Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Polls celebration gone wrong: Lamido’s aide kills one, injures 4 with car

DUTSE—Special Adviser on Religious Affairs to Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, Alhaji Isah Ahmed Duniya Bahutu, Monday, knocked down and killed an ex-soldier (names withheld) and injured four others in Birnin-Kudu Local Government Area of Jigawa State.


The accident occurred when the special adviser was returning from Kiyako, his village, a few kilometres away from the headquarters of Birnin-Kudu Local Government.


Vanguard gathered that the governor’s aide ran over a group of youths, who were celebrating All prpgressives Congress, APC’s senatorial victory, having barricaded the main road.


Bahutu, a former state chairman of Jigawa PDP, ran into the gathering, lost control and hit the deceased, who died instantly.


Four of the youths, who sustained injuries, were rushed to the hospital.


It was gathered that immediately the special adviser noticed what had happened, he took to his heels to avoid being lynched by irate mob that had gathered.


An eyewitness told Vanguard that the special adviser did not deliberately hit the youths, saying he did all he could to dodged the crowd but to no avail.


At the time of filing in this report, the special adviser was nowhere to be found, but the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abdul Jinjiri, said they did not receive any information concerning the issue.


He promised to get back to this reporter, which he had not done at press time.


 



Polls celebration gone wrong: Lamido’s aide kills one, injures 4 with car

APC asks 19 Ekiti lawmakers to return

The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has asked the 19 APC lawmakers in the state to return and commence sitting, saying the end of impunity has come with the victory of Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).


“Buhari’s victory marks the beginning of sanity in the polity wracked by lawlessness, corruption and impunity. All democratic institutions will operate unfettered within the ambit of the law.


“On this note, we urge our 19 members in the House of Assembly to return to work immediately and take control of the affairs because a new era of law and order has returned,” the Ekiti APC said on Tuesday in a statement by its publicity secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun.


The party congratulated Nigerians for their peaceful conduct in the Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections that returned Buhari as the winner and told the residents of the state to defy the curfew imposed on the state by Governor Ayo Fayose.


It commended its members and supporters for recording remarkable votes despite provocations, inducements, harassments and infractions on their rights by the state government.


The APC described the curfew as “sheer wickedness on the part of Governor Fayose to want to prevent” the people from celebrating and described the curfew as wicked.


The party urged the police not to allow them to be used as “anti-democratic agents to unleash terror on Ekiti people and APC members.”


The statement read, “Our party has asked its members to defy order barring them from celebrating their party’s victory because it is their legal right. We are not fighting; we are celebrating.


“Fayose should remember that he urged Ekiti people to defy Governor Kayode Fayemi’s curfew order when there was apparent threat to peace in the state. This time, there is no threat to peace and so there is no authority that can bar Ekiti people from celebrating our liberty and this victory. End of impunity has come.


“It is not only victory for Ekiti people, but victory for Nigerians for a successful transition from one civilian administration to another.


“Nigerians from all walks of life are celebrating this special moment, Ekiti cannot be an exception. We are not mourning but celebrating. It is sheer wickedness on the part of Governor Fayose to want to prevent this celebration.”


According to him, the victory of the APC’s candidate is a vote for transparency, performance and building of hope among Nigerians, assuring that Buhari would take Nigeria back to her deserved position in the comity of nations.



APC asks 19 Ekiti lawmakers to return

‎PDP vows to challenge Buhari’s ‎victory at tribunal

The  Peoples Democratic Party has said it will challenge the outcome of the March 28 presidential election.


The Independent National Electoral Commission, through its Chairman and Chief Returning Officer, Prof. Attahiru Jega, on Wednesday morning, declared  Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd.)‎ of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the election.


The PDP through its agent at the National Collation Centre in Abuja on Wednesday, when the final result was declared, had refused to sign the result sheet despite its candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, having earlier conceded defeat.


‎The agent of the PDP, Bello Fadile, who was in attendance when parties were being called upon to sign the result sheet, told journalists shortly after the result was declared that the party was not satisfied with the outcome of the election and had decided to challenge it at the election tribunal.


“Whether I sign it (the result sheet) or I don’t sign it,  does not make any difference. It doesn’t invalidate the result‎. When we go to court, then we can challenge the result,” Fadile said.


When asked to confirm if the PDP will challenge the result at the presidential election petitions tribunal, Fadile added, “Sure! The party petitioned. Don’t forget. So the party will follow through the petition. There are rules for this. The law is there.


“The result was declared on the 1st of April, I think. We will follow the due process. Like the president (Jonathan) said, ‘If you have any grievances, follow due process and the due process in this instance is to go to the tribunal.”



‎PDP vows to challenge Buhari’s ‎victory at tribunal

With Buhari’s victory, I’ll surely go on exile – Bode George

Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Bode George says he may be going on exile following the victory of the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Maj-Gen Muhammudu Buhari (retd).


George had said in an interview that he would proceed on exile if the APC wins at the federal level.


Speaking with Vanguard, on the PDP’s defeat at the polls, the PDP chieftain said “What will I be doing here? I can decide to go and live anywhere. Look at everyone surrounding him (Buhari).


”So, I am not joking about it, what will I be doing here? At 70, what will I be doing here? All we have been doing to restructure the country has been lost. We have been trying to ensure balance in the polity but all that has gone. What else will I be doing here?”


 



With Buhari’s victory, I’ll surely go on exile – Bode George

Reposition Nigeria, eradicate corruption - Obasanjo tells Buhari

ABEOKUTA – Former  President,  Olusegun Obasanjo has congratulated the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu  Buhari over his victory at the Saturday presidential polls.


Obasanjo  in his congratulatory message he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta shortly after Buhari was declared winner of the election, said  his government must reposition some  national institutions such as Military, security power among others which according to him  had been damaged.


He further urged the President-elect to rid the country of corruption  , saying ,youth employment, agribusiness, oil and gas, external affairs, cohesiveness of our nation and ridding our land of corruption that had been damaged.


According to Obasanjo,  “I hasten to congratulate you on your success and victory in the Presidential Elections of March 28, 2015.   Your success and victory after three previous unsuccessful attempts must be great object lessons for you and for all politicians, particularly in Nigeria.


“For me, the totality of 2015 elections hold many lessons for our democracy and democratisation process which are both maturing.


“On this occasion, the system has been unnecessarily overheated before and particularly during the campaigns when emphasis was more on trivialities and hate, divisive, undignifying and disrespectful statements and comments rather than on pressing issues requiring attention.


“I know that in victory, you will be magnanimous to start binding the wounds and bitterness occasioned by the campaign and the evil disciples.


“With so much harm already done to many national institutions including the military, which proudly nurtured you and me, you will have a lot to do on institution reform, education, healthcare, economy, security, infrastructure, power, youth employment, agribusiness, oil and gas, external affairs, cohesiveness of our nation and ridding our land of corruption.


“Your varied and wide experience will undoubtedly stand you in good stead.  I am also sure that there are men and women of goodwill, character and virtue across the board that you can mobilise to join hands with you in the reform, repairs and re-direction that will be imperative to put Nigeria back on the fast lane of good governance, unity, cohesiveness, development and progress”, he said.


 



Reposition Nigeria, eradicate corruption - Obasanjo tells Buhari

Celebate rather than mourning; my ambition not worth blood of any Nigerian - Jonathan

By Ben Agande


President Goodluck Jonathan has told his supporters and the Peoples Democratic Party to be celebrating rather than mourning because he has kept his word of ensuring a free and fair election.


In a message to the nation conceding defeat, President Jonathan reiterated that his ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian.


The statement reads:


“Fellow Nigerians,


I thank you all for turning out en-masse for the March 28 General Elections.


“I promised the country free and fair elections. I have kept my word. I have also expanded the space for Nigerians to participate in the democratic process. That is one legacy I will like to see endure.


“Although some people have expressed mixed feelings about the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I urge those who may feel aggrieved to follow due process based on our constitution and our electoral laws, in seeking redress.


“As I have always affirmed, nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian. The unity, stability and progress of our dear country is more important than anything else.


“I congratulate all Nigerians for successfully going through the process of the March 28th General Elections with the commendable enthusiasm and commitment that was demonstrated nationwide.


“I also commend the Security Services for their role in ensuring that the elections were mostly peaceful and violence-free.


“To my colleagues in the PDP, I thank you for your support.  Today, the PDP should be celebrating rather than mourning.  We have established a legacy of democratic freedom, transparency, economic growth and free and fair elections.


“For the past 16 years, we have steered the country away from ethnic and regional politics. We created a Pan-Nigerian political party and brought home to our people the realities of economic development and social transformation.


“Through patriotism and diligence, we have built the biggest and most patriotic party in Nigerian history. We must stand together as a party and look to the future with renewed optimism.


“I thank all Nigerians once again for the great opportunity I was given to lead this country and assure you that I will continue to do my best at the helm of national affairs until the end of my tenure”.


 



Celebate rather than mourning; my ambition not worth blood of any Nigerian - Jonathan

Buhari: It’s a new dawn - Oshiomhole

Governor Adams Eric Aliyu Oshiomhole of Edo State has congratulated the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 General elections, General Muhammadu Buhari, on his victory and emergence as President-elect, saying the victory represents a new dawn in the nation’s polity.


