President Muhammadu Buhari has won in his unit in Daura, Katsina State, in presidential and National Assembly elections held throughout the country on Saturday.
Though the elections were marred by violence in some states including Lagos, Rivers, and Anambra, voter turnout was impressive in most polling units, while it was rather low in others where voting took place.
Mr Buhari, who voted at Polling Unit 003 in Sarkin Yara A Ward, Kofa Baru by Gidan Niyam, defeated candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Atiku Abubakar.
Buhari, who is presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress, polled 523 votes to defeat Accord Party, which scored four votes in the unit.
Atiku got three votes.
The unit has 898 registered voters, out of which 550 were accredited for the elections.
Presiding Officer, Mr Aliyu Abdullahi, a youth corps member, did the sorting and counting of the votes immediately voting ended at 2.14pm.
Buhari, in company with his wife, Aisha, was among the earliest voters to arrive at the venue at 8.01am.
The President’s number on the voter register is 187, while his wife’s is 182.
The couple started and completed their accreditation and voting under 10 minutes.
Speaking on the conduct of the exercise, Buhari said so far he was satisfied.
He also expressed confidence in the outcome of the overall voting across the country, saying that he was sure that he would win.
Asked whether he would congratulate the winner if he lost, the President replied that he would congratulate himself because he was sure of victory.
The following dialogue took place between him and journalists.
Question: “What will you say about the conduct of the election so far and are you hopeful?”
Buhari: “I’m very hopeful indeed.”
Question: “If you lose this election, will you accept defeat and congratulate the winner and hand over power eventually?”
Buhari: “I will congratulate myself, I am going to be the winner. Thank you very much.”
The President’s eldest sister, Mrs Rekiya Adamu, also came to vote.
Adamu, who is 84 years old, arrived at the unit at 9.31am, shielded by security operatives.
However, after a quick check, electoral officers re-directed her to Polling Unit 002 where she was identified to perform her civic duty.
But, in the National Assembly contest, APC lost the President’s unit to Accord Party.
AP polled 263 votes in the unit for the Senate seat, while APC followed with 248 votes. PDP scored zero, while there were 14 voided votes.
Candidate for Accord Party for Senate is Mr Nalado Lawal, while APC’s is Mr Ahmed Kaita.
However, APC won in the unit for the House of Representatives seat, polling 450 votes to AP’s 58 votes while PDP got five votes.
Atiku defeats Buhari inside Villa, PDP wins Senate, Reps seats
However, Atiku defeated Buhari in the total votes cast in the presidential election held inside Presidential Villa, Abuja.
But both candidates won one each of the two polling units located on the premises.
While Atiku won in Polling Unit 022 with 525 votes against Buhari’s 465, the President won in Polling Unit 021 with 552 votes against Atiku’s 505 votes.
In all, Atiku won with 1,030 votes against Buhari’s 1,017 votes.
For the senatorial election, PDP won Unit 021 with 535 votes against the APC’s 531.
In Unit 022, PDP also won with 546 votes while APC polled 477 votes.
In the senatorial election, PDP won with 1,081 votes while APC scored 1,008 votes.
For House of Representatives’ election, PDP defeated APC in Unit 021 with 525 votes as against APC’s 531 votes.
In Unit 022, PDP again won with 521 votes against APC’s 466 votes.
In all, PDP won the House of Representatives’ election with a total vote of 1,046 votes against 995 scored by APC.
There was orderliness at the Presidential Villa while the polls lasted.
There were 14 voting points with seven in each of the two units.
Electoral officers were comfortably housed under six giant canopies.
White plastic chairs were also provided for voters who looked very relaxed under the trees.
After voting, voters stayed back in their number to witness the sorting and counting of votes.
When it became clear that the exercise would extend into late evening, Julius Berger moved a giant generator and floodlights to the venue.
The firm is in charge of the daily maintenance of the seat of power.
Atiku loses unit to President
But Atiku lost his polling unit in Adamawa State to Buhari in the impressive turnout of voters in the state.
