Following the
court ruling which allowed the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) to go ahead with its preparations for the
Supplementary election in Kogi state, residents of the bereaved state will once again troop out in their numbers to decide who their next leader would be.
Incumbent governor, Idris Wada was in court to challenge the decision by INEC to conduct a supplementary election, but had his case struck out for “lack of merit” and other issues relating to that were clearly stamped out by the court to set the tone for a smooth running today, Saturday, December 5.
All of these may not have happened if Prince Abubakar Audu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) did not die after the election was declared inconclusive by INEC. Since his death, many controversies have sprung up.
First, his running mate, James Faleke asked to be named the governor-elect since his party’s candidate was leading in the polls before it was declared inconclusive; the incumbent governor, Idris Wada also brought up series of issues, especially as he asked to be declared winner of the polls, stressing that “whatever votes Audu had died with him.” Both however had their suits struck out at the Federal High Court.
Bello, 40, was however drafted into the race by the APC national leadership after the party’s candidate in the election, Prince Abubakar Audu, passed away hours after the INEC had declared the election inconclusive.
The late APC governorship candidate was leading his opponent Captain Idris Wada of the PDP by 41,353 votes. The INEC declared the poll inconclusive and scheduled a supplementary election in 91 polling units for today, December 5.
But hours to the supplementary election in the state, the status of the running mate to late Abubakar Audu in the November 21 governorship election, Abiodun Faleke, remains a subject of controversy.
Faleke had told newsmen, that he had written the INEC to withdraw from the supplementary as running mate to Yahaya Bello.
He insists he should be declared governor-elect as Bello did not partake in the campaigns that gave Audu’s victory in the first part of the polls. He is also challenging INEC decision to declare the November 21 election inconclusive.
He also said he would appeal the Abuja High Court ruling which dismissed his suit seeking recognition as Kogi governor-elect.
However, Daniel Kure, the director Voters’ Education and Publicity of INEC, Kogi state, told Premium Times, Friday evening, that Faleke’s name was sent from the INEC headquarters in Abuja as the running mate to Bello.
It was gathered that Mala Buni, the national secretary of APC, neither replied text message nor answered calls initiated to get party’s position on the controversy.
Naij.com is on ground to bring you live coverage of the supplementary elections in the state. Refresh your browser always for fresh updates.
11:41am: Youth corpers serving as INEC adhoc staff bringing out voting materials as accreditation has ended in Anyigba ward, Dekina LGA. All party agents have agreed for voting to commence immediately
11:30am: A resident, Usman Yakub, told Naij.com that the accreditation exercise at the Anyigba ward, Dekina LGA has been peaceful and the process has been going on fine.
11:15am: Security beefed up at Anyigba ward, Dekina local government after the INEC office was burnt yesterday.
11:13am: Accreditation on-going in Ofejikpi polling unit 22 Anyigba ward, Dekina LGA. Rowdiness as party agents argue over the accreditation exercise.
11:02am: Accreditation currently on-going at Ofejikpil polling unit 013, Anyigba ward, Dekina local government area. However, the accreditation started around 8am but people didn’t turn out much till around 10am when they were mobilized by local leaders.
10.30am. Only 50 voters present for accreditation at Polling Unit 22/10/14/005, Kabba/Bunu local government area.
10:10am: More photos of the INEC office in Dekina local government area that was set ablaze in the early hours of yesterday, December 4.
09:50am: There is low voter turnout in Adavi local government area but accreditation is however going on smoothly.
09:45am: Accreditation on-going smoothly in Polling unit 22/09/02/004, Bassa local government
09:32am: Accreditation has commenced in Akpasu Ward, Kogi local government area and it’s going on well.
09:15am: Low voter turnout in Anyigba ward 10 Polling Unit 027, Etiaja junction.
09:00am: People are going about their duties in most parts of the state as the restriction by the Nigerian police is not total.
08:35am: At polling unit 22/05/10/027 Anyigba, Dekina local government area, INEC officials just arrived but there is a very low voter turnout.
08:17am: Accreditation is on-going in Idanuhua 04 Polling unit 002 Adavi local government area.
08:05am: Twenty-nine of the 91 polling units where the supplementary election will hold are located in Dekina local government, followed by Ankpa and Ofu local governments which have nine and eight polling units, respectively.
Ibaji and Omala local governments have six polling units each, while Adavi and Lokoja have five each.
8:02am: Accreditation has started in PUs in Idah, Okene & Lokoja LGA where supplementary election is holding.
08:00am: Posters and billboards of the APC new candidate, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has surfaced in most parts of the state.
07:45am: The supplementary election will hold in 91 polling units across 18 local government areas tomorrow. Halilu Pai, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kogi state, said sensitive materials and card readers meant for the in Dekina local government area were intact.
The INEC office in Dekina was set ablaze in the early hours of Friday, December 4, by yet to be identified hoodlums.
“Operations have been shifted to the police station in Dekina for today’s election“, Pai said.
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Incumbent governor, Idris Wada was in court to challenge the decision by INEC to conduct a supplementary election, but had his case struck out for “lack of merit” and other issues relating to that were clearly stamped out by the court to set the tone for a smooth running today, Saturday, December 5.
All of these may not have happened if Prince Abubakar Audu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) did not die after the election was declared inconclusive by INEC. Since his death, many controversies have sprung up.
