Nigeria witnessed the conduct of another election in two states of the country this past weekend. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), constitutionally saddled with the responsibility of conducting elections in the country, declared David Lyon as elected in Bayelsa State for his first term as governor and returned Yahaya Bello for his second term in office. A re-run senatorial election for Kogi West Senatorial district, primarily between Senators Dino Melaye and Smart Adeyemi, was declared inconclusive.
As almost expected, lives were lost and lessons are yet to be learnt. All stakeholders involved in the electoral processes could (and should) have done better. If democracy is to truly take root in Nigeria, all hands must be on deck, starting from the INEC to the electorates.
In Bayelsa State, less than 4 days to the election, news filtered into town from the Courts that the deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the election, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, has been disqualified for giving false information in a form submitted to the INEC. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had taken both the governorship and deputy governorship candidates of the APC to Court over false information in their submitted forms to the INEC. Two days after, the Courts disqualified the APC from taking part in the election based on the conduct of its primary. Justice Jane Inyang gave the ruling in a case filed by Heineken Lokpobiri, one of the APC governorship aspirants. The Appeal Court, sitting in Port Harcourt ordered a stay of execution to allow the APC participate in the election.
According to the results announced by INEC, the APC convincingly won the Bayelsa polls. If I know anything about Nigerian politics, the last hasn’t been heard from the Courts. Starting from the opposition contesting the election to the in-house rancour of the APC, shocker(s) await stakeholders. David Lyon wouldn’t consider the INEC announcement as the permanent seal of his victory; atleast, in my opinion.
Kogi’s is shameful. From the unwarranted loss of lives to the destruction of properties, enough can’t be said of the sham interested parties made of the election. I, for one, think the result announced by INEC may not have truly reflected the wishes of the people. And that’s condemnable. For how long would we keep doing this?
The party office of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was allegedly burnt on the orders of the governor; the governorship candidate of the SDP, Natasha Akpoti, said that much. She even went as far as saying Governor Bello gave the order to have her kidnapped and at other time, killed.
Although a candidate in the election, Yahaya Bello is the sitting governor. He’s supposed to be the Chief Security Officer of the State. But, when the Chief Security Officer is accused of being the brain behind unrest in an area, you can imagine the level of decadence that has perverted the land. He allegedly won and was returned elected. Not a few have reservations.
The Kogi West Senatorial election was declared inconclusive. Election results from 53 polling units in the senatorial district was cancelled. Senator Smart Adeyemi is reportedly leading Senator Dino Melaye with over 20000 votes. The total votes that could be obtained from the area is over 43000. The Law makes provision for an inconclusive declaration in case the difference in the votes between the candidates is less than the votes obtainable in the cancelled areas, and can swing the tides in favour of another; that’s the case here.
Election shouldn’t be a ‘do-or-die affair’. No man’s ambition is worth the death of another. The loss of lives and properties, especially in Kogi, was avoidable. Now that the elections are over, those who have lost loved ones and properties will be left to count their loss(es); this shouldn’t be the norm. Nigeria can do better. And, definitely. It’s now over to the Courts and the judiciary as a whole; hopefully, they wouldn’t get entirely perverted as other arms of government. Just hopefully.
Details have emerged of the meeting between former President Goodluck Jonathan and some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa on Monday, November 18.
The leaders of the party which just won the election, said their visit to Jonathan and his wife, Patience, was because of the importance of the former president to the effective governance of the state.
The leaders of the APC were led to Jonathan by a former governor of the state and current minister of state for petroleum, Timipre Sylva. At the meeting was the state’s governor-elect, David Lyon.
It was learnt that at the meeting, the APC top officials said they recognised Jonathan as the father and leader of the state.
According to Sylva, Jonathan deserves to be respected and honoured by all Bayelsans, irrespective of the political party they belong.
He said this was the reason Lyon was brought to the former president for his blessing and guidance.
“Being a former president of the country and a past governor of the state, Jonathan remains an asset to the state and his inputs will always be needed to advance the course of governance in the Bayelsa.
“As such it was important for us to introduce the governor-elect to him and seek his support and guidance in building a better Bayelsa,” Sylva was reported to have said. In his response, Jonathan urged governor-elect Lyon to focus more on the welfare and interest of the people of the state not minding whether they voted for him or not.
“As a former president of Nigeria, I am a father to all Bayelsans, hence my doors are open to all citizens irrespective of their political affiliations.
“Elections are over now, so I want you to see yourself as the governor of all Bayelsans and not only to the sections that voted for you. This is the way to move Bayelsa forward,” Jonathan said.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has officially declared the incumbent governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, as the winner of last Saturday’s election.
Governor Bello polled 406,222 votes to defeat his closest rival, Engineer Musa Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party, who polled 189,704 votes.
