Poll: Anxiety as INEC begins to upload results

Governorship and state Houses of Assembly candidates of the political parties, their supporters and other stakeholders are in anxious wait for the results of the polls, which were held on Saturday even as the Independent National Electoral Commission began uploading of the results on its results viewing portal.

The governorship election was held in 28 of the 36 states of the federation, while the state assemblies’ poll was conducted in all the states.

As of 10pm, a total of 77,143 results for the governorship and state House of Assembly elections had been uploaded to the iREV portal.

Opposition parties and many observers knocked INEC over its failure to immediately upload results on its portal after the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections. The commission explained that technical glitches marred the results upload, but many dismissed the explanation.

INEC had however given assurances that the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections would be uploaded in real time as it had rectified the issues.

Checks by Sunday PUNCH showed that some results had been uploaded in 28 states. They include Ogun State, with 3,631; Plateau, 2,765; Zamfara, 961; Yobe, 1,438; Taraba, 4,869; Sokoto, 1,310; Rivers, 4,301; Oyo, 4,907; Niger, 1,965; and Nasarawa, 2,291.

Others are Lagos, 7,375 results; Kwara, 1,838; Kebbi, 923; Katsina, 2,627; Kano, 3,951; Kaduna, 4,900; Jigawa, 2,200; Gombe, 1,322; Enugu, 3,321; Ebonyi, 2,050; Delta, 2,807; Cross River, 1,665; Borno, 2,174; Benue, 2,736; Bauchi, 2,092; Akwa Ibom, 2,641; Adamawa, 2,100; and Abia, 1,983 results.

The elections, however, recorded pockets of violence characterised by killings, intimidation of the electorate and general low turnout of eligible voters.

Three persons were reportedly killed in Delta State, six in Benue, while one each was felled in Osun and Niger states and an ad hoc staff member of the Independent National Electoral Commission was shot dead in Rivers State. Another person was burnt to death in Katsina State.

Lagos

Hoodlums invaded the Waheed Akanni Polling Unit 008 in Okota and destroyed election materials.

The INEC ad hoc staff members at the polling unit were said to have wrestled with the hoodlums and were able to retrieve the BVAS machines from them.

An Arise TV correspondent was also attacked in the Ikate Elegushi area of the state, while the camera and drone belonging to the crew were also seized. The crew were also detained before they were released.

Also, voters at some polling units in Ikosi and Ketu were attacked by suspected political thugs.

In the polling unit at the end of Owodunni Street, some thugs, who were armed with sticks, machetes and other weapons, attacked voters.

Residents, who spoke to one of our correspondents, said the thugs came in with machetes and other weapons, and caused tension in the area.

Thugs also hijacked ballot boxes at Tedi Primary School in Ojo, where about four polling units were located.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the thugs also burnt some ballot boxes and beat some voters, causing others to run for safety.

Security personnel were at the venue when the incident occurred.

The violence forced some residents of the area to close their street gates for security reasons.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, said some weapons, ballot boxes and sensitive materials snatched by suspected thugs had been recovered.

Owohunwa stated this in an interview with journalists after monitoring activities the polls.

He said some suspects were also arrested for various electoral offences in different parts of the state, stressing that there were some isolated cases during the election.

The CP said, “We made a number of arrests. We also made some recoveries in terms of INEC sensitive materials, ballot boxes and offensive weapons. The number of arrests is still being compiled by our field officers.

“I will by Sunday morning know the exact number and make it public. No one was killed in Lagos state during the gubernatorial election.”

Delta

The victims in Delta State were reportedly shot dead during an exchange of gunfire between security operatives and irate youths when suspected political thugs invaded polling units at Mosogar, Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state.

Also, a building owned by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress at Mosogar, who is also a former Chairman of Ethiope West Local Government Area, Dr Wilson Omene, was said to have been set ablaze by thugs.

It was gathered that at Amukpe in Sapele, a youth in the area lost one of his hands during a clash that erupted in one of the polling units.

Tension also gripped Evwreni community in the Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state as political thugs invaded polling units in the area and destroyed electoral materials, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines. Consequently, voting was disrupted in most of the polling units in the community.

Three BVAS machines were smashed by the hoodlums, who also attacked some of the National Youth Service Corps members and other electoral officials attached to the polling units with some of the victims sustaining varying degrees of injury.

