TheNewsGuru

Tag: Elections

  • I did not prepare for war in Rivers election – Abe tells Wike

    I did not prepare for war in Rivers election – Abe tells Wike

    Senator Magnus Abe, Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate has said he was not prepared for war against Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who claimed that the governor failed to provide security in Rivers during the recent Governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

    He noted that Wike is trying to discredit him and his aspirations.

    He spoke while fielding questions on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Thursday.

    According to him, “If you could recall, the Social Democratic Party was none-existence in Rivers State, practically so a few months ago until we came into the party.

    “Now, when you talk about being serious, yes, I was not prepared for war, so if he [Wike] says I was not prepared, I was not prepared for war. But in a serious election, people are allowed to come out and vote, so we did not prepare for war, we prepared for elections. It is the responsibility of the government to have provided an environment in which Rivers people can vote and now that did not happen.

    “Now, what the governor is trying to do for some reasons and I want Nigerians to look into it, all through the elections, he was not attacking Senator Abe. Now that the elections are over, all of a sudden, Senator Abe is his prime target, trying to discredit me and my aspirations.

    “Now let me say this, he is an Ikwerre man. The thing he is fighting for at the national level is that a Fulani man should not succeed another Fulani man, but in Rivers State, he is an Ikwerre man. He had his own ambition to succeed his brother Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who is also from Ikwerre. He came out and pursued that ambition without reservation.

    “People died for him to achieve that. He did not say his ambition was unserious, but I am an Ogoni man. In the entire history of Rivers State, no Ogoni man has ever had the opportunity to even contest in a major political party and I decided to contest.

    “I have no apologies to offer to anybody. I am eminently qualified. Rivers people knew who won the election. They knew who also did not win the election. So whatever the governor wants to say, he is free to say it. But I want to say here to the entire world that my name is Senator Magnus Abe.

    “So somebody who did not run a campaign, who did not win the election, was declared winner with almost three hundred thousand votes. So I did not need to go. He is free to say whatever he likes. He is a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but he should also understand that we, too, are citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and we have our rights, and I am not somebody he can just come out and hush in public, he should say what he wants to say, but I have the right to contest and I am very proud of the fact that I stood out for my right and Rivers peoples stood with me.

    “If he wanted to know what Rivers people think about him, his administration and me and about my right to contest, the proper thing to have done was to have allowed an election. He didn’t allow one. So having scuttled the election, he has no right to come out and run down anybody. He cannot do that.”

  • UK lists observations on March 18 elections

    UK lists observations on March 18 elections

    The UK Government has listed its observations during the March 18 Governorship and House of Assembly elections across Benue, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Oyo and Rivers states.

    This was disclosed in a statement issued by Atinuke Akande-Alegbe, Senior Communications and Public Diplomacy Officer at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, British High Commission, on Wednesday.

    It said that a team was sent out by the British High Commission to observe the elections.

    According to the Commission, they observed improvements around elections logistics by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) during the governorship elections, particularly when compared to the presidential elections.

    It said more polling units opened on time, there was greater evidence of BVAS and IREV working and results uploaded in real time from polling units and collation centres.

    It said these were positive markers to build on for future elections.

    The commission, however, said there were notable points of concern, adding that members of the observation mission personally noticed violence and voter suppression in numerous voting locations.

    “We witnessed and received credible reports from other observer missions and civil society organisations of vote buying, voter intimidation, hijacking of election materials and the general disruption of the process in numerous states including Lagos, Enugu and Rivers.

    “In addition, we observed incidents of harassment of journalists. Freedom of speech and a free press are crucial for a healthy democracy, and journalists must be able to go about their work without being threatened,” it said.

    The commission said that the UK was concerned by the use of inflammatory ethno-religious language by some public and political figures.

    The UK called on all leaders not just to distance themselves from this kind of language, but to prevent those who speak on their behalf from doing so in this way.

