All Progressives Congress (APC): APC to Nigeria Police, Don't try to disrupt our pr...

All Progressives Congress (APC): APC to Nigeria Police, Don't try to disrupt our pr...: Election crisis: APC leadership to march on INEC, warns police against stopping it The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced ...

APC to Nigeria Police, Don't try to disrupt our protest march to INEC Hqtrs

Election crisis: APC leadership to march on INEC, warns police against stopping it

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced it will stage a peaceful procession to INEC headquarters in Abuja on Thursday to register its disapproval of the Commission's string of failures in conducting recent elections, including the Delta Central Senatorial District bye-election and the 'inconclusive' Anambra Governorship poll.

In a statement issued by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party vowed to proceed with the march, despite the illegal move by the police to stop it.

''We are doing this as a patriotic service to the nation because INEC as presently constituted is not capable of organizing a free and fair election again in Nigeria. If the Commission is not checked, its
incompetence and conniving acts could plunge the country into chaos of unimaginable proportions,'' it said.

APC explained that ahead of the march, it wrote a letter to the FCT police command to inform it of the planned procession and to request for police escort to forestall a possible hijacking of the march by sponsored hoodlums.

''To our dismay, however, the FCT Police Commissioner did not only turn down our request for police escort but also cheekily advised us to restrict our activity to holding a press conference within our party headquarters to convey our grievances to INEC .

''We reject this very patronizing directive from the partisan FCT police command and hereby states that in exercise of our constitutional rights, the leadership of the APC will go ahead with its planned peaceful procession on Thursday, the 28th of November, to express our dissatisfaction with the corruption-ridden INEC and to pass a vote of no confidence on the Commission,'' the party said.

It said the police should not mistake its letter to the security agency as a request for permission to stage the procession, since the law has said no such permission is required.

''When we wrote this letter, we were quite aware of the ruling of the Appeal Court affirming the decision of Justice Chinyere of the Abuja Federal High Court the in the case of All Nigeria Peoples Party v Inspector General of Police (2006) CHR 181 which said, inter alia: 'If as speculated by law enforcement agents that breach of the peace would occur, our Criminal Code has made adequate provisions for sanctions against breakdown of law and under so that the requirement of a permit
as a conditionality to holding meetings and rallies can no longer be justified in a democratic society.'

''Being mindful of the position of the law on this issue but as a law abiding and a patriotic political party, we nonetheless in our said letter asked the police to provide us with escort during the
procession, in line with international best practices. That the police turned down this request speaks volumes about its disdain for the rule of law.

''We will not be deterred by the blatantly-partisan police, who have missed another great opportunity to affirm their neutrality and respect for the rule of law. We will use this march to prove the point
that we shall not condone a Police Command, however partisan or corrupt, abridging our constitutional rights.

''While we shall do all in our powers to make Thursday's procession to INEC as peaceful as possible, Nigerians and the entire world should hold the FCT police command responsible for any breakdown of law and order that may be occasioned by their unprofessional, partisan and illegal action,'' the APC said.

All Progressives Congress (APC): APC to INEC: We have provided substantial evidence...

All Progressives Congress (APC): APC to INEC: We have provided substantial evidence...: APC to INEC: We have provided substantial evidence to warrant cancellation of Anambra poll The All Progressives Congress (APC) has sa...

APC to INEC: We have provided substantial evidence to warrant cancellation of Anambra poll

APC to INEC: We have provided substantial evidence to warrant cancellation of Anambra poll

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said there is enough weighty, compelling and substantial evidence for INEC to cancel the Nov. 16th governorship election in Anambra, rather than order the conduct of 'supplementary election' for what is nothing but an irredeemable poll.

''Our party has provided incontrovertible and more than substantial evidence to show that what took place on Nov. 16th is a parody of election the  party said in a statement issued in Lagos on
Sunday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

''What other evidence can be more substantial than the fact that INEC, in conducting the Nov. 16th election, failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act? What other evidence can be more compelling than the INEC Chairman's admission of compromise by a top official of the commission? If Jega's statement that the election fell short of what the commission had expected and prepared for, what else could be more substantial?'' it queried.

APC said that, for the umpteenth time and so that Nigerians can understand the absurdity of Jega's contradictory stance on the ill-fated election, the party has decided to list its reasons for demanding the cancellation of the caricature election.

- Prof Jega's unforced admission that a senior official of the Commission has been financially induced to compromise the election in the Idemili North Local Government Area which has over 173,000 registered voters. This is very serious because this Local Government is the stronghold of the APC candidate, Senator Chris Ngige, and the fact that in the 2011 Senatorial Election Senator, Ngige scored over 80% of all votes cast in the Local Government.

- The decision to use the students of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, in direct violation of INEC guidelines, as Presiding Officers for the election instead of the trained ad hoc staff; and the use of the Staff of the university as Supervising Presiding Officers even though the running mate of the APGA candidate was until his nomination a professor in the same institution.

- The fact that electoral materials meant for the known strongholds of the APC candidate were deliberately sent to wrong wards or polling units, thereby creating confusion and frustration. By the time the materials were re-directed to the correct areas (if at all), many voters had left in frustration.

- Voters' registers, especially in known APC strongholds, were tampered with to remove the names of many registered voters, thereby disenfranchising them

- Result sheets were not supplied in many polling booths, especially in known strongholds of the APC

- Collation of results was not done at polling booth units or wards.

- Only 4,604 agent tags were given to the APC despite the fact that the party sent to INEC the names and pictures of over 6,500 agents, after INEC created an additional 1,903 voting points. The 4,604 agent tags were delivered to APC only at 3pm on Friday the 15th of November 2013, in contrast to APGA that received over 6,500 agent tags from INEC at least 3 days before election.

