The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Hon. Dino Melaye, was on Monday declared the winner of the Kogi West Senatorial District election held on March 28.
Melaye defeated the candidates of seven other political parties, including the seating senator of the district, Smart Adeyemi, of the Peoples Democratic Party and Aro Bamidele of the Accord Party, who defected from the PDP due to the internal crisis rocking the party in the state.
Returning Officer of the Senatorial District, Mr. Adadi Ameh, in the early hours of Monday declared Melaye the winner at the Independent National Elcectoral Commision’s office in Lokoja Local Government area.
The Lokoja LGA office is the regional office of Kogi West Senatorial District, which comprises seven local governments of Ijumu, Kabba-Bunu, Kogi-Koton Karfe, Lokoja, Mopa Moro, Yagba East and Yagba West.
Melaye polled 41,120 of the total 118, 987 votes cast, while his closest opponent, Adeyemi, polled 38, 148 votes and Aro of Accord had 26,198 votes.
The declaration, which was met with a rapturous applause by Melaye’s supporters, was well received by the agent of the PDP, although with controlled grumblings.
Melaye, who was at the venue of the declaration, told our correspondent that the victory was for the people.
“It is a call to duty and service and I will do my best not to disappoint the people who entrusted their votes in me. The people of Kogi West have made their choice and I promise that they will be given the best of Senatorial representation.”
“I believe I won because I was closer to the grassroots. They had more money than sense and spent it but we spent our brain because we have no money and the people have made their choice,” Melaye said.
Former Aviation Minister and a Senatorial candidate of the PDP in Anambra State , Princess Stella Oduah has won the Anambra North Senatorial seat.
She defeated her major opponent, Chief Dubem Obaze of APGA.
Some women belonging to the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State were on Monday morning teargased by policemen around the INEC headquarters on Aba Road after they tried to take their grieviances over Saturday’s presidential elections in the state to the Commission’s office.
The women, donning black attires and led by House of Representatives candidate for Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, Maureen Tamuno, came in several buses from various parts of the state as early as 8:30am to pour out their frustrations.
Armoured tanks barricaded the two lanes leading to INEC office while gun-wielding police and military policemen in large numbers were positioned in strategic points in the vicinity.
Monday’s protest by the APC women followed Sunday’s version of the party’s youths from various parts of the state to the Commission’s headquarters where gunshots were fired after the protesters prevented an SUV believed to be conveying the PDP governorship candidate in Rivers, Nyesom Wike, from leaving the area.
The APC youths also attacked other vehicles moving in and out of the area.
Meanwhile Public Relations Officer of the Commission in the state, Anthonia Nwobu, told our correspondent on Monday morning that results of the presidential election from all the local government areas would be made public at a press briefing by 12:00pm.
According to her, Returning Officers from all the areas would hand the final results to the Resident Electoral Commission, Gecila Khan, during the briefing.
The Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), has opened up a massive lead in the presidential race in Niger State with results for 11 of the 25 local governments in the state announced.
So far, Buhari has 296,100 votes, while President Goodluck Jonathan has polled 74,784 votes.
In Bosso LG, APC got 36,951, while PDP secured 6,036.
In Chanchaga LG, APC garnered 58,239 to PDP’s 9,438.
15,972 people voted for Buhari in Gbako with 5,521 opting for Jonathan.
Gurara LG gave Buhari 17,284 votes and Jonathan 7,803 votes, while the APC defeated the PDP with 16,368 to 2,708 votes in Katcha LG.
Mariga LG gave APC 28, 463 votes and the PDP 4,351 votes.
Other local governments where results have been announced are: Munya LG (APC, 12,820; PDP, 7119); Paiko LG (APC, 27,298; PDP, 8,029); Shiroro LG (APC, 27,462; PDP, 7,040). Suleja LG (APC, 38,262; PDP, 9,535) and Tafa LG (APC, 16,981; PDP, 7,168).
