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Confusion as Muhammadu Buhari ends rally in Katsina State
(http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/images/stories/past-leaders/fortmer%20head%20of%20state.jpg) The factional crisis in the Congress of progressive Change (CPC) in Katsina State deepened yesterday as the leader of the party, retired General Muhammadu Buhari wound up his presidential tour in the country. Supporters of the party who went for the rally left in confusion on the authentic candidates to face the ruling PDP in Saturday's National Assembly polls.
Two factions of the party loyal to the former speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Bello Masari and those of the court-recognized Yakubu Lado Danmarke had mobilized supporters to the venue to receive the party's presidential flag bearer with either side claiming legitimacy.
The confusion was accentuated after General Buhari at the podium raised the hands of the senatorial flag bearers of the party, Senator Abu Ibrahim (Funtua,Katsina South), Hadi Sirika(Daura, Katsina North) and Abubakar Saddiq Yar'adua(Katsina Central) constituencies.
Source: Confusion as Buhari ends rally in Katsina (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15767:confusion-as-buhari-ends-rally-in-katsina&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
The National Security Adviser retired Gen. Patrick Aziza must be joking for daring to oppose INEC's recommendation that voters should wait at polling units after casting their votes to witness ballot counting and announcement of results, former Minister of the FCT, Malam Nasiru el-Rufai, has said.
Source: El-Rufai berates NSA for opposing INEC's vote-and-wait option (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15774:el-rufai-berates-nsa-for-opposing-inecs-vote-and-wait-option&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
The police in Oyo State yesterday sealed off a popular hotel at Iganna in the Oke Ogun area of the state for allegedly harbouring ammunition and dangerous weapons.
Source: Police seal hotel with weapons (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15781:police-seal-hotel-with-weapons&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
Mogae: That's good, but..
PDP: People should not wait
Source: Jega: Voters can wait for results (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15785:jega-voters-can-wait-for-results&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
"We've been to three polling units and people are not happy, there's a general feeling that if we're talking about transparency and reform in the country then INEC officials should be on ground on time, that's what people are saying."
Source: Update: Abuja, 9:15am (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15813:update-abuja-915am&catid=76:election-2011&Itemid=163)
Senate President David Mark has asked Nigerians to come out en-mass to cast their votes during the reschedule elections, saying that the set-back occasioned by the postponement of the exercise should be seen as a national sacrifice.
Source: Election postponement, a national sacrifice – Mark (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15941:election-postponement-a-national-sacrifice-mark&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
The crises in the wake of the aborted National Assembly elections almost reached a shattering climax on Saturday night when Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] chairman Professor Attahiru Jega offered to resign at a stormy meeting of the National Security Council chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan at the Aso Rock Villa, Daily Trust learnt from government sources yesterday. The storm however blew over when Jonathan rejected the resignation offer.
Source: Election crisis: Storm at security council meeting (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15954:election-crisis-storm-at-security-council-meeting&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to make details of the signed national minimum wage public and silence 'ugly rumours' forever.
Source: Minimum wage: Jonathan urged to make details public (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15936:minimum-wage-jonathan-urged-to-make-details-public&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
All three elections slated for this month have been shifted by a week each after logistic problems stalled the conduct of the National Assembly election scheduled for last Saturday. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the shift in Abuja yesterday.
Source: All polls now shifted by a week (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15953:all-polls-now-shifted-by-a-week&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), its national chairman, Prince Tony Momoh and Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari yesterday asked the Court of Appeal in Abuja to restrain Senator Yakubu Garba Lado from contesting as the CPC governorship candidate in Katsina State in the April 2011 general elections.
Source: Katsina guber poll: CPC, Masari ask court to stop Lado (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16067:katsina-guber-poll-cpc-masari-ask-court-to-stop-lado&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
States and local government councils must pay their workers the N18, 000 minimum wage signed by President Goodluck Jonathan, the Federal Government said yesterday.
Source: FG says 18,000 minimum wage binding on states, LGs, others (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16075:fg-says-18000-minimum-wage-binding-on-states-lgs-others&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) presidential candidate Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is putting undue pressure on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Attahiru Jega to change election rules midstream, Congress for Progressive Change's (CPC) presidential candidate General Muhammadu Buhari charged yesterday. He also expressed worry over the "duress and undue influence that President Goodluck Jonathan and the ruling PDP are exerting on the INEC chairman."
Source: Buhari to Jonathan: Don't harass INEC (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16081:buhari-to-jonathan-dont-harass-inec&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
The modified open ballot system where voters are to be accredited and then wait until 12:30 pm before the commencement of voting will still be used in Saturday's National Assembly as well as subsequent elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said yesterday.
Source: Open-secret ballot system still stands (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16082:open-secret-ballot-system-still-stands&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday dismissed allegation levelled against him that he and the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) are putting undue pressure on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Attahiru Jega to change election rules midstream "because of their vested interests in manipulating the outcome of the elections".
Source: Jonathan replies Buhari, says not harassing INEC (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16201:jonathan-replies-buhari-says-not-harassing-inec&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
Senior officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) led by its Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega yesterday held a marathon meeting that lasted for about 9 hours during which decisions were reached on how to improve on election logistics ahead of Saturday's National Assembly polls.
