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#Election2023 Results: Tinubu wins Ekiti, Atiku tops in Osun, LP clears Enugu
The results of Saturday’s presidential election so far declared indicate that the All Progressives Congress standard bearer, Bola Tinubu, has won the poll in Ekiti State while his Peoples Democratic Party counterpart, Atiku Abubakar, came top in Osun State.
On the other hand, the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, is leading his opponents in Edo State where he has recorded an early lead in eight LGAs.
Tinubu, who polled over 201,494 votes across the 13 local government areas of Ekiti State, was announced the winner by the state Collation Officer, Prof Akeem Lasisi, on Sunday.
Lasisi, who is the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila Orangun, Osun State, further disclosed that the PDP scored 89,554 votes while the LP garnered 11,397 votes just as the New Nigerian Peoples Party got 264 votes in the state.
He said, “Ekiti has a total of 988,923 registered voters; out of this, the number of accredited voters is 315,058. Total valid votes, 308,171; the number of rejected votes 6,301 and total votes cast, 314,470. This is the final result of the presidential election in Ekiti State.”
The APC candidate is also leading in Oyo State where he was declared the winner in 31 out of 33 local government areas announced so far.
The results were announced by the local government collation officers at the INEC office in Ibadan, the state capital, under the supervision of the acting Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Prof Babatunde Olusola.
Other results showed that the former Lagos State governor had won nine LGA so far declared in Kwara State.
The results indicate that the APC came first in Oke Ero, Ilorin East, Asa, Offa, Ekiti, Irepodun, Isin, Oyun and Ilorin South.
The result of Ilorin West which is the fourth local government in Kwara Central Senatorial zone has yet to be collated while that of six other LGAs were being expected as of press time.
Similarly, the APC performed well in six out of the seven local government areas of Katsina State which results were declared as of Sunday afternoon.
The LGAs are Matazu, Dutsi, Charanchi, Ingawa, Musawa and Kaita. But the PDP won in the Batsari LGA.
The returning officer for Batsari LGA, Prof Aliyu Sabo, disclosed that the election could not be held in two wards of the council due to the activities of terrorists which scared away voters.
However, he did not reveal the names of the two wards, promising to do so in his formal report on the election.
The results of the seven councils were announced on Sunday afternoon in Katsina by the returning officers for the councils at the premises of the state headquarters of INEC.
The session was later postponed till 1.10pm as other officials were being awaited with their results.
Meanwhile, the results of the National Assembly elections were still being collated at the headquarters of each senatorial zone as of the time of filing this report.
In Osun State, the PDP presidential candidate won in 20 of the 30 LGAs announced by the state Collation Officer, Prof. Tolulope Ogunsola, at the INEC office in Osogbo on Sunday.
Atiku won Ede North and South, the two local areas under Ede town, where the state governor, Ademola Adeleke hails from.
The party also won in Boluwaduro, Ifedayo, Ila, local government, where ex-Osun Governor, Bisi Akande hails from; Odo Otin, ex-governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s LGA, Orolu, Egbedore and Ilesa East, the local government of the Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola.
Osun results
The PDP equally cleared Irepodun, Ife-South, Ife-North, Ola-Oluwa, Ayedire, Obokun, Oriade, Atakumosa-East, Atakumosa-West, Ifelodun and Ilesa West.
But the APC secured victory in Ife East, where the APC National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore voted, as well as Ife Central and Boripe local government of ex-governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
The APC candidate also won in Olorunda and Osogbo, the two local government areas within the Osogbo metropolis, where the Senate spokesperson, Ajibola Basiru voted.
Tinubu also won in Isokan, Irewole, Ayedaade, Ejigbo and Iwo local government areas.
Announcing the results, Ogunsola said Peter Obi of LP polled 23,283, while Kwankwaso of NNPP had 713 votes.
Atiku got 354, 366 and Tinubu polled 343, 945.
Giving a breakdown of the poll, Ogunsola said, “Total registered voters was 1,954,800, accredited voters, 759,362, valid votes,733, 203, invalid votes, 23,541 and total votes cast, 756,744.’’
Atiku is currently leading in the nine local government areas of Bauchi State so far announced.
The announcement of results was coordinated by the state Collation Officer, Prof. Abdulkarim Mohammed, the Vice Chancellor, of Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State.
The exercise began at the state INEC office at 4.30pm before Mohammed announced a break at 6.30pm and said it would resume at 8.00pm.
