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ACN, CPC alliance collapses Buhari, the stumbling block –Akande

The much expected alliance between the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) to present a single presidential candidate to confront the ubiquitous Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in Saturday’s election has collapsed, as the two parties cannot take any decision to concretise the alliance.

Addressing journalists yesterday at the ACN national secretariat, the party National Chairman and former Osun State governor, Chief Bisi Akande did not offer any reason why the alliance talk collapsed, but disclosed that his party “believes in democratic values and has therefore decided that in the overall interest of the parties involved, our democracy as well as our country, it is better for each of the parties to go into the presidential election on its own platform.

“If at the end of the election on Saturday there is no clear winner, we will make a decision on which way to go in the overall interest of all Nigerians.’’
But the ACN chairman equally pointed the finger of scorn, at the CPC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, for the failure of the alliance talk, as he offered insight into several overtures made by the ACN for the success of the alliance, even before the ACN conducted its presidential primary and in the course of electioneering campaigns.

“We had been involved in alliance talks, even before we had our presidential primary and during the electioneering campaigns. After that, we thought we could still have an alliance and possibly withdraw from the presidential elections and support General Buhari, but all these seems to have been frustrated, at least, not by us. During the electioneering, we agreed that our presidential candidate would continue to talk with them, we were surprised that it led to no alliance.’’

Even as he admitted that the PDP presidential candidate and incumbent president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan had opened discussion with ACN, after last Saturday’s National Assembly election, Chief Akande dismissed insinuations that it could have been responsible for the ACN position to jettison an alliance with CPC.

“The president, after last Saturday’s election had opened a discussion with us, he has been sending our friends to us , he has been sending leaders to us, traditional rulers to talk to us. But when we waited and we didn’t get such a reach out from CPC, we decided to move close to them, (CPC) so that we can continue with our discussion and I am grateful to some patriots from the North who tried to mid-wife the coming together, all over again but until this morning, that was about 12.30 midnight, we never started any talk. We decided on preliminary and we hope to meet again but in our own opinion, we can’t keep our people waiting, election is coming on Saturday. If we keep waiting, we may mislead our people, so we have to get our people to move to the field and start mobilizing for election and not for an alliance, for which negotiation hasn’t started.’’



Link:
http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/apr/14/national-14-04-2011-001.htm

The Action Congress of Nigeria on Wednesday confirmed that its alliance talks with the Congress for Progressive Change had collapsed.



Although the ACN blamed the development on the CPC, findings by THE PUNCH revealed that the direct and indirect roles played by three core members of the Northern Political Leaders Forum — Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Gen. Aliyu Gusau, and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar— in the talks hastened the collapse.



The talks which started last year were aimed at dislodging the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the presidential election on Saturday.



Investigations by our correspondents showed that the ACN leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and governors elected on the platform of the party, particularly had expressed reservation over the involvement of Babangida in the talks.



Tinubu and the governors were said to have reasoned that Babangida, who annulled the June 12 presidential poll, should not be involved in the emergence of any candidate seeking votes in the South-West.



Besides IBB’s involvement, the ACN leaders thought that the party would be signing its death warrant if it failed to field a candidate in the presidential poll.



It was gathered that at a meeting, which started at 5pm on Tuesday and ended at 2am on Wednesday, Tinubu and the governors prevailed on the ACN presidential candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, not to step down for his CPC counterpart, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)



Babangida; Abubakar; a former Vice-President and Gusau, an ex-National Security Adviser, were said to have prevailed on Buhari to revive the alliance talks with the ACN.



The NPLF leaders, investigations showed, reasoned that with the results of the National Assembly elections in the South-West, Buhari would need the support of the ACN.



A top member of the CPC, who pleaded anonymity, said the NPLF leaders initiated a series of meetings involving Buhari and Ribadu.



During the last of the meetings in Abuja on Tuesday, Babangida and other NPLF leaders pleaded with Ribadu to step down.



They were said to have told him that he could still contest the presidency in future because he is younger than Buhari.



But Ribadu, it was learnt, said that he could not unilaterally step down without consulting his party.



He was also said to have told the NPLF leaders to ask Buhari to step down because the ACN performed better than the CPC in the National Assembly elections.



Besides the meeting with Buhari and Ribadu, investigations showed that NPLF had a separate meeting with the CPC presidential candidate.



At the meeting, Babangida and others asked Buhari to urge his running mate, Pastor Tunde Bakare, to withdraw from the presidential poll so that Tinubu could replace him.



But at the meeting involving the ACN leaders, Buhari and the NPLF, the plans of the Northern leaders fell apart.



It was gathered that Tinubu and the ACN governors were not happy with the involvement of Babangida in the negotiation.



A top member of the CPC, said, “They reason that Babangida has not atoned for his sin of annulling the June 12 presidential election won by Chief Abiola. If he is campaign for himself or anybody, he must first apologise to the people of South-West, who is seeking his votes.”



The ACN leaders were said to have insisted that it would be suicidal for the party not have a presidential candidate.



They warned that they should not make the mistake made by the Alliance for Democracy in 2003, when it did not field any presidential candidate, but supported former President Olusegun Obasanjo.



It was also learnt that Buhari could not persuade his running mate to withdraw from the race.



After the meeting, the leadership of the ACN on Wednesday addressed a press conference, where they blamed the CPC for the collapse.



ACN’s National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, said with the development, the ACN would contest the election on its own.



He said, ‘’The ACN wishes to inform all its teeming supporters as well as all Nigerians that there is no alliance between the party and the CPC ahead of Saturday’s presidential election.



‘’We, as a party that believes in democratic values have, therefore, decided that, in the overall interest of the parties involved, our democracy as well as our country, it is better for each of the parties to go into the presidential election on its own platform.”



Akande, a former governor of Osun State, stated that the ACN, which it said was attracted to the CPC leadership, believed in the merger of the two parties.



He , however, explained that a relationship between the two parties could not be ruled out in the event of a presidential rerun.



The ACN chairman also dismissed reports that President Goodluck Jonathan met with one of the parties topshots.



He said, ‘’The talks seem to be frustrated at least not from us. We believed in the merger.



“We are attracted to the leadership of the CPC and if it was possible, we would still have an alliance. But the CPC had not been reaching out to us.



“They have not been responding respectively. We don’t want it to appear like we are not confident of ourselves.



We cannot wait again. We need to get our people into the field in preparation for Saturday’s election.”



He, however, assured that ‘’if at the end of the election on Saturday there is no clear winner, we would make a decision on which way to go, in the over riding interest of all Nigerians.’’



Asked if it was true that the party had been insisting that the alliance must produce Ribadu as the presidential candidate, he replied, “No.”



But the former governor added that the ACN had wanted its performance at the National Assembly polls to count for it during the failed talks.



Before the conference, Akande had ruled out the possibility of the ACN asking its supporters to vote for Jonathan on Saturday.



He described the President as a good man who found himself in a bad party.



Akande said, “ “We will not be comfortable to tell our supporters to vote for the PDP, which is a very bad party. The President is a good man, he belongs to a wrong political party.”



He also said that Jonathan sent some eminent Nigerians, including traditional rulers to the leadership of the ACN on the need to support him.



Akande also denied media reports that Tinubu was flown to Abuja in a presidential jet to meet the President.



“Tinubu did not visit the President; he did not ride in any presidential jet,” he said.



When contacted over the collapse of the alliance talks, Buhari’s spokesman, Mr. Yinka Odumaki, said “this is not the time for reckless comments.”



He said, “Leadership requires maturity, We are not rushing to make any unguarded comments that will jeopardise efforts of well meaning Nigerians to see that we deliver.”






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110414314635

Indications emerged on Tuesday that the Independent National Electoral Commission had suspended the further declaration of the pending results of the National Assembly polls in Bayelsa State.



The commission’s Information Officer in Bayelsa State, Mrs. Priscila Sule, said in an interview with THE PUNCH in Yenagoa that the 48 hours time limit for the release of all results had expired.



Sule, however, refused to speak further on the matter and urged our correspondent to seek details from the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Edwin Nwatalari.



She said, “The 48 hours stipulated for the release of results have expired. We are no longer releasing results for the election. But you have to wait for the REC for details. He is in Abuja attending a meeting.”



There has been controversy over the conduct of the election in the state, following allegations by opposition parties that the polls were marred by irregularies.



While INEC has been able to release results for Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Nembe/Brass Federal Constituency, Kolokuma/Opopuma/Yenagoa Federal Constituency and Ogbia Federal Constituency, others are still pending.



Areas where results are yet to be announced are Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency and Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency, where the commission in a statement signed by Sule said the polls were marred by malpractices.



The commission had also in the statement withdrawn the result of Bayelsa West Senatorial District it earlier announced on the grounds of widespread irregularities.



The Peoples Democratic Party cleared all the seats declared so far.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110413692378

The All Progressive Grand Alliance candidate in Anambra State Central Senatorial District in last Saturday’s elections, Prof. Dora Akunyili, has rejected the victory of Dr. Chris Ngige in the National Assembly election.



Akunyili, who spoke at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, alleged that Ngige, who was the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria in the election, got his victory in a “fraudulent manner.”



The former Information and Communications Minister spoke as Ngige was holding a road show in Awka to celebrate his declaration as the winner of the senatorial seat.



Major streets of Awka, the state capital, were jammed on Tuesday as the ACN candidate and his supporters held a victory party.



The party held up traffic especially along the Onitsha-Enugu expressway where thousands of ACN supporters brandished brooms and sang victory songs with Ngige.



The celebration, however, attracted a strong police reinforcement around Government House, which is in the vicinity of the home of the former state governor.



Akunyili, who spoke in company with the National Chairman of the party, Chief Victor Umeh, said the attitude of some politicians in the country was aimed at tarnishing the image of the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission.



She said there was no iota of truth in the allegation by the Returning Officer in the district, Mr. Alex Anene, that agents of the state government tried to induce him with money and other materials.



Akunyili said, “The chairman of INEC is a credible man but politicians want to discredit him. The returning officer said he was induced by the government. Tell me, does Gov Peter Obi look like someone who could spray N10m?



“The governor lives in his mother’s house and Anene is saying that the governor promised to build a house for him among other things. How can someone who does not own a house build house for another person?



Ngige told his teeming supporters that he was now the senator-elect. “What I am waiting for is for the Resident Electoral Commission to issue me with my certificate of return,” he told the cheering crowd of supporters.



He urged them not to be carried away by the celebrations. “Tomorrow, we shall return to work. There are more elections ahead of us,” he admonished.



