... ... 03/04/19 | IYANDA'SBLOG

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03/04/19
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8:57 PM

The Coalition of Governorship Candidates and Party Chairmen (CGCPC) has denied claims that 58 political parties endorsed Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State, as their sole governorship candidate.

The group also criticised the Governor over his “systemic blackmail” targeted at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

CGCPC accused Wike of plans to cause violence in the state during the March 9 governorship election, just as they dissociated themselves from endorsing Wike as a sole candidate for the election.

This was contained in a statement issued by Pastor Warigbani Ezekiel Zebulun, the CGCPC Chairman and APDA governorship candidate, and Honourable Chibuzor Anele, the CGCPC Secretary, on Monday.

The CGCPC said they had studied the political terrain and recent events in Rivers State and had “frowned at them”.

As such, they took the following decisions: “That we wholeheartedly disassociate ourselves from the concocted, misguided and shameful endorsement of Barr. Nyesom Wike as sole governorship candidate by a purported coalition of 58 political parties. Such endorsement is watery and belated.

“We call on Gov. Nyesom Wike and the PDP to be very careful in the systematic blackmail they are launching on the electoral umpire, INEC. It is very worrisome that the PDP will be casting aspersions on the integrity of INEC. It is on record that the PDP has made several attempts to compromise INEC. These acts can best be described as the ‘The Voice of Jacob, the Hands of Esau’.

“We are using this opportunity to call on INEC to maintain its neutrality in the forthcoming governorship and state Assembly elections in Rivers State.

“We condemn in strong terms the unholy marriage between the Supreme Court as well as Justice Abdul Kafarati of the Federal High Court in receiving Rivers people's money from Barr.Nyesom Wike. Rivers money is used by the Governor in exchange for expensive rings and bride price to cement and extend his tenure as Governor of Rivers State, which comes to an end on 29th May, 2019, through the back door. We call on the Federal Government and the EFCC to, with immediate effect, institute a panel with the aim of uncovering and recovering all looted funds. Details and records will be made available in the process.

“We commend the Nigerian Army and the GOC 6 Division , Major General Jamil Sarham, for coming to the rescue of defenceless Rivers citizens, especially those in Abonnema who were held hostage by hoodlums and thugs loyal to PDP. The question Wike and the PDP should answer is: ‘What is their relationship with the characters that are on the wanted list of the Nigerian Army?’

“We have also observed with great pains the existing feud between the Rivers State Government and the Federal Government. This senseless confrontation orchestrated by Governor Wike has lasted for nearly four years. In this case, our beloved State and her people suffers. Consequently we call on Rivers people to support and vote their preferred governorship candidate, who can work in harmony with the Federal Government to bring the desired dividends that will make our beloved state a safe haven as ‘The Treasure Base of the Nation’.

“Discreet information reaching us reveals that the PDP-led government in Rivers State has acquired illegal arms and ammunition and have distributed same to various local government areas of the state to scuttle the forthcoming governorship and state House elections through violence and maim-marked political opponents in the state. We, therefore, call on the Nigerian Police and her sister agencies to set out their dragnets and swiftly go into action with a view to apprehending and prosecuting the culprits.

“To this end, we call on Rivers people (men and women) to prevent children and their wards from being used as agents of violence before and after the governorship and state House of Assembly elections in the state. Enough is Enough! Those who want to put the children of others in harm’s way should first bring their relations and children to the forefront.

“Finally, we commiserate with the families of those that lost their lives in the course of the presidential and National Assembly elections in the state. We pray the Almighty God will comfort them.”

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4:52 PM

Olufemi Lanlehin, governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Sharafadeen Alli, governorship candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and Bolaji Ayorinde, candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), have stepped down their ambitions to govern Oyo State, for Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Sources told SaharaReporters that the politicians decided to support the PDP candidate in the interest of the state.

A media aide to Lanlehin, who confirmed his principal’s decision, said the position was based on the premise of “rescuing the state”.

The decision to support Makinde comes days after Alao Akala, governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), decided to pitch his tent with Adebayo Adelabu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Director Generals of the four parties, Architect Bayo Lawal (African Democratic Congress), Waheed Akanbi (Zenith Labour Party), Chief Bayo Lawal (Peoples Democratic Party), and Chief M.A. Oke (Social Democratic Party), are said to have signed an agreement on the matter.

A statement from the campaign office of the PDP candidate signed by Prince Dotun Oyelade, thanked the parties for their support and congratulated the people of Oyo State for the adoption.

The statement continued: “The milestone achievement has now paved way for the PDP to coast home to victory with the support of other patriotic leaders.

“The APC will be overwhelmed and drowned in their attempt to rig the election through violence and vote manipulation.

“If the APC wishes, it can arrange a camp bed in Ibadan for their Lagos leader. Our people will banish them out of our territory. Oyo State is out of your stranglehold and out of bounds.”

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4:52 PM

The Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says its defeat at the presidential and National Assembly elections is a bitter experience.

Ade Adetimehin, the APC Chairman in Ondo State, stated this on Monday while chatting with ward chairmen from the 18 Local Councils Areas of the state.

