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Tag: election

  • Edo election: Ighodalo condemns late arrival of materials amid protest

    Edo election: Ighodalo condemns late arrival of materials amid protest

    Dr Asue Ighodalo, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Edo governorship election, has  condemned late arrival of officials of Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and election materials to his polling unit.

    According to reports, INEC Officials and materials arrived in Ighodalo’s Okaegben ward one, unit 3 in Ewohimi at exactly 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.

    Ighodalo, who arrived at the voting centre at 10:30 a.m., also condemned the arrest of some PDP members in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of the state.

    He also decried the late arrival of election materials in  Owan West Local Government Area.

    “As you can see, INEC Officials and materials just arrived and they are well over two hours late.

    “Well, we are still well around the allocated time for voting; let us see what we can achieve between now and close of voting hours,’’ he said.

    According to him, it will only be fair if the voting hours are extended by the numbers of hours lost.

    Edo: Voters protest non-arrival of INEC officials, materials

    Eligible Voters in Ewohimi, particularly in Okaegben ward one, polling 3 and 15, were yet to exercise their franchise as at 10.30am at the ongoing Edo governorship election.

    The unit is the polling centre of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Asue Ighodalo where he is expected to vote.

    The voters who expressed concern at the absence of INEC at the most polling units in Ewohimin, said the development could affect voting process.

    Mr Christopher Adoghe, a voter, said ” This is past 10am and up till now, we have not seen INEC officials and materials in polling unit three  where the peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is expected to vote.

    “From here you can also see unit 15, there are no materials and  INEC officials.

    “From the information reaching us, most of the polling units in Ewohimi are experiencing the same issue, no INEC Officials and materials, he said.

    According to him, look at old men and women out in the rain but no INEC officials to commence voting at 10:30am

    Mr  Monday Victor, a voter and an elderly man who also expressed concern over the delay, called on the INEC chairman  to immediately order his officials to various voting points in Ewohimi.

  • Edo election: INEC begins distribution of sensitive materials

    Edo election: INEC begins distribution of sensitive materials

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun  distribution of sensitive materials to the 18 local government areas ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Edo.

    NAN reports that the distribution process commenced at the premises of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Benin, on Thursday.

    The materials  were inspected by representatives of various political parties, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and representatives of security agencies , before dispatch.

    The State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Onuoha Anugbum, said the distribution was  part of efforts to ensure hitch-free conduct of Saturday’s election.

    “What we are moving out to the 18 local government areas today  with the sensitive materials and we hope to see  seamless conduct of Sept.21 governorship election in Edo,’’ he said.

    He assured that the all the materials would get to the local government offices of INEC by the end of Thursday (today).

    The REC added that the materials would  later be moved  to the Registration Area Centres (RAC) on Friday.

    The materials were being  conveyed  to the various local government areas in hired commercial buses

  • NSA threatens lawsuit over election rigging allegation, demands apology

    NSA threatens lawsuit over election rigging allegation, demands apology

    The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has demanded a retraction of election rigging allegation made against him by the chairperson of Edo chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Anthony Aziegbemi.

    Aziegbemi had in a statement on Sept. 14, accused the Federal Government of planning to rig the upcoming Edo Governorship Election, using Ribadu and the Department of State Service (DSS).

    He claimed that Ribadu had released 2 million U.S Dollars to the APC governorship candidate in the election as part of the plot.

    In reaction to the allegation, Ribadu’s lawyers, Charles Musa & Co, described the allegation as “totally false” and demanded immediate retraction.

    “We write on behalf of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser (NSA) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (our Client), in response to your press statement titled “Edo 2024: presidency’s move to interfere, manipulate guber poll using DSS, NSA uncovered.”

    “The publication falsely alleges, inter alia, that, “$2 million was ordered to be released to the APC candidate by the NSA to buy votes and bribe security agencies,” the letter said.

    The lawyers said the malicious and libelous statement had brought their client into public disdain and odium.

    According to them, the portrayal of their client as a corruption enabler and his office as an appendage of a political party willing to cause chaos in Edo, is entirely false and damaging to his reputation.

