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Edo election: INEC to investigate allegation of wrong figures in result sheets
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will investigate allegation of wrong figures entered into polling unit result sheets in the ongoing Edo governorship election.
The commission in a short statement on X on Saturday night promised to investigate the matter immediately.
“The commission’s attention has been drawn to an allegation of wrong figures entered into polling unit result sheets in the ongoing Edo governorship election.
“This is the second complaint we have received out of the 4,519 polling units used for the election.
“The commission will immediately investigate the matter and deal with any proven infraction,” INEC said.
It will be recalled that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of a Presiding Officer (PO) in the state governorship election, Obozuwa Josephine, for allegedly compromising election results.
The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, alleged that Josephine brazenly allocated votes to the All Progressives Congress (APC) beyond the number of accredited voters at the polling unit.
He said that the election result sheet for Osholo Primary School Polling Unit, Weppa in Etsako East Local Government Area showed that only 213 voters were accredited at the polling unit.
Ologunagba added that the result sheet further revealed that Josephine who “criminally and fraudulently allocated 352 votes to the APC, 52 to the PDP and one to the LP, giving a total of 406 as votes cast.”
Ologunagba insisted that it was highly provocative that the INEC presiding officer, could be so compromised to audaciously and feloniously allocate unearned 352 votes to the APC above the 213 voters officially accredited in that Polling Unit.
“This alleged reckless act by Josephine is reminiscent of the criminal conduct of the former Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Hudu-Ari, during the 2023 governorship election in that state, which provoked violent protest by the people and nearly led to the loss of lives of INEC officials.
“Josephine should take note that this alleged criminal action by her could provoke similar consequences,” he said.
Ologunagba said that the PDP believed that her action was a reflection of one of the many cases of electoral fraud, ballot manipulation, betrayal of public trust and crime against the state perpetrated in this election which must not go unpunished.
“The PDP demands that INEC effects the immediate arrest and prosecution of Josephine and cancel the election in Osholo Primary School Polling Unit and take steps to address other such infractions in this election.
“Our party again commends the people of Edo for their vigilance and urges them to remain resilient till the end,” he said. (NAN)
Nollywood star Annie Idibia opens up about life after her separation from music legend 2Baba. The actress reveals her daughters, Isabella and Olivia, are her strongest source of strength and emotional support.
She expressed her feelings during a red carpet interview at the Headies Awards, the actress spoke openly about how her daughters, Isabella and Olivia, have become her greatest pillar of strength during this emotional transition.
Her candid conversation sparked widespread admiration from fans, especially for the way she continues to prioritise her family and remain grounded amid personal turmoil.
During the emotional exchange at the prestigious awards show, Annie made it clear that her daughters are not just her children but the centre of her universe. She described Isabella and Olivia as her “only family” and her “backbone”, highlighting the deep bond she shares with them.
Annie shared her message in Pidgin English: “My children dey Kampe. The first one dey Yankee, she dey go school. No play with that girl o. I don’t play with my kids. Na them be my backbone.”
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced plans to establish a centralised system for the authentication and verification of all travel documents in Nigeria.
He made this known during a meeting in Abuja on Tuesday with the United Kingdom’s Minister of State, David Hanson.
In the company of Hanson were delegates from the UK Home Office, National Crime Agency, and the British High Commission.
According to Tunji-Ojo, the initiative aims to tackle immigration and document fraud, particularly those associated with border control.
“We discovered that one of the key drivers of rising document fraud is the absence of a centralised, real-time verification system,” he said.
“Currently, if someone submits 20 documents, you may need to contact 20 different issuing agencies to verify them. That breeds inefficiency.”
He explained that the proposed system would allow real-time verification of all documents—such as bank statements, passports, and certificates—at a single centre.
The minister also said Nigeria was ready to take the lead in formulating a regional strategy for border control, noting that regional differences required customised approaches.
“To tackle a heterogeneous problem with a homogeneous approach will not work,” Tunji-Ojo stated.
“That’s why we’re planning a regional border conference to allow for the development of unified yet adaptable strategies to combat migration and border-related challenges.”
He further disclosed that Nigeria’s EU visa solution platform would go live on May 1.
According to him, this will allow for more efficient processing and international cooperation while safeguarding national security and promoting investment.
“We now have a policy that ensures a response—approval or rejection—within 24 to 48 hours of applying for an EU visa,” he said.
Speaking on President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, Tunji-Ojo emphasised the administration’s commitment to preventing corruption rather than merely reacting to it.
“Our performance will be judged not by the number of convictions or recoveries but by how many crimes or frauds we prevent,” he said.
In his remarks, Hanson expressed the UK’s readiness to continue collaborating with Nigeria to improve criminal justice outcomes.
Hanson noted that the UK was reviewing its e-visa system and migration policies while exploring ways to expand trade, business, and skills development opportunities with Nigeria.
“My colleagues at the High Commission are eager to maintain strong engagement with the Nigerian government,” he said
According to him, the UK looks forward to enhancing cooperation in tackling crime and fraud.
“You can rest assured that the National Crime Agency, the High Commission, and the Home Office are ready to extend a hand of partnership,” he said.
….Says Atiku on his way out of PDP
…It was against my people’s will
Former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has revealed that ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar is preparing to leave the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Recall that, Atiku was the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, with Okowa as his running mate.
On March 20, 2023, the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, a former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai and others jointly announced the creation of a coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.
The move has sparked ongoing discussions about the potential for a united opposition, with political leaders expressing varied opinions.
Speaking on Arise News on Tuesday, Okowa—who officially joined the All Progressives Congress on Monday—expressed regret for not aligning with his people in supporting a southern candidate in 2023 instead of accepting the role as Atiku’s running mate. He said, “Even when we were campaigning, I realised our people were not interested in having another northerner come into power.
“But the decision had already been taken at the federal level by the party, and I had been nominated. Still, in retrospect, I now believe I should have gone with the will of my people.”
He added that the election of the current Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, proves that the people still have confidence in their leadership.
Okowa added, “That showed the people still believed in us, believed in me. They said you’ve done well, and we will support the governor you have chosen. And they did.”
When asked about his communication with Atiku before leaving the PDP, Okowa responded, “I actually did communicate with him that we were going to have stakeholders meetings this week (in the last week) and that it was going to be a leadership meeting and the outcome of that meeting was going to determine our next path because we were no longer comfortable with the PDP.
“And I also know that he is already heading out of the PDP from the communications he has passed on to me, and that Nigerians know already.”