Osinbajo to Nigerians: don’t be discouraged

From Bisi Olaniyi, Precious Igbonwelundu, Adekunle Jimoh, Gbenga Omokhunu, and Rosemary Nwisi.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday urged Nigerians not to be discouraged by the earlier postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The vice president made the plea in Ilorin during a courtesy visit to the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari.

The vice president was in Ilorin to conclude the door-to-door campaign to mobilise votes for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Osinbajo said the only way Nigerians could assist to sustain the nation’s democracy and promote good governance was to come out en mass on Saturday and vote for continuity.

He commended the monarch for his fairness toward political parties and their candidates in the state.

The vice president  said he did not envy the monarch who “has his sons vying for different positions across different parties in Kwara.’’

The vice president prayed for the victory of the president and all All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the general elections.

The emir, in his remarks, welcomed the vice president and wished him and his entourage well in the elections.

The vice president was accompanied by Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who is the leader of  APC in Kwara.

Also on the entourage were the governorship candidate of the APC in  Kwara, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the party’s chairman in the state, Bashir Bolarinwa,  and other party stalwarts.

The vice president and his entourage were welcomed by an unprecedented crowd who thronged the streets leading to the palace and were chanting “ O to ge’ (Enough is Enough).

From Adabata to Pakata and on to  Isale-Aluko as well as Oja Gboro and Ipata,   the people in their thousands, particularly women and youths,  lined up on the streets with brooms chanting that they were tired of the old order and in need of  a change in Kwara.

APC, PDP clash over attack in Ilorin

The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday accused suspected thugs loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of attacking its supporters after the convoy of the Vice President Yemi Osibajo passed through an area in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital. But the PDP last night denied the allegation.

Two supporters of APC sustained injuries.

A police source revealed that the incident happened around Isale-Koko, Ilorin suburb, after the vice president’s convoy had left the area.

Police spokesperson Ajayi Okasanmi could not confirm the incident.

The APC governorship candidate in the state, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, condemned “the brazen attack today in Ilorin on the convoy of the Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo by armed PDP thugs.”

In a statement, Abdulrazaq’s media aide Rafiu Ajakaye said: “The vice president was at Isale Aluko suburb of Ilorin on a door-to-door campaign when some dare-devil gunmen opened fire at his convoy which included thousands of APC members and supporters.

“In what is a reminiscence of the Offa robbery, this attack is the height of recklessness on the part of these street urchins who have long been empowered and armed by the discredited dynasty to terrorise our community and anyone who has contrary views to their amala politics.

“Coming just a day after two of our supporters were killed in Ojoku in the convoy of our senatorial candidate Arc. Lola Ashiru, this is becoming too much and the madness must stop.

“Going into an election with these thugs clearly on the loose is an existential threat not just to all of us challenging the misrule in our state but to the entire people of the state and their properties.

“We call for immediate arrest and prosecution of these thugs. We also demand investigations to reveal those who gave the orders for these deadly attacks. We call for all measures to be taken to ensure safety of lives and properties and sanctity of the ballot box in Kwara and beyond.

“No one’s political interest should be at the expense of human lives and their properties.  We insist that a political contest is a contest of ideas and no one must be allowed to cow or kill others in the process.”

The PDP, in a statement by its spokesperson, Tunde Ashaolu, said the incident was an intra-party issue involving members of the APC.

The statement reads: “It was also gathered that the money released to be shared among party supporters triggered the violence.

“Our party has no time for violence as we have been busy preparing for the presidential and national assembly elections coming up on Saturday as well as the governorship and State Assembly elections.”

Rivers polls: Wike, kinsmen, Cole, APC leaders in fight to the finish

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, his Ikwerre kinsmen in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),  All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Tonye Cole and other APC leaders in the state are in a fight to the finish over the general elections.

Wike, yesterday in a broadcast, urged APC members to allow  peace in Rivers to continue and to prepare for 2023 polls.

PDP kinsmen of Rivers governor in the four Ikwerre Local Government Areas of Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre and Emohua, also alleged that unending atmosphere of hostility was being foisted by the unholy relationship between the Rivers APC and the security agencies, which was described as a major source of worry, threatening peace and communal tranquility.

Cole and some leaders of APC in the state, at a news conference in Port Harcourt, however, declared that candidates of the party would not only participate in the 2019 elections, but would win.

Wike, in the broadcast, called on the leaders of the APC to accept the reality that their party would not be on the ballot for the 2019 general elections in Rivers.

The governor said: “Truth be told, the Supreme Court has spoken. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed. It is the will of God and there is nothing anybody can do to return the APC to the ballot for the 2019 general elections in Rivers State.”

The leaders of Ikwerre ethnic nationality, at a world news conference yesterday at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt, through a former Rivers governor, Sir Celestine Omehia, stated that they would not sit idly and watch Minister for Transportation Rotimi Amaechi cause their people unnecessary harm.

Ikwerre PDP leaders said: “The Minister for Transportation has the penchant for fomenting trouble, which had caused the loss of lives in the past. Keen watchers of political events in our state have also noticed the bitterness exhibited by the minister (Amaechi) towards the governor (Wike).”

At a news conference yesterday, Cole said: “I want to start by telling our supporters in APC and around the state that not only will we participate in the elections, we will win them. It is better to be prepared than for the opportunity to come and we are not prepared. The opportunity is coming. Be prepared.”