    “As a renowned career police officer and pioneer Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), our Client has consistently demonstrated integrity and a commitment to fighting corruption.

    “It is inconceivable that he would be involved in such odious acts.

    “Given the extensive damage your false and baseless allegations have caused our client, we demand a written apology to our Client  and a full retraction of the publication in its entirety.

    “We also demand a publication of the retraction in a full-page advertorial in at least five nationwide newspapers; 10 reputable and well-read online news sites; seven national and international television stations, and 10 radio channels with national and international reach,” they said.

    The lawyers also demanded payment of N10 billion as damages for reputational and other injuries.

    “Take notice that if our demands are not met within seven days, we shall proceed with our Client’s further instructions, including taking legal action to enforce his rights,” they added.

  • Ondo electoral commission postpones LG election indefinitely

    Ondo electoral commission postpones LG election indefinitely

    The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) has  postponed the local government election in the state indefinitely.

    The Chairman of ODIEC, Dr Joseph Aremo, stated this in a stakeholders’ meeting on Monday in Akure.

    The election into the 18 local government areas and 33 local council development areas in the state was earlier rescheduled to to be conducted on July 13.

    However, a state High Court in June declared that the 33 LCDAs created by the late Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu was unconstitutional.

    The court held that the law passed by the House of Assembly creating the LCDAs was signed by the late Gov. Akeredolu in Ibadan, outside the state.

    Aremo, however, said that non-compliance of political parties in line with electoral process caused the postponement of the conduct of the election.

    “The political parties did not submit their nomination forms neither did they comply with the adjusted timetable from the last meeting.

    “As a precursor to the conduct of the election, between June 26 and June 28, political parties were expected to submit the lists of their agents.

    “In the last meeting with the leaders of political parties, the commission informed them that the July 13 date set for the election was sacrosanct.

    “We also stated that we would not be changing the date,” he said.

    Aremo said that if only two parties were prepared for the election, the poll would still have been conducted.

    “At the meeting, they all agreed to comply with the guidelines and timetable.

    “However, as I speak, not a single party has complied. No valid nomination form was submitted,” he stated.

    The ODSIEC Chairman, said that consequently it was incumbent upon the commission to review the entire process and decide on the next step.

    He said that the commission was committed to conduct of an acceptable election.

    “Our concern is to conduct free and fair elections at the grassroots level that will lead  to the emergence of local leadership.

    “But we realised that there is non-compliance with the rules and regulations. This led us to the decision to postpone the election,” he stated.
    Reacting to the postponement,  the state  Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Mr Olaoluwa Adesanya, said the decision of the council members not to participate in the election was reached during a meeting of all political parties in the state.

    “We agreed among ourselves that no political party should submit nomination forms because we want to meet with the state governor  to discuss with him and understand some happenings in the government.

    “We knew that the commission will have nothing to work with without the submission of nomination forms.

    “ODIEC is an independent body and in this aspect, it is a matter between the government  and the political parties,” he stated.

    NAN

  • FRANCE: Massive voters turnout as Far Right eyes huge gains

    FRANCE: Massive voters turnout as Far Right eyes huge gains

    French voters turned out in large numbers Sunday for the final round of a high-stakes election that is expected to leave the far right as the biggest force in a deeply divided parliament.

    By 5:00 pm (1500 GMT), according to interior ministry figures, some 59.71 percent of voters had turned out — the most at this stage of a legislative race since 1981, with three hours of polling to go.

    President Emmanuel Macron called the snap elections three years ahead of time after his forces were trounced in June’s European parliament vote, a gamble which seems to have backfired.

    The mood in France is tense, with 30,000 police deployed to head off trouble and voters anxious about a potential electoral earthquake shifting the political landscape.

    In the village of Rosheim, outside the eastern city of Strasbourg, an “anguished” 72-year-old Antoine Schrameck said he feared France would see “a turning point in the history of the republic”.

    And in Tourcoing, near the northeast city of Lille, 66-year-old retiree Laurence Abbad said she feared violence after the results are announced. “There’s so much tension, people are going mad,” she said.

