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Tag: Sokoto ‘Rerun

  • Sokoto rerun: We”ll reclaim our stolen mandate, APC chairman tells members

    The Turakin Achida and Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Sokoto state chapter,  Alhaji Isa Sadiq Achida, has said the party’s Gubernatorial mandate allegedly stolen by the Peoples Democratic Party  (PDP), under the shameful and physical supervision of Governor Aminu Waziiri Tambuwal would soon be retrieved.

    Achida told supporters while reassuring them of efforts being made by the party in the state to reclaim its mandate.

    He also expressed extreme optimism that, the stolen mandate would be retrieved at the Gubernatorial Election Tribunal expected to commence sitting in Sokoto, soon.

    Achida made the remarked in a statement he issued in Sokoto in reaction to recent claims that the APC bid to use the power of some federal agencies, during the 2019 Governorship polls, against the PDP and himself, had failed.

    According to him ” such deluded and misplaced outcries by Governor Aminu Waziiri Tambuwal, are in-efficacious, just as they are immaterial and ineffectual .

    Read also: APC primaries: Yari has put Zamfara people to shame – Marafa

    ” Nobody had used the powers or prowess of any federal agency , rather , the teaming supporters of the party and the electorate , statewide had cast their votes massively for the APC candidates,  at all levels.

    ” The massive and colossal votes cast for our candidates, at all levels, including President Muhammadu Buhari, showed that , the people love and cherish the APC and it remains the party to beat .

    ” The electorate had since lost confidence in the PDP which had fielded expired and lesser candidates who lacked even the least of support.”

    In the same vein, Achida noted that Governor Aminu Waziiri Tambuwal lacked the moral audacity to continue to euphorically cling to the seat, as he knew he was never elected by the people of the state .

    The statement recalled that the recent governorship elections were marred by myriad of dastardly flaws and electoral offences like vote buying, over voting , ballot box snatching and stuffing, as well as intimidation,  non use of card reader machines , duplication of votes and outright disenfranchisement of thousands of voters across the state ,among others .

    Similarly, the statement stressed that there were many glaring infractions and violations of the Electoral Act, 2010, as amended, the nation’s constitution, as well as the Electoral Laws of the Independent National Electoral Commission  (INEC).

    It further pointed out that there were several other acts of pre and post election  violence , intimidation, flagrant misuse of public funds to induce voters, compromise by some electoral officials ,and the various security agencies.

    The party chairman added ”  it is humorous and ironical for a Governor to be purportedly declared as winner of a poll with a vote difference of a paltry 342 votes, against his opponent who had since won the election , but , for the obnoxious infractions and daylight robbery being orchestrated by Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and his dead party , the PDP.”

  • Polls: Wamakko urges APC faithful to remain peaceful, calm

    Following the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal as winner of the Sokoto state governorship elections, Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum and Coordinator, North West, Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, has urged the faithful of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ), in the state to remain peaceful , resolute and calm .

    This is contained in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, to Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, Bashir Rabe Mani and issued to newsmen in Sokoto, on Sunday.

    Senator Wamakko was reacting to the outcome of the 2019 Gubernatorial elections in the state , which were capped by supplementary elections conducted on March 23,2019.

    The lawmaker said,” the party’s leadership, membership and the entire electorate in the State would not despair , in anyway .

    “We have jointly struggled, fought and won. We are never losers. All and sundry have done their possible best , by coming out en masse and massively cast their invaluable votes for our candidates, at all levels .

    ” In this direction, we are really appreciating and cherishing the immense sustained support of the members of the party to beat, the APC, as well as the electorate, in general.

    “These laudable gestures of the electorate were kick-started with the Presidential and National Assembly polls, then during the first Gubernatorial and State Assembly elections and climaxed with the supplementary polls on March 23 .”

