The Nation Newspaper

Tag: State Assembly elections

  • 15 PDP councillors defect to APC in Kwara

    No fewer than 15 serving Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) councillors in Kwara on Monday, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of Governorship and State Assembly Elections.

    The defectors, who were drawn from five out 16 local government areas of the state, said they defected to APC in the interest of the masses.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that they were elected on the platform of PDP in November 2017.

    Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Hon Suleiman Taoheed representing Ajanaku Ward in Moro Local Government Area, explained that the current PDP administration in Kwara had failed.

    “We are tired of lies and poor performance of the incumbent administration in the state and as a result, we cannot be left behind in building better and brighter Kwara.

    “Everybody is complaining about the political hegemony in Kwara because the system has not brought positive changes to the people of the state,” Taoheed said.

    He promised on behalf of the defectors to mobilise electorate in their respective wards and vote en masse for all APC candidates on Saturday.

    They also pledged their support for AbdulRahman Abdulrasaq, the APC governorship candidate, stating that he had good plans for the state considering his antecedents.

    They revealed that more serving councillors would join APC before Saturday.

    Receiving the defectors, Dr. Alimi Abdulrasaq, an APC stalwart and brother to the governorship flag bearer said that they would not regret their decision.

    Abdulrasaq noted that his brother, when elected would ensure that local governments have full autonomy, and draw government closer to the people at the grassroots.

    He urged them to mobilise electorate to vote Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq and all APC state assembly candidates in the elections.

    The defected councillors are: Adam Tsado, (Edu), Ogundele Segun, (Isin), James Kayode, (Ilorin East), Aremu Jamiu, (Moro), Olorunrinu Suleiman, (Ilorin South)

    Others are: Omolara Sanni, (Isin), Adebayo Olatayo, (Isin) Saheed Abdulwasiu, (Isin) Saheed Musbau, (Isin) Adeyemi Oladele, (Isin) Suleiman Taoheed, (Isin), Ishola Seunayo, (Isin) among others. (NAN)

  • CODER deploys 380 election field observers

    The Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reform (CODER) has said it has been granted accreditation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to monitor the 2019 Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship and State Assembly elections.

    It said to fulfill this mandate, it has trained 380 field observers and deployed them to their assigned states since February 14.

    CODER, which was founded in 2009 by a coalition of individuals and organisations committed to supporting the electoral reform process in Nigeria, stated this in a statement to The Nation yesterday.

    The statement explained that the organisation is currently undergoing a restructuring process led by its Executive Director and Chairman of the Transitional Committee Dr. Wunmi Bewaji.

    According to the non-governmental group’s convener, Chief Ayo Opadokun, CODER’s objective is very simple: “to ensure that every vote counts”.

    The letter added: “Since the first phase of the struggle for electoral reform concluded with the enactment of far-reaching reforms initiated by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, following the recommendations of the Uwais Committee, CODER has continued to be in the forefront of safeguarding the electoral process by participating in election observation activities, as well as educating and engaging voters.

    “Each election cycle, many Nigerians have relied on POLLWATCH, the CODER election reporting platform, for up-to-date, verified election reports. #NigeriaDecides2019 will not be different.”