he covered in less than four years in the saddle.

    It’s worth recalling that after the recession of 2016-17, the Nigerian economy is back and is on the path of growth after under the firm, sincere guidance of Buhari. The administration’s priority sectors of agriculture and solid minerals maintained consistent growth throughout the recession.

    Other economic achievements include the revitalisation of 14 moribund blending plants under the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative, and the tripling of revenue to the Federation Account from solid minerals. Revenue tripled from N700 million in 2015 to N2 billion in 2016, and again rose to N3.5 billion in 2017.

    The administration’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), which was launched by Buhari in April 2017, has stabilised the macroeconomic environment; achieved agricultural and food  security and has also ensured energy efficiency especially in power and petroleum products. The ERGP has improved transportation infrastructure and industrialization primarily through the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

    The Buhari administration also extended more than N2 trillion to state governments, to enable them meet their salary and pension obligations, especially in the face of dwindling oil revenues over the last two years.

    The support came in the form of Budget Support Facility (Total of N606.55 billion extended to the states as of May 2018; in exchange for reforms in budgeting, IGR, debt management, overheads, etc.). Others are Paris Club refunds, infrastructure loans as well as loan restructuring for facilities with commercial banks.

    Other economic related achievements include the Anchor Borrowers Scheme of the Central Bank of Nigeria which has substantially raised local production of rice.

    The administration has demonstrated a “single-minded commitment: to upgrading and developing Nigeria’s transport, power and health infrastructure.”

    In May 2018, the federal government launched the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), under the management of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority. The PIDF is kicking off with seed funding of $650 million.

    The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) in March 2018 invested $10 million to establish a “world-class” cancer treatment centre at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), and $5 million each in the Aminu Kano University Teaching Hospital and the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, to establish modern diagnostic centres.

    By the end of 2018, in the power sector, the government added more than 2,000MW of additional power generation capacity. Some were via publicly owned plants (Afam Fast Power, 240MW) while others are through private sector investment supported by the federal government (Azura, 450MW). The government also launched a N701 billion Payment Assurance Programme designed to resolve the liquidity challenges in the power sector by guaranteeing payments to generating companies and gas suppliers. It also undertook transmission expansion and rehabilitation programme which has resulted in a 50 per cent expansion in grid capacity since 2015, from 5,000MW to 7,125MW as at December 2017.

    On the investment in people, the Buhari administration flagged off all four components of the Social Investment Programme (SIP). The SIP is the largest and most ambitious social safety net programme in the history of Nigeria, with N140 billion released and more than nine million direct beneficiaries so far. Under the SIP, 200,000 N-Power beneficiaries are currently participating and receiving N30,000 in monthly stipends. Another 300,000 new enrolments are being processed, to take the number to 500,000 as at the end of 2018.

    On the crucial security front, the administration has recovered all territories the terrorist insurgents had seized under the previous administration and restored sanity, notwithstanding some subsisting pockets of resistance.

     

    • Gaya, Deputy President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, wrote from Abuja.