A man identified as Bola Osun was on Saturday arrested by the Yaba Police Division in Unit 23, Ward 7, Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State for allegedly impersonating as a legitimate voter during the Ondo governorship election.
Bosun was swiftly disowned by members of the community.
When questioned by the police, after his name was not found on the register, Bosun said he mistakenly washed his voter card.
Meanwhile, there are reports that a Peoples Democratic Party agent has allegedly been arrested with cash and voter cards at a polling station.
More details later.
Agents of some political parties are allegedly bribing voters with money, textile fabrics, kerosene, buckets and other gifts.
Witnesses at different polling units alleged on Twitter that the party agents are trying to use the gifts to entice voters to support their candidates.
Writing under the Twitter handle, @solar_unique, a witness said in a report to the Independent National Electoral Commission that a Labour Party agent “called Mandela is currently distributing N100 notes at Ward 3, All Saints Grammar School, Ondo West Local Government Area.”
In response, INEC said, “Thank you for reporting this. We will look into it right away.”
Another commentator, @elnathan, wrote INEC thus, “So (Shoutout) to Ondo. Anyone who thinks there is difference between the parties is joking o: ACN (Action Congress of Nigeria is) giving recharge cards. Labour (Party is) giving food. PDP (Peoples Democratic Party is giving) cash.”
Responding, INEC wrote, “Can you please provide the particular Polling Units where this distribution of gifts is happening so we can take action.
“INEC is taking measures to ensure all parties follow proper electoral procedures and regulations. Please report any issues.”
More details later.
A gridlock ensued on Saturday morning on Sagamu-Ore-Benin Expressway as security agents blocked the Ondo-Ogun and Ondo/Edo borders of the highway.
The security agents were enforcing a total restriction order by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, as part of measures to ensure a hitch-free governorship election in Ondo State.
Witnesses said a large number of inter-state transport buses were held up at both borders on Saturday morning.
The situation may not be different on the highway linking Lagos with Abuja through Ondo State, although PUNCH has yet to receive any report from there.
The state is a major point linking the South-West with the North, South-South and South-East by road and sea.
It shares borders with Ogun, Edo, Osun, Ekiti and Kogi states.
More details later.
Governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Rotimi Akeredolu, on Saturday urged security agents to arrest any member of any political party involved in election rigging and other malpractices.
Speaking at the venue of his accreditation at Ijebu 2 Ward 5 Unit 6, Owo, Akeredolu said, “If security agencies arrest any member of any party, they should ensure they are not released.
“The same goes for members of our party. If any member of the ACN is arrested for any offence, they must ensure they are not released.”
Action Congress of Nigeria on Saturday morning issued a statement complaining of the late arrival of voting materials and insecurity in some parts of Ondo State, as the governorship election got under way.
ACN spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said in the statement , “Though election materials have been distributed to many polling units across the states, they are yet to get to several polling units, more than one hour after the election ought to have commenced.
“Specifically, materials have not been brought to Ese Odo LG Ward 1 Unit 11, as well as Akure South Ward 8 Wofere Unit.
“Also at both Units, INEC officials have not been sighted. At the Ese Odo LG, Apoi 4, Unit 1, duplicate EC8A was presented.”
In the statement, the party also raised the alarm over acts of thuggery and irregularities.
It said, “Inadequate security has been reported in many localities in Ondo State, with the worst-hit areas being Idanre and Okitipupa.
In Idanre, for example, thugs on motorcycles are harassing voters and agents of the opposition.
“There are also reports of stuffed ballot boxes being moved to polling booths with the protection of Labour Party thugs.
“In Owo, a state government commissioner has been arrested by soldiers after he was found with weapons.
“The widespread insecurity has led to apprehension by voters, and there is the need for security agencies to urgently deploy additional security to the affected areas.
“Many agents of the Action Congress of Nigeria whose names were forwarded to INEC were not given accreditation tags in several polling units across the state, raising fears that ACN agents may not be able to monitor the election. INEC must immediately remedy the situation.”
The state government has already denied the alleged arrest of its Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Niran Sule, whom, the ACN statement may have referred to.
