Toady, Nigerians vote in their fifth presidential and national assembly elections since the country’s return to democracy in 1999.
Voters would choose from 14 presidential candidates and hundreds of National Assembly candidates.
In the build up to the elections, Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress and Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party have popped up clearly as top contenders for the office of the president.
While the APC candidate came tops in most of the polls conducted in the run-up to the elections, analysts say the race is tight and a winner is difficult to tell before the votes are counted.
As the elections are underway across the country, NAIJA CENTER NEWS would bring you live updates from the field through PREMIUM TIMES .
Join Cast and Share
We believe election results announced at polling units are authentic and documenting them could help put officials and politicians in check. So, let us all contribute to documenting proceedings at our polling units.
Here are steps to take to ensure elections at polling units are not manipulated:
1. Go to your polling unit and get accredited
2. Vote and wait, peacefully, for the result
3. Snap the result once it is pasted and send to us via:
•Certificate saga, human rights records scare APC candidate
IT emerged on Saturday that the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari jettisoned his advertised trip to the United States of America because of the fear of being questioned over his involvement in the post 2011 election violence and his certificate saga.
Buhari
The APC Campaign Organization had confirmed two weeks ago that the General would visit the United States to address some Diasporal Nigerians, but it emerged last week that Buhari had jettisoned the trip on fears his compatriots would batter him with questions over his involvement in the 2011 election saga which led to the death of 800 Nigerians, including ten Youth Corps members.
The Northern Coalition for Democracy and Justice (NCDJ) a group of Northern Pro-democracy activists had, some months ago, petitioned the International Criminal Court(ICC) in the Hague alleging that Buhari ‘s party was to be blamed for the 2011 post election violence.
The General had also been involved in a certificate saga, which remains unending despite spirited effort by the opposition party to keep it under the table.
The group had engaged a prosecutor, Mr. Goran Sluiter, a human rights lawyer who had filed a charge against the Buhari at the Hagues, while the NCDJ had also last week petitioned the United States Secretary of States, Senator John Kerry, asking the US to facilitate Buhari’s extradiction to the Hague for trial over the death of some 800 persons in the post election violence of 2011.
In the letter dated January 25, 2015 and titled: “The role of General Muhammadu Buhari in the 2011 post election violence in Nigeria,” which was signed by Dr. Ibrahim Baba , Secretary Research and Documentation, Mr. Yunana Shubkau, Publicity Secretary and Umar Farouk, Secretary General, the NCDJ said it had dragged General Buhari to the International Criminal Court but needed the backing of the US to have Buhari repatriated to the court.
The letter read in part: “Conducts of political actors particularly statements credited to General Buhari and others in the year 2012, 2013 and 2014 during the build up to the 2015 elections is in the context of politically motivated sectarian violence. And a threat to the conduct of peaceful, free, fair and transparent elections in Nigeria.
“Therefore as an integral part of the international community, the United States have an unambiguous obligation to facilitate the prosecution of individuals responsible for the 2011 post election violence recorded in Nigeria and to checkmate reoccurrence of the same dastardly act in 2015 during the general elections in Nigeria.
“Northern Coalition for Democracy and Justice instituted legal action for human rights violation against Gen. Muhammadu Buhari before the ICC at the Hague.
It is in view of the ample video, audio and documented evidence to support a prosecution against him at our disposal that we urge the United States Government to facilitate his hand over to the International Criminal Court as there is incontrovertible evidence against him which supercedes that of Mr. Laurent Bagbo of Ivory Coast and Uhuru Kenyata of Kenya
“As vanguards of accountability in our dear country, we shall continue to conscientise and mobilize the citizenry to resist all forms of intolerance in Nigeria.”
In a bid to avoid being caught up in violence that may erupt after the February 2015 general elections, politicians, many chief executive officers/ chairmen of companies, top businessmen and wealthy Nigerians have started moving their families out of Nigeria.
Election violence
Over 800 persons, including 10 members of the National Youth Service Corps were reportedly killed in the North during the violence that trailed the 2011 general elections.
Investigations by Saturday PUNCHshowed that some apprehensive politicians and top members of the business community started relocating members of their families abroad late last year.
Many, it was learnt, are still moving their families out of the country.
According to findings, medical check-ups, short vacation, among others, are being cited by wealthy Nigerians as reasons for their trips.
Aviation experts told one of our correspondents that passenger traffic in Nigeria is usually low between January and March but that is not the case this year.
