| Source | Date | Story Title | Summary of Reports | Subject/Category | Page No/Weblink |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 29, 2019 | Benue Assembly passes 2019 budget | "The Benue House of Assembly yesterday passed the State’s Appropriation Bill of N199.7 billion for the 2019 fiscal year. Daily Trust reports that the bill passed was N3.2 billion higher than the N196.5 billion budget draft earlier presented to the Assembly in December 2018 by Deputy Governor Benson Abounu. Chairman of the House Standing Committee on Appropriation, Ire Matthew, had explained to his colleagues that the over N3 billion increment was as a result of additional requests by Public Sector Entities (PSEs) for inclusion of some critical projects which were omitted from the proposed estimates. The recurrent expenditure as contained in the bill passed stood at N109.3 billion; and the capital expenditure, N90.4 billion; while deficit financing remained at N40.6 billion." | Benue State House of Assembly, 2019 fiscal year, Deputy Governor Benson Abounu, recurrent expenditure, capital expenditure, critical projects | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/benue-assembly-passes-2019-budget.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 29, 2019 | Political stability critical for development – Buhari | "President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said without social, political and economic stability, it will be difficult for any country to effectively manage its resources. Buhari told the Special Envoy of the President of Republic of Congo at State House, Abuja. Mr Jean Claude Gakosso, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Congolese in Diaspora conveyed a special message on behalf of President Denis Sassou Nguesso. He also congratulated President Buhari on what he called his “brilliant performance” at the recently held presidential election. Republic of Congo is a medium oil producer in Africa, The Special Envoy, on behalf of his President, wished President Buhari wisdom and good health." | Buhari, political stability, Mr Jean Claude Gakosso, President Denis Sassou Nguesso | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/political-stability-critical-for-development-buhari.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 29, 2019 | Osun gov’ship: Oyetola asks Appeal Court to upturn tribunal’s verdict | "The Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, has asked the Court of Appeal in Abuja to reverse the judgement that nullified his election. The Osun State Elections Petitions Tribunal in Abuja had on Friday last week in a majority decision ruled that Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored most valid votes in the September 22, 2018 governorship election. The tribunal nullified the September 27, 2018 rerun election, which took place after the election was declared inconclusive with the PDP candidate leading Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In a 39-ground notice of appeal filed on March 26, by his team of lawyers led by Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Oyetola faulted the majority judgement by Justices Peter Obiora and Anyinla Gbolagunte on the grounds that it was perverse, replete with contradictions and not supported by petitioners’ evidence." | Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, Court of Appeal, rerun election, 2018 governorship election, APC, PDP, INEC, Osun State Elections Petition Tribunal, Senator Ademola Adeleke | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/osun-govship-oyetola-asks-appeal-court-to-upturn-tribunals-verdict.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 29, 2019 | Court of Appeal affirms Fayemi’s election | "The Court of Appeal in Abuja yesterday affirmed the election of Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State. A three-member panel of justices, led by Justice Stephen Adah, unanimously upheld the judgment of the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja which dismissed the petition by the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Olusola Eleka. Other members of the panel, Justices Tinuade Akomolafe-Wilson and Emmanuel Agim, agreed to the lead judgment and dismissed the appeal as “unmeritorious”. The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress as winner of the election having polled 197, 459 votes against Eleka’s 178,121 votes in the July 14, 2018 election." | Court of Appeal, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, INEC, APC, PDP, Olusola Eleka, Justice Tinuade Akomolafe-Wilson, Emmanuel Agim | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/court-of-appeal-affirms-fayemis-election.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 29, 2019 | 3 parties file case against collation in Rivers | "The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed April 2 for ruling on jurisdiction in the suit by the African Action Congress (AAC) challenging the collation of results for the March 9 governorship and state assembly elections in Rivers State. Justice Inyang Ekwo yesterday adjourned the case after the lawyers to the AAC and the PDP made their submissions. Counsel to the PDP, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter, arguing that every issue emanating from the governorship election should be directed to the election petitions tribunal. The court had on March 20 refused an ex parte application by the AAC and its candidate, Awara Biomkpomoba to stop the collation of the results in the state. Also, the Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA) has brought a case against INEC and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) over moves to collate results for the governorship and state assembly election in Rivers State." | Federal High Court in Abuja, AAC, APDA, PDP, INEC, collation of results, Rivers State | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/3-parties-file-case-against-collation-in-rivers.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 29, 2019 | INEC tells politicians to stop harassing staff | "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed sadness over alleged cases of harassment, maiming and killing of its ad hoc staff recorded in the recent general elections. The commission said politicians must stop actions that lead to killing of innocent citizens serving their fatherland due to their desperation to capture power. The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education of the commission, Festus Okoye, stated this yesterday in Awka during the presentation of certificates to the 30 newly elected members of the state House of Assembly. According to him, the sad incidences of maiming, killing and harassment of INEC staff were the handiwork of desperate politicians who wanted to win elections at all cost. He urged politicians to leave INEC staff alone and concentrate on their political campaign efforts." | INEC staff, politicians, adhoc staff, recent general elections, Festus Okoye | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/inec-tells-politicians-to-stop-harassing-staff.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 29, 2019 | Marafa wants INEC certs of Zamfara winners withdrawn | "The lawyer representing Senator Kabiru Marafa and 140 others in the suit challenging the APC primaries in Zamfara State has urged INEC to withdraw the certificates of return given to those that won the elections. His lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), in a letter to the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said the certificates of return were issued in error based on the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Sokoto voiding the APC primaries in the state. He said, “The legal consequences of the voided primaries are that no certificate of return shall be issued to a person who participated in the so-called ‘election’ that never took place in the eyes of the law, having been predicated on a non-existent primary.” Ozekhome said where a certificate of return had been issued, “to such a pretender to the office, same is liable to be withdrawn forthwith, having been issued in grave error and breach of extant laws.”" | Senator Kabiru Marafa, Zamfara State, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Prof.Mahmood Yakubu, APC primaries, Certifcates of Return | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/marafa-wants-inec-certs-of-zamfara-winners-withdrawn.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 29, 2019 | Ogun: I’ll run fair, equitable govt — Governor-elect | "The governor-elect in Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, yesterday, received his certificate of return with the promise to run a fair and equitable government in the state. Abiodun, alongside his deputy, Mrs. Naimot Salako-Oyedele, were presented with their certificates of return by the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Ogun, Ondo and Lagos states, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola, at the INEC office in Abeokuta. All the 26 State House of Assembly members-elect equally received their certificates of return." | Ogun State governor-elect, Prince Adedapo Abiodun, Mrs. Naimot Salako-Oyedele, INEC, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola, Certificates of Return | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ogun-ill-run-fair-equitable-govt-abiodun.html |
| The Guardian.ng | Friday, March 29, 2019 | Gombe councillor jailed three months for vote-buying | "Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Gombe zonal office, yesterday, secured the conviction of the councillor of Bolari East, Ishiyaku Garba, who was arraigned before Justice Sa’ad Moh’d of a high court in the state on a three-count charge of bribery. Acting on intelligence report, the EFCC had arrested him at Bolari Polling Unit 077 in Gombe during the presidential and National Assembly elections, where he was sighted distributing money. Having pleaded “guilty” to the charges, his counsel, S.A. Mustapha, pleaded for leniency.The trial judge, thereafter, convicted him on the three counts and sentenced him one month with an option of N100,000 fine for count one, one month for count two with an option of N50,000 fine, and one month for count three with an option of N20,000 fine. The prison terms are to run concurrently. The court ordered that the N295,000 recovered from him be forfeited to the Federal Government.Meanwhile, following the recommendation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for audit of the 2019 elections for better outing in future elections, civil society groups have identified poverty and weak institutions as the root of vote-buying and other corrupt practices that characterised the recent elections. They stressed that while in most remote communities, votes were bought openly; it was done discreetly in the cities.This was the core of elections debriefing on vote-buying and other forms of manifestations of political corruption, organised by the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) in collaboration with Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Election Observation Platform (EOP) and Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) in Abuja, yesterday." | EFCC, Bolari East of Gombe State, Ishiyaku Garba, vote-buying, 2019 elections, WARDC, INEC, HEDA, EOP, TMG | https://guardian.ng/news/gombe-councillor-jailed-three-months-for-vote-buying/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Friday, March 29, 2019 | Senate Worried over Low Performance of 2018 Budget | "The Senate yesterday expressed deep concern over low release of the 2018 Appropriation to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), saying some of the agencies received as little as 10 per cent of the approved allocation during the period under review. But the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma, attributed the low performance of the budget to its late passage by the National Assembly as well as revenue constraints encountered by the Muhammadu Buhari administration amid fluctuation in global oil price at its inception. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information, Senator Suleiman Adokwe (PDP Nasarawa South), who raised the alarm yesterday during the 2019 budget defence of the Federal Ministry of Information, decried the poor implementation of the 2018 budget and blamed the executive arm of government for not releasing adequate funds that could enable the federal agencies to execute developmental projects." | 2018 Appropriation, MDAs, Senator Udo Udoma, Buhari, Senate Committee on Information, Senator Suleiman Adokwe, 2019 budget defence | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/29/senate-worried-over-low-performance-of-2018-budget/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Friday, March 29, 2019 | INEC Urges Speedy Passage of Electoral Offences Commission Bill | "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called for the speedy passage of the Electoral Offences Commission bill to stem impunity in Nigeria electoral process. National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education of the commission, Festus Okoye, made the call at the presentation of certificates to newly elected members of Anambra State assembly in Awka thursday. He said the bill would help to ensure that those who deliberately and maliciously corrupt the electoral process are prosecuted in accordance with the law. He said: “The absence of robust and clearly defined institution that will be responsible for arrest, investigation and prosecution of electoral offenders has led to heightened electoral malfeasance resulting in the storm of collation centres and forcing collation and returning officers to make returns at gun point. “It has led to the maiming and killing of ad-hoc staff without sanctions. This situation must be stemmed for the future of the electoral process and the health of our democracy.”" | INEC, Electoral Offences Commission Bill, Festus Okoye, electoral process, collation centres, adhoc staff | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/29/inec-urges-speedy-passage-of-electoral-offences-commission-bill/ |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | AIG leads security as Adamawa decides today | "An Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) will take charge of security as the Independent National Electoral Commission holds supplementary gubernatorial election in Adamawa State today. The exercise is seen as a straight contest between Governor Jibrilla Bindow of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Daily Trust gathered that the AIG Zone 3 Yola, Haruna Huzi Mshellia and the Adamawa State Commissioner of Police, Adamu Audi Madaki were on ground to manage security as there was no deployment of additional senior officers from the headquarters so far. Recall that the PDP candidate leads the APC candidate by 32,476 votes." | Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), INEC, Adamawa State, Governor Jibrilla Bindow, Ahmadu Fintiri, APC, PDP, supplementary gubernatorial election | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/aig-leads-security-as-adamawa-decides-today.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | 2019 elections: Tribunal orders service of Atiku’s petition on Buhari | "The Presidential Elections Tribunal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja has approved an application by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar to serve President Muhammadu Buhari and others the processes for the election petitions filed at the tribunal. A three-member panel of justices presided by Justice Abdul Aboki yesterday held that it is in the interest of justice to allow Atiku and PDP to serve Buhari through substituted means. The panel ruled that the court processes for the petition challenging President Buhari’s election at the February 23 presidential election are to be served on the president through the national headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at No 40 Blantyre Street off Ademola Adetokunbo Street, Wuse 2, Abuja. Ruling on the ex parte argued by lead counsel to Atiku and PDP, Chris Uche (SAN), Justice Aboki ordered that the documents could be served on any senior member of the APC." | Presidential Elections Tribunal, Court of Appeal, Atiku, Buhari, APC, PDP, Justice Abdul Aboki | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2019-elections-tribunal-orders-service-of-atikus-petition-on-buhari.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | Kwara gov-elect promises inclusive gov’t | "Kwara governor-elect, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, yesterday, said he will run a government that will embrace everybody in the state, including members of the opposition. AbdulRazaq said this in Ilorin, the state capital, while receiving his certificate of return as governor-elect. “This state belongs to all. We don’t see anybody as opposition. It is Kwara for all. All hands must be on deck to rebuild the state. This is a poor state and a lot of work must be done. We will embrace everybody,” he said. He said the new administration has a lot of work to do to get the state back on its feet, and called on all Kwarans to support his government which will be inaugurated in May." | Kwara governor-elect, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, Certificate of Return | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kwara-gov-elect-promises-inclusive-govt.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | N/Assembly to pass 2019 budget soon – Dogara | "Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara has said that the National Assembly would pass the 2019 budget as soon as lawmakers resume plenary next week. Dogara said they would pass the budget on time so that the Executive arm would ensure quick and effective implementation. Speaking during a joint budget public hearing by the Senate and House committees on appropriations, Dogara urged the Executive arm to change the trend over submitting budget proposals to the National Assembly late. “Since this is the last budget in the life of the 8th National Assembly and time is not on our side, we will like to make haste slowly. Heads of MDAs can help in this noble effort by making appearances, in good time, before their relevant committees to defend their estimates as some have started doing." | Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, 2019 budget, joint budget public hearing, Senate, National Assembly, MDAs | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/n-assembly-to-pass-2019-budget-soon-dogara.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | 3 parties file petitions against President Buhari | "Three more presidential candidates in the February 23 election have asked the Presidential Elections Petitions Tribunal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja to quash the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the election. The candidates: Ambrose Owuru of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP); Geff Chizee Ojinka of the Coalition for Change (C4C); and Aminchi Habu of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) in their separate petitions alleged widespread irregularities and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act in the February 23 presidential election. Owuru, whose petition is marked: CA/PEPC/001/2019, scored 1, 663 votes; Ojinka, whose petition is marked: CA/PEPC/003/2019, scored 2,391 votes; and Habu had his petition marked CA/PEPC/004/2019. Among the reliefs sought by Habu include: “A declaration that the second respondent being the candidate of the third respondent (APC) was not lawfully or validly returned as the winners of the said election by virtue of the unlawful exclusion of the petitioners." | 3 presidential candidates, February 23 elections, Presidential Elections Tribunal, Court of Appeal, HDP, C4C, PDM | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/3-parties-file-petitions-against-president.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | Ihedioha, 27 lawmakers receive certificates of return | "Imo State governor-elect, Emeka Ihedioha, was issued a certificate of return by the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Prof. Francis Chukwuemeka Ezeonu yesterday. Ihedioha won the March 9 governorship election in the state. At a well-attended ceremony held at the INEC office in Owerri, the REC also issued certificates of return to all the 27 members of the State House of Assembly. Speaking after receiving the certificate, Ihedioha, who was elected on the platform of the PDP, said he would be fair to all irrespective of tribe or party affiliation." | Imo State governor-elect, Emeka Ihedioha, Prof. Francis Chukwuemeka Ezeonu, INEC, Certificates of Return | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ihedioha-27-lawmakers-receive-certificates-of-return.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | INEC to embark on electoral reforms | "The Independent National Electoral Commission says it will embark on aggressive constitutional and electoral reforms to enhance the integrity of the electoral process. It promised to consider the duality of electronic and manual collation and transmission of results to prevent noticeable lapses. A National Commissioner of INEC, Mr Festus Okoye, disclosed this Wednesday in Enugu during the presentation of certificates of return to elected members of state assembly, governor and deputy governor-elect. Okoye, who is the commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, said that the commission could no longer afford to plan in an uncertain environment. According to him, a section of the political class had refused to imbibe the democratic spirit that puts obedience and respect to constitutional dictates at the centre." | INEC, constitutional and electoral reforms, electronic and manual collation, transmission of results, Certificates of Return | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/inec-to-embark-on-electoral-reforms.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | I’ll run for Senate president if… — Kalu | "Ahead of the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly, a former Abia State governor and senator-elect for Abia North, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, yesterday, vowed to contest for the position of the Senate president if the deputy Senate president is not ceded to the South East. He said he would respect the decision of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) which had zoned the Senate president’s position to the North East but asked for fairness for the South East. Kalu threatened to run for Senate president if the party denied the South East the position of the deputy Senate president. Speaking with newsmen, yesterday, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), in Lagos, Kalu said it was only fair and just to allow the South East to produce the deputy Senate president." | 9th National Assembly, former Abia state governor, senator-elect Orji Uzor Kalu, APC, Senate president | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ill-run-for-senate-president-if-kalu.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | Rivers election: Case on collation resumption for hearing today | "The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja will continue hearing today on a motion filed by the governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in Rivers, Mr Biokpomabo Awara, praying the court to stop the INEC from resuming the collation and announcement of results of the state’s governorship election held on March 9. INEC’s National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye, had announced last week that the electoral body would resume the collation and announcement of results of the election between April 2 and 5. Okoye added that INEC would also conduct supplementary election, where necessary, and in some constituencies not affected by litigation on April 13. It would then conclude issuance of all outstanding certificates of return on April 19. But Awara is urging the court to stop INEC from concluding the collation and announcement of the result, saying he was the clear winner of the March 9 election having won 15 of the 23 local government areas in the state." | AAC, PDP, Mr Biokpomabo Awara, Governor Nyesom Wike, Rivers governorship election, collation, INEC, Mr. Festus Okoye | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/rivers-election-case-on-collation-resumption-for-hearing-today.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | Late Audu’s son declares for Kogi gov’ship, vows to end hunger | "Prince Mustapha Mona Audu, a son of late former governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, has formally declared intention to contest in the governorship election of the state scheduled for November this year. Mustapha, who made his intention public, yesterday, in Lokoja said he would be contesting on the platform of Young Progressives Party (YPP). He said he was in the governorship race to bring about a revolution and salvage the state from suffering, hunger, poverty, non-payment of salaries, hardship-induced suicides and deaths. Mustapha said he would build on the good legacies of good governance and development bequeathed by his late father if elected as governor come November. He urged youths to join hands with him to make the dream a reality, adding that Kogi would move on to greater heights if he became governor." | Prince Mustapha Mona Audu, Kogi State, Young progressives Party (YPP), hardship-induced suicides and deaths, governorship election | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/late-audus-son-declares-for-kogi-govship-vows-to-end-hunger.html |
| The Guardian.ng | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | INEC insists on collating Rivers State results April 2 | "Amid calls for outright cancellation of the exercise, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has insisted on resuming collation of Rivers governorship election results come April 2. This comes, as hundreds of members of registered political parties under the aegis of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) yesterday a peaceful demonstration to the State Police Command and office of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Port Harcourt to demand conclusion of collation and declaration of the results, suspended on March 10 on account of alleged interference by security agents. IPAC chairman, Precious Baridoo, while addressing senior police personnel at the force headquarters in the capital city, warned that nothing should be done outside the law because “the INEC process is constitutional and must be allowed to take place.”" | INEC, collation, Rivers governorship election results, security agents, IPAC, DSS, Precious Baridoo | https://guardian.ng/news/inec-insists-on-collating-rivers-state-results-april-2/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | APC, MRDD lose bid to stop Adamawa supplementary guber polls | "A state High Court sitting in Yola yesterday dismissed an oral ex-parte motion by counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD) to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from conducting today’s supplementary governorship election in Adamawa State. Ruling, Justice Abdulaziz Waziri held that he lacked powers to decide for the commission how to discharge its constitutional duties. “I cannot probate and reprobate. Your request will constitute abuse of court processes. So, I cannot avail myself to abuse of law. The commission can go ahead and conduct the election. You as the plaintiffs, have up to Supreme Court since my court is not court of final jurisdiction,” the judge stated." | State High Court in Yola, APC, MRDD, INEC, supplementary governorship election, Adamawa State, Justice Abdulaziz Waziri, Supreme Court | https://guardian.ng/news/apc-mrdd-lose-bid-to-stop-adamawa-supplementary-guber-polls/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | CAN blames political leaders for Nigeria’s woes | "Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Lagos State chapter, Alexander Bamgbola, has blamed the dwindling state of the economy, insecurity and underdevelopment of the country on bad leadership. According to the apostle, any country ruled by rascals will always find it difficult to succeed and compete favourably in the comity of nations. He spoke yesterday at the first Ministers’ Development And Networking Summit organised by the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM), in collaboration with CAN and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) at the church’s headquarters in Gbagada, Lagos. “We need a new beginning in our nation because it has a rotten foundation of corruption. We are still reaping what we sowed in the rotten election of 1959. After that, subsequent elections had been rotten, hence we are still complaining till today. “Look at how far we have wasted the resources of this nation. I once read in 1954 while growing up that a United Nations (UN) research revealed that three likely most developed nations by 1970 would be Brazil, Korea and western Nigeria. By then South Korea was worse than Syria of today, having just come out of war.""" | CAN, Alexander Bamgbola, bad leadership, political leaders, Nigeria's woes | https://guardian.ng/news/can-blames-political-leaders-for-nigerias-woes/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | INEC: Supreme Court will Decide Zamfara APC Logjam | "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it would wait for the directive of the Supreme Court before it could make a final decision on the contentious primary elections of the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) in Zamfara State. A Zamfara State High Court had recognised the primary elections that produced governorship, state and National Assembly candidates held by the APC faction loyal to Governor Abdulaziz Yari and ordered INEC to accept the party candidates for the elections. But the Court of Appeal sitting in Sokoto on Monday set aside the judgment, thus nullifying the primary elections that produced the governor-elect and other winners of the 2019 general election. In obedience to the court order, INEC suspended the presentation of Certificates of Return to the governor, deputy governor and state House of Assembly members-elect on the platform of the APC in the state. The electoral body also added that the judgment of the Court of Appeal would also impact the Certificates of Return already issued to senators and House of Representatives members-elect from the state. However, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Voter Education and Publicity Committee, Mr. Festus Okoye, told THISDAY Wednesday that it would be futile and counterproductive to speculate on what the Supreme Court will or may do in a case before it. He explained that each matter has its own peculiarities and dynamics, adding that the Supreme Court is empowered to make consequential orders that nobody may anticipate." | INEC, Supreme Court, Zamfara APC logjam, 2019 general election | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/28/inec-supreme-court-will-decide-zamfara-apc-logjam/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | INEC Withholds Return Certificates of Four Delta Assembly Members-elect | "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has withheld its Certificates of Return for four persons earlier declared duly elected members of the Delta State House of Assembly after winning the March 9, 2019 state legislative election in their respective constituencies. The INEC National Commissioner in charge of Delta State, Dr. Mohammed Lecky, said the certificate of return of the four persons, including three candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and one candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), could not be presented to them owing to “pending legal cases that have kept the consummation of their electoral victory hanging in the balance.” Lecky statedthis while presenting the return certificates to the state Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, his deputy, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, as well as 24 out of the 29 members-elect The elected lawmakers affected include: APC candidates in Ethiope East, Ugheli North 1, and Ugheli North 11, Anidi Innocent Emosivwe, Oniyere Charles Whomrouhu, and Egbo Jaro Morovudu respectively, as well as the PDP candidate in Ukwauni Constituency, Ochor Christopher." | INEC, Delta Assembly Members-elect, Certificates of Return, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/28/inec-withholds-return-certificates-of-four-delta-assembly-members-elect/ |
| ThisDaylive Newspaper | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | Let's Build Abia Together, Ikpeazu Tells Otti, Ogah | "The Governor of Abia State and the Governor-Elect, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has extended an olive branch to his opponents at the just concluded governorship election, Dr Uche Ogah of All Progressive Congress (APC) and Dr Alex Otti of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), calling on them to join him in building Abia. Ikpeazu, who made the call when he collected his Certificate of Return as Governor-Elect of Abia State from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the Commission’s headquarters in Umuahia, stated that such collaboration is the only way to build the State. | Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, APC, PDP, APGA, Mr Uche Ogah, Dr Alex Otti | This Day Newspaper, Thursday, March 28, 2019 (page 44) |
