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  • Zamfara by-election: Any result against voters’ will not acceptable– PDP cautions INEC

    Zamfara by-election: Any result against voters’ will not acceptable– PDP cautions INEC

    The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has vowed that it would reject any result from the Kaura Namoda South State Constituency re-run election in Zamfara State that is against the will of the people.

    PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, made the vow while speaking with newsmen.

    Ologunagba alleged that despite PDP’s ‘overwhelming victory,’ Saturday’s by-election was declared inconclusive in five polling units, a decision the party views as a ploy to favour the All Progressives Congress, APC.

    The PDP called on Nigerians and the international community to note what it described as APC’s attempt to subvert the people’s will through force.

    Ologunagba stressed that the PDP and the people of Zamfara will not accept any outcome that contradicts the results already collated in Kaura Namoda South.

    “The PDP and the people of Zamfara State will not accept any result that is at variance with the expressed will of the people. We therefore call on President Tinubu to immediately halt this APC plot to undermine democracy and subvert the people’s sovereign will.

    “It is clear, and the APC should know, that Zamfara is a PDP state, and the people are standing firmly with the PDP and Governor Dauda Lawal,” Ologunagba said.

  • By-elections: Check out results in 16 seats across 9 states of the federation

    By-elections: Check out results in 16 seats across 9 states of the federation

    By-elections results across the federation show that the APC won 12 of the 16 seats across nine states.

    APGA secured two seats in Anambra, PDP won one seat in Oyo, and NNPP claimed one seat in Kano.

    While APC swept most of the seats, PDP retained a foothold in Oyo and placed second in many contests, while APGA consolidated its dominance in Anambra under the leadership of Governor Charles Soludo.

    The results also reflect a trend of ruling parties consolidating power in their states, except in Adamawa and Taraba, where the APC upset the PDP in Ganye and Karim constituencies, respectively.

    Below is a compilation of the results announced by INEC:
    State-by-State Results
    Kano
    The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) won the Bagwai/Shanono State Assembly by-election in Kano. NNPP’s Ali Alhassan won with 16,198 votes, defeating APC’s 5,347.

    In the Ghari/Tsanyawa state constituency, APC’s Garba Gwarmai won with 31,472 votes against NNPP’s Yusuf Maigado, who scored 27,931.

    Kaduna State
    In Chikun/Kajuru federal constituency, APC’s Fidelix Bagudu scored 34,580 votes to defeat his rivals from the PDP and ADC, who polled 11,491 and 3,477 votes respectively.

    In the Basawa constituency, INEC declared Dahiru Umar-Sani of the APC as the winner of the state house of assembly contest.

    Mr Umar-Sani secured 10,996 votes to defeat his closest rival, Muazu Danyaro of PDP, who scored 5,499 votes. Trailing the APC and PDP is DanBala Usman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who scored 811, and Mahmuda Almustapha of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who polled 146 votes.

    Elsewhere in Zaria Kewaye, the electoral commission announced Isa Mohammed of the APC as the winner of the state assembly election.

    Mr Mohammed secured 26,613 votes, defeating SDP’s Nuhu Muazu, who polled 5,721 and PDP’s Mahmud Wappa, who scored 5,331.

    Muktar Babangida of ZLP got 31 votes.

    Edo State
    INEC declared APC’s Omosede Igbinedion winner of the Ovia federal constituency by-election held on Saturday in Edo.

    Ms Igbinedion scored a total of 77,053 votes to defeat her challengers from the PDP and ADC, who respectively scored 3,838 and 925 votes.

    In the Edo central senatorial election, INEC also declared APC’s Joseph Ikpea as the winner of Saturday’s contest.

    Niger State
    The APC candidate, Dogari Daje, won Saturday’s by-election to fill Munya’s constituency seat in the Niger House of Assembly.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports on Sunday that Mr Daje polled a total of 12,556 votes to defeat PDP’s Sabon Sunday, who scored 5,646 votes.

    Mr Ikpea secured a total of 105,129 votes to defeat the PDP’s Joe Okojie, who polled 15,146 votes.

    Adamawa State
    In Adamawa, APC’s Misa Musa narrowly won 15,923 votes to beat his opponent, Buba Muhammad of the PDP, who polled 15,794.

    The ADC got 42 votes, APGA 14, AAC 17, and AA 2 votes.

    Taraba State
    INEC declared Abner Shittu of the APC as the winner of the Karim 1 state constituency by-election in Taraba.