The Returning Officer, Professor Ibrahim Umar on Monday made the announcement after getting the results of the remaining two Local Government Areas; Ibaji and Lokoja, where Governor Bello was in the lead.
He said, “Bello Yahaya Adoza, having scored the highest number of votes is hereby declared the winner and therefore returned.”
It should be noted that the PDP refused to sign the results as declared by the Returning Officer.
There are unconfirmed reports that Davido has been arrested in Dubai for allegedly inflicting injuries on a supposed fan’s head.
According to the reports on Twitter, the victim had reportedly approached an already tipsy Davido in an elevator. Things didn’t go as planned as the music star got infuriated and broke a bottle on the victim’s head.
The police were called in, immediately and the music star was arrested while the victim was rushed to the Kuwait hospital in Deira. Davido and his team are yet to react to the allegations levelled against him.
However, the singer took to his Instagram page on Sunday, November 17, 2019, where he shared a photo of himself in a private jet.
Davido was however, spotted in London on Sunday, November 17, 2019, in London at Mayorkun’s concert. The singer performed alongside Mayorkun who is signed to his record label.
Let’s just say Davido will be controversially ending the year if this story has any iota of truth. This is not the first time Davido will be getting into trouble in Dubai. Recall the time he had a fight with Wizkid and his crew in the city in 2017.
However, music executive, Soso Soberekon has taken to social media to slam claims of the arrest down also. He wrote “Arrest? Lol davido is on his way to London to support his artist mayorkun”
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State, David Lyon, has emerged winner of the governorship election held on Saturday.
Lyon, who won in six of the state’s eight local government areas, defeated his closest rival, Senator Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Diri won in two local governments.
Lyon’s victory marks the first time the PDP would lose a governorship election in the state since the nation returned to democracy in 1999.
The Chief Returning Officer, Prof. Faraday Orumwense, had after he released the result of the Ekeremor Local Government Area, which was the last being expected by INEC on Monday night, promised that the final result would be made public before 1am on Monday.
Orumwense made good his promise as he announced that Lyon polled 352,552 votes to defeat Diri, who polled 143,172 votes some minutes after 1am.
Lyon was declared winner in six out of the eight local governments announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission at the Prof. Mahmood Yakubu Media Centre in the state commission’s headquarters in Yenagoa, the state capital.
The six local government areas won by the APC are Brass; Nembe; Ogbia, Southern Ijaw, Ekeremor and Yenagoa while the PDP won in the Sagbama and Kolokuma/Opokuma local government areas.
In the Sagbama LGA, Bayelsa East Senatorial District, the APC polled 7, 831 votes while the PDP scored 60,339 votes.
The result from Nembe LGA, Bayelsa East showed that the APC garnered 83,041 votes while the PDP polled 874 votes.
In the Kolouma/Opokuma LGA, Bayelsa Central, the APC scored 8,934 votes while the PDP scored 15,360 votes. In the Brass LGA, Bayelsa East, the APC got 23,831 votes while the PDP polled 10,410 votes.
The APC scored 24,607 votes in Yenagoa LGA in Bayelsa Central, while the PDP got 19,184 votes.
In the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Ogbia LGA, Bayelsa East, the APC defeated the PDP candidate by garnering 58,016 votes while Diri polled 13,763 votes.
In Southern Ijaw Local Government, the APC candidate polled 124,803 votes while his rival got 4,898 votes.
Lyon also defeated Diri in Ekeremor LGA by polling 21,489 to the PDP’s candidate’s 18,344 votes.
But while Lyon and the Bayelsa APC were already celebrating, the Kogi State APC and its governorship candidate, Governor Yahaya Bello, would have to wait till after 10am today for the final result.
This is because INEC postponed the announcement of the results of governorship elections to Monday.
The Returning Officer for the Kogi State governorship election, Prof. Ibrahim Umar, said the postponement was necessary because INEC was still expecting results from Ibaji and Lokoja LGAs while that of Dekina needed clarifications.
But before the postponement, the electoral umpire had declared results of 18 out of the 21 local government areas.
Out of the 18 LGAs results, Bello won in 10 while his closest rival, Musa Wada of the PDP, won in eight LGAs.
With the results released by INEC, Bello who is the candidate of the APC in the Saturday governorship poll in the state, had polled 365,135 votes while Wada had 151,566 votes.
Bello won in the Ogori/Magongo, Ijumu, Kabba/Bunu, Adavi, Okene, Okehi, Mopa Moro, Olamaboro, Kogi, and Ajaokuta local government areas.
Bello polled massive votes in his stronghold, the Okene Local Government Area of Kogi Central Senatorial District, polling 112,764 votes against Wada’s paltry 139 votes in the area.
