₦airaland Forum

ekt_bear:
^-- Many of those, there appear to be penalties for not voting?

See this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2005/jul/04/voterapathy.uk

Some of the countries mentioned do have penalties for not voting, while other countries have a strong civic pride. The U.S. does not have strong civic pride when it comes to elections.

Either way, the elections were not rigged in the SS/SE. Buhari was not going to get any vote in the East, so who do you expect the Ndigbo and other Eastern minorities to vote for? Ribadu? I dey laugh o!

People need to understand that voter turnout is high in some countries as well.

I think already posted statistics of how Turkey had the highest voter turnout in one year with about 95%!

1 Italy 92.5
2 Cambodia 90.5
3 Seychelles 96.1
4 Iceland 89.5
5 Indonesia 88.3
6 New Zealand 86.2
7 Uzbekistan 86.2
8 Albania 85.3
9 Austria 85.1
10 Belgium * 84.9
11 Czech Republic 84.8
12 Netherlands 84.8
13 Australia 84.4
14 Denmark 83.6
15 Sweden 83.3
16 Mauritius 82.8
17 Portugal 82.4
18 Mongolia 82.3


As you all can see, many countries have high voter turnout.

That is why it is entirely plausible that the SE/SS had high voter turnout, because no one wanted Buhari or Ribadu. Blame the opposition for not fielding quality candidates.

http://www.idea.int/vt/survey/voter_turnout_pop2-2.cfm

Aigbofa:
That is not true EzeUche, you are one of the most tribalistic guys ever on Nairaland. C'mon you were even voted the most tribalistic person on Nairaland.

By a rigged poll. And most people have no problem with me.

You don't see people trying to have me banned do you?

Have you heard me wishing death on others? No!

This thread is not about me, it is about the menace known as Fstranger/Ystranger.  

You cannot compensate someone's life.

Bauchi Govt. To Compensate the Victims of Post-Election Violence

The Bauchi State Government has promised to pay compensation to owners of places of worship and other properties destroyed during the post-election violence in the state.

The state governor, Isa Yuguda made the promise on Friday in Bauchi when the State chapter of Igbo community visited him.

He stressed that the incident was not ethnic or religious crisis but a political misunderstanding created by some few individuals which led to the killing of innocent people and destruction of properties.

Yuguda maintained that perpetrators were not after Christians only but supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing the act as undemocratic.

Places of worship were burnt and supporters of PDP were killed their properties were destroyed, even SSG`s (Secretary to the State Government) house that contained over 90 people was completely burnt.

No PDP supporter fought or harassed anybody during the exercise, I believe it is a deal to frustrate our supporters by some few unpatriotic citizens,'' he said.

He pleaded with the Igbos in the state to remain calm and not to relocate to other parts of the country, adding Bauchi is their indigenous State.

You have every right to acquire an indigenous certificate and even now if any of you who needs it in Bauchi Local Government, I will give him. Your children must enjoy free education and health, your wives will also enjoy the free health and any other thing that is being enjoyed by the citizens,`` he said.

Responding, the President of Igbo community, Bauchi Chapter, Chibike Umesiri commended the governor for his concern, describing him as a caring leader.

Umesiri said that he was struggling to make things better for his members that were camped in the barracks and other secured places. He agreed that the violence was not religious but political because most of the perpetrators were after supporters of the PDP.

He urged the governor to provide them with more security and incentives to enable them go back to their houses and continue with their business.

http://www.businessdayonline.com/NG/index.php/news/76-hot-topic/20821-bauchi-govt-to-compensate-the-victims-of-post-election-violence

OAM4J:
I don't want us to over-flog this issue. Point made. Let's move on.

It is not over until everyone who has been wronged by him has a chance to [b]SHAME [/b]him.

There is a difference between them and the rampaging mobs in the North. The militants target the oil companies most of the time instead of their fellow countrymen. While these mobs attack any non-Hausa. That is the difference.

