The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Prof. Mahmood Yakubu

  • APC accuses INEC of working with PDP to subvert democracy

    The National leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) finally broke its silence over the conduct of the governorship and state Houses of Assembly election on Sunday, accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission of working in tandem with the opposition Peoples Democratic party (PDP) to deny it its hard earned victory in some states.

    The party said it was rejecting the decision of the Commission on the results from Tafawa Balewa local government area of Bauchi state alleging that the its agents were not invited to witness the investigations conducted by the commission.

    Although the party’s candidate did not participate in the governorship election in Rivers state, its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanrre Issa Onilu said it was clear that Governor Wike was already losing the elections before INEC halted the process and is currently doctoring the results to favour the governor.

    The APC said the electoral process was fraudulently suspended in Rivers, and its reports of vote buying by the PDP and the use of thugs were ignored by the electoral management body, while attempts are being made to blackmail the government into withdrawing security agents from the state

    The highly worded statement reads: “After the March 9 governorship elections across the country, the polls in six states – Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Kano, Plateau and Sokoto – were declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The electoral process was also suspended in Rivers state in a very fraudulent circumstance.

    “Post election, Nigerians will recall that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had severally raised alarm over the plot by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to use violence, vote-buying and other election malpractices to subvert the will of the electorate and steal their mandate.

    “The shocking events leading to the last-minute postponement of the presidential election provided clear evidence with PDP agents caught in different parts of the country with programmed card readers, sensitive election materials and large cache of weapons and security paraphernalia.

    “Undeterred, the PDP executed its rigging plot through its agents across the country by unleashing violence, vote-buying and hijacking election materials to rig and falsify elections results. The result was violent disruption in many polling areas and over-voting which led to many cancelled votes and ultimately the supplementary elections and suspended exercise in some states.”

    Using a state by state analysis, the APC said “INEC declared the governorship election in Benue State inconclusive, citing an insufficient margin in votes obtained by the APC candidate Barr. Emmanuel Jime and the PDP candidate, Governor Samuel Ortom.

    “Even though the PDP claims a bogus lead of over 81,000 votes, reports strongly establish that this dodgy figure is an aggregate of ‘votes’ obtained by subterfuge not from the numbers recorded by the card reader. There were cases in Logo, Gwer-West, Vandeikya, Guma, Buruku and Gboko Local governments where the card reader was not used.

    “In Guma, a local government predominated by the APC, zero votes were allocated to our candidate by thugs loyal to the governor of the State, as agents of the party were chased away and election material diverted and ballot papers thumb-printed for the governorship candidate of the PDP.

    “In Logo, security reports indicated that the ballot papers were massively thumb-printed the night before the election day, while a brazen case of under-age voting supervised by state government compromised security personnel, was prevalent on the actual day of voting. INEC also reported that 41 polling units in Vandeikya did not use the card reader, as it was the case in many in Gwer-West, Gwer-East, Gboko and other places.

    “A coalition of election observers in Benue has since called on INEC to declare the candidate of the APC, Barr. Emmanuel Jime, the winner of the governorship polls, in line with the Electoral Act and we align with the position of these observers. There is no doubt that our candidate obtained the highest number of legitimate votes obtained with the usage of the card reader.”

    On Rivers state, the party expressed concern, saying it was deeply troubled over unfolding events in the state, condemning what it described as “this horrid dance in Rivers”, alleging an “unholy alliance between Governor Nyesom Wike, PDP and INEC is to prevent Rivers people from electing a candidate of their choice by imposing Wike, the PDP candidate on them.”

    The governing party said “It was glaring that Wike was losing until INEC stepped in to halt the process apparently to save Wike from impending defeat. INEC must put a halt to this madness and brazen illegality.

    “The desperation of the PDP governorship candidate, Governor Nyesom Wike to remain in office even if it means destroying the State and killing its people, is throwing the State into turmoil and crisis.

    “With regard to the governorship election in Rivers State, APC has observed with dismay the macabre dance between Wike and INEC in Rivers State. It is on record that Wike through the Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Obo Effanga engaged PDP card-carrying members as Local Government Area (LGA) Collation Officers to skew the elections in favour of Wike and the PDP.

    “We call on the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to immediately redeploy Mr. Effanga from Rivers State in order to avoid crisis that may follow the organised crime being executed by Wike and Obo Effanga to rig and alter the result of the 2019 governorship polls in Rivers State in favour of Wike.

    “Since the suspension of the electoral process in Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike and the State REC Obo Effanga have been re-writing and doctoring unit results in Rivers State Government House to favour Wike.

    “We are dismayed that some sponsored stakeholders including those who witnessed the killing of over 40 persons on the 2015 governorship election day alone due to someone’s quest to become governor by all means, appear to be hoodwinked by the very same character to believe that security agents especially the Army should have stayed away to allow a repetition of what happened in 2015.

