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  • Overview of Key Issues in the Pre-Election Period for the June 18, 2022 Ekiti State Governorship Election (Pre-Election Press Statement)

    Overview of Key Issues in the Pre-Election Period for the June 18, 2022 Ekiti State Governorship Election (Pre-Election Press Statement)

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    he first of two off cycle governorship elections for 2022 will be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ekiti State, on June 18, 2022. The election is the seventh in the state since the return of the current democratic dispensation in 1999. Following a 2010 Court of Appeal verdict, which removed then Governor Segun Oni, and declared Dr. Kayode Fayemi the rightful winner of the 2007 governorship election, Ekiti became one of several states holding off cycle governorship elections. The June 18, 2022 Ekiti State gubernatorial election is the very first to be conducted under the amended Electoral Act, 2022.

    As voters in Ekiti State head to the polls for tomorrow’s governorship election, the contest is apparently shaping up to be a three horse race involving the ruling party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which has clearly emerged as a third force in the election. CDD observes that there are 16 political parties fielding candidates for the election. Only two candidates and seven deputy governorship candidates are women, just as the age range of the candidates indicate low participation of the youth.

    The CDD EAC will be closely observing the electoral process with the objective of collecting data to support evidence-based analysis of key aspects of the Ekiti State governorship election. The CDD EAC will also host a fake news hub for the purpose of tracking and countering fake news and misinformation as it affects the election.

    Pre-Election Observations

    Based on the observation of the CDD EAC in the pre-election period, the following are the key trends, which have underlined the process.

    CDD notes that the June 18, 2022 Ekiti State Governorship election is significant because it will serve as the first dress rehearsal as the INEC prepares for the 2023 general elections. The election will also be the first to be conducted under the Electoral Act, 2022, and the new INEC guidelines and regulations for conduct of elections. CDD EAC further notes that although INEC has made commitments to conduct a credible election in Ekiti State, its success in this regard would depend on its neutrality, professionalism and the level of its understanding and commitment to the new legal framework. The credibility of the process would also depend on how well INEC uses some of its new powers as derived from the extant electoral law, especially the power conferred on the Commission to delay the release of election results, if the Commission needs to take a second look.

    The CDD EAC is concerned about violence, money politics and violations of incumbency powers and the possible effects of these on the credibility of the election. CDD EAC notes that Ekiti State, has recorded several incidents of violence during previous elections. In the build up to the 2022 governorship election, pockets of election-related violence have been recorded in places like Ado Ekiti, Efon Alaiye, Oye, Ido/Osi and Oye Ekiti. Other observable issues, which would shape the credibility of the election include; how well INEC is able to effectively deploy technology, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), impartial security provisioning, the quality of results management, curtailing the role of money, incumbency and god fatherism in the election. Also critical is the need for stakeholders in the election to proactively track, and counter fake news and misinformation. Already, the pre-election period has witnessed the spread of fake news capable of undermining voter confidence and participation in the process. An example is the fake news which trended recently on a purported Appeal Court decision nullifying the primaries of one of the major political parties and, by extension, its candidate.

    In terms of some of the election risk factor, CDD notes that the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASUU) has crippled the local economy especially in university towns in Ekiti State. This has created a threat in terms of the availability of idle youth being recruited for activities, which could undermine the credibility of the election. By grounding the local economy, the strike has also created the wrong incentives as voters are more likely to see the election as an opportunity for economic survival, thereby exacerbating the risk of vote buying. This becomes even more relevant when it is considered that Ekiti State introduced the issue of “stomach infrastructure” into the Nigerian political lexicon. CDD has also observed that based on history of past violence in elections in the state, the following Local Government Areas, constitute potential flash points in the election; Ado Ekiti, Efon Alaiye, Ido/Osi, and Oye.

    Signed:

    Professor Adele Jinadu

    Chair, CDD EAC

  • FACT CHECK: Does video show a man shot in Ago, Lagos state on election day?

    FACT CHECK: Does video show a man shot in Ago, Lagos state on election day?

    A viral video on social media claims that an unidentified man was shot at the Ago palace, Okota of Lagos state.

    The man who was described as a thug was seen lying unconscious in the video while residents of the area insisted that he must die. 

