The Independent National Electoral Commission has suspended election in the Esan and Igueben federal constituency in Edo State.
INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this at an election briefing on Saturday.
According to him, the suspension was due to the omission of the logo of a party on ballot papers.
The electoral chief said the poll in the federal constituency will now hold on March 11 alongside the governorship and state assemblies’ polls.
Yakubu said, “After meeting with the stakeholders, a decision was taken since the materials are intact. So, we have suspended the election for Esan North, Esan South, and Igueben.
“The ballot papers will be reprinted and elections will now hold with the constituency elections in the next two weeks.”
Yakubu assured Nigerians that INEC is determined to ensure that no Nigerian is disenfranchised.
INEC Postpones Election In 141 Polling Units In Bayelsa
Meanwhile, INEC has suspended election 141 polling units in Bayelsa due to insecurity.
The Commission said it could not hold the election yesterday because the corps members expressed some apprehension about going back to the polling units.
Addressing newsmen during the second election briefing at the National Collation Centres in Abuja yesterday, INEC chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, said the election in the four wards in Yenogoa will hold today (Sunday) as the Commission had met with security agencies to finalise the mobilisation process.
According to him, “In Bayelsa State, particularly in the capital, there are in four wards – Ward 4,6, 8, and 14, involving 141 polling units. The process was disrupted.
Tinubu Wins Polling Unit
Some elections results yesterday trickled in from polling units across the country where some prominent politicians voted.
The presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, won his Polling Unit 085, Ward 3, at Kafi Street, Alausa, in Ikeja, Lagos.
In the poll results announced at the polling unit, APC polled 33 votes of the 43 accredited voters as against 8 polled by the Labour Party . PDP and YPP polled one vote each .
In the Senatorial election, APC scored 36 votes to defeat PDP 4 , while ZLP got 2. ADC one vote.
In the House Representatives election, APC got 31 votes, Labour Party scored 9 votes, while PDP got 2 votes and SDP one vote.
Tinubu spoke at the polling unit: “I am very confident. I worked hard for it. I traverse the country, sometimes four times, and attended town hall meetings and various interest groups. I have attended to their request and I have worked harder than any other candidate in this country. I believe Nigeria will reward me, they will reward my hard work.”
Sanwo-Olu Wins Polling Unit For APC
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, won his polling unit for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the presidential, Senatorial and House of Representatives elections.
In the poll results announced at the polling unit, APC polled 86 votes as against 5 polled by the Labour Party and 3 votes by PDP.
In the Senatorial election, APC scored 90 votes to defeat PDP 11, while YYP got 2 votes.
In the House Representatives election, APC got 90 votes while PDP got 11, while ADC got 3 votes.
Shettima Delivers Polling Unit With 126 Votes Against PDP’s 22 Vot
The APC Vice Presidential Candidate, Sen . Kashim Shettima has won his polling unit 001 Shettimari ward of Lamisula Jabbamari ward with the APC winning the presidential election with 126 votes while the PDP got 22 votes.
Gov Inuwa loses In Polling Unit, Atiku wins
Gombe State governor, Inuwa Yahaya, lost his polling unit 010 at Jeka da Fari area of the state capital to the PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar.
Our correspondent reports that Governor Inuwa is the north east campaign coordinator of the APC presidential candidate, Tinubu.
Presiding officer at the polling unit, Mishel Thomas, who announced the results of the election, explained that PDP polled 215 votes while the APC scored 186 votes.
Other presidential candidates of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) Rabiu Kwankwaso got 10 votes while the Labour Party’s Peter Obi scored 4 votes respectively.
Obi Wins In David Mark’s Polling Unit
Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was declared winner in the polling unit of former Senate President, David Mark, located at the VIP Unit 01, GRA, Otukpo in Otukpo local government area of Benue State.
Our correspondent gathered that Obi got 178 votes to defeat the candidates of the APC and that of the PDP, who got 22 and 18 votes respectively.