- Senator Chris Ngige, the APC candidate, complained in writing to INEC that Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukogu should not be allowed to conduct the November 16th election given his bias and animosity towards him (Ngige). The same Onukogu was the Resident Electoral Commission during the 2011 Anambra Election, during which his bias and animosity showed through when it took the courts to reclaim two house of assembly seats that he (Onukogu) unlawfully took away from the defunct ACN on which platform Ngige contested and subsequently won the election as a Senator.

The party said if the reasons listed above were not considered substantial enough, then one is left with no choice but to conclude that either Prof. Jega is decidedly being naive about the extent and scope of the multi-layer rigging perpetrated under his nose on Nov. 16th or he has chosen to align with election marauders who are acting the larger script of the presidency/PDP.

''Either way, the buck stops on Prof. Jega's desk and he bears the ultimate responsibility for the failure of the Nov. 16th election. Therefore, he must summon the courage to ameliorate the situation by ordering a fresh election. Failure to do that will mean that he has simply abdicated his responsibility and ruined the people's confidence in the ability of the commission he heads to remain an unbiased umpire,'' it said.

In spite of the brazen manner in which voters in Anambra State have been robbed of their franchise and the increasingly-apparent colluding stance of INEC, APC appealed to its supporters to remain calm and law abiding, as the leadership of the party will explore all constitutional and legal avenues to ensure that justice is done in this matter.

APC rejects supplementary election in Anambra

APC rejects supplementary election in Anambra

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected Friday's announcement by INEC to hold supplementary election in Anambra State on Nov. 30th.

"We will not be a party to what is obviously a travesty of election by a self-discredited and conniving electoral umpire," the party said in a statement issued in Lagos on Friday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

It expressed absolute shock and incredulity that INEC could even talk of organizing a supplementary election, despite the weight of credible evidence presented by the party as well as election monitors/observers that what transpired on Nov. 16th was nothing but a sham.

"This announcement has confirmed our worst fears that INEC is working in cahoots with the PDP and the presidency to ensure that no election ever counts in Nigeria.

"The INEC Chairman himself was the first to admit that a senior official of the commission compromised the election in one local government in Anambra.

"We on our own part were able to establish that materials meant for several LGs that were the strongholds of our candidate were diverted; that out of the about 1.7 million registered voters in Anambra, only a little over 400,000 were accredited to vote; and that the voters' register was apparently tampered with to remove many names and disenfranchise thousands of voters.
''Yet, the same electoral body that admitted that the election was compromised has turned around to validate it by its decision to organize supplementary election instead of cancelling the parody of election and holding a fresh one. This is a sad day indeed,'' APC said.

The party said it is now obvious that Nigerians cannot count on INEC to organize a free, fair and credible election anywhere in the country, hence Nigerians must now take their fate in their own hands to ensure that the principle of one man, one vote is sacrosanct.

All Progressives Congress (APC): APC decries continued detention of certified elect...

All Progressives Congress (APC): APC decries continued detention of certified elect...: APC decries continued detention of certified election observers. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as totally inexplica...

APC decries continued detention of certified election observers.

APC decries continued detention of certified election observers.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as totally inexplicable and unjustifiable the continued detention of the 182 election Observers who were illegally arrested in Imo State two days before last Saturday's governorship election in Anambra State, even after INEC has publicly said they are duly certified election Observers.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party expressed shock at the brazen contempt of court displayed by the police when the Observers were brought before a Magistrate on Monday.

It said even though the charges of conspiracy to commit misdemeanor, unlawful assembly and conduct likely to breach peace were bailable, the police acted in such an irresponsible, unlawful and contemptuous manner just to ensure the suspects were not granted bail.

''Having brought the alleged suspects before a Magistrate, one would have expected that the Imo police command will allow the judicial process to follow its due course. Rather, men and officers of the police command acted in a manner
that tainted the entire Nigeria police and called to question their motive for arresting the innocent Observers in the first instance

''Just before the case was called, the police suddenly seized and took away some of the suspects. When this came to the knowledge of the lawyers representing the Observers, they raised it with the presiding Magistrates, who ruled that the court will stand the matter down for two hours so that the remaining suspects could be produced before the court.

''Shockingly, the Officer in Charge (Legal) - acting on 'orders from above' - brought out his gun and ordered equally gun-wielding men to forcefully return all the accused to the police cell, and right in the presence of the presiding Magistrate and other lawyers, the suspects were taken away and were never returned, forcing the Magistrate to adjourn the case to Dec. 6th.

''Ultimately, the police that is a creation of the law succeeded in thwarting the cause of justice. It is a shame that the police decided to bring the hallowed chamber of the Magistrate court and indeed the entire judiciary into ridicule with a view to denying the suspects their right to being granted bail.

''It is clear that the Gestapo style exhibited by the police, acting on the ever-nebulous 'orders from above', was done so they can continue to detain, intimidate and harass the Observers, whose only offence is that they are from Osun State, perceived by the PDP as an enemy state,'' APC said.

The party called on the police hierarchy, if it has any honour left, to sanction the officer and men involved in the contempt of court and perversion of justice, to serve as a warning to other policemen who are bent on turning Nigeria to a Banana Republic.

Alh Lai Mohammed
NPS APC. Nov 20, 2013.

All Progressives Congress (APC): APC to INEC: You don't need court order to cancel ...

All Progressives Congress (APC): APC to INEC: You don't need court order to cancel ...: APC to INEC: You don't need court order to cancel tainted Anambra poll The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused INEC of be...

