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A seven-storey building under construction on Banana Island, Lagos State, has collapsed, trapping several workers.
Emergency responders were immediately mobilised to the scene of the building collapse.
Lagos Territorial Head of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the incident in a brief update Wednesday evening.
“Report of a building under construction was just received at Banana Island. Workers trapped. We are mobilising to respond,” he said.
Giving an update on the building collapse, Deputy Director, Public Affairs Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mukaila Sanusi, said “an unapproved 7-floor building under construction collapsed.”
He said, “Few who sustained injuries are being treated. There is no fatality. This unfortunate incident happened while casting was being done.
“Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tayo Bamgbose-Martins was immediately on site to assess the situation and flag- off investigation.
“We ask members of the public to remain calm and expect further information from the ministry as we know more.”
The incident is the latest in the rampant cases of building collapse in the state in recent years.
Debt Management Office has listed four Federal Government of Nigeria bonds valued at N360 billion for subscription at N1,000 per unit.
The first offer is a February 2028 FGN Bond, valued at N90 billion, at an interest rate of 13.98 per cent per annum (10-year re-opening).
The second offer is an April 2032 FGN Bond, valued at N90 billion, with an interest rate of 12.50 per cent per annum (10-year re-opening).
There is also the Jan 2042 FGN Bond valued at N90 billion, with an interest rate of 13.00 per cent per annum (20-year re-opening).
The fourth offer is the March 2042 FGN Bond, also valued at N90 billion, at an interest rate of 12.98 per cent per annum.
The auction date is April 17, and the settlement date is April 19.
“For re-openings of previously issued bonds, successful bidders will pay a price corresponding to the yield-to-maturity bid that clears the volume being auctioned plus any accrued interest on the instrument.
“Interest is payable semi-annually, while bullet payment is made on maturity,” the DMO said.
It said that FGN Bonds were backed by the full faith and credit of Nigeria.
“They qualify as securities in which trustees can invest under the Trustee Investment Act.
“They qualify as government securities within the meaning of Company Income Tax Act and Personal Income Tax Act for tax exemption for pension funds among other investors,” it said.
According to DMO, the bonds are listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange Limited and FMDQ Securities Exchange Limited.
“All FGN Bonds qualify as liquid asset for liquidity ratio calculation for banks,” it said.
Chimamanda Adichie, a Nigerian novelist, says many Nigerians feel cheated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the 2023 presidential election.
Speaking on Tuesday on Arise Television, Adichie said as far as Nigerians are concerned, INEC lost its credibility for failing to upload results immediately as promised.
“I had been assured that technology would save us and we should also talk about how difficult it was to collect PVCs and how that in itself is a form of voter disenfranchisement,” she said.
“We can’t see them (results) in real time. We cannot see them as Prof. Yakubu Mahmood said. He said I’m going to put it there. I read several times that the public will be able to view that polling unit results as soon as elections are finalised on election day.
“The Electoral Act says that INEC was given the legal backing to have electronic transmission of results and did say in a format that INEC decides. We know that format, because the chair of INEC told us what the format would be when he said that the results will be uploaded at the end of voting from the polling units. And that was not done.”
In response to comments that she supported Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), because they are from the same tribe, Adichie said “tribesman is such an outdated and strange expression”, which says something about whoever is using it.
“I think that that kind of accusation is a practice of what psychologists call projecting. So you’re doing something but then you accuse someone else of doing it, even though they’re not”.
Adichie said President Muhammadu Buhari and Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, blew their chances of becoming the new heroes of Nigeria’s democracy.
“Many Nigerians feel deeply cheated by INEC, deeply disenfranchised by INEC, and that is authoritarianism which obviously is the basis of fascism at the centre of manipulating an election because what you’re doing is that you’re gagging people, you’re forcibly taking away their voice,” she said.
“I think that Prof Yakubu had an opportunity for heroism. I think he wasted it spectacularly. Because he could very easily have become the hero of not just Nigerians but Africa because so many Africans were watching and they were so inspired by what happened before this election and by the ‘obidient’ movement.
“I also think that President Buhari missed an opportunity for heroism, maybe his last chance at heroism, because Nigerians felt before the elections that he meant well and meant to support credible elections. I don’t think many Nigerians think that now.”
She added that she hopes parties in court will get justice, noting that there were reasons to doubt it.
“I hope they will. I think there’s reason to doubt that because the supreme court has had rulings that just did not make a lot of sense to most people,” Adichie said.
“And so there’s reason to worry, but I’m hopeful. I’m generally hopeful. I’m optimistic that they will do the right thing and that people will get justice.”
On the Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka’s position on LP’s Vice Presidential Candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, Adichie had this to say: “I have a lot of respect for Soyinka, I admire him, I respect him as a thinker, as a writer, I think every one should read the The Man Died, Ake: The Memoir is beautiful, but at the same time, I disagree with him very strongly on this particular issue, and actually because I respect Soyinka so much, I went back and watched the interview, and I think fascist is a really strong word.
