News

LP threatens nationwide protest over alleged manipulation of poll results in Abia, Enugu

Published

1 day ago

March 19, 2023

The national leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has alleged that election results are being manipulated by members of the opposition in Abia and Enugu states.

In a statement on Sunday, Julius Abure, LP national chairman, alleged that supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia have held some staff members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at Obingwa LGA in the state hostage.

The party also accused the PDP in Enuguof tampering with results of the governorship election.

“Today, we are again witnessing a situation where a sitting Governor in Abia state is fully involved in an attempt to upturn the victory of the Labour Party candidate, Alex Otti, in the Abia state governorship election that has been won by our candidate,” he said.

“The same scenario is presently playing out in Enugu state where Labour Party’s candidate Chijioke Edeoga is presently leading in virtually all the Local Governments so far announced.

READ Three feared killed as suspected political thugs invade APC meeting in Oyo

“As we speak, INEC staff are held hostage at Obingwa Local Govt by Governor Ikpeazu and his cohorts to rewrite the results already compiled by INEC officials despite an order from the election body asking their staff to head to Umuahia to collate results for the election, which is in favor of Labour’s Alex Otti.

“This is one robbery too many. While Nigerians are yet to get over the ugly rape of a democratic process in last month’s presidential election by the ruling party at the center, the PDP has been found engaged in the most shameless manner and disregard for the rights of the citizens.

“We, therefore, call on the Inspector General of Police to intervene and ensure the transfer of all electoral materials to Umuahia where the sanctity of the election and the safety of the officials in charge can be guaranteed.

“Ikpeazu cannot rig an election in his local government which he lost in the senatorial elections on the 25th.

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“Similarly, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who lost woefully in the last election in the Enugu North Senatorial zone is presently doctoring the results from the zone with the help of some compromised INEC staff and police to ensure that PDP is returned elected in the state against the wishes of the electorate.

“We have endured what no other political party in the country has endured in the last few weeks because we believe in due process but it appears this is taken for granted. But we may not be patient for too long.

“Let me sound it for the first time we will resist every attempt by the PDP in Abia and Enugu States to upturn our mandate.

“It should be recalled that the PDP in both states had issued a threat to opposition parties, which was specifically targeted at Labour Party after sweeping the states during the presidential election. This threat is already manifesting that the ruling party was only interested in rigging elections.

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“The Labour Party had thoroughly reviewed all infractions and we have vowed to never again allow the use of foul means to usurp power as it was done in the past and merely ask us to go to court.

“If this is not addressed, we will be left with no choice other than to mobilise OBIdients all over the country to take over the streets across the length and breadth of the country.”

News

Zulum reelected Borno governor

Published

20 mins ago

March 20, 2023

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Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum has been reelected for a second term .

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared the winner of the March 18 governorship election in the state having polled 545,542.

Zulum defeated his closest contender, Mohammed Jajari of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 82,147.

The result was announced by INEC Returning Officer, Jude Rabo on Monday afternoon.

So far, the results of 20 governorship polls have been announced. The APC takes the lead with 14 states, the PDP with five states and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) with one state. The election in Kebbi was declared inconclusive by the electoral body while the collation of the results of governorship polls in Abia and Enugu was suspended.

Officially, nine of the 11 governors who sought reelection in the March 18 polls held across Nigeria in West Africa have been declared winners by INEC to return to office for another four-year term each.

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They include Zulum as well as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State.

Of the 28 states, 11 serving governors sought reelection while 17 outgoing governors are in the final weeks of their constitutional two-term limits of eight years, having been sworn in on May 29, 2015.

News

BREAKING: INEC declares Adamawa Gov election inconclusive, Fintiri, Binani in tight race

Published

27 mins ago

March 20, 2023

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the March 18 governorship election in Adamawa State inconclusive.

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Senator Aishatu Dahiru famously known as Binani scored 390, 275 while the incumbent, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, polled 421,524.

However, INEC declared the election inconclusive due to the margin of votes.