Benue

Six persons were feared killed and several others injured in the Gboko area of Benue State. The deceased were said to have attempted to snatch ballot boxes during the elections.

It was gathered that the deceased were shot by security operatives at different locations when they stormed the polling units to snatch ballot boxes.

An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said one person was killed in Abagu, two were gunned down at the NKST Primary School, Gboko South, while the other three were killed at the Hausa quarters.

The Chairman of the Gboko Local Government Area, Isaac Mton, said he only heard of the shooting of one man, who had been hospitalised.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Catherine Anene, said she had yet to be briefed about the incidents.

Meanwhile, the member of the House of Representatives representing the Buruku Federal Constituency, Kpam Sokpo, was allegedly beaten up by soldiers at Old Barn, Gboko.

Narrating his ordeal in the hands of soldiers in a telephone chat, the lawmaker said the soldiers numbering about 60 met him at a hotel and molested him without provocation.

When contacted, the state Commissioner of Police, Wale Abass, said he was not aware of the incident.

Also, the spokesman for the 401 Special Forces Brigade, Captain Okezie, said he was not aware of the incident.

Osun

One Gani Gele lost his life when he was attacked during an argument that ensued over a voided vote for the state House of Assembly at Isedo, Oloponda Ward 2 Unit 5, in Ila Orangun, Osun State.

The deceased was said to have left his polling unit and moved to Isedo when collation was ongoing and got into an argument with those he met there over a voided vote.

After he was attacked, he was said to have been rushed to an undisclosed hospital in the town, where he was pronounced dead.

A man identified simply as Rasheed was said to have been arrested by the police in connection with the incident.

The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Osun State Command, Kehinde Adeleke, confirmed the incident, saying the deceased was attacked during collation.

Also, suspected political hoodlums disrupted voting across the state. Thugs moving in a Sienna vehicle attacked polling units 10 and 11, Ward 5, Iso Pako, Osogbo, shot in the air to scare voters before they carried away ballot boxes.

Hoodlums also attacked Ward 4, polling units 17 and 32 in the Osogbo Local Government Area and took away ballot boxes.

Ondo

Political thugs reportedly hijacked and destroyed ballot boxes and other voting materials at Ute community in the Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.

It was gathered that the state House if Assembly election was disrupted in 10 out of the 15 units at Ward 12 in the local government area.

The INEC’s spokesperson in the state, Mrs Olufunke Segun-Osifeso, said the commission had not received any report in that regard.

A policeman was hit by stray bullets during a shootout that occurred in Idanre town, Idanre Local Government Area of the state.

Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, said a suspect had been arrested in connection with the incident.

“The suspect involved in the shooting at Idanre has been arrested, while a pump action rifle and two live cartridges were recovered,” the PPRO confirmed.

Niger

Security operatives reportedly killed a middle-aged man in the Sauka-Kahuta area of Minna, Niger State during the elections.

An eyewitness, Karima Yunusa, said the victim was shot when he and others were throwing stones at security operatives deployed in the area to ensure orderly conduct of the polls.

Kano

The Kano State Police Command arrested three suspects for disrupting election at the Masaka polling unit, Kofar Mazugal/Gwammaja, in the Dala Local Government Area of the state.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Gumel, confirmed the arrest while addressing journalists during an on-the-spot assessment of the elections.

“As of the time we came, the presiding officer had fled the area. But because of the swift response of the people, they prevented the saboteurs and they were arrested.

“As I speak with you, we have three persons in our custody.”

Hoodlums destroyed ballot boxes in polling units in the Rimin Gado Local Government area of Kano State.

Some of the affected areas are Dugurawa, where four ballot boxes were destroyed at Ajili Ward in Jujin Kosau, and Yelwan Dan Ziyal, Akalawa and Wuti wards.

At the close of voting, no fewer than 15 ballot boxes were destroyed in the affected areas, some of which were displayed at the INEC office in the local government secretariat.

A woman was attacked at a polling unit in the Tarauni Local Government Area of the state for displaying her ballot paper after voting.

It was gathered that the woman was approached by some agents of a party to solicit for her vote.

Shortly after casting her vote, the woman was said to have raised the ballot paper to confirm to the agents that she had fulfilled her promise, which angered other people who immediately attacked her.

