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Presidential Poll: INEC Uploaded Picture Of A Book Instead Of Results – Witness

Published

2 years ago

June 23, 2023

A cyber security expert, Dr. Chibuike Ugwoke, on Thursday, alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, uploaded the picture of a book on its results viewing portal, IReV, instead of results of the presidential election that held on February 25.

Ugwoke, testified before the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja, as the eight witness, PW-8, in the case the candidate of Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi, filed to nullify President Bola Tinubu’s election.

Though the PW-8, who was described as an expert witness, commenced his evidence on Wednesday, however, the court deferred his cross-examination after the Respondents complained that they needed time to study his statement on oath.

Consequently, at the resumed proceedings on Thursday, he was recalled to the witness box, even as all the Respondents took turns to grill him before the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel of the court.

Aside from INEC, other Respondents in the matter, are; President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Answering questions under cross-examination, Dr. Ugwoke, said he conducted analysis on INEC’s ICT infrastructure which he termed as “Meta Data”.

He told the court that the Meta Data, described the actual information in the system.

The witness said he used 12 polling units in three states- Bauchi, Anambra and Rivers state- as focal points of his analysis, adding that he equally made reference to Benue state in his report that was tendered before the court.

He told the court that the petitioners approached him on March 10 to analyse what INEC uploaded to its IReV portal after the presidential election.

“Though I initially sent a preliminary report which was more like an overview, around March 1, I later wrote an elaborate report in the middle of May,” he stated.

The witness, however, admitted that he read Obi’s petition as well as replies by the Respondents, before he wrote his final report that was tendered in evidence.

“I read the replies some time in the middle of my work, that was before the final report was made.”

He told the court that his analysis revealed that INEC officials made incorrect inputs into the IReV portal, using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, machines.

Asked if he knew the identities of those that made the incorrect inputs, the witness, said: “I don’t know who made the uploads, but it was from the BVAS and the number is there.”

He said though he did not in the course of his assignment, interrogate any INEC official, “but I interrogated the INEC manual.”

Asked if he contacted the Labour Party to give him what should have been the actual results from the polling units, the witness, said: “No my lords, I did not”.

“In one of the instances, the picture of a book was uploaded instead of election results

“I interrogated the Amazon Web Services, AWS, that was how I got to know because the information was there in the server,” he insisted.

He told the court that out of 176, 846 polling units in the country, he chose only 12 of them based “on my proof of consent.”

On claim by INEC that technical glitches hampered the electronic transmission of results, the witness, told the court that such errors in technology could be detected at the time of testing of an application before its deployment.

He said: “Errors arise at the time of testing, but after deployment, the probability for an error to arise may be very negligible. However, it is not impossible for error to arise after deployment.

“I used three states to show that it is possible to display the meta data in the IReV portal.

“I proved that there were errors and I did not have to examine the Forms EC8As, physically, to reach my conclusion.”

Asked if he could tell that results from polling units in the states he analysed, were properly collated, the witness, said: “That was not for me to prove, I only presented the facts.”

He told the court that all he did was from his computer, adding that he was familiar with the AWS, which INEC engaged for the general elections.

“AWS security is a shared responsibility model between the company and a client.

“With respect to security, there are three components; confidentiality, integrity and availability of data.

“Availability simply means that the data would not shut down and will be readily accessible when needed. That aspect is the responsibility of the AWS.”

Asked if there was anything about electronic collating system in a press statement that INEC issued on the use of BVAS, which was cited in his report, the witness, said: “Yes, it was inferred in the last paragraph.”

He went ahead and read the last paragraph of the said press release, where INEC, assured that results of the elections would be electronically transmitted to its IReV portal, in real time.

The witness maintained that by the statement, INEC, inferred that the results would equally be electronically collated.

Nevertheless, Dr. Ugwoke admitted that he did not physically inspect any of the BVAS machines, neither did he interview Mr. Festus Okoye, the INEC National Commissioner that signed the said press statement.

Asked if he was aware that PDP won election in one of the polling units in Bauchi state which he analysed, the witness, said he was not aware.

Asked if he was aware that in one of the polling units in Anambra state, the LP, won with 127 votes, while APC scored zero vote, the witness, said he was not also aware.

“I am not aware. I am only an expert in the subject matter for which I was engaged. I am not biased”, he told the court, adding that he attached links in his report.

Asked to confirm that the results he referenced in his report were not the original copies from INEC, the witness, said: “They are original results from the IReV portal and they are still there.”

However, he said he neither met nor interviewed any official of the electoral body, before the report was written.

More so, the witness, told the court that International Organization for Standardization, ISO, certification, was a statutory requirement for organisations like the INEC under the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Act.

Meanwhile, shortly after Dr. Ugwoke was discharged by the court, another witness, Mr. Emmanuel Edet, mounted the box as the eleventh witness in the matter.

Edet, who is a legal practitioner and head of legal services at NITDA, said he was subpoenaed to appear before the court.

The witness told the court that there was no correspondence between the agency and INEC with respect to ICT technology that was deployed for the 2023 general elections.

He said there was equally no certificate of clearance from the agency that gave approval to INEC for such ICT deployment.