But the REC, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukaogu, said the commission stood by the declaration that the election was inconclusive.



Onukaogu, who spoke in Abuja, said the returning officer that declared Ngige as the winner of the election had absconded from his duties and therefore could no longer claim to be the returning officer.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110413643950

The Action Congress of Nigeria, South West Caucus, has called on Nigerians not to be deceived by the statements of Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole; a former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; and Senator Iyiola Omisore, accepting defeats in the National Assembly elections.



The caucus described the statements as “the deceit of the serpent.”



The party’s position was contained in a statement made available to our correspondent in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, on Tuesday by the caucus’ Director of Publicity, Mr. Ayo Afolabi.



ACN said that laudable as the concession statements of the politicians that Saturday’s election was a reflection of the wishes of the people, the people should not be deceived by the statements.



The caucus wants Bankole, Oyinlola and Omisore to go a step further by confessing that they rigged past elections in the country to enable them to occupy public offices.



The statement read, “We appeal to our people not to be taken in by their concession statements; it is the deceit of the serpent.



“Let them confess that they rigged past elections. We should keep our eyes and ears open. Let the current political tsunami consume all of them.”



The caucus commended the people of the South West for trooping out to vote for the ACN in the last election and urged them not to relent until all the elections were concluded.



The caucus also urged party faithful in Ekiti State to be encouraged by the ACN victories in other South West states in the National Assembly elections and replicate same in their state during the rescheduled National Assembly polls and other elections in the state.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201104136253396

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the ruling party in Lagos State, recorded a landslide victory in all the 21 Federal Constituencies where elections were conducted.

Agege

According to the officials results released and signed by the Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent Electoral Commission, Adekunle Ogunmola, the party cleared all the polls. In Agege Federal Constituency, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) got 19, 376 votes, close to the Peoples Democratic Party’s 20,086 votes. However, Babatunde Adejare, from the ruling party, led with 38,963 votes. The election was generally peaceful in the area.

Alimosho and Apapa

The party also more than doubled PDP’s 28, 538 votes with 61,822 votes going to Taiwo Adenekan in Ajeromi-Ifelodun. At Alimosho and Apapa, Adeola Olamilekan and Babatunde Adewale gave no room to PDP, carting away 77,384 and 26,492 votes respectively, a far cry from PDP’s 52,720 and 11,443 votes. But in Amuwo-Odofin, Labour Party’s 14,749 votes was far ahead of PDP’s 9,259 votes. However, their combined figure was still less than Ganiyu Olukolu’s 26,662 votes.

Despite the fact that the PDP has a strong presence in the Badagry Federal Constituency, with two representatives at the House of Assembly, they lost to the ACN; having a mere 18,161 votes in comparison to Arinola Onabamiro’s 26,702 votes.

Lekki and Epe

In Epe, Labour Party again came close to swiping PDP off the second position with 9,001 votes in relation to PDP’s 9,955 votes. However, the ACN still carried the day with Lanre Odubote’s 23,516 votes.

In Eti-Osa and Ibeju-Lekki Federal Constituencies, despite the deep-seated presence of the PDP and the controversial tolled Lekki-Epe Expressway, ACN’s Akinloye Babajide and Yomi Aiyeola still led with 30,779 and 18,828 votes respectively, a far cry from PDP’s 14,903 and 12,833 votes.

Voters in Polling Unit 016A Oba Adeyinka Oyekan Estate, Lekki Phase One, and other centres, however, alleged that the electoral process there was manipulated to favour the ACN. The voters, who waited for several hours for the officials of the Independent Electoral Commission to arrive, lamented what they called “unacceptable of the whole electoral process.”

Ikeja and Kosofe

In Ikeja, the seat of power in Lagos, PDP was sent to the gallows with no single valid vote recorded for the party. ACN’s James Faleke led with 32,757 votes, with the CPC trailing far behind with 3,529 votes.

The constant harassment faced by commercial motorcyclists and drivers was predicted to be ACN’s Achilles’ heel in Kosofe. However, this did not affect their victory as Yacoob Alebiosu still carried the day with 63,070 votes. The large number of northerners in the area also accounted for CPC’s 4,472 votes, which trailed behind PDP’s 18,744 votes.

Mainland and Island

Lagos Mainland and Lagos Island I and II, which collectively make up a sizable part of the Lagos Central Senatorial District, had some of the greatest criticisms. This was due to the candidacy of Remi Tinubu, wife of former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, who emerged as the candidate for the district. Her candidacy forced some people out of the ACN fold while many disgruntled voices that chose to stay within the fold were believed to be working against her victory.

However, at both the Senatorial and House of Representative levels, ACN still had a clear victory, with CPC pulling no votes at the House of Representative levels in any of the three constituencies. ACN’s Alao Owolabi, Olajumoke Okoya-Thomas and Yakub Balogun led with 40,380, 17,803 and 22,254 votes respectively.

Mushin

Mushin I and Mushin II was predicted to be one of the most violent areas in Lagos for the elections. However, the ACN had a clear victory with Abayomi Kako-Are and Ganiyu Hamzat leading with 37,412 and 39,215 votes respectively. In Ojo Federal Constituency, PDP’s 20,080 votes did nothing to deter ACN’s Isiaka Suarau’s victory with 32,501 votes. PDP had less than half of ACN’s votes in Oshodi-Isolo I and Oshodi-Isolo II, pulling out a meagre 12,283 and 11,254 supporters. ACN’s Fatai Maruf and Muniru Hakeem smiled home with 26,891 and 30,792 votes.

Surulere

Dapo Durosinmi-Etti, a former ACN member who defected to Labour Party on the heel of the party’s shambolic primary elections, showed his strong presence in Surulere; however his party lacked the strong grass roots followership needed to win election.

In Surulere I, the Labour Party had no votes, but PDP had 7,045, far from ACN’s Hakeem Gbajabiamila’s gallant 20,493 votes. But in Surulere II, Labour Party swiped PDP off the second position with 12,217 votes, which was still far behind ACN’s Alliu Kazeem’s 29,905 votes.

The complaints

But ACN’s victory has not been completely accepted by PDP. According to the secretary of the state chapter of the PDP, Tunji Selle, the party will be contesting election results in Alimosho, Eti-Osa, and Mushin local government areas of the state following alleged reports of election malpractices and would soon take its complaints to court.


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5689455-146/story.csp

Nothing he did as Speaker of the House of Representatives equaled the nobility he demonstrated on the day he lost his re-election bid.

Oladimeji Sabur Bankole, who for nearly four years ruled the lower chamber with less than spectacular success, finally displayed the sensitivity, humility and patriotism that Nigerians had waited to see for so long.

Shortly after the announcement of the results for the parliamentary election at the Centenary Centre, Ake, Abeokuta, Mr Bankole congratulated his Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) rival, Segun williams, who polled 28,490 votes to his 23,103.

“For me, the race was not a life and death duel,” he said. “Of more importance is building, maintaining and developing our democratic institutions and processes towards true national development and greatness.” Nigerians wished he had shown such magnanimity a little sooner. After the debacle that was Patricia Etteh’s stint in the Speaker’s chair, Mr Bankole, a member of the so-called Integrity Group which traduced her, beat George Jolaoye to emerge speaker on November 1st 2007. It was a non-contest; Mr Jolaoye managed 20 votes to Mr Bankole’s 204.

The new speaker was 37, and a bachelor. It was the promise of spring for the House of Representatives: A graduate of Reading and Harvard universities was taking over from a woman who studied as a hairdresser.

A dream deferred

Mr Bankole’s first statement as Speaker was replete with military idioms. “I am taking over the mantle of leadership at a very difficult time. But these are hard times, we need to build confidence again and assure the populace that we are still their representatives. I want an independent House that Nigerians will be proud of; this is my first task,” he said.

Many will say he failed at his first task. He had not been Speaker for one week when the attacks began. He was accused of failing to serve in the National Youth Service Corps scheme; he had to provide pictures and publish his NYSC certificate in newspapers to prove he served. Then stories emerged that he was a serial philanderer and his non-marital status became such an issue that it probably hastened his marriage.

A public punch-up

More serious allegations were soon to follow. His predecessor had been removed for allegedly inflating the contract for the renovation of the Speaker’s quarters at the sum of N628 million, yet Mr Bankole had insisted on repairing the residence for a similar amount. Then came the controversial contract for the purchase of Peugeot 407 cars for N2.3 billion for which Dino Melaye and his crew of 10 became infamous.

They called themselves “Progressive minded legislators” and called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate Mr Bankole’ s handling of the contract. Mr Bankole fought back, removing them from committees, suspending them from the House, and changing the locks to their offices. Calls for the impeachment of the Speaker intensified.

The fight took a bizarre turn when members of the group were beaten up and thrown out of the chamber. Footage of the incident, including torn dresses, missed blows and the manhandling of a female parliamentarian, became a staple of television houses and YouTube enthusiasts. At one point Mr Bankole, a former artillery officer, took on a member of the group, Independence Ogunewe in a free-for-all, on the grounds of the National Assembly. Mr Ogunewe had been rude when the Speaker tried to make peace. “I went to your house to see you but I met your wife,” Mr Bankole had offered. “Maybe you went to see my wife, you idiot!” Mr Ogunewe had retorted.

Such was the House that Mr Bankole ruled over as Nigerians wallowed in poverty, disease and collapsed infrastructure. The members kept raising their salaries and allowances until the Assembly’s overheads totaled 25 percent of the nation’s entire budget for overheads. They kept inflating the budget until it got so bloated that the minister of finance himself stepped in to say it was no longer a practical document. They got embroiled in bribe scandals, approved billions for SIM card registration when the service providers had begun doing that at no cost to the country. In 2009, it emerged that Mr Bankole’s House spent N52 billion on overseas and domestic travels the previous year.

By the time he lost his re-election bid last Saturday, Mr Bankole had all but eroded whatever hopes Nigerians had left in the National Assembly. Rather than stop the extravagance and waste that has made the institution such a drain on the public purse, Mr Bankole sat over a House that became notorious for profligacy.

If tomorrow comes

As the youngest speaker in Nigeria’s history, apart from the Salisu Buhari interregnum, Mr Bankole has his whole life ahead of him.

Musa Ebomhiana, the media aide to the Speaker, refused to speculate on what this future may look like. He chose to speak of the man’s past. “The Speaker left a great legacy in terms of lawmaking, in terms of stability of the House and in terms of probity,” he said.

