INEC declares presidential election results on Monday

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said that
despite the extension of the Saturday’s elections till Sunday in
some parts of the country, the complete results of the
presidential poll will be declared on Monday.
INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who gave this assurance
on Sunday, however, said as of Sunday evening, results of the
polls had only been completely collated in two states, one of
which was Ekiti.
He maintained that the commission would declare the results
of the presidential election within 48 hours after the conduct
of the polls as it did in 2011.
He said this while addressing journalists in company with
some of the INEC commissioners on the update on the
conduct of the elections so far at the International Conference
Centre, Abuja, venue of the National Collation Centre of the
elections.
He said, “Some people assume that when I said 48 hours, it
starts from the morning the elections commenced. It is 48
hours after elections have ended, like yesterday.
“You start counting 48 hours from yesterday (Saturday), when
substantial majority of the polling units ended elections.”
He expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the Saturday’s
polls, which he said held in a substantial number of polling
units across the country, including the troubled North-East
region, where he said Internally Displaced Persons were able
to vote in three states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno.
“We are pleased that the elections went on smoothly in a
substantial number of Polling Units across the country,
including the North East where the commission was also able
to conduct voting for Internally Displaced Persons in the three
states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno,” he said.
He also debunked speculation that the resort to manual
accreditation in some polling units, where the card reader
machines failed, could undermine the credibility of the
election.
According to him, out of more that 150,000 card readers used
for the conduct of the polls on Saturday, only 300 of them
failed, representing only about 0.25 per cent of the total
number of machines.
“It is also gratifying to not that the card readers worked well
in the majority of polling units, even though there were areas
where difficulties experienced necessitated additional
guidelines to allow for manual accreditation of voters, as
announced yesterday (Saturday),” he said.
He said the resort to manual accreditation occurred in some
polling units in nine states which are Osun, Kebbi, Ekiti,
Adamawa, Borno, Jigawa, Anambra, Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi.”

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Buhari thrashes Jonathan in Ogun, wins 12 LGs

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress,
Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), defeated the candidate
of the Peoples Democratic Party, President Goodluck
Jonathan, who is seeking re-election, in Ogun State
So far, the APC has won in 12 local government areas of the
state, while PDP has emerged winner in seven LGs.
There are 20 local governments in Ogun State. As of the time
of filing this report at 8.02pm, result from the last local
government, Ipokia, was still being expected.
Buhari won in Ifo, Odogbolu, Egbado North, Egbado South,
Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Ijebu North East, Obafemi/
Owode, Ewekoro, Ijebu Ode, Ado-Odo/Ota and Odeda.
Jonathan won in Imeko Afon, Sagamu, Remo North, Ogun
Waterside, Ijebu East and Ijebu North.
The LGs, where the APC recorded huge votes,are Ifo, Abeokuta
South, Ado Odo-Ota, Abeokuta North, Odeda, Obafemi-Owode
and Ewekoro.
The PDP also proved its mettle in Imeko Afon, Buruji
Kashamu’s stronghold, Ijebu North, and Sagamu.
The local government areas, where both candidates ran neck-
to-neck, are Ijebu North East, Ogun Waterside and Odogbolu
LGs.

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Soldiers battle gunmen in Bauchi

Nigerian troops on Sunday engaged gunmen in fierce battle in
Dungulbe village, seven kilometres from Bauchi, the Bauchi
State Capital.
Reliable security sources and villagers confirmed the fighting.
A soldier, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told newsmen
that fighter jets had been drafted to support the troops to
repel the hoodlums.
“The fighter jets are pounding the enemy position while the
ground troops are engaging them,” the soldier said.
There was no clear information on casualties on both sides
but villagers said the soldiers pushed the gunmen into the
bush near Jitar village.

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DSS, others bar journalists from collation centres in Imo

There was mild tension in parts of in Imo State on Sunday as
armed security personnel, including men of the Department of
State Security, the Police and the Army barred journalists from
collation centres in the state.
At the collation Centre in Owerri Municipal Council Secretariat,
journalists were turned back from the gate by stern looking
security operatives who could not give reasons for the action.
The anxious journalists who were at the centres to get the
results of the National Assembly and Presidential election
results were told to return home and wait until the results
were announced.
All efforts to reach the Resident Electoral Commissioner,
George Ada, were abortive as his phone was switched off.
Meanwhile elections were conducted yesterday in the polling
units where the exercise could not hold yesterday as a result
of non availability of voting materials.
It will be recalled that many supporters of the All Progressives
Congress were arrested and manhandled by security
operatives at the alleged instance of the People’s Democratic
Party.

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Be patient, vigilant, Buhari tells Nigerians

Maj-Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (retd.)
The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress ,
Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has appealed to
Nigerians to be patient as the Independent National Electoral
Commission collates Saturday’s Presidential election results.
The APC candidate, who is contesting the poll for the fourth
time, gave the charge on his official Twitter page on Sunday
evening.
He urged his supporters to be vigilant.
He said, “Fellow Nigerians, I urge you to exercise patience and
vigilance as we wait for all results to be announced.”
Fellow Nigerians, I urge you to exercise patience and
vigilance as we wait for all results to be announced
— Muhammadu Buhari (@ThisIsBuhari) March 29, 2015

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Gunmen attack Bauchi voters, police stations

An unspecified number of gunmen in a convoy of about 10
vehicles on Sunday stormed many polling units in Kirfi and
Alkaleri Local Government Areas of Bauchi State and
destroyed many electoral materials.
Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed, stated this
in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in
Bauchi.
Mohammed said the gunmen also attacked two Police
Stations in the two councils.
The PPRO said, “You may recall that on the 28/3/2015
(Saturday) at about 2.30pm, unknown gunmen in about six
vehicles attacked a polling unit at Yautara Ward in Darazo
LGA and set ablaze electoral materials.
“Combined security forces, comprising the police and Army,
forced the hoodlums to abandon their mission and escaped
into the bush.
“However, today, 29/3/2015 (Sunday) at about 0025hrs
(12.25am), hoodlums further attacked Kirfi and Alkaleri
Divisional Police Headquarters, but were repelled and pursued
towards Dindima Town along Bauchi Gombe Road.”
The Police Spokesman said operations were still ongoing,
adding that the areas had been cordoned off by a combined
team of security forces with efforts being intensified to restore
normalcy in the area.
He said, “Members of the public are urged to remain calm and
disregard rumour from mischief makers.”

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Tension heightens between Rivers APC protesters, police

Policemen fired gunshots at INEC office on Aba Road, Port
Harcourt, capital of Rivers State, around on Sunday as the
protest against Saturday’s elections in the state began to
heightened.
The incident happened after APC supporters surrounded an
SUV in front of the Commission’s office, believed to have the
PDP governorship candidate in the state, Nyesom Wike, inside
it.
After appealing in vain to the APC supporters to clear the way,
the SUV forced its way through the angry mob, who stoned
and hit it the various objects.
They attacked several vehicles moving in and out of the area
carrying electoral materials.
More tanks and heavily-armed security officers have been
moved into the area.
Tension remains high in the area.
INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega, just announced that the
commission’s office in Port Harcourt had been set on fire.

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