The Acting Inspector General of Police AG. IGP Mohammed Adamu has said that about three hundred and twenty -three (323) offenders were so far arrested for various electoral offences and sundry crimes during the February 23th Presidential and National Assembly elections in the country . Ag. IGP ADAMU He also said that two officers also paid the supreme sacrifice, while some others were assaulted and injured. Adamu speaking on Monday during post-presidential/national assembly elections evaluation meeting with strategic police managers at the force headquarters in Abuja on Monday send his heartfelt condolences to the families of officers and men who lost their lives during the exercise as he sympathized with those who were injured or assaulted.

He further warned all political actors who might be preparing to threaten the peaceful conduct of Saturday’s election to play the game of politics by the rules as stipulated in the Electoral Act as doing otherwise will attract the full and appropriate response from the Police and other security agencies.

I welcome you all to this meeting which was called to address three major issues. First is to debrief strategic police commanders and undertake a comprehensive evaluation of our performance during the Presidential and National Assembly elections which were held nationwide on 23rd February, 2019.

2. This is within the context of the Election Security Strategy of my leadership which highlighted Post-Election Evaluation engagement as one of the critical strands of our plan. It is designed to highlight our achievements, identify performance gaps, draw lessons and redirect our strategies towards sharpening our capacity to achieve our election security mandate in future electoral engagements. Riverine communities appeal for early arrival of voting materials

3. The second purpose of this meeting is to perfect our plans and allocate operational tasks towards the Governorship and State Assembly elections scheduled for 9th March, 2019, while the third objective is to appreciate personnel of the Force across all ranks for their sacrifice, discipline, and exceptional professionalism which was demonstrated during the Presidential and National Assembly elections. There is no doubt that the high sense of commitment to national duty, neutrality and courage accounted for the generally peaceful conduct of the exercise as well as the credibility of the entire process as attested to by local and international observers.

4. It is noted that updated statistics resulting from Presidential and National Assembly elections, shows that a total of three hundred and twenty -three (323) offenders have so far been arrested for various electoral offences and sundry crimes across the country. Two officers also paid the supreme sacrifice, while some others were assaulted and injured.

5. In appreciating the sacrifice made towards the advancement of the democratic journey of our country, I wish to send my heartfelt condolences to the families of officers and men who lost their lives during the exercise and I also sympathize with those who were injured or assaulted. I assure them that the perpetrators of these acts will be fished out and brought to deserved justice no matter their socio-political status.

6. For those arrested for various electoral infractions, I have directed the Special Electoral Offences Team of the Force to undertake detailed and conclusive investigations into all the cases with a view to liaising with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in ensuring their prosecution.

7, As we perfect our plans for the Governoeship and State Assembly elections, I also want to reassure the nation and the international community of the unwavering commitment of the Police to work closely with INEC and sister security agencies towards guaranteeing a peaceful and secure space for Nigerians to exercise their electoral franchise.

8. I must, however, re-emphasize that just as in the recently concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections, the Nigeria Police shall remain civil, firm, optimally professional and apolitical in the discharge of our duties in the 9th March, 2019 elections. We shall, nonetheless, deploy all lawful assets and assert our statutory powers to deal decisively, firmly, and promptly with any person or groups that may attempt to disrupt the process.

9. Therefore, all political actors who might be preparing to threaten the peaceful conduct of the exercise are hereby firmly warned to play the game of politics by the rules as stipulated in the Electoral Act and to appreciate that national interest overrides their personal ambitions. Doing otherwise shall attract the full and appropriate response from the Police and other security agencies.

10. On this note, I welcome you all to this post- Presidential and National Assembly elections evaluation meeting and I look forward to a professionally rewarding outcome.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/03/elections-323-arrested-for-various-electoral-offences-igp-adamu/

A federal high court in Kano on Monday nullified the primary election that led to emergence of PDP gubernatorial candidate in Kano, Abba Yusuf.

The judge, Lewis Allagoa, ruled that the PDP did not conduct governorship primary election in Kano, and declared the candidature of Mr Yusuf null and void.

A PDP gubernatorial aspirant, Ali Amin-little, had approached the court, challenging the process that led to emergence of Mr Yusuf as PDP gubernatorial candidate in Kano.