So far, the results of 20 governorship polls have been announced. The APC takes the lead with 14 states, the PDP with five states and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) with one state. The election in Kebbi was similarly declared inconclusive by the electoral body while the collation of the results of governorship polls in Abia and Enugu was suspended.

READ Collapsed Florida condo : 36 dead, 109 still missing

They are Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State.

More to follow…

News

Yusuf Abba: Kwankwaso’s PA, son-in-law who will be governor of Kano

Published

2 hours ago

March 20, 2023

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Yusuf Kabir Abba was declared the winner of the 2023 governorship election in Kano state on Monday. The flagbearer of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) beat his arc-rival, Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to claim victory in the state.

From personal assistant to governor-elect — who is Yusuf Abba, the man who will become Kano governor?

Abba was born in the year Nigeria became a republic, in 1963. He was born on January 5, 1963 in Gaya LGA of Kano state. He would later attend Sumaila primary school and government secondary school Lautai in the old Kano state.

His secondary education was in Gumel LGA, which is now in Jigawa State. Upon graduation from government secondary school in 1980, he went on to the federal polytechnic, Mubi, where he obtained his national diploma in civil engineering in 1985.

He went on to specialise in water resources/environmental engineering in 1989 at Kaduna Polytechnic. Upon graduation, he served in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at Kaduna Environmental Protection Agency from 1989 to 1990.

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QUICK FACT: On May 29, 2023, he will become the second Water Engineer to be governor of Kano state in the fourth republic.

GOVERNOR’S PA WHO WILL BECOME GOVERNOR

Abba might be the first personal assistant (PA) to a fourth republic governor to become governor. Abba served as PA to Rabiu Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the NNPP, while he was governor of Kano state from 1999 to 2003.

He also served in the same capacity and also as special assistant to Kwankwaso, in his role as minister of defence in the Olusegun Obasanjo cabinet from 2003 to 2007.

In a 2019 interview with Daily Trust, Abba said he served as PA to Kwankwaso for 12 years, from 1999 to 2011. In 2011, he served in Kwankwaso’s government as a private secretary to the government and was later appointed commissioner for works, housing and transport.

Abba has been with Kwankwaso for 37 years, serving in different capacities.

“Kwankwaso is my leader. I worked with Kwankwaso even when I was in the civil service in the state. I worked under him and have been with him for almost 33 years,” Abba said in 2019.

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“In all these years, he has been over and above me so I know him to be my leader, my oga! So people shouldn’t be surprised if I give him the utmost respect and utmost trust. I was his PA during his first tenure from 1999 to 2011”.

KWANKWASO’S SON-IN-LAW-TURNED AVENGER

In 2014, Kwankwaso supported his deputy, Abdullahi Ganduje, in becoming the governor of Kano state. In a few months after the election, both men fell out. Ganduje launched what became a clear attack on Kwankwaso and the Kwankwasiyya movement.

By 2019, Kwankwaso mobilised against Ganduje and supported Yusuf Abba in unseating Ganduje. Abba went on to win the election in the first round, but his victory was not to be as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared a supplementary election in 28 of 44 local government areas in the state.

Following the conduct of the supplementary poll, Ganduje was declared the winner with less than 9,000 votes ahead of Abba, who had initially won with over 26,000 votes.

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Abba, who is also married to Kwankwaso’s niece, moved with Kwankwaso to the New Nigeria Peoples Party, where they both became flagbearers for presidential and gubernatorial elections. Both men won the elections in the state, but Kwankwaso lost the presidential poll.

As Kwankwaso’s loyalist and son-in-law, Abba will be putting an end to Ganduje’s reign in the state, with expectations that he would be avenging the Kwankwasiyya movement.

He has however said he will not be tied to Kwankwaso’s apron, but be a man for himself, stating that he will only take advice from the former governor.

“He will never interfere in my work. Secondly, if he interferes, in terms of advice, I know that where I go correctly he will encourage me to put in more and where I go wrong he will correct me and tell me what to do. But as far as issues of governance are concerned, believe me, sincerely he is not going to interfere,” he had said.