| ThisDaylive Online | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | PDP Urges Supporters to Turn out Massively, Peacefully for Adamawa Poll | "As the people of Adamawa State prepare for a supplementary governorship election today (Thursday), the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged its supporters to turn out massively and peacefully for the poll. This is coming as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state has called on its supporters in the state to get prepared and participate in the governorship supplementary election slated for today. The state PDP Chairman, Mr. Tahir Shehu, made the appeal yesterday in a statement in Yola. Shehu alleged that the state government, led by All Progressives Congress (APC), was planning to import thugs from Kaduna and Kano States to cause mayhem and manipulate the process to ensure victory for the APC candidate. He urged the security agencies to rise up to the occasion. “We find it necessary to draw the attention of all security agencies to take note and put eyes on the development. “We equally call on all the good and peace loving citizens of Adamawa State, particularly our party supporters to remain calm and resolute to ensure that they peacefully come out en masse to exercise their franchise without any fear of intimidation or harassment.”" | Adamawa State, APC, PDP, supplementary election, INEC, Mr Tahir Shehu | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/28/pdp-urges-supporters-to-turn-out-massively-peacefully-for-adamawa-poll/ |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | APC, PDP set to clash over National Assembly leadership | "The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are set to clash over the leadership positions in the coming 9th National Assembly, Daily Trust reports. The two parties parties, which constitute majority and minority in the two chambers of the National Assembly, have vowed to field candidates for the positions of Senate President, Speaker, Deputy Senate President and Deputy Speaker. APC got 65 Senate seats, while PDP got 43, with the Young Progressives Party (YPP) getting one after the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections. In the House of Reps, the APC so far has 211 seats out of 360, while the PDP has 111. Other political parties have 14. The remaining seats are yet to be decided. Although the constitution does not restrict the four positions to the party with majority of lawmakers, the tradition has been that such a political party would tactically form the leadership using its numbers." | APC, PDP, National Assembly leadership, Senate, House of Representatives | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-pdp-set-to-clash-over-national-assembly-leadership.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | Buhari appeals to senators-elect for support | "President Muhammadu Buhari has urged senators-elect who are of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to support him to turn around the fortunes of the country. The president, who spoke during a dinner organised at the State House, Abuja on Monday night for the Senators-elect, said the delay in the passage of the budget by the eighth Assembly has negatively affected the performance of his administration. Buhari pledged to work and partner with the 9th national assembly to promote peace, stability and economic prosperity in the country. “This is my fifth and last time of standing for an election – for that reason, I’ll like to leave something behind. And what I want to leave cannot be successfully done without your support. “So, that is why I’m appealing for your support. What happened in the last Senate and so on is regrettable because I still feel it shouldn’t take seven months to pass a budget. You have a very, very serious job ahead of you.""" | Buhari, senators-elect, APC, State House, Abuja | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-appeals-to-senators-elect-for-support.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | INEC shelves issuance of certificate for Zamfara governor elect, assembly members | "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, shelved the planned presentation of Certificate of Return to Zamfara State governor-elect, Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu Idris and all those that won seats into the state House of Assembly under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC). This may not be unconnected with the Monday’s judgment of the Court of Appeal in Sokoto State which declared that the APC did not have candidates for all the elections in the state. The Zamfara APC and Gov. Abdul’aziz Yari who had won a Senate seat on the platform of the party said they had mobilized their lawyers to study the situation ahead of appealing the decision at the Supreme Court. The Zamfara APC had won the governorship, national and state assembly seats in the state." | INEC, APC, Zamfara State governor-elect, Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu Idris, Gov. Abdul'aziz Yari | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/inec-shelves-issuance-of-certificate-for-zamfara-governor-elect-assembly-members.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | I’ll give Bauchi better prospect — Bala Mohammed | "The Bauchi State governor-elect, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has promised to give the state new and better prospect for development. He stated this in a speech after he was declared winner of the governorship election in the state. “As we celebrate this hard-earned triumph, I am humbled that you have found me worthy of your trust and confidence. I accept this responsibility with humility and I truly understand its meaning, namely, that you expect me to be a servant of the people, and to lead the charge for the restoration of hope over despair and good over evil,” he stated. According to him, “At the core of this mandate is the crucial drive to give Bauchi State citizens a better prospect and greater opportunity for a prosperous life; reducing poverty and empowering our citizens in the areas of agriculture, Education, urban and rural infrastructure among others,” he said." | Bauchi State, governor-elect, Senatore Bala Mohammed, governorship election | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ill-give-bauchi-better-prospect-bala-mohammed.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | Ogun guber poll: Akinlade hires Adeleke’s lawyer, as battle shifts to tribunal | "The gubernatorial candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Ogun state, Adekunle Akinlade and his party have hired a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu to lead other top legal practitioners as the battle shifted to the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal. Daily Trust learnt that Ikpeazu will be leading other three SANs – Mamman Osuman, Sebastine T. Hon, Ahmed Raji – and twelve other lawyers. Our correspondent reports that Ikpeazu led Senator Ademola Adeleke of PDP’s legal team at the Osun State Election Petition Tribunal, which few day ago declared Adeleke winner of the 2018 election. Already, the senior lawyer had filed, on behalf of the petitioners, a motion exparte before the Tribunal, seeking an order mandating the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to grant them access to the documents used for conduct of March 9 election in the state." | Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Adekunle Akinlade, Ogun State, APC, PDP, Senator Ademola Adeleke of PDP's legal team, INEC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ogun-guber-poll-akinlade-hires-adelekes-lawyer-as-battle-shifts-to-tribunal.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | Why I accepted defeat in Yobe gov’ship — PDP candidate | "The governorship candidate of PDP in Yobe State, Amb. Umar Iliya Damagum, has congratulated the governor-elect, Hon. Mai Mala Buni of the APC, over his victory in the election. Damagum, who spoke shortly after a PDP stakeholders meeting that reviewed the outcome of the general elections, said they had no option but to accept the will of God. “Even though there are so many things that bedevilled the elections, but a winner has been announced; we have no option but accept the will of God and move forward to do what is important for me and my supporters,” he noted. Damagum explained also that the issue he had with the election would not stop him from congratulating the winner, and urged the governor-elect to use his mandate for the good of those who elected them" | PDP Yobe State governorship candidate, general elections, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, APC, Amb. Umar Iliya Damagum | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/why-i-accepted-defeat-in-yobe-govship-pdp-candidate.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | CAN commends peaceful polls in Plateau | "The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Plateau State has applauded the successful completion of what it called a “violence free election” in Plateau State. The religious body said there was sense of fulfilment because the people conducted themselves in a matured manner. A statement signed by the state CAN Chairman, Rev. Soja Bewarang and Secretary, Rev. Polycarp Lubo, stated that “prior to the elections, analysis on the probable nature of the elections had Plateau mentioned among crisis prone states, but to God be the glory there were no records of killings, maiming and assault on individuals as witnessed in some states.”" | Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), violence free election, Plateau State, Rev. Soja Bewarang, Rev. Polycarp Lubo | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/can-commends-peaceful-polls-in-plateau.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | Namdas joins race for speakership | "The spokesman of the House, Abdulrazak Namdas (APC, Adamawa), yesterday, officially declared his intention to contest for the speakership position. In a ceremony held at the NICON Hotels in Abuja, and witnessed by journalists, Namdas appealed to both incumbent and newly elected lawmakers to elect him as the speaker of the 9th House. He said, “As we await the formal proclamation of the 9th Assembly in June, I appeal to my colleagues and members-elect to choose me as a speaker Nigeria needs, and who they can be proud of.”" | Speakership position, Abdulrazak Namdas, APC, Adamawa, 9th Assembly | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/namdas-joins-race-for-speakership.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | 28 parties reject Tambuwal’s victory | "A group, the Coalition of 28 Political Parties in Sokoto State has rejected the outcome of last week’s supplementary governorship election in the state. “The elections were hugely marred by myriads of flaws which had rendered the results of the polls, null, void and unacceptable,” it stated. Addressing journalists in Sokoto, yesterday, the secretary of the coalition, Musa Aliyu, said, “The elections were characterised by massive vote buying, intimidation, non-use of Card Reader machine as well as duplication of voting in polling units were the polls were earlier conducted.” He added: “The polls were characterised by acts of violence which contravened the nation’s electoral laws and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” Aliyu said they also observed that certain polling units were left out as elections were not conducted there." | Political parties, Sokoto State, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Musa Aliyu | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/28-parties-reject-tambuwals-victory.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | APGA in Benue can’t go to tribunal over paucity of funds | "Candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the just concluded Benue State governorship election, John Aondohemba Tseayo, said yesterday that his party will not go to the tribunal due to lack of fund. Tseayo, who at a news conference in Makurdi, berated the PDP and APC for alleged vote buying during the elections, said a bad precedence of governance had been set in the state. He alleged that despite the hues and cries by the government in power over paucity of funds, the Governor Samuel Ortom-led government engaged in vote buying to win election. “Going to tribunal will be another expensive venture. We will not go to tribunal for lack of funds,” he stated." | APGA, Benue State governorship election, John Aondohemba Tseayo, APC, PDP, vote buying | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apga-in-benue-cant-go-to-tribunal-over-paucity-of-funds.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | Bauchi lawyers want gov-elect to complete township road in 100 days | "The Body of Bauchi Lawyers of Conscience (BOBALAC) has appealed to the newly elected governor of the state, Senator Bala Mohammed, to complete the 4.5km Federal Low-Cost to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) road in his first 100 days. The group, in a statement jointly signed by its chief convener, Barrister Shipi Rabo and secretary, Barrister Musa Abdullahi, said the road project was initiated four years ago by the APC administration but was yet to be completed. It therefore urges the incoming governor to hasten the completion of the project within his first 100 days in office. According to the group, the abandoned road caused serious problem to residents of the area and motorists, especially during rainy season." | Body of Bauchi Lawyers of Conscience (BOBLAC), INEC, Bauchi governorship poll, APC, PDP, chief convener, Barrister Shipi Rabo, Bala Mohammed | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/bauchi-lawyers-want-gov-elect-to-complete-township-road-in-100-days.html |
| The Guardian.ng | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | INEC holds supplementary guber election in Adamawa tomorrow | "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is holding the supplementary governorship election in Adamawa State tomorrow, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Kassim Geidam, has confirmed. The decision followed yesterday’s vacation of an earlier restraining order by Justice Abdullaziz Waziri of the Yola High Court. Geidam told a press conference that security agents had taken measures to make the exercise hitch-free, adding that more electoral officers would be deployed from the commission’s headquarters in Abuja to fortify the team on ground. To avoid overcrowding, the REC said only one agent per political party would be allowed at the polling units, just as he added that only people with permanent voter cards (PVCs) that would access the centres and exercise their franchise. Consequently, the distribution of sensitive and other electoral materials as well as deployment of officials takes place today." | INEC, Adamawa governorship supplementary election, security agents, MRDD, APC, PDP, PVCs | https://guardian.ng/news/inec-holds-supplementary-guber-election-in-adamawa-tomorrow/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | Foreign observers berate Kano State supplementary election | "PAN African Women Projects (PAWP), one of the accredited foreign election observers in Nigeria, has condemned the conduct of Kano supplementary election, insisting that it was characterised by large-scale irregularities and violence. The international election observer group based in Johannesburg, South Africa, specifically accused security operatives of compromising their professional ethics and turning blind eyes on cases of violence, intimidation and abuse of electoral process in Kano. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, winner of the supplementary election with 1,033,695 votes. Abba Yusuf of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) trailed with 1,024,713 votes. Addressing a press conference yesterday, PAWP publicity secretary, Mphoentle Keitseng, cited Bagau polling unit (PU) in Kura, Masaku PU in Dala and Rimi-Gado PU where voters were chased by thugs with dangerous weapons." | PAN African Women Projects (PAWP), foreign election observers, Kano supplementary election, South Africa, INEC, foreign observers, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, APC, PDP | https://guardian.ng/news/foreign-observers-berate-kano-state-supplementary-election/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | Ogun Labour Party takes INEC, APC to tribunal over alleged exclusion in guber election | "The Labour Party (LP) in Ogun State has taken the All Progressives Congress (APC), its candidate; Dapo Abiodun; the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), AbdulGaniyu Raji and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the state election petition tribunal for alleged exclusion of its party’s logo, name and symbol on the ballot papers used for the March 9, 2019 governorship election. The petition, filed yesterday by the party’s Secretary, Sunday Oginni, asked the tribunal to nullify the result of the election and also prayed it to order the withdrawal of the Certificate of Return issued to Abiodun. The INEC had declared Abiodun the winner of the governorship election having polled the highest number of votes. The LP also prayed that the tribunal should order the INEC to conduct a fresh election within 21 days of its decision and include its logo and symbol. The party claimed that INEC’s action had deprived its governorship candidate, Modupe Sanyaolu, an opportunity to participate in the election and win." | Labour Party (LP), APC, INEC, alleged exclusion, Sunday Oginni, 2019 governorship election, fresh election | https://guardian.ng/news/ogun-labour-party-takes-inec-apc-to-tribunal-over-alleged-exclusion-in-guber-election/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | INEC ordered to allow PDM, PDP inspect poll materials in Nasarawa | "The governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), Musa Nagogo, inspect electoral materials used in the March 9 poll. The candidate is challenging the victory of Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the omission of his name and his party’s logo in the ballot. Ruling in the motion ex parte, chairman of the tribunal, Abba Mohammed, directed INEC to avail the candidate access to all the materials used in the election. Counsel to the petitioner, Ahmed Adamu, had appealed that the tribunal should compel INEC to allow his client access all election materials to substantiate his claim. The tribunal has also ordered INEC to allow the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, David Ombugadu, to inspect the electoral materials." | Nasarawa governorship election petition tribunal, PDP, PDM, APC, INEC | https://guardian.ng/news/inec-ordered-to-allow-pdm-pdp-inspect-poll-materials-in-nasarawa/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | Zamfara: INEC Suspends Certificates Presentation to Gov, Assembly Members-elect | "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the presentation of Certificates of Return to the governor, deputy governor and State House of Assembly members-elect on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State. The commission also added that the judgement of the Court of Appeal would also impact the Certificates of Returns already issued to the senators and House of Representatives members-elect from the state. The Court of Appeal sitting in Sokoto had on Monday set aside the judgment delivered by the Zamfara High Court, allowing the APC to field candidates in the 2019 election. A Zamfara High court had recognised the primary election that produced governorship, state and National Assembly candidates held by the APC faction loyal to Governor Abdulaziz Yari and ordered INEC to accept the party’s candidates for the elections. But dissatisfied with the ruling, the appellants, led by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Kabiru Marafa, and 129 others, approached the appeal court, challenging the decision on the ground that the state high court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit among others." | INEC, Certificates of Return, Zamfara APC, Senator Kabiru Marafa, 2019 election | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/27/zamfara-inec-suspends-certificates-presentation-to-gov-assembly-members-elect/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | National Assembly Election: Tribunal Receives Four Petitions in Ondo | "The Election Petition Tribunal set up to address complaints from the National Assembly and House of Assembly Elections Tribunal received only four petitions on elections held in Ondo State. The petitions comprised of three House of Representatives and one for senatorial election held on February 23, 2019. In the House of Representatives election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Ilaje/Ese Ondo Federal Constituency, Mr. Donald Ojogo, challenged the declaration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon Kolade Akinjo, as the winner of the election. Counsel to the petitioner, Mr. Isaacs Kekemeke, hinged the petition on the grounds that the declaration violated 2019 regulations and guidelines for the conduct of elections and asked the court to declare the election inconclusive and called for supplementary election in the constituency. In another petition, Mr. Albert Akintoye of the APC challenged the declaration of Mr Ikengbolu Gboluga of the PDP as the winner of the Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency. Akintoye in the petition filed on his behalf by Yinka Orokoto, said he gathered the majority of the lawful votes cast in the election but was manipulated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in favour of the PDP candidate. Akintoye was therefore seeking an order setting aside the certificate of return issued by INEC to Gboluga and declare him as winner of the election." | Election Petition Tribunal, National Assembly, House of Assembly, APC, PDP, Ondo State | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/27/national-assembly-election-tribunal-receives-four-petitions-in-ondo/ |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 26, 2019 | Ex minister Mohammed is new Bauchi gov-elect | "A former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Sen. Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, yesterday, emerged the new governor of Bauchi State under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Sen. Mohammed, 61, who scored 515,113 votes defeated the incumbent, Barr. Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar who scored 500,225. The governor was runing for second term under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The margin between the two candidates stood at 14, 488. Announcing the results, the State INEC Returning Officer, Professor Mohammed Kyari, said Sen. Mohammed having scored the highest number of votes was returned elected. Before the declaration last night, a Federal High Court in Abuja earlier in the day vacated its order stopping INEC from the collation of results in the Bauchi State governorship election held on March 9." | Sen. Bala Abdukadir Mohammed, new governor of Bauchi state, Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, APC, PDP, Federal High Court in Abuja | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ex-minister-mohammed-is-new-bauchi-gov-elect.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 26, 2019 | INEC shifts date for issuance of certificates of return to Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat | "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has shifted the date for the issuance of Certificates of Return to the Governor-elect, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat. The INEC Spokesman, Mr Femi Akinbiyi, who disclosed this in statement on Monday, said that the event, earlier scheduled for Wednesday would now hold on Friday. Akinbiyi, however, said that the commission would later announce a new date for the issuance of the certificates to the 40 lawmakers-elect of the Lagos State House of Assembly. “The event will take place at the INEC Lagos office, 6, Birrel Avenue Sabo-Yaba at 11a.m. “A new date will be announced later for the presentation of Certificates of Return to the 40 elected members of Lagos State House of Assembly,” Akinbiyi said." | INEC, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, Mr Femi Akinbiyi, lawmakers-elect, Lagos State House of Assembly | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/inec-shifts-date-for-issuance-of-certificates-of-return-to-sanwo-olu-hamzat.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 26, 2019 | I’ll run a cabal-free government – Tambuwal | "Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has assured the people of Sokoto state that he would not be dictated to by anybody in his second term. He was allaying the fear generally raised in the state that he would be controlled by big shots of the party in the state. According to Tambuwal, “I will run a cabal-free government.” The governor made the assertion in a post-election interactive session with journalists at the Government House, Sokoto. He said that the victory figure of 342 would never escape his memory, attributing it to the will of God. “It is God’s work considering what happened during the election,” he said" | Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Ahmed Aliyu, APC, PDP, INEC, cabal-free government, Sokoto State | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ill-run-a-cabal-free-government-tambuwal.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 26, 2019 | 2019 elections: Islamic group warns politicians against frivolous litigation | "The Conference of Islamic Organisation yesterday warned politicians who participated in the 2019 general elections to avoid engaging in frivolous litigation. The chairman of its’ ulamau forum, Sheikh Abdur Rahman Ahmad, gave the warning at a news conference in Lagos. “When you know you are faulty, take it as your fault. When you know there is no fault, know that there is no fault. But in a situation where you want to use the court as an avenue to take away something that does not belong to you, that is what we have issues with. “If you are going to court on issues pertaining to not having level playing ground, then we advise you seek perfect redress. We are not saying do not go to court, but don’t go to court mischievously looking for a mandate you were not entrusted with abinitio, said Ahmad, who was represented by Chief Imam, Adangba Central Mosque, Sheikh Abdur Rahman Adangba." | Conference of Islamic Organisation, 2019 general elections, frivolous litigation, Sheikh Abdur Rahman Ahmad, Sheikh Abdur Rahman Adangba | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2019-elections-islamic-group-warns-politicians-against-frivolous-litigation.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 26, 2019 | Rivers: AAC deputy gov’ship candidate defects to PDP | "The deputy governorship candidate of Africa Action Congress (AAC) in Rivers State, Chief Akpo Bomba Yeeh, has defected to PDP. Bomba Yeeh, a running mate to Biokpomabo Awara of AAC, was at the government house in Port Harcourt where he met with Governor Nyesom Wike. The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers loyal to the minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, had adopted the AAC and its candidates for the governorship election in the state. Bomba Yeeh said Rivers’ developed by its founding fathers should be sustained by the efforts of all patriots. Many believed his defection was a setback for the AAC, and by extension the APC, two parties working together to dethrone Wike." | AAC, Chief Akpo Bomba Yeeh, PDP, Governor Nyseom Wike, Rivers State, APC, Rotimi Amaechi | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/rivers-aac-deputy-govship-candidate-defects-to-pdp.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 26, 2019 | Ndume writes Oshiomhole, declares for Senate presidency | "The senator representing Borno South, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has formally declared his intention to contest for the office of Senate president in the incoming 9th National Assembly. Ndume, a former Senate leader, said in a letter addressed to the National Chairman of APC Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday, that his resolve to contest for the Number 3 citizen’s office was due to his zeal to contribute to Nigeria’s socioeconomic development. He said he believed that APC as a party would zone the position to the North East zone, considering the contributions of the region to the party’s electoral victory during the polls." | Mohammed Ali Ndume, Senate presidency, 9th National Assembly, APC, Oshiomhole | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ndume-writes-oshiomhole-declares-for-senate-presidency.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 26, 2019 | Rep Da’u joins race for deputy speaker | "The member representing Birnin-Kudu/Buji Federal Constituency of Jigawa State, Magaji Da’u Aliyu, has joined the race for deputy speaker of the House of Representatives. Da’u, who was first elected to the house in 2015 on the platform of APC, made his intention known to Daily Trust in Abuja yesterday. The lawmaker said he believed he had all it took to head the office of deputy speaker as someone who had the required legislative experience. Da’u, who was re-elected for a second term in the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections, said he would add legislative value to the APC-led government. The lawmaker has now joined the likes of Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila and Abubakar Lado Suleja from Kano and Niger states among those vying for the deputy speaker’s seat." | Magaji Da'u Aliyu, race for deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Jigawa State | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/rep-dau-joins-race-for-deputy-speaker.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 26, 2019 | Observers to politicians: Respect rule of law | "A coalition of accredited INEC observers has called on winners and losers of the just concluded rerun election in Kano State to respect the rule of law. Addressing a press conference, yesterday, in Kano, Dr Ibrahim Baba, who spoke on behalf of all the civil society organisations (CSOs), urged political leaders from both sides to call on their supporters to be peaceful and law abiding. Baba also charged politicians to refrain from disseminating false information and channel electoral complaints and grievances through established legal process. “We are calling on INEC to collaborate more effectively with the police to investigate electoral offenders and apply appropriate sanctions on any persons or group of persons found culpable to serve as deterrent in subsequent elections,” he said." | INEC observers, rule of law, Dr. Ibrahim Baba, political leaders | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/observers-to-politicians-respect-rule-of-law.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 26, 2019 | Judges of election tribunals posted as Court of Appeal trains secretaries | "The 250 members of the Election Petitions Tribunals have been posted to their respective states of assignment as the adjudications in grievances from the 2019 general elections begin. President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, last week told the judges that “by the end of this week, we will all be in our various states for the tribunals and the appeals that will follow suit by the aggrieved parties.” She added that “I need not remind you that the assignment ahead of you is enormous and due diligence and professionalism is expected from each and everyone of you.” She had also warned them not to be driven by emotions and sentiments in the discharge of their duties in the states they are assigned. Justice Bulkachuwa harped on adherence to the code of conduct for judicial officers, warning that the judges would be closely monitored in the course of their work." | Election Petitions Tribunal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, Court of Appeal, aggrieved parties | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/judges-of-election-tribunals-posted-as-court-of-appeal-trains-secretaries.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 26, 2019 | What we want from Oyo governor-elect — Oke-Ogun residents | "Following the victory of Mr Seyi Makinde in the March 9 governorship election, some residents of Oke-Ogun Zone in Oyo State on Monday set different agenda for the governor-elect. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerged winner after he defeated his closest rival from All Progressives Congress (APC), Adebayo Adelabu. Many of the residents, who spoke with NAN in separate interviews, expressed optimism of a new beginning. An Iseyin-based civil servant, Mr Bambi Abiodun, called for an all-inclusive government, saying ”at the end, there is no winner or loser, we are one.’’" | Mr Seyi Makinde, Oyo State, governor-elect, governorship elect, Oke-Ogun Zone | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/what-we-want-from-oyo-governor-elect-oke-ogun-residents.html |
