INEC issues statement on Gubernatorial polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission conducted Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections across the country on Saturday, April 11, 2015. Governorship elections were held in 29 States of the Federation, while State Assembly elections were held in 36 states.

No election took place in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). A general assessment shows that the elections went very well across the country.
According to preliminary reports, 88.9 % of polling units opened for accreditation between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. across the country. Only 5.2 % were yet to open as of 1 pm. Also, 73 % of the polling units had commenced voting by 2.30 p.m.

The process of accreditation with Smart Card Readers was also successful in a majority of the polling units. Initial challenges were recorded in Edo and Abia states, but the technical teams deployed to support the states were able to resolve the issues in a timely manner.

Overall, many parts of the country remained relatively peaceful during the elections. Some states, however, recorded a significant number of violent incidents, the most affected being Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi and Ondo States.

INEC’s records show that there were 66 reports of violent incidents targeted at polling units, the Commission’s officials, voters and election materials. These were in Rivers State (16 incidents), Ondo (8), Cross River and Ebonyi (6 each), Akwa Ibom (5) Bayelsa (4), Lagos and Kaduna (3 each), Jigawa, Enugu, Ekiti and Osun (2 each), Katsina, Plateau, Kogi, Abia, Imo, Kano and Ogun (1 each).
The Commission is investigating these incidents and will do everything within in its powers to bring culprits to justice.
INEC commends Nigerians for once again demonstrating their resolve and commitment to participate in the electoral process and by doing so, contributing to deepening democracy in our country.
The Commission calls on every citizen to maintain the peace as the results of the Governorship and State Assembly elections are being processed, and to accept the official outcomes. It would like to emphasize that winners can only emerge after collation of the official results and on the basis of the requirements prescribed by the legal framework. Any aggrieved persons or groups are encouraged to seek redress at the Tribunals.
INEC would also like to remind all stakeholders that the process is not yet completed and urges restraint in their comments, as we strive to bring this process to an orderly, peaceful and credible conclusion.

Ayo Fayose reacts to Buhari's impending victory.

Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose has described the outcome of the presidential election as the will of God and urged Nigerians to embrace it and move on. Coming from a man who had always taunted General Muhammadu Buhari, we all know this is pretty strange.

The election result is the will of God and Nigerians , and all lovers of peace, progress and development of Nigeria must accept it‎. To me, Nigerians and democracy won. I salute Nigerians, especially the great people of Ekiti state. I salute President Jonathan for laying the most solid foundation for democracy in Nigeria. And I salute Major General Buhari for being a resilience and dogged fighter.
“I urge Nigerians, irrespective of their ethnic, religious and political affiliation to respect the outcome of the election in the interest of peace, progress and development of the country. Nigeria as a country is greater than any individual or group and it is my plea that no one should do anything to rock the boat of peace in the country.”‎ He said in a statement ‎

#NigeriaDecides: General Buhari still in lead.

‎The collation of the presidential election results is still very on. General Muhammadu Buhari is still leading the polls. During the course of the event, an aggrieved PDP official, Mr Godswill Orubebe interrupted the exercise and accused the INEC Chairman. Professor Attahiru Jega of being tribalistic and bias.
He held once to the microphone, sat on the stage alleging that Jega ‎didn’t acknowledge a letter sent by his party asking him to investigate elections conducted in Kano, Katsina, Kaduna and Jigawa. ‎”‎Mr Chairman, we don’t believe in you anymore. Nigerians will not allow this.” He said.
A calm and matured Jega in his response advised the man to watch his public conduct adding that ‎he channelled his grievances through a wrong channel.  “As we are here, right now, I am yet to receive petition that I’m being accused of ignoring. I did not release results.” He said.
Collation Updates:‎
EBONYI
APC:19,518
PDP : 323 653
NIGER:
APC : 657, 678
PDP: 149, 222
LAGOS 
APC : 792, 460
PDP : 632, 327
BAYELSA:
APC: 5,194
PDP: 361,209
GOMBE
APC: 361,245
PDP: 96 873
CROSS RIVER:
APC: 28,368‎
PDP: 414, 863‎23.
RIVERS:‎
APC: 69, 238
PDP: 1, 487, 075.‎
‎Results after 23 states + FCT
APC: 10,384,899
PDP: 9,953,432
Margin: 431,467

