Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Delta Re-Run Election: Lessons Not Learned-Special Post-Election Report By CEHRD
Emmanuel Uduaghan with armed guards on election day
By Patrick Naagbanton
1) Preamble: The Delta State governorship re-run election held on Thursday, January 6, 2011. On Monday, January 3, 2011, three days before the polls the Election Project of the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD) issued its special pre-election report entitled: “DELTA RE-RUN ELECTION; GLOOM CLOAKS THE BIG HEART”. In this special post-election edition, CEHRD focuses on election preparations, observation, violence, fraud around the process, turnout, results etc. On Thursday, January 6, 2011 re-run election in Delta State was held.
CEHRD deployed monitors into every nook and cranny of the state. CEHRD had monitors in the 25 local government areas of the state, although we had a fair representation, yet did not have monitors in the 3, 625 polling units in Delta State. Beyond we had supervisors who were roving around and linking up with the various non-partisan monitors deployed in remote areas. A million thanks to the Nigerian office of the Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN) who funded CEHRD to do the monitoring of the Delta re-run election.
CEHRD is an independent, non-partisan, non-political, non-religious, non-profit making organization, incorporated under the relevant laws in Nigeria. This report is the outcome of our monitoring of the re-run governorship election. Beyond our monitors, reports, we corroborated the various incident reports sent to us with those of other NGOs observers, security officials, politicians, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), etc. CEHRD takes responsibility for this report. This report would have been released the same day after the election was concluded but for the time the team took to meticulously verify reported incidents. CEHRD is not interested in who wins the re-run election, but insists on the correct things to be done. This is our commitment and passion towards building democracy and its values in Nigeria and beyond.
2) Trust Violated
Dr. Ogbudu Gabriel Ada, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Delta State while addressing a press conference at INEC headquarters in Asaba on Saturday, January 1, 2011 declared that there was no going back on Delta State re-run election. He claimed, “We have an update register that would help us conduct a free and fair election”. He noted that the issue of late arrival of materials and personnel to the polling stations had been adequately taken care of. Again the Delta REC was quoted to have declared that accreditation of prospective voters will start from 9:00am to 12.00pm, that after that, voting would start. For the sake of this report, CEHRD just wants to reinforce the above statement. It was quoted in the last edition.
CEHRD monitors reported about late commencement of accreditation. By 11.00am accreditation and voting materials were seeing in heaps at the Eseriphe Primary School in the Otor-Iwhreko community in the Ughelli North Local Government Area where INEC had converted into its temporary election centre. This was so, because on the eve of the re-run election, the INEC office in the Iwhreko community in the area was razed down by unknown persons. Obviously, at unit 8 on Christ Street in the Eku community in the Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, accreditation was conducted by 1:21pm. Such complaints of delay in accreditation not to mention that of voting were received across the state.
Apart from massive accreditation delays, there were huge problems of poor logistics arrangement on the part of INEC. In Uvwie Local Government Area, the bus that distributed the election materials to the wards was provided by the council which is run by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Also, at Ughelli North there were inadequate cars to convey the materials to their respective destinations; rickety commercial buses were arranged on an ad-hoc basis. Though, some members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) which INEC used as ad-hoc staff demonstrated some encouraging level of patriotic, neutrality and honesty, still some were not; which raised the suspicion that they must have been bribed by desperate politicians. They were posted to remote areas with literally no security (two or three unarmed policemen at units) at the mercy of rampaging armed thugs.
During the election there was a rhetoric ban on movement of people except for those on essential election duty; however, there were a lot of young people and others driving cars, motor bikes crazily around. Technically speaking, due process was not followed on accreditation in so many places. In some places, the frightened youth corp members who were drafted from neighboring states, as stated above, were at the mercy of the voters who had turned out in large numbers. They were not accredited, but they were just allowed to vote. This was the scenario in ward 9, unit 4 and 3, Ward 8, unit 6 and 7. Most of the helpless corps members were manipulated and threatened during this process by madcap politicians.
3) One Man, Many Votes
In the case of Delta State re-run election, the mantra “ONE MAN, ONE VOTE” was set aside; it was “ONE MAN, MANY VOTES”. Results declared by INEC were not what we saw in the field. The voters register was not followed. The result declared is questionable. There were confirmed reports of Electoral Officers (EO) at the various local government areas below, giving out ballot papers, but retained some. This was reported in the following local government areas; Sapele, Warri North, Warri South-West, Aniocha, Ika South, Patani, Bomadi and Udu. CEHRD monitors in these areas reported as follows.