One group is fighting for greater resource control, the other is fighting to keep power within Northern hands. Sorry, but I sympathize with the militants.

[b]North-Central
[/b]THE gubernatorial election on Tuesday in Niger, Kwara and Plateau states may be won convincingly by the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Investigations by the Saturday Tribune in the three states showed that the candidates of party, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, Jona Jang of Plateau State and Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State are ahead of other contenders in their states.

Benue State
[/b]The Benue State gubernatorial election will be the mother of all poll from indications. In the past 12 years of the dominance of the state by the PDP, it has not witnessed the kind of stiff opposition it is now facing, especially from the ACN. ACN, led by former governor and now a senator, George Akume, commands a followership which has kept the PDP on its toes since he dumped his former party. However, from the past results, including National Assembly to the presidential, the PDP did enjoy support from the electorate, a situation the ACN claimed did not reflect the reality on the ground. Suswam has consistently said his performance will speak for him during the forthcoming polls, the outcome past exercise may have proved him right.

[b]Niger
Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu will be contending with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) hurricane that started sweeping through the state during the National Assembly elections, but will smile at the end of the day because of his achievements in the last four years as chief executive of the state and the fact that the zoning arrangement favoured him to be returned for a second term in office.

Aliyu’s success at Tuesday’s poll will also be helped by the lack of seriousness of other candidates who had not taken the contest as a serious matter by going out to woo the electorate.

Kwara
In Kwara State, the battle is between the father, Dr. Olusola Saraki and the son, Governor Bukola Saraki. Though the son is not contesting, but his anointed candidate, Abdulfatah Ahmed, is doing so.

Going by the victory recorded by the PDP in previous elections in the state, Dr Bukola Saraki’s sister, Gbemisola Saraki of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) and Alhaji Mohammed Belgore of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), may have to send congratulatory messages to Alhaji Ahmed after the release of the gubernatorial election results.

Incumbency factor and zoning formula is believed to be helping Dr Ahmed in the race to the government house because the people of his zone, Kwara South, have thrown their full weight behind him while the support from outgoing Governor Bukola Saraki is unshaken.

Plateau
Governor Jonah Jang is set to retain his seat in the election, although he is expected to face a stiff opposition from his former deputy, Mrs. Pauleen Tallen.

Jang is believed to be the second governor, after Police Commissioner Joseph Gomwalk (retd), to have put infrastructure on the ground, a development that has wormed him into the hearts of the electorate.

In addition, the strings of crisis that had plagued the state are being seen as a calculated attempt by people from outside the state to give a dog a bad name and, therefore, unseat Jang from the government house which his kit and kins are prepared to fight.

However, the calibre of influential people in the state queuing behind Paulen Tallen and her acceptance by the people at the grassroots who formed the bulk of voters could swing the polls to the Labour Party (LP) candidate on Saturday. Her major problem could be lack of enough resources to prosecute the governorship campaign to the last day.

Why did you only pick the SW states first?

The article begins in this order. . . 

South-South
The gubernatorial election will hold only in three of the six states in the South-South geo-political zone of the country. The states where the election will hold are Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Delta. The exercise will not hold in Cross River, Edo and Bayelsa states. The election will hold in Bayelsa and Cross River states in 2012, as ruled by the court. For Edo State, election will hold in 2013.

[b]Akwa Ibom
[/b]The contenders in the race in Akwa Ibom State are perfecting strategies 72 hours to the poll. Pundits believe the race will be a straight fight between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Governor Godswill Akpabio, who is seeking a second term, and Senator John James Akpanudoedeghe of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Other contenders for the race are Mr. Larry Esin of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and Group Captain Sam Ewang of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). About 12 candidates are in the race in the state.

Governor Akpabio is using the party structure in all wards in each local government area in the state. He has centred his campaign on the infrastructural development his administration has brought to the state.

During the first in the series of the ongoing elections, the PDP succeeded in winning all the state’s seats in the National Assembly except one won by the ACN. Even the PDP recorded a better result in the presidential election as its candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, secured over 90 per cent of votes cast.

