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WAEC releases results of 91,225 candidates

Nneoma BENSON
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WAEC releases results of 91,225 candidates

THE West African Examinations Council (WAEC) on Friday has released results of 91, 225 private candidates that sat for the 2019 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Nigeria.

The information was revealed in a statement by the Head of the Nigeria National Office WAEC, Olu Adenipekun, at a press briefing.

The statement also contained the released results of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for Private Candidates who sat for the 2019 Second Series.

He said 91,225 candidates, represented 96.14 per cent with the fully processed results, while 3,659 candidates represented 3.86 per cent still under process.

According to the statement, the examination which took place between August 29 and October 2, 2019, with a total number of 94,884 candidates sitting for the examination had 47,237 male and  47,647 females, representing 49.78 per cent and 50.22 per cent respectively.

Adenipekun said, “The analysis of the statistics of the performance of candidates shows that out of the Ninety-Four Thousand Eight Hundred and Eighty-Four (94,884) candidates that sat the examination, 49,679 candidates representing 52.36 per cent obtained credit and above in a minimum of any five (5) subjects (with or without English Language and/or Mathematics.

He said 33,304 candidates also obtained credits and above in a minimum of five (5) subjects including English Language and Mathematics.

Meanwhile, he said 9,457 candidates, representing 9.74 per cent were involved in examination malpractice, stating that their cases will be presented to the appropriate Committee of Council for appropriate action.

The council’s decision would be communicated to the affected candidates within the shortest possible time, he said.

According to him, 110 candidates with varying degrees of special needs registered for the examination, out of which 38 were visually challenged, 15 had impaired hearing, 12 had low vision, 3 were physically challenged and 8 were spastic and mentally challenged.

“The Council in Nigeria had perfected its Electronic Certificate Management System, an online portal being deployed to enable private candidates to request their certificates online.

“Beginning with the WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2019-Second Series, the collection of certificates would be based on requests by candidates online via the Electronic Certificate Management System platform.

“Candidates who sat for the examination have been asked to check the details of their performance on the Council’s results website: www.waecdirect.org,” Adenipekun said.

ICPC set to monitor Bayelsa, Kogi governorship elections

Editorial
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ICPC set to monitor Bayelsa, Kogi governorship elections

ARRANGEMENT has been concluded for operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to monitor the upcoming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States on 16th November 2019 for vote buying and selling, as well as other corruption-related practices.

The commission made this disclosure today in a press release obtained by The ICIR.

These infractions contravene sections 8 and 9 in addition to other relevant provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 prohibiting the corrupt.

According to the ICPC, the monitoring exercise is in response to the invitation by the Chairman of the Independent National Election Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for ICPC to participate in ridding the electoral processes in Nigeria of corrupt practices.

“This intervention is also in furtherance of ICPC’s current strategy of engaging in exercises that have macro rather than the micro impact on various sectors of the country for the benefit of the generality of citizens as it is doing with Constituency Projects tracking and highway corruption where sundry acts of corruption are being tackled with commendable results.

“The Commission’s operatives have therefore been primed to deal appropriately with perpetrators of any acts of corruption in accordance with the law, no matter their social status in both gubernatorial elections.

“Voters in both states are therefore enjoined to go out on Election Day and perform their civic obligations, while eschewing all acts that can make them run afoul of the law.”

Kogi Election: INEC begins disbursement of election materials to collation centres

Amos ABBA
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Kogi Election: INEC begins disbursement of election materials to collation centres

ALL is set for the kick-off of the Kogi Governorship election billed to take place on Saturday 16th November as Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, distributes election materials to various collation centres today as at 1 pm in Lokoja.

Speaking to The ICIR, Ahmed Zachary, an Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, official at INEC’s Crowther Memorial office in Lokoja, confirmed the arrival of sensitive materials, adding logistics were also in place for the elections on Saturday.

“We are really prepared for the elections tomorrow as you can see we just received election materials and our ad-hoc staff are already on ground so there’s no cause for alarm,” he said.

The ICIR enquired why the list for ad – hoc staff assigned to electoral duties who are National Youth Service Corp, NYSC, members were filled with mostly ex – corp members.

Names of ad – hoc staff to participate in the elections.

Ahmed explained that during the electoral orientation for currently serving corp members they had mistakenly assigned forms meant for serving corp members to ex – corp members and it was not rectified before the list was published.

“During the orientation for serving corp members, we gave out forms to them that was meant for ex – corp members which is why we directed the serving corp members to ignore that error and just check for their names,” he said.