“We use it now to address this sort of authoritarianism that is often populist, and right-wing like Hungary, and even the former American president, and if you look at those situations, you can see why they have been termed fascist, and I didn’t see any reason Baba-Ahmed’s interview would have been termed fascist.
“I think he was making a very strongly-felt point about the election. I think a charitable way of reading Soyinka’s comments is that Soyinka himself, I think it’s fair to say he is not given to restraint in language, in general, so maybe that’s where that word fascist came from.”
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has told the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) that a candidate doesn’t have to secure 25 per cent votes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja to be declared winner in a presidential election.
This is as the electoral umpire has also submitted that neither the Electoral Act nor its guidelines contemplated electronic collation of results, transmission and uploading of electronic result as a condition precedent to the announcement of winner of the February 25 presidential election.
It therefore said the return of Bola Tinubu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the poll was based on manual collation of the totality of the valid votes cast at the election.
The commission’s position is contained in its notice of preliminary objection filed by its lead counsel, Abubakar Mahmoud against the petition by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the party challenging the declaration of Tinubu as winner of the poll.
INEC urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition by Atiku and his party because the FCT is not accorded any special status in the Nigerian constitution as being “erroneously” portrayed by some political parties and candidates who lost the February 25 election.
“The provisions of the Constitution apply to FCT as if it were one of the states of the Federation and the use of the word ‘and’ in Section 134 (2) of the Constitution indicates nothing more than that in construing two-thirds of the states of the federation in which a candidate is required to score one-quarter of the votes cast.”
It added that the FCT, beyond being the country’s capital “has no special constitutional status over and above the other 36 states of the Federation to require a candidate in the presidential election to obtain at least 25 per cent of the votes cast in the FCT before being declared winner of the presidential election.
“The FCT is regarded as the 37th state of the federation and as such, a candidate needs to score 25 per cent of the valid votes cast in at least two-thirds of 37 states (to be declared as winner in the presidential election.” It argued that by the provision of the Constitution, the FCT “has the status of a state and ought to be recognised as if were a state of the federation.”
INEC also said Atiku and his party did not meet the constitutional requirement to be declared winner of the presidential election.
INEC submitted that it was Tinubu, the APC candidate, that met all the legal requirements to be so announced as winner of the election.
The commission further told the tribunal that the February 25 presidential election was one of the best election conducted since the return of democracy in 1999, “having been conducted with the aid of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System(BVAS) device which ensured that only registered and verified voters were accredited and voted at the election.”
Challenging Tinubu’s victory in the petition marked CA/PEPC/05/2023, Atiku and the PDP claimed that the APC candidate not duly elected by the majority of lawful votes cast at the election and was at the time of the election not qualified to contest the election.
The PDP candidate prayed the tribunal to nullify Tinubu’s victory and withdraw the certificate of return issued to him.
But INEC in its objection said: “The election result reflected the will of the people and the 1st petitioner (Atiku), though did not win the overall exercise, scored 6,984,520 to come second to Tinubu who scored a total of 8,794,726. While Atiku won his home state, Adamawa, Tinubu lost his home State, Lagos.”
While urging the tribunal to dismiss the petition by the opposition PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, against the outcome of the polls, INEC contended that “there is no where it is mandated to only use and electronic means in collating or transferring of election results.”
It placed its reliance on the judgment of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court in Labour Party Vs INEC which stated that “It is only mandated to collate and transfer election results and the number of accredited voters in a way or manner deemed fit by it.”
INEC equally argued that the PDP and Atiku did not meet the constitutional requirements to be declared winner of the February 25 election.
It said: “The first petitioner (Atiku), failed to score, at least, one-quarter of the votes cast in at least two-thirds of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and as such could not have been declared the winner.”
Contrary to the claim by the petitioners, INEC added: “The election was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 and was not marred by any corrupt practices.”
It further added that it complied fully with the Electoral Act and its guidelines by deploying BVAS device for the accreditation of voters and transmitting the accreditation data to its servers, as provided by sections 47(2) & (3); 60 (1), (2) & (5); 64 (4) (a) & (b); (5), (6) & (8); 71 and 73 of the Electoral Act and relevant paragraphs of its manual for election.
It denied that any stage, it disconnect or caused any BVAS device to be disconnected from internet before transmission of data to the e-transmission system as alleged by the petitioners.
INEC also denied it did act hastily going by the margin of lead, as claimed by Atiku and the PDP in declaring Tinubu the winner.
“The first petitioner (Atiku), failed to score, at least, one-quarter of the votes cast in at least two-thirds of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and as such could not have been declared the winner.”
As against the claim by the petitioners, INEC added: “The election was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 and was not marred by any corrupt practices.”
The commission said the President-elect, Tinubu validly won the election and was at the time of the polls qualified to contest the election.
