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Tag: SOKOTO

  • Mass failure in General Studies at Sokoto Varsity

    Management and students of the Usmanu Dan Fodio University (UDU), Sokoto, are trading words over the mass failure in General Studies (GST). The students claimed that the GST Unit mishandled the course. The management blamed the failure on the students’ indifference. ABIODUN JAMIU, UDUS 200-L Political Science, reports.

    As they always do, the Usmanu Dan Fodio University (UDU), Sokoto students were  at the General Studies (GST) notice board where information and sometimes results are pasted. They were checking their names on the  list of students who did not sit for the GST continuous assessment (CA) across various levels during the second semester of 2017/2018 academic year.

    To the chargrin of many who sat for the continuous assessment, their names were on the list. By implication, students with no CA records have automatically failed.

    More interesting was that some students, who came to mock their colleagues who failed, were shocked to discover that they were also victims.

    The 100-Level students write GST102 (Nigerian people and culture); GST 103 (Information and Communication Technology); GST105 (Communication in French) and GST106 (Communication in Arabic). For 200 Level students there are courses such as GST211 (Communication in English ll) and GST214 (Peace and Conflict Resolution); while the 300-Level undergraduates sit for GST312 (Venture Creation and Growth).

    As practised in other institutions, UDU students undertake GST that are multi-disciplinary in nature, covering Philosophy, Science, Social Sciences, and Citizenship Education, among others.

    But many students expressed disappointment over repeated failures in GST– a development they blamed on the alleged shoddy manner the division handles its affairs.

    Nonetheless, the school’s management has absolved itself, blaming the situation on students’ I-don’t-care-attitude towards GST.

    One of the victims, a 200-Level student of Political Science, Umar Sheriff, lamented what he described as the school’s ‘negligence’, adding that it would affect his hope of getting a better result in his first year.

    Like every other ‘Danfodite’, Sheriff recalled how he had burnt the midnight candle ahead of GST examination; yet, his results were not commensurate with the efforts he had invested.

    Aggrieved, Sheriff along with other students in his shoes, approached the GST Director of General Studies, Dr Farouk Tambuwal, who assured via the secretary of the unit that the matter would be resolved.

    “Quite a number of us met the secretary, who told us that since the students involved in the mix-up were many, the division would certainly find a way out. Even with the promise by the secretary, when the results were released, I saw “F” on my GST102 (Nigerian people and Culture),” Sheriff said.

    Sherrif’s claim was substantiated by Eeboade Hassan, another 200-Level Law undergraduate, who bemoaned the manner the test was conducted.

    “The test? It was not in any way formally and accurately conducted,” Hassan said, adding: “The question sheet provided was the same on which we were to put down the answers. Moreover, the pages were not attached. So, we were the one attaching the pages with a broomstick.”

    Hassan said he anticipated erroneous markings due to the numerous answer scripts that were loose after the test was written. According to him, the unattached papers may have caused the mix-up.

    He continued: “Right from that day (the day the test was conducted), I presumed that there would be errors in the process of marking the scripts. But the “F” was actually outside my thinking, I was shocked.

    “The error was from the division. During the process of computing results of the test, they made mistakes with people’s names. Names were alphabetically disorganised, some with their admission number. For instance, instead of 000 of my admission number, they only put double zero,” he lamented.”

    Asked what steps he took when he saw his name on the list, Hassan said he went to the head of the GST Division who acknowledged that the mix-up was theirs and the division would rectify it.

    He continued: “At the office of the Exam Officer, the Director, Dr Tambuwal, brought out the comprehensive list of those who sat for the test with the assertion that ‘if I should open this and your name and scores are absent, just forget it, you will carry over this course even if you score 60/60 in the exam’

    “We thereafter wrote our correct admission numbers and names after which they accepted the mistakes were theirs. He promised us that proper rectification will be done. But, unfortunately, he never fulfilled his promise. ‘F’ was written on my GST106 (Communication in Arabic)”.

    “I had to be sure it was my name. At a point, I started crying because I couldn’t imagine myself having a ‘carry over’ in GST” said another victim, Shadiyah (not real name), who failed GST106, (Communication in Arabic).

    Unlike Hassan, Shadiyah didn’t have a premonition of what was to come. She even told CAMPUSLIFE that she would never have admitted her name was on the list if told by her course mates.

