By Temitope Ponle/ Fortune Abang

Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation – Americas (NIDOA) has promised to continue its cause for Diaspora voting, to achieve desired goals in future elections.

Mr Obed Monago, a former Chair of NIDOA, said this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday.

He spoke on the sidelines of the ongoing Presidential and National Assembly elections in the country.

”About diaspora voting, it is quite unfortunate that the Federal Government did not deem it fit to pass it into law, even after it went for the second reading.

“Eventually, it was voted down, so it is really quite unfortunate that government did not put into consideration the contribution and the impact of the Diasporas to the socio-economic wellbeing of Nigeria.

“The thinking is basically not welcome, but we are not relenting; we are going to take up the fight this time.

“It is going to be more organised and we are going to take it up with the incoming National Assembly too, hopefully this time we are going to prevail.

“Hopefully, during the next electoral cycle, four years from now, we will be voting.”

He said 100 members of the organisation were duly registered to carry out election observation in the country, but were not accredited early.

He said that the organisation designated its delegates to achieve targets more effectively in the election season.

According to him, NIDO’s delegate accreditation was late, but we will try to manage the circumstances to the best of our abilities.

“We are going to do that individually; people are going to submit observations and then, we will compile it.

“I have been following everything that is happening in Nigeria; President Muhammadu Buhari has said it wisely, vote for your candidate of choice and vote your conscience even as a party loyalist campaigning with Mr Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of his party.

“So, that is very nice of him to have said that with respect to promoting free, fair and credible elections and against vote buying everywhere.

The former NIDOA boss commended grassroots awareness being created on what governance should mean, and hoped that people would shun vote buying and adhere to the president’s advice.

“Take that money because it is part of a commonwealth that has been looted, you take it and pocket it. When you get to the polling booth, vote your conscience, irrespective of the money given to you.

“It is our stolen money that they are sharing, so take it because it is part of your own money, when you get into that polling booth, vote your conscience.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Grace Yussuf

By Temitope Ponle/Fortune Abang

Mr Obed Monago, former Chair of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation – Americas (NIDOA), has extolled implementation of the electronic voting policy as a step in the right direction.

Monago said this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the Presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday.

“The government is taking the right step in the right direction; this is going to be a work in progress, although it is not going to be automatic like flipping a switch.

“The introduction of these electronic voting is in the right direction; this is the first time, so we are going to build on it, improve on it and eventually make it standard as obtainable in Western world.

“It is really encouraging in terms of what is happening.”

On security related issues, Monago condemned electoral related violence in the past that hindered meaningful growth in democratic transitions.

According to him, security issues posed great concern.

“What is happening now is unprecedented, to the extent that my family asked me not to come to Nigeria in the election season.

“People are allegedly killed. Such is a concern for Diasporas and we have been trying to do our best, we have organised conferences on proper ways to tackle it.

“If you pay attention now, since the past two months into this election, you will realise there are no issues of Boko Haram and herdsmen.

“Apparently, it is assumed that such people were positioned for electoral purposes and when that is done, they will go back again into kidnapping.

“We are not going to allow any individual to completely devastate regions of Nigeria.

“NIDO will support the cause towards tackling the issue of insecurity, because it hampers development, in a bid to bring foreign investors to Nigeria.”

He, however, hoped the incoming administration, irrespective of who emerged winner, would prioritise security.

“Nigeria is going to be better going forward, because of the grassroots awareness and that is what governance entails, as well as what the dividends of democracy is supposed to mean.

“People have woken up to this reality and such is going to even be better going forward. So I do not think we are going to continue to have politics as usual in Nigeria.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

By Edeki Igafe

Three ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta, allegedly held hostage on Sunday have been freed.

The Warri South INEC Electoral Officer, Mr Kingsley Ogboe, confirmed this to newsmen in Warri on Monday.

Ogboe, who said he was not authorised to speak to journalists, however, said “they were released at about 11:00 p.m. on Sunday”.

The electoral officer, who declined further comment simply said, “we are waiting for the results from other local government areas”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the victims: Yetunde Adeleke, Stephanie Udoh and Theresa Igien, all female were allegedly held by angry voters at Oki 1, off Okere Road, Ward 5, unit 19.

