TheNewsGuru

Tag: Elections

  • Jonathan speaks ahead of Bayelsa, Kogi, Imo governorship elections

    Jonathan speaks ahead of Bayelsa, Kogi, Imo governorship elections

    Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has charged politicians and their followers to eschew violence and conduct themselves in a peaceful and lawful manner, in  Saturday’s governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states.

    Jonathan made the call in a statement by his Media Aide, Ikechukwu Eze, in Abuja on Friday.

    Jonathan also urged the electoral management body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and security agencies to be professional and patriotic in the discharge of their responsibilities during and after the elections.

    The former President said that democracy drew its strength from the people, adding that “a man who means well for his people would not recruit thugs to maim and kill the very people he wants to govern.”

    Reiterating that nobody’s political ambition is worth the blood of any citizen, Jonathan urged all stakeholders to jettison actions that could jeopardize the peaceful conduct of the elections.

    “As citizens of voting age in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi to go to the polls for the governorship election on Saturday , I urge all electorate and politicians to avoid violence and conduct themselves in a peaceful and lawful manner.

    “Let us refrain from all activities that will jeopardize the collective peace and stability of our states and our country.

    “Let us resist the temptation and inducements that may be deployed as agents of destruction.

    “For democracy to endure and be impactful, we must ensure that the leadership recruitment process, especially elections, are credible, transparent, fair and peaceful.

    “I urge the electoral management body, security agencies and other stakeholders to be professional and patriotic in the discharge of their responsibilities during and after the elections.

    “Democracy draws its strength from the people; let us work to strengthen the confidence of the people by ensuring that the electoral process is peaceful and transparent,“ the former president said.

    Jonathan added that it was the collective responsibility of all stakeholders to allow the people to choose their leaders peacefully.

  • Supreme Court verdict: Judges not suited to determine winners of elections – Falana

    Supreme Court verdict: Judges not suited to determine winners of elections – Falana

    Nigerian frontline lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has said judges are not suited to determine winners of elections.

    The human rights lawyer made this assertion in reference to Thursday’s judgment of the Supreme Court in a chat with a national television on Friday.

    He maintained that it is not ideal for the judiciary to decide winners of elections.

    insisting that determining winners of election is an exclusive reserve of the Independent National Electoral Commission if things are done the way they should be done.

    “No doubt the judgment of the Supreme Court ascended the electoral contestation as far as the presidential election conducted in February this year is concerned, but for sure it is not a judicial endorsement of the conduct of the election by INEC.

    “And what I mean is that even with the judgment, it is very clear that Nigeria has a long way to go in terms of ensuring that credible elections are conducted, elections that will be devoid of acrimony, elections that all of us will be proud of, but we are still a long way from there even with the judgment.

    “Yes for now the presidential election is concluded, it should have been concluded in February, but it has just been concluded by the Supreme Court and it should not be so. The judiciary should not determine the winners of elections.

    Judges are not suited to determine the winners of election; that is a job that is the exclusive reserve of INEC if things are done properly and that is why we must put an end to the shame that has become our law in terms of conducting elections,” Falana said.

    The Senior Advocate said that Nigeria must realise at all times that it has the largest concentration of black people on earth and therefore has a greater responsibility to put its house in order so that black people will not be insulted all over the world.

    He said it doesn’t take much to conduct a good election if the political class are honest and dedicated in the conduct of transparent elections.

    The apex court in its ruling on Thursday, upheld the election of President Bola Tinubu and dismissed the appeals by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar; and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Peter Obi.

    A seven-judge panel led by Justice John Okoro ruled that the opposition appeals over claims of fraud, electoral law violations, and Tinubu’s ineligibility to run for President lack merit.

  • INEC to start mock accreditation of voters for Bayelsa, Kogi, Imo guber elections

    INEC to start mock accreditation of voters for Bayelsa, Kogi, Imo guber elections

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to commence a mock accreditation for the forthcoming governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states.

    The test run will take place simultaneously in the three States on Saturday 14th October 2023 from 8.30am to 2.30pm,” said a statement by INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun.

    The commission explained that the mock accreditation would be conducted using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and upload of polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

    See full statement below;

    MOCK ACCREDITATION OF VOTERS FOR THE FORTHCOMING OFF-CYCLE GOVERNORSHIP ELECTIONS

    The Commission met today Monday 25th September 2023 and, among other issues, reviewed the preparations for the forthcoming off-cycle Governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States scheduled for Saturday 11th November 2023.

    As was the case in recent off-cycle Governorship elections, the Commission will conduct a mock accreditation using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and upload of polling units results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). The test run will take place simultaneously in the three States on Saturday 14th October 2023 from 8.30am to 2.30pm.