Although the ACN made a mark by winning a seat in the National Assembly during the first round of polls, particularly from Uyo, the state capital, analysts believe the PDP candidate still has an edge over the others.

Rivers
There are over 20 candidates in the race in Rivers State, but going by public opinion, the race, like in many other places, will be a straight battle between two frontliners —Governor Rotimi Amaechi of the PDP and Dr. Abiye Sekibo of the ACN.

Celestine Omehia, who was removed by the court as governor of the state, is also in the race on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), but he is not seen as a strong contender.

There has been some last-minute intrigues by the PDP in the state and Dr. Sekibo, who, last week, refuted media reports that he was stepping down for Amaechi ahead of his purported planned return to PDP.

Beyond rhetorics, analysts score Amaechi high on performance and believe that the people will return the PDP standard-bearer as governor.

Delta
[/b]The rivalry between incumbent Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of the PDP and Great Ogboru of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), which started in 2007 polls up to the rerun held in January, will continue on Tuesday’s gubernatorial poll in Delta State.

As much as Governor Uduaghan and his party, PDP, enjoy good following across the state, the DPP candidate, by all measures, is not a pushover in the race. He is capable of springing surprises, but since Governor Uduaghan regained his seat in January, he has not lost sight of the fact that with the new policy of one man one vote implemented by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under Professor Attahiru Jega, he will have to court the ordinary people of the state with the dividends of democracy.

He has a challenge in Ogboru, but PDP in the state may be too strong to upstage.

[b]South-East

Enugu
In Enugu State, the serious contenders are Governor Sullivan Chime of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Dan Shere of Peoples for Democratic Change (PDC) and Chief Okey Ezea of the Labour Party (LP).

Investigation revealed that Chime is likely to win the gubernatorial poll in the state. The reason is obvious as the state is predominantly a one-party state, if the results of the last National Assembly elections are anything to go by.

Secondly, the odds are against the opposition as there is said to be a gentleman’s agreement by the leaders of the three senatorial zones in the state who are in PDP that the position should be on a rotational basis to stem political acrimonies in the state.

In addition to the premises listed above, the opposition had not been able to present a common front to turn the tide against the incumbent governor as two candidates are coming from the Nsukka cultural zone, which implied that despite the numerical strength of the Enugu North Senatorial zone, there could be a split votes in the area which is a plus to the incumbent.

Ebonyi
In Ebonyi State, Governor Martin Elechi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is ahead of his rivals who included Senator Julius Ucha of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Ambassador Frank Ogbewu of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Governor Elechi is not only rooted in the state, especially with the power of incumbency, the defeat of the opposition in the series of elections held so far has further brightened his chances of clinching the gubernatorial ticket.

Imo
In Imo State, the picture is still cloudy as the incumbent governor, Ikedi Ohakim of PDP, is facing a tough battle with Chief Rochas Okrocha of APGA. However, if the power of incumbency is used as a barometre, then Governor Ohakim would be re-elected as the people of the state would not like any hindrance from being close to the power centre at the federal level, especially now that President Goodluck Jonathan has renewed his mandate.

Abia
Just like in other states in the South-East, the incumbent Governor Theodore Orji of Abia, a PDP candidate, would likely clinch the gubernatorial ticket as Chief Chris Akomas of Peoples Progressives Party (PPA) may not have the instruments to stop the fireworks of the incumbent. There is a strong argument that even with the harmonisation plot by the Labour Party (LP) gubernatorial candidate, Stanley Ohajuruka and APGA standard bearer, Reginald Ufumba, for the gubernatorial election, the incumbent governor remains unstoppable as the last National Assembly and presidential elections have further ignited the firing spirit of the ruling party in the state. It is believed that the people of the state may not want to be in opposition.

Too many Igbos from Imo and Anambra. We Igbos in Abia are just sitting on the sideline relaxing and making money.

