10th April, 2011
Uyo
PDP has recorded an early lead in the National Assembly elections in Akwa Ibom State, winning four out of the five federal constituency results so far announced.
As at the time of going to press, results from two senatorial districts, Ikot Ekpene and Eket and four federal constituencies are still being awaited.
Election was postponed to April 26, 2011 in Uyo senatorial district and Ukanafun/Oruk Anam because the logo of Labour Party was not printed on the ballot paper.
Already, the INEC REC says she has received several petitions mostly from ACN candidates complaining about irregularities in the elections.
She says the commission is already looking into some of the allegations made by the complainants in their petitions.
Meanwhile, election in most parts of the state was generally peacefully.
Despite the light rain that fell for most part of the day, voters turned out en masse as early as 7:30am at various polling units in two of the three senatorial districts and nine out of the 10 federal constituencies in the state.
The resident INEC commissioner had earlier announced that elections will not take place in Uyo Central Senatorial District and Ukanafun Oruk Anam Federal Constituency because the logo of Labour Party was not printed in the ballot paper in the two areas.
In most parts of the state visited by our reporter, election materials arrived at the polling station at about 8am. The early arrival of the material was necessitated by the decision by the state INEC to send 95 per cent of all election materials to the various units a day before the election.
There was an unconfirmed report of two voters killed by military personnel at one of the polling units but the police public relations officer in the state, Mr. Onyeka Orji and the REC debunked the claim, saying their independent investigation showed that the incident was a mere rumour.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, however, affirmed that some youth corps members posted to some election units were harrassed and intimidated by some unidentified people.
Election was cancelled in Ibiono Ibom Local Goverment because some miscreants were alleged to have made away with ballot papers meant for the unit.
Election was cancelled in Eastern Obolo where some youths in the community were said to have carted ballot papers away.
In Nsit Ibom Local Goverment, some youths alleged that the local council chairman Elder Joshua went about various polling units with mobile policemen harrassing ACN supporters and openly campagning for PDP candidate in the area.
When our report later confronted the council boss over the allegation, he denied the allegation, saying he was only at the polling unit to cast his vote.
This is the actual figure of results announced so far for four federal constituencies between ACN and PDP; Uyo – ACN 41436, PDP 32979; Ikono- ACN 6987, PDP 36459; ITU-IBIOMO – ACN 16028 PDP 38253, ETINAM – ACN 19831 PDP 30576
— Henry ojelu
Osun
The Action Congress Of Nigeria, ACN has won all the three senatorial seats and eight Federal House of Representatives seats in Osun State in the National Assembly elections held across the state yesterday. .
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in Osun State announced the result this afternoon in Osogbo, Osun State amid tight security.
The state has nine federal constituencies, but elections into Ife Federal Constituency was postponed till 26 April because the logo of the Accord Party was missing on the ballot papers to be used for the yesterday’s poll in the area.
In the Osun East Senatorial District result announced the ACN won the election with total votes of 119,852. Its candidate Babajide Omoworare trounced Peoples Democratic Party’s Iyiola Omisore who scored 51,315 votes.
Other results are: Accord Party-1,175; Labour Party-1,078; AD-826; CPP-813; NSDP-514; ANPP-403; DFPF-354;NCP-204; APGA-188; JP-142
In Osun Central Senatorial District, Professor Olusola Adeyeye of ACN scored a total of 129,527 votes to defeat the immediate governor of the state, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola of PDP who scored 49,001.
Other results are Accord Party-7,789; Labour Party-2,780; ANPP-2,310; CPP-782; NSDP-573; NCP-235; APGA-224; Justice Party-169.
While Mudashiru Hussein of ACN scored a total of 121,971 votes to defeat Senator Isiaka Adeleke of PDP who scored 77,090. Other parties scored: Accord Party-5,492; CPP-1,355;NSDP-778;Labour-510;ANPP-377;JP-357;APGA-282;NCP-268.
