How Jonathan won, by INEC
President Goodluck Jonathan was on Monday formally declared winner of Saturday’s presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Out of the 38,209,978 total valid votes, Jonathan polled 22,495,187 votes (58.9 per cent) while his closest rival, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress for Progressive Change came second with 12,214,853 votes or 31. 98 per cent.
Mallam Nuhu Ribadu of the Action Congress of Nigeria scored 2, 079, 151votes (5.4 per cent) to come third. The candidate of the All Nigerian Peoples Party, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, garnered 917, 012 votes (2.4 per cent)zwz to place fourth.
The candidate of the Liberal Democratic Party of Nigeria, Dr. Chris Nwaokobia, came last with 8, 472 votes amounting to 0.02 per cent of the total valid votes.
One million, two hundred and fifty nine thousand five hundred and six votes were voided by the commission.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, declared Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party winner after the results of the nine states whose results were not taken on Sunday at the National Collation Centre in Abuja had been announced.
Jega said that apart from having the highest number of votes cast in the election, the President was also able to meet the constitutional requirement on the spread of votes.
According to him, Jonathan scored the mandatory 25 per cent of votes cast in 31 states and the Federal Capital Territory to emerge the winner.
He said Buhari also had a minimum of 25 per cent of the votes cast in 16 states.
Ribadu, he said, was only able to make this percentage in four states.
The INEC chairman added, “The constitutional requirement is that parties must be able to score at least 25 per cent in two third of the total number of states and the FCT.
“Based on this, the positions of the parties are as follows: Ribadu of the ACN scored 25 per cent votes in four states; Buhari of the CPC scored 25 per cent of votes in 16 states and Jonathan of the PDP scored 25 per cent votes in 31 states.”
Other candidates did not meet the constitutional requirement in any of the state.
Before declaring Jonathan as the winner, Jega said that he was satisfied with the conduct of the election and that as the National Returning Officer, he was sure that the election was contested.
“With this, I have discharged my constitutional responsibility as a returning officer for the presidential election. We have done our best to ensure a free and fair election,” he said.
Jega thanked the staff of the commission, security agents and the media for their collaboration in ensuring that the result was fair.
However, all the agents of the other political parties that were present at the collation centre refused to sign the result when called upon to do so by Jega.
Post-election violence rocks Sokoto, Kano, eight others !
Post-election violence swept through some Northern states on Sunday night and Monday as results of the presidential poll released by the Independent National Electoral Commission clearly showed Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as the winner.
States where violence flared were Kano, Kaduna, Adamawa, Katsina, Plateau, Yobe, Bauchi, Borno, Katsina and Sokoto.
In states like Kano, Bauchi and Kaduna, authorities imposed curfews after some people were killed and houses belonging to some prominent persons were burnt by protesting youths.
Among those who lost property to the mayhem are Vice-President Namadi Sambo; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Ghali Na’Abba; a former presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention, Alhaji Bashir Tofa; and the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero.
Some churches, a police station and a Quick Service Restaurant were also burnt in Kaduna by irate youths, who dislodged students of Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic from their campus.
Some other houses were also razed while a number of people were maimed or killed in Kaduna before Governor Patrick Yakowa imposed a 24-hour curfew on the entire state.
Eyewitnesses also claimed that the protesters forced open the Zaria Central Prison and set the inmates free.
It was learnt that soldiers in Sokoto, Sokoto State dispersed an angry mob which attempted to set the palace of the Sultan, Alhaji Saad Abubakar, ablaze.
In Bauchi State, the campaign office of Governor Isa Yuguda was reportedly torched by another set of angry youths, who injured a number of people.
Violence also flared in Azare, Bauchi State; Mubi, Adamawa State; and Potiskum in Yobe State.
It was learnt that angry supporters of one of the four main political parties attacked perceived political opponents in Angwar Muazu, Kabala West, Rigasa, Kawo, Tundun Wada and other flashpoints in Kaduna.
They were said to have also razed the home of the defeated candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Alhaji Hamisu Yusuf Abubakar, (aka Mairago).
Eyewitnesses said policemen guarding a branch of a commercial bank along Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway Bye Pass, Kabala West were also seriously injured by rampaging youths.
The crisis also prevented pupils writing the ongoing Senior Secondary School Certificate examinations in the state from getting to their centres.
Many residents of the city fled to police stations and military barracks to take refuge.
But the timely intervention of soldiers and policemen brought the situation under control.
The Deputy Police Commissioner, Kaduna State Command, Mr. Ekeh Nwadibo, confirmed that the situation was under control.
Soldiers and policemen also mounted checkpoints along major roads and streets within the metropolis as well as those linking the state capital with neighbouring states.
Some arrests were said to have been made by security agents in the state.
The youths claimed that although the opposition Congress for Progressive Change won the election in Kaduna State, the votes recorded for the Peoples Democratic Party during the presidential election were false.
“There is no way the PDP could have scored the number of votes allocated to it in a single senatorial district,” some of the youths said.
In a statewide broadcast, Yakowa said all security agencies in the state had been ordered to enforce the curfew.
The governor explained that “for no justifiable reasons, groups of persons in some parts of the state decided to resort to violence and wanton destruction of lives and property.”
He added, “Since last (Monday) night, groups of people, for no justifiable reasons, have resorted to acts of violence and wanton destruction of lives and properties of law abiding citizens in some parts of the state.
“I have found it necessary to immediately place a 24-hours curfew restricting all forms of movement across the state.”
An online medium, elombah.com, reported that in Jos, some youths burnt cars around Bauchi Road while in Yola, a crowd besieged traders at the Jimeta Modern Market, burning posters of Jonathan and those of Governor Murtala Nyako.
Security agents were deployed in the hotspots while the spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency, Yushau Shuaibu, said emergency response officials had raced to the scenes of the protests.
In Sokoto, soldiers and riot policemen were drafted to the streets before normalcy returned to the city and its environs.
The areas that witnessed violence included Kanwuri, the area around the palace of the Sultan; Rijiya, Mabera, Diplomat, Sahara, Bello Way, Tudun-wada, Emir Yahayya and Sultan Atiku roads.
But the mob succeeded in also burning a house, two vehicles and a motorcycle belonging to officials of Rima Radio, Sokoto in Rijiya.
Similarly, five vehicles were destroyed at the radio station while several others were smashed across the city.
The spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, Mr. A-Mustapha Sani, told NAN that an undisclosed number of arrests had been made.
The protest in Jos, Plateau State started at about noon when some youths burnt tyres at Bauchi road, as well as Masalanchi Juma’a and parts of Angwan Rogo.
The sight of smoke rising in the sky sent people scampering in different directions for safety.
Our correspondent in the state gathered that the fracas was sparked off by rival gangs of Hausa youths who accused one another of betrayal over the presidential election.
Police Public Relations Officer, Apev Jacob, and Media Officer of the Special Task Force, Capt. Charles Ekeocha, however said that there was no cause for alarm as the situation has been contained.
Following the violence, ex-Niger Delta militants announced on Monday that they were going to hold an emergency meeting at Gbekebor community, Delta State on Monday.
In a terse unsigned statement titled “Attention: Emergency security meeting” e-mailed to one of our correspondents, they explained that the meeting was to review the incidents.
The statement reads, “All Niger Delta ex-combatants have been summoned to an emergency security meeting at Gbekebor 15 hours GMT today (Monday), to review the post-election violence taking place in the Northern parts of the country.”