    Verification

    The CDD Election War Room contacted various media observers on the field to verify the veracity of the claim.

    We contacted about three media observers in Lagos who confirmed the incident but however noted that they couldn’t verify if the victim was dead or unconscious.

    One resident who also spoke to CDD said her father was at the location when the political thug was killed. There are more violent videos coming out of Lagos state.

    Verdict

    The claim is true. The political thug was indeed shot on election day, when attempting to meddle with the electoral process in the state.

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  • FACT CHECK: Do videos show LP thugs intimidating and harassing voters as Keyamo claimed? 

    FACT CHECK: Do videos show LP thugs intimidating and harassing voters as Keyamo claimed? 

    Festus Keyamo, a spokesperson of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, posted two videos on his verified Twitter page with the claim that they show Labour Party’s thugs intimidating and harassing voters in the ongoing 2023 gubernatorial elections.

    Keyamo captioned the post, “If indeed there’s no secret agenda (especially regarding Lagos) to which some media houses have been recruited, we urge a balanced reportage. Areas like these👇where Labour Party thugs are seen harassing and intimidating voters have been curiously blanked out by the regular Press.”

    The post has since garnered over 9,000 views, 514 retweets, and 847 likes as of when it was retrieved from Twitter.

    Screenshot of Festus Keyamo’s Twitter post

    This is coming amid multiple reports of voter intimidation experienced across several polling units, including Lagos state.

    Claim: Videos show Labour Party thugs intimidating and harassing voters. 

    Verification

    CDD Election War Room assessed the videos and found that Keyamo’s claim is misleading.

    The first video shows the moment when a man came to retrieve a table being used by INEC officials. After he took away the table, another man then asked that the ballot box be put on the floor, saying they must vote. 

    The second video shows a face-off between a woman and a man. The woman was heard challenging the man over his utterances against her. “He is saying that he will locate me. Come and face me. You will locate me for what?” She was heard saying.

    Another woman was also heard trying to calm the aggrieved woman, while an official of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) was seen seated.

    There was no mention of Labour Party thugs intimidating or harassing voters in the two videos.

    Verdict

    The claim by Festus Keyamo that videos show LP thugs intimidating and harassing voters, is misleading. The CDD Election War Room assessed the videos and can confirm that there was no mention of such incidents in the videos. 

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  • FACT CHECK: Did hoodlums burn voting materials in Ogbia LGA, Bayelsa state?

    FACT CHECK: Did hoodlums burn voting materials in Ogbia LGA, Bayelsa state?

    A video making the rounds on social media claims that hoodlums carted away with and burnt election materials in Constituency II, specifically wards 2, 3, 4, and 5, in Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa state.

    The post claimed that the incident happened in the early hours of Saturday, March 18, 2023. 

    Verification

    The CDD Election War Room checked the claim and found it to be true. The War Room reached out to the CDD observers state coordinator in Bayelsa state, and he confirmed that the incident is true. 

    Verdict: The claim is true. Credible sources confirmed that hoodlums carted away and burnt election materials in Ogbia LGA in Bayelsa state on March 18, 2023.

  • FACT CHECK: INEC manipulating election results in Emohua LGA, Rivers state?

    FACT CHECK: INEC manipulating election results in Emohua LGA, Rivers state?

    A video making the rounds on social media has claimed that in Emohua local government area of Rivers state, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is planning to manipulate election results. 

    The video has claimed that the commission had constructed a ‘back door’ in its office in Emohua LGA where they intend to sneak out election materials after voting exercise. 

    The video also shows purported used INEC materials on the floor– which it claimed, was discarded by INEC.

    The narrator had called on INEC to be transparent in Emohua local government and must upload results at the polling unit. 

    Verification

    The CDD Election War Room checked this claim and found it to be false. The War Room reached out to officials at INEC in Rivers state, who said the claims are false.

    CDD observers in the state also confirmed that everything is going on in the local government and voting is going on well.

    Verdict: The claim is false. CDD War Room confirmed from credible sources that there’s nothing of the sort happening in Emohua local government area of Rivers state.

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  • FACT SHIELD: Should your dog be with you at the polling unit? 

    FACT SHIELD: Should your dog be with you at the polling unit? 

