The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has said the terrible ordeal to which its gubernatorial candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, is currently being subjected to by the state government, in collusion with the police, raises a lot of questions about President Goodluck Jonathan’s much-stated commitment to ensuring free and fair elections.
In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said after Akpanudoedehe’s tormentors failed in their bid to have him put away by a court in Abuja, they hustled him to Uyo where they were now using a law – passed long after the offence (arson and murder) for which he was being tried was committed – to put him away till after the governorship election they fear he was sure to win.
“Even his life is at risk, as his tormentors fear that his popularity and acceptability in the state is such that locking him up may not be enough to prevent him from winning the election. This is why his party and his family and supporters have been greatly concerned about his well-being,” it said. ACN added: “Our candidate’s alleged offence was committed on March 22 and he is now being tried in a Magistrate Court in Akwa Ibom under a law that only came into being on March 31.
The law allows anyone charged with arson or murder to be detained for 14 days initially, renewable by another 14 days. There is no better evidence that the law was made specifically to put Senator Akpanudoedehe away till well after the elections.”
ACN said another sign of extraordinary desperation on the part of the Akwa Ibom governor and his cohorts was the fact that since the Magistrate Court could not try anyone for any offence attracting more than two years in prison, the law was quickly changed so the court could try Akpanudoedehe, who faces seven years in jail for arson and life for murder.
“It is not a secret that Governor Goodswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom is a die-hard loyalist of President Jonathan, just as it is not a secret that the governor has engaged in sheer distortion of facts in the Akwa Ibom violence case, just to convince his bosses in Abuja that Senator Akpanudoedehe must be put away for PDP to have headway in the state.
“Therefore, President Jonathan cannot pretend not to be aware of the situation in Akwa Ibom, regarding the governor’s resort to lawlessness and the glaring desperation to crush any real or perceived opposition in the state. It is therefore incumbent on the president to call the governor to order.
…As ACN accuses PDP of circulating fake ballot papers, ballot-snatching
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Benue State has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of snatching ballot boxes in addition to withholding original copies of ballot papers and circulating fake ones during the botched National Assembly elections last Saturday.
Speaking during a news conference in Makurdi, ACN Chairman for Benue North- east Senatorial District, Vincent Uji specifically mentioned the Special Adviser to Governor Suswam on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Solomon Wombo as being in possession of some elections materials.
“In Tiir and Iwar Wards in Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas, Mr. Solomon Wombo who is Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs appointed two of his brothers as Returning Officers who withheld the original ballot papers but took fake ones to the venue of the election.”
Uji who also alleged that the PDP was hobnobbing with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to commit electoral irregularities told newsmen that in almost all the polling units in the zone, ballot papers were not supplied especially in Kwande and Ukum Local Government Areas where fake ballot papers were supplied.
He alleged that some members of the PDP in the area recruited militia from Gembu in Taraba State to assassinate some ACN members, including one Mr. Azua Ashongo from Kwande Local Government. and called on the Police to quickly wade into the matter. Wombo, in a swift reaction described the allegation as a cheap blackmail meant to dent his reputation stressing that he could not have been able to produce fake ballot papers because nobody had any prior knowledge of the kind of ballot papers that would be used since they were not printed in the country.
Wombo who threatened to take the matter to court maintained that he never went close to where they were distributing elections materials on the said day and wondered what interest he had in the elections as he was not contesting any office.
The Adviser who posited that the CAN had no root in the zone stated that the PDP did not need to snatch ballot boxes to win elections in the area as the governor had performed excellently well in the area of physical infrastructure, such as roads, water and rural electrification which according to him has now endeared the PDP to the people.
Shekarau raises fears over safety of ballot papers
Shekarau |
Ahead of the rescheduled National Assembly elections, presidential candidate of the All Nigerian Peoples Party, (ANPP), Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau has raised fears about the security of the ballot papers to be used in the election.
Shekarau, who was speaking at a colloquium in Lagos yesterday, organised by the Congress of Political Leaders, CPL, said before the aborted National assembly election last Saturday, the ballot papers were in the strong room of the Central Bank and other banks for safe keeping. He noted that following the cancellation of the poll, the voting materials are now in the custody of the polling clerks.
Shekarau said because of the poverty in the country, nobody could guarantee that these polling clerks would not sell out to desperate politicians who may want to lay their hands on the ballot papers. He said because voting had started in some places before the cancellation, it became difficult to locate the number of ballot papers that were used during the botched National Assembly polls.
“Before now, the ballot papers were in the vaults of the CBN and other banks. But you released it to people, with the hope that it would be used throughout the day, but now that you stopped it, they are in the hands of the same people who are sleeping with them under their pillows, and you still insist that they are safe. How do you know for sure they would not be manipulated”.
Speaking on the state of the nation, the Kano State governor noted that at independence in 1960, Nigeria was the 20th largest economy in the world. However, he said it is regrettable that 50 years after, Nigeria is now among the least developed economies in the world despite the abundant human and material resources in the country.
He said the country is poor today because of bad governance. The ANPP candidate said the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has failed to give the nation good governance. According to him, in the 12 years of the PDP administration, none of the many problems plaguing the country has been addressed.
The ANPP presidential candidate said overtime, we blame the military Shaky for the woes of the country, but in the “last twelve years we have been ruled by one party that claims to be the biggest in Africa, never mind the change of individuals, they are all the same, yet we have not seen any change.”
My deal with T. A. Orji –Emenike
...Says nothing’ll make him drop mandate
Ikechi Emenike Photo: Sun News Publishing |
Contrary to reports that he had abandoned his battle to wrest the Abia State governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Governor Theodore Orji, parallel party candidate, Chief Ikechi Emenike, says the battle has reached a point of no return and that he will fight to the last to reclaim the ticket. Rather than compromise and throw his weight behind Gov. Orji’s ambition as erroneously rumoured, Emenike said he has, in fact, re-inforced his legal team to pursue the matter to its legal and logical conclusion.
Emenike , who spoke to journalists in his country home, Umukabia, Ohuhu, in Umuahia North LGA, said that he has come this far with his supporters, and that the point they are now is a point of no return and that until he gets to the end, there is no U-turn. He spoke to dispel the erroneous information and rumours in the state that he had been bought over or settled by the sitting government and for that reason, has abandoned his cause to move the state forward.
“There is a point you get to at the express road and you won’t be able to make a U-turn again until you have gotten to the end , and that is the point that we are now, at a point of no-return, until we get to the end , there is no U-turn”, Emelike said. He explained that if any other party wins apart from PDP, it would not be of any benefit to him and his supporters except when PDP, under which umbrella he is contesting election. He said he has come under intense pressure from all angles to stop , “but that does not stop us from going ahead with our vision, wins.
