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Propaganda, Vote Buying Trail Edo Governorship Election- CDD

Published

5 years ago

September 19, 2020

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has released its preliminary finding on the September 19 governorship election in Edo State.

One major highlights of the findings focuses on how the brazen buying of votes by the two major political parties in the election would taint the credibility of the outcome.

At a media briefing to present its key interim findings on the election, CDD Director Idayat Hassan said the nature of vote buying had become more sophisticated as politicians induced voters with such items as Ankara fabric, spaghetti, and cash ranging between N1000 and N5000.

Similarly, the group stressed that the other issue which stood out in the election was the attempt by politicians to shape narratives through the use of propaganda and false narratives on social media.

CDD noted that the high level of propaganda from the political actors, made it difficult for voters to ascertain the truth about what was happening in the electoral terrain.

She said: “CDD observers reported cases where tickets were also given in lieu of cash for voters to vote and then return to use the ticket for collection of the cash.

” In several other cases as reported by our observers, cash of between N1000 and N5000 was distributed to voters who agreed to cast their ballot for the party paying for the vote.”

The pro-democracy think tank lamented that despite the pervasive nature of vote buying during the election, the law enforcement agencies, many of which deployed in big numbers to Edo State, did not deem it necessary to apprehend and prosecute those who engaged in vote buying.

She said there was a need to specify, which of the law enforcement agencies would take responsibility for investigating and prosecuting those involved in the illegal acts of vote buying.

“CDD observer reported that law enforcement officials largely looked the other way while vote buying was going on. No efforts whatsoever were made to bring to book the perpetrators of these acts, which corrupt the electoral process.

” Vote buying was widespread in this election. For instance, CDD observers reported seeing voters discreetly exchanging their voters cards with money from party agents at Polling Unit 8 Ward 2 of Okpon Area of Ovia-Southwest Benin. It was a similar case in Etsako Central Ward: 1 Unit 5 and 6 where voters sold their votes for N1,000.

“The brazen manner with which votes were bought and sold in the open calls to question the relevance of the over 30,000 police officers deployed to enforce the law during the election. CDD is concerned that despite expending time and resources to deploy thousands of law enforcement officials to the electoral space, the officers did nothing in the face of infractions such as vote buying.”

On the arrival of INEC officials, the centre said its observation of the election shows there was late arrival of INEC officials across the state. “The consequence of the late arrival for commenting of polling is that voting started late in most parts of the state.

CDD observers report that the late arrival of poll officials was caused by poor logistics, especially transportation of personnel and election materials to polling units.”

CDD said the late arrival of INEC officials and election materials had an effect on the adherence to COVID-19 directives, as officials tried to rush commencement of the process to make up for lost time.

“This led to the flouting of protocols and directives for COVID-19 prevention. CDD observers reported pockets of protests by ad-hoc staff, who complained over issues such as non-payment of statutory allowances.

“The protests by ad-hoc staff led to lengthy delays in the election. These logistics issues, especially with respect to transportation of personnel and materials to polling units, and claims of non-payment of election workers, have been a recurring theme in the conduct of elections by INEC.”

On compliance to protocols for prevention of COVID-19, CDD stated there was a general non-compliance to key protocols for preventing further spread of the novel Corona Virus. The group said in a number of the exceptional cases where compliance was observed, it was limited mainly to the wearing of face masks.

“The flouting of rule of physical distancing was the order of the day, there was complete inability of INEC to maintain her 2 meter rules as written in her guidelines. It is important that the late arrival of INEC Staff also contributed to the non-compliance with the COVID 19 protocol as the INEC officials in an attempt to rush commencement forgo the processes.”

The group also lamented that INEC poll officials were also reported to have flouted COVID prevention guidelines, with many placing their face masks on the chin, while conducting the election.

CDD said in the light of the risks posed by the COVID-19, INEC should explore further preventive measures by instructing poll officials involved in the conduct of the election to self-isolate, while working with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to test poll workers, who conducted this election.

On incidents of violence in the election, CDD said its observers reported incidents of violence in Ikpoba Okha, Oredo, Esan West and Oriohomwan due to the activities of political thugs who disrupted voting in different polling units.

“In Ologbo, Ikhoba Okha LGA, for example, one person was reported to have been shot while in Ihomwonde LGA, Ward 5 PU 1, 2, and 3, voting process was reported not totally peaceful as conflicts erupted amongst party agents that resulted to disruption of the process.

” In Egor LGA, electoral materials were allegedly hijacked in Ward 9, Unit 15 by political thugs who are hell-bent to subvert the electoral process.

” CDD observers also reported an incident of shooting in Orhionmwon Local Government Area. Party agents were also major drivers of violence in areas with incidents as the engaged in altercations, which later snowballed into fisticuffs.”

The group however said the level of violence was not as widespread as had been envisaged.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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