- Election victory has vindicated me – Uzodimma
- INEC adjourns results collation in Bayelsa till Monday
BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, LOKOJA
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Kogi State, Usman Ahmed Ododo, emerged winner in the keenly contested November 11, 2023 governorship election in the state.
The State Returning Officer, Prof Johnson Urama, who is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, announced Ododo as the winner at 10:23pm on Sunday.
“Ahmed Usman Ododo of APC, having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Urama declared in a room crowded with party agents and election observers.
Ododo won with 446,237 votes, defeating his closest rival, Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party, who scored 259,052, while Dino Melaye of the People’s Democratic Party polled 46,362 votes.
Leke Bejide of the African Democratic Party scored 21,891 votes, while Adejo Okeme of the LP got 567 votes.
The total number of registered voters was 1,932,474, and accredited voters numbered 794,500.
The commission said 9,601 votes were rejected out of the 791,890 total votes cast.
Results from the 21 local government areas in the state were collated late Sunday with the APC candidate sweeping over half of the LGAs.
Ododo, an ex-Auditor General of Local Government in Kogi under Governor Yahaya Bello, was the anointed candidate of the governor who is ending his double terms of eight years on January 14, 2024.
Melaye and some civil rights groups had on Saturday, raised the alarm over “filled result sheets” in the Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of the North Central state.
The PDP candidate also called for the suspension of the exercise over violence and vote buying. The Independent National Electoral Commission subsequently suspended election in nine wards in the local government area.
Late Sunday, INEC said fresh polls will be conducted in 59 polling units in the Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of the state on November 18, 2023.
INEC, however, introduced a condition for the polls to be held in the 59 polling units, saying that “the decision to hold fresh elections is subject to the Returning Officer’s determination of the application of the Margin of Lead Principle”.
In his declaration late Sunday, Urama said the total number of Permanent Voter Cards in the affected polling units was put at 16,247, one that was insignificant to the about 200,000 votes gathered by the APC candidate ahead of his closest rival – Ajaka.
The margin of lead implied that the elections initially scheduled by INEC for next Saturday in the 59 polling units would no longer be held.
INEC adjourns results collation in Bayelsa till Monday
Also, INEC on Sunday night adjourned the collation of results in the November 11, 2023, Bayelsa State Governorship Election till Monday noon.
Results from six of the eight local government areas in the state namely Kolokuma/Opokuma, Ogbia, Yenagoa, Sagbama, Nembe and Ekeremor have been collated. The remaining local government areas are Brass and Southern Ijaw.
Prof Faruq Kuta, who is the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, and the state Returning Officer for the election in Bayelsa adjourned the exercise on Sunday night.
“Ododo won with 446,237 votes, defeating his closest rival, Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party, who scored 259,052, while Dino Melaye of the People’s Democratic Party polled 46,362 votes”
Sixteen political parties sponsored candidates for the election in Bayelsa.
Governor Duoye Diri of the People’s Democratic Party’s main opponent is a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and an ex-governor of the state, Timipre Sylva.
Sylva, the All Progressives Congress candidate in the poll, was first Bayelsa governor from May 2007 to April 2008 and later between May 2008 and January 2012.
Hundreds of PDP supporters in Bayelsa State had staged a protest in Yenagoa, the state capital, on Sunday, demanding that the results of the election conducted in Nembe-Bassambiri, Nembe LG, should not be brought to the collation centre.
The results indicated that the PDP candidate, Governor Douye Diri, had polled 137, 909, the APC candidate, Timipre Sylva, had 73, 503 and LP candidate, Udengs Eradiri, scored 703.
But the PDP supporters stormed the INEC office to protest elections in the APC strongholds, particularly the Nembe LG, where Sylva got 22,248 votes.
But the APC agent at the collation centre in Yenagoa, Dennis Otioto defended the party’s victory, adding Sylva’s agents Ofoni, and Kolokuma/Opokuma were chased away.
The PDP supporters alleged that the election did not take place in Nembe-Bassambiri and that the results from the polling units in the area were concocted.
The protesters marched towards the INEC office on Swali Road but were barred from reaching the office by security agents.
They had converged on the Isaac Boro Peace Park at Ovom on the Mbiama-Yenagoa Road at about 9.30 am before marching towards the gate of the INEC Office along the Swali Market Road.
But as the protesters approached the Swali Road from the Lambert Eradiri Road and moved past the roundabout connecting Mgbi Road, several armed security operatives mounting a checkpoint on the road stopped them from getting close to the junction leading to the INEC office entrance.