So far, results of Warji, Bogoro, Dass, Dambam, Jama’are, Giade and Darazo, Kirfi and Misau LGAs have been announced by the various Electoral Officers.
According to the results, Atiku got 100,304 votes, while Tinubu got 69,831 votes.
The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Musa Kwankwaso got 13,740 votes. The Labour Party Candidate, Peter Obi came fourth with 7,968 votes.
The PDP presidential candidate has also won 11 Gombe State local government areas whose results were announced at the state collation centre on Sunday.
Niger poll
In Niger State, however, the APC is leading in the results of four out of the six LGAS so far announced.
Tinubu defeated his opponents in four out of the six LGAs while Atiku was leading in two LGAs.
The collation officers for the six LGAs presented their results at the INEC office in Minna between 4pm and 5:55pm on Sunday.
At its Edo State office Benin, INEC said the LP standard bearer was declared the winner in eight of the nine LGs announced so far, while his APC counterpart won one council.
According to the commission, Obi won Ugueben, Esan Central, Esan North East, Esan South East, Esan West, Uhuwonde, Urhionwon and Egor local government areas, while Tinubu won in the Owan West LG.
In Lagos, Obi defeated Tinubu in his Ikeja LGA. The LP standard bearer polled 30,004 votes, beating Tinubu with 21,276 to the second place. PDP’s Atiku got only 2,280 in the LGA.
Obi is also comfortably leading in his state, Anambra and he also won in the Numan LG of Adamawa State.
The LP equally demonstrated its popularity in Enugu State as it was declared the winner in the nine local government areas so far announced.
They include Nkanu East, Enugu South, Aninri, Uzo-Uwani, Igbo-Etiti, Isi-Uzo, Oji-River, Enugu North and Nkanu West local government area.
According to the Collation Officer for Nkanu East Council, Mrs Scholastica Eze, the LP polled 11,746, APC 94 and PDP 1430.
For Enugu South Council, the Collation Officer, Mrs Patricia Agor reported that the party scored 38,511 votes against PDP’s 336; APGA 201 and APC 190.
In Aninri LGA, the Collation Officer, Dr Osita Ossia reported that the LP candidate had 11,339 votes to defeat his closest rival, Atiku, who polled 395 votes, while APC scored 64 votes.
The Nkanu West Collation Officer, Kalu Ruben declared that the LP scored 15023 votes, adding that the PDP obtained 550 votes and the APC, 343.
In Ogun State, Tinubu won in all the 20 local government areas of the state.
For instance, the APC candidate secured a commanding lead in Abeokuta North where he polled 20,094 to outrank Atiku who polled 5,057 and Obi, 4,092; Ijebu Ode where he had 16,072 while Atiku and Obi scored 4,057 and 3,162, respectively.
Buni’s LG
But the story was different in Yobe State where the PDP put up a valiant fight to defeat the APC in Gujba LGA, where the state governor, Mai MalaBuni hails from.
Announcing the result, the returning officer for the LGA, Dr Musa El-Zamani, said Atiku scored 8,204 against Tinubu’s 6,643 votes.
Obi and Kwankwaso secured 25 and 217 votes, respectively.
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There was a commotion on Sunday evening at the Multipurpose Hall 5 of the Kashim Ibrahim College of Education, Maiduguri, the venue of the Borno State Presidential collation exercise, as several election observers suggested the cancellation of the results from Gubio LGAs over numerical inconsistencies.
This was because the total valid votes and votes rejected did not tally with the total votes cast in the 15 wards of the local government.
The PUNCH reports that the inability of the Assistant Electoral Officer (Operations) of INEC in Borno State, Zahra Musa, to reconcile the numbers despite two attempts allowed by the Presidential Collation Officer, Prof. Jude Rabo fueled public suspicions.
Consequently, the observers argued that the results be cancelled while an individual insisted that Musa refers back to the forms received from each polling unit.
However, Robo and other members of the collation team did not act on the suggestion.
Rather, they adjourned the collation exercise to 10:00am Monday (today).
Speaking with our correspondent afterwards, Rabo said, “She (Zahra Musa) has not submitted any result yet. If we had accepted it, then the result is accepted.”
Despite the incident, the APC presidential candidate is leading in at least four LGAs announced by the returning officers in Gubio, Kaga, Magumeri and Mafa.
A similar trend was recorded in River State where the results so far collated indicated that the APC won in two of the three LGAs.