    A maximum of three polling units in each Senatorial District have been identified across each of the three States, covering a total of nine Senatorial District and 27 polling units. Lessons learnt from the exercise will be taken into consideration in ensuring a seamless process on Election Day.

    Full details of the polling units, including their locations by Local Government Area (LGA), Registration Area (RA)/Ward, Delimitation Code and number of registered voters have been uploaded to our website and social media platforms.

    The Commission appeals to registered voters in the selected polling units to turn up with their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) for the exercise.

    The public is advised that this is strictly a test accreditation exercise and not the actual election.

    Sam Olumekun mni
    National Commissioner & Chairman,
    Information and Voter Education Committee
    Monday 25th September 2023

  • Trump arrested in election case, mug shot released

    Trump arrested in election case, mug shot released

    Former president of United States of America, Donald Trump was photographed for a police mug shot after his arrest on August 24 at the Fulton County Jail in Georgia, multiple US media outlets reported citing local officials.

    Trump was arrested at a Georgia jail Thursday on racketeering and conspiracy charges and released on a $200,000 bond after having a historic mug shot taken.

    Trump, who is accused of colluding with 18 other defendants to overturn the 2020 election result in the southern state, spent less than 30 minutes inside Atlanta’s Fulton County Jail before leaving in a motorcade for the airport.

    Like the other defendants in the case who have surrendered so far, the 77-year-old Trump had his mug shot taken during the booking process — a first for any serving or former US president.

    In the photograph released by the sheriff’s office, he scowled at the camera while dressed in a dark blue suit, white shirt and red tie.

    Speaking to reporters after his arrest, Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, said it was a “very sad day for America.”

    “What has taken place here is a travesty of justice,” he said. “I did nothing wrong.”

    Trump posted the mug shot on his own Truth Social platform with the caption “Election Interference” and a link to his campaign website.

    A short while later, he also posted it on X — formerly Twitter, which was Trump’s favourite bullhorn until he was banned from it after the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol by a mob of his supporters.

    New owner Elon Musk reinstated Trump on X in November of last year, but Trump stayed away and posted instead on Truth Social. This was Trump’s first post since 2021 on what had been Twitter.

    Trump was given the inmate number “PO1135809” by the Fulton County Jail, which listed his height as six foot three inches (1.9 meters), his weight as 215 pounds (97 kilograms) and his hair colour as “Blond or Strawberry.”

    The billionaire has been criminally indicted four times since April, setting the stage for a year of unprecedented drama as he tries to juggle multiple court appearances and another White House campaign.

    Trump was able to dodge having a mugshot taken during his previous arrests this year: in New York on charges of paying hush money to a porn star, in Florida for mishandling top secret government documents, and in Washington on charges of conspiring to upend his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

    His arrest came one day after Trump spurned a televised debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, featuring eight of his rivals for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, all of whom lag well behind him in the polls.

    He still stole the spotlight, though, with all but two of the candidates saying they would support him as the party’s nominee even if he were a convicted felon.

    – Court dates in election race –
    A tight security perimeter was set up for Trump’s booking at the Fulton County Jail, which is under investigation for a slew of inmate deaths and deplorable conditions.

    Fani Willis, the Fulton County district attorney who filed the sweeping racketeering case, had set a deadline of noon on Friday for Trump and the other 18 defendants to surrender.

    Trump and 11 others have turned themselves in so far.

    Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows surrendered on Thursday and was released on $100,000 bond.

    Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who served as Trump’s personal lawyer when he was in the White House and vigorously pushed the false claims that Trump had won the 2020 election, was booked and released on Wednesday.

    John Eastman, a conservative lawyer who is accused of drawing up a scheme to submit a false slate of Trump electors to Congress from Georgia instead of the legitimate Biden ones, has also been booked and released.

    A few dozen supporters of the former Republican president gathered outside the jail, including Sharon Anderson, who spent the night in her car.

    “I think this is political persecution, and now that’s turned into a political prosecution,” Anderson told AFP.

    Trump is the first US president in history to face criminal charges.

    Racketeering Case
    His various trials, if they take place next year, may coincide with the Republican presidential primary season, which begins in January, and the campaign for the November 2024 White House election.

    Special counsel Jack Smith has proposed a January 2024 start date for Trump’s trial on charges of conspiring to overturn the last election with a lie-fueled campaign that culminated in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by his supporters.

    Trump’s attorneys have countered with a suggested start date well after the election — April 2026.

    Willis, the Georgia district attorney, initially proposed that the racketeering case begin in March next year, the same month Trump is scheduled to go on trial in New York on charges of paying hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels.

    On Thursday, after one of the defendants asked for a speedy trial, she proposed that it begin for all 19 in October of this year, a move met with an immediate objection from Trump’s lawyers.