    The APC candidate polled 5,901 to defeat PDP’s Ali Kanda, who got 5,527.

    ADC’s Badina Garba scored 2,069 votes to finish a distant third.

    The electoral umpire cited Sections 24 subsection 2 & 3, Section 47 subsection 3, and Section 51 subsection 2 of the Electoral Act 2022 as reasons for declaring the election inconclusive.

    Zamfara by-election inconclusive
    INEC declared the by-election in Zamfara inconclusive after cancellations in Sakajiki and Kambarawa wards.

    The INEC Returning Officer for the election, Lawal Sa’adu of the Federal University Gusau, said the total number of registered voters in the affected polling units stood at 5,446, while 3,265 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were collected in those areas.

     

    He explained that the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 7,001 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 5,339 votes, leaving a margin of 1,662 votes.

    Mr Sa’adu stated that the margin was less than the total number of PVCs collected in the cancelled polling units; therefore, the election cannot be concluded.

    The electoral umpire cited Sections 24 subsection 2 & 3, Section 47 subsection 3, and Section 51 subsection 2 of the Electoral Act 2022 as reasons for declaring the election inconclusive.

     

    Enugu State
    Enugu South Urban Constituency was stalled again amid tensions, marking the fourth failed attempt to conclude the exercise, the Guardian reported.

  • 2027: INEC cautions Nigerians against multiple registration

    2027: INEC cautions Nigerians against multiple registration

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned Nigerians against multiple registration in the upcoming Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise, saying offenders will face serious consequences, including complete removal from the voter register.

    Alhaji Mohammed Sadiq, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Plateau State, issued the warning during a meeting with stakeholders on the resumption of CVR nationwide. He emphasized that voter registration is both a fundamental right and a civic duty, and that only duly registered citizens can participate in elections.

    Sadiq urged all Nigerians aged 18 and above who are yet to register to obtain their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) and cautioned that multiple registrations will not be tolerated. “Any attempt to engage in such an act may lead to registrants being completely delisted from the register,” he said.

    The REC confirmed that the CVR exercise would commence on August 18 with an online registration platform. Residents who have previously registered are encouraged to collect their PVCs. The online registration can be completed from anywhere at any time via the website .

    Sadiq explained that the exercise covers new voter registration, PVC collection or transfer, and replacement of lost or damaged PVCs. He also noted that measures have been put in place to prevent non-Nigerians from participating in the registration process.

    The REC called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, political parties, and other stakeholders to educate eligible residents on the importance of participating in the CVR exercise.

  • Edo 2024: Snub candidates who boycott debate-Group tells voters

    Edo 2024: Snub candidates who boycott debate-Group tells voters

    The Edo Salvation Group, ESG has called on voters in the state and the major political candidates in the forthcoming governorship election of September 21 to give the scheduled governorship debate the seriousness it deserves.

    The group in a statement issued on Friday, 30 August 2024 said that the commonwealth of the state was an issue which it expects all candidates and voters to bring to the fore in the debate scheduled to hold on September 15, 2024.

    The statement issued by its national coordinator, Imman Ekpe said that it views the debate as a major test that should show to all who among the major candidates is best suited to drive the engine of the state for the next four years.

    “We as a group commend the Nigeria Elections Debate Group, NEDG and the Edo State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists for partnering to bring this debate ahead of the election of September 21.”

    “We believe that this debate in whatever way it is presented offers a platform for the respective candidates to present the vision they have for the state and that is why we are enjoining the citizenry to take the debate with all seriousness.

    “We as a group are urging all the three major candidates, Senator Monday Okpebhello of the APC, Mr Asue Ighodalo of the PDP and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party to take this debate with all seriousness and bring forth their arguments as to why they will want to govern the state.

    “While we appeal to the candidates not to throw away this opportunity, we are also appealing to voters to scrutinize the candidates during the debate not just in oratory but also in terms of the contents of their ideas.

    “Any candidate who boycotts this debate should be boycotted by voters,” the group said in the statement.

  • Alleged underage voters: Court gives INEC 90 days to handover officials responsible for prosecution

    Alleged underage voters: Court gives INEC 90 days to handover officials responsible for prosecution

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to identify, within 90 days, its officials involved in the registration of the underaged during the continuous voters’ registration (CVR) exercise in polling units across the country.

    Justice Obiora Egwuatu, in a judgment, also directed the culprits to be produced and handed over to the appropriate law enforcement agency for investigation and possible prosecution.