“We ve come this far, I have fortified my legal team, expanded it instead of diminishing it. There is nothing that I will demand that will make me to compromise. If at this point I go back, I would have been misleading the people who have been following and believing in me for the past 10 years”. He said that the agreement which he had with the governor, who came to his house in the company of Bishop Onuoha, was done by the two of them as a co-operative agreement to deliver PDP in the state.
“And the governor knows that I am in court and that there are issues to be sorted out by the court. If PDP does not win , where do I stand? It doesn’t make sense and that is what I explain in most of the places I go to . An opposition without a solid voice is no opposition at all . Some of the things that take place in the South-East can never happen in any other part of the country. In life, we are taught that you must be able to act where you have higher comparative advantage. You can have a copy of the statement , there is nothing there that suggests that anybody has abandoned the vision each and every one of you can vouch for me , that I cannot at the last minute abandon what I am doing.
“For what ?! What is the basis, telling me that the child I come to care for is dead.? Nobody can look me in the face and tell me that. And am sure they know that. As a member of PDP, if PDP does not win , of what benefit is it to me? If you are a member of PDP, shouldn’t you wish your party to win? As a member of PDP, when even others are supporting Jonathan, should I go and support any other presidential candidate to win instead of Jonathan ? For the governorship, should I go and support any other party? Will you encourage me to go to any other party? In politics , you can’t rule out propaganda? I think, that is all that is there now for those peddling the rumours.”
Emenike later made the six-point agreement which he signed with the governor available to newsmen, the fourth of which stated thus: “Without prejudice to any case pending in court, we believe our victory is of utmost importance and will bring Abia into the main stream of Nigerian politics”. He also showed newsmen the condolence register for his father’s death, where the governor signed thus: T.A.Orji, Governor, Government House, Umuahia. “To pay the last respect to a great man, who contributed very well to the human and material development and who has left legacies to be copied. R.I.P ”.
He gave an instance with the Biblical Solomon who, on giving judgment, asked that the baby be divided into two parts: “ The woman who was not the biological mother of the baby agreed to the division, but the true mother told the king to allow the woman to go with the baby , stating that the baby would know whom the mother is if he lives.
“This is the perfect example of what we are talking about here .What we had is a co-operative agreement to deliver PDP in the state, because if any other party wins in Abia, then my legal struggle to retrieve my mandate would no longer be possible . That is the reason why I have asked all my supporters from the beginning to vote PDP whether I am there or not. If PDP wins, I would have grounds under which I would now fight for my mandate, but if it fails, it will no longer make meaning”, Emenike explained .
“You people have followed my campaign closely to realize that I don’t play politics of bitterness. Much as I insist on the right thing being done , that is what I am still insisting now, the issue of mending fences should not be the right word. We are all still maintaining our various positions because no negotiation has taken place, no discussion has taken place. What happened was that the governor came on a condolence visit . If you check that register now, you will see that he signed there because he came to pay condolence and he was led by my Bishop to this place and it will be out of place to lock my door against my Bishop.
Also, one has to respect constituted authority as the only way to avoid chaos in the society and insist on the civilized way of conduct. I told you people in the past that beyond my determination to win this election and serve the people of Abia to the glory of God, I also intend to elevate the quality of debate and quality of participation, which is why people would view it wrongly if they hear that the governor came to my place and I didn’t allow him to come in . The governor came to pay his condolence and along the line, we agreed that it is in the greater interest of Abia State to be part of the mainstream of Nigerian politics.
What we have agreed is that as a very strong member of PDP, it does not make sense that after all these years , my supporters will go and vote elsewhere , I am telling my supporters to vote PDP, that whatever vote they cast at the governorship is a vote for me , because that is the basis for which I am still in court . Whatever agreement we reached was without prejudice to any case pending in court , as we believe that our victory is of utmost importance and will bring Abia into the mainstream of Nigerians politics.
If they said that I have agreed to work with PDP, you should have asked them if there was any time I agreed to work against PDP. I am a member of PDP and I am doing what is actually expected of me , telling my supporters any where I go that I believe in PDP and that I am working for PDP. I think the rumours they are peddling is a matter of semantics and poor use of language, saying that I have agreed to work with PDP. The issue is that Chief Emenike is telling his supporters to support PDP, vote for PDP and remain focused in PDP.
All the campaigns I have been doing, I have been telling my supporters that any one who votes otherwise is not with me. We’ve been spending so much time and energy galvanizing, why should we at this last point when the votes are to be counted , wake up and leave our supporters without leadership,” he asked
The fate of Senator James John Akpanudoedehe, the embattled governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) is still mired in controversy as two courts passed conflicting judgment on his bail application, yesterday. While Federal High Court sitting in Abuja orders his unconditional release, a Magistrate Court in Uyo ordered that he be remanded in prison custody.
This is even as Akpanudoedehe’s running mate has reportedly fled abroad to evade arrest. But a source denied he was on the run, noting that he merely travelled out for medical check up.
Efforts by no fewer than 54 lawyers led by Professor Yemi Osibajo (SAN) who had stormed an Uyo Magistrate Court to secure bail for the governorship candidate who he is standing trial on a nine-count charge, including treason, proved abortive.
However, a Federal High Court issued a mandatory order directing the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Hafiz Ringim to effect his unconditional release from custody.
In addition, Justice Adamu Bello, while granting the motion exparte filed and moved on behalf of the former minister of state for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by his counsel, Kola Awodein (SAN) also ordered the IGP and the prosecution to give effect to the order of the court made on March 30, admitting the applicant to bail pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice dated April 5.
The exparte application, according to Awodein, was rooted on the grounds that Akpanudoedehe who had been granted bail by the court, was forcibly molested and abducted from the courtroom while waiting to perfect his bail condition by police officers on the instruction of the Federal Government who is the respondent to the motion exparte.
Magistrate Edet Obot in his ruling held that the court had no jurisdiction over the matter and referred it to the High Court, where Udoedehe’s lawyers could also apply for his bail. But there was no specific time for the lawyers to make the application for bail.
When the court began sitting at about 1:44pm, the magistrate merely allowed counsels to introduce themselves before giving his ruling on application for bail, which was filed yesterday by Akpanudoedehe’s lawyers. The accused had been brought to the court at 9am but the magistrate said he was not ready, ordering that the accused be brought back by 1pm.
Shortly after Osibajo introduced his colleagues, Obot read his 22-minute ruling in which he held that though the court had powers to remand the accused, it had no powers to try him in accordance with Section 74 of the Penal Code.
He said the case file had been handed over to the director of public prosecution (DPP) who would in turn take it to the High Court which had jurisdiction to try the matter.
Professor Osibajo pleaded with the court not to remand the accused in the same place he had been held but the magistrate held that since the matter had been moved to the High Court, it was the court that would now determine where the accused would be remanded. There was no specified time when the accused could file application for bail but Professor Osibajo said his team would pursue the matter immediately. However, that would depend on when the DPP would bring up the matter.