Adetimehin said the party has since “learnt its lessons in a bitter way”, and would do all that was possible to put its house in order ahead of the House of Assembly election.

He advised leaders of the party to “buckle up and go the extra mile to ensure victory at the state House Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday".

"We are here to discuss as a political party that is well structured, and how to win convincingly in the next election. We must strive to convince our observers that what transpired during the presidential and National Assembly elections was as a result of human errors. Therefore, that should not be used to gauge our voting strength in Ondo State,” the APC Chairman said in a statement issued by Alex Kalejaye, the party's spokesman.

In his remarks, Honey Gbayisemore, who spoke on behalf of the ward chairmen, called for better understanding between the party and the state government.

He said the local chairmen would do their best to ensure victory for the party at the election on Saturday. 

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12:47 PM

The long car convoys on the road. Market women dancing to welcome the gubernatorial aspirants. Students promising to mobilise others for the candidate. Door to door campaign and enlistment. Facebook adverts. Social media status updates. All sorts of campaign stunts and strategies. For the Oyo gubernatorial election, using the Freedom of Information Act (2011) data shows that given previous trends, only about 368,000 votes may determine which of the 42 gubernatorial aspirants will be sworn in at the liberty stadium, Ibadan come May 29th2019.

What this translates to in basic arithmetic is that any candidate who can average 11,000 votes in each of the 33 local government areas in the state will have a closer prospect at calling the shot from Agodi House- the state government secretariat. This includes the current standing in Nigeria’s 5thmost populous state which has 49 thriving political parties out of the country’s 91. 

Winning Pattern 

The fate of who becomes governor will rest mainly on a number of factors- religion, senatorial zone, grassroot support, last minute coalitions, party financing etc. The fulcrum is not currently well placed on the brilliance of manifestoes and or plans of the candidates. Our findings revealed the total number of votes scored by the winners of the elections who were later sworn in as governor.

  • 1999 Election- Data not available from INEC
  • 2003 Election – Data not available from INEC
  • 2007 Election – 357,972votes scored by Mr. Alao Akala (PDP) 
  • 2011 Election – 420,852votes scored by Mr. Abiola Ajimobi (ACN)
  • 2015 Election – 327,310votes scored by Mr. Abiola Ajimobi (APC)
  • 2019 Elections – ???

Source: Response to Onelife Initiative’s FOI request filed to INEC

Number of Aspirants (on the ballot sheet) from 2007-2019

The number of gubernatorial hopefuls represented on the ballot papers in the state has been consistent until 2019 when the number more than doubled.

Election Years No of Aspirants
2007 15
2011 15
2015 12
2019 42

Voting Pattern 

With Nigeria’s population now put at 198,000,000; a guestimate of Oyo State population will be about 8,000,000. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission, Oyo state has 2,934, 107 registered voters for the 2019 general elections- the 2ndhighest in the southwest region and the 6thhighest in the county.

The voting pattern in Oyo State over the last 8 years reveals the following figures – 

Election years Registered voters Total Votes Cast Void Votes Number of Valid Votes % of Total Votes Cast for Winners Votes Acquired by winning candidate 
2007 1,793,475[1] 855,264 42,195 813,069 44.0 357,972
2011 2,003,285 1,167,242 42,152 1,125,090 36.1 420,852
2015 2,416,016 2   914,465[3]​   327,310​
2019            

Source: FOI report from INEC. (See reference to these figures below)​

[2]Manual compilation based on FOI

[3]Manual computation based on FOI

% of Total Votes Cast for Winners​

Election Year​ % of Total Votes for Winners​
2007​ 44.03​
2011​ 36.10​
2015​ 35.79​

This data puts the average number of valid votes obtained over the last eight years at 950,874. While the average percentage of winning votes is 38.69% Using this data and taking into consideration other variables such as number of aspirants, number of registered voters, number of unclaimed PVC, one can reasonably project that the winning candidate in the 2019 gubernatorial election in Oyo State will need about 368,000 votes to win the election or a little less given the numbers of aspirants.

2007-2015: How the Top 3 Stood

In 2007, 2011, and 2015, the difference between the winner and the first runner-up were 118,783, 33,720, and 72,790 respectively.

Election Year​​ Winning vote First runner up Second runner up
2007

357,972

 239,189​ 146,670​
2011

420,852

 387,132​ 275,773​
2015

327,310

 254,520​ 184,111​

Source: FOI request from INEC

In the 2011 election, the candidate who emerged first runner up would have won the election if he had acquired the total void votes recorded- 42,152.

Election year

 Registered voters ​ Total votes Cast​ No of voters who did not vote​

2007

 1,793,475​ 885,264​ 908,211​

2011

 2,651,842​ 1,161,242​ 1,490,600​

2015

 2,416,016​ Data not available from INEC​  

2019

 2,934,107​ ?​ ?​

Voter Apathy in Oyo State

The state has high prevalence of void votes and voter apathy. The disparity between registered voters and total votes cast in the last election are obvious.