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, March 26, 2019 | Zamfara governor seat may be vacant as court nullifies APC primaries | "The All Progressives Congress (APC) might have forfeited its win of the Zamfara State governorship election to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).This followed a ruling yesterday by the Court of Appeal in Sokoto, which nullified the party’s primaries in the state. The verdict came two weeks after the party’s candidate, Mukhtar Shehu, was declared winner.It set aside the judgment delivered by a Zamfara High Court, which had allowed the APC to field candidates in the elections.Senator Kabiru Marafa, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) and 129 others filed the appeal through their counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mr. Mike Ozhekome. Delivering the lead judgment, which was adopted by two other justices, Tijjani Abubakar and Jamilu Tukur, yesterday, Justice Yakubu held that the lower court failed to properly evaluate the evidence before it. He said judges have the legal power to produce judgment and reach decisions with reason. He regretted that in this case, that was not done." | APC primaries, PDP, Court of Appeal, Zamfara governor, Senator Kabiru Marafa | https://guardian.ng/politics/zamfara-governor-seat-may-be-vacant-as-court-nullifies-apc-primaries/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, March 26, 2019 | EU scores supplementary polls low on security, others | "The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has declared that the March 23 supplementary elections in Kano, Bauchi, Benue, Plateau and Sokoto states were marred by alleged insecurity, violence, intimidation and ineffectiveness of security agencies.The group said 20 of its observers monitored the exercise in the affected states from polling through counting and collation of results. In its report yesterday in Abuja, the EU observers said there were “cases of extensive electoral security problems in some areas, with groups of men with weapons intimidating and obstructing the process while security agencies were ineffective at protecting citizens’ right to vote.” In particular, the document, released by the Press Officer, Sarah Fradgley, stated that parts of Kano were largely “inaccessible to EU observers as citizen observers and journalists were obstructed amid security failures.”The European monitors also pointed out “increased interference by party agents and cases of vote-buying”, insisting that the leaderships did not take steps to rein in their supporters. Given the high stakes and the low turn-out of the electorate, the report noted that the polls were “systemically vulnerable to parties, strategically pressurising voters and disrupting the process.”The EU team, however, submitted that there were improved logistical arrangements and procedures mostly followed, but quickly added that there were problems with secrecy of the ballot as it was so open in nearly one-third of polling units observed. It regretted that throughout the day, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) never commented on the alleged electoral disturbances.In a related development, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it was allegedly robbed of victory in Kano." | European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM), 2019 general elections, Nigeria, Maria Arena, election process, alleged insecurity, APC, PDP | https://guardian.ng/news/eu-scores-supplementary-polls-low-on-security-others/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, March 26, 2019 | Female Lawmaker, Onyejeocha, Joins Speakership Race | "Ahead of the zoning arrangement of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the only female member of the House of Representatives vying for speakership position, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, has officially declared her intention to contest for the highest position in the green chamber. Onyejeocha, who is chairman, House Committee on Aviation and a fourth time lawmaker representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi/ federal constituency of Abia State, told journalists that she hopes APC will consider her and her zone for the office. The lawmaker, who attended the Monday APC interactive meeting with newly elected members held at the Yar’ Adua Centre, Abuja, with her manifesto for the 9thassembly speakership titled: ‘Seeking Your Support,’ told journalists in her office in the House of Representatives wing of the National Assembly that she was ably qualified for the job and that she was ready to work with the executive to move Nigeria forward. She noted that: “I am humbly seeking your support and vote to secure the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 9th National Assembly. “I believe I possess the requisite legislative skills, knowledge, experience and temperament to be Speaker of this great House.”" | APC, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Speakership Race, legislative skills, 9th National Assembly | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/26/281203/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, March 26, 2019 | Protest in Rivers over resumed collation | "Protesters yesterday took to the streets in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, to decry the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to halt the electoral process without credible and verifiable reasons. Led by human rights activists, who carried placards, some of which read, “We Want Awara”, the protesters swept through major routes in the capital city on their way to office of the Directorate of State Services, DSS. The protesters headed for the INEC headquarters to complain about the a anomalies. Speaking with reporters, Dr Jackson Omenazu, President of the International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights warned that Rivers State would degenerate into serious crisis if INEC continues with its manipulation of the electoral process. “We call on Nigerians and INEC National Leadership to hold Obo Effanga responsible for any breakdown of law and order in Rivers State. A partisan electoral umpire is a catalyst to anarchy. “The abuse of section 26 sub section (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, and the ignoble actions by the Rivers State REC must not go unpunished. When an agent of state (INEC) collaborates to undermine the State, such agent must be treated as felon,” Jackson Omenazu stressed.""" | Rivers State, protest, collation, electoral process, DSS, INEC headquarters, Dr Jackson Omenazu | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/26/protest-in-rivers-over-resumed-collation/ |
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, March 25, 2019 | Zamfara: APC has no candidate in 2019 general elections, Appeal Court says | "The Court of Appeal, sitting in Sokoto State, has set aside judgement of the Zamfara High Court which paved way for the All Progressives Congress, APC, to field candidates in the 2019 general elections. The Presiding Judge, Justice Tom Shuaibu Yakubu, while delivering the lead judgement, averred that the lower court did not properly evaluate and assess all the evidences put before it before making its judgement. According to him, after reevaluation and reassessment of the evidences by the appellant court, it was discovered that the party did not follow the provision of the Electoral Act and the guidelines provided by the party in selecting its candidates. The judge held that the party had made two unsuccessful attempts to conduct primaries in the state and list of candidates were not duly submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, by the national headquarter of the party as promised by the national chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole." | Court of Appeal, Zamfara High Court, APC, PDP, Justice Tom Shuaibu Yakubu, Oshiomhole, Electoral Act | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/zamfara-apc-has-no-candidate-in-2019-general-elections-appeal-court-says.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, March 25, 2019 | Bauchi gov’ship: Court okays collation of result | "A Federal High Court in Abuja has vacated its earlier order stopping the collation of results in the March 9 Bauchi State governorship election. Justice Ekwo ruled that only the Elections Petitions Tribunal can attend to the issues raised by both APC and Governor Mohammed Abubakar. Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had filed an objection to the order of a Federal High Court in Abuja halting the collation and announcement of results of the governorship election held in Bauchi State on March 9. In a counter affidavit, which was deposed to by one Hassan Adamu, a Higher Executive Officer in INEC’s Legal Services Department, the commission argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to dabble into a post-election matter such as the outcome of the Bauchi governorship election." | Federal High Court, Bauchi State governorship election, APC, PDP, post-election matter | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/bauchi-govship-court-okays-collation-of-result.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, March 25, 2019 | Ganduje, Tambuwal, Lalong, Ortom win second term | "The governors of Kano, Sokoto, Plateau and Benue states, yesterday, won a second term in a fierce rerun elections. However, the governors of Bauchi and Adamawa will have to wait for court pronouncements to ascertain their fate. Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State and his counterpart in Plateau, Simon Bako Lalong won their second term under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC); while Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto and Benue’s, Samuel Ortom who both defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), won their reelection on the platform of their new party. All of them had participated in the March 9 gubernatorial elections held in 29 states. However, the results in Kano, Sokoto, Plateau, Benue, Bauchi and Adamawa were declared inconclusive while that of Rivers was suspended. During the supplementary elections held on Saturday, winner could not be announced in Bauchi because Governor Mohammed Abubakar of the APC is in court challenging the outcome of elections in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area which Sen. Bala Mohammed of the PDP is leading." | Kano, Sokoto, Plateau, Benue, APC, PDP, second term, supplementary elections, Bauchi | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ganduje-tambuwal-lalong-ortom-win-second-term.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, March 25, 2019 | Re-run: CSOs wants action against violence, vote buying | "The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), YIAGA-AFRICA and Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), and Election Analysis Centre (EAC) have separately demanded strict actions against perpetrators of violence in Saturday’s supplementary elections in parts of the country. The calls were made in separate statements signed by CISLAC Executive Director, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani; CDD Director, Idayat Hassan; TMG Chairperson, Dr. AbiolaAkiyode-Afolabi and Chair, Watching The Vote (WTV) Working Group of YIAGA AFRICA, Dr. Hussaini Abdu, and Executive Director, YIAGA AFRICA, Samson Itodo. According to them, it was unacceptable that despite all the efforts by stakeholders to ensure the success of the elections and deepen democracy in the country, political parties and some politician openly engaged in widespread vote buying, violence and other electoral malpractices even in the presence of law enforcement agencies." | CSOs, TMG, CISLAC, YIAGA AFRICA, CDD, electoral violence, vote buying, INEC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/re-run-csos-wants-action-against-violence-vote-buying.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, March 25, 2019 | Benue attack: Our workers insured against mishap – INEC | "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed the violent attack on the governorship election collation officer for Gboko LGA in Benue state, Prof. Comfort D. Tuluen, saying all its officials are fully insured against mishaps. This is contained in a statement from the commission’s verified twitter handle @inecnigeria posted on Sunday in Abuja. Mrs. Tuluen, was shot at and injured on her way to Makurdi while she was carrying with her the LGA collated result sheet when her convoy of vehicles was ambushed. The commission said the injured officer is presently receiving treatment in a hospital. “While wishing her a speedy recovery, @inecnigeria wishes to point out that all its ad-hoc and permanent staff are insured against such mishaps and the Commission is responsible for all hospital bills and medical expenses of all such injured staff. The incident has been reported to the law enforcement officers and we will closely monitor the investigation,” the commission said." | INEC, Benue attack, Gboko LGA, Prof. Comfort D. Tuluen, mishaps | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/benue-attack-our-workers-insured-against-mishap-inec.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, March 25, 2019 | Nasarawa Assembly: PDP wins 2 seats, APC 1, SDP 1 | "The PDP has won 2 seats, while APC and SDP won one each during Saturday’s supplementary election held in Nasarawa State. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr. Uthman Ajidagba, said yesterday that PDP won the state constituency seats in Karu and Obi local government areas; APC won in Nasarawa Eggon and SDP in Keffi. According to him, PDP’s David Maiyaki won in Keffi with 16,361 votes while Luka Ilya Zhekiba won in Obi with 13, 942 votes. In Keffi, Sulaiman Abdulaziz of the SDP emerged member of the state house of assembly after scoring 7,527 votes; while Muhammad Ibrahim of the APC won the Nasarawa Eggon constituency with 11,960 votes." | PDP, APC, SDP, Nasarawa Assembly, supplementary election | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nasarawa-assembly-pdp-wins-2-seats-apc-1-sdp-1.html |
| The Guardian.ng | Monday, March 25, 2019 | Kwara ex-lawmaker advocates three political parties in future elections | "A former lawmaker in Kwara State in the Second Republic, Chief Wole Oke, has recommended the registration of only three political parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in future elections in the country. He said the three political parties would be the ones to be recognised by the INEC for national elections while other political parties would be restricted to their local government areas as practised in some other countries of the world. Oke, who stated this in Ilorin, the state capital, during a chat with reporters, said under such arrangement, political parties that wish to contest at the local council levels could float their parties. He lamented that the present situation in the country where we have the logo of 91 political parties on the ballot papers was unwieldy. According to him, even literates find it difficult to identify the logos of the political parties to vote for talk-less of the illiterates and elderly electorate. He said that the involvement of the military in the process of conducting elections in the country was to curb the excesses of political parties and plans by some politicians to hijack the political process and seek power by force." | Chief Wole Oke, Kwara ex-lawmaker, future elections, three political parties, ballot papers | https://guardian.ng/news/kwara-ex-lawmaker-advocates-three-political-parties-in-future-elections/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Monday, March 25, 2019 | Yoruba Elders Task Buhari on True Federalism | "Following his victory for a second term in office, the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) has tasked President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that he enthrones true federalism and national unity in the country. The Secretary-General of the group, Dr. Kunle Olajide, who disclosed this at the weekend, added that the president needed to return the country to the era of revenue generation and not sharing of allocation. Olajide said: “I have written a congratulatory letter to the president on his re-election and assured him of YCE’s support for his administration towards achieving a greater Nigeria. “In the letter, I told him that his victory carries enormous responsibilities among, which were the need to ensure national unity and a revisit of the El-Rufai’s committee report on restructuring. “The president has replied the letter, appreciating it and the in-depth suggestions. “He assured me that the suggestions will be given adequate cognisance,” he said." | Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Buhari, second term, Dr.Kunle Olajide, True Federalism | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/25/yoruba-elders-task-buhari-on-true-federalism/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Monday, March 25, 2019 | Election Petition: Atiku Did His Homework, Says South-west PDP | "The South-west Zone of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it was privy to the fact that the party’s presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, did his home work, assuring that he will triumph at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal. The party expressed the optimism in a statement issued yesterday, to rejoice over the victory of the Osun PDP governorship candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, at the state’s election petition tribunal. In the statement issued by the zone’s publicity secretary of the party, Mr. Ayo Fadaka, the PDP stated: “We want to assure Nigerians that the illegal manipulation of the presidential election is being challenged diligently by our candidate, Atiku Abubakar. “The party has done its homework in this respect, having gathered evidences of malpractices across the nation; therefore, we declare that we are confident of getting a fair hearing of our petition before the Presidential Election Tribunal. “The judiciary will continue to remain the last bastion of our democracy and we trust it to take required actions that will halt impunity, political dishonesty and outright thievery of electoral desires of Nigerians as expressed in the last presidential elections,” the party said. It congratulated the judiciary “for having expressed loudly, that the impunity of the ruling party, the APC, which President Buhari described as ‘remote control’ in our elections, is being checkmated and this confirms that our generation owes our children and indeed future generations the responsibility to begin to take actions that will safeguard the future of our nation.”" | South -West PDP, Atiku, Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, Senator Ademola Adeleke | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/25/election-petition-atiku-did-his-homework-says-south-west-pdp/ |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 21, 2019 | N/East, N/Central battle for senate presidency | "Politicians and lawmakers from the North East and North Central geo-political zones are mounting pressure on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to allow them to produce the Senate president for the ninth assembly, Daily Trust learnt yesterday. Ranking APC senators-elect including former governors are pushing for the party to zone the seat and other leadership positions to their areas. Some senators spoken to said failure of the party to zone the positions would lead to a repeat of the 2015 episode that resulted in a major crisis of confidence when Dr. Bukola Saraki was elected Senate President with the help of PDP senators while Senator Ike Ekweremadu of PDP emerged as his deputy." | North-East, North-Central, Senate presidency, APC, PDP, Bukola Saraki, Ike Ekweremadu | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/n-east-n-central-battle-for-senate-presidency.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 21, 2019 | Rowdy session in Senate over ‘militarisation of elections’ | "There was rowdiness on the floor of the Senate yesterday over the alleged militarisation of the 2019 elections as lawmakers from APC and PDP engaged in hot exchanges. In a motion on the matter, Dino Melaye (PDP, Kogi) and seven other PDP senators alleged that the entire electoral process was militarised and that the electoral umpire was inconsistent with the laws of the land. Melaye who read the content of the motion said the development posed a serious threat to the country’s democracy with security implications that must be nipped in the bud. Senate Leader Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe), while contributing to the motion said the essence of having the legislature was to provide legislative intervention whenever there was a need to do so." | Militarisation of elections, APC, PDP, Dino Melaye, Ahmad Lawan, INEC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/rowdy-session-in-senate-over-militarization-of-elections.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 21, 2019 | Elections: Justice Bulkachuwa warns tribunal members | "The President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa has vowed to deal with any member of the election petitions tribunal found wanting in the discharge of their duties. Justice Bulkachuwa made this declaration during the induction programme for justice of the Court of Appeal and members of the election petitions tribunals in Abuja yesterday. “Like I have said before, each and every one of you will be closely monitored by my office and I will not hesitate to descend on any judge found wanting in the discharge of his or her duty,” she said. “By the end of this induction training, you will all be abreast with what is expected of you and I am sure by the time you resume your duty posts you will be ready to carry out the tasks assiduously.”" | President of Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, election petitions, Abuja | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/elections-justice-bulkachuwa-warns-tribunal-members.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 21, 2019 | Atiku, govs absent at PDP NEC meeting | "The PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and all the governors-elected on the platform of the party were, yesterday, absent at its 85th Emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja. From the North East, Governors Darius Ishaku of Taraba State and Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State were absent. Ditto from the North West, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State was absent while from the North Central, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State and his Kwara State counterpart, Ahmed Abdulfattah were conspicuously absent. Similarly, from the South South, Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta; Ben Ayade of Cross River; Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom; Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State were absent at the meeting. In the South East, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; and Chigozie Ikoeazu of Abia State were absent." | PDP NEC meeting, Atiku, Uche Secondus, Samuel Ortom, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Dave Umahi | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/atiku-govs-absent-at-pdp-nec-meeting.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 21, 2019 | Bauchi gov’ship: INEC challenges court powers to stop collation of results | "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has filed an objection to the order of a Federal High Court in Abuja halting the collation and announcement of results of the governorship election held in Bauchi State on March 9. In a counter affidavit, which was deposed to by one Hassan Adamu, a Higher Executive Officer in INEC’s Legal Services Department, the commission argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to dabble into a post-election matter such as the outcome of the Bauchi governorship election. The deponent informed the court that the decision of INEC to conclude collation for the disputed Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area was made based on figures contained in the duplicates of results of the election. INEC contended that the election petitions tribunal had the exclusive jurisdiction to review the decision of the commission in electoral matters." | INEC, Federal High Court in Abuja, Bauchi governorship supplementary election, Hassan Adamu, Tafawa Balewa LGA | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/bauchi-govship-inec-challenges-court-powers-to-stop-collation-of-results.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 21, 2019 | Buhari’s victory will be short lived — Saraki | "The Senate president and Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Dr. Bukola Saraki, said yesterday, that President Muhammadu Buhari’s “purported victory” in the February 23 presidential election will be short lived. PDP bigwigs at their National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held, yesterday, in Abuja, said they would explore all democratic means to “reclaim” their mandate. Speaking at the opening session of the meeting, Saraki said the PDP must defeat Buhari at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal. “First of all, the true reflection of the presidential election showed the kind of character that the PDP has. I think that is something that we should build on. “My own appeal to everybody is to say this victory that the other party has seen is going to be short lived. We have a great future ahead and I believe we will start that on Saturday, to make sure that we defend those five states that are declared inconclusive.""" | Senate president Bukola Saraki, Atiku, Buhari, presidential election, PDP NEC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buharis-victory-will-be-short-lived-saraki-2.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 21, 2019 | Benue supplementary poll: Sultan, Kukah preach peace | "The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar and the Bishop of Sokoto Dioceses, Mathew Hassan Kukah, yesterday tasked politicians on a violence-free supplementary election in Sokoto State. The duo spoke at the town hall meeting for stakeholders organized by the National Peace Committee ahead of the Saturday’s supplementary election in the state. Sultan said: “As Muslims, we know power comes from God, we should not go on killing ourselves because we cannot force God to change His will.” Represented by the Wazirin Sokoto, Professor Sambo Junaidu, the Sultan urged the electorate to vote for the right person who would could make effortsto develop the state. Kukah wondered why those trying to govern the state should instigate violence, saying “What you don’t wish your enemy, you should not wish it for another person. God knows the next Governor.”" | Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar, Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, Benue supplementary poll, Wazirin Sokoto, Professor Sambo Junaidu | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/benue-supplementary-poll-sultan-kukah-preach-peace.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 21, 2019 | Police warn politicians as parties prepare for supplementary polls | "The Ekiti State Police Command, yesterday, warned politicians to refrain from acts capable of destabilising the state during the supplementary state House of Assembly election slated for Saturday. INEC had announced election in Ekiti East constituency 1 as inconclusive on March 9, when the governorship and House of Assembly elections held across the country. The two leading candidates were Mr Juwa Adegbuyi of the APC and Ojo-Ade Fajana of the PDP who is representing the constituency presently. The Commissioner of Police, Mr Asuquo Amba, who gave the warning in a statement in Ado Ekiti, said his men and officers were battle ready to provide adequate security during the election." | Ekiti State Police Command, supplementary polls, politicians, Mr Asuquo Amba, APC, PDP | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/police-warn-politicians-as-parties-prepare-for-supplementary-polls.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 21, 2019 | A/Ibom gov signs 2019 budget | "Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel yesterday signed the 2019 appropriation bill of N672 .984 billion. The state’s Commissioner for Finance, Nsikan Nkan, said the “Budget of Industrialisation for Poverty Alleviation” was intended to actualize the industralisation and job creation agenda of the governor. Nkan stated that the 2019 budget was expected to function on the strength of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and other consolidated allocations." | Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel, Nsikan Nkan, 2019 Appropriation Bill | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/a-ibom-gov-signs-2019-budget.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 21, 2019 | INEC meets stakeholders ahead of re-run polls in Kwali, Abaji | "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has met with stakeholders ahead of supplementary chairmanship election in Kwali Area Council and councilorship election in Alu/Mamagi ward in Abaji area council. An INEC official, Dahiru Mohammed, met with the stakeholders separately in Kwali and Abaji, with various security agents clerics, politicians and religious leaders in attendance. He assured stakeholders of the readiness of INEC as the electoral umpire to conduct the supplementary chairmanship election in Kwali and councillorship in Alu/Mamagi ward in Abaji on Saturday, March 23. He also called on traditional rulers, village chiefs as well as religious leaders to preach peace to their people before, during and after the rerun elections." | INEC, FCT, stakeholders, supplementary chairmanship election, Kwali, Abaji | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/inec-meets-stakeholders-ahead-of-re-run-polls-in-kwali-abaji.html |
| The Guardian.ng | Thursday, March 21, 2019 | PDP takes Justice Inyang to NJC for halting poll collation | "The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) following the order issued by Justice Ekwo Inyang of the Federal High Court Abuja stopping the collation and announcement of the result of the March 9, 2019 Bauchi State governorship election. Governor Mohammed Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had approached the court after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rescinded its decision to hold a rerun on the inconclusive poll and opted to proceed with counting and result declaration. The PDP accused Inyang of violating the constitution and Electoral Act by sitting on a matter it claimed should have been handled by an election petition tribunal." | PDP, National Judicial Council (NJC), Federal High Court Abuja, Electoral Act, APC, Poll collation, Election Petition Tribunal | https://guardian.ng/news/pdp-takes-justice-inyang-to-njc-for-halting-poll-collation/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Thursday, March 21, 2019 | 2019 elections, a rape of democracy, says Labour | "The United Labour Congress (ULC) has described the 2019 general elections as a complete rape of democracy and an embarrassing sham that aborted the will of majority of Nigerians as expressed through the ballot. It lamented that the Independent National Electoral Commission Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) negated the principles upon which elections are organised in saner societies. The union described the exercise as a harvest of blood, given the several loss of lives, a defilement of the ballot and desecration of democracy capable of destroying the basis of our existence as a democratic nation. Its President, Joe Ajaero, who condemned the use of military, the police and other security agencies in the conduct of the elections in a statement yesterday, lamented cases of rampant collusion between the military and politicians to manipulate votes in favour of some candidates." | United Labour Congress (ULC), 2019 general elections, complete rape of democracy, INEC, democratic nation | https://guardian.ng/news/2019-elections-a-rape-of-democracy-says-labour/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Thursday, March 21, 2019 | IPAC urges Buhari to shun losers of Rivers’ guber polls | "The Rivers State chapter of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has informed President Muhammadu Buhari that those calling on him to intervene in the state’s gubernatorial election are enemies of peace, who lost the election. IPAC therefore urged the president to ignore the calls by pro-All Progressives Congress (APC) elders, just as it accused APC of attempting to use the elders to create a chaotic atmosphere and short-circuit the duties of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In the resolution read by the gubernatorial candidate of Accord Party, Precious Baridoo, IPAC described the call as devilish and an affront on Rivers people, who voted for Governor Nyesom Wike on March 9 governorship elections. The group recalled how INEC’s fact-finding committee acknowledged that elections took place in majority of the polling units of the state, with collation of results and declarations already made in majority of the constituencies where PDP was clearly winning." | Rivers State guber polls, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), bUHARI, Precious Baridoo, INEC's fact-finding committee | https://guardian.ng/politics/ipac-urges-buhari-to-shun-losers-of-rivers-guber-polls/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Thursday, March 21, 2019 | Court Orders Arrest of Bayelsa Politician, Two Others over Abduction of DCP Okunola | "Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja Wednesday ordered the arrest of a top Bayelsa State politician, Hon. Israel Sunny Goli, and two others over their alleged complicity in February 24 abduction of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Kola Okunlola, in Bayelsa State. Justice Abang’s order was sequel to an oral application made for their arrest by counsel to the Nigeria Police Force. DCP Okunlola, in charge of the Federal Special Anti- Robbery Squad (FARS), was said to have been abducted in Brass, Bayelsa State while he was monitoring the last presidential and National Assembly elections. Others to be arrested alongside Goli, who was a House of Representatives candidate in the last election are Victor Tamarapreye and Azi Newton. In a short ruling, Justice Abang ordered that the three, listed with eight others as defendants in a charge pending before the court, be arrested anywhere they are found in the country. The judge said although it was not mandatory for the court to issue bench warrant on a defendant yet to be properly arraigned before the court, he was inclined to exercise his decretion in favour of the prosecution in view of the nature of the charge. Justice Abang noted that sections 113 and 394 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), on which the Police relied to make the application, did not make the grant of bench warrant mandatory." | Justice Okon Abang, Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria Police Force, Bayelsa politicians | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/21/court-orders-arrest-of-bayelsa-politician-two-others-over-abduction-of-dcp-okunola/ |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 20, 2019 | Why I can’t comment on presidential election – Obasanjo | "Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday said he cannot comment on the recently held presidential election in the country because the matter is before the tribunal. Obasanjo, who was speaking in Abuja at the launch of a book titled “Election in Nigeria: The Long Road to Democracy” by Professor Abdullahi Shehu, said he was of the opinion that commenting on the election at this stage could be tagged sub-judice. He, however, noted that without integrity, any election is a farce, adding that any election that is a farce cannot underpin democracy or good governance. He added that the main thrust of the book was a comparative analysis of the APC’s Next Level and the PDP’s Let’s Get Nigeria Working Again, adding that the author did justice to what he set out to achieve." | Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, 2019 presidential election, Professor Abdullahi Shehu, good governance | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/why-i-cant-comment-on-presidential-election-obasanjo.