Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has dismissed the claim by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that he won the presidential election in Kaduna state.

President Muhammadu Buhari was declared winner of the Feb. 23 presidential election by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) having polled 15,191,847 votes, winning in 19 states, to defeat 72 other candidates, including Atiku Abubakar, who scored 11,255,978 votes.

Buhari won in 19 states including Kaduna, Kogi, Niger and Gombe as against Atiku, who won in 17 states and the FCT to occupy the second position.

Abubakar, however, claimed he won the election in Kogi, Kaduna, Gombe and Niger states where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared were won by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Abubakar stated this in his state to state computation contained in his electoral petition filed at the Election Tribunal in Abuja.

El-Rufai told State House Correspondents that the PDP presidential candidate lost the election in Kaduna state, adding that he will always lose Kaduna, he will lose Kaduna 10 more times because he has never won Kaduna in any presidential elections.

Atiku cannot win election in Kaduna- El-Rufa'i – 02:12
— News Agency of Nigeria

Source: NAN

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano state has alleged that thugs took over the supplementary election process and described the exercise as sham.

The opposition party has therefore called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the re-run governorship election.

The Acting Chairman of the party, Rabiu Sulaiman-Bichi, told journalists in Kano on Saturday that there was need for INEC to cancel the election as the process had completely been taken over by armed political thugs.

Today this charade called re-run election was slated to hold in Kano and other states but unfortunately, what we have in Kano is nothing but a sham.

Reports reaching us since yesterday indicated that thugs have allegedly been mobilised to take over all the 208 polling units, he said.

According to him, the thugs were allegedly brought from Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Plateau and other neighbouring states and were armed to the teeth posing as voters in the polling units in the localities.

The chairman alleged that the thugs freely voted with the PVCs that did not belong to them, while some posed as INEC staff.

He said as a peace-loving party, the PDP had alerted security agencies in addition to writing a Letter of Caution to the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state on the situation. (NAN)
MTM/AMY

Source: NAN

Reports say there was low turn-out in the ongoing Governorship and State House of Assembly supplementary elections in Benue as party chieftains engaged in supremacy battle in Sokoto state.

Most polling units in Local Government Areas (LGAs) across Benue are reported to have been characterized by low turnout.

In Makurdi, Gwer, Otukpo local government areas, the turnout was poor compared to the Presidential and National Assembly polls in the state.

In some polling units there were no queues as those who came to vote were promptly attended to by polling unit officials.

Normal commercial activities were ongoing at Taraku and Aliade in Gwer East LGA, where the supplementary poll was ongoing in Mbalom council ward.

Vehicles were seen loading bags of fermented wet cassava paste (Akpu) to other rural markets for sale.

In Otukpo town, the general mood did not reflect the conduct of any election in the place.

The Otukpo motor park was as usual beehive of activities while motorcycle operators were busy conveying passengers to their destinations.

Shops and other businesses were also conducting their normal routine business activities.

Some of the voters blamed the low turnout on what they termed politicians deceitful ways.

At Magajin Gari ward B Shiyyar Danfarijo polling unit 005 and 009, where supplementary polls are taking place in Sokoto North, chaos dominated the supplementary polls.

The presence of party Chieftains, Alhaji Murtala Daniya of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and two All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains, Alhaji Abdullahi Hassan, a one-time chairman of Sokoto North LGA and APC youth leader, Nasiru Italiya at the polling center disrupted the process.

Police had to use teargas on the crowd and deployed more personnel before normalcy was restored after the election was put on hold for about three hours.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Daniya of the PDP, who was among the early voters, displayed his ballot sheet to the public, a situation that led to throwing of sand and objects at INEC officials, security men and the party chieftains.

The Presiding Officer, Mr Otu Cassius, told NAN that they reported for election duty as early as 7 a.m and that screening and voting commenced simultaneously as there were no hitches with the card reader.

Cassius, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, said the processes were well untill the incident.

A PDP agent at the polling unit, Alhaji Bashiru Abdulkadir told NAN that it was right for Daniya to publicly display what he voted because even a presidential candidate did it after voting in the just concluded presidential election.

However, the APC agent Muntari Muhammad opposed the position, stressing that it violated electoral laws and said he had lodged a complaint to the authorities.

Voting went smoothly at Sarkin Yaki Polling unit 008 in Sarkin Musulmi Ward B and Danhilin Hubbare polling unit 004 also in Sarkin Musulmi Ward B in Sokoto North LGA.