Learning from Patterns in Nigeria’s 7 off-cycle elections 

Although the gubernatorial elections have been slated for 2ndof March 2019, 7 states in Nigeria will not be participating. The number of votes that led to the declaration of the incumbent as governor in these states shows an interesting trend. 

Across the 7 states, an average of 229, 603 is what the incumbent governors had.

  • Osun – with 255,505 votes Mr Gboyega Isiaka Oyetola became Governor of Osun in 2018
  • Ekiti – with 197,459 votes, Mr. Kayode Fayemi became Governor of Ekiti in 2018. 
  • Anambra –with 234,071votes Mr. Willie Obiano became the Governor of Anambra state in 2017
  • Bayelsa- with 134,998 votes Mr. Seriake Dickson became the Governor of Bayelsa state in 2016
  • Edo-with 319,483 votes Mr. Godwin Obaseki' became the Governor of Edo in 2016
  • Ondo- with 224,842 votes Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu became the Governor of Ondo State in 2016
  • Kogi- with 240,867 votes Mr. Yahaya Bello became the Governor of Edo state in 2015

Issues and Recommendation 

Strategies that can be adopted to gain more numbers include; 

  • Voided votes are sadly still a major concern. In 2011, the amount of void vote, if valid, was enough to tip the scale. Voter education is still key in this regard.
  • Having agents do ground work in canvassing for votes within communities (Get your name on the street however you can)
  •  For smaller political parties and youth aspirants seeking to disrupt the space, understanding the numbers can boost confidence and help shape their strategies.
  • No single candidate in Oyo state can safely say he or she will win the election, the vote count is what is final!
  • There is a large ‘not likely to vote crowd in Oyo state given the gap between registered voters and the total number of votes cast. It can change this pattern in future. Candidates willing to energise this ‘crowd’ can take the political space by surprise. It however also needs to be grassroot driven with representation in several wards. Politics in Oyo state is still driven locally.
  • INEC needs to make election related data readily available on its website for media houses, research and civil society organizations. It’s central to planning interventions. Data showing which local government areas had the highest number of voided votes may point at literacy level. Thus, aiding institutions like the National Orientation Agency, NGos, and other actors in the election value chain to know exactly where to focus void vote prevention.
  • #VotNotFight

Oyo Governorship Election 2019: The Candidates

The final names of the 42 gubernatorial aspirants contesting for the gubernatorial elections in the state was released on 31stJanuary, 2019 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This is in accordance with section 34 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). 3 of the aspirants are known names and re-contesting the election.

There are also relatively young people running this time including 34 years old Tolulope Adeyeye (APA) who is the youngest of the 42 candidates, other young aspirants include; Oladdunni Ariyo Olaitan (35, BNPP) Aderoju Ismail Balogun (35, MAJA)   

The list of aspirants also includes a 75-year-old who is hoping to be the legal occupant of Agodi House for the next 4 years starting May 29th2019. 

  1. Action Alliance (AAC) – Akinwale Laosun
  2. All Blending Party (APB)- Okemakinde Ramota Fumilayo
  3. Advanced Allied Party (AAP) – Rev. Adenike Morenikeji Victor-Tade
  4. Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD)- Akande Taiwo Risikat
  5.  ACCORD – Saheed Adegboyega Ajadi
  6.  Alliance for Democracy (AD) – Oyedele (Hakeem) Oyebode Alao
  7.  African Democratic Congress (ADC) – Dele Ajadi
  8. . Action Democratic Party (ADP) – Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala
  9.  All Grassroots Alliance (AGA) – David Oluwafemi Okunlola
  10.  Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) – Olabode Ayodele Johnson
  11. Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP)- Olalekan Oladotun Ayorinde
  12. African Peoples Alliance (APA) – Adedoyin Tolulope Adeyeye
  13.  All Progressive Congress (APC) – Adebayo Adelabu
  14.  Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP) – Oladuni Ariyo Olaitan
  15.  Coalition for Change (C4C) – Omotosho Paul Adeboye
  16. Congress of patriots (COP)- Mayoress Abiodun Olayinka O
  17.  Democratic Alternative (DA) – Adegboyega Adelu
  18.  Democratic Peoples Congress (DPC) – Babatunde Oye Ademola
  19. Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) – Omoteleola Folake Florence
  20. Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria (GDPN) – Ladipo Oluwole
  21. Hope Democratic Party (HDP) – Tijani Ismail Akinboye
  22. Independent Democrats (ID) – Chief Oladapo Wasiu Atilola
  23. Justice Must Prevail Party (JMPP) – Ademola Babatunde Oye
  24. Kowa Party (KP) – Olaide Olayiwola
  25. Labour Party (LP) – Olatunji Adigun Sadiq
  26.  Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA) – Aderoju Ismail Balogun
  27. Modern Political Party (MPN) – Ojo Olayinka Kayode
  28. National Action Council (NAC) – Moshood Odelalu
  29. National Conscience Party (NCP) – Oloyade Michael Ayobami
  30. Nigeria Elements Progressive Party (NEPP)- Ayoade Belawu Adebola
  31.  National Interest Party (NIP) – Sarumi-Aliyu Bolanle Ashabi
  32. New Progressive Movement (NPM) – Edward Olufeyisayo Ladoye
  33. National Rescue Movement (NRM) – Yinusa Kazeem Ayandoye
  34. People for Democratic Chance (PDC) – Akande akin Sanyaolu
  35.  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – Seyi Makinde
  36. Providence People’s Congress (PPC) – Taiwo Ibiyemi Otegbeye
  37. Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) – Gbadamosi Basiru Alagbe
  38. Social Democratic Party (SDP) – Mobolaji Ayorinde
  39. Save Nigeria Congress (SNC) – Awolusi Olusegun Gaskin
  40.  Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) – Bamigboye Abiodun Emman
  41. United Progressive Party (UPP) – Rotimi Akande
  42.  Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) – Waheed A. Akanbi
Total Number of Candidates​ 42
Number of Male Candidates  36​​
Number of Female Candidates  6​​
Age of Oldest Candidate  75​​
Age of Youngest Candidate  34​​
Average age of Candidates  51​​
No of Candidates below 36 years  3​​

