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Tag: rerun

  • On Sokoto rerun election

    SIR: The March 23, rerun governorship election in Sokoto State is perhaps the closest race in Nigeria’s political history. According to official results, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of the People’s Democratic Party won the governorship election by a margin of 342 votes. He polled a total of 512, 002 votes as against Ahmad Aliyu of the All Progressive Party who polled 511, 660 votes. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on March 11, declared the state’s election ‘inconclusive’ and ordered a supplementary election in 22 local governments on the grounds that the margin of victory was less than the 75, 403 votes it cancelled across 136 polling centres.

    While I congratulate Tambuwal for winning a second term, I also extol him for resisting the temptation to go out for a bloody electoral battle. Compared to what we witnessed in Kano, the supplementary election in Sokoto was peaceful. His victory, however, can be said to be somewhat of a mischance to the people of Sokoto State.

    When Tambuwal was elected governor of Sokoto State in 2015, rapture filled the hearts of all and sundry, thinking he had the vision, and the bent to herd the wheel and pilot the state to the promise land. Unfortunately, the reverse turned out to be the case.

    Soon after the election was won, it became clear that Tambuwal was not interested in providing principled leadership for the people who overwhelmingly rescued him from the political grave dug by his then PDP enemies. Never known to stand for any edifying principles in politics, a typical careerist who lobbied his way to the top and one would strain without success to find any quotable sound bite from him, Tambuwal was only lucky to be where he’s today due to the travails he suffered during the PDP leadership. The then Jonathan-led administration, which had an unusual efficiency in the manner it ridiculed members who fell out of favour, was all out for his head. The plight he went through then kindled sympathy and anger in the hearts of Sakkwatawa – a sympathy which created a huge wave of support for him and the APC leadership which provided him the platform to actualise his ambition.

    Instead of concentrating on his duties, he focused his mind on the presidential seat, which at the end resulted in a total neglect of the affairs of Sokoto State.

    The fact that Governor Tambuwal had to go into a rerun election with his ‘underdog’ former deputy, managing to win by the whisker, speaks volume of how unsought he is to the electorate due to his monumental underperformance in the last four years. The credit for his recent victory should be given to the opposition APC. It’s hard to accept but the bitter truth remains that the All Progressive Congress (APC) and it leadership in Sokoto State are the sole architect of their own failure. The party’s loss in the governorship elections can be put to the failure to field in the best candidate for the governorship election. The APC candidate was imposed against the choice of the electorates and even party faithful by Senator Aliyu Wamakko, for same interest Rabiu Kwankwaso fielded his godson in Kano. There’s no doubt that Tambuwal would’ve by now become history had it been APC fielded the right candidate.

     

    • Usama A. Dandare, Sokoto.

  • Rerun: Tight race in Kano, Sokoto as Lalong leads in Plateau

    •Early results favour PDP in Bauchi, Benue
    •APC, PDP bicker as thugs invade polling units
    •High turnout in Adamawa, Plateau, apathy in Imo
    •APC wins House of Assembly seats in Lagos, Ekiti

    The race for the Kano Government House remained too close to call last night as the collation of results of the makeup election in 28 local government areas of the state got underway in Kano.

    Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was ahead of  Abba Kabir Yusuf of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the results  already declared before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) took a break at about  one o’clock   this morning.

    The exercise is scheduled to resume at 8am today.

    The contest  in Sokoto State was similarly tight between Governor Aminu Tambuwal of PDP and Alhaji Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto of the APC last night with the challenger seeking to erase the 3,443 vote advantage of the incumbent.

    But Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State and PDP’s flag bearer in Bauchi State, Alhaji  Bala Mohammed appeared to be coasting home to victory.

    As at two weeks ago when INEC declared the March 9 election in Kano inconclusive, Abba Kabir Yusuf of the PDP was leading with 1,014,474 votes while Ganduje had 98,7810 votes.

    Ganduje had narrowed the gap substantially at the end of voting yesterday.

    Moments after the commencement of voting in Kano  yesterday, the PDP acting chairman in the state, Rabiu Sulaiman-Bichi, called for the cancellation of the exercise across the 28 local government areas of the state, alleging that thugs had taken over the process.