    There are heartwarming stories about “man’s best friend” following him everywhere, including to the polls. In fact, there is a hashtag for the British elections on Twitter, where voters post adorable photos of themselves with their dogs at polling places. 

    Information abounds on social media, suggesting that many Nigerians are considering taking their dogs to the polling unit.

    Is it, however, coming as a friend or a guard? 

    These reports of people bringing dogs to polling places are in response to threats of electoral violence. There have been both subtle and not-so-subtle reports of potential voter intimidation during the elections.  

    Even before the gubernatorial and presidential elections, these reports were ongoing. 

    Can you take your dog to the polling unit? 

    It is not unusual for dogs to be present at the voting booth in Nigerian elections. A report from 2016 claimed that the NSCDC was set to deploy sniffer dogs for the elections in Osun State.

    This was done in order to identify explosive materials and to make the voting process safer for everyone. 

    Thirty special dogs were deployed to the Anambra gubernatorial election in 2017. Voters were guaranteed their safety and that the presence of these security apparatuses, i.e., dogs, would not meddle with the electoral process. 

    However, there haven’t been any reports of individual voters bringing their dogs to the polling place, so this can be viewed as a relatively recent phenomenon.  

    What the law says 

    Under the Electoral Act, dogs are not explicitly forbidden from being present in polling places or polling units. While dogs were not specifically mentioned in Section 126 of the Act, it is possible to infer that their presence at the polling units may be considered an offence.

    In this instance, dogs are brought with the intention of providing security or protection; as a result, they unintentionally have the potential to intimidate, which places them within the scope of the prohibited acts specified in that section. 

    The Nigerian police force issued a statement on March 7, 2023, advising protesters against bringing dogs to polling places. The police warned that doing so would result in voter intimidation, which would be a clear violation of Section 126 of the Electoral Act. 

    Do the police have the power to issue such regulations? 

    The electoral act gives the police authority to ensure safety and adherence to the law, including the laws that govern the electoral process. 

    In Nigeria, the code of conduct and rules of engagement for election security allow for the empowerment of security details to guarantee security and adherence to legal requirements during the conduct of elections. 

    Conclusion. 

    To err on the side of caution, voters should avoid taking their pets to the polling units for the purpose of security. 

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  • FACT CHECK: Election results uploaded to IReV portal at 9:55am in Rivers state?

    FACT CHECK: Election results uploaded to IReV portal at 9:55am in Rivers state?

    By Hajara Hussaini

    A post shared on Twitter claims that two results have been uploaded in Rivers state to the INEC result viewing portal as early as 9:55 am while the election is expected to still be going on.

    According to INEC guidelines for elections, the process is expected to start at 8:30 am and end by 2:30 pm. Therefore, the result-upload by 9:55 am can be seen as premature.

    Verification

    To verify this claim, fact-checkers at the CDD Election War Room visited IReV portal and discovered that two results had indeed been uploaded.

    However, it appeared to have been an error as one of the uploads was an empty sheet from the Ojugbe Town Hall polling unit and the other was a picture of a male ad-hoc staff from the Baptist High School I polling unit.

    The ad-hoc staff has a reflective INEC jacket.

    Verdict: Fact-checkers at the CDD Election War Room can confirm that the claim that the results were uploaded as means to rig the election is misleading. What was uploaded to the portal does not contain any results at all.

  • FACT CHECK: Did Oro Festival hold on March 18, the guber election day?

    FACT CHECK: Did Oro Festival hold on March 18, the guber election day?

    On the governorship election day, reports by a Twitter user alleged that the Oro festival held in Lagos state was still ongoing.

    The post with over 18,000 interactions claimed that an hour before the start of voter accreditation, activities around the Oro festival were still taking place in Nigeria’s commercial capital.

    Background

    A few days before the general state elections, rumours concerning election day disruption began making rounds on social media. 

    According to these reports, the festival which requires women and non-indigenes to be in seclusion would invariably affect voting as a curfew is expected to be implemented.

    Clarifying reports on the festival, the traditional ruler of the Ikate-Elegushi Kingdom in Lagos State, Saheed Ademola, affirmed that the March 2023 Oro festival would not affect the governorship elections as it would end at 5 am Saturday morning.

    “The restriction is from 12 midnight to 5 am on each day, while residents are free to move before and after this time,” he said. 

