By Paul Odili, Okoh Aihe, Albert
Akpor & Evelyn Usman
Posted to the Web: Monday, April 16, 2007
LAGOS — DETAINED Abia State PPA governorship
hopeful, Chief Theodore Ahamefula Orji, was yesterday
declared winner of last Saturday's election in the state
by INEC, while AC governorship candidate in Lagos State,
Mr. Babatunde Fashola, swept to victory, and Dr Emmanuel
Uduaghan, the PDP governorship candidate in Delta State
is on course to take over from Governor James Ibori.
Chief Orji, who has been held in EFCC detention since
last month made history as the second person to win
election into public office from detention in this
dispensation, the first being Senator Iyiola Omisore.
 
Mr Fashola, A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), won a
landslide while the PDP candidate, Chief Musiliu
Obanikoro, trailed a distant second. The result showed
that Fashola won between 55-60 per cent of the votes
cast in most of the local government areas and about 70
per cent of the votes in Alimosho and Mushin. The AC
also won 37 House of Assembly seats.
Dr Uduaghan’s victory, on the other hand, sparked
celebrations in many parts of Delta State.
Abia
In the result announced by INEC’s REC, Prince Adedeji
Solomon Soyebi, Chief Orji polled 265,389 votes to win
the election. His closest rival, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu
of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) came second with
136,858, while the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP)
candidate, Chief Ikechi Emenike, scored 36,374 votes.
The All Progressive People’s Alliance (APGA) candidate,
Chief Uzodinma Okpara, came fourth with 27,425 votes.
Protets in Osun, Kogi
However, some major towns in Osun State erupted in
violence, yesterday, following the of declaration of
Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the winner of the
Saturday governorship poll in the state.
Three persons were also killed in Kabba and another
two in Ankpa both in Kogi State during Saturday’s
election.
There were also protests in parts of Edo State
yesterday by supporters of the AC candidate, Adams
Oshiomhole, over alleged rigging of the election by the
PDP.
Thugs also prevented people from voting in Anyigba and
Dekina, while Abuja based medial practitioner, Dr. Jacob
Abdullahi lost his new Jeep to arsonists.
Meanwhile, four governorship candidates in Enugu
State Fidel Ayogu (ANPP), Okey Ezea (LP), Dubem Onyia
(AC), Ugo Agbala (Accord Party) visited the INEC office
in Enugu with some f their supporters to protest the
conduct of last Saturday’s elections.
They demanded the cancellation of the election. They
were teargassed by securitymen at about 5 pm.
Osun
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), the
Rev. John Dansu, declared Prince Oyinlola, of the PDP
winner having polled 426,669 to beat his closest rival,
Engr. Rauf Aregbesola of AC who got 240,722. The REC
while returning Oyinlola as winner, noted thathe scored
25 per cent in 27 of the 30 local government areas of
the state. The PDP also won 13 of the 26 seats in the
state House of Assembly, while the AC won 11 seats.
Imo
In Imo State, about 15 persons were reported dead in
Saturday’s elections. INEC consequently cancelled the
gubernatorial elections, citing large scale fraud and
violence.
The election was rescheduled for April 28. It, however,
accepted the House of Assembly election results held
under similar circumstances.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Austin
N. Okojie, in a press briefing said no fewer than five
persons were y shot by an unnamed local government
chairman but was silent on what the security outfits in
the state had done with the alleged murderer.
He said in “Njaba local government area, thugs came
to the Electoral Officer and attacked him. They seized
the result sheets and chased everybody out. The
Electoral Officer was also rescued by the Police. In
Nwangele local government area, there was in fact no
voting. The Chairman of the local government council
hijacked the voting materials and kidnapped some
officials of INEC. The Council Chairman also shot and
killed one person.
“One Dr. Agbara used gun to harass voters as well as
ad-hoc staff. In Oguta wards A and B, no voting
tookplace as a candidate took the law into his hands by
beating up the Electoral Officials and other candidates
because his party’s logo did not appear on the ballot
paper. Even the personal intervention of the Police
Commissioner and myself, could not help matters as the
candidate consistently refused to heed the advice.
“In Onuimo local government area, there was violence
in all the wards, the results were mutilated. Most of
the results entered in form EC 8A were completely
different from the ones in form EC 8B. In Ngor
Okpala,there was violence.
Ward 6 was greatly affected. In Owerri North,
election started well but when resultsstarted coming in,
result sheets were nowhere to be found as the
supervisors went away with them only to resurface at the
end of the exercise.”