In a statement Governor Oshiomhole said “Let me congratulate you, Sir, on your historic victory at the presidential election, through a process which has been adjudged as free, fair and credible by both local and international observers. Indeed, your victory, on the basis of One Man, One Vote, represents a new dawn in the democratic governance of our great country



“The spread of your victory across the length and breadth of the country shows your national acceptance as the man Nigeria needs at this critical stage to reposition her from the 16 years of misrule of the PDP.


“Despite the smear campaigns against your person and candidature and the attempts to polarize the country along ethnic and religious lines, Nigerians made a bold statement by speaking through their ballots that you are, indeed, the President they want at this time of our national history.


“I have implicit confidence that, with you as President, Nigeria will no doubt get a true and selfless leadership needed to drive the much desired Change at the centre which will start the process of re-engineering the country and halt the drift which the country had been plunged in the past 16 years.


“Your pedigree as a former Head of State and the indelible imprint you left at that time are still being felt across the country. Your doggedness and victory at the fourth attempt will serve as an inspiration to many, never to give up on a dream that is worth living.


We congratulate all Nigerians on this historic victory, because this victory belongs not to General Buhari or the APC alone, but to all Nigerians who desire change.


For us in Edo, the victory of General Buhari has effectively disconnected the oxygen which Abuja had provided for the godfathers in the past 16 years.


I give kudos to President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat and congratulating the incoming President on his electoral victory. However, just like Abraham Lincoln said: “elections belong to the people. It’s their decision” Nigerians have indeed spoken!




Buhari: It’s a new dawn - Oshiomhole

Rivers APC congratulates Buhari, Amaechi, INEC and Electorates for saving Nigeria

•Asks Rivers voters to complete the rescue mission by voting Peterside as Governor

*Condemns the failed unholy plot by Elder Orubebe to derail our democracy


The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has congratulated the party’s presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), for defeating incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in last weekend’s presidential election. Rivers APC in a statement issued in Port Harcourt by the State Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, described Buhari’s victory as expected and well deserved.


“Today, 31st March, 2015, will remain epochal and indelible in Nigeria’s history as it was the day on which Nigerians through their votes spoke with one voice against a clueless and misguided administration that would have completely grounded the country’s economy. With this change of guard, we wish to proclaim that the worst is over and it is a new dawn for our dear country, Nigeria,” Ikanya said in the statement.


He, on behalf of Rivers APC, thanked General Buhari for making himself a tool for the emancipation and rebuilding of the country. “Buhari is a quintessential statesman with a proven record of integrity and performance. We urge him to hit the ground running as we have no time to waste in rebuilding our nation that has been badly bruised by the clueless administration of Dr. Jonathan. Nigerians expect so much from him and he should not condone any form of corruption, which is the hallmark of the PDP Administration that brought us to this sorry pass. We must improve on agriculture and use it as a tool for creating jobs for our teeming youths. Security and eradication of Boko Haram should also be top priorities,” Rivers APC said.


It assured the President-elect that it would continue to support him and do everything humanly possible to make sure that his administration is golden and one of the best ever in the annals of Nigeria.


Paying tribute to others who made Buhari’s victory possible, Rivers APC said: “We congratulate and commend Gov. Chibuike Amaechi, the Lion of Niger Delta Politics, for showing us the light in APC and proving that he has a lot to offer Nigerian politics. Amaechi did a yeoman’s job as Director-General of the Buhari Presidential Campaign Organisation. We are immensely proud of his sacrifices to ensure the emergence of General Buhari as part of his efforts to salvage our nation from doom. We urge him to continue to give his best to the nation as we continue to give him all the needed support to succeed.


“We equally congratulate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Senator Bola Saraki, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and our other great leaders for shaming our detractors and ensuring that we succeed in this project. We plead with them all to bury their differences and ensure that we give our best to this nation.”


Rivers APC extended its congratulations to Nigerians for a peaceful election and for believing in the change that APC preaches. It appealed to Nigerians to see the incoming APC Administration as their own and support it to give the nation the purposeful leadership it deserves.


On the conduct of the election, the party said: “By this election, INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega has proved that there is still a great future for this nation. We are grateful to him for not allowing some unpatriotic forces to force him to bring our democracy into disrepute. Yes, we had some lapses during the elections but we are convinced that with time we will get it right. We suffered immensely as a result of such lapses in the form of the daylight robbery that the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs. Gesila Khan, and PDP guber candidate, Chief Nyesome Wike, executed in Rivers State to rob our people of their mandate for our candidate, General Buhari. We still insist that apart from giving us a new date for the National Assembly elections, Mrs. Khan should be immediately sacked for being a disgrace to the image of INEC and of womanhood.”


Dr Ikanya also condemned the unfortunate failed plot by PDP through Ex-Minister Godsday Orubebe to disrupt Collation of Presidential Results this morning at Abuja and commended Prof Jega for the maturity he exhibited in handling the evil plot that would have derailed and truncated our nascent democracy. We apologise to all Nigerians for this unfortunate and misguided act seeing that he came from our region. Nigerians can be assured that those of us from Niger Delta region does not behave in such a manner only that Elder Orubebe is suffering from the huge loses he will suffer from the change of guard at the centre. It is unfortunate that most of these misguided undemocratic minds will not allow the outgoing President Jonathan to leave the stage in peace as a Statesman after ruining his administration.


Rivers State APC condemn vehemently the plot by PDP to mobilize some dreadful hoodlums from Delta, Bayelsa to join members of Grassroot Development initiative (GDI) the armed unit of PDP to unleash mayhem and terror on chieftains and members of APC immediately after the formal announcement of the 2015 Presidential election of March 28th, 2015 by INEC declaring Buhari as winner as their own way of sympathizing with the outgoing President Jonathan.


As much as we condemn the resort to violence and killing of our members at any slight or no provocation, we will like to reiterate that Chief Wike and his supporters should be mindful of the fact that we all are Rivers State indigenes and causing harm or death to any of us does not do him or another person any good as history will surely judge all of us for all the parts we play or played in promoting violence in Rivers State.


We need to alert the world that Chief Nyesome Wike should be held responsible for any violence or deaths of any of our members, and also Chief Wike should be made to be mindful of ICC provisions.


Directly addressing the people of Rivers State, the State APC thanked them for believing in the party’s vision and appealed to them to remain calm as the party intensifies efforts to restore the mandate they gave to General Buhari and the party’s National Assembly candidates. Ikanya said: “As we wait for a new date for you to vote for your National Assembly candidates, let us not make the mistake of having a PDP Government in Rivers State that will be antagonistic to the centre and thereby deny us the development we desire in Rivers State. In this regard, we must ensure that Dr. Dakuku Peterside, the APC candidate, and all our State Assembly candidates are massively voted for during the April 11th polls so as to complete the rescue mission that we have started.”



Rivers APC congratulates Buhari, Amaechi, INEC and Electorates for saving Nigeria

Fayose praises Buhari, urges Nigerians to accept election results

The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has urged Nigerians to accept the outcome of Saturday’s presidential election in good faith, saying; “the election result is the will of God and Nigerians, and all lovers of peace, progress and development of Nigeria must accept it”.


Mr. Fayose, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, hailed the resilience and commitment of President Goodluck Jonathan and Mohammadu Buhari.


The governor said the election results should not been seen as victory or loss for any political party, adding that, “To me, Nigerians and democracy won.”


He praised Nigerians for believing in the democratic process, adding that “by this election, Nigerians have shown that Democracy has come to stay in the country”.


The governor said, “I salute Nigerians, especially the great people of Ekiti State.


“I salute President Jonathan for laying the most solid foundation for democracy in Nigeria. And I salute Major General Buhari for being a resilience and dogged fighter.


“I urge Nigerians, irrespective of their ethic, religious and political affiliation to respect the outcome of the election in the interest of peace, progress and development of the country.


“Nigeria as a country is greater than any individual or group and it is my plea that no one should do anything to rock the boat of peace in the country.”



Fayose praises Buhari, urges Nigerians to accept election results

Expected Presidential Poll Defeat:  Wike, PDP mobilise militants from Delta​,​Bayelsa and ​Rivers​

2015: As defeat stares PDP in the face, Chief Wike and PDP mobilise dreadful militants from Delta,Bayelsa to join forces with their Rivers counterparts to unleash terror on Rivers APC Chieftains and Members


Information reaching us indicates that Rivers PDP have mobilised dreadful hoodlums from Delta, Bayelsa to join members of Grassroot Development initiative (GDI) the armed unit of PDP to unleash mayhem and terror on chieftains and members of APC immediately after the formal announcement of the 2015 Presidential election of March 28th, 2015 by INEC declaring Buhari as winner as their own way of sympathising with the outgoing President Jonathan.


As much as we condemn the resort to violence and killing of our members at any slight or no provocation, we will like to reiterate that chief Wike and his supporters should be mindful of the fact that we all are Rivers State indigenes and causing harm or death to any of us does not do him or another person any good as history will surely judge all of us for all the parts we play or played in promoting violence in Rivers State.


We need to alert the world that Chief Nyesome Wike should be held responsible for any violence or deaths of any of our members, and also Chief Wike should be made to be mindful of ICC provisions.