Akpanudohedehe was driven out of the court premises by the heavy team of security operatives that brought him.
He told the court that the IGP ordered the arrest of the applicant for the purpose of remanding him in jail thereby inhibiting the accused/applicant from perfecting his bail conditions, adding that the conduct of the police constituted an abuse of court process as it was designated to frustrate, irritate and annoy the accused/applicant
Bayelsa bomb blast: Security agents begin manhunt for sponsors
• LP, ACN condemn explosion
Security agents have begun a manhunt for those behind the bomb explosion that rocked Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital on Tuesday. The explosion had triggered fears among of the opposition parties ahead the rescheduled National Assembly elections on Saturday.
The blast suspected to be from a dynamite, was thrown into the premises of Latik Hotel along INEC Road. The owned by former deputy-governor of Bayelsa State and Labour Party (LP) senatorial candidate for Bayelsa West District, Peremobowei Ebebi.
Eye witness account said at about 9 pm on Tuesday, an unmarked Toyota Nissan car drove through the road of the hotel and they were suspected to have thrown the dynamite inside the compound. The blast from the explosion destroyed some portions of the hotel particularly the kitchen and the laundry but no live was lost.
The explosion caused pandemonium in the area with few guests in the hotel hurriedly checking out while shops immediately closed and traffic became chaotic as motorists struggled to drive out of INEC road.
Latik Hotel had been the target of explosions since Ebebi fell out of power in the state. A car loaded with dynamites was discovered at the premises of the hotel in 2010 during the peak of his disagreement with Governor Tinipre Sylva.
Security men at the hotel before the arrival of policemen from the Ekeki ‘B’ Division and the anti- bomb squad refused men of the Operation Famou Tangebi entry into the Hotel on the excuse that the security outfit is romancing with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Checks by Daily Sun indicated that a combined team of the State Security Service (SSS), the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) and the Police had visited the scene and written separate reports to their offices prompting a directive that the incident be investigated and those behind it, unmasked. A very dependable intelligence source at the JTF said the security outfit is suspecting political motive for the explosion and it would soon issue a report for public consumption.
“I can tell you that the JTF has visited the scene. We are investigating the incident but we suspect it was politically motivated. It is not different from what has been happening before. Already, a detailed investigation is ongoing and when the JTF is through, I believe the report would be made available to the public,” the source said. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Eguaveon Emoakpe in an interview confirmed the incident, stressing that the Police are on top of the situation.
“Yes I can confirm the incident. There was an explosion and our men including the anti-bomb squad visited the scene. We have already begun investigation.”
We’re investigating Daniel –PDP
…For anti-party activities
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State yesterday said it had started investigating the state Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel for anti-party activities, just as it insisted that the governor had a secret meeting with the former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Addressing a press conference in Abeokuta, the state capital yesterday, the Chairman of the PDP in the state, Chief Dayo Soremi said the party had already received complaints from the ward and local government area of the governor about his anti-party (PDP) activities. “There are reports from his ward and local government area and I can tell you that we are seriously working on that”
Although, Governor Daniel has publicly declared his interest in the presidential ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan, he continues to fraternize and publicly campaign for the candidates of the PPN in the forthcoming elections.
Despite the denial of Daniel that he held a secret meeting with Tinubu, Soremi insisted that Daniel was working against the interest of the PDP in the forthcoming elections.
Soremi alleged that in the arrangement between Daniel and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) gubernatorial candidate in the state, Mr. Gboyega Nasir Isiaka was offered the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) position in the event of the (ACN) winning the gubernatorial election in the state.
“By this desperate action of his, he (Daniel) has jettisoned President Goodluck Jonathan, the PPN candidates and their followers. The implication of this is that PPN will vote for the ACN governorship candidate, Ibikunle Amosun and ACN Presidential candidate, Nuhu Ribadu.
The PDP chairman who described Daniel’s new position as insincerity of the highest order alleged that the governor also plans to create unprecedented chaos, if the polls appear not to be favouring them. ‘’We believe that Otunba Daniel is going into this unholy alliance with his avowed political enemy as part of his desperation in the first instant to pick somebody who is his preferred governorship candidate of Ogun State. To checkmate what he described as the antics of the PPN under the direction and control of the desperate out-going governor Daniel, Soremi appealed to the good people of the state to be vigilant at the polls.
We’ll remove immunity clause, Buhari insists
Buhari |
Former Head of State and presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) has insisted that his government would remove the immunity clause that protects public office holders. He said propriety and accountability could not be compromised. Buhari made the assertion yesterday in Lagos while presenting his party’s manifesto. He said all vested interests would be challenged and that it would be no longer be business as usual.
“We shall challenge vested interests and erase unearned privileges. Propriety and legality will be our new watchwords and hopefully, in our time, this will become the new business as usual for the nation.” In addition, Buhari emphasised the need to “make the nation accountable and corruption-free and bring morality back to governance,”He vowed to “make the country uncomfortable for those who do not wish to play by the rules.”
Buhari, who was accompanied to Lagos by his running mate, Pastor Tunde Bakare and other party bigwigs informed that his party’s focus would be on five areas of concentration which he said, would guarantee the country to move forward.
The five-point agenda, according to Buhari were security, raising the standard of education, aggressive youth employment, rehabilitation of dilapidated infrastructure and total disarming of the Niger Delta and regular power supply. He said his team was on a rescue mission “to recreate Nigeria and transform it into a powerful and prosperous nation,” adding that “our focus will be on improving the efficiency of national economic management, and reintroduction of a national economic development planning and the plan to successfully manage change.”
Speaking further, the CPC presidential candidate invited everybody onboard “to come forward and join the struggle so that togetherness, we take the destiny of this nation in our hands and change it to a united, prosperous, caring, truly democratic Federal Republic.”
This, according to him was imperative going by the failure of the ruling peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which he said, had bastardised the nation in its 12 years of misrule, saying, such a party had no moral right to ask for peoples’ mandate again.
According to him, it was as if they only came to pauperise the nation saying, “it could be said that during their time, the only places that prospered were the cemeteries and the bank accounts of the thieving elite.”
He lamented that “people in their thousands died due to poverty, hunger, disease and violent crises and violent crimes, as custodians of nation’s resources smiled their ways to the bank.” Buhari and Bakare therafter led a road show from the Lagos Island to the Sky Power playgroung at the GRA, Ikeja where a mega rally was organised and addressed.
Election suspended in 13 senatorial districts
...45 constituencies too
• Kwara, Osun, Oyo affected
Faced with Herculean task of printing more ballot papers for the rescheduled Saturday’s National Assembly Election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has turned to local contractors to deliver 19 million fresh ballot papers before Saturday. The ballot papers are to replace those already used in many states during the aborted April 2 election.
However, the situation reports from the states on the readiness of the Commission has shown that it could not meet up with the logistic challenges in some areas in some states, especially where the election was held last Saturday before the sudden cancellation.