    Justice Egwuatu equally made a mandatory order, compelling INEC to expunge forthwith from its national voters’ register the names of all the underage voters from each of the polling units across the federation published on her website as identified and compiled by the plaintiff in “Exhibit A” attached to the affidavit in support of the originating summons.

    The judge further made a mandatory order, compelling the commission to furnish the plaintiff with a certified true copy (CTC) of the cleaned-up national voters’ register of all the persons eligible to vote in Nigeria within 90 days.

    Alternatively, he ordered the electoral umpire to publish the cleaned-up national voters’ register of all the persons eligible to vote in the country on its website within 90 days from the date of the judgment.

    He also answered the six questions posed by the plaintiff in the positive

    The plaintiff, Rev. Mike Agbon, in the originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/367/2023 filed on Match 17 through his lawyer, Desmond Yamah, had sued INEC as sole defendant.

    In the suit, the plaintiff posited six questions for determination including “whether the defendant is constitutionally, legally and duty bound to conduct credible CVR in the Federal Republic of Nigeria

    “Whether the defendant is bound by the constitution and its enabling statute, the Electoral Act, 2022, to act in strict compliance with the provisions of the constitution and its enabling act.

    “Whether by virtue of Section 23 of the Electoral Act, 2022, it is illegal and unlawful for the defendant to have registered underaged i.e, infants and toddlers, during the CVR.

    “Whether the admission by the defendant that it has a substantial number of the underaged, illegal and illegible voters published in its voters’ register, exonerates the defendant from any sanction within the ambit of the law for registering underaged as contained in Sections 12 & 23 of the Electoral Act, 2022,” among others.

    Agbon, therefore, sought “a mandatory order, compelling and directing the defendant to forthwith within a period of one month to identify, produce and handover its officials that are involved in the registration of the underaged in each polling unit across the federation for investigation and prosecution by the appropriate law enforcement agency,” etc.

    The plaintiff submitted that for many years now, particularly since the return of the country to democratic governance in May 1999, the regrettable issue of lack of credibility of the electoral processes had been a recurring challenge which had greatly distressed the political space.

    He said INEC by virtue of the provisions of the Electoral Act, maintains and updates the national voters’ register.

    Agbon said prior to the 2023 general elections, the electoral umpire conducted CVR nationwide and displayed the national register of voters on its website between the Nov. 12, 2022 and Nov. 25, 2022.

    He alleged that upon perusal of the national register of voters, he discovered that the commission registered underaged contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act, (supra) which clearly described the qualification for registration.

    The plaintiff backed his argument with compiled copies from the INEC website of the underage registered and marked it as “Exhibit A.”

    He told the court that on Nov. 23, 2022, INEC’s Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, at a national stakeholders’ forum on elections organised by the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (NCSSR), assured Nigerians that based on the observations of Nigerians, the commission would dutifully clean up the register ahead of the elections.

    Agbon said through his lawyer, he made a formal request for the commission to furnish him with the list and names of the underage and ineligible voters but it vehemently refused and ignored the said application.

    However, despite being served with court processes and hearing notices in the matter, INEC was neither represented in court nor file any defence.

    Delivering the judgment on Nov. 28 but a certified true copy sighted on Monday by NAN, Justice Egwuatu held that the conditions for qualification to be registered as a voter were stipulated in Sections 77 (2), and 117 (2) of the Constitution and Section 12 of the Electoral Act.

    According to him, the common features of these sections are that the voter must be a citizen of and residing in Nigeria and has attained the age of 18 years.

    “As I have found earlier in this judgment, the voters registered by the defendant in Exhibit ‘A’ are underage, that is, they have not attained the age of 18 years.

    “What this translates into is that the registration officers and an update officers of the defendant failed in their duties to carry out the registration of voters in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act,” he said.

    Citing provisions of Section 120(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, he said any officer who acted in breach of his or her official duty committed an offence and would be liable on conviction for a maximum fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both.

    NAN

  • Liberians vote as George Weah seeks second term

    Liberians vote as George Weah seeks second term

    No fewer than 2.4 million voters in Liberia are eligible to cast their ballots on Tuesday in a general election in which President George Weah is seeking a second term after the first six years.

    Weah, 57, who turned to politics after a successful soccer career, said he needs more time to fulfil his promise to rebuild the West African nation’s broken economy, institutions and infrastructure, pledging to pave more roads if reelected.