We use this opportunity also to condemn the poor presentation by Ex-Minister Godsday Orubebe in his failed bid to disrupt Collation of Presidential Results this morning at Abuja. We apologise to all Nigerians for this unfortunate and misguided presentation seeing that he came from our region. Nigerians can be assured that those of us from Niger Delta region does not behave in such a manner only that the poor fellow is suffering from the huge loses he will suffer from the change of guard at the centre. It is unfortunate that most of these loafers will not allow the outgoing President Jonathan to leave the stage in peace as a Statesman after ruining his administration.



Expected Presidential Poll Defeat:  Wike, PDP mobilise militants from Delta​,​Bayelsa and ​Rivers​

Wide spread jubilation in Ibadan; Buhari to address the nation

There was wild jubilation in Ibadan Tuesday as residents in Sabo fired crackers to celebrate the victory of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidates.


APC prepares red rug for BuhariAt the time they were jublilating, INEC was yet to announce the results from three states of Bornu, Delta and Sokoto.


The crowd in their hundreds stormed the streets chanting “sai Buhari”.


They carried some of the posters of the General and the Vice Presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.


As a result, there was a traffic snarl in the area which extended to Mokola roundabout.


Also, other people commended the role played by the electoral umpire led by Prof. Attahiru Jega.


Mr. Oyebanji Oyewale, a welder, said, “it was a good result because this has never happened before. Prof. Jega made everything open to all to see.


The election that produced late president Umaru Yaradua was not as transparent as thisEven though they have not finished announcing the results, it is glaring now that the general has won. Go to Sabo now, everybody is happy because for the first time, the incumbent president was unseated through transparent electoral process”.


Mr. Luke Oriire, a research officer, said, ” APC is leading and the margin is okay. We demanded for something and we got it. We needed change and we got it.


ibandanIn the same vein, the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State described electorate in the state as worthy Soldiers of Change who deserved to be celebrated for their contributions to the victory of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).


The party recorded a total of 528,620 votes in favour of Gen. Buhari as against the 303,376 scored by the incumbent president and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who emerged the overall second placed contender at the poll.


The party through its Director of Publicity and Strategy, Olawale Sadare, expressed its satisfaction saying, “whatever victory the APC recorded at the polls was made possible by God and the patriotic electorate who defied all odds to cast their votes for all the candidates presented by our great party.


Voters in Oyo State have demonstrated their resolve to assist the cause of Change which the APC is championing.

“As a party with record of performance in the state, we are indeed grateful that voters found virtually all candidates worthy of their respective mandates and we can assure them that none of those elected from the state on the platform of the APC to make laws at the federal level would disappoint owing to the fact that they are all competent, committed and passionate to perform well.


“However, we further urge electorate in Oyo State not to rest on their oars by completing the task of nation building. The best way to this is by electing only the candidates of the APC at the next tranche of this year’s general elections. At the next polls, our party’s gubernatorial and 32 House of Assembly candidates would be standing for elections and we urge our people to entrust them with their respective mandates.


“The need for continuity of good governance in the state should be established on April 11, 2015 when Governor Abiola Ajimobi is re-elected for another term of four years as this would seal the assurance of complete restoration, reformation and repositioning of the pacesetter state.” Sadare said.


Meanwhile, Buhari, will address the nation on his electoral victory.


The APC is already making arrangement for his address at its National Headquarter in Abuja.


 



Wide spread jubilation in Ibadan; Buhari to address the nation

Breaking: Jonathan, Okorocha congratulate Buhari (Nigeria Presidential Election)

It has been reported that President Goodluck Jonathan has called his major challenger and the likely-winner of the 2015 presidential election, Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC to congratulate him.


According to a source, the president spoke with Muhammadu Buhari on the phone and will address the country after rounding off his meeting with his cabinet.


Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, also congratulated Gen. Muhammadu Buhari for emerging victorious at the presidential election.


Okorocha reacted in a terse statement through his media aide, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, commended Ndigbo for subscribing to the mantra of change.


While describing Buhari’s victory as divine, Okorocha also commended Nigerians for subscribing to change for better.


“By virtue of Buhari’s victory, Ndigbo and IMO people in particular, can now appreciate he wisdom behind his decision to be part of the merger


ThA saw the emergence of All Progressives Congress, APC”, Okorocha said.


The governor was of the view that it would have been disastrous if in the new order, the Igbos were nowhere to be found.


 



Breaking: Jonathan, Okorocha congratulate Buhari (Nigeria Presidential Election)

APC claims victory in election ahead of INEC’s declaration

Nigeria‘s main opposition on Tuesday claimed victory in the country’s tense general election, as its candidate, former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari pulled ahead of President Goodluck Jonathan.





Asked if the All Progressives Congress (APC) was claiming victory over Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), spokesman Lai Mohammed told AFP: “Yes.


“This is the first time the opposition has voted a government out of power in Nigeria‘s history,” he added.


Muhammadu Buhari pulled ahead in Nigeria‘s tense general election on Tuesday, stretching his lead against President Goodluck Jonathan with eight results to come in.


Declarations from 28 states plus the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja put Buhari’s lead over Jonathan at just over 1.5 million votes, with the remaining states in his northern heartland.


Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC) had 16 states while Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was on 12 plus the Federal Capital Territory.





 



APC claims victory in election ahead of INEC’s declaration

Why Orubebe disrupted proceedings at INEC collation centre

*Says it loses confidence in Jega


By Joseph Erunke


ABUJA-THE Peoples Democratic Party,PDP,has protested the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC,to investigate the petition of the opposition All Progressives Congress,APC,against last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections in Rivers State.


The party particularly accused the commission’s chairman,Prof. Attahiru Jega of not only being bias but also partial and tribalistic.


Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs,Elder Godsday Orubebe and Col.Bello Fadile,who represented the party at the Presidential Election Results Collation Centre,at the International Conference Centre,ICC,Abuja, accused the INEC boss of secretly working for the APC.


Elder Orubebe,who led the protest,wondered why the INEC chairman constituted an investigative panel and sent same to Rivers State to look into the petition from the APC,while it failed to act in like manner on its petition against elections in seven states of the North.


The PDP representatives,whose open protest temporarily halted proceedings at the collation centre,said the party had lost confidence in both Jega and his INEC,and demanded expeditious treatment of its petition against the elections in some states of the North.


Some of the states, according to the party,are Jigawa,Kano,Katsina,Gombe,Bauchi.


Details soon.


 



Why Orubebe disrupted proceedings at INEC collation centre

APC protests alleged inflated poll result in Asaba

Leaders of the All Progressives Congress in Delta State, on Tuesday staged a protest at the gate of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Asaba, alleging manipulation of the results of the presidential election in the state.


The group, led by the party’s governorship candidate in the state, Mr. O’tega Emerhor, stormed the INEC office at about 11.20am and were barred from entering the premises, where the collation of results from the local government areas was still going on.


The APC leaders, who chanted victory songs for the party’s presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, queried why it was taking so long to conclude collation of the results from Delta State, when results from most states had already been announced.


Emerhor claimed that the announcement Delta result was being delayed because the figures were being inflated in some local government areas of the state in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan.


He said, “There are two sets of results in some local government areas. Isoko South, Isoko North, Warri South-West, Ughelli North and Ethiope West have two sets of results.


“Our agent inside called us to tell us that the result that is being collated here is different from the results that were originally distributed to us. We don’t even accept the first set of results because they were fabricated. What we are talking about now is second degree inflation.


“This is not an allegation, our agent told us that he had reported to the state collation officer and he told him to fill an incident form. That means they want to take the inflated result to Abuja and we are saying we will not accept it.”


In his reaction, the PDP’s state agent for the presidential election, Funkemeke Solomon, denied the claims and commended the INEC for conducting the election with “integrity and transparency.”


Solomon, who is the state Commissioner for Works, said, “I believe they are entitled to their opinion. Section 131 of the Electoral Act stipulates that anybody that is not satisfied with the conduct of the election should go to tribunal.”



APC protests alleged inflated poll result in Asaba

[Visualisation] Presidential results in 25 states, FCT

Remi & Jonathan, Lagos:




[Visualisation] Presidential results in 25 states, FCT

Kidnapper of judge’s wife to die by hanging

ASABA—A Delta State High Court sitting at Ughelli in Delta State has sentenced one David Tamarakpo Pade to death by hanging for armed robbery and kidnapping of wife of a retired judge of the Court of Appeal, Mrs. Roli Awala.


The court also sentenced two of his accomplices to a total of 19 years in jail with hard labour for the same offence.


The court, presided over by Justice Ebiowe Tobi, found the three accused persons guilty on various counts, while delivering its verdict amidst tight security for the trial that lasted several hours.


The court proceedings were, however, intermittently inte-rrupted by several deafening sounds of explosives, which were later discovered to be sounds of traditional canon fired to herald the arrival of party leaders to a campaign rally held very close to the court premises.


Herbalist jailed


The convicted kidnappers include a popular herbalist, Moses Omiovwobese, who was sentenced to two years in jail for accessory on grounds that the kidnapped victim, 54 years old Mrs. Roli Awala was rescued from his shrine by the Police.


He was discharged and acquitted on the other four-count charge, while first accused, a 39-year-old Happy Opute, driver to the retired Court of Appeal Jurist, Honourable Justice A. P. A. Awala, was found guilty only on  the count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and was slammed with seven years jail term with hard labour.