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 20, 2019 | Buhari rejects two bills as Reps adjourn to April 2 | "President Muhammadu Buhari has declined assent to two bills passed by the National Assembly, citing discrepancies with global best practices and duplication of duties of already existing agencies. The bills are the Chartered Institute of Training and Development of Nigeria Bill and the Nigerian Aeronautic Research Rescue Bill. The president conveyed his decision to decline his assents to the bills yesterday, via a letter transmitted to the House of Representatives, and read on the floor of the House during plenary by Speaker Yakubu Dogara. According to the letter, Buhari’s decision to decline assent to the Chartered Institute of Training and Development of Nigeria Bill was because of “concerns that the Institute does not possess the capacity of the requirements that might be imposed on it if the bill is assented to.”" | Buhari, National Assembly, Chartered Institute of Training and Development Bill, Nigerian Aeronautic Research Rescue Bill | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-rejects-two-bills-as-reps-adjourn-to-april-2.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 20, 2019 | FG to increase VAT, adjust 2019 budget | "The Federal Government would send request to the National Assembly for adjustments to the 2019 budget to reflect ways of sourcing funds to pay the new national minimum wage which was approved by the Senate yesterday. Minister of Budget and National Planning Udoma Udo Udoma said this yesterday during an engagement with the Senate Committee on Finance on the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP). The minister said government had plans to constitute a panel that would come up with ways of increasing revenues to meet up with the new minimum wage, adding that a new request is to be forwarded to the legislature in that regard. He said the current budget size of N8.83 trillion may increase due to the adjustments to take care of the new minimum wage. Udoma also told the Senate committee that the panel, when constituted, would be tasked with the responsibility of negotiating with workers above the minimum wage bracket with a view to easing the payment." | Federal Government, National Assembly, 2019 budget, Udoma Udo Udoma, Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fg-to-increase-vat-adjust-2019-budget.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 20, 2019 | Reps to probe militarisation of 2019 polls | "The House of Representatives, yesterday, resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate holistically, the militarization of the 2019 general elections. The resolution followed a motion of urgent national importance by Patrick Asadu (PDP, Enugu) on the alleged “illegal deployment, use and misuse of soldiers of Nigerian Army during the 2019 general elections.” Asadu said the investigation was necessary given that such deployments were made despite valid, subsisting court judgments that prohibited the use of the military for election purposes. “There are three separate, subsisting judgements by courts of competent jurisdiction against the deployment of the military during elections in Nigeria, without recourse to the National Assembly. “These include the judgements of Justice Mohammed Aikawa of Federal High Court, Sokoto, 2015; Justice Abdul Aboki of the Court of Appeal, 2015; and the 2015 judgement granted Femi Gbajabiamila by Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos,” Asadu noted." | House of Representatives, 2019 general election, militarisation, Patrick Asadu, Justice Mohammed Aikawa | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/reps-to-probe-militarization-of-2019-polls.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 20, 2019 | Senate passes N8.83trn 2019 budget for second reading | "The Senate on yesterday passed the 2019 budget estimates of N8.83 trillion for second reading after an exhaustive debate. Senators had on Wednesday last week commenced the debate on the budget with some of them expressing fears about the “high level of debt” the country was getting into. During yesterday’s debate, some senators, most of the PDP, criticised the government for coming up with certain assumptions in the budget estimates, which they said were not feasible. Eyinnaya Abaribe (PDP, Abia), in his contribution, said: “This budget is a budget of poverty and impossibility. They said it’s a budget of consolidation, but the truth is that there is nothing to consolidate about." | 2019 budget, second reading, Eyinnaya Abaribe | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/senate-passes-n8-83trn-2019-budget-for-second-reading.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 20, 2019 | More space for women in my cabinet — Ayade | "Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has said he will soon reshuffle his cabinet, assuring that there would be more opportunities for women. Ayade, while answering questions from a local radio station, said he needed to ensure gender balance in his administration. He, however, said more opportunities for women would not mean weeding out those already in his government. The governor used the opportunity to stress that he would not renege on his earlier promise to have someone from the southern senatorial district of the state to succeed him in 2023." | Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River, opportunities for women, local radio station | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/more-space-for-women-in-my-cabinet-ayade.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 20, 2019 | Women deserve leadership positions in N/Assembly – Rep Khadija Bukar | "The member-elect for the House of Representatives from Yobe State, Hon. Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, has said that women should be given a chance to participate in the leadership of the parliament. Khadija, the immediate past minister of State for Foreign Affairs, who spoke yesterday in Abuja, said women were not fairly and squarely represented in any aspect of governance. The politician, who was elected to the House of Reps for the fourth time, said any representation of women at a high position would be seen in the outside world as civilization, citing the current situation in America, Germany and the United Kingdom, where Nancy Pelosi, Angela Merkel and Theresa May occupied enviable positions. When asked if she would like to become speaker of the House of Representatives, she said, “Well, coming to that aspect of wanting to become the speaker of the House of Representatives, it’s entirely up to the members of the House to choose the leaders.”" | Hon. Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, women, Nancy Pelosi, Angela Merkel, Theresa May, House of Representatives | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/women-deserve-leadership-positions-in-n-assembly-rep-khadija-bukar.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 20, 2019 | PDP senators-elect meet over leadership tussle | "Senators-elect of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) met in Abuja last night over the leadership tussle for the coming 9th Assembly, Daily Trust has learnt. Sources told Daily Trust that the meeting was part of their plans on how they would confront the leadership contest in the Senate. It was gathered that the PDP senators-elect want to negotiate and see the right person to back among the APC senators, with the hope that a repeat of the 2015 scenario where one of their own, Ike Ekweremadu emerged Deputy Senate President despite APC’s majority status, would happen. Our correspondent gathered that the PDP senators-elect may support one of the three APC senators seeking for the Senate president’s office from the North East, namely Ahmad Lawan, Ali Ndume and Danjuma Goje." | PDP senators-elect, leadership tussle, 9th National Assembly, APC, PDP, Ahmad Lawan, Ali Ndume, Danjuma Goje, APC senators | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-senators-elect-meet-over-leadership-tussle.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 20, 2019 | C/River election tribunal receives 11 petitions | "The Secretary of Cross River State Election Petitions Tribunal, Mrs. Josephine Ekperobe, has confirmed that they have so far received 11 petitions from aggrieved politicians who lost in the last National Assembly elections. She told journalists in Calabar that they were expecting more petitions for the various offices contested for. She said amongst those that submitted petitions to challenge the National Assembly results in the state included the former Senate leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba." | Cross River State Election Petitions Tribunal, Mrs Josephine Ekperobe, National Assembly Elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/c-river-election-tribunal-receives-11-petitions.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 20, 2019 | Zamfara APC: Marafa writes Bulkachuwa over delay in setting up appeal panel | "Senator Kabiru Marafa has written to the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa, over the delay in constituting an appeal panel that will entertain the Zamfara APC primaries’ tussle. Marafa, in a letter by his counsel, dated March 13 which was addressed to the Appeal Court president, said the delay in the constitution of the panel might deny him justice. The case, number CA/32/2019/ Sen Kabiru Garba Marafa &142 others, was part of the pre-election litigations that trailed the alleged failure of the APC to conduct primaries/consensus in Zamfara State. The letter reads: “My lord, refer to our letter of concern (copy attached hereto) in which we had respectfully requested that the present panel hearing the above appeal recuses itself for the reasons already humbly adumbrated in the said attached letter dated 4th March 2019.""" | Senator Kabiru Barba Marafa, President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa, Appeal Panel | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/zamfara-apc-marafa-writes-bulkachuwa-over-delay-in-setting-up-appeal-panel.html,/a> |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 20, 2019 | N/Central Reps push for speakership | "Members of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the APC in the North Central zone are canvassing for the position of House Speaker in the incoming 9th Assembly. Spokesman of the group, John Dyegh (APC), who disclosed this, yesterday, while briefing newsmen in Abuja, said the demand was in the spirit of “equity, balance, geopolitical spread and federal character.” According to him, “It is in this regard that we humbly appeal to our party, the APC, to strongly consider the North Central for the position of speaker of the House of Representatives in the 9th Assembly. “Zoning the Speaker to the North Central will satisfy and advance the cause of equity since the North West and South West already have the presidency and vice presidency, respectively.""" | House of Representatives, John Dyegh, 9th Assembly, federal character, speakership | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/n-central-reps-push-for-speakership.html,/a> |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 20, 2019 | Don’t fail Nasarawa State people, Isyaku Ibrahim tells Sule | "An elder statesman, Alhaji Isyaku Ibrahim, has enjoined the governor-elect of Nasarawa State, Engineer Abdullahi Alhaji Sule, to strive harder in developing the state in order not to fail the people. He made the call when Sule paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja. “I and my age mates who are eighty years have done our part. We are done with active politics, but we are calling on the governor-elect and all those in power and those coming to power to work with the zeal to develop their immediate constituency and Nigeria in general for the betterment of present and future generations. “I am calling on the leader and the led to strive harder in developing, safeguarding and sustaining public trust and property for the future generations. “I therefore call on the governor-elect of Nasarawa State, Engineer Abdullahi Alhaji Sule, to make good use of his experience as a local and international businessman and invest in turning the vast natural resources of the state from a small to a modern and industrialised state.”" | Alhaji Isyaku Ibrahim, Engineer Abdullahi Alhaji Sule, active politics, Nasarawa State | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/dont-fail-nasarawa-state-people-isyaku-ibrahim-tells-sule.html |
| The Guardian.ng | Wednesday, March 20, 2019 | South West PDP elders canvass peace, equity for development | "The South West Elders Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised the alarm that nation was losing grip on critical issues of peace, harmony and stability, citing the challenges in Yorubaland in the last couple of years. The body also called for better management of elections, describing the current regime of physical carriage of result sheets nationwide as primitive and susceptible to distortions. Rising from a meeting yesterday in Lagos, the elders urged the party leadership across the federation to return to the first principle of fairness, equity and justice, adding that the political group must embrace selfless men and women.A communiqué issued by Prince Uthman Sodipe stressed that the country must strengthen the bond of brotherhood to galvanise sustainable development and prosperity, just as it backed the legal action initiated by the party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, challenging the outcome of the February 23 polls." | South West Elders Caucus of PDP, Yorubaland, Atiku, peace, harmony and stability | https://guardian.ng/politics/south-west-pdp-elders-canvass-peace-equity-for-development/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Wednesday, March 20, 2019 | Abuja Court Stops Resumption of Collation of Bauchi Gov Election Results | "The Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from resuming the collation of results of the governorship election held in Bauchi State on March 9, 2019. The order obtained ex parte by the state Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, and his party, All Progressives Congress (APC) in the court of Justice Inyang Ekwo, was however, challenged immediately by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which was asked to come back to court to argue its motion on jurisdiction today. The electoral body was also in court yesterday to challenge the order and its motion to vacate it was adjourned till today. The PDP and senior lawyers were swift to react to the development yesterday, saying the court acted without jurisdiction, contending that the matter being post-election could only be entertained by an election petition tribunal. In the exparte motion, the APC and Abubakar had prayed the court for an order of interim injunction restraining INEC from resuming, concluding or announcing the result of the Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State in respect of the election to the office of Governor of Bauchi State." | Federal High Court in Abuja, INEC, Bauchi State, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, APC, PDP, Tafawa Balewa LGA, Justice Inyang Ekwo | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/20/abuja-court-stops-resumption-of-collation-of-bauchi-gov-election-results/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Wednesday, March 20, 2019 | Court Dismisses Suit against Oyo Governor-elect, Affirms His Candidature | "An Ibadan High Court presided over by Justice Ganiyu Sumonu, yesterday dismissed the suit by a gubernatorial aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) , Senator Ayoade Adeseun, challenging the emergence of the governor-elect of Oyo State, Mr. Seyi Makinde, as the party’s flagbearer in October last year. Makinde while reacting to the judgment which dismissed all the grounds of the case, hailed it as victory for the people. Adeseun, dissatisfied with the primary election that produced Makinde as the PDP candidate, had approached the court, claiming that the list of delegates that participated in the election was doctored, urging it to declare the primary election of the party as undemocratic, null, void and of no effect. During the court proceeding, which started in January 2019, the claimant’s counsel, Michael Lana, presented 14 witnesses, while the defendant’s counsel presented eight witnesses. But in his judgment, Justice Sumonu said Adeseun’s counsel could not prove with substantial evidence that the delegates list for the primary was doctored, saying “he who asserts must prove. The claimants must provide the names that were removed, to prove that the list was doctored.” Adeseun while speaking with journalists said there was no official reaction for now, adding “we will study the judgment to know the next line of action.”" | Ibadan High Court, Justice Ganiyu Sumonu, Senator Ayoade Adeseun, Mr Seyi Makinde | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/20/court-dismisses-suit-against-oyo-governor-elect-affirms-his-candidature/ |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 19, 2019 | Shekarau, Mandiya, Ndume top lawmakers with highest votes | "Former Governor of Kano State Ibrahim Shekarau is going into the 9th National Assembly as the senator elected with the highest number of votes, Daily Trust reports. Shekarau, according to the results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was elected to represent Kano Central Senatorial District, with 506, 271 votes. His closest challenger, Aliyu Madaki (PDP), polled 267, 778 votes. The second highest grossing senator is Bello Mandiya (APC), with 433,139, to beat his opponent Imam Shehu Inuwa (PDP) who scored 158, 081 to represent Katsina South in the Senate. While Katsina State also produced the third highest scoring senator with Kabir Barkiya also of the APC winning the Katsina Central senatorial seat with 340,800 votes, while his challenger Mani Nasarawa of PDP got 127,520 votes." | Former Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, Bello mandiya, Kabir Barkiya, APC, PDP, Kano, Katsina | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/shekarau-mandiya-ndume-top-lawmakers-with-highest-votes.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 19, 2019 | Onnoghen charged before investigation concluded, CCT told | "The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) was yesterday told that the charge of non-declaration of assets filed against the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen was instituted before an investigation was concluded. Justice Onnoghen had pleaded not guilty to the 6-count charge filed against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) before the CCT. At the resumed hearing of the case yesterday, a senior investigator with the CCB, James Akpala, told the tribunal that the petition that led to the investigation was delivered to the CCB on January 9 at about 11:00 am and that it was forwarded to him for action on January 10. He said on January 11, the team contacted Standard Chartered Bank for records of accounts of the defendant and that the defendant was visited in his office where he made a statement to the team on the same date. Under cross-examination by Onnoghen’s counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), the witness read from exhibits before the court that the application to prefer a charge against the defendant, the list of witnesses and exhibits and the six-counts charge were dated January 10, the same date the case was referred to him for investigation." | Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Suspended CJN Walter Onnoghen, Standard Chartered Bank | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/onnoghen-charged-before-investigation-concluded-cct-told.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 19, 2019 | Presidential poll: Atiku asks court to declare him winner | "Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has asked the Presidential Elections Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) to declare him winner of the February 23 presidential election. Further, Atiku and his party, the PDP also asked the tribunal to disqualify the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Muhammadu Buhari for alleged non-submission of academic credentials to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Form CF001. In the alternative, they ask the tribunal to set aside the result of the election and order fresh election over allegations of massive irregularities, malpractices and noncompliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act. The petition by Atiku and the PDP was filed at the tribunal in Abuja yesterday by a team of lawyers including Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Chukwu Machukwu-Ume (SAN), Emeka Etiaba (SAN) and the Legal Adviser of the PDP, Emmanuel Enoidem." | Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), INEC, All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku, Buhari, Electoral Act | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/presidential-poll-atiku-asks-court-to-declare-him-winner.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 19, 2019 | Bauchi poll: Gov Abubakar meets Buhari, as INEC resumes collation today | "Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State, yesterday, met President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of the continuation of collation of governorship election results today in the state. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had fixed today (Tuesday) for the continuation of the collation in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area (LGA) and correction of some errors in Ningi. Daily Trust reports that the winner of the governorship election may be announced today. The battle is between Governor Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Sen. Bala Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). INEC had on Friday, formally set aside the cancellation of results of gubernatorial election in Tafawa Balewa LGA of the state." | Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State, Buhari, Abuja, INEC, APC, PDP, Tafawa Balewa LGA, Ningi | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/bauchi-poll-gov-abubakar-meets-buhari-as-inec-resumes-collation-today.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 19, 2019 | Kano guber rerun: Tofa warns against violence | "Political leaders and youths in Kano State have been urged to shun all acts capable of causing political violence in the state during and after the Saturday’s rerun gubernatorial election in the state. The chairman of Kano Concern Citizens Initiative (KCCI), Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa, made the call yesterday while addressing a press conference on the rerun gubernatorial election. Tofa, urged political leaders to desist from unguarded utterances capable of inflaming passion that could trigger violence in the state. He said: “It is incumbent upon political leaders to strictly obey the rules of engagement and the law. They should admonish their members, operatives and followers to be mindful of the full wrath of the law this time around. “Open monetary and other unlawful inducement must never be condoned or countenanced during the rerun elections. Kano and Kanawa shall never allow our state to be burnt on the account of anybody’s vaulting ambition to lead or govern us.” Tofa also urged the youth to eschew violence in cahoots with anybody. “Every segment of Kano society must do all in our power to avoid heating the polity. We cannot afford to let the polity be overheated.""" | Political leaders, youths, Kano State, Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa, Kano guber rerun, political violence | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kano-guber-rerun-tofa-warns-against-violence.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 19, 2019 | PDM heads to court over Bauchi gov’ship | "The Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) has rejected the outcome of the governorship and state House of Assembly elections in Bauchi State over alleged omission of its logo on the ballot papers. The PDM, in a statement in Bauchi, yesterday, signed by its State Secretary, Alhaji Sani Waziri, said the leaders and members of the party considered the omission of its logo by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as “mischievous injustice and absolute violation of the right to vote and be voted for.” According to the statement, PDM is a duly registered political party with INEC, like any other party in the country, and had made all the necessary arrangements to participate in the 2019 general elections. The statement added that PDM had complied with the INEC Timetable and fielded candidates after conducting free and fair primary elections. PDM, however, lamented that its logo was omitted on the National Assembly ballot papers during the presidential and National Assembly elections. It added that its logo was again not placed on the governorship and state House of Assembly elections held on March 9, 2019." | Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), Bauchi governorship and State House of Assembly Elections, logo, ballot papers, INEC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdm-heads-to-court-over-bauchi-govship.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 19, 2019 | Heavy security at Bauchi INEC office | "INEC is set to re-collate Tafawa Balewa LGA results amidst commendations and criticisms, our correspondent in Bauchi has reported. While the PDP welcomed the decision, the APC kicked against it. The state PDP chairman, Alhaji Hamza Koshe Akuyam, while speaking to journalists, said INEC had taken the appropriate action. The APC, however, at a press conference by its state chairman, Alhaji Uba Ahmed Nana, said the INEC decision was null and void as it contravenes the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) as well as the Guidelines for the 2019 elections. The INEC headquarters located on Ahmadu Bello Way in Bauchi metropolis has been under heavy security presence since the governorship elections. Movement on the road had been blocked as police and military vehicles were placed on the road blocking one of the two lanes. Since the declaration of the election as inconclusive, the atmosphere in the state had been tense as both APC and PDP, along with their supporters, are accusing each other of being responsible for the malpractices that caused the stalemate." | INEC, PDP, APC, Bauchi State governorship election, Tafawa Balewa LGA, heavy security | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/heavy-security-at-bauchi-inec-office.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 19, 2019 | Stakeholders want unbiased inquiry into Rivers’ killings | "Concerned citizens and stakeholders have called on the Federal Government to set up a judicial commission of inquiry to secure a broader, thorough, professional and unbiased inquiry into the massive loss of lives which occurred before, during and after the elections in Rivers State. The stakeholders, who made the call in a press release jointly signed under the title “Rivers Lives Also Matter” are Mr Atedo Peterside, Mr George Etomi, Mr Tein George, Mr Emmanuel Georgewill, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, Mr O.C.J. Okocha, and Dr Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe. They expressed worry over the inability of the political leaders in the state to manage their rivalries and differences within acceptable norms of a civilised society as has been done in several other states in the country. They voiced fear that, if not checked immediately, the escalating cycle of violence would drive away investors and investments thereby leaving the people impoverished." | Concerned citizens and stakeholders, Rivers' killings, Mr Atedo Peterside, Mr George Etomi, Mr Tein George | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/stakeholders-want-unbiased-inquiry-into-rivers-killings.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 19, 2019 | PDP wins 17, APC takes 4 Assembly seats in Benue | "The PDP has won 17 out of 30 seats in the Benue State House of Assembly, leaving the APC with four seats going by the results so far declared by INEC. Our correspondent obtained the record, yesterday, from the state INEC office in Makurdi. The record, however, indicated that the results of nine seats were inconclusive following cancellations or inability to hold elections in affected areas. It was gathered that supplementary elections would hold in the remaining nine constituencies on March 23 alongside the governorship rerun exercise of the state. At least 432 candidates participated in the Assembly polls across the state for the 30 available slots. The nine constituencies where winners are expected to emerge during the supplementary exercise include Ado, Gwer East, Gboko East, Kastina-Ala West, Konshisha (Gaav), Obi, Okpokwu, Otukpo/Akpa and Ukum." | PDP, APC, Benue State House of Assembly, INEC, supplementary elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-wins-17-apc-takes-4-assembly-seats-in-benue-2.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 19, 2019 | Akpabio moves to reclaim mandate, submits petition | "Former governor of Akwa Ibom State and senator representing Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Godswill Akpabio, has submitted his petition to the election tribunal in Uyo. Akpabio, who is seeking to reclaim what he called stolen mandate during the National Assembly elections, said yesterday that he had submitted his petition to seek validation of the senatorial results. Speaking through his media aide, Anietie Ekong, Akpabio said his counsel submitted the petitions on Saturday to the panel sitting at the High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The APC candidate during the senatorial elections is seeking an order of the tribunal to upturn the victory of Mr Christopher Ekpenyong, the PDP candidate on allegations of electoral irregularities during the elections." | Senator Godswill Akpabio, petition, Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, Aniete Ekong, mr Christopher Ekpenyong, APC, PDP | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/akpabio-moves-to-reclaim-mandate-submits-petition.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 19, 2019 | Obiano to political appointees: Brace up or be sacked | "The Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has challenged his political appointees to brace up for better performance or risk being sacked. Obiano gave the warning in a message to mark the first year anniversary of his second term in office. According to the governor, within his five years in office, he had been able to make the state better than he met it in 2014. He called for all hands to be on deck with his government to make Anambra greater, saying that his administration had attracted both local and international recognition in its developmental strides in the last five years." | Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano, political appointees, second term | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/obiano-to-political-appointees-brace-up-or-be-sacked.html |