They were allegedly held hostage after the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) brought for the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the unit reportedly crashed.

Angered by the development, the voters, who had waited endlessly on Saturday and Sunday to exercise their franchise, got infuriated and decided to hold them hostage.

One of the victims, Adeleke told newsmen that the BVAS brought to the unit was configured for Saturday and there was no back up for them.

However, the angry voters said that they were infuriated because the adhoc staff wanted to resort to manual voting as an alternative against the acceptable norms of the use of BVAS.

“Instead of seeking for a solution, they said that they would conduct the voting manually and that is not acceptable by us,” they said.

The voters also accused the electoral officers of being compromised by way of trying to disenfranchise them.
Meanwhile, as at the time of filing this report, collation of results have not started in Warri South. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Chinyere Bassey/Isaac Aregbesola

By Victor Okoye

The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) faithful in Cross River have raised concerns over the distortion of the party’s logo on the ballot paper.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Presidential and National Assembly elections was largely peaceful in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River on Saturday.

However, a cross section of NNPP party faithful who spoke with NAN after the elections, noted that there were some discrepancies in the party logo on the ballot paper which made it difficult for people to cast their vote rightly.

Wilfred Bonse, the NNPP Gubernatorial candidate for Cross River noted that the logo was completely defaced, adding that the experience was quite horrendous

“Very unfortunately, the NNPP was not represented on the ballot papers as should have been.

“I struggled very hard to even recognise as a candidate of the party at the level of the gubernatorial position to recognise the logo of the NNPP.

“The NNPP logo is a basket of fruits, but I unfortunately found a mixed coloured basket not of fruits but probably something that looked like one or two yams without even NNPP written under.

“That’s a fiasco, total fiasco. Even when some of our candidates and agents were trying to capture it on picture and videos as evidence, they were attacked.

“So, this is a very big gang up and conspiracy if you like against the NNPP. The other parties have their logos clearly stated.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for instance had the umbrella well captured, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and even the Labour Party (LP).

“I struggled very hard to find ours and bearing in mind that one is not supposed to start teaching people on the election ground how to locate your logo.

“So, the experience we had today was quite horrendous,” he said.

Bonse urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to come clean, adding that the situation was not acceptable by NNPP.

He stressed that the issue would be addressed at the highest level.

“Every party has a logo wherewith it has educated its followers and those logos must be spelt and clearly stated as it is in every representation.

“We will take this up at the highest level for sure.

“This is not acceptable and some of the videos which have gone viral were being attacked, particularly our senatorial candidate, Carolyn Williams for attempting to take photos of the ballot papers.

“Her phone was being confiscated when she also tried to do a video of what the NNPP logo on the ballot paper looked like.

“So, this anomaly has to be corrected as soon as possible because the elections must be seen to be free and fair,” he said.

Carolyn Williams, Cross River North Senatorial Candidate of the NNPP said there was an intentional attempt to sabotage the effort of the party by INEC and some unscrupulous agents.

“I think we were sabotaged because firstly, my party logo didn’t even look like my party logo.

“Then when you go to the House of Representatives and Presidential elections, the party logo was totally different.

“It had stars on it, a complete contrast to our party’s authentic logo which has a fruit basket.

“So, alot of our supporters and voters were confused because they couldn’t recognise the party logo and it brought alot of chaos and instability in the voting process,” she said.

Williams also revealed that were pockets of violence in some wards and some irregularities recorded.

“We had some issues in West ward I and West ward II where our party agents took off due to fear of the All Progressives Congress (APC) boys.

“So, there were no other agents but only the APC boys there and even when I got there I was attacked and had to quickly leave.

“Even the INEC officials and presiding officers wouldn’t let me take evidences of the ballot papers.

“In West ward I, we had issues where the voters couldn’t recognise the party logo and some of them got confused and started voting for the likes of PDP when they couldn’t find the NNPP logo.

“So, I don’t think this election was free and fair. I feel NNPP was sabotaged and therefore this election should have a re-run as far as I am concerned,” she said.