“Having satisfied the requirements of Section 134 (2) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the return of the second respondent as the winner of the presidential election conducted on 25th February 2023 is lawful, valid and constitutional.
“The petitioners neither scored the majority of the lawful votes cast at the election nor scored not less than one-quarter of the lawful votes cast in at least two-thirds of the 36 states of the federation and the FCT. Therefore, the first petitioner (Atiku) is not entitled to be returned as the winner of the presidential election conducted on 25th February 2023.”
All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday prayed the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) in Abuja to dismiss the petition filed by the PDP challenging the election of Bola Tinubu in the 25 February poll.
APC, the 4th respondent, urged the PEPC to reject the petition in its notice of preliminary objection marked: CA/PEPC/A/05/2023.
The party said that the court had no jurisdiction to adjudicate on the petitioners’ allegation predicated on ground (D) in paragraph 16 of the petition and the related paragraph 146 which lacks necessary facts or particulars as required by paragraph 4 (1)(d) of the rules of procedure for election petitions (1st Schedule to the electoral Act 2022).
”The petitioners’ paragraph 146 in support of ground four on non-qualification is vague, bare and meaningless as having the constitutional threshold is not part of the requirement to contest any election,” the APC said.
The APC said allegations of non-compliance must be made distinctly and proved on polling unit basis.
The party also added that the petitioners did not provide the particulars of polling units where any irregularity or non-compliance took place.
”The petition as presently constituted, is devoid of necessary particulars to support allegations of corrupt practices, violence and non-compliance with provisions of the electoral act.
”Paragraph 35 of the petition is not relevant or cognizable and 84 is vague as no specific figure or polling units are pleaded as the margin of lead to be countered by the respondent,” the APC said.
The APC therefore prayed the tribunal to dismiss or strike out the petitioners ‘ petition for lack of merit.
Petition
Atiku and the PDP in the petition dated 21 March claimed that Mr Tinubu’s victory was as a result of alleged malpractices and other irregularities, upon which they are seeking the nullification of his victory.
Respondents in the petition marked: CA/PEPC/05/2023, are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Tinubu and the APC as 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively.
The petition is based on four major grounds amongst which are that Tinubu’s election is invalid by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.
The petition also alleged that the election was invalid because of corrupt practices.
Thirdly, the petition stated that Tinubu was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the Election.
Fourthly, the petition stated, Tinubu was at the time of the election not qualified to contest the election.
The APC had similarly, in separate filings, urged the election petition court to dismiss other petitions filed by the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi, and three other candidates.
Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, had declared Tinubu winner after securing a majority of votes cast at the poll, Atiku second and Obi third.
Besides, according to INEC, Tinubu met the constitutional benchmark of scoring 25 per cent in two thirds of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Some suspected dare-devil armed robbers on Wednesday afternoon stormed the popular Phone market in Abeokuta otherwise known as Tarmac.
The armed robbers numbering about eight was said to have arrived the Abeokuta phone village at about 4:51pm in masks, shooting sporadically to scare away passersby, business owners and other customers at the business hub.
The Chairman, Mobile Phones Dealers and Technicians Association (MOPDATEC), Ogun state, Mr. Ifebola Togunwa said men of the underworld dispatched themselves into four groups and raided about six shops within one hour at gunpoint.
Togunwa otherwise known as Lobot explained that, while the operation lasted, members of the association who are business owners all scampered for safety.
He added that, while everyone ran for their lives, the suspects carted away expensive phones worth about N14million.
He said, he immediately alerted men of the Nigeria Police who arrived the scene to repel the attack.
He maintained that, while the attackers making way, some aggrieved members of the association with combined efforts of the security men ran after the assailants.
He stressed further that, while members of the association were chasing the robbers along Ibara-Omida road, one of the phone sellers sustained gunshot injury and was taken to the General Hospital, Ijaiye in Abeokuta where he was confirmed dead.
Togunwa, however, said one of the armed robbers was apprehended by the angry mob and has been taken to Ibara Divisional Police station.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi said operatives of Nigeria Police successfully repelled the armed robbery gang who invaded the popular phone market.
Oyeyemi explained that, immediately a distress call was made to the Police at Ibara Divisional headquarters, the DPO, CSP Abayomi Adeniji quickly mobilized his anti robbery and surveillance teams in collaboration with men of Amotekun corps and moved to the scene.
He said, on sighting the policemen, the robbers engaged them in a gun duel, but due to the superior fire power of the policemen, the hoodlums took to their heels.
According to the Police Spokesman, the robbers were hotly chased and with the assistance of the market men, this led to the arrest of one of the robbers later identified as Adeniji Sakiru, 32 years old.
He, however, said luck ran out of one of the phone sellers, Dayo Bankole popularly known as “Ebe” who joined in the hot chase of the robbers, as he was shot by the robbers and later gave up the ghost while receiving treatment at General Hospital Ijaye, Abeokuta.