    “Today this charade called re-run election was slated to hold in Kano and other states but unfortunately, what we have in Kano is nothing but a sham,” Sulaiman-Bichi told reporters.

    “Reports reaching us since yesterday (Friday) indicated that thugs have allegedly been mobilised to take over all the 208 polling units,” he added.

    The thugs, according to him, were brought from Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Plateau and other neighbouring states and were ‘armed to the teeth’ posing as voters in the polling units in the localities.

    The chairman alleged that the thugs freely voted with PVCs that did not belong to them, while some posed as INEC staff.

    He said as a peace-loving party, the PDP had alerted security agencies in addition to writing a Letter of Caution to the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state on the situation.

    Soon afterwards, the PDP national publicity secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan joined in calling for the cancellation of the polls citing alleged disruption of voting and bloodletting by APC agents.

    All material facts on the supplementary election, Ologbondiyan claimed, showed that thugs violently took over polling units, attacked and chased away voters and engaged in massive thumb-printing and ballot stuffing for the APC.

    He also alleged that the police arrested the Commissioner for Special Duties, Muktar Yakasai alongside APC thugs while disrupting election in Yelwa in Dala Local Government area of the State.

    He said:”also, INEC is already aware of how APC thugs attacked voters in polling units in Gama area of Kano state during which four PDP members were feared killed and many more injured before they carted away ballot boxes for stuffing for the APC.

    “The PDP cautions INEC to note that in this circumstance, any results they come out with from this convoluted electoral process will be a sham and will surely be rejected by the people of Kano State.

    “It is completely reprehensible that the APC and Governor Abdullahi Ganduje would resort to violence and bloodletting as a means to attempt to hold on to power after they have been rejected by the people.

    “The PDP invites Nigerians to note that our party grew democracy for 16 years without watering the quest for power with the blood of the innocent as the APC has done in the 2019 general election.

    “The PDP therefore charges INEC to save the nation from crisis by cancelling the Kano Supplementary election, as failure to do so is not in the best interest of our dear nation.”

    INEC has nothing to count in Kano–Kwankwaso

    The PDP leader in the  State, Senator  Rabiu Kwankwaso hurriedly called his own  press conference to complain about the election.

    Kwankwaso who is the immediate past governor of the state and father-in-law of the PDP governorship candidate asked INEC to conduct a fresh rerun election in the state.

    He said there was no election yesterday as far as he knew.

    He said: “It is very sad that elections could not hold today because, by yesterday (Friday) evening, all the polling units in the rerun areas were overtaken by thugs. Very early morning today, elections were concluded in many polling centres.

    “And even more concerning is the role of the police under the leadership of DIG Anthony Obizie who actually backed up thugs under the leadership of the Kano state government. It is a very sad day for all of us and a very sad day for democracy.

    “There are very few places where elections took place, especially here in the city. But there was no election in the overwhelming places because they were overtaken by thugs. People were going around with ballot papers and result sheets, writing what they wanted and submitted them to the INEC officials.

    “Our prayer is that these elections should be cancelled and re-scheduled so that we can have better, free and fair elections in Kano. I don’t think by all standards, the elections here in Kano can hold water. It is unacceptable and I don’t think INEC can go ahead to count because there is nothing to count.”

    Police debunk reports of killings in Gama ward in Kano

    However, Police Deputy Inspector General Anthony Ogbizi Michael debunked social media reports of killings in Gama ward in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano during the supplementary election.

    “There was no such incident or arrest of some people in the any part of the state because the security arrangement was in order,” he said at a press briefing.

    “We have not witnessed any incident because voting went on in almost all the polling units smoothly.

    “There has not been report of any incident of thugs taking over polling unit. If thugs occupy any polling unit definitely INEC officials will not be there to conduct election.”

    He also said the police arrested 10 people for various electoral offences during the supplementary election.

    The suspects, according to him were arrested at various polling units where the elections were held.

    His words: “we made some arrest at the early hours of this morning. I may not be able to give the exact number of the people arrested. I cannot tell you whether they are black or white in terms of identity; but I can tell you that some human beings were arrested and they are detained, being interrogated.