The CEO of a travel agency, who identified himself as Damian and did not want further details about himself or his company in print, said many of his clients had made bookings to travel abroad for fear of being caught up in violence.
Damian said, “It is true that there is an increase in the number of transactions we receive; many people are making bookings to leave the country.
“People are afraid; they fear that there may be violence after the election. Those making travel plans are mostly businessmen. I am also running away. I will leave before the election and return after the person who emerges as the president of the country has been sworn in.”
Similarly, a popular travel agency on Lagos Island told one of our correspondents that many managing directors/chairmen of some companies in Nigeria had booked their flight tickets in anticipation of leaving the country before the general elections.
One of the senior workers with the company, who simply identified himself as Thaddeus, said aside politicians who thronged the firm to buy tickets, many companies’ MDs and businessmen had bought tickets from the firm between November 27, 2014 and January 14, 2015.
Thaddeus named the United States, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirate as the most preferred destinations of the MDs.
He said, “Some politicians made arrangement to travel out of the country after the election, while many of the MDs chose to leave the country with their families a week before the poll.
“Before the political parties’ primaries held late year, we procured tickets for the families of some politicians and we believe that they must have left the country by now. The politicians started procuring their tickets from the first week of this month.”
The development, according to some travel agents who spoke with our correspondents, boosted their businesses.
In the South-East, some prominent Igbo politicians and businessmen have also decided to go for “vacation abroad.”
An aide of one of the members of the executive committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo – the apex Igbo socio-political organisation – said his boss was among those planning to leave the country.
The aide who pleaded anonymity said, “I am aware that some politicians have already concluded arrangements to travel abroad after the election; some of them relocated their families out of the country many months ago.”
A travel agent, Mr. Nwaoka Iwe, who told one of our correspondents that he represents an Abuja-based travel agency in Enugu, also spoke of arrangements being made by politicians and businessmen to travel out of the country.
Iwe said, “The period after elections is when most of our big clients travel out of the country just like 2011, but we expect more businesses this year because of the fear by politicians that there may be trouble next month.”
Also in Kwara State, many politicians have booked their flights in advance.
An aide of one of the governorship aspirants confirmed to Saturday PUNCH on the condition of anonymity, that his boss would not wait for one day in Nigeria if there should be violence after the election.
Aides of five prominent politicians in Kwara State, who pleaded not to be named, also said their principals have asked to book their flights.
Commenting on the development, the Chief Executive Officer, Gadeshire Travels & Tours, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, confirmed that there had been an increase in ticket bookings in recent times.
Adebayo said, “Some wealthy Nigerians moved their families during Christmas holidays and we are not expecting them back home until after the elections.
“Their decision not to come back may be as a result of their anticipation of crisis or post-election violence, based on the experience of the last election.”
In the same vein, a worker with the travel agency in Surulere, who identified himself as Yunus, said the rush for tickets had led to slight increase in price.
Politicians, others speak
Though the National Chairman of Labour Party, Dan Nwanyanwu, said the election would be violent-free, he asked Nigerians to rise and stop whoever foments trouble from fleeing the country.
Nwanyanwu, who spoke with one of our correspondents on the telephone, said, “Nobody can cause problem for the people and run away. All politicians must remain in the country and address any challenge that may trail the election.
“Nigeria belongs to all; a few group of people should not be allowed to make the country hellish for the masses. So, we will stop whoever causes problem for Nigeria from fleeing the country.”
In his reaction, the National Publicity Secretary, Afenifere Renewal Group, a pan-Yoruba socio-political association, Mr. Mr. Kunle Famoriyo, condemned politicians for sending their families abroad and making travel plans in anticipation of post-election violence.
Famoriyo described such politicians as the corrupt ones who have stolen the country blind and are afraid of a backlash.
He said, “Such politicians will run away if they know that they have looted the country’s resources and that their hands are not clean. They know that they have skeletons in their cupboards and are afraid of the nemesis.
“It is condemnable because if they know their hands are clean, they should be with their people no matter what. It is the rich that will run away; I’m not running away. I can’t say that I will run away because there may be violence. A General stays with his soldiers at the battlefront. We should stay and build this country together. Most of our politicians don’t have any milk of humanity in them so they will run away.
“Can a poor farmer planting his cassava peacefully run away? Can a bus driver run away? Where will he run to? It is the rich and those who have milked the country that will be planning to run away.”
A human rights activist, Jiti Ogunye, said it is necessary that politicians refrain from manipulating the electorate and election results to avoid violence after the elections..