Meanwhile, field reports indicate that voters are complaining that materials were yet to reach some communities in Arogboland as at 10.30a.m.
The State Commander of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mr. Shuaib Yisa, had to volunteer his vehicle to convey stranded officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and their materials from Cathedral area of the state capital, Akure, to various polling units in Akure South Local Government Area.
However, INEC has given the assurance that the complaints on late arrival of materials had been addressed.
Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said on Facebook, “All issues as regards late arrival of election materials and officials in some wards across the states especially in Sijuwade, Oke Aro andBolajoko have been dealt with accordingly.”
Ondo State Government on Saturday morning denied rumours of the resignation of Deputy Governor Ali Olanusi.
Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, dispelled the rumours in a statement in the state capital, Akure.
Akinmade also debunked rumours that security agents arrested the Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Niran Sule, and some people for allegedly thumprinting ballot papers and stuffing ballot boxes in the residence of an Afenifere chieftain.
Obama
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The Obama campaign put all joking aside after Thursday night’s charity dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in New York with a new memo on Friday morning that said the US president was ahead in the critical battleground state of Ohio compared with this time four years ago.
The memo highlighted four polls that showed Mr Obama with significant leads among early voters and that four in five Ohioans who had registered to vote this year were either female, under 30 years-old, black or Latino – demographics that traditionally favour the president.
“Republicans are similarly talking up their ground game and early vote numbers, but their assertions rest on much shakier ground,” said Jeremy Bird, the Obama campaign’s national field director.
Mr Bird hit out at the Romney campaign’s suggestion that Republicans were making strong gains in early voting and outperforming voter registration in Ohio’s largest counties. He said the Romney campaign was “disingenuously” looking at the increase in Republican voters during the primary, when Republicans had a competitive race but Democrats did not.
Mr Obama and Mr Romney headed back on the campaign trail – the president to Virginia while Mr Romney was in Florida – after a brief respite in their battle for the White House.
On Thursday night, both presidential candidates appeared at the annual Al Smith Catholic charity dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in New York and poked fun at one another and themselves.
Mr Romney, in white tie and tails, began his speech talking about the many wardrobe changes required by an election campaign. “It’s nice to finally relax and wear what Ann and I wear around the house,” he quipped.
He joked about Mr Obama’s running mate, Joe Biden, who he remarked would “laugh at anything” – a reference to Mr Biden’s frequent laughter and big grin during his recent debate against Paul Ryan, the Republican vice-presidential hopeful.
Mr Romney referred to the media’s alleged bias in favour of Mr Obama. He predicted the headlines for the next morning would read: “Obama embraced by Catholics. Romney dines with rich people.”
The Republican candidate made a few biting remarks, including one when he said he wondered what Mr Obama was thinking as he looked around the room among the elite in Washington with just a few months left in his presidency: “So little time, so much to redistribute.”
Mr Obama took shots at Mr Romney. As he approached the podium he said to the clapping crowd: “Please take your seats. Otherwise Clint Eastwood will yell at them,” a reference to the Hollywood actor’s performance at the Republican national convention.
He poked fun at Mr Romney’s trip to Europe, in which he offended Londoners on the eve of the opening ceremony for the Olympics. “After my foreign trip in 2008, I was attacked as a celebrity because I was so popular with our allies overseas. And I have to say, I’m impressed with how well governor Romney has avoided that problem,” he said to laughs.
He noted that “Mitt” was actually Mr Romney’s middle name (his first name is Willard), and said “I wish I could use my middle name.” Mr Obama’s middle name is Hussein.
The US president did not spare himself. “Some of you may have noticed, I had a lot more energy in our second debate. I felt really well rested after the nice long nap I had in the first debate.”
And, as he did when he first appeared at the dinner in 2008 alongside John McCain, he included a jab at his running mate.
“I’ve heard some people say, ‘Barack, you’re not as young as you used to be. Where’s that golden smile? Where’s that pep in your step?’ And I say, ‘Settle down, Joe, I’m trying to run a cabinet meeting.”
•The Hill
Soldiers at a checkpoint on Oba Adesida Road, Akure... on Friday. 
