Thuggery: INEC threatens to cancel results of crises ridden areas in Kogi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has threatened to cancel election results of crises ridden areas during the presidential and NASS election in Kogi.

Dr Hale Longpet, Kogi Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), sounded the warning while reacting to the crises that erupted in some Local Government Areas while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja.

There were reports of thugs interfering with some polling units in Anyigba and Dekina in the Kogi East and Mopa in the Kogi West as well as parts of Kogi Central, where voting materials were allegedly carted away by thugs.

“You know the electoral Law says that where there are disruption to the process, the result will be cancelled, the very particular units’ results will be cancelled.

“The issues, initially were only in the Kogi East and Central but I can’t tell exactly where and where in the state have been affected until the results are brought by the electoral officers.

“We understood that because of the violence those affected areas couldn’t conclude election there.

“I’m shocked that people can go to that level and disrupt something that everybody should have enjoyed.

“Election is a peaceful and willful thing that people are offered to freely participate.

“Again, If people are given assurance that everyone will enjoy a pleasant experience, why then should we have thugs invading the whole town or the local government, disrupting the conduct of the elections?” he asked.

According to him, his is very sad and shocking, when you look at the loss of lives involved.

He explained that “election is not war,” so If you were standing in for election to provide services for your people, you don’t need to engage in these distructive activities.

He said anyone feels he does not want to be part of the elections, he or she does not have go out there to vote.

According to him, People who have interest to bring good things to their communities do go out to positively engage and vote or exercise their franchise and they should not be stopped or denied the opportunity.

He disclosed that he went out with heads of the security operatives in the state in a motorcade to monitor the elections starting from Adankolo to Crucial, through to Kabawa and Falele.

He said, “yet in all these places, we didn’t see anyone angry but people were all smiling and casting their votes peacefully”.

The REC expressed happiness that everywhere inside Lokoja was very peaceful, not even a voice was raised. (NAN)

Absence of stamp stalls voting in some polling units in FCT

Absence of INEC stamp has stalled voting in the ongoing presidential and national assembly elections in some polling units in Aleyita in Kabusa ward, Abuja Area Council of the FCT.

When the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) visited Aleyita Health Centre polling unit 107, it was observed that voting was not in progress.

The Presiding Officer, Caleb Yashim, told NAN that they could not start the voting process because they did not come to the unit with INEC stamp to authenticate the ballot papers.

Yashim said that the stamp was part of the reasons they arrived late to the polling unit, adding that efforts were being made to get the stamp.

Generally, as against the 8:30 a.m. stipulated by INEC, the election commenced at noon in most of the polling units in Chika and Aleyita area of Kabusa ward.

NAN had earlier reported the absence of officials at the polling units.

However, election officials arrived between 10:50 and 11.30 a.m. in the various units.

The Assistant Presiding Officer in Chika Primary School

Polling Unit, Mr Bukar Saje, attributed the late arrival to logistics and inability to easily locate the polling unit.

Saje, while addressing the voters urged them to maintain orderliness, saying the election officials would take into consideration their time of arrival in determining the closing time of voting.

He also sensitised them on the use of BVAs and assured them of smooth process.

In Aleyita polling unit, election officials arrived at about 11:30 a.m. and were still setting up as at the time of filing this report. There is an impressive turnout of voters in all the polling units visited, who were getting agitated about the delay in commencement of the exercise.

A voter, Mr Dominic Fater, said he came to the polling unit as early as 7.30 a.m. only for INEC officials to show up at noon.

Fater said he was disappointed that the election officials had to come to the unit without a stamp.

He called on INEC to ensure that they were not disenfranchised. (NAN)

Elections: Police, PDP praise peaceful conduct in Imo

The Police Command in Imo and the National Secretary of the PDP, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, have lauded the peaceful conduct of Saturday’s election in the state.

They gave the commendation on Sunday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) while giving their assessment of the election in the state.

The state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Henry Okoye, said that the command did not record any violence or any arrest in any polling unit.

Likewise, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, who hailed the Police and other security operatives for their professional conduct, said there was no report of violence in his area.

Anyanwu, who said he voted at Polling Unit 012, Central School, Amaimo in Ikeduru Local Government Area, said the entire electoral process was peaceful.

“The process was peaceful, except for the fact that INEC officials were not so conversant with the BVAS.

“Although they managed the situation, they were slow in handling the BVAS machine,” Anyanwu said, while expressing optimism of improved process in subsequent elections.

In his assessment, Okoye further noted that security operatives deployed for the election performed their duties professionally.

“Our men conducted themselves in the best professional, democratic and human-right compliant manner, and I can tell you that Imo people can attest to this,” Okoye said.

According to him, many had thought that Imo would be hot and that elections will not hold in the state.

Okoye attributed the security success recorded in the state to the strategy deployed by the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Muhammed Barde, his management team as well as the synergy with other security agencies.

“The strategic deployment of security personnel yielded a lot of results, even the seminars we have been conducting also contributed and yielded a lot of results,” he added.

He also commended Imo youths “because they did not only come out en mass to exercise their franchise at the polling units but devolved themselves to non-violence in any form.

“And as such, election was peaceful in every polling unit where election was conducted,” he said.

However, Okoye declined comments when asked about attempts by suspected hoodlums to disrupt Saturday’s election process in Orsu.

NAN gathered that security operatives intercepted election materials which were hijacked by the hoodlums in Orsu.

Eyewitness said security operatives neutralised the hoodlums and duly returned the materials to the INEC officials.

According to the source, election subsequently proceeded peacefully in the area. (NAN)