APC to INEC: You don't need court order to cancel tainted Anambra poll

APC to INEC: You don't need court order to cancel tainted Anambra poll

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused INEC of being economical with the truth by saying only the courts can order the cancellation of last Saturday's governorship election in Anambra, in which about 1.3 million of the 1.7 million registered voters were unable to exercise their franchise.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party reminded INEC that it did not wait for a court order to cancel the National Assembly elections in 2011, when it was obvious that many voters across the country could not vote due to the late arrival or non-delivery of voting materials.

''In announcing the cancellation of the National Assembly election in 2011, INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega said, among others, that it was to 'maintain the integrity of the elections and retain effective overall control of the process','' it said.

APC said the situation in Anambra last Saturday was even more serious because, in addition to the fact that voting materials were either late or not delivered at all, most voters were disenfranchised by an INEC official who apparently tampered with the 2011 Voters' Register for the state.

''Therefore, there are more compelling reasons now to cancel the Anambra governorship election than what led to the cancellation and rescheduling of the National Assembly election in 2011, unless of course INEC is still acting out the script handed to it for the ill-fated election,'' the party said.

It also said since the integrity of the 2011 Voters' Register has been compromised by tampering, that register can no longer be relied upon by INEC to organize any election in Nigeria.

''The emerging allegations are very serious. First, the Voters' Register for Anambra has been allegedly tampered with by an INEC official to disenfranchise a huge number of voters, to such an extent that only 451,826 voters were accredited out of the 1,763,751 registered voters in Anambra State.

''Secondly, the disenfranchisement started from the data capturing stage, when the machine was apparently manipulated not to capture those whose names start with 'O' or 'U', and that is a whole lot of people. Against this background, it is obvious to all fair-minded people, not the rabidly partisan PDP, that INEC 's computer data-base must have been fraudulently, irreparably and totally adulterated such that no credible Voters' Register can anymore be produced from the 2011 voters' registration data.

''That is why we are not just calling for the cancellation of the Anambra governorship election, but also saying that even a fresh election cannot and must not be conducted on the basis of the 2011 Voters' Register. Unless Nigeria embarks on another voters' registration exercise, it is doubtful if INEC has the ability to ameliorate the damages already done to 2011 registration information by its corrupt and inept officials.

''That is why we are calling on Prof. Jega not to withhold the name of the main saboteur in Saturday's poll, and to also investigate the level to which the Voters' Register has been compromised, fish out all those involved, find out who their sponsors are and make all of them to face justice,'' APC said.

Meanwhile, the party has described as very strange indeed the role of the presidency and the PDP in the ongoing debate over the Anambra election.

''The conventional wisdom is that political parties take their bearing from their candidates on election day. But in the case of the PDP and the Presidency, not only have they abandoned their candidate in the Anambra poll, who himself has derided the election and called for its cancellation, they have also disowned him by going ahead to hail the poll as free and fair.

''It is now glaring to all that the disgrace that INEC has suffered from the Anambra debacle is because the electoral body is acting out the script written by the Presidency and APGA for the election. The claim by the PDP spokesman that our party is trying to discredit the entire electoral process is as shallow as it is laughable. 

''Pray, how more can you discredit an election that the organizer itself (INEC) has admitted was sabotaged by its own officials? Is it the APC that revealed the information concerning the role of INEC saboteurs? Did the PDP candidate find his name on the voters' register used for Saturday's election? Obviously, things have fallen apart in the contraption called the PDP and the centre can no long hold there,'' it said.

All Progressives Congress (APC): Anambra Poll: APC rejects INEC's plan to hold supp...

All Progressives Congress (APC): Anambra Poll: APC rejects INEC's plan to hold supp...: Anambra Poll: APC rejects INEC's plan to hold supplementary election, insists on total cancellation The All Progressives Congress (...

Anambra Poll: APC rejects INEC's plan to hold supplementary election, insists on total cancellation

Anambra Poll: APC rejects INEC's plan to hold supplementary election, insists on total cancellation

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the announcement by INEC that it will hold a supplementary election after declaring last Saturday's governorship poll in Anambra inconclusive, insisting that only the total cancellation of the grossly-tainted and widely-manipulated election will be acceptable.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also called on INEC to come clear on how the election was sabotaged from within the electoral commission itself, with a view to establishing how entrenched the forces of evil within the commission are and also to avert a looming national disaster into which an infiltrated,
incompetent and conniving INEC can plunge Nigeria.

APC said it is now apparent that INEC is indeed not taking seriously the opinions of Anambra residents as well as local and foreign observers that most of the registered voters in the state were
willfully disenfranchised on Saturday.

''First, the electoral commission proposed make-up election in only 65 polling units in Obosi before scaling things up to a supplementary election 'in those areas where election was cancelled'. But we say, without equivocating, that a total cancellation of the election and the organization of a fresh poll, under the supervision of a credible Resident Electoral Commissioner, will be acceptable to our party,'' it said.

The party also challenged INEC to quickly carry out an internal investigation to determine the extent to which Saturday's election was sabotaged and compromised to the embarrassment of the nation, saying what occurred on Saturday may actually be treasonable.

''It is not enough for INEC's detached Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to tell the nation that an INEC official sabotaged the election in a certain part of the state, he must tell the nation who this fellow is, who he/she is working for, what is the extent of the damage he/she has done to this and previous elections, and whether or not he/she has access to the commission's database of voters' register, which was apparently tampered with for Saturday's election.

''Prof. Jega must also tell Nigerians why 16 Electoral Commissioners, who migrated to Anambra days before the election ostensibly to supervise things, could not ensure the success of an election in a single state, when even a polling unit behind the INEC office in Awka did not get voting materials till after 9 am on election day,'' it said.