The presidential candidate of All Progressive Congress, (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari is leading in Oyo according to results of the local government released by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).Muhammadu BuhariBuhari Support Organizations.
With the results from Oyo, Buhari appears to have won all states in the Southwest save for Ekiti state where the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won.
Oyo West:
APC-16,431, PDP-5,381
Atisbo:
APC-9,090, PDP-6,392
Saki East:
APC-7,208, PDP-5,368
Iwajowa:
APC-8,715, PDP-7, 389
Ona Ara:
APC-12,291, PDP-7,175
Ibarapa East:
APC-10,482, PDP 7,009
Atiba:
APC-16,755, PDP-6,443
Oluyole:
APC-19, 642, PDP-6,956
Ido:
APC-17,235, PDP-6,538
Kajola:
APC-14,538, PDP-11,045
Afijio:
APC-8,001, PDP-5,738
The returning officer at Afijio Local Government disclosed that election did not take place in three units because INEC headquarters did not supply election materials for the units and registered voters in the units did not have PVC.
Orelope:
APC-9,425, PDP-5,384
Irepo:
APC-10, 380, PDP-4,979
Itesiwaju:
APC-7,257, PDP-7,605
Iseyin:
APC-24,075, PDP-10,569
Oyo East:
APC-17,105, PDP-6,326
Orire:
APC-10,161, PDP-13,238
Saki West:
APC-25,965, PDP-7,008
Lagelu:
APC-15,547, PDP-7,366
Swatting aside the Governor Olusegun Mimiko variable, All Progressives Congress presidential applicant Muhammadu Buhari has won the decision in Ondo State.
The aftereffects of Saturday’s presidential challenge in the State declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission Returning Officer, Prof. Oyewole Olusola, shows APC taking the State by 299,889 votes to 251,368 for the Peoples Democratic Party.
Aftereffects of the Presidential Election in Ondo state Announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer, Prof. Oyewole Olusola
See results below:
1. AKOKO NORTH WEST LGA
APC- 17, 997 PDP – 12,048
2. AKURE NORTH LGA
APC – 13,092 PDP – 7,817
3. OSE LGA
APC – 11,300 PDP – 13,466
4. IFEDORE LGA
APC – 13,459 PDP – 8,031
5. IRELE LGA
APC – 9,969 PDP – 11,639
6. ONDO WEST LGA
APC – 18,923 PDP – 20,243
7. OWO LGA
APC – 27,290 PDP – 13,757
8. AKOKO SOUTH EAST LGA
APC – 7,245 PDP – 6769
9. IDANRE LGA
APC – 12,654 PDP – 12, 290
10. AKOKO SOUTH EAST LGA
APC – 25,336 PDP – 15, 490
11. ODIGBO LGA
APC – 18,655 PDP – 19,315
12. ILE OLUJI/OKEIGBO LGA
APC – 12,338 PDP – 13,652
13. ESE ODO LGA
APC – 4002 PDP – 24,943
14. ONDO EAST LGA
APC – 5,922 PDP – 8,708
15. AKURE SOUTH LGA
APC – 50,411 PDP – 18,125
16. OKITIPUPA LGA
APC – 17,495 PDP – 19,035
17. AKOKO NORTH EAST
APC- 18,894 PDP- 10, 348
12. Ilaje LGA
APC-14, 907 PDP- 15, 692
The Presidential Elections In Ondo State
APC- 299, 889 PDP-251, 368
Total Registered Voters- 1,501,804
Total Accredited Voters- 618, 040
Total Valid Vote Cast- 561, 056
Total Void Votes- 21, 379
Total Vote Cast- 582, 435
Aa press conference yesterday, Umana Okon Umana, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, showed thousands of ballot papers that voters actually cast for his party in Ibesikpo local government area, but which were isolated and thrown away by rogue staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission in collusion with officials of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Umana Okon Umana
The discarded ballots, which were just for the Ibesikpo local government area alone, offered an indication of the depth of electoral malpractice that characterized the polls in Bayelsa State on Saturday.