Other trends are captured below

Educational qualification of aspirants

Number of school certificate holders  10​​
Number of ND holders  5​​
Number of Bachelor degree holders  22​​
Number of Master degree holder  4​​
Number of PhD holders  1​​

Procedure for voting 

Voting at the polling unit will be as follows:

  1. At the polling unit, join the queue. An INEC official will check if you are at the correct polling unit and confirm that the PVC presented belongs to you.
  2.   An INEC official will confirm if your PVC is genuine using the card reader. You will be asked to place your finger on the card reader.
  3.  An INEC official will ask for your PVC and confirm you are listed in the Voters Register. Your name will be ticked and your finger will be inked to confirm you have voted. If your name is not found you cannot vote.
  4. The Presiding officer will stamp, sign and endorse your ballot paper. You will be given the ballot paper rolled with the printed side inwards and directed to the voting cubicle.
  5. Stain your finger with the ink given and mark the box for your preferred candidate/party. Roll the ballot paper in the manner you were given and flatten it.
  6. Leave the voting cubicle and drop the ballot paper in the ballot box in full view of people at the Polling Unit.
  7. Leave the Polling Unit or wait if you so choose, in an orderly and peaceful manner, to watch the process up to declaration of result.

N.B The result of each Polling Unit shall be pasted at the unit for everyone to see.

IMPORTANT: A voter living with a disability will be assisted to vote in the polling unit by a person chosen by him/her, other than a poll agent. Where available, visually impaired voters may use Assistive Tactile facilities. 

Extension of date for collection of PVC’s 

Owing to the numbers of PVC’s not yet collected at the close of the collection date, 8thFebruary, 2019. INEC has extended the collection period till the 11thFebruary, 2019. This is to ensure that the least number of people are disenfranchised from the electioneer process.

Election Tribunal:

Ahead of the 2019 elections, the new CJN,Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed, has sworn in 250 members of the 2019 election tribunals. 

Electoral reform 

The president’s signage of the “Not too young to run” Bill has serviced to revise downward the age of aspirants contesting for elections in Nigeria.  The bill, popularly referred to as the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill reduces the age qualification for President from 40 to 35; Governor from 35 to 30; Senator from 35 to 30; House of Representatives membership from 30 to 25 and State House of Assembly membership from 30 to 25.The National Assembly had passed the bill last year, altering sections 65, 106, 131, 177 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.

The process

The Oyo state gubernatorial election brief was made possible from information gathered by Onelife Initiative through Freedom of Information requests to INEC Head office (Abuja), spanning a 4-month period.

About Onelife Initiative

Onelife Initiative for Human Development is a registered non-governmental organization, working in Nigeria, using positive youth development programming amongst other tools to make social change benefit young people in society. The organization was founded in 2014 and formally registered in 2016. Over the last four years we have carried out numerous projects across 19 states of the federation, including Oyo state which is our base of operation.

Our organization has three primary focal points namely;

  • Governance and Policy Advocacy
  • Enterprise Development,
  • Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR),

Our interest in governance and policy advocacy stems from the understanding that societies rely on certain frameworks to function and government institutions regulate these. Through our governance and policy engagements, we keep government institutions on their toe by engaging with them using various strategies and interventions. Our activities on this desk include the following –

  • Voter and Civic Education
  • Freedom of Information Push and Advocacy
  • Campaigns for CRA Implementation & Advocacy
  • Youth Participation
  • Policy Briefs
  • Open Governance

 

Contact & Feedback

Address: 19 Soun Ajagugbade Avenue, Oyo state

Office line:08094232675

Facebook: @onelifeinitiative

Twitter: @onelifeng

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12:47 PM

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano State has disqualified Abba Kabir Yusuf as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Lewis Allagoa, the Kano High Court Judge, gave the ruling on Monday.

Yusuf’s candidature was challenged by Ibrahim Al-Amin Little, another PDP aspirant.

Yusuf is popularly referred to as the anointed candidate of Rabiu Kwankwaso, a chieftain of the PDP.