    The commission said it was a testament to their commitment to democracy that many Nigerians were prepared to vote in spite of being faced with intimidation and hostility.

    The UK Minister of State for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell MP, was quoted as saying on Feb. 21 that the UK was prepared to take action against those who engage in or incite electoral violence and other anti-democratic behaviours.

    Mitchell said the action could include preventing people from obtaining UK visas or imposing sanctions under their human rights sanctions regime.

    The UK minister said there was confirmation of collating relevant information, with a view to taking action against some individuals.

    “We urge any party or individual who wishes to challenge the process or outcome of the elections to do so peacefully and through the appropriate legal channels. We will be observing the course of legal challenges made.

    “The 2023 elections are not only important to Nigeria and Nigerians, but to Africa and the world as a whole.

    “As a long-term partner, the UK is committed to strengthening the ties between our countries and peoples, including by supporting democratic development,” the commission said.

  • EU observers condemn violence in Nigeria’s election

    EU observers condemn violence in Nigeria’s election

    Following the just concluded elections in the country, the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Nigeria has cried out over the violence approach by some persons in the polls.

    According to the EU EOM, about 21 persons were reported to have died across the country in various forms of election-related violent activities.

    The observers posited that something urgent must be done to correct the anomaly to prevent a re-occurence in Nigeria’s democracy. It said there was a general voter apathy during the last elections as a result of infractions that happened in the general elections held in the country,

    EU EOM Chief Observer, Barry Andrews, made the assertions yesterday while addressing a press conference in Abuja, where the group presented a preliminary report on their observations from last Saturday’s elections.

    Andrews, who is also a member of the European Parliament, said shortly before, and on election day, incidents of organised violence in several states created an environment of fear for voters.

    The EU chief poll observer stated, “Public confidence and trust in INEC were severely damaged on February 25, due to lack of transparency and operational failures in the conduct of the federal level polls.

    “Up until the postponement, INEC continued to abstain from providing information, limiting its communication to a few press releases and ceremonial statements and, hence, failing to address public grievances and rebuild confidence in the electoral process.

    “From March 11 onwards, despite compressed timeframes, INEC introduced various corrective measures to render a timely delivery of electoral materials, efficient use of election technologies, and ensure prompt publication of result forms, some of which were effective.

    “Overall, on election day, multiple incidents of thuggery and intimidation interrupted polling in various locations, primarily across the south, but also in states in the central and northern areas. There were reportedly some 21 fatalities. In polling units in several states, violent incidents targeted voters, INEC personnel, citizen observers, and journalists.

    “Most polling units opened with materials and personnel deployed on time, although a dismal level of voter participation meant less pressure on INEC operations throughout the day. Vote-buying, also observed by EU EOM observers, further detracted from an appropriate conduct of the elections.”

    Andrews stated further, “The March 18 elections did not face the same problems with the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) as on February 25. Result forms for the gubernatorial races were uploaded and displayed for public scrutiny. At the time of the declaration of presidential results only.”

    He added, “Throughout the mission we saw that Nigerians have a great appetite for democracy and are keen to engage in various civic activities. However, in many parts of the country, their expectations were not met. Many were disappointed and we witnessed voter apathy that is in part a clear consequence of failures by political elites and, unfortunately, also by INEC.”

    Andrews noted that multiple incidents of thuggery and intimidation of voters, polling officials, observers and journalists were recorded mainly in Lagos, Kano, and other states in the southern and central parts of the country. He said campaigns in state elections were competitive and fundamental freedoms of assembly and movement were largely respected.

    The EU mission insisted, however, that insecurity impeded the canvass for votes in certain parts of the country and organised violent attacks shortly before the elections in several states led to a fearful atmosphere.

     

  • Bayelsa: Upset as APGA candidates defeat two PDP incumbents

    Bayelsa: Upset as APGA candidates defeat two PDP incumbents

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Oteigbanyo George-Braah of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as the winner of the Nembe Constituency 1 seat in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.