“For instance, he saw to the passage of the Electoral Act. And during his tenure, for the first time, unspent billions which used to be spent by civil servants after a budget year were returned to government coffers.” There has always been talk that Mr Bankole had his eyes on the Ogun State Government House. Sources say that is the reason behind his quarrel with Gbenga Daniel with whom he had previously had a good rapport. Mr Daniel allegedly preferred that Mr Bankole not succeed him. But as Mr Bankole’s Special Adviser on Communications, Kayode Oshinowo told NEXT yesterday, “This matter that the Speaker wants to be governor has been addressed before. It is a rumour that started long ago. He has never said he wanted to be governor of Ogun State. People just keep carrying the rumour.” The rumour has refused to die though. When Mr Daniel was named the southwest coordinator of the Jonathan-Sambo campaign organisation, sources said the Speaker toyed with the idea of decamping to the ACN.

As late as December 2010, there were speculations that Mr Bankole would dump the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the ACN in order to realise his ambition of ruling Ogun State. Mr Oshinowo insists none of this is really true. “Tomorrow, things may change. I cannot say,” he said. “But up to this moment, he has not talked of ruling the state.” Now that both Mr Bankole and Mr Daniel, together with their perennial antagonist Mr Obasanjo, have lost out following the overwhelming defeat of the PDP by the ACN in the state, the field is open for Mr Bankole to choose either to remain in the party or move on to the winning side.

Mr Oshinowo said his boss has done enough to be remembered by history. ”Even in terms of membership bills, he did more than his predecessors. Aminu Masari oversaw the passage of 101 bills, and Ghali Na’abba even less. But during Dimeji Bankole’s tenure, the House passed 135 bills.” Perhaps the tragedy is that most Nigerians will remember him for less savoury reasons. When asked what the Speaker’s next plans are, Mr Oshinowo said: “I cannot say. But I think it is only right that he should be given time to think of his future.” There is no doubt that, at 41, Mr Bankole has plenty of time to learn the lessons of his defeat. As Mr Williams who defeated him said, “It has been proven that power belongs to the people. The people give power and take power through the ballot. Opportunities in life should be used for the benefit of the electorate.”


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/ArtsandCulture/x2/XFactor/Features/5688623-146/story.csp

Ten political parties have jointly called for the cancellation of last Saturday’s National Assembly election in Kwara State, alleging that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) connived with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the election.

Citing a number of noticeable hitches in the conduct of the election, the political parties, including the Dr. Olusola Saraki-led Allied congress party of Nigeria (ACPN), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), in a joint petition, addressed to the INEC chairman, acknowledged the good intention of the INEC to have a clean break from the past sad electoral experience, but regretted that the idea could not sail as evidenced by the wanton malpractices, fraud, intimidation of opponents, employment of fake electoral officials and connivance of electoral officers in all the 16 local government areas of the state with the ruling party the PDP.

Above all, the coalition, which also included the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), National Conscience Party (NCP), National Transformation Party (NTP), Republican Party of Nigeria (RPN), etc., in the petition alleged that the PDP openly induced voters on the queue with huge sums of money and Ankara wrappers.
In other instances, especially in the rural areas, the petitioners further said corps members assisted in the illegal ballot paper stuffing.

“Multiple registrations that were done by the PDP people was not checkmated electronically as promised by the INEC to the extent that the double voting was employed in the villages where already thumb printed ballot papers were stuffed and counted for the PDP, underplayed ballotting booths were accredited and thumb printed ballot papers from such were counted.
“More worrisome was that unused ballot papers in the botched April 2 National Assembly election were unaccounted for by the state REC and electoral officers; the same were left in the custody of the electoral officers.

“The electoral officers, in each of the 16 LGAs of the state never declared balloting booths of the wards before the commencement of the accreditation and voting despite demands for such by the party agents, this was the case in the entire state.”
Further, the petitioners stated: “In most cases, we discovered that the PDP agents in the cancelled April 2 elections suddenly became INEC returning officers in the just concluded elections. A good case is the case of wards Babaloma-Share polling booth 009.”
“In all the polling centres across the state, no declaration of accredited voters was done before voting commenced in majority of the polling centres contrary to the Electoral Act and electoral guidelines.”
“Evidence of bought over corps members, thumb printing ballot papers for the PDP, abound in Babaloma ward 1, Adio village, for instance, Dr. Femi Ogunshola, challenged INEC and corps members why it was only the PDP agents that were allowed and admitted to sit in each of the polling units, others party agents were driven away.”

Giving on the spot account and evidences of what it described as monumental fraud of the National Asssembly election in Kwara, the petitioners prayed that “that the elections into the National Assembly of April 9 be cancelled as same were conducted contrary to the electoral guidelines and in contravention of the Electoral Act, alleging the election was rigged by INEC for the ruling PDP in the State.


http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/newsonthehour/2011/apr/12/newsbreak-12-04-2011-001.htm

The country’s two leading opposition parties inched closer to a deal last night in an effort to present a common front against the ruling Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] in Saturday’s presidential election, sources told Daily Trust in Abuja. The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) have been holding talks since Monday, when results trickling in from last weekend’s National Assembly elections showed that although they gained some ground against PDP, a major effort is required to defeat it in Saturday’s polls.


Among those attending the meeting, which was taking place at Agadez Street in Wuse II, Abuja were CPC’s presidential candidate General Muhammadu Buhari and ACN’s leader, former Lagos State governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu. General Ibrahim Babangida was also present, as were former police Inspector General M.D. Yusuf and Mr. Boss Mutapha.

Daily Trust learnt that the chieftains were working to conclude and announce a deal by this morning so that the remaining hours left before the election would be used by the ACN leaders to mobilise their voters to vote for the alliance ticket.

The sources, who were cautious in letting out details, told Daily Trust that the meeting was perfecting modalities on how the alliance will be effected on Saturday as well as a power sharing agreement between the CPC and the ACN.

ACN leaders were said to have agreed to support the CPC ticket, with a caveat that Buhari’s running mate Pastor Tunde Bakare will ultimately step down for the ACN to provide a replacement. The sources said that could be done after the election. However, since the new Electoral Act vests the power of withdrawal or substitution solely on the candidate, the meeting was also said to be making efforts to get those affected to agree to the deal.

Yesterday’s talks were the culmination of a series of talks between the two groups with the G15 led by former president Ibrahim Babangida mediating. Daily Trust learnt that Buhari had earlier met with the IBB group and mandated it to meet with the Tinubu group to agree on some critical issues which he pledged to respect.

Thus the meeting was sequel to the meeting which the G15 had with the leaders of the ACN after the meeting with Buhari. All sources spoken to yesterday preferred to keep details of the talks close to their chests, but confirmed that a deal was close to being struck. The meeting of representatives of the two sides broke up late afternoon yesterday and resumed at 10pm. It was expected to last well into the night.

Daily Trust also learnt that the leaders were also conscious of the provisions of the law regarding any form of alliance with a few days to election. There is obviously no room for merger and ballot papers for the presidential election have already been printed.

If the deal is finally struck, it would mean that the ACN will probably ask its supporters to vote for the Buhari /Bakare ticket on Saturday. The source said given the short time left before the election, the leaders were determined to seal the deal to enable the ACN leaders reach out to voters in the South West with the message.



http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16892:buhari-tinubu-close-to-a-deal&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8

The man is a Military Man, so what do you expect from him.

Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) Presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari has challenged Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, to publicly declare that he has never stolen public funds as a public officer. Buhari also declared that he has never touched a Kobo of public funds throughout his career in government. Buhari spoke in Lagos Wednesday at the presentation of CPC election manifesto. He said, “I have had the fortune and privilege of managing national resources in various capacities - as a military commander, as a state governor, as a minister, as head of the Petroleum Trust Fund and as the Head of State of this great country. And in all that I have been and done, I have never touched a Kobo of public funds.” Challenging Jonathan, his main rival in the presidential contest, Buhari said, “I say this without pride and with all sense of responsibility and humility, but I challenge anyone in the race for the leadership of this country then or now to dare make the same claim.” It would be recalled that the Jonathan camp recently in some newspaper advertisements, attempted to link Buhari with some corruption cases and some individuals indicted over corruption.


“I am sure I could easily have retired into a life of comfort and ease as an elder statesman, as a contractor or as a beneficiary of anyone of the nation’s many generous offerings. But that is not what I wish to do with my life”, Buhari said. The CPC presidential flag bearer said he was not into the race for personal aggrandisement, but, “If I don’t take any of these alternative courses of action, it should be clear that I am not in this for the love of office or for pursuit after personal glory or in order to achieve some personal goal.”



http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16481:buhari-to-jonathan-i-have-never-stolen-public-funds&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8

The United State Assistant Secretary of State in charge of African Affairs, Ambassador Johnnie Carson has applauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the conduct of last Saturday’s parliamentary elections. Carson spoke yesterday when he visited INEC and the foreign affairs ministry.


He congratulated INEC and the people of Nigeria for the successful polls saying, “I do so, on behalf of the government of the US and my boss, Hillary Clinton.”

He said the US government will continue to support the commission in its task of conducting elections because “there is no job more important in democracy than to conduct credible election where the people have the opportunity to elect leaders that will govern their affairs.”

Carson however tasked the commission to improve of some of the technical and security lapses noticed during the conduct of the national assembly elections in order to surmount such before the Saturday’s presidential polls.

In his response, INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega assured the US government that the commission is ready to conduct credible polls and will not disappoint the people.

At the foreign affairs ministry, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Odein Ajumogobia said Nigeria is committed to getting the electoral process right this time.



http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16755:us-applauds-inec-on-national-assembly-polls&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8

President Goodluck Jonathan and his main challenger Gen Muhammadu Buhari have intensified their efforts to ensure victory at the April 16 presidential election by courting Action Congress of Nigeria strongman Bola Tinubu. ACN’s strong showing in the parliamentary polls means the party will play a crucial role in deciding who wins the presidential election.


Sources told Daily Trust yesterday that President Jonathan met with Tinubu in Lagos where he offered the ACN strongman a quarter of his cabinet posts in return for South West’s votes.

It was not clear if Tinubu had accepted the offer which would translate into millions of votes for Jonathan in the South West and guarantee him the presidency.

Gen Buhari also yesterday met with members of the Northern Political Leaders Forum who urged him to go ahead and conclude the power sharing agreement he had earlier started with Tinubu.

Buhari who flew into Abuja at noon attended the meeting which had former military President Ibrahim Babangida, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former National Security Adviser Gen Aliyu Gusau, former Inspector-General of Police M.D. Yusufu and former minister of finance Malam Adamu Ciroma in attendance.

