Presidential elections Nigeria April'07

LOW turnout of voters yesterday marked the elections of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s successor, 360 House of Representatives members and 109 senators who will take over from the current lawmakers in the National Assembly. 16 policemen lost their lives in two separate accidents closely related to the polls while a plan to blow up the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, where the elections were being coordinated, using a tanker laden with gas cylinders, failed.
Twenty four presidential candidates were voted for by Nigerians in 120,000 polling booths across the country but the battle for the nation’s number one office was between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’Adua; Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Action Congress, AC, candidate and the candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, Major General Muhammadu Buhari.Yar’Adua said yesterday that he would abide by whatever was the outcome of the polls but Buhari stated that he would accept defeat only if he found that the elections were free and fair.
Atiku flayed the pols on the grounds that the process was not transparent. The late commencement of the elections forced INEC to order that the polls continue until last night. The polls had been scheduled to start 10 a.m. but did not start until 5 p.m. in many states. The National Assembly segment of the elections had to be shifted in many states including Lagos, Ogun, Delta, Kwara, Bauchi and Abia.
AC alleged irregularities in the polls at least in 10 states. But the INEC chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu, described the polls conduct as satisfactory. President Olusegun Obasanjo pledged that he would not tamper with the results of the elections.
Bomb attack on INEC headquarters fails
Yesterday’s alleged attempt to blow up INEC headquarters in Abuja with a tanker laden with explosives raised security consciousness around the commission building where the presidential and National Assembly polls were being coordinated. The attackers had attempted to roll the unmanned tanker into the building but the vehicle missed its target, crashed into a lamp post and came to a halt.
Although there was a small fire on bomb, the detonators failed to trigger a large explosion. Though INEC chairman waved off the attack as an attempt by enemies of the country and the commission to embarrass the country, his minders were mindful to erect a full security cordon around him and the commission’s headquarters.
Entrance into the commission’s headquarters at Zambezi Crescent Maitama, Abuja was strictly restricted. Observers, journalists and all those with duty to do at the commission were made to park their vehicles at least 150 meters away from the commission’s gate by a detachment of mobile policemen. Even with that only those with clearly discernible duties were allowed into the commission’s headquarters.
Security around Prof. Iwu was also reinforced as plain clothed security agents examined all those that came around the INEC boss suspiciously. The arson attack immediately provided another opportunity for the Nigerian Security and Defence Corps (NSDC) to demonstrate their usefulness within the security establishment. The NSDC personnel were reportedly about the first to arrive the INEC headquarters following the alleged incident which happened in the wee hours of the morning.
All day yesterday, NSDC personnel with well groomed and fed sniffer dogs patrolled the commission’s headquarters. The dogs were particularly conspicuous near some of the warehouses within the commission complex apparently to protect the stores from whatever plots the commission and the security personnel may be fearing.
The inspector general of police Mr. Sunday Ehindero, was at the scene at about 7.00 a.m. after he was informed of the incident which reportedly occurred at about 4.00 a.m. Ehindero said that “the big stone on the turtle and the gas cylinders were designed as combustible material to help the trailer to explode.” Interestingly, the tanker which was set to blow up the commission headquarters was adorned in the colours of AP, a company that was sold off during the first stage of the privatisation exercise by the outgoing administration.
Mr. Lawrence Alobi, the FCT commissioner of police, said the tanker was loaded with gas cylinders and other combustible materials which would have set the entire INEC headquarter building ablaze, if not for the fortuitous intervention of the electric pole that held back the tanker. Reactions to the alleged arson attack was shocking but there were some who held the belief that anything was possible in the desperate effort by some politicians to foist themselves on the Nigerian electorate.
Iwu believed that the alleged attack was part of a contrived plot to discredit the country’s electoral process asserting that he would neither be deterred nor relent from his efforts. For a commission which has lately been inundated with allegations of contriving election results, there were some observers who affirmed that yesterday’s alleged arson attack was another contrived plot from the odious baggage of contraption oozing from the INEC headquarters.
Adamawa: Atiku condemns polls; 7 policemen die in crash
Reports from Yola, Adamawa State, said Vice President Atiku Abubakar took a swipe at the electoral system in the country and described it as a national tragedy. He told newsmen in Yola after casting his vote that the transparency of the entire process was not there. The presidential candidate of the AC described the entire electoral system in the present dispensation as a sham, saying that from the onset, he had been critical of the system.
He stated that in a system whereby election materials would not reach their destination even before the close of voting called for a thorough examination of the electoral body and the results of such elections.