The governor also scored 64,657 votes in the Adavi Local Government Area of the Kogi Central Senatorial District against Wada’s 366 votes.
In the Ogori/Magogo LGA, Bello also won with 3,679 votes while Wada had 2,145 votes.
The governor also triumphed in the Ijumu LGA of the Kogi West. He scored 11,425 votes against Wada’s 7,587 votes.
In the Omala LGA, where the recently sworn-in deputy governor of the state, Edward Onoja, comes from, the governor lost to the PDP candidate, scoring 8,473 votes while Wada scored 14,403 votes.
In the Kabba/Bunu LGA where the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Matthew Kolawole, hails from, Bello won with 15,364 votes defeating Wada who polled 8,084 votes.
The governor also won in the Okehi LGA, where the candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the election, Natasha Akpoti, hails from. The governor scored 36,954 votes,Wada polled 478 votes, while Akpoti scored 3,095 votes.
In Yagba East, Wada won with 7,546 votes against Bello’s 6,735.
In the Yagba West, where the Secretary to the State Government, Folasade Ayoade, comes from, the PDP won with 8,860 as against Bello’s 7,868 votes.
Results in the Mopa Moro LGA, where Bello’s Director-General on Media and Strategy, Kingsley Fanwo, comes from, was also close with Bello scoring 4,602 votes against Wada’s 3,581.
But in Idah, Wada polled 13,962 votes against Bello’s 4,602. In Ajaokuta, the APC scored 17,952 votes with the PDP scoring 5,565 votes. The PDP also lost in the Korto LGA. Its candidate scored 9,404 against Bello’s 14,097.
But in the Olamaboro LGA, Bello garnered 16,876 votes to defeat Wada, who polled 8,155 votes
Democracy is earning the power to govern through free, fair and credible elections. Nigeria is a democratic state, but the leadership recruitment process is largely undemocratic. Material and financial inducements determines victory, the security agencies are political, and the umpire lacks the capacity and will to conduct credible polls. Public sovereignty is departing the ballot for court as the 2019 general elections produced about a thousand petitions. Subjecting almost every electoral victory to judicial confirmation is making voting lose its essence. Like every human, judges are prone to errors as much as they have a preference. Hence, their verdicts can’t always be a true reflection of the people’s will. Several mandates have been mistakenly or deliberately upturned. Parties and candidates must strive to end their contests at the polls, instead of the court.
Nigerians hope for this as the people of Kogi and Bayelsa state elect a governor on 16 November 2019. Over 40 parties fielded candidates, but the contest is a two-horse race between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). APC’s David Lyon is slugging it out with PDP’s Duoye Diri in Bayelsa state. In Kogi, PDP’s Musa Wada and SDP’s Natasha Akpoti is challenging incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello of the APC. On the sideline, PDP’s Dino Melaye is facing APC’s Smart Adeyemi in the Kogi-West senatorial rerun. This piece foretells the outcome of the elections.
Bayelsa State
Bayelsa is a riverine, less populated state of about 2.5 million persons, eight local governments, and 923,182 registered voters. Unfavourable judicial pronouncements have practically made winning an unattainable height for APC in Bayelsa state. The party’s deputy governorship candidate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, was disqualified on November 12 for providing false information in his nomination form. On November 14, the court invalidated David Lyon’s candidacy on account that the governorship primary that produced him was improperly conducted. APC miraculously got a stay of execution at the Court of Appeal a few hours after Justice Jane Inyang of Bayelsa High Court gave the ruling.
Is Nigeria’s legal system so flexible that appellants can get a stay of execution the same day judgment is delivered? Did the trial judge err by granting reliefs not sought by Heineken Lokpobiri, the plaintiff who originally prayed to be declared candidate?
In any case, APC is back on the ballot and the poll won’t be a walkover for PDP. The former made an impressive performance in the last general elections and may increase the beat. From scoring a meagre 5,000 votes in the 2015 presidential poll, APC garnered over 118,000 votes in 2019. While one may argue that the party got more votes because a Bayelsa indigene wasn’t on the ballot, as in 2015, the progression is a testament that APC is making waves in Bayelsa.
Ethno-regional balance of power would earn PDP votes. The party’s primary generated resentment, but drastic measures were taken to address the impasse. Diri and the immediate past speaker of the state assembly, Tony Isenah hails from Kolokuma Opokuma. Agitations were rife that the region cannot produce governor and speaker, while Southern Ijaw, the second-largest voting population, held no key position. To calm frayed nerves, Governor Seriake Dickson and other PDP leaders forced Isenah out for Monday Obolo. The move has brightened PDP’s chance in Southern Ijaw, the APC candidate’s homeland.