The party won in Tai and Opobo/Nkoro, while the LP was declared the winner in Ahoada West by the state collation officer, Prof Charles Adias.
Adias stepped down the results from Gokana and Abua/Odual over some discrepancies in figures and asked the electoral officers in charge of the councils to reconcile their figures and present the results later.
Also, Tinubu in 15 out of 16 local government areas declared in Ondo State on Sunday.
He won in Akoko North-East, Owo, Idanre, Akoko North-West, Ondo West, Irele, lle- Oluji/Oke-Igbo, Ose, Ondo East, Akoko South-West, Akoko South-East, Ifedoro, Akoko South-West, Akure South and Ilaje, while Atiku won in Ese Odo.
But the NNPP presidential candidate has continued to maintain his dominance of Kano politics as the results showed that he is leading in 16 of the 18 local government areas announced so far.
According to the results announced at the state collation centre, the APC candidate has won two LGAs.
Atiku is equally leading in Akwa Ibom State.
According to the results declared by the various collation officers in the respective local governments, the PDP candidate won in 10 out of 14 local government areas, whose results were declared on Sunday
The results also indicated that Tinubu won in three local governments while Obi clinched one local government area.
The LGAs won by Atiku Abubakar include Eastern Obolo, Onna LGA, Okobo, Itu, and Esit Eket. Others won by the party include Ibeno, Ibesikpo Asutan, Ikono, Eket, Obot Akara, Uruan, Ini, Nsit Antai and Oron local government
According to the results, Bola Tinubu of the APC won in Etim Ekpo, Uroe Effiong Oroko and Ika LGAs while Peter Obi won in Ibiono local government areas
Meanwhile, the collation of the results of the presidential election in Bayelsa State has been temporarily suspended.
The collation process will resume at 11pm tonight at the Professor Mahmood Yakubu Media Centre, the venue of the exercise at the Yenagoa INEC office along Swali Road.
The State Returning Officer and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Prof. Lilian Salami, announced the decision after conferring with the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Bayelsa State, Emmanuel Alex-Hart, and other security and INEC personnel overseeing the collation process.
The result for Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA was announced first by the Collation Officer, Prof. Francis Oluleye, followed by that of Nembe LGA as the results for the other six local governments were yet to arrive.
But after the result for Nembe LGA was announced by the Collation Officer for the area, Dr Comfort Mbachu, of the Federal University Otuoke, Salami observed some discrepancies in the summation of the figures.
She then advised Mbachu to go and ‘clean up’ and return to announce the corrected result.
While the wait for Mbachu lasted, some state party collation officers approached Salami and others to seek postponement of the process to tomorrow, Monday.
Salami, after consulting the state REC and other relevant officers, directed that the exercise be suspended till 11pm Sunday.
She said, “This collation (of presidential election results) is taking place simultaneously here and in Abuja. So I don’t think it will be fair (to stop abruptly); having discussed with members of this divide (high table) that we take a break and reconvene at 11 o’clock. Peradventure nothing happens, then we can choose to close and nobody will fault us.
“But if we do that just now it will appear as if we are not responsible and I don’t want to be part of that, and neither do you want to be part of that. So let us go and relax and once we come in, we will be as fast as possible.”
Tinubu won 31 out of 33 local governments announced so far in Oyo State, while the announcement of the results of the two remaining local governments will be announced today (Monday) by 8am.
The results were officially announced by the local government collation officers at the Independent National Electoral Commission’s office in Ibadan, the state capital.
It was announced under the supervision of acting Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Professor Babatunde Olusola, who is the state collation officer and the state Commissioner for Police, Adebowale Williams.
In another development, the APC presidential campaign council has cautioned the LP and PDP to avoid heating the polity with unflattering comments.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Chief Spokesman for APC PCC, Festus Keyamo.
Keyamo stated that the PCC has observed certain subtle threats of violence coming from the camps of the opposition parties as the results of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly poll trickled in.
The PCC warning is coming in the wake of reports that the elections were marred by violence in many parts of the country, a situation that also led to the loss of lives and disruption of the voting process.
Keyamo admonished the parties to conduct themselves with decorum instead of heating the polity.
The statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to some incendiary comments by spokespersons of the opposition parties, notably the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party regarding the yet-to-be-announced results of the elections that were held yesterday.
‘’Some of them have threatened fire and brimstone if their versions of some concocted results are not announced in a bid to be the judge, jury and executioner in this election.’’