It was gathered that the meeting was convened by Chief Government Ekpemakpolo (aka Tompolo) and some prominent Niger Delta activists.
CPC petitions INEC, demands cancellation of results
The Congress for Political Change has sent a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission, demanding the cancellation of the presidential election results from the South-South and South-East.
The party’s petition, which was addressed to the commission’s chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega and dated April 18, 2011, was signed by National Secretary of the CPC, Mr. Buba Galadima.
In the petition, the CPC claimed that elections in these two zones were not done in substantial compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
It alleged that the results from the zones were “substantially affected by massive irregularities.”
The party said its agents at most of the polling booths informed its leadership that members of the public were intimidated and driven away from the polling units, while ballot papers were not deposited in the ballot box in open view of the public.
The petition read, “The ballot boxes were on account of the above, thumb printed with multiple votes in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party at the election with one compromised voter thumb printing multiply for the presidential candidate of the PDP at the expense of other candidates of the opposition parties.
“Votes were recorded for the voters that were not personally in attendance at the polling unit and in most cases at the polling units other than the ones to which the voters were allotted with the effect that the ballot boxes were stuffed with finger impression of voters whose biometric data does not relate to the polling unit in respect of which the ballot were cast.
“There were clear absence of accreditation of voters in most of the polling units and the regulated procedure for the conduct of the election was as a result violently breached to the advantage of the PDP at whose instance the ballot were massively thumb printed in clear disregard of the number of registered voters and voters register on which account there was eventually no commensurate correlation between registered voters, accredited voters and eventual record of the cleared result.”
The party also claimed that it suspected that the excel programme installed in the computers of INEC across the country was deliberately designed to short-change the party.
This, it said, could be attested to by the “unfolding situation of Katsina and Kano States where the manual calculation of the results revealed that our party was shot changed by hundreds of thousands of valid votes when the results were manually reviewed.”
It therefore called on the commission to order the Resident Electoral Commissioners in these zones to produce the statement of result, ballot papers, and voter register from their states for analysis.
It also called on the commission to investigate the allegation of excel application programme installation in the field computers of the commission, which it said was deliberately done in favour of the PDP.
The CPC therefore called for the cancellation of the results from the zones, if the allegations levelled against the PDP and the commission in the two zones were found to be correct.
Speaking with journalists when he came to the collation centre, Galadima said his party won the election.
Galadima, who was barred from entering the premises said “most of the candidates the results were written at home and announced and we are not accepting that.”
Asked where they were written, he said “It was written where they wrote them. You know where the results were written. South East and South -South where there was no elections. I can tell you the details.
“Also, we are disagreeing with the results of Sokoto, Adamawa, Plateau, Nassarawa, Benue, FCT Jigawa, among others. We are disagreeing. All results must be subjected to Forensic analysis before it is announced. “
JAMES Onanefe Ibori, the immediate past Governor of Delta State, has constantly worked against odds in his seeming enviable life, but recent fights to stay a free man recently failed when a London polices spokesperson confirmed at the weekend that the Niger Delta chieftain is being held at a London Heathrow detention facility after he was successfully extradited from the UAE to London last week Thursday.
Ibori, who was out of prison custody on bail was rearrested on Thursday night, processed and extradited to London in the company of London Metropolitan Police operatives.
Fresh travails
The former Delta State Governor is accused of money laundering and misappropriation of funds belonging to the government of Delta State while he was governor between 1999 and 2007, with 25 offences relating to money laundering and fraud. A London court had previously convicted Chief Ibori's accomplices in the crime.
The former governor of oil-rich Delta state was extradited from Dubai to the United Kingdom (UK) to face the charges after a lengthy legal battle.
He was arrested in Dubai last May and lost an appeal against his extradition. He denies allegations of corruption.
Ibori, a senior figure in the governing People's Democratic Party (PDP), played a key role in the 2007 presidential election victory of Umaru Yar'Adua, who died last year.
Ibori who enjoyed immunity from prosecution while in power, have been facing corruption charges since leaving office after the last election in 2007.
If all had worked according to plan, James Ibori, former governor of oil-rich Delta State, would have become one of the most powerful and influential men in Nigeria today. Having generously oiled the wheels of the presidential campaign machinery of Umaru Yar'Adua, Ibori saw himself as a kingmaker who should call some shots in the new government. The former governor, it was gathered, demanded to be made minister in the lucrative petroleum resources ministry. He is also believed, at one point, to have considered being minister of the strategic federal capital territory ministry. But apart from the need to be paid back for his substantial investment in the President's campaign, Ibori's desire to be a powerful member of the new administration was also for the simple but strategic reason of self-preservation.
Wanted man
The handsome and fabulously wealthy ex-governor knew that he had been under investigation for corruption by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). For more than two years, the anti-corruption agency had investigated Ibori for allegedly looting Delta State treasury.
At the time when the EFCC began the clampdown on former governors, Ibori found it convenient to flee to the US. Ordinarily, Britain, where he has investments, houses, luxury cars and fat bank accounts, would have been the natural place to go. But he would most likely have been arrested in that country as the London Metropolitan Police has a strong case of money laundering against him. However, even America, his initial place of succour, has become too hot for him to stay. He had to quickly take off from the US and return to Nigeria a few weeks ago after he got wind of the fact that authorities in Florida had also commenced investigations on him in a money laundering case.
As Ibori made his way back home, he was believed to have instructed Theresa, his wife, and former first lady of Delta State, to also return home from Britain where she was staying. However, Theresa was arrested October 1, 2007 as she was waiting to board a plane to Nigeria. Her arrest was in connection with the Metropolitan Police's money laundering investigations against Ibori. Already, three persons related to and used by Ibori in laundering money have been arrested in London. These are Adebimpe Pogoson, the exgovernor's personal assistant, Christine IboriIbie, his sister, and Udoamaka Okoronkwo, a female associate believed to have had a son for him. Theresa, a British citizen, was arrested by men of the Proceeds of Corruption Unit of the Metropolitan Police.
The investigations into alleged corruption and money laundering against Ibori have been long drawn, involving security authorities in Nigeria, South Africa and Britain.
Law takes due course
The money laundering case against Ibori in London is provided in a witness' statement supporting an application for a restraining order on Ibori's investments and assets in Britain and other countries. Written by Paul Gardiner, a financial investigator employed by the Metropolitan Police to unravel the web of the exgovernor's money laundering schemes, the statement, which was actually presented to the Southwark Crown Court in order to obtain a restraining order on Ibori's assets, reveals not only persons and companies used by Ibori to launder monies amounting to over N35 billion, but also the circuitous route that the funds were made to pass through to disguise their sources.
Specifically, Ibori, who is being investigated for committing offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act under British law, allegedly criminally stole billions of naira when he was in government and laundered some of same in Britain “thereby committing offences under section 327 and 328 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002”.
Operating like an international crook versed in the art of money laundering, and using the likes of Pogoson, Okoronkwo, Ibori-Ibie and a host of other associates as well as offshore companies and fronts, the former governor allegedly stole funds through the award of often bogus or often inflated contracts, paid monies into the accounts of these people who then transferred the funds into designated accounts abroad. Following a circuitous route, a lot of the monies were then routed to accounts and companies owned or controlled by Ibori. To disguise the sources of the funds, Ibori, through a firm of attorneys in London, also created shell companies in Gibraltar, British Virgin Islands, Switzerland, Mauritius, Panama and other remote parts of the world, to which monies were paid so that they could be legitimised through purchase of properties and other assets. These companies include Haleway Properties Limited, registered in Gibraltar, Teleton Quays Limited (in British Virgin Islands), Erin Aviation Limited (Mauritius), Stanhope Investment Limited (Polynesia), Julex Foundation (Panama) and Parabola International Corp. (Mauritius).
