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Tag: Votes

  • FIFA Best Award: Why votes for Mohamed Salah did not count

    Two votes for Mohamed Salah in the Best Fifa men’s player award were not counted because signatures were in capital letters, says Fifa.

    The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) said acting Egypt coach Shawky Gharib and captain Ahmed Elmohamady voted for Liverpool forward Salah.

    Fifa said: “The signatures on the voting forms were in capital letters and thus seemed not valid.”

    The forms also lacked a mandatory signature by the EFA general secretary.

    Barcelona’s Lionel Messi won the award on Monday ahead of Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo and Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk.

    Football’s world governing body Fifa said voting was supervised and monitored by independent observer PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Switzerland.

    It said it contacted the EFA twice on 19 August to submit properly signed voting forms but did not receive a response in time for the votes to be counted.

    Fifa also said the Egyptian FA had “undergone a few structural changes” after the voting period opened.

    Since the awards ceremony Salah has removed “Egypt” from his Twitter profile, which now reads: “Footballer for Liverpool FC.”

    He also posted a tweet which translates as: “Whatever they do to try to change my love for Egypt, they will not succeed.”

    Egyptian Football Association president Amr El-Ganainy said he talked with Salah. He said: “I talked with Salah explained to him it was an administrative mistake.”

    In 2018, Salah came third in the men’s award and also took the Puskas award for goal of the season.

    Each nation has three voters – the national team coach, the national team captain and a media representative – who each select their top three players in the world.

    The EFA said Gharib and Elmohamady picked Salah as their first choice.

    The media representative Hany Danial’s choices were Sadio Mane followed by Cristiano Ronaldo and Salah.

    Salah threatened to quit the national team last year following a row over his image rights.

    BBC

  • 2019: YPP presidential candidate, Moghalu opens up on how his votes were ‘stolen, suppressed and diverted’

    The presidential candidate of the Youth Progressive Party (YPP), Kingsley Moghalu, has said the party’s votes were “stolen, suppressed and diverted” on February 23.

    In his first major post-election press interview, Moghalu told The Interview that his party had “many credible indications” of the electoral fraud.

    He said he was targeted by those who felt threatened by his message, as a result of which they launched a wave of fake news attacks that he had stepped down for the two front-runners.

    “I was the only presidential candidate targeted with such fake news campaign a few days to the election,” he said. “The campaigns depressed our votes because many people in the Northern states (Buhari’s voting base) and the Southern states (Atiku’s voting base) believed it.”

    He, however, indicated that he would not challenge the result of the election in court, saying, “the question of going to court is neither here nor there,” and might have made sense if YPP came second.

    He said his focus will be to campaign for electoral reforms, adding that even though he was disappointed by the result of the election, it was a reflection of the mindset of Nigerians.

    “Anyone that complains,” he said, “should first look in the mirror. Did you vote? If so, for who? The status quo or for something new, different and bold?”

    He also spoke on the lessons he learnt from the campaign, the highs and the lows, and the endorsement he received from Noble Laureate, Wole Soyinka.

  • Bauchi Governor meets Buhari, vows to challenge INEC’s decision to resume counting of votes

    Governor of Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi state on Tuesday has said he will use legal means to challenge the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on its position to regenerate and count the votes from Tafawa Balewa local government in the March 9 governorship election.

    Recall that the State Returning Officer, Mohammed Kyari, had declared the governorship election in Bauchi as inconclusive.

    Kyari explained that the margin of 4,059 votes between the two leading parties was less than 45,312, which was the number of cancelled votes after results from 19 local government were collated.

    However, INEC in a statement signed by Festus Okoye, its commissioner in charge of Media and Publicity, said the commission, having considered a report sent by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Bauchi State, decided to further investigate the cancellation of the result from Tafawa Balewa Local Government of the state.

    After the Okoye committee visited the state, INEC said the collation and announcement of results from Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area for the governorship election would be completed as the duplicate and original Registration Area results were available.

    It said collation process for Tafawa Balewa Local Government will resume on Tuesday.

    Abubakar, who was trailing the PDP candidate, Bala Mohammed, on Monday went to the State House Presidential villa to “brief the president on the development”.