Meanwhile, the APC has accused the PDP of being an accessory to the shameful electoral malfeasance in Anambra last Saturday, going by the statement credited to the discombobulated party
that the election was free and fair.

''In its inordinate ambition to humiliate our party at all costs, the PDP has ended up humiliating itself and embarrassing the nation. Or how else does one describe a bizarre situation in which a party will
described as free and fair an election in which its own candidate and his family could not find their names in the voters' register? The joke is indeed on the PDP!

''It is now clear who the PDP is working for, and that the party has no qualms about sacrificing its own candidate and disgracing the nation as long as it will achieve its aim of humiliating the APC,''
the party said.

All Progressives Congress (APC): APC calls for total cancellation of Anambra Govern...

All Progressives Congress (APC): APC calls for total cancellation of Anambra Govern...: APC calls for total cancellation of Anambra Governorship Election The All Progressives Congress (APC) has demanded a total canc...

APC calls for total cancellation of Anambra Governorship Election

APC calls for total cancellation of Anambra Governorship Election

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has demanded a total cancellation of Saturday's governorship election in Anambra State based on the massive disenfranchisement of people across the state, caused by the blatant incompetent and/or deliberate sabotage by the electoral commission itself.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,the party said the call for total cancellation supersedes its early call for a rerun in four local government areas,and is based on the report it received from its agents as well as from local and foreign observers during the poll.

It said that INEC, which was saddled with organizing the election, inexplicably used a voters' register that is totally different from what it gave to political parties ahead of the election, with the result that the new register did not contain the names of most of the registered voters in the state.

Worse still, APC said, delivery of materials to the stongholds of the APC candidate, Senator Chris Ngige, was either done very late or not at all, a development that further robbed over 300,000 of his supporters in three key local governments of Idemili North, Idemili South and Awka South of their franchise.

''After consultations with our agents as well as with local and foreign observers, we have discovered that what we earlier complained about was a child's play, compared to the widespread disenfranchisement that was orchestrated by the same body given the responsibility of ensuring a free, fair and creditable election on Saturday.

''We discovered that INEC has set up a multi-layer arrangement to ensure that most voters in the state were disenfranchised, apparently acting out a script to manipulate the result of the election in favour of a certain candidate. Where voting materials were supplied, the commission provided wrong voters' register.

''Coming after the charade in Delta, this is a serious development that raises questions about the ability of INEC to conduct a free, fair and transparent elections anywhere in Nigeria. It is particularly serious because if people who registered to vote are not able to do so, and even the votes of those who managed to cast them do not count, then anarchy is looming,'' the party said.

It called for a probe of INEC to determine why it has taken it upon itself to sabotage its own elections, even when people are determined to endure the orchestrated inconveniences and shun all acts of violence, as was witnessed in Anambra on Saturday when people waited patiently and peacefully, only to go home in total disappointment.

''This is a new low for INEC, and unless something is done urgently, the electoral commission may plunge Nigeria into a crisis from which it may not recover,'' APC warned.

All Progressives Congress (APC): Anambra Poll: APC demands fresh elections in 4 LG ...

All Progressives Congress (APC): Anambra Poll: APC demands fresh elections in 4 LG ...: Anambra Poll: APC demands fresh elections in 4 LG areas, rejects fresh elections in only 65 polling units The All Progressives Congress...

Anambra Poll: APC demands fresh elections in 4 LG areas, rejects fresh elections in only 65 polling units

Anambra Poll: APC demands fresh elections in 4 LG areas, rejects fresh elections in only 65 polling units

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has demanded that fresh elections be held in four local government areas of Anambra State, where election either did not hold or massive malpractices were recorded in Saturday's governorship election in the state.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Saturday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also rejected INEC's decision to organize fresh elections in only 65 polling units on Sunday, saying that will not address the massive disenfranchisement of its supporters.

It listed the affected four local government areas as Idemili North, Idemili South, Awka South and Ihiala.

''In Idemili North, which has the highest number of registered voters at 173,832, voting materials did not arrive as 2 pm, when voters ought to have cast their votes; In Idemili South, with registered 85,731 voters, several qualified voters were disenfranchised as their names did not appear on the voters' register; In Awka South, with 118,312 registered voters, the names of APC supporters were expunged from the voters' register and in Ihiala, massive fraudulent practices were recorded at Uli Ward 1 polling unit and Umuchima polling unit 14

''Aside from Ihiala Local Government Area, the three local councils above comprise 377, 875 of the total 1, 784, 536 registered voters,'' APC said, adding that the affected areas were home to its support
base.

The party said nothing short of fresh elections in the three LGs and the cancellation of the results in the listed polling units in Ihiala would be acceptable to it

Further, the party strongly advises INEC not to declare any results relating to the Governorship Election until repeat elections are held in these areas where these irregularities occurred, more so as most of the party's supporters have been disenfranchised in these areas.

All Progressives Congress (APC): Anambra Poll: APC says results will not be accepta...

All Progressives Congress (APC): Anambra Poll: APC says results will not be accepta...: Anambra Poll: APC says results will not be acceptable without voting in all local govts The All Progressives Congress (APC) has warn...

Anambra Poll: APC says results will not be acceptable without voting in all local govts

Anambra Poll: APC says results will not be acceptable without voting in all local govts

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned that it will not accept the results of Saturday's governorship election in Anambra state if voting does not take place in all local governments, especially in the party's strongholds of Idemili North and South as well as Akwa South.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Saturday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also condemned INEC for its apparently-contrived logistic nightmare that has left thousands of voters unable to exercise their franchise, and demanded the immediate removal of the incompetent and conniving Resident Electoral Commissioner for Anambra, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukogu.