“On our part, we have decided to be calm to await the official announcement of the results and to pursue any grievance (if any) in a lawful manner. But we shall not sit back and allow such unguided comments to gain grounds to foist a particular narrative on our citizens and the international community. Recall that all parties signed the Peace Accord twice before the eyes of the world. Now is the time to abide by the terms of that accord and show love for the country over and above personal ambitions.’’
In the meantime, the PDP flag bearer, Atiku has asked INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, to ensure the immediate upload of election results.
Abubakar said in a statement by Paul Ibe, his media adviser, that all election results should be immediately uploaded from the polling units to ensure that people’s will was not subverted.
The former vice-president said the INEC chairman should “instruct collation officers for yesterday’s election to upload the results from the polling units to the INEC server immediately.”
Abubakar said this has become necessary to checkmate some governors who he said were trying to compromise the results at the local government collation level.
“It will be a disservice to Nigerians and a negation to democracy for anyone to subvert the will of the people as freely expressed in their votes of yesterday,” he said.
He asked Nigerians to be calm but vigilant to ensure that “anti-democratic elements who are masquerading as progressives do not steal their mandate”.
In a tragic development, one person was reportedly shot dead in Idanre , Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State on Sunday at the collation centre.
It was gathered that the deceased, Akinlabi Akinnaso, popularly known as Oluomo, was allegedly killed by the security agents guarding the electoral commission’s office
An eyewitness said the deceased, a businessman in Akure and PDP supporter in Idanre, was shot by the security agents during a scuffle on the premises of the INEC office.
According to him, the deceased had gone to the collation centre to inquire about the result of the House of Representatives election but was killed during a scuffle with a security officer.
The source said, “The deceased was not a political thug but he is a supporter of the PDP. He went to the collation centre when the officials of the INEC did not announce the results of the election in the local government on time on Sunday morning.
“When he got there he argued with the security men on duty at the centre. They asked him to leave the premises but he refused, so it was during the scuffle that one of the security men shot him in the stomach and he died.
It was gathered that his remains had been deposited at the mortuary of the Ondo State General Hospital, Idanre.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami said, “I heard about it but can’t confirm the incident for now but I will call the DPO of Idanre to confirm and get the details.”
Former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji, has described Pastor Jerry Uchechukwu Eze as an exceptional man of God whose ministry has made a profound impact on humanity.
In a birthday congratulatory message issued on Saturday, August 22, 2026, Orji paid glowing tribute to the Senior Pastor of Streams of Joy International and Convener of the New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declaration (NSPPD).
“Your faith, selfless service, wisdom and commitment to the work of God continue to inspire countless lives. Your ministry has been a source of hope, guidance and spiritual upliftment to many,” Orji said.
The former Speaker further described Pastor Jerry Eze as a highly revered servant of God who is truly filled with the Holy Spirit, noting that testimonies of miracles, signs and wonders consistently follow the NSPPD prayer sessions.
While wishing the celebrant a happy birthday, Orji prayed that God would continue to increase him in ministry, wisdom, knowledge and understanding, and grant him long life in peace and happiness.
The Anambra state police command has arrested a suspect for allegedly impersonating, False Representation of Mr Linus Williams “BLord” and defrauding members of the public.
According to the charges of false representation using the name of Blood to defraud the public the 22 year old young man Hillary Tochukwu Enujekwu from Okpanam in Delta state is accused of committing the crime punishable under Section 386 of the Criminal Code , Cap 36 , Vol 2 Revised Law of Anambra state of Nigeria 1991.
However the Magistrate Court did not sit on this Friday and the accused was returned to the State Criminal Investigation Department Amawbia.
Speaking to reporters Mr Linus William aka Blord confirmed that the accused had been using a fake TikTok handle claiming that he is Blord adding that he is not active on TikTok and is yet to verify his TikTok.
“I am at the Magistrate Court Amawbia in respect of a matter that was brought to the Court over a young man that has been using my videos and my pictures to defraud the public for the past three years”
“He has been n notorious on TikTok and he has about 11 million likes on TikTok and about 870,000 or there about followers on TikTok”
“Meanwhile my original TikTok has about 150,000 followers with 1,5million likes but this young man has about 11.6 million and that is ten times of my profile and people take his profile as the real Blord profile and they have been transacting with him and defrauded more than 100 people millions of naira and dollars ”
“Many of them came to the station to write their statements and the young man has confessed and agreed to the crime and the family has been begging for us to know how to settle the matter”.
