News

Ondo Election: Explain Discrepancies in Final Result, CDD Charges INEC

Published

12 months ago

November 19, 2024

…Blames low turnout on socioeconomic reality, disatisfaction with 2023 presidential poll

The Center for Democracy and Development (CDD) has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to explain to Nigerians the discrepancies it observed through its Election Analysis Centre in the just concluded Ondo State governorship election.

The CDD, in a post-election statement signed by Prof. Victor Adetula, Lead, CDD-Election Analysis Centre Observation, and Dr. Dauda Garuba, Lead, CDD-EAC Observation Mission Ondo 2024, noted that though the margin would not have affected the overall result, it behoves INEC to explain the discrepancies to Nigerians.

“…comparing data on registered voters published by INEC before the election and those declared by returning officers during result collation, CDD-EAC observed discrepancies in seven of the 18 LGAs in the state.

“While we note that the margins would not have affected the overall result, election-related details and data must be beyond scrutiny and not subject to arbitrary changes.

“We recommend that INEC explain these discrepancies and assure Nigerians about the sacrosanct nature of election-related data,” the CDD Election Analysis Centre noted.

Commenting further on the election, the CDD Election Analysis Centre, while acknowledging improvement in the deployment and use of technology, noted a 78.4% effectiveness of the use of BVAS.

“The CDD-EAC acknowledges the improvement in the deployment and use of technology, i.e. BVAS efficiency and IReV uploading. Our observers noted a 78.4% effectiveness of the use of BVAS.

“In the same vein, wherever a malfunction was experienced, technical intervention to restore functionality was observed to be timely.

“However, we reiterate our earlier concern that the BVAS machine failed to recognise registered voters in some locations, as earlier reported.”

The CDD, while applauding INEC for the significant improvement in the functioning of BVAS, the prompt deployment of security agencies on election duty, however, expressed concern over failure by INEC ad-hoc staff to use the BVAS to transmit election results in some cases.

“The CDD-EAC also notes a significant improvement in the
functioning of BVAS. Similarly, the prompt deployment of security agencies on election duty is commendable. These positive aspects of the election process give hope for the future of elections in Ondo State,” it noted.

The civil organisation continued: “The CDD-EAC is also concerned about instances where form EC 60 E was not displayed at the polling unit, with 10.6% of our observers stating it was not shown. Furthermore, 15% of observers were not shown BVAS transmitting the result, and 1.2% of our observers noted that the machine had been moved outside the polling unit. These instances are concerning,
especially with recent progress recorded on this front.”

Voter Turnout

On low voter turnout, the CDD Election Analysis Centre said the “recent socioeconomic concerns and limited candidate and party engagement with voters” contributed to increased voter apathy and an overall decline in the electorate’s participation, adding that they (electorate) were also dissatisfied with the 2023 presidential election outcome.

“The overall decline in participation in the electoral process compared to the last governorship poll of 2020 and the
Presidential election of 2023 signals disenchantment on the part of the electorate,” CDD added.

News

Gombe Wins Northeast Quiz Competition On Legislature, Democracy

Published

15 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

Gombe State has emerged as the winner at the 2025 North East Zonal Quiz Competition on legislature and democracy organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) for senior secondary schools across Northeast on Friday.

Speaking before the commencement of the 2025 edition of the zonal debate which focuses on the legislature, democracy and governance, the Director-General of NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, said the exercise was to deepen the knowledge of legislative and democratic governance among secondary school students and youth.

According to him, it was also to broaden their knowledge on the history, practice and procedure of the legislature and encourage deeper understanding of civic and democratic governance.

The competition, he added, would stimulate the interest of the young students in politics and make them more proactive in matters relating to the legislature and democracy.

He explained that enhancing the knowledge of young Nigerians in the legislature would not only foster an inclusive and participatory legislature in Nigeria but would also serve as an avenue for citizen engagement in the legislative process.

Represented by Mr Jeremiah Agada, NILDS Northeast Zonal Quiz Coordinator, Sulaiman added that the quiz competition would take place in all the six geo-political zones and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“It is also to inspire young Nigerians to cultivate the interest to participate in legislative governance.