    “As a party that was solely at the receiving end of the killings in Rivers State, the APC believes that the proactive steps taken by security agents to checkmate a repeat of the 2015 killings and destructions, is commendable and should be applauded by all peace-loving people.

    “We call on Nigerians and the international community not to be hoodwinked into believing that Nigerian security agencies interfered in the electoral process in Rivers State. It is a misleading narrative being planted in the media to particularly blackmail the military and the federal government into pulling out security agents from the state, thereby returning the State to the killing field many of us witnessed before, during and after the 2015 elections.

    “It is now clear to all that INEC has become deaf and blind to the fact that Governor Nyesom Wike invaded the Obio/Akpor Collation Centre with over 200 armed thugs and ordered his security men to shoot an Army Captain and another soldier providing perimeter security to the Collation Centre. Wike’s thugs carted away the electoral materials including both original copies of unit result sheets and ward collation sheets that were being used for the collation of results and took them to the Rivers State Government House where they were filled out with rigged and inflated figures.

    “We report that in most of the LGAs in the State, voting had concluded, results declared at the polling units and collation had begun before the abrupt suspension of the process. INEC does not have the power under our Electoral Act to suspend elections that has already been concluded. We suspect that INEC might be working to surreptitiously bring in cooked up results credited to Obio/Akpor LGA to skew the election in favour of Wike. We vehemently reject this anti-democratic move.”

    The party asked its members in Plateau state to remain focussed as its lead in the state was unassailable, expressing confidence that its candidate, Simon Lalong will eventually carry the day.

    The APC is also confidence that it will eventually carry the day in Kano state, saying “the opposition PDP camp in its self-deceit has continued to delude itself on its nonexistent electoral chance in Nasarawa local government area. The Kano electorate are not deceived.

    “Considering what happened in the inconclusive election widely characterized by PDP vote buying and voter intimidation, relevant agencies must ensure that such antidemocratic practice is not repeated.”

    It accused the Kano State Police Commissioner of actively assisting the opposition PDP to rig inside Kano city with the deployment of police security for Rabiu Kwankwaso loyalists while state commissioner’s orderlies were withdrawn.

    Kano, it said “remains an APC state. With the massive votes garnered by our presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari; the entire incoming 9th National Assembly positions – 3 Senators and 24 House of Representatives – won by the APC in Kano State; 27 State House of Assembly seats won by the APC out of 39 and governorship election victories in all local governments outside Kano metropolitan, there is no doubt that Kano State is a stronghold and key support base of the APC.

    “The APC’s visible achievements in Kano state under Governor Abdullahi Ganduje are enough to give the party an emphatic victory in the rerun election. Again, the rerun will be mostly in APC-controlled rural areas and Nasarawa local government area where our Deputy Governor, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna is from. Undoubtedly, Kano state remains an APC stronghold and remains in our firm control.”

    Speaking further on the decision of INEC regarding the supplementary polls in Bauchi state, the APC said “We reject INEC’s decision on the governorship election results from Tafawa Balewa local government area in Bauchi State, as signed and announced by the electoral body’s National Commissioner and chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye.

    “While the close relationship between Festus Okoye who chaired the fact-finding committee and Yakubu Dogara of the PDP is well known, hence inappropriate for the fact-finding exercise for Bauchi state, INEC has failed to adhere to the fundamental principle of fair-hearing by not inviting our agents during the hearing to ascertain the circumstances leading to the cancellation of the Tafawa Balewa local government election result.

    “INEC’s decision is illegal as the electoral body and contravenes the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended. We reiterate that according to Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended) and INEC Guidelines for 2019 General Elections, the electoral body is not empowered to reverse any decision taken at the Collation Centre by the Returning Officer appointed for that purpose. Such decisions can only be reversed by a court of law, especially when INEC cannot approbate and reprobate.”

    The party is also laying claim to Sokoto state saying “as displayed in the results of the presidential election, Sokoto is a strong APC state. This rubbishes the suspicious and apparently stolen results ascribed to the PDP governorship candidate.

    “It is on record how the PDP candidate and state governor, Aminu Tambuwal used thugs and fake security agents to scare voters in the state. This gave PDP agents a free and field day to rig and manipulate the governorship election. We are also aware how the huge monies were used to buy votes and how complicit INEC officials disenfranchised APC members by purporting that card readers machines stopped working in APC strongholds..

    “The forthcoming supplementary election in Sokoto state gives the APC; our governorship candidate, Aliyu Ahmed and indeed the Sokoto electorate and an opportunity claim our mandate. Sokoto state is ready for the Next Level, we must not allow unpopular elements in the state and their backers in the discredited PDP to steal their mandate and subvert the will of the Sokoto electorate.”

    It also said that it reported cases of over voting in Adamawa state and the use of security personnel to intimidate APC agents and supporters, saying “while we are confident of our party and candidate Governor Jibrilla Bindow’s victory ahead of the supplementary election in the state, we urge all stakeholders to avoid actions that can plunge the state into crisis.

