₦airaland Forum

Opposition challenges PDP's win in Nasarawa

The former governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Adamu of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday defeated Abdullahi Ahmed Aboki of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) for Nasarawa Central senatorial district, polling 64,384 votes against his opponent's 58,789.


The CPC is however challenging the result. It claimed that voting did not take place in the entire Buga-Karmo ward, but the presiding officers there turned in 10,000 votes - all valid and cast in favour of the PDP.

CPC agents in the area alleged that one Wasan Kudi, stated that the deputy chairman of PDP in Toto took polling officers to his residence and had them submit the ballot papers for him to thumbprint the said 10,000 votes in favour of his party.

Nasarawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ahmad Makama, confirmed the confusion in Toto.

"I have heard about the situation in Toto. The procedure is that the returning officer has a responsibility by law. All INEC officers there will be held accountable for all their action. I am not on ground there in Toto, so I am only waiting for them to come and give me adequate briefing," he said.

The REC however said he cannot predict whether results would have to be cancelled or not. He, however, stated that the utmost priority of INEC, at about past 3pm when he spoke to our correspondent, was to evacuate INEC officials in the area as, according to him, there is tension in the area.

The state police commissioner, Emmanuel Obiako, said he had already ordered the area commander in charge of the area to report there to contain the tension in Toto.

Meanwhile, an incumbent senator, Patricia Akwashiki, and two members of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Almakura and Isah Ambaka yesterday lost their seats. Mr Ambaka, the Labour Party senatorial candidate, is facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and conspiracy to disrupt the National Assembly election.

The loss of the incumbents was the gain of Solomon Ewuga, Idris Yahuza and Joseph Kigbu, respectively, all candidates of the CPC.

Meanwhile, Suleiman Adokwe of the PDP retained his Nasarawa South senatorial district seat by defeating CPC's Tanko Wambai. However, the results for Awe/Doma/Keana federal constituency was still undecided as at press time.


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5688583-147/story.csp

When goodluck fails, preach hardwork

Did they just resurface the existing two lane dual carriage way or they expanded it like expected? Is it still two lane on each side?

The road linking the East to West deserves more than a mere re-surfacing, please tell me this is an expansion of that road. Or post pictures.

That road deserves at least an 8 lane expansion or a 10 lane one like the Abuja lokoja expansion project, this is the road connecting the economic powerhouses of Nigeria. I refuse to applaud a mere re-surfacing.


[img]http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg&STREAMOID=$mpMyZYhDodeiN3PejRt_i6SYeqqxXXqBcOgKOfTXxQCRx$V4R4r4xcy8t9_ys72nW_PgxgftuECOcfJwS6Jtlp$r8Fy$6AAZ9zyPuHJ25T7a9GKDSxsGxtpmxP0VAUyHL6IDcZHtmM2t7xO$FHdJG95dFi6y2Uma3vSsvPpVyo-[/img]

Beaf:
I wonder why the talk about Obj? He isn't PDP, he might be a senior member, but he isn't PDP and he ruled almost a decade ago.
90% of the things you mentioned do not form an ideology either.

As for the bolded, GEJ is a quiet operator, something thats really necessary because of the type of politics we practice in Nigeria. You really need to keep your ear to the ground until after the elections, which GEJ will win by the grace of God.
Until that time, I'll tell you though that he will take the party toward true federalism, a welfarist capitalism, citizen empowerment, education and technology; and they are already looking to alter the very obnoxious land use decree.

A lot of these things cannot be discussed by the FG until the weeding of the farm is completed.


You never know, when the box is opened, it might prick Fashola's interest. That man cannot be allowed to retire into obscurity when he is done as gov.

Ok bro. you've been telling me the same stuff in bold for about 5months now. as much as I want to believe him, I just can't see GEJ doing those things, but I guess it is only fair to wait.

Now, I hope GEJ will lose. but incase he wins, I pray you and I will be here to ask ourselves the same question I've had on my profile pic since last year, which is ;

[size=18pt]How Far?[/size]

Beaf:
If GEJ wins the election, I believe there will be massive purges and restructuring in PDP. It would also become the first political party in this dispensation with an ideology.