Ogunye said, “The first condition for credible election is the activation of electoral justice. Politicians should learn not just to preach peace but to do justice. If they manipulate the election results, there could be reaction of violence. So I advise that they play by the rules so that we can enjoy peace in this period. They should not rob the electorate of their decisions.”
Non-indigenes flee northern states
Besides plans by politicians, businessmen and others to seek temporary refuge outside the country, Saturday PUNCH also learnt that several non-indigenes plan to relocate from the North during the elections.
One of such people, Ebenezer Adegoke, who works with a telecommunication company in Katsina State, said he had rented an apartment in Ibadan ahead of the election.
Adegoke said, “You cannot predict what will happen after this election. I heard many stories of people getting killed in previous post-election violence. That will not happen to me.
“I will relocate my family to Ibadan a week prior to the election. We will not go back to Katsina until after the polls. At least in Ibadan, I will be closer to home.”
Also an Akure indigene, Idowu Omolagba, who resides in Kano, told Saturday PUNCH that he had relocated his family to Akure.
Omolagba, who is a commercial motorist in the Northern commercial city, said, “I won’t return to Kano until after the election.”
Similarly, Abuja-based Chinyere Uche returned to her home town in Ngor Okpala, Imo State, a few days after Christmas, but she has no intention of returning to her base.
The thirty-year-old mother of three said she would stay back in her village until after the general elections.
She said, “I did not come back home to vote; in fact I did not register in my village. I only decided to return home because of threat that violence may trail the next general elections.”
A Gombe-based businessman, Mr. Christian Utta, also brought his family from Gombe to his Mbaise home, Imo State.
Utta said, “I don’t want to be caught napping. By then, we may not even get transportation to come home. I am not praying for violence but it is better to be late than be late.”
Meanwhile, the Ohanaeze Youth Council, has called for the establishment of special polling booths for Igbos who are displaced from their places of residence in the North by Boko Haram .
OYC said since the Independent National Electoral Commission had concluded plans to set up special polling units for internally displaced persons in the North-East, “equity and justice demand that similar gesture be extended to other victims of Boko Haram forced to return to their home states in the South-East.”
National President of OYC, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, who made the call in Umuahia, said the failure of INEC to oblige the request would “convince OYC that the allegation that the electoral commission wanted to rig the forthcoming presidential poll is true.”
Isiguzoro contended that there has been mass exodus of Ndigbo residents in the North who have continued to flee the region because of escalating activities of insurgents.
The group therefore, gave the Chairman of INEC a seven- day ultimatum to correct the imbalance or resign his job.
The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has condemned in totality the invasion of Abua/Odual communities by native doctors hired by the All Progressives Congress, APC through its stalwart, Hon Raphael Ekpelu, a former Council Chairman of Abolga and former member of the State House of Assembly to intimidate prospective voters ahead of next month’s general elections.
PDP and APC
The Party in a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media to the State chairman, Jerry Needam said the use of native doctors to extract agreement and commitment from the people is apolitical and alien to Rivers culture, warning those involved in the sinister act to stop forthwith.
Political campaigns, the party noted is all about identifying the problems, needs and desires of the people and coming up with programmes that will satisfy those needs and presenting such in a manner to convince the electorate on the viability and possibility of realizing such dreams.
The PDP regrets that rather than apply this democratic principle to cultivate genuine commitment from the people, desperate APC stalwarts in the mould of Mr Ekpelu who have nothing to offer have decided to go the maverick route, forcing, mesmerizing and hypnotizing the people to believe in them, describing it as crude, wicked and unfortunate.
The PDP believes that despite useless charms and other diabolic means being used by these APC desperadoes, the party (PDP) in Abua/Odual and elsewhere in the State still commands tremendous followership who will not succumb to APC’s satanic undertakings.
The party recalls that it’s this incessant use of witchcraft by same APC political office holders under Gov Rotimi Amaechi on the people of Abua/Odual in the past that is responsible for the gross underdevelopment of the area including some recorded mysterious death of the illustrious sons of Abua/Odual, stressing that the nonsense must stop.
It therefore calls on the people of Abua/Odual not to be intimidated or deceived by those powerless native doctors and hold strongly to God to guide them to the right path of peace, progress and development which is the motto of the PDP and vote massively for Dr. Goodluck Jonathan for President, Chief Barr Nyesom Wike for Governor and other PDP Candidates on February 14 and 28, 2015 respectively.
As the presidential election draws nearer, the camp of President Goodluck Jonathan is leaving no stone unturned to see that they get the support of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo.