Also ACN won all the eight House of Representatives seats announced. They are: Odo Otin/Ifelodun/Boripe Federal Constituency: ACN-36,894; PDP- 19,720;Accord-3,337;AD-585;SDMP-351;APGA-221;NCP-179.
Boluwaduro/Ifedayo/Ila Federal Constituency: ACN-18,684; PDP-7,596;Labour-4,313;Accord-632;AD-255;ANPP-172;JP-71.
Ede North/South/Egbe Federal Constituency: ACN-46,989; PDP-28,184,Accord-4,775;CPP-627,NSDP-355,JP-162;NCP-155.
Atakumosa East/West/Ilesha Federal Constituency: ACN-52,148; PDP-5,546;Labour-1,293;Accord-408;JP-173;NSDP-167.
Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency: ACN-22,142; PDP-18,005;ANPP-822,NCP-240.
Irepodun/Olorunda/Oshogbo Federal Constituecy: ACN-72,203; PDP-19,210;Accord-2,603;ANPP-1,053;Labour-997;APGA-275. Ayedade/Irewole/Isokan: ACN-37,199; PDP-16,616;Accord-3,595;CPC-1,149,Labour-421;NCP-363. Aiyedire/Iwo/Olaoluwa: ACN-38,026; PDP-22,008; CPP-1,413;Labour-852
In a message, the state governor thanked the people of the state for the confidence reposed in his party and promised a total revolution in the state.
“As the Broom Revolution Sweeps all political garbage and junks out of legislative corridors, and shall sweep clean all gubernatorial relics from the corruption-ridden corridors of executive power, as well as the Presidential Villa. I salute all progressive forces, particularly the change-hungered masses who made this political revolution possible and would not be pacified until a new Nigeria emerges from the ashes of political buccaneers,” Aregbesola said.
… 5 Killed
Yoruba Movie star and Action Congress of Nigeria Candidate for House of Representatives in Ife, Osun State, Rotimi Makinde narrowly escaped death as unknown gunmen attacked his residence in Isale-Agbara, Iremo Quaters, Ile-Ife, Osun State early yesterday.
While Makinde was lucky, it was not so for a 74-year-old Pastor, Idowu Akinola and four others as they were murdered inside a church, K&S Teminioluwa Parish right beside his premises.
P.M.NEWS gathered that the incident happened at about 2 a.m while some of them were in the church for a vigil.
According to one of the indigenes who pleaded anonymity, the gunmen had stormed Makinde’s residence and shot sporadically into the building.
“Some of the victims were in the ACN candidate’s house. When the shooting became too much, they had to scale the fence of the building and ran into the church to seek refuge. But they were pursued into the church where a vigil service was on and the gunmen opened fire on everybody in the church including Baba Akin (the Pastor),”the source said.
Speaking with P.M.NEWS at the spot of the incident, Makinde said the attack was barbaric and never expected that some people, out of the inordinate ambition for a position, could snuff life out of another person. He put the blame on the doorsteps of the leading opposition party, which is bent on causing trouble in the state, so that the state of emergency can be declared in Osun.
“I was lucky to have escaped the assailants. The incident of this morning (Saturday) was a fall-out of the cancelled election of 2 April. The temporary results counted in some places where the voting were completed pointed to the direction the pendulum will swing. And this became apparent that the loser wouldn’t want the election to continue, so they resorted to violence,” Makinde said.
He added that he had earlier gone into hiding immediately he started receiving threat messages from the camp of a certain prominent politician in Ile-Ife after that suspended election.
“I reported the threat to the State Commissioner of Police. And considering his assurance, I came out of hiding. But never knew this people will be so mean like this, to the point of entering a church to kill innocent people,” he lamented.
Meanwhile speaking with P.M.NEWS, the State Commissioner of Police, Peter Gana said the state CID is already investigating the murder.
— Funshoarogundade/Ile-Ife
Ogun
The speaker of the House of Representatives and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Ogun State, Dimeji Bankole has lost his seat to the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Olusegun Samuel Williams.
Bankole lost his Abeokuta Federal Constituency by 23,103 votes to Williams’ 28,490 votes.