    After he merged from the president, the Bauchi governor granted journalists a short interview; Excerpt:

    Q: Why did you come to see the president?

    A: I came to brief Mr. President about the situation in my state. I briefed him on the issues surrounding the inconclusive elections. The Returning Officer for Bauchi State at the end of collation rejected the result of Tafawa Balewa local government and then 36 other units spread around 15 local governments of Bauchi state and ordered a rerun.

    Surprisingly, we woke up one morning and the Independent National Electoral Commission came up with a procedure that is not known to law. Because, where a Returning Officer has declared the result, only an election petition tribunal can reverse the result. But INEC is attempting to reverse itself in the case of Bauchi. And when one juxtaposes that of Bauchi and other states with inconclusive elections, one wonders why that is happening only in Bauchi State.

    So, for that reason there is a need for me to come and brief Mr. President because of what has the potential of touching on the security of the state.

    Q: Do you think what is happening is illegal?

    A: Of course it is definitely extra illegal. It is a straight forward matter. The returning officer is the final arbiter even with respect to scores and declaration of result. And once he makes a declaration, no power can reverse that declaration except duly constituted court of the land.

    Q: INEC is an independent body and you are here to seek Mr. President’s audience, what do you expect him to do?

    A: No no no. I said I came to brief Mr. President, I am not seeking any action of Mr. President. We all know Mr. President, he is a stickler for procedure. What I pointedly told him was that I am not here to seek for you to interfere on our behalf sir, but to brief you on what is happening and what actions I have taken.

    Q: What are the actions you took?

    A: One of which is that I am a lawyer and I am pursuing the legal angle. I briefed him and he emphasised on that legal angle that it is the best way to go.

    Q: How is the security situation in the state now?

    A: We are on top of the situation, thank God. We have since ordered the ban on procession in the metropolis and things are very very calm.

    Q: You saw the Vice President last week, is it that you were not satisfied with the way he handled the matter?

    A: No no no. There are procedures in this matters and levels of authority. I am a stickler for procedure, I started at the right place and I have also ended up at the right place.

    Q: How prepared are you for the rerun elections?

    A: If they are going to do it now, we are ready. I don’t know who is afraid of anyone in Tafawa Balewa.

    Q: Are you confident you will win?

    A: Insha Allah.

  • Protect your votes during, after elections, Wike tells Nigerians

    Protect your votes during, after elections, Wike tells Nigerians

    ▪Abua/Odual Leaders declare support for Governor Wike’s Second Term

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that Nigerians are under obligation to protect their votes to stop the desperate APC Federal Government from rigging the 2019 General Elections.

    Governor Wike said that the APC Federal Government is now in a panic mode and they are working with security agencies and INEC to rig.

    He spoke during the Abua/Odual Local Government Area PDP Campaign Rally at County State School, Abua Central on Tuesday.

    “APC are afraid because they know that Atiku Abubakar will win fair and square. Therefore they are planning to use the security agencies and INEC to rig. It will not work.

    “The only way to ensure that Atiku Abubakar and all PDP candidates emerge victorious is to protect all votes from the polling units to the Collation Centres”

    He said due to the national rejection of the APC, the party is plotting to cause crisis in order to manipulate the electoral system.

    He said: “All they are doing is to cause crisis because they are not popular. We want free and fair elections.

    “These elections, there will be no room for manipulation . If anyone hits you , hit back. Follow them bumper to bumper. APC is desperate, but we will not allow them”.

    Governor Wike assured the people that he will flag off a key road project in the area once the people overwhelmingly vote for Atiku Abubakar and other PDP candidates.

    He expressed happiness that the State Government’s investments in peace and security have yielded results in Abua/Odual Local Government Area .

    The governor took out time to praise the Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Marshall Uwom for his consistency. The governor said that Uwom will remain relevant in the state’s political terrain.

    Rivers State PDP Chairman , Bro Felix Obuah said the flagbearers of PDP in the area have the capacity to continue the develop process.