APC said it was totally astonished to learn that INEC has confirmed that materials meant for Idemili North Local  Government, which has 180,000 voters, have been hijacked, without saying who hijacked the ballot papers and why, and without explaining why the materials meant for APGA and PDP strongholds were not hijacked.

The party said equally astonishing is the fact that the voter's registers for Idemili South, the direct Local Government of the APC candidate, Dr. Chris Ngige, did not contain the names of voters in the local government, despite the assurances
by INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega.

''Before the election, political parties were given voter's registers that largely contained the names of most voters. However, about four days to the election, Prof Jega said at an interactive stakeholders forum that there were problems with the registers, which would be rectified before the election.

''However, when the supposedly-corrected registers were brought back, most of the authentic names in them have disappeared, without explanation,'' it said.

APC said it also complained about the fact that the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Anambra, Prof Onukogu, was very partial and unprofessional when he conducted the 2011 election, 

''In 2011, when Prof. Onukogu conducted the general elections in the state, he was very partial. During the Onitsha South 2 House of Assembly constituency and Idemili South House of Assembly polls, he declared the results of both inconclusive, only for him to announce the results at 12 midnight. After we challenged the results in court and a rerun was ordered, we won both constituencies.

''We subsequently petitioned INEC and the Commission assured us that the same person will not be allowed to conduct subsequent election. Alas, he was left in place to do another damage to INEC as an institution through his glaring incompetence and partiality, which have seriously affected the credibility of this governorship election,'' the party said.

Alhaji Lai Mohammed

Interim National Publicity Secretary
All Progressives Congress (APC)
Lagos, Nov. 15th 2013

All Progressives Congress (APC): Anambra Poll: APC strongholds starved of voting ma...

All Progressives Congress (APC): Anambra Poll: APC strongholds starved of voting ma...: Anambra Poll: APC strongholds starved of voting materials, Party's Deputy Nat. Sec. el-Rufai harassed The All Progressives Congress ...

Anambra Poll: APC strongholds starved of voting materials, Party's Deputy Nat. Sec. el-Rufai harassed

Anambra Poll: APC strongholds starved of voting materials, Party's Deputy Nat. Sec. el-Rufai harassed

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised the alarm over the late or non delivery of voting materials to the party's strongholds during the ongoing Governorship election in Anambra State, describing the action as a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise the party's supporters and make the election anything but free and fair.

In a statement issued from the party's election situation room in Lagos on Saturday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also said early reports from the state indicate a pattern of harassment of its members and the violation of INEC guidelines, among others, asking Nigerians to take note.

It specifically decried the continued harassment of its Deputy National Secretary, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai by armed State Security Service (SSS) personnel, since he arrived at Awka on Friday
night for the election.

APC said apart from restricting Mallam el-Rufai to the Finotel Hotel iwhere he is staying, the SSS personnel also barged into the hotel's restaurant while he was eating and collected the phones of everyone there, apparently to prevent their pictures from being taken as they laid a siege on the hotel.

''These SSS personnel claimed to be acting on orders from above. Whoever gave them the order, we in the APC believe it is illegal to prevent a duly accredited top official of a party involved in an election from moving around to monitor the election. He has a right to be at the election as our
Deputy National Secretary,'' the party said.

It also decried a situation in which a polling unit is situated right under the billboard bearing the pictures of APGA candidate Willie Obiano and his running mate in Aguleri, in clear violation of INEC guidelines.

APC condemned a situation in which voting materials are being delivered late or not delivered at all to the party's strongholds, including Idemili North and South, Akwa South, Dunukofia, Onitsha
North and South, Orumba North and South, Oyi, Ogbaru and Nnewi North.

''As at the time of issuing this situation report, election materials have not yet arrived at Idemili North and South, Ogidi ward 1, Nkpor ward 1, Abatate, booth 012 of ward 2 Nibo and one booth at
umunnakwe hall; There is no INEC or police presence at Obi Ilo Okoye polling unit in Awada, Onitsha; INEC register for 2011 were not brought to Palm Site Market 1&2; INEC is refusing to accredit voters in Awka South LG Ward 8; In Nnwei north Otolo ward 03, polling unit 14, only 6 people out of 77 were accredited and others couldn't find their name; In Ward 8, Awka Government House, PDP agents are openly soliciting for votes in exchange for money, just as it is happening in
Onitsha North Ward 100 and in CKC Adazi Nnukwu, and at Nteje Unit 004 in Oyi LG, APGA and PDP are negotiating how to share votes.

''These are just a few of the examples of the shenanigans going on right under the nose of INEC, and we demand an immediate rectification so that no citizen will be disenfranchised, and so that all the
parties will have a level playing ground. If this is not done urgently, the promise of a free, fair and transparent election in Anambra by the President and INEC would have been nothing but a ruse,'' APC said.

All Progressives Congress (APC): Anambra election: APC slams police for arresting e...

All Progressives Congress (APC): Anambra election: APC slams police for arresting e...: Anambra election: APC slams police for arresting election monitors from Osun, calls for vigilance The All Progressives Congress (APC)...

Anambra election: APC slams police for arresting election monitors from Osun, calls for vigilance

Anambra election: APC slams police for arresting election monitors from Osun, calls for vigilance

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the police of acting out the script of the PDP for Saturday's governorship election in Anambra by arresting election monitors from Osun State and labelling them as thugs.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Friday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the report that a 'crack team' of the police in Imo State had arrested 180 'armed hoodlums carrying fake voters cards, official identity cards of INEC and independent Observer identity cards' is nothing but tales by the moonlight.