Recovered from the arrested robber are; one double barrel locally made gun and Criminal charms.
Meanwhile the outgoing Commissioner of Police now AIG, Frank Mba, has directed that the suspect be transferred to State Criminal Investigation Departments for discreet investigation.
He equally ordered a massive manhunt for the remaining members of the gang with the view to bring them to justice.
He therefore appealed to members of the public, especially hospitals, to inform the police if anybody with gunshot injury if seen in their area.
Presidential campaign councils of the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party have challenged the Department of State Services to get tough with plotters of the interim national government.
The councils, in separate interviews with Punch correspondents on Wednesday in Abuja, said the push for the ING was unconstitutional, adding that the plotters should be arrested.
They spoke against the backdrop of a statement issued by the security agency that some people were plotting the ING.
DSS had earlier on Wednesday raised the alarm over a plot by some Nigerians to thwart the May 29 inauguration of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.
DSS, in a statement in Abuja by its Spokesman, Peter Afunanya, alleged that those behind the plot planned to undermine civil rule and foist an interim government on the country.
Independent National Electoral Commission had on March 1 declared Tinubu the winner of the February 25 presidential election.
The APC presidential candidate polled 8,794,726 votes to defeat the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who got 6,984,520 votes and the Labour Party’s Peter Obi that had 6,101,533 votes.
A day after the result was declared, Atiku and Obi at separate press conferences on March 2 rejected the outcome on the grounds that the election was rigged.
Also, a former Anambra State Governor Chukwuemeka Ezeife, stated that Tinubu would not be sworn in as President.
Speaking on Channels Television on March 23, the vice-presidential candidate of the LP, Datti Baba-Ahmed, said the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, must not swear in Tinubu on May 29.
Some protesters under the aegis of the Free Nigeria Movement on Tuesday last week, asked the President, Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) to annul the February 25 presidential election and set up an interim government.
But hundreds of pro-Tinubu protesters, under the aegis of ‘The Natives’, stormed the streets of Abuja on Monday, warning against the imposition of an ING.
However, in the statement it issued on Wednesday, the DSS said it had identified some key players in the plot for an ING.
It stated, “The service considers the plot, being pursued by these entrenched interests, as not only an aberration but a mischievous way to set aside the constitution and undermine civil rule as well as plunge the country into an avoidable crisis. The illegality is totally unacceptable in a democracy and to the peace-loving Nigerians.’’
The security agency alleged that the plot was taking place after the peaceful conduct of the elections in most parts of the country.
It added, “The planners, in their many meetings, have weighed various options, which include, among others, to sponsor endless violent mass protests in major cities to warrant a declaration of State of Emergency. Another is to obtain frivolous court injunctions to forestall the inauguration of new executive administrations and legislative houses at the federal and state levels.
“The DSS supports the President and Commander-in-Chief in his avowed commitment to a hitch-free handover and will assiduously work in this direction. It also supports the Presidential Transition Council and other related bodies in the states.”
The DSS added that it would collaborate with PTC and other law enforcement agencies to ensure seamless inaugurations in May.
Consequently, the Service strongly warns those organising to thwart democracy in the country to retract from their devious schemes and orchestrations.
“Stakeholders, notably judicial authorities, media and the Civil Society, are enjoined to be watchful and cautious to avoid being used as instruments to subvert peace and stability of the nation.
“While its monitoring continues, the DSS will not hesitate to take decisive and necessary legal steps against these misguided elements to frustrate their obnoxious intentions,’’ it further warned.
Commenting on the plot, the Director of Strategic Communications for the APC PCC, Idris Mohammed, said the DSS should arrest the plotters.
Mohammed warned that the APC PCC would go all out to ensure nothing hinders a smooth swearing-in of Tinubu.
He said, “The APC PCC is aligned with the position of the DSS, which we believe is doing its job. If this statement is coming directly from the DSS itself, it means that it is not an empty allegation. In any case, we believe the security agencies are also there to deal with this kind of situation. That is why they are there. Their duty is to thwart any threat against the Nigerian nation. They should react to it and go the extra mile to pin down those also responsible.
“We are seeing a pattern which we believe the DSS is also seeing. Otherwise, you cannot as far as call for a coup d’etat and pretend to still believe in democracy.”
APC backs DSS
His position was shared by the Chief Spokesman for the PCC, Festus Keyamo, who noted the statement released by the DSS was not different from an earlier alarm that he raised on potential incitement and subversive plot of some interim government proponents last week.
“The DSS is the super spy of the nation and has a duty to do their work. As you can see, their statement confirmed the alarm I raised earlier about incitement and treasonable felony. This is just to confirm what the APC PCC brought to the notice of the public last week.