    “They were arrested either found with sticks or in groups. We are arrested more than 10 of them. They are not party officials because you cannot identify them with PDP or APC membership cards.”

    DIG Ogbizi also affirmed that there was adequate security arrangement across the state during the exercise, adding that, “I think to me, the security arrangement was quite in order. We did not witness any ugly incident, except minor and isolated incidences which were quickly addressed. Voting went on in all the polling units.

    “The process of collating the result is on, some have now moved to the collation centres and there have not been any protest.”

    He dismissed allegation by the PDP that the police compromised during the election, pointing out that, “one, if thugs had occupied any polling unit, certainly, INEC would not have been comfortable to bring out their materials to conduct the voting process.

    “Voters that went to vote would not have been able to vote. Again, you know it is secret ballot, so we do not know which party or candidate the voters are voting for.

    “The results have not come yet. Police is never involved in the conduct of the election, we are involved in providing security for the smooth conduct of the election. So, to accuse the police wrongly, I think it is unfair.

    “We should refute that report on social media that some people were killed in Kano. Was the name of anybody killed mentioned? Where are the witnesses? If there are not, then what are you saying.

    “Now, we heard that people were killed, houses were burnt, the Commissioner arrested people—all these we heard, we need to verify all these things, and they are not true.”

    No serving commissioner was arrested, says Kano govt

    Information Commissioner Muhammad Garba denied claim that one of his colleagues was arrested by security agents during the polls.

    Garba, who spoke reporters, also described the reported loss of life due to violence in some polling units as white lies.

    Read also: Breaking: Gov Lalong declared winner in Plateau

    He dismissed such reports as mere propaganda by opponents of the government to discredit the conduct of the re-run elections after sensing defeat.

    Garba asked  Kano citizens to disregard  such  ‘fake news and propaganda’.

    Lalong coasting home to victory

    Results filtering in from some of the 40 polling units where  the supplementary election took place in Plateau State  showed that Governor  Simon Lalong was maintain his lead over his closest challenger, Jerry Useni.

    At the only polling unit in Shendam LGA – Gung -where Lalong hails from the APC candidate got 337 while Useni received 80.

    APC was also victorious in all the polling units in Mangu , the four polling units of Kanam LGA and  Bokkos local government area.

    Lalong led in five of the nine the 9 LGAs where the supplementary election took place.

    He was already ahead of Useni with over 40,000 votes in the March 8 inconclusive election.

    PDP sweeps most units in Bauchi

    Former FCT Minister Bala Mohammed looks set to displace  incumbent Governor Mohammed Abubakar  of Bauchi State with results from most of the 36 units where supplementary election took place putting him in a comfortable lead.

    During the March 9 inconclusive election, Mohammed was credited with 469,512 votes and Abubakar 465,453. The INEC first  cancelled the result of the election in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area on account of alleged  mutilation of collated result sheets at the local government collation centre only to reverse itself and opt  for supplementary polls in the area.

    Governor Abubakar however got a court injunction   restraining INEC from continuing with the collation in Tafawa Balewa local government. At press time, Mohammed appeared to have increased his votes margin to over 10000.

    Collation begins in Sokoto

    The Sokoto State Returning Officer, Professor  Fatima Mukhtar called for a break at about one o’clock this morning after the collation of results  from 18 LGAs .

    There are four LGAs left.

    Some of the results declared yesterday:

    Tambuwal LGA: APC – 1,392; PDP – 1,644

    Shagari LGA: APC – 242; PDP – 263

    Sokoto North LGA: APC – 2,212; PDP – 1,783

    Silame LGA: APC – 504; PDP – 834

    Gudu LGA: APC – 211; PDP – 176

    Illela LGA: APC – 632; PDP – 607

    Rabah LGA: APC – 1,411; PDP – 1319

    Wamakko LGA: APC – 417; PDP – 221

    Wurno LGA: APC – 904; PDP – 609

  • Supplementary elections: Poor crowd control as Plateau records high turn out

    As Plateau records large voter turnout in the Saturday’s supplementary elections, crowd control has become a huge challenge in some polling units.

    Places like Mangu and Barikin Ladi have recorded serious challenges in crowd control.