    “We equally urge INEC and relevant security agencies to ensure the supplementary election is free, peaceful and fair compared to the last inconclusive governorship election in the state which was characterised by many irregularities and voter intimidation. No political ambition is worth the life of any voters.

    “As a party, the APC is very confident of victory in the forthcoming supplementary elections. Our commitment to free and fair elections in the county remains resolute. We urge INEC to ensure that all loopholes that led to rigging, vote buying and intimidation of voters by the PDP is blocked.”

  •  INEC chairman denies Atiku access to election materials, PDP alleges

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday accused the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, of refusing the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar access to election materials.

    The Court of Appeal had ordered INEC to allow Atiku’s lawyers inspect ballot materials used in the February 23 presidential election, in furtherance of the petition filed by the PDP candidate against President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election.

    However, in a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said Yakubu and the leadership INEC have refused to obey the order of the appellate court, given on March 6, 2019.

    The PDP described INEC’s actions as deliberate and wicked ploy, accusing the electoral body of acting in cahoots with the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) to frustrate the case.

    The main opposition party further said INEC’s action was meant to ambush the case, adding it’s a deliberate plot to knock Atiku off the timeline prescribed by law for the PDP and its candidate to file the case at the Tribunal.

    The statement said: “It is imperative to inform Nigerians that upon obtaining the lawful order of the Court, directing INEC to forthwith, avail Atiku Abubakar and the PDP copies of all the documents and other materials used for the Presidential election, our legal team wrote to the INEC Chairman on the 11th and 12th of March 2019 respectively, causing the Order to be served on INEC and requesting access to the said documents and materials.

    READ ALSO: APC, PDP take INEC to task

    “Despite being served with the Order and several follow-ups, the leadership of INEC has refused to grant the PDP and Atiku Abubakar access to the materials and documents, notwithstanding the urgency of the matter.

    “This action by the leadership of INEC has further exposed that it has been heavily compromised by the Buhari Presidency to rig the February 23, 2019 Presidential election and to frustrate the quest by Nigerians to reclaim the mandate from President Muhammadu Buhari and save the nation from the crisis of an illegitimate government.

    “The leadership of INEC and the APC are seeking to frustrate our court option, seeing that the documents and materials will expressly show that Atiku Abubakar clearly won the election by the votes directly delivered at the polling units across the country as well as expose how the commission and the Buhari Presidency manipulated the results for President Buhari.

    “The PDP cautions the INEC to note that Nigerians are now aware of its manipulative tendencies and that any further delay in granting access to the materials might attract public odium.

     

    “INEC should therefore end its unpatriotic partisan shenanigans with the APC and immediately obey the Court of Appeal and grant the PDP and Atiku Abubakar access to the documents and materials and free itself from unholy entanglement with the APC against Nigerians”.

     

     

  • Tafawa Balewa collation officer, writes INEC chair over inconclusive election

    The returning officer for Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area in the gubernatorial election, Mrs Dominion Anosike, has written to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, requesting to appear before the Committee set up to investigate controversies over the cancellation of the results of the election in Abuja and not Bauchi, due to what she described as threats to her life.

    The letter, dated 13th March, 2019, was addressed to the chairman of INEC and was received in the office of the National Chairman on March 14, 2019.

    The letter reads in part: “I superintended over the above election in Tafawa Balewa LGA as the Returning Officer and I believe that there will be need for your committee to find out from me what transpired at the collation centre that led to the cancellation of the result by the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Bauchi State.

    The purpose of this letter to your good offices, is to indicate my desire to appear before the team in another location, preferably Abuja- as doing that in Bauchi State would constitute a threat to my life, as I have already been threatened with instant death, should I be found anywhere in or near Bauchi State.”

    It would be recalled that the Returning Officer for Bauchi state Governorship election Prof Mohammed Kyari had cancelled the election of Tafawa Balewa LGA on Sunday evening citing failure of Mrs Anosike to use the prescribed form to enter the result of the elections collated across the local government.

    This was despite the explanation given by her to the commission that the result sheets for the governorship election were carted away by thugs who invaded the collation centre in Zwall, Tafawa Balewa LGA, in the early hours of Sunday.

    She had also notified the commission via an explanatory memorandum signed by all stakeholders in the election at the collation centre who unanimously agreed to collate and record the result on another form, and addressed same to the Resident Electoral Commissioner and the State Returning Officer, which was submitted in Bauchi on Sunday.

  • Inconclusive elections: INEC, military compromised, says PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Prof Mahmood Yakubu-led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Army of compromise in states where the governorship and state assembly elections were suspended or declared inconclusive.

    Its Spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan told a news conference that the electoral umpire and the Army were playing the script of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

    Ologbondiyan alleged that elections were suspended or declared inconclusive in states where the PDP was maintaining a steady lead.

    Citing widespread disruptions, INEC, on Sunday, announced the suspension of electoral process in Rivers State and declared elections inconclusive in Sokoto, Bauchi, Adamawa, Plateau and Benue states.

