Nigeria Content Online

A former national
publicity secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change has asked the
party supporters to look inward and direct their anger on those he
called “internal saboteurs.”

Aghanya Dennis
claimed that the party’s woes in last Saturday’s presidential elections
resulted from “sabotage within”, asking the party’s presidential
candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, to resist the temptation of being dragged
in the mud.

“The elections have been lost and won, but we must move ahead,” Mr. Aghanya said.

The former party
leader said in a statement issued in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital,
that “the election was adjudged very free and fair by the international
and local observers. I want to advise aggrieved CPC sympathisers over
the outcome of the presidential election to direct their anger towards
those within the CPC who sabotaged General Buhari before and during the
elections.”

He added that despite CPC’s petition to INEC, the party lost the presidential elections.

“We lost the election, not because we did not deserve victory, but
because we failed to appreciate the magnitude of the task ahead,
deliberately refused to put in place all that was required or refused to
harness all the privileges that came our way,” he said.

Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel yesterday in his Sagamu residence predicted a tough governorship election in the state on Tuesday, April 26, 2011 and called on the electorate to be vigilant.While speaking to labour leaders, he said the governorship contest in the state would be between the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Adetunji Olurin; the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Ibikunle Amosun and Gboyega isiaka of the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN).

The out-going governor declared that the PDP has lost its grip of the Southwest as a result of inconsistent ideologies.Mr Daniel asked leaders of industrial unions in the state to assess all the three candidates very well and make an informed choice in the interest of socio-economic and political development of the state. ” Labour friendlyOf all the three candidates, the only person that can speak the language of the workers that can understand the language of the minimum wage is Gboyega Isiaka of the Peoples Party of Nigeria.” Mr Daniel said.

In his comment, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Akeem Ambali said the labour unions in the state desire continuity adding that this remained the only way to preserve the interest of the workers in the state.Similarly, the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress in the state, Seyi Adebanjo urged the governor to ensure that the demands of the state workforce are fulfilled.Some labour leaders who spoke at the meeting lauded the labour friendly policy of the governor describing him as a leader that has respect for the interest of the workers.

A former military
head of state, Yakubu Gowon has asked political leaders whose supporters
are engaged in violence over the results of last Saturday’s
presidential election to call them to order.

Mr Gowon, who
described the eruption of violence in some parts of the country as
unfortunate, said it was capable of truncating the process of
transparent polls, which the country has witnessed in the last two
weeks.

“It is most
unfortunate and regrettable,” the former head of state said in a
telephone interview with NEXT yesterday. “Any true Nigerian with good
conscience will not allow that. This is happening even when the entire
result has not been fully announced and probably because they gathered
some information.

“It is regrettable
and uncalled for and I hope the leadership of those involved will do
something that will really curtail the madness that comes from the
reports that we are hearing. It is regrettable that this is happening
after such a very good election we have had in the last two weeks.”

Mr. Gowon said
although the entire result of the presidential poll has not been
announced, it is clear that “Nigerians have decided democratically what
they want.”

He said that he
had expected those that are losing to accept the outcome of the poll,
but “unfortunately there has been violence which marred the celebration
and joy that we are having free and fair election.”

No suspension

The former
military ruler argued that it would have been wrong for the Independent
National Election Commission (INEC) to suspend the announcement of the
result of the election because of the violence, warning that it might
create the unfortunate situation witnessed in 1993 when the announcement
of that year’s presidential election was suspended.

He said: “I don’t
see any reason why the announcement should be suspended as a result of
the action. But let us not prejudge what INEC will do. Those in INEC
know what to do but we should be careful so that what happened during
the 1993 presidential election is not repeated.”

Also speaking on
the uprising, former Senate President, Ken Nnamani asked the leaders of
those involved to quickly address them because their actions will not
benefit anybody.

“The political
leaders of such areas should quickly address their followers and tell
them that nobody stands to gain anything from any uprising,” Mr Nnamani
told us in a telephone interview.

“The profile of
Nigeria is rising as a result of the two elections so far and anybody
who tampers with this enthusiasm is not doing the country any favour.

“They should immediately address their supporters.

“People are happy with the progress and if there are errors in one or two places, violence will not make it to be better.”

He noted that
Nigerians are now aware that development starts from the ballot box,
adding that if the country must actualize the Vision 2020, emphasis must
be placed on educating the people.