    The Florida case, in which Trump is accused of taking secret government documents as he left the White House and refusing to return them, is scheduled to begin in May.AFP

  • 2023 elections: I signed result sheet under duress, PDP witness tells panel

    2023 elections: I signed result sheet under duress, PDP witness tells panel

    A witness of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ibrahim Hamza, on Monday, told the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, that he signed the election results of Nasarawa State under duress.

    The witness said this at the continuation of the hearing of a petition filed by Atiku Abubakar and his Party PDP.

    They are challenging the Feb. 25 presidential election results which brought President Bola Tinubu as duly elected president.

    The respondents in the petition marked CA/PEPC/05/2023 are Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, President Bola Tinubu and All Progressives Congress, APC.

    The witness who is the 10th witness called by the PDP, said he is a human resources consultant and represented his party, PDP as Nasarawa collation officer.

    Being cross examined by the counsel for Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud, the witness told the court that he signed the results under duress.

    “I did not state this in my witness statement of oath because I know a day like this would come.

    “The results were altered after I appended my name and signed.

    “Due process was not followed…I had to sign to obtain a copy of the results because there was this intimidation that if I did not sign, I would not be given the result” he said.

    He said that he voted but the results were not uploaded because the Bimodal Voters Accrediton system, BVAS, failed.

  • Elections are over, it is time to support incoming govt – Gambari

    Elections are over, it is time to support incoming govt – Gambari

    Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to start building support and provide enabling environment for the incoming government to thrive.

    Gambari made the call in Birnin Kebbi while briefing newsmen following a visit to Gov. Atiku Bagudu and Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Muhammadu Bashar.

    “I am here on a private visit to see the governor and His Royal Highness, the Emir of Gwandu. Because, as we are coming to the end of this administration.

    ”I am here to appreciate them for their support, prayers and also making a point that elections are now over.

    “We should now be building support and enabling environment for the incoming administration so that they could build – up on the positive record of President Buhari in all the major priorities his administration focused on.

    “Above all, ,for being the one that conducted and supervised the free and fair 2023 general elections that produced these results”.

    Speaking on the legacy Buhari will be leaving behind, Gambari noted that apart from free and fair elections he conducted, the people of the country would remember him for his fighting against corruption, agriculture revolution which has started making Nigerians eat what they are producing.

    ”Among other legacies, we have diversified the economy. We are now producing what we are eating.

    “Many States across Nigeria now have various crops they have economic advantage upon and they are producing it abundantly.

    “Except Kebbi state which stands top among the states because the state has made a lot of impact on the agricultural revolution in Nigeria.

    “Apart from that, President Muhammadu has constructed a lot of road kilometers, fighting corruption. These are the legacies he will be leaving behind.

    “Above all, he supervised a free and fair election and he congratulated the winners including states where the ruling party did not win”, he said.

  • These elections are proof that Nigeria’s democracy is maturing – Buhari

    These elections are proof that Nigeria’s democracy is maturing – Buhari

    Nigeria President, Muhammadu Buhari has expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the 2023 general elections saying it was generally peaceful and that is a proof that Nigeria’s democracy is maturing.

    The President said this in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, on Saturday May 6, addressing his colleagues at the Commonwealth Leaders Summit.

    The statement read; “these elections saw a remarkable turnout of voters and proof that Nigeria’s democracy is maturing. Despite some pockets of violence, we have demonstrated that a government can be elected peacefully and fairly.

    “Lessons have been learnt and moving forward, we hope to perform even better. Based on this, I am delighted to note that we have taken another step towards deepening our democracy with peaceful, transparent and credible outcomes. Though we are aware that challenges still exist, we are committed to working towards a greater participation of all Nigerians in the democratic process, including those in the diaspora.”

  • Why I didn’t support any presidential candidate – Davido

    Why I didn’t support any presidential candidate – Davido

    Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer, David Adeleke, aka Davido, has stated reasons why he stayed neutral during the just concluded presidential elections.

    According to Davido, he chose to stay neutral because he’s a leader himself but knows where his heart belonged.

    The singer, made this known while granting an interview with the British television station, Channel 4 News, in London.

    He said the release of his fourth studio album ‘Timeless’ was a relief from the tough times he was having personally and politically.

    He said, “Definitely [the album has been a relief]. It’s very evident to see, the elections were tough. It was a tough period for Nigerians, for all of us.

    “I’m happy that I dropped the album and it was accepted. I know that people are still going through a lot in the country and everybody knows that even in the past, I’ve been vocal about politics.”

    Davido said he does not blame Afrobeats artists who shy away from talking about politics because everyone has their personal views.

    However, he added that for those who don’t talk about politics “it’s obvious” where they stand.

    He said he always prays for the future of Nigeria, peace and transparency in government, and better leaders.