    But the PDP described the affected states as its strongholds.

    It insisted that INEC, under Prof. Yakubu, “has become overtly partisan and has surrendered its independence to the APC.”

    The main opposition party said INEC carried on as a compromised umpire with obnoxious impunity, thereby sending signals of being heavily bribed by the APC to alter results for its candidates.

    It also accused the Army of intimidating its members in the affected states, particularly in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and other states in the Southsouth.

    The party dismissed claims by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, that the shootings and killings in those places were carried out by fake soldiers in military uniform.

  • We will not tolerate act of holding our officials hostage – INEC Chairman

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it would no longer tolerate any attempt by politicians to hold its officials hostage and force them to declare winners of elections under duress.

    INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu gave the warning at the meeting of Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) ahead of Saturday elections, held at the commission’s headquarters on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said that where such abduction occurs, the commission would not issue Certificates of Return.

    Yakubu said that the commission was worried over the rate of attacks on its personnel and the loss of lives and election materials recorded during the Feb. 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    “The Commission is concerned that many of our materials, including ballot boxes, voting cubicles, voters’ registers and Smart Card Readers were lost to acts of hooliganism and thuggery in the elections held two weeks ago.

    “Most worrisome is the attack on electoral officials. Some of our staff were abducted and taken hostage in an attempt to disrupt elections or influence the outcome.

    “In fact, some of the supplementary elections I referred to earlier were caused by such acts of thuggery.

    “I am confident that working together with the security agencies, we will consolidate on the largely peaceful conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections while also taking decisive steps to deal with the minority of violators intent on disrupting the conduct of peaceful elections.

    “However, the Commission will not tolerate the act of holding our officials hostage and forcing them to declare winners under duress.

    “Where such occurs, the Commission will not reward bad behaviour by issuing them Certificates of Return.’’

    Yakubu expressed the Commission’s appreciation to the security agencies for securing the environment during the national elections.

    He noted that in the course of securing the elections, the security agencies, electoral officials and innocent Nigerians suffered needless attacks resulting in casualties including deaths and loss of personal and official properties.

    “On behalf of the Commission, I extend our deepest condolence to the families of those who lost their lives, including personnel of the security agencies. We are glad that the Police has made several arrests and investigation is ongoing.

    “I wish to assure Nigerians that the Commission will work closely with the Police to ensure the diligent prosecution of all violators of our electoral laws.

    “Citizens are asking for effective but non-intrusive protection before, during and immediately after the elections in which their rights are respected and their choices safeguarded.’’

    Yakubu expressed optimism that the Saturdays election would open by 8 am. going by arrangements already put in place by the commission.

    “On Saturday March 9, Nigerians are once again going to the polls to elect Governors in 29 States, 991 members of Houses of Assembly in all the States of the Federation, 6 Chairmen as well as 62 Councillors for the Area Councils in the FCT.

    “A total of 1,082 candidates will be elected by citizens across the country. Learning from the experience of the Presidential and National Assembly elections held two weeks ago, the Commission has effectively tackled the challenge of logistics.

    “Materials for the election have been delivered to all States and the FCT. Movement to the Local Government Areas will be completed today.

    “By tomorrow, all materials and relevant personnel will arrive at the Registration Area Centres (RACs). With this arrangement, we are confident that all polling units will open at 8.00 am nationwide.”

    Yakubu disclosed that INEC had also reconfigured its Smart Card Readers for the elections on Saturday, saying the use of the card readers was mandatory and there will be no exemption to their deployment for accreditation of voters.

    “Under our Regulations and Guidelines, there are clear penalties for the deliberate failure to deploy them on the part of our staff.

    “Where such happens with the connivance of communities, the result of election in the polling unit(s) will be cancelled and zero vote recorded.’’

    Yakubu said that in addition to elections into 1,082 constituencies nationwide, the Commission would conduct supplementary elections in 14 States of the Federation covering 7 Senatorial Districts and 24 Federal Constituencies.

    He said that the list of candidates that emerged winners in the Senatorial and House of Representatives’ elections held on Saturday Feb. 23 would be available on INEC website “later on Thursday.’’

    He said that INEC would still maintain its Situation Room at the International Conference Centre (ICC) to monitor the elections nationwide and respond to issues that may arise.

    Yakubu, however, said that no election results would be collated and no declaration of winners would be done at the ICC.

    “All collation and declaration of results will be done at the various constituency and State declaration centers.’’

    He disclosed that for Senatorial Districts and Federal Constituencies in which winners had already emerged, the Commission would issue their Certificates of Return next week.

    “The Certificates of Return shall be presented at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, on Thursday March 14 starting with Senators-elect at 10 am. and members of the House of Representatives-elect at 2 pm.

    He also disclosed that the Certificates of Return for Governors and Deputy-Governors-elect, Members of State Houses of Assembly-elect and Chairmen and Councillors for the FCT shall be presented in each State on a date to be announced next week.(NAN)

  • Peaceful polls victory for Nigeria, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday told Nigerians to see the peaceful conduct of the February 23  presidential election as a victory for the nation.

