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  • Kogi: If anything happens to INEC office, hold SDP responsible – APC

    Kogi: If anything happens to INEC office, hold SDP responsible – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Campaign Council in Kogi has called on the general public to hold the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the state responsible, if anything untoward happens to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) office in Lokoja.

    The APC campaign council also called on security agencies to fortify security around INEC offices given the alarm raised by the SDP.

    Mr Kingsley Fanwo, the Director of Media and Publicity/Spokesperson for the APC campaign council, made the calls in a statement issued in Lokoja on Sunday night.

    The SDP had, in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director General, New Media, MuriSam Campaign Council, Mr Isaiah Ijele, claimed that it had uncovered plans to burn down INEC office in Kogi.

    Ijele alleged: “It has come to our notice via grave vines that there is an urgent need for security to be beefed around the Kogi INEC office in order to avert the sinister plot to burn down the office by mandate bandits.”

    But the APC campaign council said the party was convinced that the false alarm raised by the SDP over a purported planned attack on the INEC office was to cover up the party’s sinister motive of torching the INEC office and turning around to blame it on the APC.

    Fanwo said: “As they know they have no evidence to substantiate their characteristic lies about the credibility of the Kogi State Governorship Poll that has been adjudged as the best in the democratic history of our dear state.

    “Their clandestine move to cover up their propaganda-fuelled claims about the election is well documented as we call on security agencies to fortify security around the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission across the state.

    “No amount of propaganda can help their baseless, senseless, unsubstantiated claims after their scorecard at the poll was at complete variance with their boastful pre-election posture.

    “They have resorted to attacking INEC and everyone except themselves. Such is the sorry state of a party and its candidate who lack the political pedigree to challenge the politically rooted APC in Kogi.

    “Despite their intimidation and blood-letting rampage in some parts of the state, INEC conducted a credible, free and fair election and the security agencies also ensured that the votes of the people counted.

    “We commend Kogi residents for standing up to ethnic bigots by responding resoundingly with votes that reflected our unity as a people.”

    According to him, no one is afraid of the legal challenge of the SDP ”since they failed to win the election and failed to disunite our state and our people”.

     

  • Kogi poll: Tribunal orders INEC to provide election materials within 48 hours

    Kogi poll: Tribunal orders INEC to provide election materials within 48 hours

    The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Kogi has given INEC 48 hours to issue certified copies of electoral materials on the Nov. 11 off-cycle election in the state to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    It also ordered INEC to allow SDP’s forensic experts to examine some electoral materials.

    The materials include Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and result sheets for Adavi, Okene, Okehi, Ogori-Magongo, Ajaokuta, Lokoja, Kogi and Bassa Local Government Areas.

    The tribunal ruled on Saturday in Lokoja that the SDP requested the materials to prove its case in the petition it filed against the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the election.

    Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu gave the order following two ex-parte motions filed on Nov. 19 by the SDP and by its governorship candidate, Alhaji Muritala Yakubu-Ajaka.

    Justice Birnin-Kudu said the orders became imperative in view of the time constraints the tribunal had to discharge its mandate.

    “The order is in compliance with Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended) and with the Electoral Act (2022).

    “INEC is hereby ordered to produce all the documents being sought by the plaintiffs within 48 hours to enable proceedings to go smoothly and without hitches,’’ he declared.

    SDP and Yakubu-Ajaka earlier filed seven ex-parte motions to support their demand but withdrew five and pursued two.

    Lead counsel to the petitioners, Mr John Adele (SAN), had earlier told the court that efforts made to obtain certified copies of materials used in the six local government areas from INEC had been fruitless.

    “Time is of essence in this matter, and that is why we filed the motions to your lordship to help to salvage the situation.

    “Each time we approached INEC since Nov. 13, its officials failed to avail us with even one of the electoral materials for which we requested.

    “We believe that if your lordship grants our application, INEC will do the needful to enable us to prosecute this case within the time limit,’’ he prayed the tribunal.

    Justice Birnin-Kudu adjourned the case to Wednesday, Nov. 29 for submission of report of compliance by INEC and continuation of hearing.

    The SDP and Yakubu-Ajaka are challenging the victory of APC and its candidate, Alhaji Usman Ododo at the election petition tribunal.

    INEC declared Ododo as winner of the election with 446,237 votes, while his closest rival, Yakubu-Ajaka got 259,052 votes.