“There is no election, government officials are just sitting down in Government House, thumb printing their cards, only to count them and give the results in favour of the political parties of their choice”, the vice president lamented.He said the delays, shortage of electoral materials and other logistic problems associated with the elections were deliberate plans to disenfranchise particular groups.
“I know the level of preparedness of INEC for the elections, hence my call for the shifting elections for at least two weeks but nobody listened to the call”, he added.Atiku, stated that most Nigerians in the rural areas would not be able to perform their civic responsibilities in the elections because of shoddy arrangement.The AC presidential flag bearer arrived at his Ajiya Ward 02 polling station at about 3pm and was received by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in Adamawa, Alhaji Suleiman Bello.
Actual voting in the elections in the state was marred by late arrival of materials. Sensitive materials for the polls, Sunday Vanguard learnt, arrived Yola, the state capital in the early hours of yesterday, even as long queues were seen during the voting proper in the peaceful elections.
Meanwhile, tragedy struck in Yola yesterday morning as seven officers of Adamawa state command of the Nigerian Police lost their lives untimely.
The officers were accompanying electoral materials for the elections to the Northern Senatorial part of the state where they met their death in an auto crash. Confirming this, the state commissioner of police, Mr. Alloy Okorie, said the accident occurred along Yola-Song road. He said the deceased officers include two corporals and five constables.
Eyewitness account told Sunday Vanguard that the vehicles the police officers were traveling in had a burst tyre, the driver lost control and rammed into a tree, killing five on the spot while two others died later at a medical centre.Scores of others were also reported to have sustained various degrees of injuries and were receiving treatment at Song Cottage Hospital. The remains of the dead police officers were deposited at the morgue of the Specialist Hospital Yola.
Enugu: ‘I ‘m happy I voted - Senate President
In Enugu State, the Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani, declared after casting his vote at exactly 2.57 pm at his Amechi Ward 2 that he was satisfied with arrangements made for the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Also speaking on the election, Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, who is a senatorial candidate for Enugu East, expressed happiness over the peaceful and calm atmosphere that pervaded the entire exercise in the state saying from reports received from parts of the state; the elections were going on smoothly and were devoid of any violence. “Elections are going on in different parts of the state devoid of any violence.
The whole state has been quiet apart from one or two cases here and there and election is going on. So, I give my respect to the National Chairman of INEC, Professor Maurice Iwu and of course the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr. Abdul Bulama. Everything appears to be going on very well and we hope it will continue,” Nnamani said.
The senate president, who spoke with reporters shortly after voting, said that he was happy that he voted in yesterday’s elections unlike the April 14 polls during which, according to him, he could not vote due to absence of electoral officials and materials.
“The fact that I couldn’t vote last week, it was very painful to me and I made it known to anybody who cared to listen. This time around I voted and I am very happy, that is what all Nigerians should do,” he said, adding that he was hopeful that INEC would continue to improve.
Nnamani said he had advocated a longer period for INEC to plan effectively for elections rather than the fire-brigade approach witnessed in the present dispensation, stressing that the commission required a longer time to plan for future elections.
He said that having complained about the irregularities that allegedly characterized the governorship and state assembly polls in the state; he could not understand why INEC decided to cancel results in only four local governments. ““I don’’t know why four, it should have been 17. But if they are saying it is only four, so be it. I have said all I can say about that. So I am not going to comment about that anymore,”” the senate president said.
However, reports from different parts of the state indicated that the elections were conducted under a peaceful atmosphere even though materials arrived late in most polling booths. The delay was caused by the late arrival of the presidential election materials from Abuja . Materials for the National Assembly elections were distributed to the local government areas early enough but the remaining ones were received in the state at 11am delaying the take of voting till about 1 pm within the urban centres and 2.30 pm in rural areas.
In all the local government areas visited, Sunday Vanguard observed that voters, who waited patiently for the arrival of officials and materials, conducted themselves peacefully and orderly but some who could not wait left before voting commenced.
There was no report of violence in any part of the state, with the state Police Spokesman, Mr. Mike Abattam, saying that the security arrangements made for the exercise yielded the desired results. Soldiers were positioned at strategic positions in Enugu metropolis as well as on major roads leading to the state capital making it impossible for hoodlums to show up at distribution and voting centres
Edo: Apathy mars polls
Low turnout of voters and late arrival of voting materials marred the elections in Edo State as notable politicians such as the first civilian governor of the state, Chief John Odigie Oyegun and Senator Rowland Owie described the exercise as a failure. Also, ten political thugs armed with sophisticated weapons were arrested by soldiers at Akoko Edo during a shoot out between the supporters of the PDP and the AC. As at 5pm, voting materials were yet to arrive in many areas in the state forcing voters who had waited since 8am to go back to their homes. It was as if nothing was happening in the state because voting materials were not received at all in most parts of the state.