A major setback for the PDP is an intra-party crisis. Governor Dickson backed Duoye Diri, against the wish of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan and other bigwigs. Diri’s candidature was actualized through the Restoration Group, the dominant PDP faction in the state-controlled by Dickson. Diri pulled 561 votes, while Jonathan’s preferred candidate, Timi Alaibe, scored 365 votes in the primary. Efforts to make Dickson concede the deputy governorship ticket to Alaibe’s faction failed. This made several PDP stalwarts decamp to APC and other parties. Gabriel Jonah, the incumbent deputy governor’s younger brother led the Otita Force group out of the PDP to APC. Some of the defectors have returned and PDP also won some APC decampees.
Recurring conflict of interest broke the cordial relationship between Dickson and his godfather, Jonathan. The latter wants to keep calling the shot, but the former feels he has come of age. Dickson is having his way as the party structure is firmly under his control. Many allege the Jonathans are working against PDP’s victory. Ex-first lady Patience reportedly attends an APC rally and the husband visited President Buhari within the same period. Politics is an interest-driven game, hence it is not impossible, but most unlikely that Jonathan would support APC. This is premised on the manner the party has disparaged him since he lost power in 2015.
Every governor wants to install a successor and Dickson is no exemption. He is striving to enthrone Diri to protect himself from probe and prosecution. Bayelsa’s development is incommensurable with the federal allocation and internal revenue Dickson has accrued. His government spent mammoth funds on less impactful schemes. For instance, the Bayelsa International Cargo Airport was constructed at a prodigious rate, while the population is lacking basic amenities.
Ex-governor Timipre Sylva’s appointment as Minister of State for Petroleum has energized APC in Bayelsa. Sylva hopes to raise his political clout by capturing the state. Poised to bring honey out of the rock, Sylva will use federal might and fund for APC, but the party will not sail through. The 2019 Ameachi-Rivers scenario would most likely occur. Sylva would predictably incapacitate PDP bigwigs, flood the state with armed officers, and do all legally and illegally possible to enthrone APC. Yet the party would lose. PDP is more formidable despite the intra-party crisis and shortcomings of the Dickson administration. Duoye Diri (PDP) would win the election.
Kogi State
‘Your Excellency’ is a title Nigerian elites admire and do all possible to acquire. Struggle for the coveted position of governor has made Kogi the violence capital of Nigeria lately. The 2019 governorship poll will go down in history as the fiercest in the state. Yahaya Bello (APC) and Musa Wada (PDP) are not aiming for second and Natasha Akpoti (SDP) is waxing strong. They are campaigning aggressively, spewing unfulfillable promises, and going all out to win the heart of the 1,646,350 registered voters.
Kogi APC had a good outing in the 2019 general election. The party won two of the state’s three senatorial seats, and seven out of the nine House of Representative seats. While this is a pointer that APC is on course for victory, it may lose the governorship election for fielding an unpopular candidate. Bello’s track record shows he’s not deserving of governorship or any other position. He is bereft of ideas, non-tolerant, arrogant, and violent. His address during campaigns are basically hate speeches and threats, rather than a presentation of his scorecard and manifesto.
Another minus for Bello is his style of governance. He ruled Kogi like a conquered territory. His mindset is too shallow to accommodate opposite views and criticisms. You either agree with him or be hounded. He has, at different times, been embroiled in conflict with the labour union, university staffs, and the state’s Chief Judge. Bello also has issues with his former deputy, Elder Simon Achuba. He withheld Achuba’s allowances and honoraria and influenced his unconstitutional removal from office.
A major impediment to Bello’s reelection is the non-payment of salaries in the civil service, salary-dependent state. Bello has no tenable excuse for owing as he accrued over N300 billion internally generated revenue and federal allocation within 38 months of his administration. Yet workers were unpaid and no landmark project has been commissioned. The state is enmeshed in poverty, unemployment, insecurity and underdevelopment.
Sadly, the funds that should have been used to better Kogites lot would be apparently used for vote-buying. The federal government has aided the practice by releasing N10 billion project-executed repayment fund to Bello three days to the election. It’s upsetting Buhari’s anti-corruption centred government released the fund at a time it would most certainly be used for election purposes.
Vote-buying shouldn’t be aiding poor-performing politicians to victory, but most Nigerians are descendants of Esau, the biblical character who sold his birthright for a plate of porridge. Pecuniary gain makes many praise-sing and reelects failed governments. Kogi people won’t act differently. Many would vote the poor performing governor after receiving peanuts. Vote-buying is not a one-party affair. PDP also induce voters and will do so again in Kogi.
Ethnic politics reigns supreme in Kogi. The population often deliver bulk votes to their tribesmen, irrespective of party. Igala tribe has a numerical advantage and principally determines who carry the day. In 1999, Abubakar Audu won the governorship election under the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, defeating PDP which had better structures at the time. Igala people are domiciled in Kogi East and constitute over half of the state’s voting population. PDP’s Wada and the APC deputy governorship candidate, Edwin Onoja are Igala natives.