Obasanjo Loses Polling Unit To Tinubu, As Osinbajo Delivers Ikenne Unit For APC
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo failed to deliver his Ward 11, Polling Unit 022 of Olusomi Compound, Sokori area of Totoro, Abeokuta for his preferred candidate, Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), as the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu won majority of the votes cast in the area.
Thus is coming just as the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo delivered his Polling Unit 14 of Ward 01 in the Egunrege area of Ikenne, headquarters of Ikenne Local Government Area for his party, the APC.
At Obasanjo’s Polling Unit in Abeokuta, Tinubu polled a total number of 56 votes to defeat Obi of the Labour Party with 09 votes in the election cast at Obasanjo’s Ward II of Abeokuta North Local Government.
PDPs Atiku Abubakar got 7 votes, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) scored eight (08) votes from the total votes cast. 10 votes were voided.
Meanwh#ile at Ikenne, Osinbajo assisted the APC to win the polling unit at Egunrege Ward 1, Polling Unit 14 of Ikenne Local Government Area in the exercise which saw the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu garnering a total of 33 votes, while Peter Obi of the Labour party polled a total of 09 votes and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP polling a total of 07 votes.
Obi’s Running Mate Loses Polling Unit
Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, the vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) lost his polling unit to the candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, The presidential hopeful in his polling unit 021 situated at Tudun Wada ward, in Zaria LGA of Kaduna state, secured only 54 votes, coming third behind PDP that scored 102 votes, the ruling APC that scored 98 votes and NNPP which secured 11 votes. The total number of accredited voters was 272.
Shettima Wins Polling Unit
The APC won in the polling unit of the party’s vice presidential candidate, Senator Kashim Shattima, in Saturday’s presidential election.
At the polling unit 001, Shettimari, Lamisula Jabbamari ward, APC won the presidential election with 126 votes while the PDP trailed with 22 votes only.
El-Rufai Wins Polling Unit, PDP Takes Kaduna Govt House
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state won his Ungwan Sarki polling unit 024 for Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Announcing the result, INEC presiding officer, Haruna Shuaibu said APC scored 173 while the PDP) 134, Labour Party got 3, and NNPP scored 18 votes.
However, in a polling unit 026 close to the governor’s own, the PDP took the.day.
The presiding Officer at Polling Unit 026, Maryam Abubakar, who announced the results, explained that the PDP scored 116 votes, Labour Party 3 votes, New Nigerian Peoples Party
(NNPP) 19 votes and APC, 84 votes. There were 29 invalid votes at the pulling unit.
Meanwhile, the PDP won at one of the polling units inside the Kaduna State Government House, 013.The result signed by the presiding officer, Kalu Kelechi Micheal, showed that the APC scored 40, Labour party, 48, PDP, 69, and NNPP, 11 votes.
Tinubu Wins In IBB, Abdulsalami Polling Unit, Gov Wins In Unit
APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Tinubu, won in the polling unit of two former Nigeria leaders Generals Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar.
Tinubu scored 66 votes, PDP’s Atiku got 57 votes while Obi’s Labour Party got 48 votes. 39 votes were invalid.
In the senatorial election, APC scored 93 votes, PDP 85 votes, and the Labour party 23 votes, with 23 invalid votes.
The result however showed that the PDP won with 110 votes against APC’s 88 Votes.
Similarly, the Governor of Niger state, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, won in his polling unit. In presidential poll, APC scored 142, PDP 74 and NNPP 31 in the Senate. The governor who is the candidate of APC scored 150, PDP 74, NNPP 37, and in House of Representatives APC got 125, PDP 117.
Atiku Wins Senate President’s polling unit
PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, won the polling unit of the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, who is an APC stalwart.
APC’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, got 107 votes while Atiku Abubakar of PDP presidential candidate got 186.
LEADERSHIP Sunday learnt that Sen President Ahmad Lawan cast his votes at the Katuzu Primary School polling unit 001B in the morning.
