Ballot Snatching: Buhari’s Comment Not License To Kill – NLC

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February 23, 2019

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says “President Muhammadu Buhari’s comment on dealing summarily with ballot snatchers or arsonists in upcoming elections is not a license to kill”.

President of the Congress, Mr Ayuba Wabba, stated this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja. According to Wabba, the president’s comment to deal summarily with ballot snatchers or arsonists is not a license to kill. It is intended to deter trouble makers.

NLC INSIST ON STRONG INSTITUTIONS

Wabba called on Nigerians to avoid violence during the Presidential and National Assembly elections across the country on Saturday saying that as Nigerians go to the polls, they must exhibit the finest traditions, highest values, utmost sense of responsibility and unflagging patriotism in them.

“The moment of truth has come and we must of necessity perform our civic duty in FULFILLMENT of our beliefs. Our conduct will reveal our true identity, betray our intentions and test our claim to nationhood. We, therefore challenge you the candidates, politicians, supporters, security personnel and INEC to be of utmost good BEHAVIOR and ethical standard. You are also to conduct yourselves with civility, humility, truth and abide by the rule of law”

He said that people should remember that nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of anybody. He urge politician to know note that they cannot hold political offices without peace or country.

“We therefore urge all Nigerians to prevent violence noting that we are going to the poll and not war.”

Wabba call INEC to be fair, impartial and just, to all parties or contestants in the conduct of the election.

He called on the electorate to vote according to their consciences and beliefs and not according to primordial or sectarian sentiments or emergency seductions.

I was Forced to submit ballot papers for massive thumb-printing – Corper

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February 20, 2019

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A member of the National Youth Service Corps, Ashimom Msuguhter, who also served as an ad hoc official of the Independent National Electoral Commission, has discredited the election that took place at his unit in Nasarawa State on Saturday

Msuguhter, who describes himself as “NYSC Doctor at Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital Lafia, Nasarawa State,” said out of 900 registered voters at the polling unit, the card readers were able to authenticate only 15 persons, while all the others voted without being accredited.

The corps member said in a Facebook post that he was forced to hand over ballot papers to persons who thumb-printed the papers for a particular party.

He said he regretted ever working for INEC, as his life was put in danger. Msuguhter said,

“This is the last time I’d be doing this bullsh** INEC ad-hoc nonsense.

“Having disenfranchised myself in the name of ad-hoc staff, I was almost thoroughly beaten. I was cowed into submitting the bulk of ballot papers for mass thumb-printing.

“Well, I filled the incident form and I hope the result would be cancelled.

“I’m just angry with everything, most especially for getting involved in the first place. No one forced me, actually.

“First, this card reader rubbish should be quashed in subsequent elections. The whole aim has been defeated.

“Out of about 900 registered voters in my unit, the card reader could authenticate only 15. The rest had to do manual accreditation, which opened more room for rigging. Quite sad!”

While calling on the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to resign, the corps member said the election of Saturday was not as good as that of 2015, which was superintended by Prof. Attahiru Jega.

He said rural areas are known for rigging and this has continued to undermine Nigeria’s democracy. The corps member said,

“This Prof. Mahmood has to resign immediately after this elections and apologise to Nigerians. The extra one week he got did not prove anything different. In fact, he’s made Jega’s INEC much more coveted.

“As of 11am, we had not seen materials, the people were already agitated, thinking we were compromised… They started threatening to descend on us… Luckily, we escaped that.

“Because we reported late at the polling unit, we were forced to extend the voting time till around 7.30pm.

“When it was dark, these people requested for the remaining ballot papers, that is the tradition of the polling unit not to return ballot papers to INEC… Before we knew it, the atmosphere became very tense.

“The short of it is that we allowed them to do their wish, but I pray the result is canceled.

“The fact is, most of the rigging is done in the rural areas. There, there is no electoral law, anything goes… Party agents do the voting for people and you don’t dare talk.

“We must penetrate the grassroots if we must overcome this plague.

“I’m glad I returned safely.”

Many Injured In Attack On Kwankwaso’s Convoy In Kano

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February 20, 2019

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Many people reportedly sustained injuries in an attack on the convoy of Rabiu Kwankwaso, a senator representing Kano central, on Thursday. According to Abdullahi Haruna, police public relations officer in the state who confirmed the incident which happened at Kofa village in Bebeji local government area of Kano.

Kwankwaso, a former governor of the state, was said to have led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members to the area for a campaign rally when suspected thugs attacked his convoy. Details of the attack are sketchy. The former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has a huge following in Kano, a stronghold of the ruling party.

His Kwankwasiya movement flooded the Sani Abacha stadium in the ancient city with crowds when Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the PDP, campaigned in the state two weeks ago.