A decision extracted from the meeting of the Commission’s leadership involving the National Commissioners indicated barring any last minute change of mind, the INEC has ruled out elections on Saturday in 13 Senatorial districts and 45 Federal Constituencies.
The Senatorial districts and Federal Constituencies, it was gathered spread across, Kwara, Oyo and Osun states.
The initial proposal, sources revealed was that some states to be exempted from the polls due to logistics challenges which apart from ballot papers also included transportation. Such states had included Lagos and four other states in the North but the meeting decided later to instruct the Resident Electoral Commissions across the country to make use of commercial vehicles to fill the gap created by the absence of official vehicles to ferry officials and materials for the elections.
INEC, it would be recalled, took delivery of 530 Hi-Lux pickup vans when there are 774 local governments that should have at least one each in addition to other arrangements on transport. INEC sources disclosed to Daily Sun that five local contractors in addition to the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company have been contacted for the printing of the ballot shortfall, which cost could not be ascertained last night.
When contacted on the approval for the use of Commuters vehicle by the state INEC to distribute sensitive materials, Kayode Idowu, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman said all arrangements were being made to solve the logistics problems being faced by the Commission In a tactical confirmation of the development, he explained that he was yet to see an organization that would be able to make available vehicles for all the 774 local government areas and the 120, 000 polling units spread across the country.
The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps Commandant-General Ade Abolurin had chartered some 20 commercial vehicles to help stranded INEC officials out of a collation centre and Garki II in Abuja last Saturday. INEC Director of Public Affairs, Emmanuel Umenger, when contacted said he was not aware of the directive to the RECs to make use of Commercial vehicles for the purpose of distributing election materials.
INEC tackles ballot errors
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman Attahiru Jega will brief the nation today on how far the errors have been corrected and the constituencies and senatorial districts affected.
It was learnt that if INEC is unable to correct the errors, Jega may announce a few House of Representatives constituencies and senatorial districts where the National Assembly polls may be deferred.
But the affected areas may be limited.
There are 109 senatorial districts and 360 Federal constituencies.
The battle to correct the errors began on Monday, following complaint by some political parties last Sunday.
Besides the omission of the logos of some parties, such as the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), in some constituencies, the Action Congress of Nigeria had both AC and ACN as its acronym in a few other places.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said: "INEC has provided contingency plans through fresh printing of ballot papers for constituencies and senatorial districts affected by some errors.
"You should appreciate the fact that ballot papers have features peculiar to some constituencies and districts. In some areas, only the parties contesting are put on the ballot papers.
"You find these cases in isolated few constituencies. We have moved to correct those errors as much as possible.
"But where we cannot complete the exercise, Jega will lay the facts bare and disclose areas where polls might be deferred.
"I can assure you that there is no state of the Federation where Senate and House of Representatives elections will not hold. But, if we have challenges in a few constituencies or districts, we will let Nigerians know."
"Such constituencies and districts will be insignificant in number to the overall targets.
"For a few constituencies and senatorial districts where we have not been able to correct the errors, the INEC chairman will address the nation on when the polls will hold in these isolated areas," the source added.
As part of plans for a hitch-free elections on Saturday, Prof. Jega has directed Resident Electoral Commissioners to deploy ballot papers and other materials at least 48 hours before polls.
The deployment of the materials is expected to begin today under heavy security.
It was learnt that the commission took note of the vast nature of the country and has decided not to take any risk in deploying materials.
Another source said: "All RECs have returned to their duty posts and mandated to deploy materials at least 48 hours before the National Assembly elections, especially to far places.
"But we have made adequate security arrangements for the protection of the personnel and the sensitive materials.
"We want to keep to poll schedule, but there is no going back on the Modified Open Ballot System - in line with our commitment to transparency."
It was gathered that the INEC chairman and the RECs agreed on a turnout projection of at least 80 per cent of registered voters in all the 120,000 polling units to make up for the shortfall arising from the use of some ballot papers last Saturday.
Contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said: "Honestly, I think we are prepared, going by the hard talk and the resolutions we have reached on Tuesday. There should be no cause for alarm.
"Materials are to be deployed, starting from Thursday (today). The materials have been available for much of the week."
Responding to a question, Idowu said: "There is no state that will be left out of the National Assembly election."
19 guns, bullets found in lawmaker’s home
Customs officers displaying the military uniforms...yesterday. Right: The guns and bullets...yesterday
The President has urged Nigerians to vote in Saturday’s National Assembly elections.There is adequate security, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan said in a national broadcast this morning.
But, there is anxiety in the land over looming violence during the rescheduled general elections.
The police yesterday recovered a large cache of arms from two legislators in Osun State.
Nineteen Pump Action Italian rifles and 14 live cartridges, were recovered from a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member of the House of Assembly from Osu in Atakumosa Local Government Area.
Also recovered from house number 4, Ajido Street, Osu by the police after a trip-off are three expended 7.62mm ammunition, two expended cartridges and one long cutlass.
Osun State Police Commissioner Peter Gana announced the arms seizure yesterday in Osogbo.
Although he declined to name the legislator, the Action Congress of Nigeria (AC N) gave his name as Joshua Ogunleye.
Ogunleye is a former chairman of Atakumosa West Local Government, who is contesting for the House of Representatives seat for the Ijesa South Federal Constituency on the platform of the PDP.
Another legislator, a member of the House of Representatives, is in the police net for allegedly sponsoring violence.
The legislator is also seeking re-election.
The men were armed with two cut-to-size single barrel guns, one cut-to-size double barrel gun, one locally-made pistol, one pump action rifle, two live ammunition of FNC rifle, four live cartridge and other injurious items.
In Kano, men of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) impounded more than 190 pairs of military uniforms and bullet proof vests at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
The items were imported by two Nigerians identified simply as Imam and Bashir. They have been arrested.
Kano/Jigawa Area Comptroller of Customs, Alhaji Usman Sanusi Azare told reporters that the consignments were neatly concealed in eight bails.
He said Bashir flew into the Kano Airport on Tuesday night aboard a Middle East Airline to claim the goods.
Azare, who displayed the seized items at the airport, said there were additional dozens of bullet proof vests in the cargo.
He said the military wares were smuggled into the country by a flight marked No; 0573 from Beirut, which landed at the Kano Airport at about 12.45 pm yesterday.
The Customs boss said the suspects had been detained by security agents. He described their action as a breach of national security.
"The most interesting thing about these goods is that they are coming in at a time when our democracy is being tested to the limit."
In Ibadan, a man was arrested for printing ballot papers.
As at the time of his arrest, the printer had printed 7,000 copies of the ballot.
He was rounded up at a printing press in Mokola area of the city around 4:30pm yesterday.
He was arrested by men of the State Security Service (SSS) and was immediately taken to Mokola Police Station for interrogation. He was later moved to the State Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police Command for further grilling.