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, March 19, 2019 | INEC yet to decide Rochas Okorocha’s fate, says Okoye | "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday said it remains resolute on its decision not to issue Certificate of Return to Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha since he was declared winner under duress. INEC’s National Commissioner on Voter Education and Publicity, Festus Okoye, said in moving forward, the commission would decide on the matter later. Okoye, however, declined comments whether a supplementary election would be held on a later date in the affected senatorial district, insisting that a decision would soon be taken on that. “In moving forward, the commission will take a decision on the matter at a later date. But as things stand, nothing has been decided yet,” he said. Besides, on whether INEC will declare runner-up to Okorocha winner of the election, Okoye insisted that all matters relating to the controversial poll were being sorted out and a decision will soon be reached." | INEC, Certificate of Return, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, Festus Okoye | https://guardian.ng/news/inec-yet-to-decide-rochas-okorochas-fate-says-okoye/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, March 19, 2019 | PDP urges Imo governor to publish state’s financial accounts | "Imo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged Governor Rochas Okorocha to publish a complete statement of account since he has denied withdrawing N17 billion from the state coffers in the last four days. In a statement issued yesterday by the state Publicity Secretary, Damian Opara, the party insisted that Okorocha directed withdrawal of the said amount from different bank accounts, adding that it was ready to prove the claim. Okorocha had through his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, denied the claim, asking if the state has such amount considering its low Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). “The attention of PDP in Imo State has been drawn to a rejoinder by outgoing Governor of Imo State, Okorocha on his withdrawal of N17 billion within the last four days. “We are not surprised that the governor, in his usual smart-by-half attitude, deliberately avoided the serious issues raised by our party, to throw tantrums and engage in name calling.""" | Imo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Rochas Okorocha, Damian Opara, Sam Onwuemeodo, PDP, IGR | https://guardian.ng/news/pdp-urges-imo-governor-to-publish-states-financial-accounts/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, March 19, 2019 | Court upholds Ogodo-led Delta APC executive, sacks Ogboru, others | "A Federal High Court, sitting in Asaba, yesterday sacked the Jones Erue-led executive of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that produced Great Ogboru, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and others for the 2019 elections. This is coming barely 10 days after lossing the gubernatorial election in the state to the incumbent Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. The court presided by Justice Tosin Adegoke upheld the Cyril Ogodo-led state executives, especially Ogodo, as state Chairman of the party who was sworn in by the immediate past National Chairman of APC, John Odigie-Oyegun. But in his reaction, Legal Adviser of the Erue-led executive, Ebata Onojeghuo, said, “The judgment was inconsequential, because the consent judgment they got from a Federal High Court in Abuja was not set aside. He added that, “All actions taken by the Erue-led executive including nomination of candidates, were empowered by the consent judgment.”" | Federal High Court in Asaba, Delta State, Jones Erue, Great Ogboru, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Governor ifeanyi Okowa, Cyril Ogodo, FederalmHigh Court in Abuja | https://guardian.ng/news/court-upholds-ogodo-led-delta-apc-executive-sacks-ogboru-others/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, March 19, 2019 | Benue PDP Petitions IG over Supplementary Governorship Poll | "The People Democratic Party (PDP) has petitioned the Inspector General of Police(IG) Mohammed Adamu over what it terms the activities of Senator George Akume and other the leaders of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) in Benue State. The PDP Benue State Chairman, Mr. John Ngbede, while briefing journalists in Makurdi, said Akume at several meetings held with his party members and stalwarts alleged that result of the supplementary election to be held in the state will be declared in favour of the governorship candidate of his party, Emmanuel Jime, whether he wins it or not. “He has assured his followers that such brazen rape of democracy will be made possible through collaboration he claims APC is enjoying with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and that Mobile Policemen and other security agents will be deployed, and with the help of thugs as well as militia, to hijack election materials for the supplementary elections, and thumb-printed ballots would then be returned and announced as the results giving victory to Jime,” he said. According to Ngbede, Akume particularly assured his followers that the national leadership of APC with the backing of the presidency has already infiltrated INEC, and Jime will be announced as governor of the state without the supplementary governorship election taking place, and that this will be achieved through already doctored results which will be compiled by INEC Returning Officers and staff who are already being posted to the affected polling units." | Benue State, PDP, George Akume, APC, IGP Mohammed Adamu, Mobile Policemen, brazen rape of democracy | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/19/benue-pdp-petitions-ig-over-supplementary-governorship-poll/ |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 15, 2019 | Tribunal grants Buhari, APC access to election materials | "Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) sitting at the Court of Appeal, Abuja has granted leave to President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to inspect materials used for the February 23 presidential election. A three-member panel of justices presided by Justice Abdul Aboki on Thursday unanimously granted the application brought separately by both President Buhari and the APC. The panel directed INEC to allow the applicants access to inspect and obtain certified copies of the election materials to enable them defend any petition arising from the declaration of Buhari as the winner of the February 23 presidential election. “Order is hereby made for the 1st respondent to allow access to and inspect as well as obtain Certified True Copies for the purpose of defending any election petition arising from his declaration by the 1st respondent (INEC) as the winner/returned candidate of the presidential election held on February 23,” Justice Aboki ruled." | Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT), APC, PDP, INEC, Buhari, Atiku | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/tribunal-grants-buhari-apc-access-to-election-materials.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 15, 2019 | Obasanjo, Atiku meet in Abeokuta | "Former President Olusegun Obasano yesterday met with the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital. The meeting came barely three weeks after Atiku lost to President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress. Obasanjo had backed Atiku in the election. Details of what they discussed were not made public. Obasanjo’s spokesman, Kehinde Akinyemi, who confirmed the meeting to our correspondent, described it as “private meeting.” “Abubakar arrived at about 12.00pm, had a closed session with Obasanjo, came out at about 1.00pm, observed his Islamic prayers and lunch before taking his leave at about 2.00pm”, Akinyemi said." | Former president Olusegun Obasanjo, Atiku, Kehinde Akinyemi, Buhari, presidential election, Abeokuta | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/obasanjo-atiku-meet-in-abeokuta-2.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 15, 2019 | Gov’ship polls: Parties set for legal battle in 15 states | "Aggrieved political parties and governorship candidates, in at least 15 out of 22 states where election’ results have been announced, have voiced readiness to challenge the outcome at the election tribunals. The states where parties or candidates have rejected results, and expressed determination to head to the election tribunals are Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Kaduna, Katsina, Borno, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Taraba, and Zamfara. However the governorship candidates of the leading opposition parties in Gombe, Kwara, Oyo and Lagos states have conceded defeat." | Aggrieved political parties, governorship candidates, election tribunals | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/govship-polls-parties-set-for-legal-battle-in-15-states.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 15, 2019 | Presidency yet to decide on N/Assembly leadership positions | "The Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have not taken any decision on the zoning of the positions of presiding officers of the 9th Assembly, Daily Trust has reliably gathered yesterday. Our correspondent reports that there have been speculations that the positions of the presiding officers have been zoned to the northeast and south west geo-political zones. It was reported that the Senate presidency and the position of the speaker of the House of Representatives have been zoned to the northeast and southwest geo-political zones, respectively. Daily Trust reported that President Muhammadu Buhari has not taken any decision, regarding the composition of the leadership of the next assembly." | APC, National Assembly leadership, 9th Assembly, Senate presidency, Speaker | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/presidency-yet-to-decide-on-n-assembly-leadership-positions.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 15, 2019 | Ajimobi pledges support for PDP gov-elect | "Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has assured the new governor-elect, Mr Seyi Makinde, of his administration’s full support towards a successful change of baton and smooth take off of the incoming administration. He gave the assurance, yesterday, during Makinde’s courtesy visit to him at the government house, Agodi, Ibadan. Ajimobi said “I congratulate you on the opportunity nature has given you to serve humanity. I commend your noble move which is different from the past when after someone loses an election, they will start making trouble and abusing each other. “We will be available to you should you need our advice. You should look at the areas we have done well and sustain it and in the areas we have not, please adjust it. We have always been brothers and I believe you deserve it. We should sustain this spirit we have started with,” he said." | Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Oyo State, Mr Seyi Makinde, PDP governor-elect | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ajimobi-pledges-support-for-pdp-gov-elect.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 15, 2019 | Osinbajo meets Adamawa, Bauchi govs | "Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, met separately with the governors of Adamawa and Bauchi states at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Daily Trust reports that the vice president met behind closed doors with Jibrilla Bindow of Adamawa and Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State in his office, on what may not be unconnected with the extra polls they would face next week. At the end of the meeting, at around 2pm, the Bauchi governor declined to speak to reporters who approached him for comments on the meeting. Also, Bindow didn’t speak to the press at the end of his meeting with the vice president which ended by 2:35pm." | Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Presidential Villa, Adamawa State Governor Jibrilla Bindow, Bauchi State Governor Muhammad Abubakar | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/osinbajo-meets-adamawa-bauchi-govs.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 15, 2019 | My victory protest against impunity – Ihedioha | "The Imo State governor-elect, Emeka Ihedioha, has attributed his victory in the March 9 governorship election as the resolve of the people of the state to take their destiny into their hands. Ihedioha, speaking at his maiden press briefing in Owerri, yesterday, described his election as historic. He said, “This election is as epochal as its outcome is momentous. It is a fervent protest against impunity and the celebrations in all the nooks and crannies of the state are a testimony to your belief in the rightness and wisdom of our vision for Imo State and the new path to progress which we shared with you during the campaigns.” Outgoing Governor Rochas Okorocha who had worked hard, including using a different political party to get his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu elected as governor but failed." | Imo state governor-elect Emeka Ihedioha, Governor Rochas Okorocha, impunity, campaigns | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/my-victory-protest-against-impunity-ihedioha.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 15, 2019 | Group demands prosecution of electoral offenders | "A youth non-profit group, Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) has called for the prosecution of those that committed electoral offences during the recent general elections. The executive director of KDI, Mr. Bukola Idowu, who is also the coordinator of Nigeria Election Violence Report (NEVR) Project, South West hub, made the call in Osogbo, the Osun State capital. He said cases of violence in the electoral process were disturbing and the impunity displayed by vote traders could destroy the nation’s democracy. Idowu insisted that every life lost in the 2019 elections in the country must be accounted for and that culprits must face the full wrath of the law to prevent needless killing in future elections. His words: “The Federal Government should consider setting up an electoral offence commission to prosecute and punish electoral offenders swiftly as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has no such capacity as it is now.”" | Electoral offenders, INEC, Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), Mr. Bukola Idowu, 2019 elections, Nigeria Election Violence Report (NEVR) Project, electoral process | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/group-demands-prosecution-of-electoral-offenders.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 15, 2019 | Kano commissioner speaks on destruction of election materials | "The Kano State Commissioner for Local Government, Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo, has accused the police of manipulating facts over the destruction of election materials at Nassarawa Local Government Area collation centre, saying “I never tore any result sheet.” The alleged tearing of result sheet at the collation centre, the only one remaining out all 44 local government areas of Kano State, necessitated the declaration of the governorship election in the state as inconclusive. Addressing a press conference, yesterday, Garo, a chieftain of the APC in the state, said the result was torn by two members of the PDP, Alhaji Faruk Lawal and Alhaji Nasiru Sule Garo, respectively, but they were not arrested by the police for reasons best known to them. Garo added that the electoral officer in-charge of Nasarawa Local Government had testified that the two politicians were the ones that led some thugs and tore the result sheet of Gama ward. The commissioner explained that the two PDP members went to the collation centre and tore the result sheet even before he, along with, the State Deputy Governor, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna and chairman of Nassarawa Local Government Area, Alhaji Lamin Sani, arrived at the scene." | Kano State Commissioner for Local Government, Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo, Nassarawa Local Government Area, APC, PDP, election materials | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kano-commissioner-speaks-on-destruction-of-election-materials.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 15, 2019 | Kano APC chair denies describing supplementary election ‘do-or-die affair’ | "The Chairman of the ruling APC in Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, said yesterday that he was not the one seen in a video that went viral in which he purportedly described the March 23 supplementary election as a ‘do-or-die affair.’ Speaking to Daily Trust yesterday, Abbas said the video was cloned to tarnish his image. Abbas said, “Of course it was me in the video, but the voice is not mine. I believe someone voiced over the statements just to tarnish my image,” he said. “I want to categorically dissociate myself from the video; it is not my voice and I have never said the forthcoming supplementary election will be do or die,” he said." | APC Chairman in Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, do-or-die affair, Supplementary elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kano-apc-chair-denies-describing-supplementary-election-do-or-die-affair.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 15, 2019 | Bauchi APC elders urge restraint ahead of extra polls | "A group, Concerned Elders of APC and Senior Citizens of Bauchi State, has called for restraint by contending parties and their supporters ahead of the supplementary elections slated for March 23. Addressing a press conference in Bauchi, chairman of the forum, Alhaji Yarima Giade, lamented that since the declaration of the election as inconclusive, some people and groups had resorted to campaign of calumny against INEC, other parties and individuals within and outside the state. According to the group, the actions and utterances of those groups could cause breach of peace being enjoyed in the state since the coming of the APC administration in the state. “In the aftermath of the Bauchi State gubernatorial election declared as inconclusive by INEC, a body duly authorised to so act in compliance with the law, so many things have been said. Some deserve response and others do not, depending upon who said it.""" | Concerned Elders of APC, Senior Citizens of Bauchi State, supplementary elections, INEC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/bauchi-apc-elders-urge-restraint-ahead-of-extra-polls.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 15, 2019 | Court stops Adamawa guber supplementary election | "An Adamawa State High Court in Yola has issued an injunction restraining the Independent Electoral Commission from conducting the supplementary election scheduled for March 23. The suit was filed by the candidate of the Movement for Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD), Eric Theman, over the missing of the party’s logo on the ballot papers. The presiding judge, Justice Abdul-azeez Waziri, issued an order stopping the INEC from going ahead with the supplementary election pending the determination of the case. “I hereby made the following orders: The defendant herein the Independent National Electoral Commission is restrained whether by themselves, their agents, servants, representatives, nominees or rescheduled election or any other person from proceeding with the supplementary election with respect to Adamawa State governorship pending the hearing and determination of Motion on notice”, the judge ordered.""" | Adamawa State High Court, injunction, INEC, supplementary election, Eric Theman, Movement for Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD) | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/court-stops-adamawa-guber-supplementary-election.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 15, 2019 | Don’t set traps for your successor, Kwara gov told | "Kwara Coalition for Good Governance and Accountability has called on Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed to be a statesman and avoid setting traps for his successor’s administration. The coalition, in a statement yesterday by his secretary-general, Hassan Omoiya, said: “We have it on good record that the PDP government plans to create local Council Development Areas and negotiate the new minimum wage even though it really doesn’t pay the current one faithfully. “We hope this is not true because that will be in bad faith since its term expires in about two months. It will be unfair to create crisis of confidence between the new government and the people or the workers. We hope Governor Ahmed will, for once, act like a statesman that the office of Governor has bestowed upon him.”" | Kwara Coalition for Good Governance and Accountability, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, Hassan Omoiya, new minimum wage | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/dont-set-traps-for-your-successor-kwara-gov-told.html |
| The Guardian.ng | Friday, March 15, 2019 | Buhari shuns meeting with Bauchi, Adamawa governors | "President Muhammadu Buhari failed to see Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abubakar and his Adamawa State counterpart, Jibrilla Bindow, when the duo visited the Presidential Villa yesterday. Both men face an electoral battle in about a week, following a declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the results of the March 9, 2019 gubernatorial election in the states were inconclusive. On Tuesday, three days after the election, All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, Kashim Shettima (Borno), Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Yahaya Bello (Kogi) and Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) also visited the Villa." | Buhari, Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi, Governor Jibrilla Bindow of Adamawa State, INEC, supplementary election | https://guardian.ng/news/buhari-shuns-meeting-with-bauchi-adamawa-governors/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Friday, March 15, 2019 | Abia SDP faults polls as Imo stakeholders task INEC on results | "Abia State chairman of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Hon. Chidi Nwosu, has urged the National Assembly and the presidency to comprehensively amend the Electoral Act to stipulate measures that would eliminate ‘cancerous and perennial electoral dysfunction in the country’s electoral system.’ Nwosu, who spoke to journalists in Umuahia, said after assessing both the national and state elections in the state, his party discovered that the gubernatorial and state Assembly polls in the state were characterized by massive irregularities. He listed ballot snatching, harassment of voters, manipulation of results’ figures at Ward, LGAs and collation centres, use of some already uploaded Card Readers, which were found to be in bad working condition, as some of the anomalies. He added that at local councils and state constituencies collation, collation officers entered arbitrary figures, “in fact, rather allocated figures to parties of their interest, whereas it was a premeditated ploy to manipulate election results.”" | Abia State Chairman of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Hon. Chidi Nwosu, Electoral Act, INEC, Card Reader | https://guardian.ng/politics/abia-sdp-faults-polls-as-imo-stakeholders-task-inec-on-results/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Friday, March 15, 2019 | APGA, PDP reject outcome of Nasarawa guber election | "The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State have rejected results of the gubernatorial election in which APC emerged winner, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The two major opposition parties in separate media briefings declared that last Saturday’s governorship election in the state was fraught with irregularities and was, therefore, unacceptable. Gubernatorial candidate of APGA, Labaran Maku, said the figures announced by INEC were pre-election figures earlier written by those who manipulated the process. “APGA rejects the result because it is fictitious, fraudulent and unacceptable. The result does not reflect the will of Nasarawa people. “The election was marred by thump printing and stuffing of ballot boxes on private farms and residences of some government functionaries in preparation for votes allocation to parties including APGA. “State institutions including the military and other security agents were coerced to cover up the criminal acts orchestrated by the APC.""" | APGA, PDP, APC, gubernatorial election, INEC, Nasarawa State, military | https://guardian.ng/news/apga-pdp-reject-outcome-of-nasarawa-guber-election/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Friday, March 15, 2019 | Supreme Court begins hearing on Rivers APC direct primary suit March 26 | "The Supreme Court will from March 26 begin hearing of the appeal seeking determination of the authenticity or otherwise of All Progressives Congress (APC) direct primary elections in Rivers State. A factional leader of the Rivers APC, Senator Magnus Abe, had last year prayed the apex court to make a final pronouncement on the legality of direct and indirect primary elections conducted by APC’s two factions. When the matter was mentioned yesterday, Abe’s counsel, Henry Bello, moved a motion praying the apex court to among other demands, grant accelerated hearing in the matter, abridge time within which parties are to file their processes and give a definite date for hearing the appeal. The motion, dated March 1, 2019 was predicated on eight grounds including that the matter being a pre-election suit, must by law, be fully determined within 60 days. Moving the motion, Bello prayed the five-man panel of the court to grant his client accelerated hearing and order parties to file and exchange their processes within the stipulated time for pre-election matters." | Supreme Court, Rivers APC direct primary suit, Senator Magnus Abe, Henry Bello, | https://guardian.ng/news/supreme-court-begins-hearing-on-rivers-apc-direct-primary-suit-march-26/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Friday, March 15, 2019 | PDP urges supporters to participate in supplementary guber poll | "Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s National Working Committee (NWC) rose from its meeting yesterday urging its members to participate in the Saturday, March 23, supplementary governorship elections in six states. The NWC assured that the party would win in those states in spite of “All Progressives Congress (APC) rigging machines.” In a communiqué signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, he said, “The party’s hierarchy condemns, in very strong terms, the manner in which Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, declared elections in states where PDP had popular support and defeated APC as inconclusive. “Whereas in Ogun State, where APC failed to get a higher margin of lead over cancelled votes, its candidate, Dapo Abiodun, was declared winner.”" | PDP NWC, supplementary election, party supporters, INEC, Kola Ologbodiyan, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, APC | https://guardian.ng/news/pdp-urges-supporters-to-participate-in-supplementary-guber-poll/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Friday, March 15, 2019 | Fresh Elections to Hold in 124 Polling Units in Bayelsa | "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rescheduled election in at least 124 polling units in disputed areas in the state. Head of Voter Education and Publicity in the state, Mr. Wilfred Ifogah, listed the affected areas to include Southern Ijaw, Ogbia and Brass Local Government Areas (LGA). The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had raised the alarm that elections did not take place in several parts of Bayelsa as the elections were highly militarised and characterised by intimidation, ballot snatching and manipulation of results. Ifogah noted that a stakeholders’ meeting would be held with all concerned parties before the elections to acquaint them with their roles during the rescheduled polls. According to the INEC boss, while elections will be conducted in six polling units in Brass, it will be carried out in 65 units in Ogbia, while in Southern Ijaw, 53 polling units would be affected. Meanwhile, a PDP governorship aspirant in Bayelsa, Mr Keniebi Okoko, has said that INEC was yet to justify the huge resources made available to the electoral umpire by the federal government. He noted that with the amount that was budgeted for the elections, the problem of logistics and Information Technology infrastructure shouldn’t be a problem for INEC." | INEC, 124 Polling Units, APC, PDP, Mr.Wilfred Ifogah, Bayelsa State, Mr Keniebi Okoko | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/15/fresh-elections-to-hold-in-124-polling-units-in-bayelsa-2/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Friday, March 15, 2019 | Groups Urge EFCC to Probe Ganduje over Fresh Withdrawal of N235m for Vote Buying | "Kano State Civil Society Groups yesterday called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the state Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, for allegedly withdrawing N235,500,000, from the state government treasury ahead of the supplementary election due in nine days’ time. But in a swift reaction, the state Commissioner for Local Government, Murtala Sule Garo, described the allegation as politically-motivated to dent the government image, stressing that the fund was part of budgetary allocations meant for capital projects in the state. The groups stated this in a petition to the anti-graft agency yesterday titled: ‘Petition against Kano State Government over attempt to buy votes ahead of the March 23, 2019, rRerun gubernatorial election in Kano’. The petition signed by Co-conveners of the group, Kabiru Saidu Dakata and Abdulrazaq Alkai, urged the crime commission to probe the suspicious withdrawal. According to them, “We wish to draw your attention to a suspicious withdrawal ofN235,500,000, from Kano State Government treasury through the Ministry for Local Governments.”" | Kano State Civil Society Groups, EFCC, Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Fresh withdrawal of N235M for vote buying, supplementary election | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/15/groups-urge-efcc-to-probe-ganduje-over-fresh-withdrawal-of-n235m-for-vote-buying/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Friday, March 15, 2019 | El-Rufai Dismisses Rumours of Car Crash | "Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has dispelled rumours of a ghastly accident involving his convoy. Reacting to the rumour on his verified Twitter handle, el-Rufai said there was no truth in the rumour, which went viral on the social media. He said: “I woke up after a rare 8-hour bout of deep sleep to learn that some bigotry-driven, PDP-affiliated fake news platform has declared my driver dead and my humble self in coma. “Both claims are false. I thank them for reducing the days in their lives and adding them to mine. “ I remain their permanent nightmare and not about to disappear from their wretched and corrupt lives any time soon by the Grace of Almighty Allah, until they are permanently retired and buried”. The social media was awash with rumours that el-Rufai’s vehicle was involved in a crash while returning from Kano and that his driver died while the governor was in a critical condition. The fake news, according to sources, has been traced to a lady who is not resident in Kaduna. " | Kaduna State overnor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, ghasthly accident, rumours, APC, PDP, fake news | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/15/el-rufai-dismisses-rumours-of-car-crash/ |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | APC, PDP senators set to clash over ‘polls militarisation’ | "Senators from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and those of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are set for a showdown over alleged militarisation of the recently conducted general elections. A motion on the matter, to be sponsored by Senator Dino Melaye (PDP, Kogi), would be debated during the lawmakers’ sittings between Tuesday and Thursday, next week. Melaye had sought the relief of the Senate to present the motion during the next legislative day, but he faced serious opposition from members of the APC. Melaye, who introduced himself as both serving and senator-elect, said: “I want to bring a motion on the elections held on February 23 and March 9 for this parliament to discuss." | Senators, APC, PDP, general elections, Senator Dino Melaye, polls militarisation | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-pdp-senators-set-to-clash-over-polls-militarization.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Politicians resort to vote buying ahead of Kano rerun | "Political actors in Kano State have resorted to buying of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) from potential voters ahead of the re-run governorship election slated for March 23. Elections will hold in 172 polling units across the 44 local government areas of the state. Already, police authorities have confirmed the arrest of five suspects over alleged buying of voters’ cards ahead of the supplementary election. The spokesman of the command, who confirmed the development to our correspondent, said the suspects were arrested at the controversial Gama Ward of Nassarawa Local Government Area. Gama Ward has been the centre of attraction for the two political parties in the re-run, APC and PDP, with each trying to secure more votes from the area following the alleged destruction of results of the ward in last Saturday’s election by some thugs." | Political actors, Kano State rerun governorship election, APC, PDP, Gama Ward, Nassarawa LGA | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/politicians-resort-to-vote-buying-ahead-of-kano-rerun.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Observers seek review of electoral laws, prosecution of offenders | "An international election observer group, Pan African Women Projects, is seeking the review of the nation’s electoral laws and the prosecution of electoral offenders. The group, which monitored the 2019 general elections in Akwa Ibom State, yesterday commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for conducting free and fair elections in the state. Its spokesman, Ms Mphoentle Keitseng, said governorship and house of assembly elections were marred with irregularities such as vote-buying, ballot box snatching, intimidation/political thuggery, disruption of voting process among others. Keitseng decried the heavy presence of military personnel in polling units which she said scared voters. She advised the INEC to improve on the arrival of materials during the elections." | Pan African Women Projects, Electoral Laws, INEC, Ms Mphoentie Keitseng, political thuggery | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/observers-seek-review-of-electoral-laws-prosecution-of-offenders.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Reps to probe ‘unwarranted inconclusive elections’ | "The House of Representatives, yesterday, resolved to probe the “unwarranted, escalating trend of inconclusive elections in Nigeria, which has cast doubt on the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as an umpire in Nigeria’s elections.” The resolution followed a motion of urgent national importance on “the malady of inconclusive elections in Nigeria” by Sunday Karimi (PDP, Kogi), and seconded by Nnenna Ukeje (PDP, Abia). Leading debate on the motion, Karimi warned that the frequent declaration of inconclusive elections by INEC, which was not envisaged in either the 1999 Constitution or the Electoral Act, has become a demon haunting the country’s electoral system. He lamented that the governorship elections in Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Kano, Plateau and Sokoto states were declared inconclusive despite leading candidates having met the provisions of Section 179(2) of the constitution." | House of Representatives, INEC, inconclusive elections, APC, PDP, Sunday Karimi, Nnenna Ukeje | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/reps-to-probe-unwarranted-inconclusive-elections.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | A/Ibom Assembly passes 2019 budget | "The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly yesterday increased the 2019 budget estimate with over N2 billion and passed the appropriation bill into law. The 2019 budget had the capital expenditure of N445.936 billion and the recurrent expenditure of N97.096 billion. Speaker Onofiok Luke said with the increase, the budget now stood at N672,984,760,760. “We tailored the bill to meet salient socio-economic agenda of government, and of particular interest to us were infrastructure development, job creation, and revenue generation.""" | Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, 2019 budget estimate, Speaker Onofiok Luke | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/a-ibom-assembly-passes-2019-budget.