Source: NAN

By Tukur Muntari/Kano

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has dismissed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)s allegation on the importation of political thugs from neighbouring states.

The Acting State Chairman of the PDP, Rabiu Sulaiman-Bichi, had at a news conference alleged that the ruling APC in the state had imported thugs from some neighbouring states.

The APC state chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, dismissed the allegation while addressing a news conference in Kano on Saturday.

He said the allegation against the ruling APC was not only untrue and unfounded, but a calculated attempt to dent the image of the party and the state government.

How can we bring or invite people from other states to come to Kano, while we have people here, considering the population of Kano, he said.

Abdullahi called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disregard the call for the cancellation of the re-run governorship election and ensure that the election is concluded.

We are calling on INEC to ensure the successful completion of the exercise.

It is unfortunate that the PDP chairman called for the cancellation of the election, while the election is still ongoing.

This is a clear indication that they are afraid of losing the election, otherwise, why should he call for the cancellation of the election, he said.

According to him, the All Progressives Congress (APC) had done its homework by mobilising its supporters to come out and vote.

The APC chairman, however, called on the residents to remain calm and await the announcement of the final results.

Source: NAN

The European Union(EU) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to strengthen Nigerias democracy and unify its people, in line with the 2019 Abuja Peace Accord.

The EU made the plea in a letter formally congratulating President Buhari on his re-election as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The union expressed its willingness to work with Buharis government.

In a letter dated March 22, 2019 and jointly signed by Donald Tusk for the European Council and Jean-Claude Juncker for the European Commission, the Union said:

On behalf of the European Union, we would like to congratulate you on your re-election as the President of Nigeria.

We look forward to your leadership in strengthening democracy and uniting the country in line with the principles and spirit of the 2019 Abuja Peace Accord, and the EU is willing to work with your government to follow up on the recommendations of our Election Observation Mission.

The European Union also reiterated Nigerias important position in world affairs and the Union especially.

What happens in Nigeria matters to the rest of the world, including to Europe. Your commitment to an inclusive government offers an opportunity to take Nigeria forward in a way that meets your objectives of strengthening the economy, fighting corruption and improving security.

The European Union has always partnered with Nigeria and its people. We look forward to continued and increased cooperation on bilateral and international matters, the statement said.

The Union wished President Buhari more successes in promoting peace and prosperity for all Nigerians as he enters the new mandate.

United States, China, Britain, AU and many governments had sent letters of congratulations to President Buhari.

Source: NAN

Anthony Michael, a Deputy Inspector-general of Police has debunked social media reports of killings in Gama ward in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano during the supplementary election on Saturday.

DIG Michael blamed the social media for spreading the fake news. According to him, the story was the fabrication of the social media.

There was no such incident or arrest of some people in the any part of state because the security arrangement was in order, he said at a press briefing.

We have not witnessed any incident because voting went on in almost all the polling units smoothly.

There has not been report of any incident of thugs taking over polling unit. If thugs occupy any polling unit definitely INEC officials will not be there to conduct election,he said.

Michael said the Police Command arrested 10 suspected thugs for allegedly carrying weapons In the metropolis.

Some human beings were arrested in the early hours of today (Saturday) by our men and they were found in group with some weapons like sticks and other things,he said.

He said investigation into the matter was ongoing as as soon investigation was concluded they would be charged to court.

Source: NAN

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Ibeju-Lekki state constituency I, Mr Fatai Mojeed, as winnerin Saturdays supplementary election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC conducted supplementary election in nine polling units of Ibeju-Lekki State Constituency I for the Lagos State House of Assembly seat.

The commission had declared the March 9 House of Assembly election in the constituency inconclusive because of over-voting in the nine polling units covering two Registration Areas (Ward) of the constituency.

Prof. Rasheed Ojikutu the Returning Officer for the Ibeju-Lekki State Constituency, announced the result for the state house of assembly election at the Collation Centre located in INEC office in Ibeju-Lekki council at about 6:30 p.m.

Ojikutu of Department of Actuarial Science and Insurance, Faculty of Business Administration, University of Lagos, first reeled out scores of each political party on March 9 election, before reeling out total votes in the supplementary poll.

According to him, on March 9 election, APC polled 8,525 votes and PDP scored 1, 786, SDP got 63, ADP scored 54 votes, Accord got 50 votes, AD polled 59 votes while other political parties scored less than 40 votes each.

