Politics

No One Can Influence 2023 Elections Results, INEC Declares

Published

3 years ago

November 10, 2022

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday said the outcome of the 2023 elections can only be influenced by peoples’ votes and not by any officials of the electoral body.

Obo Efanga, Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of Edo State, said any candidates that want to win elections should convince the electorate and the results will be announced based on the actual votes counted.

“It is not possible for any REC to influence the outcome of 2023 elections. Even if it were possible, I will not do it. For the politicians, anybody that want to win election should be able to convince people to vote for them.

“I will be fair to everyone. One of the assurances I want to give is that the only way politicians can win elections is through the people votes and not anyone influencing the outcome of the election.

“So, anybody that want to win election should go to the field, talk to the people, tell them why they should vote for you, encourage them to vote, and when they vote, the vote would be counted and results announced based on the actual vote counted. That is the only way to win election,” he said.

Efanga, while receiving hand over note from the state INEC administrative secretary, Caroline Bassey, in Benin City, disclosed that preliminary voter register will soon be displayed at the ward level for prospective voters to check their names and file for any objections if there is any infractions.

“It is the comprehensive voters list of each polling unit that will be on display at the ward level, so anybody who is eligible to vote in the next election, is encouraged to go and check if their names are not there, or a mistake in it so that they can bring it to our attention and would be corrected.

“Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) are going to be available at the ward level where comprehensive voter list would be displayed and that people who have not collected their PVC can also pick them up from there,” Efanga said.

Speaking on the purported emergence of parallel candidates by political parties, he noted that it is not possible to have double candidates for the elections as only the candidates on the list published by INEC are the candidates known to the electoral body for the elections in the state.

“I don’t know how you came about referring to a party having double candidates, there can only be one candidate in an election for a party and that is the candidates INEC released and published.

“I am here to work, we have a little over a 100 days to the general election and so we have to double up the programme we are doing. I understand that we have received non sensitive materials, and now looking at the sensitive materials closed to the election” he said.

Politics

PDP Issues Certificate Of Expulsion To Wike, Fayose, Anyanwu, Others

Published

2 days ago

December 3, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it has issued certificate of expulsion from the party to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and other 10 members earlier expelled from the party.

The party National Chairman, Tanimu Turaki, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen after the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.

The other members, according to him, include the embattled National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, the Legal Adviser, Kamarudeen Ajibade, former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose.

They also included Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa, Austin Nwachukwu, Abraham Amah Nnanna, George Turna and Chief Dan Orbih, expelled during the party National convention in Lagos.

Turaki said that the original copies of the certificate had been dispatched to the owners through a courier service to serve as proof that they were expelled from the PDP.

“We have taken note of the fact that Nigerian law frowns on dual membership of political parties, and so we have sought to make it easy for them.

“Now that they are no longer members of our party, and now that the National Convention, which is the highest decision-making organ of our party, has expelled them, we have decided to issue them certificates of expulsion.

“So, when they go to register with other political parties in Nigeria, they will show these certificates as proof that they are no longer members of the PDP.

“By that, those parties will not accuse them of trying to belong to more than one political party,” he said.

He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies, including the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services, and other government agencies, to take note.

“Very soon, members of the society will be informed via proper disclaimers that any person henceforth who decides to do business with them, any or all of them, does so at his or her own risk.

“They are no longer members of the PDP. They have been expelled,” he added.

He added that the NWC also reviewed some of the cases filed against the party and lawsuits instituted by the party, particularly the one that related to the “unlawful and illegal” closure of the party’s national Secretariat, the Legacy House, and the Wadata Plaza.

“The brief we received from our lawyers is that we are on sound ground, and that very soon, the law will take its course,” he said.

Turaki said the NWC was prepared to be saddled with the responsibility of performing its functions as the leading opposition party in Nigeria.

“We are going to provide a credible alternative to Nigerians. We are going to provide credible leadership to Nigerians by the special grace of God from 2027,” he said.

Politics

Adebayo Adedamola Wins Osun PDP Governorship Primary

Published

3 days ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola, popularly known as FRYO, has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for the August 8, 2026 governorship election in Osun State.

The primary election took place in Osogbo on Tuesday amid heavy security presence.

Announcing the result, chairman of the primary election committee, Humphrey Abba, stated that Adebayo secured 919 votes out of 957 accredited ballots, giving him a clear victory in the contest.

Explaining that there were 20 void votes following the withdrawal of one of the candidates, believed to be Governor Ademola Adeleke, Abba added, “The candidate that got the remaining votes is Adebayo Adedamola with 919 votes and he stands elected and returned.”

DAILY POST reports that despite announcing his resignation from the party, Adeleke’s name appeared on the ballot paper for the PDP governorship primary.

Party officials said the exercise was conducted in accordance with established guidelines, with accredited delegates participating in the voting process.

Adeleke announced his resignation in a letter dated November 4, 2025, and addressed to the PDP leadership at his ward.

On Monday, Osun PDP chairman, Sunday Bisi, had announced that the governorship primary slated for Tuesday, December 2, 2025, has been postponed due to leadership crisis at the national level.

But a faction of the party went ahead with the exercise in Osogbo on Tuesday.

Politics

Gov Adeleke Resigns From PDP

Published

3 days ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial primaries of the party.

Adeleke’s resignation letter, dated November 4, 2025, sighted by Tribune Online was addressed to the PDP ward chairman for Ward 2, Sagba Abogunde, Ede, Osun State.

According to the letter, the governor’s resignation was based on “the current crisis of the national leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).”

According to the letter, titled: “Resignation of my membership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’ read, “Due to the current crisis of the national leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), I hereby resign my Membership of the People’s Democratic Party with immediate effect.

“I thank the People’s Democratic Party for the opportunities given to me for my elections as a Senator (Represented Osun West) and as Governor of Osun State under the People’s Democratic Party.”