Corp members waiting to be cleared at INEC’s office in Lokoja

Idayat Hassan, Executive Director of Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD, speaking to The ICIR said beyond election monitoring her organisation seeks to maintain the integrity of the ballot at an optimal level to maintain healthy governance level.

” We want an atmosphere where the integrity of the ballot is at an optimal level beyond election monitoring we want to combat misinformation and disinformation so that people will be able to vote in the right person through the right process,” she said.

 

ICRC trains 30 Nigerian surgeons on magt of wounded patients 

YEKEEN Akinwale
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ICRC trains 30 Nigerian surgeons on magt of wounded patients 

A TOTAL of 30 Nigerian health professionals working in areas affected by armed conflict and violence have been trained on how to provide life-saving surgical care to weapon wounded patients in difficult environments with limited equipment and resources.

The training of the surgeons who were drawn from 20 states across the country was organised by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health.

It included lifesaving techniques to manage injuries from explosions, abdominal and thoracic injuries as well as fractures from other weapons.

A statement by the ICRC sent to The ICIR said the training was held in Abuja between November 12 and 14.

“The seminar is of paramount importance as many people in areas affected by conflict and violence do not have access to basic health services,” said Eloi Fillion,  Head of the ICRC Delegation in Nigeria.

“Repeated attacks against healthcare personnel and facilities make the situation even more dramatic.”

It said all wounded people have the right to medical care according to international humanitarian law and the principles of medical ethics, and “the ICRC works to promote these principles.”

The statement explained that ICRC in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health has been organising surgical seminars in Nigeria since 2012 and has so far trained over 400 surgeons, nurses and anaesthetists.

It revealed that surgical team in Maiduguri has this year operated about 1,700 casualties while over 260,000 persons received access to healthcare services in 20 primary healthcare centres supported by the ICRC.

“Together with the Nigerian Red Cross, the organisation has provided first aid training to over 1,500 people in nineteen states of Nigeria,” the statement concluded.

 

Buhari ’eminently qualified’ for presidential election ― S’Court rules

Nneoma BENSON
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Buhari ’eminently qualified’ for presidential election ― S’Court rules

THE Supreme Court has on Friday said President Muhammadu Buhari is ‘eminently qualified’ to contest for the 2019 Presidential Elections.

The court had earlier set Friday, to give reasons why the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s appeal challenging the outcome of the 2019 Presidential Election was dismissed.

However, all legal practitioners representing the PDP and Atiku Abubakar were absent at the court to hear reasons why their appeal was dismissed.

At the opening of the session, a counsel from the APC, Alex Izinyon, had informed the court on the absence of the appellants, stating that there was a need for court rules to be obeyed. He said the PDP neither appeared in court nor sent their junior lawyers.

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Yet, the court said it would proceed with its reasons, despite the absence.

Justice John Okoro who read the submissions of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) said the failure of the appellants to produce credible witnesses to substantiate its claims that Buhari had no qualification to contest the election, made the case fatal.

Recall that Atiku and the PDP had petitioned the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on the outcome of the Presidential election, stating that Buhari had no educational qualification to contest the election. 

The Tribunal had dismissed the petition on September 11 on the grounds that there was no proof by the petitioners to substantiate its allegations.

According to a report by Premium Times, Okoro noted that Section 131 (d) of the constitution only requires that a candidate vying for the position of president should be “educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent”.

Reading through section 318 of the constitution to further explain the meaning of “school certificate or its equivalent’ as: “Secondary School Certificate or its equivalent, or Grade II Teacher’s Certificate, the City and Guilds Certificate; education up to Secondary School Certificate level; Primary Six School Leaving Certificate or its equivalent and -service in the public or private sector in the Federation in any capacity acceptable to the Independent National Electoral Commission for a minimum of ten years”.

“A person is not expected to have all the qualifications. Possession of one of the certificates will suffice,” he said.

“The court was right to hold that the second respondent was eminently qualified to contest the election. The admission by the appellant’s witnesses that Buhari rose to the head of the military and served as military president was compelling enough to help the lower court reach its verdict,” Okoro said.

Okoro noted that the Apex Court and the Appeal Court had decided on the issue of the educational qualification of a candidate and that the current decision was made in line with previous decisions.

He said the PDP also failed to obtain a subpoena for the presentation of the secretary of the military board at the tribunal.

“The fact remains that the petitioners failed to call former the former director army public relations, Brigadier General Olajide Olaleye, to testify.