    “Although I heard students lamenting that they had issues with the GSTs; I wasn’t perturbed. It never occurred to me that my name would feature on the list, until a friend drew my attention to it.”

    She continued: “We were attended to that very day, and were told to check if our names were on the comprehensive lists. Some students’ admission numbers were mistyped, just like mine; there was a mix-up in my admission number. Instead of 98, 78 was on the list. After all the complaints, we were all given an “F”. We all knew that without tests, we would all carry the course over.”

    Similarly, Ahmad Muhammad Saulawa, a 400-Level Microbiology undergraduate, expressed shock when he saw his name on the list, despite that he even assisted the course coordinator to invigilate the same course. Like Shadiyah, Saulawa’s attention was drawn to the list by a friend.

    “I wrote mine in the first batch and after submitting, the lecturer asked me to join her to invigilate the class, and I did,” Saulawa recalled.

    “The other batches wrote theirs and I was still there with her (coordinator). I gathered all the test question papers and handed it to her. However, I was shocked when I heard that my name was among those that didn’t sit for the test,” he said.

    Saulawa recounted how he later approached the lecturer of the course, who assured him that it was a general problem and that the division would definitely resolve it, adding that the problem had not been resolved as at the time of filing this report.

    Read also: On Sokoto rerun election

    Beyond the affected students, GST Division in UDUS has been a subject of crisis, especially among students who constantly moan repeated mass failure, missing grades and late release of results, among others.

    A student, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, recalled how students performance in GST has declined in recent years. He lamented that GST results were not appealing and not in any way commensurate with students’ efforts.

    “GST result in recent time in UDU is not appealing,” the source stated.

    He continued: “Students have been recording low grades, which in the long run affect our GP(grade point), if not all. The bitter truth is that it is not that the students are unserious. The problem with the division is the belief that majority of students take the course for granted. It is on this basis that the administration felt the need to be harsh on students with regards to grade.”

    However, Maryam Abdullah, a 400-Level student of Modern European Languages and Linguistics (MELL), lauded the result. Unlike previous ones, Abdullah noted that the management’s introduction of computer based test (CBT) made this year’s a lot better.

    “Though students seem to complain more about their results, I think these results are better, compared to the previous results from the division,” she added.

    But Emelife Uchenna Maximus, a 200 Level Literature in English undegraduate, bemoaned the technical problems that has plagued GST over the years, urging the division to improve on performance to demonstrate more transparency.

    “The GST results, I would still say is fair. The division, in the previous session, graded poorly GST 104 of all first years, and took on an overwhelming CBT system that almost led to me missing an examination”

    The division should carry out a proper test-run of its CBT to avoid mistakes and technical issues,” Uchenna advised.

    Nevertheless, until students learn to be more committed, the mass failure in GST would continue, the management has said.

    Speaking with CAMPUSLIFE, UDU Dean, Students’ Affairs, Prof Aminu Mode, expressed dissatisfaction at the nonchalant attitude of students towards GST.

    He said: “This (mass failure) is nothing to argue on. The reality is that most of the students do not attend GST lectures.

    “For instance, you will find an average GST class of 1000 students, but only 50 or 60 students will attend the class. Throughout the session, there are some students that would never attend GST lectures.

    “Why would students not fail when they don’t attend lectures? Students believe, especially in GST courses, that ‘we don’t need to attend lectures to score As or Bs, let me just go and read’ not knowing that what we want as teachers is for them to attend lectures and thereafter challenge us.”

    Further, Mode said results in the universities are released subject to consultations with stakeholders before it would be approved by the Senate, adding that no division or faculties can unilaterally fail students. Mode, therefore, urged students to attend lectures promptly as it aids learning and equips them ahead of time.

    “Attending lectures reduce a lot of burden on you as a student; you understand better what a lecturer said and at the same time remember how he gestured. Unfortunately, students of nowadays have taken GST courses for granted,” he concluded.

     

  • 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.

  • State independence

    Despite the bumps, Nigeria’s democracy appears to be maturing. As the supplementary elections in five states have shown, the political elites who were bickering and manipulating the ordering of elections were wasting precious legislative time. The belief across the board that any political party that wins the presidency will sweep the state elections is perhaps erroneous. That fear explains the tug-of-war between the federal and state officials about which election comes first.