The All Progressives Congress in Anambra State has accused the Peoples Democratic Party of using residential houses, hotels and other secret places for collation of electoral results.
The party also said that most of the legitimate collation centres were left empty without any sign of electoral activities.
The senator representing Anambra Central and who is also seeking reelection, Dr. Chris Ngige, who spoke for members of the party in Awka on Sunday, said powerful persons in the state had held on to the results of the elections, hence the delay in announcement of electoral results.
He also said results sheets were also not made available at the centres. Ngige, who called for the outright cancellation of elections in the state, said to further compound the situation, the number of people accredited and expected to vote during Saturday’s election at different polling stations were not made public by INEC officials.
“In some places, the accreditation was done alongside the voting proper. People voted as many times as possible,” he alleged.
According to Ngige, the accreditation was done with a view to manipulating the results, adding that in most places, the fingers of voters were not inked.
He said names of voters were being written on fresh sheets of paper during the accreditation, which gave room for serious manipulation.
He said over 200 policemen were accompanied by some PDP stalwarts to some local government areas with the intention of forcing electoral officers to sign blank result sheets.
But speaking to our correspondent in an interview on Sunday, the Residential Electoral Commissioner, Anambra State, Mr. Edwin Nwatarali, said no report had been brought to him showing that fingers were not inked during the elections.
He said the commission had to move collation centres from troubled zones to other collation centres that were peaceful after a clash occurred on Sunday in one of the collation centres.
He said threats to lives of INEC personnel and materials had been reported to him, and the situation was under control.
Comfort, Edo:
PDP leads in seven LGAs in Edo State (Presidential):
At Igueben, the PDP led with 6,854
votes while the All Peoples Congress followed with 5,692 votes.
In
Esan Central, PDP polled 12,003 votes while the APC polled 7,688 votes.
In Etsako Central PDP led with 10,365 votes while APC followed with 8,152
votes.
At Esan North East, PDP led with 19,440
votes while APC polled 6,151 votes. At Etsako East, the PDP polled 13,071
votes while APC polled 9,788.
At Esan West, the
PDP polled 19,600 votes while the APC polled 9,578 votes.
At Ikpobaokha
PDP polled 31,373 votes while the APC polled 18,527 votes. At Owan East,
the PDP polled 12,121votes while the APC polled 12,925 votes.
Fellow Nigerians, I urge you to exercise patience and vigilance as we wait for all results to be announced
— Muhammadu Buhari (@ThisIsBuhari) March 29, 2015
An unspecified number of gunmen in a convoy of about 10 vehicles on Sunday stormed many polling units in Kirfi and Alkaleri Local Government Areas of Bauchi State and destroyed many electoral materials.
Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed, stated this in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in Bauchi.
Mohammed said the gunmen also attacked two Police Stations in the two councils.
The PPRO said, “You may recall that on the 28/3/2015 (Saturday) at about 2.30pm, unknown gunmen in about six vehicles attacked a polling unit at Yautara Ward in Darazo LGA and set ablaze electoral materials.
“Combined security forces, comprising the police and Army, forced the hoodlums to abandon their mission and escaped into the bush.
“However, today, 29/3/2015 (Sunday) at about 0025hrs (12.25am), hoodlums further attacked Kirfi and Alkaleri Divisional Police Headquarters, but were repelled and pursued towards Dindima Town along Bauchi Gombe Road.”
The Police Spokesman said operations were still ongoing, adding that the areas had been cordoned off by a combined team of security forces with efforts being intensified to restore normalcy in the area.
He said, “Members of the public are urged to remain calm and disregard rumour from mischief makers.”
Anne, Cross River:
Deputy governor of Cross River State, Mr. Essien Cobham lost his polling unit in Odukpani Local Government Area,
to Prince Bassey Otu of the Labour Party.
The Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Suleiman, on Sunday faulted Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections in Kwara State.
He alleged that there were many electoral irregularities, describing the elections in the state as a rape of democracy.