    Declaring the results at the King Koko Square collation centre in Ognolomabiri, the INEC Returning Officer, Mr Okechukwu Okeke, said that George-Braah polled 2928 votes to defeat his opponent, the incumbent lawmaker, Hon. Ebi Ben-Ololo.

    Giving a further rundown of the figures of the result, Okeke announced that Hon. Ben-Ololo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who is running for a third term in office polled 2356 votes, while Kenneth Standfast of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 485 votes.

    Also, in Yenagoa Constituency 2, an area which is considered to be a stronghold of the PDP, Waikumo Amakoromo of the APGA polled 4971 votes to defeat his opponent, Hon. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai of the PDP, an incumbent lawmaker who has served two tenures already.

  • Elections: INEC has improved, says NBA

    Elections: INEC has improved, says NBA

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has commended the conduct of the governorship and House of Assembly elections, alluding to noticeable improvements from the Feb. 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    The NBA President, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, said this at a virtual news conference from Kebbi, where he observed the elections.

    Maikyau said that from the reports of the 210 observers the association deployed across the country, there was an improvement in INEC’s performance in the elections.

    According to Maikyau, based on the preliminary reports, 33.6 per cent of our 210 election’s observers nationwide scored INEC high saying the conduct of the election so far is satisfactory.

    He said that according to the preliminary reports, there was significant improvement in the deployment of polling materials and personnel by INEC.

    “INEC officials arrived polling units on time and voting started  at 8:30 am across many polling units and this  appears to be the trend across the nation.”

    NBA equally reported that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines, (BVAS) functioned very well during the elections and that voting ended earlier unlike the previous elections.

    The association, however, said it observed  that there were pockets of violence in some states including Lagos.

    “Our observers on the field said there were incidences of violence in some polling units including Lagos State.

    “In a certain polling unit, it was reported that thugs attacked voters who were not voting for a particular party.

    “We have verified video report sent by our observers, which showed thugs openly announcing on the streets in Ajegunle that any voter who will not vote a particular political party should not come out to vote.”

    The NBA president also said that cases of vote buying were also noticed by their observers.

    “We also observed that there was vote buying across the country, even in some places where I observed the elections.

    “There seem to be some discouragement among the political parties knowing that it is difficult to do so without being caught but you can also see that voters are also expecting that they will be approached for the purpose of buying their votes.”

    While commending the conduct of security personnel and party agents, the association,  however, observed that some polling units were not manned by security agents.

    Maikyau said that the NBA would continue to update Nigerians on the outcome of the elections as it continued to receive reports from it’s observers on the field.

  • Nigeria’s feudal democracy – By Evaristus Bassey

    Nigeria’s feudal democracy – By Evaristus Bassey

    By Evaristus Bassey

    Nigeria is strategic to various interests. With the ongoing elections, various powers would already have been at play to engage for outcomes favouring their interests. What we do know is that unlike the former Christian nations of Europe that have become quite secularized, many of the rich Islamic nations are active in promoting their religion and are quite interested in the dominance of Islam worldwide. For instance, while Saudi Arabia does not allow the building of churches on Saudi soil, it sponsors the construction of mosques all around the world and supports many organizations worldwide that propagate the religion. It is also common knowledge that crises in Islamic nations offer an opportunity for the spread of the faith, as displaced citizens find ways to migrate to non-Muslim territories and entrench the faith there. The refugee situation in Lebanon in the early 1970s led to a change in the demographics of that country, such that the once majority Christian nation of Lebanon now has a majority Muslim population of 63%. In the recent past, the Syrian refugee crisis became another opportunity for Islam to spread to parts of Europe that opened its doors. And as soon as Muslims reach a certain threshold, they begin to agitate for rights that would upturn the secular ethos of their hosts and entrench ‘Sharia’.

