what happened in ogun elections December 28, 2006 | posted by Nigerian Muse (Archives)

 

 

Star “Question”: What Happened in Ogun Polls?

With Commentary by Mobolaji Aluko, PhD

 

April 24, 2003

 

 

 

 

Compatriots:

 

Let us inspect: the following:

 

OGUN GUBERNATORIAL RESULTS

 

 

Party & Candidate	Total Votes	Percentage
AD:    Osoba Olusegun Aremu	231,982	33.08%
PDP: Daniel Justus Olagbenga	449,335	64.06%
Total Valid Votes	701,375	-
Rejected Ballots	45,921	-
Valid Votes  + Rejected Ballots	747,296	-
Number of Voters on Register	1,576,875	-

 

Congratulations, Gbenga Daniel !

 

OGUN PRESIDENTIAL RESULTS

 

Party & Candidate	Total Votes	Percentage
ANPP:    Buhari Muhammadu	680	0.05%
PDP:     Chief Olusegun Obasanjo	1,360,170	99.92%
Total Valid Votes	1,361,251	-
Rejected Ballots	4,116	-
Valid Votes  + Rejected Ballots	1,365,367	-
Number of Voters on Register	1,576,875	-

 

Congratulations, Aremu Obasanjo!

 

(Valid  Votes + Rejected Ballots) of [ Presidential - Gubernatorial ] = 618,071

 

Hmmmm...that is odd! Voting on the same day, in the same ballot box?

 

So Wazio Adio might as well ask: "Who ate some ballot papers - or some others?"

 

Inquiring minds want to know!

 

It is TRIGGERS like these that INEC itself should use to self-investigate, not ask to "go to court."

 

 

Bolaji Aluko

 

 

 

 

This Day

April 25, 2003

 

What Happened in Ogun Polls?

News Review

By Waziri Adio

 

A close study of results released by the Independent National Electoral , INEC, seems to have supported allegations of irregularities in last Saturday's polls.

 

The result from Ogun State, the president's home state, shows a wide gap between the total number of votes cast for the gubernatorial and presidential elections.

 

The total number of votes cast for all the presidential candidates exceeded that of gubernatorial candidates by 618,071 votes. This staggering difference has many eyebrows askew.

 

During the elections voters were given two ballot papers: the shorter one for the poll and the longer for the presidential.

 

From results cross-checked on INEC's website yesterday, 1, 576, 875 names were on the voters' register in Ogun State. The total number of ballots cast (both valid votes and rejected ballots) for the gubernatotial candidates was 747, 296. 

 

However, the total number of votes cast in the presidential category was 1, 365, 367, a difference of 618, 071. Out of the total votes cast, President Olusegun polled 1, 360, 170 (99.92%), while General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.)  680 (0.05%).

 

The discrepancy in the figures has thrown up a number of questions. Is it that of voters in Ogun State were not interested in who becomes their governor? Is it that they were only interested in returning their kinsman to the presidency?

 

Did thousands of voters refuse to take the ballot paper for the gubernatorial election ? If so what did they do with the ballot papers? Did they drop them at the polling stations or did they take them home? Or did they forget to vote in the category?

 

Were there more than 600, 000 voided yet unrecorded votes in the category? Are these figures from actual voting or are they cooked figures?  Is there a honest mistake somewhere? Or a deliberate manipulation of figures? These and many other questions are crying for answers.

 

It is also noted, however, that though Ogun State posted the most difference in the votes cast simultaneously, the trend is not peculiar to it. In 10 states with full results on the INEC website, the differences ranged from 1, to 94,000.

 

In Adamawa State the difference is 94,143; in Akwa Ibom, 68,861; in Ebonyi, ,457; in Edo, 24, 197; in Ekiti, 2,675; in Enugu, 70, 922; in Jigawa, 55, 740; in , 3, 325; in Oyo, 46, 336; and in Niger, 31, 850.

 

Whether they are in a few thousands or in hundreds of thousands, the point to the fact that something is amiss somewhere.

 

There are also questions about Rivers and Bayelsa states where the and incumbent state governors scored almost 100 per cent with 97 per cent turn-out. This reminds us of elections held in Saddam's Iraq. The expired maximum , Saddam Hussien, almost always scored 99 per cent in a vote where turn-out akin to that of Rivers State. This leaves several questions unanswered when some local government areas like Brass recorded 100 per cent -out and 99 per cent vote for the incumbent.

 

The doubts engendered by the turn-out in Rivers which the PDP national, Chief Audu Ogbeh, called "historic" cast a question mark on the credibility of the elections.

 

Already, the president's opponents have alleged gross manipulation of the polls. local and international observers have complained of lapses, irregularities manipulation in a few states. According to the European Union observer group, "elections were simply not credible."

 

Fair and square Obasanjo would have won but overzealous element within his may have spoilt the day for him.

 

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