    When asked which presidential candidate he supported during the election, the singer said, “Myself, I’m a leader myself.

  • PDP senator says party deservedly lost 2023 general elections

    PDP senator says party deservedly lost 2023 general elections

    Sen. Obinna Ogba (PDP–Ebonyi Central) said on Sunday that the party deservedly lost the 2023 general elections because of mismanagement of affairs by its National Working Committee (NWC).

    Ogba told a news conference at his Nkalagu hometown in Ishielu Local Government Area that the NWC shot itself in the foot by giving the governorship ticket to a “wrong candidate’’.

    The senator, who lost the party’s governorship ticket after a protracted legal tussle decided by the Supreme Court, cautioned that the NWC should not suspend any member.

    “The fact remains that it is the NWC members who deserve to be suspended starting from the national chairman.

    “The national chairman lost his polling booth, ward. Local government area and state and the same thing applied to all the conspirators who offered tickets to whoever understood their language,’’ he charged.

    Ogba added, however, that there was still hope for the PDP because it is loved by the people.

    “What we need is the right leaders to manage the party’s affairs because no party is stronger than the PDP.

    “The Labour Party made strides during the elections, especially during the presidential election because it had mainly our former members who felt annoyed at the state of things in the PDP,’’ he said.

    He noted that PDP leaders supported the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for equity and fairness in the state’s power rotation formula.

    “Political parties are only avenues to get to various political destinations.

    “Leaders of the PDP in Ebonyi made us to believe that the northern district should produce the next governor and I am happy that those I supported won their elections,’’ Ogba said.

  • “Britain is not supposed to interfere in our internal affairs” -FFK tells British envoy

    “Britain is not supposed to interfere in our internal affairs” -FFK tells British envoy

    A former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode (FFK), has told the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ben Llewellyn-Jones, that “they are not supposed to interfere in our internal affairs”.

    FFK tackled the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ben Llewellyn-Jones, after the envoy faulted him on some comments he made during the just-concluded electioneering in Lagos State.

    Llewellyn-Jones, speaking on a current affairs programme on Nigerian Info on Sunday, also lamented that the ruling APC had yet to distance itself from the controversial comments made by Fani-Kayode, to which the former aviation minister in a series of tweet on Sunday evening said he wouldn’t be intimidated by a “British civil servant”.

    However, in a fresh tweet on Monday morning, FFK, who is also a member of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, challenged the British envoy to do his worst, saying he feared no one.

    He wrote, “Permit me to add the following addendum to my earlier personal response to the little Englander. I ask, who is this strange little British diplomat who believes he can tell us what Lagos state should be like in terms of ethnic make-up and how it should be run?

    “He has accused me of hate speech and incitement simply because I said Lagos is not a no man’s land and that the Yoruba ought to be respected in their territory.

    “Well, let me say clearly and categorically that I have no apology for saying this and I stand by every word I said. We do not need any lessons from him. Foreign diplomats come to this country to enhance our relationship with theirs and not to give us lectures.

    “They are not supposed to interfere in our internal affairs, to be partial, to tell us what to do or to tell us how to do it. They are meant to observe in studied silence and make their concerns and representations, if any, known privately. They cannot get into the political ring of fire.”

    He added that foreign diplomats should not tell people who to vote for, how to vote or what God to worship.

    Challenging the British envoy to do his worst, FFK said, “That strange little bald man with slooping shoulders at the British Embassy has really got a nerve. I will take up this matter formally. His diplomatic immunity is not absolute: it is qualified. He is therefore subject to our laws.

    “As for his threats, I challenge him to do his very worst. We are not your slaves. Nigeria is an independent sovereign nation. We are no longer a colony. To hell with him and those that are egging him on and licking his feet. I am FFK: I fear no-one and I bow before no man.”

    Continuing he said the hands of the British government were also not clean saying their “strong economy was built on the blood, sweat and tears of Irish, African and Indian slaves.”

    “The days of dictation are long gone. What they are trying to do in our country and to our country will not work. Bola Tinubu won a free and fair election and, whether they like it or not, he will be sworn in on May 29th 2023.

    “Those that want to impose an ING on our nation and follow it up with a civil war in an attempt to dismember and destroy her shall not prevail. Nigeria shall remain united, shall be at peace, shall flourish, shall we excel and democracy shall be alive and well in our nation for many years to come,” he added.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) Recalls that the British High Commission had last week said the UK Minister of State for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell MP, was prepared to take action against those who engaged in or incited electoral violence during the just-concluded general elections.

    Llewellyn-Jones, yesterday, said the UK was already collating names of perpetrators and would impose sanctions “including preventing people from obtaining UK visas or imposing sanctions under our human rights sanctions regime.”