Sources close to the meeting said Buhari had asked the group to negotiate with Tinubu on his behalf and pledged to accept the outcome.

Daily Trust further learnt that Tinubu had agreed to ask ACN’s presidential candidate Nuhu Ribadu and his running mate Fola Adeola to step down with a caveat that Buhari’s running mate Pastor Tunde Bakare will agree to step down even if after the polls.

Buhari’s CPC and ACN had entered into merger talks which later collapsed due to some irreconcilable differences like under which platform will the joint candidate run, among others

When contacted the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP Prof Rufai Ahmed Alkali said he would not comment on the issue.

But the ACN National Secretary Lawal Shuaibu said, “Tell anybody who cares to listen that there was never any meeting between Tinubu and Jonathan. But we learnt that a Lagos based entertainment guru went to beg Tinubu to help Jonathan and that is what is being peddled as you are putting it. Wait for Saturday and see.”



http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16758:jonathan-buhari-woo-tinubu&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8

serving Senator, Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, has debunked the speculation that she is the proprietress of a privately owned radio station, Rock City FM, with its operational headquarters in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.

She made this clear while featuring in a live programme at the station, explaining that she had no input in the establishment of the radio station, as being speculated, adding that some politicians in the state are responsible for the rumour to malign her character.

“I am not the owner of the radio station. I don’t even have any input to its establishment. All what I know is that my friend, my brother, and my former commissioner colleague, Niran Malaolu, is the founder and owner of the station,” she explained.

Speaking further, Ms. Obasanjo-Bello, who ironically lost her bid to return to the Senate at the poll on Saturday, noted that her political enemies, whom she said included the state governor, Gbenga Daniel, were responsible for the misleading information.

“It is the governor of the state and some other mischievous politicians in the state that are responsible for the rumour, which is even not true. I only come to feature on programmes on this station just like any other person, and that is not enough to say I am the owner of the station,” Ms. Obasanjo said.

It would be recalled that the state governor had at a press conference held in his Oke-Mosan office, Abeokuta, recently insinuated that the senator was the brain behind the establishment of the radio station.

Mr. Daniel was reacting to the presence of the radio station’s reporter at the conference, when he {reporter} rose up to ask question, and introduced himself as representing Rockcity F.M Station. The governor alleged that findings had traced ownership of the radio station to the serving senator.


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5688673-147/story.csp

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has advised the Independent National Electoral Commission to brace up for the upcoming presidential and gubernatorial elections.


Mr Atiku, who contested for the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, alongside President Goodluck Jonathan, said the impressive outing of the National Assembly elections is a call to the electoral commission and their security agencies for better preparations during the presidential and gubernatorial elections.


In a press statement released by his media office, the former vice president advised Nigerians, the electoral commission and security agencies to guard against “complacency, which may play into the hands of enemies of democracy. “The will of the people is superior to the ego of any politician,” he said.


Mr Atiku advised fellow politicians to abandon the culture of do-or-die politics which he said is getting out of fashion. He noted that events of last Saturday’s National Assembly elections have proved that a credible, free and fair poll is only achievable in an atmosphere of non violence.


Advising Nigerians, he said: “You must never succumb to the antics of scare mongering and intimidation because your future and those of your children and generations unborn is what is at stake.”


He expressed joy over the mass participation in the electoral process and encouraged the voters to participate en masse in the presidential and gubernatorial elections. He also commiserated with the families of the victims of the Suleja and Maiduguri bomb blasts and prayed for the recovery of all those currently receiving treatment.


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/5689424-147/story.csp

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Iyiola Omisore, has accepted the verdict of the people of his constituency in the last Saturday election where he lost his bid to return to the senate to Babajide Omoworare of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). The ACN won all seats for Osun State in the National Assembly.


Speaking with journalists yesterday, the senator, who represents Osun East in the Upper chambers of the National Assembly, commended the turnout of the people and peaceful conduct of the election, saying all point to a hopeful future for the nation’s democracy.

Mr. Omisore, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is currently in his second term in the national legislature.

While congratulating the winners, Mr. Omisore said the results of the election confirms the readiness of President Goodluck Jonathan to give the nation credible elections this time, and ensure that every eligible Nigerian voter is not denied the right to choose their leaders and representatives.

“I want to first congratulate all the winners in last Saturday’s National Assembly election. The peaceful conduct of the election was a clear signal that our democracy has come to stay and that our politicians are improving. Politics is a game of win and lose. If you win, you take it, if you lost too, you should accept it in good faith. That is how we can nurture our democracy into full maturity,” he enthused.

According to him, the success of the first round of elections will prove to the world that Nigerians are ready to allow democracy to thrive in their country, adding “we cannot afford to fail because all eyes are on us. We need credible and successful elections in this nation”.

He explained that the result of the last election, especially in the Southwest, shows that the ruling PDP was not as desperate as it had been portrayed in the past by the oppositions, describing the party as one that ‘upholds the tenets of democracy’.

The former deputy governor of Osun State, advised the winning ACN members not to see their victory as a ticket for self-serving mission, but a call to serve the nation and opportunity to contribute their quota to the development of their constituencies.

“The result of the National Assembly elections should be regarded as the wish of the electorate which we politicians must respect to safeguard the nation’s growing democracy. In a true democracy, you don’t expect to be winning every time. Even, life itself is about give and take,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to be ready to participate fully in the remaining legs of this year’s general elections, submitting that giving them priorities is the only way to move the nation forward.

For this week’s presidential election, Mr. Omisore said, “this is our country, all the eligible voters must be ready to perform their civic duty by voting for leaders of their choice”.



http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/5689387-147/story.csp

American businessman Stan Kroenke has agreed to a full takeover of Arsenal that values the Premier League club at $1.2bn and should end the long-running uncertainty about its ownership.



Kroenke agreed to increase his holding from 29.9 percent to 62.89 per cent by acquiring shares from fellow directors Danny Fiszman and Nina Bracewell-Smith, Arsenal Holdings said Monday in a statement to London’s Plus Market.



After taking his stake over the 30 percent threshold, Kroenke needs to make a mandatory cash offer for the remaining shares in Arsenal.



“We are excited about the opportunity to increase our involvement with and commitment to Arsenal,” Kroenke said in a statement. “Arsenal is a fantastic club with a special history and tradition and a wonderful manager in Arsene Wenger. We intend to build on this rich heritage and take the club to new success.”



Four other Premier League clubs are owned by Americans—Malcolm Glazer at Manchester United, John Henry at Liverpool, Randy Lerner at Aston Villa and Ellis Short at Sunderland—while Chelsea, Manchester City, Fulham, Blackburn and Birmingham are also owned by foreigners.



Kroenke has pledged to “support and adhere to the self-sustaining business model” at Arsenal, which has a tradition of being well-run, avoiding big transfer fees and relying on talent developed through its youth teams.






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110412032134

Barring any last minute hitch, the Action Congress of Nigeria and the Congress for Progressive Change may launch a fresh alliance to contest against Dr. Goodluck Jonathan at the presidential poll.



A reliable source close to the two parties told THE PUNCH on Monday that they would soon come up with fresh guidelines on their alliance for the election.



He disclosed that the National Executive Councils of the parties would meet in Abuja on Monday (yesterday) night to map out strategies for the alliance.



Our findings revealed that the two parties were emboldened by their performance in the National Assembly elections. Results so far released by the Independent National Electoral Commission show the two parties, especially the ACN, making big impacts in states hitherto considered as the Peoples Democratic Party’s strongholds. The results also indicate that the PDP may not have absolute majority in the National Assembly.



Our correspondents learnt in Abuja that the ACN and the CPC met on Sunday in Lagos where they reviewed the National Assembly elections.



Our source added that the two parties projected that there could be a runoff where they would present a common candidate after Saturday’s presidential election.



A top official of the CPC, who did not want his name in print because he was not permitted to speak on the issue, said that at the meeting in Lagos on Sunday, the two parties agreed that their NECs should come up with fresh guidelines on the proposed alliance.



The guidelines, it was learnt, would be based on the results of Saturday’s National Assembly elections.



When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of the ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, confirmed that the party’s NEC meeting would hold very late on Monday (yesterday). But he declined to disclose its agenda.



The ACN presidential candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and his CPC counterpart Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), are among the 19 candidates that will contest Saturday’s election with President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP.



But the PDP dismissed the renewed alliance talks between the CPC and the ACN, saying they would not be able to stop Jonathan from wining on Saturday.



The party said the performance of the opposition parties at the National Assembly elections showed that they were not in any position to stop its (PDP) candidate from winning.



The Acting National Chairman of the party, Dr. Haliru Bello, who spoke at a news briefing in Abuja on Monday, said the PDP was used to parties ganging-up against it.



However, he said such gang-ups had always ended up making the PDP stronger.



Bello said, “We are used to that. The gang-up started in 2007. It achieved nothing. Then in 2010, before the commencement of this election, they said they were meeting. It did not end anywhere.



“The power to elect Nigerian leaders is vested in the hands of the people. So, no amount of gang-up will work and stop President Jonathan from winning on Saturday.



“The people of Nigeria are behind us and are ready to cast their votes for the PDP. So, those who are meeting can continue to meet.”



When asked if the PDP was also discussing with other political parties, he said yes, adding that about 45 other political parties had identified with it (PDP).



Bello said, “We have 45 political parties working with us. They met us in Lafia, Nasarawa State during the presidential campaign.



“In all the places we visited during the campaign, they were always with us. So, even if it is one vote per political party, since we have 45 and if you add that to our own, then we have 46.



“If we have 56 votes out of 63 registered political parties, then you should know that we have won.”



Besides the talks between the ACN and the CPC, our correspondents gathered that the Northern Political Leaders’ Forum led by Mallam Ciroma’s group met with Buhari on Monday.



It was gathered that the meeting, which was held in Abuja, evaluated the outcome of a sub-committee that evaluated the chances of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau; Buhari and Ribadu.



A member of the Ciroma group, who spoke on the condition of anonymity said, “Our meeting looked at the various political scenarios, in view of the last Saturday’s national Assembly election with a view to deciding where to direct the northern electorate to vote.”


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201104128253437

Hon. Juventus Ojukwu was elected to the House of Representatives twice in the second republic. A commissioned officer of the Nigerian Army before the civil war, Ojukwu tells Daily Sun in this interview conducted in Abuja that as the 2011 presidential election draws by, Nigerians should look for the person who has the capacity to confront the twin evils of indiscipline and corruption which have been the greatest obstacle to national development. Fortunately, he says, Candidate Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) fits the bill.