As at 2:30 when newsmen visited the Uromi country home of the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, newsmen were told that the Leader was yet to cast his vote because voting materials were yet to arrive Uromi.The governor-elect in the state, Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor, who complained to newsmen that he was yet cast his vote because there was delay in receiving election materials, however, expressed satisfaction despite earlier predictions that the elections would not hold.
Oyegun lamented: “I have been waiting here since 9am but I have not voted. This will tell you that we are in trouble in this country. You can imagine that this is 3pm and yet they are saying they have not received voting materials.
So, tell me when are people going to vote? But I will still be here waiting for them so that I will know when the voting materials will come so that when they will be telling us about the number of those who voted we will know what to say”. Owie who spoke to newsmen at about 5:30 pm after he had waited endlessly for voting materials to arrive in his Uhumwonde local government council asserted that “ the election was a disaster.
This is a ploy by the PDP led by President Obasanjo to rig the entire election. Since morning our people have been waiting for voting materials but it never arrived. I have not voted up till now”.
When newsmen visited the residence of the two time governor of Edo State, Chief Samuel Ogbemudia, at about 4:30pm,he was said to be sleeping because elections materials were yet to arrive for him to be able to vote. As at the time of filing this report, elections materials were yet to arrive in the whole of Edo North senatorial district.
Sunday Vanguard observed that the low turn out was as a result of the violence that followed last weekend governorship and House of Assembly elections which saw over seven persons being shot dead in the state by armed thugs. The AC gubernatorial candidate in the state, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole’s convoy was allegedly again attacked by over 25 thugs suspected to have been sponsored by PDP. His orderly was dispossessed of his gun and beaten to almost a state of coma and vehicles badly damaged. The attack was in Auchi.
Ogun: Low turnout, violence, senatorial poll
Violence, snatching of ballot boxes, dismal turn out of voters and shortage of forms for the recording of results characterized the presidential and National Assembly elections in Ogun State with many people staying at home obviously out of lethargy.While the presidential and House of Representatives elections were held in the state, that of the Senate, in which the president’s daughter, Dr. Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, was participating was not held owing to non availability of ballot paper.
But President Olusegun Obasanjo said that his administration would abide by the outcome of the elections and that he had no plans of altering the results. Cases of violence was late afternoon reported in, Ibara, Oke-Ilewo, Omida and Ikija areas of Abeokuta where a top notcher of the PDP was said to have led a team of hoodlums to hijack ballot boxes.
At Oke-Ilewo where the hoodlums were said to have been resisted, two ballot boxes made of transparent materials were torn and all the ballot papers thrown on to the main road while the hoodlums said to have been armed with very sophisticated weapons escaped.
Although no life was lost in the fracas no fewer than three persons were badly injured. Heavily armed mobile policemen who arrived the scene a couple of minutes after their departure were said to have tried to trail them to no avail. Voters at the scene who were very angry rained curses on the person believed to have sponsored the raid of voting centers in the area.
Turnout of voters was very when each of them required poor as most people decided to stay at home obviously owing to their experience during the governorship and House of Assembly elections during which several people were killed and about 25 persons injured.
In fact, at the African Church Grammar School , Ita – Iyalode where Obasanjo voted, there was neither any queue nor any voter when he arrived at about 11.45 am to cast his vote. INEC officials, journalists, election observers and security men were mostly those on ground when he arrived.
Although about 30 persons had voted before his arrival, there was no queue like he found during the previous elections.
At most polling booths visited in Abeokuta , Ifo, Odeda and Obafemi/Owode, the turn out was poor with some of them recording only 12 voters each while in a particular case the polling officer was found dozing.
Reports from across the state said that the voters’ apathy was also evident in Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, Odogbolu, Ijebu-Waterside and other local government areas. Also, in most polling stations visited, non-availability of result sheets for recording of the votes scored was evident. Most of the officials said that they were not given and that they would have to write the results on sheets of paper which may not be accepted.
Speaking with newsmen, Secretary General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs [NSCIA] Dr. Lateef Adegbite expressed disappointment at the poor turnout, saying “people are somehow lethargic. You could see the feeling of disappointment”.
The Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, in an interview, attributed the low turn out to apathy, saying: “I can say voters’ apathy because they are not here. We have not got enough queues as we had last week. I presume that maybe people are disenchanted”.
Speaking with newsmen after voting at his ward, Obasanjo said that his administration and party would not tamper with the result of the elections and enjoined members of the opposition to go to tribunals for any of the elections they disagree with.
He said that his party, PDP would also challenge the decision in some areas where it lost. The president said but for God’s intervention over the attempt to kidnap Governor Goodluck Jonathan and the attack on INEC headquarters in Abuja , Nigeria would have been in deep sorrow.
“What happened in Bayelsa State last night, if it has succeeded we probably would not have known the whereabouts of Governor Goodluck Jonathan or he would have been dead. If either had been the case, this election would have been greatly and grossly marred or we would have had sorrow upon destruction.
“When early this morning a 30,000 litre tanker of petrol that also contained a gas cylinder was targeted to hit INEC, if it has happened the way the wicked men behind this act, it would have been a different story.
INEC headquarters would have been on fire. There would have been debris and death because of its location. “So, even if we have this election today as we are having it, it would have been on flow of blood and debris of destruction”.
Katsina: Buhari gives condition to accept defeat; arson in DauraAccording to reports from Katsina, the home state of two of the main contenders in the presidential election, unlike the PDP candidate who pledged to accept defeat if he lost the poll, his ANPP counterpart said he would concede defeat if beaten in a free and fair contest.
Briefing newsmen after casting his vote, Buhari said he did not join politics in 2001, just to run for president. He explained that he joined politics because it was the only way he could contribute to Nigeria’s development saying if beaten, he would remain politically active in his party. However, the ANPP candidate stated that if he lost through what he called the unfair charade unfolding nationwide, not only would he refuse to recognise the winner, he would also seek justice within the provisions of the Electoral Act.
Commenting on the botched alliance between his party and the opposition parties, Buhari disclosed that three options were considered: Alliance, merger and fusion, but stressed that the arrangement was bogged down by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) saga involving a major partner to the talks, the AC presidential candidate, Vice President Atiku Abubakar, among other things.
Monitoring tours showed that unlike Katsina city, which enjoyed a second straight week of calm, there were crises in some areas, including Zango LGA and Daura. Voting did not take place in most areas in Zango because the INEC office was burnt down by irate youths protesting alleging attempts to manipulate the polls in PDP’s favour.
Also in Daura, a stronghold of the ANPP presidential candidate, angry mobs went round the town razing the property of prominent PDP members. Among those affected was the house of Alhaji Sani Saidu, former Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly.
Worst hit was a PDP stalwart, Alhaji Umaru Margel, who lost his sawmill and house as well as a newly constructed house belonging to his son to the arsonists. According to sources, Margel’s interests were targeted because he was fond of going on air and calling Buhari names and describing him as a nobody.
However, no life was lost as the Margel family was said to have left the town before the beginning of the general election on April 14. 2007.
Many areas in Daura, the northernmost major city of Katsina State were still emitting smoke, and armed to the teeth mobile policemen were patrolling the town in jeeps when our reporter visited. Yar’Adua arrived the Hassan Usman Science Model School. Modoji Polling Station at 11.50 a.m. and voted.
Speaking to newsmen after, he said people complaining about the irregularities in the general elections should bear in mind that no human activity is perfect. Only the book of God, according to him, is 7perfect”.
We have to work towards improvement,” the PDP candidate added. He said: “If I lose the election, I will congratulate the winner. If the winner invites me to participate in nation building, I will gladly oblige. It is not the candidate that is important, what is more important is the democratic process and the nation. If I win, my government will place priority on peace and security, power and energy, human capacity development and massive infrastructural development.”
Abia: Polls in shaky start, N/Assembly segment shifted
In Abia State, the polls could not start until about 4 p.m. as INEC at that time was still distributing election materials which the commission admitted was inadequate. At the various polling centers, voters waited patiently, but when it was around 4.00pm, many of them started leaving the polling areas thinking that the elections had been cancelled.
The state resident electoral commissioner, Mr. Moses Ogbe, had at about 8.45 am announced the postponement of the National Assembly elections in the state as a result of what he called non inclusion of the names of some political parties and contestants on the ballot papers. When the information filtered into the various communities, the people on the queue left for their homes, as they were made to believe that the entire elections had been cancelled.
But when the distribution of materials eventually began, it was discovered that the requirement of most local government areas could not be met. The INEC commissioner however said that he had to ration what was available while waiting for materials to arrive from the Enugu airport.
