Politics

[BREAKING] NigeriaElections2023: Thugs Destroy Ballot Box In Ogun Gov’s Hometown Gunmen on Saturday invaded a polling unit

Published

3 years ago

February 25, 2023

Gunmen on Saturday invaded a polling unit in Ayegbami, in the Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State, destroyed a ballot box and disrupted the electoral process in the area.

THE PUNCH gathered that Ayegbami is a street in Iperu, Ikenne LGA, the hometown of the state governor, Dapo Abiodun.

An eyewitness, who refused to disclose his name to The PUNCH for security reasons, said the thugs, who rode motorcycles, invaded the polling unit around 3.40 pm, snatched the ball box and destroyed it.

He said, “Ayegbami polling unit has been destroyed. The ballot box has been destroyed and the papers were scattered on the floor. I had to quickly walk away from the scene.”

A resident, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said immediately after the thugs disrupted the electoral process in the polling unit, they fled.

“Some boys came to the polling unit in Ayegbami, and destroyed the ballot box. The broken ballot box is on the road; they took all the ballot papers and fled. They were on motorcycles,” the resident said.

Our correspondent, who was monitoring the voting process at Abiodun’s polling unit at Ward 3, Polling Unit 002, Ita Osanyin, Iperu, Ikenne LGA, trekked to the scene of the attack to observe the area.

On getting to the polling unit in Ayegbami, it was desolate and ballot papers littered the street.

The broken ballot box was also sighted on the road.

Our correspondent observed that the invasion of the polling unit angered people in the area.

While some people said the attack was unwarranted, some others said it was sponsored by politicians.

The angry mob, while expressing their grievances against the attack, stormed Ward 3, Polling Unit 003, Iregun, close to the polling unit of the governor.

Attempts to scuttle the electoral process in the polling unit in Iregun were resisted by determined electorates, and security agents, including the police, army, the NSCDC, the NDLEA, among others.

Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said he would find out about the attack and get back to our correspondent.

He had yet to do so as of the time this report was filed.

Politics

Dino Melaye Reacts To Malami’s Arraignment For Money Laundering

Published

3 days ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

Ex-Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye, has reacted to the arraignment of a former Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami, before an Abuja Federal High Court.

Melaye wished Malami well as he began his trial for corruption.

Posting on X, the former lawmaker recalled how he was prosecuted by Malami over what he described as frivolous cases while he was the AGF.

He wrote: “Reminded me of how I was appearing in different courts when Malami as AGF was prosecuting me over frivolous cases including taking over one of the police cases against me. Wish him.well.”

Malami, his son Abdulaziz, and another individual are facing a 16-count charge of money laundering.

They were arraigned on allegations of unlawful acquisition and concealment of funds.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Politics

What PDP Said About Wike’s Media Parley

Published

3 days ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, of being a constant agent of provocation in the political space, alleging that he creates trouble to mask selfish intentions.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, stated this in a statement issued on Monday in response to Wike’s media parley with selected journalists in Port Harcourt, also held on Monday.

According to the PDP, remarks made by the minister on several occasions are proof that he falls short of being a locus classicus of anti-democratic adventurism.

The party said Wike’s conduct was not new, stressing that he has consistently acted as an agent provocateur in the political arena, stirring controversy to advance personal interests.

The PDP further stated that since Wike assumed office as Governor of Rivers State in 2015, he has remained a recurrent source of trouble within the party’s leadership.

“From the Sheriff era, where he was a forerunner in the Sheriff-for-National Chairman movement and later turned to fight and remove Sheriff; later he championed the Uche Secondus-for-National Chairman movement (in fact, he granted a very combustible interview that polarized the party just before the convention) and then was the same person fighting to remove Secondus.

“The same Wike led the movement to produce Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman against the advice of many party leaders, and so soon thereafter, it was Wike again who led the Ayu-must-go struggle.

“By his end-of-year media chat, Minister Nyesom Wike has reiterated his support for, and in fact declared that he is the ‘number one supporter’ of the presumptive candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 Presidential election, while remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, confirming the basis of his expulsion from the PDP, for anti-party activities,” the statement said.

Politics

JUST IN: INEC Excludes PDP From Ekiti Governorship Election

Published

3 days ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the 2026 Ekiti governorship election, Dr Wole Oluyede, and his deputy were conspicuously absent as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, released the provisional list of party candidates ahead of the election.

INEC on Monday posted the list of candidates from 12 political parties vying for the state’s top job at its office on New Iyin Road, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

The list shows that the All Progressives Congress, APC, is fielding the incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji, with Monisade Afuye as his running mate.

Other candidates include Opeyemi Falegan of the Accord Party, with Omoyemi Olaleye as deputy; Akande Oluwasegun of the African Action Congress, paired with Oluwasanmi Fajuyigbe; and Ayodeji Ojo of the Action Democratic Party, with Itunu Ibitoye as running mate.

Similarly, the African Democratic Congress is presenting Oluwadare Bejide and Paul Olowoyeye, while the Action Peoples Party has Bidemi Awogbemi and Akinyemi Adewumi on its ticket.

The PDP’s absence may not be unconnected with the leadership crisis currently rocking the party at the national level.