Documents at the Southwark Crown Court, London, showed that Ibori devised a simple method to launder the money he allegedly stole from Delta State coffers.
The investigations actually derived from investigations in Nigeria on Ibori spanning over two years by the EFCC. Although the EFCC had kept its investigations close to its chest, it was forced to come out with its findings after the Delta State government took the commission to court to restrain it, among other things, from arresting or prosecuting Ibori. In an affidavit deposed by Yahaya Bello, the head of the team that investigated the Ibori case, the EFCC finally opened a can of worms on the exgovernor's looting ways. Many of the EFCC findings better explain some of the missing links in the British authorities' investigations. The EFCC investigations uncovered several questionable payments to companies, associates and aides of Ibori, running into billions of naira. For example, it was discovered that there were monthly lodgments of Delta State cheques of between five and seven million naira into the accounts of Onovin Nigeria Limited. Vincent Uduaghan, owner of the company, told investigators that the payments which totalled N350 million in five years were for the supply of fuel from Total Nigeria Limited in Benin, Edo State. But Total, which did have a fuel supply contract, denied having any dealings with Onovin Nigeria Limited.
The EFCC investigations also showed how Ibori bought into several companies in Nigeria, including recently privatised state ones using proxies to disguise the source of funds.
Fight of his life
Michael Aondoakaa, a former attorney-general and minister of justice. Aondoakaa's attitude towards the fight against corruption is, perhaps, better understood against the background of his having crossed the path of the commission in the past. As one of the counsel to the Benue State government in its action against the EFCC, the state government was asking the court to declare the commission an illegal body and that it had no right to investigate corruption cases against any official of the state. That case was recently decided in favour of the EFCC. Ibori's first strategy was to buy time from prosecution by orchestrating the removal of Ribadu.
As soon as Yar A'dua came into office, Ibori and others recruited by him put pressure on the President to remove the EFCC boss. Their story was that Ribadu had thoroughly messed up and lost respect among Nigerians for allowing former President Olusegun Obasanjo to use him for political battles. If he is to be taken seriously about fighting corruption, then Ribadu would have to go, the President was told.
Ibori and others who were afraid of Ribadu reportedly banded with Aondoakaa whom they knew had a grouse against the EFCC and its helmsman. To incapacitate the commission, a plot was hatched to remove its prosecutorial powers. Aondoakaa briefed Yar'Adua and soon presented a formal letter requesting to direct all prosecutions by the EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB.
If convicted, Ibori will be joining his wife Theresa Nkoyo Ibori, who was recently convicted by the Southwark Crown Court, London to a term of five years.
Ibori, who was out of prison custody on bail was rearrested on Thursday night, processed and extradited to London in the company of London Metropolitan Police operatives.
Fresh travails
The former Delta State Governor is accused of money laundering and misappropriation of funds belonging to the government of Delta State while he was governor between 1999 and 2007, with 25 offences relating to money laundering and fraud. A London court had previously convicted Chief Ibori's accomplices in the crime.
The former governor of oil-rich Delta state was extradited from Dubai to the United Kingdom (UK) to face the charges after a lengthy legal battle.
He was arrested in Dubai last May and lost an appeal against his extradition. He denies allegations of corruption.
Ibori, a senior figure in the governing People's Democratic Party (PDP), played a key role in the 2007 presidential election victory of Umaru Yar'Adua, who died last year.
Ibori who enjoyed immunity from prosecution while in power, have been facing corruption charges since leaving office after the last election in 2007.
If all had worked according to plan, James Ibori, former governor of oil-rich Delta State, would have become one of the most powerful and influential men in Nigeria today. Having generously oiled the wheels of the presidential campaign machinery of Umaru Yar'Adua, Ibori saw himself as a kingmaker who should call some shots in the new government. The former governor, it was gathered, demanded to be made minister in the lucrative petroleum resources ministry. He is also believed, at one point, to have considered being minister of the strategic federal capital territory ministry. But apart from the need to be paid back for his substantial investment in the President's campaign, Ibori's desire to be a powerful member of the new administration was also for the simple but strategic reason of self-preservation.
Wanted man
The handsome and fabulously wealthy ex-governor knew that he had been under investigation for corruption by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). For more than two years, the anti-corruption agency had investigated Ibori for allegedly looting Delta State treasury.
At the time when the EFCC began the clampdown on former governors, Ibori found it convenient to flee to the US. Ordinarily, Britain, where he has investments, houses, luxury cars and fat bank accounts, would have been the natural place to go. But he would most likely have been arrested in that country as the London Metropolitan Police has a strong case of money laundering against him. However, even America, his initial place of succour, has become too hot for him to stay. He had to quickly take off from the US and return to Nigeria a few weeks ago after he got wind of the fact that authorities in Florida had also commenced investigations on him in a money laundering case.
As Ibori made his way back home, he was believed to have instructed Theresa, his wife, and former first lady of Delta State, to also return home from Britain where she was staying. However, Theresa was arrested October 1, 2007 as she was waiting to board a plane to Nigeria. Her arrest was in connection with the Metropolitan Police's money laundering investigations against Ibori. Already, three persons related to and used by Ibori in laundering money have been arrested in London. These are Adebimpe Pogoson, the exgovernor's personal assistant, Christine IboriIbie, his sister, and Udoamaka Okoronkwo, a female associate believed to have had a son for him. Theresa, a British citizen, was arrested by men of the Proceeds of Corruption Unit of the Metropolitan Police.
The investigations into alleged corruption and money laundering against Ibori have been long drawn, involving security authorities in Nigeria, South Africa and Britain.
Law takes due course
The money laundering case against Ibori in London is provided in a witness' statement supporting an application for a restraining order on Ibori's investments and assets in Britain and other countries. Written by Paul Gardiner, a financial investigator employed by the Metropolitan Police to unravel the web of the exgovernor's money laundering schemes, the statement, which was actually presented to the Southwark Crown Court in order to obtain a restraining order on Ibori's assets, reveals not only persons and companies used by Ibori to launder monies amounting to over N35 billion, but also the circuitous route that the funds were made to pass through to disguise their sources.
Specifically, Ibori, who is being investigated for committing offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act under British law, allegedly criminally stole billions of naira when he was in government and laundered some of same in Britain “thereby committing offences under section 327 and 328 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002”.
Operating like an international crook versed in the art of money laundering, and using the likes of Pogoson, Okoronkwo, Ibori-Ibie and a host of other associates as well as offshore companies and fronts, the former governor allegedly stole funds through the award of often bogus or often inflated contracts, paid monies into the accounts of these people who then transferred the funds into designated accounts abroad. Following a circuitous route, a lot of the monies were then routed to accounts and companies owned or controlled by Ibori. To disguise the sources of the funds, Ibori, through a firm of attorneys in London, also created shell companies in Gibraltar, British Virgin Islands, Switzerland, Mauritius, Panama and other remote parts of the world, to which monies were paid so that they could be legitimised through purchase of properties and other assets. These companies include Haleway Properties Limited, registered in Gibraltar, Teleton Quays Limited (in British Virgin Islands), Erin Aviation Limited (Mauritius), Stanhope Investment Limited (Polynesia), Julex Foundation (Panama) and Parabola International Corp. (Mauritius).