    In 2015, the federal legislators forced a three-legged elections on the country with all the debilitating effect on socio-economic activities in the country. The economic and social losses from staggered elections is made worse each time INEC fumbles as happened in 2015 and now 2019. In the current dispensation, after INEC released the guideline for the just concluded elections, putting the presidential and National Assembly elections first, the opposition parties were so afraid of the bandwagon effect that it clamoured for another amendment to the Electoral Act, to strip INEC of the power to order elections.

    But with the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winning in Sokoto, Benue and potentially in Bauchi states, despite the triumph of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the presidency, the perception of federal power as a cyclone at elections will begin to wane. Despite this gain, the obtrusive powers of the federal government in our unbalanced federation still leaves the states dependent on the whims and caprices of the federal government. This imbalance, especially in economic and coercive powers of a modern state are made worse by the excessive concentration of power of the state in hand of the state executive at the detriment of state legislature and judiciary.

    The result has been the making of governors as state autocrats. With the resources of state substantially in his control, the governor has overbearing influence on the other arms of government in the state. That explains why aspirants to the federal legislature are mortally afraid of the influence of the governor even as they would do all in their power to ensure the presidential elections don’t checkmate their ambition. So to strengthen our democracy, there is the urgent need to free the states from the vice-grip of governors.

    The fear of governors in the state has been so ingrained that a previous constitutional amendment to grant the state legislators autonomy were rebuffed by the legislators. The state legislators were too afraid to contemplate their freedom such that the amendment was defeated by the state legislators. But the result has been the gross inefficiency that many state governments represent. While the judiciary is relatively insulated from the malicious abuse of power by state executives, most of the state legislatures are mere rubber stamp. With the legislature the engine room of presidential system of government stripped of its powers and influence in the states, what we have is a caricature of democracy at the state level.

    Thankfully President Muhammadu Buhari has set up a committee to implement the autonomy of state judiciary and legislature. As a guide to the committee, the words of Earl Warren CJ of the U.S. Supreme Court in USA v Brown is important. He said: “the separation of powers under the American constitution was obviously not instituted with the idea that it would promote government efficiency. It was on the contrary, looked at as a bulwark against tyranny.” Without doubt many of the states in the federation operate under the tyrannical manipulation of state governors. Because of their misguided influence, the state budgets for instance, become a huge joke instead of a serious matter of statecraft.

    So we need to practice the separation of powers as enunciated by the founding fathers of the presidential system of government. Again in the words of Justice Louis Dembitz Brandeis of the U.S. Supreme Court in Myers v USA: “The doctrine of separation of powers was adopted by the Convention of 1787 not to promote efficiency but to preclude the exercise of arbitrary powers. The purpose was not to avoid friction, but, by means of the inevitable friction incident to the distribution of the governmental powers among three departments, to save the people from autocracy.”

    Without checks and balance, we had a governor dedicating state resources to moulding meaningless statutes. Without checks and balance another state executive drove a bulldozer to pull down the house of his opponents. Because of the absence of checks and balance, a governor built a poultry without chicks, while another prefer to build flyover in unlived part of the state while ignoring the more essential needs of the state like salaries. Because of the absence of checks and balance, a governor went to upturn files and desks in the high court without consequences.

    Indeed, because of the absence of checks and balance, many government houses in the states have become mere cash centres for sharing of monthly allocations, instead of nerve centre for policies and programmes to free citizens from poverty and ignorance. We need to make changes at the state level, if we hope to make progress as a nation-state. That is why I commend the committee raised by President Buhari to take the assignment as an important national assignment. We need to free the states from the vice-grip of governors. That dream will be impossible if the judiciary and the legislature in the state are not granted their financial autonomy.

    The importance of the autonomy of the legislature cannot be overemphasised. Theirs is to lay down the rules of engagement, and without independence in this onerous assignment, governance will become autocratic. In Yakus v USA, the Supreme Court of United States describe legislative powers thus: “The essentials of the legislative function are the determination of the legislative policy and its formulation and promulgation as a defined and binding rule of conduct.” Without independence in making the rule of conduct, what we will have is chaos.

