Go to tribunal, INEC tells aggrieved politicians

The Independent National Electoral Commission has asked aggrieved politicians to take their grievances to the Election Petition Tribunal.

The commission said though there were pockets of violent incidents recorded during Saturday’s governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, it still maintained that the exercise recorded a pass mark.

The electoral body stated this in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.

It said INEC’s records showed that there were 66 reports of violent incidents targeted at polling units, the commission’s officials, voters and election materials.

I haven’t lost, Agbaje insists

Mr. Jimi Agbaje

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, has urged his supporters to disregard the figures being circulated online.

Agbaje said on his Facebook page that he was still hopeful of victory, adding that they should wait for the official figures from the Independent National Electoral Commission.

He said, “I want to assure you that we are currently monitoring the vote counting process so please do not believe the various unofficial numbers that are being shared across the Internet .

“An official announcement will be made at the appropriate time when all numbers are in. Continue to remain resolute. Thank you for your continued support. “

Amosun declared winner, captures 11 out of 20 LGs

Senator Ibikunle Amosun

Incumbent‎ governor of Ogun State , Senator Ibikunle Amosun has just been declared winner of the governorship election in the state.
He captured 11 of the 20 local government areas in the state while his closest rival, Gboyega Isiaka won in nine local government areas.
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The breakdown of votes polled is as follows:
Ewekoro Local Government
APC 10,735,
PDP 3,275
SDP 400
Remo North Local Government
APC 7,365
PDP 6,567
SDP 923
Ijebu Ode Local Government
PDP 11,381
APC 10,570
SDP 571
Odeda Local Government
APC 10,637
PDP 3,633
SDP 1,367
Abeokuta North Local Government
APC 22,740
PDP 6,371
SDP 1,439.
Ijebu North East Local Government
PDP 6,780
APC 5,992
UPN 894
SDP 587
Abeokuta South Local Government APC 35,511
PDP 10,288
SDP 1,792 votes.
Obafemi-Owode Local Government
APC 16,333
PDP 6,637
SDP 1,237.
Ikenne Local Government
APC 11,085
PDP 8,686
SDP 486
Imeko Afon Local Government
PDP 12,412
APC 8,253
SDP 938
Ifo Local Government
APC 28,596
PDP 5,818
SDP 1,464
Odogbolu Local Government
PDP 10,430
APC 10,129
UPN 1,712
SDP 1,286
Ado Odo-Ota Local Government
APC 36,180
PDP 13,763
SDP 3,083
Egbado South Local Government
PDP 12,915
APC 10,844
SDP 2,650
Ipokia Local Government
PDP 16,877
APC 16,240
SDP 1,453
Ijebu North Local Government
PDP 18,787
APC. 14,317
SDP 2,084
Sagamu Local Government
APC 18,491
PDP 14,011
SDP 978
Ogun Waterside Local Government
APC 8,468
PDP 7,400
APC 15,594
SDP. 877
Ijebu East Local Government
PDP 9,408
APC 8,980
SDP 730
Egbado North Local Government
PDP 16,001
APC 15,594
SDP 1,511
Amosun got a total of 306, 988 votes while Isiaka of the PDP got 201, 440 votes. The SDP candidate, Senator Kamarudeen Odunsi, got 25, 826 votes
09:23
Collation of governorship results began at the Independent National Electoral Commission headquarters, Abeokuta at 1.35am on Sunday morning.
So far from the results from 12 local government areas in Ogun State released by INEC, APC led in eight namely Ewekoro LG, Remo North LG, Odeda LG, Abeokuta North LG, Abeokuta South LG, Obafemi-Owode LG, Ikenne LG, and Ifo LG and while the PDP won four LGs in Ijebu Ode, Ijebu North East, Imeko Afon and Odogbolu
The breakdown is as follows:
Ewekoro Local Government
APC 10,735,
PDP 3,275
SDP 400
Remo North Local Government
APC 7,365
PDP 6,567
SDP 923
Ijebu Ode Local Government
PDP 11,381
APC 10,570
SDP 571
Odeda Local Government
APC 10,637
PDP 3,633
SDP 1,367
Abeokuta North Local Government
APC 22,740
PDP 6,371
SDP 1,439.
Ijebu North East Local Government
PDP 6,780
APC 5,992
UPN 894
SDP 587
Abeokuta South Local Government APC 35,511
PDP 10,288
SDP 1,792 votes.
Obafemi-Owode Local Government
APC 16,333
PDP 6,637
SDP 1,237.
Ikenne Local Government
APC 11,085
PDP 8,686
SDP 486
Imeko Afon Local Government
PDP 12,412
APC 8,253
SDP 938
Ifo Local Government
APC 28,596
PDP 5,818
SDP 1,464
Odogbolu Local Government
PDP 10,430
APC 10,129
UPN 1,712
SDP 1,286

B’Haram fighters disguise as preachers, kill 24

Suspected members of the Boko Haram sect have attacked Kwajafa village in Borno State killing 24 persons and injuring over a dozen others, a security source has revealed.

They also set the village mosque on fire.

The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the insurgents stormed the village on Sunday evening.

He said, “The insurgents who rode to the town in Volkswagen Golf cars on Sunday evening, told the villagers that they were there to preach. They however opened fire on the people as soon as they gathered an appreciable number of the villagers in the village square.”

He lamented that some of the residents who were in a mosque at the time of the attack were not spared as the insurgents set them ablaze.

He said mostly killed were those who could not immediately decipher that the disguised preachers were Boko Haram members on a deadly mission.