Ojukwu is not happy that the Igbo socio-political organization, Ohaneze, had endorsed the candidacy of the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, and charges that Chief Ralph Uwechue and his cohorts railroaded the Igbo into the position without due consultation and wonders whose interest their action was meant to serve. According to him, in the process of endorsing Jonathan, Ohaneze has foreclosed the chances of the South-East producing the president of the country in the next 20 years.

Ojukwu is surprised that Igbo people are excited by the Ebele in the President’s name, and explains that it is short for Ebelemi which is an Ijaw word and not an Igbo name as many of them have supposed.

We must address indiscipline and corruption
I am not satisfied with what I see in the political atmosphere for the reasons that it appears that in spite of all we have gone through, Nigerians don’t appear to have grasped what our problems are. We talk about it, but we have not grasped it. The biggest problems confronting this nation today are indiscipline and corruption. And it is at the root of every other problem.

When you talk about power supply, when you talk about the road, when you talk about education, unemployment, infrastructure, indiscipline and corruption are at the root of it all because when money is voted and the people are corrupt, and there is no probity and integrity, you can’t develop. You can’t do anything; you can’t employ; hospitals will decay; universities are decaying, and it’s all because of indiscipline and corruption. And Nigerians don’t seem to be addressing it.

Everybody is crying and crying, this government is not good, this government is not good, but we don’t seem to be doing anything about it. Everybody seems to fear and praise the man who distributes the money. This doesn’t give much room for cheers. That’s one area. Another area is the apparent insecurity that is prevailing in the country today. We don’t seem to have learnt much from history, and a nation that does not learn from history is doomed to fail and decay.

There’s so much insecurity everywhere – killing, bombing, and what have you, and the people at the helm of affairs tend to look the other way. They only pay lip service to these problems, telling us government will do something about it, and nothing is being done - at least we are not seeing anything being done. And when you cannot secure lives and property, you cannot say you have a nation. These are areas that bother me in this period of electioneering. People are interested in wearing uniform and dancing and singing praises; that’s not electioneering. Issues are not being discussed.

From the presidential campaign, only one or two candidates have given the indication that they will address these issues. But one of them stand out on top of the bill, and that is Gen. Buhari. I don’t make any bones about it, I don’t feel shy about it, I am talking as a patriotic Nigerian. Buhari is known in this country as a person who is highly disciplined. And I happen to know him personally, and I can vouch for him. If Buhari comes to power, he can arrest this indiscipline. He had once tried to do it, and for the short period he was in power he succeeded.

People are saying it was idiagbon, but they forget that Idiagbon was his second in command. Buhari was the man calling the shots. He’s a taciturn kind of person, and not given to too much talking. Now about indiscipline, Buhari can handle it; in terms of corruption, he has shown that he is anti-corruption personified. And he has had the opportunity to be corrupt, and he has refused to be corrupt. Why can’t Nigerians look at his antecedents. He does not own propeties all over the places, whether here or abroad. So I think General Buhari can address these two nagging issues.

Buhari is not a bigot
There is something people hold against Buhari – against him in quotes - religion. And I don’t want to shy away from this issue because we must face the fact. People say Buhari is a religious fanatic, but he is not. Nobody has come to show how he is, whether by words of mouth or action. They attribute certain words to him which he did not say. I read somewhere where the renowned Monsignor Matthew Hassan Kukah, a catholic priest, wrote something few years ago when this matter was raging. He said Buhari didn’t say that.

And he said what Buhari said, vote for a God-fearing person. Buhari never said vote for a muslim, and you will be Buhari’s friend if you are God-fearing; that’s it, period. He’s not a fanatic. Maybe I’m a fanatical Christian myself, but I don’t think I’m a fanatic; I just like to practise my faith. He practises his faith, and if you practise your faith well, whatever religion you belong to, you are my friend because it means that you’re God-fearing.

CPC has no disdain for the South-East
I wouldn’t say CPC has disdain for the south-east because of the way Mike Ahamba’s bid to be the chairman of the party was truncated. I’m not an insider in the party, I must admit. And when I look at facts given by people, I judge them by what they say. If there is hidden agenda, I should be able to see. They had an issue; I read what Buhari said, and I was sympathetic to him. Buhari said Ahamba did not discuss this matter with him; did not tell him he had any interest, not that he had the power to do it if he had told him. But the party had decided to take a chairman from the South-South. Ahamba did not make his interest known. And when Ahamba complained, I was a bit disappointed, he went to the press.

When I’m dealing with my friends, I like to discuss with them, unless there is a big quarrel and we have fallen apart. There was nothing to show that they had fallen apart except when he went to the press, and Buhari said, since he complained to me through the press, I will answer him through the press. And what Buhari said was plain truth. You see Buhari doesn’t lie, even if he is joking; that’s one thing about him. Even it is against him, he says it as it is, that’s Buhari for you. He said he didn’t tell him and did not complain to him. He said the Board of Trustees of the party had decided that the chairman would come from the South-South.

How would I know the ground on which they took their decision? Let’s look at it from another angle. In the past three elections, Buhari had chosen his running mates from the South-East. When you are into an election, going to a contest, you look for areas and possibilities that will enhance your position. It is possible, I don’t know. But from what we read in the papers, Buhari chose Tunde Bakare, and gave his reasons why he chose him.

They had not been friends. It was not that he was looking for somebody from the South-West. It’s simply that it suits his bill, what he intends to do, the programme he wants to execute, that’s why he chose Tunde Bakare, and Tunde Bakare happens to be a Yoruba from the South-West. And it is possible that if Chuba Okadigbo, may he rest in peace, were still alive, he still would have chosen him. After Chuba Okadigbo in 2007 he chose Ume-Ezeoke, and we know how that ended. If I were in Buhari’s shoes, I would look

for somebody I will trust, who will go with me, swim and sink, and whatever I believe in he believes in. they have not been friends, but they met for the first time during the Save Nigeria Campaign. So that’s how I want you to look at it. Now about the zone and all that, I happen to know that Buhari does not disregard our people. And in any case, win or lose.

Ohaneze did not consult before endorsing Jonathan
I am not happy with the position taken by Igbo leaders on the presidential election; the way that Ralph Uwechue and some people in Ohaneze seem to have railroaded into Jonathan presidential project, saying we have all agreed to vote for Jonathan, claiming to have consulted with the people. I don’t expect them to consult with everybody, but if they consulted with people we would have known. It is typical Igbo politics, always the short term, not looking for the long run. A president from the South-South will not favour Igbo cause unless we have decided not to have a shot at the presidency in the next 20-30 years. Unless we have taken that decision, there is no way a South-South presidency will favour us.

But if we say as a people, for which I am proud to be one – if you are not a good ethnic person you cannot be a good Nigerian. So I am not being tribalistic or whatever. If Igbo people have decided they are not interested in the presidency, they can then go for the South-South, whether Jonathan or whoever. There was a beautiful analysis by Nnanna Ochereome in Vanguard, and many people have written, if the man is there, it only makes sense that after four years, if he is going to run one term, that the North will likely insist it will come to them, because they were short-changed this time around. So I think that is a very poor thinking by Ndigbo.

Secondly, Jonathan looks nice, but I have not seen him as a man I can trust politically, and I doubt his credibility. And a man with such a big question mark on his credibility, I cannot, with my yes open, tell my people to vote for him. If it must be somebody from the South-South, another person, maybe. Why do I say this? A man who cannot keep an agreement of his party, cannot be trusted to keep a national agreement. It’s simple. Don’t tell me it’s politics; I don’t think politics is opportunism. I have been a politician; I was a member of the National Assembly two times. I believe in politics with principles, even if it doesn’t favour me.

For a man who signed an agreement, his name was number 33 or 34, to now jettison it because there is an opportunity…and let me tell you, what led to the civil war was the reneging of an agreement. That’s what caused all the conflict. People say it is politics and it doesn’t matter, no. So Ndigbo are short-sighted in queuing behind such a person because he will not keep to his word in their regard.
Again, the next thing is, before Ralph Uwechue and others took that decision, they did not consider those who are likey to be our future friends politically. Now they are saying 2015 is not negotiable, and I laugh.

When Abba Aji said we should forget it, people abused him. He was merely stating the facts which are bitter. Now we don’t have political friends. Those we would have supported based on principles would have been candidates from the North. I am not saying it because I like the Northerner or I hate the Southerner, I say based on principle, on what is equitable and good. When it is now your own turn, you will have somebody who will support you. But now you are just blowing hot air, saying you must have it, how can you have it? Politics is a game of numbers. You don’t support me now, and tomorrow you expect me to come and support you. That’s why I’m against the leadership of Ndigbo in this matter.

Jonathan’s name is Ebelemi, it’s not Igbo
And look at, recently, Jonathan’s government appointed top management team for the NNPC, and 75 per cent of them was from Niger Delta, not one Igbo. The rest were from the North and West; because the man answers Ebele which is Ebelemi - it is not an Igbo name, his name is Ebelemi – the Igbo people are saying he is one of their own, it’s not Igbo; it’s an Ijaw name.

We have never had any political friend, and it is our making because we have not husbanded our political thinking properly. It is not because other people hate us, but because we have not managed our political affairs well. That’s why we don’t have political friends. And each time we are about to have political friends, we blow it. Take for instance during the Abiola era, that’s the time we could have had political friends from the West, but we failed to do that.



List:http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/abujareports/2011/apr/11/abujareports-11-04-2011-001.htm

A commendable act by Bankole and his comment is also wonderful. Such a leader lives to fight another day. It shows he placed the progress of Nigeria above his own personal ambition. The result of the election so far is a testimony to a job well done by the INEC. I hope this translates to election of the most desire leaders Nigerians have been yearning for. I also want to commend the electorates for their dogged dermination to have a say through their votes by coming out to vote in large numbers despite the risk to their lives. It is a shame to see some people planning to scuttle the growth of democracy by resulting to violence.If anything, the response of the people should be a big sign that enemy of progress is failing.

Osaze Odemwingie has never scored and the Baggies lost in the Premiership this season, so he is more than just a goal scorer, he is also a good luck charm.

After scoring his 11th goal of the season in West Bromwich Albion's 3-2 away win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, Odemwingie could now prove too big to be accommodated at the Hawthorns come the end of the season.