    Also important is the work of the judiciary as the organ imbued with power to interpret the rules made by the legislature. Considering its powers as arbiter between citizens and states, the need for its independence cannot be over emphasised.  Section 6(6)(b) of the 1999 constitution as amended captures it. It provides: “The judicial powers vested in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this section – shall extend to all matters between persons, or between government or authority and to any person in Nigeria, and to all actions and proceedings relating thereto, for the determination of any question as to the civil rights and obligation of that person.”

    In granting the state judiciary and legislature autonomy, the federal government must also consider giving the states greater economic power by amending the exclusive legislative list. To even successfully implement the new minimum wage, there is the urgent need to amend the revenue sharing formula.

  • Losers kick as polls winners unfold plans

    IT was different strokes yesterday for winners and losers of the supplementary governorship polls in Benue, Kano, Sokoto, Plateau and Bauchi states.

    As the winners showed appreciation to voters for support, those who suffered defeats said they were heading to the tribunal.

    It’s God at work, says Ortom

    Governor Samuel Ortom, who was reelected in Benue, described his victory  as the work of God.

    He led his supporters to the Redeemed Christian Church of God Mega Parish on Gboko Road, shortly after he was declared winner of the governorship election in Benue by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    He dedicated the victory to God, praying Him to take control of the affairs of the state in the next four years of his administration.

    Ortom, accompanied by his wife, Dr. Eunice, and the his deputy, Benson Abounu, said he was handing over himself and the administration to God, bearing in mind his shortcomings to humanly pilot affairs of the state.

    Pastor Folashade Folasayo, who received Ortom and his entourage, prayed God to grant the governor his heart’s desires.

    Lalong: My victory an affirmation of Next Level philosophy.

    Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong described his re-election victory as the people’s affirmation of the Next Level philosophy and a show of the people’s desire to move to the next level of good governance.

    He said: “The outcome of the exercise in the state was clearly an amazing show of confidence and trust. It was also referendum on our most cherished principles of unity and peace as well as affirmation of the desire to move to the Next Level in the light of equality and inclusiveness, which are core values fundamentally located in the heart of the Plateau spirit that speak to our sense of communality, diverse ethnicity, mutual respect, tolerance, peace, hospitality, humility and diligence.”

    Lalong was delivering his acceptance speech immediately he was declared winner by the Returning Officer, Prof Richard Anande Kimbir of the University of Agriculture Markurdi.

    He said: “On 11th April, 2015 during the gubernatorial election, you came out enthusiastically and voted me as Executive Governor of Plateau State under the platform of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “Taking on this mantle of leadership marked a significant milestone in our political and democratic journey as a people. It was also with a clarion call on us to deliver dividends of democracy along the five-point policy thrusts that we had presented.

    “Fellow citizens, four years down the lane, without prejudice to the just concluded re-run elections of 23rd March 2019, and the results declared by the INEC, you once again came outen masse and voted us to serve a second and final term as Executive Governor of the State, together with my Deputy, Professor Sonni G. Tyoden.

    “With gratitude to God Almighty, on behalf of myself and the Deputy Governor, I sincerely thank you all. We whole-heartedly accept this mandate to serve for a second and final term with all the humility it deserves. Above all, we accept this mandate by equally soliciting your usual cooperation and partnership as we strive to sustain the execution of our mandate.

    “The unquantifiable sacrifices and support of the platform on which we stood and won, namely, the Executive Council and state working committee of the APC, the director-general and members of the gubernatorial campaign council, volunteers, canvassers, agents, religious leaders, election observers, family members, women, youth and the less privileged are highly commendable and appreciated.

    “We see our task as a call to greater service and accountability to you as a people, who rightly represent the voice of God.

    “To our electoral umpire, security agencies, civil society organisations, stakeholders, and gentlemen of the press, we salute your courage and dexterity in upholding the tenets of your vocation, which contributed immensely to the success and peaceful conduct of this election. May God reward all of you with special graces and blessings.

    “Let me use this opportunity to urge my fellow citizens to regard this victory at the polls as victory for the whole of Plateau, with no victor, no vanquished. We had a dream, which we collectively and tirelessly worked towards achieving it and succeeded.

    “To me, this victory is a mark of honour and clarion call for consolidation of our gains and the sustainable peaceful coexistence for the good of the state.

    “Together, we will do more. I urge all citizens to celebrate in harmony with even the opposition without harassment, intimidation and provocative statements against any person or group.