“We don’t have such documents in our office, to the best of my knowledge,” the witness added, saying it was the reason why he did not produce them before the court as requested in the subpoena.

Meanwhile, INEC, through the head of its legal team, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, said it was opposed to the evidence of the witness.

Mahmoud, SAN, argued that evidence of the witness did not comply with the law as he was not listed by the petitioners, ab-initio.

Likewise, lead counsel to President Tinubu, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, contended that paragraph 41(3) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act, prohibited such witness from entering the box to testify in the matter.

However, unlike the INEC, both President Tinubu’s lawyer and that of the APC, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, took turns to cross-examine the witness.

Answering questions from Chief Olanipekun, SAN, the witness, said the subpoena was served on him personally, though he informed the Director-General of the agency, who gave him the nod to appear before the court.

The witness further admitted that the Act that established NITDA, does not contain any regulation on cyber security or ISO standards, adding that INEC was not mentioned in any portion of the said Act.

While being cross-examined by counsel to the APC, Fagbemi, SAN, the witness, said he was aware that the Minister of Communication & Digital Economy, had in the wake of the presidential election, disclosed that over 16millio attempts were made to hack INEC’s ICT infrastructure.

The witness said he was equally aware that INEC, being an independent body, did not need authority of any agency to conduct elections.

After he was discharged by the court, the petitioners called their 12th witness, Mr. Tanko Yunusa, who told the court that he was a member of LP’s election Situation Room.

Mr. Yanusa identified a bundle containing several letters the party wrote to INEC.

Besides, he told the court that over 18, 088 results the Commission uploaded to its IReV portal, were blurred.

The Justice Tsammani-led panel adjourned further hearing on the matter till Friday to enable the Respondents to cross-examine the witness.

VANGUARD

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Nigerians Who Have Broken Guinness World Records

Published

14 hours ago

September 13, 2025

Editor

Over the years, Nigerians have made their mark on the global stage by setting and breaking Guinness World Records across diverse fields.

Here are ten Nigerians who have earned a place in the Guinness World Records:

1. Hilda Baci – Longest Cooking Marathon

Celebrity chef Hilda Baci captured national and international attention in May 2023 after cooking for 100 hours, setting the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual. Though her record was later surpassed, Baci has remained at the forefront of culinary challenges.

At the time of writing this report, Baci is attempting to cook the largest pot of Jollof rice in collaboration with a food brand.

2. Tunde Onakoya – Longest Chess Marathon

Chess master and founder of Chess in Slums Africa, Tunde Onakoya, etched his name in history on April 17, 2025, after playing non-stop chess for 64 hours in New York, USA. His successful attempt came a year after an earlier effort, which, though unsuccessful in breaking the record, raised over $100,000 for his charity initiative. The 64-hour duration was symbolic, representing the total number of squares on a chessboard.

3. Ojumola Bello – Longest Acting Marathon

Nollywood actress
Ojumola Bello made history in September 2024 when she completed 139 hours and 19 minutes of non-stop acting. The marathon, held at Pent View Hotel in Ikorodu, ran from September 22 to 27, making her the first Nigerian actress to secure such a feat in the global records.

4. Helen Williams – Longest Handmade Wig

Helen Williams is a professional wig maker based in Lagos who turned her craft into a world-class achievement. At just 31, she entered the Guinness World Records in July 2023 with the longest handmade wig, measuring 351.28 metres longer than the Eiffel Tower. Her record reflects not only skill and creativity but also Nigeria’s growing influence in the global beauty and fashion industry.

5. Divine Ikubor (REMA)

Divine Ikubor, professionally known as Rema, is a Nigerian Afrobeats star whose global rise has redefined the country’s music scene. In May 2023, he made history as the first artist to top the MENA charts, earning a Guinness World Records title. His breakout hit Calm Down, released on February 11, 2022, quickly became one of the fastest songs to surpass 100 million streams on Spotify, cementing his status as one of Africa’s most influential young artists.

6. Kafayat Oluwatoyin Shafau – Longest Dance Party

Kafayat Oluwatoyin Shafau, popularly known as Kaffy, is Nigeria’s most celebrated dancer, choreographer, and fitness coach. She rose to international fame in 2006 after leading a team to break the Guinness World Record for the longest dance party during the Nokia Silverbird Danceathon. Today, she remains a trailblazer in the entertainment industry and a role model for young African performers.

7. Wizkid – One Billion Streams

Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, one of Nigeria’s most internationally recognized musicians, came to the Guinness World Record spotlight when he featured on Drake’s hit single One Dance, which became the first track to surpass one billion streams on Spotify. The song was released on December 16, 2016.

One Dance marked a significant moment in global music, further solidifying Wizkid’s place in the international music scene. With the song, Wizkid became the first Afrobeats artist to achieve one billion streams on Spotify.

8. Lucy Ejike – Heaviest Powerlifter

Lucy Ejike is a decorated Nigerian Paralympian and one of the country’s most celebrated powerlifters. She made history at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games by lifting 142 kg in the -61 kg category, setting a Guinness World Record for the heaviest powerlift by a female athlete in that division. Her dominance in the sport stretches back to the Athens 2004 Paralympics, where her 127.5 kg lift in the -44 kg class secured gold and established a record that still stands today.