Documents at the Southwark Crown Court, London, showed that Ibori devised a simple method to launder the money he allegedly stole from Delta State coffers.
The investigations actually derived from investigations in Nigeria on Ibori spanning over two years by the EFCC. Although the EFCC had kept its investigations close to its chest, it was forced to come out with its findings after the Delta State government took the commission to court to restrain it, among other things, from arresting or prosecuting Ibori. In an affidavit deposed by Yahaya Bello, the head of the team that investigated the Ibori case, the EFCC finally opened a can of worms on the exgovernor's looting ways. Many of the EFCC findings better explain some of the missing links in the British authorities' investigations. The EFCC investigations uncovered several questionable payments to companies, associates and aides of Ibori, running into billions of naira. For example, it was discovered that there were monthly lodgments of Delta State cheques of between five and seven million naira into the accounts of Onovin Nigeria Limited. Vincent Uduaghan, owner of the company, told investigators that the payments which totalled N350 million in five years were for the supply of fuel from Total Nigeria Limited in Benin, Edo State. But Total, which did have a fuel supply contract, denied having any dealings with Onovin Nigeria Limited.
The EFCC investigations also showed how Ibori bought into several companies in Nigeria, including recently privatised state ones using proxies to disguise the source of funds.
Fight of his life
Michael Aondoakaa, a former attorney-general and minister of justice. Aondoakaa's attitude towards the fight against corruption is, perhaps, better understood against the background of his having crossed the path of the commission in the past. As one of the counsel to the Benue State government in its action against the EFCC, the state government was asking the court to declare the commission an illegal body and that it had no right to investigate corruption cases against any official of the state. That case was recently decided in favour of the EFCC. Ibori's first strategy was to buy time from prosecution by orchestrating the removal of Ribadu.
As soon as Yar A'dua came into office, Ibori and others recruited by him put pressure on the President to remove the EFCC boss. Their story was that Ribadu had thoroughly messed up and lost respect among Nigerians for allowing former President Olusegun Obasanjo to use him for political battles. If he is to be taken seriously about fighting corruption, then Ribadu would have to go, the President was told.
Ibori and others who were afraid of Ribadu reportedly banded with Aondoakaa whom they knew had a grouse against the EFCC and its helmsman. To incapacitate the commission, a plot was hatched to remove its prosecutorial powers. Aondoakaa briefed Yar'Adua and soon presented a formal letter requesting to direct all prosecutions by the EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB.
If convicted, Ibori will be joining his wife Theresa Nkoyo Ibori, who was recently convicted by the Southwark Crown Court, London to a term of five years.
SNG disowns Bakare for joining politics.
The Presidential ambition of the Vice-Presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Pastor Tunde Bakare, suffered a setback yesterday when the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), a pro-democracy organisation he co-founded, distanced itself from his presidential bid.
Acting National Coordinator of the group, Benedict Ezeagu, told reporters in Abuja that Pastor Bakare did not inform the pressure group about his foray into politics even when confronted several times after his moves as the leader of the group became suspicious.
The Publicity Director of the Buhari/Bakare Campaign Organisation, Yinka Odumakin, could not be reached for comment. But the National Publicity Secretary of the CPC, Rotimi Fashakin, dismissed the claims of the group, saying he did not know them and that their support was not solicited.
It will be recalled that Pastor Bakare had come under criticismn for meeting with politicians before he was finally chosen as Buhar’s running mate.
Briefing newsmen after a meeting of the group on the on-going general election yesterday, the acting National Coordinator of the SNG, Benedict Ezeagu, said the body had no support for Pastor Bakare’s ambition because it was not in the picture when he was making the moves, despite persistent enquiry on some of his actions before he picked up the presidential slot.
He said the smooth conduct of the National Assembly election in spite of some noticeable lapses was commendable, adding that Professor Attahiru Jega deserved applause because the conduct of the elections has offered a ray of hope that Nigerians can conduct credible, free and fair elections, which for some time have been elusive.
"The meeting therefore congratulates Nigerian electorate for coming out en masse to exercise their franchise and for conducting themselves peacefully and orderly", Ezeagu said.
Prosecutors file more charges against Okah.
The South African government on Monday said it would file additional charges against Henry Okah for his role in the October 1, 2010 Independence Day explosions which rocked Abuja.
Okah is being charged with delivery, placement and detonation of explosives in relation to the Abuja blasts which occured during the 50th independence day celebrations.
He is also facing an alternative count of conspiracy.
At the resumption of the case on Monday at the Johannesburg Regional Court, State Prosecutor, Mr. Shaun Abrahams, told the court that the state was adding charges of terrorism, terror financing and possible money laundering and would serve Okah by June 21.
He said the state planned to also charge Okah with the March 15, 2010 explosions in Warri, Delta State in which one person died.
Abrahams asked the court to grant an adjournment to allow for further investigation to enable the state serve the charges on Okah.
Okah’s lawyer, Rudi Krause, did not object to the request.
Magistrate Hein Louw granted the request and ordered that the suspect be remanded in prison custody.
Meanwhile, security was tightened around Johannesburg Regional Court on Monday as the trial of the militant leader resumed.
The Southern Africa correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria reports that gun totting men of a Special Task Force, donning military camouflage, manned the entrance of the courtroom during the session.
Gun-totting officers also came into the court as Okah arrived and inspected the holding cell within the court before taking positions at the entrance.
Others, who were not wearing camouflage, were seen in the court during trial, which lasted for just 15 minutes before the case was adjournment.
Okah, who donned a black T-shirt, exchanged banters with his counsel, and prosecution counsel, before the case started.
First Bank, Oceanic merger talks stalled.
The merger and acquisition talks between First Bank of Nigeria Plc and Oceanic Bank International Plc have reached a deadlock.
The management of the two banks had been talking secretly on a merger and acquisition deal.
Both banks, however, said on Monday, that they had discontinued the discussions because of their inability to reach an agreement.
Oceanic Bank, in a statement, said that it discontinued talks with First Bank due to an unacceptable offer by the bank.
However, First Bank said it stopped the acquisition talks in order to protect the interest of its shareholders.
A statement by Oceanic Bank said, “In a bid to put its recapitalisation plans into proper perspective, the board and management of Oceanic Bank wishes to inform all stakeholders that it has been in discussions with First Bank regarding a possible merger and acquisition and have reached a mutual agreement to discontinue further discussions, owing to the inability of both parties to agree on a commercial consideration. This is due to the offer as presented by First Bank, not being acceptable to the board of Oceanic Bank.”
It added, “Oceanic Bank has several other alternatives with regards to ongoing recapitalisation plans, all of which will be explored accordingly. The bank wishes to assure all stakeholders that it remains committed to recapitalisation efforts and will unfold a strategic road map in the next couple of weeks detailing such.”
The Managing Director, First Bank, Mr. Bisi Onasanya, however, said that the bank had decided against purchasing Oceanic Bank .
Bloomberg quoted Onasanya as saying in an interview with CNBC Africa that, “First Bank plans to concentrate on organic growth. We had always been clear from the beginning that we would only do a deal that would bring value to our shareholders.”
EFCC freezes N6.4bn account linked to ex-minister.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has frozen an account of N6.4bn operated by a company linked to former Minister of Works, Dr. Hassan Lawal, over an alleged fraud.
