News
CSOs, Media Meet, Review Edo Election, Yiaga Insists Poll Failed Integrity Test
…Politicians Reviving Old Election Fraud Tactics – Yiaga
By Joseph Ebi Kanjo|Benin
Civil Society Organisations and media practitioners on Monday met in Benin City to review the just concluded Edo State governorship election.
The meeting, convened by Yiaga Africa, a leading election monitoring civil society organisation, was aimed at evaluating the outcome of the election and for CSO observation groups and media to air their observation while in the field during the election.
In his opening remarks, Paul James, Programme Manager Election, said Yiaga Africa observers who were in the field observed that politicians have devised old election fraud tactics, insisting that Yiaga still maintained its earlier position that the Edo State governorship election failed the integrity test.
According to the Programme Manager, based on reports from 287 of 300 sampled polling units, which represents 96%, Yiaga Africa’s statistical analysis shows inconsistencies in the official results announced by INEC.
He said: “We stand by our earlier position that the results of the elections were manipulated. The major parties that participated all benefited, but one party benefited more. I repeat, Yiaga Africa concludes that the 2024 Edo governorship election fails the electoral integrity test due to lack of transparency in the results collation process, which led to the manipulation of results.
READ ALSO: #EdoDecides: APC, PDP Agents Seen Bribing Voters – Yiaga
“While key processes such as accreditation, voting, counting, and recording of results at the polling units substantially complied with the procedures, the results collation process was compromised by the actions of some biased INEC officials in connivance with other actors. This manipulation severely undermines the overall integrity of the election.”
He continued: “The incidents of results manipulation and disruptions during ward and local government collation in Ikpoba-Okha, Etsako West, Egor and Oredo LGAs, including intimidation of INEC officials, observers and party agents and the collation of results contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines, severely undermines the credibility of the election results.”
He added: “For instance, the official results announced by INEC for APC in Oredo and Egor, LGAs fall outside estimate. Also, in Oredo LGA, the official results as announced for LP fall outside the PRVT estimate. These inconsistencies with Yiaga Africa’s PRVT estimates indicate that the results were altered at the level collation.
“The disparities between the official results released by INEC and Yiaga Africa’s PRVT estimates indicate manipulation of results during the collation process.”
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According to Paul, “Politicians are reviving old methods of electoral manipulation, including altering results at collation centres, deliberate disruptions by security forces, and using pre-filled results sheets before voting.”
He emphasised the need for election stakeholders, particularly INEC and security agencies, to be held to higher standards, warning that political interference with INEC operations would continue to threaten the integrity of future elections.
He called for the “immediate investigation and prosecution of polling officials and collation officers who are engaged in results manipulation and flagrant violations of the guidelines on results collation.”
He added: “Yiaga Africa calls on INEC to urgently clarify the inconsistencies in some of the results, especially election results from Oredo, Egor, Esan West and LGAs. INEC should issue detailed guidelines for exercising its powers to review
declarations and returns made contrary to provisions of the Electoral Act and regulations and guidelines. This should include procedures for receiving complaints, timeframe, format and who is eligible to submit complaints.”
READ ALSO: Elections: Imo, Rivers, Others Results Manipulated, Says CSO, Yiaga Africa
He continued: “It is imperative to integrate the IReV and electronic transmission of results into the electoral legal framework to confer legality on polling unit level results uploaded on the portal. To this end, the National Assembly should expeditiously amend the Electoral Act to make electronic transmission of results mandatory.”
On his part, Rev. Fr. Benedict Onwugbenu, Executive Director, Justice Development and Peace Centre (JDPC) Benin, alluded to Yiaga Africa’s claim, stressing that “INEC was not sincere with the election, and that vote buying was prevalent across board, with security personnel comprising in the face of boat buying.”
Also contributing, Blessed Jatt, Executive Director, Kadosh Initiative for Justice and Environmental Development, said “technology must be employed in real time to fight fraud in elections. It is high time CSOs like Yiaga look for technology to upload election results in real time.”
The civil society groups and media practitioners, therefore, called for the full implementation of Section 2 of the Electoral Act, among others.
News
Court Bars CCETC From Entering Ossiomo Land, Using Its Property
An Edo State High Court in Benin has restrained Jiangsu Communication Clean Energy Technology Company Limited (CCETC) from entering the land of Ossiomo Power and Infrastructure Company
Limited pending the hearing and determination of motion of notice.
Hon. Justice Mary Itsueli—vacation judge, gave the restraining order in an ex-perte motion filed before the Honourable Court by Emmanuel Usoh, counsel to Ossiomo Power and Infrastructure Company
Limited.
In the suit marked: B/242/2025, Ossiomo Investment Limited, Ossiomo Power and Infrastructure Company
Limited, Ossiomo Offsites and Utility Limited, Quadrant Gas Development Company Limited are the claimants while Jiangsu Communication Clean Energy Technology Company Limited (CCETC) stands as defendant.
