Politics
EFCC Chairman Cautions Against Vote Buying, Selling
Abdulrasheed Bawa, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has pledged that the commission is well-equipped and capable of combating electoral fraud, including vote buying, to ensure that the upcoming general elections in Nigeria are transparent, free and fair.
He urged Nigerians to reject any form of electoral malpractice and emphasized that active participation from citizens is key to the success of the elections.
In a statement published on its website on Wednesday, the EFCC announced that its Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, addressed the North-Central Stakeholder’s Round-table meeting on the 2023 general elections on Tuesday.
The Centre For Transparency Advocacy organised the North-Central Stakeholder’s Round-table meeting on the 2023 general elections, which was held in Abuja.
Represented by the EFCC’s Assistant Director, Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the Chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, spoke at the event and reiterated the commission’s commitment to resist electoral malpractices, including vote buying.
He said, “Intelligence is about people, vote buying is about people and vote selling is about people, those that are selling votes are not ghosts, those that are buying are also not ghosts, they are all human beings.
Faith Nwadishi, the Executive Director of CTA, called for a more effective approach to combat electoral fraud through covert operations.
She said, “The recent initiative of collaborating with the EFCC, ICPC, NFIU, NBC, IPAC and other stakeholders by INEC during the stakeholders’ summit aimed at addressing the influence of money on the 2023 general elections must be encouraged and the decisions reached implemented.”
Politics
APC Wins All 20 Ogun LG Chairmanship Seats, Opposition Rejects Results
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has emerged victorious in Ogun State’s Local Government elections, sweeping all 20 chairmanship seats in the polls held on Saturday.
The Chairman of the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC), Babatunde Osibodu, confirmed the results at the commission’s headquarters in Abeokuta, declaring that the APC also secured wins in all 236 wards across the state.
According to Osibodu, a total of 613,156 votes were cast during the chairmanship elections across the 20 local government areas.
READ MORE: Nigeria’s Water Project Under Fire As World Bank Reports Missing Funds
However, the outcome has sparked strong opposition.
The Labour Party (LP), along with other opposition groups, has rejected the election results, accusing OGSIEC of misconduct and irregularities.
In a press briefing, Ogun State Labour Party Chairman, Biodun Jagun, called for the cancellation of the entire election, alleging widespread malpractices.
“There was no election in most polling units in Ogun State,” Jagun claimed, citing the absence of OGSIEC officials and electoral materials in over 90% of polling stations by 1:30 pm.
“In the few polling units where materials arrived, they were incomplete and came much later than the scheduled 8 am start time.”
Jagun emphasized that the party and its supporters would not accept the results and vowed to challenge the election in court if OGSIEC did not annul the exercise.
“We reject the results of this flawed election and call on OGSIEC to cancel it,” he stated. “Failure to do so will leave us with no choice but to pursue legal action.”
Despite the controversy, the elections saw participation from 19 political parties, including the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Young Progressive Party (YPP).
Nevertheless, it was the APC that dominated the election, further solidifying its control in Ogun State.
Politics
#OndoDecides2024: PDP Governorship Candidate Votes, Raises Concerns Over Election Conduct
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the Ondo State election, Agboola Ajayi, has cast his vote at Polling Unit 004, Apoi Ward 2, Kiribo, located in Ese-Odo Local Government Area.
However, Ajayi expressed dissatisfaction with the electoral process, alleging bias and inefficiency on the part of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Ajayi reported delays in the commencement of voting across some parts of the state and described his personal voting experience as challenging. He stated, “The BVAS devices are not working. Although the election is peaceful to some extent, I have concerns.” Ajayi also mentioned that it took nearly 10 minutes for him to cast his vote due to what he considered avoidable delays, adding that it seemed to be an attempt to frustrate voters.
READ MORE: AFCONQ: Nwabali Out Of Super Eagles’ Rwanda Game After Losing Father
The PDP candidate further criticized the proximity of security personnel to polling units, claiming that their presence was intimidating voters. “Why are security personnel stationed so close to my polling unit? They are intimidating voters. The distance between voters and military officers is uncomfortably close,” Ajayi said.
Ajayi also alleged systemic compromise in the electoral process. He remarked, “The system has been compromised. It is sad that the INEC can’t conduct an election well in one state.”
While the election has been described as largely peaceful in some quarters, Ajayi’s concerns point to persistent challenges in the electoral system, raising questions about INEC’s preparedness and neutrality.
The Ondo governorship election remains a focal point for observers, as various stakeholders continue to monitor the process.
Politics
Ondo Poll: PDP Raises Alarm Over Alleged APC Thugs In Idanre Communities
The Deputy Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Mr. Festus Akingbaso, has raised concerns over alleged activities of political thugs in Idanre Local Government Area during the ongoing elections.
Speaking to journalists after casting his vote at Polling Unit 005, Oke Imikan on Saturday, Akingbaso, who also represents Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its efforts so far but expressed worry about security lapses in some areas.
READ ALSO: CBN Warns Banks Against Sale Of Naira Notes To Hawkers, Announces Stiff Penalties
“The turnout of voters is not bad, and the security situation is also not bad. I have not seen anything wrong at this moment. I also want to commend INEC because it has not performed badly so far,” Akingbaso said.
He urged voters to remain vigilant and ensure their votes are protected. “My advice to the voters is that whenever they cast their votes, they should wait behind and keep watch until the final result has been announced. If everything goes as planned, my party will win,” he added.
Akingbaso also accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of bringing in suspected thugs to intimidate voters in various communities within Idanre.
He highlighted specific villages, including Ofosun, Omifunfun, and Allah, as areas reportedly overrun by thugs.
“Information reaching me is that the majority of the villages are filled with thugs allegedly brought in by the APC. At the moment, all the villages are occupied with thugs. Villages like Ofosun, Omifunfun, and Allah are occupied,” he alleged.
The PDP candidate also recounted an incident in Ofosun, where suspected thugs reportedly broke into the home of a party supporter to prevent them from voting. “We were informed that there are plans not to allow people in the villages to vote,” he said.
Akingbaso criticized the response of security agencies, stating that despite raising the alarm, no decisive action had been taken.
“Since Friday, the APC has been alleged to have brought in suspected thugs. I have reported the matter to the DPO and DSS. To my expectation, the security agencies have not been able to do anything,” he said.
He called on security agencies to take urgent steps to address the situation and ensure that voters in the affected areas are able to exercise their rights without intimidation or harassment.