The returning officer said that, at the conclusion of the election, Mojeed polled a total of votes 9,484 to defeat his closest rival from the Peoples Democratic Party, Mrs Tare Oliver who got 1,901 votes.

I, Prof. Rasheed Kola Ojikutu, hereby certify that I was the returning officer for the constituency I of Ibeju-Lekki in the election held on the 23rd Day of March 2019.

I declare that Mojeed Fatai Adebola of APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes is hereby declared the winner and he is returned elected, Ojikutu said.

According to him, at the end of the election, Accord Party scored 51 votes, AD polled 60 votes, ADC polled 26 votes, SDP got 64 votes, AAC polled 27 votes, ADP got only 55 votes while others got less than 10 votes each.

Ojikutu said that the total registered voters was 122, 442 while the total accredited voters for the election was 12,245.

The party agents took turn to sign the results.

Earlier, Dr Adeola Afonja, the Collation Officer for Ibeju Ward I announced the scores obtained by each of the parties in the six polling units where supplementary election was held in the ward.

According to Afonja, APC polled 520, PDP scored 43 votes, ADC got 2 votes, Accord and ADP got one vote each while other parties got less than 0 vote.

She said that the total registered votes of the six polling units where the supplementary election took place was 3989.

Afonja added that the total accredited voters was 592, total valid votes was 567, rejected votes was 22, while the total Vote cast was 589.

Earlier, also, Dr Ijeoma Patience, the Collation Officer for Iwerekun I reeled out the scores obtained by each of the parties in the three polling units where supplementary election was held in the ward.

According to her, APC polled 439, PDP scored 72 votes, while other parties got less than 2 vote 2.

Patience said that the total registered voters of the three polling units where the supplementary election took place was 8,722

She added that the total accredited voters was 529, total valid votes was 521, rejected votes was 8, while the total vote cast was 529.

NAN reports that out of 12, 711 registered voters in the nine polling units, only 1,118 voters came out to vote in the supplementary election.

Speaking to NAN, Prince Wasiu Elemoro, Candidate of PDP for Ibeju-Lekki Federal Constituency described the election as being far better than the previous polls.

Elemoro said that the supplementary election was free, fair and peaceful.

Also speaking, Mr Rasak Alatishe, the APC party agent at the collation centre, commended the peaceful conduct of the voter, expressing satisfaction with the outcome, which Mr Femi Asia, his counterpart from the PDP party agent corroborated.(NAN)

After being declared winner, Mojeed, who could not hide his joy, thanked the people for the trust repose in him and promised not to disappoint the people but rather improve on all he had been doing. (NAN)

Source: NAN

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Ibeju-Lekki state constituency I, Mr Fatai Adebola Mojeed, winner of the election.

With the victory, the APC has secured all the 40 seats in the state house of assembly.

Mojeed, a current member of the assembly, was declared the winner on Saturday after the conclusion of the supplementary polls in nine polling units in the constituency.

The commission had declared the March 9 assembly election in the constituency inconclusive, because of over-voting in the nine polling units, covering two wards of the constituency.

Prof. Rasheed Ojikutu the Returning Officer for the election, announced the result for the state house of assembly election at the Collation Centre located in INEC office in Ibeju-Lekki council at about 6:30 p.m.

Ojikutu, of the Department of Actuarial Science and Insurance, Faculty of Business Administration, University of Lagos, first announced the scores of each political party on March 9 election, before reeling out total votes in the supplementary poll.

According to him, in the March 9 election, APC polled 8,525 votes and PDP scored 1, 786, SDP got 63, ADP scored 54 votes, Accord got 50 votes, AD polled 59 votes while other political parties scored less than 40 votes each.

The returning officer said that, at the conclusion of the supplementary election, Mojeed polled a total of votes 9,484 to defeat his closest rival from the Peoples Democratic Party (NAN) Mrs Tare Oliver who got 1,901 votes.

I, Prof. Rasheed Kola Ojikutu, hereby certify that I am the returning officer for the constituency I of Ibeju-Lekki in the election held on the 23rd Day of March 2019.

I declare that Mojeed Fatai Adebola of APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes is hereby declared the winner and he is returned elected, Ojikutu said.

Accord Party scored 51 votes, AD polled 60 votes, ADC polled 26 votes, SDP got 64 votes, AAC polled 27 votes, ADP got only 55 votes while others got less than 10 votes each.