The account operated in a new generation bank by Digital Tolls Limited was frozen on Monday April 18, on the instruction of the EFCC Chairman, Farida Waziri, following the discovery that about N10bn was paid into the company’s account by the former works minister for the construction of a bridge across River Benue, in Bagana, Benue State.
The contract was said to have been awarded to the company and the full contract sum paid when the company was yet to be registered as a legal entity.
The ex-minister and others linked to the scam are expected to be arraigned in court on charges of corruption, money laundering and criminal conspiracy
EFCC spokesman, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the arrest, but declined to give details.
The minister was a few weeks ago arrested and interrogated over the incident and was released on bail.
Panic as bomb scare, protests rock Abuja.
Abuja residents were thrown into a panic on Monday following a bomb scare at Wuse Market, one of the busiest markets in the Federal Capital Territory.
The market was shut down as traders and patrons scampered to safety while security agencies moved in to investigate the incident.
There were also protests at some satellite towns of the FCT including Zuba, Dede, Kubwa and Marraba by Hausa youths, said to be dissatisfied with the outcome of the presidential election which returned Presient Goodluck Jonathan.
The protesters set up bonfire, blocked roads and harassed passers-by as they chanted anti-government slogans and threatened to make the country ungovernable if the result of the presidential election was not changed to reflect their wishes.
The security scare, according to eyewitnesses, started when a woman, who drove a black car into the market saw two truck pushers running in panic. She reportedly alighted from her car and ran, thus transmitting her fears to other shoppers and traders who hurriedly locked their shops and ran out of the market.
Commercial banks around the market also shut down operations as their workers abandoned their duty posts in panic.
Frightened traders and shoppers stood outside the gate of the market, pointing and expressing fears about the loss they might incur should there be a bomb blast in the market.
A trader who identified himself simply as Chuks, said nobody was sure of the source of the information, adding that, everyone ran out of the market when they heard that a bomb had been planted in one of the shops.
The situation was brought under control by the police, State Security Service and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps that responded to distress calls from residents.
A search of the market by security operatives, however, failed to achieve much as no suspicious object was found.
The Area Commander in charge of Abuja metro, Sunday Odukoya, who led his men to the market, addressed the traders and asked them to return to their business as nothing suspicious was found.
He said, “The panic was caused by a female motorist who saw two truck pushers running; she abandoned her car and ran too and other people started running out of the market spreading fear that a bomb had been planted.
“The woman lost her phone in the process and she came to me to ask if I saw the phone. There was no bomb anywhere, everyone should go back to his shops and continue his business,” he assured the apprehensive traders.
The protests in the satellite towns also created a security scare as anxious residents exchanged telephone calls expressing fears about the safety of their loved ones in the troubled spots.
Following the protests, the police and the Defence Headquarters threatened to deal ruthlessly with anyone caught fomenting trouble, adding that they were aware of the current threat to security in some parts of the country.
In separate statements, the two security organs said they were collaborating with other security agencies to restore peace and order in the affected areas.
The police advised those dissatisfied with the outcome of the polls to go to court instead of taking laws into their hands and inciting lawlessness.
A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olusola Amore said the Inspector-General has vowed to bring to book every person or group of persons who are behind the current spate of violence across the country.
“The current security situation is neither ethnic nor religious rather the spate of violence are being engineered by persons who failed to accept the results of the last election as they are being released by the INEC.
“Leaders of these groups are advised to challenge the results of the elections in the law courts, if they are dissatisfied with the outcome of the election results, rather than taking laws in their hands.
“The security agencies are in the process of identifying and arresting the perpetrators behind this mindless mischief across the country and all persons are advised to be law abiding,” the statement said.
The DHQ at an emergency press briefing said it was its duty to assist the police to restore law and order in the face of any threat to national security, and it does not intend to shirk this responsibility.
According to the Director of Defence Information, Col. Yerima Mohammed, the Nigerian Armed Forces remained committed to the Federal Government and would not watch unpatriotic people take laws into their hands.
He said, “The defence headquarters has noted with grave concern the regrettable actions of some misguided individuals who felt dissatisfied with the outcome of the on-going electioneering process. These individuals have resorted to conscripting uninformed youths to cause public disturbance and unleash mayhem in some states.
“It is the responsibility of the Nigerian Armed Forces to assist the civil police to restore law and order in the face of any threat to our national security and we do not intend to shirk this responsibility. We hereby call on citizens, parents and guardians to advise their wards to obey the laws of the land and desist from any act of lawlessness.
Man arraigned for pouring acid on wife.
A suspect, Samson Igbinomewahin, 47, was on Monday arraigned at an Ebute Metta Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly pouring acid on his wife, Mrs. Susan Jeremiah, 31.
Jeremiah, a corporal in the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police in Ikoyi, Lagos, was brought to court with one side of her body disfigured by the acid attack.
Igbinomewahin was charged with attempted murder. The charge sheet read in part that Igbinomewahin “on the 9th of March, 2011, at block 8, room 31, Obalende Police Barrack, Lagos…did unlawfully attempt to kill Susan Jeremiah by pouring acid substance on her body and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 320 (1) of the Criminal Code Cap 17 Vol. II Laws of Lagos State 2003.”
The Magistrate, Mrs. Helen Omisore, had earlier asked Igbinomewahin if he wanted to be tried at either the magistrate or higher court before his plea was taken.
The suspect, who chose to be tried in the magistrate court, thereafter pleaded not guilty.
Igbinomewahin’s lawyer, Mr. Olatunde Kolawole, urged the court to grant him bail, saying the issue was “a domestic accident.” Besides, he told the court that the suspect had been in custody for more than a month.
At this point, Igbinomewahin interrupted the court proceeding by telling his lawyer that he had been detained for more than two months.
The magistrate shouted the suspect down and asked the court orderly to stand beside him in order to prevent further interruption.
But the victim’s lawyer, Mr. Lucky Oizimende , objected the bail application. He told the court that Jeremiah was still in intensive care, adding that, “what would stop him from going back to kill her?”
PUNCH METRO gathered that Igbinomewahin and his wife, whom he married in 2009, had been having running battles on his insistence that his wife should finance his proposed trip to Malaysia.
As part of the plan, our correspondent gathered that the suspect asked his wife to sell off her landed property and use the proceeds to facilitate his supposed trip.
Igbinomewahin was said to have promised his wife that she would join him when he settled down in Malaysia. PUNCH METRO, however, learnt that Jeremiah was skeptical about this arrangement.
Before the incident, our correspondent learnt that Jeremiah had already filed for divorce and the matter was still pending in another court.
As a result of the pending suit, the couple no longer live together. But the marriage is blessed with a child.
Police investigation revealed that on the fateful day, the suspect allegedly visited his estranged wife and brought a polythene bag into her apartment at police barracks, Obalende, and told his wife that it contained their baby’s food. It was learnt that when Jeremiah saw the content, she became suspicious and fled.
Igbinomewahin allegedly ran after her and poured the content in the polythene bag on her through the window.
The magistrate however adjourned ruling on the bail application till April 29, 2011, and ordered the suspect to be remanded in Ikoyi Prisons.
I hit him with hammer to save my life •Says man who killed room mate !
“I was struggling to free myself, my hand touched the hammer, I picked the hammer and hit his head with it twice so that he could relax his hold on my neck. He left me and fell on the mattress, shaking.”