Ganduje Dollars of Kano Can’t Give Buhari 5m Votes

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February 20, 2019

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IN DETAIL: Ganduje Can’t Give Buhari 5m Votes… What We Learnt From PVC Figures

Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano, cannot statistically deliver five million votes to President Muhammadu Buhari in his state as he earlier promised.

An analysis by TheCable of the latest statistics released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shows that while Kano has 5,457,747 registered voters, only 4,696,747 collected their biometric cards. If every voter in Kano were to vote for Buhari, Ganduje would still miss his target by 303,253 votes.

Buhari got 1.9 million votes in 2015 and has always won in the state since 2003 when he first contested in the presidential election.

In Lagos, there are now over 1.7 million fresh PVC holders — the highest increase across the country. In 2015, a total of 3,799,274 PVCs were collected in Lagos, compared to 5,531,389 in 2019.

INEC’s updated statistics gave the exact number of PVCs collected across Nigeria as of February 11 as 72,775,585 out of 84,004,084 registered voters — meaning 86.63 percent collection rate.

In 2015, there were 68,833,476 registered voters and 56,431,255 cards collected, representing 81.98 per cent collection rate. The overall percentage of collected PVCs increased by 4.65 percent point.

The electoral body had earlier released the number of registered voters per state.

LAGOS IS KING

In the state-by-state breakdown of the number of collected PVCs, Lagos tops the list with 5,531,389 people ready to cast their votes. This figure is followed by Kano with 4,696,747 and Kaduna with 3,648,831.

Ekiti state recorded the lowest number of collected PVCs with just 666,591, followed by Bayelsa with 769,509. Both states also have the lowest number of registered voters.

According to the commission, there are 11.2 million uncollected PVCs. Lagos also has the highest number at 1,038,902, followed by Kano with 570,115.

Katsina has the highest percentage (98.69%) of collected PVCs while Ogun state has the lowest (71.36%).

INCREASE IN COLLECTION ACROSS STATES — EXCEPT IMO, JIGAWA

All states recorded an increase in the number of registered voters and PVC collection, except Imo and Jigawa states.

In 2015, 1,803,030 voters were registered in Imo while 1,707,449 PVCs were collected. However, in 2019, the state had 2,272,293 registered voters but only 1,702,178 PVCs collected — a decrease of 5,271.

In Jigawa, 1,831,276 voters were registered in 2015 and 1,757,658 PVC were collected. However, in 2019, the state recorded 2,111,106 registered voters while 1,625,721 PVC were collected — 131,937 less.

The percentage of collected PVCs in the states also increased excluding eight states—Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Imo, Jigawa, Kadua, Sokoto and Zamfara states.

PDP Advice To Voters: Don’t Be Scared of Buhari’s Order

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February 20, 2019

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People Democratic Party (PDP)

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged voters not to be afraid of the shoot-on-sight order by dictator Muhammadu Buhari against would-be ballot box snatchers.

Ailing President Muhammadu Buhari had, on Monday, ordered the military and other security agencies to deal ruthlessly with anyone caught snatching ballot boxes during tomorrow’s presidential and National Assembly elections.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, urged Nigerians to remain focused and not to be intimidated as they go out to cast their votes.

Uche Secondus who describe the President’s directive as a ploy to manipulate the result of the elections, further said:

“When the President threatened the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the elections were rescheduled, the intention was to frighten and cow them into playing along with the All Progressives Congress (APC) agenda.

“When they harass, arrest and block bank accounts of the opposition stakeholders, what they want is to win at all cost.

“When they drag military institutions into politics, the aim is obviously to destroy that institution the way they are doing to the legislature and the judiciary. But I urge you Nigerians to refuse to be intimidated or provoked but remain focused and fix your eyes on the ball, which is victory for PDP that is coming on Sunday”.

The chairman appealed to stakeholders in the election, particularly INEC, security agencies and political party agents, to remember that the election is about Nigeria.

“This election is about rescuing this country. It’s about sustaining our democracy.”

The chairman of the Strategy Committee of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Osita Chidoka, said that the world was watching Nigeria and urged voters to be patient, peaceful and tolerant.

He urged Nigerians to demonstrate to Africa and the world that the country is irrevocably committed to democracy, transparency and the rule of law.

Chidoka said the PDP had learned its lessons from previous elections and so determined to give Nigerians the confidence that their votes, as expressed at the ballot, will count. He said:

“Local and international observer groups have set up various models of vote tabulation that will enhance the credibility and validity of the election.

“All parties have had the privilege of reviewing the official PVC system’s potential to scientifically and statistically validate the election within an acceptable margin of error.”

According to him, the PDP is fully prepared to resist intimidation, extrajudicial procedures and partisanship on the part of security agencies.