If ethnic voting occurs, Wada would win as Bello hails from the less populated Ebira tribe. Onoja’s influence won’t earn APC majority vote; Igala people would rather be first than play second fiddle. Moreover, Wada’s allies are conversant with the tactics of winning elections in Kogi state, especially Igala land. The PDP candidate is the brother of ex-governor Idris Wada and in-law of ex-governor Ibrahim Idris.
Bello is hoping to harvest Ebira votes in Kogi Central, but Akpoti is a pain. The budding politician’s fan base is increasing outstandingly. Her supporters are largely women, a crucial and influential arm of the voting population. Akpoti knows she can’t win, but wants to split Bello’s vote in Kogi Central, not minding who her action benefits. Having her way would propel PDP to victory and Bello’s army of thugs won’t watch that happen. They allegedly set her campaign office ablaze and have been harassing her routinely. This misstep is earning Akpoti the popularity she might have joined the race for. It would also earn her sympathy votes, which may be inadequate to make her win, but sufficient to make Bello lose. In case Bello gets injured in Kogi Central (which is most unlikely), he will hope on recovering at Kogi West.
Kogi West Senatorial Rerun
One man’s misfortune is another’s stroke of luck. Dino Melaye’s trouble turned into a blessing for Wada when he needs it most. The former’s senatorial mandate was nullified and rerun is holding alongside the governorship election. Melaye who had initially distanced himself from Wada’s campaign, having lost out in the primary, backtracked upon realizing him and Wada must either rise or fall together.
Melaye is facing arch-rival Smart Adeyemi of the APC in an epic rerun. In the nullified February 2019 election, Melaye defeated Adeyemi in six out of the seven local governments constituting Kogi West. He won despite being hounded by the state and federal government, and under a party in opposition at both levels of government.
Melaye is in tune with the masses than Adeyemi and other APC bigwigs in Kogi West. James Faleke’s reconciliation with Bello will not help APC much in the district. Faleke is late Abubakar Audu’s running mate in the 2015 governorship poll. He’s been inactive in the state since he lost the party’s mandate to Bello after Audu’s demise. Bello came second in the party primary.
Faleke is currently a federal lawmaker representing Lagos. He and Adeyemi’s political strength does not match Melaye’s in Kogi West. Melaye has over 100 projects to his credit; a contribution neither Adeyemi, Faleke nor Bello has made to the district. Call it uncivilized, Melaye’s politicking is admired by his people. His comical utterances and songs have won him the hearts of the population who sees other politicians as arrogant and inaccessible.
Melaye is a grassroots politician and popular in Kogi West. He stands a chance as none of the major opposition candidates in the governorship election hails from Kogi West. Based on the prominence of ethnic voting in the state, Melaye would lose if a strong opposition governorship candidate like Bello hails from Kogi West. Favoured by these odds, Melaye (PDP) would defeat Adeyemi (APC) in the senatorial rerun election. In the same vein, for the governorship, Musa Wada of the PDP would garner more votes than Yahaya Bello of the APC in Kogi West.
Governorship Election Outcome
Bello’s underperformance, misgovernance, dwindling admiration, and the odd-against ethnic voting permutation would deter his win. PDP’s Wada would get bulk ethnic votes in Kogi East. Melaye’s senatorial rerun coincidence would earn Wada majority vote in Kogi West. Natasha Akpoti would split Bello’s bulk vote in Kogi Central. The lowest of Wada’s vote would come from the district, while highest would come from Kogi East.
In a free, fair and credible contest, PDP’s Musa Wada would defeat APC’s, Yahaya Bello. But the election is not going to be free; not going to be fair, and not going to be credible. Thugs would disperse voters and smash ballot boxes in Wada’s stronghold. The security agencies won’t arrest disruptors and would be grossly partisan. Above all, the Independent National Electoral Commission would be ‘remote-controlled’ by the ‘powers that be’. Several votes would be cancelled and the election would be declared inconclusive.
Virtually all the election-winning indicators point to Wada’s emergence, but the pundit foresees Kogi 2019 governorship election ending with a rerun, and if it does, APC’s Yahaya Bello would ultimately be declared the winner.
Note: Foretelling the outcome of an election doesn’t mean the writer has access to one sacred information or the election-winning strategy of any candidate. Assessing candidates’ fortes and flaws to foretell election results is a common practice in developed nations. This doesn’t mean the pundits are demeaning the electoral process or influencing election results. Bayelsans and Kogites have already decided who they would vote for, and nothing – not this prediction – can easily change their mind.