In Ujevwu community along Delta Clinic Road in the Udu Local Government Area, home of Prof. Amos Utouma, the ex-deputy governor to Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, and his ruling mate was crowded by, over 200 thugs and security officials especially mobile policemen at about 8. 00am. CEHRD could not unravel what they were doing. But, CEHRD observed that there was no voting throughout Ujevwu and its neighboring wards. Yet, results were announced. In Bowen and Persu wards in the Warri SouthLocal Government Area all the materials were taken by PDP thugs who were armed with AK47s, barretta pistols and daggers. They hijacked the materials and took them to Alders Town Primary School. Two agents of Chief Great Ogboru of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) who protested verbally were beaten and injured with daggers. This is an Itsekiri community. Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, deposed governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hails from the ethnic Itsekiri group. At Chief Ajudua’s estate in Ibuso community in the Oshmili North Local Government Area, of Delta State, where agents of the PDP were thump printing while the corps members were doing accreditation exercise. Illah wards, units 2, 3 and 5 in the same Oshimili North Local Government Area, PDP agents were seen offering one thousand naira (N1, 000) about ($7) to voters. Some residents confronted them, and this resulted into commotion.
Violence erupted at Agaga layout Area of Uvwie Local Government Area over the way and manner election materials were shared at about 10.45am. The DPP agents accused PDP of diverting the materials. The DPP supporters threw stones at the bus carrying election materials to other units. Warri/Effurun Road by JFM spot was barricaded by youths armed with planks. They were identified as DPP supporters. Three boys (one 16 and other two 17) were identified. This is a recruitment of juveniles into electoral violence. This should be discouraged for the heath of the society. At about 11.14am, a CEHRD roving supervisor received a call on his mobile phone about the inadequate security arrangement and hijacking of ballot boxes by PDP thugs. CEHRD confirmed that at Olodi Primary School in the Okumagba ward 11, unit 3 only six police officers without guns were drafted to cover the 16 units that make up the Okumagba area in the Warri South Local Government Area.
At ward 6, Arhagha community hall in Arhagba-Okpe Local Government Area, a CEHRD team supervising its monitor ran into about 15 thugs led by a local Chief with beads all over his neck, some bare-bodied and bare-footed, shooting closer to the hall where election was taking place. Few minutes after a group of mobilized youths numbering about thirty had trooped there to vote. They were identified as DPP supporters put up counter-offensive, but with planks, broken bottles. The armed PDP thugs ran away and normalcy was restored. The police officer drafted there initially ran away when the PDP thugs started shooting. A visibly frightened police officer there, Mr. Osademe Monday who witnessed the drama too, confirmed to CEHRD. CEHRD was reliably informed that accreditation went on peacefully and voting commenced, however, when the PDP poll agents there saw that DPP was wining they started making calls on their phones, and brought in the thugs to cause violence. Mr. Ilori Oluwashegun Abiodun, an NYSC INEC ad-hoc staff at unit 4 at Arhagba community hall spoke to CEHRD.
At around 1.25pm, Community Road unit 14, 15, 16 and 17 in Sapele in the Sapele Local Government Area heavily armed PDP thugs brandishing AK47 riffles and dynamites stormed the area shortly after accreditation and chased away all the DPP agents. The agents of Chief Augustine Ovie Omo-Agege of the Republican Party of Nigeria (RPN) were also chased away. Mr. Obus Omoyere, a 28-year-old prospective voter was wounded with broken bottles. He was bleeding profusely on his left hand when CEHRD supervisor visited the area. CEHRD monitors there narrowly escaped being hurt. The NYSC ad-hoc staff scampered for dear lives too.
In unit 9, under ward 9 in Okusajere, unit 15 (Egbewor compound) in Amukpe, Old Road, the PDP armed thugs did the same thing. Aggrieved villagers who refused to vote lamented to CEHRD. “We want peace, if election will bring problems please tell them we don’t want election again” a 76-year-old Madam Mary Onomakpo told CEHRD in her native Urohobo dialect. Above is the translated version.
In Okoruvie Primary School along Reclamation Road, Sapele Hon. P.D.O. Akpeki, a new commissioner in the government of the PDP was said to have witnessed voting there, but when he saw that DPP was winning, he made some phone calls and PDP armed thugs appeared suddenly and seized the area. They took away all the voting materials and never returned. CEHRD roving supervisory team arrived there while the shooting by PDP thugs was on. They saw a team of the State Security Service (SSS), Nigeria’s secret police were seen in their exotic vehicles travelling on the Sapele area with their long guns. On the main Effurun-Warri-Sapele Road in Okpabodo, over 100 bare-footed supporters of the DPP with branches of green leaves marched on the road, chanting pro-Ogboru,-anti-PDP war songs. See them in picture below.
