September 11, 2024

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Politics

PDP clears all chairmanship, councillorship positions in Delta polls

By Carol V. Utulu

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has won all the chairmanship and councillorship positions in the March 6 Delta local government elections.

The Chairman of the Delta Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC), Chief Mike Ogbodu, declared the election results in Asaba on Sunday.

Ogbodu said that the PDP cleared all the 25 chairmanship and 500 councillorship positions in the 25 local government areas of the state.

“The local government election in Delta State which was conducted on Saturday, March 6, 2021 has been won by the PDP.

“According to results collated across the 25 local government areas, the PDP cleared all the chairmanship and councillorship positions.

“Let me state here that there was no recorded incidence of violence during and after the election across the state,” Ogbodu said.

Meanwhile, the announcement of the results has been greeted with protest by Mr. Samson Uwandulu, a councillorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and his supporters.

Uwandulu, who spoke to newsmen at the premises of DSIEC, alleged that he won the election in Isele-Azagba Ward 6, Oshimili North Local Government Area.

“My name is Samson Uwandulu. I contested for the councillorship election in Ward 6, Isele-Azagba.

“After the election, the electoral officer for the ward counted the votes in the presence of all party agents.

“From the counted figures, I polled 408 votes, while the PDP candidate got 317 votes.

“But before I could be pronounced the winner, the officials stopped the process and they all entered a car and drove off,” Uwandulu said.

Efforts to contact DSIEC Director of Public Affairs, Mr Arubi Orugboh, for reaction on the councillorship candidate’s allegation proved abortive as he did not respond to calls or text message to him through phone.

General News

LG polls: Gov. Okowa hails peaceful conduct of elections

By Ifeanyi Olannye

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has expressed satisfaction over the peaceful conduct of the local government council elections of Saturday in the state.

Okowa sated this in an interview with newsmen after casting his vote at DSIEC Ward 3; unit 3 at Eghoma Primary School, Owa-Alero in Ika North East Local Government Area of the state

The governor said that from the report that he was getting, everything was going on peacefully.

He noted that materials for the election were distributed to every local government early enough for a seamless conduct of the election.

“From all the report I am getting thus far, everything is going on peacefully; materials have been distributed to every local government; the sensitive materials were distributed by Friday.

“And the information that I am getting is that they have all been moved to their various polling units in the various wards.

“We don’t have much of the challenge here (his polling unit) and I think in many parts of the state, we don’t have much of the challenge because, of the 500 councillors, I think about 240 of them have been returned unopposed,” he said.

According to him, it is only half of the councillors that are actually contesting in the election; the other ones have been returned unopposed. So, that makes the whole thing more peaceful.

“As I did cast my vote here, the vote was just for the chairmanship candidate alone because the councillor in this place has been returned unopposed.

“The place is peaceful and in the course of the day, we will be getting more report. The security agencies have been fully mobilised and we hope that everything goes on very smoothly,” he said.

Okowa said that PDP did massive ward to ward and unit to unit campaign in preparation for the election.

He also noted that the opposition in some local governments also did some campaign.

“But there are some local governments that they (the opposition) did not do campaign at all because it is when you have strength that you will go on to do campaign.

“As I said earlier, it is about 240 councilors that have been returned unopposed, 260 of them which is also a sizeable number, are contesting the elections.

“Again, 24 local government council chairmen are contesting the election. So, there were massive campaigns,” he added.

On why he chose to conduct local government council elections, Okowa said that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provided for a democratically elected local government council.

He added that any governor who was not conducting local government elections was actually failing to obey the Constitution of the country which he swore to uphold.

“Therefore, I had always insisted and maintained that I will never at any point in time, have what we called caretaker committees and I think it is only fair that we should be obedient to the Constitution since it has provided for a democratically elected local government,” he stated.

Also, state Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, described the local government council elections as generally peaceful.

Aniagwu spoke after casting his vote at ward 9, unit 2, in Akumazi Umuocha, Ika North East Local Government Area of the state.

He said elections in the community were always like a contest between brothers  and without any ill feelings.

“We take it (election) like a new yam festival where you don’t need to enlighten anybody on how to behave. Everybody knows it is a contest and no need for fight. It is just the tradition of the people of the community.

“We put our town first before any contest and we do know that at the end of the day, it means well for the community, such that anyone that wins, you will see the next person embracing him. So, it is a contest between brothers,” the commissioner said.

On his part, an APC councillorship candidate from the same ward, Mr Sunday Onyenake, also affirmed that the elections were peaceful.

“We don’t fight for elections. I am satisfied with what is happening now as far as this local government council election is concerned,” Onyenake said.