The governorship election is slated for Saturday, March 9, 2019.

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12:47 PM

The Forum of Presidential Candidates and Political Parties for Good Governance has advised Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to have a rethink on his decision to contest the presidential election result in court, saying he doesn't need such action 'at his age".

The group made the appeal on Monday at a press conference in Abuja.

Addressing journalists, Shittu Mohammed Kabir, the leader of the group, asked Atiku to disregard the advice of those asking him to challenge the outcome of the election in court. 

"We think he has a lot more to contribute to developing humanity and promoting peace and progress in our nation, even without holding any political office," Kabir said. "At his age, he should now avoid any action and utterances capable of farming the embers of discord, disagreement and violent conduct. Nigeria is greater than any personal or class interest."

Kabir noted that the “pattern of voting, the large turnout and county-wide endorsement of President Buhari attested to the fact that Nigerians are pleased with him, his style of leadership and performance in the last three and a half years”.

"It is on record that this forum engaged the press in the last three months to plead for caution in pursuit of our objective, to ensure that we play politics without violence, intemperate language and acrimony. We are absolutely committed to this vision, even when elections have been won and lost for the highest position in the land,” he added.

Many Nigerians, including Chief Olisa Agbakoba and General Ibrahim Babangida, have advised Atiku to shelve his plan to seek redress in court.

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12:47 PM

Mike Ohio-Ezomo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Owan West Constituency in Edo State, has been released 38 days after he was abducted.

Family sources said he was released on Saturday night to his family at a village near Owo in Ondo State, after the payment of an undisclosed ransom.

Ohio-Ezomo was said to have been abducted by suspected gunmen at his residence in Sabonginda Ora on January 23, 2019.

One of his orderlies was also killed during the attack.
 

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12:47 PM

Stakeholders in Bayelsa State at the weekend expressed concerns over the conduct of the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In a communiqué issued after a one-day interactive forum on 'Citizens Education Project for Credible and Peaceful Elections in Bayelsa State,' the stakeholders described the polls as a setback to Nigeria's quest to democratise.

The interactive session was organised by the Mac-Jim Foundation with funding from the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room and participants were made up of civil society activists, election observers, security agencies, communities and media executives, among others.

In particular, they observed that only about 20 per cent of polling units across the state opened at 11am on the day of election, attributing it to the late arrival of electoral materials and INEC officials.

The participants said the issues of card reader failure, resort to manual accreditation of voters, expired Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and wrong passwords for card readers also marred balloting in Yenagoa, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Sagbama and Ogbia Local Governments Areas of Bayelsa.

According to the stakeholders, security operatives deployed for election duties were partisan and overbearing in their conduct as they intimidated electoral officials in some areas and took possession of sensitive electoral materials. They also decried the excessive military presence in some polling units, pointing out that it discouraged high turnout of voters.

The stakeholders further noted the incidences of electoral violence during the polls in the state, which led to the death of one person in Southern Ijaw and another in Nembe with three persons critically injured.

They equally observed that INEC officials and ad hoc staff were allegedly harassed and intimidated in the course of performing their duties and compelled to do the bidding of their captors.

"Participants note the incidences of vote buying by the two major political parties in the state in the presence of INEC officials and security agents. Also, party agents and loyalists monitored and directed voters to vote for their party, which negates the Electoral Act and rendered the process not free and fair,” the communiqué added.

The stakeholders berated INEC for not managing the efficiently as significant shortcomings were recorded, and urged the commission to revisit their operation module used for the 2015 elections "in order to prevent and avoid the lapses that led to the postponement of elections on the 16th of February and the subsequent logistical challenges that trailed the rescheduled elections of 23rd February 2019”.

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10:42 AM

Workers of the Nasarawa State judiciary who were protesting for better welfare on Monday have locked in Justice Suleiman Dikko, the Chief Judge, at the premises of the state High Court Headquarters in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.

According to NAN, the National Executive Council of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria led the workers to lock in the Chief Judge.

The union also blocked the entrance to the court, preventing lawyers and other persons from entering the court.

Marwan Mustapher-Adamu, National President of JUSUN, led other members of the National Executive Council of JUSUN on the protest in Lafia.

Addressing the workers, Saidu Adamu, National Assistant Secretary of the union, explained that the union would stage a three-day peaceful protest at the court premises, adding that nobody would be allowed in or out of the court.

Jimoh Musa, the Nasarawa State Chairman of JUSUN, also said the strike was to demand better welfare for members.

Musa listed some of the demands of the workers to include stoppage of illegal deductions from salaries, payment of five years promotion arrears and conversion of staff with higher qualification.

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10:42 AM

The Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) of Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, says the management of the institution will be committing “fraud” if it goes ahead with the 2018/2019 session examination for full-time students, scheduled to March 4, 2019, despite the ongoing indistrial action of the union.

Speaking exclusively to SaharaReporters, the spokesperson of the union, Gbenga Salami, said the school management had been kicked out of the school since the commencement of the strike.

Salami added that it had never happened in the history of the institution for an examination to be planned and questions prepared from outside the institution.