    “We did have the challenge of crowd control at Barikin Choji polling unit but thanks to the security operatives who have helped us at controlling it.

    “Things are moving smoothly and peacefully now, ” Mr Dickson Chollom, Council Chairman, said.

    Chollom described the supplementary as “very worthy step” towards determining the right person that would govern Plateau.

    Also, Mr Okoro Godwin, an observer with Youth Initiative for Sustainable Human Development in Africa, said: ”The large turnout is beyond our expectation compared to what we saw on March 9.

    “What we have seen so far in Mangu, Bokkos and Barikin Ladi LGAs is very huge turnout.

    “The crowd control problem at Barikin Choji polling unit in Barikin Ladi LGA is said to be as a result of some intruders.

    “I was happy when the security personnel quickly intervened and brought the situation under control.

    “It’s good that there is no sign of apathy, ” Godwin said.

    Voting began in earnest in most of the polling units, especially at Angwan Hausawa, Chichim, Ranpiya and Madaki I polling units in Mangu ward I and Barikin Choji polling unit in B/Ladi.

    There were no complaints of electoral materials from the INEC Polling Officers as there was huge security presence in all the units where supplementary elections were being held across the affected councils.

  • Rerun: Adamawa elders sue for peace amidst anxiety

    Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Lawal Babachir, and some other elders in Adamawa State have advised Governor Mohammed Jibrilla Bindow to accept the victory of the candidate of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 9 governorship election and avoid actions that could plunge the state into crisis.

    The PDP, which had earlier accused the APC of planning to get the court to stop the scheduled March 23 supplementary governorship election and possibly annul the March 9 main election, openly fingered the APC government on Thursday when the state high court granted an injunction stopping INEC from conducting the supplementary election.

    Babachir Lawal and the other elders, who made their appeals for peace on separate occasions, urged Bindow to relax his apparent determination to stick to power and save the state of looming crisis. “The only honourable thing to do is for my party’s candidate to concede and give peace a chance. The next election is only four years away. He can go back to the drawing board and relaunch himself. Elections shouldn’t cause trouble between brothers,” Babachir begged.

    A former governor of the state and chieftain of the PDP, Boni Haruna, who had much earlier questioned the rationale for declaring the March 9 governorship election inconclusive, also urged Bindow to accept defeat.

     

  • Sokoto PDP, APC prepare for rerun

    Sokoto State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) are warming up for the Mach 23 supplementary.

    The rerun is taking place in 10 days from now in polling units in Sokoto, Adamawa, Bauchi, Kano, Benue and Plateau states. Not a single stakeholder in the show is spared of the pulse and momentum fast building in the affected states.

    It will be another test of popularity and support between the political heavy weights on the two major platforms whose governorship candidates remain the focus of voters anxiously waiting to replicate their choices in the most hottest  but dicey political battle.

    Parties and candidates of the two contending platforms have been forced to the drawing board with ideas and strategies to woo the confidence of electorates as meetings were kicked started simultaneously on how to deliver their parties.

    However, no fewer than 75,403 voters in 136 polling units across 22 local governments in Sokoto state are expected to turn out for the most challenging and difficult to make exercise on the sides of the candidates.

    The stake is high between PDP’s candidate, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal who already is basking on the 3,413 votes advantage against his opponent of the APC, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto.

    Tambuwal had 489,558 votes edge over 486,145 scored by Aliyu Sokoto which produced the narrow margin for the sitting governor ahead of his opponent.

    Tambuwal also while responding to questions from reporters if he would participate in the rerun if date was fixed while in court said” Our court action will not stop us from participating. We want to make sure the right thing is done based on constitutional provisions” both remarked after announcing the inconclusiveness of the exercise in readiness to participate in the rerun.

     

  • When ‘ll INEC conduct Anambra Central rerun?

    When ‘ll INEC conduct Anambra Central rerun?

    In this piece, a commendator, Michael Jegede, writes on the agitations of political parties for the conduct of the Anambra Central Senatorial rerun by the electoral umpire.

    Eighteen months after the Enugu Division of Court of Appeal quashed the election of Mrs. Uche Ekwunife as the Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, and ordered a rerun poll to be held within 90 days (from the date the judgement was delivered), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to conduct the exercise. Hence, the people of the senatorial district have remained unrepresented and continued to be denied the opportunity of feeling the positive impact of governance from all that should rightfully accrue to them through their representative in the Senate.

