Politics

#Ondo Decides: Low Turnout, Late Voting Mar Guber Election

Published

1 year ago

November 16, 2024

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo | Akure

The Ondo State governorship election held on Saturday, November 16, 2024 was marred by low turnout of voters and late voting.

Though INEC ad-hoc staff arrived relatively early in several polling units visited by Info Daily in Akure the Ondo State capital, there were no or few voters on ground.

As at 8:46am when Info Daily visited Ward 2 Unit 49, CAC Grammar School, Akure South Local Government Area, INEC ad-hoc staff were already on the ground but were still waiting for voters to arrive.

The Presiding Officer of the unit, Itohowo Akamba told journalists that though they arrived as early as possible, they decided to wait for other party agents to arrive in order to be fair to all.

Meanwhile, only the PDP party agent was on the ground as at when visited.

Also, at Ward 2 Unit 4, Akure South Local Government Area, INEC ad-hoc staff were just pasting voters’ list as at 8:30am, while INEC ad-hoc staff were yet to arrive unit 5 as at 8:36am though both units are of the same venue.

The story was, however, a little bit different at Akure North Local Government Area though some units recorded low turnout too.

For instance, at Unit 13, Ward 9, Akure North LGA, as at 9:37am when journalists visited, there was no voter on ground though the ad-hoc staff said two persons had voted. Only APC agents was on ground too.

However, in most of the polling units visited by Info Daily in Akure North Local Government Area specifically Oba-Ile, Aroromi, among others, the turn out was encouraging.

Speaking on the high turnout recorded at Ward 9 polling Unit 2, Prince Bayo Aderinto said when he came and noticed that the unit was empty, he had to make calls to people to come out to vote, warning them that if they failed to come out to exercise their civic rights, they should not expect any development in their areas.

“As you can see, people are in the queue waiting to cast their ballots. I told them if they refused to come out to vote, then they should not expect any development in their areas. I am not a politician but when I came out as early as 7am and saw everywhere empty, I started calling people to come out, who in return called other people. This is my contribution to our electoral process.

“I just believe we must get it right. And one of the ways we can get it right is through our ballots. So, I am very interested in our democracy though I am not a politician,” he said.

Aderinto added: “I think INEC needs to do more on voter education. The low turnout recorded is as a result of poor voter education. Imagine if I didn’t call many people standing here would not have come out.”

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

4 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

4 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.