A 27-year-old man, Abdulahi Musa, is currently cooling his heels in detention at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku, for allegedly killing his friend and room mate at Abujaleather Community in Itesiwaju Local Government, Oyo State. The suspect was alleged to have killed Atiku Mohammed on Thursday March 17, 2011 after which he stole the deceased’s motorcycle and escaped to Ibadan, where he was apprehended by policemen.
The deceased, Atiku Mohammed, who was a miner at Abujaleather, had reportedly prospered in his work as a miner, and this was noted by the suspect, Abdulahi, who knew the deceased’s father. Information gathered revealed that Abdulahi was first given one of the motorcycles owned by Atiku and kept in his father’s house at Akinyele area in Ibadan, to use for commercial purpose.
He was said to have noted that Atiku always looked comfortable whenever he came home from Abujaleather, so, he appealed to Atiku’s father to speak to his son on his behalf so that he could join him. The father agreed to his proposal and took him to Abujaleather to join Atiku, not knowing that he would eventually murder his son. He lived with Atiku in the same room until the incident occurred.
On the fateful day, Abdulahi allegedly hit Atiku with a hammer on the head while he was sleeping, took his motorcycle and the particulars, locked the entrance door of the hamlet they both stayed in and escaped to Ibadan. However, nemesis caught up with him before he could cover his deeds and he was apprehended by the police at Moniya Area of Ibadan.
However, while speaking with Daily Tribune, the suspect said he never had the intention of killing his friend but just tried to save his own life when his late friend gripped his neck tightly while they were quarrelling. Taking Daily Tribune down the memory lane of how his relationship with his deceased friend started and what led to their quarrel and the deceased’s eventual death, Abdulahi said: “I am 27 years old and hail from Yola in Adamawa State. I am a school certificate holder. I was into repair of generators, motorcycles and other machine engines. I was also into commercial motorcycling before I started work as a miner in a company at Abujaleather. I started work at the mine nine months ago. Anytime we were given holiday at the mine, I would return to my rented room at Akinyele area of Ibadan. My late friend, Atiku, also lived in the same area with me at Akinyele, but not the same house. He was from Sokoto State.
“I have been in Ibadan for four years and had been working as an engineer and okada rider. It was through this that I knew late Atiku’s father because anytime he closed from Kraal market in Akinyele, I was the one who used to take him home with my bike without collecting any money. He was the one who introduced mining work to me. He told me that I could make more money from being a miner rather than the little I was making from okada riding business. He told me his son was working as a miner at Abujaleather and that he would take me along when going to the place.
“The chairman of Kraal market is like a father to me because we are from the same place, so I went to him to inform him of Atiku’s father’s proposal and he gave his approval. The man took me there and introduce me to his son and told him that he should introduced me to the mining work and he agreed. I started living with him but he was reluctant in introducing me to the head of the pit he worked in. I was there jobless for some time before I saw some people from my state who asked me to join their own pit. I started work there.
“After some time, I had problems with Atiku and he packed my things out and asked me to leave his room. What happened was that we were usually allowed to pack sand from the pit we worked in and after washing the sand, we might be fortunate to find some precious stones that might fetch us little money. However, each time I was to pack my own sand, Atiku would ask me to leave it and help him to take his own up the pit to his house, and whatever he made from it, he would keep for himself. One of us that we call staff, a security man, had been watching him and he reprimanded Atiku, telling him that the way he was treating me was not good since he was the only one I knew there. The man asked me to go and get my own sand which I did, and after washing, I was able to make N7,000 from what I got.
“I came back in the evening of that day and as I approached Atiku’s room, I saw my belongings already packed outside. I asked him what happened and he replied that I should just leave his house since I refused to run errands for him. I told him I could not ignore staff’s order that I should enter the pit and pack my own sand since he was senior to all of us, but he would not listen. People waded in and pleaded with him but to no avail. That was how one of those working in his pit, Seidu, asked me to go and stay in his spare room at Ajet area of Abujaleather and this was where I stayed for five months. I became friendly with Atiku again during the time and there was no malice between us.
“As a technician, I had a shop where I was staying had usually did repairs for people after close of work at the mining company. Beside my shop was a Yoruba girl called Amina who also had a shop. That time, Atiku used to visit me and he developed an interest in the girl. He and Amina used to meet in my shop and later, my friend asked me to forget what happened in the past and come back to live with him. I agreed to go back to him to show him that my mind was clear towards him and moreso that his place was nearer where I worked than where I lived at Ajet. That was how I moved back into his house. After close of work, Atiku used to charge phone batteries for people for a fee with a small generator he had. I usually stayed with him after closing from my shop and he would ask me to go and pick Amina for him with his motorcycle. I would bring her in the evening and return her the following morning. This happened several times.
“On the day of this incident, I asked him whether I should go and pick Amina but he said no, that he would want to rest that day. I then pleaded with him to allow me use his machine to go and collect my money from my apprentice who stayed back in the shop for me at Ajet because I returned late from the pit that day. He refused, saying I used to speed too much and would spoil his machine. I replied him that he was not a good man because he did not use to complain about the machine whenever I went to pick Amina for him, but when it came to me using it for myself, he came up with such an excuse. I also reminded him that I was the one who used to repair the machine for him whenever it got spoilt without asking for any money.
“He warned me not to call him a bad person and that he would send me out of his house the next morning if I was not careful. This annoyed me and I replied that he dared not do that because he was the one who invited me back to his house after driving me out the first time. I told him I was doing fine where I was and would not allow him to ridicule me the second time. We were in his room while all this was going on. He threatened again that he would send me out the next morning. The argument became hot and he pushed me. I pushed back and we began to fight. Though I am older, he was stronger than me. He carried me, landed me on the ground and gagged my neck. I struggled to get his hands off my neck but I did not succeed. My eyes were turning in their sockets and I was very afraid I could die because I could not breathe well.
“Where I was on the ground was near the door and earlier, he had used my hammer to drive in a nail protruding from the door bolt. After he finished, he dropped the hammer by the door. So, as I was struggling to free myself, my hand touched the hammer, I picked the hammer and hit his head with it twice so that he could relax his hold on my neck. He left me and fell on the mattress, shaking. When I saw him like that, I became afraid again. I knew the people we were living with, that they could behave irrationally and kill me if anything should happen. It was already late in the night and I just took his okada and rode to Ibadan so that I could report myself to my father’s kinsman who is the chairman at Kraal Market in Ibadan. However, before I got to Ibadan, the people in Abujaleather had already informed them in Ibadan and as I entered Moniya area, I saw police and many people waiting.
“That was how the people started beating me. Many were saying that I was trying to steal his machine but that is not true. This was somebody who had N900,000 with him and slept in my house with it and I did not kill him. Out of him the money, he gave me N400,000 to buy two motorcycles for him, which I did. Even, I picked his friends who had over a million naira with them from the hotel where they transacted precious stone business and I did not do anything to them. Why would I kill because of his motorcycle which is not worth more than N50,000? I had two motorcycles myself but sold one and gave the other to my brother in Adamawa State. I didn’t intend to kill him but only wanted to free myself from his grip on my neck. I didn’t see him die before I left Abujaleather but was told he later died.” Abdulahi said he was planning to get married in April this year before the incident.
The case is currently being investigated by the Homicide Section of the SCID, headed by Martin Mbajunwa, a Superintendent of Police, to unravel the reason behind the murder.
The Police image maker in Oyo State, Olatunji Ajimuda, a Superintendent of Police, confirmed the story, saying that the suspect would be charged to court after completion of investigation by the police.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Nokia develops bicycle phone charger !
