Nigerian Newspapers Summary: 26 February 2023

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:

1. The Presidential and National Assembly elections were held nationwide on Saturday but they were marred by violence in many parts of the country. The situation led to loss of lives and disruption of the voting process in many areas. In some areas, the Independent National Electoral Commission postponed elections till today (Sunday) over violence.

2. Some lawyers on Saturday faulted the open display of ballot papers by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) and the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, after casting their votes for their preferred candidates.

3. Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission monitoring the presidential and National Assembly polls arrested some suspected vote-buyers in Benue State on Saturday. A lecturer with the Sarwuan Tarka University (formerly known as the University of Agriculture), Makurdi, Dr. Cletus Tyokyaa was one of those arrested.

4. Electorates had to run for their dear lives as thugs stormed the Uwelu polling unit in Benin, Edo State, burning ballot boxes after votes had been cast. As the voting was progressing, it became clear that many of the voters in the ward voted massively for the Labour Party. To avert defeat, the thugs stormed the school to carry out the arson. while many of the electorates had to run away for fear of being molested.

5. Ebeano political family in Enugu State has described as ‘spurious and ridiculous’ allegation by the brother of slain Enugu East Labour Party senatorial candidate, Oyibo Chukwu, that it masterminded his killing. The group is the political movement floated by a former governor of Enugu State and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chimaroke Nnamani.

6. The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Yakubu on Saturday said most of the alleged underage voters seen in viral videos during the election in Kano State might be suffering from stunted growth. Yakubu made the remarks while answering a question over the several footages circulating on social media, wherein some voters who appeared to be underage were seen voting.

7. Suspected Boko Haram terrorists stormed Goza town in Goza Local Government Area of Borno State, on Saturday, disrupting voting exercise. The insurgents struck while voters were participating in the ongoing presidential and parliamentary elections.

8. Peter Obi, Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, has won nine of the polling units inside and around the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Obi won all the polling units while Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) came second and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came third.

9. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will commence the collation of 2023 presidential and parliamentary elections results on Sunday at midday. The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, announced this at a news conference on the 2023 general elections on Saturday in Abuja.

10. Head of the Obi-Datti Media Team, Mr Diran Onifade, yesterday, warned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, against manipulating the electoral process saying it will not accept any presidential election result that is not in tandem with the results issued at the polling units.

This article originally appeared in Daily Post.