#NigeriaDecides:General Buhari in early lead

‎The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC today summoned electoral officers to announce the results of last Saturday/Sunday Presidential elections in their states.
Incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party won in 8 states; namely Anambra, Abia,Ekiti, Enugu, Nassarawa, Plateau, Imo and FCT.
His rival, Rtd General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress party is leading the poll so far. He won in 10 states; Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Kogi, Kwara, Jigawa and Ondo.
Below is a breakdown of the two popular parties’ votes.  (From17 states +FCT‎)
APC – 8,530,969.
PDP – 6,448,210.‎

#NigeriaDecides: INEC debunks Femi Fani-Kayode's claim that the PDP leads in 23 states

The Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega has debunked a claim made by the Spokesman of the Jonathan Campaign Organization, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, that the PDP is winning the presidential election in 23 states and has scored 64 per cent.

Speaking at a press conference held minutes ago, Jega said ”I don’t know the sources of such information (that the PDP is leading in 23 states). The results have not been collated in 23 states. Fairly very few states have actually collated. In fact, only two states have been collated…. There is the need to be careful about the information being put there by people who are clearly partisan.”



Photos: Buhari, GEJ, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo at the polling units

President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife & mother arrived the Otasi Playing Ground, Unit 13 Polling Unit of Otuoke LGA, Bayelsa State for their accreditation, the registration worked after over 30 minutes. Buhari and his wife on the other hand arrived at their polling unit in Daura, Katsina at 8:39am and got accredited less than 2 minutes . His running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and his wife did their registrations at VGC, lagos.

2015 Elections: 14 offences voters must avoid

As Nigerian Elections start tomorrow, The Nigeria Police Force has urged electorates to avoid the following offences during the voting exercises.
• Casting of vote twice or more
• Announcing false election result
• Stopping any other person from voting
• Revealing information on a ballot paper of another person
• Being in possession of another person’s voter card
• Disorderly Behaviour at polling unit
• Canvassing for votes at polling unit
• Shouting Slogan of a political party at polling unit
• Being armed with guns, sticks, stones or any other dangerous weapons at polling unit
• Loitering or walking about in a poling unit
• Using siren at a polling unit
• Snatching or destroying ballot boxes or Card readers
• Holding public meeting during election hours on Election Day
• Wearing or carrying badge or poster of a political party
• Inflicting or threatening to inflict injury on any person or persons at a polling unit

