Melaye, Ajaka Call For Nullification Of ‘Shameful’ Kogi Guber Election

In the aftermath of the Kogi State governorship election, both Dino Melaye, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate Muritala Ajaka have faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the conduct of the governorship election in the state, calling for the nullification of the results amidst alleged irregularities and malpractices. During a press conference in Lokoja on Sunday, Dino Melaye strongly condemned the election, labeling it as “shameful” and asserting that it did not qualify as a genuine electoral exercise. Melaye criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing them of refusing to address the issues that marred previous elections. He claimed that in the central senatorial district of Kogi, accreditation was carried out manually, the Biometric Verification Authentication System (BVAS) was not utilized, and prepared result sheets were evident even before accreditation began. “I will start by condemning in its totality the conduct of the elections yesterday and outrightly call for the total cancellation of the election because that was not an election,” the PDP candidate said. “It is shameful that the unhealthy INEC refuse to realise, ameliorate or palliate the problems they created in the last presidential and governorship elections. “Yesterday in the five local governments of the central senatorial district in Kogi state, there was no election. Surprisingly, accreditation was done manually, the BVAS was not used. Prepared sheets manifested even before accreditation took place and evidence is all over the media. “So, INEC as a matter of urgency must cancel the election. In many areas where I won, my agents were told there were no available result sheets to enter the result and we have evidence to back up these claims. “As I speak to you, it is shameful that this is what our democracy has descended to. INEC has manifested more than before, that they cannot be trusted, they are biased, they are compromised, and they cannot be a neutral umpire. “INEC officials and youth corps members were caught yesterday with prepared result sheets even before the commencement of the processes. A youth corps member was arrested with a prepared result and N1 million in his bag.” Melaye further accused INEC officials and youth corps members of being caught with pre-prepared result sheets, suggesting a compromise of the electoral process. Hours earlier, social media had been flooded with alleged result sheets for the Kogi governorship election, intensifying concerns over the integrity of the electoral process. In a parallel move, the SDP, through its agent David Edibo, presented a petition to the State Returning Officer, urging INEC to cancel the election results from Kogi Central. The SDP said it did not accept the outcome of the election in the five local government areas within the senatorial district, raising objections despite opposition from the APC agent, Idris King. As the collation of results continued, tensions heightened with Governor Yahaya Bello and APC candidate Usman Adodo hailing from Kogi Central.

Vote Buying: EFCC Intercepts N11.04m, Arrests 14 Suspected In Imo, Bayelsa, Kogi

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested 14 suspected vote buyers in Otueke, Adawari playgrounds in Bayelsa  and at various polling units in Imo and Kogi. EFCC Spokesperson Dele Oyewale said this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja. According to him, the suspects were arrested on Saturday in intelligence-driven operations that commenced several days before the ongoing governorship elections in the three states. “Also, a total sum of N11,040,000, comprising N9,310,00 intercepted from suspected vote buyers and sellers in Bayelsa, and N1,730,000 intercepted from electoral fraud suspects across Imo State, were recovered from them. “Also, two vehicles were intercepted from the suspects. They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” he said. The commission had earlier deployed its personnel to monitor the Saturday’s governorship elections in the three states. Oyewale had said in a statement on Friday in Abuja, that the aim of the deployment was to prevent politicians and their agents from engaging in vote buying during the elections. He explained that the exercise was part of the commission’s drive to checkmate electoral fraud and associated financial crimes. 

Imo Guber: PDP Calls For Uzodinma, APC’s Disqualification Over Fake Video

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disqualify Governor Hope Uzodimma and the All Progressives Congress (APC) just 24 hours before the Imo governorship election. This demand comes in response to the alleged involvement of the APC and Governor Uzodimma in creating and disseminating a fake video against PDP’s Imo state governorship candidate, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.  The PDP, through its national publicity secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, labelled the video as “barbaric and shameful,” accusing Governor Uzodimma of stooping to new lows to mislead the people of Imo. The PDP claims that the fabricated video is a manifestation of Governor Uzodimma’s fear of Senator Anyanwu’s popularity, prompting him to employ deceitful tactics to undermine the opposition candidate’s chances in the election. Commending the swift response of TVC, which was allegedly misrepresented in the fake video, the PDP reiterated its support for Senator Anyanwu, dismissing the video as entirely false. The party called on the people of Imo state to disregard the misleading content. The PDP suggested that if anyone should withdraw from the race, it should be Governor Uzodimma, accusing him of showing a lack of readiness for a peaceful, free, fair, and transparent election.  The party urged INEC to disqualify the APC and Governor Uzodimma, citing their reported involvement in producing and circulating the fake video as a gross violation of electoral laws.

Presidential Election: Tribunal strikes out Obi, LP’s claim of irregularities, corrupt practices 

The ongoing Presidential Election Tribunal has struck out Mr. Peter Obi, and Labour Party’s allegations of irregularities and corrupt practices leveled against the election that produced Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The court ruling in the preliminary objection held that the affected paragraphs were “vague, imprecise, nebulous and failed to meet the requirements of pleadings”. The judgement posited that Mr Obi and his party failed to mention the number of lawful votes they scored and the number of the unlawful votes recorded by the electoral body. The ruling read by Justice Abba Mohammed, insisted that the petitioners failed to establish the polling units or wards were irregularities, corrupt practices and manipulation of results were carried out. Justice Mohammed explained that  “averments” must not leave room for confusion or ambiguity, adding that the aim of pleadings is to avail respondents of the facts of the case so as to prepare adequately. Mohammed held that, “petitioners failed to specify polling units where anomalies occurred or where agents complained of alleged malpractices and irregularities. “According to the ruling in a case of alleged malpractices in over 500 polling units, it does not suffice for the petitioners to say some polling units or collation centers without being specific. “Averments must not be general but specific.” Further in the ruling, the panel noted the total of over 18, 000 polling units where the petitioners alleged that INEC uploaded “blurred results ” unto the INEC Results Viewing (IReV) Portals, not one polling units was cited. “They did not specify polling units where election results were not uploaded” or where scores attributed to them was reduced or added to Tinubu”. “They did not show the majority of votes they claimed they had scored “, the tribunal held, adding that petitioners only make generic allegations of irregularities and malpractices. Mohammed further faulted the petitioners for relying on a spreadsheet analysis, inspection results and experts reports, adding that such documents ought to be served on the respondents to enable them do their own analysis and respond accordingly. “The spreadsheet report, inspection results and experts reports were not served but only listed as documents to be relied on in adjudicating the petition”, the court held. “It is unimaginable that a petitioner will allege widespread rigging in 176,000 Polling units, over 8,000 wards, 774 LGAs, 36 States and FCT without stating the specific place where the alleged irregularities occur.” Consequent to the above, the tribunal strike out the affected paragraphs as requested by the petitioners. On Obi’s membership of LP as he was still a PDP member. The court overruled the respondents claims stating that  Obi and LP certified the provisions of Obi being a member.