    The president was to assemble Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and the leaders of the parties in his outgoing centrist coalition at the Elysee Palace while voting continued, sources in his camp told AFP.

  • UK election gives hope to first-time immigrant voters

    UK election gives hope to first-time immigrant voters

    Voting for the first time in a British election, Prathesh Panjak and other immigrant voters are excited to take part in the July 4 ballot, hoping they can influence change in the country that they have chosen to call home.

    The opposition Labour Party is widely expected to win by a landslide, replacing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party which has been in power for 14 years.

    Refugees and immigrants from Commonwealth countries, mainly former territories of the British Empire such as Nigeria, India, and Malaysia, are eligible to vote in British elections.

    Panjak, 27, who came to Britain in February last year, said he was excited to cast his vote after missing the election in his native India.

    “In my country, they don’t allow people from other countries to vote … I came here on a student visa, but they are giving us an opportunity, like British citizens,” said Panjak who works part-time as an ambassador at his university in Manchester, northwest England.

    Teh Wen Sun, a 33-year-old Malaysian student from Salford, not far from Manchester, said she did not see much difference between the two main parties, but she was keen to vote for a party that is more receptive to immigrants.

    Immigration is an electoral battleground in Britain, with Sunak promising to cut net migration levels if the Conservatives win, amid concern from many British voters that it was too high and put excessive pressure on the state-run National Health Service, housing, and education.

    Sunak has since tightened visa rules and made international headlines for a policy to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.

    Oyinkansola Dirisu, 31, a support worker from Manchester who came to Britain in 2022, said she was looking forward to voting for Labour and said she wanted whoever won the power to make it easier for people like her to move to Britain.

    Others, like Esther Offem, 26, who came from Nigeria last September, are still undecided: “None (of the parties) have done much in the areas I am most interested in.

    “But at the moment, I would probably go for the Conservatives … I’m not sure yet.”

  • Kwankwaso cries out, says FG is fueling Kano emirate crisis

    The 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria’s People Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, blamed the federal government for attempting to disrupt the peace in Kano state by listening to advice from the past administration.

    Kwankwaso who spoke in Hausa Language at the flag off of the 82-kilometer Madobi rural road project, was reacting to the ongoing emirate tussle crisis in Kano State.

    “We will not fold our arms and watch enemies of our state destroy the peace and harmonious coexistence of our people, as we shall do everything we can to support the governor. He will not be distracted from doing his work. There are people from Kano who are enemies of the state who are advising the federal government on how to plunge Kano into a state of emergency, but the good people of Kano will not allow this to happen,” he said.

    He further described some politicians as desperate.

    ‘’Some desperate politicians want to destabilise the state, but we will rather prefer that the two of us lose than to let them crush us unnecessarily. We dare anyone who imagines victimise us politically, to be rest assured we are ready to fight. We are not afraid, but if the federal government continues to listen to these unpatriotic politicians from Kano, they will fail. The people of Kano will resist any attempt to undermine the constitutional responsibility of the governor by any individual or group.’’

    The senator, however, added that they are open for dialogue and reconciliation.

  • End post election litigations in Nigeria – Jonathan charges INEC, judiciary

    End post election litigations in Nigeria – Jonathan charges INEC, judiciary

    Former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Judiciary to end the avalanche of post elections litigations in Nigeria.

    Jonathan gave the charge while inaugurating the multi-Million naira State High Court edifice with the state of the art facilities and 24 hours power facilities completed by Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori government.

    The former president also flagged off the presentation of 20 Toyota Prado Sport Utility Vehicles, SUVs, to judges in the state.

    He said that the project was the third he had inaugurated in the state and had lauded Oborevwori for continuing and completing his predecessors initiated projects and programmes.

    Jonathan, however, said that it was good to give and equip the judiciary with the best edifice and to give them the needed comfort because Nigerians also expected the best from them.

    “I am glad to join the governor to commission this major project, this is the third project I have commissioned in Delta.