In Ward 2, unit 2 in the Uvwie Local Government Area, forty one (41) were accredited. The forty one (41) voted. Election was peaceful, free and fair, but as the poll ended, the returning officer and others while trying to take the results to the local government collation centre at Uvwie local government council secretariat along Heritage Close, off Agric Road, Effurun, Mrs. Ovo Gardener, the ex-aide to the Chief James Ibori’s government and ex-commissioner for Education under the Uduaghan’s government and current House of Representatives aspirant for Uvwie, Okpe and Sapele Local Government Areas intercepted them in her dark coloured Toyota Corolla with number -AH184-GWK with in company of a special police force popularly called Redcap Police. They were trained in Israel on counter-insurgency, and counter-terrorism.
Jubilant DPP supporters shown in the picture, at the background are police officers trying to hijack election materials with Mrs. Gardener and her PDP agent. A monitor of CEHRD was denied access to the Uvwie council collation centre.
At Ukoribi ward 1, Mr. Kelly Utuedo, a popular PDP youth leader in Uvwie Local Government Area commandeered all the election materials to his Ugbowhose village and thumb printed on them. Again, at a unit on Reclamation Road in Sapele, Chief Paulinus Akpeai, the current Commissioner for Communications and Orientation stormed the area and snatched election materials, around the same area in Sapele; Dofinone Ede, a DPP Senate aspirant was attacked and beaten up. He was injured. A bunch of PDP thugs in a car owned by Chief Godwin Atose, the current chairman Sapele Local Government Area stormed Okoruvie Primary School along Reclamation Road in Sapele to cart away ballot boxes but DPP supporters caught them, and returned the boxes to the ward. Some angry DPP supporters beat them up. But Atose was not in the car.
At ward 7 at Ethiope East Local Government Area, Chief Anthony Obro, the Chairman of the council was allegedly trying to cart away voting materials, but was stopped by DPP supporters, who beat him up and returned the materials to the ward. In Mosogar community, ward 4 in the Ethiope West, PDP thugs beat up DPP agents and disappeared with ballot papers. At ward 7, unit 7, 11 and 12 respectively at Ovwian in the Udu Local Government Area of Delta State. Voting was going on at unit 7 when PDP thugs stormed the area, and snatched the materials at gunpoint.
At Alegbo Primary School in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, a CEHRD monitor was attacked. A bare-footed PDP thug leader led over 100 thugs most of whom were bare-footed and broad-chested at the entrance of the above-mentioned primary school they attacked him. The thug leader before snatching a note book from the monitor thundered in Pidgin English, “Wetin you been dey write since morning. Na una wey dey write bad bad thing against us”. A mobile policeman there at the voting centre tried to ask the thugs to go back, angered the leader who fired rhetorically at the police officer, “If you shake we go tumble this place”. Sadly, they tore our monitor’s note into pieces and left for another centre to flare violence which is their stock in trade.
4) Delta Re-Duplicity; Implications for April Poll
The opposition Democratic People’s Party (DPP) in the re-run election was more mobilized than the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who invested more in recruiting election thugs and militias to steal election materials. The election was characterized by violence, fraud and criminality unleashed by the PDP mainly in active collaboration with INEC officials. Commenting on the re-run election, Professor Attahiru Jega, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), while addressing the media said that the lessons learnt from the re-run poll would form the basis of preparations for the April 2011 round of general elections. CEHRD’s investigation reveals that if a free and fair election were allowed to hold, Chief Ogboru of the DPP would have defeated Dr. Uduaghan of the PDP. The figure released by INEC which made PDP to win is fraudulent.
Any area PDP felt they did not have strong support they rigged. Even in Uduaghan’s supposed stronghold, Ogboru won as we observed in the field, with huge margin e.g. the real result from Ojojo/Okere Warri ward 8, unit 001 in the Warri South Local Government Area has it that DPP got 57, while PDP got only 4. Also, at Okumagba layout ward 12, unit 7, the real result has it that DPP got 494, while PDP 3. INEC announced fake results which they know. When it comes to local government collation centres DPP agents were intimidated out, so their presence there was very scanty at some places. It was at the various collation centers that the figures were increased. Some of the ad-hoc staff, Electoral Officers (E.Os) never released all the materials; they retained some for corrupt motives. EOs appeared and re-appeared at every point. They should be investigated.
This is an indictment on INEC. There were no lessons learned from their previous mistakes. There was poor security arrangement. SSS, police, soldiers, traffic warders, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were drafted in from neighbouring states, in spite of that there were inadequacies; the security officials were concentrated in the Delta cities, and at some locations.