Really? What is the Ideology of PDP?

I know Fashola, Tinubu and ACN have gone on record to argue for State police, more State control of revenue, a weak center and even resource control -If we see them as the same ACN of the AC period- ACN Assembly members are always at the forefront of several reformist pushes in the HOA: FOI bill, diaspora voting e.t.c  -I'm glad Uncle Sola Adeyeye of ACN is back in the House of Assembly as a Senator!- I wish we have more of them.

whereas OBJ  has gone on record to oppose a lot of these things on behalf of PDP and the Nigerian Military-Political Establishment, FOI bill comes to mind. That was also the difference between OBJ and Bola Ige +the founders of AC and by extention ACN.

CPC has promised similar structural changes in addition to their stance on corruption, GEJ has not.

I'm not sure if it's because GEJ does not believe these things are necessary or he's just trying to be strategic. Personally, I'm guessing he knew he won't win if he'd promise those things especially when he was running against Northern pro-establishment candidates in PDP. That is another reason why I doubt GEJ will have the balls to control the pro-establishment hawks and governors he's scared of opposing in PDP right now.

On economic ideology; as confusing as the Nigerian "political-economic" landscape is, ACN has shown they can work well in a privatised environment in Lagos, but we can't speak too much about that since the power to privatise and liberalize most of our state companies and utilities lies with the Federal Government for now.

But in the states controlled by the ACN (Lagos and Edo), we have seen a greater push for taxation and citizen involvement in government funding and that will only empower people to demand for more accountability. You saw that kind of citizen demand and empowerment during the Lagos Lekki Concession saga! people power forced Fashola to back down a bit!

Taxes make the people powerful and ACN is encouraging it.

What do we see in PDP states? What is GEJ's position and ideology?

Weak center? strong center?

resource control? state police? free press?

Greater protection from state security? Taxation? welfarism? capitalism? socialism? True Federalism?

I'm not hearing anything from my brotha in Aso Rock.

Beaf:
[b]You cannot fight a behemoth like PDP from a regional position. That will only entrench the one party state you so fear, cos regional parties will simply be swated aside like pesky flies.[/b]To go with the theme of the thread, none of the regional parties can ever get Fashola on the national scene where he belongs. ACN for one, has reached its zenith; outside Yoruba land, it has picked up mainly desperate politicians like Udoedehe and Akume; there are a couple of exception like Ngige though, but in his case, he is more like using ACN, since as an ex-gov, he has extensive polital machinery, he just needed a vehicle.

ACN fought the PDP behemoth and won. Of course you can argue it was chiefly in the SW, but don't forget PDP held sway even in the SW just 3 days ago.

But more to the point, I was responding to your hope for a more sophisticated political landscape, It will be strange if you believe that we can get that by moving everybody to PDP or a single national party.

ACN or whatever off-shoot they bring out in the future will do Nigerians well if they broaden their base and extend their reach to other regions, I agree with that. But they are doing great given the National treasury funded opposition from PDP.

Let's give the opposition their credit and welcome the little bit of beauty they've brought to our one-sided democracy. It is Fresh Air!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a bigger beatdown of the PDP in the coming elections, It is for all of our own good that we reduce their power and influence and give them an opposition to challenge their excesses.

GenBuhari:
These elections were rigged.

Why am I the only one saying this?

Have we forgotten all the polls on Nairaland?

We shoul d not keep quiet forever Are we gonna wait until they rig the presidential elections also before we become angry

You are not the only one, el-rufai and others were was on that issue all day on saturday/sunday

I really expect CPC and ACN to get very very political sensitize the public and make PDP, INEC and the Police/SSS very uncomfortable over this rigging, I seriously doubt those reported PDP figures in Lagos despite their loss.

I still wonder why we have a campaign to report votes at ward level with citizen presence while we are kept in the dark at the collation centers. Whats's up with that?