The second accused person, David Tamarakpo Pade, was not that lucky as he was sentenced to death after being found guilty of four of the five count charges, including that of armed robbery.


An Assistant Director from Delta State Ministry of Justice had told the court that the three accused persons with two others now at large, on or about August 5, 2009, at Ireden Crescent, GRA Warri, within the Warri Judicial Division, kidnapped one Mrs. Roli Awala and held her for six days before she was rescued.


He also told the court that they robbed the victim, her husband and daughter of their mobile phone and Honda salon car, while armed with a gun.


The kidnappers were said to have asked for an initial ransom of N50 million, but later reduced it to N25 million before she could be released.


The court, however, discharged them on the count of demanding property with menace.


 



Kidnapper of judge’s wife to die by hanging

Fayose ‘ll defeat APC again, says aide

The Special Assistant to Governor Ayodele Fayose on Information, Youth and Sports, Mr. Lanre Ogunsuyi, has said the outcome of the Saturday’s election signalled the end of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State.


The Peoples Democratic Party won all the three senatorial districts and the six House of Representatives seats in the state.


Ogunsuyi, who spoke in Ado Ekiti on Monday, said the election results proved that the June 21 governorship election won by Fayose was not rigged as claimed.


“It is now confirmed to whoever is still doubting whether Fayose is indeed a super political champion that the man is more than that, he is also a rare breed.


“In the same token, the outcome of Saturday’s National Assembly election, which made the PDP candidates to defeat all the candidates of APC in both the Senate and House of Representatives, including all the incumbents, shows that all negative claims about June 21, 2014 governorship poll, existed only in the imagination of those that faulted the outcome,” he said.


Ogunsuyi boasted that the PDP would repeat the same feat on April 11 in the State House of Assembly election.


“We don’t want a type of State Assembly that will be antagonistic of the governor and cause distractions for him.


“We already have problems with the current Assembly, and we do not want a repeat of that. We also do not want a 13-13 scenario as we were all living witnesses to its attendant negative effects in the past,” he added.


Thanking the people for their support to Fayose, he assured that the governor would justify the confidence reposed in him by bringing unprecedented dividends of democracy to the citizens.



Fayose ‘ll defeat APC again, says aide

Arrest Fani-Kayode - Buhari Support Organization tells security agents

ABUJA-Buhari Support Organization, BSO, has alleged that the federal government has entered into an unholy alliance with some Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs with an aim of declaring the PDP winner in the states where the results are yet to be declared public.


The Organization also called for the arrest of the Director, Media and Publicity unit of the PDP presidential campaign organization, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode for announcing on Sunday that PDP was already leading in 23 states even when the independent National Electoral Commission, INEC was yet to official declare the results.


BSO spoke through its Media and Publicity Director, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe in a press conference yesterday in Abuja.


Maduekwe however asked APC and Buhari supporters to remain calm.


He said “As we speak, the PDP-led federal government has directed some state REC who haven’t publicly announced results to declare PDP as the winner in their various states and let APC go to court. We ask Nigerians to join us in saying, “No”, to this recent manifestation of habitual impunity.


“We appeal to all our numerous supporters to sustain their calmness in the face of current provocation and abuse of our electoral processes.


“We strongly condemn in its entirety, the recent outburst and blatant misinformation of the general public by Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode that the PDP is already leading in 23 states of the federation. This claim is a total breach of the electoral act and is designed to cause the breach of peace. Gen. Mohammadu Buhari had repeatedly emphasised to his supporters to maintain calmness in that face of provocation by the ruling party. This recent utter exhibition of lawlessness enmeshed in the typical character of impunity by PDP is unacceptable.


“We ask the security agencies to immediately effect the arrest of Mr. Fani-Kayode for breaching relevant sections of the electoral act which forbids any organ outside INEC from officially declaring election results. His arrest for further questioning will be a clear indication that the security agencies are truly unbiased participants in this electoral process as this declaration is also a breach of both the 1st and 2nd Abuja Peace Accord.


“We call on the international community and observers to note the steps being taken by PDP to cause severe breach of peace and call them to order. We also ask our supporters to maintain the peace as we await the official announcement from INEC of the authentic result for the March 28th elections.”


 



Arrest Fani-Kayode - Buhari Support Organization tells security agents

Monday, March 30, 2015

Edo PDP rejects election results in three Lgs

BENIN—EDO State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, rejected the results in weekend’s presidential and National Assembly elections in three local government areas of Akoko-Edo, Owan –East and Etsako – West, over alleged multiple and under-aged voting, among other irregularities.


State chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, who addressed newsmen in Benin, yesterday said: “Reports reaching us from these local government areas show that the elections were characterised by multiple voting, under-aged voting and harassment of PDP supporters.


“We noticed very grievous mutilated results on the report sheets. We have rejected the results from these councils due to the irregularities observed. We appeal to our party supporters in these areas to remain calm and wait for further directives from the party. The party has directed it’s legal team to write a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on the issue.”


Chief Orbih expressed gratitude to Edo people for voting for candidates of the PDP, in the elections, saying that the people have spoken loudly against multiple taxation and other oppressive policies of the state government.


He called on the state governor to commend the PDP for its victory instead of blaming the Army for the party’s failure.


According to him, “During the 2012 governorship election in the state and when my party lost to him in the 18 local government areas of the state, I came out openly to commend the outcome of the election. He should also have the courage to commend the PDP for defeating APC in this election.”


Orbih also commended security agencies in the state for the peaceful conduct of the elections.


 



Edo PDP rejects election results in three Lgs

Traditional rulers in Edo community threaten to invoke gods against impostor

By Simon Ebegbulem


BENIN—Traditional rulers from Ewohimi, in Esan South-East Local Government Area of Edo State, have threatened to invoke the gods of the land against one Osaigbovo Ugbegun who, at a traditional ceremony in the area penultimate week, declared himself as the Enogie (traditional ruler) of the community.


The Onojie of Ewohimi, His Royal Highness, Lord Peter Ojienefoh II, who described Ugbegun’s action as a taboo, said that Ugbegun may be ostracized from the community.


During the Odu festival in Okaegben, Ugbegun was said to have dressed in the full regalia of the Onojie in accordance with Esan custom and tradition and pronounced himself as the traditional ruler, a development the Onojie described as sacrilegious and a taboo in the land.


The monarch, in a petition by his counsel, Mathew Edaghese, urged the people of the community to disregard the action of the said Osaigbovo, threatening that his “client shall invoke his powers under Esan Custom to visit the appropriate sanction on the imposter.


“It has come to our notice that one Osaigbovo Ugbegun of Okaegben Community Ewohimi Kingdom made a sacrilegious pronouncement during the Okaegben community dressed in full royal regalia.”


 



Traditional rulers in Edo community threaten to invoke gods against impostor

Dokpesi faults Oshiomhole on voters inducement allegation

ABUJA—Media mogul, Aleogho Raymond Dokpesi, yesterday, refuted the claim by Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State that he (Dokpesi) went to the state on election day to induce voters with money to vote in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.


He expressed disappointment with the attitude of the governor towards him on the said day, saying he had mistaken Oshiomhole for a decent man.


Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Dokpesi, who insisted that he was in the state on a different mission, regretted the comment by the governor, adding: “I made a mistake in my life in believing that Oshiomhele was a decent man.”


Dokpesi said that on the day of the presidential election, at 5:20p.m., on his way back to Abuja, he received a distress call from one of the women leaders in Auchi, Hajia Hadiza Umoru, who said she was at Aibotse/Igbe Primary School, off Igbe Road in Auchi, adding that the incident led to him being shot at on the day of Presidential and National Assembly elections.


He said the bullets fired at his armoured Landcruiser vehicle would have hit him on the neck.


“As soon as I arrived the APC chieftain absconded and we waited for the reinforcement of policemen to protect the voters who were determined to vote. I stayed in my armoured Landcruiser vehicle with registration number Abuja YAB 173 HG. I never stepped out of the vehicle as everyone could attest to.


“A man who was later identified as the zonal chairman of the APC,  then called on their supporters to kill, burn and destroy the vehicle I was in. I pleaded that none of the military officers should shoot as thugs/hoodlums had begun to shoot at my car and haul various dangerous weapons at me.”



Dokpesi faults Oshiomhole on voters inducement allegation

Buhari leads, PDP kicks

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor, Clifford Ndujihe, Henry Umoru & Jude Opara


ABUJA — Erstwhile Head of State, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) was last night sustaining his lead over President Goodluck Jonathan in the declared results of the presidential elections released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, last night.


2015PRESIDENTIAL-ELECTION


President Jonathan has, however, protested results declared from Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, Gombe, Bauchi, Katsina and Kogi States, alleging malpractices.


Jonathan’s protest articulated by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was, however, followed by another statement late last night in which it claimed it was not perturbed by the results from the North-West, stronghold of Buhari.


Buhari’s All Progressives Congress, APC, has also protested the results submitted from Rivers State on the basis that there was no election in the state.


As at the time the commission suspended announcement of results late last night, Buhari had scored 10,101,497 votes from 21 states and the FCT, to President Jonathan, who has so far polled 6,798,254 votes, to second place.