The Vice-President, Nokia, Mr. Alex Lambeek, has announced the introduction of an alternative charging solution that will be used on bicycles.
Lambeek, in a statement made available to our correspondent on Monday, said the solution provided free and environmentally friendly electricity for mobile phones.
The Nokia Bicycle Charger Kit, according to him, consists of a charger and dynamo, as well as a holder to secure the phone to the bike.
He said, ”When the kit is installed, the dynamo–a small electrical generator - uses the movement of the wheels to charge the handset through the standard 2mm charging jack used in most Nokia mobile phones.”
In the same vein, Nokia recently inaugurated a new care centre in Lagos, as part of the move to respond to its ever-growing customer base and consumer needs in Nigeria.
The new centre, according to the Head, Care, Nokia, West Africa, Mr. Silvin Sinan, will add strength to the already heavy presence that Nokia has on ground in Lagos, as well as other parts of Nigeria like Abuja and Port Harcourt, among others.
He said, ”We have always put the customer at the heart of our operations and this move further increases the access they have to quality Nokia customer care in the event that they have any issues with their devices or require assistance with any Nokia services.”
A key benefit our customers enjoy is the 12 month warranty that comes with all genuine Nokia devices and accessories purchased through authorized outlets. This guarantees your phone for the initial year after purchase and customers can receive support at all our Nokia care centres.”
The Customer Care Manager, Nokia West Africa, Mr. Kola Osinowo, who noted that the centre would be participating in the Nokia ”Take Back” scheme, said, ”The Take Back scheme is part of our larger commitment to contributing positively to the future. Just recently we took part in the 2nd Lagos Climate Change Summit with representatives from all levels of Government. We feel it is part of our responsibility not only to the Nigerian government but to the Nigerian people; it forms the core of any business that seeks to be sustainable.”
Kerosene pump price up by 100 per cent.
Scarcity of kerosene, otherwise known as Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) is yet to hit major cities of the country but investigation by the Nigerian Tribune revealed that the pump price of the household commodity has leaped by 100 per cent.
The pump price of kerosene had risen to N135/N140 per litre from the previous pump price of N70/N75 at many filling stations visited on Monday by the Nigerian Tribune. African Petroleum, MRS and Total filling stations in Ikorodu, Lagos State sold the commodity at N135 per litre while Oando station in Oregun sold at N140 per litre.
Several customers queued up to buy kerosene during Nigerian Tribune’s visit to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) mega station in Falomo, Lagos. Although, official retail pump price of N50 per litre was displayed at the pump machine but investigation by our correspondent revealed that it was actually selling for N75 per litre.
A dealer of kerosene in Mile 12, Mrs Ariike Adeyemi, said that she got her stock from the NNPC mega station in Falomo and sells 1.5 litre at N300. Mrs Adeyemi revealed that she sacrificed a lot to get stocks from the NNPC.
According to her, “my children sometimes spend most of their time at the filling stations queuing up to get kerosene in large quantities.”
The president of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Mr Babatunde Ogun, in a telephone chat with the Nigerian Tribune yesterday blamed the Federal Government for the hike in pump price of kerosene and opined that it may lead to scarcity in the near future.”
Indebtedness: Arik passengers experience flight delay.
Early morning passengers of Arik Air on Monday experienced a flight delay at the Lagos airport as workers of a ground handling firm, Skyway Aviation Handling Company, refused to provide services to the airline.
The News Agency of Nigeria learnt at the Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, that the failure of the airline to settle its alleged indebtedness to the company forced SAHCOL to suspend services to it.
Some workers of SAHCOL, who preferred anonymity because they were not authorised to speak on the matter, told NAN that they were instructed by the company’s management not to provide services to Arik Air until it paid the alleged debt.
NAN reports that the passengers, who experienced the delay, frowned on the development.
The Managing Director, SAHCOL, Mr. Isaac Orolugbagbe, confirmed to NAN that the company had a commercial disagreement with Arik Air.
“We need money to pay our workers. We also need to pay our bills. The passengers are paying, so we need to be paid,’’ Orolugbagbe told NAN on telephone.
The SAHCOL boss, however, said that he was discussing with the management of the airline with a view to resolving the issue.
Arik Air’s Media Officer, Mr. Ola Banji, however, said that the airline was not indebted to SAHCOL.
“What we have with SAHCOL is a problem of reconciliation of accounts, which is being sorted out,’’ Banji said.
He said that the situation did not affect the departure time of the airline’s aircraft.
POLITICS
Presidential election: Dispute over figures.
THE stage is set again for a possible legal battle over the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the declaration yesterday of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as the winner of last Saturday’s presidential election. Professor Attahiru Jega, National Chairman of the Commission who was the Returning Officer for the poll said the President who was the flag bearer for the Peoples Democratic Party polled about 22.5 million votes to General Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC’s) 12.2 million. The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN’s) candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu was credited with 2.79 million votes and All Nigeria Peoples Party’s Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, 917,012.
The declaration ought to have drawn the curtains on the election since it meant that it was conclusive and a winner had emerged. Jonathan met the constitutional condition spelt out in section 134 of the 1999 Constitution that requires a candidate to poll the highest votes and achieve a spread of at least 25 per cent in at least 24 states. But it was not so. Many of the parties’ agents declined to endorse the result.
The first party to decline endorsement of the returns even before it was formally declared was the CPC. The party raised posers about the results from states in the Southsouth and the Southeast. In Abia, one of the states where the CPC felt uncomfortable with the figures declared, about 1.2 million voters were said to have turned up to exercise their rights out of the 1.5 million registered. It was an 80 per cent turnout.
In Enugu State, about 1.3 million voters were registered, about 810,000 voted. By the result, 62 per cent voted. In Anambra State, about 1.2million of the 2 million registered turned up with 1.15million voting for the PDP. The percentage turnout was about 60 per cent.
In the Niger Delta, the highest figure of turnout was in Rivers State where about 1.9 million voters of the 2.4 million registered cast their ballots in the presidential poll. It represents 79 per cent of eligible voters. In Cross River, about 720,000 of the 1.15 million registered voters turned up for the election. It represents 63 per cent turnout.
The almost 1.25 million voters in Akwa Ibom who turned up at the polling units represent about 78 per cent of the 1.62 million registered voters in the state.
Conversely, in the North, the highest number of voters turned up in Kano with about 2.6 million of the 5 million voters. It was a paltry 52 per cent. About 66 per cent of the registered 3.9 million voters in Kaduna cast their ballots while the figure and percentage in Katsina are about 1.6 million of the 3.12 million registered representing a little more than 50 per cent.
Issues can be made about the national average and the distribution across states and regions, but local issues have always influenced voting in various parts of the country. The Electoral Act requires a petitioner to prove that votes were tampered with. The only ground upon which votes can be declared void, except in proven cases of malpractices is when more cast the ballots in a polling unit, ward, local government or state than the number on the roll.
Refusal of the parties’ agents to endorse the results of the 2011 presidential election has opened a new front that must be watched closely.
Presidential poll: Why we lost South-West to PDP - ACN
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) on Monday debunked speculations that it sold out to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Saturday’s Presidential election, a reason President Goodluck Jonathan won a resounding victory in Lagos and other South-West states during the election.
The party said it lost to President Jonathan in the last presidential poll because of a dummy sold by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) to the Nigerian electorate that the ACN presidential candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, had stepped down for General Muhammadu Buhari, a development it said made many voters to believe that ACN was no longer in the presidential race.