“For the first time in LASPOTECH, the management is preparing exam questions outside the school; this is very bad for the reputation of the school because these questions can leak! Preparing these questions outside the institution is fraud and we want the management to note this," he said. 

Responding to reports oof the union's plans to disrupt the examination, Salami said: "No, we are not doing that. If we've been protesting all these days without sending students out of their class rooms, why would we want to send them out of examination halls?

“The management are the ones insulting the intelligence of the students by asking them to write exams in such an unconducive environment where emergency services won't be available. The students should be the ones to say no to this." 

He also accused the management of using security operatives to intimidate members of the union, and employing part-time staff to play the role of NASU during the examination process.

"They have been using all sort of security operatives and we have information from reliable sources that they also have plans to use cultists to intimidate us today, but we won't be intimidated. We have petitioned the Police to ensure our safety.

"They're planning to bring in part-time staff to do the jobs NASU members should be doing, we won't allow this and this is something that will trigger a protest while exams are still ongoing."

NASU has been on strike for about two months now over the management's refusal to increase the pay of its members as well as their demand for the reversal of an alleged de-migration of their salary structure by the institution’s management, among others.

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10:42 AM

A mass transit bus got burnt along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Monday morning.

According to persons at the scene of the incident, the fire started minutes after smoke was discovered to be coming from the driver’s side.

The passengers were said to have raised the alarm, after which they had to find ways to escape.

No life was lost in the incident, which occurred around Otedola Bridge area, and is said to be causing traffic along the Berger bridge area.

At the time of this report, the fire had stopped raging and officials were making attempts to tow the bus away from the area.

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10:42 AM

Olajide Joseph Adebola, a Kwara State governorship candidate, has debunked the claim that he defected from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to a statement by Honourable Kolawole Ajibade Gani Jase, campaign spokesman for Adebola, the report is a “cheap ploy to mislead and misinform the public”.

The party also stressed that its state House of Assembly candidates were still very much in the race for the elections slated for March 9, 2019.

The statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to a mischief being unleashed against the person of the SDP gubernatorial candidate of Kwara State, Dr Olajide Joseph Adebola. In a cheap ploy to mislead and misinform members of the general public, including our teeming party supporters, certain dubious elements have been perpetrating the ludicrous falsehood that Dr. Olajide Adebola has decamped from his chosen party, SDP, to APC.

“This malicious rumour is believed to be issued and circulated by desperate political merchants working for APC with no interest  in true 'Liberation' of  Kwara; and who are willing to do anything to stop the SDP gubernatorial  candidate from contesting the election this weekend. It is now obvious that these unprincipled personalities will not stop at any level no matter how ignoble to satisfy their selfish ends.

“Dr.  Olajide Joseph Adebola is a respectable and principled person whose political agenda is not for personal gain but for the good of his beloved Kwara State.  He will not, therefore, stoop so low as to sell the hope of Kwara's liberation for a morsel of bread. Dr. Adebola and indeed all the other candidates to the State House of Assembly seats have absolutely no intention of backstabbing their supporters by turning to any other party for personal gain. We, therefore, find the evil rumours deeply offensive and misleading.

“We urge our supporters and the general public to disregard such rumour and the rumour-mongers. We challenge party officials and members involved to be bold by coming into the open for Kwara to take them seriously. SDP remains the only political party that can offer Kwara stable, credible social, economic and political development.

“Dr. Adebola and other State House of Assembly candidates are still very much in the race. We are calling on the people of Kwara to come out in their teeming numbers to vote for SDP on Saturday, 9th March, 2019.”

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10:42 AM

Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), has said that the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) is due to take off with the sum of N55 billion.

At a parley with newsmen in Yola, Sunday night, Boss gave the figures and said "NEDC was created to address developmental challenges occasioned by the negative impact of Boko Haram activities in the North-East".

Detailing breakdown of the figure, the SGF said the sum of N10 billion was earmarked for the take-off of the NEDC; while N45 billion is the commission's budgetary allocation for the year 2019. "Gen. Paul Tarafa, who hails from Adamawa State, has been appointed to chair the commission," he added.

He said preparations for the commission's take-off were in the final stages, as "the Nigerian Senate is due to approve members of the board of management before the month of March lapses".

Mustapha further said the Buhari-led administration has taken far-reaching steps to ameliorate the suffering of the people of the North-East region ravaged by insurgency.

The steps, according to him, include the construction of dual carriage way from Abuja to Yola, through Gombe and "a standard gauge rail line to link state capitals in the region".

Mustapha also bared his mind on a wide range of issues, including the ruling party's poor performance in Adamawa State in thepresidential and national assembly elections, as well as the raging conflict within the party at the state level.

"I think the APC did not perform woefully as you have asserted. On the contrary we have done very well," he said.

"Don't forget that Atiku Abubakar, the PDP candidate, is from this state; besides, you're talking about an Atiku who has been the Vice President for eight years, with political experience spanning well over 20 years.

"I think it is only proper to commend our performance in Adamawa and to say instead, that Atiku has managed to win his home state with a slim margin of just about 30,000 votes", he said.