    Noting that an election should not be seen as a war, the President said the “victory is enough cause for joy without deriding those in the opposition now that election is over.”

    The President’s message was contained in his remarks at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja, after receiving the Certificate of Return as the president-elect from the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu.

    Buhari’s deputy and running mate Prof Yemi Osinbajo also got the Certificate of Return as vice president-elect.

    Besides, the President urged Nigerians to stand in brotherhood for a bright and fulfilling future, assuring that his administration will be inclusive and open.

    Buhari, whose second term in office will begin on May 29,  also assured Nigerians of seeing the country moving to the “Next Level”.

    The ICC, which was being used as the Collation Office for the presidential election, also hosted governors, ministers, members of the private sector and supporters of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

    The President also reached out to his opponents at the poll, urging them to join him to build the country that will be a pride to all.

    He said: “I am grateful to God for sparing our lives to witness another milestone in Nigeria’s democratic development,  namely conclusion of the presidential election in an overwhelmingly peaceful manner.

    “I wish, Mr Chairman, to congratulate all the presidential candidates and their teams on a hard-fought campaign. We may have had different views during the campaign, but the one thing most of us have in common is love of our country and our desire to improve conditions for Nigerians.

    “From the comments of several observers both local and foreign, it is obvious that the elections were both free and fair.

    “Now that the elections are over, and a winner declared, we must all see it as a victory for Nigeria, our dear country. That was why I encouraged my teeming supporters, in a speech I read earlier today, not to gloat.

    “Our God-given victory is enough cause for joy, without deriding those who were in the opposition.  All Nigerians, going forward, must stand in brotherhood, for a bright and fulfilling future.

    “I, therefore, want to assure that we will continue to engage all parties that have the best interest of Nigerians at heart. Our government will remain inclusive and our doors will remain open.

    “That is the way to build the country of our dream; safe, secure, prosperous and free of impunity and primitive accumulation by those entrusted with public offices.

    “The hard work to deliver a better Nigeria continues, building on the foundations of peace, rule of law and opportunities for all. We will roll up our sleeves afresh, and give it our all. We have no other motive than to serve Nigeria with our hearts and might, and build a nation which we and generations to come can be proud of.

    “I am very grateful to the over 15 million citizens who voted for me, those who contributed in many ways in the running of our successful campaign, and those at home and abroad who expressed confidence in me and the APC government. I thank you all.

    “I can assure that you will see a country moving to the Next Level, as we consolidate on our fundamental areas of securing the country, reviving the economy, and fighting corruption. Many other focal areas, as stated in our campaign manual, will be added, to the good things we plan for our country.

    “Let me pay tribute here to those who lost their lives either through accidents or mindless violence during the course of these elections. My heart and thoughts are with the families of the victims. May God comfort and give them the fortitude to bear the loss.

    “Election is not war, and should never be seen as a do or die affair. I pray that we all accept this democratic approach to elections, however contentious.”

    Buhari and Osinbajo were declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at exactly 4.39am yesterday, having scored the highest number of votes, 15,191,847.

    They defeated their closest rivals – former Vice President Abubakar Atiku and his running mate, former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, who polled 11,262,978.

    The PDP and its candidate have resolved to contest the results at the tribunal.

    Buhari and Osinbajo arrived at the ICC in the company of their spouses, Hajia Aisha and Dolapo at 2:11pm.

    They got the Certificates of Return from the INEC boss at about 2:20pm.

    In a short remark, Prof Yakubu described the presentation of the certificates as a statutory requirement based on the Electoral Act which requires winners of elections to be given their certificate of return within seven days.

    The vice president, decked in a white native attire, was all smiles as praise singers sang “Oke Oke la oma lo” (meaning we will always make progress).

    The praise singers changed the tune to Sai Baba when it was the turn of the president to receive his certificate.

  • Update: Buhari re-elected as President of Nigeria

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared President Muhammadu Buhari, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the 2019 presidential election, held on Saturday Feb. 23.

    The Returning Officer for the 2019 presidential elections, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the declaration at 4.37am.

    He polled 15,191,847 votes to defeat his closest rival, former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the presidential poll conducted on February 23 who had 11,262,978 votes.

    The INEC chairmain said: “That Muhammadu Buhari, having scored the highest number of votes and satisfied the provision of the electoral act is hereby declared the winner of the presidential election.’’

    Read also: 2019 Presidential Results

    He announced that certificate of return will be issued to the President-elect and Vice President-elect by 2 pm on Wednesday.

    Monday’s collation opened with Niger State, which went to the APC with 612,371 votes. PDP scored 218, 052.

    There were 2,375,568 registered voters across the 15 local government areas of the state and 911, 964  voters were accredited. The state recorded a total vote of 896,976 and 851,937 valid votes. Forty-five votes were rejected; 71,200 were cancelled.