I expect CPC and ACN to put men at every stage of the counting and collation, plus also demand for recorded and televised open counting at state level.

You slack one bit and PDP will rig you to death.

9ijaMan:
Text messages will be going to my friends and associates in 9ja everyday for the next 5 days.

I'll intensify mine too.

Kobojunkie:
Sure, again, how much effort is being put in to help get the CPC name out there for the election?

Since we can't put an helicopter in the sky to spray information like Awolowo did in those days, IMO, we should concentrate on the jingles and SMS campaigns. The CPC memento materials you mentioned earlier are very good ideas too.

I really hope they can work together with ACN.

agabaI23:
lol I see! Goodluck

ok bro, I wish you good leadership

I just saw that Bawomolo was one of the first posters to fire some good questions at him, I still miss that brotha's comments.

I don't know much about Dapolam though. I hope the winner will serve his constituency well or get fired as well. we need to have deep impatience for laggards. I wish dapolam well in future endeavors as long as he's ready to serve his people well.

agabaI23:
You are welcome

However, you should do well to give honour to whom honour is due. That is part of straightforwardness you are preaching.

I'm currently at war. I'll honour my opponent when the battle is over, provided they fight fair. For now, I rally and inspire the troops

Beaf:
Nigerians will indeed become more sophisticated politically, much more so than they are today. Now, in a politically sophisticated society.

I think so too, Nigerians will become more sophisticated politically. I totally share that hope.

BUT

A sophisticated population does not need a one party, one ideology, political landscape. That will defeat the point of their sophistication.

ACN has as much chance of becoming a National party as PDP had in '99. Let us appreciate the good fight ACN and other opposition parties gave the PDP behemoth in Benue, Kwara, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Ondo and other parts of Nigeria. Even ACN faced decent opposition from smaller parties in their region. Nigerians are the winner despite the allegations of rigging an intimidation.

A one party state will do us no good. Politics is not a one way street, especially if you are hoping for a sophisticated political landscape.

^^My bad I'll edit, that even makes it better though. thanks bro.

As far as I am concerned, these are great results for the opposition in places where they actually existed.

Despite the PDP rigging machine, their access to the public treasury, their exclusive use of NTA + other State public media + the reckless use of the police and SSS. both parties gave PDP a good fight. These numbers are not too bad considering the overwhelming one party state majority we had before Saturday, the opposition lost nothing, rather they gained a lot. Let's not forget that.

Senate with 75% reporting:   ACN:13    ANPP:3     CPC:6      PDP:52    LP:3
House of REP 49% reporting: ACN:32    ANPP:20   CPC:30    PDP:82   LP:8
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/pdp-survives-acn-gains-but-cpc-underperforms/89433/ 

The new spin now is that GEJ is fair and he conducted a free and fair election, which is laughable considering the allegation of bribery and vote changing at "secret" collation centers plus the fact that PDP only lost in places where rigging with impunity would have caused massive chaos: SW

Attack that new spin everywhere you can. An election where the police and SSS were used as tools of intimidation is neither free nor fair at all.

ACN did a great job and CPC did not do too badly, this is not a referendum on the BB ticket or CPC, considering this was not the election they were formed for initially. I can only hope for an alliance toward the presidential.

Let us now look forward to the Presidential election while we continue to do our best to release more people from the clutches of PDP and their association of killers.

@Jarus, can we still get Bakare himself to Re-record that Jingle? I know Aisha gave a contact for someone close to him a while back, What about Yinka Odumakin? can we get one of these people to pay attention to us so we can get his real voice on tape?

Y'all are fighting the good fight. It is worth it jare, I'm happy for my SW and hoping more PDP governors will be chased out too

Aigbofa:
^^^^^

Look at those penetrating eyes. Even the smile cannot conceal the ruthlessness behind those eyes.

I tell you bro, you don't want to meet aunty Dora in a dark alley. Ask Ngige.