Details later…

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/317389-breaking-court-nullifies-candidature-of-pdp-gubernatorial-candidate-in-kano.html

The Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has appealed to security agencies and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to investigate the ‘financial dealings’ of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state. The party in a statement which was signed by the state APC publicity secretary, Barr Sylvester Imonina, tasked INEC to use her internal machineries to deal with electoral fraudsters in her midst, who the party alleged were bent on possibly selling INEC and future elections to the PDP in Delta State. The APC also rejected the results of the elections in the state describing it as “products of fraud and political brigandage perpetrated by Delta PDP in connivance with some unscrupulous elements and staff of INEC in Delta State.” The party particularly made references to elections for the Delta South and Delta North Senatorial Zones as well as the Ethiope and Sapele/Okpe/Uvwie federal constituencies citing cases of “vote buying, ballot stuffing, intimidation and harassment of APC members.” The statement reads, “We call on security agents to investigate the financial dealings between PDP and some INEC staff and her ad-hoc staff in the last Saturday’s election. “APC, Delta State, after a careful analysis of information and videos made available to her, came to an irresistible conclusion that the National Assembly election in Delta Souh and Delta North Senatorial Zones, Ethiope and Sapele/Okpe/Uvwie federal constituencies were products of fraud and political brigandage perpetrated by Delta PDP in connivance with some unscrupulous elements/staff of INEC in Delta State. “Therefore, APC, Delta State rejects the outcome of the above-mentioned shenanigans, called “election” in those areas mentioned. “APC had it on good authority that in most places in Warri North, Warri South-West, Bomadi, Burutu and Patani LGAs, there were massive election malpractices to wit, PDP thugs making away with ballot papers/result sheets, ballot stuffing besides visiting mayhem on electorate/citizens who dare challenge them. “Meanwhile, despite the protest of APC leaders and members from those areas, some money grubbing INEC staff allowed the toxic results generated from PDP thugs to be recorded and made to form part of the collated results,” APC alleged.

Read More at: https://leadership.ng/2019/03/04/apc-wants-efcc-police-to-investigate-inec-pdp-in-delta/

even people were confirmed to have lost their lives after unknown gunmen attacked Agabge village of Gwer West Local Government Area in Benue State.

Adeyemi Yekini, a Major General and Commander of the military’s Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), said this at a press conference in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, on Sunday.

Although the Nigerian Army said only seven people were killed, Francis Ayagah, Chairman of the LGA, claimed that not less than 17 people were killed in the attack.

Yekini, while corroborating the account of Flight Lieutenant, Abubakar Mohammed, his unit commander overseeing the Gwer West axis, explained that gunmen, dressed in military uniforms, had on Saturday killed innocent people and rustled cattle in the Agabge area.

https://www.thebreakingtimes.com/seven-killed-as-gunmen-in-military-uniform-invade-benue-community/

Gbemisola Saraki, sister to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has vowed that the All Progressives Congress, APC, would produce the next governor of Kwara State.

While Gbemisola is a member of APC, her brother is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The former Senator made the disclosure in a statement she signed and issued over the weekend.

According to Saraki, “We can’t stop until progressives lead all states to the next level of our collective prosperity. So for each and every one of us, we must not relent, we have the elections of next Saturday, March 9 to go.

“In my state, Kwara, we are all out to ensure that AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq of our party, the APC, emerges the next governor of Kwara State, Insha Allah.”

On the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari, Saraki said: “As Nigerians, we may indeed share different political leanings but we are united in our love for the greatness of our nation, Nigeria.

“To us in the APC and to our supporters, we find in President Buhari and Prof Osinbajo true leaders that have been and are still working selflessly and assiduously to enthrone a nation, where the greatness of our people and our nation remains our primary goal.

“It is my solemn belief that the wind of true change that re-elected President Buhari and Prof Osinbajo would blow across our land in our drive to elect governors and leaders that would epitomise our collective pride and aspiration of responsible, selfless and diligent leaders thus raising the bar of our development in Nigeria.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has said only those with integrity and interest of Nigeria will be considered in the next cabinet.

He also promised to appoint more women and youth during his second tenure, acknowledging the “significant role” they played toward his re-election.

While the leading opposition candidate, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, is challenging the outcome of the 2019 presidential polls, Buhari has since been announcing his plans for the second tenure.

The president had earlier said that his next four years in office as Nigeria’s leader will be tough.

Only those with integrity will make my next cabinet – Buhari

I’ve also sacked Oshiomhole for anti-party activities —Okorocha

The Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has criticised the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, for his suspension from the party over alleged anti-party activities.

https://punchng.com › ive-also-s…

The Department of State Security Services, DSS has reacted to reports of the alleged death of Sambo Dasuki, a former national security adviser.

PoliticsNGR gathered that the report alleged that Dasuki, who is currently detained by the security outfit, had died in its custody. Despite the fact that the Dasuki family has also denied the rumour, Several Nigerians called for an official response from the DSS.