“What the petitioners did was tendering the documents on the bar, with no one to authenticate it,” Okoro said.

Regarding the failure of  Buhari to attach his certificate to the form CF001, Okoro said: “Neither the constitution nor the electoral act requires that a candidate must attach his certificate to the form CF001 before he can participate in an election.”

Another reason according to Okoro was that appellants failed to produce authentic voters register to validate its allegation of issues of over voting during the election in certain parts of the country.

Also, he noted that the unanimous decision of the court delivered on the 30th of October was also in agreement with the ruling of the lower court which upheld and affirmed the election of Buhari.

Kogi Election: CDD raises alarm over vote buying in Lokoja, Koton Karfe LGAs

Editorial
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Kogi Election: CDD raises alarm over vote buying in Lokoja, Koton Karfe LGAs

LESS than 24 hours to the commencement of 2019 Kogi State governorship election, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), a not-for-profit advocacy organisation has raised alarm about the incident of vote buying in Kogi State.

In a press release signed by CDD director, Idayat Hassan and shared with The ICIR,  CDD said its observers have witnessed the distribution of gift items such as Ankara textile materials and bags of rice in Lokoja and Koton Karfe Local Government Areas.

Also, INEC Supervising Presiding Officers (SPO) have been induced with cash across the 21 Local Government Areas of the State, CDD has disclosed.

A major political party has approached INEC officials “with bribes of USD1,000 to buy them over,”

CDD said this finding was also confirmed from Bureau de Change (BDC) Operators in Lokoja who were interviewed.

“The BDC operators report that there are has been an upsurge in the number of customers calling to change USD1000 to Naira.”

Mrs. Hassan said the use of financial inducement to subvert the credibility of the electoral process is antithetical to the democratic ethos.

“CDD condemns in the strongest possible terms all forms of inducement of poll officials. The Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) expressly frowns at bribery and all forms of inducement of poll officials.

“Specifically, Section 124(4) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended states: ‘Any person who commits the offence of bribery is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for 12 months or both'”.

The organisation called on the anti-corruption agencies, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to thoroughly investigate these reports in order to hold to account the perpetrators of these electoral crimes.

CDD wants all the suspects involved in the crime arrested.

” INEC should fine-tune its monitoring mechanisms to ensure that all compromised electoral officials are removed from the process immediately.
“The good people of Kogi State should be aware that if they sell their votes, they are mortgaging their future and compromising the possibility of good governance for their own benefits.”

LIVE UPDATE: Kogi and Bayelsa State elections 2019

Editorial
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LIVE UPDATE: Kogi and Bayelsa State elections 2019

Kogi and Bayelsa state gubernatorial elections scheduled to hold on Saturday 16, November 2019.

The ICIR brings you live update as the election unfolds in both states.

Follow the hashtags below to stay updated
#CDDAnalysisCentre #iCeeiReport

 

Bayelsa poll starts tomorrow as INEC retrieves sensitive election materials from CBN

Olugbenga ADANIKIN
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Bayelsa poll starts tomorrow as INEC retrieves sensitive election materials from CBN

INDICATIONS have shown that the controversial Bayelsa Governorship election scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday 16th November would still hold as planned.

Already the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as early as 8 am visited the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to retrieve sensitive election materials meant for the poll.

“Our officials are already at the CBN to access the sensitive election materials for tomorrow’s election,” Sarian Dangosu, Publicity Secretary for the commission told The ICIR Friday morning.

“Election materials are being distributed to the relevant officers.”

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NNPC’s staff in collusion with oil vandals, Senate summons GMD Kyari

The ICIR had observed Thursday how two vans conveyed safety vests into the State INEC office in Yenagoa.

The safety vests were being sorted by the INEC officials who were supported by security operatives. They are meant for the electorate in the riverine parts of Bayelsa state some of which include Nembe, Brass, Southern Ijaw and parts of Ekeremor.

Lyon David, the All Progressives Congress (APC) had filed an appeal following a Federal High Court judgement which earlier nullified David’s candidacy for tomorrow’s poll.

Wilfred Ifeogha, Director of Voter’s Education and Publicity, the State Independence National Electoral Commission earlier promised on the commission’s resolve to decide on the matter once it acknowledges the court verdict. “For now, we have not heard anything. But once we get the court verdict, the commission will decide,” Wilfred on Thursday told The ICIR.

However, President Muhammadu Buhari advised all candidates to believe in the electoral process and be ready to accept outcome of the governorship election.