ACN said the CPC capitalised on the inclination towards an alliance by the two parties to sell the dummy, alleging that it was when the alliance talks were going on that the CPC rushed to the press to announce that Mallam Ribadu had stepped down for General Buhari, just to create an impression that the presidential battle had been limited to only Jonathan and Buhari.
The ACN was firmly in control of the South-West with the outcome of the National Assembly poll which was held penultimate Saturday, but the story changed dramatically last Saturday as the PDP won overwhelmingly, thus fuelling speculation that PDP’s victory was a play out of a pact between it and the ACN.
In a statement issued by ACN’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said it was absurd to link it with any pact with PDP, stressing, “it is simply unimaginable and highly incongruous that a progressive party like the ACN will work for the victory of the PDP, which has put Nigeria in reverse gear in the past 12 years.”
ACN alleges plot to kill Amosun.
The Action Congress of Nigeria in Ogun State has raised the alarm over alleged plot to assassinate its governorship candidate in the April 26 poll, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
According to ACN, security agents had uncovered plans by Amosun’s opponents to plant bombs in his private residences at both Abeokuta and Lagos.
In a press statement by the Ogun ACN Publicity Secretary, Mr. Sola Lawal, the party, while commending the security agents for taking prompt steps to nip the plan in the bud, the party called for stiffer security arrangement for Amosun as the governorship poll approached.
The party said it would not treat the alleged plot with levity as there were cases of unresolved murders in the state, including that of the ACN candidate in the 2007 governorship election, Otunba Dipo Dina.
It recalled the attacks on Amosun in the cause of his campaigns at Ilaro and Igbesa, as well as the killing of one of his supporters, Tajudeen Bello, in Abeokuta during the National Assembly poll.
The ACN said it would not sit back and watch the life of its candidate threatened.
“While we have all along been conducting our activities and campaigns peacefully and in accordance with the rule of the game, our opponents have since been engaging in unhealthy plots and they have been getting away with it”, the party said.
It noted that its opponents, particularly the People’s Democratic Party and the People’s Party of Nigeria, would not relent in their desperate ambitions to win the election. The ACN said the internal wrangling within the PDP and the animosity between the PDP on one hand and the PPN on the other hand already claimed the life of the Onijoun of Ijoun in Yewa North Local Government area who was murdered in his palace last Friday.
CRIME FILE
Man kills brother over video compact disc
A man, Sunday Alonge, is now in police custody for allegedly killing his elder brother, Philip Alonge, over a dispute bothering on ownership of a video compact disc (VCD).
The incident, which occurred last week at the family residence in Idatto Quarters, Uokha, in Owan East Local Government of Edo State, has thrown the entire community into confusion. When NEXT visited the village at the weekend, the residence of the deceased was under lock and key as it has been deserted by all members of the family for fear of being arrested by the police.
The wife of the deceased, Endurance Alonge, said trouble started when her husband, Philip, a bricklayer, returned from work some days ago and discovered that some VCDs were missing from his collection. She said the items were eventually traced to Sunday, her husband’s younger brother.
Speaking to NEXT at her father’s residence, Mrs Alonge said: “Attempts by my husband to recover the video CDs resulted to physical combat between him and his younger brother. This further degenerated into animosity and acrimony between the two brothers, with the younger one threatening several times to eliminate my husband at all cost. My husband never attached any seriousness to the death threat by his younger brother. But now, he has made good his threat.”
Barbaric act
One of the uncles of the victim, Jacob Alonge decried the barbaric manner in which the suspect allegedly killed his elder brother in cold blood over a very trivial matter. He called on the police authority to ensure that the suspect is made to face the full wrath of the law.
The mother of the deceased, Grace Alonge also told NEXT that the two brothers had been living “like cat and rat” before now. According to her, the younger brother inflicted several machete cuts on his sibling. She said effort by doctors at Nwani Medical Centre to save his life were unsuccessful. The visibly shaken woman, in her early 80s, has now relocated from her husband’s house to her parents’ residence in Ovbiomu-Emai, a neighbouring village.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Afuze Police station, Bolanle Murtala confirmed the incident.
Mr Murtala said the suspect has already been arrested and is now assisting the police with their investigation.
“The suspect will be charged to court as soon as investigations into the alleged murder case are completed,” he said.
Reporter escapes death in Kano
A correspondent of Vanguard newspapers in Kano State, Abdulsalam Muhammad, and his family escaped death by their whiskers when they ran into hundreds of rioters along eastern by pass in Kano yesterday.
Mr. Muhammad was travelling on the highway with his entire family to his residence in Naibawa quarters of the municipality when they ran into hundreds of hoodlums.
The hoodlums who were mainly teenagers were being supervised by a man in his early 40s, and without provocation descended on them and in the ensuing melee, his wife Safiya Lawal was attacked with weapons.
Others who sustained injury in the attack include Umi Zabaida Muhammad( 6) and his younger brother Muhammad Naziru Muhammad (3) sustained various degree of injury.
His personal car was vandalised while trying to escape the furry of the rioters.
Several other motorists travelling on the highways suffered the same fate as no fewer than 8 burnt vehicles littered the entire stretch of the strategic highways.
Fake Swedish Embassy employee appears in court.
A 38-year-old man, Adeoye Moses, was on Monday arraigned before an Ebutte Metta Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly obtaining N320,000 from Dan Solomon with a promise to procure Sweden visa for him.
Adeoye, who resides in Alapere area of Ketu, was said to have presented himself to the victim as an employee of the Swedish Embassy and allegedly collected the money on December 31, 2010 in Alapere area of Ketu.
PUNCH METRO gathered that Adeoye, who runs a printing press outfit in Ilupeju area of Lagos, issued a forged Swedish visa with number S01205547<6NGA7502101M1105134M300214 to Solomon.
It was learnt that policemen found about 13 forged visas and other travel documents when his residence was searched.
The accused person was charged with a two-count charge of false representation and forgery both punishable under sections 419 and 465 of the Criminal Code Cap C 17 Volume II Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria.
Adeoye pleaded not guilty to the charges.The Magistrate, Mrs. J.Ugbomoiko, granted the accused N50,000 bail with two sureties who should produce their two years tax clearance.
The case was further adjourned till May 11.
Meanwhile, a 37- year- old man, who allegedly escaped from police custody after arrest for fraud, on Monday appeared before a Yaba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on a five-count charge, the News Agency of Nigeria reported.
The accused, Odukoya Abayomi, is standing trial before Magistrate Salamah Matepo for conspiracy, forgery, fraud and escape from lawful custody, but he pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Benson Emuerhi, submitted that Abayomi escaped from the Alakara Police Station on January 12 after he was arrested for fraud and forgery.
Emuerhi said that the accused committed the alleged fraud and forgery between December 22, 2009 and January 6, 2010 at 2, Thanni Olodo Street, Jibowu, Lagos.
He said that Abayomi forged the signature of the Managing Director of the Courier Masters Company to withdraw N260, 000 from the company’s bank accounts.
Emuerhi told the court that the accused conspired with a man identified simply as Kazeem, now at large, to also forge the company’s identity card.
He added that the accused unlawfully signed the company’s cheques to withdraw the sum from different banks.
The prosecutor noted that the alleged offences contravened sections 135 (a), 438 (a), 467, 471 and 473 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State.
The court granted him bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum, and adjourned the case till May 9 for further hearing.
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