Opposition challenges PDP's win in Nasarawa

The former governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Adamu of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday defeated Abdullahi Ahmed Aboki of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) for Nasarawa Central senatorial district, polling 64,384 votes against his opponent's 58,789.


The CPC is however challenging the result. It claimed that voting did not take place in the entire Buga-Karmo ward, but the presiding officers there turned in 10,000 votes - all valid and cast in favour of the PDP.

CPC agents in the area alleged that one Wasan Kudi, stated that the deputy chairman of PDP in Toto took polling officers to his residence and had them submit the ballot papers for him to thumbprint the said 10,000 votes in favour of his party.

Nasarawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ahmad Makama, confirmed the confusion in Toto.

"I have heard about the situation in Toto. The procedure is that the returning officer has a responsibility by law. All INEC officers there will be held accountable for all their action. I am not on ground there in Toto, so I am only waiting for them to come and give me adequate briefing," he said.

The REC however said he cannot predict whether results would have to be cancelled or not. He, however, stated that the utmost priority of INEC, at about past 3pm when he spoke to our correspondent, was to evacuate INEC officials in the area as, according to him, there is tension in the area.

The state police commissioner, Emmanuel Obiako, said he had already ordered the area commander in charge of the area to report there to contain the tension in Toto.

Meanwhile, an incumbent senator, Patricia Akwashiki, and two members of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Almakura and Isah Ambaka yesterday lost their seats. Mr Ambaka, the Labour Party senatorial candidate, is facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and conspiracy to disrupt the National Assembly election.

The loss of the incumbents was the gain of Solomon Ewuga, Idris Yahuza and Joseph Kigbu, respectively, all candidates of the CPC.

Meanwhile, Suleiman Adokwe of the PDP retained his Nasarawa South senatorial district seat by defeating CPC's Tanko Wambai. However, the results for Awe/Doma/Keana federal constituency was still undecided as at press time.


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5688583-147/story.csp

Why are these politicians trying so hard to sabotage JEGA? Why all these shameful rigging?

Why do birds fly?

Why do fish swim?

Why do PDP (and APGA) politicians rig?

People are saying the word rigging to easily.

To be honest, these elections seem very fair.

Just because your party lost to the party in power, does not mean that there was rigging.

It claimed that voting did not take place in the entire Buga-Karmo ward, but the presiding officers there turned in 10,000 votes - all valid and cast in favour of the PDP. LWKMD.

With all these sores on last saturday's election can GEJ still claim to have fulfilled his promise?

I am telling you for the upteenth time [size=14pt]guard your votes closely this Saturday - the beast is ruthless at what it does best, rigging.[/size]

How do you explain this then: "presiding officers there turned in 10,000 votes - all valid and cast in favour of the PDP".

EzeUche:

People are saying the word rigging to easily.

To be honest, these elections seem very fair.

Just because your party lost to the party in power, does not mean that there was rigging.

EzeUche:

People are saying the word rigging to easily.

To be honest, these elections seem very fair.

Just because your party lost to the party in power, does not mean that there was rigging.

if you call rigging fair then u are joking

look at sokoto, cpc was meant to win almost every seat available but instead pdp did

question: HOW ?

EzeUche doesn't mind rigging, so long as it isn't his candidate/party that suffers 

Recall that he was silent in the face of evidence that Ngige was being rigged against by APGA.

Kilode?!:



The CPC is however challenging the result. It claimed that voting did not take place in the entire Buga-Karmo ward, but the presiding officers there turned in 10,000 votes - all valid and cast in favour of the PDP.

How in the world is that possible? [b]Valid [/b]votes on behalf of an entire Ward where elections supposedly did not take place??

EzeUche:

People are saying the word rigging to easily.

To be honest, these elections seem very fair.

Just because your party lost to the party in power, does not mean that there was rigging.

Dude, its best not to even contribute these threads, because common sense seems to evaporate. Can you imagine how it has taken so long after results were declared for contestants to suddenly come up with stories as serious as, "oh, no voting occurred in a ward, but there were 10,000 VALID results?" It seems ridiculous to me, especially with the open ballot system where everyone knew the result immediately after voting. How they even expect that one man could have thumbprinted 10k ballots remains another mystery.

The only good thing about the story is the name of the place, Toto! From experience, its a lovely place indeed!

Beaf:


The only good thing about the story is the name of the place, Toto! From experience, its a lovely place indeed!

Lol @ toto

But GEJ needs to be vigilant, these people are trying so hard to soil his "free and fair" election

Strange results from one honest man.

Kilode?!:

Lol @ toto

But GEJ needs to be vigilant, these people are trying so hard to soil his "free and fair" election

Strange results from one honest man.

Its not people trying to steal elections, but more like people being mischeivious in the hope that they can spark riots after the presidential elections.

