Welcome to Spruzay's blog: Nigeria Decides: All the news, updates and incoming results (Live Blog)
Nigerians vote amid unassurable security
Kano, Nigeria – Nigerians will vote in what is expected to be one of the country's tightest presidential races ever on Saturday, with a festering insurgency and rampant corruption high on the agenda.
The election, delayed for six weeks while security forces attempted to subdue the armed group Boko Haram in the country's northeast, will be the fifth since Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999.
With dusk approaching on Friday in Kano, the biggest city in the country's north, which has been hit by Boko Haram attacks, people waited patiently at ATMs as they prepared for a lockdown during voting.
Explainer: Nigeria elections in one minute
Analysts are calling the poll a pivotal event for the young democracy. President Goodluck Jonathan’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has ruled virtually unopposed for 16 years.
On Saturday, he could lose to former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, who has contested three previous elections but never come close to winning.
Buhari’s opposition coalition, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has gained popularity by presenting itself as the face of change for voters who have grown frustrated by the government’s weak record on corruption and security.
Most Nigerians expect a tight race. Insiders on both sides say that they are confident of victory, and a February poll by Afrobarometer put the parties neck and neck with 42 percent of the vote each.
"The opposition has perhaps slightly less momentum than it did six weeks ago, but the outcome is too close to call," said Thomas Hansen, West Africa analyst with the Control Risks group.
Observers on alert
A democratic transition of power would be the first in half a century of post-colonial independence. Heavy manipulation or a contested result would undermine Africa’s biggest democracy, and could lead to post-election violence.
Observers are watching for signs of foul play and, for the first time, permanent voter cards are being used with biometric readers, which should make vote rigging harder.
There are so many loopholes that politicians use, but we have put in place measures to check most.
Nick Dazang, Independent National Electoral Commission,
"There are so many loopholes that politicians use, but we have put in place measures to check most," Nick Dazang, a spokesperson for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), told Al Jazeera.
But there will likely be technological glitches, one Western diplomat argued, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Both sides have been accused of buying up voter cards to suppress turnout in opponent strongholds. Fear of intimidation prompted a court to rule this week against military presence at polling stations.
At least 58 people have died in political violence in the run-up to the poll, according to the National Human Rights Commission.
Human Rights Watch said over 800 people were killed in riots after the last election in 2011, which was seen as Nigeria’s most credible since independence. The majority of the killings took place in the mostly Muslim north, where Buhari - who hails from the region - has strong support.
If his party loses, analyst expect violence to erupt again in that region.
"It will be all the same patterns as 2011, but this time the stakes are higher," Malte Liewerscheidt, senior Africa analyst with the UK-based analysis firm Verisk Maplecroft, said.
If Buhari wins, former rebels in the Niger Delta - Jonathan’s home region - have threatened to again take up arms.
Posters and radio adverts across the country are calling for peace. “Your blood is worth more than the ambition of any politician,” went a message broadcast on one radio station on the eve of the vote.
8 senators that won't be contesting in today's national assembly election.
The seventh Senate which began May 29, 2011 is gradually coming to a close. The outgoing National Assembly — the Senate and the House of Representatives — has been widely criticised over its dismal performance.
The Senate has yet to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill, or any other significant bill. It has also swept important investigations under the carpet.
The election for a new set of lawmakers holds Saturday. Perhaps, indicative of the Senate’s scorecard, less than half (only 53) of its 109 members will have a chance of returning as they take part in the poll, having won their parties’ nominations.
Fifty six senators lost out, meaning the earliest they can return to the Senate is 2019. In some states, all three senators lost out. Examples are Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo, Adamawa and Kebbi.
Having 53 incumbent senators in Saturday’s election also implies that a fewer number will likely return for a fresh term.
In all, these are some of the biggest names that will not feature in Saturday’s election:
Victor Ndoma-Egba (Cross River Central): Mr. Ndoma-Egba is the senate leader. He has been in the senate since 2003. He lost the PDP ticket to Owan Enoh, the current chairman, House of Representatives Appropriations committee.
Ita Enang: The eloquent senate chairman on rules and business, Ita Enang, will not be returning to the senate after losing his ticket to Bassey Albert, a former commissioner of finance in Akwa Ibom State. Mr. Enang, a member of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, represents Akwa Ibom North East senatorial district.
Esther Nenadi Usman: Mrs. Usman represents Kaduna South. The former finance minister lost her bid to secure the PDP ticket, to a prominent business mogul, Danjuma Laah. Mr. Laah had 129 votes while Mrs. Usman scored 123.
Uche Chukwumerije: The PDP representative of Abia North Senatorial District has been a senator since 2003. The current Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education lost his seat to a House of Representatives member, Mao Ohuabunwa.