The results were declared by the returning officers from the states.


Of the 21 states declared, Buhari won the polls in 13 states of Ogun, Kogi, Osun, Ondo, Oyo, Kwara, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Gombe, Sokoto, Jigawa and Kaduna.


Jonathan won the polls in eight states namely Ekiti, Enugu, Nasarawa, Anambra, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Imo and Plateau. Jonathan also won the polls in the FCT.


Buhari had so far marshalled more than 25 per cent in 16 states while the president grabbed 25 per cent in 15 of the states so far declared.


The results from Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Lagos, Niger, Rivers, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara were outstanding at press time and would likely be declared today.


The results earlier submitted from Rivers State, however, turned into a matter of investigation after the APC sent a strongly worded petition rejecting the results. The results returned had given Jonathan 1,487,075 votes, representing 95 per cent of the votes.


Under-aged voters


Addressing journalists, yesterday, in Abuja, Deputy National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, gave the seven states the party has petitioned INEC for the cancellation of the polls to include Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, Gombe, Bauchi, Katsina and Kogi States.


Secondus alleged that in the seven states, under-aged children were allowed to vote in contravention of the Electoral Act and he also alleged that voting took place late in the night in the affected states, adding: “In Kano and some of these states in the North, majority of voters were under-aged. Voting also took place in the night, and you know that in the night rigging can take place. We have completed our reports from the Kano State chapter.”


We’ll resist rigging—Fani-Kayode


Also yesterday, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, PDPPCO, reiterated its claim that its candidate, President Jonathan, was winning the presidential election.


Addressing journalists in Abuja, Director, Media and Publicity of PDPPCO, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode threatened that any attempt to manipulate figures or rig out the PDP from any quarter would be firmly resisted.


Fani- Kayode said: “We wish to take this opportunity to make it clear to the Nigerian public that according to the figures made available to us, we are ahead in the presidential elections by at least two to three million votes.


“We have our own Situation Room and we have collated all our figures from the various polling booths, wards, local government areas and states in the federation.


“Despite the propaganda of the opposition, we are confident of victory. They and all other stakeholders can be rest assured that we will accept nothing less than the announcement of an election result that is truthful and that reflects the true will of the Nigerian people.


“Any attempt to manipulate figures or to rig us out from any quarter will be firmly resisted.”


INEC probes Rivers result


Announcing the constitution of a high-powered investigation team to investigate the allegation that voting did not take place in Rivers State, the commission in a statement issued by Mr. Kayode Idowu, Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, said the fact-finding mission would ascertain the veracity of the claims and allegations and advise it and the Chief Electoral Commissioner/Returning Officer for the Presidential election appropriately.


Idowu said the committee of National Electoral Commissioners to handle the investigation included Mrs. Thelma Iremirem, Head and Supervisory National Commissioner for Rivers State, Col. M.K Hammanga and Professor Lai Olurode as members.


He said: “They have departed for Rivers State and it is expected that they will submit their report before the end of the collation of results of the other states and the FCT. Following the consideration of the report, the commission will make its decision known.”


The PDP also suffered significant losses in the Senate elections.


The APC swept the three seats in Kogi, Oyo, Lagos, Kwara, Kebbi and Sokoto. The PDP, however, won in Abia, Imo and Ebonyi.


 



Buhari leads, PDP kicks

Nierian soldiers free women, children seized by Boko Haram in Gwoza

The Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, has said that troops of the Nigerian Army have recovered some women and children who were locked up by Boko Haram members in Gwoza.


Olukolade said that the hostages were being given medical attention and necessary care by troops pending the arrival of troops in the area.


He said that some of the freed hostages were providing useful information to troops on the activities of the soldiers.


“A number of women, the elderly and children who were locked up by fleeing terrorists in Gwoza have been freed by troops as cordon and search along with mopping up operations continue in the town.


“The freed hostages some of whom are so weak are being given medical attention while others are also receiving necessary care pending the arrival and activities of aid agencies.


“Some of them are also providing useful information for the intelligence in aid of troops operations in the area.”


He stated also that the troops also discovered a building converted by insurgents to a bomb-making factory.


According to him, the military has embarked on a careful evacuation of the dangerous materials stored in the building.


Meanwhile, men of the 301 Artillery Regiment of the Nigerian Army on Monday foiled what could have been a major attack by insurgents on Gombe State.


Parading the corpses of the insurgents before newsmen at the army barracks Gombe, the spokesperson for the regiment, who insisted his name must not be mentioned, said the military succeeded in killing three of the insurgents and captured one alive after a gun duel at Dukku Local Government Area of the state.


Items recovered from the insurgents, according to the spokesperson, include a Hilux van, a smart card reader machine belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission, three boxes of assorted ammunition, one FM rifle and a pair of police uniform.


“The success was recorded in the early hours of Monday, (00:30 GMT) when the gunmen attempted to attack a military checkpoint at Dukku but our men overpowered them,” he said.


He urged the general public to remain calm, as the military was ready to protect lives and property of residents in all parts of the state.


“We thank the general public for cooperating with us. If we continue to get useful information from the public, we will wipe out any person or group that tries to bridge the peace of Gombe and Nigeria at large,” the spokesman emphasised.



Nierian soldiers free women, children seized by Boko Haram in Gwoza

APC battles Kashamu over alleged rigging

The All Progressives Congress in Ogun State has vowed to contest the result of Saturday’s National Assembly elections in the Ogun East Senatorial District, where Buruji Kashamu emerged winner.


The APC alleged that Kashamu’s Peoples Democratic Party induced voters and falsified results of the polls.


The Secretary-General of the Senator Ibikunle Amosun Campaign Organisation, Bisi Adegbuyi, said during a press briefing in Abeokuta on Monday that the election in the district was “marred by gross irregularities, inducement and intimidation of voters, manipulation and falsification of the results.


Adegbuyi explained that the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission did not reflect the wishes of the people of Ogun East, describing the election in the district as mere “charade”.


Kashamu has however said the claims by the APC are unfounded.


The APC said, “We reject the results of the National Assembly elections, particularly the one for the senatorial seat and the two federal constituencies, Remo and Ijebu North/Ijebu East/ Ogun Waterside.


“We want the entire world to know that the results as announced by INEC reflect predetermined, manipulated and fictitious figures forged by a rigging machinery of the PDP, led by its senatorial candidate, Mr. Buruji Kashamu.


“The APC is determined to challenge the results of the Ogun East Senatorial elections and the two Houses of Representatives seats within the confines of the law.”


The party said it had “incontrovertible evidence of the manipulations that took place and the roles played by certain individuals.”


The APC’s candidate for the Ogun East Senatorial District is Dapo Abiodun, while the party’s candidates for Remo and the Ijebu North/Ijebu East/Ogun Waterside federal constituencies are Olayinka Odufuwa and Sulaiman Olubiyi respectively. The three of them lost in the election.


But Kashamu, who spoke through his media aide, Austin Oniyokor, noted that if there was rigging and intimidation as alleged, the accusers should supply the details.


He said, “Ordinarily, we would not have dignified them with a response. You can see that the statement is loud in noise and lacking in substance.


“If they say there was rigging, intimidation and manipulation during the election, they should supply the details, rather than hiding under some nebulous excuses that say nothing.


“At any rate, the Electoral Act has made provision for the ventilation of issues arising from an election. They should go to the tribunal to prove their case. We will meet them there.”



APC battles Kashamu over alleged rigging

Amaechi imposes curfew on Rivers

THERE was panic and anxiety in Port Harcourt on Monday following the announcement of an imposition of curfew in the state by the Rivers State Government.


The Secretary to the Government, Mr. George Feyii, who made the announcement said that the curfew would be effective from 7pm to 6am.


Feyii pointed out that the curfew would continue until further notice, adding that the aim was to protect lives and property of law abiding citizens.


Motorists and passersby, who got wind of the announcement late, rushed home just as residents looking for petrol to fuel their generators had to shelve the idea and went back home with their empty cans.


According to the statement signed by Feyii, “‘The Rivers State Government has declared a dusk to dawn curfew in the state beginning from Monday, March 30, 2015.


“Consequently residents in the state are by this announcement advised to observe the declaration of the curfew from the hour of 7pm to 6am except for workers on special duties.


“This is to forestall any breakdown of law and order in the state and to ensure the protection of lives and property of law abiding citizens. The curfew subsists until further notice.”


But the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, said the State Police Command was not aware of the announcement from the state government.



Amaechi imposes curfew on Rivers

Oyo APC teases SDP, PDP, other party candidates

The All Progressives Congress in Oyo State on Monday teased the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Seyi Makinde, and other opposition governorship candidates in the state, asking them to re-assess their political future and join the ruling party in the state.


In a statement on Monday by the chairman of the APC in the state, Akin Oke, the party described the Peoples Democratic Party, Accord Party and the Labour Party in the state as sinking ships, advising their governorship candidates and supporters to dump the parties.


“We want to counsel the standard bearer of the SDP in the April 11 governorship election, Makinde, to reflect on his political future, which we strongly believe will better be enhanced if he teams up with the APC now, along with his followers,” the party said.


While calling on Teslim Folarin of PDP, AP’s Rashidi Ladoja and LP’s Adebayo Alao-Akala, who are all governorship candidates of their parties in the coming April 11 election, APC said its victory in the state was an indication of its popularity among the people and the dwindling relevance of other parties in the state.