Some thugs also attacked and injured a journalist working for a local radio station, Premier Radio Kano, Ashiru Umar, while on election duty at Gidan Galadima, Galadanci Primary School in the Gwale Local Government Area of the state.

Ebonyi

Political thugs beat a female election observer, Uzodinma Ogodo, for allegedly voting against a political party.

Ogodo, an observer attached to Connected Development, confirmed the development to one of our correspondents.

Efforts made to get the reaction of the state police command did not yield result as of the time of filing this story.

Bayelsa

In Bayelsa State, some suspected political thugs were reported to have hijacked and destroyed voting materials meant for wards 2, 3, 4 and 5 in constituency 2 of the Ogbia Local Government Area of the state for the House of Assembly election.

Governor Douye Diri, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, urged the Inspector-General of Police and the state Commissioner of Police to restore peace in the area.

Imo

In Imo State, hoodlums abducted about 19 INEC ad hoc staff members, who were on their way to seven polling units in Ugbelie Ward 06 in the Ideato South Local Government Area.

The ad hoc workers were later rescued by security operatives with the INEC spokesperson in the state, Chinenye Chijioke-Osuji, confirming that BVAS machines and sensitive electoral materials were not recovered.

Edo

Internally Displaced Persons in Benin were prevented from voting in the House of Assembly election as the polling unit where they were supposed to cast their ballot was attacked by gunmen.

It was gathered the hoodlums stormed the Eresoyen Primary School, Uhogua- Iguoshodin, Ovia North East Local Government Area of the state and left with three BVAS machines and other voting materials.

A voter in the community, Joseph Simon, lamented that there were no security agents at the polling unit.

Anambra

Suspected thugs invaded a polling unit at Metu Memorial Primary School in Odoakpu, Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The thugs invaded the area as voting was going on around 11.21am, scattered the ballot boxes and snatched telephones belonging to voters.

Similarly, at Awada Primary School, Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, thugs invaded the place and snatched money and telephone handsets from voters.

Journalists and observers covering the elections were among those attacked in the area as many voters were wounded and windscreen of vehicles smashed by the thugs.

One of the victims, Alloytius Attah, said the thugs snatched N3,000 from him and also attempted to snatch his mobile telephone.

Ogun

The Ogun State Police Command confirmed that isolated cases of violence were recorded in some parts of the state.

The state Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba, while addressing newsmen in Iperu, said the police, in conjunction with other security agencies, arrested ballot box snatchers, vote buyers and restriction of movement violators.

When one of our correspondents visited Polling Unit 5 at AUD Secondary School, Sagamu, it was gathered that a ballot box was destroyed by suspected hoodlums.

Similarly, there was sporadic shooting in Iperu Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area, when hoodlums snatched two ballot boxes at Polling Unit 05, Ward 03 in the Ayegbami area of the town. The Assistant Polling Officer for the unit, Alalade Babatunde, was also beaten up.

Katsina

Voters in the Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State burnt one and injured another whose gang attempted to scare away voters in the area.

Residents said the gang invaded a polling unit in the Batsari community shortly after 8am after accreditation had begun.

The voters reportedly summoned up courage to face the thugs, overpowering some of them in the process, while the others fled into the forest.

The residents added that the voters thereafter descended on two of the terrorists and set them ablaze.

The spokesman for the Katsina State Police Command, SP Gambo Isah, could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing the report.

Zamfara

Political thugs destroyed election materials at Bakin Cinema and Birnin Ruwa polling units in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital.

The thugs, who were in large numbers, stormed the two polling units when the election was taking place and chased away voters. They later destroyed some of the ballot boxes and papers.

The spokesperson for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ikor Oche, said security agents took the remaining election materials to INEC office.

Kaduna

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on election monitoring duty in Kaduna State came under attack at School Road, Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna, while attempting to arrest a suspected vote buyer.

The team, working on intelligence on the activities of one Kabiru Musa, who was seen in an amateur video allegedly inducing eligible voters by using his phone to transfer money into their accounts as they cast their votes, had mobilised to the scene to arrest the suspect.

The EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, disclosed this in a statement.