    In Jigawa State, Buhari scored 794,738 as against Atiku’s 289, 895 votes.

    Read also: Buhari tops with 15.19m

    With 27 local government areas, Jigawa had 2,104,889 registered voters; 1,171,801 were accredited to vote; 1,149,922 voted. Of the votes, 1,106,244 were valid and 43, 678 were rejected.

    The APC candidate also won in Kaduna State with 993,445 votes as against PDP’s 640, 612.

    Atiku fought back in Anambra State, garnering 524,738 votes as against APC’s 33,298.

    He won with a slim margin in Oyo State where the PDP polled 366,690 as against APC’s 365,229.

    Atiku’s home state, Adamawa, gave the PDP 410,266 votes.  Buhari got 378,078.

    The 21 council areas in Adamawa had 1,959,322 registered voters; 874,920 voters were accredited. There were 811,534 valid votes; 49,222 were rejected.

    The President won in Bauchi with 798,428 votes. Atiku scored 209,313. Valid votes were 1,024, 307; 37,648 were rejected. Votes cast stood at 1,061, 955

    The APC beat the PDP in Lagos State with 580,825 votes; PDP scored  448,015.

    The ruling party also secured victory for his candidate in Ogun State where it scored 281,762 as against PDP’s 194, 655.  The registered number of voters in the Gateway State was 2,336,887; 613,399 were accredited and 605,938 voted.

    Edo State, with 18 local government areas and 2,150,127 registered voters, went to Atiku with 275, 691 votes. Buhari scored 267,842 votes.

    For the poll, 604,915 were accredited. There were 560,711 valid votes. The rejected ballot stood at 38, 517, leaving the total vote cast at 599, 228.

    The number of votes that were cancelled in 48 polling units stood at 42,176.

    In Benue State, PDP got a narrow victory margin over the ruling party with 356,817 votes as against APC’s 347,668.

    Edo, with a voter population of 2, 391,276, has a total vote cast of 763,872. The valid votes were 728,912. The rejected votes were 34,960 and 122,989 votes were cancelled in 172 polling units.

    Atiku won Imo State with 334,923 votes as against Buhari’s 140,463 votes.

    There were 2,037,569 registered would-be voters; 585,741 were accredited to vote. The valid votes were 511,586 and 31,191 votes were rejected. The number of votes cast stood at 542,777; 63,048 were cancelled in 97 polling units in 12 council areas.

    Plateau State also gave its vote to Atiku who scored 548,665. Buhari scored 468,555.

    The state had 2,423, 381 registered voters and 1,074,042 were accredited.

    The valid votes were 1,034,853 of which 1,063,862 voted. The number of rejected votes stood at 28,009.

    Kano went to Buhari who scored 1,464,768 against Atiku’s 392,593.

    The Northwest state, where 5,381,581 were registered to vote, recorded the highest turnout with 2,006,410 accredited voters.

    The votes cast were 1,964,751. The valid votes were 1,891,134. The rejected votes were 73,617 and the cancelled votes were 43,900, across 69 polling units.

    Katsina, Buhari’s home state, also went the way of Buhari, who scored 1,232,133 against Atiku’s 308,056.

    It has 3,219,422 registered voters and 1,628,865 were accredited for the election.

    The total valid votes in Katsina is 1,555,473 and 1,619,185 cast their ballots.

    The rejected votes were 63,712 and the cancelled votes stood at 12,027.

    Taraba went to the PDP with 374,743 votes as against APC’s 326 996 votes.

    The total registered votes were 1,777,105. The accredited voters stood at 756 111.

    The valid votes were 712 877 and 28,687 were rejected.

    THE FINAL SCORES

    STATES                 APC       PDP

    Abia                     85,058      219,698

    Adamawa          378,078      410,266

    Akwa Ibom         175,429     395,832

    Anambra             33,298      524,738

    Bauchi                798,428      209,313

    Bayelsa               118,821      197,933

    Benue                 347,668      356,817

    Borno                  836,496        71,788

    Cross River        117,302      295,737

    Delta                   221,292      594,068

    Ebonyi                  90,726      258,573

    Edo                     267,842      275,691

    Ekiti                    219,231      154,032

    Enugu                   54,423      355,553

    Gombe                402,961      138,484

    Imo                   140,463        334,923

    Jigawa                794,738      289,895

    Kaduna              993,445      649,612

    Kano                1,464,768      391,593

    Katsina           1,232,133      308,056

    Kebbi                  581,552      154,282

    Kogi                    285,894      218,207

    Kwara                308,984      138,184

    Lagos                  580,825      448,015

    Nasarawa          289,903      283,847

    Niger                  612,371      218,052

    Ogun                  281,762      194,655

    Ondo                  241,769      275,901

    Osun                   347,634      337,377

    Oyo                     365,229      366,690

    Plateau               468,555      548,665

    Rivers                 150,710      473,971

    Sokoto                490,333      361,604

    Taraba                324,906      374,743

    Yobe                   497,914        50,763

    Zamfara             438,682      125,423

    FCT                    152,224      259,997

    TOTAL:        15,191,847  11,262,978

  • ‘INEC chairman should stop doing Wike’s bidding on Rivers APC candidacy’

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-South zone, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has asked the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to stop doing the bidding of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Rivers APC candidacy for this year’s general elections.