    The Supreme Court had on February 10, 2017, ruled that the December 7, 2015 verdict of the Court of Appeal on the Anambra Central Senatorial election was final forever. The apex court maintained that no court can overturn the judgement of the Appellate Court on National Assembly election matters, in line with the letter and spirit of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). It made the pronouncement, after Ekwunife ignored the provisions of the Constitution, to appeal the nullification of her election and disqualification from participating in the ordered rerun poll, on the ground that she was not appropriately nominated by her then party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Observers had thought that, following the February 10,  ruling of the Supreme Court on the issue, coupled with the February 13, 2009 verdict of the same Supreme Court that new candidates are not allowed in a court ordered fresh election, INEC would immediately put necessary machinery in motion to conduct the long awaited Anambra Central rerun. Unfortunately, the electoral body has continued to drag its heels and failed to take a firm decision, even though the law appears to be fully on its side to hold the rerun poll, regardless of the so-called pending court cases some politicians in Anambra Central are trying to use to frustrate the conduct of the election.

    Evidently, the electoral body was prepared to conduct the rerun as directed by the Court of Appeal on March 5, 2016, but decided to postpone it indefinitely after the February 29, 2016 order of Justice Anwuli Chikere asking INEC to include the PDP against the ruling of the Appeal Court which disqualified the party and its candidate. The Chikere’s judgement in favour of PDP was believed to have been given to pave way for the former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, to replace the disqualified Ekwunife. INEC appealed the decision and that gave rise to other frivolous cases from different litigants all meant to perpetually put the Anambra Central rerun on hold.

    A year after her order compelling INEC to allow the PDP bring in a fresh candidate, the same Justice Chikere gave a conflicting judgement declaring that All Progressives Congress (APC) cannot replace its candidate in the Anambra Central rerun election. The APC had also gone to court last year when INEC refused to allow the party to substitute its original candidate, Senator Chris Ngige, now Minister of Labour with Barrister Sharon Ikeazor after the former voluntarily withdrew from the race.

    In the latest judgement of Chikere, delivered on March 14, 2017, she ruled: “That the time for nomination/withdrawal or substitution of candidates for the Court ordered election in Anambra Central Senatorial District had elapsed; that as decided by the Court of Appeal in the case of LABOUR PARTY VS. INEC (2008) 13 NWLR PT. 1103 PG. 73 (and duly affirmed by the Supreme Court on February 13, 2009), there is no room for fresh candidates in Court ordered election.”

    Again, the recent ruling, in the thinking of those who are genuinely worried about the outright denial of the right of the people of Anambra Central to have a voice in the Red Chamber, should ordinarily give more leeway to INEC to go ahead with the rerun poll without further ado. After all, it has been held that when there are two contradictory rulings on a similar issue from the same court, the decision later in time prevails. So, it is safe to say that Chikere’s latest verdict has taken precedence over the earlier order that PDP must be allowed to participate with a fresh candidate.

    A legal practitioner, Ikechukwu Ikeji, in a recent interview on Channels Television, while decrying INEC’s failure to conduct the Anambra Central Senatorial rerun election, argued that the commission ought not to have announced the indefinite postponement of the exercise in the first place.

    According to Ikeji, “They (INEC) are right in rejecting candidates that were not part of the original general election. But they are wrong in stopping to hold or refraining from holding or not holding that election. INEC has a strong platform, a strong foundation of law to stand on to hold the election and let whatever court processes that was going on to continue. In whatever ramification and dimension you want to talk about it, there is absolutely no challenge stopping INEC legally, morally, and jurisprudentially from holding the election.”

    The legal pundit explained further that “Section 87, subsection 10 of the electoral act (as amended) clearly states that no court process or court proceeding or court order can stop the holding of any general election. And the Supreme Court in the Labour Party and INEC case which is the locus classicus on fresh elections has clearly held that any court ordered election is a general election. And therefore if it is a general election the law says that nothing can stop it from being held. So, it is surprising that INEC hasn’t held that election…  The law is very clear. When you are faced with two judgements of the court, you do not cherry-pick. You obviously have to do one of two things. You obey the one that is later in time or you obey the one that has superior jurisdiction. And the one that has superior jurisdiction is the one that there should be no new candidate for a fresh election.”