    Obuah presented flags to the PDP Candidate for Rivers West Senatorial District, Mrs Betty Apiafi, Abua/Odual/Ahoada East Federal Constituency PDP Candidate , Solomon Bob and Abua/Odual State Constituency PDP Candidate, Solomon Kirife.

    Speaking, PDP Candidate for Rivers West Senatorial District, Mrs Betty Apiafi said Governor Wike has transformed the area with key projects and programmes.

    PDP Chairman of Abua/Odual Local Government Area, Ken Wariboko said that Governor Wike is in the area for the celebration of his second term.

    He said that the Local Government Area is ever intact for the PDP and Governor Wike. He said the people of the area are happy that peace has returned to the area due to the investments of the Rivers State Governor.

    Chairman of Abua/Odual Local Government Area, Mr Daniel O. Daniel said that the people will always stand with the State Governor . He said that they will speak with their votes.

    Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Marshal Uwom said that the Local Government Area is determined to deliver all PDP candidates.

    Rivers State Women Affairs Commissioner, Mrs Ukel Oyaghiri said the governor’s achievements will speak for him during the elections.

  • Elections: Buhari seeking other tribes’ votes but does not trust them for appointments – Obasanjo

    Elections: Buhari seeking other tribes’ votes but does not trust them for appointments – Obasanjo

    …says officials of President Buhari’s government will go to hell if they are exposed

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said President Muhammadu Buhari is quick to beg Nigerians from other tribes for votes for his reelection but does not trust them to be appointed into sensitive positions in his government.

    The former president also said those in the present administration will not only go to jail, they will go to hell if their corrupt acts are exposed.

    He also explained why he forgave an ex-Vice-President and Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in an interview with the BBC Yoruba monitored by our correspondents.

    Comparing Atiku with President Muhammadu Buhari, Obasanjo said his former deputy, though not a messiah, was far better than the incumbent President.

    He said, “What I am saying is that where we are today; our present situation, if you look at those who are there today and our boss (Buhari), I insist that Atiku will do better than them.

    “This is not a prophecy. Those in government today, if we expose them, all of them will enter hell; they will not only go to jail. They will go to hell. Whoever that God does not expose his sins to the public is the person whose secret is kept.”

    Obasanjo, however, said he was not privy to the plans of Atiku if he became Nigeria’s next President.

    He said, “I did not say he (Atiku) will behave like Jesus. I did not say he will behave like Prophet Muhammed, but he will do better, in fact twice better than what we have at present.”

    Obasanjo said the President’s performance in the area of the economy was worse than his assessment of his (Buhari) knowledge of the economy in 2015.

    The ex-President said Atiku was not an angel but he had atoned for his sins when he came to him in Abeokuta and sought forgiveness.

    He said, “Those who talked about what I said about Atiku, what about what I said about Buhari? His performance is even worse than what I thought.

    “I said Buhari did not know anything about economy. Have you not seen it? I said he did not know about diplomatic relations, have you not seen it?

    While accusing Buhari of nepotism, Obasanjo said the President gave priorities to his ethnic group when appointing people into sensitive positions.

    Obasanjo added, “Look at what is happening, the person that is leading us says he cannot appoint any other tribes into the posts he considers sensitive because he does not trust them. If he cannot trust my tribe and your tribe what is the benefit? And he still wants my tribe and your tribe to vote for him. So, he can ask us to vote for him but he cannot trust us to be appointed into sensitive positions. What is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander.

    “If you don’t trust us, how do you want me to trust you? If you trust me and I misbehave replace me with another person. But if only your maternal and paternal relatives are the only people you can appoint because they are the only people you can trust…

    “In Nigeria, where we have tribes numbering about 500, you now said you could not trust some people. That is what we are saying.”

    Obasanjo also berated Buhari’s economic policies, saying “Look at our economy, is it the way it should be? Our economy can never develop if foreign investors do not come to invest in the economy . But, as it is, they are not coming into the country and they will never come.”

    On the activities of Boko Haram, Obasanjo lamented that the insurgents were deadlier than they were before the present administration.

     

  • #2019Debate: Drama as Osinbajo, Obi, three others appeal Nigerians for votes

    The vice-presidential candidates debate for the 2019 general elections kicked off at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, on Friday, with five candidates slugging it out.