Mr Nnamani, who
commended the corps members used for the elections for doing a good job,
warned that postponing the announcement of the entire result of the
election could fuel the crisis at hand.

“I don’t think it
is necessary, it will be postponing the evil’s day because most people,
by now, have known the result, but we want it to be official.

“Political leaders
should come forward and show the spirit of sportsmanship. The errors
some parties are complaining about are not substantial. I am not saying
it is perfect but we can build on this,” the former senate president
said.

On his part, the
chairman of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency
(PPPRA), Ahmadu Ali described the uprising trailing the presidential
polls as “primitive.” “What is happening is primitive. Just because a
party loses election people are going on rampage,” Mr Ali said in a
telephone interview.

The former
national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) called on the
presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) to
refrain his supporters from unleashing violence in the country if he
truly loves it.

“Buhari should
come out and make a statement if he truly loves this country. And I know
that he loves this country. I know Buhari. He should call his people to
order immediately. He has full responsibility on his head because to
take to violence is primitive,” Mr Ali said.

He also called for proper education of voters and supporters of political leaders, saying no religion believes in violence.

Aminu Kofar-Soro, the Sokoto State Commandant, Nigeria Security and
Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), on Monday warned the people to steer clear
of any political violence and thuggery. He told the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) that already, detectives had been deployed to identified
“black spots” to gather intelligence information to enhance the security
situation in the state.”We will do all that it takes to sustain the
peaceful environment in the state,” he said. Mr Kofar-Soro also warned
politicians to desist from encouraging any form of violence, saying: “We
will not tolerate any form of violence during and after the polls. We
are out to ensure the safety of lives and property.” He advised parents
not to allow politicians to use their children as political thugs,
warning that security officers had been ordered to arrest and prosecute
any person or group of persons found breaching the peace. MR Kofar-Soro
appealed to the public to assist security agencies with useful
information on criminal activities in their areas for prompt action.
“Security matters should not be left in the hands of security officers
alone,” he said.

The Kaduna Police
command has arrested four nationals of Niger Republic and a Nigerian,
in connection with the bomb explosion which occurred in two separate
areas of the Kaduna metropolis on the night of the presidential
election in the state.

The suspects are:
Abdulazeez Abubakar, Ja’afaru Abu, Sammaila Alhassan and Abdulahi
Suleiman. The Nigerian among them is named Mohammed Hari.

The state Police
Commissioner, Haruna John told newsmen yesterday that the incident
happened at Happy Day hotel in Kabala West and Magajin-Gari between 8
and 10pm respectively, leaving about eight persons injured.

Investigations in progress

He disclosed that
police investigation led to the arrest of two suspects, one Abubakar, a
Nigerien and Samaila Alhassan believed to have sponsored the dastardly
act in Kabala West. He said the duo already gave useful information in
connection to the crime. He dispelled rumour that any life was lost in
any of the two incidents and reassured the general public of the
security of life and property in the state. According to the
commissioner, the explosion at Magajin-Gari took place very close to a
collation centre and cracked the building of a Court and also uprooted
two trees around the vicinity. He said the police immediately visited
the scene where it confirmed that there was no casualty.

One of the
suspects, Mr Abubakar claimed that the prime suspect, Mr Alhassan who
incidentally is his father-in-law, gave him the explosives which he
said he was ignorant of. But Mr Samaila denied the statement, saying he
was not the one who gave his son-in-law the device.

Mr Abubakar, who is the prime suspect, explained that he has been
residing in Nigeria since the onset of the Ibrahim Babangida
administration and could not have engaged himself in such dastardly
act.

An election
monitoring group, Project 2011 Swift Count, has condemned the detention
of some accredited observers by security forces and other groups during
Saturday’s presidential election.

In an interim
statement on the election, the observer group said it was also
concerned that accredited observers were denied access to polling units
where they were assigned to monitor and that some of its observers were
arrested and detained.

“We are extremely
concerned about accredited observers being denied access to polling
units,” Dafe Apkedeye, Project 2011 Swift Count’s 1st Co-Chair, said.

“In several states, Project 2011 Swift Count observers were harassed and in some cases detained by security forces.

“The Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security forces must take
all necessary steps to ensure accredited observers have access to
polling units and collation centre.”

According to the
group, the most worrisome was the situation in Warri North and Warri
South LGAs in Delta State where observers of the group were detained.