Speaking during a press conference media briefing in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, Suleiman, who is the state PDP leader, said the accreditation process was faulty, adding that the card readers in most cases were not working hence the recourse to manual method of accreditation.
According to him, using manual method for accreditation attested to the position of the PDP that the introduction of the card reader at this time is a misplaced priority.
He said it was obvious to Nigerians that the card reader usage in the election was not a success, adding that this created room for a lot of irregularities in accreditation process.
The minister also accused security agencies of dereliction of duties, alleging that there were many security lapses, which he claimed, aided electoral malpractices allegedly by members of the All Progressives Congress in the state.
He noted that security agents were inadequate in some places while in many other places, they were not there at all.
Suleiman alleged that the total number of votes in the three wards at Opobiyi, Ajikobi Ward in Agbaji, where he voted, which is the place a former Governor of Kwara State, who is the state APC leader, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and her sister, Gbemisola, was greater than the total number of collected Permanent Voter Cards in the area.
He said, “If actually we had gotten it right in 2011, what happened in my own community, my state, was more of an electoral tragedy, which is not acceptable, which to a large extent has significant negative implications in our electoral future if not addressed.
“I saw a connivance of the security agencies in Kwara State, to be specific, with the opposition party. It does not tally with sense, for instance, where you have about 1,800 potential voters to one policeman without any arms. How will he contain the crowd?”
Aggrieved supporters of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State have blocked some major roads within Port Harcourt, the state capital, protesting the conduct of the Saturday presidential elections in the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Some APC faithful, made up of youths, marched to the INEC headquarters on Aba Road while dozens more loitered around the Government House, waiting to interact with the Governor of the state. Rotimi Amaechi, and other top party stalwarts.
Our correspondent noticed the presence of heavily-armed security officers at INEC office while others patrolled the roads leading into the area.
Two lanes of the road were blocked by two armoured tanks, forcing motorists to drive against traffic on the other two lanes.
The situation resulted into heavy traffic on Aba road and adjoining routes.
Tension remains very high in the area as the protesters declared that election did not take place in most polling units in Rivers yesterday.
They said the only way to resolve the current crisis was to conduct a fresh election in the state.
While they protesters chanted “we want change” continually, some of them raised the alarm that the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Nyesom Wike, was being smuggled out of the INEC office.
More details shortly.
Simon, Niger:
Buhari was victorious in the polling unit of Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, of the PDP.
Buhari polled 459 votes, while President Goodluck Jonathan secured 161
votes at the unit 011, Musa Umar Close, Tudun Wada South, Chanchaga.
Presidential results from seven LGs in Ogun
APC ahead
More updates coming
From Samuel Awoyinfa and Kunle Falayi
Odeda Local government
Number of registered voters -63,935
Number of accreditted voter -17,463
APC -11,102
PDP -4,456
Total valid votes -16,152
Voided votes -775
Total votes cast -16,927
Imeko Afon Local Government
Number of voters registered -35,311
Number of accreditted voters -23,481
APC -7,657
PDP -12,153
Valid votes cast -20,466
Void votes -1,122
Sagamu Local Government
Number of registered voters -77,955
Number of accreditted voters -37,772
APC -15,761
PDP -17,263
Ijebu Ode Local Government
Number of registered voters -55,127
Number of voters accreditted -25,973
APC -14,043
PDP -8,972
A long stretch of traffic has built up from the Mile 12 bridge all the way to Ikorodu Bus stop as soldiers have barricaded the ever-busy road based on what they called an “orders from above.”
The Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, had announced that there would be no restriction of movement today(Sunday) over the rescheduled elections.
Our correspondent learnt that most of those caught in the traffic are Christians, attempting to go to church to observe the Palm Sunday.
It was learnt that following the hiccups experienced in the voting on Saturday, the Independent National Electoral Commission postponed elections in five local government areas in Lagos till today.
These are Alimosho, Oshodi/Isolo, Eti Osa, Kosofe and Somolu LGAs.