Uwujaren stated that immediately the suspect was accosted by the operatives, he became unruly and screamed to attract the attention of his syndicate members, who descended on the operatives and left some of them injured, adding that it took great restraints for the operatives to ignore the unprovoked attack but insisted on arresting the suspect.

Uwujaren said, “As the team drove away with the suspect, their vehicle was pelted with stones and other dangerous objects that damaged the windshield and three operatives suffered varying degrees of injuries in the process.

“The injured operatives are currently receiving medical attention at the medical centre of the Kaduna Zonal Command, while the suspect is in custody pending conclusion of investigation.”

Rivers

In Abua Central, Ward 7 in the Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, two INEC ad hoc staff members were hit by stray bullets fired by suspected political thugs.

It was gathered that the thugs were shooting to scare away voters to enable them to hijack voting materials.

One of those shot reportedly died on the way to the hospital, while the other was hospitalised.

In Umudioga, Ward 10, Emuoha Local Government Area, gunmen hijacked a BVAS machine and a bag containing ballot papers.

In Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, it was gathered that suspected cultists went about with canes to beat anyone who did not vote for their preferred party in Ward 6, units 41, 42, 51 and 52 in Okrika Waterfront, Cemetery and Marine base areas of the metropolis.

In Port Harcourt City, Ward 5, units 1 to 8 on Aggrey Road, the election ended abruptly after some thugs invaded the polling units, selected ballot papers of their favoured party and burnt those of other political parties.

In Obio/Akpor LGA, ballot boxes were snatched in Ward 15, Unit 23.

At the University of Port Harcourt, hoodlums raided the polling unit and escaped with the ballot boxes.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, promised find out about the incidents and give one of our correspondents a feedback, but she had yet to do so as of the time of filing the story.

Taraba

Violence broke out in Akate Ward of the Donga Local Government Area of Taraba State as angry youths destroyed election materials in the ward headquarters at the point of distribution.

Eyewitnesses told one of our correspondents on the telephone that the angry youths threw stones at INEC officials and NYSC members on election duty, injuring scores in the process.

It was gathered that the before security operatives arrived the scene, the youth had destroyed the election materials meant for 11 polling units.

Ogun

Four hoodlums were arrested with a pistol and a knife on their way to polling units in Abeokuta.

The hoodlums were arrested at Sapon in the Abeokuta South Local Government Area of the state.

A soldier at a roadblock in Sapon confirmed to one of our correspondents that four persons were arrested with the weapons.

Meanwhile, another suspected hoodlum was seen being made to do corporal punishment under the Sapon bridge after being caught security agents.

Political thugs disrupted electoral process at Ward 13 polling Unit 22, Itori Odo, Abeokuta South Local Government Area of the state.

The thugs chased away journalists and electoral officers at the polling unit with axes.

Anambra

Policemen in Anambra State arrested five persons suspected to be thugs allegedly mobilised to disrupt the state House of Assembly election in the state.

According to a short message by the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, the men were arrested in Ihiala with four pump action guns.

“Five armed thugs were arrested in Ihiala and four pump actions recovered,” Ikenga stated.

Plateau

Suspected thugs attacked the Pangpit Polling Unit in the Mikang Local Government Area of Plateau State and destroyed the voters’ register.

It was learnt that the thugs, who arrived after voting had commenced, destroyed some of the ballot boxes.

The spokesman for the state police command, Alabo Alfred, said though he had not received such report in his office, police officers had been deployed in all the local government areas to handle security issues that might arise.

Situation Room assessment

The Nigerian Civil Situation Room on Saturday alleged that there was tension and violence in about five per cent of polling units during the elections.

The conveners of the NCSSR, Ene Obi, Asma’u Joda and James Ugochukwu, stated this in an interim statement obtained by journalists in Abuja.

The statement read in part, “Election security: At the time of this report, the Situation Room observed tension in about five per cent of polling units. Sources of these tensions include destruction of election materials, disruption of materials distribution, arguments and quarrels between party agents and fighting among party supporters.

“Specifically, in Polling Unit 009, Nto Edio 3 Ward in Obot Akara LGA of Akwa Ibom State, ballot boxes were destroyed by aggrieved political party members. Also, in Aluchi Ward, Nasarawa Eggon LGA of Nasarawa State, thugs destroyed materials at the distribution centre thereby disrupting the distribution of materials.