The security operatives blocked the road with Armoured Personnel Carriers and several security patrol vans while taking strategic positions around the area.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen, the state Commissioner for Education, Gentle Emelah, said they embarked on the demonstration because eligible PDP voters in Nembe-Bassambiri were disenfranchised, and this was unacceptable.
He called on INEC and the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Obo Effanga, to reject the results from Nembe-Bassambiri, insisting that voting did not occur in the community.
Emelah said, “We are here to tell the world that election is not violence. Election is a serious responsibility. Everyone that is having electoral rights ought to cast his vote.
“But what is happening in Nembe-Bassambiri is not acceptable because you cannot disenfranchise eligible voters and coerce INEC to do your bid. A level playing ground should be provided to every adult of voting age to cast his or her vote.
“We know that there was no election in Nembe-Bassambiri. So, because of that, we are talking to INEC to discard that result. And if at all, let them revisit the Bassambiri issue and ensure that everybody has the right to vote.”
Also speaking, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Diriyai Dambo, SAN, described the incident in Nembe-Bassambiri as “a rape of democracy.’’
He claimed that the party’s supporters who were travelling to Nembe ahead of the governorship polls on November 10 were allegedly subjected to a life-threatening situation.
Dambo said that balloting was not conducted in Nembe-Bassambiri, particularly in constituencies 2 and 9, and that fake results were written and posted on social media.
Dambo, an indigene of Nembe, said, “If what we are here for is allowed to go on, then there will be a massive rape of democracy. We are here because we were disenfranchised in Nembe-Bassambiri, where I am from. Precisely, on the 10th of November, most of our people, with about 58 buses, left Yenagoa to Nembe with escorts.
“When we arrived, the SWAT Team was blocking the entrance to Nembe with other APC acclaimed youths. They said we should come down for a search. One of our boys, identified as Kile, came down, and they manhandled him. He escaped by the whiskers.
‘’After that, they started threatening us, up to the extent that they threw tear gas at us. They said we could not go in, to the extent that most of them were scared for their lives, so they had to leave.’’
In a worrisome development, some INEC officials have been held hostage in the Brass LG.
In a post on its X handle on Sunday, the INEC called on the police and other security operatives to investigate the situation and facilitate the release of the officials.
The post read, “The unfolding situation in Brass Local Government Area. The Commission is closely watching the situation in Brass LG of Bayelsa State, where our officials are held hostage.
“This is detrimental to credible elections. We call on the security agencies to immediately facilitate their release.”
A man identified as George Sibo reportedly died Sunday afternoon in Twon-Brass, the headquarters of the Brass LG, after he was attacked by a mob believed to be APC supporters.
It was learnt that the deceased, a PDP supporter, was attacked at the governorship election collation centre at the council area headquarters when results from some wards in Constituency 2 were being submitted.
Sibo, popularly called “Kobo-Kobo”, was said to be an indigene of Twon-Brass and an aide to a politician from the local government.
A member of the state House of Assembly representing Brass Constituency 1, Daniel Charles, condemned the gruesome killing of the man.
He urged security agents to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of the dastardly act immediately.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Asinim Butswat, said he was awaiting the details of the incident from the area commander in Brass LGA.
INEC declares Uzodimma winner of Imo governorship election
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission has announced the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, as the winner of the state governorship election held on Saturday.
The state Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Abayomi Fasina, who is also the Vice-Chancellor, Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, announced the results on Sunday morning at INEC’s state collation centre in Owerri, the state capital.
He declared Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the election with 540,308 votes while Samuel Anyanwu of the People’s Democratic Party came a distant second with a total of 71,503 votes.
Athan Achonu of the Labour Party polled 64,081 votes to come third in the election.
Anthony Ejiogu of the All Progressives Grand Alliance garnered 6,392 votes to come fourth and Jack Ogunewe of the Action Alliance came fifth with 5,756 votes.
The state’s Returning Officer said, “I, Prof. Abayomi Fasina, I was the Returning officer for the Imo state governorship election held on November 11, 2023. That the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Good Hope Uzodimma, having scored the highest number of votes and satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner of the election and returned elected.”
The results announced by INEC showed that Uzodimma swept all the 27 Local Government Areas of the state.
With this result, Uzodimma will be sworn – in for a second term in office on January 14, 2024.
Earlier, the State Agent of the LP, Callistus Ihejiagwa, was beaten and bundled out of the state Collation centre after he protested the results announced by the Local Government Areas Returning officers.
He said that the results were manipulated in the favour of the APC candidate.
The state Agent of the PDP, Kissinger Ikeokwu, immediately left the collation centre.
