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The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Kwara State has rejected
the result of Tuesday’s gubernatorial and state house of assembly elections.
The party, at a press conference on Thursday in Ilorin, announced its rejection
of the electoral process “in its entirety and the outcome of the elections in
the state” and affirmed that it would be heading to the court to challenge the
results.

Addressing the media, the acting chairperson of the party in the
state, Kayode Olawepo, stated that violence would have erupted in the state
“after thousands of youth and women gathered at the family house of our
gubernatorial candidate to seek permission to go on rampage.

“But we pleaded with them to avoid spontaneous reactions and
needless loss of lives that may arise from such protest because the ruling PDP
is known to always cash in on such lawful protests to visit violence on the
people.”

The ACN’s candidate in the election, Dele Belgore, lost the
election to the candidate of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP),
Abdulfatah Ahmed, who was declared the winner by the returning officer of the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Mr Ahmed won the polls by
254,969 votes while Mr Belgore polled 152,580 to come second.

Rule of thumb

Mr Olawepo alleged that PDP thugs in connivance with the police
and some soldiers intimidated the people of Kwara State, including supporters
of their party, during the elections which prevented them from casting their
votes. He also alleged that there were a number of instances where electoral
officials were seen thumb-printing the ballot papers for the PDP just as there
was open distribution of money and gifts to voters on the queue by party agents
while voting was ongoing, contrary to the Electoral Act.

Mr Olawepo further cited cases of inflation of accredited voters
and multiple thumb printing in a number of councils. He also claimed that there
was no accreditation at all in councils like Ojoku and Oyun. “All the INEC
staff did was to put the ink on the hands of the prospective voters and direct
them to go,” he said. “The rest was history as soon as the PDP stalwarts
occupied the polling units where they started thumb printing,” he alleged.
Underage voters were also alleged to have been deployed by the PDP in most
parts of the state.

According to the chairperson, who was accompanied to the press briefing by
Mr Belgore and all the party’s candidates to the state house of assembly,
“There are ample evidence to back up all these claims of electoral malpractices
and brigandage by the PDP which is desperate to perpetuate itself by all means
necessary despite its dismal record of performance in the last eight years.” He
made known his party’s decision to head to the electoral tribunal to challenge
the elections “on the basis of all the evidence we have accumulated, to restore
the mandate of the people.”

The Sokoto State chapter of the Congress for Progressive Change
(CPC) has rejected the results of Tuesday’s state assembly and Sokoto North
senatorial zone elections.

The party disclosed the decision at a news conference in Sokoto
on Wednesday night addressed by its Sokoto North Senatorial Zone candidate, Usman
Balkore.

Mr. Balkore, a former member of the House of Representatives,
said “after a careful review of the events that took place during the just
concluded Sokoto North and State Assembly elections, we are constrained to
reject the results of the elections based on some fundamental flaws that
characterised the exercise.”

He alleged that there was open, reckless and widespread monetary
inducements of voters at polling stations in violation of the electoral laws.

“Some of these incidences were captured and promptly reported to
relevant authorities but continued unabated throughout the exercise.

“A significant number of polling stations commenced voting
without prior accreditation of voters. In some polling units, voting was
concluded as early as 11am with impunity; the relevant authorities were duly
notified,” he alleged.

According to Mr Balkore, there were also cases of outright
rigging and ballot box stuffing which were observed and also reported.

The former lawmaker said “deliberate obstruction and in some
cases forceful abduction of our polling agents were recorded in several polling
units.

More irregularities

“These criminal violations were also reported and investigations
are ongoing as well as alleged violent harassment and intimidation of voters,”
he said.

Mr Balkore also alleged mischievous and illegal exclusion of the
party’s senatorial candidate’s name and party from participating in the
election in Gudu Local Government Area.

“This development was noted and promptly reported to the
Director of Administration and Head of Operations of INEC in Sokoto Office ,”
he said.