Sounds fishy

Here's what I believe happened . . . we all got caught up in believing in the promise of a free and fair election from the president.

From the time voting started on Saturday, people started judging the elections and most concluded right after casting their votes that it was free and fair. Now that the elections are over and the results have managed to trickle in almost 48 hours after the fact, we are now being forced to think what happened.

The election itself didn't really go so very very much better than the last election. Yes the deaths were lower this time around (about 100 deaths attributed to election violence so far); yes rigging was not as obvious in so many places as in the past( there were actually reports of thugs showing up in cars, to steal away ballots boxes at various polling stations, and INEC reported over a 100 ballot boxes missing); and yes people were able to vote at majority of the polling stations and watch their votes get counted before leaving, but I don’t think we can label this a free and fair election – definitely can’t compare it to the 1993 elections which had less of the rigging and violence attributed to the actual elections. It was better but free and fair? That is still to be seen, especially with the many allegations of fraud, violence etc.

Kobojunkie:

Here's what I believe happened . . . we all got caught up in believing in the promise of a free and fair election from the president.

From the time voting started on Saturday, people started judging the elections and most concluded right after casting their votes that it was free and fair. Now that the elections are over and the results have managed to trickle in almost 48 hours after the fact, we are now being forced to think what happened.

The election itself didn't really go so very very much better than the last election. Yes the deaths were lower this time around (about 100 deaths attributed to election violence so far); yes rigging was not as obvious in so many places as in the past( there were actually reports of thugs showing up in cars, to steal away ballots boxes at various polling stations, and INEC reported over a 100 ballot boxes missing); and yes people were able to vote at majority of the polling stations and watch their votes get counted before leaving, but I don’t think we can label this a free and fair election – definitely can’t compare it to the 1993 elections which had less of the rigging and violence attributed to the actual elections. It was better but free and fair? That is still to be seen, especially with the many allegations of fraud, violence etc.

Well that's strange.

Ileke-IdI:

Well that's strange.

People at polls took pictures and sent them in to some of the networks and INEC. It was on Channels tv . . .

Kobojunkie:

People at polls took pictures and sent them in to some of the networks and INEC. It was on Channels tv . . .

Ni gbagbanla osan, won n ji ballot box ke?

Are they atleast being trace?

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/04/some-politicians-are-living-in-the-past-says-jega/

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/politics/20285-how-election-day-fared-in-nasarawa


Not certain but there are reports of some who were caught

Kobojunkie:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/04/some-politicians-are-living-in-the-past-says-jega/

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/politics/20285-how-election-day-fared-in-nasarawa


Not certain but there are reports of some who were caught

Thanks.

Some politicians are living in the past indeed.

How can you just steal send thieves to steal ballot boxes like that? Especially with new-aged Nigerians in the technology world with their cameras and stuff.

It is time for us Nigerians to reject these elelctions and demaind proper free and fair elections

CPC and Nigerianshave been cheated in the NASS elections

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com

Modified BUHARI/BAKARE TICKET: YES! AND NO!

For one who was already a practicing physician during the glorious Buhari-Idiagbon era, I felt proud to be a Nigerian during my vacations. I felt safe on Nigerian roads. I felt happy at seeing people queue up for their turns in public places. I felt confident that the police check-point ahead of me on the highway would not turn out to be an extortionist toll gate or even a daylight gang of uniformed official robbers. I felt confident about the sincerity of the Nigerian leadership irrespective of their religion or place of origin.
I practiced my profession with happiness and dignity realizing that at least there was a government in existence that would protect me, a government that would hold any misbehaving citizens accountable for their sins against the state or against fellow citizens or other residents of the geographical unit called Nigeria.

But then, Bang! Buhari and his no-nonsense deputy Idiagbon, were booted out. Nigerians had no say in either situation. And the darkness fell. And new anti-people and anti-civilization decrees were churned out. And the incarcerated looters were released from the cells where the unsmiling duo had safely held them; (granted a few relatively innocent politicians were also incarcerated). And hell was let loose on the nation as official corruption and sleaze were raised to unenviable heights. And the word “settlement” got introduced into our political lexicon. And our leadership began to wear corruption and unaccountability as badges of honor. And we have never recovered till this day. (Google the book: “Nation of Dead Patriots”.
Google also the book: “Konganoga Mauling the Polity”).

The results of the Bang occasioned by the overthrow of the Buhari-Idiagbon duo, are what we have, still plaguing the Nigerian political landscape till today.

The argument for a Buhari/Bakare ticket may be quite plausible.
Many of us have our fears about a perpetuation of the ills of our society by a PDP victory which is almost as good as assured in the light of what we know. There is bound to be a recycling of the same political and economic vampires who have for decades brought shame and destruction to the Nigerian polity. We have seen them back on the stage doing the same weird and naked dances that are characteristic of them. (See the book “Comedy of Naked Vampires”.