  • Kogi governorship election petition tribunal begins sitting on Saturday

    Kogi governorship election petition tribunal begins sitting on Saturday

    The Kogi Off-Cycle Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, constituted by the President of the Court of Appeal (COA), Justice Monica Bolna’an-Dongban, is set to begin sitting on Saturday, an official has disclosed.

    Mr David Umar-Mike, Secretary of the tribunal, disclosed this to NAN in Lokoja on Thursday.

    The Nov. 11 election saw Alhaji Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerge as winner with 446,237 votes while his closest rival, Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) garnered 259,052 votes.

    The tribunal secretary said: “By God’s grace, the tribunal will be sitting this Saturday, Nov. 25. We will take exparte motions.

    “This is because all we have at hand right now are the exparte motions that will be taken on that Saturday.

    “But the work proper may take few more days because counsels will have to go and start looking for documents at Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the rest of them before they file their various petitions, ” he stated.

    He said that the constitution of the election tribunal was in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act (as amended).

    According to him, the registry of the tribunal has since opened for business at the state High Court of Justice complex, Lokoja.

  • Kogi election is most credible- Group

    Kogi election is most credible- Group

    An Independent Observer Group, Coalition for Transparent Elections in Africa (CTEAN) has said the just concluded Kogi governorship election was free, fair and credible as it substantially conformed with the electoral laws.

    Convener of the group, Mr Nelson Ogbu said this at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

    “We note with sense of satisfaction that the election in Kogi was relatively peaceful and the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were alive to their duty.

    “This is as the election was adjudged free and fair even by the teeming Kogi electorate.

    “We commend the great people of Kogi, various security agencies and other observer groups for their matured conducts during and after the said governorship elections in Kogi.

    “We also commend Nigeria’s security organisations, including the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other security agencies for their professionalism,” he said.
    Ogbu added:“Above all, the principal actors in the contest and their supporters must be commended for the civil way they went about in voting and post elections.

    “So far, we can authoritatively confirm that there are no post- election violences that are always the characteristics of off-cycle elections.

    “The voting pattern suggests that the various candidates showed strength in their respective strongholds, meaning that INEC provided a level playing field for all the political parties during the 2023 gubernatorial election in Kogi.”

    He urged political actors in the country to continue to embrace peace and see to one united Kogi.

    “The governor-elect needs the support of all stakeholders to succeed. We believe in one Nigeria and this can only be achieved when there is peace, love and tranquillity,” he said.

    Alhaji Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared winner after polling 446, 237 votes to beat his closest rival, Alhaji Muritala Yakubu-Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who scored 259, 052.

  • Kogi guber: We’ve a clear win, ready for any litigation – APC

    Kogi guber: We’ve a clear win, ready for any litigation – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that it had a clear and convincing victory at Saturday’s Off-Cycle Governorship Election of the state and not afraid of litigation.

    Mr Kingsley Fanwo, Spokesperson/Director of Media and Publicity, Kogi APC Governorship Campaign Council, made the remarks in Lokoja on Tuesday at a news conference.

    Fanwo described the outcome of the election in Kogi as a “resounding victory ‘ that would be different for anyone to upturn in the courts.

    “It is laughable for a candidate, who claimed to win only in his zone to be crying foul and calling for the cancellation of the results of the areas where he was massively rejected.

    “It is akin to a poor student who scored 20 per cent in a test to call for the cancellation of the 80 per cent he missed to make him score 100 per cent.

    “Our candidate and now the Governor-Elect, Alhaji Usman Ododo, won the election across the three Senatorial Districts while the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Alhaji Muritala Yakubu-Ajaka, claimed to have won in his own Senatorial District alone.

    “He didn’t win any Local Government Area in the West or Central. Ododo won all the local government areas in two of the three senatorial districts and went ahead to win one local government area in the East senatorial district.

    The APC spokesman called for the arrest of Sen. Dino Melaye, Candidate of the Peoples  Democratic Party (PDP) for publicity, alleging that he had access to the back-end server of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    “For claiming to have access to the back-end server of INEC  is like walking into the prison yard and demanding to be locked up.

    “Security agencies have no tedious job to do on a suspect, who confesses to a crime. Dino Melaye has openly confessed that he hacked into the back-end of INEC.

    “Melaye should be arrested and prosecuted for cyber crime, ” he said.