The leadership of the Labour Party on Sunday said it will support the decision of its Imo State governorship candidate, Athan Achonu, to challenge the victory of Governor Hope Uzodimma in court.
Achonu had earlier rejected the result of Saturday’s election and demanded cancellation.
He told journalists in his Umulomo country home in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of the state that the election was fraught with irregularities, vote buying and physical assaults of party agents.
Reacting, the spokesman for the party’s Campaign Organisation, Yunusa Tanko, disclosed that they were not surprised by the outcome of the poll following the level of harassment and intimidation their supporters were subjected to.
Tanko said, “Achonu is right to reject the election results. Definitely, he will be heading to the court in line with electoral provision to seek redress. That election is nothing but a scam. You know it is something we expected may happen. It is just that we have no power over what is going on in that state.
“First, they started with intimidation of our people and also booked all the hotels. Many of our supporters who travelled to work for our candidate’s victory were denied the opportunity of having accommodation and the level of insecurity was so high.
“We therefore support any action our Imo candidate is taking, including going to court.”
The Imo State chapter of the Labour Party had vowed to challenge the declaration of the state governor, Hope Uzodimma, as the winner of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
At a press conference held in Owerri, the state LP chairman, Callistus Ihejiagwa, said the process that brought Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress as the re-elected governor of the state was faulty.
He described the poll as a daylight robbery and a rape of democracy.
According to him, it was surprising that the Independent National Electoral Commission could produce results in places where there was no accreditation of voters.
He said that elections didn’t take place in most places in Orsu, Orlu, Ideato North, Okigwe, Oguta, and Owerri municipality, yet INEC in collaboration with APC and security agents, allegedly wrote results.
He also faulted the Returning Officer, Prof. Abayomi Fasina, of the Federal University Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State, for failing to address his petition before going on to collate the results and returned Uzodimma as the winner of the election.
Ihejiagwa said, “What happened in Imo State on Saturday was a sham. It was shameful how the security agents provided INEC staff and APC members the protection to rig the election.
“From our records, our candidate, Senator Athan Achonu, won the election. We will challenge the announcement of Hope Uzodimma as the winner of the election in court.
“If anybody keeps quiet, of course, Labour and our candidate won’t. We clearly won the election. We will retrieve our mandate in court.”
Meanwhile, a former spokesman for the People’s Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, on Sunday, felicitated the re-election of Governor Hope Uzodimma.
In his congratulatory message, Metuh stated, “I heartily congratulate my friend and brother, Senator Hope Uzodimma on his overwhelming victory at the just concluded Imo State governorship election and his reelection as Governor of Imo State for the next four years.
“I was in Imo for six days last week and as a former party National Vice-Chairman, who supervised the political affairs of Imo State for four years, it was clear to me and all discerning minds that the elders, business community, civil servants and indeed the entire people across all divide had their minds made up on voting for Governor Hope Uzodimma.”
“He declared Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the election with 540,308 votes while Samuel Anyanwu of the People’s Democratic Party came a distant second with a total of 71,503 votes”
The erstwhile opposition party spokesman continued, “Your Excellency, not so long ago, I played a huge part in ensuring your nomination and election as a Senator with the hope that your care for the people will be better served in politics than just pure personal benevolence and philanthropy.
“It is my fervent prayer that as you savour your landslide and overwhelming victory at the polls, you as well prepare your tasks now, to transcend from just the Hope of Imo to the Hope of the South East.”
Metuh added, “The South East needs to get all assistance from the Federal Government on security, infrastructural development, appointments and recognition as a vital link to building a true nation.
“It is our hope that you become the Hope of the South East in achieving this repositioning.”
Election victory has vindicated me – Uzodimma
Meanwhile, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has thanked supporters following his re-election.
Uzodimma became the Imo governor in 2020 after the Supreme Court nullified Emeka Ihedioha’s victory.
But on Sunday, the Independent National Electoral Commission declared the All Progressives Congress candidate as the winner of the Imo governorship election after he cleared all 27 local government areas of the South-East state.
He said the latest victory shows he actually won the Imo governorship election back in 2019 but was cheated until the Supreme Court came to the rescue.
“This victory is very dear to me because it is vindication that the same God who did it before will do it again,” he said during a thanksgiving service in Owerri, the state capital, on Sunday.
“My good people of Imo State, I am humbled and honored by your overwhelming support in yesterday’s election,” he added.
“Your trust in me to continue leading our dear state is both inspiring and deeply appreciated. Together, we have achieved a resounding victory and I am committed to delivering on the promises made during our campaign.”