“Several of our
observers there were detained throughout the night by the security
agencies without just cause. This action is unacceptable,”

Mr. Apkedeye said,
also urging INEC, security agencies and all others involved, to as a
matter of urgency do everything in their power to address this
situation and prevent any similar occurrences in the future.

Project 2011 Swift
Count is a joint initiative of the Federation of Muslim Women’s
Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN); Justice, Development and Peace
/Caritas Nigeria (JDPC), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and Transition
Monitoring Group (TMG).

Equal access right

Speaking a press
briefing at the Sheraton Hotel in Abuja yesterday, Mr.Akpedeye told
journalists that for the presidential election, the group deployed more
than 8,000 accredited observers to all 774 local government areas, over
7000 stationary observers at polling units and nearly 1,000 observers.

It asked the INEC
to ensure that all accredited observers, not just international ones,
should be allowed to move freely and to access polling units and
collation centres across the country. It also recommended that security
agencies should refrain from any action that will prevent accredited
observers from carrying out their mandate.

Not less than 10
people have been killed while cars, houses and other valuables were
destroyed in the aftermath of the presidential polls in different parts
of Bauchi State. The violence also extended to Gombe State, as
supporters of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) protested
against what they said was the collusion between electoral officers and
the ruling PDP in the state to deny their party victory in the state.
Although attempts to burn the private home of the state governor,
Danjuma Goje was foiled, the protesters razed the home of the state
chairman of the PDP and those of his neighbours.

The mostly young
protesters are displeased that the PDP recorded about 32 percent of the
votes counted in the state and they blame the state government for this.

In Bauchi, the
campaign office of the Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda located on Ran
Road was completely burnt down while several vehicles belonging to PDP
agents were also burnt by the irate youth who blocked the main Ahmadu
Bello Way leading to the Sa’adu Zungur Model School which served as the
collation centre for the presidential election.

In Azare, angry
youth set the house of the Bauchi State chairman of the PDP, Ibrahim
Yaro-Yaro, on fire as well as the house of the Deputy National
Secretary of the party, Musa Babayo just as other structures belonging
to PDP members were torched.

Security cordon

In Misau, reports
have it that the family house of the secretary to the state government,
Ibrahim Dandija was torched by the youth while a youth corps member,
who was an electoral official in one of the polling centres, was beaten
at his station during the exercise and is now receiving treatment at an
undisclosed hospital in Bauchi.

In Alkaleri, the
youth unleashed terror on people, setting buildings and cars ablaze
just as the Chairman of Kirfi Local Government Council, Ibrahim
Galadima and that of Bauchi LGC, Sabo Abdullahi Mohammed were molested
while their vehicles were destroyed.

In Wuntin-Dada and
Guru Area of Bauchi metropolis, three people were killed by the youth
who questioned why the PDP won in some of the polling units in the
area, just as two more people were killed in the Kofar-Dumi area of the
Bauchi metropolis with pockets of houses and cars also torched in the
areas.

Armed soldiers as
well as anti-riot policemen have been deployed to strategic locations
in Bauchi to maintain peace. A police source said a number of the
protesters have been arrested by the State Police Command which,
however, has not made any public comments on the violence.

Calls to the
Commissioner of Police, John Abakasanga and the command’s spokesperson,
Mohammad Barau were not answered as at the time of going to press.

There was
jubilation among supporters of the presidential candidate of Congress
for Progressive Change (CPC), Muhammadu Buhari across Kaduna State for
the victory recorded in the state during Saturday’s Presidential
election.

Mr Buhari defeated
President Goodluck Jonathan in the state, winning about 50 percent of
the votes cast while PDP recorded 45 per cent.

Many commercial
motorcyclists blocked the major areas of Kaduna metropolis, including
Zaria road, Barnawa and Tudun Wada, chanting “sai Buhari, sai CPC.’
Some of them stayed awake till Sunday morning while the celebration
continued.

However, there was
disquiet in the camp of the PDP due to the outcome of the election. The
fear is based on the theory that CPC is likely to take over the state
in the coming governorship election on April 26, going by the result of
Saturday. Out of perceived anger, Vice President Namadi Sambo jetted
back to Abuja even before the election for his polling unit was
announced.

A government house
source said the state’s governor, Patrick Yakowa has told his family
and aides to get ready to park their things out of the government house
in case the election fails to favour them.