“This 10th edition of the competition is therefore the fourth time the competition has been held at the national level.

“As the 2025 NILDS Zonal quiz competition is declared open, I therefore urge all competing students and their teachers to abide by the rules of the game so that the desired objectives of the competition are achieved,” he said.

Also speaking, the Bauchi State’s Commissioner for Education, Dr Muhammed Lawal, said the exercise was a welcome development in the circle of education, adding that it was a ground where students in the zone could be tested among other students in the country.

“This will enable us to improve the quality of our delivery in our various schools to our teeming students across the zone.

“I want them to take it upon themselves that in an engagement like this, there is no loser. You put in your best, and if at the end of the day, you don’t make it up to the top, your efforts will be crowned.

“I hope this will be well covered because it will stimulate other schools to be part of and perform better so that they can come up to this level as well,” he said.

Mohammed appreciated the commitment of teachers and moderators who coached the students to fully participate in the competition and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to revamping the education sector under Gov. Bala Mohammad’s leadership.

Announcing the winner of the competition, the Quiz Master Mr. Lucky Tongs, announced Gombe State as the overall winner of the debate with 75 points

He also announced Taraba State as the first runner up with 55 points and Yobe State as the third position with 50 points, adding that the winner is expected to represent the Northeast sub-region at the National competition in Abuja.

Other states that participated in the competition included Adamawa and Bauchi.

News

Police Arrest Nollywood Production Manager For Assaulting Crew Member

Published

18 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Police have arrested a Nollywood production manager, Anierobi Courage, for allegedly assaulting a crew member.

Anierobi Courage, better known as Nwa South, reportedly assaulted the head of makeup, Mary Chizzy Eze, on October 28, 2025, while on the set of the film “Lagos to Opulence.”

A trending video of the physical altercation showed the production manager pressing Mary’s throat after slapping her, an act that has sparked widespread outrage on social media.

Reacting to the public condemnation, the Nigeria Film Crew Community (NFCC), in a statement released on Thursday, described Courage’s actions as “animalistic behaviour.”

Announcing his arrest, NFCC called on Nollywood producers and other stakeholders to blacklist Courage across all productions.

“The production manager violently hit and strangled Mary Chizzy Eze for speaking up against unequal treatment among the crew. While she has received medical care, he has been arrested.

“This level of disregard for human dignity is unacceptable. We stand firmly against all forms of abuse, assault, and crew maltreatment,” the NFCC said.

News

‘EFCC Collected N10m Before They Released Me’ – Oladips Alleges [VIDEO]

Published

19 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

Popular Nigerian singer, Oladips has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of collecting N10 million from him.

The rapper made this known nearly a year after he was arrested by EFCC during a midnight raid in his estate.

Oladips was arrested with some of his neighbors for alleged fraud in November 2024.

He was released after spending five days in detention.

Speaking about his experience with the EFCC, Oladips in his latest interview on Trending podcast, stated that nothing was found on him after the EFCC investigations.

While revealing that the EFCC collected N10 million from him before his release, he lamented that “Nigeria just happened to me”.

“It’s just one smelling place like that. They just packed us there like sardines and they gave us nonsense food. Funny enough it was Zlatan that was sending me food. Zlatan is not even a friend, that’s my blood.

“He was sending someone to buy good food for me because the food there is bad. They just packed us there like sardines. I’m not even supposed to be there first of all. Like, why did I spend four to five days there when you people (EFCC) didn’t find anything on me, not even a single thing. And they still collect N10 million from me before they released me.”

When asked “Is it a thing you can take up against the EFCC later, or you will just allow the sleeping dog lie?”, the singer responded “Who is my father?”

“Who is my father now? At the end of the day, who is my father? It’s just me and my truth. It’s not something I will want to. I don’t just know how the system works. I for dey their page now if to say I dey do Yahoo. They didn’t find anything on me. If they are watching this, they know that I’m saying the truth.

“They collected money from me before they released me. They didn’t find anything on me. So, what was the money for? What was all that stress and suffering for? It’s just Nigeria. Nigeria just happened to me,” he said.

https://x.com/i/status/1983504280972615813