The party added that, “With the outcome of the election, Ladoja and his party should by now resign to fate that the people of Oyo State have finally rejected them. This informs our advice to the innocent followers, who all along have been deceived into believing that he (Ladoja) was a force to be reckoned with.


“Besides, the outcome of the elections has shown that the people of the state will never again fall for the bait of propaganda, deceit, falsehood, character assassination and reactionary politics for which the leading opposition parties’ candidates are known. Now that the people of Oyo State have again shown their preference for the APC, we strongly advise the followers of Folarin, Ladoja and Alao-Akala to review their stance and jump out of the turbulent ship in order not to sink with them.”



Oyo APC teases SDP, PDP, other party candidates

Osun senatorial candidate alleges threat

Peoples Democratic Party senatorial candidate for Osun East, Mr Francis Fadahunsi, on Monday claimed that he escaped assassination attempt on his life on Sunday night.


Fadahunsi, who spoke through the director of publicity of his campaign organisation, Mr. Sola Olowoye, told journalists in Osogbo on Monday that he had gone to the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission to complain about the delay in the announcement of the senatorial poll results and was returning home when somebody in a vehicle fired shots at the candidate’s convoy.


He said that his security aides diverted his convoy into the PDP secretariat at Ogo Oluwa area to escape death.


Olowoye said, “But as he was being rushed into the premises of PDP secretariat, some armed men alighted from the vehicle that had trailed us from INEC office and fired several shots at the Toyota Solara car conveying Fadahunshi.


“He barely escaped being hit by the bullets. Fadahunshi was in company with the state chairman of PDP, Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa, and other party leaders when the attack took place.


“They had visited the INEC office because of the delay in announcing the winner of the senatorial contest.”


The Commissioner of Police in charge of election in the state, Mr. Sam Okaula, could not be reached as call put across to his telephone failed to connect.



Osun senatorial candidate alleges threat

INEC ad hoc staff compromised, Anglican Church says

One of the accredited observers for the 2015 general elections, the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, said on Monday that some presiding officers and ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission were compromised during the conduct of Saturday’s presidential election.


The church also described as “unimpressive” voters’ turnout and expressed concern that the number of permanent voter cards released to voters was not commensurate with the number of votes cast.


Speaking with journalists at the Independent National Electoral Commission office in Lagos State, the Director of Civil and Political Affairs, Anglican Diocese of Lagos Mainland, Ven. Folarin Shobo, said many voters had yet to trust the electoral system because they felt that their votes would not count.


Shobo, who also observed the conduct of the election, said the poor turnout was unexpected of Lagos residents.


He said, “Many people have not been able to collect their PVCs and people are lacklustre to respond.


“There is apathy on the part of Nigerians to voting. One of the factors is that they still do not trust the system. Many voters still believe that their votes will not count. ‘Why do I need to waste my time?’ they say.


“Though people may say the turnout was large, it was not commensurate with the permanent voter cards on the streets.”


Shobo added, “As the Director of the Civil and Political Affairs, Diocese of Lagos Mainland, I visited 52 churches to conduct voter education.


“The response was not commensurate with what we expected. What the voters have done is to express their sentiments—emotional, poverty, religious and tribal. So, voting was not done based on the conviction and assessment of contestants.


“Some of the ad hoc staff are not faithful and sincere. They were compromising, forgetting that they are also Nigerians and that once these general elections are over, their citizenship reverts and the immunity they enjoy expires.


“So, they are supposed to assist INEC as citizens that have been so privileged to be among those who would use their God-given intellects to put the system right.”


The election observer noted that INEC had spent a lot of money to train ad hoc staff and therefore questioned the reluctance of the ad hoc employees to attend the training.


“How did INEC come about the 700,000 ad hoc staff? When they were called for training, how many of them responded?” he asked


He, however, urged the electoral body to begin preparations for the 2019 general elections on April 13, 2015, so as to make things better.


Shobo praised INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, for introducing innovations aimed at putting the nation’s electoral system on a progressive path and called on stakeholders to support the initiatives.



INEC ad hoc staff compromised, Anglican Church says

Video: Massive rigging for PDP in Akwa Ibom

A shocking video recorded for PREMIUM TIMES in Polling Units 009, 010 and 011 at Oniong West Ward 1, Onna Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, has exposed an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission colluding with supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party in the area to rig the presidential and national assembly election in favour of the party.


The ugly incident happened in the village square – Ikot Eko Ibon village – within the full glare of the villagers.


Former Secretary to the Federal Government, Obong Ufot Ekaette and wife, Eme Ekaette, a former senator, are from the area.


But they did not show up for voting on Saturday. Some of those who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES in the area said the Ekaettes may have stayed away from voting because of their disappointment with the PDP and Governor Godswill Akpabio’s leadership style.


INEC officials were through with voters’ accreditation as early as 1:30PM in the three units, but refused to commence voting until some PDP chieftains arrived around 4pm.


The PDP chieftains, who apparently were working in agreement with the INEC officials in the units, immediately ordered all the voters to move away from the polling centre.


In the midst of the confusion that ensued, gunshot was fired within the polling centre, prompting the voters who were mostly old men and women from the village to run away to safety.


The PDP supporters then had a field day thumb-printing ballot papers, under the supervision of INEC officials.

Security officials were not deployed in the three units. It is unclear if it is deliberate to allow the PDP supporters execute their plans without molestation.


One of the INEC officials in the units told PREMIUM TIMES he and his colleagues were under pressure from their ‘boss’ to assist the PDP win the elections, but didn’t however explain who the boss was.


The PDP governorship candidate, Udom Emmanuel, is from Onna Local Government Area where the rigging captured on the video took place.


In other parts of Akwa Ibom state, especially in areas considered as APC strongholds, there were reported cases of non-availability of election result sheets at the polling units.


The APC governorship candidate, Umana Umana objected to INEC accreditation and election taking place in his ward at Ndiya, Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, because election result sheets were not available.


The Akwa Ibom state chapter of the APC has petitioned INEC chairman, Attahiru Jega, calling for fresh election in the state.


On Monday, the APC governorship candidate led a peaceful protest to INEC office in Uyo calling for the cancellation of the poll, describing it as a farce.


The protesters stormed the INEC office while the collation of the presidential election result was going on.


Mr. Umana said the party would not accept the results of Saturday’s elections held in the state.


He said the party, after a review of field reports on the elections across the state, had come to the conclusion that the elections be cancelled.


The People’s Democratic Movement’s candidate for the House of Representatives (Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency), Anny Asikpo, has made similar allegation of election result sheets not being available during the election.


“We have 365 polling units, but as I speak to you I have not seen nor know how the result sheets for yesterday’s election look like because everything was carted away by the PDP to an unknown destination. There was no election in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District,” Dr. Asikpo told a local radio station in Akwa Ibom State, Planet FM, on telephone during a live phone-in programme on Sunday.



Source- PremiumTimes



Video: Massive rigging for PDP in Akwa Ibom

INEC releases some results of National Assembly election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  has announced some results of the National Assembly election held on Saturday across the country the News Agency of Nigeria reports. In Kebbi, Alhaji Adamu Aliero of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and former Minister of the FCT, was declared as the winner of Kebbi Central Senatorial District.


Prof. Yusuf  Saidu, the Returning Officer, announced in Birnin Kebbi on Monday that Aliero, won the election with 216,084 votes while the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Abubakar Malam, emerged second with 68,792 votes.


Meanwhile, collation of the Kebbi North and South Senatorial results as well as that of the eight House of Representatives was still ongoing as at the time of filing this report. In Kwara, Mr Zakari Mohammed, the Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Media and Public Affairs, was the winner of the House of Representatives’ Election into the Baruten/Kaiama Federal Consistency. Mohammed, a Candidate of the APC, scored 32,505 votes to defeat the PDP candidate, Mr Abubakar Othman, who polled 12,353 votes.


Declaring the result in Kaiama, the headquarters of Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara on Monday, the Returning Officer, Dr Ahmed Ameen of the University of Ilorin, said the election was peaceful. “The APC candidate polled 32,505 votes while the PDP candidate polled 12,353 in the election,” Ameen said. In Imo, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, representing Imo West, under the platform of the PDP  was declared the winner with 154, 604 votes to defeat his closest rival, Sen. Osita Izunaso of the APC, who scored 70, 843 votes.


Mr ThankGod Ezeala of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) got 27, 753 votes to place third. Prof. Chris Eze, the INEC Returning officer for Imo West announced the result at the INEC state office, Owerri, on Monday. Chief Athan Achonu of the PDP also won the senatorial position for Imo North, while Mr Samdaddy Anyanwu of the PDP won the Imo East senatorial seat. Eze explained that electoral officials collating results from local government areas within Imo West decided to relocate from Orlu to Owerri because Gov. Rochas Okorocha allegedly led an attack on the electoral workers late on Sunday night.


“Yesterday, we couldn’t conclude the collation of results at Orlu because of an attack by a team led by Imo Governor, His Excellency Rochas Okorocha. “Because of the attack, resulting in the tearing of the result sheet by Okorocha and his group, the Resident Electoral Commissioner directed that we return to INEC headquarters, Owerri,’’ he said. Eze said that after the attack, they were able to recover the rumpled sheet and recalculated the results. “At the time the governor stormed the collation centre with security men, some local government returning officers had yet to submit their results.


