Controversy has trailed the conduct of Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti State following the appearance of the Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarret Tenebe, in a vest associated with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), allegedly serving as an accredited election observer.

The controversy erupted as the INEC declared incumbent governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji of the APC, winner of the governorship election after polling 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challengers.

Tenebe’s picture in an INEC-customised vest, which went viral yesterday, has triggered criticisms from opposition parties and a constitutional lawyer, amid questions over why a serving state chairman of the ruling party would be allowed to participate in an election exercise and play a role expected to be independent and neutral.

The Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP), in a statement by its chairman, Dr Samson Isibor and secretary, Nkama Waribe, described the development as disturbing and embarrassing, warning that it represents a dangerous erosion of confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.

It alleged that allowing a top APC official to operate in what appeared to be an INEC observer capacity reinforces public fears that the electoral body is increasingly compromised.

The coalition said the development raised questions about the independence and neutrality of the INEC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“Consequently, the Coalition of Registered Political Parties hereby declares that it has lost confidence in the ability of the present leadership of INEC to guarantee a level playing field for all political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections,” it stated.

A constitutional lawyer, Malachy Ugwommadu, said: “I have been the national president of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) between 2015 and 2019, and in those moments, we observed elections across the country and it is because it is a non-governmental organisation and non-partisan.

"So, when a partisan political actor in the status of a state chairman of a political party comes to a different state as an observer, what is he observing? He has no clear vision but a biased vision.

“So, it raises a serious moral question and poses a difficult question for INEC to answer, as in what capacity was he accredited? What are the threshold he had passed as a party chairman to now come to a different state as an election observer? I don’t think it is proper.”

Reacting, the spokesman of the APC in Edo State, Uwadiae Igbinigie, said Tenebe did not breach any law or protocol by serving as an election observer in the Ekiti State governorship election.

“The fact that he is a politician and an APC member doesn’t obliterate his right; he is a Nigerian and he acted within the purview of the law. He didn’t take part in the election, but merely observed the process,” he said.

Igbinigie said Jarret was accredited by the INEC, saddled with the responsibility of accrediting observers for any election.

He added: “And anyone who has anything to prove that he was not accredited by INEC should prove it. It is not in any way a mis-normal. The president of this country has been appointed as an international observer in other nations of the world. Why do people not say it is not good? Is he not a politician?”

The controversy erupted as the INEC declared incumbent governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji of the APC, winner of the governorship election after polling 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challengers.

ADC rejects result

The result of the governorship poll was rejected by the (ADC) candidate, Ambassador Dare Bejide, who alleged widespread vote-buying, over-voting, result alterations and intimidation during the exercise.

Bejide claimed that political appointees and security operatives were deployed in a manner that turned parts of the election into what he described as a “war zone,” adding that bags of money were openly moved around polling units to influence voters.

The INEC’s Chief Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Professor Adenike Oladiji, who declared the final result about 3am on Sunday, disclosed that Oyebanji polled a total of 319,224 votes to defeat his two closest challengers, Dr Wole Oluyede of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Bejide of the ADC.

The PDP candidate garnered 40,543 votes; while the ADC candidate finished third with 12,872 votes.

On his part, Governor Oyebanji described his re-election as a renewed call to continue his service to the people.

Also, the APC, in a statement by its spokesman, Felix Morka, congratulated Governor Oyebanji on his re-election, describing his victory as epic as he became the first incumbent governor to win reelection in the state’s contemporary democratic history.

Envwulanza wins Nasarawa North by-election; Maku, NDC kick

The APC candidate for the Nasarawa North Senatorial District by-election, Halilu Dangadi Envwulanza, has been declared the winner by the INEC. The by-election was held to fill the seat of the late Senator Godiya Akwashiki.

Professor Aminu Ali, the Returning Officer, announced the results after collation of votes from Akwanga, Nasarawa Eggon and Wamba LGAs.

According to the results, Halilu Dangadi Envwulanza of APC polled 45,362 votes, Maku Labaran of Labour Party got 12,931 votes and Emmanuel David Ombugadu of PDP secured 11,570 votes.

The ADC candidate, Alaku Mohammed Steve, scored 1,496 votes, while John Wall Araneshiri (NNPP) got 102 votes.

Meanwhile, the LP’s candidate, Maku, called for the cancellation of the by-election, alleging widespread irregularities and non-adherence to electoral laws by INEC officials.

“I have observed that what took place in the bye-election in Nasarawa North was a complete sham. I consulted with my party. We decided that the best option is to pull out of the election,” Maku said.

Similarly, the state chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) rejected the results, demanding immediate cancellation over alleged exclusion of the party’s logo and other irregularities.

In a statement signed by Danjuma Joseph, NDC Publicity Secretary in the state, the party said it was omitted from INEC’s ballot papers and result sheets despite being a duly registered participant.

But the state chapter of the APC rejected calls for the cancellation of the election, describing the allegations as unfounded and a “gimmick of the opposition.”

Ogaba Augustine, Publicity Secretary of APC in the state, said, “It’s unfortunate that people go into an election without taking time to study the Electoral Act very well, especially the 2022 Electoral Act as amended.”

APC wins in Kano, Kebbi, Ondo; PDP takes Rivers

The INEC has declared Rabi’u Shuaibu of the APC as the winner of the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency by-election in Kano State.

The by-election was to fill the vacuum created by the death of Muhammad Danjuma-Hassan of the NNPP.

The Returning Officer, Prof. Umar Sani, declared that Shuaibu polled 35,356 votes to defeat Lawal Garba-Haruna of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), who scored 268 votes, and LP’s Abubakar Yahaya-Muhammad, who pulled 98 votes.

He said, “Rabiu Shuaibu of APC, having certified the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”

INEC also declared Rabiu Garba Aiki of the APC as the winner of the Zuru State Constituency by-election for the Kebbi State House of Assembly.

Announcing the result at the collation centre, the Collation Officer, Professor Muhammad Bashar Danladi of the Federal University Birnin Kebbi, said Rabiu Garba Aiki polled 4,871 votes to defeat Aliyu Galadima Muhammad of the Labour Party (LP), who secured 168 votes.

Professor Danladi disclosed that the total number of registered voters in the constituency stood at 109,385, while 5,156 voters were accredited for the election.

The election witnessed generally low voter turnout across most wards, with the APC maintaining a clear lead throughout the collation process

The APC candidate, Dayo Faduyile, was declared as the winner of the Ondo South Senatorial District by-election held on Saturday.

Faduyile is a former National President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).

The Returning Officer for the election, Gbenga Samuel, announced the result after the collation of votes from the six local government areas that make up the senatorial district.

According to the results declared by INEC, a total of 672,302 voters were registered for the election, while 70,811 voters were accredited to participate in the poll.

Faduyile secured a total of 68,474 votes to emerge victorious. His closest challenger, Adeolu Akinwumi of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) polled 1,411 votes.

Other candidates recorded the following scores: Olaoluwa Adesanya of the Action Peoples Party (APP) garnered 213 votes, while Funso Clement of the Boot Party (BP) secured 70 votes.

INEC declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nwoku Olaka Johnson, winner of Saturday’s by-election to fill the vacant seat of the Rivers South-East Senatorial District.

Declaring the result at the INEC collation centre in Bori, Khana LGA of the state, the returning officer for the election, Professor Rosemary Ogu, of the University of Port Harcourt, said the PDP candidate polled a total of 47,961 votes out of the 51,150 total valid votes across the seven local government areas to defeat the other three candidates of other political parties who contested the election with him. (Daily Trust)

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