According to him, sequel to these allegations, “it is abundantly
clear that, there were significant and incontrovertible violations of the
electoral laws and INEC stipulated guidelines for the conduct of a free and
fair election”.

“It is, therefore, right to conclude that there was no
level-playing ground as the elections were rigged, voters disenfranchised and
the exercise lacked transparency and credibility,” he said.

Reacting to the allegations, the Resident Electoral Commissioner
in Sokoto State, Husseini Mahuta said the elections were free, fair and
transparent “Anybody who is aggrieved can, however, seek redress in the
tribunals and INEC will produce the required evidences to support such
electoral litigations.

“The recent elections were remarkable departure from the past
and the achievements recorded in the 2011 polls will be further improved in
subsequent elections,” Mr Mahuta said.

It would be recalled that the PDP had won all the National and State
Assembly seats in Sokoto State in the just-concluded April polls.

Vice President Namadi Sambo has given assurance that President
Goodluck Jonathan would involve all Nigerians in his administration
irrespective of party affiliation, tribe or religion.

Mr Sambo who made the declaration shortly after casting his vote
at camp road polling unit Kabala Doki, thanked Nigerians for voting massively
for PDP during the presidential and governorship elections.

“We thank God that today everything is going very calm and peaceful
and I would like to use this opportunity to express my appreciation to all
Nigerians for the confidence bestowed in us during the last presidential
election.

Assuring Nigerians

“We want to assure Nigerians that we will not fail them. Today
the trust will be seen and I must congratulate all Nigerians for the right
decision.” The vice president alongside his wife, Amina voted around 1.25pm
amidst tight security, just as there was low turnout of voters in many polling
stations across the state. The low turnout was attributed to fear of any fresh
violence during the election coupled with the crisis that engulfed the state
last week.

He condoled the victims of the post election violence that broke
out in some parts of the north, assuring that all the culprits involved in the
mayhem would be brought to book.

“I want to seize this opportunity to also express my sincere
sympathy and condolence to the victims of the last violence that took place and
pray that Almighty God will grant us continued peace in this country.

“But I must also seize this opportunity to inform Nigerians that
all culprits would be taken in accordance to the law of this country and this
administration would not sit down to allow people to take law into their hands.
However, we are working hard to ensure that the sad experience does not occur
again.”

Mr Sambo said that investigation into the recent crises will
soon commence and those that were affected will be investigated and proper
investigation would be taken to ensure that government does the right thing in
ensuring that people do not unnecessarily suffer in this country.

A new political era seems to have emerged in Kwara State with
the decimation of the political machinery of Olusola Saraki, the hitherto
strong man of the state’s politics by the victory of the People’s Democratic
Party in Tuesday’s governorship election.

Besides that, the political rivalry between the leader of the
Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) and his son, Bukola Saraki, who is the
state governor, seems to have been resolved – naturally.

Following the older Saraki’s endorsement of his daughter,
Gbemisola Saraki, currently a senator, to aspire to be the state’s PDP
governorship candidate, a gulf emerged between the duo of the father and
daughter, on the one hand, and the governor on the other, with their loyalists
across the state divided on both sides.

Mr Saraki, popularly referred to as ‘Oloye’ by his loyalists, is
well known for determining the political fate of Kwarans since the creation of
the state in 1967. It was gathered that no governor has ever governed the state
without his consent, ranging from the military administrators to the
democratically elected governors.

Although the governor made efforts to reach an understanding
with his father, he was not successful, as his father was determined to make
his daughter the next governor of the state. When that became difficult, he
defected to the ACPN, along with his daughter, to achieve his aim.

Unfortunately for the political icon, end has finally come to
his political struggle as he conceded victory to his son in the just concluded
governorship election in the state.

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate, Mohammed Dele Belgore,
had also threatened the authority of Mr Saraki by standing out to unseat the
ruling party as well as defeat the kingmaker. Following the collapse of an
attempted alliance between the ACN and the ACPN, Mr Saraki’s hope of remaining
the father of governors in the state was cut short.

