Politics

What INEC Must Learn From Kenya Elections – Ex-minister

Published

3 years ago

August 15, 2022

As Kenya is moving closer on Monday to knowing the outcome of its closely-fought presidential election after days of anxious waiting, a former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has highlighted what he described as “urgent lessons” that the Independent National Electoral Commission must learn from the Kenya polls.

The PUNCH reports, Monday morning, that Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto was leading with slightly more than 51 per cent of the votes against his close rival Raila Odinga – with 48 per cent in the presidential race, in the collation of results for the elections held August 9, 2022.

Taking to his Facebook page Monday morning, Chidoka, in a post titled, ‘Kenya Presidential Election: Urgent Lessons for INEC,’ noted that the delay in Kenya’s collation of election results which was taking up to six days would not augur well for Nigeria.

He said, “As of 6 am Nigerian time the Kenya Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission had tallied results from 253 out of 291 constituencies, Ruto is leading with 51.18% of the votes cast while Raila Odinga is at 48.14%. The winner needs 50% plus one vote to coast home. With 38 constituencies to go, the IEBC will likely announce the final result by midday today.”

Chidoka, who is also a former Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps, said the upload of results from polling units in Nigeria was an excellent innovation but the country needs to go further and upload the following: Form EC 8B – the ward collation results from the Residential Areas and Form EC 8C – the Local Government collation results.

“Upload the collated results for the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate election after collation and declaration.

“Upload the form EC 8D – state collation results as signed by party agents before proceeding to Abuja,” he added.

“The delay in Kenya where all the poll stations results were online since August 11, and collation has taken about six days will not augur well for Nigeria,” he said.

He noted that INEC was usually faster than the IEBC but “we are now confronted with a new system where parties can tabulate results from INEC uploads.

“To improve transparency, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System backend should automatically collate the Polling Unit results for the ward level and print copies for validation and signing by ward agents of the political parties.”

Chidoka noted that this would “ensure that the result at the backend of the BVAS is consistent with the result on the BVAS tablets.”
“This is key for post-election issues,” he revealed.

Politics

Fubara: Mistakes Of 2023 Will Not Be Repeated In 2027 – Wike Vows

Published

7 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Editor

Amid renewed conflict between him and Rivers State governor Sim Fubara, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has vowed that mistakes made in the 2023 elections will not be repeated in 2027.

Wike made the vow while speaking during a visit to Akuku-Toru and Degema Local Government Areas on Tuesday.

He emphasized the importance of acknowledging past errors and taking corrective action.

He stated, “As for Rivers state, let me make it clear what’s important in life is that you make a mistake and come out to tell people, ‘I made a mistake, and therefore I want to correct the mistakes we made.

“The mistake we made in 2023 will not be repeated. Where we voted in the state is not where we will vote again in 2027.”

Tho comes after the minister declared “total support” for President Bola Tinubu, even as tensions brew between him and leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Politics

We Are Not Traitors, PDP Is Dead – Bagos

Published

10 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Editor

Former Federal House of Representatives member, Dachung Bagos, has explained that his recent defection, along with other politicians, is a result of the Peoples Democratic Party’s failures.

Bagos made the remarks on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, shortly after announcing his move from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“We are not jumping parties for political ambition. We are jumping parties because of the platform that wants to give our people a voice, and leadership that says, ‘You can trust us to be able to address this very issue,’’ he said.

His statement comes amid the increased wave of defections from the PDP to both the APC and the African Democratic Congress.

Bagos, who served as the representative for Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency, Plateau State, from 2019 until November 2023, officially joined the APC on January 4, 2026, alongside other key figures loyal to Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang.

This move followed Governor Mutfwang’s own resignation from the PDP and subsequent defection to the APC, citing the opposition party’s ongoing internal crises and the need for clearer direction.

Rejecting suggestions that the defections were motivated by sycophancy, Bagos emphasized principle as the driving factor.

“We are not jumping parties because of sycophancy. We are jumping party because the PDP has failed at this particular moment, and it is irredeemable at this particular moment, so the platform that we see that goes with our own ideology is where we are today,” he said.

Bagos explained that his decision to join the APC was based on the party’s agenda, which he believes aligns with the aspirations of the people of Plateau State.

He underscored that governance goes beyond party lines. “Governance is beyond party lines. It is about those agendas on the table that you can make your people believe and understand that, look, this is the solution,” he said.

He highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s focus on key governance issues such as state police and local government autonomy.

“Our governance has now keyed into the issue of state police,” he said, adding, “If he has re-emphasised the issue of local government autonomy and to ensure that every state has local government elections.”

Bagos also spoke about the importance of creating opportunities for ordinary citizens and engaging young people in politics.

“We want the son of nobody to be a local government chairman, we want the son of a to be this and that, and we want to see the youth that have never believed in politics to believe in politics,” he said.

Politics

Joe Igbokwe Reacts As Wike, APC Secretary Lock Horns Over Fubara

Published

1 day ago

January 5, 2026

Editor

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and social media commentator, Joe Igbokwe, has condemned the verbal war between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the National Secretary of the ruling party, Ajibola Basiru.

DAILY POST reports that following the renewed hostility between Wike and the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, the APC Secretary had expressed support for the governor.

However, during an event in Rivers State on Monday, Wike asked the APC National Secretary to stay away from Rivers politics.

Reacting, Basiru, in a statement, asked Wike to resign his appointment and focus on what he described as an “obsession” with Rivers State politics.

Wading into the matter, Igbokwe, in a post on Facebook, said the face-off is uncalled for and unnecessary.

He said, “The altercations between Hon. Minister FCT, Nyesom Wike, and the National Secretary APC Nigeria, Ajibola Basiru, are totally uncalled for and unnecessary. It is a needless distraction.

“If out of annoyance you remove your cap and throw it away, a made man will pick it up and use it forever. Let the misunderstanding cease to exist now.”