    Fanwo, however, thanked the residents of Kogi for turning out en masse and giving massive support to APC during the election which he said, was the most peaceful, freest, credible and successful election ever in the state.

    According to him, your support to APC showed your faith in a united and prosperous state where leaders are elected based on competence rather than ethnic bigotry.

    He also thanked President Bola Tinubu for creating a level playing ground for all the candidates during the election.

    “The governor-elect, Alhaji Usman Ododo will not disappoint you all. Gov. Yahaya Bello has made it easy for the APC  to continue to win elections in Kogi with his heroics in all the sectors of the economy,’ he said

  • How we announced winner of Kogi guber election – INEC

    How we announced winner of Kogi guber election – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday said it applied the “margin of lead principle” in announcing the winner of the Nov. 11 governorship election in Kogi.

    INEC said that the supplement election earlier scheduled for Nov. 18 would not hold as announced.

    Mr Haliru Sule, Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Kogi INEC office, made the disclosure in an interview with NAN in Lokoja.

    Sule explained that the commission had received various complaints during the Saturday’s election, it investigated them and announced re-run in Ogorimagongo and some Local Government Areas.

    “But when we looked at all that is in contention, we discovered that we have no option than to apply the margin of lead principle.

    “The principle says, if the number of PVCs collected in polling units, where election didn’t hold or were cancelled, are not in excess to the difference between the winner and the loser, then the commission can go ahead and make it’s declaration.

    “It’s true we did announce after our findings that there will be supplementary election in those areas in contention, but after due consideration to the difference, we applied the margin of lead principle.

    “It was when we applied the margin of lead principle that we announced the result on Sunday, Nov.12, and declared the winner of the governorship election in Kogi, in the person of Alhaji Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “As it is now, there’s not going to be any supplementary or re-run in any polling unit in Kogi.

    “By this, the governorship election in Kogi is concluded. What is left is the date for the issuance of certificate of return to the winner of that election,” he said.

    According to him, INEC is so grateful to all the stakeholders involved in the conduct of the governorship election in Kogi.

    “We hope to continue to get this kind of cooperation and support from all of them, particularly the politicians and the electorate, in subsequent elections in the state,” he said.

    INEC had declared APC candidate, Usman Ododo, winner with 446,237 votes, while his closest rival, Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party, garnered 259,052, and Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party polled 46,362 votes.

  • Kogi: Groups commend INEC for peaceful conduct of poll

    Kogi: Groups commend INEC for peaceful conduct of poll

    Observer  coalition groups  accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), has given a thumbs up to INEC for the peaceful conduct of the election in Kogi state.

    The leaders of the groups, Mrs Elizabeth Oziri and Oluwafemi Olabode, while addressing a press conference on Sunday, said the poll was credible.

    They said, “You may wish to recall that yesterday being 11th November, 2023 the good people of Kogi State came out to exercise their franchise.

    “INEC being the umpire of national elections, the conduct of the just concluded election is considered by INEC accredited observers as hitch free, fair and credible.

    “The credibility of election may not be only attributed to INEC, but also the election stakeholders in the state such as, political parties, security personnels and of course the government and the good people of Kogi State.

    “Though, there were minor anomalies, as is normal with elections and its processes like occasional clogging of the BVAS machines due to network issues, duplication of and repetition of names which slowed downed the BVAS from finger or face capturing and disagreement between some security personnels and some voters, but generally we commend INEC for their efficiency and timely provisions and deployment of materials, personnels and staff across the three senatorial districts which comprised of 21 Local Government Areas, 239 Wards and 119,973 Polling Units across the length and breadth of Kogi State.”

  • Off-circle elections: Vote buying, violence remain sore points – CDD

    Off-circle elections: Vote buying, violence remain sore points – CDD

    Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD),  said vote buying and electoral violence remained the sore points in the Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi governorship elections.

    Dr Jack Johnson, Member of the CDD Election Analysis Centre (CDD-EAC) made this known in Abuja at a news conference on the off-cycle elections.

    Jackson said that the CDD-EAC, had been observing the off-cycle elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi with a deployment of over 150 fact-checkers and observers in all three states, as well as a team of data clerks, reviewers and analysts in its situation room in Abuja.

    He said that overall there was early commencement of polls as well as the usage of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), however, there were several reports about voter inducement across all three states.

    ” Observers reported incidents in PU 1, Ward 8 and PU 11, Ward 1 in Sagbama LGA in Bayelsa West.