Boss therefore expressed confidence that his party, the APC, would retain power in the state, saying: "Let me assure you that feuding parties within our top echelons have closed ranks, and you'll see that at work next Saturday."

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10:42 AM

Adekunle Tade, a Lagos Uber driver who was declared missing by his wife in December 2018, has been mysteriously found dead in a lagoon at Lekki, Lagos State.

According to the Mrs Adeola Tade, wife of the deceased, the 38-year-old man was a victim of armed robbers who snatched his car from him at gunpoint along Ikeja airport road in December.

The late driver was said to have reported the case at the Police station nearest to the robbery scene. The following day when the husband and his friend, who is also a driver, went to inform Mrs Andry Nwokedi, the owner of the vehicle about the theft, he was detained and tortured mercilessly and his family never heard from him again until his body was found in the lagoon.

Mrs Tade said when she contacted the woman who owns the stolen car to know the whereabouts of her husband, the woman warned her not to ever "call the number again" and that she should “go to blazes”. Mrs Andry also told the wife of the deceased that her husband had jumped into the lagoon while they were taking him to the Police Station.

Meanwhile, Kehinde Olatono, the Uber driver who accompanied the deceased to his vehicle owner's house, claimed he heard some strange noise inside the house while waiting for his friend outside and that he ran to see what was happening but was shocked to see his friend being tortured on a bare floor and had to "run for his dear life”.

A close relation of the deceased, who preferred not to be named, expressed his suspicion on the claim of the vehicle owner, stating that the driver could not have jumped into the lagoon.

He said: "My suspicion is that Adekunle could not have been so daft. He could not have jumped inside the river, although the lady alleged that he ran into the river while they were taking him to the Police. There is no way he could have jumped into the river just because they are taking him to the police station. My suspicion is that he must have been beaten to a coma, possibly he had died while he was with them before they now cooked up the story.

“There is no way somebody that had been physically weakened, according to the report we have, would have jumped out of a moving car. I think it was when they had beaten him and they didn't know what to do that the woman had to go and drop the body into the lagoon."

He, however, added that "the picture of the dead body where the body was claimed to have been recovered did not look like a body that had been in water for three days."

SaharaReporters tried several times to hear the vehicle owner's side of the story so as to find out what transpired between her and Mr Adekunle Tade, but all efforts proved abortive.

When contacted, she said she did not want to talk about anything that has to do with her former driver, Adekunle.

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10:42 AM

Abiola Ajimobi, the outgoing Governor of Oyo State, can no longer attend governorship campaign events of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, SaharaReporters understands.

Ajimobi lost his Oyo South Senatorial District bid to Dr. Kola Balogun of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 105,720 votes to Ajimobi’s 92,579 votes, meanwhile the other two senatorial slots were won by the APC. To worsen matters, of the five federal constituencies in Ajimobi’s Oyo South, APC won only one, while PDP has already won three and is set to claim the fourth when the election is concluded this weekend.

APC’s woeful outing in Ajimobi’s expected stronghold has prompted protests from party leaders, with Bola Tinubu, the National leader, now personally overseeing the campaigns in a desperate bid to prevent a potential surrendering of the governorship to the PDP. And one of what Tinubu has quickly done, apart from buying off Adebayo Alao-Akala’s candidature, is to ban Ajimobi from showing up at APC governorship campaign meetings involving Bayo Adelabu, the party’s candidate.

“The belief of Tinubu and other APC leaders is that it is Ajimobi that the people are angry with — not APC — therefore he should stay away from campaign activities,” an APC source very familiar with the development told SaharaReporters.

“The fear is that Ajimobi’s appearance at Adelabu’s campaign rallies will be damaging for the party. In fact, there is a jingle of the party begging the people, explaining that Ajimobi, not the party, is the fall guy. Since the presidential and national assembly elections, Adelabu has been campaigning on his own — without the Governor’s involvement.”

In the said jingle, listened to by SaharaReporters, APC “begged” all indigenes of the state in the name of God and in the names of prominent Yoruba sons such as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Governor Bisi Akande and Tinubu. The party also mentioned President Muhammadu Buhari and Adams Oshiomhole as begging the people, and specifically censured Ajimobi for his pride in disrespecting the Olubadan of Ibadan, among many other offences.

With Alao-Akala’s withdrawal for Adelabu, Tinubu has already gained inroad into Ogbomosho, where the party could not campaign ahead of the February 23 elections.

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10:42 AM

The management of Jay FM, Jos, has suggested that the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) connived with the Department of State Services (DSS) to completely shut down its broadcast operations in the state.

This was contained a press statement by the radio station on the closure order to the station by the NBC.

Addressing the press in Jos on Monday, Clinton Garuba, MD/CEO of the station, accused the NBC of intimidating its staff with the DSS.

Clinton also questioned the state chapter of the broadcasting commission on how it “unilaterally ordered the shutdown without approval from the national body”.

He said: “The Jos zonal office only said it has been directed that the station should shut down operations. To all discerning minds, this suggests that the directive may have been handed down from above, which in itself is an anomaly. The normal and usual process would have been for the zonal office to monitor, sanction, and report to the headquarters. But where the shutdown of Jay FM Jos is concerned, there are sound reasons to doubt if that is the case. To us this is a typical case of the voice of Jacob and the hands of Esau.