Roy Hodgson, West Bromwich Albion manager has voiced his concerns about keeping the in-form striker at the club before Odemwingie almost single-handedly ruined Sunderland's day with a virtuoso performance that included a goal and two assists.

Hodgson said before Saturday's match, "Perhaps, but I'll worry about that when the time comes. Whatever happens after the season finishes, I'll concern myself with at that time." And Hodgson added that "Peter's (Odemwingie) been an excellent signing for the club."

The Nigerian striker though carrying a thigh injury was the galvanising force for the Baggies last weekend at home when they came back from a goal down to beat Liverpool 2-1. Odemwingie won the two penalties from which the two goals were scored. He also led his side back from a goal down to the Black Cats to almost assure the Baggies of another season in the top flight.

A little more time

But Hodgson is not getting totally carried away with Odemwingie's performances and said the Nigerian will ultimately be judged by West Brom's final position on the league table at the end of the season.

"He'll be pleased with his season so far. But I hope he's going to agree with me that the only way he can really be satisfied is if he does well for his club and his club stays in the league." The club are also trying to manage the striker's fitness as Odemwingie went straight from the Russian league to the World Cup and then straight to the English Premier League.

Hodgson said, "We are aware of the fact that he hasn't had much of a break. Because he came from the Russian league (which runs from March to November), and has also had the World Cup with Nigeria.

"We do try to tailor his programme between games to make certain that we don't burn him out."

But after the victory over Sunderland, Hodgson said, "I've been very impressed by Peter. His work-rate today was exceptional, as was Cox's.

"Peter's a real threat and 11 goals in 24 starts while playing in a team that has been battling relegation is incredible. The goal he scored today was an important one to get us back into the game.

But despite not having a break, Odemwingie has six matches to beat the highest tally that any striker has bagged for the Baggies in the Premiership. He is currently tied with Robert Earnshaw on 11 goals scored.


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Sport/Football/5688515-146/story.csp

West Bromwich Albion’s Coach, Roy Hodgson, has admitted he may have to fight to hold on to striker Peter Odemwingie during the summer. The Nigerian has scored 10 goals this season, the second most of any player in a bottom-half Premier League team.

Having paid tribute to Odemwingie, Hodgson was asked if he would have to brace himself for offers for his 29-year-old top scorer. "Perhaps, but I'll worry about that when the time comes," he said. "Whatever happens after the season finishes, I'll concern myself with at that time.

“We try to tailor (Peter') programme to make certain that we don't burn him out. "Peter's been an excellent signing for the club." Last weekend, Odemwingie was a key performer in the 3-2 win over Sunderland.

Hodgson said that no matter how many goals Odemwingie scores this season, he will be judged by how the team performs as a whole. West Brom currently sit 13th in the Premier League, four points clear of the relegation zone with seven matches left to play.
"He'll be pleased with his season so far," he added.

"But I hope he's going to agree with me that the only way he can really be satisfied is if he does well for his club and his club stays in the league." Odemwingie's efforts are all the more impressive, owing to the fact that he had no real rest in 2010, an issue that has led West Brom to manage his training programme carefully. "We are aware of the fact that he hasn't had much of a break," Hodgson explained.

"Because he came from the Russian league (which runs from March to November), and has also had the World Cup with Nigeria. "We do try to tailor his programme between games to make certain that we don't burn him out." West Brom take on Sunderland on Saturday, with the Black Cats having picked up just one point from their last seven league games.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/sports/2011/apr/11/sports-11-04-2011-001.htm

Supporters and party members of the Action Congress of Nigeria on Sunday went into jubilation as the party won the National Assembly election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission.



The supporters of the party, who trooped out as early as 6am, were chanting a song: O ya yo Igbale re; a ti le power lo. Lailai power ko ni gberi mo; ati le won wo le meaning: Now come out with your brooms, we have swept off power (PDP slogan). Never will power rise again, we have swept them off completely.”



The party supporters had gathered at the Centenary Hall at Ake, Abeokuta, venue of the collation and announcement of the National Assembly Election results for the Ogun Central Senatorial District to monitor the results.



The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, and the daughter of Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Senator Iyabo-Obasanjo-Bello, according to the results announced by INEC, lost their re-election bids.



The Returning Officer of INEC for the Abeokuta South Federal Constituency, Dr. Olanrewaju Banjo, who declared the results, announced that Bankole scored 23, 103 against Mr. Williams Olusegun of ACN, who polled a total votes of 28, 490.



A candidate of the Peoples Party of Nigeria, where the state governor’s Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s PDP faction defected to, Mr. Afolabi Ogundimu, scored 3, 924 votes.



Bankole in his reaction shortly after the announcement of the results, described the outcome as the wish of the people.



“The outcome of the 2011 National Assembly election conducted on the whole reflected the wishes of the people in our national quest to enshrine an enduring democracy for our nation,” he stated.



He commended the general peaceful nature of the election, particularly in Ogun State and thanked the electorate for trooping out en mass to vote for candidates of their choices as representatives and senators at the National Assembly.



Bankole in a statement signed by his Media Assistant on Communications, Mr. Kayode Odunaro, described the voters’ turnout most especially after the initial hiccups in the exercise, as a demonstration of the people’s abiding faith in democracy as an acceptable and veritable path for the development of Nigeria.



Bankole congratulated all the winners in the parliamentary elections for their victory and advised losers to accept their losses in good faith.



“For me, the race was not a life and death duel. Of more importance is building, maintaining and developing our democratic institution and processes as a means towards true national development and greatness,” he stated.



For the Ogun Central Senatorial District election, Mr. Onaolapo Obadara, of the ACN polled a total of 102, 389 votes to defeat the former President’s daughter, who scored 56, 312 votes while Ijadunoye Boyode of the PPN scored 27, 183 votes.



http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201104112194659

Out-going Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole and former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola have reacted to results of last Saturday’s National Assembly elections. They both lost their House of Representatives and Senate bids in Ogun and Osun States respectively to candidates of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)
Bankole, who was defeated by Segun Williams, described the result as the verdict of the people and the wish of God.

on his part, Oyinlola, described the victory of Professor Sola Adeyeye as a reflection of the people’s wish. In a letter, personally signed, the former governor urged the new Senator to use his mandate to better the lot of the people he would be representing at the National Assembly.
Bankole’s position on the elections came just as the former governor of the Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, commended security agencies for standing against all odds by some unscrupulous politicians, who wanted to rig the elections.

Bankole, in a statement signed by his media aide, Chief Kayode Odunaro, said the outcome of the elections “reflected the wishes of the people in our national quest to enshrine an enduring democracy for our nation.’’ While commending the general peaceful nature of the election, particularly in his constituency and Ogun State, the Speaker thanked the electorate for trooping out en-mass to vote for candidates of their choice.

“Voters action after the initial hiccups in the exercise demonstrates an abiding faith in democracy as an acceptable and veritable path for the development of our nation,’’ he said. Bankole congratulated all the winners in the parliamentary election for their victories, noting that losers should take their losses in good faith there must be winners and losers as in any such exercise.

His words: “For me, the race was not a life and death duel. Of more importance is building, maintaining and developing our democratic institution and processes as a means towards true national development and greatness.”

Oyinlola said he did not see his loss at the poll as a defeat but “a call for greater dedication to the ideals of selfless service to our fatherland.” The former governor, therefore, urged his supporters and PDP members in the state not to give up but continue to come out en masse and vote for PDP candidates in subsequent elections.




http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/apr/11/national-11-04-2011-011.htm

Nice one from ACN

Contrary to expectations, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) underscored its supremacy in the Northern states over General Muhammadu Buhari’s Congress for Progressive Change CPC and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

The ruling party proved bookmakers wrong by clinching many Federal Constituency and Senatorial district seats in states, which the CPC and ANPP were believed would have smooth runs.

In Kano for instance, PDP snatched two senatorial seats, leaving the ANPP with the remaining seat PDP also recorded victory in 11 Federal constituencies ANPP won eight and CPC two.

The ruling party also made a clean sweep of six of the results declared so far in Sokoto State as at press time out of 11. PDP looks set to retain its majority in the National; Assembly with the results declared so far. Besides giving the main opposition parties in the North West the run for their money, the ruling party hade a convincing victory in North Central, winning all the three senatorial seats in Kwara, Kogi and two in Benue with the east result still being awaited.

In the South South PDP won all senatorial and Federal constituency seats declared so far in Rivers and won two senatorial districts in Akwa Ibom, while one seat is outstanding. The South East governors fulfilled their vow to deliver the zone to the PDP, which won majority National Assembly seats in the geo-political area.
However, the duo of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Labour Party (LP) reversed victories recorded by the PDP in the last general elections in the zone.

Senate

Kwara
Dr Bukola Saraki
(Kwara Central PDP)
Shaaba Lafiaji
(Kwara North PDP)
Simeon Ajibola
(Kwara South PDP)

Enugu
Ike Ekweremadu
(Enugu West PDP)
Ayogu Eze
(Enugu North PDP)

Lagos
Mrs Oluremi Tinubu
(Lagos Central ACN)
Alhaji Gbenga Ashafa
(Lagos East ACN)

Imo
Hope Uzodinma
(Imo West PDP)
Chris Anyanwu
(Owerri APGA)
Matthew Ifeanyi Nwagwu
(Imo North PDP)

Edo
Odion Ugbesia
(Edo Central PDP)
Ehijie Uzamere
(Edo South ACN)
Domingo Obende
(Edo North ACN)

Kogi
Nurudeen Abatemi
(Kogi Central PDP)
Smart Adeyemi
(Kogi West PDP)
Ocheja Dangana
(Kogi East PDP)

Osun
Mudasiru Hussain
(Osun West ACN)
Prof. Sola Adeyeye
(Osun Central ACN)
Mr Babajide Omoworare
(Osun East ACN)

Ebonyi
Chief Sunny Ogbuoji
(Ebonyi South PDP)

Gombe
Alhaji Danjuma Goje
(Gombe Central PDP)

Ondo
Prof Robert Borrofice
(Ondo North LP)
Dr Ayo Akinyelure
(Ondo Central LP)
Mr Boluwaji Kunlere
(Ondo South LP)

Ogun
Mr Gbenga Obadara
(Ogun Central ACN)
Alhaji Adegboyega Kaka
(Ogun East ACN)
Akin Odunsi Babalola
(Ogun West ACN)

Oyo
Chief Olufemi Lanlehin
(Oyo South ACN)
Mr Ayo Adeseun
(Oyo Central ACN)
Hosea Agboola
(Oyo North PDP)