Agba Jalingo casts doubt on judge’s fairness

'Kunle ADEBAJO
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Agba Jalingo casts doubt on judge’s fairness

AGBA JALINGO, Publisher of CrossRiverWatch who was in August charged by the Nigeria Police with treason and disturbance of public peace, has said he is “willing to face his trial even in secret” as ordered by the court if the proceedings are recorded fairly and verbatim through an electronic system.

In a notice of motion filed on Wednesday by his counsel and obtained by The ICIR, Jalingo urged the Federal High Court in Calabar to provide for an electronic recording that is to be done separately from the judge’s long-hand recording and to adjourn the trial till the application is ruled on.

A similar application had previously been made orally, Jalingo’s lawyer James Ibor stated in an attached affidavit, but “His Lordship refused to record the oral application but responded to it by accusing our lead counsel of coming from Lagos to disturb the peace of Calabar, the Cross-River State, and his Court”.

“Since the Court did not record the oral application and his peremptory dismissal of it, we have deemed it appropriate to formalise the application,” Ibor added.

Some of the grounds for the application include that the court has ruled in favour of a secret trial, the defendant’s lead counsel Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN) has raised concerns about the integrity of the court’s records, and reliable records will not prejudice the defendant’s case at the appeal court.

Ibor, in his statement, also made reference to instances during the trial that gave the impression that the trial judge, Simon Amobeda, “harbours some predetermined notions or positions in the case, and that he was lending his weight and authority to one side against the other”.

He said Amobeda, in some of his rulings, failed to fully reflect the arguments of Jalingo’s lawyers and sometimes either mischaracterised their submissions or attributed to them statements they did not make.

“Our client, Mr. Agba Jalingo, had earlier expressed to me his own reservation regarding what he perceives of the independence of the Court and his chances of being treated fairly and getting justice in the case,” he said.

“His reason for this was that whereas the application made to the Court by the Prosecution was specifically for ‘AN ORDER,.. granting leave to the Complaint/Applicant (sic) in Charge No. FHC/CA/59C/2079 to produce her witness in court being mask (sic) on the next adjourned date on till (sic) they finally completed given their evidence”, his lordship granted that “The trial of the Defendant
shall now be undertaken in camera… Members of the public and the press shall be denied access to the Courtroom during the evidence of the Complainant/Applicant’s witnesses and the identity of the Prosecution witnesses shall be protected from the Defendant and his counsel…”

In other words, a number of the orders granted by the court were not prayed for by the prosecution.

Ibor concluded: “After witnessing what transpired today, the Defendant has again expressed to us his doubt as to the fairness of the Court but we have assured him that he will have his opportunity to have his case reviewed by a higher court. lt is for this reason that the Defendant seeks a verbatim record of the trial proceedings by electronic means to ensure completeness of the record beyond what his lordship is able to take down in longhand.

Justice Amobeda had on Thursday ruled that the first testimony of masked witnesses will be heard on Wednesday, November 20 and that Jalingo should be remanded at a medium-security custodial centre till then.

‘Your life now is in the court’s hands,’ Amobeda tells Jalingo

In a leaked audio recording of Amobeda, while he was addressing a group of lawyers earlier in the week, he recalled that he told Jalingo his life is now in the court’s hands following a walk-out staged by Olumide-Fusika and the defence legal team.

He said he only takes instructions from God and will not be intimidated by anybody. He also denied conniving with the prosecution and repeatedly emphasised that he will not subvert the course of justice.

“If you come here and the matter is not in your favour, go to the Court of Appeal, not come and make noise,” he said, referring to the conduct of Olumide-Fusika.

“I don’t have anything against any person. I don’t know any person in this place and by the grace of God nobody has tribal marks like me in this place,” Amobeda said as others laughed lightly. “So why will I now say because you have tribal marks like me, I will now begin to favour you? I don’t do it. If I want to favour it’s in my chambers. If you give me good thing I will favour you in my chambers, but when you do not give me … ”

It is not clear what the judge means by “good thing” and granting favours in his chambers.

Here is the full transcript:

(Inaudible parts are indicated through the use of ellipses.)

… Senior Advocate of Nigeria … a criminal matter; criminal matter that has a death sentence attached to it. Late … walked out on the tribunal in the Ogoni matter. Ken Saro Wiwa. What happened? The matter went on and Ken Saro Wiwa was convicted and sentenced to death. … play the gallery and you were addressing us, the press … this and that … he went and hired all these small … to come and … I don’t care about any person. I can never take instruction from any person. No. It’s not possible. I take instructions from God Almighty, whether you believe it or not.