End of an era

Mr Saraki, a Second Republic Senate leader and Waziri of Ilorin,
was born on the 17th of May, 1933, in Ilorin, Kwara State. His mother was from
Iseyin in Oyo State and his father from Ilorin. His paternal ancestors were
Fulanis who came from Mali about 150 to 200 years earlier.

He was educated at Eko Boys High School. He attended the
University of London, and St. George’s Hospital Medical School, London. He
worked as a medical officer at the General Hospital, Lagos, and the Creek
Hospital, Lagos.

In 1977, Mr Saraki was elected a member of the Constituent
Assembly that produced the 1979 constitution. In 1979, he was elected a Senator
of the Second Republic, and later became Senate leader. In 1983, he was re-elected
into the Senate under the platform of the then National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

He then sponsored Adamu Attah, who emerged as the governor
between 1979 and 1983. Mr Attah’s inability to meet up with some laid down
rules and his attempt to seek re-election in 1983 led to crises between him and
his godfather, Mr Saraki.

Mr Saraki eventually declared his support for the then Unity
Party of Nigeria (UPN) candidate, Cornelius Adebayo, on the eve of the election
and this led to the downfall of the NPN in the race.

In 1998, Mr Saraki became a national leader and member of the
board of trustees of the All People’s Party (APP), contributing to the party’s
success in Kwara and Kogi States. He assisted Mohammed Alabi Lawal in becoming
governor of Kwara State.

Following a disagreement between him and Mr Lawal, Mr Saraki
switched allegiance to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and in the 2003
elections supported his son, Bukola Saraki, as candidate for governor of Kwara
State, and his daughter as senator for Kwara State Central.

With his son’s two-term tenure coming to an end in May, 2011,
and in a bid to continue calling the shots in the state’s politics, he threw
his weight behind his daughter’s quest to take over from her brother as
governor of Kwara.

But this has finally proved impossible, a situation analysts say may have
ended the political dominance of the state by Mr Saraki, and indeed rendered
the Saraki political dynasty irrelevant in the scheme of things in the state.

At least three
people were feared dead while scores were injured yesterday in renewed
hostilities between two rival youth gangs in Ekpan community in Uvwie
Council of Delta State.

Commercial
activities and social life were paralysed in the community as shops,
offices and market places were closed down following the terror
unleashed by the rampaging youths. Some residents were seen fleeing the
community, which has been a battle ground for four days.

The community has been embroiled in communal conflicts between two warring youth groups over the leadership of the youth body.

It was gathered
that heavy fighting commenced as soon as the governorship and state
house of assembly polls were rounded off in the area, which caused
stampede as voters scampered for safety in nearby buildings.

A resident, Andrew
Okotete said yesterday’s clash erupted when one unidentified youth was
shot dead by a rival group, which prompted both women and young men to
take to the streets to vent their anger over the gruesome killing of
the youth.

“We are tired of
these senseless clashes by youths in this community. Our lives and
properties are no longer safe in this locality. Many of us including
our children cannot sleep at night anymore following the heavy gun
shooting from the opposing gang members. We are now at the mercy of
these warring youths.

“We call on the
government of the day to do something as a matter of urgency to address
the situation in Ekpan community before it gets out of hands. We can no
longer continue to live in the land of lawlessness and chaos as if
there is no government in this country,” he stated.

The Divisional
Police Officer (DPO) in the area, Muazu Mohammed, confirmed the
incident, but said it was only one person that was killed, adding that
officers had been drafted to the area to maintain law and order.

According to him,
“We have deployed our anti-terrorist team to the area and they have
been positioned at strategic locations. We are very optimistic that our
men will be able to curb the crisis with the hope of bringing normalcy
to the area.”

Women protest

Meanwhile, over 50
women yesterday took to the streets of Ekpan accusing a prominent
leader of the area, Newton Akpofodor of being the brain behind the
perennial violent clashes in the community.

The women who sang
war songs in Uvwie language, appealed to the Federal Government to take
over the matter, calling for the arrest of Mr Akpofodor as the only way
peace could return to the community.