However, a resident of Ikorodu, Abiodun Samuel, wondered why the residents of Ikorodu would be barred from moving when IKorodu local government was not among the areas that INEC had listed.
He said, “Ikorodu’s election yesterday was conclusive and every polling unit has been counted so I don’t know why soldiers are preventing us from moving. I have been in the traffic all day and the sad part is that this road (Mile 12-Ikorodu Road) is the only road connecting Ikorodu to the major parts of Lagos.
“The unfortunate thing is that most of us cannot turn back because we have been blocked by vehicles on all sides of the road.”
Meanwhile, investigations by our correspondent showed that the voter turnout today may be less than yesterday due to the Palm Sunday, which will witness long hours of service and street processions.
Our correspondent, who visited various areas in Kosofe LGA, observed that there was no presence of INEC as of 9.34am.
The police have, however, warned people, who have no business at polling units, to stay away.
WTCH VIDEO, MASSIVE RIGGING in Delta @ThisIsBuhari @inecnigeria @INECAlert #Nigeriadecides “Is this an election?” pic.twitter.com/4I6quK4ru8”
— αв∂υℓ-яαнмαη™ (@abdul_ibrhm) March 29, 2015
INEC officials killed by unknown gunmen in Gombe…
There was panic in Ikirun, Osun State, on Saturday as the presidential election was ongoing when supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress clashed.
According to an eyewitness, who is simply identified as Ismaila, he said the victim was a graduate of The Polytechnic, Ire, Osun State.
He said the victim, popularly known as ‘Hunger’, allegedly belonged to a cult group and a supporter of the PDP.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Sade Odoro, could not be reached as her telephone number was not reachable when our correspondent called her to confirm the incident.
There was commotion at Ward 5, Ona Ara Local Government Area of Oyo State, on Saturday when the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in the state, Teslim Folarin, publicly doled out money to his party supporters at his polling unit.
The PDP governorship candidate defied the rules when he openly shouted ‘Te sibe'(print it there), a popular campaign slogan, urging people to vote for him.
One of the youths, who grabbed the money from Folarin, tried to run away, but was soon held by the angry crowd.
Those on the queue waiting to vote began to scramble for their share of the money.
The commotion, which lasted for over 20 minutes, saw the youths squeezing one another’s clothes while those, who managed to grab a few notes, received blows from others.
Police deployed in the unit watched as the youths tackled themselves in the brawl.
Folarin, who cast his votes at St. John’s Primary School, hosting two polling units at about 3pm, had addressed journalists before voting.
He came in company with his wife, Angela.
He told journalists that he was not satisfied with the performance of the card reader.
He said,”The card reader is very slow in accrediting and verifying voters’ identity.This was why we kicked against it earlier. Although, I was not delayed,reports from other parts of th
state are not commendable.”
He said the All Progressives Congress had failed to deliver good governance to the masses.
Folarin predicted a landslide victory for President Goodluck Jonathan,saying he was impressed with the large turn out.
INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega says the rehashed disappointment of the card reader to read President Jonathan’s PVC at his surveying unit in Otuoke, Bayelsa yesterday was a national humiliation. He said this in a meeting on NTA last night. See more of what he said amid the meeting bellow.
The INEC has given approval for its officers to accredit voters manually after being sufficiently satisfied that the Permanent Voter Card belongs to a prospective voter presenting it.
In a statement by INEC’s Chairman, Information, Voter Education and Publicity Committee, Dr. Chris Eyimoga, on Saturday, the commission said this step was informed by the level of challenges encountered in the Saturday elections to accredit prospective voters.
Iyimoga said, “The Commission has, therefore, decided as part of the Guidelines for the Conduct of the 2015 general elections that in Polling Units where card readers have so failed to work, the Presiding Officer shall manually accredit voters by marking the register of voters, upon being satisfied that the person presenting a Permanent Voter’s Card is the legitimate holder of the card.”