Much as I greatly respect our President Goodluck Jonathan, I have my doubts as to whether he would have the political and moral will to indiscriminately pick up these same vampires of the Nigerian society and place them where they belong, the same way as Buhari would do, (…perhaps less forcefully without Idiagbon of blessed memory).
When these same vampires are relentlessly campaigning for President Jonathan now, will he have the courage to move against them when he finally ascends ‘the throne’ this time on his own merit? There lies the fear of many people including my humble self.
And without a decisive move against the same fingers of the leprous hand (a.l.a Bola Ige of blessed memory), we will merely be back to the status quo, or even turn out worse!

But again, we must not forget that President Jonathan has not really had the full opportunity to manifest his full potentials considering the circumstances under which he came to the number one position. We all are aware of the stiff opposition that he faced and is still facing from the cabal. He certainly needs a place to stand before he can be expected to move the world. For now he may appear to be fairly slow in moving against the rot in the Nigerian society. But again we must remember the big constraints which he faced and may still be facing considering the circumstances of his ascension to power and the powerful forces that consistently impeded his ascension. If after the first six months of his possible coming to power on his own merit he still manifests the presumed tardiness, then there would have been no good excuses. For now he certainly needs all hands on deck in his party to be able to win the elections. Hence, perhaps he still needs the ‘vampires’, the good the bad and the ugly within the PDP. The free hand given to the INEC so far is a veritable departure of the ‘do or die” policy of the past and the high-handedness that characterized the political cum military juggernauts that we knew.

It may not be very fair to judge President Jonathan fully now for the failure of full scale war against corruption because of his current precarious position, even when we all would have appreciated a more aggressive action against the vampires many of who currently support and campaign for him.

As opposed to President Jonathan’s present position as a President and Head of State in a democratic set up, General Buhari was a military Head of State who ruled by decrees. His word during his era was law. Thus he could peremptorily order the incarceration of any offender or perceived offender. The courts had very little powers under those regimes. A President in a democracy could have his orders ousted by the law courts. There lies the difference.

General Buhari may be a necessary panacea for the battle against corruption in Nigeria but I also have my fears about the effect that his military background in a civilian setting may have on him in a democratic Nigeria after he had ruled by decrees.
We have witnessed the effect that this had on OBJ. Can we afford another of the same?, Military Heads of State coming into civilian governance after they had previously ruled by decrees! Again we saw OBJ and we saw Mubarak of Egypt. Can we therefore take that risk with Buhari?

Again even with Rev. Bakare by his side, and even in spite of one being very open-minded about the private religious rights of individuals, can we fully take a chance with one who was alleged to have made certain religiously-divisive and inflammatory statements in the past?
Those were allegations and to a good extent General Buhari has doused those fears by choice of a reverend minister as his running mate. It was certainly a very wise move.
Again, from the point of view of moral courage to rout corruption Ribadu would have been another very good candidate, the high profile support that he appeared to have been receiving of late from certain ‘unholy’ quarters notwithstanding.
A ‘clean slate’ in the candidacy of Professor Pat Utomi, unfortunately is reported to have withdrawn from the race.

Finally, from point of view of equity, I believe it is only right that the people of the South-South
Geo-political zone, just like the people of the South-East zone deserve a shot at the presidency. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. We must not forget that the goose that lays the golden egg must be petted, not killed. Again, we should not easily forget that Nigeria started as a tripod at independence: the North, the East and the West with the Mid West at a latter stage. At that time we practiced true federalism. The North thrived on ground-nuts and cotton, the East on Palm oil and the West on cocoa. We had the Commodity Boards. And we essentially thrived on the ‘Principle of Derivation’ as the basis of the Regions’ economic survival.
Today oil that comes mainly from the South-South is the mainstay of our economic survival. Then suddenly the groundnut pyramids disappeared. The palm trees and palm plantations have been allowed to go wild. And Cocoa-House has been dwarfed with hardly any more appreciable cocoa within its precincts. And so it has suited us to create many more states in one of the former three regions enough to dwarf the other former original two regions combined. And we know now that the ‘Principle of Derivation’ and ‘Resource Control’ have suddenly become taboos and anybody who preaches them until recently could face the Saro Wiwa experience.
Would a Buhari/Bakare presidency have the moral will to correct these military-induced aberrations which suddenly became rubber-stamped Acts of Parliament?

With time the oil reserves will dwindle or even run out. And the solid mineral reserves and agricultural potentials of other regions will soar. And it may once again suit us to revert to the principle of Resource Control and Derivation.

The above are some of the issues which people should remember and think about as they make their decision on this April’s presidential elections and the candidates that they will vote for as President whether it be the incumbent, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, or General Buhari, or Rev. Chris Okotie, or Mr. Ribadu or any of the other presidential candidates in no particular order of prominence.
This is assuming that the old foxes will not once again ‘fix’ the elections.