    Expressing joy over the March 14, 2017 judgement by Chikere which validated INEC’s position in refusing to accept new candidates for the Anambra Central rerun, the commission’s Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said the appeal on the PDP case will be withdrawn and he urged other parties to follow suit, so that the rerun can be conducted. He said: “We are happy that not long ago, the Supreme Court has given a favourable judgement (the February 10, 2017 verdict) on one of the cases. Also, the lower court (Justice Chikere) has recently given a judgement stating that INEC was right on its decision.” What then is holding INEC from fixing a date for the election? With all the superior judgements on the matter, should the electoral body still be bogged down and confused on the right way to go?

    Responding to Ngige’s recent outburst that the Anambra Central election would not hold until all pending court cases are disposed of, the leading candidate for the rerun contest and former National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, remarked: “I was surprised to read those audacious statements by Dr. Chris Ngige. My surprise stems from the fact that I could not fathom under what capacity Ngige was saying categorically that the poll can never take place until all court cases are cleared. From the question you asked me, he is the Minister of Labour and Employment, he does not work for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC that is empowered by the constitution to conduct elections.”

    Umeh maintained that none of the cases the Labour Minister was referring to in his assertion can stand as legal impediment against the conduct of the rerun, stressing that “The issue of the eligible candidates who can take part in a court ordered fresh election or rerun election has been permanently settled by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in its judgment in a case between Labour Party and INEC, which judgment was delivered on the 13th February 2009.”

    He warned that “Ngige should not intimidate INEC in the discharge of its constitutional mandate. The era of intimidation by ruling parties in Nigeria should be over in line with President Buhari’s promise of change. We experienced these things during the PDP days, but now that we are in a government that has preached change, nobody should use his membership of the ruling party or any arm of government to intimidate and dictate to INEC. That is what Ngige has demonstrated, and he has said it everywhere.”

    The Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) candidate for the Anambra Central rerun poll, Oby Kate Okafor, has also called on INEC to do the needful by conducting the long delayed election. Okafor gave the electoral body an ultimatum of two months (from April), after which according to her, she might be compelled to sue the commission for unnecessarily delaying the conduct of Anambra Central election.

    Lamenting that people from the senatorial district had lost so much for the past two years due to non-representation, in terms of funds, amenities and empowerment opportunities, she said: “They (Anambra Central people) can no longer afford to waste further time, and they want to be like their counterparts. The issue is that Anambra Central is losing. What I am seeing now is a case of sabotage, because since the election was cancelled nothing has been done.”

    Various groups and individuals have continued to appeal to INEC to take urgent steps towards ensuring the conduct of Anambra Central rerun election in the interest of the citizens of the senatorial zone. It is described as completely unfair that of all the court ordered fresh polls, resulting from the nullification of about 80 National and State Assemblies results in the 2015 general election, only Anambra Central case remains unresolved.

    The people of the constituency are the greatest losers and not the politicians, who are doing everything possible to stop the election from holding. INEC must therefore, be decisive on the Anambra Central rerun. The electoral umpire should not in any way pander to the whims and caprices of those who have lost out and vowed to ensure that the rerun does not hold. The people of the senatorial district have patiently waited for too long.  They deserve to have a voice in the highest legislative body of the country.

    • Michael Jegede, a media expert writes from Abuja.
  • INEC report on Rivers rerun and police

    INEC report on Rivers rerun and police

    SIR: The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a report on pages 1 and 4 of The Nation of February 22 with the above title.

    Consequent on the conduct of the Rivers rerun election of December 10, and the attendant irregularities and violence witnessed during the election, the Nigeria Police Force set up a joint investigative panel made up of Senior Police Officers and Officers of Department of State Security Service on December 22, 2016, to investigate all the misconducts, identified infractions, incidents of violence and other actions and inactions of Police personnel and INEC officials, other security agencies and stakeholders who were deployed for the Rivers rerun election.