Asked what would happen since the elections could not start in the state until 5.00 pm, he said that voting would continue as long as people were on the queue and hoped that local leaders of thought could assist by providing light to ensure that the exercise took place.
Due to inadequate supply of materials, only 662,000 ballot papers contained in 83 cartons were available in the state. Each carton contains 30,00 ballot papers. There are about 1.3 million registered voters in the state. Details of the distribution showed that Arochukwu was allocated 12 cartons, Ohafia 18 cartons and Umuahia North, 10 cartonstwice what they were given.
Presidential candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) and governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu was still waiting to travel to his Igbere town where he registered because materials for the area had not arrived there. Although he could not be reached, a source close to him said that the presidential candidate was terribly worried about the situation in the state.
National secretary of the ruling PDP, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, was as at 3.00 p.m when Sunday Vanguard visited his Ohafia constituency still waiting for the INEC officials to enable him vote. He however believed that the election would still take place smoothly since there were indications that election materials were on the way.
Osun: Opposition parties stay away
Chieftains of opposition parties in Osun State could not vote in the presidential and National Assembly elections due to prevailing tense and insecure atmosphere in the state. They are AC, NCP, JP, APGA, LP, ADC, APS, UNPP and ANPPThe party chieftains deserted the state over alleged intimidation by security operatives allegedly sent after them by the ruling PDP.
In their statement, the oppositions parties accused INEC of having an alliance with the PDP to foist the ruling party against the will of the people of the state.
The text of the address read by AC Chairman, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, read “ How would anyone sanction elections in Osun state, with widespread intimidation, persecution of political opponents. All over the state, the PDP has run almost every credible opposition member out of town, even as we speak the security operatives, particularly in Osogbo and Ilesa, are committing series of crimes against innocent citizens.
“If INEC were not in a conspiracy with the desperate powers-that-be, it would have put its foot down and postponed the elections. But No! INEC must sing its master’s tune and abandon its duty under the law. We make it clear that the presidential and National Assembly elections were dead on arrival. “The elections would lack any shred of credibility, and would be a ploy by the PDP to consolidate on its master’s plan to rid our people of teir God-given mandates.”
Bayelsa: Militants invasion scare voters
The pre-election invasion of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, by armed militants, in which two persons were killed created fear in the electorate and prevented them from coming out to participate in yesterday’s presidential and National Assembly elections, but the turn-out was more impressive than last week’s.
The victims, two unidentified young men, were hit by stray bullets near the Yenagoa Sports Complex as the militants battle armed soldiers in their attempt to invade the capital city.
Governor Goodluck Jonathan, in a programme monitored on Radio Bayelsa, yesterday morning, pleaded with the people of the state to go out and vote for the candidates of their choice and not to be scared by the incident.The governor said the militants, who came from neighbouring states, were sponsored by some politicians to stop the presidential and National Assembly elections from holding.
Jonathan, who is the running mate to the presidential candidate of the ruling PDP, said the intention of the militants was to destroy the Bayelsa headquarters of the INEC, opposite the Government House, Yenagoa.
However, Sunday Vanguard reliably gathered that the militants actually stormed the capital city to effect the release of some of their colleagues from the Ekeremor Local Government Area of the state being detained at the A-Division police station in Yenagoa some distance from the Yenagoa waterfront, who were eventually set free from the police cell.
The governor further stated that he was in his office at the Creek Haven when the sporadic gunshots which lasted two hours (starting around 6pm), making him to move to his official residence within the complex, to monitor the situation.According to the governor, the heavily armed youths came in yet-to-be-ascertained number of speedboats through the Yenagoa waterfront, with security agents repelling their daring attack.
Two of the soldiers and three other policemen who engaged the militants sustained varying degrees of injuries and are currently receiving treatment in undisclosed hospitals in the capital city.
Before the attack, the governor said meetings were held in Lagos and Abuja by some unnamed politicians to disrupt the elections, declaring that he knew the coordinators and their sponsors, who would soon be arrested and prosecuted.
He added that there was no casualty on the part of the security operatives, but would not know if any of the attackers was killed, while more soldiers and riot policemen were deployed in Yenagoa, to beef up security.
After moving round the state capital to assess the situation, the governor headed for his Otuoke, Ogbia LGA hometown to vote at 12:19 pm. On why the naval patrol boats could not tame the militants, he said the creeks of the Niger Delta were of various depths and dimensions, with the militants born in the Niger Delta and could move freely, while the boats were bigger and would not be able to pass the narrow creeks.