Nigeria is a thoroughly blessed country. Her attaining true greatness and remaining strong and therefore progressive is almost entirely dependent on the ability of her citizens to hoist a credible and impeccable leadership; a leadership that will care more for the legacy that it will bequeath rather than the weight of the fleeting local and offshore bank accounts which he or she will have to his or her name. We can make it if we really try.

May the same good God who has seen us this far continue to guide our people and give Nigeria the selfless leadership that will place the country well above self.

Dr Oliver Akamnonu
(Physician and Author. New York, USA. E-mail: ooakams@yahoo.com )

1, A WELL POSITIONED LAND MEASURING 5000 SQ METERS AT DURUMI FCT WITH C OF O FOR 400MILLION. ALL DOCUMENTS DULY POSSESSED. CONTACT 08130115714(DAVID)

dinachi:

1, A WELL POSITIONED LAND MEASURING 5000 SQ METERS  AT DURUMI FCT WITH C OF O FOR 400MILLION. ALL DOCUMENTS DULY POSSESSED. CONTACT 08130115714(DAVID) 

Contact the politicians

what's the meaning of this?

People are so easily fooled. Everbody is so eager to believe that the elections were perfect and that PDP has reformed. The riggers are born-again and Jonathan is now a new creature. How could you be so naive?

FYI, there was a significant amount of rigging in this election. And a large number of candidates have won because of this rigging. Case in point: the "surprising" PDP victories in Kano and Dora Akinyuli's win in Anambra. In my senatorial district, Oluremi Tinubu's main rival's name (Dapo Durosinmi-Etti) was missing from the ballot sheet.

Granted, this election was better than 2007, but EU observers described that election as the worst they had ever seen anywhere. It's hard to score lower than zero.

GEJ's people are trying to portray this election as perfect to try and prop up their candidate. But the fact is that there was plenty of rigging going on.

And there will be more on Saturday if we're not vigilant. Don't forget what party GEJ belongs to. Old habits die hard.

It seems most "opposition" party people (really ex-PDP who lost the primaries) are bad losers.
While PDP candidates who lost have conceded defeat, these fake opposition people are crying foul, rigging etc.

Evil Brain:



In my senatorial district, Oluremi Tinubu's main rival's name (Dapo Durosinmi-Etti) was missing from the ballot sheet.

I did not realise that PDP is so generous to rig for ACN godfather's wife     

Granted, this election was better than 2007, but EU observers described that election as the worst they had ever seen anywhere. It's hard to score lower than zero.

We are making progress and thanks for acknowledging even though grudgingly. We will yet get there if everyone does his bit and not leave the politicians alone to do all the work as they will then also expect to reap all the rewards.

seguno2:

It seems most "opposition" party people (really ex-PDP who lost the primaries) are bad losers.
While PDP candidates who lost have conceded defeat, these fake opposition people are crying foul, rigging etc.

I agree that there are many ex-PDP candidates in the opposition parties (esp. CPC) but to claim that they are the majority is completely false.

Besides, PDP has been by far the greatest rigger of elections in the past 12 years. Why wouldn't people suspect them? Just because you're forming born-again, you want everybody to instantly forget your crooked past? That's never going to happen.

seguno2:

I did not realise that PDP is so generous to rig for ACN godfather's wife     


We are making progress and thanks for acknowledging even though grudgingly. We will yet get there if everyone does his bit and not leave the politicians alone to do all the work as they will then also expect to reap all the rewards.

I never said that PDP rigged for Mrs. Tinubu. Rigging is wrong no matter who does it. Its just that PDP does it more than anybody else.

I'm happy that we've made progress, but I expect everything to be reversed once Jonathan solidifies his grip on power (if he wins, God forbid).

I'm convinced he only picked Jega instead of another PDP hatchetman because he needed to legitimise himself locally and internationally after the Yar'Adua illness wahala. I doubt if he and his fellow party men are willing to risk coming so close to losing the presidency again.

Walter Lippmann once said "democracy is too important to be left to public opinion". I'm sure most PDP politicians would agree.

Evil Brain:

I agree that there are many ex-PDP candidates in the opposition parties (esp. CPC) but to claim that they are the majority is completely false.

Which politicians do you think are in CPC that became a major party only yesterday because Buhari could not stand losing to "small boy" Shekarau in ANPP ? Typical of Buhari's tyranny and undemocratic principles.
Which politicians are in ACN outside of the south west in Tinubu's desperate bid to spread his godfather tentacles and his personal revenue collection base beyond Fashola's Lagos ?
I hope you realise that majority simply means 50%+.

Kobojunkie:

How in the world is that possible? [b]Valid [/b]votes on behalf of an entire Ward where elections supposedly did not take place??

Only for Naija, Naija we hail thee.

Interesting.