It was leant that he made useful statements at Mokola before he was moved to the CID, but it was not clear who his clients were.
The new Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Saliu Hashimu, confirmed the arrest last night. He said he had instructed his deputy to handle the matter and promised to make public the command’s finding today.
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Accord Party cried out two days ago that Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala ordered all chairmen of caretaker committees in the 33 local governments to deliver theie councils on Saturday or submit their letters of resignation on Monday. The alleged order followed a perceived dismal performance of the PDP in last week’s botched election as the two parties alleged that the few votes counted showed that voters rejected the PDP.
But, Alao-Akala said the gang-up of the opposition parties was a display of the imminent failure they will witness in the coming elections. He said opposition parties were already reading the handwriting on the wall that the PDP was the toast of voters, based on Akala’s laudable performance in the last four years. He spoke through his Special Adviser on Public Communicatiom, Prince Dotun Oyelade.
Osun Police Commissioner Gana said: "Upon information today (Wednesday) at about 6 am that arms and ammunition are hidden at no AA 4, Ajido Street, Osu, a team of policemen, led by the Divisional Police Officer struck immediately. After a search warrant was executed on the house, 19 brand new automatic Pump Action double barren guns, 14 catridges, 3 expended 7.62mm ammunitions, two expended cartridges and one long cutlass were discovered."
"The second suspect, who is a member of the House of Representatives, is wanted for allegedly sponsoring violence in the state, leading to the arrest of eight men in Ila Orangun on April 1, armed with two cut-to-size single barrel guns, two cut-to-size double barrel guns, one locally-made pistol, one pump action riffle, two live ammunition of FNC riffle, four live cartridges and other injurious items.
Gana said the politician had been arrested and is being interrogated by detectives from the command on the matter."
Earlier in the day, Gana held a meeting with leaders of political parties in the state where he warned them against violence during the elections. He said the police were determined to deal with culprits within the confines of to the law.
Gana said: "Anyone caught on election day carrying arms and ammunition would be
arrested and dealt with, according to the laws of the land. For the period I will spend in this state, I will not mortage the collective security for individual interest because my interest is on the general security."
Members of the ACN in Ife Central, Ife East and South as well as the Area Office on Wednesday alleged that the PDP had hatched a plan to maim and harass the residence ahead of the rescheduled National Assembly elections.
At a news conference yesterday in Osogbo, the ACN senatorial candidate for Osun East, Mr. Babajide Omoworare, a lawyer, said the spate of violence perpetrated by the PDP before and after the April 2 botched election was enormous.
Omoworare said series of petitions had been sent to the police for investigation, that there were an attempts on his life and those of Chief Rotimi Makinde as well as some other leaders of the party, including Prince Felix Awofisayo.
"Lately, certain unknown persons had invaded the homes and campaign offices of our senatorial and House of Representatives candidates, Hon. Babajide Omoworare and Chief Rotimi Makinde and some other leaders of our party. They posed as security agents from the State Security Services (SSS) and they said the candidates were to be arrested in connection with fake attack on a PDP chieftain when in actual fact it was discovered later that they were planning to kidnapp these leaders.
"Stranger than fiction, the invaders, who gave the impression that they were security agents, went to the places mentioned twice. They insisted on arresting these persons even without warrants of arrest but got out-smarted by the managers of the homes and offices of our candidates.
"Their confidence in doing this, we suspect, has to do with a self-inflicted attack on the Deputy Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Ropo Oyewole, on April 3."
Citing another case of attempts to harass members of ACN, the party said: "Mr. Biyi Odunlade visited by eight armed men in black suits on March 24, at about 12pm. They were led by five PDP men. The invading fake security men held to ransome and terrorised Odunlade’s children whom they found at home for close to two hours. They had the audacity to forcibly obtain his phone number from one of the children and actually called to say he should give himself up for arrest.
"Several petitions written about all these attacks are lying unattended to while the security operatives will prefer leaving the substance to chase shadows. The worst of the culprit is the SSS who now acts as a willing tool for use by the PDP in hounding our members."
39 Corps members nabbed in Kogi
.Over plot to rig N’Assembly poll
Thirty-nine Corps members who are Adhoc staff of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were yesterday arrested by the police in Lokoja, Kogi State for allegedly holding a secret meeting on how to rig Saturday’s rescheduled National Assembly election in the state.
They were arrested in the GRA house of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart in the state capital following a tip off. They were reportedly meeting with the PDP stalwart to fine-tune how to rig the election in favour of the PDP candidate in one of the federal constituencies in the state.
When contacted the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Val Ntonchukwu confirmed the arrest but denied that they were meeting with the PDP stalwart to rig the poll. He said the Corps members were merely at the PDP stalwart’s residence to protest the non-payment of their four-month allowances.
Meanwhile, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has alleged that another local government boss was also caught holding another nocturnal meeting with INEC staff at the state capital. Addressing newsmen at the CPC party secretariat, Mr. Mabo Mohammed Kassim said there was a game plan by the PDP in the state to rig in the Saturday’s poll.
He said the council chairman who was caught having the secret meeting with the INEC staff have been reported to the police, and urged the police in the state to be fair and bold enough to arrest whoever flouted the Electoral Act.
Kassim also called on the INEC chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega to appeal to his men in the state not to compromise their integrity.
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VOTERS in Benue State are convinced that the Saturday National Assembly election will be the most competitive since 1998. Last Saturday, unknown killers murdered Chief Igba Akiishi, a Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), chieftain and the campaign coordinator of Gboko council from Mr Terngu Tsegba Ukpekpe ward.
In three councils of Benue North East Senatorial District, despite the non-availability of Senate ballot papers, voters prevailed on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials to conduct accreditation and voting. In the Benue South District, security men had a hard time controlling the crowd of voters.
In Benue South senatorial zone, this election is between old political foes like Senate President David Mark (PDP), Gen. Lawrence Onoja of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Mark’s victory during the PDP primary in January compelled Onoja to defect. The zone incidentally is the only district where PDP has an upper hand. The State Governor Gabriel Suswam collapsed his campaign into that of Mark for the District in order to be personally introduced to the electorate by Mark.
Mark enjoys huge support here in view of the several federal appointments he has attracted to the people, the completion of the Otukpo station of the Nigerian Television Authority, the commencement of the construction of the N17 billion multi-purpose dam in Otobi. In an interview, he said that the support he enjoys in the District is a challenge to do more and that the opposition is not an option for the people of the area.
However, Onoja believes that he stands the best chance of winning the election in Benue South. At an ACN rally in Oju, he said that there would be no state creation as being canvassed by Mark and claimed that Mark has not done much for the people, hence the need for change.