Zamfara: Elections in late start
TIME was against the conduct of the presidential and National Assembly elections in Zamfara state as election materials arrived the state behind schedule in all the voting centres visited by Sunday Vanguard. Voting did not commence until after 2pm.
Up till 11am, INEC headquarters in Gusau, capital of Zamfara state, was desolate as no senior staff was around nor were there election materials. Villagers like Kaduri and Maiyanchi were as at past noon devoid of election activities.
At Talata Mafara local government, where PDP governorship candidate, Mallam Yahaya Abdulkareem comes from, the elections. At Kwanakago polling centre Danmano ward in Bakura local government election was on around 5.40pm when Sunday Vanguard visited election centre at the council where Governor Sani Yarima hails from.
In Gusau even though election started late, it was like in all other areas in the state peaceful. As at the time of filing this reports, elections have not reached midway in many areas.
Sokoto: Voters boycott polls
Late arrival of elections materials as well as low turn out of the electorate affected the presidential and National Assembly elections in Sokoto, with less than 50% eligible voters casting their votes.
The election materials arrived Sokoto International Airport by 3 a.m from there the INEC commenced disbursing the materials to the twenty three local government areas of the state. A visit to Zaga Road at Gawon Nama in Sokoto metropolis showed low turn out of voters. Electoral officers had to wait for voters to cast their votes, contrary to last weekend’s gubernatorial and state assembly elections where for electoral officers.
Speaking to Sunday Vanguard in his office, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, Alhaji Garba M. Bawa, said that the commission had distributed all the required materials to the 23 local councils for the successful conduct of the exercise in good time, adding that the election would end in good time so as to enable the state INEC to announce the result.
Sokoto State has eleven House of Representatives and three Senatorial seats.
Ekiti: Low voter turnout
The presidential and National Assembly elections in Ekiti State was characterised by low turnout of voters, even as the elections witnessed sharp malpracticesHowever, the situation was less chaotic than the gubernatorial election in the state, as people boldly resisted attempts by some politicians to snatch ballot boxes.
Luck was not on the side of a retired army major [names withheld] who led some fake mobile policemen at Iyin Ekiti to snatch ballot boxes, as a group loyal to the former governor of the state, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, almost lynched him,
At Ilawe Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti South /West local government area of the state, the antics of a minister was quickly put to check when some vigilant youths in the town spotted a venue where illegal voting was taking place with the connivance of the police
The youths quickly contacted two of their prominent sons, Merssrs Femi Falana and a former chairman of Nigeria Bar Association, Ikeja Branch, Mr Dele AdesinaThe situation was brought under control because of the personal intervention of the duo who quickly contacted the authorities of the police.
The situation was not different at Emure where a combined team of police and soldiers cordoned off voting centre where people had stuffed ballot boxes with thumb-printed voters ‘ cards
At Ikole, a bus loaded with arms and ammunition was allegedly intercepted by the police, but the Divisional Police Officer DPO in the station said only a cutlass and an axe were recovered inside the vehicle It was also alleged that a first class traditional ruler in Ikole Local Government[ names withheld] personally aided rigging at the polling centre around his palace
But the PDP senatorial candidate for Ekiti North Senatorial candidate, Mr Ayo Arise, had a contrary view that members of his party rigged, arguing that it was members of AC and ANPP that beat his supporters and were trying to disrupt the election exercise in the area.
Ondo: Polls peaceful; Fasawe under house arrest
The presidential and National Assembly elections in Ondo State were generally peaceful except some skirmishes in some local government areas of the state.Low turn of voters and late arrival of electoral materials were noticed in all the voting centers visited by Sunday Vanguard across the state. Cases of hijacking of ballot boxes were reported by voters in some areas just as eight persons were apprehended in Ikare Akoko with thumb printed ballot papers.
The election in Akoko areas of the state was peaceful and orderly. Electoral materials arrived most of the 18 local government’s areas of the state around 2pm after voters had waited since 10am.
INEC spokesman in the state Mr Ola Awoniyi said that the material arrived the state 8am yesterday and that voting in areas with electricity supply would be extended to allow people to vote.
AC and Labour Party alleged that some of its members were arrested for frivolous offences by policemen and soldiers.
A chieftain of the AC, Otunba Oyewole Fasawe who was kept under house arrest said that five members of the party were shot in Owo.
Over twenty policemen were stationed at his residence to effect the house arrest which according to him was ordered by the state police commissioner Mr. Innocent Ilozuoke .
