Elections Were Free And Fair, Says Buhari
*This election is not free and fair. I will challenge the outcome in court — Atiku President Muhammadu Buhari has said there were no doubts as to his re-election as the exercise according to both local and foreign observers was free and fair. “From the comment of several observers both local and foreign, it is obvious that the elections were both free and fair,” he said on Wednesday after receiving his Certificate of Return at the International Collation Centre in Abuja. The President polled a total of 15,191,847 votes to defeat his closest rival and candidate of the Peoples Democratic
Nigerians React Over Buhari’s Death Penalty For Ballot Snatchers
Politicians, human rights activists, lawyers and prominent Nigerians on Monday attacked President Muhammadu Buhari for declaring that death awaited ballot box snatchers during the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections. Punch reports that President Buhari had early on Monday while speaking at a national caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja, said ballot box snatchers would pay with their lives as security agencies had been given the go ahead to be ruthless with them. The statement credited to the president has however generated outrage by well-meaning Nigerians. Read below some reactions as compiled by the Punch Newspaper.
INEC And The Suspicious Postponement of Election
By Tope Temokun No justification at all for this postponement. It is just as insensitive as we have always been. If insecurity is the reason, when do we know there will be security in the land? We lost that long ago and only God can now guarantee that, not the president, not the police. If inadequate preparations, then no excuse at all, for how many months? If court orders here and there, who says there will not be more controversial court orders and judgments in the next few days. If inadequate distribution of materials, will materials ever be evenly adequately
Postponement of election is the hand of Esau but the voice of Jacob – Atiku
The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has asked Nigerians to remain peaceful in the face of provocation. Atiku said this in a statement he personally signed in the early hours of Saturday while reacting to the shift in the dates for the conduct of the general elections as announced by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu. Atiku signed the statement which he addressed to Nigerians from Yola, Adamawa State where he had gone to cast his vote. The Punch reports that the former vice-president said that it was unfortunate that the
INEC finally reschedules presidential, NASS elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced the postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections earlier scheduled for today (Saturday) by one week. Consequently, the commission has rescheduled the Presidential and National Assembly Elections to Saturday, February 23, 2019 while the governorship, State Houses of Assembly and Federal Capital Territory Area Council polls earlier fixed for March 2 would now be conducted on Saturday, March 9 2019. The chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who read a five-paragraph statement by 2:50 am on Saturday morning attributed the decision to logistic reasons, but refused to entertain any question. Source: The
BREAKING: INEC chairman summons stakeholders meeting, plans to postpone election
There appears to be uncertainty over tomorrow’s Presidential and National Assembly election as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, is currently meeting with stakeholders, including international and local observers in Abuja. Sources close to the commission confided in the Punch correspondents that the commission is discussing the possibility of shifting the date of the election over logistics problems. An insider said some reasons were being tabled before the stakeholders by the commission as possible reasons why the election might be shifted. Details soon.
NSA Leaked Memo Advises Buhari For Postponement of Election Over Fear of Defeat
As Nigeria counts down to its most important and historic presidential elections, LeadersNG have exclusively gathered from sources within the Presidency that the Office of the National Security Adviser has sent an emergency memo to President Buhari who seeks re-election in 2 days requesting that the elections be postponed. Formally, the letter cites unfounded insecurity issues but a leaked closed door meeting with the NSA revealed by a LeadersNG source has stated that the actual reason is on the incumbent’s imminent defeat to PDP’s frontline Presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on Saturday if elections hold. The Presidency has reacted by
Resist External Pressures, Intimidation, US Urges INEC
The United States has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to resist external “pressure and intimidation” in the upcoming general elections scheduled for February 16 and March 2. The United States’ Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, in a press statement, said that the upcoming elections in Nigeria would be an opportunity for the country to solidify its democratic leadership in Africa. Pompeo said, “The United States government supports a free, fair, transparent, and peaceful election that reflects the will of the Nigerian people. “It is critical that the Independent National Electoral Commission operates free from outside pressure and intimidation and in a
CBN Has Taken Delivery of Sensitive Materials, INEC Hints Nigerians
The Independent National Electoral Commission said the Central Bank of Nigeria has started taking delivery of sensitive materials for the conduct of the forthcoming general elections. NAN reports that INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye, made this known while updating newsmen on the preparations of the commission for the elections on Wednesday in Abuja. Okoye said that the commission was ready to conduct credible free, fair and credible elections. He said that the CBN in various states had started receiving sensitive materials including ballot papers and result sheets. He also disclosed that the commission
You Don’t Have Monopoly of Violence, Nigerians Reply El-rufai
* Impose travel ban on El-Rufai, PDP tells international community * He’s already on travel ban over graft allegations since 2010, US official hints Sahara reporters Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai’s threat that foreign nations, whom he suspects of trying to interfere in the affairs of Nigeria, would leave in body bags has been generating reactions from Nigerians. Speaking on Tuesday Live, on a late-night programme on the NTA, El-Rufai warned the United States of America, the United Kingdom and the European Union, who have reacted to the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, to stop