By-elections tragedy in Bayelsa as four policemen drown

Raymond Mordi/Dare Odufowokan/Simon Utebor, Yenagoa/David Adenuga, Bauchi/Sani Muhammad Sani, Gusau/Nsa Gill, Calabar/Chris Njoku, Owerri

  • Abiru takes early lead in Lagos East Senatorial District; PDP ahead in Bayelsa West, Central

  • EFCC arrests governor’s Special Adviser for vote buying

  • Hoodlums accost INEC officials, demand money

  • Low turnout mars polls in many states

No fewer than four police personnel on elections duty on Saturday drowned in Bayelsa State as tragedy hit the senatorial by-elections in the state.

The boat conveying the victims and other officers capsized on its way to Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, for the Bayelsa Central by-election.

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The by-election in Dass to fill the vacancy in the Bauchi State House of Assembly also did not go well yesterday for the Special Adviser to the state governor on Civil Service and Labour Matters, Mr. Abdon Dalla Gin.

He was arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged vote buying.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) appeared too strong for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Lagos East Senatorial and Kosofe state constituency by-elections with APC candidates in comfortable lead as the results began to trickle in last night.

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The cause of the Bayelsa boat mishap could not be immediately ascertained.

The number of policemen on board the boat could also not be immediately confirmed.

A pall of sorrow descended on the headquarters of the police command as news of the accident reached there.

Spokesman for the State Police Command, SP Asinim Butswat, confirmed the accident but said other details were not available.

“The command is monitoring the incident,” he said.

He added: “From the information we gathered, there was a boat mishap and some of our policemen are declared missing and some have been rescued.

“But let me say that it was not an attack. It was a boat mishap.

“We cannot say that someone is dead, because it will be too hasty to say so. Some may have swum to safety.

“It is when it is confirmed by medical personnel that we can say they are dead. For now, they are missing.”

There were also reports of heavy shooting in Ekeremor, Southern Ijaw, Sagbama and Yenagoa as well as snatching of ballot boxes in some places.

The State Resident Electoral Commissioner Cyril Omoregbe said: “We are not looking for 100 per cent perfection in the election.

“Once we are able to get up to 85 per cent, we are satisfied.

“Despite our earlier warnings, most electorate did not comply with the COVID-19 directives. Our concern really is for free, fair and credible election, not on the enforcement of COVID-19 directives.

“Our earlier directive that no votes without facemasks were not complied with.”

Also speaking on the general conduct of the  polls, the National Commissioner in charge of the by-elections in Bayelsa, May Agbamuche-Mbu, said  election materials arrived late in some of the polling units owing to lack of security personnel.

Governor Douye Diri commiserated with the police authorities on the death of the officers.

The governor, who voted in Sampou, Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, hoped that “unauthorised persons, including members of the security forces, party agents or observers would not interfere in the process of polling or the expression of the people’s right to elect the candidates of their choice.

“It is of critical interest to our democratic journey that we continue to grow voter confidence, giving assurances that the outcome of our electoral contests are not perceived as products of violence, brigandage, intimidation or inhibition of the people from casting their votes according to their individual will.”

PDP posts strong performance in Bayelsa

Early results in the Bayelsa West and Central Senatorial by-elections showed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was doing well.

The immediate past governor of the state, Seriake Dickson, is the PDP candidate for Bayelsa West, with Peremobowei Ebebi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as his main opponent.

EFCC arrests special adviser to Bauchi governor for alleged vote buying

The by-election in Dass to fill the vacancy in the Bauchi State House of Assembly turned sour for the Special Adviser to Governor Bala Mohammed on Civil Service and Labour Matters, Mr. Abdon Dalla Gin after he was arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged vote buying.

The EFCC operatives allegedly found about N1.5 million cash in the car of the former head of the state civil service during a search soon after casting his vote in Dass.

He was later handed over to the Divisional Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force in Dass for questioning.

The Chairman of Dass Local Government, Hon. Suleiman Mohammed, said later that Dalla was arrested wrongly.

He said: “I was told that one of our stakeholders was arrested and I came to sympathise with him–which is normal. Though I have not discussed with him, I heard that shortly after he addressed some journalists, he was arrested.

“The money is not his own. The money belongs to our party agents, presiding and returning officers.”

Abiru, Saheed coasting home to victory in Lagos East, Kosofe

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the Lagos East Senatorial by-election, Mr. Tokunbo Abiru and the party’s flag bearer in the Kosofe State Constituency 2 by-election were in comfortable leads last night as results of the polls began to trickle in.

Although turn out of voters was generally low, the APC candidates appeared to have overwhelmed their opponents with wide margins across the wards.

The polls were also peaceful.

In Ikorodu area, voting commenced at about 9:30 am in most polling units. The exercise was relatively peaceful as no case of violence or disruption was recorded. However, the election recorded low turnout across the division.

Vice chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Chief Kaoli Olusanya, while voting at his polling Unit 006 Ilaje Ibeshe in Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA of the division, said the election was  largely peaceful.

“From the reports we have so far, there is no incident of violence anywhere in Ikorodu. This is because the people of our division have made up their mind to vote and not fight.

“Everybody is interested in ensuring that the senatorial district is represented by the very best,” he said.

The Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. S.O.B Agunbiade, who voted at polling unit 043 ward A 4 of Ikorodu, noted that the people of the division were happy at having the opportunity to choose one of their sons to represent the entire senatorial district.

“It is expected that the election will be peaceful here in Ikorodu because we have an opportunity to elect one of our own as the senator of the entire senatorial district. We just want to give Lagos east the very best. Nobody wants to fight,” he added.

Speaking during the election, the state commissioner for agriculture, Ms. Bisola Ruth Olusanya, commended the peaceful conduct of the people while voting and praised the timeliness and efficiency of the electoral officials.