Usoh had, on behalf of Ossiomo Ossiomo Power and Infrastructure Company
Limited, approached the court, sought an interim injunction restraining CCETC from gaining access to the land or utilising any property belonging to the claimant.
READ ALSO:Ossiomo Restores Power To Customers After Barely Two Weeks Outage
Usoh sought an interim order restraining “the Defendant whether by itself, agents, representatives, Directors, staff, privies assigns, or anyone directly or otherwise and howsoever described from parading itself as a member or a shareholder of the 2nd Claimant or relying o using the Joint Venture Agreement pending the hearing and determination o the Motion on Notice.”
In the enrollment of order dated September 11, 2025, Justice Itsueli, said having “given a most careful consideration to the application, supporting affidavit and annexures, I am minded to grant the interim order of injunction.”
The vacation judge, therefore, ordered that, “The Defendant whether by itself, privies, assigns and anyone directly or otherwise and howsoever described are restrained from accessing, utilizing the infrastructure of the Claimants including the 33KVA lines, gas engines and gas infrastructure built by the Claimants to supply gas to the power plant and generate electricity supply whether by bulk sales or transmission to corporate entities or individuals in Edo State pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice already filed.”
Hon. Itsueli also ordered “the Defendant whether by itself, agents, representatives, Directors, staff, privies, assigns, or anyone directly or otherwise and howsoever described are restrained from parading themselves member or shareholder of the 2nd Claimant or relying or using the Joint Venture Agreement pending the pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice already filed.”
READ ALSO:Ossiomo, Chinese Impasse: This Is Our Story — Management
Recall that Ossiomo Power and Infrastructure Company
Limited and CCETC have been in ownership tussle which led to the power plant being shut down on September 1, 2025.
Speaking during a press briefing on the latest in the power tussle between Ossiomo and its investment partners, Usoh said, CCETC, having aware of the restraining order, had so far approached the arbitrary panel in Singapore.
He said: “CCETC, being aware of the restraining order, also immediately approached the arbitrary panel for arbitration in Singapore. The rationale behind this update is for the whole world to know that Singapore, being the seat of economics arbitration globally, is aware of the issues happening between Ossiomo and CCETC. We had the opportunity of seeing the copy of the arbitration, and we are replying accordingly.”
On Ossiomo and Edo State Government, Usoh disclosed: “Our relationship with the Edo State Government is what we call Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Ossiomo develops power and sells to Edo State Government at market value. They are our landlord, we cannot owe grudge against the government. My appeal to the government is to do business with us so that everyone in Edo will benefit.”
News
IPF Celebrates Otuaro On His Birthday Anniversary
The Ijaw Publishers’ Forum (IPF) has felicitated with Chief Dr. Dennis Otuaro, Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, on the occasion of his birthday.
A statement issued by the secretary of the body, Tare Magbei, commended Otuaro for his “steady leadership of the Presidential Amnesty Programme,” which according to the forum has “continued to strengthen peace, rehabilitation, and development in the Niger Delta.”
READ ALSO: Otuaro Lauds Tinubu For Backing PAP’s Peacebuilding Process In Niger Delta
“Your efforts in providing opportunities for ex-agitators and in advancing stability across the region stand as clear evidence of your dedication to the people and progress of our land.
“As you mark this new year of life, we join your family, friends, and well-wishers in praying for good health, wisdom, and greater success in the service of the Niger Delta and Nigeria.”
News
JUST IN: Okpehbolo Appoints New VC For AAU
Edo State governor, Monday Okpehbolo, has approved the appointment of Professor (Mrs.) Eunice Eboserehimen Omonzejie as the new Vice-Chancellor of the state-owned Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma.
A statement issued late night by Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor, said her appointment takes immediate effect.
According to the statement, Prof. Omonzejie was appointed amongst the three names submitted by the Governing Council of the university to the state government.
READ ALSO: Okpebholo Approves Construction Of 500-room Hostel For AAU
The statement partly reads, “Professor (Mrs.) Eunice Eboserehimen Omonzejie
Professor Omonzejie is a distinguished scholar of French and Francophone African Literatures and a long-serving academic in the Department of Modern Languages at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma.
“She is a prolific researcher and editor, with contributions to African and Francophone literary studies, gender studies, and cultural studies.
“She has served as the President of the Ambrose Alli University Chapter of the National Association of Women Academics (NAWACS), where she has championed mentoring, research, and advocacy for female academics and students.
“Professor Omonzejie has co-edited several seminal works including French Language in Nigeria: Essays in Honour of UFTAN Pacesetters and Language Matters in Contemporary West Africa, and is the author of Women Novelists in Francophone Black Africa: Views, Reviews and Interviews,” the statement added.
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