The conduct of the polls was also generally peaceful apart from the fighter jet that hovered over Yola.
Atiku, who voted at his polling unit 12 in Ajiya in Yola, lost by 19 votes to the President.
He polled 167 while Buhari got 186 votes.
APC also won the Senate election in the ward, polling 187 to PDP’s 120.
In House of Representatives election, APC had 145 while PDP scored 121.
PDP supporters jubilated despite the loss, saying that Atiku had never won at the unit and had never closed the gap against the opposition even when he won the governorship race in the state in 1998.
They saw Saturday’s result at the unit as an improvement.
However, Atiku polled 146 to defeat Buhari who scored 129 votes in Unit 015, just a few metres to the former Vice-President’s unit.
The tally of results from Ajiya, Yola Club, NUJ, Bekaji and Karewa polling units as recorded by our correspondents showed that PDP polled 796 votes while APC scored 611.
Atiku, who came to the polling unit with his wife, Titi, and the son of Bamanga Tukur, Awa, told newsmen that he expected a smooth transition after the elections.
He also said he was impressed with the report of massive turnout he had received from PDP agents across the country.
Atiku also appealed to INEC officials to allow free and fair elections.
He said, “So far so good, I am impressed with the turnout of the people. I look forward to a successful transition. Whichever way the results go, I am a democrat.”
Turnout impressive, peaceful — Observers, others
Speaking on the conduct of the polls, some voters and participants rated the turnout as “high” in many parts of the state.
For example, Abdullahi Lawal said he was happy that agents of the Federal Government did not interfere with the elections so far.
“We are happy today (Saturday) that voting went on smoothly. People came out massively because of the sensitisation that we did and we are optimistic of victory,” he said.
Some observers also shared the same view.
Mr Musa Musa of Centre for Transparency Advocacy said the organisation’s field officers in the 34 Local Government Areas of Adamawa State had yet to report any major issues affecting the polls negatively.
“So far, we have not received any negative reports or complaints from any quarters. I am in touch with field officers in the various local governments. It’s so far so good,” he added.
Violence: INEC to fix new dates for elections in Rivers, Lagos, Anambra
Meanwhile, INEC on Saturday said it would reschedule elections in some parts of Rivers, Anambra and Lagos states where there were cases of violence and ballot box snatching.
The commission also acknowledged challenges posed by the smart card readers but said they had been resolved.
INEC Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye, while giving an update on the ongoing elections, said where malfunctioning of smart card readers was not resolved before the closing of elections, voting would continue the next day.
He said, “We received reports of violence and ballot box snatching which took place in Akokotoro and Bonny Local Government Areas of Rivers State; and some parts of Lagos and Anambra states. We are waiting for the report; we have told Resident Electoral Commissioners in the states to submit their report.
“So, elections in these areas, especially in areas where House of Representatives and Senate polls did not take place, new date for the election will be decided later after we receive reports from INEC officials on the ground.”
The commission also said that most of the challenges associated with the smart card readers were resolved on time.
Okoye also threatened that any INEC official who deliberately refused to make use of the smart card readers would be prosecuted because that action contravened the electoral guidelines and provisions of the Electoral Act.
He said, “It was made clear that the use of the smart card readers is mandatory. Therefore any official of the commission who deliberately refused to use the smart card reader would be prosecuted.
“The challenges of smart card readers have been resolved. But where they are not resolved before the closing of elections, the polls will continue the next day.”
He also explained that all the unused ballot papers would be cancelled immediately after the election.”
Vote buying: EFCC arrests PDP agent with N55,000
EFCC, however, said it arrested an agent of PDP in Gombe State, Mr Amadu Garkuwa, for alleged vote-buying.
The commission also alleged that the suspect was attempting to bribe INEC officials, security agents and journalists with N55,000.
EFCC said in a Facebook post that the suspect was arrested with N75, 000 and a list containing names of persons that money would be given to.
The post read in part, “In Gombe, 66-year-old Garkuwa was caught on Saturday, February 23, 2019 in Anguwa Madanaki, Gombe Local Government, Gombe State inducing voters with money.