    According to Pankej Saxena, “The lesson to learn here is this: no war with Islam is local. Islam always thinks globally. Local majority of non-Muslims means nothing, especially if you are in a geographical region surrounded by Muslim countries.” We may think that the ongoing elections are a local Nigerian issue, but it is likely that apart from the economic interests of China and the West, the Islamic nations have a strong influence on the matter. While China and the West may be interested in how Nigeria profits them economically, Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations may be more interested in how the gains Buhari has made for Islam in Nigeria can be sustained and upscaled. Severally President Buhari has been voted one of the 100 most influential Muslims in the globe. Would he allow this accolade slide by without leaving a legacy for his faith? Could he freely hand over to the obvious Christian in the race if he truly won and therefore leave an admirable and enduring legacy? Or was everything done to ensure that the popular candidate that is Christian didn’t get declared even if the real votes showed that he truly won?

    I know that for many Muslims, the Muslim-Muslim ticket was an existential affair. It seemed to some that if that ticket did not win, then Muslims had lost the battle of ‘supremacy’ in Nigeria. It was a self-inflicted and unnecessary ultimatum, much like when a wife tells the husband to choose between her and the game of football he is watching! Whereas many well-meaning Muslims were against it, many Islamic clerics promoted the M/M ticket and made it seem as if it was the end of Islam in Nigeria if it didn’t sail through. It isn’t surprising therefore if the end had to justify the means. On one hand someone as intellectually sound as El Rufai called Peter Obi a Nollywood actor in his TVC interview when asked to respond to polls that put Peter Obi ahead, and made it seem as if everyone in Kano or Sokoto is unidirectional in thinking, and automatically resents Peter Obi just because he is not from the north! And you wonder why people like El Rufai would think that everyone in the north is bigoted!

    The tragic thing is that the regional and religious gladiators never allow the process to be transparent because transparency is antithetical to their feudalistic principles. Whether it is census or elections, they allegedly doctor outcomes. From under-aged voters to a cross section of people being disenfranchised, to non-use of BVAS for accreditation, and importation of foreigners as voters, everything is done to gain an unfair advantage, and they shove it down your throat!

    It is true that it had to take a strong personality like Tinubu to wrestle the APC ticket from the cabal, otherwise the cabal may have already made up its mind to give it to a northerner despite Buhari’s eight years. It may have taken a lot of effort and resources from Tinubu to even have the election result go his way despite the fact that at some point the northern establishment may have conceded that it was more important to manage Nigeria’s diversity by returning the ticket to the south. Apart from being a man of huge resources, the fact that Tinubu is Muslim certainly helped the matter. Otherwise, how do you bypass present glory in Osinbajo to past glory in Tinubu? Perhaps if Peter Obi had been declared outright, the sponsors of mayhem would have activated their cells to have violence erupt across the north and Abuja. But it is a good thing that their choice was declared, and they did not have to kill innocent people. Now that doubts are emerging that Tinubu actually the election, well-meaning northerners should be alarmed at the open steal and set the grounds for a conversation.
    There are those who have sworn that an Igbo man will never rule Nigeria. And sometimes these are supposedly highly educated although entitled men. And I ask: so even as it is becoming obvious that Peter Obi won the election, he would be denied the right because he is an Igbo man? For it seems to me that some of these personalities who pose as statesmen would readily sponsor terrorists and even the military to takeover government just to protect their narratives!

    Are we ready to make progress as a nation? Can we claim to be a democracy if we uphold disenfranchisement as a sacred duty? The nations that practice true democracy experience great advancement because the ballot is a tool of accountability. It is the ballot that gives every adult a sense of being a stakeholder. Unfortunately, we are not a tribal monarchy like the UAE and so no one tribe or ethnic group can claim perpetual succession to the presidency nor are we fortunate to be homogenous. If we don’t learn to restrain our piety from encroaching on the fundamental rights of others, how can we live together as one nation? If the majority will do the voting only for a select minority to do as they please, isn’t that a feudal ‘democracy’? How can any person of any religious persuasion be comfortable with such injustice? This is why the restoration of the mandate so glaringly taken from Peter Obi must be done by the Nigerian powers that be.

