Former presidential spokesperson and Arise TV anchor, Reuben Abati, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to explain to Nigerians why the Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, allegedly served as the commission’s observer in the just concluded Ekiti State governorship election.

DAILY POST reports that the Edo APC Chairman, Jarret Tenebe, was captured in a viral video wearing a vest associated with INEC while allegedly serving as an accredited election observer.

The development has sparked controversies with concerned Nigerians accusing the electoral umpire of rigging the election in favour of the ruling party.

Reacting during the Morning Show Program on Tuesday, Abati questioned how Tenebe was accredited to serve as an INEC observer.

He said, “The APC chairman who was adorned in INEC accredited uniform, I probably think that is for fashion but the election observers are supposed to be non-partisan.

“They should be neutral and unbiased, that is why many of them are drawn from non-governmental organizations.

“But the APC chairman is a partisan person wearing an INEC uniform. That is the source of the controversy. INEC owes Nigerians an explanation.

“How did the uniform get to him? Who accredited him as an observer? Under what circumstances did he become an observer?”

A chieftain of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Seye Oladejo, has said the just-concluded governorship election in Ekiti State is a wake-up call to all politicians and political parties in Nigeria.

Oladejo said the election has shown that elections are won at the polling units through Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, and not on social media.

Oladejo said the election was a reminder that while social media remains an important platform for political engagement, opinion moulding and information dissemination, it is not a substitute for grassroots political mobilisation, voter education and the painstaking task of earning the trust and confidence of the electorate.

In a statement he signed tagged, ‘Ekiti 2026: When the PVC Defeated Social Media Hype’, Oladejo said: “The outcome of the Ekiti State governorship election has once again reinforced a timeless lesson in democratic politics: elections are won at the polling units by voters armed with their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), not on social media timelines dominated by hashtags and viral sentiments.

“The election serves as a fitting reminder that while social media remains an important platform for political engagement, opinion moulding, and information dissemination, it is not a substitute for grassroots political mobilisation, voter education, and the painstaking task of earning the trust and confidence of the electorate.

“For too long, there has been a growing tendency in our political environment to mistake digital popularity for electoral strength. A loud online presence, trending conversations, and coordinated social media campaigns may create an illusion of widespread support, but the ultimate test of political relevance lies in the ability to convert goodwill into actual votes.”

He noted that the just-concluded governorship election in Ekiti State has reinforced the believe that an average electorate is becoming independent-minded.

Oladejo said: “The Ekiti governorship election has once again demonstrated that the average Nigerian voter is discerning and increasingly independent-minded. The people evaluate candidates not merely on the basis of online narratives but on competence, credibility, track record, and their perceived capacity to address the pressing challenges confronting society.

“This election has also reaffirmed the enduring relevance of political structures and community engagement. Democracy is fundamentally a people-driven process that thrives on direct interaction, door-to-door campaigns, stakeholder consultations, and consistent engagement with the electorate. Political parties that neglect grassroots mobilisation in favour of social media grandstanding do so at their own peril.

“The lesson from Ekiti extends beyond the state’s boundaries. It is particularly instructive as political actors begin to intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections. The temptation to confuse digital activism with electoral supremacy must be resisted. Social media can amplify messages, shape narratives, and energise supporters, but it cannot replace the indispensable role of PVCs and active voter participation.

“The election result is therefore a triumph of democratic participation and a victory for citizens who exercised their civic responsibility peacefully and responsibly. It is a testament to the fact that democracy belongs to those who participate, not merely to those who comment from the sidelines.”

He insisted that the experience gathered from the Ekiti State governorship election would serve as a wakeup call for politicians and political parties ahead of the upcoming off-cycle elections.

“As we move closer to another electoral cycle, the Ekiti experience should serve as a wake-up call to politicians and political parties across the country. The road to electoral success remains what it has always been: building trust among the people, articulating credible programmes, maintaining an effective grassroots presence, and encouraging citizens to obtain and use their Permanent Voters Cards.

“Ultimately, the Ekiti State governorship election will be remembered not simply for who won and who lost, but for the powerful message it delivered to Nigeria’s political class-that in a democracy, the Permanent Voters Card remains more potent than social media hype. The ballot, not the hashtag, remains the true currency of political power,” he added.

Following the unresolved internal wrangling within the All Progressive Congress,APC, resulting from the recently concluded primaries in Kebbi State, the Senator representing Kebbi South, Garba Musa Maidoki, has defected from the ruling party to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Maidoki who chairs the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance and serves as the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation cited unresolved internal wrangling within the APC following the just concluded primaries as the reason for his action.
Madoki was among the lawmakers screened out of the primaries.

Senator Maidoki stated that his decision followed, “wide consultations with constituents” in a letter addressed to the Senate President and read during Tuesday’s plenary.

He explained that his action was triggered by protracted problems arising from the APC primaries

The Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, who presided over the plenary, urged the lawmaker to step down his defection to allow room for reconciliation as the APC in Kebbi does not have a fundamental crisis and that Maidoki’s grievances could be resolved internally.

Barau said, “I wish to intervene and plead with the distinguished senator to rescind his decision. There is no internal problem in the APC in Kebbi State. This is more of a family dispute and we can reconcile. I move that this defection be stepped down for reconciliation.”

Maidoki rejected the intervention, saying that he had already made up his mind as his exit adds to a string of defections from the APC to the ADC in recent months, with discontent over party primaries and internal disputes pushing some lawmakers toward the opposition.

The ADC has increasingly positioned itself as an alternative for politicians aggrieved by the ruling party’s internal processes ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Maidoki’s defection is likely to deepen those divisions and significantly alter the political calculation in Kebbi South.