“On Thursday 28th February, 2019, at about 3pm, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) stormed our premises and demanded that the Station Manager, Mr. Mangna Yusuf Wamyil, must come with them to their office. Being that the Station Manager was not available at that time, they insisted that a senior staff must go with them. Hence, they took the Head of Engineering, Mr. Ojingwa Oji, who was eventually released around 5pm the same day on the condition that the Station Manager reports to their office the following day at 10:30am.

“On 1st March, 2019, the Station Manager reported to the DSS and was questioned about the robust coverage Jay FM gave to the impasse in Jos North Local Government Area, when results of the February 23rd presidential and National Assembly Elections were cancelled in Tudun Wada/Kabong Ward, which handed the APC an advantage over the PDP. The Station Manager was later released and asked to return with me, the Managing Director, by 5pm. We honoured the invitation.

“Even though our engagement with the DSS was civil, courteous, and respectful, we wonder what connection exists between the DSS and NBC as it relates to the shutting down of our Station. It is said that when the owl hoots at night, it is instant death for the newborn baby in the morning. When DSS questions us in the morning about election coverage in Jos North Local Government Area, and NBC shuts us down in the night, there must be something connecting the two.”

The MD/CEO of Jay FM, Jos, challenged the commission to give an instance where it breached the law and guidelines of the commission.

He continued: “While announcing sanctions meted to a cross section of media houses across the country on 1st March, 2018, the Director General of the NBC, Mallam Is’haq Modibo, while referring to Bishop David Abioye’s message, said Jay FM Jos was sanctioned for inciting broadcast by a preacher who moved away from religion into the arena of politics. That is the sanction of 16th February, 2019, which we complied with immediately when the commission drew our attention to it.

“So, for the NBC to punish us for the same breach a second time amounts to double jeopardy and that is not equity, neither is it justice. However, the question will be that between the 18th of February, 2019, when Jay FM was sanctioned and the 1st of March, 2019, when Jay FM was shut down, what exactly did Jay FM air to warrant a shutdown?”

The station appealed to the commission to reopen the station to enable them partake in the coverage of the governorship and state House of Assembly election slated for March 9, 2019.

The MD/CEO added that any issue with the radio station could be “settled administratively between Jay FM and the NBC without necessarily involving a third party”, adding that he had signed an undertaking with the DSS to ensure that broadcast by the radio will continue to promote peace on the Plateau and Nigeria in general.

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10:42 AM

The Nigerian National Assembly says it would investigate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the postponement of the 2019 general election.

This was made known by Kabiru Gaya, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, on Sunday.

Gaya told State House correspondents at the weekend that INEC had no reason for the one-week postponement of the elections earlier slated for February 16. 

He also added that the postponement of the elections was responsible for the low voter turnout recorded across the country during the just concluded presidential and National Assembly elections.

He said: “We will call them, and we will investigate INEC for shifting the election because it caused poor turnout.

“We will find out the reason. If it is funding, we gave them enough funding; if it was issue of security, the security agencies were ready. So, why should INEC shift the elections? We are going to investigate that when we come back after the governorship election. But sadly, generally, they did what they could do. I could say, it’s a pass mark,” he said.

Gaya said even with the postponement of the elections, Kano State voters were able to troop out to vote massively for President Muhammadu Buhari.

“I could say that I am happy President Muhammadu Buhari is back and the election was peaceful and Kano State has delivered, even though the turnout was very poor. INEC shifted the elections and people thought that the election would be shifted again and they couldn’t come out to vote.

“We had just about 30 to 40 per cent turnout all over the country. But be that as it may, Kano has delivered. We had the highest number of votes and I think we could say that we are part of the determining factor for President Buhari’s re-election because he has really done so much for us,” he said.

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10:42 AM

Women leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State, led by Theresa Ohanuha, have cautioned Adams Oshiomhole, the APC National Chairman, not to enter the state forthwith.

This was disclosed in a communiqué issued after their protest on Saturday.

The women protested the suspension of Rochas Okorocha, Governor of Imo State, from the party by the APC National Working Committee (NWC) led by Oshiomhole.

According to the women, Oshiomhole's actions are some of the reasons Imo State experienced low turnout in the presidential election. They also noted that the National Chairman does not have moral justification to remain the party chairman after failing to deliver President Muhammadu Buhari and APC in his council and state during the February 23 elections.

They also accused the former Edo State Governor of unnecessarily attacking Okorocha because of the jealousy that he single-handedly “built the party” in the South East.

Ohanuha, who led the protesters, said: “These actions of Oshiomhole negatively affected the outcome of the recent presidential election in Imo. The suspension of the Imo West senator-elect, Governor Rochas Okorocha, on the basis of anti-party activities is unacceptable.

“We are sure that Mr. President is not aware of these events. We, the APC women in Imo State, respectfully appeal to Mr. President to call Oshiomhole to order.”
 

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