“Therefore, it is good that the DSS is even the one raising the alarm about the subversive activities of these people so that when they arrest anybody, no one should start screaming ‘persecution.’ These are people who are too young to know what we passed through at the hands of a military regime. They will see the very thing they think they are fighting against in a military regime. The constitution will be suspended. Fundamental human rights would be non-existent. These kids really don’t understand the gravity of what they are trying to do,” he stated.
Also, the PDP called on the DS to immediately pick up for questioning, the elements pushing for an ING.
The party, through its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, expressed worry that the security outfit had yet to arrest such persons for “treason” against the backdrop of the unconstitutionality of an interim government.
Speaking with our correspondent, Abdullahi said, “They should immediately go after such persons because it is the right thing to do. What are they still waiting for? The interim national government is alien to our constitution and there is no basis for anybody no matter how highly placed to contemplate it.
“Elections have been successfully held both nationally and sub-nationally. Those that are being disputed are already before the courts. So why should anyone come up with this at this material time? The DSS owes Nigerians a duty to act and the time to do so now.
“They should be arrested for treason because that is what it is. Arresting those concerned will act as a deterrent to those with a negative and dangerous mindset for our country.”
Labour Party has said it was confident that Nigerians wouldn’t be intimidated into abandoning their legitimate, legal right to seek judicial redress to reclaim their mandate which was freely given to the LP Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi which was brazenly stolen.
Chief Spokesperson of the Labour Party, Yunusa Tanko, said this in response to an alarm raised by the Department of State Services, in Abuja, yesterday.
The DSS alleged that some politicians were plotting to derail democracy through demonstrations and “obtaining frivolous court injunctions” to stop the inauguration of the President-Elect, Ahmed Tinubu.
Yunusa said, “We are certain that Nigerians who want to take back their country will not be intimidated or blackmailed into abandoning a legitimate course.
“As a party, we have submitted ourselves to pursuing the course of justice through constitutional means, it will not serve as the interest of democracy collapses in Nigeria.
“We will like to ask, where was the DSS when our members and other Nigerians were being attacked, maimed and killed especially in Lagos?
“Where was the DSS when MC Oluomo and his ilk were engaged in ethnic profiling and violence against Nigerians of a certain ethnic nationality over their democratic choices?
“We needed the DSS to step up its game then but it failed. If it had done what it was supposed to, our nation would have been better for it.
“Now that Nigerians have decided to follow laid down democratic procedures of drawing attention to injustice warnings and threats are being issued.
“The DSS ought to have issued these warnings from the beginning to show Nigerians that this country belongs to all of us and not the personal fiefdom of an individual or a group.
“We urge the DSS to send these words of caution to those bigots who are pushing this country to the brink of disaster with their utterances and violent conduct against other peace-loving Nigerians who do not subscribe to their political views or speak their language.”
...wants Nigerians to bring to justice individuals involved in intimidation and suppression of voters
The united States Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria has expressed worries at the disturbing acts of violence, intimidation and suppression of voters that took place during last Saturday's Governorship and State Assembly polls in Lagos, Kano, Ogun and other states of the Country.
The statement was contained on the website of the US embassy on https://ng.usembassy.gov/nigerias-2023-elections/ where it urged Nigerians to bring to justice individuals involved in intimidation and suppression of voters.
The statement also said the United States would enforce visa restrictions on anyone complicit in undermining democratic processes in Nigeria.
Excerpts of the statement is shown below ..
Nigeria carried out the second round of its electoral process with gubernatorial and state assembly elections on March 18.
The United States is deeply troubled by the disturbing acts of violent voter intimidation and suppression that took place during those polls in Lagos, Kano, and other states.
Members of the U.S. diplomatic mission observed the elections in Lagos and elsewhere and witnessed some of these incidents first-hand. The use of ethnically charged rhetoric before, during, and after the gubernatorial election in Lagos was particularly concerning.
We commend all Nigerian political actors, religious and community leaders, youth, and citizens who have chosen to reject and speak out against such violence and inflammatory language, affirming Nigerians’ commitment to and respect for the democratic process.
We call on Nigerian authorities to hold accountable and bring to justice any individuals found to have ordered or carried out efforts to intimidate voters and suppress voting during the election process.
The United States likewise will consider all available actions, including additional visa restrictions, on individuals believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic process in Nigeria.
Following the February 25 national elections, the United States joined other international observers in urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to improve voting processes and technical elements that experienced flaws in that voting round.
The March 18 elections appear to have had significant operational improvements, as polling stations generally opened on time and most results were visible on an electronic viewing platform in a timely manner.
The United States renews its call for any challenges to election results to go through established legal processes, which must not be interfered with.
We further call for Nigeria’s people to work together as they participate in and continue to strengthen the country’s vibrant democracy.
AHMED ALIYU OF SOKOTO
Candidate of the APC, Ahmed Aliyu, has been declared the winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Sokoto State.
Aliyu polled the highest number of votes and has been declared the winner of the governorship election in Sokoto state.
