United Kingdom Government confirms INEC results as authentic

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu.

The United Kingdom Government has confirmed that the results of the presidential election as released by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) were authentic.

British Minister of State for Africa, Harriet Baldwin said the results were consistent with the results obtained through the civil society Parallel Vote Tabulation process.

“Along with our international partners, the UK believes the Nigerian people can have confidence in the result,” she said.

INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu early Wednesday morning declared President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the 23 February election, with 15,191,847 votes. His main challenger Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party scored 11, 262,978 votes.



But the PDP agent at the collation centre declined to sign the results and later Atiku also rejected the verdict and said he would challenge it in the court.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Atiku ramped up the rejection by raising issues of ‘statistical impossibility’ about the results in some states of Nigeria.

The statement by the British minister was the first authentication of INEC result.




Baldwin congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on securing a second term as president.

“I offer my congratulations to President Buhari on securing a second term as the Nigerian President”, she said in a statement released by the British High Commission in Abuja.

“The UK is a long-standing friend and partner of Nigeria and the Nigerian people and a stable and prosperous Nigeria benefits Africa and the world.”

Baldwin commended Nigerians for their resilience and commitment to democracy.

She, however, recognized the concerns expressed by Nigerians on the conduct of the electoral process, in particular logistics and results collation, and reports of intimidation of electoral officers.

The minister urged any party or individual who wished to challenge the process to do so peacefully and through the appropriate legal channel.

“We encourage Nigerian authorities to examine all allegations of wrongdoing carefully, and take the necessary action against individuals found responsible’’.

She also condoled with the families and friends of those who lost their lives in election-related violence.

“No one should die in the exercise of their democratic rights,” she stated.

She reiterated the continued support of the UK Government to Nigeria and its civil society “in drawing lessons from these elections and strengthening its democracy”.

INEC declares Buhari winner of Presidential election

Buhari is winner of 2019 Presidential poll
Photo: Punch



The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Wednesday declared President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of last Saturday’s Presidential election in the country.

INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, who declared the results around 4:39am said Buhari polled 15,191,847 votes to defeat his rival, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who polled 11,262,978 votes.

According to Mahmood, “that Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, having satisfied the law and scored the highest number of votes, is hereby declared winner and is returned elected.”

He added that the Certificate of Return would be issued to Buhari by 2.00pm on Wednesday.

In the results announced by Mahmood, Buhari defeated Atiku with a wide margin of 3,928,869 to ensure that he remains Nigeria’s President in the next four years.

According to Mahmood, the total number of voters stood at 82,344,107 while the total number of accredited voters was 29,364,209, just as the total votes cast was 28,614,190.

In the election, 27,324,583 votes were valid while 1,289,607 votes were rejected.

Buhari’s victory came in 19 States where he won election, while Atiku won in 17 States and the Federal Capital Territory.

Buhari won in Ekiti, Osun, Kwara, Nasarawa, Kogi, Gombe, Yobe, Jigawa, Niger, Kaduna, Bauchi, Lagos, Ogun, Kano, Katsina, Borno, Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara.

Atiku won in FCT, Ondo, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, Oyo, Edo, Benue, Imo, Plateau, Taraba, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Adamawa.

Summary of Proceeding

Davido gives up on Atiku winning the presidential election

Nigerian singer, Davido has given up over the chance of PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, winning the 2019 presidential election.




Davido who has been a huge Atiku supporter and even went on the road campaigning for him, took to Twitter to express his loss of hope as results from the election shows Atiku stands no chance of winning.




“I no talk again. What’s done is done… No heart feelings… Dem don win Dem don win be dat. We all tried our best”, Davido tweeted.   The presidential election results show President Muhammadu Buhari of the Peoples Democratic Party leading by a great margin.

Source- Lailas News

The election was a charade- Fani-Kayode

Femi Fani-Kayode, former Director of Media and Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation

Former aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode has asked the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to reject the results of the presidential election announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and call for a civil disobedience.

In his tweets on Tuesday, Fani-Kayode described the election as a charade and urged Atiku to release the authentic results submitted by PDP agents nationwide.

He also called on Atiku to give the Federal Government an ultimatum to announce the authentic results.