A chieftain, Chidi Lloyd, while also speaking, stated that what could have resulted in a colossal loss of human lives and property in Rivers State was avoided by the postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the country on February 16, through violence and thuggery displayed by PDP members across Rivers, while again mobilising to unleash mayhem in the state on February 23.

The party’s spokesman Chris Finebone condemned “the shameful use of card-carrying members of the PDP” by the INEC office in Rivers  as ad hoc staff, insisting that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC in Rivers, Obo Effanga, and his staff were collaborating with the PDP to rig the elections, declaring that they would not get away with it.

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Rivers APC crisis:  Appeal Court strikes out Abe’s suit

The Appeal Court Panel sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital yesterday struck  out a case filed before it by the Senator representing Rivers South East in the National Assembly, Magnus Abe, for lack of merit.

Abe and 42 others filed the suit shortly after the Federal High Court upheld the judgment of a State High Court which nullified the state congresses and primary elections conducted by the Ojukaiye Flag Amachree-led faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and disqualified all its candidates.

At a news conference in Port Harcourt, shortly after the ruling, Abe said: “We had approached the Court of Appeal to help with the logjam arising from the current situation in the APC in the state.

“We believe that that is not the sum of the judgement of the Supreme Court so in  consultation with our legal practitioners, we’ve asked them to approach the Supreme Court for a final response on that matter.”

Group berates Atiku

A prominent group, Media for Morals, has expressed support for the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, for vowing to ensure the armed forces remain apolitical and professional in the discharge of its duties.

In a statement by its National Coordinator, Dr. Mairo Mudi, the group also berated the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP),  Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for “encouraging lawlessness in the armed forces by asking soldiers to disobey orders made by its superiors”.

“All the hullabaloo about President Buhari’s warning for the military and the police to deal ruthlessly with ballot box snatchers is only indicative of the fact that some politicians, obviously of the opposition stock, were reliant on that method to get to power through rigging.”

Lagos CP warns ballot box snatchers, others

Lagos State Commissioner Zubairu Muazu yesterday warned ballot box snatchers and other electoral offenders to have a rethink or face the wrath of the law.

Muazu spoke at his maiden interaction with reporters.

According to him, the command would stop at nothing to ensure that offenders are prosecuted and convicted, reminding residents that the earlier deployment of 30,000 security personnel for the exercise would be maintained.

Muazu said:“A very robust operation order to cover deployment of security personnel for the elections is on ground; so we will ensure there is a safe and secured environment for electorate in Lagos to go and cast their votes without fear and intimidation.”

Police arrest INEC official, two others with card reader

A senior official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and two others were Wednesday night arrested by policemen attached to the commission’s head office in Lagos for alleged illegal possession of card reader.

It was learnt that the officials were taken to SARS office at Ikeja where they allegedly spent the night and were later escorted by policemen back to the commission following directives from the Police Commissioner Zubairu Muazu.

Muazu confirmed policemen escorted Bello to take the card reader back after it was discovered that he did not steal it.

The police chief said: “We confirmed that the official was posted to Surulere. The card reader in question had problems and he was supposed to turn it over. But there wasn’t enough security and he decided to hold on to it.

“The said card reader has not been configured. We verified from INEC and as such, we detailed policemen to escort him back so that he will safely return the card reader. I am not aware of any attempted bribery incident.”

INEC spokesman Olufemi Akinbiyi said he was not aware of the incident.

He said: “I do not have that information. I am part of the team at the CBN ensuring that electoral materials are moved out without hitches.”

Clerics cautioned against meddling into politics

Clerics in Bauchi State have been cautioned against dragging religious matters into politics.

Muslims youths and students leaders, in a statement by Prince Mohammed Sani Hassan, Comrade Alhasseenor  Adam and Babangida Bindis, said they were not happy with the way religious matters were being dragged into politics in the state.

They said: “We are not happy as future leaders the way and manner religious leaders are dragging religion issue into politics in the state.”

“In the history of politics since 1999 to date, Bauchi State has not produced a leader like Rt Honourable Yakubu Dogara, Speaker and National Assembly member representing Bogoro, Dass and Tafawa Balewa Federal constituency. He built more than 1000 mosques in all the nooks and crannies of Bauchi State, he sponsored  many Muslims to Hajj, he assisted both Christians and Muslims in Bauchi State, he catered for both religion in Bauchi State, he should not be condemned,”the group said.

‘Buhari’s directive on riggers has exposed PDP’s antics’

The Buhari Campaign Organisation (BCO) yesterday praised President Muhammadu Buhari for exposing the rigging plot of the opposition through his directive to the military and other security agencies that they should deal ruthlessly with ballot box snatchers and other election riggers during Saturday’s elections.

Buhari’s support group noted that reactions from the camp of the opposition to Buhari’s order were a clear indication that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate are planning to rig the 2019 polls.

In a statement issued in Abuja by its Director of Communication and Strategic Planning, Mallam Gidado Ibrahim, the BCO stated that what the president did with his directive was to uncover a hornet’s nest in the camp of the opposition and stirring it up for Nigerians to know their plan to rig the polls.

Ibrahim said: “We in the BCO give kudos to President Muhammadu Buhari for this marching order. Only the evil minded should be afraid of the order. The opposition are criticising President Buhari for his comment on ballot box snatchers because they want Nigerians to see nothing of those who denied them electricity and other infrastructure in the past 16 years.

“The president said exactly what we have always wanted him to say: thuggery and ballot box snatching have no place in a credible democracy. The president is absolutely right, otherwise we will encourage the opposition and their thugs to dictate democracy for us. “