Politics

Voting begins in Ekiti gov poll, row over blind woman seeking support

Published

4 years ago

June 18, 2022

Residents of Ekiti State are beginning to file out in trickles to exercise their franchise as voting has commenced in many parts of the state in the governorship poll.

The people of state are set to elect a brand new governor today that will succeed the incumbent, Dr Kayode Fayemi, and pilot the affairs of the state for the next four years.

The election will be conducted across 2,445 polling units in the 16 local government areas in the state.

Sixteen candidates are participating in the poll, which will be decided by 988,923 registered voters, out of which 51 per cent are women and 38.56 per cent youths (18-34).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said only 749,065 voters collected their permanent voters cards for the election. However, a total of 403,451 votes were cast in the 2018 election, won by Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who recorded 197,462 votes against his main challenger, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) Kolapo Olushola, who had 177,927 votes. Thirty-three other candidates had 9,205 votes, while 18,857 votes were declared invalid.

On Saturday morning, the request for help by an elderly, visually impaired electorate, who could not identify the logo of her preferred party led to a shouting march among agents of political parties participating in the governorship poll at Fajuyi House, Polling 007, Ado Ekiti.

The voter had told the INEC’s ad-hoc electoral officer at the polling unit that she could not see the logo of the party she wanted to vote for.

Even though all the party agents present agreed the woman should be assisted, the choice of who would assist her almost led to a brawl among them, as they rejected those that volunteered to assist the voter.

While the matter was being resolved, voting was temporarily put on hold.

Son to the voter, simply identified as Yemi later showed up and was allowed to assist her to cast her vote.

A report by Punch stated that at a newly created polling unit, Unit 45, Ward 9, Ado Ekiti, INEC Adhoc officer on duty, who refused to disclose his name, said only four voters were on the list.

He said one voter had cast his vote, while the other three were being expected.

But at the next polling unit to it, Polling Unit 44, Ward 9, there were several people in the queue waiting to cast their vote.

One of the voters, simply identified as Olatunde, in a chat with our correspondent said “many people were unaware of the existence of the newly created polling Unit 45.

“Whenever the opportunity to transfer registration is created for us by INEC, I will prefer to move my registration to the new polling unit.”

The 2022 election is expected to be a tight race between the candidates of the ruling APC, Abiodun Oyebanji and a former governor of the state, Segun Oni, an engineer, who is the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The candidate of the PDP, Bisi Kolawole, is also expected to mount a challenge for the coveted position.

Oyebanji, who is backed by the incumbent governor, resigned as secretary to the state government to contest the poll.

The Ikogosi Ekiti-born technocrat served as the secretary of the group that lobbied the late General Sani Abacha for the creation of Ekiti State in 1996.

He also served as special assistant on legislative matters to the first civilian governor of the state, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, before ending up as his chief of staff.

During Fayemi’s first term, he served as commissioner for integration before he was deployed to the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.

Oni of the SDP will be going to the poll with the integrity of the profile he demonstrated when he was the governor of the state. However, he is not expected to have enough financial backing to challenge the two main parties – APC and PDP – in an election that analysts said might be decided by what locals call ‘Dibo sibe ko sebe’ (a form of vote-buying slogan).

Meanwhile, Oni has accused security operatives of arresting his supporters to demoralise them ahead of the election.

He specifically warned the chief security officer to Governor Fayemi not to allow himself to be used to set the state on fire.

Oni, who spoke at the party’s secretariat in Ado-Ekiti, said his supporters were arrested and detained by the chief security officer to the governor.

However, Mr Yinka Oyebode, the chief press secretary to Fayemi, dismissed the claim, describing it as ‘a lie from the pit of hell.’ He argued that the chief security officer had no influence over the security architecture for the election, which he noted was even beyond the commissioner of police in the state.

He claimed that security operatives were picking up any identified threat irrespective of political parties or affiliations.

The Nigeria Police Force says it will deal with any electoral offenders during the conduct of the governorship election holding today (Saturday).

Deputy Inspector General of Police, Babatunde Kokumo, in charge of the Ekiti election, said this when he visited the Ekiti Resident Electoral Commissioner, Rec, Dr Adeniran Rahmon.

Kokumo said the Force had imposed restriction of movement in and out of the state from the hours of 11:59am on Friday, adding that a strong security arrangement had been put in place to ensure a transparent poll in the state.

Already, the police had embarked on an aerial patrol of Ado Ekiti, the state capital, as part of its confidence building measures.