    “In Bayelsa Central, vote trading was reported in PU 16, Ward 6 in Yenegoa LGA, PU 22, Ward 13 in Southern Ijaw LGA with reports of voter inducements ranging from N5,000 – N22,000, including other items such as wrappers.

    “In PU 30 and 31, Ward 13, along with money, rice was also shared to buy votes.

    ” we are concerned that there were allusions that it might be linked to the delayed flood and subsidy palliatives that state governments only started distributing two days ago.”

    Jackson said that CDD observed that in Kogi, there were reports of vote buying in PUs 004, 038 and 039 in Ward A of Lokoja LGA, where party agents were allegedly sharing out money to voters upon confirmation that they voted for their party candidates.

    He further said that the two major parties’ agents were reported to have engaged in vote buying, with N2000 to N3000 shared and same at PU3 Mbutu Ward, Aboh Mbaise LGA as well as PU11, Civic Centre Ward, Mbaitoli LGA.

    He added that in PU 7, Central School UmuNakanu Ehime LGA, in Imo, there were reports that INEC ad hoc staff were given monetary inducements by party officials.

    He said that incidents of vote buying were concentrated in Mbaitoli-Ezinihitte, Owerri West and Njaba LGAs with the highest number of collected PVCs amongst the LGAs in the state with 150,012 and 134,192 cards.”

    Jackson said that regrettably, electoral violence remained a sore point in this election.

    He added that electoral violence was reported in Dekini LGA, specifically in Agala Ogane PU, Anyigba town, a thug was reportedly shot and killed by military officials while fleeing in an attempt to snatch a ballot box.

    “There was a similar attempt in Ganaja PU, Ajaokuta LGA where the LGA chair was apprehended by voters.

    “In Yenagoa LGA, observers reported that one person was shot at Famgbe community and, in PU 24 Ward, voting ended abruptly when thugs destroyed election materials at about 11:45 a.m.

    “We note that in these area polling units, there was little or no presence of security officials.

    “Similar instances were reported in Brass PU 7 Ward 7, observers reported that there were no security agents as late as 10:19 a.m. in spite of voting having started.”

    Jackson said CDD also noted some election irregularities as well as fake news.

    He said that days to the election, it was consistently claimed that the SDP candidate in Kogi, Murtala Ajaka, stepped down from the race and on the morning of the election, a false message was circulated that Ajaka was disqualified because of his running mate’s certificate controversy.

    He added that there was a similar situation in Imo, where a video was circulated that purportedly showed the PDP’s candidate, Sam Anyanwu, had stepped down and endorsed the incumbent governor of the APC.

    He, however, said that the video was similarly debunked but not before it had been widely reported on social media and on news platforms.

     

  • Kogi guber: DSS storm Dino Melaye’s polling unit

    Kogi guber: DSS storm Dino Melaye’s polling unit

    Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) stormed the polling unit of the Kogi State Peoples Democratic Party’s  (PDP) governorship candidate, Dino Melaye on Saturday November 11, 2023.

    The reasons for storming Melaye’s polling unit cannot be ascertained as at when filing this report, but there are speculations that it’s due to security concerns.

    Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is slugging it out with the candidate of the All Progressive Congress, (APC) Candidate, Usman Ododo and many others from different political parties for the top executive seat in the state.

    Melaye had served in both the House of Representative and the Senate whilst representing Kogi West.

     

  • Kogi guber: No report of security breach, poll peaceful – DIG Ops.

    Kogi guber: No report of security breach, poll peaceful – DIG Ops.

    Mr Habu Sani, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of security in the Kogi Governorship Election, says the election so far, is peaceful as no security breach has been reported.

    The DIG made the disclosure to NAN in Lokoja on Saturday via a telephone interview.

    He said that from all indications,  the electorate and political actors in the poll were behaving well.

    “As it’s now, there’s no report of breach of security from any part of Kogi.

    “We thank God that what we have been praying for is indeed manifesting to show a sharp deviation from past experiences in Kogi.

    “We urge residents to maintain this peace even after the election so that Kogi can continue to experience the desired growth and development as a state, ” he said.

    According to him, his officers and men alongside other security agencies are doing their best to ensure that the election remains peaceful till the end.

    The DIG commended security operatives for displaying high level of professionalism in maintaining peace during the election.