EPE MONARCH’S SON, FIVE OTHERS DROWN AFTER VOTING

Kunle Adewale, a son of the Olu of Epe, and five others drowned on Saturday in a river after their boast capsized.
It was learnt that Kunle, who is a Director in the Lagos State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, is the first son of the Olu of Epe, Oba Shefiu Adewale, who ascended the throne two years ago.
Our correspondent learnt that Kunle and a local government chairman aspirant, Mr. Muiz Bello, as well as four others had gone to cast their votes for the All Progressives Congress when their boast suddenly capsized on their way back.
A close source said, “It is indeed a very sad day. We were all together in Epe early in the morning and we ate together. After some time, they said they registered at a polling unit across the river.

PDP IN EARLY LEADS IN EKITI

For unrin,Odo Igede Ward 007,Igede Ekiti in Irepodun /Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state
For the presidential
PDP has 116,APC 44,while the Labour Party recorded 2 votes
Senate
PDP 116 ,APC 40 LP 1
House of Representatives PDP 104,APC 55
At Ward 004,Idi Uto polling unit,Ikole Ekiti in Ikole Local Government area of the state
Presidential PDP 93,APC62
Senate PDP 97,APC 64 ,Rep PDP 86 APC 60,
At Aafin polling unit,Ikoe
Presidential
PDP 79,APC 44
Senate PDP 82,APC41
House of Rep PDP 77,APC 42
Source: Vanguard

BUHARI CAST HIS VOTE

Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has cast his vote in the 2015 presidential and National Assembly election

PRESIDENT JONATHAN VOTES

President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has cast his votes for the presidential and National Assembly polls.

He cast his vote some minutes after 4:00PM.

There were hitches during his accreditation that demanded that he filled anIncident Form.

MILITARY STOPS AMAECHI FROM INSPECTING POLLING UNITS

• Refused to be accredited 
The Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi, was earlier today stopped from moving around different polling units in the state by the military.
Amaechi, who drove himself in a black 4WD, was stopped by the Brigade Commander of the second Brigade, Bori Camp, Essien Essien, who engaged the governor in a debate over his mission to ascertain the availability of result sheets at the polling units.
Against the advice of the Brigade Commander to remain at his polling centre, the governor challenged the Army Officer to arrest him as he drove back to the government house Port Harcourt after refusing to be accredited, insisting he would not vote unless he saw the result sheets.
Amaechi, refused to be accredited because of the failure of the electoral officers to produce result sheets
However, the Rivers PDP publicity secretary, Mr Samuel Nwanosike, debunked the claim by the governor that there was no accreditation in the local government area, saying several people in his own Ward 9, Omagwa, had been accredited

INEC ORDERS MANUAL ACCREDITATION, EXTENDS EXERCISE TILL SUNDAY

Prof. Attahiru Jega, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved the use of manual accreditation in areas that the Smart Card Readers malfunctioned during the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the country.
He also extended the exercise till Sunday in where the elections were not held, directing all Resident Electoral Commissioners in the country to conduct the election on Sunday in areas where there were hitches.
Here is a statement from the Independent National Electoral Commission.
INEC has been monitoring field reports on the accreditation process since commencement this morning. Whereas the process has gone well in several places, in some others it has encountered some challenges especially the card readers.

TWO KILLED AS BOKO HARAM ATTACKS POLLING STATIONS IN GOMBE

At least two people were killed in a suspected Boko Haram attack on polling stations in northeast Nigeria on Saturday, residents and an election official told AFP.
The attacks happened in the villages of Birin Bolawa and Birin Fulani in the Nafada district of Gombe state, which has been repeatedly targeted by the Islamists.
An election official, who requested anonymity, said: “We could hear the gunmen shouting, ‘Didn’t we warn you about staying away from (the) election?'”

BUHARI ACCREDITED, COMMENDS INEC'S READINESS

• Says rigging may not be possible
The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) arrived the Sarikin-Yara polling Unit at about 8.38 am to get accredited for voting in the presidential election.
After performing the accreditation, he was full of praise for INEC, saying from the look of things, rigging may not be possible.
Buhari clad in native sparkling white Babariga with a white cap to match arrived with his aides and leuftunants and immediately made his way to the accreditation desk where the polling officials attended to him.