Ayogu Eze: The representative of Enugu North senatorial district is a member of the People’s Democratic Party. Mr. Eze vied for the PDP governorship ticket and lost to a House of Representatives member.
Helen Esuene: Mrs. Esuene, a former Environment Minister, represents Akwa-Ibom south senatorial district. She lost the PDP ticket to Nelson Effiong, a former speaker of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly.
Odion Ugbesia: Mr. Ugbesia represents Edo central. He is best known as the sponsor of the anti-gay bill. He lost his party nomination to the chairman of Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority, Clifford Ordia.
Heineken Lokpobiri: He was elected into the senate in 2007 to represent Bayelsa West constituency on the PDP platform. He lost to former Chairman of the Bayelsa State Scholarship Board, Foster Ogola.
To be sure, some of the senators will not come back because they ditched their positions for gubernatorial tickets.
Five senators picked gubernatorial tickets on the platforms of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) respectively.
They are Atiku Bagudu(Kebbi, APC), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta, PDP), Aisha Alhassan (Taraba, APC), Pwajok Gyang (Plateau, PDP), Bindow Jibrilla (Adamawa, APC) and Benedict Ayade (Cross River).
Other Senators who lost their parties’ tickets include Ehigie Uzamere (Edo South), Odion Ugbesia (Central), Odunsi Babalola Akin (Ogun West), Victor Lar (Plateau South), Wilson Ake (Rivers West), Umar Dahiru (Sokoto South), Maccido Muhammad (Sokoto North), and Aisha Hassan (Taraba North), will also not return.
I Ahead of the Saturday’s presidential election, Rivers state has recorded the first report of hijacking of electoral materials meant for the Presidential election in the state.
Violence has dominated the political atmosphere of Rivers State since the build up to the 2015 general elections started in earnest.
Reports reaching Spruzay.blogspot.com has it that electoral materials and INEC personnel deployed to certain Local government areas in the state have been hijacked by unknown hoodlums.
We gathered that thugs working for a particular political party in the state attacked INEC officials who were moving election materials to Akuku-Toru, Asari-Toru and Gokana Local Government areas.
Confirming the incident, a member of the APC in the state said: “PDP thugs hijacked materials and Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, personnel meant for Akuku Toru Wards 15, 16 and 17. The hijacked materials and men were taken to Freetown, a hinterland coastal community. The attack was led by two youths whose identities are known.
“In Tombia, in the same Akuku Toru local government area, PDP had by Friday night filled the community with Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, bouncers who were attacking APC members and at the same time, preventing those returning home to vote from entering the town. They were doing so in the presence of soldiers who were too few in number. The Caretaker Committee Chairman and others were injured on Friday.
“In Buguma, which is in Asari Toru Local government area, policemen were busy all day arresting chieftains of All Progressives Congress, APC.
“In Gokana local government, trained INEC ad-hoc personnel were replaced with untrained manpower suspected to be PDP members. It was believed to have been done in connivance with the LGA Electoral Officer, EO,” he said.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, APC in Obio/Akpor local government area alleged that non members of NYSC have been recruited and deployed to the area for today’s general election.
The leader of the APC in Obio/Akpor local government area, Tony Okocha, in a statement, said the fake corps members were to be deployed to polling units in the area.
He said uniforms have been sown for the fake corpers.
According to Tony Okocha, some of the wards where the fake corpers are to be deployed to in Obio/Akpor include ward 9, 10, 11 and 17 among others.
He warned that the APC will resist any attempt to use fake corpers to rig the elections in favour of the PDP.
Blogger opinion:
How sad that Muslim Terrorist are ALSO inflicting so much death and destruction in this country. As if they have not done enough damage in the Middle East. I think they might need more light skin people in order to get rid of the corruption. I don't mean that in a racist way, it is just that they are smarter.....
When the military officers and soldiers from the Northern parts are in cahoots with the militants and reveal military secrets to insurgents, what can the Commander in Chief do ? Bring in soldiers from parts of the country with no affinity or divided loyalty to the Boko Haram terorists. That is what is making things work better now.
Its destined for the majority to take charge,time for change from the north to restore sanity and drive Nigeria forward.The power base has to shift to meet expectations of majority north otherwise anything less is a continuation of misery for the masses
Good Luck Jonathan should win since the Muslim States are in turmoil and in a close election the missing votes of the war torn area will mean he will get a weak but second term. That will mean that it will be another term in the hands of the Christians. The Muslims will not be happy. Well at least they have Sharia. and they are welcome to it for a fat lot of good did them.
Uhn 'n that mentality of ambassador of poverty...Myopic mentality of the politicians..... Do you think it will affect the turn out today
To my own opinion people not turning out to vote would make rigging possible.