Politics

LP Crisis Deepens as Abure Faction Rejects Otti’s Reconciliation Call

Published

23 minutes ago

February 19, 2026

Trends Admin

National Chairman of Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure

LP Crisis Deepens as Abure Faction Rejects Otti’s Reconciliation Call

The leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) has taken a new turn as the Julius Abure–led faction firmly rejected reconciliation efforts initiated by Abia State Governor Alex Otti, declaring it has no interest in any peace move proposed by him.

In a strongly worded response, the factional National Working Committee (NWC) led by Julius Abure described Governor Otti’s call for unity as dishonest, premature, and ill-fated, insisting that the internal dispute within the party is far from being resolved.

The Abure camp was reacting to Otti’s recent appeal for aggrieved factions within the party to sheathe their swords and work towards rebuilding the LP ahead of future elections. The governor had announced plans to set up a reconciliation committee, stating that the interim leadership would determine the appropriate timing.

However, the Abure faction dismissed the move outright, accusing Otti of playing a central role in triggering and escalating the crisis. According to the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the governor lacks the moral authority to champion reconciliation.

Background: How the Labour Party Leadership Crisis Began

The Labour Party crisis stems from a prolonged power struggle over national leadership, which intensified after the 2023 general elections that significantly boosted the party’s national profile.

At the heart of the dispute are two rival factions: one led by Julius Abure, the party’s embattled national chairman, and another aligned with Nenadi Usman, who heads an interim leadership structure.

The crisis escalated when a court of first instance issued an order that effectively recognized the Nenadi Usman–led group as the authentic leadership of the party. Acting on the ruling, the Independent National Electoral Commission adjusted its records, delisting the Abure-led NWC from its official portal.

While Abure’s faction has since filed an appeal and maintains that the court ruling is not final, the Usman-aligned camp has continued to operate as the recognized leadership, widening the rift within the party.

Governor Otti, one of the most prominent LP officeholders, has publicly aligned with reconciliation efforts, arguing that internal unity is critical for the party’s survival. However, the Abure faction views his actions as politically motivated interference, rather than a genuine peace initiative.

With legal proceedings still pending and both factions refusing to back down, the Labour Party remains deeply divided, raising fresh concerns about its cohesion and electoral prospects ahead of future political contests.

LP Crisis Deepens as Abure Faction Rejects Otti’s Reconciliation Call

Politics

Rivers Assembly Halts Impeachment Proceedings Against Gov Fubara

Published

34 minutes ago

February 19, 2026

Trends Admin

Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule.jpg

Rivers Assembly Halts Impeachment Proceedings Against Gov Fubara

The Rivers State House of Assembly has formally halted impeachment proceedings against Siminalayi Fubara, bringing a dramatic pause to months of political tension that had pushed Rivers State to the brink of a constitutional crisis.

The decision, which also covers Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, was taken during a plenary session in Port Harcourt on Thursday. Lawmakers adopted a motion to stop the impeachment process as part of efforts to restore calm and comply with resolutions reached during high-level reconciliation meetings in Abuja.

Assembly leaders said the move followed a direct intervention by President Bola Tinubu, whose mediation reportedly compelled all political actors to step back from actions capable of plunging the state into further instability. Lawmakers noted that continuing the impeachment process posed serious risks to law and order, governance, and public confidence.

For several months, Rivers State had been locked in a deep political standoff rooted in a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. The rivalry spilled into the legislative arm, paralysing the House of Assembly and creating uncertainty across government institutions.

Rivers Assembly Halts Impeachment Proceedings Against Gov Fubara

Politics

PDP Chairmanship Candidate Withdraws, Backs APC Ishaku in FCT Polls

Published

5 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Trends Admin

PDP Chairmanship Candidate Withdraws, Backs APC Ishaku in FCT Polls

In a dramatic political realignment less than 72 hours before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship candidate for Bwari Area Council, Julius Adamu, formally withdrew from the race and threw his support behind Joshua Ishaku Musa of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The decision was finalised during a bipartisan stakeholders meeting on Wednesday, following direct intervention by Nyesom Wike, who has increasingly played a kingmaker role in the territory’s political landscape.

Addressing supporters, Adamu described his withdrawal as a move to maintain local harmony and unity, emphasising his personal ties with Ishaku. “After deep consultation with the FCT Minister, I came to the conclusion that Joshua and I are brothers. It will not be nice for two brothers to fight over one office,” he said. He urged his political base to transfer their support to Ishaku, stressing the importance of consolidating votes for the betterment of the community.