    Elected in 2017 in the country’s first democratic change of power in over 70 years, Weah is running against 19 other presidential candidates. To avoid a runoff, the winner must secure 50 per cent of votes cast, plus at least one more vote.

    Wrapping up his campaign after a parade across the capital Monrovia on Sunday evening, Weah cast his first term as a success despite significant challenges.

    The iron-ore-rich West African nation is still struggling to emerge from two devastating civil wars between 1989 and 2003, which killed over 250,000 people, and a 2013-16 Ebola epidemic that killed thousands.

    “I’m proud of the record of achievement in a very difficult period. We were able to do much with fewer resources and solve many structural problems,” Weah told cheering supporters.

    He has faced criticism from the opposition and Liberia’s international partners for not doing enough to tackle corruption during his first term in office.

    In 2022, he fired his chief of staff and two other senior officials after the United States sanctioned them for corruption.

    In his final speech, he highlighted other steps taken to address graft including the appointment of independent members to the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission.

    “In our second term, we plan to increase efforts on our war on corruption,’’ he said.

    Weah’s main challenger is former Vice-President Joseph Boakai, 78, whom he defeated in a runoff in 2017.

    Boakai has campaigned on what he calls the need to rescue Liberia from alleged mismanagement by Weah’s administration.

    Voters will also select members of the 73-seat lower house and half of the 30-member senate.

    Although campaigning for the vote has been mostly peaceful, sporadic clashes have broken out between supporters of rival parties, prompting the United Nation’s rights office to express concern about election-related violence after two people were killed in September.

    On Sunday as campaigns closed in the capital, several people were wounded when fighting broke out between rival supporters.

  • Late arrival of materials, low turnout of voters characterise LG election in Edo

    Late arrival of materials, low turnout of voters characterise LG election in Edo

    Late arrival of materials on Saturday characterised the Local Government Election in parts of Edo.

    Voters were kept waiting for long in queues at many polling units in Benin as electoral materials failed to arrive at 8:00 a.m. as scheduled by the electoral umpires.

    Correspondents who monitored the poll in Egor Local Government area, one of the municipal councils within the Benin metropolis, reported that materials started arriving at the units few minutes before 10:00 a.m.

    Some political parties’ agents had defied the heavy downpour to arrive the polling units as early as 8: a.m.

    Voters, who started trooping into the polling centres some minutes past 8:a.m, expressed surprise that neither electoral materials nor electoral officers had arrived at the polling units.

    A security officer deployed to unit 44 ward 10 of Egor LGA, who preferred anonymity, said materials were still being awaited as  at 8:30 a.m.

    At units 1 to 7 ward 7 in the same council areas domiciled at Olua Primary School, Uselu, officials of the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) came in with electoral materials by 9:37am.

    At Oredo LGA, materials were yet to arrive at their various units visited by 10:15 a.m.

    NAN reports that voters were already waiting at units 1 to 3 Ward 12 in front of Oba Market in spite of the closeness to the Oredo LGA secretariat.

    The situation was not different at units 11 and 31 in ward 1 of Oredo LGA, where materials were still being expected as at 10:30 a.m.

    Many voters, who spoke with NAN, expressed shock at the situation.

    One of them, Charles Osagie, told NAN that even INEC, which was usually blamed for late commencement of elections, had never been this delayed.

    Osagie called for extension of voting time since the state electoral body could not start in time.

    In Auchi, Etsako West LGA, it was observed that though materials arrived early in most polling units, low turnout of voters, however, characterised the exercise in the area.

    Only few voters were seen at the polling units to cast their vote.

    At Ward 11, unit 2, 8, 9 in Jattu, few voters were on ground to cast their votes.

    At Auchi Ward 4, unit 5, 6, materials arrived at about 9.00 a.m. with security personnel.on ground but few voters were seen.

    In Fugar, Ward 7, units 7, 8, 9, Obe primary school, low turnout was recorded as few people came out to vote.

    A voter, Mr Monday Ikhiroda, expressed displeasure over the low turnout.

    Ikhiroda blamed the low turnout to government’s late reversal order of restriction of movement.

    “As you can see, there is low turnout of voters in this ward; and from the reports reaching me, there is also low turnout of voters in some major polling units in the local government.

    “The low turnout of voters can be blamed on late reversal of the restriction of  movement order by the state government, as many have gone for their daily businesses, ” Ikhiroda said.

  • Large turnout of female voters recorded in Nasarawa

    Large turnout of female voters recorded in Nasarawa

    A large turnout of women was recorded at the Saturday’s governorship and Houses of Assembly elections in Karu Local Government Area  (LGA) of Nasarawa State.