Read his tweets below:



”The election was a charade! @atiku should now brace up to defend the choice of millions of Nigerians who risked their lives on Saturday,defied tyranny and oppression and spoke through the ballot!He must reject the results and give the FG an ultimatum to declare the authentic…

…results,failure of which he will form a Govt. and order civil disobedience throughout the nation!If this charade is allowed to stand,the country is finished! Then the authentic results collated by PDP from the 119,000 PUs must be released to the public and the int. community!” Fani-Kayode tweeted.

Election: Beware of Fake Social Media Results – INEC

INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kebbi state, has urged politicians to be wary of social media posts after voting prior to the official declaration of result by the commission.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Alhaji Ahmad Mahmud, gave the advice during an interactive session with stakeholders in Birnin Kebbi on Monday.



“Fake news is now a trend and can mar our efforts to ensure free, fair and credible elections.

“We urge you to be wary of social media posted results before official declaration.

“Only INEC Returning Officers at wards, local governments and state levels have the statutory authority and power to declare the results,” he said.

He said that 1,938,171 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were received from INEC headquarters out of which 1,860,239 were distributed, leaving 77,932 PVCs unclaimed.

“We have all the sensitive materials at CBN custody, so we have no fear for the materials now.

“I collected the remaining sensitive materials that we had been awaiting for and by Wed, Feb. 20, we are going to start distributing them to remote areas and by Fri. 22.

“We hope to finish the distribution in all the 21 local government areas of the state.”

According to him, the state has 225 wards, 1,345 voting points and 2,398 polling units in the 21 local government areas.



“We still maintain our arrangement as we had earlier told before the postponement that, we are going to use 520 vehicles in the transportation of ad hoc staff and election materials.

“This is part of our arrangement with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Federal Road Service Corps (FRSC) as well as security agencies on transportation.”

He assured that INEC was determined to ensure free, transparent and fair elections but urged the people to continue to pray for successful conduct of the exercise.

The REC said that special arrangements had also been made to take care of physically challenged persons to enable them exercise their franchise without hitches.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the stakeholders at the interactive session were security agencies, representatives of political parties, traditional and religious leaders as well as various NGOs and CSOs.

Fuel pump price reduced from N145 by oil marketers

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), has instructed all its members nationwide to reduce fuel pump price from N145 per litre to N140.

In a statement signed by the National President, Elder Chinedu Okworonkwo, the reduction was effected as a result of Saturday’s last-minute postponement of presidential and National Assembly elections by INEC, Daily Post reports.


According to him, Nigerians traveled to different places across the country to cast their votes, but to their dismay, the election was shifted to Feb. 23.




“IPMAN was prompted to slash N5 from the N145 per litre official Petroleum pump price in a bid to motivate Nigerians to return to vote again on Feb. 23.

“We urge all our members across Nigeria to immediately reduce the fuel pump price from N145 per litre to N140 per litre.


“This is because of the political situation that hit the country after INEC suddenly announced the postponement of presidential and National Assembly elections after Nigerians were fully prepared.

“We are all aware how Nigerians traveled to different parts of the country in order to exercise their civic duty; unfortunately, they heard a sad news of postponement of the polls,” Okworonkwo said.



Source- Lailas news

Malami asks INEC to postpone elections

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami, has advised INEC to postpone the National Assembly, governorship and state houses of Assembly elections, following the decision of the Appeal Court that all parties return to status quo in the Zamfara APC primaries crisis.

The AGF gave the advice in a letter written to the INEC Chairman, Yakubu Mamood, and dated February 13, 2019.





Malami cited sections 38 and 39 of Electoral (Amendment) Act 2010 to support his call. He mentioned that the postponement will enable the Zamfara APC to field candidates for all the positions.

The AGF, according to the letter acted upon a petition written by the firm of M.A. Mamood SAN and Co. He further advised the INEC to comply with the instructions forthwith.

Source - #instablog9ja

Elections Postponement: We must maintain atmosphere of peace, orderliness — Okei-Odumakin

Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin

Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, President, Women Arise for Change Initiative, on Saturday urged Nigerians and political actors to sustain the atmosphere of peace and orderliness in the face of the shift in dates of the general elections.