A nurse at the General Hospital, Biu, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said some injured persons were brought to the hospital from Kwajafa, some 35 kilometres away for treatment.

The medical worker added that some of the injured persons were treated in other health facilities in Kwajafa.

It will be recalled that Kwajafa, which is about 220 kilometres from Maiduguri, has witnessed two major Boko Haram attacks in the past.

Investigations revealed that past attacks forced people to flee the village but some of them returned after peace returned to the community.

Meanwhile, the Borno State Accountant-General, Hajiya Mairo Bunu, on Monday appealed to donor agencies to mobilise support for the rehabilitation of victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the state.

Bunu made the appeal when she presented some relief materials to Governor Kashim Shettima for the victims.

She said the Boko Haram insurgency had resulted in mass destruction of infrastructure which might be difficult to rebuild without the support of the international community.

Buhari’s presidency’ll take Nigeria to greater heights- says Anenih

Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief   Tony Anenih, said yesterday that with the election of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, (retd) during the March 28 Presidential election, thee was hope that the administration of the President- elect would take Nigeria to greater heights.

Anenih in a two- page statement, titled, “Marching on with Hope” in Abuja, urged those who might still be aggrieved by the outcome of the March 28 Presidential Election   to emulate the selflessness and magnanimity of President Goodluck Jonathan who conceded victory.

Anenih, who congratulated Buhari on his victory, hailed President Jonathan’s statesmanship in conceding defeat.

He also noted that with the action,   the President   made an indelible mark on the sandsw of time, adding that President Jonathan accepted the outcome of the polls   to ensure that Nigeria   enjoyed peace, and march to greatness and prosperity.

He said:   “A keenly contested Presidential Election, which many predicted would spell doom for Nigeria, has ended, gloriously, with everyone a winner.

“I congratulate the President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, on his victory.   Nigerians are expecting great things from him; it is my hope that he will take this great country to greater heights in the journey towards our manifest destiny.

“I salute the statesmanship of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, in conceding defeat, even before the official declaration of results was done. By this noble act, President Jonathan has made an indelible mark on the sands of time. History will be very kind to him.

“President Jonathan has worked, selflessly, to deepen democracy in Nigeria. His consistent advocacy of the rights of the people to freely choose their leaders had earlier yielded free, fair and credible elections in some States of the Federation. Now, a peaceful transition is expected to follow after the general elections.

“The 2015 Presidential Election, in which the incumbent President lost to the opposition, has become a source of pride to Nigeria.   It has portrayed to the world that democracy in Nigeria compares to the best anywhere.

Lagos PDP calls for Akiolu’s suspension

The Peoples Democratic Party has demanded the immediate suspension of Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, till after the governorship and state House of Assembly elections in Lagos State.

The party called on Governor Babatunde Fashola to suspend the first-class monarch.

It said this was necessary in order to guarantee free, fair and credible elections in the state.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by Lagos PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr. Taofik Gani, the party stated that it had also alerted the security agencies to hold the monarch responsible for any attack on non-indigenes or PDP members in Lagos.

According to the PDP, which is the major opposition party in the state, the silence of the governor of the state, Fashola, over 48 hours after such inflammatory statement and threat to life suggests that the king acted on behalf of the state government.

The statement said in part, “The governor is thus a conspirator in this threat to life and must also be held accountable for any violence in this elections. We have at this point been vindicated about the desperation of the APC to retain Lagos state at all cost including the All Progressives Congress’ plan not to concede the imminent defeat on April 11.

“The positions of the PDP are coming on the heels of the now viral threat issued by the Oba of Lagos to Igbos that they must vote for the APC Governorship Candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode, or be drowned in Lagos water.”

Despite the alleged threat to their lives, PDP urged Lagos non-indigenes and others to be part of Saturday’s voting exercise.

Anti-impeachment protest rocks Ekiti

A huge protest is currently ongoing in Ado Ekiti, capital of Ekiti State, against the move of Ekiti State House of Assembly to impeach the state Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, over alleged constitutional breaches.

Heavy security has been put in place in strategic locations in Ado Ekiti, while entry routes have been blocked and taken over by security operatives.

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State   on Monday blocked the two major roads leading to the   state House of Assembly following   rumours that 19 All Progressives Congress lawmakers were planning to hold a sitting to impeach Governor Ayodele Fayose.

The party loyalists were led by the Deputy Governor,   Kolapo Olusola; a former Speaker,   Tunji Odeyemi; the Special Assistant to the governor on Information,   Lanre Ogunsuyi, and   Fayose’s Public Communications and New Media aide, Lere Olayinka.

Although nine Toyota Hilux vans carrying men and officers of the Police and the Department of State Services manned the main entrances to the Assembly, the PDP members erected canopies about 200 metres away from the Assemby’s premises.

Some of them sat quietly under the canopies erected by the Secretariat Road   while others danced to music supplied in front of the old complex.

A bus was used by the PDP members to prevent movement into the Assembly premises from the same road.

On Iyin Road, many of the party supporters also ensured that no one was allowed into the complex.

The APC lawmakers, who had since November 17 stayed away from the House proceedings, had served Fayose with an impeachment notice. They cited impunity, brigandage, stalking and other constitutional breaches by Fayose as reasons for the impeachment notice.

But Ogunsuyi told journalists on Monday that the APC lawmakers led by the   Speaker, . Adewale Omirin,   erred in law by   sending a notice of impeachment to Fayose.