Outgoing Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Umar
No fewer than 11,000 policemen have been deployed for Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, Mr. Mohammed Indabawa, announced this on Friday in Akure while briefing newsmen.
Indabawa also said a commissioner of police would handle the security apparatus in each of the senatorial districts.
He vowed that anyone caught in electoral malpractice would be treated as a criminal.
The police boss also warned politicians against inducing security agents with money, adding that the force was determined to ensure a free and fair election.
The commissioner, who warned against hawking around polling units, also advised those not on election duty to stay away.
He appealed to residents of the state to be law abiding and conduct themselves according to the electoral guidelines.
The Nigerian Embassy in Berlin was attacked with paint bombs on Wednesday night by unknown persons, the police have said.
According to police spokesman, unknown attackers threw glass bottles filled with a thick and sticky liquid at the front of the building in Neue Jakobstraße, (The name of the street where the embassy is situated), the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
The spokesman said the police have handed over the investigation of the incident to state security authorities, adding that political motive may not be ruled out in the attack.
The police said security workers noticed the damage to the building on Thursday morning.
The spokesman said that on Monday, 120 activists, members of the “Refugee Protest March in Berlin campaign” gathered in front of the Nigerian Embassy to demonstrate against the practice of deporting asylum seekers from Germany.
According to him, 14 of the activists illegally entered to the embassy, in order to “occupy” it as part of the protest march.
He explained that those who entered the premises were later ejected by security officials while 25 of the protesters were temporarily detained and later released.
The spokesman stated that the demonstrators accused the embassy workers of “working closely with the German state to ensure that the processing of the largest number of deportations from Africa came from Nigeria.”
He emphasised that his agency would, however, investigate if there was a connection between the attempted occupation of the embassy on Monday and the recent paint attack on Wednesday night to the early hours of Thursday.
There was good news for Real Madrid fans on Thursday evening after forwards Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain took a full part in training and should be available for Saturday's La Liga clash with Celta Vigo at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
PA PhotosGonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema are among the nine Real Madrid players who returned injured from the international break
Benzema limped out of France's 1-1 draw with Spain on Tuesday, while Higuain was substituted with an ankle problem after scoring in Argentina's 2-1 win in Chile. However, both appear to have overcome their respective knocks and are in contention to start against Celta Vigo, who have lost all three away games 2-1 so far this season.
Less positively for Real boss Jose Mourinho, German midfielder Sami Khedira missed training and is unlikely to feature on Saturday, while Madrid's three full-backs were injured on international duty in the past week, meaning Alvaro Arbeloa, Marcelo and Fabio Coentrao, are set for longer terms on the sidelines.
Marcelo was to undergo surgery on his broken fifth metatarsal of his right foot on Friday, with the operation carried out by Dutch specialist Cornelius Niek Van Dijk, who has previously treated Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Robin van Persie as well as many other leading footballers. The Brazilian left-back is not expected to play again this year. Arbeloa and Coentrao are recovering from muscle injuries and should be back next month.
Club captain Iker Casillas said on Thursday that he was sure Mourinho would find the right solutions to ensure the team coped with the absences against both Celta and Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League next week.
"We have enough options to cover the absences," Casillas said. "With this 'FIFA virus' there are players from the 'cantera' who are capable of playing in the first team. Mourinho knows them. The boss will find the best solutions possible."
AS reported on Friday that Mourinho could play Michael Essien at right-back against Celta, as he occasionally did at Chelsea, although with Khedira missing the Ghanaian could be needed in midfield. Sergio Ramos looks more likely to again move across, with either Raul Albiol or Raphael Varane coming in at centre-half.
Left-back could be covered by one of Madrid Castilla defenders Nacho, 22, or Jorge Casado, 23, although Marca suggested that winger Angel di Maria may be pushed back to play in defence in a more attacking line-up as Real look to ensure they win to temporarily at least eat into Barcelona's current eight-point advantage in the Primera Division standings.
Should Di Maria be used at full-back, Kaka would likely get another chance to build on his recent good form - which included starts and goals against both Iraq and Japan on his return to international action with Brazil this week.
