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2023 Governorship/House of Assembly Elections: ‘Awa lal’Eko’ chants mar poll at Computer Village in Lagos

Marcus FATUNMOLE
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2023 Governorship/House of Assembly Elections: ‘Awa lal’Eko’ chants mar poll at Computer Village in Lagos

SOME people of the South-West extraction have been chanting, ‘Awa la l’Eko’, meaning, ‘We are the owners of Lagos’, as the governorship and House of Assembly elections hold in the state on Saturday, March 18.

The ICIR reporter saw many indigenous people of the region, mostly men, moving across polling units with the mantra at the Computer Village, Ikeja, the state capital.

The act was more visible at the polling units 016, 017, 042, 018 and 015 visited by the reporter.

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The men, mostly looking menacingly, moved across polling units claiming people from other regions should not dominate their land.

However, the reporter did not see them with any weapons. They were not also seen beating anyone. But there are indications fights had ensured in some of the polling units before our reporter’s arrival.

The ICIR came to the Computer Village after the Labour Party candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour,  identified the area as one of the places where he alleged that his supporters and party members were intimidated.

The ICIR reports that INEC’s ad-hoc officers came late to some of the polling units visited, as intending voters had waited for an hour before some of the commission’s workers arrived.

At polling unit 045, Oshinfila Street, Anifowoshe community, Ikeja, Rhodes-Vivour voted at some minutes after 9am. The officials had arrived at about a quarter to 9am.

The ICIR did not witness any major issue with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

Meanwhile, voting began in all four polling units along the High Court, around Area F Police Command in Ikeja, a few minutes after 8am.

Voting also started at polling unit 067 at Ketu Alapere Primary School after 8am.

Unlike in Abuja and other states in the country, there are many polling units on Lagos streets, with some streets having more than four.

The major candidates vying for the state governorship seat are the incumbent Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party (LP), and AbdulAzeez Adediran of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), about seven million voters are in Lagos State. The state tops others in the number of permanent voter cards (PVCs) collected in the country.

Voting is taking place across 4,861 polling units in the state, the highest in the country.

Voters protest over fake ballot papers, result sheets in Taraba

Theophilus ADEDOKUN
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Voters protest over fake ballot papers, result sheets in Taraba

SOME voters in Gyetta Aure and Asibiti Wards of Donga Local Government Area in Taraba Southern Senatorial District are protesting over the discovery of fake ballot papers and election result sheets.

The discovery made in Gyetta Aure Ward halted the electoral process in the nine polling units of the ward.

According to an electoral observer, dissatisfied voters started protesting after the fake ballot papers and results were detected while in Asibiti Ward voters were discouraged to vote due to the fake result sheets.

At the time of filing this report all the electoral materials have been returned to the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections have, however, been suspended in the nine polling units in Asibiti Ward.

Low voter turnout recorded in South-East

Harrison EDEH
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Low voter turnout recorded in South-East

CONTRARY to large turnout recorded during the presidential election in the South-East, few voters turned out for the governorship and state assembly polls, with many people going about their normal activities.

In Owerri West, Polling Unit 001-Eziobodo Central School, unlike in the presidential election, there was no sign of election today. The voter turnout was very low.

At 8:16 am in Onitsha North Local Government Area of Anambra State, accreditation commenced but few voters turned out.

Also, at 9:42 am in Enugu East Local Government Area in Enugu State, there is a low voter turnout of voters, contrary to what was witnessed during the presidential election.

At Ward 010, in Onitsha North Local Government Area in Anambra State, accreditation started around 8.50 am and things are moving on well.

“They are coming one-by-one,”the Polling Unit official said.

Party agents were seen canvasing and persuading passers-by to vote for their candidates.

At polling unit 27 and 28, Mbieri Hall Opposite Christ the King Catholic Church in Abia South Local Government Area, INEC officials were seen waiting for voters.

Also, in Ebonyi North Local Government Area, low turnout of voters was observed.

At Abakpa Ward 1 Polling Unit in Ebonyi State, the voter turn out is low, even as accreditation and voting has commenced.

Party agents offer money to voters in Bauchi, Adamawa

Theophilus ADEDOKUN
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Party agents offer money to voters in Bauchi, Adamawa

A FEW hours into the ongoing governorship and state assembly elections across 28 states, vote-buying has been observed in some polling units in Bauchi, Borno and Adamawa states.

The ICIR observed that party agents were paying some voters to vote for their gubernatorial and state assembly candidates in Polling Unit 06, Ward 5, Fofure Local Government Area of Adamawa Central Senatorial District.

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Low voter turnout recorded in South-East

APC, PDP agents offer food, cash to voters in Edo, Cross River

Election: Accreditation, voting underway in North-Central

INEC gives priority to elderly persons, pregnant women, PLWDs in North-West

At Polling Unit 063, in Gundari, Misau Local Government Area in Bauchi Senatorial District, the agents of the major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were caught on camera buying votes from voters.

The ICIR earlier reported that voters in Bwari alleged that some party agents were offering money in exchange of votes during the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

APC, PDP agents offer food, cash to voters in Edo, Cross River

Beloved JOHN
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APC, PDP agents offer food, cash to voters in Edo, Cross River

THE governorship election is ongoing, and there are attempts by party agents to influence voters’ decisions.

At polling booths in Edo and Cross River states, party agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been preventing cash rewards and food to voters.

An instance of this was found at ward 9,  Ikot Eneobong Town Hall, Calabar municipality, a polling unit in Cross River State.

Here, it was observed that if a voter had voted for a candidate, a party agent would signal to his colleagues to indicate this, and then direct the voter to where a sum of N4,000 in old N200 notes was given to the voter.