*Omoshola Deji is a political and public affairs analyst. He wrote in via moshdeji@yahoo.com
BREAKING: Kogi Decides: 3 killed as thugs snatch ballot boxes in Lokoja
Three persons have been confirmed dead while several others were left injured when suspected political parties thugs invaded Adankolo and Lokongoma primary schools in Lokoja.
It was gathered that the thugs who were dressed in Police uniform shot at two voters in Adankolo and one in Lokongoma when they wanted to snatch the ballot box.
It was also gathered that, several persons were left with degrees of injuries including a Woman.
This forced many voters to scamper for safety following the ugly development in those polling units.
Some victims who sustained injuries are now receiving treatment in an unclosed hospital.
DAILY POST had earlier reported that, the Kogi State governorship election had been marred with violence, intimidations, ballot box snatching and vote buying.
Kogi Decides: Election marred by ballot box snatching, vote buying, beating of journalists, observers, others
The ongoing governorship elections across the 21 Local Government of Kogi State including that of Kogi West Senatorial election has been marred with ballot box snatching, vote buying, beating of journalists and observers by suspected political thugs.
DAILY POST gathered that, there was disruption of the election process at Lokoja Club Close to A Division as some fully armed thugs dressed in Police uniform invaded the polling unit to cart away the ballot box to an unknown place.
Similar incident played out in Crowder Memorial College, LGEA Secretariat Open Space, NEPA, LGEA Primary School Ganaja, Kabawa Area open Space, Adankolo, Open Space Miami Market all in Lokoja as journalistsd and observers who were on ground to cover the election all scampered for safety when the armed men arrived the polling units without resistance by security agencies on ground.
Some journalist observers within this period, suffered the beaten of their lives especially those caught making attempt to cover their nefarious activities using Camera, and Smart phone.
DAILY POST also gathered that the election across the 21 LGA recorded massive vote buying as voters were induced with money ranging from N500, N1,000, N3,000 and N5,000 respectively.
In other areas in Kogi West, aside Lokoja Local Government Area, there was heavy shooting at Ayetoro ward 1 unit 004 where Dino Melaye voted this morning
Less than an hour after he left the voting unit, some hoodlums in two Hilux vans and a Honda Civic stormed the place, shooting into the air and targeted the ballot box.
The ballot box was eventually taken away while some boys in the community chased the vehicles with no success.
In the East, there were shootings and snatching of ballot boxes in some polling units in Dekina Local Government Area.
Some of the areas affected are CMM Primary School, Eti Aya ward 1 Anyigba, and Yale.
Sources said voting were going on well when thugs shot sporadically and hijacked the ballot boxes and left with them.
It was learnt that voters scampered for safety.
Similar incident was also recorded in other LGA’s such as Ofu, Ankpa, Olamaboro LGA where it was gathered that phones of journalists and observers were seized by a particular party agent to prevent them from recording the election process.
Meanwhile, Gift Omoniwa, Executive Director, Search for Common Ground, who is an observer escape death by the whiskers.
The Executive Director was on election observation in Ganaja polling unit when hoodlums held her hostage, and attacked her vehicle.
It took the intervention of good Samaritans and security agencies to rescue her from the hands of her attackers.
According to report available to DAILY POST, Gift Omoniwa, was attacked when she drove a Siena bus alongside his team to the polling units without following due process.
BREAKING: Kogi Decides: INEC official kidnapped at polling unit in Lokoja
A yet-to-be identified official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been kidnapped in SUBEB polling unit in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
The abduction happened after gunmen shot sporadically into the air while voting was going on, according to the Nation.
Voters scampered for safety before the gunmen went away with the official.
Meanwhile, voting has ended at Bishop Crowther LGEA Primary School Lokoja.
Sorting of votes and counting of ballots will commence by 2pm.
Kogi Decides: Police arrest five thugs allegedly working for Bello’s aide, Faleke – Dino Melaye claims
Dino Melaye, candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the Kogi West Senatorial District election, on Saturday claimed that the Police have arrested five thugs allegedly of Governor Yahaya Bello’s aide, Sunday Faleke.
According to Melaye, the thugs have made confessional statements to the Police that Faleke sent them to disrupt election in his polling unit earlier today.
In a tweet on his official Twitter page on Saturday afternoon, Melaye wrote: “5 of the thugs who came to disrupt election in my unit have been arrested and have made confessional statements to the fact that Sunday Faleke aide of Yahaya Bello sent them.
“One of the cars used is also in police custody. Taofik isah was arrested and wrote a caution statement.”
Kogi Decides: Soldiers allowing APC agents to rig, chased people away – Natasha Akpoti alleges
The Social Democratic Party, SDP, governorship candidate in Kogi State, Natasha Akpoti, has accused soldiers of electoral malpractice.