    Wamakko who is a Member of the World Muslim League and represents Sokoto North Senatorial District noted that, the candidates of the party had recorded myriad of landslide victories during the 2019 general polls sequel to the unflinching loyalty and unshakeable devotion by its supporters and the electorate.

    The Marafan Hausasun further promised that, the APC and its leaders , at all levels, would remain religiously committed to the welfare, security and general comfort of Nigerians .

    These, he noted, form part of the cardinal ideals and objectives of the party , vowing that, Nigerians would never regret bestowing their mandates to the APC .

    ” Our Leader , President Muhammadu Buhari was just given a second term by Nigerians and he will surely take the entire country to the NEXT LEVEL.

    ” The leaders of the party , at all levels , most especially the ninth Senate , would relentlessly strive to fully complement the efforts of the President to better the lives of Nigerians, in all ramifications.

    ” The leadership and membership of the party, as well as entire Nigerians should continue to be peaceful and united .

  • Tambuwal promises all- inclusive government

    Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has assured of running an all inclusive government that would move the Sokoto state to purposeful heights with opportunities for all.

    Tambuwal who was shortly announced winner of governorship elections after defeating his opponent, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto by a slim margin in tough contested polls made the remark when a tumultuous crowd of jubilant supporters and well wishers thronged Government House in celebration of his victory.

    The governor who is reelected for the second term of another four years expressed appreciation to the entire people of the state especially PDP members for the feat he described as the will of God.

    ” I am thanking Allah for what we are witnessing today in our political journey that is blessed with victory. It is not my making nor anyones but something that has been destined by Allah. It is the collective efforts of Sokoto state people.”

    Read Also: Sokoto rerun: Atiku congratulates Tambuwal on re-election

    Tambuwal, however, appealed to the jubilant supporters mostly youths to conduct themselves in a peaceful and orderly manner while expressing their joy for the victory.

    Meanwhile, Government House Sokoto continued to be a beehive of activities with all kinds of victory slogans, songs and music renting the air as major streets in the metropolis taken over by jubilant supporters in a motorcade with others on motorcycles singing” Sai Mutawalle” just as they lite fire on bunches of brooms declaring the end of APC in Sokoto.

  • Tambuwal wins Sokoto governorship election

    The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) has declared candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and incumbent Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal winner of the Sokoto state Governorship election.

    Tambuwal who polled 512, 002 got reelected after a kin contest with a lead margin of 342 votes to defeat his opponent and former deputy Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto who scored 511,660 emerged victorious following a rerun that was preceded by an inconclusive verdict in the March 9th elections.

    In the earlier results before the rerun, Tambuwal had a total votes of 489,558 with a margin of 3,413 against APC’s Aliyu Sokoto who polled 486,145.

    Declaring the results in Sokoto Sunday morning at the Sultan Muhammadu Maccido Institute for Quranic and General Studies, venue of the collation, the Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of the Jigawa state University, Dutse, Professor Fatima Batulli Mukhtar who reeled out the results of the rerun said the APC got 25,515 while the opposition PDP scored 22, 444 from the 22 local governments where the exercise was conducted.

    According to Mukhtar, the total registered voters was 95,022 while those accredited were 50,332 with a total valid vote cast of 48,309 and rejected votes of 1,580 as 49,970 total vote cast were recorded in the supplementary polls.

    Merging the final results, the Returning Officer said PDP scored 512,000 while APC returned 511,660 votes with total registered voters of 1,887,767 and 1,083,413 accredited for the exercise across the state.

    Mukhtar also gave total valid votes as 1,036,336 with 31,662 as rejected votes while 1,067,990 represented total vote cast.

    ” That Aminu Waziri Tambuwal having satisfied the electoral requirements and returned the highest votes is hereby declared winner of the Sokoto state governorship election”, She announced amidst victory ovation by supporters and party agents of the PDP.

    In a swift reaction to the declaration , APC agent and campaign DG f the party, Alhaji Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi objected to the presentation of the result from Kebbe local government based on two fundamental issues including malfunctioning of the smart card reader and non conduct of the exercise in some polling units, urging INEC to look into that by doing the needful.