9. Fela Kuti – Most Studio Albums Recorded By A Solo Artist

Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the legendary Afrobeat pioneer, holds a Guinness World Records title for the most studio albums recorded by a solo artist. Between 1969 and 1992, he released 46 albums over a 23-year career, leaving behind a body of work that continues to shape global music and political activism.

10. Adeoye Ajibola – Paralympic Athletes

Adeoye Ajibola, a Nigerian Paralympic sprinter, made history at the 1992 Barcelona Paralympic Games when he ran the men’s 100 metres in 10.72 seconds. Competing in the T46 classification for athletes with limb impairments, he set a Guinness World Records mark and remains celebrated as one of Nigeria’s greatest Paralympic athletes.

11. Joy Onaolapo – Paralympic powerlifter

Joy Onaolapo was a Nigerian Paralympic powerlifter who delivered an unforgettable performance at the London 2012 Games. On September 1, she won a gold medal in the women’s -52 kg category after lifting 131 kg, a feat that secured her place in the Guinness World Records, among Nigeria’s sporting legends and inspired future generations of para-athletes.

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What To Know About Albania’s AI Minister, Diella

Published

14 hours ago

September 13, 2025

Editor

Albania’s government has introduced Diella, an AI-generated virtual cabinet member tasked with public procurement. A world-first move that’s already drawing big praise and big questions.

Nigerian Tribune reports that Prime Minister Edi Rama unveiled Diella on Friday as a virtual member of the government, describing her as a cabinet member “not present physically but created virtually,” adding that she would help ensure public tenders remain free of corruption while making government operations more efficient and transparent.

Below are ten most important, sourced facts and the key open questions to watch out for.

1. Diella as an AI

Diella is a computer system presented as an animated avatar (shown in traditional Albanian dress) and introduced by Prime Minister Edi Rama as a cabinet “member” created by AI rather than a flesh-and-blood minister.

2. Official role and timing

The government
appointed Diella to take responsibility for public procurement when the new cabinet was presented in mid-September 2025. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Edi Rama.

3. Where Diella came from

Diella evolved from a virtual assistant on the government e-Albania portal (AKSHI’s platform). The system was developed by Albania’s National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI) and expanded into a cabinet-level AI.

4. What the government promises

Officials say Diella will make public procurement “100% free of corruption” by removing political discretion from awarding tenders and applying algorithmic decision-making. That is the reform pitch from PM Rama.

5. Legal and constitutional controversy

The appointment has sparked immediate debate. The presidency and opposition have expressed concern about constitutionality and who is accountable for ministerial decisions; some opposition figures have called the move political theatre.

6. Practical authority and human oversight unclear

Reports say procurement responsibilities are intended to be transferred gradually, but the government has not (publicly) published the full operational rules, human-in-the-loop safeguards, or the audit framework that would show who can override or audit Diella’s decisions.

That lack of detail is a major practical question.

7. Tech partnerships and the avatar

News reports say Diella was developed by Albania’s AI lab at AKSHI and Associated Press reports mention collaboration with Microsoft; the avatar’s likeness and voice have also been linked to a local actress in public reporting.

8. Innovation vs. democratic/ethical worries.

Domestic and international reaction is mixed. Supporters call it bold tech innovation to fight endemic corruption; critics warn about democratic accountability, potential for hidden biases, and the optics of “putting AI in power.” International outlets have also shown interest in how Diella will be deployed and analysts are watching closely.

9. Top technical and governance risks to watch

Key risks flagged by observers: how decisions will be explained to losing bidders; whether procurement datasets contain historical bias; who is responsible if the system is manipulated or hacked; and whether legal frameworks allow algorithmic substitution for political decision-making.

These issues drive both legal challenges and practical audit needs.

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Israel-Palestine Conflict: Nigeria, 141 Countries Endorse Two-State Solution

Published

19 hours ago

September 13, 2025

Editor

Nigeria on Friday joined 141 other countries to endorse New York Declaration on two-State solution between Israel and Palestine at the UN headquarters in New York.

Applause rang out in the UN General Assembly Hall as countries endorsed the declaration on the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and implementation of the two-State solution with Israel.

The New York Declaration is the outcome of an international conference held in July at UN Headquarters, organised by France and Saudi Arabia, which resumes later this month.

The General Assembly comprises all 193 UN Member States and 142 countries voted in favour of a resolution backing the document.

Israel voted against it, alongside nine other countries: Argentina, Hungary, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Tonga and the United States, while 12 nations abstained.

Prior to the vote, French Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont recalled that the New York Declaration “lays out a single roadmap to deliver the two-State solution”.

This involves an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, release of all hostages held there, and the establishment of a Palestinian State that is both viable and sovereign.

The roadmap further calls for the disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from governance in Gaza, normalisation between Israel and the Arab countries, as well as collective security guarantees.

Info Daily

Presidential Poll: INEC Uploaded Picture Of A Book Instead Of Results – Witness

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Presidential Poll: INEC Uploaded Picture Of A Book Instead Of Results – Witness

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