    “To my fellow contestants, who not only participated in the historic gubernatorial debate, prior to the elections and also contested with me, I wish to congratulate you for your mature conduct during and after our electioneering campaigns.

    “I also extend my hands of friendship and urge you to share in the patriotic zeal of building a virile Plateau so that we can bequeath a positive and lasting legacy for the younger generations.

    “I equally extend my congratulations and hands of friendship to the newly elected and returned members of the Plateau State House of Assembly and indeed the National Assembly.

    “I look forward to a mutually beneficial and more robust working relationship with all of you. I pledge that government will continue to cooperate with the honourable members-elect at all times.”

     PDP insists: our candidate won in Kano

    The PDP yesterday insisted that its candidate, Abba K. Yusuf, won the Kano State governorship election, saying any declaration that does not reflect such cannot stand.

    According to the party, “the whole world knows that the PDP and its candidate, Abba Yusuf, won the Kano state governorship election since March 9, 2019, having fulfilled the constitutional requirement of securing the highest number of votes and the statutory 25 per cent in two-thirds of the state.”

    A statement last night by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the governorship supplementary election in Kano was a national disgrace and a mere figure allocating exercise by compromised INEC officials.

    The statement said: “INEC collaborated with power drunk politicians in the APC to award results to the APC candidate.”

    The party cautioned INEC against any attempt to import contrived figures from the ‘illegitimate’ March 23 ‘charade’, saying doing so would be a clear recipe for anarchy and serious crisis in the state.

    “The people of Kano state have a long history of firm resistance against corrupt and oppressive forces. Their will must therefore not be stretched in this election.”

    The Sokoto State chapter of the APC also rejected the declaration by INEC of Tambuwal as winner of the election.

    Addressing reporters after the declaration, APC Publicity Secretary Sambo Bello Danchadi said the position of the party was informed by obvious but fundamental reasons deemed contrary to the electoral laws.

    Danchadi pointed out that the winning margin of 342 was far less than the registered voters in polling units where elections were not held, a contravention of the electoral law.

    He said: “The APC has since tabled its complains before the Sokoto office of INEC for the breach of the electoral law and outright rigging perpetrated by our opponent during the elections.”

    The party noted with concern that despite steps taken, the electoral umpire went ahead to declare a winner without considering the earlier complaint lodged.

    “Our complaints also include the denial of potential voters the opportunity to cast their votes in some polling units within a number of local governments during the rerun.”

  • 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.

  • Sokoto rerun: Atiku congratulates Tambuwal on re-election

    The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has congratulated the party’s governorship candidate in Sokoto election, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal, after he was announced the winner of the re-run election by the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) on Sunday.

    On his verified Twitter handle, Atiku also hailed the decision of the people of Sokoto.

    He said: “I congratulate His Excellency, Governor Aminu Tambuwal on his re-election and I assure the good people of Sokoto state that they have made the right decision that will see them continue on the path to peace, progress and prosperity. -AA #SokotoDecides”

  • 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.

  • Sokoto rerun: Youths dispossess policeman of rifle

    Aggrieved youths on Saturday dispossessed a policeman of his rifle after he allegedly injured an innocent voter in the head at the Magajin Gari “A” polling unit in Sokoto North local government during governorship rerun.

    The police personnel (name withheld) was making effort to ensure orderliness for a smooth conduct of the polls midway into the exercise when he used a stick to hit the voter, who was not even in the queue which resulted to blood drizzling from his head.

    The development sparked violent reaction from youths, who insisted they must kill the security personnel.

    In a rancorous reaction, the policeman, who managed to escape death from the angry youths, was eventually overwhelmed and dislodged of his rifle.

    READ ALSO: Sokoto rerun: Party agents, supporters exchange blows

    The mob, which took possession of the rifle, also blocked the entry and exit point, not allowing the policeman to escape.

    However, it took consistent appeals by one of the brave officers to get the rifle back from the youths.

    The officer convinced the mob with a promise to foot the bill of the injured youths.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) jumped into an early lead at the Rijiya ” A” Shiyyar Hakimi polling unit 004 in Sokoto south local government, scoring 154 votes against APC’s 80.

    However, results in other places were being collated as at the time of filing the report.

  • 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.