The politicians were just test running their rigging machinery and dexterity under a “new” INEC leadership. Subsequent election will be disastrous because even the opposition parties now know that even though they rigged themselves into power; will be accepted by INEC. For example, the level of fraud in 1999 was lower compared with 2003 and 2007 elections. Each passing day add new rigging strategy to the electoral system by monstrous politicians. The figures quoted were outrageous compared to the actual voting in Delta State in each local government areas.
5) Recommendations
i) To INEC
* Cancel the results of that fraudulent re-run election and conduct a new one, because we can not compromise our credibility. We must lay a proper foundation
* Conduct a free re-run election in Delta State and make the process open, transparent and non-partisan
* While conducting the election, the fresh Delta State re-run election, CSO actors both local and international should be involved fully.
* INEC should probe its staff who participated in the Thursday, January 6, 2011 re-run elections in Delta State and if found guilty should be made to face the law as well as the criminal politicians promoting violence and juvenile inducement into electoral crimes etc.
ii) To Foreign governments/international community
* The international community should not only support the electoral process and stay aloof, it should be interested in democratic development in Nigeria, INEC needs its technical assistance in conducting a free and fair election in Nigeria.
* Election rigging and its associated violence are crimes against humanity. Like their “comrades” in Kenya who ignited the terrible electoral violence which swallowed Kenya in 2007are answering questions at the International Criminal Court (ICC), Nigerian politicians either in Delta State or elsewhere should not be an exception.
For any comment, question and suggestion please contact the election team of the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), No. 6 Obo Nwanke Street, Post Office Building, Ogale-Nchia, Eleme, Rivers State, Nigeria, West Africa. Telephone; 0803-3367823 (personal), 08191513711 (office phone), 082557893, 082557885 and 082557083 (office landlines) Emails; nigerdeltaproject@yahoo.com (official) and naagbanton.patrick@ymail.com (personal) Website; www.cehrd.org.
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PDP n DPP
Submitted by CYNTHIA (not verified) on January 19, 2011 - 12:25.
Please Deltans, could anyone tell the difference between PDP and DPP?
open letter to one mr jack
Submitted by simply Goldswealth (not verified) on January 12, 2011 - 16:52.
Hey Mr jack i will want to say that am really diadpointed in your rresponse on this atricle causing people for bring ethnicity to issues, though i am not and advocate of that neither am i encouraging that. but dont you think people have different ways of seeing issues and when people and being cheated of what they are passionate about, dont you think they have the right to react to such excruciating pains of their right denial and dont you think that Jonathan has brought about bad luck to Nigerians since his emergence and the rigging in Delta is to show that jonathan is doing and encouraging rigging because of his God father statement OBJ who vowed to quite the party if any other state is taking away from PDP. and to you i will simply say that your attitude here is jut uncivilised and you should learn to learn how to react to people and whoever wishes others bad like you wishes them to suffer, you should be rest assured that same will come to you
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ONE LOVE
Submitted by OGhenegare (not verified) on January 11, 2011 - 01:53.
If only All Deltans can be non ethnocentric like you in how we lead and view issues, Delta state would have been one of the best and peace state in the federation. Kudos to you my Itsekiri brother. OGHENEGARE
ITSHEKIRI ARE HONOURABLE PEOPLE... BUT....UDUAGHAN....
Submitted by Tosanwumi Oritshefemi (not verified) on January 10, 2011 - 19:30.
We Itshekiris are honorable people ,as for as Nigerian as whole know, but we have disgrace ourselves by telling lies in Politics, I was so surprise, When all the people did not allow us to vote here in Warri SouthWest LGC all because they want Uduaghan to win I vow by God's mercy in my life and family that we will never partake in fraud though we want Uduaghan to win doesn't mean we should rig in our community... am really disappointed and I pray that God will have mercy in we Itshekiris.. and those other tribes that join in rigging an election we would have still won if they have allowed free and fair election to take place... Well as for other people from my tribe that will critisses me, If we don’t allow a free election in Delta State then we will surely pay for it some day in Delta State…..
All I advice is for Great
Submitted by Supporting Ogboru (not verified) on January 10, 2011 - 07:15.
All I advice is for Great Ogboru to go to court, because afterall a lot of them like Adams(Edo State) went to court and he won and due to the obvious rigging of the just finished re run election he will win in court. Goodluck my Man Great Ogboru
Pls Deltans n Nigerians sit
Submitted by Pet (not verified) on January 10, 2011 - 06:42.
Pls Deltans n Nigerians sit at home, becos going to register for 2011 selection again does not make sense to me becos after all said n done our votes as citizens still don't count becos of PDP perfect rigging pattern by Jega/GEJ like what we all saw in re-run selection in Delta State, that PDP used rural areas where people have been displaced by crisis and also with very low population to rig.
