20110426
Leadership (Abuja)

Often seen as the most keenly contested electoral exercise, as Nigerians file out today to vote in the governorship election, signals emanating from some states yesterday indicate that several governors are on edge in the face of tough opposition challengers. The other polls also holding today include the state house of Assembly and the postponed National Assembly ones.

From the South-west, political intolerance reared its ugly head on Sunday when about twelve members of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN ) were allegedly shot while a few others were macheted at Ijebu-Igbo in Ijebu North Area Council of Ogun State by supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state during a rally.

The senator-elect for Ogun East Alhaji Sefiu Kaka who narrated the incident to LEADERSHIP on phone yesterday, accused the police of complicity in the incident.

According to Kaka, “ I foresee break down of law and order in tomorrow ‘s (today’s)election because just yesterday twelve of my people were badly injured by PDP’s Omo-Ilu members.

“They macheted and shot them and police stood there akimbo. The police did not make any arrests, rather they arrested one of my members.”

Kaka further alleged that the area commander was aware of the attack.

Confirming the incident, the state commissioner of police, Mr. Olayinka Balogun who spoke with LEADERSHIP on phone denied complicity in the matter.

He described the accusation of the ACN chieftain as “dishonourable” saying that the ACN was not given permission to hold any rally at the area.

According to him: “What the man (Kaka)was saying is very funny. I don’t believe he told you that. His party was not cleared for the rally. Another party was approved to hold a rally there,” Balogun said while urging the reporter to ask Kaka if his party was given permission to hold rally.

The police boss further explained that, “one of the ACN members was arrested for breaking into another party’s rally”.

Some of the victims were said to have been hospitalised and were on danger list following the serious cuts they sustained during the fracas.

Meanwhile, fake INEC materials were uncovered in Ubulu-uku, Delta State by security operatives who acted on a tip off.

Though no arrest was made, but police sources said the materials were recovered in the bush near a popular secondary school allegedly dumped there by unknown persons.

The INEC materials, according to the police were fake, printed “voting papers” designed suspiciously for the elections.

In another development, from the South-south geopolitical zone, the ACN yesterday raised alarm over the absence of form EC8 as well as lack of serial numberings in the ballot papers brought to Akwa Ibom State for today’s governorship election.

The party in a statement issued in Ilorin by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, alerted security agencies on mass arrests of Ibibio chiefs and clan heads, all in an attempt to intimidate and arm-twist them so they will vote for the PDP.

“When the ballot papers for the governorship poll were inspected today (Monday), it was found that they do not carry serial numbers, while form EC8 are also missing from the materials brought to the state for the governorship poll,” he said, adding that the development was a recipe for rigging.

The party also called on local and international observers to pay a very close attention to the pre-election machinations of the state government, noting that the prevailing situation now does not augur well for a free and fair election.

Meanwhile, in the North-central zone, allegations of desperate measures being adopted by the ruling PDP to upstage CPC’s popularity in Niger are making the rounds.

LEADERSHIP gathered that apart from the political appointees that were mobilised to compulsorily deliver their wards and polling units, the civil servants who had volunteered to deliver their various polling units were adequately mobilised to deliver for the ruling PDP.

It was gathered that the local government chairmen were also given matching orders to deliver their various local government areas or risk the possibility of losing their positions after the election.

Under this scenario, it is being alleged that the chairmen were empowered financially to carry out the assignment without recourse to the central campaign organisation headed by the deputy chairman of the party, Barrister Tanko Bejin.

A member of the House of Assembly who is a member of an opposition party who preferred anonymity told LEADERSHIP: “I was approached to help them deliver two local governments for them in this zone B senatorial district for a price I told them that they should not waste their money because I will not do anything against my party.”

It was gathered that the opposition parties especially the CPC which has demystified the dominance of PDP in the state were aware of the moves to infiltrate their ranks in the local government level and had put measures in place to educate their members not to give up for material things.

Meanwhile, in a letter dated 24th April 2011 and addressed to the resident electoral commissioner (REC) Dr. Emmanuel Onucheyo and signed by the chairman of the party Captain Isah Mokwa, it was alleged that the party was aware of the move to compromise the electoral officers at local government areas.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has continued distributing the rejected ballot papers to the local government council despite protests from the opposition parties that the ballot paper meant for governorship election run-off were being used for the main election.

In Kano, the political atmosphere is shrouded in uncertainty ahead of the election. Politicians were locked in last minute preparations last night to conjure more effective winning strategies.

There was discernible quietness in the city yesterday, as residents embarked on last minute shopping spree to prepare for what might come with the election result.

Our correspondent reports that inducement of voters also began last night as politicians distributed money and some items such as soap, fabrics and slippers, to prospective voters. The intensity of preparations on the part of the politicians, just hours ahead of the governorship election lacks precedence.

However, there is a strong fear of low voter turn-out due to some level of disappointment expressed by residents following the presidential election whose result was viewed as flawed. Many voters vowed not to turn up for the election again.

The contest is mainly between PDP’s Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and ANPP’s Salihu Sagir Takai.

CPC which is only putting its house in order at the eleventh hour, may pose some challenge but may not record significant support that may result in winning.

In another development in Kano, irked by what they called injustice meted out to Alhaji Mohammed Sani Abacha by the party leadership, 30 out of 44 candidates of CPC running for the state House of Assembly poll holding today and a candidate for the House of Representatives have withdrawn their candidature.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja had endorsed the governorship candidacy of Brig. Gen. Jafaru Isa and stopped the ambition of Abacha for that position in CPC.

But the development did not go down well with some of the PDP members in Kano.

LEADERSHIP gathered last night that the 28 state House of Assembly candidates and the House of Representatives candidate from Dala Local Government whose election will also hold today met Abacha in his office to present their position.

Olu Ajayi/Vanguard

Security chiefs in Kaduna (file photo): Stringent measures are in place across Nigeria as voters in 25 states go to the polls to elect governors and members of state legislatures.

A source in the meeting confided in our correspondent that after listening to the candidates, Abacha attempted to palliate them to pursue their aspirations. But his intervention was said to have been late.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP last night, the spokesperson of the aggrieved candidates, Barrister Sheikh Mujiburrahman said they opted out of the contest to register their displeasure over the turn of events in the party.

Barr Mujiburrahman, himself the party’s candidate in Albasu Local Government, disclosed that the leadership of the party at the national level has betrayed Abacha and has rubbished the justice principle on which the party stands.