Peter Obi Of Labour Party Flogs Atiku, Tinubu in Calabar Urban
Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi was leading in presidential and National Assembly polls across nearly all the wards in Calabar Urban
In Calabar Urban ward 1 unit 004, a community highly dorminated by Hausa/Fulani, Mr. Peter Obi defeated APC’s Tinubu after polling 41 votes against 29.
PDP came third with 15 votes, AA 1 , NNPP 5, ADP 1, ZLP 1, Boot Party 1 vote. The total number of registered voters was 750. Invalid votes were 12.
Also in the Senatorial poll, APC’s Asuquo Ekpeyong Jr, polled 57 votes, Labour Party’s Daniel Asuquo scored 26 votes, while the PDP’s Ekpo Okon polled 17 votes.
Alt ward 6, an Igbo dominated area, Labour Party got 172 votes while APC scored 5 votes, and PDP candidate polled 17 votes.
At Ward 1 Unit 015, LP scored 7 votes, APC 5 votes, PDP 2 votes. In the Senatorial election, APC had 8 votes, LP 2 , PDP 2, ADC 1. In House of Representatives election, APC had 8, PDP 2 votes, LP 2, ADC 1 vote.
Gov Sule delivers polling unit for Tinubu
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, delivered his polling unit for the APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the Saturday poll.
In Governor Sule’s Polling Unit 001, Motor Park, Gudi Station, Tinubu polled 101, while the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar got 22.
In the poll, Labour Party’s Peter Obi got 21, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP) polled three votes. NNPP’s Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and the Action Democratic Party’s candidate, Yabagi Sani, polled one vote each.
For the senatorial seat, APC polled 108, while SDP followed with 35 votes, and PDP 8.
The ruling party got 85 votes for the House of Representatives with SDP following with 43 votes, while PDP had 13.
Presidential Poll: Labour Party Kicks Over Absence Of Polling Unit Results On INEC Portal
Meanwhile, the Labour Party (LP) has kicked against the absence of polling unit results for the presidential election on the result viewing portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Julius Abure, LP national chairperson, in a statement yesterday, said INEC officials in some polling units in Lagos State claimed that the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) machines developed fault.
Abure also said the same situation was playing out in some polling units in Delta state.
“Information reaching me has it that in Lagos, they have refused to upload the results for the presidential election. They have uploaded that of the Senate and House of Representatives but for the presidential, they have refused. And they are using the police to drive our agents and supporters out of the place. And they said that they have firm instruction from INEC headquarters not to upload.
“For example, in Kosofe, they put the collation centre in a Local Government Area Headquarters. The place is surrounded by APC and people are afraid of their life. They are not uploading. They said that they have been given instruction to insist that the BVAS is faulty. And most of the places we won, but they have refused to upload.
“As I speak, APC officials are in Yaba office of INEC negotiating with the officials. What I have said now is happening in Agege, Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Surulere.
“We have this situation all over. In Ibeju Lekki, our local government chairman who attempted to stop them was arrested by the police,” he said.
However, at the time of filing this report, LEADERSHIP Sunday observed that over 3,000 polling unit results for National Assembly elections had been uploaded on the portal so far.
Peace Committee Moves To Manage Election Fallout
BY Sunday Isuwa, Abuja, ISAIAH BENJAMIN, Kaduna and Nnamdi Mbawike, Enugu
Apparently wary of impending post-election violence following the violence that trailed the presidential and National Assembly elections, the national peace committee yesterday moved to manage the situation.
Accordingly, the committee appealed to Nigerians to maintain peaceful conduct after the elections.
Chairman of the committee and former head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who made the appeal after casting his vote at the hilltop polling unit in Minna, Niger State, however, commended the relative peaceful conduct of the exercise in the state and country.
He said, “I have been able to perform my civic responsibility, I am happy we have peace in the country during the elections. From what I have seen here, it is very comfortable, the moment they see you, the BVAS captures you and gives you your ballot papers for you to cast your vote.
“From all that has been going on, everything is going on smoothly and peacefully. We thank God for how things are going on in Nigeria and Niger State”.