The People’s Party of Nigeria, PPN, candidate, Ogundimu Afolabi came third with 3,924 votes.
Another upset is the defeat of Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, the daughter of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo.
Senator Iyabo, who contested on the platform of the PDP in Ogun Central Senatorial District, lost to Gbenga Obadara of ACN.
While Obasanjo-Bello polled 56,372 votes, Obadara polled 102,389 votes followed by PPN candidate who won 27,182 votes.
ACN won all the three senatorial seats in Ogun State, Kamar Akinola Odunsi of ACN defeated Chief Tunde Fadun of PDP and Waliu Taiwo of PPN in the Ogun West Senatorial District.
PDP also lost the Ogun East senatorial election to the ACN candidate, Gbenga Kaka. Kaka won by 76,543 votes against PDP’s 52,613 votes polled by Tayib Adetunji Odunoye.
Meanwhile, Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Ogun State, Southwest Nigeria, had the upper hand in the two polling booths located inside African Grammar School, Oke Sokori, Abeokuta, in front of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s family house.
The former president and his daughter, Sen. Iyabo voted there.
ACN had 118 votes in the polling booth where Obasanjo voted while PDP had 64 votes. PPN had just 5 votes.
In the second polling booth, ACN had 194 to PDP’s 85. As at 5.10pm yesterday, counting of votes was concluded in all the polling booths visited in the Abeokuta metropolis.
Officials of INEC were seen collating the results which were announced to everyone present.
Accreditation of voters started on a cautious note in Abeokuta around 8.45am in some polling units. INEC officials arrived early today in most of the polling units compared to what happened last Saturday.
Visits to polling units in Oke Ilewo, Panseke, Odegbami Way, Olorunsogo, Ibara, Obantoko, Ita Sokori, Ago-Oba, Adatan, Adigbe,Ita Oshin, Ita Eko, palace of Olubara, MKO Abiola Way, Ita Iyalode,Lafenwa and others showed that accreditation started with a low turn out of voters.
Later, many voters started trooping out due to mobilisation embarked upon by party agents around 11am. By 11.48 am, most of the polling booths visited were bristling with activities.
Sen. Ibikunle Amosun told P.M.NEWS at Ita Iyalode that he had to send out his agents to mobilise the people to the polling booths when he discovered that they did not come out.
He said most voters claimed that they did not know that election will take place.
Former governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba also spoke with P.M.NEWS at his residence on Housing Way, Abeokuta and accused INEC of not providing enough materials in areas bordering both sides of the Abeokuta Expressway where ACN has its supporters.
He called on INEC to address these lapses in subsequent elections.
Security was tight in Abeokuta with soldiers and mobile policemen mounting roadblocks in strategic parts of the town.
The exercise was largely peacefully except for a report by Amosun that someone tried to snatch the ballot box in his ward but was arrested.
— Lanre Babalola & Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
Rivers
President Goodluck Jonathan has condemned the bomb blast in Suleija,Niger State,pledging that the Corps members who died would be treated as martyrs, just as he expressed satisfaction at the conduct of the National Assembly election shortly after voting at Ward 13 at Otuoke in Ogbia local Government area of Bayelsa State.
Governor Chibuike Amaechi, of Rivers State also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC , for the transparent and honest manner of the electoral process adopted by the commission for the National Assembly election.
The Governor gave the commendation at Unit 8, Ward 14 at Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government shortly after voting with his wife, Judith, at about 2.25pm today.
Amaechi appealed to politician s to give the people free hand to choose who they want to lead them and would engender peaceful polls across the country.
Governor, however observed that INEC should think seriously about the time voters spend at the polling units. “The only problem I have is long hours spent at polling units from accreditation to the time of voting; otherwise we could just adopt Option A4.â€
Our Correspondent who monitored the election reports that the polls in Rivers and Bayelsa state were generally peaceful and had large turnout of voters.
Amaechi and his cousin,Celestine Omehia, a former governor that the courts ousted for Amaechi are governorship candidates of All Grand People Alliance,APGA and Peoples Democratic Party,PDP respectively.
— Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcout
Edo
In Edo state, results released this morning has shown the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in clear lead against the other political parties in the National Assembly election conducted Saturday in the state.
Though the entire results have not been released, in Edo North Senatorial District, the ACN candidate, Domingo Obende led Yisa Braimoh, a sitting Senator by 111,535 to 65,264.
The result in Edo South Senatorial District had not been released officially as at the time of filing this report, but PM NEWS can confirm that the ACN candidate in the District, Edobor Uzamere is leading with a large margin against Senator Daisy Danjuma, wife of the former Minister of Defence, Theophilus Danjuma.
In the 35 units of the Edo South senatorial district visited yesterday, PDP only won five while the ACn won in the remaining 30.
Also in the Oredo Federal Constituency, Razak Bello-Osagie who is the House of Representatives candidate for the ACN, polled 31,039, while Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama of the PDP scored 9,263 votes. Jeffery Imanuagbena of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) polled 209, the Congress for Progressive Change candidate for same position, Shaharazu Usman, polled 1,068 and Sunny Aguebor of the Labour Party (LP) polled 1887.
In the Etsako Federal Constituency, the ACN candidate, Abubakar Momoh, polled 52,657 against the PDP’s Abbas Braimoh who polled 24,129.
The ACN candidate for Orhiomwon/Uhumwode Federal Constituency and sitting member of the House of Representatives, Samson Osagie, this morning called informing press men that he had won in the constituency. he however did not mention the exact figure.
The election which started late in some of the polling units across the state, had begun with excitement on the part of the candidates. But as voting began, most of the candidates resigned to fate.
For example, in Eyaen Primary School, where Daisy Danjuma voted, she was there as early as 7 a.m. She also ensured that the voters were not hungry as she gave each of them, who came to her N2,000.
When the counting of the ballot papers commenced, Mrs. Danjuma, who was earlier bubbling with life became spiritually dead. She left the polling unit before the completion of the exercise.
In Edo North, the Governor of the state, Adams Oshiomole, was fully on ground to ensure that his One Man, One Vote mantra was strictly adhered to.
He drove himself throughout the day till his dream to deliver the district was actualised.
When PM NEWS contacted the PDP state Vice Chairman, Dickson Imasogie, though agreed that the election was peaceful in the state, he said his party lost a youth leader in the early hours of Saturday.
The youth leader whose name could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report, was said to have been murdered by unidentified gunmen in the house of another PDP chieftain in the state.
Mr. Imasogie also accused the ACN and the state governor of inducing the people with money.
According to him, the process leading to the election had shown that the PDP would win, but “between Monday when the election was defered and Saturday when it held, the governor had pumped more money into the campaign to ensure that only the ACN candidates win.
But the people of the state have denied the allegation maintaining that they decided to vote for the ACN because they appreciated the governor’s good works in the state.
What could the PDP government in the state do in the last 12 years that Oshiomhole has not surpassed in the last two years?,†asked a voter, who gave his name simply as Omoregbe.
“The success of the exercise is the result of intense campaign and enlightenment of the voters across the state who have now shown their love for him.”
Before the elction, Oshiomhole, who has executed enough projects to draw praises from the people, had led the campaign informing the entire Edo people that a vote for any of the ACN candidate is a vote for him.
This showed in some of the polling units where the voters did not even bother who the ACN candidate was. All they did was to thumb-print on the ACN logo because according to them, they were voting for the governor whether he was in the race or not.
Other candidates who judged the election as peaceful in the state include the PDP House of Representatives candidate for Egor/Ikpoba Okhar Federal Constituency, Ifaluyi Isibor, former Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly and PDP member, Levis Aigbogun.
— Eromosele Ebhomele
Oyo
Although the National Assembly elections were concluded yesterday in Oyo State apart from the two local governments where elections for the House of Representatives were postponed, results are still being awaited as at the time of filing this report.