The traditional
ruler of Uvwie, Emmanuel Sideso, at the weekend, expressed dismay over
the crisis which has bedevilled the community, accusing the Council
Chairman, Peter Abugewa, and Mr Akpofodor, of fanning the embers of
violence in the area.

He noted that the
major reason they were arming the youths was because they wanted their
businesses to be protected, warning that such untoward actions were not
good for peace and security as well as the overall development of the
area.

He bemoaned the general insecurity in the community as a result of the periodic crisis masterminded by them.

The monarch noted
that “Security is a problem in my Kingdom. When I was enthroned I
established palace security to complement the efforts of the local
government and we have been working very hard. I want change and
improvement. Some of the problems are traceable to the key people who
have loyalists to protect their interests. “

“What is happening is criminal. When they are arrested, you find out they are released immediately.”

The People’s
Democratic Party (PDP) candidate and incumbent governor, Theodore
Ahamefula Orji, was yesterday declared the winner of the Abia
governorship election. The PDP also won all 24 seats in the state House
of Assembly.

Mr Orji emerged as
the winner having polled 641,158 votes to beat 19 other contestants.
Reagan Ufomber of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) came a
distant second with 49,421 votes and Chris Akomas of the PPA got 43,778
votes.

The chief
returning officer for the state and vice chancellor of the
Umudike-based Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Hilary Edoga,
said he had certified the results collated in the various local
governments and that Mr Orji won the elections conducted on Tuesday.

The result, which
showed that none of the opposition candidates won 25 percent of the
votes cast, even in their home constituencies, was rejected by the
oppositions’ agents who refused to sign, saying there was no election
in the state.

The deputy
director of campaigns for the ACN, Eke Igwe, said the election was a
sham. He said the PDP collaborated with security operatives to chase
away voters and carried away ballot papers to thumbprint them in their
private houses before bringing them to the units.

The chairman of
the APGA in Isiala Ngwa North, Godwin Ibendiogwu said that in some
units in Nbawsi, the party’s agents were beaten up and the materials
carried away. He described the whole exercise as a sham.

Reacting to Mr
Orji’s victory, the state commissioner for information and strategy,
A.C.B. Agbazuere said the Abia electorate has, by voting overwhelmingly
for the governor, demonstrated their gratitude to him for bringing them
out of bondage and delivering democracy dividends to the people.

In the rescheduled national assembly election in Isiala Ngwa north
and south federal constituencies, Chinenye Ike of the PDP was also
declared winner.

The Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday evening released the
full result of the House of Assembly election in Edo State, with the
exception of the result from Igueben where a re-run in two polling
units has been fixed for Thursday, April 28, due to reported cases of
violence.

The results, signed
by the administrative secretary of the commission in the state, Gilbert
Okolocha, shows that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) won 19 of the
24 seats.

The ruling party in
the state won the 6 seats in Edo North, the 10 in Edo South, and one
out of the six in Edo Central with that of Igueben, the sixth in Edo
Central, pending until after today’s re-run.

Akoko-Edo
constituency I, ACN won with 13,483 votes, ANPP 03, LP 05, PDP 6,939.
Akoko-Edo II, ACN 21,005, LP 25, PDP 7,518. In Egor, ACN’s Paul
Ohombamu scored 12,212, PDP’s Erigbe Blessing polled 4,079, ANPP 48,
AGPA 06.

In Esan Central,
ACN 8,578, ANPP 10, PDP 10,926. Esan North East I, ACN 3,324, ANPP 08,
CPC 03, LP 32, PDP 7,839. Esan North East II, PDP 9,292, ACN 529. Esan
South East, ACN 12,659, ANPP 07, PDP 11,785. Esan West, ACN 11,119, PDP
15,602. Etsako Central, ACN 14,156, CPC 95, PDP 5,949. Etsako East, ACN
19,653, ANPP 20, CPC 61, LP 117, PDP 7,845.