The Arewa Consultative Forum and Ohanaeze Ndigbo have given indications they will accept and work with whoever emerges president while Afenifere has deferred from making such a commitment.
National organising secretary of Afenifere, Abagun Kole Omololu, told this paper that he has been cautioned not to make any comment on the polls.
But the apex northern socio-cultural group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), said it would accept the outcome of the presidential election and support whoever emerges the winner.
Secretary-general of the forum, Aloyi Murtala, said whatever candidates and their supporters would wish, the final verdict will be determined by the votes Nigerians cast.
He stated: “There will definitely be winners and losers, so whichever way it goes, no one should attempt to disrespect the decision of Nigerians by condemning, or even worse, rejecting the outcome.
“That will be a cruel attack on our democracy and Nigerians will regard such conduct as unacceptable. Leaders in all climes must take all steps to ensure the safety of lives and property of all Citizens and foreigners in their domains.
“The media too must play a responsible role in reporting to douse any tension that may arise as a consequence of the elections and results. Governments at all levels must ensure a smooth transition to the next crop of leadership.
“But most importantly, Nigerians should come out and vote for the candidates of their choice on Saturday, 25th February, 2023, and two weeks later on Saturday, 11th March, 2023. Remember, not coming out to vote is allowing yourself to be ruled by your inferiors! God bless and save the Federal Republic of Nigeria” he said.
Similarly, the Ohanaeze Youth Council declared yesterday that they were ready to accept the outcome of the presidential election.
President of the council, Okwu Nnabuike Okwu, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP Sunday in Enugu.
The Ohanaeze Youth Council president said they are against people with the intention to truncate the electoral process.
He pointed out that they want to ensure that democracy is sustained, adding that they wouldn’t want the military to take over power.
“We are ready to accept it, we want to continue with the electoral process” he stated
Also, the apex Igbo social- cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has said that the organisation is poised for jubilation galore because it has worked hard for victory.
Spokesman of Ohanaeze, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP Sunday when asked if the organisation will accept the outcome of the election and congratulate the winner.
He stated that they are hoping that the outcome of the result will lead to jubilation galore.
Ogbonnia insisted that they were expecting jubilation galore, saying they were not expecting anything to the contrary.
He maintained that the outcome will be in their favour and nothing less.
Accept Election Outcome, CSOs Tell Presidential Candidates
Civil Society Organisations CSOs in Nigeria have called on the presidential candidates and their supporters to accept the outcome of the election.
According to the CSOs, the presidential candidates should call their supporters not to resort to violence if they did not emerge.
The CSOs that spoke to LEADERSHIP Sunday are Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Transparency International (TI), the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Rotary Club.
Speaking, the leader of TMG, TI, and CISLAC, Awwal Musa Rafsanjani, said the presidential candidates should know that only one person will emerge winner.
“We call on the presidential candidate to abide by the code of conduct they sign. The presidential candidates should also abide by the democratic tenets.
“Some will win, some will lose. Accept the outcome of the election especially when it is free and fair,” Rafsanjani told the presidential candidates.
“The people should not be involved in violence. It is the duty of the presidential candidates to call their members to ensure that they call their supporters not to do anything that will bridge the peace of the country.
Meanwhile, The Rotary Club of Abuja has urged Nigerians especially the presidential candidates to embrace peace and eschew violence in the general elections.
A statement issued by the President of the club, Rotarian Obinna Nwandikom and the secretary, Rotarian Aderson Idoko encouraged the masses to see the Nation as a priority over any individual or political party, hence collective interest should come first.
The rotary statement implored Nigerians to exercise their democratic rights peacefully and responsibly and reject any form of violence.
“Elections are a cornerstone of any democratic society, and it is important that all stakeholders play their part in ensuring that the process is peaceful and transparent.
“The role of citizens in promoting peaceful elections cannot be overemphasized. Nigerians must show a high level of political maturity and eschew any form of violence, intimidation. They must be prepared to accept the outcome of the elections, even if their preferred candidates do not win,” the Rotary Club said.