    Before now elections used to be between the various parties and the rest of us did siddon-look. We didn’t care whomever they imposed on us as winners, since it was a game of who rigged the most, using our absence. This time the Nigerian people have spoken, and these voices are Christians, Muslims, northerners, south westerners, southeasterners, young and old, especially young. And it will be a very tough and unsuccessful attempt to suppress the emerging voices.

  • FEB 25 ELECTIONS: US envoy commends Nigerians for demonstrating their dedication to democracy

    FEB 25 ELECTIONS: US envoy commends Nigerians for demonstrating their dedication to democracy

    The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, has commended Nigerians for demonstrating their dedication to democracy, stressing that the presidential polls of February 25 failed to meet the expectations of citizens.

    The ambassador acknowledged that many are angry and frustrated with the results, while some others are celebrating victories they believe were hard-fought and well-earned.

    Leonard, therefore, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to promptly address the challenges that can be resolved ahead of the March 11 gubernatorial elections and to undertake a broader review of the problems that transpired during the last elections and what can be done to fix them.

    Furthermore, she urged INEC to share with the Nigerian public information about the actions it is taking.

    She made this known in an op-ed, ‘The Elections of February 25.’

    Leonard commended Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar for their commitment to take the legal path in contesting the presidential elections and also the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, for acknowledging their right to do so.

    The statement partly reads, “The people of Nigeria demonstrated their dedication to democracy on February 25, but there are many angry and frustrated Nigerians as well as many who are celebrating victories they believe were hard-fought and well-earned.

    “In the coming days, it will be important for the future of this country that Nigerians did not let their differences divide them, and that the legally established process for resolving challenges to the election be allowed to take its course.”

    Leonard also admitted that as much as it can be unsatisfying to end an electoral process in a courtroom, in a constitutional democracy bound by the rule of law, that is where electoral conflicts may appropriately conclude.

    The US Envoy noted that the Nigerian electoral landscape is ‘indisputably’ changing.

    With respect to the results from the presidential and National Assembly polls, she noted that “more than half of the states – 20 – the winning candidate represented a different party than that of the incumbent governor. Twelve of these states are led by APC governors.

    “For the first time, four presidential candidates won at least one state, and the top three each won 12 states based on these initial results.

    “In the National Assembly elections, even with results still incomplete, we already know that changes are afoot: seven sitting governors lost in their attempts to win election to the Assembly; the Labor Party has won at least seven seats in the Senate; the NNPP has won at least 11 seats in the House of Representatives.”

    She however assured that as “Nigeria goes through these next weeks and months, we stand with you.”

  • Buhari hosts National Assembly election winners of Daura constituency

    Buhari hosts National Assembly election winners of Daura constituency

    President Muhammadu Buhari hosted winners of the Senate and House of Representatives elections in Daura Zone of Katsina on Monday.

    His media aide, Malam Garba Shehu, stated that the president hosted the National Assembly members-elect at his country home in Daura and advised them to “respect the voters and make them feel important.

    “If you don’t, they will wait in ambush for you at the next election. Depending on how you deal with them, they will keep you in office, or they will send you packing.’’

    He congratulated the Senator-elect, Malam Nasiru Sani of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 174,062 votes to beat the incumbent, Sen. Ahmed Babba-Kaita, by more than 10,000 votes.

    Babba-Kaita had defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following his defeat at the APC’s primary election.

    Buhari also welcomed the election of Alhaji Aminu Jamo (APC), House of Representatives member-elect for Daura/Sandamu/Mai Adua Federal Constituency who defeated his PDP opponent by more than 10,000 votes.

    The National Legal Adviser of the APC, Ahmed El-Marzuq, who led the elected representatives, told the president that the good showing of the party owed largely to progress recorded in the senatorial zone under the Buhari presidency.

    El-Marzuq cited several projects, which he said had enhanced education, entrepreneurship, social development and the development of human capital in the area.