A CURSE ON ODUAGHANS HEAD
Submitted by DR OMAWUMI (not verified) on January 10, 2011 - 00:02.
DO U KNOW THE PAIN WE HAVE PASS TRU MR PRESIDENT?...U AND YOUR SO CALLED INEC CAME TO DISRUPED THE ONLY VOTE WE WANT TO USE TO CHANGE IT IN A SECOND.....WHY DID U CALL ON ONE MAN ONE VOTE?....DECIVE US WITH THE DIRTY BOOK U WROTE...AND IMPOSE THIS BAD ODUAGHAN TO KILL ALL OF US WITH POVERTY,,SEXUAL HARRASEMENT TO YOUTH OF TENDAL AGE,,,MONEY LAUNDRY....SINCE U MR PRESIDENT AND UR PEOPLE HAVE DECIDED TO BRING PAIN TO US IN DELTA STATE...MAY OUR MOTHERLAND..,,CHILDREN YET ON-BORN,,, NOT BRING HAPPINESS AND PEACE TO U PEOPLE....ODUAGHAN WILL NOT LIVE IN PEACE.....EXCEPT U BRING OGBORU WHOM WE VOTED 4 BACK
why must u guys always bring
Submitted by JACK (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 22:16.
why must u guys always bring ethnic ity into everything ? i dont really understand.....untill u change ur ways u will continue to suffer
A word to remember
Submitted by MESSENGER (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 20:18.
Ihwo re'Urhobo wa doo.ogboru has tried but even his brothers are not 4 him.I told Mr MOSES Ogboru something in 2007 he called me a thief and that is what we must do if Ogboru should succeed don't give up the fight even if nobody understands you because one day this yoke will be lifted. But wait a moment is INEC trying to tell us in Delta State the the Isekiris are more than the Urhobos,Okpe,isokos and Uvwies put to gather?that is what they just told us and every man should be ready for history will always speak.Let Ogboru seat well April is near but the voters registration should be taken serious by the urhobos oyena se ji siohwo ne oja nana rohoto na me rha ta re ne ihwo re she urhobo na joma phioto.
Jonathan I will continue to
Submitted by NaijaDude (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 13:38.
Jonathan I will continue to curse you every day. You will be covered in shame and may God heap on you, 10 fold, the injustice and suffering you have caused Deltans
the cry of the night witch
Submitted by jomybabe (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 11:13.
Each night the witch cries a child dies in morning. that is the story of elections in nigeria. it is a journey from worse to worst. no matter what cleaning up they do, or what hope they promise; no matter how they condemn the past and vow to get it right, no matter who they bring as the credible man....it is the cry of the night witch and another child is sure to die the next morning....Jega would be worse than Iwu.MARK MY WORDS
GOD TEST JONATHAN BUT HE
Submitted by Tony Urhobo (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 10:02.
GOD TEST JONATHAN BUT HE FAIL. HE FAIL WOEFULLY TO THE LOWEST CULL. JUST LOOK HOW SHEAP PPL TALK ABOUT U. WHO IS PRAISING IS NOW CAURSING YOU. YOU BLESSING IS NOW TURNING TO CURSE. BIG SHAME ON YOU GUYS. ALL ROBBERS IN THE NAME OF POLITICES. JONATHAN HAS TURN LIKENESS OF DELTANS TO HATRED TO HIM BY HIM SELF. WE DELTA STATE SO MUCH HIM B4 BUT NOW, HE CREATE HATRED FOR DELTANA TO HATE HIM. TOO BAD FOR HIM.
JEGA,DELTA REC,JONATHAN FAILED DELTANS
Submitted by TEGA (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 09:52.
It is crystal clear from the Delta state rerun election,that Jega could not conduct election in just 25 local government areas.There were numerous cases of ballot snatching,intimidation,diversion of security operatives,carrying of arms by the PDP,and many others too numerous to mention.We imagine how huge figures were declared in favour of PDP,a huge diviation from what we saw at the polling centres accross the state.
The first election conducted by Jega is a huge failure.All the promises are nothing but a black-spot.
The state REC we know from the onset is up to something,he has failed Deltans,since he has contravened the will of the majority,God will surely answer him.We want to state categorically that Uduaghan is not our governor,he is only forcing himself on the people of Delta state.
SHAME ON UDUAGHAN, JONATHAN, JEGA & THEIR SUPPORTERS
Submitted by Tony Urhobo (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 09:49.