In Benue North West, the ACN enjoys more popularity than the PDP amongst the people. The ACN candidate is Senator George Akume, the estranged political godfather of Suswam, who was recently politically “cursed” by the traditional rulers. The former governor’s opponent, Terngu Tsegba of the PDP is the incumbent member of the House of Representatives for Tarka/Gboko Federal Constituency. Akume’s supporters reckon that Tsegba’s reach does not in any way compare to that of Akume. Tsegba is reportedly banking on Suswam, but still, Akume holds sway, as most of Suswam’s officials are Akume loyalists, who serve as his clandestine foot soldiers.
Recently, the Tiv Area Traditional Council reportedly placed a political curse on Akume over his conflict with the Tor Tiv. This ‘curse’ is designed to stop Akume from returning to the Senate, but his supporters argue that it will take more than a curse to oust Akume, considered a grassroots politician in Benue. But Suswam supporters in the MINDA axis of this Senatorial District at a rally for the governor claimed they were attempting to enforce the ‘curse’ on Akume.
Meanwhile, results in areas where voting took place prior to the announcement of the cancellation last Saturday, indicated that ACN was leading in most of the areas in the district.
The ACN in Benue have refused to accept the ‘political curse’ placed on Akume on the basis that it was meant to achieve objectives that are politically motivated. In a statement by Mr Emmanuel Yawe the ACN stated: “The curse has become a sick joke to most Tiv people. To those who believe in juju, the argument goes that the Tor Tiv has rendered the one in his house impotent. The problem now is, what happens if Akume wins the elections?”
The election in the Makurdi/Guma Federal constituency is a close fight. Agains the shadow of Akume and Suswam looms large. The ACN candidate Clement Uhondo is encouraged by the presence of Akume while the incumbent and PDP candidate, Emmanuel Jime is a close associate of Suswam. He has already hinted at the governorship in 2015, and this has pit him against prominent constituents.
In the Gwer West Federal Constituency, the PDP candidate is Mrs Christiana Alaaga while the ACN candidate is Mr Asema Achado. The ACN has made a substantial road in this zone having taken advantage of the attacks on the constituency by herdsmen to commiserate with them.
The case for Gboko/Tarka appears to be an ACN enclave with the presence of Akume, former Senate President Iyorchia Ayu, former chairman of Gboko council, Simon Abua and Targema Tarkema. The ACN candidate, Mr John Dyegh is also banking on his relationship with Akume, while his PDP opponent, Tony Ijohor is battling political isolation with speculations of decamping of the only PDP chieftain in the area, Yandev Amaa-Bai. PDP dominance in this constituency has been eroded as it serves as the launch pad of the ACN onslaught on Benue.
The PDP has an advantage in Buruku. Following the disqualification of the ACN candidate, Orker Jev by the Federal High Court, Makurdi, the PDP candidate, Terfa Ityav, may push forward his aspiration to take over from the incumbent. Jev has appealed his disqualification and has obtained a stay of execution order, which would make the election tough.
The Benue North East District is one zone where the senatorial elections would be toughest and campaigns here have been violent.
The incumbent senator, Joseph Akaagerger of the ACN will face former PDP national chairman, Dr Barnabas Gemade. Both candidates contested the PDP primaries and Akaagerger lost to Gemade by 11 votes. Akaagerger alleged that Suswam influenced the primaries to favour Gemade. The outcome of the election in this district could swing either way.
At a press conference last Thursday, Benue North East Chairman of the party, Vincent Uji accused the PDP of printing fake ballot papers for the House of Representatives elections, which were used before the elections were called off. He claimed that the Local Government Adviser to Suswam, Solomon Wombo had the fake ballot papers and took control of the original ballot papers. Wombo denied the allegation, saying that rather than canvass for votes, the ACN were dwelling on spurious allegations. He said that the ACN is not on ground in the Senatorial District; hence it would not win the elections. But Uji insisted that despite the antics of the PDP, ACN would still win the senatorial elections because it is a mass movement of the people of the state.
But Wombo said that the PDP has a firm grip of Benue North East especially because of the performance of Suswam. He said that the PDP would not be distracted by the claims of the ACN under any guise.
In the three Federal Constituencies of Benue North East District, Akaagerger and Gemade have long-term political followers. Both politicians were associates, until Akume used Akaagerger to defeat Gemade’s interest in the Senate seat in 2007. Both candidates hail from Konshisha council of Benue North East, but Akaagerger appears to have a stronger political base at home. On the other hand, Gemade enjoys a viable political structure in Vandeikya, which shares the same Federal Constituency with Konshisha. His associates include Ugba Uye, David Amoo and Edward Ashekaa.
Down to Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency of the District, both candidates would slug it out for votes in this constituency that has the propensity to vote for the opposition. Although Chile Igbawua of the PDP, who is the incumbent, controls his Ushongo council, the ACN controls Kwande, which is the bigger council. The big fight will take place in Logo/Katsina Ala/Ukum Federal constituency where both parties have campaigned vigorously. Violence has been fiercest here because past elections have been determined with results from this constituency, which are usually incredible.
Meanwhile in the Olu/Obi Federal Constituency, Samson Okwu of the PDP is contesting against Jacob Ajene of the ACN. Until Ajene’s defection to ACN, PDP was in control of this constituency. Recent events in this constituency make it too close to call.
In Ado/Ogbadibo/Okpokwu federal constituency, the PDP had a major setback when Christian Abah, the party’s popular candidate was disqualified after a petition against him was upheld by the national secretariat. His replacement, Hassan Saleh has been having difficulties presenting himself to the people. However, the ACN candidate, Daniel Onjeh is not on ground in the constituency and has had financial challenges campaigning. Despite the issues of the popularity of its candidate, PDP still enjoys advantage in this constituency.
In Otukpo/Ohimini, apart from the 1999 elections, the PDP is yet to win this federal constituency. Mark and Onoja hail from this constituency. The scenario now is slightly different with two opposition candidates, Nelson Alaapa of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), who is the incumbent and Musa Alechenu of ACN. The PDP candidate is Ezekiel Adaji, who is expected to take advantage of the feud. Adaji is also banking on acceptance of Mark in the constituency to coast to victory.
PPN chieftain alleges gun attack
THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State yesterday levelled allegations of anti-party activities against Governor Gbenga Daniel and hinted that he might soon face disciplinary action as the party leadership in the state was investigating the matter.
Ogun PDP Chairman, Dayo Soremi, who addressed the media in Abeokuta, alleged that Daniel had been holding “clandestine” meetings with former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship candidate, Ibikunle Amosun, with a view to reaching an accord for the People’s Party of Nigeria (PPN) and the ACN to work together in the general elections.
But in a reaction, Daniel said “nothing can be farther from the truth and the new phantom claim is indicative of desperation in the part of Chief Soremi and his cohorts.”
The governor, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Adegbenro Adebanjo, insisted that he did not leave his Sagamu residence throughout Tuesday, the day he was alleged to have met Tinubu.