    Eze, yesterday in Port Harcourt, urged the INEC chairman, who was reportedly the Director of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), when Wike, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was the Minister of State for Education in the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, to free himself from the entanglement of bias.

    Yakubu was admonished not to allow misleading interpretations of court rulings on Rivers elections to put him in judicial troubles.

    Eze said: “There is no judgment of the Supreme Court that bars Rivers APC from fielding candidates in the 2019 general elections. INEC chairman is allowing himself to be misled and used by enemies of true democracy, to deny candidates of the party (APC) from participating in the elections, and prevent Rivers people from having the opportunity of voting for candidates of their choice.

    ”It is unfortunate that despite the rulings of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt and the Supreme Court, the names of candidates of APC have not been published by INEC for the purpose of participating in the 2019 general elections.

    ”I call on the electoral commission, as a law-abiding institution, to without delay, publish the names of candidates of APC in Rivers State for the 2019 general election, as submitted by the APC.

    ”The enemies of democracy that are bent of ensuring that Rivers APC is not reflected in the ballot during the February 23 and March 9 polls are out to frustrate the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari, by weakening the APC’s structure in Rivers State and causing members of the main opposition party to be disillusioned, thereby leading to apathy.”

    The APC chieftain also urged the Rivers electorate, especially the party faithful, to stay focused and ignore the propaganda of PDP and the INEC collaborators.

    Eze admonished party loyalists to come out en masse and vote for President Buhari and other candidates of APC.

    Meanwhile, the lawmaker representing Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe, has said that he and 42 allies, who lost on Thursday at the appellate court in Port Harcourt, will approach the Supreme Court for proper interpretation of the merits of their suit for declaration, that, they should be affirmed as authentic candidates of APC in Rivers.

    Abe said, yesterday in Port Harcourt, that, ”There is need to ensure that justice and equity prevail for Rivers APC members who participated in a lawful process, but were wrongfully excluded from the polls.”

    The senator, who was Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG) in the administration of Rotimi Amaechi, now Transportation Minister, also urged Nigerians to massively vote for President Muhammadu Buhari and other candidates of APC.

    He noted, that, there was the need for Rivers people and other Nigerians to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner before, during and after the 2019 general elections, while backing President Buhari’s directive to the military and police to deal decisively with ballot box snatchers and other miscreants who might attempt to disrupt the elections.

  • APC to commission: you must earn Nigerians’ confidence

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council said yesterday that asking the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to resign is not a solution to delivering a credible election this weekend.

    According to the APC campaign council, the commission must work hard to earn Nigerians’ confidence that it can deliver a credible poll.

    Its Director of Election Monitoring and Planning, Babatunde Raji Fashola, who spoke at a news conference in Abuja, said a lot of Nigerians have sacrificed so much for the country’s democracy.

    Fashola noted that their sacrifice must not be allowed to waste, stressing that any party asking the INEC Chairman to resign did not understand the workings of government.

    He said: “Election and lack of elections have consequences. Many people have fought hard for this democracy. It has delivered uncomfortable results in the past as well as results we can live with and every effort to continue to improve on it is an opportunity we must not turn our back on. Every party is disappointed, every well-meaning Nigerian is disappointed, but that is no reason to throw the baby away with the bath water.

    “So, it is for the INEC Chairman and his team to reclaim the confidence of the people and show us that they can deliver on what they have been asked to do. If you ask him to resign, will that give us an election?

    “If he resigns, will that give us an election? If the person, who has been there for four years is having challenges now, who is prepared that will replace him and do what he has not been able to do in three and half years. The party that is thinking that way does not even know how government works. The solution is for all Nigerians to rally round INEC to get it right and that is what we intend to do.”

    Fashola, who is also the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, said Nigerians must not allow the action of anti-democratic agents dampen their enthusiasm.

  • Here we go again

    The postponement of the elections this past weekend was a sad confirmation of the fears of many Nigerians that electoral activity in this country is cursed by the same hand of mediocrity that has stained all aspects of life in Nigeria. For months, weeks and days before the original date set for the elections, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was resolute in his assurances that INEC was ready to go, and that all areas had been covered. Going by the excuses that poured out from INEC after the dirty deed had been done on Saturday, it seemed that no contingency had been made for the “logistical” issues that arose.

    Everyone would agree that “bad weather” should not feature in a list of things likely to derail preparations for a major national event that has technically been in the works since the last elections in 2015. Not only that, alleged acts of sabotage, which likely led to fires in INEC offices in Abia, Anambra and Plateau states, are said to have also contributed to the postponement, according to INEC. From the different statements collected from INEC officials, the explanations point to an overriding desire by INEC for all election activities to begin at the same time of 8 am throughout the country, which would not have been possible last Saturday. Whether Nigerians are even now confident that this will happen on February 23, is another matter entirely.

