Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesperson for African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, has warned that the appointment of Oluyemi Titilayo Adeyemi-Showunmi to head the Electoral Operations Department of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could undermine public confidence in the electoral body.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Adeyemi-Showunmi is the wife of Segun Showunmi, a member of the Communication and Strategy Committee of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 Presidential Campaign Council.

Speaking during an interview on Arise News, Okonkwo expressed concern that her appointment could raise questions about the credibility of the 2027 general elections.

The ADC spokesman argued that the development presented a potential conflict of interest that could affect public perception of INEC’s impartiality.

He said, “Allowing the wife of Showunmi to be the electoral operations department officer is rigging the election before the time.”

Okonkwo explained that the Electoral Operations Department plays a critical role in the conduct of elections, including the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials, recruitment and training of ad hoc personnel, and coordination of polling and collation activities.

He further noted that the department is responsible for supervising returning officers during elections, making its leadership particularly important ahead of the 2027 polls.

According to him, the concern goes beyond whether the official would act impartially, stressing that any circumstance capable of creating a perception of bias should be addressed.

“We are not talking about whether there will be bias. We are saying that anything that has the likelihood of bias is not allowed,” he said.

The ADC spokesman also invoked the principle of conflict of interest, arguing that public officials should avoid situations that could reasonably raise doubts about their neutrality, even when actual bias has not been established.

Okonkwo maintained that his concerns were not necessarily an accusation against Adeyemi-Showunmi’s personal integrity, but rather about whether the circumstances surrounding her redeployment could weaken public trust in INEC’s independence and neutrality ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has criticised the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, over his claim that Nigeria could have accumulated greater wealth if successive leaders had kept public funds in banks to generate interest.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Obi made the remark during an interview with a radio station in Nasarawa State on Wednesday, arguing that the country could have built substantial wealth if public officials had safeguarded government funds and allowed them to earn interest instead of mismanaging them.

The former Anambra State governor also disclosed that his administration kept public funds in three different banks.

He condemned what he described as a culture of dishonesty in Nigeria, lamenting that people who demonstrate integrity are often discredited rather than celebrated.

However, Keyamo took issue with Obi’s comments, launching a scathing attack on the former governor in a post on his X account.

The aviation minister described Obi’s remark as an example of what he called extreme foolishness and suggested that it could explain the alleged decline in the NDC candidate’s public approval ratings.

Reacting to the statement, Keyamo wrote: “This dumbness is beyond measure. I really don’t know whether to laugh or to cry. No wonder his approval ratings have plummeted so badly.

“Nigeria did not just dodge a bullet; it ducked a massive howitzer!”

The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over suspected AI-generated photographs and other questionable entries in its preliminary voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Kwankwaso, in a post on his X account, questioned how the suspicious images found their way into the register and whether the identities associated with the records had been properly verified.

While welcoming INEC’s decision to investigate the matter, the former Kano State governor called for an independent and transparent probe to establish the facts and ensure accountability.

He also demanded an independent audit of the preliminary voters’ register, including investigations into suspicious entries, possible duplicate records and artificially created identities.

In his statement, Kwankwaso expressed concern that the alleged irregularities could undermine confidence in Nigeria’s voter registration system and the credibility of the forthcoming elections.

He said: “I am deeply concerned by reports of suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs and other questionable records in the preliminary register of voters published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“These allegations raise serious questions about the integrity of our voter registration system and the safeguards in place to protect the credibility of the forthcoming general elections.”

With the 2027 elections approaching, Kwankwaso urged INEC to provide clear explanations about the questionable records and the procedures used to verify the identities of registered voters.

He asked the commission to establish how the images entered the register, whether the individuals linked to the records were genuinely registered and whether the alleged irregularities had affected the accuracy of the voters’ list.

Although he acknowledged INEC’s decision to investigate the matter, Kwankwaso insisted that Nigerians deserved more than assurances from the electoral body.

He called for a thorough, transparent and independent investigation conducted outside INEC’s internal structures, with the findings made public and anyone found culpable held accountable under the law.

The NDC vice-presidential candidate further urged the commission to conduct a comprehensive audit of the preliminary register, verify questionable entries and investigate possible duplicate or artificial identities without disenfranchising eligible voters.

Kwankwaso stressed that protecting the integrity of the voters’ register was essential to safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy.

He maintained that every eligible Nigerian must have the opportunity to vote and that technology, including artificial intelligence, must not be allowed to compromise the electoral process.

“The credibility of the 2027 elections begins with a credible voter register, and INEC must get its act together,” he added.