When it goes in your favour, you say Justice Amodeba knows how to do this job, but when it goes against you, the next thing is this. He brought an application before me; the application was argued vehemently, seriously. And I delivered the ruling. And you are now going through the backdoor again to introduce a similar application. Of course, he should know that I will reject that application, only for you to say ‘ehn, bias.’ Bias in what? It is so unfortunate that some lawyers who came with the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who think he is a very big man … Senior Advocate of Nigeria 2019. {Laughter.} He didn’t know I could investigate him… The moment you appear before them, they begin to ask questions about you. How I get to know about him, he will not know. I am not an arrogant person, but I told some person, if it were those days, if not because of this. Let’s go to … junction and see whether you can get it. If you get it, you go free, if you don’t get it, you get fined. If you come here and the matter is not in your favour, go to the Court of Appeal, not come and make noise.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the three times he appeared before me, the first time was to bring down the court, the second time he was gentle, the third time he was saying ‘waoh, waoh, waoh’, he was shouting on top of his voice. I told myself, I refuse to be intimidated, not this man, it can never happen. So lawyers should learn… when it goes against you, don’t carry your pen and go … A Senior Advocate of Nigeria came from Lagos, carried his books and left. The lawyers with him from this division who have appeared before me and I’ve given judgement in favour, all of them, let my people go.

If you are representing your client, do it very well, not to come and shout and shout. And if you shout at me, where will you go to? Nowhere. The first day he shouted, ‘Pra! Pra! Pra! Heyyy!’… I was looking at this young man… Some lawyers were here yesterday, they didn’t even protect me at all. It is unfortunate.

{Lawyer: Sorry, my lord.}

A man is shouting at the court, it is left for you to say, ’ah ah, when you are going to his lord, this court is not like that.’ Lawyers of this jurisdiction, they are not known to be shouting at the judges. Somebody was shouting, that is not the first time he did; and then you kept quiet and were looking at him. He was gallivanting and shouting at the judge, and then looking at the small small persons … it’s just submission o. You have already argued an application and there was a response from the prosecution and I said, ‘Okay, re-file your points of law.’ He began to … and you want me to recover that you have said it, for what? It is a critical matter, one that carries the death penalty. If you walk out… And I told the young man yesterday, ‘Your life now is in the hands of the court.’ Choose: Are you going to defend yourself or you … I will give you an adjournment. I am not here to bring injustice, it is not possible. Some of you have been in this court when I discharged and acquitted somebody who was supposed to spend 15 years or 25 years in prison. I said go, you did not commit the offence. How can somebody just wake up from the dream and say, ‘ehn. I am conniving with the prosecution.’ For what now? I am urging him to do what he needs to do.

The matter is adjourned till tomorrow, so let’s see what will happen, whether they will come or not. But one thing I know is that the trial will go on. I don’t have anything against any person, I don’t know any person in this place, and by the grace of God nobody has tribal marks like me in this place {laughter}, so why will I now say because you have tribal marks like me, I will now begin to favour you? I don’t do it. If I want to favour it’s in my chambers, if you give me good thing I will favour you in my chambers, but when you do not give me … (incomplete sentence). Let us avoid running down judges, it is not good for us. It is not good for the system. You see what we go through on a daily basis. I did not invite these security men here, but the whole of this place … both the DSS, the police, and Civil Defence. I didn’t call any person. Perhaps, maybe because of what they do, maybe because of the threats here and there. When the policeman said they threatened him, they were quarrelling that they didn’t threaten … How about me?

I got a letter of threats. Yes! I got a letter of threats, and the one who is threatening me does not even know the kind of person he is threatening. I got a letter. The man put his name there, his address, said if you like go anywhere. I said I don’t need to go anywhere. I will not go anywhere. But one day God will catch him. Somebody will carry a … write a letter, address it to the judge. Is that not? Let us avoid doing some things that will bring down the image of the bar and the bench. … my senior sister has been kidnapped for more than how many years. Who is saying something? I expect that the NBA in this country will down the tools and … The NBA, they just did the Yorubas will say ‘boju boju o, boju boju.’ The woman is still there; they are asking for N200 million. We made available N20 million, they said it is not enough for them. A justice of the court of law… So me I should be careless and somebody will come and shout at me, ‘hey! Amodeba has been kidnapped’ and … it is not possible.