    Unsurprisingly, there have been accusations thrown from one political party to the other, and the leadership of INEC has not been spared in the blame throwing. For sure, Prof. Yakubu has to take the lion share of the blame, as the decision to postpone, and all issues leading to it, are areas within his responsibility which were not met. Faced with having staggered elections commencing at different times in different cities or outright postponement within hours to the exercise, INEC chose the latter, after arrangements had been made by people and businesses to accommodate the exercise. The action has now set a trend of unbroken election postponements since 2011 elections.

    Without being unduly critical, the quality of decision making at the highest levels of government in Nigeria always leaves one grimacing, out of sheer horror. The political parties showed lack of adequate planning when they could not meet deadlines set in the INEC timetable for the elections. Many of the lists of candidates from parties were submitted later than directed, and the avalanche of court cases that followed, with the attendant drama at that level, also bit into the limited preparation time for INEC to get ballot papers ready for the 70 odd political parties participating in the elections. The sheer number of parties registered and cleared to contest is another issue that needs to be discussed.

    If we were practicing true democracy in the established traditions of the developed countries we so eagerly want to emulate, then the quality of our party politics would be sophisticated enough for politicians to recognise the incredulity of registering mushroom parties at every opportunity, just to make a political point. In advanced democracies, politicians get ahead in established political parties with the force of their arguments and the profundity of their vision, coupled with an ability to sell these to the wider membership of the party and, by extension, the entire population. In Nigeria, we suffer from a dearth of options in an otherwise bountiful pool of shabby mushroom parties and unknown candidates who have no appetite for the grand scheming of the bigger parties.

    Can one, for instance, imagine adopting a fixed date for every election, with our weak systems and mediocre commissions? In the United States of America, elections are held on the first Tuesday after November 1st in an election year. It is a matter of law, fuelled by confidence in a working system that guarantees delivery of materials, in spite of weather conditions. In fact, the date itself is said to have been thought out to accommodate the more agrarian population of the US, and the long journeys that some had to make to their respective county centres, which could begin from the preceding Sunday. It is not a random date, but one that takes weather, harvest and many issues of “logistics” into consideration. So also, in the United Kingdom, elections into the House of Commons are done, every five years, on the first Thursday of May, although allowances are made for snap votes, in the event of a no confidence vote on a government.

    Because of politics and other factors that remove from our overall efficiency as a truly independent country, we are nowhere close to setting a date by law. To begin with, many lawful dates are already being dishonoured, like the deadline for adoption of the budget for a new fiscal year at the federal level and in many states. There is just a crippling disregard for time that leads to tangible losses, as in this case. Many statistics have emerged about the cost of Saturday’s postponement to the government and to private business. The director general of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce puts these costs at $1.5 billion while renowned economist, Bismark Rewane, estimates it closer to $10 billion. But of course, we can’t even get into a conversation about how to offset those costs. We barely got little in the way of apology as it is.

    The harm is in the indifference that the decision seemed to communicate. Indifference to hardship caused and expenses incurred by private citizens and the public purse. Some even say it is a new way of embezzling money and making sure that every kobo assigned for the elections disappears in a maze of logistical costs. Sensitive materials already deployed have supposedly been called back, and this recall will be at extra cost to what was projected. On the whole, it just casts suspicion on everything that happens from here onwards. If the one solace to be had is that people will be all the more watchful, then we will take it and run with it.

    It is fact, that not everyone had the chance to obtain their Permanent Voters Cards before the window allowed for collection closed. If the delay had allowed for the continuation of card collection, then it may have been easier to bear. However, the delay appears to be of no benefit to the electorate, except for the unguaranteed “satisfaction” of possibly starting voting at roughly the same time countrywide. We have long been known to major in the minor in Nigeria. If the card readers are functioning as they should, and all INEC systems are sufficiently tamper-proof, it shouldn’t matter terribly whether the elections are staggered across the states or not.

    That there is controversy surrounding the elections is no surprise. Neither is it a surprise that there has been a postponement. What will be really surprising is if the process continues, as re-arranged, with little or no incident. The frayed nerves of Nigerians have endured a lot in the past, and we can surely endure one more week of suspense in the ever playing drama of Nigerian society and politics.  The postponement will cost some more than others, but we are all equally stained by the stigma of never getting it right the first time, of unnecessary delays and the domino effect of African time that may have been started by the same political parties now calling foul and demanding the head of the INEC chair.

    Our already complicated electoral system is being affected by the lack of vision of our over 70 presidential hopefuls, most of whom lack the finesse to form sensible alliances. Instead, they complicate the electoral process with their numbers and ridiculously large ballot papers that do not present more than a few real choices. INEC and all the political parties should take this blame.