[img]http://2.bp..com/_n5RIoHw5Hds/S7XJ3BQiLDI/AAAAAAAAAew/H_K7S_xtLLk/s800/dora+akunyili+joseph+obi.jpg[/img]

[size=16pt]Badass Chick!!   [/size]

She floored short Ngige kukuru. . .

aletheia:
^^So remove Buhari. And CPC withers and dies. What a lot of BB supporters don't realize is that CPC has actually been subtly hijacked from Buhari. Two critical decisions made by Buhari suggest so.

1) The decision to deny Mike Ahamba, the party chairmanship. A decision that so embittered Ahamba to the point that he resigned from the party. Now note that Ahamba has been loyal to Buhari, standing with him through thick and thin. When you read Buhari's rationalization of that decision; you immediately realize that something did not add up. Nigeria's politics is built on the tripod of appeasing the three major tribes. If Ahamba was chairman of CPC; it would have given the CPC a high-profile Igbo face and given it a fighting chance in the SE. Tony Momoh was selected as CPC party chairman based on the calculation that he will serve as a "counterweight" to GEJ in the SS. Really? Does anyone actually think that will persuade the SS to vote for CPC.

2) By choosing Tunde Bakare as running mate. Bakare is not going to increase CPC's vote tally anywhere in the SW. Strategic mistake. In selecting your running mate, you chose a loyal party man (as ACN did) that can add votes to your ticket. Bakare is an outsider; someone without a power base in the CPC structure. I daresay a number of CPC stalwarts would have been disappointed by the choosing of an outsider as their presidential running mate.

The more astute will realize that these two key decisions have in effect served to isolate Buhari within his own party, while presenting an appearance of "unity". By pushing out of the party a key loyalist of Buhari that could have won him votes in the SE and pairing him with an outsider that will not win him much votes in the key battleground SW states.
Note that Buhari made this grievous errors of judgement based on advice he received from a coterie of advisors around him. Who are these advisors? A bevy of ex-PDP and ANPP politicians (some of whom I suspect are actually moles). This is a classic strategem. For example in the Bible, David sent a trusted advisor Hushai into Absalom's camp to counter any sound advise given by Ahitophel.

General Buhari's rigidity makes it easy for him to be manipulated by those around him, once you can win his trust.

I don't think any realistic pundit believed Buhari had some great CPC structure, actually that was one of the arguments against him apart from being a former military ruler. Maybe he could have done better and I agree he should've, but it will be really silly to expect a 6 month old party with no local elective office or structure to sweep local polls like that, especially with all the rigging and poor policing we have in Nigeria.

Let's also not forget, even at his many Northern rallies, the popular slogan was  "Sai ~Fix PDP/ANPP local candidate~" AND "Sai Buhari Nigeria". So, there is nothing unexpected or strange here. I do agree with you though that he could have done better but that is not the argument really.

The presidential election will be the referendum on his Northern political clout. I hope they will take our now tired and over-offered advice to form an alliance with ACN to win in the SW.

muami:
Speechless about the fact that you just realised that Nigerians knew all along that it doent take an illiterate draconian leader to solve all the problems you just mentioned. How many PIBs and FOIs did Buhari promulgate with military fiat when he had the power to do so without having to 'push'. I would rather have a PIB yet to be passed and an FOI yet to be signed than to have a signed Decree 4.

Be serious dude, as condemnable as is it, Buhari used a decree like any other dictatorial military ruler, Yes it is nothing to be proud of.  But how will you excuse the continuing existence of a similar decree now called Nigerian Press Council Act No. 60 of 1999 in our laws since 1999? despite 12 year of PDP's "Democratic" rule. What is GEJ/PDP afraid of?

[quote author=ekt_bear link=topic=643468.msg8097512#msg8097512 date=1302476352]I've said this before, but I'll say it again. Buhari erred badly in not focusing on party-building. There is value in building political structures that will outlast you. He could and should have focused his energy on sweeping the PDP out of the NW and NE more thoroughly. 2011 is not the only election Nigeria will ever have in its history; there is 2015 and beyond.