It will be recalled that Mr. Dasuki has been in the custody of the security agency for almost four years despite being granted bail by more than five courts including the ECOWAS Court of Justice.

Dasuki is facing charges of embezzlement and fraud to the tune of $2.1 billion.

Spokesman of the DSS, Peter Afunanya described the rumoured death of Dasuki as ‘Fake and inciting’. He told newsmen; “There is no iota of truth or credibility about the rumoured death of Col. Sambo Dasuki. We make bold to state that the former NSA is very much in good health and not dead”

The recent picture of Dasuki (above) was taken at the Abuja office of the DSS;

Senator Kabiru Gaya at the weekend  disclosed that the National Assembly would investigate the one week postponement of the 2019 general elections.

Few hours to the commencement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections the 16th of last month, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had postponed the elections and governorship and state’s houses of Assembly by one week.

Gaya, who spoke with State House correspondents, disclosed why Kano people voted for President Muhammadu Buhari, even though the turnout for the elections was low.

According to him, the next Senate will work with President Buhari in the interest of the nation.

On postponement of the elections, he said “I was happy at the day one when they shifted the elections and I said still after shifting the election we will call them and we will investigate the INEC for shifting the election because it caused a poor  turnout. We will find out the reason – if it is funding, we gave them enough funding, if it was issue of security, the security agencies were ready.

“So why should INEC shift the elections? We are going to investigate that when we come back after the governorship election. But sadly, generally they did what they could do, I could say, it’s a pass mark.” he said

Asked the kind of Senate Nigerians should expect in the ninth Assembly, Senator Gaya said “A humble Senate, a vibrant senate and a Senate that will work with Mr President.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/well-probe-inec-over-polls-shift/

In this interview with John Alechenu, a former governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, who is also a former Minister of Education, speaks about electoral reforms, managing Nigeria’s diversity and his relationship with another former Kano State governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, among other issues

The presidential and National Assembly elections have come and gone. How do you think the electoral process can be improved upon?

Our leaders must do enough to bridge North/South dichotomy – Shekarau

The All Progressives Congress (APC) says the suspension of governors Rochas Okorocha and Ibikunle Amosun of Imo and Ogun respectively, will not affect the party’s victory in the March 9, governorship and state House of Assembly election.

Lanre Issa-Onilu, the APC National Publicity Secretary, gave the assurance while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the development on Friday in Abuja.

NAN recalls that the APC National Working Committee (NWC) at its Friday meeting, suspended Messrs Okorocha and Amosun, alongside the Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, and the Minister of Niger Delta, Usani Usani.

“As to the effect it will have in the coming governorship and state House of Assembly elections, the real negative effect will come when we allow our members who are in position of influence to undermine our candidates.

“We need to get it clear to every member who supports such actions that the party is watching them, and similar fate may befall them,” Mr Issa-Onilu said.

He added that the suspension of the governors would not have come to the public as a surprise following their anti-party activities over a period of time.

He recalled that the two governors had been sponsoring candidates against those recognised by the party.

This, he said, had been ongoing and so the party had to follow the right procedures; taking steps to first get them to see reason why they needed to retract their steps.

NAN recalls that in Ogun, Mr Amosun is backing AbdulKadir Akinlade, the governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) against APC’s Dapo Abiodun.

In Imo, Mr Okorocha is supporting his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, the candidate of the Action Alliance, against Hope Uzodinma, the APC candidate.

“They occupy the position they are in today, courtesy of the ticket given to them by this party. To now use that opportunity to work against the interest of the party, you do not expect the party to look the other way.

“More so when you realise that APC is a party of discipline that has come to establish the fact that to deepen democracy, you must subject everybody to the rule of law, and that there must be equality for all before the law,” he said.

Mr Issa-Onilu stressed that as far as the APC was concerned, no matter what position an individual held, the party would not give him any leverage when he flaunted the rules or the constitution of the party.

He added that the party’s leadership had at a point, issued queries to the two governors and cautioned them against their anti party activities.

He recalled that when the APC presidential campaign train was led by President Muhammadu Buhari to Ogun, they were thoroughly embarrassed by a different party.

Mr Issa-Onilu said this was done with the support of the governor, who he said, brought in certain elements who were not APC members to the campaign venue to create problems.

“This actually embarrassed our president, but we thought at that period, we were facing the presidential and National Assembly Election and that it was not the appropriate time for us to do anything that might be destructive to our course, so we waited,” he said.

He added that though there was a window for the governors to show remorse and act appropriately to convince the party’s leadership that they would play by the rules, they never did.

He said rather Messrs Okorocha and Amosun came out openly to endorse their choice candidates against the party’s candidates.