2019 Poll: I’ll Wait For INEC To Declare Result and Not Depend On Rumours – Buhari

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February 20, 2019

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President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he will wait for the formal results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission on the outcome of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly polls, instead of relying on rumours.

He told the Nigerian Television Authority in Abuja shortly on arrival in Abuja from Katsina, his home state, where he spent the weekend to participate in the election.

“I don’t want to depend on rumours, but we will rather wait for INEC to announce the results”,

Speaking further, he said, “Well, l hope that Nigerians will appreciate that it was this government which made sure that they were allowed in security and peace to cast their votes for whichever party and candidates they wanted.”

The results rolling in from the 36 states show a tight race between the President and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar.

Elections: Opposition Parties Pass Vote-Of-No-Confidence On IG, COAS

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February 20, 2019

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…CUPP petitions EU, UK, US

cupp president — Imo Ugochinyere CUPP President

Opposition political parties under the aegis of the Coalition of United Political Parties have passed a vote-of-no-confidence on the acting Inspector-General Police, Mohammed Adamu; and the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, ahead of the Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections. They based their position on alleged intelligence that the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Presidency have perfected plans to rig the elections through the skewed deployment of security forces and using them to deny the people their will to choose their leaders.

The coalition’s national spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere, made the position of the opposition parties known in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Thursday.

Copies of the statement were also submitted to the British High Commissioning Nigeria, United States Embassy in Nigeria, European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS as well as the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission.

Ugochinyere claimed that part of the strategy to be adopted is for security agents to shoot any citizen who tries to stop them from rigging the election and subsequently label such person as ballot box snatcher so as to escape any liability.

Other strategies to be used to compromise the elections, he said, included intimidation and harassment of voters, blocking of opposition agents from collation centres, arrest of opposition leaders, party agents and journalists among others.

He cited some photographs trending online depicting policemen and soldiers in open show of partisanship as some of the proofs that the nation’s security forces have been compromised.

He said, “It is based on the foregoing that the Nigerian opposition hereby passes a nationwide vote-of-no-confidence on the Acting Inspector-General of Police and the Chief of Army Staff.

“Both officers have shown without doubt that they are card-carrying members of the APC by the actions they have taken so far.

“Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai has been promised that he would continue in office as the Chief of Army Staff if the President wins despite his tenure being extended for years after he was due for retirement.

“The Inspector-General of Police has a similar promise also and has been sucked in.

“This option is the only available rigging option now for the APC. We have busted all their previous plots and are still going to smash this one.”

Ugochinyere boasted that there is nothing Buhari and his party can do to escape defeat in the coming elections.

He added, “President Buhari is desperate; he knows defeat is staring him in the face. He has only himself to blame for frittering away the massive goodwill of the people. He will be defeated and there is nothing he can do about it.

“Hence, he has turned the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Police into the most potent threats to free and fair elections in Nigeria.

“Having so emerged, we call on the international community to hold the duo of the Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector-General of Police personally responsible for the loss of innocent lives during the election by reason of them directing their men to execute the unlawful, undemocratic and draconian orders of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“President Buhari is waiting to cut the last string of democracy in Nigeria. Citizens must rally to protect democracy. Voters must wait at the end of voting for counting of votes and declaration of results and must escort the result sheets to the collation centres.

“They must deploy the Opposition Code 20 to the fullest. Any armed intruder sighted at any polling unit and interfering with the electoral process is on illegal mission and must be resisted and stopped from carrying out their dastardly actions.”

Ugochinyere further claimed that the opposition parties are in possession of evidence that Army and police commanders in many states, including Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Kwara, Imo, Delta and Benue, have been holding strategy meetings with APC leaders in those States on how to undermine credible elections.

“People’s power must triumph over the wicked people in power. Defeating President Buhari at the ballot is a patriotic duty Nigerians must carry out and there is no margin of error,” he concluded.

Galadima Says He is APC Member, But Remain Atiku’s Spokesman

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February 20, 2019

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A spokesman for the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, Buba Galadima, says he is still a member of the All Progressives Congress.

Galadima, who was a guest on Channels TV’s programme ‘The Verdict’, said he remained a member of the All Progressives Congress and was still leading a faction of the party known as the Reformed APC.

He made the clarification when the anchor, Seun Okinbaloye, introduced Galadima as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The former National Secretary of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, added, “I am still in the APC, but a spokesman for the PDP presidential candidate.”

Galadima, who is a former associate of President Muhammadu Buhari, added that he was sure that Atiku would defeat the President in Saturday’s elections.

He said the Peoples Democratic Party had ruled almost all northern states in the past and it would be naive to rule out the party.

Galadima said the huge turnout of supporters for Atiku in Kano and other areas of the North showed that Buhari was not as popular as he was in 2015.