“We came to Court today but the Court did not sit and they are taking the boy back to Police custody State Criminal Investigation Department where he is being remanded”
William recalled that when the matter came up, he reported to the Police who took action and arrested boy and invited him over to come and see the suspect .
“We went through his phone and all the videos on his phone are my videos, the number that he has been using to defraud them and once you call that number his number will ring and he used it to defraud people running into millions, 1,000 dollars , 3,000 dollar’s 5 million at different scenario and people believe that I was the one that defrauded them”.
“When he defraud the victims he will tell them to come to the office and we have nine different branches of my office and when they come we tell them that it not Blord profile” he said.
William thanked the Police for a job well done addin that he is innocent of those allegations against him.
William further explained that his outfit is verifiable on Instagram adding that his TikTok is yet to be activated .
“The Blord is on Instagram and I have a verify Instagram and verified Facebook but am not on TikTok and I am working towards verifying myself on TikTok”
“For you to get a legitimate Blord, make sure that the profile is verified and and if you feel doubted, we have office in nine major Cities and one should be close to you and you can come to the office and do your transactions ” he said.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer SP Tochukwu Ikenga said that the matter is before the Court of law hence cannot comment on it .
News
2027: Mandate Group Endorses ex Abia Speaker Chinedum Orji for Ikwuano/Umuahia Fed Constituency Seat
The Ikuku 2027 Mandate Group has endorsed former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji, as its preferred candidate to represent Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in 2027.
In a statement titled, “Representation with Experience, Legislation with Results: The Ikwuano/Umuahia Compact for 2027,” the group said its position followed what it described as a careful assessment of aspirants seeking to represent the constituency.
According to the group, Orji stood out on the basis of his experience, capacity, character and record of public service, having previously served as Leader and Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly.
The group said its support for the former Speaker was based on what it described as a desire to take tested legislative experience to the National Assembly.
“We are presenting Rt. Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji to represent our Federal Constituency in 2027. This is not a campaign of noise. It is a campaign of structure, law, and delivery,” the group stated.
It said Orji’s experience in presiding over legislative debates, passing budgets and exercising oversight over the executive would equip him to effectively represent the constituency in Abuja.
The group outlined security, economic relief, youth employment, education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture and transparency as key areas of its proposed legislative agenda for the constituency.
On security, it said Orji would support legislation aimed at strengthening community policing, local security architecture and federal intervention against kidnapping and violent crime across Ikwuano, Umuahia North and Umuahia South.
The group also said he would focus on legislation and oversight aimed at reducing the cost of doing business, improving access to credit for small and medium-scale enterprises and protecting households through scrutiny of policies affecting fuel and electricity costs.
On youth development, the group said the proposed agenda would seek to connect young people in the constituency to federal employment, entrepreneurship and skills-development programmes, including initiatives of the National Directorate of Employment and the Bank of Industry.
It added that education and healthcare would also feature prominently, with plans to advocate increased intervention in schools, expand access to scholarships and bursaries, and pursue improvements in primary healthcare and federal health infrastructure across the three local government areas.
The Ikuku 2027 Mandate Group further said Orji would use legislative engagement, budgetary advocacy and oversight to pursue federal road, electrification and water projects in the constituency.
“A legislator does not build a road, but he fights for it in the budget and monitors it,” the group stated, adding that quarterly reports on approved projects and their implementation would form part of its proposed accountability framework.
On agriculture, the group said the agenda would focus on policies supporting agro-processing, storage facilities, access to agricultural grants and improved market access for farmers, particularly in Ikwuano.
It also promised an open and accessible representation model, including annual scorecards, town-hall meetings across the three LGAs and a public tracker for constituency interventions.
The group said women, persons with disabilities and other underrepresented groups would also feature in its inclusion agenda, alongside support for women-owned businesses and girls’ education.
It further argued that the constituency deserved stronger federal presence, including more intervention programmes, training centres, agencies and infrastructure projects.
According to the group, its 2027 campaign would be built around ward-level engagement, policy town halls and what it described as data-driven voter outreach.
“Sloganeering gets attention. Campaigning gets results. And with Chinedum, you get both,” it stated.
The group described the proposed agenda as a “compact” with the people of Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South, built around legislation, effective oversight, accessible representation and transparency.