Ojikutu said that the total number of registered voters was 122, 442 while the total accredited voters for the election was 12,245.

The party agents took turns to sign the results.

Earlier, Dr Adeola Afonja, the Collation Officer for Ibeju Ward I, reeled out the scores obtained by each of the parties in the six polling units where supplementary election was held in the ward.

According to Afonja, APC polled 520, PDP scored 43 votes, ADC got 2 votes, Accord and ADP got one vote each while other parties got no vote.

She said that the total number of registered votes of the six polling units where the supplementary election took place was 3,989.

Afonja added that the total number of accredited voters was 592, total valid votes 567, rejected votes 22, while the total number of votes cast was 589.

Also, Dr Ijeoma Patience, the Collation Officer for Iwerekun I, gave the scores obtained by each of the parties in the three polling units where supplementary election was held in the ward.

According to her, APC polled 439, PDP scored 72 votes, while other parties got 2 votes.

Patience said that the total number of registered voters of the three polling units where the supplementary election took place was 8,722

She added that the total number of accredited voters was 529, total valid votes 521, rejected votes 8 and total vote cast 529.

NAN reports that out of 12, 711 registered voters in the nine polling units, only 1,118 voters came out to vote in the supplementary election.

Prince Wasiu Elemoro, candidate of PDP for Ibeju-Lekki Federal Constituency described the election as far better than the previous polls.

Elemoro said that the supplementary election was free, fair and peaceful.

Mr Rasak Alatishe, the APC party agent at the collation centre, commended the voters for their peaceful conduct.

He expressed satisfaction with the outcome.

Mr Femi Asia, the PDP agent concurred with Alatishe.

After being declared winner, the APC candidate Mojeed, thanked the people for the trust reposed in him and promised not to disappoint them.

Source: NAN

The ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Ekiti made it a total sweep in the House of Assembly election as it won all the 26 seats available.

The party clinched the last seat for Ekiti East (1) Constituency on Saturday after the supplementary election.

The party also won all the House of Representatives and Senate seats, declared in February.

According to the latest result, as announced by Asiqua Chika, the INEC Returning officer, Adegbuyi Oluwajawa of APC polled a total votes of 5,484, to defeat his closest rival, Fajana Ojo Ade of PDP who polled 3,258 votes.

Other results are; Oludayo Roland, ADC, 529; Oguntomole Femi, ADP, 24 and Balogun Yetunde, DA, 02.

The rest are Omokan Adewole; PPN, 0, Florence Ojo, SDP, 03 and Ayeni Adebayo, ZLP, 0.

Source: NAN

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has challenged the order of a Federal High Court in Abuja, ordering it to stop the collation of the governorship election results in Bauchi State.

Mr Festus Okoye, INECs National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education said the commission has filed a motion on notice`, challenging the jurisdiction of the court in granting the order.

The motion has not been taken. Until that motion is taken, the court order barring us from collating the result of Tafawa Balewa area subsists, he said.

Although Okoye told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, that the commission has stopped the collation of the governorship result, he said the collation process would continue in the state assembly elections in the affected areas.

On Tuesday, a Federal High Court in Abuja barred INEC from resuming the collation and announcement of governorship election result in Bauchi.

Justice Inyang Ekwo issued the order following an ex parte application filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Bauchi state Governor, Mohammed Abubakar.

The commission has already taken a decision. The order is from a properly constituted court of law, so we complied.

We have fully complied with the court order in relation to collation of the governorship election for Tafawa Balewa local government area, he said

He said the commission would conduct supplementary elections in areas not affected by the order of the Federal High Court.

INEC initially declared the governorship election in Bauchi, along with the elections in Benue, Plateau, Sokoto, Kano and inconclusive.

It also announced that supplementary elections would take place on 23 March. But in a sudden twist, INEC said it would no longer hold supplementary elections in the contentious Tafawa Balewa Local Government, where it said the result of the poll on March 9 was torn by an armed gang. INEC also said it has appointed a new returning officer for the council and that collation would resume on Tuesday.

INEC said a fact-finding committee headed by Okoye recommended that the results of polling units in the council should be upheld and then cancelled the planned election in the council.

INECs volte-face angered the All Progressives Congress candidate and the incumbent governor, Muhammed Abubakar and his party.

There were accusations about denial of fair hearing by the Okoye committee and that the committee was compromised because Okoye has some relationship with some PDP leaders, such as Speaker Yakubu Dogara

Source: NAN