Suswam, Yuguda, Ngige lose senatorial bid

L-R: Ngige, Smart Adeyemi, Yuguda and Suswam

Three Peoples Democratic Party governors have lost their senatorial bid. The governors are Isa Yuguda (Bauchi); Gabriel Suswam (Benue) and Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu.

In Anambra state also, a former governor, Chris Ngigie, who represents Anambra-Central, lost his seat.

In Kogi State, the senator representing Kogi-West, Smart Adeyemi, lost to former House of Representatives member, Dino Melaye of the All Progressives Congress

In Benue, Suswam was defeated by incumbent Senator, Chief Barnabas Gemade, in the race for the Benue North-East seat.

Gemade, an APCmember, polled 140,715 votes to beat Suswam.

Buhari leads with 2m votes …as INEC declares 18 states, FCT only

 

Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd)

Results from 18 states and the Federal Capital Territory so far released by the Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday showed the All Progressives Congress Presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari coasting to victory.

He polled 8,520,436 votes in the states and the FCT while his Peoples Democratic Party counterpart and incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan had 6,488,210 votes.

The Daura, Katsina State-born former Head of State won 10 of the states and Jonathan, eight plus the FCT.

The states cleared by Buhari are Kaduna, Kwara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Kogi and Ogun.

Jonathan captured Abia, Anambra, Nasarawa, Enugu, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Imo, Plateau and FCT.

In the South-West states, Buhari won in   Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Ogun but lost in Ekiti where he garnered 120,331 votes. Jonathan   polled 176,466 votes in the PDP-controlled state.

Jonathan’s govt planning to manipulate poll results –APC

 

Alhaji Lai Mohammed

The All Progressives Congress on Sunday alerted Nigerians and the international community to plans by the Peoples Democratic Party, led by Goodluck Jonathan administration, to tamper with the results of Saturday’s elections and circumvent the people’s will.

The APC which said this in a statement in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, warned that it had all the results from across the country.

It stated, ‘’The information that we have received since we issued our last statement is to the effect that the administration is holding clandestine meetings with security chiefs and others with the sole aim of altering or scuttling the results which they consider to be highly embarrassing and unpalatable, using malleable RECs (resident electoral commissioners).”

Presidential, N’Assembly elections vicious –Soyinka

Prof. Wole Soyinka

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has described the presidential and National Assembly elections as the most vicious, unprincipled, vulgar and violent he had ever witnessed.

Soyinka, in an interview with TheGuardian UK on Sunday, was quoted as saying, “We’re talking about a very positive response by the public in terms of determination to register and vote but, you know, this has been one of the most vicious, unprincipled, vulgar and violent exercises I have ever witnessed.

“I just hope we won’t go down as being the incorrigible giant of Africa.”

According to Soyinka, the stakes appear to be so high that all scruples have been set aside and it’s very distressing to compare this election with that of 1993, which was one of the most orderly, civilised and resolute elections the country ever had.

PVC better than US voter card –Ambassador

US Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle

The Ambassador of the United States to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, has applauded the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission to use the Permanent Voter Card in the general elections which commenced on Saturday.

The ambassador, who spoke with journalists at the International Conference Centre, venue of the National Collation Centre of the election results, on Sunday said Nigeria’s PVC involved superior technology which his state of Virginia in the US needed to copy.

He said, “I am very impressed by the decision of INEC to use technology in this election. The Permanent Voter Cards are very high-tech.

INEC office razed as Rivers protesters demand fresh polls

All Progressives Congress supporters protesting at the INEC office in Port Harcourt... on Sunday
| credits: Stanley Ogidi

The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission in the Emouha Local Government Area of Rivers State was on Saturday night set ablaze by persons believed to be political thugs.

A senior official of the commission confirmed the incident hours after hundreds of All Progressives Congress protesters on Sunday besieged the INEC office in Port Harcourt     demanding the conduct of a fresh presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

The INEC official, who did not want his name in print, said, “I got information from one of our officials that some individuals harassed them before setting the place ablaze on Saturday.

“We are still trying to gather more information on the situation.”

The protesting APC supporters   had converged on the Government House in Port Harcourt, around noon before proceeding to the INEC office on Aba Road.

The party supporters, who were led by their   governorship, Dakuku Peterside, carried placards some of which read, ‘‘INEC is an arm of Rivers PDP,’’ ‘‘There was no election in Rivers,’’ ‘‘We must be allowed to vote,’’ and ‘‘INEC, conduct election in Rivers State.’’

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, earlier today, 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 4 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.