He told newsmen that the police commissioner and his deputy Mr. Joseph Awelewa led the policemen to his house yesterday morning in five vehicles to keep him under house arrest citing order from above.Fasawe described the elections in the town as a “Gestapo and a monumental fraud” which should be cancelled.
Speaking with Sunday Vanguard on the late arrival of electoral materials, the PDP chairman in the state, Chief Sanya Orungbemi, said that they were still awaiting the material in Elections into the Warri and Ika North Federal constituencies were however postpone due to problems arising from result sheet distribution .
Governor James Ibori said the low turn out could be as a result of voters nonchalant attitude to elections concerning the National level as they generally view same as too distant from the grassroots.
Addressing newsmen at his Oghara country home, Ibori asserted that Nigerians needed voters education to be able to master the electoral process, even as he commended security agencies for bracing up to their duty during polls and INEC for ensuring that the elections took place despite the initial hiccups that attended the gubernatorial and House of Assembly polls.
The elections started at about 10 am in Warri, Effurun, Sapele and OgharaGovernor-elect of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan voted at his hometown, Abigborodu, in Warri North Local Government Area, commending politicians and the citizenry for peaceful conduct of the exercise.
The governor-elect who arrived the Abigborodo waterside in a speedboat, for the elections proceeded to the Koko II, Ward 6, Umuegbe polling unit to cast his vote at about 12.30pm.
Anambra: Voters disenfranchised
The presidential and National Assembly elections in Anambra State began very late in most parts of the state including Awka, the state capital, where the AC vice-presidential candidate, Senator Ben Obi, could not vote as at 6.30pm when he addressed some journalists on the situation of voting in the state
Distribution of materials at the INEC state headquarters started at about 11 am and it was smooth and went well as party chieftains and many of the candidates were on hand at the INEC office to witness the exercise. The distribution however ended in INEC Awka head quarters at about 1.30pm.
But reports from the various local government Areas indicated that the materials could not get to the council areas till about 3.30 and 4pm, meaning that voting did not start in those areas in time.However, unlike last week INEC distributed complete electoral materials, including the result sheets.
Addressing journalists, AC vice presidential candidate, said he did not vote, and that voting did take place anywhere in the state.
Accept election verdict; IBB, Abdulsalami tell Atiku, Buhari, Yar’Adua
The former military president, retired Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, yesterday, foreclosed any possibility of contesting future presidential election saying that age has put him at a disadvantaged position, just as he and General Abdulsalami Abubakar asked candidates who vied in the presidential to accept the people’s verdict..
Babangida who spoke to journalists in MInna today shortly after casting his vote at his Sabon Gari ward said that he would have clocked 70 by the time another presidential elections will be held in thecountry.
Asked if he was keeping his presidential ambition alive, the former military president said: “ I am not young like you, I am 66, by the next presidential election, I will be 70 and you don’t expect me to be running around for elections that time”.
Babangida who voted at about 11.40 a.m. along with his wife Maryam and children, Mohammed and Aisha, called on the contestants to accept whatever is the outcome of the elections for democracy to thrive.
“Elections, like a game in which there has to be winners and losers, the losers should be accommodating and magnanimous in defeat while the winners must also be magnanimous in victory”, he advised.
Also speaking shortly after voting, former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar said that he was happy that elections were being conducted and people came out to cast their votes without molestation.
Abubakar, who also voted along with his wife, Justice Fati and son, Isa, expressed the hope that the elections will be peaceful across the country.He advised that the results should be accepted by Nigerians without any breach to the security of the country.
Polls go into the night
The ballot papers used for the presidential election were not serially numbered, Prof. Maurice Iwu, INEC boss, admitted yesterday as he acknowledged that logistic difficulties would compel the elections to go into the night.
Iwu told journalists that the elections were a success affirming that the challenges even if tasking were overcome by the commission.
“I will like to start with a word of congratulations to us Nigerians for coming out to show support for democracy. The polling went well in many parts of the northern parts of the country, went well in what we call the South-South of the country, in the Southwest, but in the Southeast because of the late arrival of the materials polling could not start on time in some parts,’’ Iwu said.
Responding to a question on the observation that the ballot papers were not serially numbered, Prof. Iwu said that the initial ballot papers earmarked for the election were serially numbered but had to be discarded following the Supreme Court judgment that paved way for the inclusion of the Vice-President on the ballot.