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Third-Estate hails AbdulRazaq, Saraki on Kwara elections | "The Third-Estate Forum, a prominent socio-cultural group in Ilorin Emirate of Kwara State, has congratulated the newly elected governor of the State, Mr. AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq on his victory and commended Senate President Bukola Saraki on his maturity and show of sportsmanship after the elections. The forum also congratulated its member, Dr. Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, on his election as senator for the Kwara Central Senatorial District in the 9th National Assembly. The President of Third-Estate Forum, Ahmed Bolaji Nagode, in a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary, Yushau Abdulhameed Agaka, said the activities and conduct of winners and losers in the elections had ensured peace and stability in Kwara. Nagode stated: “The spirit of sportsmanship displayed by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) gubernatorial candidate, Barr. Razaq Atunwa, significantly helped to douse tensions and ensured sustainability of peace and security, which are the major precursors for development.""" | Third-Estate Forum, Emirate of Kwara State, Mr. AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Ahmed Bolaji Nagode, Barr. Rasaq Atunwa | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/third-estate-hails-abdulrazaq-saraki-on-kwara-elections.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Kwara assembly names complex after pioneer speaker | "The Kwara State House of Assembly has named the complex housing offices of members after its pioneer speaker, Alhaji Shehu Usman, who was also the late Ciroma of Lafiagi. Usman, who served as speaker between 1979 and 1983, died on Nov. 26, 2018 at the age of 77. The decision to name the office complex in his honour followed a pledge made by the Speaker, Dr. Ali Ahmad, during the valedictory session held in honour of the late speaker on December 6, 2018. Ahmad, who described the late lawmaker as a charismatic leader that led a rancour- free life and provided guidance to upcoming leaders, also called on the state government to immortalize him." | Kwara State House of Assembly, Alhaji Shehu Usman, Dr. Ali Ahmad, pioneer speaker | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kwara-assembly-names-complex-after-pioneer-speaker.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Police arrest Oyo lawmaker over Olatoye’s death | "The Chief Whip of Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Wasiu Olafisoye Akinmoyede has been arrested by the Oyo state police command in connection with the assassination of senatorial candidate of Action Democratic Party (ADP), Honourable Temitope Olatoye, a.k.a Sugar last Saturday during the governorship election in the state. Honourable Akinmoyede, who represents Lagelu state constituency, was alleged to have had a hand in the killing of Honourable Olatoye during the governorship election. The security agency, our reporter gathered, had written a letter to the state house of assembly that Honourable Akinmoyede is currently under investigation. It was gathered that Lafioye and the slain lawmaker have been political rivals in Lagelu local government area of the state over the years." | Honourable Wasiu Olafisoye, Late Hon. Temitope Olatoye, ADP, Lagelu local government area | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/police-arrest-oyo-lawmaker-over-olatoyes-death.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Rivers guber poll: PDP wants Wike declared winner | "The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to declare Governor Nyesom Wike the winner of the March 9, 2019 governorship election in the state. The state chairman of the party, Bro. Felix Obuah, made the call at a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Wednesday. “We are not worried about what some people are saying; the truth is that with the results from the field, the incumbent governor should be declared governor-elect. “The outcome of the governorship and state assembly elections of March 9, 2019 proved the love the good people of Rivers State have for our beloved party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). “You showed unparalleled love for our party by voting all the way for Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and all our candidates for the National and State Houses of Assembly elections.”" | Rivers State governorship election, Governor Nyesom Wike, PDP, Felix Obuah | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/rivers-guber-poll-pdp-wants-wike-declared-winner.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Defeated Borno PDP Rep candidate joins APC | "Two weeks after his defeat at the polls, the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council PDP candidate for the Feb. 23 House of Representatives election, Engr. Abdulsalam Mustapha Kachalla, has decamped to the APC. Engr. Kachalla announced his decamping to journalists on Tuesday in Maiduguri. “My decision to join the APC is largely informed by the credible leadership demonstrated by President Muhammadu Buhari and Borno Governor Kashim Shettima; and for my former lecturer, Prof Babagana Umara, who is now the governor-elect. He said he joined APC in the interest of his people and future generations, adding that the “state cannot afford to be in the opposition any longer given the bitter experience of gross underdevelopment and total neglect it suffered between 1999 and 2015 when the PDP controlled the Federal Government.”" | Maiduguri Metropolitian Council, APC, PDP, Engr. Abdulsalam Mustapha Kachalla, House of Representatives, Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, Prof. Babagana Zulum | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/defeated-borno-pdp-rep-candidate-joins-apc.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | INEC will use observers’ experiences for future polls – Yakubu | "The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has said that the commission will utilize the lessons and experiences of the accredited observers for the conduct of future elections. He gave the assurance on Wednesday in Abuja at the formal de-briefing of accredited observers for the 2019 General Elections. Represented by a National Commissioner, Prof. Antonia Okoosi-Simbine, Yakubu acknowledged that the observation of the 2019 election must have presented its challenges not only on the account of the vast nature and terrain of the country with over 120,000 polling units and voting points, but also on account of the peculiar or additional challenges presented by the shift and rescheduling of the dates of the elections by the commission." | INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, 2019 general elections, Democracy, Prof. Antonia Okoosi-Simbine, future polls, De-briefing | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/inec-will-use-observers-experiences-for-future-polls-yakubu.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Please don’t allow interference in Adamawa election, PDP urges Buhari | "The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State has urged President Buhari to thwart alleged attempt by Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla to drag him into a plot to upturn the outcome of the governorship election in the state. The governorship election was declared inconclusive after collation of results from the 21 local government areas with the PDP candidate, Ahmadu Fintiri on the lead with a margin of 32,476 votes which is lower than the total number of registered voters in the areas where election was cancelled. Fintiri scored 367,471 votes while his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla got 334,995 votes." | PDP, APC, Adamawa State, Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla, Ahmadu Fintiri, Buhari | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/please-dont-allow-interference-in-adamawa-election-pdp-urges-buhari.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Taraba: APC gov’ship candidate heads to court | "The APC gubernatorial candidate in Taraba State, Sani Danladi Abubakar, has said that he will challenge the outcome of the March 9 election which was declared in favour of Governor Darius Ishaku. He said the governorship election was characterized by irregularities and other forms of election malpractices. The candidate alleged that card readers were not used in Zing, Yorro, Kurmi, Takum and Wukari during the election. He further alleged that APC supporters were harassed, intimidated and prevented from voting during the election in Takum, Wukari, Kurmi and Ussa, adding that election results were written without reference to the number of people that voted." | Sani Danladi Abubakar, Governor Darius Ishaku, Taraba State, governorship election | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/taraba-apc-govship-candidate-heads-to-court.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Pensioners task Kwara governor-elect on election promises | "Pensioners in Kwara state, under the aegis of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), have called on the state governor-elect, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, to live up to expectations by fulfilling all his electioneering campaign promises. In a statement yesterday by the union’s chairman and secretary, Alhaji Saidu Oladimeji and Elder Abraham Gana, respectively, the pensioners said that it was the only way the governor-elect could justify the confidence reposed in him by the people. They pledged their support to the incoming administration. Describing the victory of the governor-elect as the will of God and well deserved, the pensioners hoped that his administration would usher in peace, love and development in the state." | Kwara State Pensioners, Governor=elect Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, Elder Abraham Gana, Alhaji Saidu Oladimeji, electioneering campaign promises | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pensioners-task-kwara-governor-elect-on-election-promises.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | 18 ballot box snatchers for prosecution in Oyo | "The Oyo State Police Command has arrested 18 suspects for snatching ballot boxes and committing other offences during the Saturday’s governorship and state assembly elections in the state. The state’s Commissioner of Police, Shina Olukolu, yesterday said all the 18 suspects would face criminal prosecution after the conclusion of investigation. He listed their offences as ballot box snatching, violence and other related-electoral frauds. The CP, who spoke through the Police Public Relations Officer Olugbenga Fadeyi, said the suspects, being held at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), were arrested at various polling units during the Saturday poll. “I can confidently tell you that 18 suspects were arrested in connection with electoral offences during the last governorship/state House of Assembly poll in different parts of the state. And seven guns , 30 live cartridges and some miscellaneous items were recovered from them.""" | Oyo State Police Command, ballot box snatchers, Shina Olukolu, House of Assembly poll, Olugbenga Fadeyi | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/18-ballot-box-snatchers-for-prosecution-in-oyo.html |
| The Guardian.ng | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Outrage in Senate at rising debt profile | "The massive increase in the nation’s debt profile troubled senators yesterday as they cautioned the executive arm of government against returning the country to the category of highly indebted countries.The concerns over the issue came up during the Senate’s debate on the general principles of the N8.83 trillion 2019 budget. First to raise the alarm was the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu (PDP Enugu West) who made contributions after the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan (APC Yobe North) had given the lead debate on the budget estimates for passage for second reading.Ekweremadu said that though the budget proposal should be given expeditious consideration in view of the enormous time already lost on the bill, the borrowing plans as contained in the proposal must be scrutinised to prevent the country from exceeding its limit when juxtaposed with the ratio of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). “Yes, money must be sought by any government to fund infrastructure, but it must not be solely anchored on borrowing which, in the long run, will take the country back to a problem it had earlier solved. Besides, there are other creative ways of funding such highly needed infrastructure, “he said." | Rising debt profile, Senate, Ahmed Lawan, Ekweremadu, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) | https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/outrage-in-senate-at-rising-debt-profile/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Umahi dismisses alleged plans to dump PDP | "Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi yesterday refuted defeated All Progressives Congress (APC)’s candidate, Sonni Ogbuoji’s claim that he (Umahi) has perfected plans to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for APC, describing it as baseless. Speaking in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, the governor said Ogbuoji’s statement does make sense, insisting that defecting to the APC was not in the cards. Ogbuoji had in a statement said he lost the governorship election because Umahi has perfected plans to join APC, which affected his chances of winning. Uzor said Ogbuoji’s claim was unfounded and misleading, adding that the APC candidate was acting in frustration and that Umahi’s victory had disorganised him.His words: “Rather than accept defeat, Ogbuoji has taken his campaign propaganda beyond the state to Enugu where he briefed the media. “There is no move by Umahi to leave PDP. Is it now that he has nurtured the party in the South East, except Anambra, which we hope to capture in 2022 when election will be conducted there, that he will leave PDP? He asked.“The governor had stood with the PDP right from the time he became its Chairman. People should disregard the information, it is not true.”" | Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi, APC, PDP, Emmanuel UzorSonni Ogbuoji | https://guardian.ng/politics/umahi-refutes-alleged-plans-to-dump-pdp/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Rochas Okorocha faults Ihedioha’s declaration as Imo governor-elect | "Imo State governor, Rochas Anayo Okorocha has accused the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Professor Francis Ezeonu of compromising elections in the state, saying Emeka Ihedioha’s declaration as governor-elect was done in error.He argued that from Ezeonu’s activities and actions, it was clear that he was on a mission to fight him politically and facilitate Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) return to power in the state. Okorocha stated this while addressing youths from Okigwe zone, who protested to Government House yesterday against the outcome of the polls in the zone. He added that there was no legal justification as to why Ezeonu would, contrary to constitutional provisions, which stipulate that a candidate must have 25 per cent in 2/3 of local governments of a state, announce Ihedioha as winner of the guber poll. He said Ihedioha did not win in 18 councils, being 2/3 of the 27 local government areas, but won in only 11 councils.Also, a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuamaedo, Okorocha also berated Ezeonu for accepting the figures from the three local governments of Mbaise where Ihedioha scored 64,219 votes." | Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, INEC, governor-elect, APC, PDP, Emeka Ihedioha | https://guardian.ng/politics/rochas-okorocha-faults-ihediohas-declaration-as-imo-governor-elect/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Opposition seeks declaration of candidate as senator-elect in Imo | "The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare its candidate for Imo North senatorial district, Patrick Ndubueze, as winner of the March 9 supplementary election in the state. During a press briefing yesterday in Owerri by the Publicity Secretary, South East Zone of the party, Pope Chijioke Ekwegh, the PDP accused the returning officer (RO) for the election, Prof. Donatus Ohajianya, of infractions. It also alleged that it was connivance that reportedly led to Benjamin Uwajumogu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ‘claiming’ victory. Ekwegh said: “What transpired in the supplementary election to us does not depict the independence of that commission as it concerns its ad hoc staff that were recruited to do the needful. “It might interest all to know that the Returning Officer, Prof. Donatus Ohajianya, on meeting with our candidate, made demands. “We do not see the reason why some persons will go about announcing themselves as senator-elect whereas INEC till date has not made any declaration and has not returned anybody.” The party added: “If somebody must be returned, Patrick Ndubueze, our candidate, should be returned. “We are demanding that these INEC officials mentioned by our great party should be arrested, interrogated and persecuted.”" | PDP, APC, INEC, Pope Chijioke Ekwehg, Benjamin Uwajumogu, Imo State, senator-elect | https://guardian.ng/politics/opposition-seeks-declaration-of-candidate-as-senator-elect-in-imo/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Again, Buhari, INEC, police chiefs meet to finalise rigging, Frank alleges | "Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank has alleged that the Presidency and security chiefs have held another meeting to finalise plans of rigging in states where elections were declared inconclusive. He said he was privy to credible information that President Muhammadu Buhari, Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai and acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abubakar Adamu, held the midnight meeting. In a statement in Abuja yesterday, he alleged that the meeting was convened at the behest of the Presidency on how to perfect victory for APC in Rivers, Sokoto, Bauchi, Kano, Adamawa and Plateau states.Frank, an ally of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, said this was the third time Yakubu and others were secretly meeting the President at midnight. He alerted that INEC was out to repeat the way APC stole the mandate freely given to Atiku during the Presidential election and in the rescheduled rerun polls in the six states. According to him, the latest meeting took place in the Glass House of the Presidential Villa, which started at 1:30am and lasted for about an hour.Frank claimed that Yakubu arrived the Presidential Villa in the same Armoured BMW 7 series vehicle with Buratai and were later joined by other APC leaders." | Timi Frank, APC, PDP, Buhari, INEC, Prof.Mahmood Yakubu, rigging allegation, security chiefs, Atiku | https://guardian.ng/politics/again-buhari-inec-police-chiefs-meet-to-finalise-rigging-frank-alleges/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | Imo Elders Council Felicitates with Ihedioha | "In a show of solidarity and expression of gratitude to God, the Imo State Advisory Council of Elders has felicitated with the state Governor-elect, Chief Chukwuemeka Ihedioha, on his historic victory in the keenly contested governorship election. The Council of Elders also congratulated Imo citizens for turning out en mass to vote and stand to defend their votes. The victory recorded at the poll, according the elders’ group, represented victory over impunity, mal-administration, liberation from servitude, poverty and deterioration of moral and societal values for which Imo State was not known for. In a congratulatory message signed by Prof. Francis Dike (SAN), Air Cmdr Luke Ochulor (rtd) and Charles C. Ugwuh (former Minister of Industries) said: “This victory indeed amounts to a re-set for good governance, while we commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies for their roles in ensuring a successful election in the state.”" | Imo State Advisory Council of Elders, Chief Chukwuemeka Ihedioha, Imo State governor-elect | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/14/imo-elders-council-felicitates-with-ihedioha/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | UK Reviews General Election to Determine Visa Ban | "In line with its threat to deny visa to those that sponsored and aided electoral violence in the general election in Nigeria, the UK has said it is reviewing the events and will act when necessary. The UK’s clarification preceded the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) admission Wednesday in Abuja that the rescheduling of the elections created huge challenges for both foreign and domestic observers. But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the crises of rescheduling, inconclusiveness and general confusions associated with the general election should be blamed on President Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). While elections were characterised with various degrees of violence in some states, there was a high record of deaths as well as militarisation of the process particularly in Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Bayelsa States among others, during the presidential and National Assembly, and governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections." | Electoral violence, general election in Nigeria, UK, Visa Ban, INEC, APC, PDP | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/14/uk-reviews-general-election-to-determine-visa-ban/ |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | Buhari meets APC Govs at Aso Rock | "President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met behind closed doors with seven state governors of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting came barely an hour after the president returned to Abuja after participating in Saturday’s Gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections in his hometown, Daura, Katsina State. The Governors at the meeting included Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Abdulaziz Yari, Zamfara State and Kassim Shetima of Borno. NAN reports that the agenda of the meeting was not made public and the governors declined comment on the outcome of the meeting." | Buhari, APC Governors, Abuja, Presidential Villa | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-meets-apc-govs-at-aso-rock.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | Rerun polls hold in Kano, Benue, 4 others March 23 | "A supplementary governorship election will on Saturday, March 23 hold in Kano, Bauchi, Benue, Plateau, Sokoto and Adamawa states where the polls were declared inconclusive, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said yesterday. The decision was reached at the commission’s meeting in Abuja, a statement by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said. According to him, the commission met Monday and reviewed the conduct of the 29 governorship and 991 state constituency elections held on March 9, where winners were declared in 22 states. Daily Trust reports that out of the 22 states where final results of the governorship elections were announced, the All Progressives Congress (APC) won 13, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) got nine." | Supplementary governorship election, Kano, Bauchi, Benue, Plateau, Sokoto, Adamawa, Festus Okoye, State Constituency elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/rerun-polls-hold-in-kano-benue-4-others-march-23.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | CCT: Onnoghen absent, appeals decision on jurisdiction | "The suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen has appealed against the ruling of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on the applications he filed against the charge against him. Justice Onnoghen had through his lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), moved two applications before the CCT yesterday, one of which was challenging the constitutional jurisdiction of the tribunal, with the other asking the chairman to disqualify himself on allegations of bias. However, the tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar said the ruling on the applications would be delivered along with the final judgment on the case at the end of the trial. In a notice of appeal sighted by our reporter, Onnoghen told the Court of Appeal that the tribunal chairman and members erred in law in the interpretation of Section 396 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) when they deferred ruling on his two applications until final judgment." | Suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen, Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/cct-onnoghen-absent-appeals-decision-on-jurisdiction.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | Senate begins debate on 2019 budget today | "The Senate will today commence debate on the general principles of the N8.83 trillion 2019 budget estimates. The budget estimates were presented before a joint session of the National Assembly on December 19 last year by President Muhammadu Buhari. Senators could not attend to the budget as they had been on break since January to allow the lawmakers to participate in the campaigns for the 2019 general elections. However, Senate President Bukola Saraki at yesterday’s plenary announced that the debate on the budget would commence today. The debate would be led by Senate Leader Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe), while individual senators are expected to contribute to the debate." | Senate, 2019 Budget, Senate Leader Ahmad Lawan, National Assembly, 2019 general elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/senate-begins-debate-on-2019-budget-today.html |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | Inconclusive polls ploy to alter results for APC - PDP | "The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said, yesterday, that the declaration of gubernatorial elections in some states as inconclusive was a ploy by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to alter the original results of the elections in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates. The party stated that declaring the governorship elections in states where the PDP was “in clear lead” as inconclusive showed that the current leadership of INEC was partisan and compromised “with obnoxious impunity.”" | Inconclusive polls, APC, PDP, INEC, | Daily Trust Newspaper, Wednesday, March 13, 2019 (Page 12) |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | Bode George: Defections after polls sacrilegious | "A former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Olabode George, yesterday, urged the leadership of the party to be cautious of those who hurriedly defected to APC shortly after the presidential election. George also said he had no objection to the decision of the party to challenge the outcome of the presidential election won by President Muhammadu Buhari. Speaking with newsmen, the Lagos PDP leader expressed rage at the way some PDP members hurriedly cross-carpeted, describing the development as “absolutely sacrilegious.” He said politicians should refrain from displaying “attitude of prostitutes,” saying they should always stand on the side of principle, dedication, loyalty and commitment to the party." | Chief Olabode George, PDP, Defections, Buhari, APC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/bode-george-defections-after-polls-sacrilegious.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | Kano: I’m sure of victory in re-run – Abba Kabir | "The gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in Kano State, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, has assured his supporters of emerging victorious in the forthcoming gubernatorial re-run in the state. A statement signed by Yusuf’s spokesman, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, said: “The people of Kano have seen glaringly how some enemies of democracy who are ranking officials in Kano State government including the Deputy Governor, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, Commissioner for Local Government, Murtala Sule Garo and Chairman of Nassarawa Local Government, Alhaji Lamin Sani vandalised an election collation centre, resulting to truncating the declaration of the result to deny PDP victory.”" | Engr. AbbaKabir Yusuf, APC, PDP, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, Kano State | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kano-im-sure-of-victory-in-re-run-abba-kabir.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | PDP’ll receive shock of its life, says Ganduje | "Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State said, yesterday, that the PDP candidate, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf and his supporters will receive the shock of their lives in the rerun governorship election. Ganduje said he was unperturbed by the wishful thinking and slapdash deportment of the PDP candidate considering what happened in the inconclusive election widely characterized by alleged vote buying and voter intimidation by the opposition party. The chairman, Publicity of the 2019 Election, Malam Muhammad Garba, in a statement he signed, said the APC and its candidate remained upbeat and sure of victory as Kano remained an APC state. He said while Ganduje remained committed to the conduct of free and fair election, all loopholes that gave them chance of rigging, vote buying and intimidation of voters had been blocked." | Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, Malam Muhammad Garba, 2019 Election, APC, PDP, Kano State | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdpll-receive-shock-of-its-life-says-ganduje.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | We are ready for re-run – Plateau APC | "The APC In Plateau State said, yesterday, it is ready to meet its opponent, the PDP, for a supplementary election as soon as INEC fixes a new date. Daily Trust reports that 49,377 votes which were cancelled following Saturday’s gubernatorial polls in the state had led to the declaration of the election as inconclusive. The cancelled votes were more than the 44,929 margins of victory as scored by the ruling APC. However, the APC chairman, Leteb Dabang, stated at a press conference in Jos, that the process of conducting a supplementary election had only delayed the party’s victory celebration. He said they were fully prepared and confident of winning the exercise. Dabang who expressed disappointment as to how the State Collation Officer, Prof. Richard Anande, handled the issues of over voting which contributed to the election being declared inconclusive, stated that INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu had already set a precedence on the issue of over voting." | Plateau State, APC, PDP, INEC, Leteb Dabang | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/we-are-ready-for-re-run-plateau-apc.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | A/Ibom APC did not prepare for elections – PDP | "The PDP in Akwa Ibom State has said the APC lost in the state because it did not prepare for the elections. PDP leaders in the state said they won because they prepared and worked for the votes they earned during the March 9 and February 23 elections. Speaking, yesterday, in Uyo, State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Ini Ememobong, debunked insinuations by the APC that it rigged the elections aided by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Mike Igini. Ememobong alleged that while the PDP was preparing for the elections, the APC devoted its efforts to plotting how to use “federal might” to win the elections, adding that the opposition depended on hired armed thugs and militants to unleash mayhem in the state." | APC, PDP, Akwa Ibom State, federal might, February 23 elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/a-ibom-apc-did-not-prepare-for-elections-pdp.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | Parties protest at INEC in Ondo | "Four political parties in Ondo State including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), African Action Congress (AAC) and ( ANPR) have protested at INEC office in the state capital calling for the cancellation of last Saturday’s House of Assembly election in Ondo East and Ondo West local government areas. The political parties at a press conference in Akure, shortly after leaving INEC office, said there were cases of intimidation, bribing of voters, violence and other atrocities that marred the whole exercise. The protesters, including the 65-year-old father of 26-year-old Ebenezer Adetokunbo, who was declared missing since the election day, marched to the Alagbaka, Akure headquarters of INEC." | PDP, ADC, AAC, ANPR, Ondo State, INEC, Ebenezer Adetokunbo | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/parties-protest-at-inec-in-ondo.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | APC confident of winning in Bauchi | "The Bauchi State chapter APC has expressed confidence that it will win the governorship supplementary elections that will take place in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area and other places across the state. This was disclosed by the Deputy Director of Bauchi State APC Campaign Council, Alhaji Aminu Mohammed Danmaliki, while addressing a press conference in Bauchi. The supplementary governorship election would be held in Tafawa Balewa Local Government as well as 184 polling units in 15 affected local governments areas of the state. He said their party was hopeful of winning the election which will decide the winner of the governorship race having won majority of the state assembly seats in the election held on 9th March, 2019." | APC Bauchi State Chapter, Tafawa Balewa LGA, PDP, INEC, Alhaji Aminu Mohammed Danmaliki, supplementary governorship elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-confident-of-winning-in-bauchi.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | Imo: Nwosu heads to tribunal | "The governorship candidate of Action Alliance (AA) in the March 9 gubernatorial election in Imo State, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, says he will challenge the results of the election in the court. INEC had declared the candidate of PDP, Emeka Ihedioha, as winner of the election. Nwosu said he was robbed of victory by INEC and vowed to reclaim his mandate. Speaking with newsmen, yesterday, Nwosu said the electoral body didn’t abide by its guidelines when it announced the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Emeka Ihedioha, as winner of the election." | Ugwmba Uche Nwosu, Emeka Ihedioha, AA, PDP, Election Tribunal, Imo State | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/imo-nwosu-heads-to-tribunal.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | Yobe: APC clears all but one assembly seat | "The APC in Yobe State has won 23 of the 24 House of Assembly seats in Saturday’s governorship and state legislature elections. The party lost Nguru State Constituency seat to PDP after many years of unsuccessful battle in the local government area bordering Jigawa State in northern part of Yobe. The winner, Lawan Sani, is the son of a former Yobe State chairman of the PDP, Inuwa Sani Nguru, who defected to APC recently and was received by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The returning officer for the election, Dr. Abacha Mailemi of Federal University, Gashua, declared that Sani, popularly called Mr Last, scored 19,793 to defeat the incumbent member, Hon. Shuaibu Danladi Usman of APC who scored 11,395." | APC, Yobe State, Nguru State Constituency seat, PDP, Inuwa Sanu Nguru | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/yobe-apc-clears-all-but-one-assembly-seat.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | I was happy with special treatment – Physically challenged voter | "A physically challenged voter in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State, has thanked able-bodied people who gave him special treatment to vote without joining the queue. Malam Jibril Aliyu, who is from Sarkin Fada Ward in Lafia, told Aso Chronicle: “I am happy with the preferential treatment offered me by able-bodied people because of my disability. They told me to by-pass the queue and vote and go home without suffering any stress. I am happy with the treatment and I will never forget the day.” He noted that able-bodied people should always assist physically challenged people and not just at polling booths." | Physically challenged voter, Malam Jibril Aliyu, Nasarawa State, Sarkin Fada Ward | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/i-was-happy-with-special-treatment-physically-challenged-voter.html |