“This is our contract with you: Legislation that protects. Oversight that delivers. Representation that is accessible. In 2027, vote for experience that has led, and leadership that will legislate,” the group stated.
It adopted the campaign message: “Ikwuano/Umuahia First. Experience That Works.”
The statement reads in full
REPRESENTATION WITH EXPERIENCE, LEGISLATION WITH RESULTS: The Ikwuano/Umuahia Compact for 2027″
BY IKUKU 2027 MANDATE GROUP
1. THE VERDICT AFTER SCRUTINY
After a careful examination and scrutiny of all those aspiring to represent Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency, and after weighing verifiable empirical indices of service, capacity, and character, one name stands clearly above the rest: Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji. He stands out as the most suitable because he has distinguished himself as a man of independent mind, tested experience, natural charisma, loyal followership, and above all, a human heart that beats for the people. In a race where many talk, he has a record to show.
2. THE MANDATE
We are presenting Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji to represent our Federal Constituency in 2027. This is not a campaign of noise. It is a campaign of structure, law, and delivery. Having served as Leader and Speaker at the subnational level, he understands how to turn the voice of the people into laws that actually work.
3. WHY EXPERIENCE MATTERS
As former Leader and Speaker, Chinedum presided over debates, passed budgets, and held the executive to account. That is the experience we are taking to Abuja: the skill to draft bills, build consensus across party lines, and ensure our constituency is not just present, but influential in the National Assembly.
4. SECURITY OF LIVES AND PROPERTY
For us, the first duty is safety. Chinedum will sponsor and support legislation to strengthen community policing, support local security architecture, and increase federal intervention against kidnapping and violent crime across Ikwuano and the two Umuahia LGAs. A safe constituency is a productive constituency.
5. THE ECONOMY AND COST OF LIVING
Food, transport, and power costs are biting our people. His focus will be on laws that reduce the cost of doing business for our traders in Umuahia markets, support SMEs with access to credit, and protect households through oversight of fuel subsidy reforms and electricity tariff structures. We are legislating relief, not just talking about it.
6. JOBS, YOUTH AND SKILLS
Youth unemployment is not a slogan to Chinedum. It is a policy problem. He will push for a Federal Constituency Skills and Entrepreneurship Act to link our young people to NDE, BOI, and digital job programs. Internships, vocational centers, and startup support will be tracked quarterly and reported back to the people.
7. EDUCATION AS A FOUNDATION
From primary schools in Ikwuano to tertiary access in Umuahia, education must work. He will advocate for increased UBEC and TETFund releases to our schools, sponsor bills for STEM (Science , Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) and vocational education, and establish a transparent constituency scholarship and bursary scheme tied to merit and need.
8. HEALTHCARE THAT REACHES YOU
Our PHCs must have drugs, staff, and power. Chinedum will use legislative oversight to ensure NHIA ( National Health Insurance Authority) enrollment drives reach our wards, push for constituency health bills, and lobby for federal health infrastructure upgrades in our three LGAs. No mother should die giving life.
9. POWER AND INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH LAW
A legislator does not build a road, but he fights for it in the budget and monitors it. Chinedum will lobby for the inclusion of key Ikwuano-Umuahia roads, rural electrification, and water projects in federal budgets, and he will publish quarterly reports on what was approved and what was delivered. Oversight is his promise.
10. AGRICULTURE AND MARKET ACCESS
Ikwuano’s farmland and Umuahia’s markets are economic engines. He will support legislation for agro-processing, storage facilities, and easier access to federal agricultural grants. We will connect farmers to markets and reduce post-harvest losses through policy, not promises.
11. GOOD GOVERNANCE AND TRANSPARENCY
Having been Speaker, Chinedum knows how budgets are padded and projects disappear. He will run an open office: annual scorecards, town halls in all three LGAs, and a public tracker for all constituency interventions. The people must see where the money goes.
12. WOMEN AND INCLUSION
Legislation must reflect everyone. He will champion bills that support women in business, protect girls’ education, and ensure 35% inclusion of women and PWDs in constituency appointments and programs. Representation without inclusion is incomplete.
13. FEDERAL PRESENCE FOR OUR CONSTITUENCY
We deserve more federal projects and institutions. Chinedum will use his legislative relationships to attract agencies, training centers, and intervention programs to Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South. Our size and capital city status must translate to federal advantage.