Opinion: Dear politicians, we are not burnt offerings | By: Emmanuel Egobiambu

The power is in our hands to resist all appearances of political incitement by unscrupulous elements who seek to score cheap political goals because it would amount to an own goal if we succumb to their machinations
As political events heat up, it is expedient to note that the manner, in which some aspirants are going about it, leaves much to be desired. Recent reports in the media are suggesting that a violence-free general elections, is under treat.
It was widely reported that buses belonging to the PDP, were burnt in Jos while APC’s state secretariats, were attacked in Rivers state; all by yet-to-be-identified persons.  These are just a few examples of the “do-or-die” nature of campaign going on it the country.  I begin to ask myself if it is the masses that they claim to represent that they are fighting for.
Now that the elections are at our doors, attention is shifting to the masses; those who have been abandoned to their fate. They are now the goose that lay the golden egg, sort after by all.
To make matters worse, they have bought many souls who are now ready instruments of violence and heating up of the already-hot political atmosphere.
Some who may not carry guns and cutlass have taken to different means to make their points even when the language used in such is nothing but insulting and lacks simple logic.
With the advent of the internet, this is now comes with little or no restrictions, unlike the mass media. Most Nigerians have turned political strategists and campaign managers, churning out all manner of facts; real and unreal.
Since most users of the internet and new/social media are the youths and thus since they form a large chunk of the voting population, are targeted by some irresponsible politicians to become their “political hallelujah boys”.
Every single minute that passes, one is exposed to one post or the other launching assault on perceived opponents. Words traded in such posts are laden with ethnic, religious and political bias.
And the question that I ask myself is “how much have they paid them?” to carry the cross of the campaign on their shoulders even when most of the political elite care little or none about the welfare of the man on the street.
Just like a popular musician sang, “ANOTHER YEAR HAS COME AND THEY WANT MY VOTE ONCE MORE”, it is election year and political jobbers are here again.  My concern is the plight of the common man on the street that is often carried away, and incited by some power-starved politicians who want power by all means.
These politicians can go any length to “use” people, notably the youths, to power their political life. But again, I ask myself if we have not yet learnt our lessons because it seems that we forget so fast what happen to us.
These same power hungry politicians’ lure people into carrying of arms, snatching of ballot boxes and other sundry acts in previous elections, only for the victims to live with the scars afterwards.  They buy guns for us so that they can get to where they want to go, but how many of their children are in the country, not to talk of doing such?
As Nigerians, especially youths, we must begin to ask ourselves if the so called politicians that we want to kill ourselves for, truly care for us. We have been deceived for long and thus we do not wish to continue doing same thing while those we think we are working for smile to the bank at the end of the day.
Even if you share a different opinion from another, that does not warrant the shedding of blood. For how long can we continue to kill ourselves, hoping that it would be better some day? Must we slaughter ourselves while those we slaughter for, fly over us in jets to cool their head in the “tushest” of apartments abroad?
I know we want to take full part in the political process. It is our right but we must remember that where our rights end, other peoples’ own start from there. I am speaking mainly to the youths. Everyday, the pangs of unemployment, poor power supply, strikes and the likes, stare us in the face yet we want to kill, steal and destroy for them.
We have been deceived for long and need to stand up and take the bull by the horn. Nigerian youths, this is the time to take our destiny in our hands! Why should we kill and cause chaos just because of some insincere political thieves, who masquerade as agents of hope and a better Nigeria?
We are the ones that can lead this country to the heights we so desire of it, not outsiders! If we must take the bull by the horn, then we should eschew violence from our conducts.
This is a democratic setting and we must allow the free flow of opinions, irrespective of our stance. We are the future of this country, and if we are to land in the Promised Land that we are clamoring for, then violence is not the path!
The power is in our hands to resist all appearances of political incitement by unscrupulous elements who seek to score cheap political goals because it would amount to an own goal if we succumb to their machinations!
We should be thinking of issue-based campaigns and not just sitting and watch them draw us back; incite us into fighting and then leave us to kill ourselves.
Although, I commend the signing of peace pact by the presidential candidates; being the major actors, before, during and after the elections, it is good to note that it should go beyond that because we have seen agreements broken in the past and this might not be different.
The candidates must know that it is never a do-or-die affair. Nigerians, we must take our destiny in our hands, let us not allow some devils in the mode of angels to stir us into violence, because if we do, we would be the ones that would face the consequences!
To those who think they can come again with their alluring and inciting words to push us into killing innocent souls, you would only succeed if we fail to learn our lessons from the past. The time is right for us to take this country to the next level.
There is no need to kill your brother because he shares a different political point of view. Respect is earned and also reciprocal.
Credit: Y!Naija

US disappointed over postponement of Nigeria’s general elections.

The United States Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, has expressed ‎his disappointment over Nigeria’s decision to postpone her general elections.

Recall that the elections which were scheduled for Feb 14th to Feb 28th for the Presidency , State and Local Government elections  will now hold from March 23rd 2015 and April 11.



Kerry, who paid a visit to the country few weeks back stressed that, “Political interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission is unacceptable, and it is critical that the government do not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process.”

He continued, “As I reaffirmed when I visited Lagos last month, we support a free, transparent, and credible electoral process in Nigeria and renew our calls on all candidates, their supporters, and Nigerian citizens to maintain calm and reject election-related violence.”

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