WE REJECT YOU.. YOU ARE NOT DELTA STATE GOV BUT YOU ARE A DELTA STATE THIEF. TIME WILL COME WHEN YOU WILL RUN TO SELF EXIL, WHEN YOU WILL BE IN JAIL LIKE UR COUSINE & THAT IS THE TIME WE ARE WAITING FOR. IMAGINE.. IF YOU ARE FREE MAN, WHY MOVING WITH THUG & ARMS. EVERY BODY USE TO LIKE JONATHAN BUT WHAT HAPPEN IN DELTA STATE RIGHT NOW, IS A BIG SHAME ON HIM, JEGA, UDUAGHAN & THEIR SUPPORTERS. THEY ALL FAIL WOEFULLY.
Re- Mr. Ademola
Submitted by David Vareba (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 09:15.
Your critique of CEHRD is seriously misplaced and it is unfortunate that such naivete should be displayed so publicly where CEHRD is objectively known for its credibility, non partisan and independent status. I therefore take exception for calling CEHRD "a dependant, political and dubious organization". I advice you to verify well and you will get in details the activities and worth of CEHRD in Nigeria
DETA RE-RUN ELECTIONS AND INEC
Submitted by Muhammad NaIya (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 08:47.
Not suprising at all, if you rewad through Ambassador Campbell's interview, he made the point that for 2007 elcetions. there actual votes of about 12 - 13 million votes; yet INEC came up with a result of 32million voyes cast! It is only a miracle that the Judiciary was able to unravel some of the 'magic" around the 200 elections, the most recent being that of overnor R. Aregbegsola of Ekiti.
All along Nigerian have missed the rigging because we never imagined that "Nigerians" appointed as INEC officers will actually sit down and write imaginbary results, annoinve the results and issue certificates of Return to the imaginery winners!
Taht is why we must restrategise and find ways of making our votes and only thpse cast COUNT, otherwise Nigeria is well on the road to DICTATORSHIP!!
PRESIDENT JONATHAN RANG D ELLECTION
Submitted by EBU JOE (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 08:40.
AS JONATHAN DISSAPOINTED SO SHALL WE PAY HIM BACK ALL DELTANS SHOULD VOTE CPC[BUHARI] JONATHAN MUST LOOSE DELTA STATE NOW ALL DELTANS WOMEN ARE SWEARING FOR HIM AND UDUAGHAN
Typical Nigerians!
Submitted by Chief Selo Ojeme (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 07:46.
"Samuel Ademola" and "Concerned Emmanuel", it's people like you that Nigeria needs to get rid of in order for us to move forward. People who see truth, yet want to subvert it and deceive others to accept the contrary. The era of such attitude is gone, you must realize that this is a new Nigeria, a Nigeria that we, the youth strive to correct all evils perpetrated by previous and present governments. Speak out, say the truth and the truth shall set you free. This reporter couldn't have done any better because everything that was written in this report took place exactly as it was reported. I was a witness myself! Names have been quoted and locations have been mentioned. Why are you attempting to castigate some few good Nigerians still left in the country. If you have no element of integrity or do not know how to react to true reports then you should abstain from reading from honest tabloids and stick with the NTA!
Good job
Submitted by ejiro (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 07:40.
Uduaghan is d most unpopular Governor av ever seen. The change they are scared of can only be delayed. . . .
YOU'VE SAID IT A;LL!
Submitted by Chief Selo Ojeme (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 07:35.
I JUST RETURNED FROM DELTA FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE ELECTIONS AND TO SAY THE LEAST, I AM STILL IN TOTAL SHOCK AND DISBELIEF FROM WHAT I SAW DURING THE ELECTIONS.
HERE IS A STATE THAT IS GROSSLY UNDER-DEVELOPED DESPITE THE HIDE MATERIAL RESOURCES, HERE IS A STATE THAT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS LIVE LIKE LORDS AND KINGS, DRIVING AROUND IN EXPENSIVE TRUCKS AND OTHER VEHICLES, BUYING LUXURY HOMES IN ALL [PARTS OF THE WORLD, HERE IS A STATE THAT NEEDS REDEMPTION MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, YET WHEN THEY ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE FROM A CORRUPT AND STEALING GOVERNMENT, THEY THROW CAUTION INTO THE WINDS AND BEHAVE LIKE SAVAGES IN AN EXERCISE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN INTERESTING SHOW OF POPULARITY! I AM ASHAMED CAUSE I SAW IT ALL, I DIDN'T NEED TO READ THIS REPORT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. I WITNESSED THE MOVEMENT OF STATE FUNDS FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WARD TO WARD, UNIT TO UNIT, AND FROM HAND TO HAND! THE GOVERNMENT IN POWER BOUGHT VOTES FOR BETWEEN N2,000 TO N3,000 (US$13 TO US$19) PER PERSON WITH BORROWED FUNDS.