| The Guardian.ng | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | INEC threatens to sue Enugu politicians over false accusations | "Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has threatened to take certain politicians in Enugu State to court over wild allegations they made during the general elections. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Emeka Ononamadu, during a post-election media briefing at the INEC office, Independent Layout, Enugu yesterday, warned that INEC was not ready to condone reckless allegations that cast aspersions on the electoral process. His words: “Although, certain political groups effortlessly tried to falsely label INEC, security agencies and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in an attempt to scuttle the process, the maturity exhibited by citizens was enough to send their plans to the cleaners. “I am also studying those wild allegations for the possibility of seeking court redress because it is not only politicians that can always take INEC to court. “INEC and its staff also have a name to protect; we are not going to tolerate reckless allegations that can cast aspersion on our democracy and electoral process. We are moving towards a direction where nobody will get away with any unsubstantiated allegation that rubs off on the credibility of an election.”" | INEC, Enugu politicians, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Emeka Ononamadu | https://guardian.ng/news/inec-threatens-to-sue-enugu-politicians-over-false-accusations/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | CUPP alleges plot to deny Atiku justice at tribunal | "The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) yesterday raised the alarm about an alleged plot to deny Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, justice at the election petition tribunal. In a statement issued by its Spokesman, Ikenga Ugochinyere, the coalition alleged that it “intercepted a five-man list of justices of the Court of Appeal approved by President of the Court of Appeal.” He claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari and All Progressives Congress (APC) endorsed the list of justices to hear Atiku and PDP’s petition challenging the results of the February 23, 2019 presidential elections." | CUPP, Atiku, PDP, Election Petition Tribunal, 2019 presidential election, APC, Buhari | https://guardian.ng/news/cupp-alleges-plot-to-deny-atiku-justice-at-tribunal/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | CISLAC seeks electoral justice over inconclusive elections, cancellations | "The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has expressed concern about the outcome of the gubernatorial elections in some states of the federation, calling for electoral justice. It said the apparent disproportionate declaration of the state electoral outcomes by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), especially across the states whose results are declared inconclusive, calls for concern, stressing that the electoral body must uphold uniformity, equity and justice in the announcement to ensure free, fair and credible outcomes that will be acceptable to all. The group also decried the fragmented reaction by the electoral body towards the outcome of the declaration in the affected states, noting that such action is capable of heightening electoral distrust and apathy and nothing in the declaration of the elections inconclusive should be used as a means of subverting the popular will of the people." | CISLAC, electoral justice, INEC, electoral body, inconclusive elections | https://guardian.ng/news/cislac-seeks-electoral-justice-over-inconclusive-elections-cancellations/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | UPU congratulates Okowa, Urhobo lawmakers | "The Urhobo Progress Union Worldwide (UPU) has congratulated the Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa on his re-election for a second term. In a statement issued by President General of the union, Olorogun Moses Taiga, it urged Okowa to use his second tenure to bring more development to the Urhobo, in particular, and Delta in general. “The Urhobo Nation expects more development projects from the government in the next four years,” Taiga said. The UPU also congratulated lawmakers from Delta Central, who emerged victorious at the Federal and state House of Assembly polls, urging them to always promote Urhobo interest and work towards greater development of Urhoboland. In addition, Taiga urged all those who lost in the elections and are aggrieved to seek legal redress. “The Nigerian electoral system is not perfect and you have every right to go to court if you feel aggrieved, but every action you take should be legal. “There should be no more violence because we have lost too many people to electoral already,” he added." | Urhobo Progress Union Worldwide (UPU), Olorogun Moses Taiga, Delta State, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa | https://guardian.ng/news/upu-congratulates-okowa-urhobo-lawmakers/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | Obi Expresses Concern over Brigandage in Rivers Elections | "The vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in February 23 presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed concern over fallouts from some states in last Saturday’s gubernatorial and state assembly elections, particularly in Rivers State. This is coming as Dumo Lulu-Briggs Campaign Organisation in Accord party has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel last Saturday’s governorship and state assembly elections in the state due to the irregularities in the process. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has also called on the commission to assert its independence and not allow the military and the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) usurp its functions. The former Governor of Anambra State said in a statement from his media office that the militarisation of elections to the extent of carrying collation centre to a military location and denying international observers’ access is clearly unacceptable and a grave breach of democratic norms. He said that needless involvement of the military has aggravated the situation in Rivers State and wondered why the undue interest in Rivers, very well known strong PDP state." | Mr Peter Obi, PDP, Rivers Elections, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, INEC, FSARS, military | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/13/obi-expresses-concern-over-brigandage-in-rivers-elections/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | Gbajabiamila: APC Leadership will Decide Next Speaker | "The Majority Leader in the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has hinted that the leadership of the 9the Assembly will be decided by the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). As mark of respect for Hon Temitope Olatoye, representing Lagelu/Akinleye constituency of Oyo State, who was shot dead last Saturday in his state during the governorship and state House of Assembly elections, the House of Representatives which reconvened yesterday adjourned till today. Gbajabiamila gave the hint immediately after a meeting of the APC caucus held at Room 1, House of Representatives wing of the National Assembly. He said the issue of the next leadership was not yet in the front burner among members of his party, and gave assurances that APC members will abide by any position taken by the party leadership." | Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Next Speaker, National Assembly, House of Representatives, Hon. Temitope Olatoye | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/13/gbajabiamila-apc-leadership-will-decide-next-speaker-2/ |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | Kano governorship poll inconclusive, INEC says | "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday declared the governorship election in Kano State as inconclusive after compiling results from the 44 local government areas of the state. The compiled results showed that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Abba Kabir Yusuf had 1,014,474 votes, while the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Abdullahi Ganduje scored 987,819 votes. A total of 2,155,128 votes were recorded as valid while 49,761 were rejected. The Returning officer of the gubernatorial poll in the state, Prof B. B Shehu, said the election was declared inconclusive in accordance with section 26 of the INEC Act because the number of rejected vote exceeded the number of votes margin between the top scorer and the runner up of the election. He said the difference between the votes of the PDP and APC candidates was 26,000, while the votes cancelled were 128,572. He said INEC would fix a date to conduct election in 172 polling units where election was cancelled due to disturbances, over voting and non-usage of the card reader machine." | INEC, Abba Kabir Yusuf, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, INEC, Kano State governorship election, inconclusive poll | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kano-governorship-poll-inconclusive-inec-says.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | Onnoghen’s trial holds daily, CCT rules | "The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has ordered that the trial of suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen shall continue from today on a day-to-day basis. The tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar gave the order yesterday following the hearing of two applications by Onnoghen, one of which was challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal, with the other asking the chairman to disqualify himself on allegations of bias. He said the ruling on the applications would be delivered along with the final judgment on the case at the end of the trial. Although there was partial agreement between the prosecution team led by Aliyu Umar (SAN) and the defence team led by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) to the effect that the rulings on the applications be delivered first before going into the trial, the tribunal chairman said the tribunal believed that the said rulings could be delivered at the end of the trial along with the final judgment on the case." | Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/onnoghens-trial-holds-daily-cct-rules.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | I look forward to mutual working relationship with 9th N/Assembly – Buhari | "President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said that he was looking forward to a mutual and effective working relationship with the ninth National Assembly toward improving the budgetary process and restoring the country to the January-December fiscal cycle. Receiving his old school mates, who came to congratulate him on his re-election in Daura, the President recounted how the delay in the passage of budgets hindered timely execution of projects across the country. With the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the presidential election and majority seats in the ninth Senate, President Buhari expressed confidence that more work will be done to improve the budgetary process. The President told his classmates in the 1953 set of Katsina Middle School, Daura, led by Senator Abba Ali, that it was on record that the 2018 budget proposals submitted to the National Assembly on November 7, 2017, was passed after seven months." | Buhari, APC, PDP, 9th National Assembly, January-December fiscal year | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/i-look-forward-to-mutual-working-relationship-with-9th-n-assembly-buhari.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | EU observes improvement in election process despite challenges across states | "The delegation of the European Union (EU) Election Observation Mission said there was an improvement in the March 9 gubernatorial and state assembly elections despite the overall low turnout and violence. They also observed eight cases of both underage voting and vote buying. The chief observer of the observation mission, Maria Arena said this during the preliminary observation statement while addressing members of the media at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, yesterday. Among other issues, the chief observer raised was the improvement of the accreditation exercise at polling units across the country. She also cited incumbency factor playing a role in the outcome of the elections. “The elections were overall competitive with overall freedom to campaign. However, there was misuse of incumbency, including state-owned media, which prevented a level playing field,” she said." | European Union (EU) Election Observation Mission, gubernatorial and state assembly elections, Maria Arena | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/eu-observes-improvement-in-election-process-despite-challenges-across-states.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | I want to leave legacy of free, fair elections – Buhari | "President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said he would want to be remembered as a leader who kept his word that elections in Nigeria must be free, fair and credible. The president stated this in his Daura residence, Katsina state, when the state governor, Aminu Bello Masari came to inform him that he had won his reelection in Saturday’s governorship poll. Buhari commended Nigerians who heeded to his pre-election appeals to cast their votes peacefully. The President, described last Saturday’s governorship and State Assembly elections across the country as largely successful. He was quoted in a statement by his media aide, Garba Shehu, as saying: ‘‘I have maintained a position that elections must be free and fair and people have the right to make their choices and vote their consciences. I am happy they understood the message and did just that." | Buhari, free, fair elections, Katsina State, Governor Aminu Bello Masari | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/i-want-to-leave-legacy-of-free-fair-elections-buhari.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | Inconclusive poll: Tambuwal rejects INEC’s decision | "Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State has rejected the declaration of the state’s governorship poll as inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission. He urged the commission to declare him the winner of the election. The election was declared inconclusive by INEC as the number of votes cancelled was higher than the winning margin. Tambuwal, who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was leading by 3,413 having scored 489,558 votes; while Ahmed Aliyu of the All Progressive Congress (APC) got 486,145 votes. But the number of votes cancelled from across the 136 polling units in 22 local government areas was 75,403." | Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Ahmed Aliyu, APC, PDP, INEC, inconclusive poll, Sokoto State | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/inconclusive-poll-tambuwal-rejects-inecs-decision.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | We have evidence to upturn Masari’s victory – PDP’s Lado | "The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Katsina State said it has enough evidences to challenge the authenticity of the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, that returned All Progressives Congress, APC’s candidate Aminu Masari as winner of the state governorship election. Speaking with newsmen, the party’s governorship candidate, Sen Garba Yakubu Lado said the evidences will be used through constitutional means to seek redress and reclaim the mandate that was “stolen” by the APC in the state. Lado, while pleading with his supporters to remain calm, exercise patience and be law abiding, said the result, as declared by INEC was not the true situation obtained during the polls, adding that “our collated results from agents and officers on the field was far different from what INEC and APC announced.”" | APC, PDP, Katsina State, INEC, Aminu Masari, Sen Garba Yakubu Lado | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/we-have-evidence-to-upturn-masaris-victory-pdps-lado.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | My re-election divine – Okowa | "Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has said his re-election came by the will of God and the resilience of Deltans. Speaking yesterday at a thanksgiving service at the Government House Chapel, Asaba, after the Independent National Electoral Commission declared him winner, he said: “We began the campaign here at the Government House Chapel with prayer and fasting for three days. We have continually resorted to prayers throughout the course of the campaigns. “I want to specially appreciate my leader, former governor of Delta state, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, “who kept asking me rhetorically in pidgin ” Ifeanyi where dem wan pass?” “Twelve INEC offices were burnt across the state and the trend of violence became very worrisome that some of our leaders came for to me to express their amxieties. But we thank God that all that are now history.""" | Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Government House Chapel, APC, PDP, INEC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/my-re-election-divine-okowa.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | Ishaku declared winner of Taraba governorship election | "Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State has been declared winner of last Saturday Governorship election in the state. Returning Officer of the state, Prof. Shehu Adamu Iya, who announced the results at the state Collation Center in Jalingo, declared Ishaku winner of the election, having scored the highest votes of 520,433. The returning officer further announced that All progressives Congress’s candidate, Sani Abubakar Danladi scored 362,735 votes in the election. Ishaku, who contested the election on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, will serve for the second term." | Governor Darius Ishaku, Taraba State, APC, PDP, second term, INEC, Sani Abubakar Danladi | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ishaku-declared-winner-of-taraba-governorship-election.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | PDP, APC trade words over INEC decision in Bauchi | "The APC and the PDP in Bauchi State have traded blames over the declaration of the state governorship election inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The two political parties at separate press conferences accused the other of being the cause of the incident that led to the rejection of the results of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area which later culminated into the decision taken by the electoral body. PDP State chairman, Alhaji Hamza Koshe Akuyam, while addressing journalists, yesterday, said the decision of the Returning Officer, Professor Mohammed Kyari, was unwarranted and illegal. “The Bauchi State Returning Officer lacks the legal competence to cancel an election duly conducted by various Presiding Officers and validly collated at Ward and Local Government level devoid of any opposition by any political party,” Akuyam said." | APC, PDP, Bauchi State, inconclusive poll, INEC, Alhaji Hamza Koshe Akuyam, Professor Mohammed Kyari | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-apc-trade-words-over-inec-decision-in-bauchi.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | Bad elections can’t bring good governance, Onaiyekan says | "The outgoing Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has given a damning verdict on the 2019 General Elections. He spoke Monday in Abuja, during the homily at the Opening Mass of the First Plenary of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). Onaiyekan at the event themed: “Governance in Nigeria and the Common Good”, said those who claimed the elections were wonderful because it worked in their favour, should be reminded that bad elections cannot bring about good governance. According to him, the massive boycott of last Saturday’s elections in many places could well be taking as a loud protest and vote of no confidence in a process that had destroyed their trust in the system. “The government that had been declared re-elected must listen to the sound of murmurs and protest in the winds and take proactive steps to pull the nation together, even while the nation awaits the outcome of the legal challenge on course in the tribunals.""" | John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Catholic Bishop's Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), good governance, bad elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/bad-elections-cant-bring-good-governance-onaiyekan-says.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | Kano police boss hero of 2019 elections | "Kano State police commissioner, Mohammed Wakil, is the hero of this year’s general elections, Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi Sugar, has said. Sugar, a political associate of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, said the police commissioner should be singled out for commendation by the acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammad Adamu. He said the civil and professional ways, the police commissioner conducted himself, provided the opportunity for the opposition to have the way in Kano State. He urged other police officers in the country to emulate Wakil, saying their duty was not to protect the government of the day but to work in the interest of the country. He said in a phone interview that the outcome of the governorship election had shown that Atiku won the presidential election but the outcome was rigged by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to favour President Muhammadu Buhari." | Kano State Police Commissioner, Mohammed Wakil, Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi Sugar, APC, PDP, Buhari, Atiku | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kano-police-boss-hero-of-2019-elections.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | Results snatching: Police clear dep gov, detain commissioner, council chair | "The Kano State Police Command has exonerated the state Deputy Governor, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, who was taken to the CID unit of the command in the early hours of yesterday over alleged disruption of results collation process for Saturday’s gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections. The state’s second citizen, who is also the running mate to the incumbent governor and the candidate of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, was taken to the command headquarters along with the state’s Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Murtala Sule Garo and the Executive Chairman of Nassarawa Local Government Area, Lamin Sani." | Kano State Deputy Governor, Dr. Nasiru Gawuna, gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections, Kano State Police Command, Murtala Sule Garo, Lamin Sani, Nassarawa LGA | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/results-snatching-police-clear-dep-gov-detain-commissioner-council-chair.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | Curfew in Jalingo over violence | "A dusk to dawn curfew has been imposed in Jalingo by Taraba State Government over attacks that trailed the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections held in the state on Saturday. The curfew was announced in a statement issued by Mallam Hassan Mijinyawa, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Darius Ishaku. Daily Trust reports that the attack was targeted at Hausa and Fulani residents in Sabon Gari, NTA area, Yama Salla, Saminaka and many other areas of the metropolis. It was gathered that houses, shops and vehicles belonging to the residents were either destroyed or burnt down. Soldiers, police and civil defence were seen patrolling the town. Hundreds of residents had fled to neighbouring villages and towns for safety." | Curfew, Jalngo, Governor Darius Ishaku, Taraba, violence | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/curfew-in-jalingo-over-violence.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | CUPP rejects Kaduna governorship election result | "The Kaduna State branch of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), an umbrella body of 41 political parties and 18 governorship candidates, has rejected the outcome of the gubernatorial elections in the state. The CUPP chairman, Hon. Umar Farouk Mairaqumi, at a press conference, yesterday, in Kaduna, said it was rejected because elections in some local government areas were marred by irregularities." | Coalition of Political Parties (CUPP), Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, INEC, Hon. Umar Farouk Mairaqumi, election result | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/cupp-rejects-kaduna-governorship-election-result.html |
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | Okorocha’s name missing on INEC’s list of senators-elect | "Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, may not get the certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) like other senators-elect, as his name is missing from the list of newly-elected senators published on the commission’s website. INEC, yesterday, published the list of elected federal lawmakers ahead of the presentation of the certificates of return on Thursday. Okorocha, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared the senator-elect for Imo West senatorial district, having polled 97,762 votes to beat Jones Onyereri of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 63,117 followed by Sen. Osita Izunaso of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) with 30,923 votes. But the collation officer of the district, Prof. Innocent Ibeawuchi, claimed that he declared the APC candidate the winner over PDP’s Onyereri under duress. The INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, had during a meeting with the inter-agency consultative committee on election security in Abuja, said the commission would not issue certificates of return to any candidate declared winner of an election under duress." | Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, INEC senators-elect, APC, PDP | https://guardian.ng/news/okorochas-name-missing-on-inecs-list-of-senators-elect/ |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | 12 presidential candidates congratulate Buhari | "Twelve presidential candidates in the Feb. 23 presidential election on Monday in Abuja, congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on his re-election. Acting under the aegis of Forum of Presidential Candidates and Political Parties for Good Governance, the group said at a news conference in Abuja, that the victory was deserved. Chairman of the forum, Mr Shittu Kabir, said “we are indeed not oblivious of the fact that only one candidate will emerge as president. “Now that the candidate of the APC, President Buhari has been re-elected, we have no qualms accepting his victory." | Presidential candidates, Buhari, APC, political parties, Mr Shittu Kabir | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/12-presidential-candidates-congratulate-buhari.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | Court sacks Kano PDP governorship candidate | "A Federal High Court in Kano has sacked the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf. The court, presided over by Justice Lewis Allagoa, said the primary election that produced Yusuf as PDP candidate for Kano was invalid. But the chairman of the PDP in Kano State, Dr Rabi’u Sulaiman Bichi, said the party has appealed the verdict and filed for a stay of execution. “Our candidate remains PDP candidate and will participate in the gubernatorial election come Saturday, March 9,” Bichi said. A PDP gubernatorial aspirant Alhaji Ibrahim Al-Amin, also known as Little, had sued the party before Justice Allagoa seeking a definite interpretation of whether the PDP has legal backing to produce flag-bearer without conducting primary election." | Federal High Court in Kano, Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf, Justice Lewis Allagoa, PDP, Alhaji Ibrahim Al-Amin | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/court-sacks-kano-pdp-governorship-candidate.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | EFCC arrests PDP campaign deputy DG, Turaki | "The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last night said the anti-graft agency, the EFCC, has arrested its Deputy Director General (Administration) of the Presidential Campaign Organisation, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki. Turaki is a former Minister of Special Duties and one of the presidential aspirants that lost to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The party has demanded for his unconditional release. The Director Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan in a statement last night said Turaki was invited, arrested and detained yesterday by the EFCC “for no just cause.” The party said the ex-minister’s arrest and detention was part of the alleged grand plot by the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to use state apparatus of power to intimidate PDP leaders not to go court to challenge Buhari’s reelection victory." | Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, Atiku, EFCC, PDP, APC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/efcc-arrests-pdp-campaign-deputy-dg-turaki-2.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | Strange battle in Plateau as intra religious scheming divides PDP, APC | "With the atmosphere already tense, and even though both Governor Simon Lalong and Senator Jeremiah Useni are Christians, religion has been brought into the fore in the contest. Useni has some Christian religious leaders rooting for him with majority of indigenous churches persuading their congregations to vote against Lalong due to what they perceive as his “unholy rapport” with the Hausa and Fulani population in Jos North whom they refer to as settlers. However, though at first glance it may seem that the gang up by indigenous churches may be detrimental to incumbent Governor Lalong, the PDP’s alleged controversial choice of James Dalok to run its ticket with Useni is causing division amongst the Christian denominations. While others prefer to keep mute on the development, there are those who feel betrayed that the PDP would settle for a governorship candidate and running mate who belong to the same COCIN church, thereby attempting to alter a past precedence where a balance between the COCIN and the Catholic once held sway." | Governor Simon Lalong, Senator Jeremiah Useni, Plateau governorship election, Christians | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/strange-battle-in-plateau-as-intra-religious-scheming-divides-pdp-apc.html |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | PDP set to sue INEC, APC over polls | "The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at its expanded National Caucus meeting, held yesterday, resolved to sue the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari this week. The party stated that its team of lawyers was set to file the suit challenging results of the presidential election held on February 23, which saw INEC declaring APC candidate Buhari as winner." | PDP National Caucus meeting, APC, INEC, Buhari, Atiku | Daily Trust Newspaper, Tuesday, March 5, 2019 (Page 12) |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | Kano PDP factional executives defect to APC | "The PDP factional executives in Kano State led by Sen. Mas’ud El-Jibril Doguwa have defected to the APC, hours after a Federal High Court in Kano nullified PDP’s primary elections. Addressing a press conference, yesterday, Sen. Doguwa said, “Our decision to leave PDP at this critical time is painful but necessary. “For over 40 years I spent in politics…I have never changed political party; but because of the lingering internal crisis, we find it very difficult to remain in PDP because there is no unity and harmonious working relationship in the party. “The national leadership of the PDP has destroyed the party in Kano. Under Secondus, PDP is in disaster and will remain in it inasmuch as he remains its national chairman. The party is in serious problem at all levels in Kano,” he said." | PDP factional executives, Sen. Mas'ud El-Jibril Doguwa, APC, Kano State | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kano-pdp-factional-executives-defect-to-apc.