“Which ever way you look at it, that is anti-party activity, it is beyond the limit, and tolerating such, will mean that our change mantra is just a mantra without meaning,” the APC spokesman said.

He further explained that the VON DG was suspended also, because of his anti-party activities in the recent past, which he said had been documented.

The APC spokesman said that Mr Okechukwu had also engaged in actions that undermined the party’s performance in Enugu, his home state.

He also explained that the Minister of Niger Delta was also found to have committed the same offence as the others.

He maintained that it would be injurious for the party to allow such actions to continue, adding that the suspension still stood.

He, however, said that the duration of their suspension would be determined by the time the report of the investigative committee on the matter was submitted to the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

“I have forwarded the report to NEC, recommending their expulsion, the limit of the powers of the party’s NWC is to suspend; it does not have the power to expel.

“It is only NEC that can take that action, so we have exercised what the Constitution of the party allows us to do, the report of our investigation will be put in place and passed on to NEC for further action,” he said.

He added that the APC NWC had also decided to issue a query to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State for anti-party activities, adding that the party already had video evidence against him.

NAN reports that Mr Akeredolu had earlier been accused by the Ondo Mandate Group, an APC support group, of working against the party and the presidency.

On the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, Mr Issa-Onilu said the party had noted his comments, but had not seen him working against the party.

He said the minister had his grievance and had the right to express same within the law, but added that the APC, for now, did not have any evidence that Mr Shittu was involved in any anti-party activity.

(NAN)

The Independent National Electoral Commisslon, INEC, has revealed that members of its staff were abducted and raped during presidential and National Assembly elections held a week ago.

This was contained in a statement on Friday, by INEC’s Commissioner for Information and Voters Education, Festus Okoye.

According to Festus, while the elections were generally peaceful, there was “high level of violence.”

He said in a few places there were “subjugation of some of our electoral officials to threats, harassment, intimidation, assault, abduction and even rape.

“The Commission condoles with the families of its ad-hoc staff who lost their lives while on this national assignment, as well as other Nigerians who died in the course of the elections.

“It also expresses its deep regrets and sympathy for all victims of this mindless violence. We stand with them in these difficult times.

“While acknowledging their professionalism in the deployment of election personnel and materials in a safe and timely manner, the conduct of certain members of the security agencies in some states is a matter of serious concern to the Commission.

“This matter will be further discussed directly with the Inspector-General of Police within the ambit of the lnter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).”

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday suspended governors Ibikunle Amosun and Rochas Okorocha of Ogun and Imo states respectively.

The NWC further recommended the expulsion of the duo from the party.

Reasons for their suspension and recommendation for expulsion may not be unconnected with their alleged anti-party activities.

It would be recalled that both governors have thrown their weights behind guber aspirations of candidates other than APC’s.

Details shortly…

http://thenationonlineng.net/breaking-apc-nwc-suspends-amosun-okorocha/

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the supplementary elections for places where presidential and National Assembly elections did not hold on Saturday.

This was part of the agreement reached after the meeting between the INEC management and RECs of all the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT.

The elections will come up on the 9th of March, 2019 alongside the scheduled governorship, State Assemblies and FCT council polls.

Presidential election result: INEC announces date for supplementary election

President Muhammadu Buhari has hinted on how his second tenure would be.

Buhari, speaking when members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) paid him a congratulatory visit on Friday said his second term as president of Nigeria would be tough.

“My last lap of four years, I think is going to be tough.

“People are very forgetful and that’s why during the campaign, I spoke about our cardinal agenda,” he said.

My second term as president of Nigeria will be tough – Buhari

Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has presented a six-point demand to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Members of the National Peace Committee, led by a former Military leader, Abdulsalam Abubakar met with Atiku, his running mate, Peter Obi and other PDP bigwigs last night.

The meeting, DAILY POST understands, was to persuade the former Vice President to accept defeat.

Atiku, who was defeated with a margin of over three million votes by President Buhari on Saturday, had vowed to approach the court to seek redress.

Top on Atiku’s demands to Buhari was unfreezing of opposition politicians’ bank accounts, according to Vanguard.

Another major demand presented to the Peace Committee was demilitarisation of subsequent polls.

The Peace Committee will later meet President Muhammadu Buhari with the demands.

Other demands made by the ex-VP include:

Nigeria election: Atiku makes six-point demand to Buhari

The United States of America and the Republic of France have affirmed the credibility of Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections, congratulating the Nigerian people and President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election.

The two countries, in separate statements, while commending Nigerians who participated, also condemned the isolated cases of irregularities and violent incidents which occurred in parts of the country.