Obasanjo and Jonathan
There are strong indications that the Jonathan over the weekend sent some high powerful emissaries to Abeokuta, the home state of Obasanjo to book for an appointment with him to discuss several issues which will brighten the chances of Jonathan in the presidential election.
PM News can report that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has not had it so tough to retain its position at the center. Our correspondent reliably gathered that Jonathan had on Saturday sent some high powerful delegates to meet with Baba, as Obasanjo fondly called to facilitate the meeting of the president with his estranged former political godfather.
An inside source revealed that some set of people had earlier come on New Year Day to felicitate with the former President and use the opportunity to set the agenda which according to the source, was tactically shunned by Obasanjo.
According to the source, “several people have been coming and as you know yourself, that Baba’s house is like a Mecca and Jerusalem, not only for the politicians but for everybody. Mind you, it is not from Nigeria alone that Baba receive visitors, they come from every part of the world. So, asking who and who have come to Baba is like trying to push beyond your bounds.
“What I can tell you is that on New Year Day, some set of people were here and there were some traditional rulers too. They came to greet Baba as usual for the new year and felicitate with him. It was during their discussion that issue like how Baba will support President Jonathan to finish the good work he has started was raised and several comments and views were aired.
“As you know whom you have, Baba did not stop them or act somehow but the old man tactically and technically waved the matter and asked the visitors to continue praying for peace and tranquility to reign in the country.
“On Saturday again, some set of people were around but this time, they were top echelon, majorly bigwigs in the country. I don’t want to mention any names here. They were with Baba and this time around made their minds known that the want Baba to give them an appointment as they were sent by Mr President to know when he (Jonathan) should come and meet with him (Obasanjo) before the election in February. Baba did not say anything but he will speak at the appropriate time,” the source who pleaded anonymity said to our correspondent Monday morning.
It will be recalled that the relationship between Jonathan and Obasanjo has remained sour which has made the latter to distance himself from any activity of the PDP, not only in Ogun state but at the national level.
Confirming the development, a source from Aso Villa told our correspondent Monday morning on phone that the information was true and its part of the Jonathan’s desire to bring all aggrieved party members back on track before the polls.
“Is there anything bad in that, President Jonathan is the leader of this country and as a leader, you must carry all your people along in everything you are doing. Definitely, we will have some who are not satisfied, it is the duty of Mr President to placate them and ensure that the house remains an indivisible one.
“Baba Obasanjo is like a father to President Jonathan and I can assure you that whatever issues are on ground now, will be resolved before the February 14 election. He has made advances to Baba by sending some of Baba’s friends, sons and daughters to him to arrange a convenient and comfortable time, which will not be too long for the two leaders to meet and chart a new course for this country.
“It is no doubt that Obasanjo remains a force to be reckoned with in this country in all sector, especially, in the political arena and President Jonathan, being a good leader listened to the yearnings of Nigerians that he should continue his transformation agenda for the country. It will sound funny and impossible but I tell you that Baba Obasanjo will support President Jonathan during the election,” he posited.
The latest utterances and body language of Obasanjo is sending signals to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the country, that the former President is seriously working for the opposition to edge out Jonathan from office in 2015.
On 22 December 2014, during the Christmas Carol service of Ogun state held at June 12 Cultural centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, the former President at the service called on God “To do new thing in the country come next year, (2015)”.
When he was invited to address the mammoth crowd who stormed the carol service, he disappointed them all as he turned to singing.
“I and the governor (Ibikunle Amosun) have agreed that all what Baba Adeboye said here tonight is what all of us have said. There is nothing more to say. But you will assist me to sing this song, Nigeria need something new this time around.
“The song goes thus, ‘Do something new in my life and do something new in this country’,” Obasanjo declared.
Today, he will be meeting with all the Iyalodes (Traditional Women leaders) from all the Southwestern states at his Hilltop Presidential villa in Abeokuta.
Our correspondent gathered that the meeting has to do with the coming elections in the country, as women also have a key role to play in the success and hitch free elections.
A close aide of the Iyalode of Egbaland, who also double as the Iyalode of Yorubaland, Iyalode Alaba Lawson confided in our correspondent that the meeting is basically on the directives of where the Yorubas are going ahead of the coming election in the country.
The source also confirmed that Baba Obasanjo will also be meeting with religious leaders, traditional rulers and some eminent personalities from the Yoruba axis before the general elections, added that, “we can’t afford to mix it this time around.”
(
(