Okei-Odumakin made the call in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, soon after the shift was announced.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), hours earlier, announced the shift of the Feb. 16 Presidential and National Assembly elections to Feb. 23.

The Governorship and State House of Assembly as well as FCT area council elections have also been shifted from March 2 to March 9.

INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, at a press briefing, attributed the postponement of all the scheduled elections to logistic and operational problems.

Okei-Odumakin said: “While there is no doubt about the anxiousness of Nigerians, to participate in the 2019 General elections, it is wise to sound it that there can be no election, under an atmosphere of suspicion and hostilities.

“It is my hope that we shall sustain the atmosphere of peace and orderliness that we have witnessed over the past few days, while we all struggle to make our impact, irresistible, for the progress of our democracy.

“All Nigerians must remain steadfast, as we support INEC’s efforts and ensure that Nigerians are allowed to vote and determine, who they deserve as their leaders,” Okei-Odumakin said.

Source- Pm news

Breaking News : INEC shifts presidential, governorship elections

INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu: set to announce postponement of presidential election

The Independent National Electoral Commission has decided to shift Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections till next week 23 February.

It was one of the decisions reached early today in a crunch talk between INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu and 12 national commissioners in Abuja, according to sources close to the meeting.

Professor Yakubu will be briefing the media later today on the decision, amidst reports of logistics problems faced by the commission.

The meeting, which began Friday evening, was still in progress up till 1.30 a.m.

Rotimi Oyekanmi, the chief press secretary to the INEC chairman told newsmen that the decision of the meeting will be communicated later today and that some decision about the election had been reached.

“I can confirm to you that the INEC Chairman and the 12 national commissioners are in the meeting.

” Decisions have been taken and you will be addressed later,” Oyekanmi said.

Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled to take place throughout the country today, while governorship and state assembly elections will take place on 2 March.

The national elections are expected to hold at 119,973 polling units across the country while collation of results will take place in 8,809 Registration Areas or Wards, 774 Local Government Areas and 36 States and the FCT.

It will not be the first time that the commission would postpone a scheduled general election.

In 2015, the presidential election was shifted from February 14 to March 28th, 2015; while the governorship and assembly elections scheduled for 28 February were shifted to 11 April.

Source- Pm news

PDP Reacts To INEC’s Postponement Of General Elections

The Peoples Democratic Party has rejected the new dates announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the conduct of the general elections.

It alleged that shoddy arrangements for the elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission was a deliberate agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari to cling on to power even when it said it was obvious to him that Nigerians wanted him out.

National Chairman of the party, Prince Secondus, stated this while reacting to the pronouncements made by the Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu in the early hours of Saturday that the elections had been postponed.

Yakubu said that the Presidential and National Assembly elections earlier scheduled to hold today would now hold next Saturday while that of governorship, state houses of Assembly and Abuja area councils had been shifted to March 9.

Secondus alleged that the postponement was part of a grand design by the All Progressives Congress to thwart the will of Nigerians at all cost.

He added that the action had clearly exposed INEC as a failure and called on its chairman to resign immediately.

His Words:

“The party will not accept anything short of a well organised electoral process devoid of manipulation, harassment and intimidation of voters and the opposition particularly members of the PDP.”

“Having failed in all their nefarious options to enable them cling on to power, the APC and the INEC came up with the idea of shifting election, an action that is dangerous to our democracy and is therefore unacceptable.

“The APC in connivance with the INEC have been trying all options including but not limited to burning down INEC offices in some states and destroying of electoral materials to create artificial problems upon which to stand for their dubious act.

“The party was privy to the alleged pressure from the APC and the Federal Government to allegedly arm twist INEC, to dance to their new strategy after earlier ones failed.

“With several of their rigging options failing, they have to force INEC to agree to a shift in the election or a staggered election with flimsy excuses pre-manufactured for the purpose.

“For the avoidance of doubt the PDP sees this action as wicked and we are also aware of other dubious designs like the deployment of hooded security operatives who would be ruthless on the people ostensibly to scare them away.”