{Lawyer: I want to apologise on behalf of…}

You were not here yesterday. I know some of you, yesterday you challenged the young man. How can you say you were a lawyer for 35 years before you became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria? Something was wrong somewhere. His antecedent is to go and shout at judges and shout at lawyers, that was why they denied him of that SAN for so many years. Because you are an SAN 2019 and then you want to come and vent your grievances on the judge … I can never be a … for the wicked man…It is rather unfortunate. But some lawyers, they were just watching him and probably clapping hands. But he gave me and I gave it back to him. You know me, my own is bumper to bumper. If you give me, I will give you back. He was shouting and shouting, I asked them to call the next case. ‘Call your case my friend…’ He packed his bag and vanished and left the court. Who won the battle now? Is it me that won? Ehn ehn now. He left and I will …

{Lawyer: I want to apologise on behalf…}

Don’t apologise, because it is not your making. You didn’t do it. Because you people believe if somebody comes from outside the jurisdiction, he’s like this. So he’s from Lagos and so what? I grew up in Lagos. This man grew up in Lagos… senior lawyers from here. … appeared within. James Ibor appeared within. Eve appeared within. I don’t know … they walked out on me. These are lawyers within the jurisdiction. Ah ah. I’m not stating grammar. All of them walked out… they left him behind. And I told him ‘young man, you are alone here now.’ All these people … you are the one here now who is going to face the music. Where do you go from here?

{Lawyer: My lord, I am sorry to hear that such incident…}

If you are here, I know you jumped on that man. I know you are a …—cal person.

{It is rather unfortunate. However, my lord, a good dancer comprehends the …of a good drama. I am even though disappointed that lawyers of this jurisdiction were here…}

They did not say anything!

{Lawyer: … and yet they did not…}

… was here. … is a senior member of the bar.

{Lawyer: …A Senior Advocate of Nigeria at that. It is rather unfortunate. If I were here myself, I would have caused the Senior Advocate of Nigeria to know that… if at that status in our legal profession, one should exhibit such tendency, without looking back, then why should people like us be aspiring to be there? It’s a very disappointing situation. My lord, at the same time, I want to say that that development will even make my lord stronger because that gives you an opportunity to now… in the future and then get a better judgement. So sorry my lord.}

I can never subvert the course of justice. I told the young man yesterday, if you … very well, I will discharge and acquit you and the heaven will not fall. That is me. But if you don’t give me well, I will convince and sentence you and the heaven will also not fall. It is the law we are talking about here. Unfortunately for them again, they brought a late application yesterday. The man you are shouting at, that if not until I invite a verbatim recorder he will no longer appear in this matter again, how? That I did not record him very well… Eh! Sorry, let’s go on with the business of the day… I am equal to the task, and then God has given me that boldness to do what I’m supposed to do. But let it be known, I can never on this seat subvert the course of [justice].

Bayelsa/Kogi Elections: All candidates should be ready to accept outcomes – Buhari

Jennifer UGWA
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Bayelsa/Kogi Elections: All candidates should be ready to accept outcomes – Buhari

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has issued a stern warning against the continued violence in Bayelsa and Kogi States a few days to the election, urged all agencies involved in the election process to be fair.

Elections in the two states scheduled  to hold on Saturday have been trailed with controversy and violence.

In a statement issued by the president through his media aide, Mallam Garba Shehu,  he urged law enforcement agencies to do their works to ensure a successful and violence-free election in the states.

While he admonished politicians on the need to accept election outcome, he also said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has to be non-partisan

His words:  “I call on voters in Bayelsa and Kogi states to exercise their franchise in a peaceful and orderly manner and in line with the law in all situations. Law enforcement officials must ensure that citizens are allowed to vote without harassment and intimidation and any attempt to steal or hijack ballots must be stopped using all legal means.

“In all democratic elections, there are bound to be winners and losers and the elections in Bayelsa and Kogi will not be different. All candidates should be ready to accept the outcomes and wherever they are dissatisfied, they should follow the due process of the law in seeking redress. There must not be a resort to self-help.”

Buhari wished the two states and their peoples a safe and credible exercise as they vote in “these historic and suspenseful elections.”

However, in Bayelsa, anxiety is raising amongst the citizens as there is fear that there might be attacks and violence between contending members of the two major parties in the states-People’s Democratic Government and the All Progressive Congress due to the suspension of Lyon David the APC gubernatorial candidate.

Jennifer UGWA is reporting from Yenagoa

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