And people mentality that there vote won't count.
We have been trained with corruption
Nigerians vote amid unassurable security
Kano, Nigeria – Nigerians will vote in what is expected to be one of the country's tightest presidential races ever on Saturday, with a festering insurgency and rampant corruption high on the agenda.
The election, delayed for six weeks while security forces attempted to subdue the armed group Boko Haram in the country's northeast, will be the fifth since Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999.
With dusk approaching on Friday in Kano, the biggest city in the country's north, which has been hit by Boko Haram attacks, people waited patiently at ATMs as they prepared for a lockdown during voting.
Explainer: Nigeria elections in one minute
Analysts are calling the poll a pivotal event for the young democracy. President Goodluck Jonathan’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has ruled virtually unopposed for 16 years.
On Saturday, he could lose to former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, who has contested three previous elections but never come close to winning.
Buhari’s opposition coalition, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has gained popularity by presenting itself as the face of change for voters who have grown frustrated by the government’s weak record on corruption and security.
Most Nigerians expect a tight race. Insiders on both sides say that they are confident of victory, and a February poll by Afrobarometer put the parties neck and neck with 42 percent of the vote each.
"The opposition has perhaps slightly less momentum than it did six weeks ago, but the outcome is too close to call," said Thomas Hansen, West Africa analyst with the Control Risks group.
Observers on alert
A democratic transition of power would be the first in half a century of post-colonial independence. Heavy manipulation or a contested result would undermine Africa’s biggest democracy, and could lead to post-election violence.
Observers are watching for signs of foul play and, for the first time, permanent voter cards are being used with biometric readers, which should make vote rigging harder.
There are so many loopholes that politicians use, but we have put in place measures to check most.
Nick Dazang, Independent National Electoral Commission,
"There are so many loopholes that politicians use, but we have put in place measures to check most," Nick Dazang, a spokesperson for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), told Al Jazeera.
But there will likely be technological glitches, one Western diplomat argued, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Both sides have been accused of buying up voter cards to suppress turnout in opponent strongholds. Fear of intimidation prompted a court to rule this week against military presence at polling stations.
At least 58 people have died in political violence in the run-up to the poll, according to the National Human Rights Commission.
Human Rights Watch said over 800 people were killed in riots after the last election in 2011, which was seen as Nigeria’s most credible since independence. The majority of the killings took place in the mostly Muslim north, where Buhari - who hails from the region - has strong support.
If his party loses, analyst expect violence to erupt again in that region.
"It will be all the same patterns as 2011, but this time the stakes are higher," Malte Liewerscheidt, senior Africa analyst with the UK-based analysis firm Verisk Maplecroft, said.
If Buhari wins, former rebels in the Niger Delta - Jonathan’s home region - have threatened to again take up arms.
Posters and radio adverts across the country are calling for peace. “Your blood is worth more than the ambition of any politician,” went a message broadcast on one radio station on the eve of the vote.
8 senators that won't be contesting in today's national assembly election.
The seventh Senate which began May 29, 2011 is gradually coming to a close. The outgoing National Assembly — the Senate and the House of Representatives — has been widely criticised over its dismal performance.
The Senate has yet to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill, or any other significant bill. It has also swept important investigations under the carpet.
The election for a new set of lawmakers holds Saturday. Perhaps, indicative of the Senate’s scorecard, less than half (only 53) of its 109 members will have a chance of returning as they take part in the poll, having won their parties’ nominations.
Fifty six senators lost out, meaning the earliest they can return to the Senate is 2019. In some states, all three senators lost out. Examples are Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo, Adamawa and Kebbi.
Having 53 incumbent senators in Saturday’s election also implies that a fewer number will likely return for a fresh term.
In all, these are some of the biggest names that will not feature in Saturday’s election:
Victor Ndoma-Egba (Cross River Central): Mr. Ndoma-Egba is the senate leader. He has been in the senate since 2003. He lost the PDP ticket to Owan Enoh, the current chairman, House of Representatives Appropriations committee.
Ita Enang: The eloquent senate chairman on rules and business, Ita Enang, will not be returning to the senate after losing his ticket to Bassey Albert, a former commissioner of finance in Akwa Ibom State. Mr. Enang, a member of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, represents Akwa Ibom North East senatorial district.
Esther Nenadi Usman: Mrs. Usman represents Kaduna South. The former finance minister lost her bid to secure the PDP ticket, to a prominent business mogul, Danjuma Laah. Mr. Laah had 129 votes while Mrs. Usman scored 123.
Uche Chukwumerije: The PDP representative of Abia North Senatorial District has been a senator since 2003. The current Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education lost his seat to a House of Representatives member, Mao Ohuabunwa.