Rivers
In Rivers State, Mr Celestine Omehia of the PDP was
declared winner of Saturday’s governorship election in
the state. Announcing his victory, the Resident
Electoral Commissioner and State Returning Officer,
Chief Hon Roland Amadiuwa said he polled a total
1,853,217 to defeat the other candidates in the race.
Mr. Ashley Emenike of the Labour Party came a distant
second while Chief Sergeant Awuse of the DPP came third.
Prince Tonye Princewill of the Action Congress followed.
However, the AC in Rivers State has protested the
result. In a statement yesterday, the governorship
candidate of the party, Prince Tonye Princewill, who
spoke through his media consultant, Chief Chukwuemeka
Eze said the election was worse than daylight robbery.
His words: “My dear brethren, with the outcome of
Saturday’s election in Rivers State, the much speculated
move by the INEC and some evil minded forces to rig the
election thereby disenfranchising the electorates came
to fruition as high waves of irregularities marred
voting yesterday in virtually all the 23 LGAs in the
state.
Bayelsa
Chief Timipre Sylva of the PDP in Bayelsa State has
been declared winner of the governorship election in the
state. Although there was no visible election in the
state as election materials could not get to the various
polling stations in the predominantly riverine state,
the PDP candidate, according to the state resident
electoral commissioner, Dr. Humphrey Nwangeneh, polled a
total vote of 77,671 votes. His closest rival, Prince
Ebitimi Amgbare of the Action Congress (AC) came a
distant second with 10,769 votes.
Kaduna
PDP’s candidate in Kaduna State, Architect Mohammed
Namadi Sambo, is coasting to victory as his party has
won 15 of the 18 local government areas so far
announced. The ANPP is trailing behind followed by the
AC.
However, tension is mounting in the state following
allegations by the ANPP candidate at the INEC
headquarters to the effect that results being released
by INEC were fake. Already, armed soldiers and the
police have been mobilised to guard the INEC office,
located at the Angwan Rimi GRA, in the Kaduna
metropolis.
According to the results so far released, the ANPP
won in its traditional strongholds of Zaria, Kadun North
and Kaduna South local governments. In Ikara local
government, PDP won with 74,603 followed by ANPP with
5,647 while AC got 1,439 and DPP 30.
Oyo
Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, the PDP gubernatorial
candidate in Oyo State has been declared winner of the
Saturday elections. According to the Resident Electoral
Commissioner, Mr Stephen Manya, Akala who is the deputy
governor of the state polled 357,972 votes out of the
813, 096 of total votes cast. He is closely followed by
the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) candidate, Senator
Abiola Ajimobi who scored 239,189 votes while Prof.
Taoheed Adedoja of the Action Congress(AC) had 146,670.
Borno
Borno State governor and ANPP gubernatorial candidate
in last Saturday’s elections, Senator Modu Ali Sheriff,
won a landslide victory in the state. According to the
INEC’s Commissioner, Mr Aliyu Marafa, the ANPP also
swept all the seats of the State house of Assembly.
There are twenty seven local government area councils
and twenty-eight state legislative seats in Borno State.
ANPP polled a total f 639,844 from the twenty-six local
government councils released while the PDP scored a
total 289,712 votes.
Ebonyi
Chief Martin Elechi of the PDP won the Ebonyi
governorship election. Announcing the results at the
state headquarters of INEC, the Resident Electoral
Commissioner, Mrs. Maria Owi, said the PDP candidate
polled a total 506,444 votes to defeat his closest
rival, the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) candidate,
Dr Ogbonnaya Onu who polled a distant 28,579 votes.
Ogun
Governor Olugbenga Daniel of Ogun State won a second
term at Saturday’s governorship race. The PDP also won
25 of the 26 House of Assembly seats in the state while
result of the 26th seat was cancelled due to violence in
the area. Addressing a crowded press conference, INEC
Resident Commissioner, Mr. Godfrey Miri, saidGovernor
Olugbenga Daniel polled 426,132 to defeat Senator
Ibikunle Amosun of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP)
who polled 135,149 while Otunba Dipo Dina of the Action
Congress (AC) polled 79,915. The INEC Commissioner said
Alhaji Adegbenga Sefiu Kaka (DPA) scored 6,403 Deji
Osinowo (AD) 2,521 Prof. Oluwaseun Omotayo (PPA); 1,817
and Ogbeni Lanre Banjo of NCP, 579.
Akwa Ibom
Mr Godswill Akpabio of the PDP has been declared the
winner of the governorship election in Akwa Ibom.