He alleged that the APC in Kano had to hire persons from Niger Republic to boost the number of their supporters at its rally.

“Atiku Abubakar is the next President of Nigeria, Insha Allah.

“Nigerians are for us, irrespective of religion and tribe.

“If the elections are fair, Atiku will emerge the winner on February 23,” he said.

Buhari Defeats Atiku With Over 130,000 Votes In Lagos

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February 20, 2019

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President Muhammadu Buhari has won the Presidential election in Lagos state, defeating Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with a 132,798 vote margin.

The margin was lower than the 160,143 votes with which Buhari defeated Jonathan in 2015 in the state. In 2015, Buhari polled 792,460 votes, while Jonathan got 632,327.

In the latest results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Yaba, Lagos, on Monday afternoon, Buhari polled 580,814 votes to beat Atiku, who got 448,016 votes.

While Buhari won in 15 local government areas of Lagos, Atiku won in five councils.

The result:

Ibeju/Lekki LG

APC: 12,179
PDP: 9,222

Lagos lsland LG

APC: 27,452
PDP: 7,396

Apapa LG

APC-18,170
PDP-11,295

Ikorodu LG

APC: 40,719
PDP: 21,252

Epe LG

APC: 17,710
PDP: 13,305

Ikeja LGA

APC: 23,638
PDP: 21,518

Badagry LG
APC: 21,417
PDP: 17,936

Agege LG
APC: 36,443
PDP: 16,497

ETI-OSA LG

APC: 20,963
PDP: 25,216

Ifako Ijaiye LG

APC: 33,419
PDP: 18,100
AAC: 674

Mushin LG

APC: 43,543
PDP: 20,277

Oshodi/lsolo LG

APC: 29,860

PDP: 28,806

Lagos Mainland LG

APC: 22,684
PDP: 15,137

Ojo LG

APC: 24,333
PDP: 29,019

Surulere LG

APC: 30,621
PDP: 31,603

Somolu LG

APC: 28,418
PDP: 21,978

Kosofe LG

APC : 39,216
PDP: 28,715

Amuwo-Odofin

APC: 16,670
PDP : 34,312

Ajeromi Ifelodun

PDP: 31, 971
APC: 28,153

Alimosho

PDP: 44,461
APC: 65,206

Nigerians Slow Down On Childbirth – Fashola

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February 20, 2019

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‘It’s Not Everytime You Score Goals’ — Fashola

Asks Nigerians To Slow Down On Childbirth

Tunde Fashola, minister of power, works, and housing, has called on Nigerians to slow down on childbirth.

The minister, who was a former governor of Nigeria’s most populated state, Lagos, said any culture that encourages birth without control is a culture that is unproductive.

Speaking at Babatunde Raji Fashola (BRF) Gabfest 2019, Fashola said: “We have to manage our numbers; if your income is not growing, you can’t just be having children, and it is a conversation we must have as a nation, its a serious conversation”.

“If truly we agree that there is poverty, that there is unemployment, then there must come a time as a people, we must have consensus and say ‘let’s slow this down a little bit’ so that we can deal with those who are here.

“Otherwise, those who are coming in are coming into poverty. That is not such a difficult matter to agree on. So you guys out there who are still doing that business, please slow it down.”

The minister said he has not asked Nigerians to stop giving birth, but he has only requested that they slow it down.

“Just slow it down, I didn’t say stop it. Abimbola and I stopped this business 18 years ago, so it’s not every time you have to score goals. But we need to control these numbers,” Fashola added.

“And those who say culture, that culture is an unproductive culture, it is a culture that will tie us down in backwardness, and we have to leave it behind. If you can manage 20, by all means, go ahead.

“But if your resources can manage two and you go and have 10, ah, we leave that matter. We have to confront these things, they have held us back for too long.”

Nigeria currently has a population of about 198 million people, estimated to exceed 400 million by 2050 — based on current growth levels.

Nigeria’s population grows at about three percent annually.

Ballot Snatching: Buhari’s Comment Not License To Kill – NLC

NLC INSIST ON STRONG INSTITUTIONS

I was Forced to submit ballot papers for massive thumb-printing – Corper

Many Injured In Attack On Kwankwaso’s Convoy In Kano

Ganduje Dollars of Kano Can’t Give Buhari 5m Votes

PDP Advice To Voters: Don’t Be Scared of Buhari’s Order

2019 Poll: I’ll Wait For INEC To Declare Result and Not Depend On Rumours – Buhari

Elections: Opposition Parties Pass Vote-Of-No-Confidence On IG, COAS

Galadima Says He is APC Member, But Remain Atiku’s Spokesman

Buhari Defeats Atiku With Over 130,000 Votes In Lagos

Nigerians Slow Down On Childbirth – Fashola

Asks Nigerians To Slow Down On Childbirth

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