    The traditional ruler further noted that curfews were usually imposed by the government from 12 am to 5 am every election day.

    Verification

    In verifying the authenticity of the claim, the CDD Election War Room scanned through social media and found that the videos shared by multiple users are one and the same.

    Thus, we contacted various observers on the field. Who neither debunked nor confirmed the claim.

    The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) a few hours ago further assured voters in Lagos State that there won’t be Oro festivities in the state.

    The Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, maintained that there was no threat to the governorship and state assembly elections billed for that day, adding that, only one part of the state conducted the Oro festival which he confirmed ended on Friday.

    Also, there have been reports of voting in various places in Lagos hence, even in the event of an Oro festival, voters were not prevented from carrying out their civic duties.

    Verdict

    Due to the unavailability of evidence, the CDD Election War Room could not confirm or debunk the claim that the festival was still ongoing by 7 am. However, reports from observers show that the elections process in many parts of Lagos has begun.

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  • FACT CHECK: No election in Akete ward of Donga LGA Taraba State?

    FACT CHECK: No election in Akete ward of Donga LGA Taraba State?

    Multiple social media pages have posted photos of vandalised election materials which are claimed to be from the collation centre in Akete ward of Donga LGA in Taraba state. 

    The posts claimed that there is no voting going on in the said ward because thugs vandalised the collation centre and made away with election materials at the ward. 

    Verification

    The CDD Election War Room verified this claim and found it to be true. Daily sun newspapers have confirmed this in the early hours of Saturday, March 18, 2023. 

    According to them, the hoodlums attacked the ward around 6:30 am on March 18, 2023 when INEC was about to move the materials to various polling units. Officials and voters ran for their lives.

    Verdict: The claim is true. There’s evidence to show that hoodlums attacked the Akete ward collation centre.

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  • FACT CHECK: Can BVAS work and transmit results without a SIM card?

    FACT CHECK: Can BVAS work and transmit results without a SIM card?

    A video has been going viral in Kwara state that some BVAS machines in Alanamu, Ilorin West Local Government Area have no SIM card.

    The video caption reads: “SITUATION REPORT:  APC plot to rig busted. Any BVAS without a SIM card must not be allowed to be used, because such BVAS won’t be able to transmit result in real-time.”

    Similarly, Just Event Online, an online media organisation reported that “voting has been put on hold at 002 Alanamu ward, Ilorin West LG, electorates are complaining that BVAS bought by INEC doesn’t have sim card…”

    This information has been going viral on WhatsApp groups in Kwara state. 

    Claim: Can the BVAS machine work and transmit results without SIM cards?

    One of such claims making the rounds

    Verification

    The CDD Election War Room reached out to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Public Affairs Officer in the state. He said some BVAS machines deployed in Kwara do not have SIM cards.

    We confirmed that BVAS with or without SIM cards will work for voters’ accreditation and all other electioneering processes.

    Asides from using SIM cards, the BVAS machine can work manually and when it is connected to a hotspot, it retains the manual information and transmits it to the server.

    You can view other details about the BVAS machine here. 

    Verdict

    The claim that BVAS machines without SIM cards would not be able to transmit results is false. 

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  • FACT CHECK: Did GRV step down to endorse Sanwo-Olu on election day?

    FACT CHECK: Did GRV step down to endorse Sanwo-Olu on election day?

    On March 18, 2023, the morning of the gubernatorial election, a Twitter user claimed that Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party (LP) candidate in Lagos state, has stepped down in favour of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the incumbent governor of the state and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate. 

    The story, which has been viewed almost 10,000 times, was shared on Twitter and has since been reposted on other social media platforms. 

    Verification

    The CDD Election War Room wrote an explainer, educating the public on the position of the law regarding a candidate stepping down for another on the day of the election or at any time after 90 days before the election, and thus the “step down” of a candidate at a time like this is not legally enforceable.

    We also looked into the claim and discovered that there has been no official report from the Labour Party confirming this news. 

    Furthermore, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, who was spotted casting his ballot earlier today, is still referred to by his supporters as the “incoming governor of the state”. 

    Verdict

    The claim that Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the LP has stepped down in favour of the candidate of the APC, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is false.  

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