Very poor planning and strategy by Buhari and the CPC.[/quote]Apart from money, Buhari left ANPP to form CPC not too long ago, I think his popularity has more to do with Buhari himself than with his political party or structure, It will take time to form structires. I stand corrected, I don't think CPC has ever contested any election until yesterday.

muami:
Heya, the turn of events has made someone speechless.

Speechless about what exactly? The sufferings of our people from North to South? Bad road? No light ? No water? poor healthcare?

The Looting of Public money? The fact that none of the riggers today will be brought to justice by our underfunded police and judicial services?

Speechless about what? The continuous reward we give to Corrupt politicians hiding behind silly ethnic and religious arguments?

The fact that GEJ is a clueless man with zero balls to fix Nigeria, speak against corruption, ensure True federalism, Push for the passage of relevant bills(PIB, FOI)

What exactly am I speechless about?

Read Eziachi's excellent posts and tell us what are you've been "vocal" about on behalf of ALL Nigerians.

Eziachi:
Can you guys please give us a break to enjoy the mini drama, especially you. Where is your brain and how much do you use it?  Don't get me wrong, I do not support not even a single one of them parties but if you have brain, how can you say CPC, party formed less than a year ago getting 10% in Lagos is a disgrace, while PDP which 13 years old and an offshoot of the old NPN and others getting 25% is a triumph at the same time?

Are you telling me that Jonathan as private citizen on his own can be able to form a party and within one year it will be winning a senatorial seat? Outside PDP protection, power, public money, both state/fedreral and local govt, can Jonathan can win a local govt election based only as Mr Jonathan from Bayelsa state?

I enjoy politics but never will I ever allow this game that you and I are just bystandesr to screw up my thinkng as a human being. CPC unlike the PDP has no single state governor ready to spend public money on the party as against PDP's 28 state governors. PDP have 36 NTA stations plus the national network as there own only, the same with 36 FRCN substations and their networks,  plus 28 state television and radio stations as their mouth piece only.

Jonathan has 5 presidential fleets of jets at his disposal anytime he wants for 24 hours to campaign unlike others. Do you know how much it cost to hire a single helicopter for just a hour, let alone 5 jets, 7 days, 24 hours a day, months after months.

Comparing CPC with others especially the PDP is like comparing an ORANGE with a lime in terms of everything especially financial resources. Like I said before, unlike you, my mind is not corrupted by any partisanship but I wants to call a spade a spade by saying that CPC is punching well above their weight based on what just happened.

Leave PDP as a party today without a single governor, presidency for just one year only, let see how many people will remain as members, let alone, them winning a seat in anything. If you think I am wrong, please let me know where and how. The only party that lost what they got before this election is PDP, how can that be translated as a victory or am I missing something?

When you and others like you kept saying that PDP swept this place or that place, who exactly did they sweep it from or did they just managed to keep what they had every public fund available to them to keep for the last 12 years or did they snatch it from anyone?

Eziachi:
I would love a scenario where Mr Jonathan not as Mr president, Mr governor, Mr senator, Mr minister or any other Mr public money guzzler at all but just Mr Jonathan, to form his own political in Bayelsa.

Lets watch and see how many of you present fanatical GEJ disciples will follow him and how much fresh air will be able to discharge if an election is called this time next year?
Anyone can be transformed into a sudden demi god in Nigeria crooked system with with a ready to follow believers, as long as the person has the national treasury at his disposal.
Once upon a time, the same kind of folks with a million man strong were matching and telling us that without Abacha we will seize to exist as human.
Where are them one million Nigerians now? They are the present Jonathan followers and were once Yar Adua's and before him, OBJs.

They are never in short supply and tomorrow they will follow the next guy with their unending reasons why he is the new messiah. Without him, we will all die.
This time four years ago, we were baptised with the sermon that Yar Adua is Mr Nice guy whom we later learned that he trusted his wife with Nigeria than the present time Messiah Jonathan before he disappeared to Saudi Arabia and never come back alive.
And this was only few months ago. How much short memory we got, when we chose to.