“He was subsequently arrested by men of the commission. Among items found with him was a list detailing who and how the money would be shared ostensibly to influence voters’ choices in the elections.
“Garkuwa said he was given N75,000 from PDP office in the presence of party chairman and the Gombe Local Government Area chairman, adding that the money was meant to be shared among INEC officials, security agents, PDP delegates and PDP media team.
“Before his arrest, the suspect was said to have distributed N10,000 each to PDP delegates and N5,000 to each of the journalists on the list. He was caught with N55,000 allegedly meant to bribe INEC officials and security operatives at the polling unit. He, however, claimed that the money was meant for pure water.”
The commission said two more suspected vote-buyers were arrested before the close of the exercise in the state.
The parties which the suspects belong to as well as their identities were, however, not stated.
Security situation impressive, says IG
In a related development, acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, said he was happy with the conduct of the elections, describing the security arrangements deployed all over the country as impressive.
He said he was happy with the reports he had received across the country.
With the reports, he said there were no security challenges.
Adamu spoke with journalists while monitoring the conduct of the elections in Abuja.
He also said investigations had shown that the bomb explosions recorded in the early hours of Saturday in some parts of North-East had nothing to do with the elections.
The IG said, “I have gone round some polling units to see the conduct of the elections and what I have seen so far is impressive.
“Security is adequate; electorate are casting their votes without any fear. Party agents also informed me that they are happy with the arrangements put in place so far and that they don’t have any challenge.”
He also debunked allegations that the attack on a police officer in Kogi State was because of the elections.
“An officer of Nigeria Police was attacked in Kogi but it didn’t happen today. It happened some hours before polling units were opened. So, it has nothing to do with the conduct of the exercise and we are dealing with that matter,” the police boss said.
Gowon hails voter turnout in FCT
Also, a former Head of State, Mr Yakubu Gowon, on Saturday, lauded voter turnout in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, expressing the hope that such would be replicated in other parts of the country.
Gowon, who was monitoring the exercise as an accredited observer, spoke to journalists at about 3pm at Junior Model Secondary School, Maitama, Abuja, a voting venue of Polling Unit 27.
Voting had closed and counting was about to begin when he arrived at the polling unit with members of his entourage.
He said during his tour of various units in Abuja, he observed that the turnout was overwhelming such that many voters were still trying to vote at the time voting ought to have ended.
He also said there was card reader problem in some units.
Gowon said, “In some places it has been smooth. In some places where the number is overwhelming some persons are still trying to vote.
“There are some issues around the use of smart card reader, otherwise so far so good; Nigerians are making me to feel so proud, at least around here (Abuja). I hope it’s so all over.”
We’ll give our view about polls on Monday — EU chief observer
Meanwhile, European Union’s Chief Observer for the Elections Observation Mission Nigeria 2019, Ms Maria Arena, has said her mission will give its “impression” about the elections in its preliminary report to be released on February 25.
Arena spoke to journalists at about 10.55am on Saturday on Post Office premises in Area 10, Abuja, venue of Polling Unit 018, where there was a massive turnout of voters.
There were 3,266 registered voters in the unit with six voting points.
Asked to give her impression about the exercise so far, Arena said, “We have 90 observers all over the country. I have just visited one polling unit. We are collecting information all over the country. We are not here to give any impression.
“We are European Observation Mission; we are working on a methodology for a long term observation mission. We have been here since January and we are going to observe all the processes. So we are not going to give personal impression.
“What we can say is that we are collecting information from all over the country. We have seen a lot of polling units opened later than 8am; that we can say.
“We will have our preliminary report on February 25 but now we are collecting information and we don’t want to give our impression now.”
She also called on Nigerians to turn out en masse to vote for the future of their country.
Arena said, “What is important is that we have this election today and it is important for Nigeria and we have a lot of Nigerian people being happy to be there and have the opportunity to vote.
“This is really important and we have to give this message to Nigerians to go and vote for the future of the country.”
Punch
