THE three leading presidential candidates were optimistic of victory in yesterday’s poll. The seventh in the Nigeria’s Fourth Republic that was marred by violence, delayed voting. Also Bimodal Voters Accreditation System, BVAS, hitches and snatching of ballot boxes in many locations across the country.
The Candidates of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC; Alhaji Atiku. Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP. All Spoke after casting their ballots, expressed confidence that they would win.
Senator Musa Kwakwanso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, who was showing massive strength in his Kano State home base at press time, spoke in like manner.
Early results of the election showed Obi as making huge impact, beating Tinubu and Atiku in eight of the 13 polling units in Aso Rock.
Candidates Reaction
The former Anambra State Governor, who said he is prepared for Nigeria’s challenges. He also reportedly won the polling units of some APC top shots. Such as House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of State Labour & Employment and APC, Campaign Spokesman, Mr. Festus Keyamo. And even APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
Tinubu, the APC standard bearer, also pulled off interesting results winning the polling booths of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Ogun State and Governor Seyi Makinde in Oyo. Tinubu also won his polling unit in Ikeja where Obi came second.
Atiku, the PDP flagbearer, beat the LP Vice Presidential Candidate, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, in his Kaduna polling unit.
Violence, BVAS glitches, late arrival of materials
Polls recorded mixed fortunes in terms of voters’ turnout ranging from low to impressive in many locations.
Voters reaction
However, the conduct of the exercise left a sour taste in the mouth of some voters who trooped out and waited patiently in the scorching sun to exercise their franchises. While voting was seamless and INEC officials arrived on time in most locations, the story was markedly different in many others. Voting started as late as 3pm in some polling units. There were places where INEC officials did not show up at all. There were also incidents of malfunctioning of the BVAS. Which failed to accredit voters, of which Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State was a victim in his first attempt. He succeeded later. Cases of snatching of voting materials by gun-wielding hoodlums who scared voters and electoral officers with gun shots were also reported in parts of Lagos and many other locations.
Candidates: APC’s Bola Tinubu confident of victory
Tinubu voted at polling unit 085, Ward C, located at Kaffi Street, Alausa in Ikeja LGA of Lagos State. At about 10 27 a.m.
He was accompanied by his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who had earlier voted in Lagos Island.
An optmistic Tinubu told a mammoth crowd that besieged him after casting his ballot that he would revive the nation’s economy and ensure good governance, if voted into power.
However, Tinubu said he would congratulate the winner if the result did not turn out in his favour provided the poll was free and fair.
On his chances of winning the poll, the APC presidential candidate said, “I’m so confident of victory.”
He added, “I look forward to a progressive and transformative Nigeria. It has arrived. Democracy is here and here to stay.”
INEC Cancels
141 polling units in Bayelsa, postpones Esan North/South/Igueben constituency poll
Meanwhile, INEC cancelled elections in 141 polling units in Bayelsa State. The process was disrupted in Wards 4, 6, 8 and 14.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this at a news conference, yesterday.
According to him, the decision was taken following the omission of a party logo on the ballot paper.
He said; “I will also like to say that in Edo State, we have a situation that we handled yesterday. One of the parties whose acronym is on the results sheets but the logo is not on the ballot paper in a federal constituency. After a meeting with the stakeholders, the decision was taken, since the materials are intact, to countermand the election.
More on Bayelsa
“So, I have suspended the election for Esan North/Esan South/Igueben
The ballot papers will be reprinted and the election will now hold along with the state constituency elections on March 11, that is in the next two weeks. We are determined that no Nigerian should and would be disenfranchised. We have been responding to some of the situations as they arise and we are going to do so overnight.
“But we have a situation in Bayelsa State, particularly in the capital in Yenagoa, where in four wards – ward 4, 6, 8 and 14 involving 141 polling units, the process was disrupted.
“We remobilized security, the situation is calm for us to proceed. But the Youth Corps members expressed some apprehension of going back. So we met with the security agencies, and we have decided that voting in these 141 polling units where the materials are actually intact will take place tomorrow morning (Sunday).
“Remember, we are not only doing presidential election, but we are also doing senatorial federal constituencies. So, it is good, as much as possible, to recover and conduct the election so that we can conclude the process. So, the Youth Corps member members who are going to serve as presiding officers and other categories of ad hoc staff are agreeable to the election holding in these locations tomorrow.