Katsina
Ahmed Sani Stores
(Katsina Central CPC)
Abu Ibrahim
(Katsina South CPC)
Abdu Yandoma
(Katsina North)

Rivers
Magnus Abe
(Rivers South East PDP)
Ake Wilson Asinobi
(Rivers West PDP)

Kano
Hayatu Gwarzo
(Kano North PDP)
Kabiru Gaya
(Kano South ANPP)
Bashir Garba Mohammad
(Kano Central PDP)

FCT
Philips Aduda
(AMAC/Bwari PDP)

A’Ibom
Eket PDP
Ikot Ekpene PDP

Anambra
John Okechukwuemeka
(Anambra North PDP)
Andu Uba
(Anambra South PDP)

Kaduna
Maj. Gen Sani Saleh
(Kaduna Central CPC)

House of Reps

Kwara
Dr. Ali Ahmad
(Ilorin East/Ilorin
South PDP)
Alhaji Moshood Mustapha
(Ilorin West/Asa PDP)
Alhaji Zakari Muhammed
(Baruten/Kaima PDP)
Hon. Ahman Pategi
(Edu/Moro/Pategi PDP)
Dr. Rafiu Ibrahim
(Offa/Ifelodun/Oyun PDP)

Ebonyi
Christopher Omo Isu
(Afikpo North/Afikpo
South PDP)
Sylvester Ogbaga
(Abakaliki/Izzi PDP)
Peter Ede
(Ishielu, Ezza PDP)

Kogi
Sunday Karimi
(Yagba ACN)
Tajudeen Yusuf
(Kabba-Bunu Ijumu PDP)
Mohammed Idris
(Omalla/Ankoa PDP)
Buba Jibril
(Lokoja/Koton CPC)

Benue
Oker Jev
(Buruku ACN)
John Dyegh
(Gboko/Tarka ACN)
Adamu Entono
(Apoa/Agatu PDP)
Emmanuel Jime
(Makurdi/Guma PDP)

Gombe
Bello Usman Kumo
(Akko PDP)
Khamisu Ahmed
Mailantanki
(Gombe /Funakaye/Kara
CPC)
Yusuf Manu Swa
Billiri/Balanga PDP)
Bauchi
Aliyu Ibrahim Gebi
(Bauchi CPC)

Lagos
Babatunde Adewale
(Apapa ACN)
Rafeesat Onabamiro
(Badagry ACN)
Olajumoke Okoya-Thomas
(Lagos Island I ACN)
Yakubu Balogun
(Lagos Island II ACN)
Faleke Abiodun
(Ikeja ACN)
Isiaka Suara
(Ojo ACN)
Lanre Odubote
(Epe ACN)

Edo
Abubakar Momoh
(Etsako ACN)
Nosakhare Osahon
(Ovia ACN)
Razak Bello-Osagie
(Oredo ACN)
Jim Adun
(Egor/Ikpoba-Okha ACN)
Patrick Ikhariale
(Esan Central, Esan West,
Igueben PDP)
Pally Iriase
(Owan West ACN)
Samson Osagie
(Orhionwon/Uhunmonde
ACN)
Friday Itula
(Esan Northeast/ Esan
Southwest PDP)

Ondo
Abegunde Ifedayo
(Akure South/Akure North
LP)
Bakare Biodun
(Ifedore/Idanre LP)
Adeobu Johnson
(Ile-Oluji/Olaigbo/Odigbo
LP)
Akinlaya Joseph
(Ondo West LP)
Ologunagba Jerome
(Akoko Southwest LP)
Dauda Olawadare
(Akoko Southeast LP)
Omosule Eniolorunda
(Owo/Ose LP)
Albert Akinloye
(Okitipupa/Irele PDP)

Ogun
Segun Williams
(Abeokuta South ACN)
Babatunde Olabode
Ogunola
(Ado Odo/Otta ACN)
Adeyemi Adekunle Saheed
(Ifo/Ewekoro ACN)
Razak Adewusi
(Yewa North/Imeko Afon
PPN)

Oyo
Kareem Tajudeen Abisodun
(Atisbo/Saki West/Saki East
PDP)
Hon. Muraina Saubana
Ajibola
(Ibarapa Central/Ibarapa
North PDP)
Jimoh Afis Adelowo
(Irepo/Orelope/Olorunsogo
PDP)
Hon. Mulikat Akande
Adeola
(Ogbomoso
North/Ogbomoso South
Orire PDP)
Hon. Odebunmi O.
Dakumu
(Ogooluwa Surulere PDP)
Abiodun Awoleye
(Ibadan North ACN)
Sunday Adepoju
(Ibarapa East/Iddo ACN)
Kola Olabiyi
(Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iw
-ajowa ACN)
Kamil Akinlabi
(Afijio/Atiba/Oyo East/Oyo
West ACN)
Murtala Kayode
(Akinyele/Lagelu AP)
Ajaja A. Adebukola
Ibadan North East/Ibadan
South East AP)
Dr. Ibrahim Adeniji Olaifa
(Oluyole AP)
Busari Olayemi Sikiru
(Egbeda/Ona Ara AP)

Enugu
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi
(Igboeze North/Udenu
PDP)
Ofor Chukwuegbo
(Enugu North/South PDP)
Patrick Asadu
(Nsukka/Igboeze South
PDP)
Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi
(Udi/Ezeagu PDP)
Peace Nnaji
(Nkanu East/West PDP)
Kingsley Ebenyi
(Enugu East/Isiuza PDP)
Tobias Okechukwu
(Awgu/Aninbri/Oji River
PDP)
Stella Ngwu
(Uzo-Uwani/Igbo-Etiti
PDP)

FCT
Jephaniah Jisalo
(AMAC/Bwari PDP)
Isa Dobi
(Kuje/Gwagwalada/Abaji
Kwali PDP)
Reps Cont 2
Rivers
Ogbonna Nwuke
(Etche/Omuma PDP)
Dwari Ibietela George
(Akukutoru/Azariforu PDP)
Kenneth Anayo Chikere
(P/Harcourt I PDP)
Chinda Kingsley Ogundu
(Obio/Akpor PDP)
Gogo Bright Tamuno
(Okrika/Ogu/Bolo PDP)
Mpizi Bariunada
(Elewmei/Tai PDP)
Andrew Uchendu
(Ikwerre/Emohna PDP)

Akwa Ibom
Daniel Effiong Akpan
(Etinan PDP)
Bassey Dan Abia
(Eket PDP)
Archibong Kenneth Edet
(Itu PDP)
Robinson Edet Uwak
(Oron PDP)
Saviour Friday Udoh
(Ikot Ekpene PDP)
Emmanuel Ekon
(Abak PDP)
Ini Akpan Udoka
(Ikono PDP)
Emmanuel Uyo (ACN)

Kano
Farouk Muhammed Lawan
(Bagwai/Shanono PDP)
Abdulkadir Jibrin
(Kiru/Berbeji/Gwale PDP)
Surajo Harisu Dambata
(Danbatta/Makoda PDP)
Dogowa Tudun Wada PDP
Gezema/Gabasawa PDP
Kombots Babba Agundi
PDP)
Aminu Suleiman
(Fagge PDP)
Gideon Lucas G.
(Kura PDP)
Garin Mallam/Madobi
PDP)
Nasiru Baballe Ila
(Tarauni CPC)
Nasiru Ali Ahmed
(Nassarawa CPC)
(Ajinge/Gaya/Albalsau
ANPP)
(Bichi (ANPP)
Tisni Abdul Kadir
(Dawakin Tofa/Rimin Godo
ANPP)
Haruna Musa
(Kano Municipal ANPP)
(Kunji ANPP)
(Wudi/Garko ANPP)

Sokoto
Sa’adu Nabunkafi
(Binji/Sillame PDP)
Umar Bature
(Sokoto North/South PDP)
Abdullahi Mohammed
(Kware/Wamakko PDP)
Isa Salihu Bashdir
(Tangaza/Gadu PDP)
Aminu Shehu Shagari
Yabo/Shagari PDP)
Achida Wurno
(Wurno Rabbah PDP)

Imo
Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi
(Mbaitoli/Ikeduru PDP)
Chukwu Victor Onyereri
(Isu/Njaba/Nwamngele/Nk
-werre PDP)
Irona Alphonsus Gerald
(Oru West/Ohaji/Egbema
Oguta PDP)
Onyewuchi Ezenwa Francis
(Owerri APGA)
Eddie Ifeanyichukwu
Mbadiwe
(Ideato North/South APGA)



http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/apr/11/national-11-04-2011-001.htm

The daughter of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, Maryam Yar’Adua, was defeated in the House of Representatives election for Katsina Federal Constituency as the Congress for Political Change swept to victory in the state.



According to results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday, the CPC candidate, Mr.Mohammed Tukur, trounced her by 45,573 votes to 26,674 votes.



Also, CPC candidate, Alhaji Sani Stores, defeated PDP candidate, Senator Ibrahim Ida, with 217, 154 votes to 188,302 in Katsina Senatorial District. Furthermore, in the Katsina South Senatorial District’s election, CPC candidate,Mr. Abu Ibrahim, got 324,652 votes to defeat PDP candidate, Tukur Jikamshi, who had 198,927, in the Katsina South Senatorial District’s election.



However, the PDP trounced the All Nigeria Peoples’ Party in Kano State by winning two Senate seats and eleven out of the 20 House of Representatives seats so far released.



PDP left ANPP with only one Senate and seven House of Representatives seats while the CPC won two seats in the House of Representatives.



Two incumbent senators, deputy minority leader, Kabiru Gaya (ANPP) and Bello Hayatu (PDP), won, while the third senatorial seat was won by Alhaji Garba Lado of the PDP.



For the House of Repesentatives, deputy minority leader, Abdulrahaman Kawu[ANPP], representing Takai/Sumaila Constituency, Chairman, House Committee on Education, Alhaji Farouk Lawan[PDP, Bagwai/Shanono] and another House of Representatives member, Mohammed Wudi[ANPP/Wudil /Garko], won.



Also, the Governor of Bauchi State, Malam Isa Yuguda, lost his constituency, the Bauchi Federal Constituency, to the CPC.



Announcing the result, the Returning Officer, Prof. Isyaku Mohammed, declared Aliyu Ibrahim Gebi, of the CPC as the winner. Gebi defeated one of Yuguda’s aides and a former Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Garba Dahiru of the PDP.



But, the PDP won in the volatile Bogoro/Dass/ Tafawa Balewa constituency, where an incumbent member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, was re-elected.



