Politics
Bayelsa Guber: Dickson, Sylva Share Opposing Views
L-R: APC National Auditor, Chief George Moghalu, APC National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun and Deputy Chairman, Chief Segun Oni, during the National Chairman’s interactive session with journalisist in Abuja on Wednesday.
The incumbent Governor
of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lauded the cancellation of the poll in the area while the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate Timipre Sylva described as disappointing the cancellation of Sunday’s rescheduled poll in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
Sylva described INEC’s decision as a rape of democracy, stressing that he will not accept the cancellation.
According to him, ”We reject it completely. First and foremost, the Resident Electoral Commissioner has no powers to cancel an election which had duly taken place. It is only the Returning Officer that has powers to announce a cancellation or any other thing relating to an election such as this”.
“We had an election on Saturday. In Ekeremor, there was widespread shooting and they beat up a lot of APC members. The home of the Minister of State for Agriculture was under siege; his house was under fire for a long time. I had to call for re-enforcement before they could subdue the assailants in the morning.
“The assailants retreated and returned again in the evening but elections still held in Ekeremor that same day and returns were made. When APC protested, our protests were set aside and the elections were upheld because of one thing, because PDP won. If the APC had won, of course, the elections would probably have been set aside. They just put the figures together and submitted the figures and our protests died like a candle in the wind.
“In Sagbama, we did not see the electoral materials at all. Thugs besieged the local government. A top APC leader is today lying critically ill in the hospital with a broken arm he sustained running away from assailants. They held elections, of course nobody saw the materials and they just filled out the figures and submitted. The APC protested vehemently. Nobody heard our protests, elections were upheld.
“In Nembe Local Government Area, where the APC won clearly, they quickly cancelled two wards and re-conducted those elections on Sunday. On Sunday, no APC member saw any paper or anything at all relating to that election but votes were returned. We protested, our protests were rejected because the PDP won. If you look through, this election ab initio apparently, was set up for the PDP to win but we didn’t want to shout because we are a responsible party.
The Tide learnt that with the results from seven local government areas so far announced by the electoral umpire, Seriake is being trailed by his All Progressives Congress (APC) challenger, Timipre Sylva.
Dickson scored 105,745 votes against Sylva’s 72,594. The PDP flag bearer, who was leading his closest rival with 35, 154 votes before INEC declared the process inconclusive on Monday, tried to stop the election in the disputed council area, but failed.
The PDP applauded the cancellation of the Southern Ijaw election, which it described as a vindication of its earlier position that the commission erred by going ahead with the poll despite security concerns in the area.
In a statement by the Publicity Director of the Restoration Campaign Organisation, Jonathan Obuebite, the PDP said before the election was conducted, it had informed the electoral body and security authorities that the whole of Southern Ijaw had been taken over by thugs and criminal elements.
Obuebite stated that the PDP was for a free, fair and credible election and as such, election in Southern Ijaw must be conducted in an atmosphere that could guarantee the participation of the people.
He noted that as at 4pm on Sunday, election materials were still being distributed and wondered how such process could lead to a transparent election. He added that it was an orchestrated plan to rig the election as voting went on in the dead of the night.
He said the situation also afforded political thugs to infiltrate the polling units, snatching ballot boxes and intimidating voters under the close supervision of the military operatives.
Obuebite said the whole process was marred by apathy due largely to the wanton violence and mayhem unleashed by thugs and militants. The PDP accused INEC, the police and army of colluding with the APC to rig the election.
He said: “Before now, we knew that the SGF was coordinating the whole rigging plan and we alerted President Muhammadu Buhari and the public.They know they cannot win without rigging through violence and the whole world has seen what happened on Sunday. It was a rape of democracy.
“There was a premeditated effort on a multiple level of conspiracy to rig this election involving INEC, army and the police.
Former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Matters and Social Events, Dr Waripamowei Dudafa, has praised the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri on his formal defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Dr Dudafa, who is also a former member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and one time commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Development, described the governor’s decision as a wise and well-considered move that aligns the State with the centre for accelerated development and greater political inclusion.
“Governor Diri’s decision reflects his pragmatic leadership style which has always been guided by consultation, inclusiveness, and the pursuit of the common good.
“Your Excellency, your decision to work in harmony with the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu which is in synergy with your ‘Assured Prosperity’ vision will undoubtedly bring about the needed transformation and development for the people of Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta at large.
“Since assuming office, your guiding principle has been clear and consistent — to consult widely, act in the public interest, and deliver measurable development outcomes. That same principle has informed your latest political alignment, and it will continue to serve as a compass for your Assured Prosperity Administration”, he said.