''Those who were arrested by the increasingly partisan police are election monitors from Osun, who are members of the Justice and Equality Organization, an INEC-accredited election monitoring NGO. With INEC having trained key officials of the accredited election monitoring NGOs, those trained are now training their members in readiness for the election. Those trained by INEC are in Owerri.

''Those whom the police have labelled as thugs are members of the Justice and Equality Organization. They are in Owerri for training ahead of the election. They chose Owerri because of its proximity to Anambra and its affordable hotel costs. None of them is a member of the APC, despite the insinuation by the police, and none is armed, because you don't need guns to monitor elections. Any weapon exhibited by the police must have been procured by them to justify their gaffe.

''The only offence that the arrested election monitors have committed, in the eyes of the police, is that they are from a staunchly APC state with zero tolerance for the do-nothing, bumbling PDP,'' it said.

Meanwhile, APC has called for extra vigilance from all Nigerians in general and the party's members and supporters in particular, in order to thwart any attempt by the police and their collaborators to ruin Saturday's election.

The party said the need for vigilance has been heightened by the fact that key institutions of state that should ensure a level playing ground for all parties in the election appear to have been compromised, going by the blatant partisanship of the police and the seeming inability of INEC to prosecute electoral offenders, including Willie Obiano of APGA, who has been proven to have registered multiple times.

It implored all the APC agents for Saturday's polls to pay particular attention to the accreditation process.

''In line with the INEC Manual for Election Officials, the number of accredited voters must be counted and announced loudly for all to hear. Also, the number of voters in the Register of Voters in each polling unit must be announced loudly. Then the number of voters in the register and the number of accredited voters must be entered in Form EC8A and/or Form EC8A (1) before voting starts.

''None of our agents should sign the result sheet without accurate numbers of voters in the register and the number of accredited voters being duly recorded in the necessary columns in the Forms,'' APC warned.

For the umpteenth time, the party called on INEC to ensure that Saturday's election is free, fair and transparent, and on the security agencies not to allow themselves to be used to hinder the right of the people to elect their own leaders, because the world will be keenly monitoring the election on Saturday.

All Progressives Congress (APC): Anambra poll: APC asks President Jonathan to walk ...

All Progressives Congress (APC): Anambra poll: APC asks President Jonathan to walk ...: Anambra poll: APC asks President Jonathan to walk the talk on free, fair election promise The All Progressives Congress (APC) has aske...

Anambra poll: APC asks President Jonathan to walk the talk on free, fair election promise

Anambra poll: APC asks President Jonathan to walk the talk on free, fair election promise

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to live up to his promise of a free and fair election in Anambra State on Saturday, saying the President must be believable at all times.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said nothing on ground in Anambra so far points to the fact that Saturday's election will be free, fair and transparent, despite the President's promise.

''Rightly or wrongly in our country, institutions of state take a cue from the President's body language. They know that members of the ruling PDP who engaged in electoral malfeasance and brigandage during last month's Delta Central Senatorial election were not punished. They know that security agencies that turned themselves to the armed wing of the PDP were not sanctioned. In this context, therefore, the President's promise of a free and fair election will not mean much to those bent on repeating same in Anambra,'' it said.

APC also said the fact that one of the candidates in Saturday's election, Willie Obiano of APGA, has continued to evade justice despite a glaring electoral offence committed by him, through his
proven multiple registration, does not give anyone much confidence that INEC can indeed be trusted to ensure a level-playing field for all the parties.

''President Jonathan should be careful in staking the credibility of his high office on these elections. His promise of free and fair elections in Ondo did not materialize, as the world knows, and the
unprecedented electoral heist in Delta does not back up his administration's claim that the country's electoral architecture has improved under his watch.

''That is why we say the President must walk the talk. He should know that talk is cheap. If the institutions of state that have any role to play in the election fail to live up to that role, and the ruling
party continues to engage in a flagrant abuse of office by stealing votes in the most blatant of manners, then the President's promise of a free and fair election would have been rubbished,'' the party said.

It said the world will be keenly watching on Saturday to see how INEC, the police and other security agencies carry out their roles, to see how the PDP, which is not even in a pole position going into the
polls, wants to emerge victorious, and to see whether all that matters to the President is a free and fair election - as he has promised - or the rubbishing, at all cost, of the APC.

''The people of Anambra should be allowed to elect a Governor of their own choosing. No one should impose any leader on them. And the way to go is to ensure that every citizen is free to cast his or her vote without harassment and intimidation, and that every vote is counted and made to count. This is not too much to ask for,'' APC said

APC decries 22-hour curfew for Anambra poll, says election is not war

APC decries 22-hour curfew for Anambra poll, says election is not war

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has slammed INEC over its 22-hour, no-movement order (from 12 midnight on Friday, Nov. 15th, to 10 pm on Saturday, Nov. 16th) for the Anambra State governorship poll, wondering why such an extended curfew should be imposed because of an isolated election.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Wednesday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said even during general elections, people are allowed to move around freely from 4 pm on election day.

''Election is not war, but a celebration of democracy. Declaring a 22-hour curfew for an election in only one state raises serious questions: What is INEC hiding? Is the curfew meant to give riggers enough time to write and collate their cooked-up results? Are elections and free movement of people incompatible? Why does INEC need
a 22-hour curfew to conduct a 'peaceful and successful' election in one state? Where in the world is a 22-hour curfew imposed during an election?