Source: Only 300 to vote per polling unit –INEC (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16202:only-300-to-vote-per-polling-unit-inec&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
Ivory Coast's weeks-long political crises in the wake of disputed president elections suddenly ended yesterday when impostor president Laurent Gbagbo surrendered to the United Nations and asked for protection, according to an internal U.N. document seen by Reuters news agency.
Source: Gbagbo surrenders to UN troops (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16208:gbagbo-surrenders-to-un-troops&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday that he fully supports the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Attahiru Jega and he is confident that the commission will do well despite last weekend's postponement of the National Assembly elections. Those elections have now been rescheduled to this Saturday. The president however said he would initiate the process of removing the chairman if he has no confidence in him.
Source: Jonathan: Jega has my full support (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16209:jonathan-jega-has-my-full-support&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will today complete deployment of all sensitive materials needed for Saturday's National Assembly elections and is now putting finishing touches on preparations for the polls, Chief Press Secretary to the commission's chairman, Kayode Idowu said yesterday.
Source: INEC to complete materials deployment today (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16265:inec-to-complete-materials-deployment-today&catid=1:news&Itemid=2)
Justice Adamu Bello of an Abuja Federal High Court yesterday made a mandatory order directing the unconditional release of former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, John James Akpanudoedehe from police custody.
Source: Court orders release of A/Ibom ACN guber candidate (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16266:court-orders-release-of-aibom-acn-guber-candidate&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
Nigeria will be rid of corruption and morality will be brought back to governance if the Congress for Progressive Change [CPC] wins next week's presidential election, its presidential candidate General Muhammadu Buhari said in Lagos yesterday. He spoke at the public presentation of the CPC's election manifesto.
Source: Buhari declares: No more room for crooks (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16268:buhari-declares-no-more-room-for-crooks&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
President Goodluck Jonathan and leaders of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday met with the leadership of over 40 opposition political parties ahead of Saturday's rescheduled National Assembly elections and sought their support during the election, especially if INEC fails to live up to expectations.
Source: Jonathan meets 30 parties, excludes ACN, CPC, ANPP (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16267:jonathan-meets-30-parties-excludes-acn-cpc-anpp&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) Presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari has challenged Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, to publicly declare that he has never stolen public funds as a public officer. Buhari also declared that he has never touched a Kobo of public funds throughout his career in government.
Source: Buhari to Jonathan: I have never stolen public funds (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16481:buhari-to-jonathan-i-have-never-stolen-public-funds&catid=1:news&Itemid=2)
Elections have again been postponed in 15 senatorial and 48 House of Representatives constituencies across the country because INEC is still battling to print ballot papers, but the parliamentary vote will hold in most of the country tomorrow.
Source: 24 hours to D-Day : No elections for 15 Senate, 48 House seats (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16486:24-hours-to-d-day-no-elections-for-15-senate-48-house-seats&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of Kaduna State, Alhaji Haliru Tambuwal, yesterday explained why he visited the Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo at his residence last Saturday before the election was suspended.
Source: Kaduna REC visits Sambo • Says it is an innocent visit • Visit could undermine credible polls – ACN (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16474:kaduna-rec-visits-sambo-says-it-is-an-innocent-visit-visit-could-undermine-credible-polls-acn&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Nasir El-Rufai was yesterday arraigned before an Abuja High Court alongside two others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of official misconduct.
Source: El-Rufai, two others arraigned over abuse of office (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16472:el-rufai-two-others-arraigned-over-abuse-of-office&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
President Goodluck Jonathan and his main challenger Gen Muhammadu Buhari have intensified their efforts to ensure victory at the April 16 presidential election by courting Action Congress of Nigeria strongman Bola Tinubu.
Source: Jonathan, Buhari woo Tinubu (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16758:jonathan-buhari-woo-tinubu&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
The United State Assistant Secretary of State in charge of African Affairs, Ambassador Johnnie Carson has applauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the conduct of last Saturday's parliamentary elections.
Source: US applauds INEC on National Assembly polls (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16755:us-applauds-inec-on-national-assembly-polls&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
Presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Malam Nuhu Ribadu yesterday confirmed that he offered to step down for his CPC counterpart Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
Source: Politicians' ego scuttled alliance, says Ribadu (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17053:politicians-ego-scuttled-alliance-says-ribadu&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
One big surprise that emerged from the presidential contest of Saturday is the way the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) crashed in the south west zone of the country, its strong hold where people support the party with a religious dogma.
Source: Why Ribadu crashed in South West (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17216:why-ribadu-crashed-in-south-west&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
With results officially declared by state collation officers in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory [FCT] last night, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] had won this year's presidential election with 21.5 million votes and a quarter of the votes in all of them except Kano, Borno and Bauchi States. His closest rival, General Muhammadu Buhari of Congress for Progressive Change [CPC], secured 11.4 million. Only results from Taraba State had not been declared; they were delayed by results from two local government areas, Sardauna and Kurmi. The results however had a sharp regional slant to them, with Buhari sweeping the far North while Jonathan won most of the other states and regions.