ZnO:
Igbos have no universal leader unlike the other group starting with a Y whose leaders are rapists.

No need to roll in the mud like the tribalist who is running from thread to thread in order to get a reaction.

It is best to IGNORE them and continue with the discussion.

We Igbos have no king.

Igbo enwe eze.

Election mayhem: 300 patients with bullet wounds

By Luka Binniyat

KADUNA — “I was sleeping outside with some of my brothers when we were jolted from sleep at about 2 am on Sunday by cries of women and children, and pandemonium all around us”, recalls Zakaria Elisha (25), a Christian and trader of Nasarawa, a Christian dominated suburb of Kaduna, on his sick bed at St. Gerard Hospital, Kaduna, his face swathed in bandage, soaked in blood.

“We had heard rumours that supporters of CPC (Congress for Progressive Change), were coming to attack us, because Buhari (Gen Muhamadu Buhari, CPC Presidential candidate) was losing to Jonathan Goodluck, and they had to kill us because no Christian must rule Nigeria again.

“I thought it was a lie, because it had been long since we held this kind of violence.
(The last main ethno-religious crisis in Kaduna broke out in 2006 after a newspaper cartoon in Denmark angered Muslims across the globe)

“I woke up, and saw scores of Hausa boys with knives, sticks, guns, bows and arrows.
“Some were shooting, some were pursuing people and stabbing them ”, he said, groamking in pain as nurses and medics darted across the ward to take care of a  record number of emergency cases as the Hospital officials claimed.

“We rushed and ran, but straight into another gang, who started cutting us with their long machetes. My two brothers were cut down. I don’t know what followed, but I was able escape with these wounds”, he said.

Dauda Hafis, 27, a Muslim and truck driver was retuning from Suleija to Zaria last Monday when he ran into a heavy roadblock mounted by Christian youths spoiling for war.

“I was stopped, and forced out. “They rushed at me with sticks and knives. “I was beaten with clubs, while others used machetes on me.

“Before I passed on, I saw my truck on fire and “I woke up in this hospital.

“I was told that some soldiers on patrol saw me and brought me here”, he said.
The soldiers were said to have turned on some residents for no just cause.

“A soldier broke down our gate, came into our compound and ordered everyone to get into his room and lock up”, said Naomi Amos 23, an applicant, who spoke on her hospital bed at the ECWA Health Centre, Narayi, Kaduna last Thursday.

“As I made haste to get my things and move in, the soldier said I was too slow.
“He hit me on the head with a club and was cursing Yakowa and Goodluck.

“I fell on the floor, and he hit me again. “But I blocked it with my hand, which now has a fracture, by the way I am feeling. “When he wanted to hit me for the third time, an old woman rushed at him and said she should be killed instead. “That was how my life was saved”, she said.

In Tudun Wada, Rigassa, Unguwan Sarki, Unguwan Shanu, Kawom Unguwan Ma’uazu, and Kabala Doki are ruins of churches and homes of victims.

The situation is not different in Narayi, Television Village, Sabon Tasha, Unguwan Romi, Maraban Riddo, and Unguwan Sunday, where no mosque remained standing on Thursday, houses and businesses of  Muslims destroyed.

Many long-time residents of Kaduna, and those who claim knowledge of the state, agree that the latest wave of violence is unprecedented, in the number of casualties.

The Public Relations Officer of St. Gerard Hospital, Kaduna,  Mr. Sunday John Ali, said: “We had about 30 corpses last Saturday. There were about 30 more bodies that were brought from outside”, he added.

“By Sunday, we had about over 300 victims, mostly from wounds sustained from bullets fired by high calibre weapons.

“All the hospitals in Kaduna were filled to capacity. Those that have mortuaries were also filled to the brim.

“It is only this hospital that tried to accommodate all that came. The doctors, nurses and all workers here worked so hard, that for 24 hours our x-ray machine was working. I have never seen this number of human beings injured; there has  never been any fight like this in Kaduna.

