Author: Halimah Olamide

Reports of vote buying have been reported from Ikole Local Government Area in the ongoing Ekiti State governorship election. According to an observation report from the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, it was recorded at 12:28am Ward 03, Polling Unit 14, Ikole LGA. The observation group reported that tally slips were being issued to voters for the collection of money. “Tally slips are reportedly being given to voters for the collection of money, indicating possible vote-buying at the polling unit,” the report stated. NPO reports that earlier, the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dare Bejide had harassment…

Yiaga Africa has raised concerns over inconsistencies between ballot papers, result sheets, and the candidate list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the ongoing Ekiti State governorship election. The election observer group, in its preliminary statement on Saturday, said its findings showed discrepancies in the election materials deployed across polling units. Yiaga Africa said as of 8:30am, 96% of its observers from 250 randomly selected polling units had arrived at their assigned locations to monitor the electoral process. According to the group, the Form EC8A polling unit result sheets provided spaces for 15 political parties, while the…

The Governor of Ekiti State and the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abiodun Oyebanji, has responded to allegations of harassment raised by opposition candidates in the ongoing gubernatorial election Speaking to journalists after casting his vote at Polling Unit 003 in Oke-Lele, Ikogosi, Ekiti West Local Government Area, the governor said; “He who alleges must prove.” NPO reports that this comes after allegations that the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dare Bejide, had lamented about the presence of false policemen who harrassed his men at his polling unit. He also noted that his driver…

The Governor of Ekiti State and the governorship of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abiodun Oyebanji, has lauded the smooth flow of the ongoing election in the state. Oyebanji cast his vote at Polling Unit 003 in Oke-Lele, Ikogosi, Ekiti West Local Government Area alongside his wife. Speaking briefly with journalists on the conduct of the exercise, he said, “Everything is positive, and the election is going smoothly. The people are happy, and voter turnout is impressive,” he said. While noting reports of technical glitches in some areas, the governor urged voters to remain calm and patient with the electoral…

The Ekiti Deputy Governor, Mrs Fumilayo Afuye, has lauded the turnout of voters in the ongoing governorahip election in the state, describing it as encouraging. Afuye, who is the deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) expressed optimism of the party’s victory in the election. She spoke after voting at Atiba/Aafin Ward 1, polling unit 003, at Ikere-Ekiti in Ikere Local Government Area of the state. She voted at about 8:50 a.m., also lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies for their impartiality and professionalism. Afuye said that the massive turnout of voters for…

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Oluwole Oluyede, has condemned the delayed voting process in the ongoing Ekiti State election Oloyede cast his vote at Ward 2, Unit 3, Osagboru Hall in Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State. Speaking to journalists after casting his vote, the candidate said the electoral process was poorly managed and had left many voters waiting for hours with little progress. The process is actually useless,” he said. “People have been here for about one and a half hours and only five people have voted in my polling unit.” He expressed concern…

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has reported a procedural error at a polling unit in the ongoing Ekiti governorship election. At Court Hall/Market polling unit (PU 008) in Ilawe VII Ward, Ekiti South West Local Government Area, the observation team said ad hoc staff were not stamping ballot papers before they were issued to voters. The polling unit has 310 registered voters. However, the CDD said the situation appeared to be due to poor understanding of the voting procedure by the ad hoc officials. INEC supervisory staff later intervened and directed that the correct procedure be followed. The…

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has arrived at his polling unit on Saturday to cast his vote at the ongoing gubernatorial election in the state. Fayose casted his vote at exactly 9:00am at Afao Ward, Unit 1 alongside his son, Boluwatife Fayose. Security personnel and election officials were present as voting proceeded across the state. The Ekiti governorship election is ongoing in different parts of the state, with voters deciding who will lead the state in the next political cycle.

Political activist,  Isaac Fayose, has alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have distributed Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to non-indigenes to participate in the ongoing Ekiti governorship election. Fayose claimed that PVCs belonging to voters who did not collect them were accessed and given to political actors for use during the election. The brother of former governor of the state, Ayodele Fayose, alleged that the number of uncollected PVCs in Ekiti was far higher than officially stated, putting the figure at over 400,000 instead of about 30,000. “They said people that didn’t collect…

Former Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of the Vice-President, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has revealed that his nephew and three others spent 37 days in kidnappers’ custody despite his position within the presidency at the time. Baba-Ahmed disclosed that his family spent nearly N175 million to secure the victims’ release after exploring several channels to facilitate their rescue. Speaking during an interview on Trust TV, he said the victims were abducted last year and taken a few kilometres into a forest, where they remained in captivity for over a month. He said the incident occurred while he was working…