However, in Adamawa, the contest was between PDP and ACN. The Chairman of the House of Representatives on Women Affairs, Mrs. Binta Marsi-Garba, representing Michika/Madagali constituency lost her seat to the ACN candidate, Titis Ganama.



But ,in Adamawa North Senatorial District,ex- Governor, Mr. Boni Haruna of the ACN lost to Mr. Bindo Jibrilla of the PDP. According to results declared by the Retuning Officer of the area, Prof. Chikezie Uwuama, Jibrilla scored 75,112 votes while Haruna polled 70,890










http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201104112593682

The Election Returning Officer for Anambra Central Senatorial district election, Mr. Alex Anene, on Sunday alleged that he was offered N10m, a duplex and scholarships for his children to persuade him to declare a particular candidate winner of the Saturday poll.



Anene told journalists that he abandoned his post and failed to declare the election result because his life was threatened.



He however would not say the candidate that was threatening his life or who he was asked to return as the winner of the election. He said he was a staff of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.



Anene’s abandonment of the process practically threw the election for the Anambra Central Senatorial zone into a stalemate. The Independent National Electoral Commission is yet to issue a statement on the matter.



Prof. Dora Akunyili of the All Progressives Grand Alliance and Dr. Chris Ngige of the Action Congress of Nigeria were in close race for the senatorial seat before Anene abandoned his post.



But at a secluded ceremony in the office of the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Awka, the Returning Officer for Anambra South, Prof. Nick Okoye, declared Dr. Andy Uba of the Peoples Democratic Party as the winner of the senatorial election in the zone.



The declaration was said to have been taken away from the zonal collation centre in Nnewi because of the fear of Uba’s opponent in the PDP, Mr. Nicholas Ukachukwu, who insisted that he was the rightful candidate of the party.



Ukachukwu had mobilized his supporters to Nnewi where he hoped to be declared the winner of the election. While Uba was endorsed by INEC as the PDP candidate for Anambra South, Ukachukwu was endorsed by the national working committee of the PDP.






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201104112284975

Results of Saturday’s National Assembly elections announced on Sunday by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission showed many Peoples Democratic Party heavyweights defeated in their senatorial districts and constituencies.



The results also indicated that the PDP might lose its stranglehold on the National Assembly with its majority membership and a sign of the end of its relevance in the South-West politics.



Among the heavyweights that were defeated by candidates of opposition parties in the Sout-West are the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, Senators Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, Iyiola Omisore and Bode Olajumoke and two former governors — Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Olusegun Agagu.



But two other former governors— Orji Kalu (Progressive Peoples Allaince) and Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani (Peoples Democratic Congress) lost their bids to become senators, to their PDP opponents, in Abia and Enugu.



Bankole was floored by Williams Olusegun of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Abeokuta South Federal Constituency in Ogun State while Obasanjo-Bello, daughter of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, was defeated by Gbenga Obadara, also of the ACN in Ogun Central District.



Obadara polled 102,389 votes while Obasanjo-Bello had a distant 56,312 ballots.



In Ogun West Senatorial District, Mr. Akin Odunsi of the ACN won with 61,362 ballots ahead of Mr. Babatunde Fadun of the PDP), who got 59,949.



A former Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Gbenga Kaka of the ACN beat his main opponent, Mr. Mohammed Odunowo, of the PDP in Ogun East Senatorial District.



Bankole accepted his defeat in a statement on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Communications, Mr. Kayode Odunaro.



He described “the exercise (election) as a good omen in our national quest to entrench democracy,” declaring that, “For me, the race was not a life-and-death duel.”



Results for the Senate in Oyo State showed the ACN clinching two seats and the PDP’s one.



The winners of the senatorial election are Chief Olufemi Lanlehin (Oyo South), Mr. Ayo Adeseun (Oyo Central) and Mr. Hosea Agboola of the PDP (Oyo North).



The main surprise in the contest is the defeat of Senator Kamoru Adedibu, the son of the late Ibadan prominent politician, Chief Lamidi Adedibu, by Lanlehin.



Adeseun also defeated Chief Jumoke Akinjide, daughter of a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide.



For the House of Representatives, the PDP had five seats; ACN, four; and Accord Party, four. The result for one seat was being awaited as at 6pm on Sunday.



The ACN winners are Mr. Abiodun Awoleye, Mr. Kola Olabiyi; and Mr. Kamil Akinlabi.



In Osun State, Prof. Sola Adeyeye of the ACN defeated Oyinlola in Osun Central while Mr. Jide Omoworare also of the ACN floored Omisore in Osun East.



Senator Isiaka Adeleke, a former governor of the state, also lost to ACN’s Mudasiru Oyetunde in Osun West.



It was also a clean sweep for the ACN in the House of Reps contest in the state.



Labour Party won two senatorial slots in Ondo State while the PDP secured one.



Olajumoke lost to LP’s Prof. Ajayi Boroffice; and Mr. Gbenga Ogunniya to Ayo Akinyelure. Agagu of the PDP also lost to Boluwaji Kunlere of the LP in Ondo South.



The LP had won seven seats out of nine House of Representatives slots announced as at 4pm on Sunday.



The ACN also had smooth contest in Lagos State where INEC announced two of its candidates —Mrs. Remi Tinubu and Gbenga Ashafa — as winners in Lagos Central Senatorial District and Lagos East.



Remi is the wife of a former governor of the state and ACN chieftain, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.



Unconfirmed reports, however, had it that ACN’s Ganiyu Solomon was reelected as the Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District.



INEC also announced Hakeem Gbajabiamila and 14 others as winners of the House of Representatives poll in the state. The remaining nine seats of the 24 that the state has in the House were yet to be released as at press time on Sunday.



The ACN had an impressive run in Edo State also as two of its candidates won. One of them is Domingo Obende, who clinched the Edo North ticket. The remaining seat was clinched by the PDP.



The results from Kwara State put to rest, the debate on who had a greater political clout between Governor Bukola Saraki of the PDP and his father, Chief Olusola Saraki.



The governor trounced his father’s Allied Congress party of Nigeria by emerging a Senator-elect in Kwara Central. The PDP also won in Kwara South where it fielded Senator Simeon Ajibola. The third senatorial seat (Kwara North) was won by a former Governor Mohammed Lafiaji.



The PDP also had it easy in Rivers, Abia and Enugu states as it won all the nine seats meant for the three states in the Senate.



It candidates in Rivers State – Senator George Sekibo, Magnus Abe and Senator Wilson Ake – won in Rivers East, South and West Senatorial Districts.



The biggest casualty in Abia State is the former governor and Progressive Peoples Alliance candidate, Chief Kalu, who lost to a serving Senator, Chief Uche Chukwumerije.



Senator Nkechi Nworgu won in the Abia Central district while a former deputy governor of the state, Mr. Enyinnaya Abaribe, emerged victorious in Abia South.



Four House of Representatives candidates were also announced as winners as at 4pm on Sunday. The four – all PDP members – are Mr, Ezinche Ubani, Mrs. Nkiru Onyejeocha, Nnenna Ukeje, and Udo Ibeji.



The winners in Enugu are Chief Gilbert Nnaji, who defeated former governor Chimaroke Nnamani of the Peoples Democratic Congress; the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Ayogu Eze; and Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu.



As at 4 pm, the PDP also won in seven Federal constituencies that had been announced by INEC returning officers.



The seven candidates are Ofor Chukwu Egbe, Kingsley Ebenyi; Patrick Asadu, Tobias Okechukwu, Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, Ifennyi Ugwuanyi, and Peace Nanji.



The results from Anambra State showed Dr. Andy Uba and Mr. John Emeka of the PDP winning in Anambra South Senatorial District and Anambra North.



Dr. Chris Ngige of the ACN was beaten by Prof. Dora Akunyili of the All Progressive Grand Alliance in Anambra Central Senatorial District.



Ngige is a former governor of the state which Akunyili is a former Minister of Information and Communication.



In Benue State, the President of the Senate, Mr. David Mark, of the PDP defeated his closest opponent, Lawrence Onoja of the ACN in Benue South Senatorial District.



Also, as at the time of filing this report, a former Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Barnabas Gemade, was maintaining a heavy lead against incumbent Senator Joseph Akaagerger of the ACN in the contest for the Benue north East Senatorial Zone.



Election for the third Senatorial district in the state, Benue North West, was postponed till April 26, 2011 due to logistic mix up.



In Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Smart Adeyemi (PDP) retained his seat in the Senate by defeating Joseph Faniyi of CPC.



Results from Katsina showed that the Congress for Progressive Change was making inroads into the traditional strongholds of the PDP.



The CPC candidate Alhaji Sani Stores defeated his PDP opponent, Senator Ibrahim Ida of the PDP in Katsina Senatorial District.



The PDP also suffered defeat in Katsina Federal Constituency as its candidate Mariam Umaru Yar’Adua, daughter of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua was defeated by a CPC candidate, Mohammed Tukur.



In Gombe Central Senatorial District, Governor Mohammed Goje (PDP) won the election while in Kaduna Central Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Saleh of the CPC beat Hamisu Mairago of the PDP.



http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201104114321181

A Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, yesterday ruled that the candidates of the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) in Ogun State are qualified to contest the forthcoming general elections. The state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had filed a suit against the PPN over the emergence of the candidates.


Dayo Soremi, chairman of the party and two others, on behalf of PDP candidates for the 2011 general elections had, on March 22, approached the Federal High Court, Abuja seeking an order to stop the PPN governorship candidate, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, from contesting the governorship election. The case was, however transferred by the judge to a Federal High Court in Abeokuta, under argument that a circular dated March 16 ordered that all pre-election cases be filed in the state where the primaries and nominations were conducted.

The PDP, in the suit, argued that the respondents were members of the PDP before defecting to the PPN and that they were previously on the list of the party as candidates for the election before decamping. In view of this, the party asked for an order of the court to restrain INEC from publishing the name of Mr Isiaka and eight others as candidates for the election.

Not your business But the court, in its ruling yesterday, declared that the PDP has no locus standi to institute a case seeking to disqualify candidates of another party and therefore dismissed the suit in its entirety. The presiding judge, Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, also ruled on an application filed by PPN seeking a restrain on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from tampering, altering or in any way removing the nomination list of PPN as submitted to the commission by the party.

Mrs Ofili-Ajumogobia upheld the arguments of the PPN, saying the PDP and its members have no locus standi to institute the action and therefore dismissed the case. She also restrained INEC from tampering, altering or removing the nomination list as submitted to the commission by the PPN.



http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5688038-146/story.csp