Politics

Delta LG poll: Residents obey resticted movement order

By Mercy Obojeghren

Residents of Delta on Saturday obeyed the restricted vehicular movement order imposed by government as Local Government election holds across the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that markets, filling stations, shops, motor parks and other business organisation were closed in Asaba, Ughelli, Sapele, Agbor and other parts of the state.

However, few motor parks opened for vehicles travelling outside the state as early as 5.30 a.m.to be able to leave the state before daybreak as there was light traffic in some major roads in Warri metropolis.

Some of the commercial drivers complained that the restriction order had actuall affected their work for the day.

A bus driver at the popular Koka Park in Asaba, Mr Ben Ike, said he had spent hours without having any passenger.

”I came out here as early as 6:30 a.m. to enable me beat the restriction order, but here I am and there are no passengers,” he said.

Meanwhile, some residents of Asaba and environs told NAN that they were not aware of the local government poll.

Mrs Agnes Afam, a business centre operator, said, “I never knew today is election. I only came out to discover that today election.”

Sunday Ugwu, a carpenter who lives on Ibusa Road, said that he was not aware that there was an election, and as such, would not go to vote.

Others have also complained that their polling units were far from their homes and would not participate in the election as a result.

Mr Okechukwu Onu told NAN that he lived around ULO Ibusa Road and his polling unit was at the College of Education, Asaba, a distance he considered too far.

“I advise the people in charge of elections to bring polling units closer to us. I cannot go all the way to that place to cast my vote ” he said.

Anothe resident, Mary Uke, said that if the polling unit was close to her, she would go and vote.

“Considering the situation we are in right now, I cannot spend up to N1000 to and fro the polling station to cast my vote.

“Eeven when the politicians are voted in they will not remember us,” she added. (NAN)

The restricted vehicular movement lasts from 12 a.m to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday

Politics

ZLP to boycott Delta LG poll

By Ifeanyi Olannye

The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) says it would not feature in the March 6, Delta local government councils poll.

The state ZLP Chairman, Mr Emeka Nkwoala, disclosed this when he spoke with the Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday Asaba.

“We are boycotting the election because of the imposition of fees, and perceived lack of trust on the Delta Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC).

“Local government election in Nigeria has become a mockery of democracy.

“We are not participating in the election as long as its conduct remains in the hands of the state Independent Electoral Commission.

“We at Zenith Labour Party will not participate in the process. We are aware that over N1billion was allocated to DSIEC for the election and yet the commission taxed every candidate between N150,000 and N50, 000 depending on the position he is aspiring for,” he said.

Nkwoala said that even feelers from the electorate indicated that the whole process has been compromised.

“I think this is a problem across the country, irrespective of the political party in power.

“The party in power always clears all positions as if other parties do not exist at all.

“This situation has really endangered the trust of people in state electoral bodies.

“We hope that the proposed Electoral Act amendments will cure the trust deficit and increase people’s participation in the grassroots democratic process,” he said.(NAN)

Politics

Peace Ambassador wants political parties to be peaceful ahead Delta LG polls

By Emmanuel Afonne

Mr Kingsley Muturu, a Peace Ambassador in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta, has sued for peace among political parties, ahead of the local government election in the state slated for March 6.

Muturu who gave the charge in a statement issued on Wednesday to remind stakeholders of the importance of having a peaceful LG election.

He, however, urged the PDP to work hard for victory in the forthcoming election and see the opportunity of flying the party’s flag as a stepping stone to something greater.

“This election should be seen as a contest amongst brothers and don’t see the PDP ticket for the election as victory already secured.

“You must reach out to the voters to sell the party and their candidacy,” he said.

According to him, it is now that the real work should start,  by going to the grassroots to mobilise the people and telling them what they stand to gain when one is  elected.

“Use this opportunity to aspire to something greater and consider yourselves privileged to bear this flag because many had sought for it. Do not abuse this rare privilege.

“When elected, do not turn your back on the people at the grassroots who you are meant to represent.

“Be an ambassador of peace, eschew violence and don’t engage anybody to cause violence for you. We are brothers and sisters in this local government, our different political leanings notwithstanding.

“Local government is the tier of government closest to the people, therefore, I urge you to let the people feel your presence and impact when elected,” he said.

Muturu urged the party’s flag bearers to distinguish themselves from ineffective predecessors and make the difference when in office.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that  the PDP in Delta recently handed its flags to its chairmanship, vice chairmanship and councillorship candidates in the 25 local government areas in the state preparatory to the LG election. (NAN)

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