''In any case, Anambra does not have the kind of terrain or riverine communities that will justify waiting for hours for election results to be taken from polling units to the collation centre, hence there is no reason to turn Anambra into a ghost state just to hold a governorship election.

''We therefore call on INEC to reconsider this overstretched curfew if it has no underlying motive for declaring it in the first instance. After all, information at our disposal has it that some decent INEC officials have rejected being part of the Anambra election because they do not want to be tainted by the shenanigans of some of their
unscrupulous colleagues who are colluding with do-or-die politicians for 'thirty pieces of silver','' it said.

APC said with the creation of 1,973 extra polling units by INEC, out of the original 4,608 units, the election should even be faster as it will take voters less time to complete the accreditation and voting process.

Meanwhile, the party has warned security agents against harassing and intimidating voters on Saturday, as they did during the infamous Delta Central Senatorial District bye-election last month.

''We have it on good authority that troops, police and State Security Service (SSS) personnel are being mobilized to Anambra from Abuja and neighbouring states ostensibly to provide security during the election. But we know that this is a ploy to actually scare voters away from the polling units and provide cover for ballot box hijackers
and those adept at vote tampering.

''But we will like to remind our security agents that they are first and foremost Nigerians, hence they should always work in the larger interest of the country. They should not turn themselves to the armed wing of the PDP or APGA. They should allow voters to freely and peacefully cast their votes without harassment or intimidation on
Saturday,'' it said.

All Progressives Congress (APC): APC alerts Anambra voters to creation of 1,973 ext...

All Progressives Congress (APC): APC alerts Anambra voters to creation of 1,973 ext...: APC alerts Anambra voters to creation of 1,973 extra polling units for Gov. poll The All Progressives Congress (APC) has alerted vot...

APC alerts Anambra voters to creation of 1,973 extra polling units for Gov. poll

APC alerts Anambra voters to creation of 1,973 extra polling units for Gov. poll

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has alerted voters in Anambra to the creation of 1,973 extra polling units out of the existing 4,608 polling units in the state, bringing the total voting points to 6,581.

In a statement issued in Benin on Tuesday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the alert becomes necessary because INEC has not educated voters on the extra polling units, a few days before the election - a development that could either disenfranchise many voters or play into the hands of those who are already perfecting their rigging strategies.

It said the need to alert voters is further heightened by the fact that the extra polling units together account for over 800,000 votes.

''INEC, apparently in other to facilitate the accreditation and voting process on Saturday, has created these extra polling units from those that have in excess of 500 voters. This action in itself may not have diabolical undertone, especially because the extra polling units are expected to be located within the same place as the original ones and presided over by Assistant Presiding Officers.

''But in a situation where voters are not aware of this development, there is the risk that some dirty INEC officials could collude with unscrupulous and desperate politicians to move these extra units away from the location of the original ones for secret thumb-printing, thus disenfranchising over 800,000 voters and paving the way for the appropriation of such votes by vote thieves,'' APC said.

The party therefore implored INEC to urgently give the creation of the extra polling units the necessary publicity; alert voters to the fact that the extra units will be at the same location as the original ones; ensure the deployment of adequate officials to man the extra units on Saturday and also make sure that enough voting materials are provided for them.

''INEC must be proactive, because lack of adequate personnel and materials for these extra polling units will create chaos on voting day. Therefore, adequate personnel must be trained to man the extra units, while voters must be educated so that they won't be looking for where to vote on Saturday.

''They must be told that the extra voting unit created from any polling unit will not be taken outside the location of the original one. If the location is different, then something is wrong,'' it said.

APC called on its members and supporters in the state to spread the news on the creation of the extra polling units, as well as the fact that the extra units are located within the same premises as the original ones.

''Every vote must count on Saturday, and every voter must be allowed to exercise his or her franchise. That is why we call on INEC to do everything humanly possible to ensure that no voter is disenfranchised. We also call on all voters, especially our members and supporters, to defend their votes,'' the party said.

All Progressives Congress (APC): APC exposes rigging strategies for Anambra Governo...

All Progressives Congress (APC): APC exposes rigging strategies for Anambra Governo...:  APC exposes rigging strategies for Anambra Governorship poll The All Progressives Congress (APC) has exposed the plan by desperate po...

APC exposes rigging strategies for Anambra Governorship poll

 APC exposes rigging strategies for Anambra Governorship poll

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has exposed the plan by desperate politicians within the PDP and APGA to massively rig Saturday's governorship election in Anambra and warned INEC against allowing itself to be used to carry out such plan.

In a statement issued in Ibadan on Monday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party listed some of the rigging strategies as disenfranchisement of voters, especially in opposition strongholds;  massive thumb-printing of ballot papers in secret locations; sloppy accreditation process; late or non-delivery of voting materials to opposition strongholds and the use of the police and other security agencies to intimidate voters.

It described the strategies as old tricks which INEC should be very well aware of, if indeed the electoral body is keen on delivering a free, fair and transparent elections on Monday.

''There are plans to use several secret locations, including Ogidi, for massive ballot paper thumb-printing, and it is an open secret that some of these locations are being fortified for secrecy. Plans are also afoot to foist a sloppy accreditation exercise on voters by muddling up names and photographs of voters in such a way
that most voters will be disenfranchised.

''Also, areas where the APC candidate is strongest will either be starved of voting materials or will not even receive such materials at all, while the police - which is fast becoming the armed wing of the PDP - as well as other security agents will be used to harass and intimidate voters.

''These are some of the evil strategies which the riggers are counting upon on Saturday. This is the same game plan that the PDP used to rig the Delta Central Senatorial Election last month, with the collusion of some dirty INEC officials,'' APC said.