God help you people.

Eziachi:
I knew that the drums were out and that is why I am warning the gullibles now that few years ago millions like you also brought all the drums out for Abacha and you were one of the dancers and today, you have started again and I don't have a problem with that, only for those millions that will go to bed tonight with hundreds of mosquitoes without light, while the messiah has an endless supply from his big generator paid for by your sweat, the thousands that will perish in Ore-Benin-Onitsha road this year due to bad road, while the messiah's problem willonly be deciding which of his 5 jets he will fly for today.

Eziachi:
It shows that you knew nothing about me that my worry in life is n Igbo man ruling Nigeria? Get real! What exactly will an Igbo man ruling do for me or any ordinary Igbo folk, except for the silly bragging right? I am not silly for such a thing to be any worry to be looking how much the Yorubas fared under OBJ their son and Ijaws will soon get it. However,I wonder if you are to swap Jonathan with an Igbo man, if you will still have the same enthusiasm now that you mentioned?

I hate AGIP group of people going around every election from 1960 till now telling us how a less average guy is now our new socrates just because he happens to hold power and the treasury.
If left for a man alone, will Jonathan be among the first eleven of men from Niger delta when you look for leadership?
I hate people telling me that a copper is now a gold just because its their's.

That's all.

Let's see if this will get to the front page too.

mithel:
hw come all dis late results are goin in favour of pdp, ,am suspectin ooooo

el-rufai is suspecting too. . .

https://i53.tinypic.com/29y5nb.jpg

^^^^

el-rufai is alleging the same on his Twitter page. Unfortunately, a lot of Nigerians are buying into this nonsense about GEJ conducting a free and fair election. I will wait for the full picture before I praise any election. Seems PDP lost in areas were they cannot rig without risking a "revolution" SW and NW

https://i53.tinypic.com/29y5nb.jpg

LOL @ Aare Musiwa. It's ok sir.

[quote author=ekt_bear link=topic=643378.msg8094951#msg8094951 date=1302453739]Too early to be celebrating when ACN mandates are being stolen in Kwara, Benue, Anambra and Akwa Ibom [/quote]That is the point I keep trying to push, while GEJ and his PDP goons are trying to put a new spin on this election by declaring themselves fair and trustworthy, We clearly see that ACN only won in states where it will be Suicidal for PDP to rig massively.

Like Gbawe pointed out, Tinubu and the ACN were almost impossible to defeat in most SW states, That is the legacy of Tinubu's 12 years of opposition, hate him or like him, it is what it is.

But we cannot clap for JEGA when we still hear reports of REC and returning officers trying to change results, bribery, ballot snatching and the likes from battle ground states like Kwara, Benue, Delta, Akwa Ibom and even parts of Edo. I see nothing to rejoice here, If anything we should be congratulating ACN, CPC and the vigilant people of Nigeria in those places where the opposition have popular support.

As far as I am concerned, the Jury is still out on JEGA and INEC.

MeGaStReEt:
There is peace now that ACN and CPC are wining and we all seems to have forgoten the word "Rig"

I hope nobody is going to come here an start shouting rig rig when GEJ finaly put those pretenders to rest

Don't be too happy they are still rigging.

Jarus:
Reports I'm listening on TVC now have it that a Returning Officer has been arrested in Edo for attempting to change election results from 1,000 something to 10,000 something, for PDP.

I'm still wondering how JEGA's so called new system will tackle issues like this if these riggers are not physically caught.

Are the votes serialized?

What stops a returning officer in Benue from adding a few Zeros to David Mark's numbers for example?

9ijaMan:
9 federal constituencies declared in Kaduna out of a total of 16 seats. Source Channels TV on YouTube streaming live.
http://www.youtube.com/user/channelsweb
Out of the 9 declared seats.
CPC - 6 seats
PDP - 3 seats

Thanks for the link bro.

I can see this is the new political spin for GEJ/PDP. E don enter front page sharp sharp, well done Seun.