Also, there is
palpable fear in the political camp of Ahmed Makarfi, whose return bid
to the senate is seriously being threatened by his CPC opponent, Baba
Ahmed Datti.

Security agents are
still parading the state, while some are positioned in areas said to be
flash points in case of any breach of peace although the state is
generally calm.

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) lost to the
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State in Saturday’s presidential
election. The ACN lost in Governor Fashola’s polling unit where the PDP polled
141 votes, ACN polled 77 votes, and the CPC polled 90 votes.

However, the same feat was repeated all across
other polling units in Governor Fashola’s ward in Surulere. In polling unit 002
in front of Eko Club House, the ACN managed a mere 8 votes, CPC got 30 votes,
while PDP trounce them all with 64 votes.

At polling unit 003 on Oyediran Street, ACN
polled 26 votes, CPC polled 58 votes, and PDP got a whopping 102 votes. At
polling 004, ACN got 25 votes, CPC got 63 votes, and PDP polled 152 votes. At
polling unit 005, ACN got 31 votes, CPC got 68 votes, and PDP won with 142
votes.

Same in Tinubu’s ward

The same trend was also observed in Ikeja, where
former Governor Tinubu voted. In Mr Tinubu’s polling unit, ACN awkwardly polled
166 votes to beat PDP, which polled 140 votes, by a mere 26 votes. However, the
PDP won in all other polling units. In polling unit 008, ACN got 72 votes, CPC
got 22 votes, and PDP got 123 votes.

In polling unit 003, PDP polled 64 votes, ACN
polled 31 votes, and CPC polled 19. In polling unit 036, ACN polled 44 votes,
CPC polled 21 votes, and PDP polled 87. In polling unit 005, ACN polled 18
votes, CPC polled 31 votes, and PDP polled 99 votes. In polling unit 041, ACN
polled 37 votes, CPC polled 21 votes, and PDP polled 129 votes.

In polling unit 009, ACN polled 26 votes, CPC
polled 21 votes, and PDP polled 99 votes. In another polling unit at Ikeja bus
stop, ACN polled 49 votes, CPC polled 2 votes, and PDP polled 96 votes.

A betrayal theory?

There are allegations from Lagos voters that the
ACN sold its votes to the PDP.

The betrayal theory looks believable as ACN also
lost many polling units in Alimosho, its strongest base, to the PDP. “How
much has Jonathan spent in Lagos to deserve these huge votes?” Asked Kazeem
Ojuolape, who voted in Surulere. “I don’t believe Jonathan has this number
of supporters in this ward. I think there is sabotage somewhere.”

Many of the voters are angry that politicians
will not allow people’s choice to hold sway. “We need a man that can
change this country and that is Buhari. But I am surprised at what I am seeing
now,” said an elderly resident, Johnson Bolajoko.

Ibrahim Shekarau, the presidential candidate of the All Nigerian
People’s Party (ANPP) and governor of Kano State has urged his fellow
presidential candidates to accept the verdict of the people, provided the
conduct of the on-going election is free, fair and credible.

Mr Shekarau spoke shortly after casting his vote at the Ginginyu
Ward Polling Station, in Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State
Saturday.

“If the elections are free, fair and credible, then the
participants should accept the verdict of the people.

“This is a great day because it is a turning point for this
country. The election has been peaceful, and we have not received any report
from anywhere across the state or across the country of any form of malpractice
or misconduct, and by the grace of God, this will be sustained.” He said. Mr
Shekarau expressed satisfaction with the unprecedented turnout of voters, and
commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for ensuring
that the presidential poll is hitch-free, and devoid of any election
malpractices.

“Today’s turnout is very impressive and very encouraging because
people have answered our appeal to come out. The turnout is unprecedented.”
“Initially, there were hitches, prompting the postponement of the National
Assembly election, but this time, people have turned out en masse to perform
their civic responsibility.

Peaceful election

“Everything is orderly and peaceful, as people are going about
conducting in a peaceful atmosphere with the water tight security put in place
at polling stations. Everybody is law abiding.” NEXT spotted underage female
voters queuing up for accreditation and subsequently voting in most of the
polling stations visited.

In most of the centres, accreditation commenced as early as 8am,
with the electoral officers arriving at their various polling centres
adequately armed with the election materials.