    “I commissioned  the state government house when I was in office and the Federal High Court Complex, so governor, thank you for inviting me to be part of this unique ceremony.
    The former president said that completing past administration’s projects would aid growth and development of the state.

    “We expect anybody who takes over to continue with the development pace and you are doing that,” Jonathan said.

    He said that the history of the high court building project began since 1991, adding that it was on record that with commitment, the governor was able to complete the project and inaugurate it.

    Jonathan said that with the inauguration of the edifice, it was a day to celebrate the judiciary.

    He said that the governor had promised to do more for the judiciary, but as the governor rightly said that “this is an edifice of justice, Nigerians are expecting the best of  the judiciary officers”.

    ” I just returned from South Africa on Monday, June 2, because I was there to observe their election that held on Wednesday, May 29.

    “One Nigeria journalists interviewed me and asked, What are the South Africans doing regarding their elections that we Nigerians can emulate or what Nigerians are doing that they can emulate?

    “I told him that one key difference between South African and Nigeria is that if a South African loses an election, and he goes to court, it is very strange.

    “But if a  Nigerian loses election  and does not go to court. It is very strange.

    “In Nigeria, my thinking is that 50 per cent of those who go to court, do so because they felt they where cheated by the electoral management system and were rigged out.

    “So, assuming the elections are properly conducted, that set of people will not go to court.

    “The next 50 per cent that go to court are those who know they failed election but they feel they can use the judiciary to declare them winners.

    “So, if the judiciary do not declare those who did not win elections winners, that remaining 50 per cent will also not go to court,” he said.

    Jonathan said that unlike in Nigeria, in South Africa, the electoral management body would never compromise and they all know.

    “So,  if you lose election, you just have to wait for the next election. You don’t need to go to court.

    “And if you go to court in South Africa, the judiciary will not compromise. So nobody goes to court but I believe we will get there one day in Nigeria

    ”So, the judiciary should  be very strong and do the right thing so that this avalanche of litigation  after elections will stop in this country,” Jonathan said.

    While congratulating the governor, government and the judiciary of Delta, he urged the governor to continue on that trajectory to manage the state resources judiciously.

    Gov. Oborevwori in his speech, lauded the past governors for initiating, awarding the contracts and for their commitment that enabled the completion of the high court project which began about 25 years.

    He said that completion of the building was in line with his commitment to the completion of projects inherited from previous administrations.

    Oborevwori said he was motivated to complete the project because the judiciary was the only arm of government without a befitting building for their operations.

    He said the presentation of 20 Toyota Prado SUVs to judges in the state was a fulfillment of “a promise made and a promise kept”.

    While thanking the former President for coming to inaugurate the project, he said the erstwhile President remained a great Nigerian patriot, statesman and unique leader, in and out of office.

    “On behalf of the government and good people of Delta State, I thank you for your friendship, partnership, and sustained interest in the progress of our dear state and Nigeria in general,”.

    The Commissioner for Housing, Mr. Godknows Angele, said the building consisted of five floors, six court rooms, six conference halls, six witness waiting rooms.

    It also has six holding cells, six Secretarial offices, two general conference halls, a ceremonial hall, Multi-purpose Hall, lawyers’ lounge, judges’ lounge, VIP lounge and a library, among others.

    In his remarks, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, represented by the Presiding Judge of the Court of Appeal, Asaba Division,  Justice Bolaji Yusuf, lauded the state government for providing the magnificent edifice as a temple of justice in the state.

    He expressed optimism that other states would emulate the Delta State example by providing similar magnificent temples of justice for the administration of justice in other parts of the country.

    Also, in her remarks, Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Theresa Diai, thanked Gov Oborevwori and his predecessors for the completion of the modern edifice.

    She describing it as a “magnificent testament” and enduring commitment to the pursuit of justice and excellence in the judiciary.

    The Chief Judge said the new High Court Complex had internet access and other critical Information Technology (IT) facilities in the building to enhance e-filing of court processes and e-payments for services rendered by the High Court of Justice.