But Soremi said the PDP has evidence to prove that the first of such meetings was held at Amosun’s Ikeja, Lagos residence on Friday April 1, while the second one was held at Tinubu’s Ikoyi, Lagos residence on Tuesday.
Also, Chairman of the PPN in Abeokuta South Local Council, Ismaila Odejimi, on Tuesday night narrowly escaped death when some unidentified gunmen attacked his Abeokuta residence at 11 p.m.
Odejimi is one of the loyalists of Governor Daniel who recently defected to the PPN from the PDP following the controversy that trailed the alleged selection of the PDP candidates for the general elections.
The three gunmen who, according to Odejimi operated on two motorcycles, invaded his house shooting their way through. Fortunately for the PPN chieftain, he was not at home at the time.
However, the assailants shattered Odejimi’s Mercedes Benz car with several bullets.
Though Odejimi’s wife, children and others were in the house at the time of the 30-minute attack, no casualty was recorded.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States (U.S.), Prof. Ade Adefuye, has submitted that the Nigerian Federal System has always exhibited peculiar and irregular characteristics, which put the state governments at the mercy of the Federal Government.
Adefuye made this submission yesterday in Abeokuta in a lecture he delivered as part of activities to mark the 55th birthday of Governor Daniel.
He said: “The lingering effect of military rule, which took more than half of the period since Independence, raised doubts about Nigeria’s practice of federalism. The military’s centralising tendencies virtually turned Nigeria into a unitary state in a federal disguise.”
According to Adefuye, “the continued intensity of distributive contention as opposed to productive accumulation in the Nigerian federation as the constituent state governments struggle relentlessly for the centre’s abundant financial resources and distributive largesse tend to make the doctrine of federalism in Nigeria more as an ideal that is yet to be achieved.”
Soremi alleged: “At one of the meetings, it was agreed by Otunba Gbenga Daniel on behalf of his new People’s Party of Nigeria (PPN) to vote for the ACN presidential candidate instead of the PDP candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan.
“By this desperate action of his, he has jettisoned President Jonathan, the PPN candidates and their followers. The implication of this is that PPN will vote for the ACN governorship candidate, Ibikunle Amosun and ACN presidential candidate Nuhu Ribadu”.
Following an unresolved crisis, Daniel’s loyalists within the PDP defected to PPN while he chose to remain in the PDP. The governor has asked the PPN members to vote for President Jonathan in the presidential election and the PPN Governorship candidate, Gboyega Isiaka.
Accusing Daniel of desperation, Soremi insisted that the only thing the governor was interested in was “to sell Ogun State to whosoever may be interested to cover up his monumental mismanagement of the state at the expense of the state and particularly those who follow him.”
PPN chieftain alleges gun attack
THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State yesterday levelled allegations of anti-party activities against Governor Gbenga Daniel and hinted that he might soon face disciplinary action as the party leadership in the state was investigating the matter.
Ogun PDP Chairman, Dayo Soremi, who addressed the media in Abeokuta, alleged that Daniel had been holding “clandestine” meetings with former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship candidate, Ibikunle Amosun, with a view to reaching an accord for the People’s Party of Nigeria (PPN) and the ACN to work together in the general elections.
But in a reaction, Daniel said “nothing can be farther from the truth and the new phantom claim is indicative of desperation in the part of Chief Soremi and his cohorts.”
The governor, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Adegbenro Adebanjo, insisted that he did not leave his Sagamu residence throughout Tuesday, the day he was alleged to have met Tinubu.
But Soremi said the PDP has evidence to prove that the first of such meetings was held at Amosun’s Ikeja, Lagos residence on Friday April 1, while the second one was held at Tinubu’s Ikoyi, Lagos residence on Tuesday.
Also, Chairman of the PPN in Abeokuta South Local Council, Ismaila Odejimi, on Tuesday night narrowly escaped death when some unidentified gunmen attacked his Abeokuta residence at 11 p.m.
Odejimi is one of the loyalists of Governor Daniel who recently defected to the PPN from the PDP following the controversy that trailed the alleged selection of the PDP candidates for the general elections.
The three gunmen who, according to Odejimi operated on two motorcycles, invaded his house shooting their way through. Fortunately for the PPN chieftain, he was not at home at the time.
However, the assailants shattered Odejimi’s Mercedes Benz car with several bullets.
Though Odejimi’s wife, children and others were in the house at the time of the 30-minute attack, no casualty was recorded.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States (U.S.), Prof. Ade Adefuye, has submitted that the Nigerian Federal System has always exhibited peculiar and irregular characteristics, which put the state governments at the mercy of the Federal Government.
Adefuye made this submission yesterday in Abeokuta in a lecture he delivered as part of activities to mark the 55th birthday of Governor Daniel.
He said: “The lingering effect of military rule, which took more than half of the period since Independence, raised doubts about Nigeria’s practice of federalism. The military’s centralising tendencies virtually turned Nigeria into a unitary state in a federal disguise.”
According to Adefuye, “the continued intensity of distributive contention as opposed to productive accumulation in the Nigerian federation as the constituent state governments struggle relentlessly for the centre’s abundant financial resources and distributive largesse tend to make the doctrine of federalism in Nigeria more as an ideal that is yet to be achieved.”
Soremi alleged: “At one of the meetings, it was agreed by Otunba Gbenga Daniel on behalf of his new People’s Party of Nigeria (PPN) to vote for the ACN presidential candidate instead of the PDP candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan.
“By this desperate action of his, he has jettisoned President Jonathan, the PPN candidates and their followers. The implication of this is that PPN will vote for the ACN governorship candidate, Ibikunle Amosun and ACN presidential candidate Nuhu Ribadu”.
Following an unresolved crisis, Daniel’s loyalists within the PDP defected to PPN while he chose to remain in the PDP. The governor has asked the PPN members to vote for President Jonathan in the presidential election and the PPN Governorship candidate, Gboyega Isiaka.
Accusing Daniel of desperation, Soremi insisted that the only thing the governor was interested in was “to sell Ogun State to whosoever may be interested to cover up his monumental mismanagement of the state at the expense of the state and particularly those who follow him.”
SSS arrests Ibadan printer with 7,000 ballot papers |
Barcelona 5 Shakhtar Donetsk 1: Brilliant Barca trump rivals Real Madrid
Barcelona all but secured their spot in the Champions League semi-finals and a probable showdown with arch rivals Real Madrid after building a huge first-leg lead over Shakhtar Donetsk.Following on from Madrid's 4-0 thumping of Tottenham, Barca appear to have done all the hard work in their home quarter-final tie after another memorable European night at the Nou Camp.
Three man: Barcelona's Gerard Pique scores against Shakhtar Donetsk
Andres Iniesta, Dani Alves, Gerard Pique, Seydou Keita and Xavi were on the mark for the Catalan giants, while Shakhtar's sole reply came from Yaroslav Rakitskiy when they were already 3-0 down.Barca coach Pep Guardiola admitted yesterday he had a bad feeling about this match, but his fears will have been eased after seeing his take the lead after just 99 seconds through new father Iniesta.