Source: Jonathan wins the big prize : Voters split down the middle (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17217:jonathan-wins-the-big-prize-voters-split-down-the-middle&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
The presidential candidate of the CPC, retired General Muhammadu Buhari, defeated President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP in the results declared yesterday by the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kaduna State, Alhaji Haliru Aliyu Tambuwal for Saturday's presential election.
Source: Buhari wins in Kaduna (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17215:buhari-wins-in-kaduna&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the incidents of post election violence in some parts of the country. Atiku said it is not healthy for the sustenance of our democracy.
Source: Atiku condemns post-election violence (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17317:atiku-condemns-post-election-violence&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
in har zaben kwarai za'ayi a rinka yin yar tike instead of voting kuma gaskiya a rugurguza pdp kawai a nigeria don is a corrupt party kuma wanda yaci zabe daban wanda aka ba kujera daban kuma jega ya kamata ka tsaya ka duba lamarin ga akwai magudi a ciki wslm
Despite outbreak of violence that trailed the presidential election in some parts of the northern states, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it is going ahead with plans for conduct of governorship elections next Tuesday.
Source: INEC: Governorship polls to go ahead (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17492:inec-governorship-polls-to-go-ahead-&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
Governorship elections scheduled to hold in 29 states across the country on Tuesday next week have been deferred in Kaduna and Bauchi States by 48 hours, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced yesterday.
Source: Guber polls deferred in Kaduna, Bauchi : By two days (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17655:guber-polls-deferred-in-kaduna-bauchi-by-two-days&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has described last Saturday's presidential election as the most systematically rigged in Nigeria's history, and warned against any attempt to repeat such in Tuesday's governorship/state assembly polls.
Source: Presidential poll most systematically rigged, ACN says (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17646:presidential-poll-most-systematically-rigged-acn-says&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
Four parties have called for the postponement of the gubernatorial election in Bauchi State, less than 48 hours to the election.
Source: Shift Bauchi guber poll, CPC, ACN, ANPP urge INEC (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18033:shift-bauchi-guber-poll-cpc-acn-anpp-urge-inec&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
Despite last week's riots in many Northern states where its chieftains' houses and offices were major targets, the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] appeared to have fully recovered its feet and was on the way to winning yesterday's governorship and state assembly elections in the majority of those states. As at midnight however, only a fraction of the results were in and the situation could still change in many states. Final results are expected to be announced in all the states today.
Source: PDP leads in many states : PDP: Niger, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kwara, Sokoto, Rivers - ANPP: Zamfara, Yobe Kano, Katsina unclear (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18040:pdp-leads-in-many-states-pdp-niger-jigawa-kebbi-kwara-sokoto-rivers-anpp-zamfara-yobe-kano-katsina-unclear&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
The Independent Na-tional Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday announced the incumbent Katsina State governor Ibrahim Shema as winner of last Tuesday's gubernatorial election with 1, 027 , 912 votes.
Source: Shema wins Katsina, Masari protests (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18143:shema-wins-katsina-masari-protests&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
There were jubilations yesterday in most parts of Nasarawa State following the defeat of the incumbent governor, Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)'s Alhaji Tanko Almakura.
Source: Jubilation as Doma loses to Almakura in Nasarawa (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18137:jubilation-as-doma-loses-to-almakura-in-nasarawa&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
Governor Babatunde Fashola has won the governorship election in Lagos State by landslide, polling 1,509,113 votes to emerge winner. He was followed by the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) governorship candidate, Mr. Ade Dosunmu who polled 300,450 votes.
Source: Fashola wins by landslide in Lagos (http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18130:fashola-wins-by-landslide-in-lagos&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
Engineer Muhammadu Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was Governor of Kano State between 1999 and 2003. He was defeated in his 2003 re-election bid by Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, who had served under him as a permanent secretary. No one could have known at the time that eight years later, Shekarau will be handing the reigns of the state back to Kwankwaso.
Source: Kwankwaso: The hand that giveth, also taketh (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18214:kwankwaso-the-hand-that-giveth-also-taketh&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
In the first election of April 9, the National Assembly elections, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) chronically underperformed. For a party that was expected by political pundits to sweep the North, CPC managed to win only a few Senate and House of Representatives seats.
Source: CPC: Fall, rise and fall again (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18213:cpc-fall-rise-and-fall-again&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
When Kano governor Ibrahim Shekarau joined the presidential race on ANPP's platform late last year and at the same time was strongly backing the governorship candidature of Salihu Sagir Takai in Kano against the wish of many stalwarts, many political analysts and indeed some of his key aides thought Shekarau was biting more than he can chew.
Source: Shekarau: No bird, no trap (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18212:shekarau-no-bird-no-trap&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)
For 12 years, the ruling PDP had been on the offensive, winning more states, though controversially in many cases, during elections that were meant to usher in new state governments. In Tuesday's governorship election, the behemoth lost four states –Nasarawa, Ogun, Oyo and Zamfara States. But the ruling party won Kano, a victory it was hardly expecting.
Source: The tales behind the polls - PDP: Behemoth loses four fingers, but gains one (http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18215:pdp-behemoth-loses-four-fingers-but-gains-one&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8)