“We were able to print 65 million ballot papers in three days and had them flown into the country. My obligation is to the Nigerian people, the important thing is that we have responded to an emergency the best we could,’’ he said in dismissal of the observation of the lack of serial numbers.
Hours before the election, there were reports that some ballot papers for yesterday’s presidential election were discovered by security forces in Kaduna already thump printed in favour of one of the candidates.
He disclosed that because of delays in the delivery of voting materials to some sections of the country that voting commenced late and said that agreement had been reached among local stakeholders for voting to go into the night.He listed the Southeast, Northern Cross River , Bauchi State among the regions affected.
Iwu explains exchange of Abia, Lagos RECs
The INEC boss also explained the exchange of resident electoral commissioners in Abia and Lagos, saying it is in the interest of the people.
Iwu said the Abia commissioner had complained of certain incidences after last weekend gubernatorial and Houses of Assembly elections.
He said that to sustain the integrity of further elections in the state it was imperative to replace the chief electoral officer of the state. “What could have been better than exchange commissioners in states where the opposition parties won,?’’ Iwu asked.
How elections were rigged in 10 states — AC
Meanwhile, AC released details of what it described as widespread irregularities and underhand dealings by electoral officials, in collusion with security agents, which marred yesterday’s presidential and National Assembly elections in at least 10 of the 36 states.
In a statement issued in Abuja by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party blamed the problems solely on INEC, which spent a long time pursuing its obsession of stopping AC’s presidential candidate, Vice President Atiku Abubakar, instead of preparing for the polls.
“The implication of the problems is that the elections, like the ones held last Saturday, are anything but free, fair and credible,” the party said.
“INEC has turned what would have been a landmark election into a mess of unimaginable proportion, due to a combination of sheer incompetence and lack of political will on the part of the commission,” itadded.
AC said in every state where the party has a large followership, INEC deliberately ensured inadequate supply of voting materials, adding: “If this is not rigging, we don’t know what else to call it.”
The party also expressed shock that most ballot papers used for the elections lacked serial numbers, which is an indication that they did not undergo security printing and could therefore have been printed by anyone so willing.Below are highlights of the reports which, according to the AC, were sent to its situation room in Abuja.
Adamawa: In most parts of the state, voting had yet to start in the state as at 1.47 p.m. due to lack of electoral materials.
Abia: Thumb-printing of ballot papers being carried out in the residence of a PDP chieftain at Unuole village in Umuahia North Local Government Area. Yet no materials were available for other voters in the area. As at 11 a.m., the Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state had yet to receive election materials.
Anambra: No elections anywhere, but thumb printing of ballot papers were going on in the residence of a PDP chieftain in Onitsha North Local Government Area.Edo: There were reports of shootings and killings during the elections.
Ekiti: For recording evidence of illegal thumb-printing of ballot papers by the PDP, thugs of the ruling party, assisted by security agents, subjected AC agents in the state to merciless beatings.
Enugu: AC not on the ballot paper used in the East Local Government Area for the presidential election. Also, no result sheets accompanied all electoral materials supplied to the state.
Jigawa: Ballot papers supplied to the state carried no serial number, meaning they could have been printed by anyone or group for the purpose of rigging the polls.
In Kazaure local government, ballot papers for presidential election did not include the AC or the name of its presidential candidate, Vice President Atiku Abubakar.Kaduna: PDP stalwarts converged on the home of a chieftain in the GRA part of the city, to thumb print ballot papers. Electoral monitors who came to the house to check what was happening were denied entry.
Kwara: Voting started late due to the late arrival of voting materials. In Oro ward II with 13 polling stations, only 2,000 of the 6,500 ballot papers required were supplied. It is suspected that the remaining ballot papers would be used to stuff ballot boxes in favour of the PDP. Also, a PDP stalwart at the ward, was going about with armed soldiers and policemen to perpetuate electoral fraud on a scale never seen before, and setting the stage for a violent clash with officials of other parties.
In Omu-Aran, 200 ballot papers were supplied to each polling booth. In Kwara central, the name of the AC Senatorial candidate and party were not on the ballot. At the Irepodun local government, a PDP stalwart led soldiers to disrupt polls.
Osun: All the AC party agents in the state were arrested by security agents apparently acting on the orders of the state authorities. They were picked up one after the other across the state in a calculated move to intimidate the opposition. In Apomu, a community leader directed that everybody should vote for the PDP, but courageous AC supporters who voted for the party had their votes voided by PDP thugs in the full glare of the police and INEC.Oyo: In the Shaki West Local Government, there were 69,000 voters but only 56,000 voting materials were supplied