I HAD ALWAYS KNOWN IT, THE PDP IS NOT QUALIFIED TO SUPERVISE ANY CREDIBLE ELECTIONS UNDER ITS CORRUPT GOVERNANCE. THIS IS A TIP OF THE ICEBERG, A PRELUDE TO THE MASSIVE RIGGING THAT WE WOULD ALL EXPERIENCE COME APRIL 2011. I CRY FOR MY BELOVED COUNTRY INDEED, WHO WILL SAVE THE NATION FROM THESE CRIMINALS THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUBVERT AND MISLEAD THE YOUTH INTO POLITICAL THUGGERY IN RETURN FOR NOTHING? WHO WILL EDUCATE THE YOUTH AND EXPOSE THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE BEING ROBBED BY THESE POLITICIANS WHO ARE DELIBERATELY AMASSING WEALTH FOR THEIR OWN OWN FAMILIES? WHO WILL SAVE DELTA STATE FROM THE FIRM GRIP OF CORRUPT POLITICIANS? WHERE WERE THE 25,000 POLICEMEN DRAFTED TO DELTA FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE ELECTIONS? WHAT DOES THIS ALL TELL US ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT AT THE CENTER? IF ANYONE STILL NEEDS ANY FURTHER EXPLANATION OF WHAT TOOK PLACE IN DELTA STATE AND WHAT WILL TAKE PLACE IN MOST PARTS OF NIGERIA COME THIS APRIL, THEN THEY NEED TO HAVE THEIR BRAINS RE-EXAMINED! IT IS SUCH A SHAME!
OGBORU, HEAD FOR THE COURT; PREPARE FOR APRIL 2011
Submitted by Peter Oriavwote (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 05:51.
The re-run was too violent; too many irregular, crooked and sophisticated rigging styles were displayed. The results were obviously manipulated going by the field reports. Great Ogboru should head for the court to seek redress, there is enough evidence to upturn the election results. However, for want of time he needs to prepare for the April election as well because the court case may take a while to dispense with.It has been shown that the people love and want Great Ogboru but their votes did not count.
Goodluck Great Ogboru.
UDUAGHAN WITH ARMED GUARDS
Submitted by bobdee (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 05:42.
I SUPPOSE EMANUEL UDUAGHAN WAS DEPOSED ALREADY, HIS SECURITY ATTACHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RE-CALLED. WHERE DID HE GET THOSE GUYS IN PLAIN CLOTHES WITH SUB- MACHINE GUNS. THIS SHOULDHAVE BEEN A REASON FOR HIS ARREST, HE CANNOT RUN A PRIVATE ARMY, HE SHOULD BE CHARGESD FOR RUNNNG A PRIVAT ARMY[ TREASONABLE OFFENCE} ILLEGAL POSSESION OF MACHINE GUNS, ATTEMPT TO INTIMIDATE VOTERS ON ELECTION DAY, INTIMIDATION OF ELECTION OFFICERS, CONNIVING TO COMMIT ELECTORAL FRAUD. IF INFACT HE STILL HAS HIS SECURITY ATTACHE, THEN THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE, COMMISIONER OF POLICE AND THE SSS DIRECTOR MUST BE FIRED. UDUAGHAN WAS NEVER A GOVERNOR BY THE RULLING OF THE COURT.
Desperate To Serve The Motherland!
Submitted by Sikiru Alabi (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 05:11.
With this wrong attitude on the part of our wrong pliticians, are they desperate to serve Nigeria or desperate to serve themselves?
If we truly love democracy as a system of government, we must abide by democratic tenets, norms and values.
I think the fastest way to remove this desperation from our political journey is to make political offices less attractive. If Governors are made to earn the same remuneration as University Professors, they will probably relax this do or die attitude.
Presently, they are behaving like ants that love sugar. We should replace the sugar with sweat and ballot snatching will become a thing of the past!
@isimeme
Submitted by ikay 44 on January 9, 2011 - 02:16.
MY BROTHER, YOU HAVE SAID IT ALL BUT WHO IS LISTENING? I HAVE THOUGHT OF THE MILITARY TAKING OVER FOR A SHORT TIME AND CORRECTING ALL THE ILLS IN THE COUNTRY BUT YOU KNOW THEY SAY ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY. I THINK INSTEAD OF INSULTING, HURLING CURSES AT THESE POLITICIANS, NIGERIANS SHOULD PRAY FOR THEM TO HAVE A CHANGE IN THEIR HEART TO THINK GOOD ABOUT THEIR COUNTRY AND WHAT THEY CAN DO TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THEIR PPL. MAY GOD COME INTO THEIR HEART TO PLACE THEIR PEOPLE ABOVE THEMSELVES AND REALIZE WHAT SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE MEAN AND USE THE ENERGY OF CORRUPTION AND DO OR DIE ELECTION MANIPULATION POLITICS AND CHANNELL IT TOWARDS MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND ESTABLISHING A LEGACY FOR THEMSELVES. NIGERIANS I URGE YOU TO PRAY FOR THESE POLITICIANS, PRAY PRAY PRAY.