The party warned, however, that the people of Anambra will not allow a replay of such electoral heist and unmitigated brigandage, neither will the APC condone any action that will not ensure a level playing field for all candidates at the poll.

It therefore serves a warning to INEC, the police and other security forces to restrict themselves to their constitutional roles during the election, instead of working in cahoots with do-or-die politicians, vowing: ''We will expose, challenge and shame all those who are bent on ruining the forthcoming elections in Anambra, using our own counter-measures.''

APC tasked INEC to present and use for the Anambra election an authentic, legitimate and reliable voters register; ensure a proper voter accreditation as well as proper documentation of all agents and voting materials starting from the polling units to the collation centre; and make sure that the distribution of election
materials are timely, effective and well monitored.

The party called on its teeming supporters to be extra vigilant before, during and after the election; protect their votes and counter, within the limits of the law and their own safety, any rigging measure that the devil-may-care politicians will bring forth.

All Progressives Congress (APC): FIFA Under-17 World Cup victory: APC congratulates...

All Progressives Congress (APC): FIFA Under-17 World Cup victory: APC congratulates...: FIFA Under-17 World Cup victory: APC congratulates Nigeria's Golden Eaglets The All Progressives Congress (APC) has heartily congr...

FIFA Under-17 World Cup victory: APC congratulates Nigeria's Golden Eaglets

FIFA Under-17 World Cup victory: APC congratulates Nigeria's Golden Eaglets

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has heartily congratulated Nigeria's national Under-17 World Cup team, the Golden Eaglets, for its historic and exciting victory at the 2013 edition of the global tournament in the United Arab Emirates.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the victory is a clear indication that Nigerian youths have what it takes to be world beaters in all areas of human endeavours.

It said if such a huge success can be achieved at a time that Nigerian youths have been left demoralized by the malodorous policies of a government that keeps scoring own goals, one can only imagine the kindof positive energy that will be unleashed by the youths under a responsive,  purposeful government.

APC hailed the team's hardworking handlers as well as the determined players for the victory, which has written Nigeria into the history books as the most successful country in the history of the tournament, having won an unprecedented four FIFA Under-17 World Cup titles, a feat that even the global football powerhouse Brazil can only dream of at the moment.

''The victory is even sweeter because the Golden Eaglets did not lose a single match all through the tournament,'' the party said.

It said apart from the well-deserved goodies that may be showered on the team and its officials, the best way to honour the boys is to ensure their collective nurturing and graduation to the next age-grade, with the hope that they will eventually play for the country's senior national team, the Super Eagles.

''That way, we can be sure that Nigeria will sooner than later join the league of nations that have won the main FIFA World Cup,'' APC said.

Alhaji Lai Mohammed
Interim National Publicity Secretary
All Progressives Congress (APC)
Lagos, Nov. 10th 2013

All Progressives Congress (APC): Prosecute APGA's Governorship Candidate, Obiano, f...

All Progressives Congress (APC): Prosecute APGA's Governorship Candidate, Obiano, f...: Prosecute APGA's Governorship Candidate, Obiano, for multiple registration - APC tells INEC The All Progressives Congress (APC) has c...

Prosecute APGA's Governorship Candidate, Obiano, for multiple registration - APC tells INEC

Prosecute APGA's Governorship Candidate, Obiano, for multiple registration - APC tells INEC
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately commence the process of prosecuting APGA's governorship candidate for Anambra, Mr. Willie Obiano, following the revelation that he engaged in multiple voter registration.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said Obiano's multiple registration provides the best test case yet for INEC to convince Nigerians that it is indeed willing and able to discourage multiple voter registration by making those who engage in this electoral fraud to face the full wrath of the law.

''Prosecuting Obiano will also show that INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega was not just bluffing when he recently called for the establishment of an electoral offences tribunal before the 2015 general elections to help restore sanity to the country's electoral process and deter people from committing electoral offences,'' it said

APC said it is important for INEC to ensure that Obiano is made to face justice, against the background of the statement credited to Prof. Jega that the Commission had detected 93,526 multiple registration cases in Anambra State ahead of the Nov. 16th Governorship Poll.

''It is now clear, from incontrovertible evidence in the public domain, that APGA's governorship candidate is one of those who engaged in multiple voter registration, having registered twice in Anambra and at least once in Lagos.

''One of Obiano's two voter registration cards was issued on Aug. 21st 2013 with VIN number 90F5B12B88377091121, while the second was issued on Sept. 3rd, 2013 with VIN number 90F5B15E7D378200332. Both gave his address as No. 1 Chief Willie Obiano Street, Otuocha, and showed he was born on 08-08-1955.

''Add this to the evidence out there that he also registered in Lagos, and one can see that Obiano is a serial electoral offender who must not be allowed to escape justice. Nobody is bigger than the law, and Obiano cannot be an exception,'' APC said.

The party said its concerns about the ability of INEC to organize a free, fair and transparent governorship election in Anambra
on Nov. 16th has been further heightened by the fact that the Commission failed to discover Obiano's multiple registration until it was published in the media.

''This means that the 93,526 cases that the INEC Chairman said it had detected in Anambra may not have been expunged from the voters' register to be used for the Nov. 16th election. After all, if the case of such a high profile person like Obiano, who is contesting for Governor, was not discovered by INEC, how can the cases involving ordinary citizens be discovered?'' it queried.

APC said all eyes are now on INEC as to how it will handle the case of Obiano, and that the actions taken by the Commission in the days ahead will determine whether indeed it is ready to organize a free and fair poll or allow a repeat of the electoral heist and brigandage perpetrated by the PDP in the recently-held Senatorial bye election in Delta State.