“The governor did not know that what he tore was not the comprehensive result, and at the end of his action, we picked the torn sheets and joined them to reproduce the result’’, he said. Eze said that his major assignment at INEC Owerri office was to declare the result for Imo West as collated. He added that the exercise went on smoothly, as there was no report of violence anywhere during the conduct of the election in the area on March28.


In Kogi, the two senatorial election results so far declared by the INEC in the state were for Kogi West and Kogi East senatorial districts. In Kogi West, the Returning Officer, Mr Oloniruha Akintola, declared Former Rep. Dino Melaye of APC the with 41,120 votes to defeat incumbent Sen. Smart Adeyemi of the PDP who polled 38,148 votes. In Kogi East, the  Returning Officer, Mr Adaji Ameh, declared the APC candidate, Alhaji Abubakar Abdulrahaman, the winner as he polled polled 98,915 votes to defeat the incumbent, Sen. Atari Aidoko of the PDP, who got 88,994 votes.


The Returning Officer for Kogi Central, Mr Musa Adoke, announced that Sen. Mohammed Ohiare  of APC scored 55,776 votes to beat the PDP candidate candidate, Mr Ahmed Ogembe who polled 42,736 votes. In Sokoto, Gov. Aliyu Wamakko won the Sokoto Central senatorial zone seat under the APC with a total of 225,642 votes. The INEC Returning Officer for Sokoto Central zone, Prof. Abdullateef Femi, who announced the result, said that Wamakko defeated incumbent Sen. Ahmed Maccido of PDP who got 65,692 votes.


Femi also declared that the incumbent member of the House of Representatives for Sokoto Central zone, Alhaji Umar Bature  of the PDP also lost his seat. Bature polled 24,788 votes as against APC’s Bala Hassan who clinched 85,512 votes to win the election. In the Kware/Wamakko Federal Constituency, the INEC Returning Officer, Dr Muhammad Sani, announced that the incumbent Alhaji Abdullahi Wamakko of APC retained his seat with 67,231 votes while PDP’s candidate Gado Yusuf got 14,216 votes.


In Illela/Gwadabawa Federal Constituency, the INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Bello Zaki, announced that the incumbent member, Abdullahi Salame of APC also won with 64,144 votes, while his PDP counterpart, Ibrahim Yahayya, polled a total of 15,930 votes. In Sabon Birni/Isa Federal Constituency, APC’s Sani Isa won with 85,512 votes to beat PDP’s Sagir Bafarawa, who got 24,788. The results for the Sokoto East and Sokoto South senatorial zones, as well as six remaining federal constituencies were being awaited.


 



INEC releases some results of National Assembly election

America, Britain warn Nigerian officials against manipulating presidential, national assembly elections results

The American and British Governments have issued a stern warning to Nigerian authorities, asking them to jettison any attempt to distort the outcomes of Saturday’s presidential and national assembly elections.


The U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry and U.K. Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, in a joint statement on Monday commended Nigerians on the peaceful conduct of last Saturday’s presidential and parliamentary elections and urged for continued steadfastness as they await the announcement of the final result.


But the representatives of the two country also warned against deliberate political interference to undermine the integrity of the final result.


“Our governments welcome the largely peaceful vote on March 28,” the two officials said in a joint statement.


“The Nigerian people have shown a commendable determination to register their vote and choose their leaders,” they added.


According to the two officials, till the end of the voting process, their monitors did not see any evidence of systemic manipulation of the process.


“But there are disturbing indications that the collation process—where the votes are finally counted—may be subject to deliberate political interference” they noted.


“This would contravene the letter and spirit of the Abuja Accord, to which both major parties committed themselves.


“The Governments of the United States and the United Kingdom would be very concerned by any attempts to undermine the independence of the Electoral Commission (INEC), or its Chairman, Professor Jega; or in any way distort the expressed will of the Nigerian people.”


There have been concerns across the country that the Nigerian authorities are plotting to manipulate the results of the election to swing victory in favour of President Goodluck Jonathan.


Femi Fani-Kayode, the spokesperson for Mr. Jonathan, has continued to insist that his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, is ahead in the vote tally for the election even when counting and official release of results are yet to be completed.



America, Britain warn Nigerian officials against manipulating presidential, national assembly elections results

Okorocha rejects poll result, accuse soldiers of complicity in electoral fraud

Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has called for total cancellation of the presidential election in six local council areas of the state, even as he accused the military of aiding the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the alleged electoral fraud.


Okorocha

Okorocha


Reacting Monday, to the figures released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Chief Okorocha named Oru East, Isiala Mbano, Ohaji/Egbema, Ngor Okpala, Aboh Mbaise  and parts  of Owerri West as some of the worst zones of alleged electoral fraud.


The Governor opined that apart from “unprecedented  rigging”, the areas also witnessed abduction of agents of rival political parties, who were manhandled and forced to lie prostrate on the ground by soldiers acting on the orders of the federal government.


“Armed soldiers were used by the PDP as aides to the collation officers. There was no collation of results at the ward levels as prescribed  by the Electoral Act. All the collating officers and presiding officers were directed to go and submit their results at the local government level from where they collected all the results from the booths in the presence of soldiers”, Okorocha alleged.


A visibly enraged Okorocha similarly blasted security agents for barring opposition party agents from entering into INEC office, while PDP officials had unfettered access into INEC premises.


Answering a question on his brush with security men at Ogboko, the Governor said that 250 students of the Rochas Foundation College, who he claimed were duly registered for the election and issued with permanent voters’ cards, PVC, were held hostage on trumped up charges and prevented from voting by soldiers.


“Most of these halpless children are orphans and I am their father. They duly registered for the election but soldiers arrested, humiliated and detained them without food and water and they were only released the following day”, Okorocha recounted.


Answering another question, Okorocha denied that he tore INEC result sheets, adding that his convoy was shot by security agents and one of the boys in his entourage was seriously wounded and immediately rushed to Federal Medical Centre, Owerri.


 



Okorocha rejects poll result, accuse soldiers of complicity in electoral fraud

Eight suspected Boko Haram gunmen killed in Gombe, Bauchi

Eight suspected Boko Haram fighters were killed on Monday during fighting in Gombe and Bauchi states, northeast Nigeria, police, residents and local hunters said.


Gunmen believed to be Islamist militants have been roaming Bauchi and neighbouring Gombe since the weekend, when there was a series of attacks on polling stations open for Nigeria’s general election.


Boko Haram have been increasingly operating in both states, as the military forces it out of captured territory in the three northeastern states of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa.


On Monday, Babakarami Sunusi, who lives in Gombe Abba, about 10 kilometres (6.25 miles) from Dukku, in Gombe state said four gunmen were killed.


According to him, gunmen in several vehicles arrived in the village around 4:30 am (0330 GMT) and were intercepted by soldiers who engaged them in a gunfight.


“The soldiers killed four of the gunmen and captured one,” he said. “The rest of the gunmen fled.”


Idi Male, a local hunter in the area gave a similar account, adding: “They (the gunmen) went into the hills outside the village but they were pursued by local hunters. The hunters are yet to return.”


Bauchi state police spokesman Haruna Mohammed said police and local vigilantes “got wind of the approaching hoodlums (and) engaged them in a fierce gun battle” at about 7:30 am in Tafawa Balewa.


Four gunmen were killed and four of their 18 four-wheel drive pick-up trucks mounted with heavy machineguns were seized, along with empty shells and ammunition.


“Meanwhile, (the) same hoodlums went back to Jitar village in Bauchi LGA (local government area) and killed three vigilante members,” Mohammed added.


“The entire surrounding has been cordoned off by combined security forces and (an) intensive patrol is ongoing to flush out fleeing miscreants.”


Three people were killed as voters queued up at polling stations in Dukku, Gombe state, on Saturday.


On Sunday, the Bauchi state government imposed an indefinite, 24-hour curfew on three areas, including the state capital Bauchi city, as troops fought battles with scores of Boko Haram fighters nearby.


But the local All Progressives Congress opposition blamed the unrest on its political opponents and linked it to the election.


 



Eight suspected Boko Haram gunmen killed in Gombe, Bauchi

Nigerian election ‘meets continental and regional standards’ AU

The African Union on Monday praised the conduct of Nigeria’s general election but urged political parties to go to court to resolve any disputes, given fears of violence.


The African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) said in preliminary findings that the vote was “conducted in a peaceful atmosphere within the framework that satisfactorily meets the continental and regional principles of democratic elections”.


Teams of international observers, including from the European Union and the Commonwealth, as well as the United Nations, have been on the ground to monitor the vote, held on Saturday and Sunday.


Political campaigning has been closely run between President Goodluck Jonathan and former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari in what is the first serious opposition challenge in the country’s history.


There have, however, been problems with new technology to “read” biometric voter identity cards, the non-arrival of election officials and materials plus protests about irregularities.


Some 1,000 people were killed after Jonathan beat Buhari to the presidency last time round in 2011.


The AU said the election was “generally peaceful during the accreditation as well as voting and counting processes” but said any challenges of the results should not be fought on the streets.