    ” We strongly object the result from Kebbe and call on the electoral umpire to do the needful.”

    In its dispassionate response, the electoral body noted the observations and complaints raised by the APC saying that it will be in its record for possible attention.

    Meanwhile, jubilation by PDP supporters and well wishers trailed the announcement of the results with motorcycle riders all over major streets of Sokoto demonstrating their joy as security was tight to proactively forestall attempt to break law and order by miscreants.

    However, the atmosphere in the caliphate remains calm as jubilation continued in all nook and crannies.

  • Breaking: INEC adjourns collation of Sokoto rerun

    The collation exercise for the Sokoto state governorship supplementary elections results has been adjourned to 9am on Sunday.

    The adjournment following the non- arrival of results from Kebbe local government, which is the last of the 22 Local Government Areas.

    The Returning Officer, Professor Fatima Mukhtar, who announced the adjournment before party agents, heads of security agencies, the media, observers and other stakeholders had presided over results of 21 LGs where the rerun was conducted.

    READ ALSO: Sokoto rerun: Collation of results begins

    However, out of the rerun results, APC is leading with 14 local governments against PDP’s 7.

    Incumbent Governor Aminu Tambuwal has an earlier margin of 3413 votes in the March 9th polls.

    Before the election was declared inconclusive, Tambuwal of the PDP had 489, 558 votes over APC candidate, who scored 486,145.

     

  • Sokoto re-run: Party bigwigs clash at polling units

    Some notable party Chieftains have engaged in popularity supremacy at Magajin Gari ward ‘B’ Shiyyar Danfarijo polling unit 005 and 009, where supplementary polls are taking place.

    This led to chaos in the supplementary poll for the Sokoto North local government area of Sokoto state.

    The presence of party chieftains, Alhaji Murtala Daniya of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and two All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains, Alhaji Abdullahi Hassan, a one-time chairman of Sokoto North LGA and APC youth leader, Nasiru Italiya at the polling center disrupted the procesess.

    Police had to use teargas on the crowd and deploy more personnel before normalcy was restored after the election was put on hold for about three hours.

    Daniya of the PDP, who was among the early voters, displayed his ballot sheet to the public, a situation that led to throwing of sand and objects at INEC officials, security men and the party chieftains.

    The Presiding Officer, Mr Otu Cassius, told NAN that they reported for election duty as early as 7 am and that screening and voting commenced simultaneously as there were no hitches with the card reader.

    Cassius, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, said the processes were well until the incident.

    A PDP agent at the polling unit, Alhaji Bashiru Abdulkadir told NAN that it was right for Daniya to publicly display what he voted because even a presidential candidate did it after voting in the just concluded presidential election.

    However, the APC agent Muntari Muhammad opposed the position, stressing that it violated electoral laws and said he had lodged a complaint to the authorities.

    NAN reports that voting went smoothly at Sarkin Yaki Polling unit 008 in Sarkin Musulmi Ward ‘B’ and Danhilin Hubbare polling unit 004 also in Sarkin Musulmi Ward ‘B’ in Sokoto North LGA.

    The presiding officers at the units, Ahmad Hassan and Sa’adatu Adamu said they reported early and election commenced at 8 a.m.

    APC State Treasurer, Alhaji Haruna Adiya, who voted at Kyafe polling unit 008 in Magajin Rafi ward ‘B’, urged authorities to deploy more security men to regulate the rowdy situation.

    Mr Zakari Umar, the Supervisor of Domestic Election Observer in Sokoto North LGA, said the processes were orderly in line with regulations.

    Umar, who is from YAGA Africa said incident forms were being compiled to be reported to relevant authorities.

    NAN gathered that vote buying became the order of the day at Rajiya polling unit 004 in Sokoto South local government area.