    Featuring were Ganiyu Galadima of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN); Khadija Abdullahi-Iya of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN); and incumbent Vice President Yemi Osinbajo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The other two are Peter Obi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Umma Getso of the Young Progressives Party (YPP).

    In his opening statement, Galadima urged Nigerians to look at the candidates and their manifestos to make informed choices at the polls.

    Abdullahi-Iya opened with personal background information, including holding a first and masters degree in Law from the University of Abuja, and founding a non-governmental organisation devoted to women and children.

    The ANN vice presidential flag bearer said she believed all Nigerians should be concerned about the plight of children to secure the country’s future.

    She stated that her decision to run for the office stemmed from her concern about “everyone of the over 2.1 million children in the North-East and IDP camps scattered across Nigeria’’.

    On his part, Osinbajo started by reeling out achievements of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration in the areas of infrastructure, employment, agriculture

    He said the government had embarked on the largest infrastructure project in the country’s history, including railways between Lagos and Kano, Aladja-Warri, and the Lagos-Calabar road.

    The APC candidate said the Buhari administration had a major road project in every state of the federation.

    On agriculture, Osinbajo stated that the government had made giant strides, especially by cutting the nation’s rice import by 90 per cent.

    He added that the social investment programme of the current administration was possibly the largest in the history of the country, taking N500 billion in every cycle.

    “Under the N-Power scheme, we are employing 500,000 graduates, who are in every single local government of the country.

    “At the same time, we have the homegrown school feeding programme under which 9.2 million children are fed every single day in 26 states of Nigeria,’’ he said.

    On his part, Obi said, “Our country today has the highest number of out-of-school children in the world; our HDI (human development index) has dropped from 152 to 157; our global competitive index has dropped from 124 to 127.

    “In terrorism, we have moved from seven to three behind Iran and Afghanistan; our inequality has worsened, our misery index,’’ he said.

    Getso said in her opening statement said she was passionate about girl-child education, adding that she “spent the early years of my adulthood in the development of a common Nigeria’’.

    The YPP vice presidential hopeful said she was a pioneer member and founder of a women multi-purpose cooperative society in Bauchi State that had impacted the lives of a lot of rural women in the state.

    Getso said her presidential candidate, Mr Kingsley Moghalu, was a person with a lot to offer in terms service to the nation.

    “If you compare all the choices we have, you can see that Moghalu is among the best because he has experience in all sectors of the economy,’’ she said.

  • Buhari’s TraderMoni is sophisticated votes buying – Saraki

    Buhari’s TraderMoni is sophisticated votes buying – Saraki

    President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration of using the Trader Moni programme as a ‘sophisticated vote-buying’ plot to win the 2019 presidential election.

    Trader Moni is one of the government’s initiative under the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), a programme targeted towards awarding collateral-free loans to two million petty traders across the country.

    Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has become the face of the programme as he’s launched it in several markets in many states in the country over the past few months.

    While speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, November 30, 2018, Saraki said the present government has been using the programme to induce voters ahead of the 2019 presidential election.

    He accused the government of sidelining the opposition from the launching of the programme across the country like it’s not a programme for all Nigerians and not just the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said, “This programme has been going on for the last three years. In 2015, 2016 and 2017, I didn’t see the vice president going anywhere to give anybody Trader Moni, but all of a sudden in 2018.

    “The worst part about it is that he goes with the women leader of his party, governor of his party. At least, if you’re going, and it’s Nigeria’s money, you should have women leader of all the parties because the money belongs to Nigeria. But all I see is APC women leaders.

    “It is wrong, we have said it. It equates in a way to sophisticated vote-buying. Because if it’s not vote-buying, you should’ve been doing this since 2015.

    “All of a sudden in 2018, that’s the biggest program. And when you go, you carry APC governors besides you, women leader from the APC beside you. You’re collecting PVC. Nigerians will not be fooled by that. To us, it’s sophisticated vote-buying.”

    The Senate President said the government either puts a stop to the programme or open it up to ensure that it represents all Nigerians.