The US Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, in his statement in Washington on Friday, noted the assessments of international and domestic observer missions affirming the overall credibility of the election, despite localized violence and irregularities.

He encouraged Nigerians to ensure successful governorship elections next week, stating that the US was committed to working together with Nigeria to achieve greater peace and prosperity for both nations.

The statement said, “The United States congratulates the people of Nigeria on a successful presidential election, and President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election.

IMO WEST: Okorocha rates self highly, says PDP candidate too small to contest against him

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, is having a meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

This was disclosed in a tweet INEC released on its Twitter handle, explaining that the body will review the conduct of the presidential and National Assembly elections held last Saturday, February 23.

It is believed that the RECs will at the meeting share some of the ugly and nice experiences they had during the exercise that was bloody in some places and peaceful in others.

Some of the RECs had alleged that they were forced by some candidates to declare elections in their favour at gun points.

INEC chair, RECs meet over Saturday election experiences

A Federal High court in Port Harcourt the Rivers state capital has sacked the Rivers state governorship candidate for Accord Party, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, on the grounds that he was not the authentic candidate for the part

http://thenationonlineng.net/breaking-court-sacks-rivers-accord-guber-candidate/

http://thenationonlineng.net/breaking-court-sacks-rivers-accord-guber-candidate/

Port Harcourt – A cross section of traders in Oyigbo, headquarters of Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers, have commended the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and urged him to come to their aid. Specifically, they want the President to use the opportunity of his victory at the Saturday presidential poll to fix the dilapidated Eleme – Oyigbo axis of Port Harcourt – Aba road. The portion of the road had been in bad shape since 2009. Residents said some of the road users had died and goods worth millions of naira destroyed in the last 10 years.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/spread-dividends-of-democracy-to-all-nigerians-tuc-urges-buhari/

Former governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, has said that it is a crime for any government to owe pensioners who once sacrificed their lives to serve the nation.

Shekarau said this in Nsukka during the maiden alumni home-coming/reunion of the School of Postgraduate Studies of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, while presenting a lecture titled “Nation-Building: the Role of Human Development and Good Governance.”

He said to encourage national development, pensioners who sacrifice a good part of their lives to serve their fatherland should be accorded respect and paid their pension regularly.

“To me, it is a crime for (any) government, be it Federal or state to owe pensioners who served their fatherland with their strength and youthful energy.”

https://www.today.ng/news/politics/ibrahim-shekarau-pensioners-crime-177052

http://dailypost.ng/2019/02/28/breaking-inec-meets-review-2019-presidential-nass-elections/

Atiku can go to court; we are not jittery, SGF declares 

Those doubting 1.464m votes for Buhari in Kano ignorant — Ganduje

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/those-doubting-1-464m-votes-for-buhari-in-kano-ignorant-ganduje/

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/local-observers-urge-atiku-to-accept-results.html

http://s4s.home.blog/2019/02/27/latest-and-final-presidential-election-results/

• 

The attack occurred in two local government areas, Kajuru and Kachia. This is coming barely few weeks after the state governor had, in a statement, alleged that over 150 persons were killed in Kajuru. A statement by Samuel Aruwan, the spokesman to the Kaduna state Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, confirmed the attack. According to the statement, “The Kaduna State Government has today (Tuesday) received the sad news of renewed attacks in Kajuru and Kachia local government areas,” the statement read. “The government condemns this recourse to violence, and calls on all communities to support the efforts to restore calm in the area. “Today, the Kaduna State Government was briefed by security agencies of renewed attacks in Kajuru local government area, and in parts of neighboring Kachia LGA. “The Kaduna State Government has been assured that the security agencies are working assiduously to contain the situation. “The Government is saddened by these attacks, condemns the perpetrators and urges all residents of the area to support the security.”

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/ust-in-again-many-killed-as-gunmen-attack-kajuru-village-in-kaduna/

APC = 1,464,768

PDP = 391,573

Difference = 1,073,195

#NigeriaDecides2019 #Kano

Showunmi contested to represent Abeokuta South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

He lost to APC’s Lanre Edun.

“I have placed a call to Engr. Lanre Edun of The APC. Declared winner of the contest for the Federal House of Representative for Abeokuta South Federal Constituency to congratulate him,” Showunmi said in a tweeted.

“It has never been about me but what our people in Abeokuta South deserve. I’m particularly happy that the orgy of violence and brigandage that other locations in Nigeria witness were spared my beloved people of Abeokuta South.”

The results are currently being announced in Abuja with less than a third of Nigeria’s 36 states already announced.

Source: JUST IN: PDP rejects presidential election results