Simon Akpa, INEC, Assistant Electoral Officer for Ogoja told NAN that he was not aware of the issue as it had not been formally reported to INEC as of today (Monday).

Akpa, however, said that if the report was true and what was obtainable not just in Ogoja but also in other parts of the country, then the party had the constitutional right to file an official complain to INEC for further investigation.

“The complain has to be officially transmitted from the national level of NNPP to INEC, at that level the commission will give prompt attention to the issue.

“However, if the issue was a peculiar one to a particular constituency and not a general concern, the complain might not really hold water.

“But if the same concerns were raised and observed all over the country, then it will definitely be looked into by the electoral commission,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Grace Yussuf

By Kevin Okunzuwa

INEC on Monday declared Mr Neda Imasuen of the Labour Party (LP) as the winner of the Edo South senatorial district election of Saturday.

The Returning Officer, Prof. A. Obasuyi, declared that Imasuen scored 167,250 votes to defeat his PDP and APC opponents, who scored 57,933 votes and 61,749 respectively.

The LP candidate for Oredo federal constituency, Mr Iyawe Eseosa won his election, Obasuyi said.

The APC and PDP candidates at the election scored 15,747 votes and 11,889 votes respectively, he added. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Alli Hakeem

By Leonard Okachie

The Speaker, Abia House of Assembly, Mr Chinedum Orji, has lost Saturday’s poll for Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency.

Orji, son of the former Gov. Theodore Orji, lost to the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Mr Obi Aguocha.

Announcing the results on Monday, the Returning Officer, Prof Uma Oke, said that LP candidate polled 48,199 votes to defeat Orji of the PDP, who scored 35,196 votes.

He said that Mr Ogbonnaya Obilor of APC had 4,042 votes, while Mr Ogbonna Abariukwu of APGA got 2, 758.

He also said that Mr Obinna Nwosu of ADC scored 2386, while Mr Friday Chimaobi of YPP polled 1013 votes.

Others, including Patience Okorie of NNPP got 644 votes, Mr Christian Ibekwe Christian of NRM got 68 votes whereas Mr Nnamdi Ogbuagu of APP scored 347 votes.

Oke later told newsmen that they were awaiting the outcome of Osisioma Local Government Area polls to declare the results for Abia Central Senatorial District.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abia Central Senatorial District comprises six Local Government Area, including Umuahia North, Umuahia South, Ikwuano, Osisioma, Isiala Ngwa South and Isiala North. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Sam Oditah

By Rita Iliya

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Gov. Abubakar Sani-Bello as the winner of Niger South seat at the National Assembly.

INEC Returning Officer, Kolo Zacchaeus, announced the result on Monday in Kontangora.

Zacchaeus said that Sani-Bello scored 100,197 votes to defeat his closest opponent of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Shehu Abdullahi who scored 88,153 votes.

He said that Wali Ibrahim of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) scored 13,886 votes, while Sani Sule of APGA got 2,747 votes and Musa Yakubu of ADC scored 636 votes.

The returning officer said that Buhari Haruna of PRP scored 1,597 votes, while Ibrahim Muhammad of NRM scored 307 votes and Adamu Tainmu of ADP got 515 votes.

He said that Sama’ila Yahaya of SDP scored 169 votes, while Yamaha John of ZLP got 937 votes and Mohammed Usman of Accord Party scored 220 votes. (NAN)( www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ali Baba-Inuwa

By Hajara Leman

Former governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo has won the Gombe North Senatorial District election, defeating the incumbent Sen. Saidu Alkali of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dankwambo, a two time governor of the state, constestdd the election under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

The Returning Officer, Prof. Umaru Gurama, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Federal University, Kashere, announced the result on Monday in Malamsidi headquarters of Kwami Local Government Area of the state.

He said that Dankwambo polled 143,155 votes to defeat his closest rival, Alkali of the APC, who scored 77,948 votes.

”Having satisfied the requirement of the law and scored the highest votes, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo is hereby declared the winner and returned elected,” he said.

He said that 239,339 voters were accredited and  237,116 voted while 8,566 votes rejected.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dankwambo contested in the 2019 elections and lost to Alkali.