Others are: Etsako
West I, ACN 10,092, ANPP 05, CPC 57, LP 3,062, PDP 3,561. Etsako West
II, ACN 18,043, LP 2,552, PDP 1,118, CPC 97. IKPOBA OKHA, ACN 26,796,
PDP 5146. Oredo East, ACN 14,311, ANPP 46, APGA 07, LP 716, PDP 3,318,
PPP 363.

ACN also took the
lead in Edo South senatorial district in the following order: Oredo
West, ACN 12,503, ANPP 101, APGA 18, LP 139, PDP 3,364. Orhionmwon I,
ACN 9,517, ANPP 20, LP 65, PDP 5,376. Orhionmwon II, ACN 9,354, CPC 20,
LP 232, PDP 3,557. Ovia North East I, ACN 9,354, CPC 20, LP 232, PDP
3,557. Ovia North East II, ACN 8,186, ANPP 389, LP 642, PDP 2,481. Ovia
South West, ACN 14,231, PDP 9,751. Owan East, ACN 24,640, ANPP 11, CPC
27, PDP 10,561. Owan West, ACN 11,407, ANPP 47, LP 86, PDP 8,437.
UHUNWONDE, ACN 11,525, LP 08, PDP 6,608, PPP 879.

Meanwhile, the
incumbent Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Bright Omokhodion,
has rejected the result of the election of Esan West constituency as
announced by INEC. According to the result, Mr Omokhodion lost his
re-election bid into the House of Assembly to Monday Orhue of the PDP.

In a press
statement yesterday, Mr Omokhodion alleged that the PDP officials
hijacked and massively rigged the election in favour of their
candidate. He cited “multiple thumb-printing” and the conversion of PDP
officials’ houses into “election voting centres” as reasons for his
rejection of the result declared by INEC. He has indicated his interest
to contest the result at election petition tribunal.

There was wild
jubilation at the Ekiti State Government House yesterday as the state
governor, Kayode Fayemi and members of his cabinet celebrated the
party’s victory in the National Assembly and House of Assembly
elections.

The Action
Congress of Nigeria (ACN) swept three senatorial seats, six House of
Representatives and 24 out of the 26 state House of Assembly seats in
Tuesday’s polls, according to results announced by INEC.

However, the opposition Labour Party and People’s Democratic Party have rejected the results.

Ayodele Fayose, LP
candidate for Ekiti Central Senatorial District, said in a statement
that the election was characterised by open financial inducement of
voters and all other malpractices. He said such action contravened the
provision of the Electoral Act 2011.

Also, the PDP
Director of Communications, Jackson Adebayo alleged that members of the
ACN intimidated their members and induced the electorate as well. Mr
Adebayo urged the electoral body to investigate cases of
ballot-snatching and intimidation of voters that were witnessed on the
day of the elections across the state.

Babafemi Ojudu,
who is now the senator-elect in Ekiti Central, polled a total vote of
67,747 to defeat the former governor of the State, Ayodele Fayose of
the Labour Party and Kayode Alufa of the PDP, who polled 29,773 and
28,488 respectively.

A sweep by the ACN

Bunmi Adetumbi of
the ACN, who is now the senator-elect in Ekiti North, polled 58,568 to
defeat the incumbent, Ayo Arise of the PDP and Segun Akinwumi of the
LP, who recorded 38,422 and 2,055 respectively.

Tony Adeniyi of
the ACN polled 70,360 to defeat another incumbent PDP Senator, Sola
Akinyede and Biodun Fasakin of the LP, who polled 43,537 and 3,623
respectively in Ekiti South Senatorial District of the State The House
of Representatives-elect are: Opeyemi Bamidele in Ekiti Central Federal
Constituency 1; Ojo Oyetunde, Ekiti Central Federal Constituency 2;
Bamidele Faparusi, Ekiti South Federal Constituency 2; Ife Arowosoge,
Ekiti South Federal Constituency 1. Robinson Ajiboye and Bimbo Daramola
win in Ekiti North Federal Constituency 2 and 1 respectively.