    The panel was further mandated to also investigate the prevalence of violent crimes, such as armed robbery, kidnapping/hostage taking, and hijack of election materials and attacks on electorates, INEC members of staff, ad-hoc personnel and other stakeholders that were involved either directly or indirectly in the conduct of the election. The joint investigation panel submitted its report to the Inspector General of Police on February 7.

    The Nigeria Police Force identified and proactively took action against six Police Officers who were indicted by the investigative panel to have compromised, engaged in serious misconduct, misused fire arms, and for other conducts in violation of the Electoral Act and other enabling laws during the Rivers rerun election.  They were arrested, investigated and subjected to internal disciplinary measures and after being found guilty were dismissed from the Force and paraded before the media on January 6 awaiting prosecution. Other agencies whose personnel were also indicted by the Joint Investigation Panel are expected to do the same to their personnel indicted without any further delay.

    Twenty three INEC Electoral Officers and two administrative officials who were indicted by the panel were arrested, investigated and total sum of one hundred and eleven million three hundred thousand naira (N111, 300,000) confessed to have been collected from the His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Barr. Nyesom Wike was recovered from them. They were released on bail to the Director of Human Resources, INEC Headquarters Abuja.

    The report as quoted above is a disservice to the Nigeria Police Force because all the issues raised were discovered by the Joint Investigative Panel and have been dealt with. The story is therefore misleading, malicious and capable of misinforming members of the public on the statutory roles of the Nigeria Police Force in election security, restoration of law and order, and the protection of lives and property throughout the country.

     

    CSP Jimoh O Moshood,

    Force Headquarters, Abuja.

  • Rivers rerun: APC, PDP differ over appearance at Wike’s panel

    Rivers rerun: APC, PDP differ over appearance at Wike’s panel

    The Rivers State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) and the ruling People Democratic Party (PDP) in the state yesterday disagreed on the legality of the commission of enquiry Governor Ezenwo Wike set up to probe the violence that marred the December 10 legislative rerun.

    Wike set up the panel of enquiry on December 22, last year, to probe the remote and immediate causes of the violence and killings that occurred during the election.

    Speaking at a thanksgiving service in Port Harcourt, the state capital, with the theme: Rededication of Obio/Akpor APC to God, the party’s Leader in the area, Chief Tony Okocha said the panel was bias and lacked the legitimacy to ask APC to appear before it.

    The APC chieftain said the main reason Wike set up the panel, after allegedly declining to appear before the one set up by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), was “to manipulate the process and sweep everything under the carpet”.

    APC House of Representative candidate for Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency during the rerun, Okocha said the party shunned the panel because its members were the main target.

    Okocha said: ”You know two things cannot go at the same time. Before the so-called panel was inaugurated by Governor Wike, there was a panel by the IGP, and they are on the same matter. But the governor said he had no confidence in the panel and was not going to submit himself to it.

    “The IGP’s panel is about the Federal Government. To manipulate and sweep everything under the carpet, Governor Wike set up his own panel and the only people he wants to appear before the panel are APC members. He is already biased and we cannot appear before it.”

  • Rivers rerun: Insatiability and crocodile tears

    SIR:The Rivers State rerun elections held on December 10 for seats into the National Assembly have come and gone. Winners and losers however, emerged. In sync with democratic norms, as results were declared by the returning officers designated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), those aggrieved over the outcomes of the election should maintain decorum and seek for justice at the Election Tribunals. Heating up the polity out of self-aggrandizements and insatiability is unreasonable.  As it stands, Rivers peoples’ votes did count. APC won and lost; PDP won and lost. Democracy demands that peoples votes must count, and winners and losers must emerge. These are the governing elements of democratic processes. For those that won, congratulations. For those that lost, keep hopes alive, tomorrow is yet another day. Post-election violence and political fanaticism should be left behind. Those that boastfully threatened to pull down the system should sheathe their swords. The preponderance is that the election was largely violence free. To persistently push otherwise is idiosyncratic, myopic, recalcitrant and egocentric.

    Ultimately, democracy in Rivers won. Whatever tears, crocodile or otherwise, election is over, hence, live and let live.