  • Trump loyalists call for riots, attacks on Judge, Jurors, after guilty verdict

    Trump loyalists call for riots, attacks on Judge, Jurors, after guilty verdict

    Some loyalists of former U.S. President Donald Trump have called for riots, revolution and violent retribution.

    The supporters were angered by Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts by a New York jury on Thursday.

    The jury found the former president guilty on all 34 counts.

    The 34 counts stemmed from 11 invoices, 12 vouchers and 11 checks that make up Trump’s monthly reimbursement payments to Michael Cohen who fronted the $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

    The former president pleaded not guilty to the charges in the case and denied the affair with Daniels.

    At the heart of this case is a payment made days before Trump was elected president in 2016.

    His attorney at the time, Michael Cohen, paid $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, in exchange for her silence about an alleged affair. Trump has denied the allegation.

    After his conviction, Trump blamed President Joe Biden’s administration for his ordeal.

    He also said the United States had gone to hell.

    Trump is the first U.S. president to be convicted of a crime.

    Following his conviction, his supporters flooded pro-Trump websites with dozens of violent online posts.

    According to Reuters, the violent comments were on three Trump-aligned websites: the former president’s own Truth Social platform, Patriots.Win and the Gateway Pundit.

    Some called for attacks on jurors, the execution of the judge, Justice Juan Merchan, or outright civil war and armed insurrection.

    “Someone in NY with nothing to lose needs to take care of Merchan,” wrote one commentator on Patriots.Win. “Hopefully he gets met with illegals with a machete,” the post said in reference to illegal immigrants.

    On Gateway Pundit, one poster suggested shooting liberals after the verdict. “Time to start capping some leftys,” said the post. “This cannot be fixed by voting.”

    There were similar threats of violence when Trump lost the 2020 election to Biden and falsely claimed it was rigged.

    All three sites have policies against violent language, and some of the posts were later removed. Representatives of Patriots.Win and Gateway Pundit did not immediately return requests for comment. A Trump spokesperson also did not respond to an email seeking comment.

    “1,000,000 men (armed) need to go to Washington and hang everyone. That’s the only solution,” said one poster on Patriots.win.

    Another added: “Trump should already know he has an army willing to fight and die for him if he says the words…I’ll take up arms if he asks.”

  • Never again will our party be ‘political incubator ‘- APGA chairman vows

    Never again will our party be ‘political incubator ‘- APGA chairman vows

    The All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA)has frowned at what it described as arbitrary and unjustifiable jumping of political ship by politicians at all levels in the country.

    Expressing his deep dissatisfaction over the conduct during an exclusive interview in Awka yesterday, the National Chairman of the party, Chief (Barr)Sly Ezeokenwa noted that the malaise has made his party, particularly look like a mere political breeding ground, an incubator for politicians in various parts of the country.

    Ezeokenwa while fielding questions in an exclusive interview asserted that APGA has won elections in virtuallyall parts of the country.

    But sadly, they end up jumping ship into another political party the moment they were sworn in.

    He said, “APGA has won elections in Imo, Taraba, Nassarawa, Benue, Abia, etc but most of the quickly jumped into other parties barely a week or two after being sworn in.

    The unwholesome conduct has made APGA look simply like a mere breeding ground and a political incubator.

    Lamenting further, the national chairman said that the ignoble act has portrayed our political class to be dominated by people of no ideology, food -is -ready characters and persons without conscience.

    ” This, he insisted must stop!”

    The party, he pointed out may be forced to sponsor a fresh bill to checkmate the act.

    When reminded that the beneficiaries of the arbitrary carpet crossings have been found to be the big/major political parties that were often the ruling party or the main opposition party, the difficulty in its control despite an existing law on it, Ezeokenwa noted that his party may pursue the fight alongside other parties.

    Consequently, he disclosed, APGA may insist that such office holders should step down from their positions or wait till the particular tenure elapses before going to another party.

    APGA, he revealed has completed arrangement to begin digitalizing her membership registers across the country.

    According to him, “APGA has taken the initiative as the first party in Nigeria to digitalize the register of her members across the country.

    “We want to lead them way for others to copy. The idea has a lot of benefits and simplifies accreditation of members …”