The Spanish World Cup winner, whose wife gave birth on Sunday, slotted a low shot past visiting goalkeeper Andrei Pyatov at his near post after picking up a loose ball in the area.
However, 10 minutes after that goal, Barca survived two huge scares in quick succession as they rode their luck at the back.
The first opportunity saw Luiz Adriano beat stand-in Barca centre-back Sergio Busquets to a through-ball but then fire wide with only Victor Valdes to beat.
Off the mark: Andres Iniesta, left, beats Shakhtar Donetsk's goalkeeper Pyatov Andriy
Then, just moments later, a bad attempted back-pass from Dani Alves forced Valdes to race out of his goal and, although he beat Luiz Adriano to the ball, his clearance went straight to Willian whose first-time shot from 30 yards out dropped just wide of an open net.Barca survived though and almost profited from some slack defending themselves in the 19th minute, as Messi robbed Mykola Ischenko of possession on the edge of the Shakhtar area but his attempted chip over Pyatov was saved.
Barca, who also went close through a Messi free-kick and a David Villa shot, were celebrating a second goal soon enough though as Alves netted after latching onto an inch-perfect pass by Iniesta.
Iniesta's lofted ball in towards the penalty spot might have been collected by Pyatov but, as the goalkeeper waited for the ball, Alves nipped in to steal possession before slotting into an empty goal.
That was the score Barca led by at half-time, but the 2006 and 2009 European champions wasted no time in trying to build on that advantage at the start of the second period.
Behind you: Barcelona's Dani Alves adds the finishing touch
Messi and Xavi both had efforts saved before Guardiola's side made it 3-0 in the 53rd minute through Pique following a training-ground move.Xavi cut a low corner back towards the edge of the area to meet the run of Pique, who had escaped his marker, and the Spain centre-back's first-time shot took a deflection off Rakitskiy before beating the wrong-footed Pyatov.
At that point Barca looked to be cruising into the semi-finals but Shakhtar gave themselves a glimmer of hope after netting an away goal in the 58th minute, with Rakitskiy making the decisive touch at the right end this time.
Darijo Srna's free-kick into the area was flicked on by Rakitskiy at the near post and Valdes was unable to keep the ball out as it flew into the far side of the goal.
Close cal: Lionel Messi jumps to make a header
Shakhtar's hope was short-lived however as Barca immediately went down the other end and restored their three-goal lead.Messi beat his man before rolling a pass across the edge of the area to the unmarked Keita, who slammed an unstoppable shot into the near top corner of the net.
Barca survived another let-off with nine minutes remaining when Luiz Adriano struck the inside of the far post, and if that had gone it in would have made for an interesting second leg.
However, the ball stayed out and Barca all but killed the tie off by notching a fifth goal in the 86th minute when Xavi slotted in Alves' pass
Manchester United wins first leg 1-0
Wayne Rooney scored in the 24th minute to give Manchester United a 1-0 win at Chelsea in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals, and Barcelona routed visiting Shakhtar Donetsk 5-1 Wednesday night to close in on a semifinal matchup with Real Madrid.Chelsea was robbed by not being awarded a penalty Wednesday, but that can't overshadow another dismal Fernando Torres performance. With the return leg next week, Chelsea's patience with him must be wearing thin, writes James Martin. Blog
Following his hat trick against West Ham last weekend, Rooney met Ryan Giggs' pass in the penalty area and slotted past goalkeeper Petr Cech to give United its first win at Stamford Bridge in nine years. Fernando Torres remained scoreless since Chelsea acquired him from Liverpool in January.
Charged by England's Football Association for swearing into a television camera while angrily celebrating a league goal on Saturday, Rooney's face four days later was a picture of happiness as he was mobbed by his teammates to celebrate his 13th United goal of the season.
"Wayne got a lot of abuse and late tackles but he played his game," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "He was important on the counterattack and he was in tremendous form and he has given us a great chance of reaching the semi."
In Spain, new father Andres Iniesta scored off Lionel Messi's pass in the second minute, and Dani Alves, Gerard Pique, Seydou Keita and Xavi Hernandez added goals for Barcelona, which has outscored opponents 132-30 in 49 games this season.
In Tuesday's games, Schalke won 5-2 at defending champion Inter Milan and Real Madrid routed Tottenham 4-0. The second legs of the total-goals series are next week.
At Barcelona, Iniesta put Barcelona ahead and then looped a long pass over the defense to Daniel Alves for the second goal in the 34th. Iniesta's girlfriend, Anna Ortiz, gave birth Sunday to a daughter, Valeria.
Pique scored for the second straight game to make it 3-0 in the 53rd. After Yaroslav Rakitskiy got Shakhtar's goal in the 60th, Keita scored a minute later off a squaring pass from Messi, and Xavi added the final goal in the 86th -- giving Barcelona its 10th five-goal game this season.
Barcelona plays at Real Madrid on April 16, and the rivals meet four days later in the Copa del Rey final. If both advance in the Champions League, they would meet on April 27 and May 3. Barcelona won their only meeting this season, 5-0 in the league at Camp Nou in November.
"These are challenges that football brings you, and we like these. We like
Pique ready for Real clash
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique is already eyeing a Champions League semi-final clash with arch-rivals Real Madrid after his side crushed Shakhtar Donetsk 5-1 at the Nou Camp.APDani Alves celebrates his goal against Shakhtar
• Champions League gallery Following on from Madrid's 4-0 thumping of Tottenham, Barca appear to have done all the hard work in their home quarter-final tie and have one foot in the next round ahead of the return leg in Ukraine.
Andres Iniesta, Dani Alves, Pique, Seydou Keita and Xavi were on the mark for the Catalan giants, while Shakhtar's sole reply came from Yaroslav Rakitskiy when they were already 3-0 down.
Pique, who was also on the scoresheet in midweek, insists Pep Guardiola's side will not be getting too far ahead of themselves, but admits the prospect of a clash with their arch-rivals would be sensational.
"We have to remain focused on us and try to keep doing better. If we can get to the semi-finals and play against them [Real], it will be a great game," Pique told Sky Sports. "I think everyone wants this because there is a lot of rivalry between the two teams.
"Barcelona and Real Madrid are two of the most important teams in Europe and it will be a great game if finally we qualify Madrid and Barcelona."
But Pique knows the job against Shakhtar is only half done and did not expect things to go so well at the Nou Camp.
"They are a great team and it is always difficult to play against them," he said. "I think that we played really well and 5-1 is a great score to take to the Ukraine.
"They have really good players, really good strikers that are really quick and are Brazilian with a lot of skill and quality. We have had to work really hard and I think we did a good job."
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