Similarly, the Director-General of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, voted at Unit 012, Isele ward and observed that there was low voters’ turnout across the division, saying that it is common with by-elections.

She however hoped that the final result would prove otherwise.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election, Babatunde Gbadamosi, voted at polling unit 014, Isele Ward 1, and expressed optimism of winning the election while urging the electorate to be prepared to defend their franchise against rigging.

He however decried the low turnout.

He blamed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for not doing enough to educate voters about the importance of the election.

The Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Adewale Shotobi, while casting his vote at Ward B Mabadejo Zone, Ikorodu, appreciated the peaceful conduct of the election across the division.

He said: “Head or tail, at the end of the election, we will be rejoicing in Ikorodu.

“We are blessed to have sons who are eminently qualified for the position in the race. All of them are my children but I can assure you that it is the very best we will give to Lagos East.”

But residents of Ajaganabe Square and the adjoining Apena/Oloye Street in Epe did not allow INEC ad-hoc officials to set up their equipment and do their job.

Their reason was that they were not given some money by the various political parties like in the past.

A group of middle-aged women who spoke to our reporter summarised the situation this way: “We did not allow them to sit down and do their job because we have not been settled.

“It is not just the boys that drove them away; the entire community rose in unison and sent them away.”

The women, who spoke in Yoruba, added: “Kosi owo, kosi ibo (no money, no voting).

“Once they have been voted in, you cannot approach them any longer and they will not cater for the interests of the people.

“There is no job for the people and things are getting more difficult for us.”

At about 12.30pm, after the police were called in to provide security, the voting process eventually began at Apena/Oloye Street.

But the same thing cannot be said for Ajaganabe Square because the electoral officials were nowhere in sight.

Hoodlums accost INEC officials at Mile 12, demand money

Some hoodlums accosted INEC officials as they prepared to commence voting during yesterday’s by-election at Unit 13, Kosofe council area of Lagos State.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the hoodlums insisted on collecting money from INEC officials before voting could commence.

An INEC ad-hoc staff, Mrs Monsurat Aladeloba, said the hoodlums got to the unit at about 8:37 a.m, brandishing dangerous weapons.

The INEC ad-hoc staff packed up their materials so as to relocate from the area in the midst of the confrontation between some electorate and the hoodlums.

“The boys were about fighting themselves when more police officers were drafted here,” she said.

The situation was however brought under control at about 10 a.m. following the intervention of some community leaders in the area.

One of the community leaders, Alhaji Gbenga Mola, said that the hoodlums had been taken care of and assured the INEC officials of their safety.

“There will be no problem here. I have talked to the boys. Election is holding here,” he said.

Voting later commenced at about 10.15 a.m.

Security operatives dislodge armed thugs in Zamfara

Security operatives yesterday dislodged AK-47 carrying thugs who had stormed a polling unit at Shiyyar Galadima in Rini, Bakura Local Government Area of Zamfara State with a view to disrupting voting during the by-election into the State House of Assembly.

Two of the thugs were arrested.

The thugs, according to eyewitnesses, had threatened to disrupt the process until the security men were called in and they brought the situation under control.

A witness said: “We had just started converging with the aim of casting our votes when the political thugs appeared from the bushes armed with AK47.

“We quickly left the unit and came back when security personnel arrived.”

It was also gathered that party representatives shared money and clothing materials to voters for the purpose of wooing them.

Turn out of voters was generally high.

Voters’ apathy mars Imo North Senatorial election

The Imo North Senatorial by-election was marred by apathy as a large number of voters decided to stay at home.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) whose candidate Frank Ibeziem was disqualified 24 hours to the election by the Federal High Court, Abuja, is set to challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal.

The election which started at about 8.30 am was devoid of violence. People were seen going about their normal businesses as shops and markets were opened for transactions.

In some of the areas visited, there were no restrictions as people moved about freely. Out of the 562 registered voters at Ofoachi Market and OSU Owerre Ward 2 in Isiala Mbano, fewer than 30 voters were seen as at 11 am.

At the Central School, Umuaro Booth 007 ward 6, only 21 voters out of 1,120 registered voters were seen on the queue. It was also a low turnout at Mbara Umuada Booth 003 with 782 registered voters.

At Avutu/Obowo and Ekiekwu, out of 639 voters, only 142 were registered as at 12 noon.

However, both candidates of the APC and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) adjudged the election as free and peaceful.

The APC candidate, Ibezim, described the election as very peaceful and impressive.

He said he was optimistic that all things being equal, he was certain of winning the election.

However, he said that he would appeal the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The PDP candidate, Emmanuel Okewulonu, said he was happy with the election, adding that if the election was announced without manipulations, he was certain to win.

Ayade urges sportsman’s spirit by losers and winners

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State urged losers and winners of the by-election in Cross River North Senatorial District to display the spirit of sportsmanship once the result of the election was announced.

He told reporters after casting his vote at Kakum Town Hall, Ikpong, Obudu Local Government Area that whoever won would be accepted because “we are all one and the same in the old Ogoja District.”

He said: “Anyone who ends up as the loser should not see the defeat as the end of the world.

“We should put our differences aside and move on. We are all from the larger Ogoja Senatorial District.

“Whoever wins is from Ogoja and we will all stand by the person. Both the winner and loser must have an open mind and find a way to collaborate and work together.

“The world is a dynamic place. If you win today, tomorrow you may lose.”

He said the election, judging from what he had seen at his polling unit, was free and fair, adding, “With what I am seeing here, if this is the situation across the entire senatorial district, then we will have a very free and fair election.”

He described voter turnout in the Cross River North Senatorial and state assembly by-elections as impressive.

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