First, his running mate, James Faleke asked to be named the governor-elect since his party’s candidate was leading in the polls before it was declared inconclusive; the incumbent governor, Idris Wada also brought up series of issues, especially as he asked to be declared winner of the polls, stressing that “whatever votes Audu had died with him.” Both however had their suits struck out at the Federal High Court.
Bello, 40, was however drafted into the race by the APC national leadership after the party’s candidate in the election, Prince Abubakar Audu, passed away hours after the INEC had declared the election inconclusive.
The late APC governorship candidate was leading his opponent Captain Idris Wada of the PDP by 41,353 votes. The INEC declared the poll inconclusive and scheduled a supplementary election in 91 polling units for today, December 5.
But hours to the supplementary election in the state, the status of the running mate to late Abubakar Audu in the November 21 governorship election, Abiodun Faleke, remains a subject of controversy.
Faleke had told newsmen, that he had written the INEC to withdraw from the supplementary as running mate to Yahaya Bello.
He insists he should be declared governor-elect as Bello did not partake in the campaigns that gave Audu’s victory in the first part of the polls. He is also challenging INEC decision to declare the November 21 election inconclusive.
He also said he would appeal the Abuja High Court ruling which dismissed his suit seeking recognition as Kogi governor-elect.
However, Daniel Kure, the director Voters’ Education and Publicity of INEC, Kogi state, told Premium Times, Friday evening, that Faleke’s name was sent from the INEC headquarters in Abuja as the running mate to Bello.
It was gathered that Mala Buni, the national secretary of APC, neither replied text message nor answered calls initiated to get party’s position on the controversy.
Naij.com is on ground to bring you live coverage of the supplementary elections in the state. Refresh your browser always for fresh updates.
11:41am: Youth corpers serving as INEC adhoc staff bringing out voting materials as accreditation has ended in Anyigba ward, Dekina LGA. All party agents have agreed for voting to commence immediately
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Youth corpers serving as INEC adhoc staff in Anyigba, Dekina LGA
11:30am: A resident, Usman Yakub, told Naij.com that the accreditation exercise at the Anyigba ward, Dekina LGA has been peaceful and the process has been going on fine.
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Large turnout in Anyigba, Dekina LGA has voters patiently wait to get accredited
11:15am: Security beefed up at Anyigba ward, Dekina local government after the INEC office was burnt yesterday.
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Security personnel in a polling unit
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A man goes through the voters register to find his name
11:13am: Accreditation on-going in Ofejikpi polling unit 22 Anyigba ward, Dekina LGA. Rowdiness as party agents argue over the accreditation exercise.
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A voter getting accredited
11:02am: Accreditation currently on-going at Ofejikpil polling unit 013, Anyigba ward, Dekina local government area. However, the accreditation started around 8am but people didn’t turn out much till around 10am when they were mobilized by local leaders.
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Accreditation on-going at Anyigba, Dekina local government area
10.30am. Only 50 voters present for accreditation at Polling Unit 22/10/14/005, Kabba/Bunu local government area.
10:10am: More photos of the INEC office in Dekina local government area that was set ablaze in the early hours of yesterday, December 4.
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INEC office burnt down in Dekina LGA (PHOTO CREDIT: Emmanuel Osodi)
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INEC office burnt down in Dekina LGA (PHOTO CREDIT: Emmanuel Osodi)
09:50am: There is low voter turnout in Adavi local government area but accreditation is however going on smoothly.
09:45am: Accreditation on-going smoothly in Polling unit 22/09/02/004, Bassa local government
09:32am: Accreditation has commenced in Akpasu Ward, Kogi local government area and it’s going on well.
09:15am: Low voter turnout in Anyigba ward 10 Polling Unit 027, Etiaja junction.
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Voters waiting in Anyigba ward 10 Polling Unit 027, Etiaja junction to be accredited (Photo Credit: @Situationroomng)
09:00am: People are going about their duties in most parts of the state as the restriction by the Nigerian police is not total.
08:35am: At polling unit 22/05/10/027 Anyigba, Dekina local government area, INEC officials just arrived but there is a very low voter turnout.
08:17am: Accreditation is on-going in Idanuhua 04 Polling unit 002 Adavi local government area.
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Accreditation on-going in Adavi local government area in Kogi
08:05am: Twenty-nine of the 91 polling units where the supplementary election will hold are located in Dekina local government, followed by Ankpa and Ofu local governments which have nine and eight polling units, respectively.
Ibaji and Omala local governments have six polling units each, while Adavi and Lokoja have five each.
8:02am: Accreditation has started in PUs in Idah, Okene & Lokoja LGA where supplementary election is holding.
08:00am: Posters and billboards of the APC new candidate, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has surfaced in most parts of the state.
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Bello’s campaign billboard in the Felele area of Lokoja
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Idris Wada’s posters destroyed and replaced with Yahaya Bello’s
07:45am: The supplementary election will hold in 91 polling units across 18 local government areas tomorrow. Halilu Pai, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kogi state, said sensitive materials and card readers meant for the in Dekina local government area were intact.
The INEC office in Dekina was set ablaze in the early hours of Friday, December 4, by yet to be identified hoodlums.
“Operations have been shifted to the police station in Dekina for today’s election“, Pai said.
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