Gbam....!!
Submitted by IykeK (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 00:30.
@Isimeme I agree with you 100% Only the myopic mind will disagree with your comment, some will even go as far as sacrificing their life for our lame and chicken hearted Jonathan and even many more will rather fast and pray for holy ghost to come down and help.
I can't stop laughing'...
Ogboru dont allow them lure u into the courts again!
Submitted by Deri (not verified) on January 9, 2011 - 00:14.
The worst (mago mago) in the just concluded election in Nigeria, was conducted by these socalled NGOs. NGO, which are not even affiliated to organisations with ECOSOC status at the UN, should stop disturbing our peace with their sponsored political materials penned to satisfy Ribadu, Buhari and Atiku! What has the provison of a bus by Local Government Council, to convey election materials, got to do with the election in Delta state? There is no perfect elections any where in the world. We saw it in Britain where offices of the labour party, were bugged. In America it was the same between Al Gore and Bush. Its therefor an insult on the collective interest of the people of Delta state, to be told that they dont know what their civil responsiblities are, when it comes to exercising their right of choice. Why was the NGO, that monitored the said elections in Delta funded by another local NGO? Where did the money come from? Nigerians want to know. From the USA, European Union, the United Nations or Libya where? We have the right to be told how the money was raised to take care of such a huge project.
Theirs is to win elections through the courts and never from the lungs of the elctorates. What has Buhari and Ribadu to offer us? That is not carved into the skull of the average Deltan already. After all Atiku stole the manifesto of a Niger Deltan and presented it as his own. Just because a particular candidate, did not win and the person that won, has the print of president Jonathan on him, means elections did not hold. So, Ogboru must be lured to go to the courts again. Why would people not say so, when oil like the water that flows through River NUN, is free for all to drink and be healthy enough to want to enslave the masses in the Niger Delta. IBB spent 40b for June 12. Jonathans is costing the nation 80b plus another 45b. All from the oil wells. Were we not fed with early results and exit polls that showed Ogboru was leading? So, it was (gra gra)just another (ogbuju) all over the place. From the wards, result were released, even before INEC annouced them? I think people are yet to over-come the shock of the results, which they thought would help them annex delta state to the 3 old regions they want Nigeria to fall back on. They do not want to have anything to do with the 6 geo political entities in Nigeria. Its a shame. We did not hear them say PDP was the problem of the country nor an election monitoring team from the moon, supervised voters register, when late Chief Gani contested against OBJ. Now that a man from the South south is attempting to rule us, lucifer has been invoked to mmonitor election for the oppressors whose shackles Jonathan has sworn to remove.IBB had the ooprtunity to create Anioma state for his wife. He did not why? Its time elements outside Delta state end their attempt to sow the seed of discord in that region-the zone has suffered enough!If half of the efforts geared towards installing their candidates had been channelled to introducing fiscal federalsim, Nigeria wld have moved past this mess.Was Ribadu not gifted with oil blocks by OBJ-what about Atiku and Intel-is he not a major player with Shell? Is shell not supplying Atiku with logistics? Cheers.
Global Village
Submitted by righter of wrong (not verified) on January 8, 2011 - 23:38.
Many idiots still don't understand that the world is a global village, where nothing is hidden anymore from those who really wants to know the truth. Uduaghan you and your cohort are failure before humanity. you can't even sell yourself to win an ordinary Re-run election to a seat you just vacated a few weeks ago. what does that tell about you and your Government. The people of Delta State hate you with passion, copy from Lagos state Govt and the likes of River State. Great Ogboru will always win Election in Delta State, because he is the Peoples mandate, he has a better agenda for the people.This is the voice of the man in the wilderness crying. Repent Repent Repent, for your days of Evil before the people of the Delta State is coming to an END
I certainly agree with you
Submitted by Concerned Emmanuel (not verified) on January 8, 2011 - 23:37.
I certainly agree with you 100%. This is a clearly biased report becuase it portrayed the DPP supporters as saints. Lets face it, is this not Delta state that I know? When did DPP supporters learnt to be this mannered? Let our NGO help us with unbiased report so that we know the issue is with the government alone. It does not pay when we deliberately paint one set bad and make others whom we choose look so innocent. Let people rise up, vote and defend thier votes.
May God help us