The State Collation Officer, Bichi Amaya’u, who announced the result in Sokoto on Sunday, said Aliyu polled a total of 453,661 votes to defeat his closest rival and candidate of the PDP, Saidu Umar, who polled 404,632.
Aliyu, an ally of a former governor of Sokoto State and sitting senator, Aliyu Wamakko, was the deputy to Governor Aminu Tambuwal during his first tenure between 2015 and 2019.
In 2019, he contested against Mr Tambuwal, a member of the PDP, and lost with a close margin of 342 votes after a re-run.
DIKKO RADDA OF KATSINA
Katsina State APC gubernatorial candidate, Dikko Radda, has been declared the winner of the 2023 governorship election in the state.
The state collation officer, Muazu Abubakar, said Radda polled 859,892 votes to defeat his closest rival of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Yakubu Lado, who got 486,620 votes.
The NNPP candidate, Nura Khalil, won 8263 votes, while Imran Jino of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) got 4,226 votes. Ibrahim Zakari of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) got 1,049 votes.
Labour Party’s Abu Musawa won 560 votes.
“Number of registered voters in Katsina state is 3,516,719. Number of accredited voters is 1,399,291. Total valid votes stand at 1,365, 848 while 20,579 were rejected. The total votes cast in the gubernatorial election are 1,386,427,” Abubakar, vice-chancellor of the Federal University Gusau, said.
UMAR NAMADI OF JIGAWA
The governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Jigawa State, Umar Namadi, has been declared winner of the governorship election in the state.
Namadi won in 26 of the 27 local government areas in Jigawa with a total of 618,449 votes.
His closest challenger, Mustapha Lamido of the People Democratic Party (PDP), won in his hometown, Birnin Kudu Local Government Area.
Candidate of the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP) Aminu Ibrahim, came a distant third with 37,156.
INEC collation officer for the governorship election in Jigawa, Zaiyanu Umar, announced that Namadi scored 618,449 of the total votes cast to beat Mr Lamido who polled 368,726 votes.
The APC candidate won with a margin of 249,723 votes.
Jigawa has 2,351,298 registered voters, out of which 1,073,540 voters were accredited for the governorship election.
The result showed that the total votes cast was 1,052,793, out of which 20,226 votes were rejected. Valid votes were 1,032.567
UMO ENO OF AKWA IBOM
Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom, Umo Eno, has been declared winner of the governorship election in Akwa Ibom State.
Eno was declared winner on Sunday in Uyo, the state capital, by Emmanuel Adigio, a professor and Returning Officer for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Eno won in 29 of the 31 local government areas in the state with a total of 354,348 votes to defeat his top challenger, Bassey Albert of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), who won in two local governments areas, scoring 136,262 votes
Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Akanimo Udofia, came third with 129,602 votes.
Candidates of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Labour Party scored 12,509 and 4,746 votes respectively.
Adigio gave the total number of registered voters in the state as 2,357,418 out of which 657,959 representing about a quarter were accredited for the exercise.
He also gave the total valid votes cast as 656,422 out of which 12,342 were rejected votes while 644,080 were valid votes.
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SANWO-OLU OF LAGOS
Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been re-elected as the governor of Lagos State.
Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared winner of Saturday’s governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the early hours of Monday.
He secured a total of 762,134 votes against his main challengers — Olajide ‘Jandor’ Adediran of the PDP who polled 62,449 and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the LP who got 312,329 votes.
MALA BUNI OF YOBE
INEC has declared Governor Mala Buni of Yobe as winner of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
INEC Returning Officer, Umaru Pate, a professor, announced the result in Damaturu, the state capital on Sunday.
Pate said Mr Buni of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 317,113 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Sherif Abdullahi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 124, 259 votes.
“That Buni Mai Mala of APC having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner of the election, and returned elected,” he said.
Pate, also the vice chancellor, Federal University Kashere in Gombe, said Garba Umar of the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) came a distant third with 14,246 votes, while Arabi Mohammed of the Action Alliance (AA) polled 3,260.
MUHAMMADU YAHAYA OF GOMBE
Governor Muhammadu Yahaya of Gombe State has won Saturday’s governorship election for a second term in office.
Yahaya of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 342,821 votes to beat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Muhammad Jibiri Barde, who scored 233,131 votes.
The result declared by INEC’s returning officer, Maimuna Waziri, showed that the APC won the election with a margin of 74,493 votes.
Waziri, a professor and vice-chancellor of the Federal University of Gashua, said there were 1,575,794 registered voters in the state.
She added that 618,231 voters were accredited while the total votes cast in Saturday’s poll were 616745,
She announced that the total valid votes were 605,355, while a total of 11,390 votes were rejected.
DAPO ABIODUN OF OGUN
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) amidst allegation of cancellations in some polling units has formally declared Governor Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the governorship election in Ogun State.
The INEC State Returning Officer in the state, Kayode Adebowale, who announced the result on Sunday, said the APC candidate scored 276,298 votes to emerge winner of the keenly contested election.
Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ladi Adebutu, polled 262,383 votes to come second, thus trailing the winner with 13,915 votes.
Biyi Otegbeye of the ADC polled 94, 754 votes to come third.
SEYI MAKINDE OF OYO
Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won the governorship election in Oyo State.
Makinde was declared winner by the electoral commission, INEC, on Sunday in Ibadan, the state capital.
Makinde won in 31 local government areas with a total of 563,756 votes to defeat his closest rival, Teslim Folarin of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who won in two local government areas and scored 256,685 votes.
The governorship candidate of the Accord Party, Adebayo Adelabu, came third in the race with a total of 38,357 votes.
The total results were announced by INEC State Collation Officer, Adebayo Bamire.
ABDULRAZAQ ABDULRAHMAN OF KWARA
Governor AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman has been declared winner of the governorship election in Kwara State.
INEC returning officer, Isaac Itodo, announced on Sunday that AbdulRazaq won in all 16 local government councils in the state.
Abdulrazaq, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), emerged as winner of the Saturday governorship election held in the state with a total of 273,424 votes.
Peoples Democratic Party, Yaman Abdullahi, polled 155,490 votes in the election while the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Alh. Hakeem Lawal trailed with 18,922 votes.
“Having satisfied the requirements of the law by scoring the highest votes of 273,424, I hereby declare AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq of the APC as winner of the governorship election conducted on March 18, 2023,” Itodo declared.
Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubabar, has accused INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, of collaborating with the ruling party APC to undermine Nigeria’s democracy.
A statement from Atiku’s media office on Sunday said Yakubu’s compromise was the reason results were not uploaded to INEC server on the same day the presidential election was held on 25 February.
It was also the same reason that Yakubu continued to announce the results despite protests from political parties, the statement signed by Phrank Shaibu, Atiku’s special assistant on public communication read.
The former vice president was reacting to an allegation by the immediate-past Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who said Yakubu was recommended for re-appointment by a member of Bola Tinubu’s camp in 2020.
Speaking in Rivers State on Saturday, Amaechi noted that not only did the re-appointment of the INEC chairman come from Tinubu’s camp, but the INEC boss also worked under Governor Nyesom Wike when the Rivers State governor was Minister of State for Education and interim Minister of Education in the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
“INEC is a complete failure,” Amaechi said. “There are those of us who opposed the reappointment of Yakubu Mahmood. The person who nominated him is a member of Tinubu’s camp. So what are you expecting?
“Here in Rivers State, Mahmood worked under Wike as Executive Secretary of TETFund; so what you are having in Rivers is that APC and other parties are contesting, not against PDP, but against INEC, against police,” the former minister added.
Atiku said Amaechi’s revelation was a confirmation of “our worst fears that Yakubu’s INEC was working for the APC.”
“Former Governor Amaechi’s revelation is only a confirmation of what everyone always knew: That INEC under the leadership of Prof Yakubu is inside the deepest corner of Bola Tinubu’s pocket.”
Earlier, the PDP had said Mr Tinubu had already embarked on a systematic state capture where the police, INEC, and the judiciary are in his pocket.
“Is it not surprising that the AIG who was deployed in Rivers State to supervise the governorship and Presidential elections is Kayode Egbetokun, a known ally of Tinubu who also served as Tinubu’s Chief Security Officer while he was governor of Lagos?” the PDP said.
“This unholy alliance between INEC and the police is the reason why the election in Rivers State remains one of the most rigged in the history of Nigeria. Indeed, the journey to state capture has begun.”
For this, Atiku said when the story of the Nigerian elections is told, the name of Yakubu will be mentioned for the wrong reasons.
“After promising Nigerians that he would upload election results from polling units, he changed his mind at the last minute and then blamed it on glitches. Truth be told, Yakubu was the only glitch because of his incestuous affair with Tinubu’s APC.”
“His predecessor, Attahiru Jega conducted two credible presidential elections in 2011 and 2015. The 2015 election was so credible that it witnessed the lowest number of election petitions and court disputes.
“Rather than improve on this, Yakubu put his personal interest far and above that of over 200 million Nigerians. He claimed before the election at Chatham House that the electoral system he put in place was so advanced that the human body odour could be used for voter accreditation if he wanted. But this was all part of his grand deception.”
“Despite receiving higher allocations than any other INEC chairman in history, Yakubu could not conduct a credible election. This is indeed shameful for a man who over 200 million Nigerians saw as their last hope,” the statement said.
INEC’s spokesperson, Festus Okoye, did not answer phone calls put through to him for his comment on Sunday. He has also yet to respond to the reporter’s text message.
Atiku is the second-place candidate in the 25 February presidential elections. He secured 29 per cent of the votes to finish behind Tinubu of the APC.
“It was also disheartening that the INEC chairman continued to award sensitive election contracts to APC candidates.”