14. CAMPAIGNS, NOT JUST SLOGANS
Let’s be clear: electioneering is more than chants. This campaign will be built on ward-to-ward engagement, policy town halls, and data-driven voter outreach. Yes, we will have a message you can remember. But behind every slogan will be a bill number, a budget line, and a plan. Sloganeering gets attention. Campaigning gets results. And with Chinedum, you get both.
15. THE COMPACT
This is our contract with you: Legislation that protects. Oversight that delivers. Representation that is accessible. In 2027, vote for experience that has led, and leadership that will legislate.
“Ikwuano/Umuahia First. Experience That Works.”
Hon. Alex Mascot Ikwechegh, Member representing Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as “responsive leadership” following the Federal Government’s decision to accelerate implementation of the 2026 budget.
Speaking on Magic FM, Aba, on Thursday, Ikwechegh said the renewed push to release funds to Ministries, Departments and Agencies demonstrated that the President listens to the legislature.
“Mr. President has shown he is a listening President who has the interest of the nation at heart. He did not see our concerns as opposition. He saw them as part of our job to ensure Nigerians get value for money,” the lawmaker stated.
Ikwechegh had earlier drawn national attention after raising a motion on the floor of the House over delays in budget releases despite appropriations passed by the National Assembly. The intervention sparked debate among lawmakers over the slow pace of capital project execution.
The Federal Government has since announced measures to fast-track releases under the 2026 Appropriation Act, which provides for an aggregate expenditure of ₦68.32 trillion, with ₦32.2 trillion earmarked for capital expenditure.
According to Ikwechegh, legislative oversight is most effective when it produces concrete results.
“Our job is to speak firmly when policies are not working, and to also acknowledge when government takes corrective action. That is how the executive and legislature serve the people together,” he said.
The Abia lawmaker stressed that the real test of the budget lies in delivery — completed roads, functional hospitals, jobs for youths, and improved services across constituencies.
He expressed optimism that with improved coordination between the National Assembly and the Presidency, Nigerians will increasingly begin to feel the impact of the 2026 budget as implementation gathers momentum.
Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan was the front-runner after last month’s first informal vote, in which the council’s 15 members, including the five with veto power, pass judgment in secret on the candidates.
Argentina’s Rafael Grossi — the current head of the UN nuclear watchdog — is also a candidate along with Chile’s Michelle Bachelet, Ecuador’s Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Uganda’s Olara Otunnu and Senegal’s Macky Sall.
After the first round concluded, Ecuador’s Ivonne A-Baki threw her hat into the race to succeed Antonio Guterres, who will complete his second five-year term on December 31, 2026.
“While the first straw poll set the scene for the Secretary-General race, the second may give us some direction about where it is headed,” said the International Crisis Group’s Daniel Forti.
“Diplomats expect fluctuations in the vote distribution compared to the July poll. Most will be watching to see whether the early front-runners consolidate their support or slip in the standings.
“It is unlikely that any candidate will emerge from (Friday’s) poll with a decisive lead.”
Forti said the veto-wielding nations — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — might wait until later to express their preferences, while new contenders could emerge.
Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said Thursday he could not rule out that possibility.
“If, for example — I’m speculating now — if there is a deadlock on any of the candidates we are seeing today, if nobody… flies, then I think that we may see other candidates as well,” Nebenzia said.
Even if a candidate earns the required nine votes from the 15 available in the Security Council, they must also avoid a veto by the five major powers, which are deeply divided.
Once a candidate clears those bars, their name will go to the General Assembly of all UN members for confirmation.
The Security Council straw poll was devised in the early 1980s in an attempt to break a deadlock between two candidates shut down by vetoes.
The informal mechanism has persisted, in various forms, despite criticism from countries opposed to the opaque process.
“There is a good chance that some nominees realise after (Friday’s) vote that their campaigns have reached the end of the road,” Forti added.
Each member state must anonymously assign each candidate one of three labels: “encourage,” “discourage,” or “no opinion.”
That would give those with no support the opportunity to withdraw — though they are not obliged.
In the first rounds of the process expected to take several weeks, all ballots are the same colour.
But after an unspecified number of votes, the ballots of the five permanent members will become a different colour from those of the elected members, making it possible to identify potential vetoes, without knowing which country blackballed any given candidate.
It is tradition that the UN’s top job should rotate between different regions.
Under that premise, the role should go to a candidate from Latin America this time. There are many candidates from the region, though Sall and Otunnu hail from Africa.
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