Source- Skynewstrend 

US Secretary of State calls Atiku on eve of Presidential election

Atiku


The United States Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo  has called the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar on the eve of Nigeria’s presidential election.


This was disclosed by Abubakar on his twitter page, @atiku on Friday.

According to him, Pompeo called him to re-affirm the international community’s support for a free and fair election in Nigeria.

“Earlier today, I received a call from US Secretary of State, @SecPompeo, who reaffirmed the international community’s commitment to free and fair elections in Nigeria.

“Wishing you all a peaceful elections, wherever you are. God bless Nigeria,” he said on his twitter.

Source- Pm news 

MC Oluomo Mock PDP, by damaging an umbrella with a knife.

MC Oluomo has mocked the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, by damaging an umbrella with a knife. Real name Musiliu Akinsanya, a Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW in Lagos, carried out the act at a rally of the All Progressives Congress, APC, a party he supports.



MC Oluomo damages an umbrella with a knife to mock PDP (Photos)
Share... The logo of the PDP is an umbrella, and making it clear that it was an attack on the party, MC Oluomo made sure it was a PDP branded umbrella he damaged with a knife.



MC Oluomo made the ridicule just few weeks after he returned from America where he went for treatment after sustaining a stab wound inflicted on him by a member of an NURTW rival factions. He was stabbed at an APC rally in Lagos.



Source- Laila news

”Provocation” can cause violence if it is not avoided- Actress Funke Akindele Bello

Filmmaker, mum of twins and ”Jenifas Diary” producer Funke Akindele Bello has shared one of the major causes of violence in this period of elections.




The actress says ”Provocation” can cause violence if it is not avoided. She further urged people to respect one another and treat others the way they will like to be treated.

Read her post:

“Provocation is the cause of major violence in elections in Nigeria. Don’t be provoked.

Avoid provoking others. Respect everyone. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Let’s make 2019 elections safe, secure and credible”



source- Instagram page

'Buhari No Longer Has 12 Million Votes In The North' — Coalition Of 300 groups Endorses Atiku

A coalition of more than 300 political groups has endorsed Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).






According to the groups, President Muhammadu Buhari has lost the support of 12 million voters, which he “comfortably monopolised” in previous election.
#ronishratisblog  

Source - @saharareporters  

2019Elections: Buhari, Atiku sign 2nd peace accord

President Buhari, Atiku Abubakar and other presidential candidates on Wednesday signed a peace accord pledging to ensure a violence-free election.

A previous accord had been signed by the presidential candidates. Wednesday’s signing ceremony took place at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

The chairman of the national peace committee, former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, said the committee decided to organise the peace accord signing in order to ensure peaceful conduct of all elections in the country.

Speaking on the need to ensure that the elections are conducted peacefully, Abubakar, said: “Don’t do anything to make a bad situation worse.”

Source- Instablog9ja 

#ronishratisblog  - 

I gave Fayose $5m, Musiliu Obanikoro tells court

Former minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, yesterday, told a Federal High Court, Lagos how he gave Fayose $5 million three days to the 2014 Ekiti guber polls in his hotel room in Ado-Ekiti.

Obanikoro, who appeared as the fifth prosecution witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), testified before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun in the ongoing trial of the erstwhile governor, who is facing a N6.9 billion fraud charge, the Guardian reports.


I gave Fayose $5m, Obanikoro tells court
The anti-graft agency arraigned Fayose on October 22, 2018 along his company, Spotless Investment Limited, on 11 counts.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the court granted him bail in the sum of N50 million with one surety in like sum.

Trial fully commenced on November 19, 2018 with the EFCC calling four witnesses, while the court then adjourned for continuation of the case.

Yesterday, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) appeared for the EFCC, while Messrs Kanu Agabi (SAN) and Olalekan Ojo (SAN) represented the first and second accused.

Obanikoro was led in evidence by Jacobs.

The one-time minister mounted the witness box, and opted to take oath by affirmation.

Leading the witness in his evidence, Jacobs asked him “where were you in 2014?” and he responded that he was the Minister of State for Defense.

The prosecutor then asked the witness to tell the court what he knew about the case.