“In the same election season, INEC awarded sensitive contracts to companies owned by Sani Musa of APC and Aishatu Binani, the APC governorship candidate in Adamawa. It is indeed safe to say that Nigeria’s democracy has been sold to the APC by Yakubu.”
PREMIUM TIMES reported how INEC confirmed awarding the printing of some sensitive materials for the 2023 elections to a company owned by Binani, a sitting Senator and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa state.
INEC said the company got the contract through open bidding, and that it was not aware of its relationship with the senator. Checks by PREMIUM TIMES, however, show that one Aishatu Dahiru, the politician’s exact name, is listed as one of the two directors of the company.
Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, has commended the people of the state for renewing his mandate for another term of four years, just as he remarked that “No man can play God as power belongs only to God.”
Abiodun described his victory as heart-warming, and a “further proof that no man can play God or stop what God has ordained”.
The Governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin on Sunday, said though the election was keenly contested, his reelection came to him as a sign of good faith and a vote of confidence in his Administration by the people, assuring that his second term would usher in more goodies of democracy.
He said his victory is a further challenge to deliver on the manifesto of the All Progressives Congress (APC), even as he promised that he would continue with the government of inclusiveness that has been the hallmark of his Administration in the last four years.
While commending the people for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner during the polls, the governor equally lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, the media and other relevant stakeholders for ensuring an atmosphere which enabled peaceful elections.
Abiodun also thanked the party leaders, stalwarts and members of the APC in the state, who worked assiduously for the party’s victory, assuring them that he would continue to keep the flag of the party flying, by continuing to deliver good governance across the state.
The governor called on the opposition and well-meaning individuals in the state to join hands with him in order to move Ogun State to a higher pedestal.
He reiterated his Administration’s commitment to principle of equity, fairness and justice, maintaining that his Administration would not be characterized by favouritsm, nepotism and lopsidedness in situating developmental projects in all the four zones and three senatorial districts of the state.
According to Abiodun, in his second term, he “shall ensure the completion of several projects, aimed at improving the standard of living of the people and the economic prosperity of the state from the unparalleled success already recorded”.
He promised to be inclusive participatory, transparent, accountable, fair and not develop any part of the state at the expense of the other, the statement concluded.
..returning officer affirms INEC can order rerun within 7 days, if allegations are true
The Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, has kicked against the cancellation of results in 54 pollings units in Ogun State during Saturday's Governorship poll in the state.
Adebutu who is the main challenger to governor Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said results in 54 polling units spread across Remo North, Sagamu, Ifo, Abeokuta South, Egbado South and Ado/Odo/Ota local governments areas of Ogun State were cancelled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the election, describing it as “disenfrachising of electorates” in his strongholds.
The former federal lawmaker who spoke through the State Agent of the PDP in respect of the governorship poll, Mr Oyejide Sunkanmi, called on the Commission to investigate the cancellations and direct a rerun in the affected areas.
The PDP governorship candidate noted that the call for a rerun is a legitimate demand, citing the electoral Act section 24 subsection 3 which provides that a rerun should be ordered where violence hindered the electorate, electoral officials and materials from being freely deployed for the purpose of election.
According to him, if the total number of cancelled votes is far higher than the margin of lead or winning between the winner and the first runner up, a rerun becomes advisable in the affected places.
He noted that reports gathered from the field revealed that INEC cancelled election results from polling units widely known to be his “Political strongholds” to technically chip away votes accruable to him from such units.
He accused the agents of the ruling APC of instigating the purported violence that preceded the said cancellations, ostensibly to whittle down the winning strength of the PDP in the affected units.
He also cited Remo North Local Government where votes were cancelled due to BVAS malfunction, asking why should the electorates be disenfranchised for no fault of theirs?
Responding, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan,Prof. Kayode Oyebode Adebowale, who is the Returning Officer for Ogun State governorship poll, said he had examined the records of the Returning Officers (ROs) of the affected and found the PDP’s complaints at variance with that of the ROs.
“What was said are at variance with our records, however if they are found to be correct later, INEC has up to 7 days to order a rerun,” Prof. Adebowale said.
In the meantime, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday declared governor Dapo Abiodun winner of the Governorship election conducted in Ogun State yesterday, March 18,2023.
The major contenders in the epic gubernatorial contest were Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate; Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu and Senator Ibikunle Amosun backed – insurance guru; Barr. Olubiyi Otegbeye of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In declaring Abiodun winner, the returning officer who is the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Oyebode Adebowale, said Dapo Abiodun “having satisfied the requirements of the law is the winner and hereby declared as Governor – elect.”
The governor polled APC – 276,298 to beat his main challenger, PDP’S Adebutu who recorded 262,383 votes. Olubiyi Otegbeye of the ADC polled 94,754
Registered voters -2,688,305
Accredited voters 666506
Total valid votes -645,133
Total void votes -18,835
Total votes cast – 663,968