    The situation led to the arrival of the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Garba Danjuma and other security chiefs at the polling unit.

    ASP Muhammad Sadiq, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) assured that the situation was under control.

    “In every election we expect some challenges but presently the situation is under control as you can see.

    “We will tackle all irregularities and maintain the peaceful atmosphere throughout the exercise,” he said.

    In separate interviews, Commissioner of Finance and Higher Education Alhaji Sa’idu Umar and Prof. A’isha Madawaki urged security agencies to remain vigilant in ensuring the success of the re-run.

    They expressed confidence in the overall process and urged INEC and other stakeholders to play the game by the rules.

    NAN reports that Police directive on restriction of vehicular movements from 8 a.m to 6 p.m was flouted.

    The supplementary elections witnessed high turnout generally, but amidst security challenges, with residents calling for deployment of more security personnel.

    The re-run is being conducted in 135 polling units across 22 local government areas of the state to determine who wins the governorship seat. (NAN)

  • Sokoto rerun: Party agents, supporters exchange blows

    The supplementary elections at Rijiya “A” 004 polling unit in Sokoto South local government was almost marred by chaotic atmosphere with attendant rowdiness, tension and anxiety resulting to exchange of blows between supporters and agents of the two major political parties.

    It took the presence of the Commissioner of police, Mr Garba D. Muhammad and his men to control the situation.

    A source told The Nation that the situation was sparked by attempt from an agent of one of the major contenders to engage in alleged vote buying.

    ” The agent was negotiating at N10,000 per vote,”c he said.

    Inspite of the tight security, the exercise at the polling unit with no fewer than 405 registered, created a chaotic atmosphere which almost overwhelmed security agents deployed to the unit.

    However, the polling unit was already speculated to be a tough spot where the contest was kin during the general elections.

    Besides, materials and INEC officials were prompt with smart card readers functioning smoothly in most polling units visited.

    It was gathered that voters had filed out since 6am at the polling units with large turnout of women to exercise their franchise.

    The state Commissioner of Finance, Saidu Umar who spoke at the scene of the exercise urged security agents to remain vigilant to ensure the smooth conduct of polls.

    Similarly, Professor Aisha Isah Madawaki said the process commenced orderly and peaceful but at a point, the scenario became tensed and the exercise almost got disrupted.

    However, larger attention by the two contending political parties, security and other stakeholders is shifted to Kebbe and Gada respectively due to the high number of polling units.

    The two local governments have the largest concentration of registered voters unit 35 and 29 polling units respectively totaling 64.

  • Sokoto re-run: Army extends show of force to six violence-prone LGAs

    The Nigeria Army on Friday extended its “Show of Force Exercise” to six violence-prone local government areas in Sokoto State preparatory to the Saturday supplementary elections in the state.

    The affected local government areas are Raba, Kebbe, Gada, Goronyo, Sabon Birni and Isa.

    Addressing the motorcade before taking off from Sokoto, Maj.-Gen. Hakeem Otiki, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 8 Division, Nigerian Army, said the exercise was to arouse public attention to the presence of the military.

    Otiki explained that the exercise was not meant to intimidate the public, but to express army readiness to curtail any form of public disturbance.

    He said further that the exercise would also serve as warning to hoodlums and other disgruntled elements that might plan or intend to disrupt the upcoming supplementary elections.

    The GOC added that similar exercise was conducted for hours in Sokoto metropolis on Thursday and urged the people to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in ensuring peaceful coexistence in the country.

    He, however, cautioned all violators of peace to be wary of the repercussion, stressing that the military were always ready to secure lives and safeguard the nation’s territorial integrity.

    ‘’I urge you to feel free and to come out on that day to exercise your civic responsibility at the selected places within the periods.

    The exercise was conducted in partnership with the Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Department of State Security Service (DSS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).

    Okiti urged the officers to be disciplined, adding that discipline was the bedrock of achieving success in all aspects of life. (NAN)