The Gombe North Senatorial District consists of Gombe, Kwami, Dukku, Funakaye and Nafada LGAs. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

Ehigimetor Igbaugba

Gov. Ben Ayade has lost his bid to return to the Senate following his defeat by the incumbent senator representing Cross River North, Sen. Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe.

Ayade who was in the Senate between 2011 and 2015, lost the National Assembly elections conducted on Saturday with 56,595 votes against Agom-Jarigbe’s of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 76,145 votes.

The returning officer, Dr Emmanuel Emanghe, who spoke on behalf of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the result for the polls around 3:05 a.m. on Monday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Agom-Jarigbe, a two-time member of the House of Representatives, was elected into the Senate through a bye-election in September 2021 following the death of Dr Rose Okoh.

Simirlarly, Ayade who is serving out his two-term as Governor of the state, sought to replace Agom-Jarigbe as the Senator representing Northern senatorial district of Cross River.

However, the re-elected Senator could not be issued with the Declaration Form after his declaration by the retuning officer.

Upon demand for the Declaration Form, Agom-Jarigbe was told that it was mistakenly taken to Obudu by the electoral body in the state.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Gabriel Yomere, who spoke on phone said, “the form was mistakingly taken to Obudu but he can be issued with a temporary one pending when the original one will be brought.”

Meanwhile, Godwin Offiono of the PDP, was returned elected for the Ogoji/Yala Federal Constituency election.

Offiono defeated the incumbent lawmaker representing the area, Mr Jude Ngaji of the All Progressives Congress, by 36,651 votes to 32,973 votes.

The Ogoja/Yala Federal constituency result was announced by Dr Wakasor Ofem. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

By Naomi Sharang

The Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) has urged stakeholders and the electorate to remain calm as INEC collated results of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Prof. Anthony Olusanya, a member of the Team of Experts for CTA, an election observer group, made the call in its preliminary statement on “The Observations of the conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections of Feb. 25.

Olusanya said that as the collation process and election in places where elections were rescheduled continued, all stakeholders should continue to conduct themselves in a peaceful and responsible manner.

He specifically called on INEC to hold itself to the highest level of neutrality and accountability.

Olusanya said the group’s preliminary findings from their field observers showed that INEC officials and materials generally did not arrive on time at the majority of polling units observed.

“Although INEC proposed commencement of accreditation was for 8.30 a.m., on the average, polling officials and materials did not arrive the polling units before 10.30 a.m.

“However, reports from our observers across 982 polling units so far reported across the country showed that INEC officials and materials arrived between 7a.m. and 8.30 a.m. in 53 per cent of the polling units.

“While security personnel were expected to be on ground before the commencement of the voting process, our observers noted that in most of the polling units, security personnel were not present until about 9 to 10 a.m.

“Generally, observers reported that the security personnel behaved and conducted themselves professionally.”

Olusanya also said that voter turnout was generally impressive, adding that in most cases, voters came out earlier than the arrival of INEC officials, materials and security personnel.

“They mostly conducted themselves peacefully and in accordance with voting guidelines.”

On the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), Olusanya said that in some cases, INEC ad hoc staff demonstrated insufficient familiarity with the operation of the BVAS.

“Observers reported that wrong codes and poor network were some of the challenges faced by the ad hoc staff.”

Similarly, Executive Director of CTA, Ms Faith Nwadishi commended INEC for creating special polling units for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs).

She said that on the whole, all stakeholders on the electoral value chain had put in their best to make sure that the country had free, fair and credible elections.

“However, the political parties and actors seem not to be taking a queue. You go to the field you see a party agent not wearing an INEC approved identity card.

“We commend Nigerians; a lot of them were out to vote even at centres where there was late arrival of INEC officials.

“This shows that the Nigerian voters now understand their role in our electoral history.”

Executive Director, Persons With Disabilities Action Network, Mr Ubaka Betram, recalled that before the commencement of the election, INEC had registered no fewer than 5,362 persons with disabilities.

He said that observers discovered that over 95 per cent of PWDs did not participate in the election.

Betram, however, called on governments and stakeholders to educate the populace against stigmatisation of PWDs.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Abiemwense Moru/Chioma Ugboma