Those who claim to read the signals of a looming danger in Kaduna, city the booing of Vice President Namadi Sambo and his wife during the National Assembly and Presidential election at his Camp Road voting unit by unruly CPC supporters.

The Chairman, CAN, Northern Nigeria, Elder Saidu Dogo, complained to Saturday Vanguard that, “before the Presidential elections,  we heard of highly incisive preaching in mosques all over  northern states, encouraging Muslims   on what to do.

“Party offices were spared in affected areas, so why were Churches the first targets, then Christian clerics?”, he said, adding “this violence is clearly religious, not political.

“In Bauchi State, I have been informed that about 72 churches were burnt, and 32 Christians killed. Among them are 8 Youth Corps members. We are still getting more on the casualties. In Kano and in Zaria, most of our churches there were burnt, and several of our members killed. In Malumfashi, in Katsina State, no fewer than 18 churches were burnt, and I am yet to get the number of clerics and lay Christians killed”, he added.

But the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), the Muslim umbrella body in the North, dismissed the claims of CAN, saying, “it is a fabricated lie that can never be substantiated.  “It is unfortunate that a religious leader would make such a comment at a time like this”, he said.

“Some of the problem that we face in this country is the hypocrisy of some of our religious leaders. We as leaders must learn to say what will not cause more problems.

“As far as the JNI is concerned, the violence is unfortunate, and uncalled for. The casualty is heaviest in Southern part of Kaduna. In Zonkwa, the Imam of the town was brought out on the road and slaughtered like a ram. Many mosques and Muslims were killed there, because the place is dominated by Christians. Also, on the Abuja-Kaduna expressway, passengers where attacked and killed by Christians ”.

In Kafanchan, CPC supporters allegedly imported mercenaries  who went around shooting PDP supporters and  non-Muslims and setting their homes and churches ablaze.

“I saw the body of a man beheaded after he was killed by these men”, said a source caught in the violence on Monday night.

“They are using grenade and rocket launchers, and the guns they are firing  are not mere AK47s”, he told Vanguard from his hiding place.

The Police in Kafanchan were unable to curtail the situation, after youths from surrounding villages teamed up and entered Kafanchan around midnight to challenge the CPC armed men.

It was gathered that, with bows and arrows, cutlasses and sticks they managed to slow the advances of the attackers into some areas by their share numbers.

*The casualties
Number unknown but they include Prof. Ali Obge, of the Department of  Guardian and Counselling, Faculty of Education, Ahmadu Bello Zaria; a female unidentified student of ABU, Samaru Campus, Zaria , was killed, her remains severed into two and dumped near a rail line.

In Zonkwa town, the JNI, said that the Cheif Imam of the town was slaughtered among other Muslims last Monday. The Kaduna state Police Command said they lost five officers.

About 100 churches in Ikara LGA were burnt. All the mosques in Zangon Kataf, LGA, and some Christain dominated areas of Kaduna town brought down.

The PDP in Kaduna state said in a statement that the houses of Ambassador Sule Buba, the Director General of the Yakowa-Nakowa Campaign organization, Alhaji Habibu Dobani, the zone 1 chairman of PDP and the Zaria house of Alhaji Sani Dauda (ASD) set on fire and razed down by CPC mob.

Also, two houses in Zaria and Makarfi belonging to Alhaji Hassan Jumare, Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly and all his filling stations were burnt.

Other houses burnt include those of Alhaji Rabiu Jafaru, Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Hajia Halima Labbo, Commissioner for Special Duties, Alhaji Shehu Giant, former chairman of Kaduna North Local Government, Sadaunan Badarawa and Hon Tambuwal, amongst others said the PDP.

In Kafancha, the entire main market is now rubbles.
All businesses of non-Muslims, especially supermarkets and beer houses were torched.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/04/election-mayhem-on-sunday-alone-we-had-300-patients-with-bullet-wounds-hospital/

I have much respect for Aunty Dora!

God bless her and her family.

I loved this segment!

It is good that people never forget their culture and history.