This might have been as a result of the late commencement of elections in many polling units in the state as it was gathered that elections continued till late hours of yesterday. As at 10am today, results of the elections were still being expected in some collation centres while collation of the results that have come in is on-going.
It will be difficult at this point to predict the result of the elections as three political parties in the state namely: Action Congress of Nigeria, (ACN), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Accord were slugging it out.
Though, the margin at which these three parties won in some polling units are very slim but while ACN won in some polling units, it was either Accord or PDP that won in the others.
There was a case where ACN led PDP by just two votes.
Nevertheless, there are strong signals that later this afternoon, the result should have been ready and announced as journalists besieged various collation centres for the result. However, despite the fact that there was a great improvement in the National Assembly election in Oyo State as against last Saturday’s botched election, there were still some hitches in the electoral process.
While accreditation and voting commenced as scheduled in most polling units at Lagelu, Ibadan North, Ibadan South West, Egbeda, accreditation and voting started very late at Ibadan North East due to late arrival of INEC officials and ballot papers. It was worse in Ward 11 unit 12 and 13 at Islamic Primary School, Bode where the INEC officials did not bring ballot papers until 3:30pm after which accreditation has been concluded before 12pm and this made voting to be closed at 6pm. Also in Ward 18-20 at Bode Wasimi, Bashorun, voting commenced after 3:30pm due to the fact that INEC official brought ballot papers around 3pm. As at 3pm, there were no ballot papers at Idi-Ape, Ibadan North East.
Another major irregularity that characterized the election was complaint of missing names in some units. Among the areas with this problems are: Unit 20 ward 12, Felele straight, Ibadan South East Local Government, ward five unit seven, ward 12 unit 10 in Agbowo, Ibadan North West, ward 11, unit one, Ibadan North East, ward six, unit four, Ibadan North, Ibadan South West, ward seven, unit eight and ward two in Otu in Oke-Ogun.
There was a low turnout at Ibadan North West and South West due to confusion as to which of the election was cancelled between Senate and House of Representatives or whether voting was to take place at all in the two local government areas.
Another serious allegation was that of inadequate ballot papers as it was recorded in Lagelu ward one unit one where 550 ballot papers were confirmed to have been given to the unit where 1600 voters registered. It also happened at ward two Igbojaiye area under Itesiwaju Local Government Areas in Oke-Ogun area of the state where 200 ballot papers were given and 250 were accredited for the election out of 500 voters that registered at the unit.
There was allegation of under age voting at ward eight Akinyele and Oke-Ado Market.
However, the election was generally peaceful apart from pocket of crisis as some hoodlums were arrested at Orita-Challenge, Adeoyo Area, Iwo Road and Mobil Ring Road and they currently at the custody of the police.
Meanwhile voting was said to be peaceful at Ogbomosho , Oyo town and Oke-Ogun apart from few crisis recorded as a result of delay in the arrival of ballot papers.
Applauding the conduct of the election were; Chief Femi Lanlehin, a Senatorial candidate of Oyo South, Jumoke Akinjide, a senatorial candidate of the Oyo Central constituency and ACN leader in Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina who stated that the election was peaceful and orderly.
Chief Lanlehin said, “The accreditation was good. What we are witnessing today is as a result of correction made by INEC going by major problems that occurred during the last botched electionâ€.
Alhaji Lam simply stated, “Everything is working. The whole process is working well. The security is working well, the INEC process is working well’.
Akinjide in a chat said the Nigerian electorate is getting more discerning as, according to her, people seemed to be voting according to their assessment of the candidate and not on party or other sentiment.
— Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan
Imo
The INEC in Imo State led by Prof. Selina Okoh, the REC, is keeping journalists in a the dark on the election outcome. As at 2 p.m. today no official was available to brief the press on the situation. Policemen and soldiers patrolled the streets of Owerri, the capital.
In the confusion, supporters of PDP and opposition APGA are claiming victory. Generally, the election yesterday was marred by ballot snatching, delayed voting and violence.
Accreditation started around 2.00 p.m in most centres in Owerri.
— Tokunbo Olajide/Owerri