    From the hubbub; 28,000 regular policemen, 5,000 Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) personnel, 28,000 soldiers of the Nigerian Army, 5,000 men from the Navy and Airforce, 15,000 from Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and 15,000 other personnel from sundry para-military agencies were lavishly deployed by the federal government during the election. Under the laws, the president committed no offence for dispatching such numbers to ensure a hitch-free election provided the operatives allowed freedom of movement and operated reasonably within their statutory limits. As a matter of fact, such numbers could be tripled if the presidency considers it necessary. The unending hullabaloo over the action is uncalled for, and connotes ulterior motives over the election, and the President owes no explanation on the number of operatives he wishes to use in protecting lives and properties; his primary obligation as provided in Section 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    The Rivers rerun irrespective of few alleged inadequacies was a huge success on account of the minimal casualties recorded during the election. It is aggregately abysmal for political leaders who armed themselves with adequate security to be inciting the public into fomenting troubles. Life is sacred and leaders are under obligation to ensuring that human lives are maximally protected. It is also important to note that under democracy, a governor or president is only allowed to cast a vote in registered polling unit and not to convert to election monitor as witnessed in the election. The election officials including accredited observers are only valid resource persons for an election. Hence, the discipline of a police officer attached to Governor Nyesom Wike that led him across polling units he wasn’t supposed to appear during the elections was apt.

    The best any governor can do ahead of election towards ensuring its free and fair is to supportively provide sufficient electronic gadgets to the accredited observers and his party agents for recordings and instant updates, but to be part of the election that is being conducted by an independent body outside the executive arm is grotesque, and inconsistent with independence of the electoral body. For a political leader who is optimally surrounded alongside family members by combatant personnel to be inciting the vulnerable citizens for violence, anyway, it is condemnable and unfortunate.

    • Carl Umegboro,

    Lagos.

  • Why Rivers rerun was marred with violence, by Obuah

    Why Rivers rerun was marred with violence, by Obuah

    The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Felix Obuah, has attributed the violence that marred the recent rerun to the desperation of unpopular candidates to win.

    He described the state as the stronghold of the PDP, wondering why the All Progressives Congress (APC) was insensitive to the political reality.

    Obuah congratulated the PDP candidates who emerged victorious, urging them to fulfill their campaign promises to the people.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jerry Needam, the chairman described the victory as the triumph of light over darkness.

    He said the defeat of the PDP,  especially in the Rivers Southeast and Rivers East senatorial districts, did not reflect the wishes of the people, adding that elections did not hold in the areas.

    Obuah said the victory of the PDP candidates underscored the party’s popularity and the belief of the people in its programmes.

    He said his prediction that many voters will reject the APC had come to pass.

    The chairman commended the  PDP followers for their courage, saying that they were resolute in their bid to vote for the candidates of their choice in the face of intimidation.

    Obuah described the rerun as the worst in the history Rivers State, pointing out that the report of some monitoring groups captured the impunity of the security agencies.

    He said the  Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Rivers State, the Army, Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were allof to the activities of suspected thugs.

    The chairman alleged that security agents took sides with political parties during the exercise in e Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency.

    He said the results purportedly declared in Rivers South East Senatorial District were false, stressing that voting in the area was characterised by hulaballoo.

    Obuah lamented that the INEC and security agents closed their eyes to the impunity.

    He recalled that, despite the assurance by the electoral commission and the police that a level-playing ground will be provided for the candidates, the officials demonstrated partisanship.

    Obuah said the PDP will challenge the outcome of the exercise in Khana, Gokana, Tai, Eleme and Oyigbo local government areas.

    He called for an investigation into the alleged partisanship of the INEC officials and security agents to prevent a reoccurence.

    He alleged that a particular high-ranking federal official  connived with the security agents to brutalisePDP members, hijack electoral materials and perpetuate violence.

    He said the criminal and shameful actions during the re-run  will not go unchallenged.

    Obuah called for the arrest and prosecution suspects in the orgy of violence.

    He said: “Those who conspired  in the hijack of INEC materials, killing, shooting and maiming of innocent Ogonis during the re-run should not go unpunished.

    “The arrest and prosecution of these men are necessary to save the future of the nascent democracy and also to serve as deterrent to others who think that the state is their personal property.”