Congratulations

However, Mr Arise
has congratulated Mr Adetumbi over his victory in the election, calling
on him to impact positively on the lives of his constituents. Mr Arise,
in a statement he personally sent to the Senator-elect at about 11.13pm
on Tuesday, said he had accepted the result of the election.

“I have done creditably well and I don’t need to be afraid of my
future in the politics of this state,” he said. “I believe this is the
will of God for now and every mortal must abide by it. I remain
committed to serving Ekiti at any level and I wish the new person the
very best in his future endeavour.”

Following the
inauguration of the Local Government Creation Committee by the Ondo
State government, some stakeholders in the state have urged the
committee to expedite action on the assignment.

The committee is
expected to complete its assignment in two months. Some individuals
have argued that the creation of councils in the state is belated. They
maintain that the state deserves more than the 18 councils it currently
has.

Jimoh Abu of the
Action Congress of Nigeria and Sunday Afelumo of the Labour Party said
northern states had benefited from council creation at the expense of
the South West states.

Mr Afelumo, who is
the caretaker chairman of Akoko North East, said creation of more
councils in Ondo State would bring rapid development to the grassroots.

He said, “Creation
of local councils is long overdue in Ondo State. It is sad that some
states in the north have more local governments than we in the South
West.

“Some councils
which are not up to a local government have been divided to two or
three councils. Kano is a good example of this. I think the decision of
the state government to create new councils is a welcome development.

“Our council, Akoko
North East can be divided into three different councils because of its
largeness. If the council can be divided into three, it will bring
rapid development to the grassroots”.

Mr Afelumo added
that the idea of local government creation being proposed by the state
government should be supported by all the indigenes of the state
without party affiliation

“This is not a party issue; it is an issue that has to do with the
development of the state. Every political party including those in the
opposition should back the idea,” he added.

Former minister of
information and candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance
(APGA), Dora Akunyili, has described the Anambra Central senatorial
district election won by Chris Ngige as marred by violence,
intimidation and malpractices.

The Independent
National Electoral Commission, yesterday, announced Mr. Ngige the
winner of the rerun with a total of 69,765 against Mr Akunyili’s
69,292. But the former minister and her party in separate media
interviews yesterday picked holes in the election with the party
hinting it could contest the results in court.

According to Mrs
Akunyili, her agents suffered intimidation and molestation in such
areas as Nkpor and Enugwu Ukwu with some of them even being chased away
and forced to hide their tags to evade identification. In other cases
she said the real voters were disenfranchised to enable fake voters to
come and vote for ACN and noted that despite that, Mr Ngige’s victory
margin was low.

“I’m appalled by
the level of violence and thuggery and feel more pained by that than my
not being declared winner,” Mrs Akunyili said. She said she complained
to the state governor, Peter Obi, who chose the option of following due
process.

Mrs Akunyili,
however, said she harbours no bitterness and will continue to work for
the good of Nigeria and Anambra State as, according to her, she
believes in President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr Obi and the INEC chairman
Attahiru Jega.

She said INEC did a credible job but could not have been everywhere at the same time.

“I wish everybody luck and God’s choicest blessings,” she said.

She said she will
consult with Mr Obi, her supporters and family on the next step to take
but refused to congratulate Mr. Ngige saying he did not win in a fair
manner.

Set for court

Meanwhile in an
earlier press briefing, the state chairman of the APGA Mike Kwentoh
said the party would take all necessary steps to seek legal redress.

“In our
characteristic manner which is in tandem with the disposition of the
governor we call on all APGA supporters to remain calm and law abiding.
We shall seek every necessary redress through due process,” Mr Kwentoh
said.

Meanwhile the
victorious candidate, Mr Ngige yesterday received a group of youth
corps members from Anambra State who fled for safety from their areas
of primary assignment in various parts of the North.

While assuring them of his concern for their plight, Mr Ngige
thanked the people of the state for their support which helped him to
win his first ever election. He promised to be responsive to their
needs as a senator.