He further praised the governor’s performance in office, stating that Gov. Diri’s administration has been characterized by purposeful governance and tangible results, reaffirming his continued loyalty and support for the governor, while also assuring that he and his associates will keep identifying with the Gov Diri’s administration in the collective effort to sustain peace, unity, and progress in the state.
While restating his continued solidarity with the governor’s leadership in the state, Dr Dudafa promised to lend his support to ensure that he finishes strong.
“Governor Diri’s political maturity and developmental focus have repositioned Bayelsa for a brighter future”, he added.
The Tide further learnt that Dr Dudafa once served as Special Adviser to a former governor of the State on Youth Mobilization and Empowerment.
“I want to again commend the governor for his courage and vision. His alignment of the State with the federal government under the Renewed Hope Agenda is a step toward ensuring inclusive governance and attracting more federal presence to the state”, he said.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
A publication circulating online had quoted Alhaji Sheriff as saying, “It’s not me; it’s Shettima who created Boko Haram.”
But in a statement issued on Saturday, Alhaji Sheriff dismissed the report as a “complete fabrication” aimed at misleading the public and stirring political discord.
“The said story is a complete fabrication, devoid of truth, and a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, malign the person of Senator Sheriff, and sow discord within the nation’s political landscape,” the statement read.
Alhaji Sheriff said he never granted any interview or spoke to any journalist on the matter, adding that the falsehood was designed to undermine his long-standing commitment to peace and national unity.
“This false report is not only mischievous but also a dangerous piece of fake news aimed at undermining years of Senator Sheriff’s contributions to peace, national unity, and development, both in Borno State and across Nigeria,” the statement added.
The former governor urged members of the public and the media to disregard the publication, noting that he had directed his legal team to identify and pursue those behind the story.
“Senator Sheriff has instructed his legal team to take immediate steps to identify all individuals, bloggers, or media outlets responsible for the dissemination of this defamatory material.
“Should the false publication not be retracted and taken down forthwith, the Senator will not hesitate to seek full legal redress under the law”, his media office said.
Alhaji Sheriff reaffirmed his commitment to Nigeria’s security, stability, and democratic values and vowed to ensure that the spread of misinformation does not go unpunished.
Politics
Anambra Guber: I’m Not Impressed, LP Candidate Says …As Observers Lament Vote-buying, Low Voters Turnout
Mr Moghalu spoke to journalists on Saturday shortly after casting his vote at Uruagu Ward 1, Nnewi.
He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rise to its responsibility of making the process credible.
He also alleged voter apathy, attributing it to people’s lack of confidence in the electoral process.
Mr Moghalu said that even though it was too early to say whether the process was free, fair, and credible, he was not impressed.
“I am not impressed; there were no issues of glitches, at least for now. As we go along to monitor the process, we’ll confirm. In terms of voting, there’s an improvement over previous elections.
“I can’t say it’s free and fair because if you monetise a process, you weaponise poverty. What’s free about it? There’s no doubt there’s low voter turnout, and that has been the trend,” he stated.
The LP’s flag bearer stated that it was incumbent on INEC to continually improve the process, as voter apathy is a manifestation of a loss of confidence in the people.
Reports from Yiaga Africa, European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) II, and other partner organisations indicated that voter turnout was low in most polling units across the 21 local government areas of the state.
Speaking to journalists in Awka, the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Mr Samson Itodo, identified vote-buying and low turnout as recurring issues observed in the thematic areas of the election.
Also, Asabe Ndahi of the Kukah Centre decried logistical challenges, including the late arrival of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security officials in high-risk areas, such as Nkwelle-Ezunaka, Ihiala, Ogbaru, and Nnewi South.
She added that incidents of vote-buying and voter intimidation were recorded in several local government areas.
that votes were being traded for between N15,000 and N30,000.
“It is sad that bad governance is fuelling vote buying and selling.
“For an unemployed youth who sells his vote for ?30,000, what will he be paid next month when there is no election?
“By selling your vote, you are saying no school, no hospital, no jobs and selling away your future. This is worrisome”, he said.
He called on journalists to play an active role in exposing and curbing the menace.
The former presidential candidate also described all the hopefuls in the governorship race as his friends.
“Whoever wins, let him serve the people. Nigeria needs service now. We need to pull our people out of poverty,” he said,
Earlier, Mr George Moghalu, LP governorship candidate, said despite the heavy deployment of security personnel for the election, he had received reports of widespread vote-buying.
He also described the trend as “most unfortunate”, and warned that the crime undermines the integrity of the electoral process.
Mr Moghalu added that he remained optimistic on the outcome of the election, as he had campaigned extensively and presented his manifesto to the electorate.