Nigerian Eye

Only democracy enemies will fault army deployment for elections — Oshiomhole

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The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, has described those who faulted the deployment of soldiers for elections as enemies of democracy and Nigeria. 
 
He spoke with journalists on Saturday after voting at Iyamho, Etsako West local Government Area of Edo State. 
 
Oshiomhole, who commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for early deployment of materials, noted that it would be security if anything was wrong with the elections. 
 
He said, “We have one or two incidents where thugs allegedly hired by the PDP came to disrupt the elections by shooting sporadically in an attempt to cart away election materials. But the people were determined and with soldiers patrolling the area, the situation was brought to normal.’’ 
 
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The former governor alleged that those from the opposition political party, who were losing the election, mobilised thugs to disrupt the process. 
 
Oshiomhole added, “As you know, Ogbido and Ulouke are areas were APC got 99.9 percent votes during the presidential and National Assembly election, so disrupting the election will affect the results. But soldiers were on hand to curtail the situation. 
 
“This is why when some armchair analysts dispute the idea of deploying military for elections, we said only enemies of democracy and Nigeria including merchants of violence will support such campaign against military deployment.’’

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Card reader prevents Obong of Calabar from voting

01:06 Unknown 0

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 The Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, couldn’t vote on Saturday. 
 
The monarch went to Ward 9, Unit 3 polling unit at Adiabo Primary School in the Odukpani Local Government Area to vote but the electoral officials told him that ballot papers weren’t available. 
 
He returned at 12:39pm and was told that the materials had arrived but the card reader was faulty. Before leaving the polling unit, the monarch expressed disappointment with the exercise. 
 
The monarch told journalists that it appeared there was sabotage, adding that there was a need to review administrative system in Nigeria. 
 
Also, at Ward 11, Unit 10 New Airport, Ene Ita polling unit in Calabar South, a former local government chairman and Director-General of the state Pilgrims Board, Majorie Eyo Asuquo, lamented voter apathy. 
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Asuquo said he went into the streets to call out people to vote, stating that he couldn’t understand why there was low voter turnout. 
 
At Ward 11, Unit 17, the card reader malfunctioned and it slowed down the voting process. The election was generally peaceful in many parts of the state capital. 
 
The state Commandant of the Nigeria Vigilante Group, Bishop Mercy Effiom, said the election in Ward 2 Unit 2 in Calabar was peaceful.

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LAGOS 2019: Jimi Agbaje wins polling unit

01:06 Unknown 0

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The Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Lagos State, Jimi Agbaje, on Saturday won the governorship election in his unit, but lost the state Assembly election. 
 
The PDP won the governorship election with 79 votes to beat the All Progressives Congress which polled 63. 
 
The PDP, however, lost the Hoses of Assembly election with 66 against the APC’s 73. 
 
Agbaje’s running mate, Mrs Haleemat Busari also lost her polling unit to the APC on Saturday. 
 
At Adekunle Unit 021 Ward D, Yaba, where she voted, PDP scored 23, while APC scored 90. 
 
For the House of Assembly election at the polling unit, the PDP scored 21, while APC scored 88. 
 
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Earlier in the day, at about 11.07am, when she arrived at the polling unit, in company with her husband, Mr Tunde Busari (SAN), the card reader failed to recognise their cards. 
 
Our correspondent observed that they had to dovote manually. 
 
Earlier, Agbaje, had expressed concern about the low turnout of voters in the governorship and state House of Assembly elections in the state. 
 
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that speaking with newsmen after voting at Polling unit 004, Ward A in Apapa, Agbaje said the development was not good for democracy. 
 
Agbaje said residents did not turn out in their numbers because of security fears. 
 
The PDP governorship candidate said the February 23 elections were characterised by violence in some parts of the state, hence voters did not want to experience same. 
 
He said, “The low turnout should concern those who want to advance the cause of democracy. 
 
“Citizens should be part of the democratic process. They must want their voice and votes to count. 
 
“So, when you don’t have a good turnout, it could be as a result of what happened in the last election in terms of violence and ballot-snatching. 
 
“But there are deeper issues. If people do not believe in the process, then they ask themselves, ‘Why bother?’ 
 
“We just must continue to appeal to them to continue to exercise their civic responsibility.” 
 
Agbaje noted that card readers still malfunctioned in some polling units. 
 
He said a situation where some people were accredited manually while others were made to use card readers was not good for the credibility of the polls. 
 
“I have no doubts about victory if we do not have violence, harassment, and ballot-snatching and the kind of intimidation that we had the last time,” he added.

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Lagos 2019: Sanwo-Olu wins in AD candidate’s polling unit

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Lagos State All Progressive Congress Governorship (APC) Candidate Babajide Sanwo-Olu has won the polling unit of his Alliance for Democracy (AD) counterpart, Owolabi Salis, in Aturanse Estate, Phase 11, Gbadada, Lagos. 
 
The result was announced by the Presiding Officer of the unit, Mr. Rasak at about 6: 15 pm. 
 
He said Sanwo-Olu polled 102 to beat his closet rival, the governorship candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP) Jimi Agbaje who clinched 60. 
 
Salis scored 13 while the candidate of All Democratic Party, (ADP) Rasheed Gbadamosi scored 6 
 
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Also, APC won the House of Assembly, Kosofe Constituency seat at the polling unit with 102 votes to PDP’s 63, AD’s 8 and ADP’s 4. 
 
Salis said he would accept the overall results of the election if it was free and fair. 
 
He said the election generally had been adjudged to be peaceful in parts of Lagos, except in Mushin and Ogudu where he alleged ballot papers were missing. 
 
Salis said: “In my polling unit, there has not been incidence of ballot snatching and vote buying. 
 
“They are elites who have conducted themselves in a peaceful manner”. 
 
He added: “Though, I cannot talk about other places but on the field, information reaching me was that the election so far has been free and fair. 
 
“However, my concern is at the collation centres, if there are obvious cases of fraudulent practices, I will contest this election in court.” 
 
The gubernatorial candidate lamented the low turn of voters across the state, which he noted was not the best for the growth of democracy in Nigeria. 
 
He said that out of 777, 000 registered voters in Alimosho Area of Lagos, less than 11 per cent voted in the presidential and national assembly election.