Ayogu Eze: The representative of Enugu North senatorial district is a member of the People’s Democratic Party. Mr. Eze vied for the PDP governorship ticket and lost to a House of Representatives member.
Helen Esuene: Mrs. Esuene, a former Environment Minister, represents Akwa-Ibom south senatorial district. She lost the PDP ticket to Nelson Effiong, a former speaker of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly.
Odion Ugbesia: Mr. Ugbesia represents Edo central. He is best known as the sponsor of the anti-gay bill. He lost his party nomination to the chairman of Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority, Clifford Ordia.
Heineken Lokpobiri: He was elected into the senate in 2007 to represent Bayelsa West constituency on the PDP platform. He lost to former Chairman of the Bayelsa State Scholarship Board, Foster Ogola.
To be sure, some of the senators will not come back because they ditched their positions for gubernatorial tickets.
Five senators picked gubernatorial tickets on the platforms of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) respectively.
They are Atiku Bagudu(Kebbi, APC), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta, PDP), Aisha Alhassan (Taraba, APC), Pwajok Gyang (Plateau, PDP), Bindow Jibrilla (Adamawa, APC) and Benedict Ayade (Cross River).
Other Senators who lost their parties’ tickets include Ehigie Uzamere (Edo South), Odion Ugbesia (Central), Odunsi Babalola Akin (Ogun West), Victor Lar (Plateau South), Wilson Ake (Rivers West), Umar Dahiru (Sokoto South), Maccido Muhammad (Sokoto North), and Aisha Hassan (Taraba North), will also not return.
I Ahead of the Saturday’s presidential election, Rivers state has recorded the first report of hijacking of electoral materials meant for the Presidential election in the state.
Violence has dominated the political atmosphere of Rivers State since the build up to the 2015 general elections started in earnest.
Reports reaching Spruzay.blogspot.com has it that electoral materials and INEC personnel deployed to certain Local government areas in the state have been hijacked by unknown hoodlums.
We gathered that thugs working for a particular political party in the state attacked INEC officials who were moving election materials to Akuku-Toru, Asari-Toru and Gokana Local Government areas.
Confirming the incident, a member of the APC in the state said: “PDP thugs hijacked materials and Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, personnel meant for Akuku Toru Wards 15, 16 and 17. The hijacked materials and men were taken to Freetown, a hinterland coastal community. The attack was led by two youths whose identities are known.
“In Tombia, in the same Akuku Toru local government area, PDP had by Friday night filled the community with Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, bouncers who were attacking APC members and at the same time, preventing those returning home to vote from entering the town. They were doing so in the presence of soldiers who were too few in number. The Caretaker Committee Chairman and others were injured on Friday.
“In Buguma, which is in Asari Toru Local government area, policemen were busy all day arresting chieftains of All Progressives Congress, APC.
“In Gokana local government, trained INEC ad-hoc personnel were replaced with untrained manpower suspected to be PDP members. It was believed to have been done in connivance with the LGA Electoral Officer, EO,” he said.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, APC in Obio/Akpor local government area alleged that non members of NYSC have been recruited and deployed to the area for today’s general election.
The leader of the APC in Obio/Akpor local government area, Tony Okocha, in a statement, said the fake corps members were to be deployed to polling units in the area.
He said uniforms have been sown for the fake corpers.
According to Tony Okocha, some of the wards where the fake corpers are to be deployed to in Obio/Akpor include ward 9, 10, 11 and 17 among others.
He warned that the APC will resist any attempt to use fake corpers to rig the elections in favour of the PDP.
Blogger opinion:
How sad that Muslim Terrorist are ALSO inflicting so much death and destruction in this country. As if they have not done enough damage in the Middle East. I think they might need more light skin people in order to get rid of the corruption. I don't mean that in a racist way, it is just that they are smarter.....
When the military officers and soldiers from the Northern parts are in cahoots with the militants and reveal military secrets to insurgents, what can the Commander in Chief do ? Bring in soldiers from parts of the country with no affinity or divided loyalty to the Boko Haram terorists. That is what is making things work better now.
Its destined for the majority to take charge,time for change from the north to restore sanity and drive Nigeria forward.The power base has to shift to meet expectations of majority north otherwise anything less is a continuation of misery for the masses
Good Luck Jonathan should win since the Muslim States are in turmoil and in a close election the missing votes of the war torn area will mean he will get a weak but second term. That will mean that it will be another term in the hands of the Christians. The Muslims will not be happy. Well at least they have Sharia. and they are welcome to it for a fat lot of good did them.
Uhn 'n that mentality of ambassador of poverty...Myopic mentality of the politicians..... Do you think it will affect the turn out today
To my own opinion people not turning out to vote would make rigging possible.
And people mentality that there vote won't count.
We have been trained with corruption
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