Mr Ezenwa Nwanga, the Chairman, Partners for Electoral Reforms, has called on INEC to address some of the country’s perennial election problems such as late arrival of voting materials.
Nwanga also suggested in Akure that some electoral units be split into two or three to allow the presiding officers cope with the large number of voters on the queue.
He spoke at a meeting between INEC officials and domestic observers under the aegis of the Nigeria Civil Society Election Situation Rooms.
Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Rahman Mimiko, has won the October 20, 2012 governorship election in the state.
According to the summary figures declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Chief Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Biyi Daramola of Federal University of Technology, Akure, in a live telecast at the state office of the agency, Mimiko scored a total of 260 199 votes.
Daramola, who read the results for five minutes, said Mimiko was followed by Mr. Olusola Oke of the Peoples Democratic Party, with 155961 votes; and Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of the Action Congress of Nigeria, with 143512 votes.
More details later.
LP’s Mimiko being accredited for the election
Less than 24hrs to the governorship election in Ondo State, commercial activities in Akure, the state capital, and major towns across the state, intensified as people made a last-minute rush to stock their homes with household needs.
Checks by our correspondent on some hotels in Akure, Ondo, Owo, and Okitipupa showed an increase in bookings by lodgers.
The investigation showed that a cross-section of the lodgers included security operatives, independent election monitors, Independent National Electoral Commission employees, journalists, among other groups of lodgers.
Some popular hotels in Akure, which included Flourish Hotel and Suites, Bliss World Hotels and Suites, RafTeju Hotel and Ade Super Hotel, witnessed increase in patronage.
Meanwhile, banks within the three senatorial districts of Ondo witnessed increased activities with customers thronging their halls to make last-minute transactions.
Findings showed that some of the banks witnessed massive cash withdrawals from politicians, even as some banks informed their customers that they would close at 3 pm on Friday.
The tempo of buying and selling in popular markets across the state with people visiting markets to stock household needs such as food, drinks, kerosene and petrol.
Most filling stations in Akure were closed; along the Oyemekun-Ilesa Garage road, a few that had fuel sold above the N97 official pump price.
Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina
Olusola Oke casting his vote
One of the Wanted Boko Haram Commanders, Shuaibu Mohammed Bama has been arrested at the private residence of Senator Ahmed Zanna representing Borno Central Senatorial District.
Bama was arrested yesterday when the Joint Task Force JTF Operating in Borno State storm the house of the serving Senator who has been under serious watch by security forces for allegedly romancing and sponsoring the Boko Haram sect.
These was contained in a press statement Issued to reporters in Maiduguri by the Spokesman of the JTF, Lieutenant Sagir Musa.
According to Musa the JTF intensified its cordon and search operation ” when suspected Boko Haram sect launched multiple attacks at different locations of the JTF troops in Sinimari and Lagos street of Gwange general area and that all the attacks were repelled by JTF”.
He continued ” the JTF was able to arrest one notorious Boko Haram Commander in a serving Senator’s House along Damboa road GRA”
Pointblanknews.com recalled that the Senator Ahmed Zanna was once indicted by the former Police Commissioner in Borno State Simeion Midenda for finding some Boko Haram related materials in hands of Zanna’s Supporters.
Consequently, a top security source in the state revealed that he had made available enough security reports on to his headquarters on Senator Zanna’s connections with the Boko Haram terrorist.
Zanna who belong to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) became very popular when he defeated the then incumbent Governor Ali Sheriff to occupy the Borno Central seat.
•People celebrating the early results of the election at the riverine area of Ilowo, Ondo South, Ondo State... on Saturday.
| credits: Odutayo Odusanya
The Nigerian Civil Society Election Situation Room on Saturday in Akure, commended the people of Ondo State for conducting themselves peacefully during the governorship election.
An interim report signed by the coordinator of the 30 civil society organisations that made up the situation room, Mr. James Ugochukwu, said the group also commended security agents who were on duty to ensure the safety of voters and election officers while voting lasted.
Ugochukwu said the situation room dispatched over 30 election monitors to various parts of the state.
He said, “The governorship election has progressed peacefully, and the people of Ondo State have so far conducted themselves in an orderly manner.
“Reports we are receiving from our network of observers throughout Ondo State indicate that election officials and security agents were deployed in sufficient numbers in most polling units, and that these officials have conducted themselves in a professional and commendable manner.”
The group further noted that distribution of materials and commencement of accreditation started on time.
The group also noted that although some centres experienced delays in commencement of accreditation and voting, there were no reports of large-scale disenfranchisement.
He said, “The Nigerian Civil Society Election Situation Room received reports that some polling units were overcrowded with as much as over one thousand voters, making it difficult for the election officials posted to the units to control the voters and efficiently manage the election.
“We were also informed by observers that late redeployment of Electoral Officers constituted a major challenge due to the inability of some of the redeployed officers to locate and arrive at their new postings on time.
“The late arrival of these officials delayed the commencement of accreditation in some areas.”
Senator Uche Chukwumerije
former Vice President, Chief Alex Ekwueme
Tunde Fagbenle
Five persons were feared dead on Saturday in the Akenfa suburb of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State when canoes transporting passengers capsized, eyewitnesses said.
Witnesses told the News Agency of Nigeria in Yenagoa that the tragedy occurred when the two canoes, transporting persons from Akenfa III to Akenfa I, capsized on the Epie Creek at about 8a.m.
NAN reports that the accident is one of the major disasters recorded due to the ravaging flood in the state in the past three weeks.
Witnesses said the two canoes collided close to where they were supposed to have berthed at Akenfa I due to panic by the passengers.
NAN learnt that the five persons, who had yet to be rescued from the creek, included a woman with a baby strapped on her back.
A NAN correspondent who visited the scene reports that a large crowd was seen at banks of the Epie Creek at Akenfa III, the take-off point, and Akenfa I, the destination.
Meanwhile some officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission who said they had received a distress call, added that the Nigerian Navy had been notified due to the commission’s handicap.
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Fidelis Odunna, who confirmed the incident, however, said that three persons and the driver of one of the canoes, were missing.