Akpoti alleged that soldiers chased electorates away at the Kuroko 2 polling unit in Adavi Local Government Area of the state while allowing agents of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to rig freely.
She raised the alarm in a tweet, on Saturday.
Akpoti tweeted: “Happening now!!! Soldiers just arrived Kuroko 2, Adavi LGA chasing people away while allowing APC agents to rig freely.”
Kogi Decides: Bello arrested, beaten in polling unit – SDP candidate, Natasha Akpoti
The Social Democratic Party, SDP, governorship candidate in Kogi State, Natasha Akpoti, has decried maltreatment against the party’s agent in Kogi Central.
Akpoti alleged that SDP’s agent, Bello Muhammad Sadiq was arrested, beaten and chased away from a polling unit at Kuroko 2, Kogi Central.
She made the disclosure in a tweet on her official Twitter handle, on Saturday.
Akpoti tweeted: “SDP agents arrested & chased away from polling units in Kogi Central. Bello Muhammad Sadiq was last seen beaten up at Kuroko 2. His whereabout’s unknown. Nigeria Police Force.
“Nigeria Police attention to Obeiba. Gun shots as I’m about heading to polling unit to cast my vote. One injured.”
Kogi Decides: Yahaya Bello ‘God-sent’ – Edward Onoja
Edward Onoja, Deputy Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State has said that Yahaya Bello is ‘God-sent.’
Onoja said this on Saturday after voting at unit 13, ward 3, Omonyoku-Odidoko, Ogugu-Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi.
The Deputy Governorship candidate said voters were eager to return Bello to office.
According to him, Kogi residents will return Bello as their Governor because they want him to consolidate on his achievements.
”You can see the enthusiasm of the voters who want to usher in a government that will continue to consolidate on its gains in service delivery.
”God brought a divine leader who in spite of coming from another senatorial district saw the need to meet the infrastructural gap in the Eastern district that has always produced the governor of the state.
”Because of this, our people who are people of gratitude appreciate that gesture and then made up their mind to repay good for good.
”I think today at the end of the day, we will all be happy,” Onoja said.
Kogi Guber: Thugs allegedly attack journalists in Ayaingba
Thugs suspected to belong to one of the political parties contesting in the Governorship and National Assembly elections in Kogi, have allegedly attacked Mr Sam Egwu of the Leadership newspaper and Mr Sunday Omachi of Radio Kogi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident happened at Ayaingba.
Both journalists were on election duty when they were attacked by the hoodlums at Unity Roundabout, Ayaingba.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of police in the state, Mr Akeem Busari, said reinforcements had been sent to Ayaingba to bring the situation under control.
Busari, however, is yet to confirm arrests over the incident.
Kogi Decides: Tension in Gbeleko as Speaker allegedly chases PDP agents
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has raised the alarm over harassment of its agents as the governorship election kicks off.
PDP alleged that Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Matthew Kolawole allegedly chased away agents of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP as they engaged in multiple voting.
The party called on security agents and INEC to arrest the situation immediately.
The opposition party disclosed this in a tweet on its official Twitter handle.
The tweet read: “There is tension in Gbeleko in Egbeda as the Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly chased away PDP agents and engaged in multiple voting and ballot stuffing with APC thugs.
“INEC and Police should arrest the situation.”
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, APC had earlier raised the alarm over the hijacking of electoral materials in Bayelsa State as the governorship election kicks off.
Kogi/Bayelsa Decide: INEC displays emergency lines as election begins
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has displayed help lines for voters to contact in case of any emergency in Bayelsa and Kogi States respectively.
INEC displayed the information on its official Twitter page.
The post reads: “In case of EMERGENCY, please call INEC on:
Voting stops at Ayewa Polling Unit 001 over bad card reader
Voting has been obstructed at the Ayewa 001 Polling Unit following a Card Reader problem.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had yesterday declared that under no circumstances will voting take place without the card reader.
INEC workers and voters are waiting patiently for a new directive from the electoral body.
Kogi Decides: Thugs allegedly hijack ballot box at Dino Melaye’s polling unit
A case of ballot box snatching has been reported in Kogi State.
Dino, Melaye, the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the Kogi West Senatorial District on Saturday raised the alarm over alleged hijack of ballot box by suspected thugs in his polling unit.
The lawmaker accused one Sunday Faleke of leading the thug to hijack the election materials shortly after he left the polling unit.
He tweeted, “Shortly after I left my polling unit, one Sunday Faleke led thugs who shot sporadically and carted away the ballot box.”
Governor Yahaya Bello has cast his vote at his Upogoro-Odenku Ward in Okene Local Government at about 8:50 am.
Bello was accompanied by his wife, Amina , who also voted at the same polling unit.
There nine polling units in the area with registration Code 11.