    Vote-buying is the practice of paying voters to compel them to vote for particular candidates during an election and has become a hot-button issue ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    Despite Saraki’s claim that the Trader Moni programme has been going on since 2015, it was not actually launched by the Federal Government until this year.

    The former Kwara governor was speaking in his capacity as the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who’s fielding former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, as its candidate.

  • PDP votes were deliberately voided, witness tells Ekiti election tribunal

    PDP votes were deliberately voided, witness tells Ekiti election tribunal

    A petitioner’s witness on Tuesday told the Ekiti State governorship election tribunal, that votes for the Peoples Democratic Party were deliberately voided by staff of INEC during the July 14 governorship election.

    The witness, Omobuljo Bankole, specifically said that the PDP votes were voided in Unit 009, Ward 4 of Ido -Osi Local Government Area.

    Bankole stated this while testifying before the tribunal, headed by Justice Suleiman Belgore, sitting at the FCT High Court, Apo.

    The petitioners, PDP, and its candidate in the Ekiti July 14 governorship election, Prof. Olusola Kolapo had approached the tribunal to challenge the outcome of the election.

    The respondents in the suit are the Independent National Electoral Commission, All Progressives Congress and Governor Kayode Fayemi.

    Answering a question during cross-examination by Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), counsel to APC, Bankole stated that his party scored more than 119 votes during the election in his unit.

    According to the witness, “I was there when they deliberately voided the PDP’s voters in Unit 9 (Ward 4, Ido -Osi LGA), the male polling clerk of INEC voided 27 votes, ”he said.

  • Ekiti PDP Primary: Fayose’s deputy, senator, others battle for delegates’ votes today

    No fewer than 2,132 delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will participate in Tuesday’s governorship primary election for the July 14 election in Ekiti State.

    The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, made this known when he briefed newsmen on preparations for the primary in Abuja on Monday.

    Ologbondiyan said the number of delegates was made up of 1,585 statutory and 547 elected and national.

    He explained that the statutory delegates comprised party officials, current and past elected councillors, council chairman, former State Working Committee members, and members of National Assembly.

    The others, according to him, are former federal lawmakers, speakers, serving and former members of National Executive Committee, who are still members of the party and former governors.

    Ologbondiyan also disclosed that all the 51 appointees of the state governor who did not resign their appointments but contested delegate election and won at the Ward level had been dropped.

    He said that the delegates were dropped because they did not resign their appointments in line with the Constitution of the party, adding that PDP, as father of democracy was committed to always doing what was right.

    The spokesman disclosed that the Primary Election Committee for the state had Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as chairman, while the party’s National Chairman, Uche Secondus, would chair the Appeal Committee.

    “All other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) are also members of the Appeal Committee which will be sitting in Abuja on Thursday.’’

    He added that all three aspirants in the party had been cleared for the primary election by the party’s Screening Committee.

    The aspirants are incumbent Deputy Governor of the state, Olusola Eleka; a senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Abiodun Olujimi and the immediate past National Publicity Secretary of the party, Dayo Adeyeye.

    Ologbondiyan expressed optimism that the primary would be transparent and successful, saying, “So far, the three aspirants are happy with all arrangements.

    “The processes leading to the primary are very transparent and that is why there have not been any complaints from them.

    “The party is desirous of sticking to the rules and making sure that a popular candidate emerged,” he said.

    Ologbondiyan urged delegates to the primary and party members to continue in their resolve to work together to ensure a smooth and hitch-free exercise.

    “The party commends all stakeholders, particularly the aspirants, for the spirit of sportsmanship being displayed in their commitment toward a peaceful, free and credible process.

    “The party further lauds the stakeholders in the state for keeping to their resolve to work together to ensure the victory of the party at the main election, irrespective of the outcome of the primary election.

    “The leadership of the party restates its stand to continue in the highest level of transparency and to ensure an all-inclusive playing ground for all aspirants in all the processes leading to the governorship primary.’’

    He advised PDP members in Ekiti to remain vigilant and give no chance to external forces, who might be used to attempt to disrupt the peace of the state.