Likewise, in Edo State, party agents are operating undisturbed as the security officials deployed there are absent.

For instance, in polling unit 4, Igueben LGA, party agents are distributing food to voters who voted for their candidates and are being made to write down their names for potential rewards.

 

 

 

 

 

Election: Accreditation, voting underway in North-Central

Oghenekevwe UCHECHUKWU
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Election: Accreditation, voting underway in North-Central

GOVERNORSHIP and State House of Assembly elections are underway in Nigeria’s North central geo-political zone and voter turnout has been remarkably high.

In all five states that make up the region – Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, and Plateau – election officials and materials arrived early and accreditation and voting commenced as early as a few minutes past 8:00 am under a relatively peaceful atmosphere.

Some presiding officers offered a brief sensitization to party agents on the way to conduct themselves before the commencement of voting and priority voting was given to the elderly, persons with disabilities and pregnant women in most polling units observed.

The election is also witnessing improved participation of women across several polling units. At Polling Unit 012 of Baa Ward 13 in Benue North West Senatorial District, there was a higher turnout of female voters compared to male.

Despite the presence of little or no security personnel in some areas, the environment is calm, and people join the queues and conduct themselves in an orderly manner, as they wait their turn to vote.

However, there was mild rowdiness at Polling Unit 10 in Ward 009 Akwanga West of Nasarawa State, as party agents were accused of influencing voters by following them to the cubicle where votes are cast under the pretext of rendering assistance to them, but the situation has been brought under control.

Prior to the elections, the Department of State Services (DSS) had disclosed plans by some political players to cause chaos and a total breakdown of law and order in the country during Saturday’s election

Consequently, the Inspector-General of Police Usman Baba, ordered Commissioners of Police in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory to protect the electorate, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and electoral materials in view of the plans by some groups to cause chaos.

In spite of this order, it was observed that there was uneven deployment of security officials for elections in the region, with no presence of security operatives in some polling units.

There was also low voter turnout in Kampir Playground which is the venue for Polling Unit 011, Ward 009 in Akwanga Local Government Area.

As of 10:25 am, only 25 persons had voted and the electoral officials are seen waiting for the arrival of more voters to participate in the elections.

Large turnout of voters as Kano elects new governor

Bankole ABE
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Large turnout of voters as Kano elects new governor

KANO residents have turned out in large numbers to elect their next governor.

Earlier, there was tension in some areas of Kano metropolis but the quick intervention of security operatives calmed the situation.

READ ALSO:
Party agents offer money to voters in Bauchi, Adamawa

APC, PDP agents offer food, cash to voters in Edo, Cross River

Election: Accreditation, voting underway in North-Central

INEC gives priority to elderly persons, pregnant women, PLWDs in North-West

At polling units 06, 033 and 06, Diso Ward, Gwale LGA, the crowd was massive. Also at most polling units in Nasarawa LGA, voters turned out in large numbers to cast their votes.

At some polling units sighted in the Sabon Gari area of the city, voters were seen in queues waiting to cast their votes.

Many residents are in high spirits and expecting a free and fair election.

INEC gives priority to elderly persons, pregnant women, PLWDs in North-West

Mustapha USMAN
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INEC gives priority to elderly persons, pregnant women, PLWDs in North-West

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is giving pregnant women, aged people and persons living with disabilities (PLWDs) the priority to vote early in the ongoing Governorship and State Assembly elections across the country.

The governorship election is taking place across 28 states of the country while the entire 36 states are participating in the state assembly election, among which are the North-West states.

As observed by The ICIR reporters, pregnant women, PLWDs and the elderly did not join queues and were allowed to cast their votes by the INEC adhoc staff.

In Wammako LGA of Sokoto State, Ward 06, Sabon Adar Gidan Igwai, PU 27, the elderly, PLWDs and pregnant women were prioritised. Priority was also given to elderly persons, nursing mothers, and people with disabilities at some other polling units in the state.

The ICIR also observed that elderly persons, pregnant women and PLWDs were prioritised in some parts of Kano and Kaduna states.

Election: Residents disagree with security operatives over restriction order in Osun

Vincent Ufuoma
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Election: Residents disagree with security operatives over restriction order in Osun

SOME residents of Osun State have accused security operatives of detaining them in front of the Independent Electoral Commission’s (INEC) office in Osogbo, the state capital, while they were preparing to cast their votes in the state House of Assembly election.

The security operatives, comprising policemen and soldiers, however, explained that the restriction order must be strictly adhered to to prevent hoodlums from disrupting the election.

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But the voters claimed that their polling centres were too far away from where they were stopped and that they could not trek the distance.

Early arrival of election materials, voting observed in South-East

Harrison EDEH
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Early arrival of election materials, voting observed in South-East

EARLY arrival of election materials as well as simultaneous accreditation and voting have been witnessed in most parts of the South-East.

In Anambra Central Senatorial District, Awka South-Ogbubankwa Ward 6 – polling units 010, 11, 27 and 24, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials arrived early.

The accreditation and voting is going on simultaneously but low turn lout of voters was also observed.

A similar situation was seen in Anambra Central, Awka South, FSCT Ward 6, polling units 10, 24 and 25, election is in progress. Voter turnout is also low.

In Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nnewishi Ward 1, people are not much at the polling units and this made the INEC officials less busy.

In Aba North, Ward 002, Polling Unit 21, accreditation and voting smoothly ongoing.

In Imo State at Owerri West Local Government Area, Ihiagwa Ward, Polling Unit 014 Nkaramoche, electorates are here, but INEC Ad-hoc staff were not seen as of 9:23 am.

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