In response, he told the court that in June 2014, he received a call from the accused enquiring if there was a message for him from the then National Security Adviser, (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
The witness said he had replied that there was none, but promised to check with the NSA and revert back, adding that eventually, the NSA confirmed to him that he had a “message” for the accused and that the funds would be made available.

The prosecutor later showed the witness Exhibit E to confirm if it was the account the deposits were made, and the he responded in the affirmative.

Obanikoro confirmed to the court that on June 13 and June 16 of same year, there were lodgements from the imprest account of the NSA.

He said he then enquired from the accused how he wanted the money, and was told that some amount should be sent in naira while the rest comes in dollars.

According to him, the money was eventually brought in a bullion van to the private wing of the Ikeja Airport where one Mr. Abiodun Agbele, sent by the accused, took delivery of it for on movement to Ekiti after a confirmation from Fayose.

Osinbajo’s Mother speaks on those that say Buhari hasn’t done anything

Mother of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Mrs Olubisi Osinbajo, has stated that all those who say the Buhari-led administration has done nothing since assuming office in 2015 are living in another world.




She made this known today when her son paid her a visit during his house-to-house campaign in Somolu, Lagos State.

“They have tried. If anybody says they have not done anything, then you can say that man or woman is not in this world because they have tried. What Buhari and Osinbajo did in three years, people couldn’t do it for 16 years. We are praising God and we shall praise God after the elections” she said

She also thanked God for sparing her son’s life in the Kogi helicopter crash last weekend.




“I am overwhelmed with this visit and I must thank God for everything that He is doing in my life. Do you know that on Thursday (January 31), I was busy thanking God and praising God. I didn’t know what was going to happen on Saturday (day Osinbajo’s helicopter crashed in Kogi). I have been praising God and I told my people I wanted to praise God on that Thursday until evening of that day, not knowing that something would happen on Saturday. That gift was given to me by Jesus Christ that I should be praising Him and that I will never be sorrowful. That was what God told me,” Mrs. Osinbajo said.

Source- instablog9ja

Atiku Abubakar revealed Davido has his favorite musician

PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has revealed his favorite musician during his youth, and the current reigning king of Nigerian music.

He made this revelation while answering questions from Nigerians on a site young Nigerians on his team developed, where people have a chance to ask him a range of questions and hear his answers.

Asked about his favorite musician, he said;

“At my youth, Fela was the king of music, and believe me, he was my favorite musician. And I made sure I attended all Shrine musical events throughout the night and till morning. But of course currently the reigning king is Davido“

See the Video as posted by Davido himself:

Our Incoming President knows Wassup!!!!!!! @aatiku God bless you sir !! pic.twitter.com/FQkyneDSJs

— Davido (@iam_Davido) 

“We have resolved there is no question of impeachment in Lagos State- Bola Tinubu

Tinubu made this known after a peace meeting, brokered by the APC leadership in the State to end the rift between the Governor and lawmakers.

He told newsmen that the face-off between the Governor and the members of the State Assembly had been amicably settled and there is no longer a question of impeachment of the Lagos State Governor. He said:

“We held a meeting on behalf of Lagos, the entire Lagosians, our party – APC leadership. In the last one week, there has been noise about the conflict between the executive and the State Assembly. It is of great concern to all of us and particularly what Lagos represents across the country.

“We have been able to look into the source of various conflicts which is not uncommon in politics; what is the genesis of those problems? We are one big family and as a big family, you will have some rumples, you will have some disagreement. As leaders of the party, we have looked into that; we have looked into areas where we have to compromise, discuss and build the institutions, encourage the institutions to really do what is right.

“We have resolved there is no question of impeachment in Lagos State. Let the two arms of government communicate and continue to respect one another and build consensus and understanding. That is all about politics. Conflict and conflict resolution mechanism is inbuilt in any political system unless leaders are lacking in their responsibilities.”

“We thank the Speaker and the entire members of the House of Assembly leadership. We thank the Governor and the Deputy Governor who had demonstrated firm respect for the party leadership in Lagos State.

“You know when Lagos sneezes, the rest of the political equation catches cold and we are very happy that we are able to resolve amicably. The Deputy Speaker is also here and all of them put together, we are assured that things will start to run smoothly in Lagos both the House and the government,”