    He presented copies of the election results to the president.

  • Elections: Obasanjo warns, says there’s looming danger over doctored results

    Elections: Obasanjo warns, says there’s looming danger over doctored results

    Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has said the chairman of INEC can not feign ignorance that this 2023 election has been corrupted by his officials in the field, warning that danger is looming.

    TheNeweGuru.com, (TNG) reports this was contained in a statement issued and signed by the former number one citizen of Nigeria.

    Full statement below:

    “Nigerian Brothers and Sisters, greetings to you all.

    “I am constrained to speak at this point.
    I crave the indulgence of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency General Muhammadu Buhari, to make this statement because I have had opportunity to keep him aware of what I know is happening and the danger looming ahead.

    “On many occasions in the past, I have not hesitated to point out lacuna in the action of the President and his government. But as far as the election issues are concerned, the President has proved beyond reasonable doubt that he will want to leave a legacy of free, fair, transparent and credible elections.

    “Until last Saturday night, February 25, 2023, the good and noble plan and preparation for the elections seemed to be going well. For the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), a lot of money was spent to introduce Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and the Server for immediate transmission of results from polling units.

    “It is no secret that INEC officials, at operational level, have been allegedly compromised to make what should have worked not to work and to revert to manual transmission of results which is manipulated and the results doctored.

    “The Chairman of INEC may claim ignorance but he cannot fold his hands and do nothing when he knows that election process has been corrupted and most of the results that are brought outside BVAS and Server are not true reflection of the will of Nigerians who have made their individual choice.

    “At this stage, we do not need wittingly or unwittingly to set this country on fire with the greed, irresponsibility and unpatriotic act of those who allegedly gave money to INEC officials for perversion and those who collected the blood money.

    “Let me appeal to the Chairman of INEC, if his hands are clean, to save Nigeria from the looming danger and disaster which is just waiting to happen.

    “If the Chairman can postpone elections four days to the election, he can do everything to rectify the errors of the last two days – no BVAS, no result to be acceptable; and no uploading through Server, no result to be acceptable.

    “Whereas, BVAS and Servers have been manipulated or rendered inactive, such results must be declared void and inadmissible for election declaration. Chairman INEC, I have thought that you would use this wonderful opportunity to mend your reputation and character for posterity.

    “Your Excellency, President Buhari Muhammadu, tension is building up and please let all elections that do not pass the credibility and transparency test be cancelled and be brought back with areas where elections were disrupted for next Saturday, March 4, 2023, and BVAS and Server officials be changed.

    “To know which stations or polling units were manipulated, let a Committee of INEC staff and representatives of the four major political parties with the Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association look into what must be done to have hitch-free elections next Saturday.

    “Mr. President, may your plan and hope for leaving a legacy of free, fair, transparent and credible election be realised.

    “Mr. President, please don’t let anybody say to you that it does not matter or it is the problem of INEC. On no account should you be seen as part of the collusion or compromise. When the die is cast, it will be your problem as the Chief Executive of the nation. The Chairman of INEC may sneak out of the country or go back to his ivory tower. Your Excellency, thank you for hearing me out.

    “Compatriot Nigerians, please exercise patience until the wrong is righted. I strongly believe that nobody will toy with the future and fortune of Nigeria at this juncture.

  • Labour Party wins Edo South senatorial seat

    Labour Party wins Edo South senatorial seat

    INEC on Monday declared Mr. Neda Imasuen of the Labour Party (LP) as the winner of the Edo South senatorial district election of Saturday.

    The Returning Officer, Prof. A. Obasuyi, declared that Imasuen scored 167,250 votes to defeat his PDP and APC opponents, who scored 57,933 votes and 61,749 respectively.

    The LP candidate for Oredo federal constituency, Mr. Iyawe Eseosa won his election, Obasuyi said.

    The APC and PDP candidates at the election scored 15,747 votes and 11,889 votes respectively, he added.