Politics

2023: Social Media, Fake News Among Threats To General Elections, INEC Laments

Published

3 years ago

October 13, 2022

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has listed social media as one of the major threats to the 2023 general election.

INEC Chairman, Mahmoud Yakubu, revealed this in Washington DC, USA, during an event organised by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)

Yakubu who noted that the publication of fake election results is a potential trigger for violence further assured his commitment to continue to deepen cooperation and relationship with organized social media platforms.

While stating his concerns towards the forthcoming elections, Mahmoud listed social media fake news, thuggery sponsored by some political actor and the perennial issue of insecurity in different parts of the country as major threats.

“I say it is a perennial issue because at the end of the day, it is nothing new. However, the dimension of insecurity is a concern in the sense that in the past, it was localized or confined to a particular part of the country, the northeast. But now it is more widespread and we are keeping our eyes, particularly on the northwest and the southeastern parts of the country.

“Elections are conducted by human beings. We worry about the security of our officials, voters and the materials to be deployed. Without them, we cannot conduct elections. We have spoken to the security agencies, they have assured us that the situation will improve before the elections. So, fingers crossed. Those who are supposed to secure the environment have assured us that they will secure the environment for us to conduct elections. Our responsibility is to conduct elections.”

Politics

Atiku Formally Resigns From PDP

Published

2 hours ago

July 16, 2025

Editor

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last general elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has resigned from the party.

The former vice president disclosed this in a letter obtained by Vanguard on Wednesday. This paper also confirmed the letter from Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to Atiku Abubaka.

The letter reads: “I am writing to formally resign my membership from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude for the opportunities I have been given by the Party. Serving two full terms as Vice President of Nigeria and being a Presidential candidate twice has been one of the most significant chapters of my life. As a founding father of this esteemed Party, it is indeed heartbreaking for me to make this decision.

“However, I find it necessary to part ways due to the current trajectory the Party has taken, which I believe diverges from the foundational principles we stood for. It is with a heavy heart that I resign, recognizing the irreconcilable differences that have emerged.

READ ALSO:Why I Resigned From PDP – Atiku

“I wish the Party and its leadership all the best in the future. Thank you once again for the opportunities and support.”

Atiku had three weeks ago formed a coalition under the African Democratic Party, ADC with the presidential candidate of Labour Party in 2023 election, Peter Obi, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and ex-Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, among others to oust President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from office come 2027 election.

Politics

Why I Resigned From PDP – Atiku

Published

3 hours ago

July 16, 2025

Editor

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has announced his resignation from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), citing irreconcilable differences and a shift in the party’s direction away from its founding principles.

In a letter dated July 14, 2025, and addressed to the Chairman of PDP Jada 1 Ward in Adamawa State, Atiku formally terminated his membership of the party with immediate effect.

“I am writing to formally resign my membership from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect,” he stated.

Atiku, who served as Vice President from 1999 to 2007, expressed deep gratitude for the opportunities the party afforded him, including running twice as its presidential candidate.

“Serving two full terms as Vice President of Nigeria and being a presidential candidate twice has been one of the most significant chapters of my life,” he wrote. “As a founding father of this esteemed party, it is indeed heartbreaking for me to make this decision.”

The former PDP stalwart said his decision was driven by what he described as the party’s departure from its core values.

“I find it necessary to part ways due to the current trajectory the Party has taken, which I believe diverges from the foundational principles we stood for,” he added.

“It is with a heavy heart that I resign, recognizing the irreconcilable differences that have emerged.”

Atiku wished the party and its leadership well in their future endeavors and thanked them for the support and opportunities he received over the years.

“I wish the Party and its leadership all the best in the future. Thank you once again for the opportunities and support,” he concluded.

The letter was officially acknowledged and received by Hammardama Abubakar on July 14, 2025.

Politics

Oyegun Blames APC For Hunger Starvation, Oyegun Gets ADC Party’s Card

Published

21 hours ago

July 15, 2025

Editor

Former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie Oyegun, has been handed the membership card of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) by the Edo state chairman of the party, Mr. Kennedy Odion in Benin.

Presenting him with the party’s card at the party’s secretariat in Benin, Mr. Odion said Oyegun is not new to forming a coalition, adding that, he has done it before and he is doing it again with the view of redeeming the nation from its economic quagmire.

“He has put together what is called a coalition before and he succeeded. So, in mathematics, once you understand the formula, the answer is in view. So, he understands how he did it before so doing it again is not a difficult task.

“So as God may have it, he is not from any other state but from the heartbeat of this nation cum Edo State and we are moving the coalition together.

“He was the chairman of the implementation committee that decided that ADC will be the platform”, Odion said.

On the part of Oyegun, he said before they settled for ADC, they had made extensive research and found out that it is the party that has the interest of Nigerians at heart.

“We talked to a lot of parties about seven others. Up till the very last minute. We made a report and we said ADC. And some said, “No, no, no, you must still talk to this, you must still talk to that.” So, we delayed decision for another fortnight.

“At the end of our meeting, we still came back. I said, “Yes, what you ask us to do? We’ve done. We’ve talked to the others, but we have not seen a party as dedicated as the ADC”, Oyegun said.

Oyegun further blamed the ruling APC for the hunger and starvation in the country.

He also blamed the APC led government for its inability to tackle the rising insecurity in the country especially in Benue and other states just as he said that, the nation has never been so divided as it is under the present leadership of Bola Tinubu.

He said those who are peddling the rumour that the ADC is planning to disrupt the government of the day are only trying to dinimish the aims and objectives of the coalition which is to rescue Nigerians.

While commending the growth of the party, he said the party is growing by the day and that more other notable politicians are still coming to join them soon.

“So, from a month ago, you were just ADC. Today, one can say we are the largest party in this nation. We are growing by the day, we are growing by the week. We are growing by the months. People understand. In all parties, we are not talking, it’s still ADC but ADC is now a mix of the best of PDP.

“Some of the best of APC, a lot of them are still coming on the way. And all the other parties. And the good thing is that, you haven’t seen a lot of the faces yet both professionals, people who never thought of politics, people who just finished from minding heights of the economy, but in whatever service, I don’t want to mention the various services”, Oyegun said.