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | APC considers North for Senate president, South for speaker | "The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) may cede Senate President’s position to the northern part of the country and speaker to the south, Daily Trust has learnt. The APC, which has so far garnered comfortable majority in both chambers with 64 senators-elect and over 200 reps-elect, is said to be making serious efforts to avoid a repeat of what happened in 2015 when some of its members defied its directive on the National Assembly leadership positions. It was gathered that some major stakeholders of the party are pushing for the Senate president’s seat to be zoned to the North, and most probably North-east, and the position of speaker to the South, particularly Southwest. As for deputy Senate president, it was learnt that the stakeholders were pushing for it to go to the South South zone, while also making case for either the North-west or North-central to be given the position of deputy speaker." | APC, North, Senate president, Speaker House of Representatives, Southwest | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-considers-north-for-senate-president-south-for-speaker.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | Atiku: Candidates deny CUPP’s allegation of inducement from presidency | "The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), yesterday, alleged that officials of the Federal Government have been meeting with some political parties and their presidential candidates with a view to convincing them to tell PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar to accept the outcome of the February 23 election. The allegation coincided with the call by 23 presidential candidates, led by Malam Shittu Mohammed, the National Chairman of Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA) and its presidential candidate, on Atiku to jettison the idea of going to court, and accept the verdict of Nigerians and congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari." | Coalition of Political Parties (CUPP), Presidency, Atiku, presidential candidates, Buhari | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/atiku-candidates-deny-cupps-allegation-of-inducement-from-presidency.html" |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | Accord Party candidate promises new direction in Kwara | "The governorship candidate of Accord Party (AP) in Saturday’s election in Kwara State, Prince Ayorinde Adedoyin, has urged the electorate in the state to support him in his move to chat a new direction towards social and economic development. Adedoyin described the Oto ge (Enough is enough) campaign slogan of the APC, and Otunya (we are just starting) which is the slogan of the PDP in the state as “same contents in same bottles but with a different top.” Ayorinde said this yesterday while addressing journalists in Ilorin, where he also unveiled his economic blueprint. He listed plans to revive moribund industries and encourage the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs)." | Accord (A) Party, governorship candidate, Prince Ayorinde Adedoyin, Kwara State, electorate, SMEs | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/accord-party-candidate-promises-new-direction-in-kwara.html |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | Southern Kaduna groups differ over PDP performance | "The Coalition of Southern Kaduna Nationalities (CSKN) has threatened to leave the PDP if the leadership fails to explain why most of its stalwarts in Kaduna State lost their constituencies. Addressing a press conference in Kaduna, the leader of the group, Dr. Yusuf Gandu Magaji, said it was worrisome that the PDP governorship candidate, Alhaji Isa Ashiru and other leaders of the party, failed to deliver their constituencies at the just concluded National Assembly and presidential elections. The coalition threatened to switch support to another party if the PDP failed to explain what it called “woeful performance” of the party in the northern part of the state and gave the PDP 24 hours to respond." | Coalition of Southern Kaduna Nationalities (CSKN), PDP, Dr. Yusuf Gandu Magaji, governorship candidate | Coalition of Southern Kaduna Nationalities (CSKN), PDP, Dr. Yusuf Gandu Magaji, governorship candidate |
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | Protests in Abuja over issuance of certificate of return to Buhari | "Members of a group known as Occupy Nigeria yesterday protested at the Unity Fountain, Abuja. They demanded that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reverse the issuance of a certificate of return to President Muhammadu Buhari who was declared the winner of the recent presidential election.The protesters alleged that assessment by observers on ground during the election revealed that card readers were not used at all in some states. The coalition of over 50 civil society organisations and citizens said the observers’ report showed that votes were merely allotted in many parts of the Northwest and Northeast.According to the convener of the group, Idris Usman, it is an insult to the Nigerian people that INEC would allow an election in which voters were intimidated, maimed and even killed to stand. He called for due process to be followed in ensuring that the vote of every Nigerian counts in the 2019 presidential election. “We’ve done a petition to INEC. There has never been a time when a decision was reversed. Despite that, what we are saying is that this decision did not settle well with the people.“Where card readers were not used in the North, let card readers be used, anybody can win but let the proper thing be done. In Osun gubernatorial, no leader was announced till the process was concluded, so why was INEC in such a hurry to announce the result of the 2019 presidential election?” Usman queried." | Protests, Abuja, certificate, observers, Buhari, Atiku, APC, PDP, 2019 presidential election, INEC | https://guardian.ng/news/protests-in-abuja-over-issuance-of-certificate-of-return-to-buhari/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | Appeal Court reaffirms Owan Enoh as Cross River APC guber candidate | "The Court of Appeal Court, Calabar yesterday maintained that its last week’s order for stay of execution or maintenance of status quo ante on the candidature of Owan Enoh as the All Progressives Congress (APC) standard-bearer for this weekend’s polls in Cross River State remains. The three judges excused themselves from presiding over the case following petitions against them by the Godwin Etim John faction of the party. The presiding judge, Prof. S. A. Owoade, had notified the court that the two petitions separately sent to the President of the Court of Appeal and the National Judicial Commission were on alleged loss of confidence on his panel on the basis of a claimed N250 million graft. The letters however did not mention the payee and receiver of the said gratification. Counsel to Owan Enoh, Awa Kalu SAN, and the APC, Mba Ukweni SAN, tried in futility to dismiss the petitions, citing non-dating and improper routing." | Court of Appeal, APC governorship candidate, Cross River, Owan Enoh | https://guardian.ng/news/appeal-court-reaffirms-owan-enoh-as-cross-river-apc-guber-candidate/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | CAN worried about alleged plans to scuttle Saturday’s exercise in Taraba | "Taraba State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has expressed concern over an alleged plan to disrupt the gubernatorial and state Houses of Assembly elections slated for Saturday.The plot, which CAN said was being hatched by a group suspected to be loyalists of a major political party, would be executed in Christians dominated areas. Briefing journalists yesterday at its secretariat along Federal Government Girls College (FGCC) Road in Jalingo, state CAN Chairman, Reverend Innocent Solomon, said the group planned to cause chaos in the state that would subsequently lead to declaring the exercise inconclusive. “The group also plans to set PDP Secretariat ablaze and destroy INEC Office during collation of results,” he said.He further alleged that the group had perfected plans to manipulate the governorship results in favour of a particular political party, adding that they have also agreed that failure by INEC officials to comply or cooperate, would lead to destruction of its office. Condemning the violence in Jalingo after the announcement of the presidential results by APC supporters, he urged security agencies in the state to “carefully interrogate the plan towards disrupting the peace in Taraba during the governorship and State House of Assembly elections.”" | CAN, Taraba State, gubernatorial and State Houses of Assembly elections, Reverend Innocent Solomon, INEC, PDP | https://guardian.ng/politics/can-worried-about-alleged-plans-to-scuttle-saturdays-exercise-in-taraba/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | Oyo REC warns against unnecessary inconclusive polls’ declaration | "The Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mutiu Agboke, has warned electoral officers against unnecessary declaration of inconclusive elections in Saturday’s polls, saying that if any of them orchestrates inclusive election, he will conclude it at the commission’s headquarters. Agboke gave the warning yesterday during the election stakeholders’ meeting at the commission’s state office in Agodi, Ibadan.He urged them to follow the commission’s regulation on the declaration of inclusive election. The REC also disclosed that sensitive materials had arrived at the Central Bank of Nigeria Ibadan Branch and smart card readers had been configured. He said ballot papers and result sheets would be distributed to local councils tomorrow." | INEC, REC Oyo Mutiu Sgboke, inconclusive polls' declaration, CBN | https://guardian.ng/politics/oyo-rec-warns-against-unnecessary-inconclusive-polls-declaration/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | Police high command meet to review security arrangement for polls | "Inspector General of Police (IGP), Abubakar Mohammed Adamu, yesterday met with Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs), Assistant Inspectors General (AIGs) and Commissioners of Police (CPs) from the 36 states and Abuja to review strategies for the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections. The meeting was convened to brief strategic police commands and undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the Force’s performance during the February 23, 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections. Adamu also disclosed that the meeting was organised to perfect plans and allocate operational tasks towards the governorship and State Assembly elections scheduled for March 9, 2019. He said: “The third objective is to appreciate personnel of the Force across all ranks for their sacrifice, discipline and professionalism, which was demonstrated in the last elections.""" | IGP Abubakar Mohammed Adamu, DIGs, AIGs, CPs, security arrangement | https://guardian.ng/news/police-high-command-meet-to-review-security-arrangement-for-polls/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | Dickson deplores military’s role in presidential poll | "Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has again accused military operatives of using brute force in the February 23 general elections in the state. The governor, while presenting flags to the party’s House of Assembly candidates in Yenagoa, described the military’s role during the elections as coup against democracy.He, however, urged the people to turn out in their numbers on Saturday to vote for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates despite the brazen intimidation and harassment by partisan security forces. “The last election that held just a few days ago can best be described as a military coup against democracy in our state. I don’t expect anything less in the coming election. Despite [the intimidation], we won in all the units, wards and constituencies where election took place,” he added." | Governor Seriake Dickson, Bayelsa State, military, 2019 general elections | https://guardian.ng/news/dickson-deplores-militarys-role-in-presidential-poll/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | Reject APC-sponsored Violence, Wike Tells Rivers People | "As tension continues to mount ahead of Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has charged the people of the state not to be part of the violence allegedly being planned by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to disrupt the elections. He also called on the people to overwhelmingly vote for all candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and ensure they defend their votes. This is as the leaders of Rivers South East senatorial district re-affirmed their endorsement of the governor for a second term. Addressing a town hall meeting with leaders of Rivers South East senatorial district in Bori yesterday, Wike urged the people to be peaceful and vigilant to ensure that their votes count. He said: “Just be vigilant and protect your votes. We have no security with us, but we have the Chief Security Officer of the world on our side. “If they like they should bring police army and thugs from all over the world, we are quite confident that we shall smile on March 9, 2019. Come out and vote for people you can vouch for”. Wike insisted that nobody can foist any person as governor on the people, stating: “Rivers State is not like any other state. We will not allow a godfather to operate here. Our only godfather is God.” | House of Assembly elections, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, APC, PDP, sponsored violence | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/05/reject-apc-sponsored-violence-wike-tells-rivers-people/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | AtikuObi Vanguard Urges Atiku To Challenge Buhari’s Victory In Court | "The AtikuObi Vanguard Nigeria 2019 has called on the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to challenge INEC’s declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari as winner of the February 23 Presidential election. President of the group, Hon. Oby Nwaogu stated this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja. According to her, the group supports the move by Alhaji Abubakar to retrieve his stolen mandate freely given to him by Nigerians. “We are aware Nigerians voted massviely for our principal until INEC surreptitiously connived with the APC and security agencies to subvert the wishes of the generality of Nigerians as freely expressed in the ballot penultimate Saturday. “As a group we condemn in strongest terms those asking our principal not to approach the courts for redress. Just like our principal, we believe strongly in the tenets of rule of law and as such we pledge our unalloyed support to him till he achieved his victory,” she added." | AtikuObi Vanguard Nigeria 2019, Atiku, Oby Nwaogu, APCO | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/04/atikuobi-vanguard-urges-atiku-to-challenge-buharis-victory-in-court/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | Tinubu Denies Plotting to Ban Ajimobi from APC Campaigns | "The National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has denied plotting to ban Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State from APC campaigns, saying that both of them are partners, and not rivals. In a statement issued yesterday by his media office, Tinubu clarified that his intervention in Oyo APC is to engender genuine reconciliation and not to hide or supplant the governor. The APC leader was reacting to a report alleging that he was moving to ban Ajimobil from leading APC campaigns in Oyo State because of his intervention in the state, where he has been holding discussions with some notable leaders and bringing back to the party’s fold former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala. Tinubu described Ajimobi as an excellent governor and a faithful member of the APC. | Bola Tinubu, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala, APC | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/05/tinubu-denies-plotting-to-ban-ajimobi-from-apc-campaigns/ |
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | Ijaw Leaders Condemn Killings in Bayelsa, Rivers | "Ijaw leaders have condemned what they described as the “senseless killings” in Ijaw-populated communities of Rivers and Bayelsa State during the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections. Addressing a press conference in Yenagoa, the interim Spokesman of Embasara Foundation, umbrella body of the leaders, Chief Ayakeme Whisky, warned that unless the presidential order “to shoot ballot box snatchers” is retracted, there might be more election related killings in Ijawland. “We wish to express our utter consternation and angst over the senseless killings, an action that has put the sleepy Abonnema community in Akuku Toru LGA of Rivers State in particular and other Ijaw towns (especially Oweikorogha town in Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa on edge. “We have it on good authority that the primary cause of this ugly episode was the reckless infiltration of Abonnema community with political thugs, aided by the military to gain advantage during the presidential elections of February 23, 2019. “The aftermath of that thoughtless act was the killing of innocent Ijaw boys, some of whom took laws into their hands to engage the military in armed confrontation that led to the death of an army lieutenant. The soldiers then went on a reckless rampage and killed scores of Ijaw youths in retaliation. This is incomprehensible and totally condemnable” the group stated." | Ijaw leaders, senseless killings, Embasara Foundation, Chief Ayakeme Whisky, Akuku Toru LGA of Rivers State | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/05/ijaw-leaders-condemn-killings-in-bayelsa-rivers/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Monday, March 4, 2019 | Fear of violence grips states over guber, assembly polls | "Against the backdrop of crises in different parts of the country, the governorship and house of assembly elections scheduled to hold at the weekend may be marred by violence. Already, the crisis in Benue State has continued to claim lives. The military yesterday blamed certain powerful forces for the recent attacks on communities in the state. The Force Commander, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), Maj-Gen. Adeyemi Yekini, who made the allegation at a press briefing yesterday in Makurdi said such individuals instigated the attacks on communities shortly before a major election in the country ostensibly to disrupt the exercise. “It is obvious that some forces are instigating violence in Benue; it is not a coincidence that there was an attack on Agatu community a week to the presidential election and now there is another attack on Gwer West a week to the governorship election,” Gen. Yekini said in a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report. " | Governorship and House of Assembly elections, Benue State, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), Maj-Gen, Adeyemi Yekini | https://guardian.ng/news/fear-of-violence-grips-states-over-guber-assembly-polls/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Monday, March 4, 2019 | APC women ban Oshiomhole from entering Imo, Okorocha exonerates Buhari from travails | "Women leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State led by Theresa Ohanuha have warned the party’s national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, not to enter the state forthwith to avoid their wrath. This was contained in a communiqué issued after their protest on Saturday against the suspension the state governor, Rochas Okorocha, from the party by the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Oshiomhole. According to them, Oshiomhole does not have moral justification to remain the party chairman after failing to deliver President Muhammadu Buhari and APC in his council and state during the February 23 elections." | APC women, Oshiomhole, Theresa Ohanuha, National Working Committee (NWC), Okorocha | https://guardian.ng/news/apc-women-ban-oshiomhole-from-entering-imo-okorocha-exonerates-buhari-from-travails/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Monday, March 4, 2019 | Cleric sues for peace at guber, state assembly elections | "Bishop of Lagos, Anglican Communion, Reverend Humphrey Bamisebi Olumakaiye, has advised Nigerians to accept the results of the presidential election and be grateful to God for all things. He also charged Nigerians to believe that God has given the country the right leaders to steer the ship of leadership for another four years. Olumakaiye spoke at Tafawa Balewa Square during a rally organised by 14 Archdeaconries of the Diocese in continuation of celebration of the Church’s centenary anniversary and building of its Centenary City." | Reverend Humphrey Bamisebi Olumakaiye, peace, State Assembly elections | https://guardian.ng/news/cleric-sues-for-peace-at-guber-state-assembly-elections/ |
| The Guardian.ng | Monday, March 4, 2019 | NOA intensifies campaign against vote buying, others | "Edo State Directorate of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) yesterday cautioned residents against vote buying by politicians. It also urged the electorate to vote properly to avoid invalid votes, political thuggery, election violence and ballot box snatching, among other vices. NOA Director in the state, Mrs. Grace Eseka Ewere, made the appeal ahead of the March 9, 2019 governorship and states Houses of Assembly elections. Speaking during the agency’s sensitisation campaign against vote buying and selling with the theme: Say No To Vote Buying, she urged the electorate to come out en masse and vote candidates of their choice, as well as avoid violence before, during and after the exercise. Ewere, who took the campaign to the Benin Central Motor Park on Obakhavbaye Street, some markets and major streets of Benin, was accompanied by members of the agency to enlighten residents, particularly market women and commercial bus drivers." | National Orie ntation Agency (NOA), Mrs. Grace Eseka Ewere, vote buying, Benin Central Motor Park | https://guardian.ng/news/noa-intensifies-campaign-against-vote-buying-others/ |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 1, 2019 | Onnoghen: Supreme Court fixes judgment for May 17 | The Supreme Court has fixed May 17 for judgment on the suit by the Cross River State government seeking to set aside the six-count charge of a non-assets declaration against the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen. A panel of justices of the Supreme Court led by Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour on Thursday adjourned the suit after listening to arguments of counsel. The panel includes Justice Mary Odili, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Justice Ejembi Eko, Justice Musa Dattijo Mohammed and Justice Dauda Sidi Bage, The suit was filed by the Attorney General of Cross River State on behalf of the state government and is challenging the suspension and trial of Justice Onnoghen at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). | Supreme Court, suspended CJN Walter Onnoghen, Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, non-assets declaration | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/onnoghen-supreme-court-fixes-judgment-for-may-17.html |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Friday, March 1, 2019 | 64 senators, 151 reps fail to return to N/Assembly | No fewer than 64 serving senators and 151 members of the House of Representatives will not be in the 9th National Assembly in June when it will be inaugurated, according to Daily Trust findings. Only 45 senators and about 209 members are returning to the federal legislature, according to the results of the elections released so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) | Senators, House of Representatives, National Assembly, INEC, federal legislature | Daily Trust Newspaper, Friday, March 1, 2019 (Page 1) |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 1, 2019 | Abdulsalami, Kukah meet Atiku over polls outcome | Members of the National Peace Committee last night met with the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, over the outcome of the just concluded presidential election. Atiku had rejected the outcome of the February 23 presidential election, calling the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner as “a stolen mandate.” He also vowed to challenge the outcome in court. But members of the peace panel, led by its chairman, Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar, a former head of state, said it met with Atiku to hear his grievances on the polls and to douse tension in the country. Other members of the panel at the meeting were the Bishop of Sokoto Arch Diocese Mathew Hassan Kukah and the Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, among others. Speaking General Abdulsalami Abubakar said, “The peace committee is always interested in ensuring that there is peace in the country. Currently, tensions are high, and we need to see how we can douse the situation. | Supreme Court, suspended CJN Walter Onnoghen, Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, non-assets declaration | |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 1, 2019 | INEC set for gov’ship polls in 29 states | Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said, yesterday, that the commission is set for the March 9 governorship elections in 29 states. He stated this at the opening of a meeting of the commission’s management with states Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs). The meeting was held after the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC as winner of last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections. According to Prof. Yakubu, the meeting, among others, was to review the processes and procedures deployed during the elections in a bid to make amends where necessary. | National Peace Committee, Buhari, Atiku, peace accord, presidential election | |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 1, 2019 | Kwara APC guber candidate vows to repeal ex-govs pension law | The All Progressives Congress’ governorship candidate in Kwara State, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, yesterday said he would repeal the law granting pensions to former governors and free up resources for the masses, if elected. Abdulrazak said this during his campaign stop at Omu Aran in Kwara South and at Pategi in Kwara North. He said: “We need to change some terrible laws. We’ll repeal that obnoxious pension law when we get to office. It’s a privilege to become a governor of a state. “It is dubious for anyone to become governor and then earn a pension more than people who served the state for their entire lives. We can’t take that anymore. But we need enough lawmakers to push through the repeal of the offensive law.” | INEC, governorship elections, Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), presidential and national assembly elections | |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 1, 2019 | Guber polls: Order military out of Rivers, IPAC tells Buhari | The Rivers State chapter of Inter-Party Advisory Council has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on the military to stay clear of the state in the coming gubernatorial and state assembly elections. Speaking at a press briefing in Port Harcourt yesterday, Comrade Kukang Ledum Joseph, spokesman of IPAC in the state, alleged that the army had become a threat to peaceful, free and credible elections as well as to the survival of democracy in the state. He said the army should stay away from election duties in the state in order to allow the police perform their constitutional responsibilities for peaceful and credible elections. | APC governorship candidate in Kwara State, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, Pategi, ex-governor pension law | |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 1, 2019 | Oshiomhole: Atiku not destined to be president | The National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, said yesterday that the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was never destined to be the president of Nigeria. Oshiomhole, who reacted to Atiku’s press conference on the outcome of last Saturday’s presidential election, said his submission was obvious from the Waziri Adamawa’s desperation to become president. He said the PDP presidential candidate’s frequent movement from one political party to another after suffering defeats did not make him a personality to be elected president. “Was he going to rule Nigeria against our wish? Citizens must hold their leaders accountable to their policy choices,” Oshiomhole said. “When he said even if he would die, he would sell NNPC, many people believed that he has collected deposit. It borders on arrogance that our future is tied on his presidency. “Atiku is destined never to be president of Nigeria. Leadership is about character. Atiku’s desperation is so obvious, so desperate that in 2003 he challenged his own boss, former President Olusegun Obasanjo not to do a second term,” he said. | IPAC, Rivers State, Buhari, military, Comrade Kukang Ledum Joseph, credible elections | |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 1, 2019 | Kaduna APGA, LM gov’ship candidates step down for PDP | The gubernatorial candidate of APGA, Dr. Polycarp Gankon and that of Liberation Movement (LM), Comrade Ezekiel Habila, have stepped down from the race and declared their support for the governorship candidate of the PDP, Isa Ashiru Kudan. Addressing a joint press conference amidst party supporters, Dr. Gankon said they made the decision after due consultations with their members to rescue the state from numerous challenges. “In view of this decision, we are calling on all our supporters to massively support the PDP in the governorship election on March 9,” he said. Corroborating, Comrade Hahila said, “This is the best thing to do to move Kaduna State forward and checkmate effectively, a reoccurrence of what happened during the presidential election in the state.” | Oshiomhole, Atiku, APC, PDP, president, character, Obasanjo | |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 1, 2019 | Senate: Lawyers urge INEC to declare Zailani winner in Bauchi South | Lawyers to Barr. Ibrahim Zailani, an APC senatorial aspirant for Bauchi South, have called on INEC to declare him as winner of the election held last Saturday. They made the appeal in a letter addressed to the Bauchi State INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC). A.S. Jibrin Esq, A.S Idris Esq, Ibrahim Jibrin Esq, Ibrahim G. Abubakar Esq and A.U Toro Esq, who were the lawyers representing Barr. Zailani in the case, said INEC should do the needful in the case which had been settled by a competent court. The letter, which was copied to the APC national chairman and legal adviser, Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Director DSS, the state chairman of the party among others, said the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, in its judgement delivered by His Lordship, Hon. Justice B.M. Nyako recognized Zailani as the rightful candidate of the APC for the Senate seat. | APGA, LM, PDP, Dr. Polycarp Gankon, Isa Ashiru Kadan, Kaduna State | |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 1, 2019 | Kwara PDP calls for cancellation of presidential, NASS election results | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara state has rejected and called for the cancellation of the results of last weekend’s presidential and national assembly elections in the state. State chairman of the party, Engr Kola Shittu made the call at a press conference in Ilorin, the state capital on Thursday. He said the party was ready to employ every legal means to redress what he termed manifest irregularities which he alleged characterised the elections across the state’s three senatorial districts. Shittu who was flanked by other executive members of the party, said the elections were marred by electoral malpractices, malfunctioning of 90 percent of card readers, multiple voting as well as over- voting. | Barr. Ibrahim Zailani, Bauchi South, Lawyers, Federal High Court Abuja Division | |
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, March 1, 2019 | APGA rejects Zamfara results, wants REC, CP removed | The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Zamfara State, Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, has called for the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Hajiya Asma’u Sani Maikudi and the heads of all the security agencies in the state over allegations of bias and fraudulent practices. Shinkafi, in a petition to the national chairman of INEC and heads of security agencies, said the party rejected the results of last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections. | PDP, presidential and national assembly elections, Kwara State, Engr. Kola Shittu |