The voting process stated earlier at a slow pace in parts of Lokoja due to the late arrival of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials and election materials.
The Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Engr. Musa Wada in Kogi State has cast his vote.
Wada was seen casting his vote at his polling unit on Saturday.
Speaking after voting, Wada applauded the INEC and security officials who faulted the attempt by some thugs allegedly sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to disrupt the election.
He expressed confidence that he will emerge winner if the peace and orderly conduct of the polls is allowed to continue without any form of disruption.
Wada said: “The atmosphere is peaceful but some APC thugs tried to sabotage the process.
“I am happy the voting process has started and I believe I will emerge winner of this election
“If it continues this way I’ll say we would have a peaceful election but it’s too early to decide. It can all change because of those miscreants but I’ve warned the people and security agents to be vigilant.”
Accreditation at Ward A Polling Station, Growther/ Sabongari, Lokoja, was on at 8.35 a.m. when a correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) visited the polling station.
Voters were seen checking their names on the register pasted on the walls of Growther Memorial College, Lokoja, while others lined up, orderly, to be accredited.
The exercise was peaceful and orderly.
Men and officers of the Nigeria Police, Federal Road Safety Commission(FRSC), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Customs Service, among other security outfits kept vigil to ensure maintenance of law and order.
Electorates in Kogi State will today, Saturday, November 16, 2019, go to the polling units across the state, to choose the next governor who will pilot the affairs of the Confluence State for another four years.
The battle of who emerges governor of the state is clearly between the incumbent Governor, Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s Engr. Musa Wada.
There have also been records of violence with continued clashes between the two major political parties, PDP and APC heading to the Saturday’s polls.
Follow this thread for updates of results and incidents from different polling units in the state.
After lurching from one military coup to another, Nigeria now has an elected leadership.
But the government faces the growing challenge of preventing Africa’s most populous country from breaking apart along ethnic and religious lines.
Thousands of people have died over the past few years in attacks led by jihadists in the north-east.
Separatist aspirations have also been growing, and the imposition of Islamic law in several northern states has embedded divisions and caused thousands of Christians to flee.
Nigeria’s insecurity has added to its economic woes, hindering foreign investment.
The former British colony is one of the world’s largest oil producers, but few Nigerians, including those in oil-producing areas, have benefited.
FACTS:
The Federal Republic of Nigeria
Capital: Abuja
Population 186 million
Area 923,768 sq km (356,669 sq miles)
Major languages English (official), Yoruba, Ibo, Hausa
Religions Islam, Christianity, indigenous beliefs
Life expectancy 52 years (men), 54 years (women)
Currency Nigerian Naira
LEADER
President: Muhammadu Buhari
A former military ruler, Muhammadu Buhari swept to an historic election victory in March 2015 when he became the first opposition candidate to win a Nigerian presidential poll.
After helping oust elected President Shehu Shagari in 1983, the then Major-General Buhari sought to combat crime and corruption, but was also accused of serious rights abuses.
In 1985, he was overthrown by Gen Ibrahim Babangida.
Mr Buhari has now distanced himself from military rule, promising to respect democracy and govern as a civilian leader.
MEDIA
Nigeria is one of Africa’s biggest media markets. There are hundreds of radio stations and terrestrial TV networks, as well as cable and satellite platforms.
Reporters Without Borders says journalists face threats and violence in the course of their work.
Many millions of Nigerians are online, and WhatsApp and Facebook are leading social platforms.
Some key dates in Nigeria’s history:
Colonel Odumegwu Emeka Ojukwu announced the secession of the Republic of Biafra in 1967, sparking a devastating civil war
16-18th centuries – Slave trade sees Nigerians forcibly sent to the Americas to work on plantations.
1850s – Britain establishes presence, which it consolidates over the next 70 years as the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. In 1922, part of former German colony Kamerun is added under a League of Nations mandate.
1960 – Independence, with Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa leading a coalition government. He is killed in a coup in 1966.
1967 – Three eastern states secede as the Republic of Biafra, sparking a bloody three-year civil war.
1983 – Major-General Muhammadu Buhari seizes power in a bloodless coup, ushering in a period of political instability capped by the 1999 presidential and parliamentary elections.
2000 – Adoption of Islamic law by several northern states in the face of opposition from Christians.
2009 – Boko Haram jihadists launch a campaign of violence that spreads to neighbouring countries. One high-profile incident involves the kidnapping of 200 school girls in 2014.
2015 – Muhammadu Buhari wins presidential election – first opposition candidate to do so.
2019 – President Buhari was recently declared the winner of the February 23, 2019 General Election.
Three persons have been confirmed dead while several others were left injured when suspected political parties thugs invaded Adankolo and Lokongoma primary schools in Lokoja.