    Correspondents monitoring the elections in the area observed more women than men voters at the various polling units visited.

    The relentless women, said that they came out en mass to cast their ballots for their preferred candidates in the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections.

    The women, mainly indigenous, said that they had realised their power as women and would rather use their vote to change the narrative in the state and enthrone good government than to lament.

    Mrs Rakiyat Hassan said that she would rather exercise her civic duty and assuage her conscience than later complain about bad governance.

    “I understand that people are hurt but you cannot cut your nose off to spite your face.

    “If we refuse to vote because of the outcome of the Presidential Election, we give room for the evil to persist.

    “I encourage other women to come out; we are the ones that are worst hit by the prevailing challenges in the country.

    “This is because we have to manage the little resources provided by our husbands.

    “Women must do their part in changing the narratives. We cannot give up at this time we must continue to do our bit for the development that the country,” Hassan said.

    On her part, Mrs Mary Audu, said her vote was her power to change a government that had not favoured her.

    “If we refuse to vote, we give room for evil manipulators to take charge and give us their own desired candidates which will go well with us.

    “We are here to vote for the future of our children, I pray that my candidate will win and bring laughter and prosperity to our state.

    “ We have suffered enough from bad government; the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should please make our votes count this time,’’ she said.

    Hajia Salamatu Bitrus, another respondent, urged women not to relent but participate in the process and even come out as candidates.

    Bitrus added that it was time for women to be governors and senators so that they could speak on behalf of other women.

    INEC officials and materials arrived on time and accreditation while voting commenced before 9:00am in most polling units visited.

    NAN

  • Election: Heavy security presence in Ibadan as voters troop to polling centres

    Election: Heavy security presence in Ibadan as voters troop to polling centres

    There was heavy security presence within Ibadan metropolis on Saturday, as voters trooped to the polling centres to exercise their franchise.

    A correspondent visited some areas within the city, including Eleyele, Ososami, Oke-Ado, Ring Road and Iyaganku, among others, to observe the turn out and compliance by the electorate.

    NAN observed that as at 8.00 a.m, electoral officials had been at their duty posts, arranging their materials and awaiting the arrival of the voters.

    Similarly, heavy presence of security personnel were also seen around the city, with mostly soldiers mounting road blocks and enforcing restriction of vehicular movements.

    The soldiers also mounted road blocks around Mobil roundabout, Akinyemi area and in front of the police headquarters at Eleyele, stopping vehicles who were not on election duties and forcing them out of their vehicles to sit down and observe the goings-on.

    Officials of INEC, corps members and unarmed policemen were also seen moving in various chartered buses to various polling units as early as 6.55 a.m.

    Some of the voters, who spoke with NAN, said that they had to walk to their polling units since there was a restriction on vehicular movement.

    One of the voters, simply identified as Mrs Lawson, said she was going to exercise her civic right, stressing “it will be unfair not to partake in the electoral process.”

    Another voter, Mrs Tosin Adeleye, who said she had to trek more than 40 minutes to her polling unit, however, expressed her dissatisfaction with the treatment by security personnel.

    “Although when I showed them my voter card, they allowed me to pass, nevertheless, they have to take it easy with people so that they don’t feel intimidated.

    “But, for now, the situation is good and I pray it is maintained so we can cast our votes and go back home in peace,” she said.

    At New Adeoyo road, a voter, Alhaji Mohammed AbdulAzeez, commended the security situation around the area, attributing it to the tension recorded in the build-up to the election.

    “We can all see the tension on Thursday when political parties attacked and killed their supporters. So I think the mobilisation of security is a welcome development and I want to believe this will encouraged the electorate to come out to cast their votes and return home safely.

  • Low voter turnout heralds governorship election in FESTAC Town

    Low voter turnout heralds governorship election in FESTAC Town

    Low turnout of voters heralded the governorship and House of Assembly elections in parts of sprawling FESTAC Town in Lagos on Saturday.

    No voter was seen at some polling units as at 8.40 a.m.

    Law enforcement agents and those of para-military agencies were ubiquitous in most parts of the town to ensure security.

    A voter, Mr. Sulaimon Ojo, said he arrived at his polling unit in FESTAC Town from nearby Maza-Maza area at about 8 a.m. only to find that the exercise had yet to take off.

    “I will wait patiently because I want to be part of good governance,’’ he told NAN