JONATHAN, WIFE FINALLY ACCREDITED WITH INCIDENT FORM

President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience Jonathan, have been accredited to vote with the use of the Incident Form, following the failure of the Card Readers to read their Permanent Voters Card, PVC.
It will be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan were not accredited after 30 minutes delay due to the failure of the card readers in their polling unit.
The president stood for more than 30 minutes with four card readers refusing to recognise his PVC. He encouraged Nigerians to be patient with the process, insiting that the election will be free and fair.

THE DARK HORSES OF THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE

Although 14 political parties are participating in today’s presidential election, the race to Aso Rock is basically between President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in what some political pundits had tagged as the epic battle for the soul of Africa’s most populous nation. Political observers who dubbed the election as a straight fight between Jonathan and Buhari based their conviction on the perceived lack of seriousness on the part of other contestants. Except for occasional appearances on the pages of newspapers and party functions, there is little or nothing to suggest that the majority of the candidates are serious about the contest.

POLL: OSHIOMHOLE DECRIES MINISTER’S VEHICLE GIFT TO MILITARY

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Friday condemned alleged donation of 14 Hilux vehicles by the Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, to the Nigerian Army for election monitoring.
Oshiomhole told journalists in Benin that the vehicles were first parked at the premises of a private construction company in the state capital before they were transferred to the 4 Brigade headquarters of the Nigerian Army.
The governor said that the state government received intelligence report that the vehicles were to be used to convey soldiers in mufti to intimidate voters, saying it was inappropriate for the military to seek logistic support from a political party chieftain.
Oshiomhole said, “The Commander of the 4 Brigade told me that the vehicles were donated by RCC because he approached RCC for support. I told him that it is wrong; the Brigade commander cannot approach Israelis to provide them with security when Edo State Government is here.

ELECTIONS: SECURITY LOCKDOWN NATIONWIDE

Army, police, SSS in show of power
20,000 cops deployed in Oyo, 9,000 in Kwara
INTERSTATE security is water-tight across Nigeria as the nation holds its presidential and National Assembly elections, the first leg of the general elections, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:p.m. today.
Road blocks, check points, random search, border patrols and ground/aerial surveilance have been mounted across the country. In some places, the lockdown resulted in chaotic traffic gridlock in parts of the country.
While the military, police and the State Security Service (SSS) intensified patrols in state capitals, operatives of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA) were deployed in the nation’s borders.

ELECTION RESULTS WILL BE OUT WITHIN 48HRS —JEGA

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, on Friday, assured that the results of today’s presidential and National Assembly elections would be released within 48 hours.
Professor Jega gave the assurance while speaking at a joint press conference he addressed along with the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYCS), Brigadier-General Johnson Olawumi on the safety and welfare of the corps members engaged for the elections as well as the arrangements put in place for the smooth conduct of the polls.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: FINALLY, NIGERIA DECIDES TODAY

Today is the D-day! Nigerians are trooping out en-masse to elect the next Nigerian president, Senators and members of the House of Representatives for the next four years. As early as 7 am, eligible voters are expected to to be at their polling units for accreditation through the card reader to clear voters for the voting proper. 
Fourteen political parties and presidential candidates of these parties are gunning for Nigeria’s coveted number one seat and leading the pack are incumbent President Jonathan of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Ab initio, the presidential and national assembly elections were meant to hold on February 14, 2015 but just a week before they were originally due, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced a six-week postponement.

IN BATTLE FOR PRESIDENCY, JONATHAN GETS THE PRE-ELECTION BOUNCE, BUT BUHARI IS A FORMIDABLE OPPONENT WHO MAY SURPRISE

• In-fighting in Kano, the ascendancy of Bafarawa in Sokoto and Shinkafi in Zamfara may dent Buhari’s northern run 
PROLOGUE
Nigeria Decides… In a Rematch, It’s a Choice Between Jonathan and Buhari
Thisday Report
Today, Nigerians will head to the polls to elect the man they want to steer the ship of state for the next four years. Whoever wins would become President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation.
Since independence in 1960, this weekend’s presidential election will be the eighth attempt by Nigerians to elect a chief executive.
However, the historical significance of this election will not be lost on several Nigerians, as this will be the first contest in which the incumbent president will be facing a strong and vibrant opposition ready to grab the reins from his grasp.