Declaring the result in Uyo yesterday, the INEC Resident
Electoral Commissioner, Mr Jacob Nwakpa, said Akpabio
beat Mr James Iniama of the Action Congress to the
second place, while retired Group Capt. Sam Ewang of the
ANPP and Mr Chris Ekpeyong of the PPA came third and
fourth respectively.
Niger
From Minna, Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu of the PDP
polled 443,764 to emerge victorious. He was followed by
Mr David Umaoru of the ANPP who polled 210,359 and
Alhaji Muhammed Isa Ladoun of AC, who polled 136, 590.
Buhari slams INEC
Meanwhile, ANPP Presidential candidate, General
Muhammadu Buhari, has criticised INEC over what he
called shameful conduct of the election by the
commission in handing over results sheets to the PDP and
also delay in the distribution of voting materials.
A statement signed by Osita Okechukwu, Vice Chairman,
Publicity Committee of the Buhari Organisation reads:
“Muhammadu Buhari, Presidential candidate of All Nigeria
People’s Party (ANPP), highly commends Nigerians for our
commitment to democracy and desire to change our dear
country to a better society. Buhari is impressed that in
spite of the barage of propaganda and all manner of
inducement by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the
election reflected a referendum of a failed regime. It
is historic that the people rejected a regime whose
metaphor is squandermania, ineptitude and manipulation
of election result.”
IG bans street protests
Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero,
yesterday, placed an outright ban on any form of
procession protests across the country either for or
against Saturday’s election results for the next 48
hours, warning that the police will deal ruthlessly with
any group which flouts the order. Sources said the
order followed reports of violent protests in some
states over the election results.
Force Public Relations Officer, Commissioner of
Police (CP) Haz Iwendi who confirmed the warning order
said it was in the interest of peace and security. “Yes,
the IGP has placed a temporary ban on any form of
protest or procession whether in favour or against the
result of Saturday’s election in the interest of
security, peace and harmony. We don’t want a breakdown
of law and order in the country, and we cannot fold our
hands and watch some people take the laws into their
hands in guise of jubilating or protesting.”
Meanwhile, the number of political thugs arrested in
Lagos have increased to 10. The suspects were reportedly
rounded up at various locations while voting was in
progress for constituting nuisance and have been
transferred to the State Criminal Investigation
Department SCID Panti Lagos. Some of them were allegedly
caught with large quantities of INEC materials while
others were merely out to disrupt the voting processes.
Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the SCID, Mr.
Olayinka Balogun, who confirmed the arrests said they
will be investigated and if found culpable, charged to
court.
“We have a few of them here with us, some of them
were found with electoral materials while others were
trying to disrupt the voting processes. We will
investigate their individual roles and anyone that is
found guilty will definitely face the music,” he said.
AIT, Raypower razed
For the second time in its life span Daar
Communications Limited, broadcasters of AIT and Raypower
FM, was consumed by a mysterious early morning fire
which razed its entire transmission line Sunday night.
Time was 2.a.m. The fire has knocked out transmission to
the Lagos area.
A top management source told Vanguard last night that
the entire building housing the transmit equipment was
totally burnt, and with it went the 30 kilowatt solid
state transmitter, the 20 kilowatt radio solid state
transmitter for Raypower FM, the 25 kilowatt solid state
transmit ter for Raypower FM 2 and two other 5 kilowatt
transmitters. Also destroyed were all the enhancement
equipment, processing and measurement equipment.
“It is a colossal tragedy and transmission in the Lagos
area has totally been destroyed,” our source lamented.
Asked whether the source of the fire tragedy had been
identified, the source told us that it was still being
investigated. He pointed out however, that sometime in
the night, one of the engineers moved round the premises
and soon after an explosion was heard in the
transmission room, followed immediately by massive fire
which totally wrecked the building.
This was in spite of the efforts of the general
public which turned out immediately to fight the fire,
officers and men of the Lagos State Fire Service and
Ogun State Fire Service, who all put in their best to
put out the fire, according to a statement from Daar
Communications.
Daar Communications had made great arrangements to cover
the ongoing elections with plans to uplink from about
eighteen states of the federation.
As early as 8 a.m on Saturday morning, the day of
election, the station was already bringing footages to
viewers from across the country from their reporters.
The Saturday fire is almost a replay of the October 21,
2001 tragedy when the entire office of AIT including the
transmission area in Labour House, Abuja, was gutted by
a midnight fire. Not a pin was removed from the office.
Also at the height of the Constitution Conference
when the issue of third term suddenly took over the
debate the country home of the ch airman of Daar
Communications, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi was set ablaze by
some characters yet to be identified till date. |