“The AUEOM encourages all parties to resort to legally established channels, should there be a dispute on the outcome of the process,” it said in a statement. 


“The AU long-term observers will continue to observe the post-electoral process.”


 



Nigerian election ‘meets continental and regional standards’ AU

Wait patiently for INEC to announce results – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Nigerians to exercise patience as they wait for the Independent National Electoral Commission to collate and announce results of Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.


Jonathan who is the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the election made the call in a post on his Facebook page.


Anxiety has been gripping Nigerians over what many saw as the slow pace of collating the results across the country with political parties making claims and counter-claims.


The All Progressives Congress had issued a statement on Sunday, alleging that the Jonathan administration was planning to manipulate the results. The claim had been faulted by the PDP.


Jonathan, however, advised Nigerians to wait patiently for the results the same way they waited to vote on Saturday.


He urged them not to embark on any acts that could lead to breakdown of law and order.


The President wrote, “We waited patiently to vote in these elections, now I want to urge all Nigerians to also wait patiently for the Independent National Electoral Commission to collate and announce results.


“We must ensure that we do not get involved in acts that breach our peaceful co-existence that we patriotically demonstrated during the elections.


“May God bless Nigeria.”



Wait patiently for INEC to announce results – Jonathan

Sunday, March 29, 2015

PDP, APC clash over Lagos poll results delay

The agent of the Peoples Democratic Party for the presidential election collation in Lagos State, Mr. Wahab Owokoniran, and his All Progressives Congress counterpart, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, on Monday morning hotly disagreed during the collation exercise at the Independent National Electoral Commission Lagos office.


The quarrel began immediately the Collation Officer for Lagos State, Prof. Isaac Adewole, announced the suspension of the collation of the presidential poll till 8am.


Before Adewole suspended the collation of the result at 1.48am, electoral officers of four local government areas had submitted the results of their respective council areas, while the results for the remaining 16 local government areas had yet to be returned to the INEC office.


But immediately after Adewole, who is the Vice Chancellor,  University of Ibadan, announced the suspension of the collation of the result, Owokoniran flared up and protested the decision, asking the state collation officer to explain the rationale behind the shift.


Owokoniran raised issues concerning non-arrival of the result of the election that was conducted on Saturday.


He said the result ought to have been brought to the INEC office.


According to him, result of many polling units, where PDP won, were manipulated in favour of APC.


Owokoniran also alleged that election did not take place in no fewer than 30 polling units in Epe Local Government Area of the state and yet result was declared for them.


“In some local government areas, election had been concluded two days ago. What could have delayed the collation? I suspect there are some discrepancies somewhere.


“We will not accept any result different from the one we have,” he said.


Owokoniran, however, submitted two petitions to the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Akin Orebiyi, questioning the electoral body’s collation process.


But Afikuyomi dismissed the claim, saying only INEC had the authority to announce the result of any election.


He asked Owokoniran to speak by facts, rather than making issues that could generate controversy.


Describing himself as one of those who framed the Electoral Act, Afikuyomi said, “Before we begin to make allegations about results being tampered with, without any substantial evidence or a single shred of fact, I think we must speak to facts and records.


“For instance, with regard to the result for Apapa Local Government Area, I have issues, but I will wait for us to get there. I think we watch the way we make claims because it can have serious implications.



PDP, APC clash over Lagos poll results delay

President-elect to emerge today – Jega

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said that despite the extension of Saturday’s elections till Sunday in some parts of the country, the results of the presidential poll will be declared on Monday(today).


INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, gave the assurance   as some of results from wards, local government areas and states continued to emerge on Sunday.


For instance, results from Osun and Ogun states showed the All Progressives Congress Presidential candidate, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, defeating President Goodluck Jonathan.


But in Ekiti State, Jonathan had an easy ride as he beat the APC candidate.


Jega, who gave journalists an update on the conduct of the polls in Abuja, said that as of Sunday evening, results of the elections had only been completely collated in two states, one of which was Ekiti.


He said, “Some people assume that when I said 48 hours( for the release of the results), it starts from the morning the elections commenced. It is 48 hours after elections have ended, like yesterday(Saturday).


“You start counting 48 hours from yesterday (Saturday) when substantial majority of the polling units ended elections.”


The INEC chief expressed satisfaction over the conduct of the   polls, which he said held in a substantial number of polling units across the country, including the troubled North-East zone   where   internally displaced persons   voted in   Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states.


“We are pleased that the elections went on smoothly in a substantial number of polling units across the country, including the North-East where the commission was also able to conduct voting for Internally Displaced Persons in the three states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno,” Jega said.


He said that out of more than   150,000 card readers used for the conduct of the polls , only 300   failed, representing   about 0.25 per cent of the total number of machines.


“It is also gratifying to note that the card readers worked well in the majority of polling units, even though there were areas where difficulties experienced necessitated additional guidelines to allow for manual accreditation of voters, as announced yesterday (Saturday),” Jega said.


He stated that manual accreditation was done in some polling units in   Osun, Kebbi, Ekiti, Adamawa, Borno, Jigawa, Anambra, Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi states.”


Jega said the elections were extended and   concluded on Sunday in nine states and the Federal Capital Territory.


Taraba State has the highest number of 116 polling units where the polls were extended.


Other states where the number of polling units where the elections were extended are Lagos (90), Kebbi (16), Adamawa (25), Niger (six ), Yobe (37), Borno (eight), Jigawa (37), Kano (13) and FCT (two).


He also rejected the claim by the spokesman for the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation,   Femi Fani-Kayode, that his party had won in certain number of states.


Jega, who said Fani-Kayode should be asked the source of his figures, stated that as of the time he was addressing the journalists on Sunday evening, collation had only been concluded in two states. He said that   the results from the two had yet to arrive Abuja in the manner that it could be announced.


The chairman said, “You said somebody in one of the parties said the PDP is winning in 23 states. I don’t know the sources of his information. I know result have not been collated in 23 states.


“May be you should direct the questions to him and let him explain.”


He   advised journalists “to be careful about reporting this kind of information that is being put out there by people who are clearly partisan.”


He also debunked speculation that he was under pressure to declare results of the presidential election inconclusive.


“We are not under any pressure to declare inconclusive elections. In fact, I wonder who will be interested in declaring the election inconclusive. I think candidates will be interested in being declared winners and not to have the election declared inconclusive,” Jega said.


The INEC boss said his office had on Sunday morning received petitions from the APC in Rivers State calling for outright cancellation of the elections   in the state.


He assured the petitioners that the commission would consider all the complaints, including the allegation of presence of some underage voters and substitution of some members of the commission’s ad hoc staff with untrained partisan persons in Rivers and Lagos states.


However, results from Osun State showed that Buhari recorded   victory in 22 out of the 24 Local Government Areas   so far announced by the state INEC. He had 264,734 votes.


Jonathan,who won the remaining LGAs – Ife Central and Ife East – scored 192,288 votes.


The   results were announced in Osogbo by the returning officers for each of the LGAs on Sunday.


Also in Ogun State, the APC presidential candidate defeated Jonathan in 13 out of the 20 LGAs whose results were announced by INEC.


He polled 308, 290 votes while Jonathan scored 207,950 votes.


The APC candidate for the Ogun Central Senatorial District,   Lanre Tejuoso, defeated   PDP’s Abisola Sodipo-Clark, the wife of an Ijaw national leader, Edwin Clark.


Tejuoso scored 115, 197 votes while Sodipo-Clark had 30,036 votes. The sitting senator for Ogun Central and Social Democratic Party’s candidate, Olugbenga Obadara, got 15,124 votes.


Jonathan, however, had it easy in Ekiti State where he polled 176,466 votes from 16 councils in the state. Buhari garnered 120,331 votes.


The result was announced by the state Returning Officer, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola, to party officials on Sunday.


It was also a sweet victory for the PDP as it won all the three senatorial and six House of Representatives seats in the state.


Impliedly, by implication two of the APC   senators – Anthony Adeniyi and Olubunmi Adetumbi – who contested the poll   will not join their colleagues in the eight National   Assembly.


Gbenga Olofin, the third APC candidate for Ekiti Central was defeated by Fatimat Raji-Rasaki, wife of a former Lagos State military administrator, Brig.-Gen. Raji Rasaki of the PDP.


Those elected for the House of Representatives seats are Kehinde Agboola, Ayotunde Oladimeji, Thaddeus Aina, Olamide Oni, Akin Awodumila and Segun Adekola.


In Kogi State, Buhari was leading by polling 108,817 votes from six LGAs as against Jonathan’s 84,555 in five LGAs.


The APC candidate also won in Dekina, the LGA of Governor Idris Wada with 18, 819 votes to Jonathan’s 13,885 votes. He also won in Amadu Alli’s LGA of Idah with 10,445 votes to Jonathan’s 6,113.


But there was a mild tension in parts of Imo State on Sunday as armed officials of the Department of State Services, the Police and the Army barred journalists from collation centres in the state.


At the collation centre in Owerri Municipal Council Secretariat, journalists were turned back from the gate by stern looking security operatives who asked them to go back   and wait until the results were announced.


All efforts to reach the Resident Electoral Commissioner, George Ada, were abortive as his telephone was switched off.



President-elect to emerge today – Jega