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Ola Olukoyede Cautions Nigerians Against Vote Buying, Money Politics
Ola Olukoyede Cautions Nigerians Against Vote Buying, Money Politics
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has called on Nigerians from all walks of life to work collaboratively towards ensuring peaceful, credible and transparent elections, warning that vote buying and other forms of financial inducement remain major threats to democratic governance.
Olukoyede made the call in Ilorin, Kwara State on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 while delivering the inaugural lecture of the High-Level Guest Speakers’ Series organised by the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, CPSS, University of Ilorin, themed “Mobilising Critical Stakeholders for Setting the Agenda for Peaceful and Credible 2027 Elections in Nigeria.”
The EFCC Chairman stressed that the Commission was firmly committed to combating the monetisation of the electoral process, describing vote buying, vote selling, and other forms of financial influence as practices that undermine democracy and good governance.
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He pointed out that political leaders who secure office through financial inducement are more likely to focus on recovering their investments rather than serving the public interest.
“The EFCC is opposed to commercialization of votes not only for the reason that it is a financial crime, it weakens the foundation for good governance by compromising the political recruitment process. Leaders who pay their way into public office are unlikely to prioritise public good and accountability. Rather, recouping their investments becomes the overarching objective, to the detriment of the common good”, he said.
He disclosed that the EFCC had recorded several arrests, prosecutions, and convictions of electoral offenders in recent years, including politicians, electoral officials, and citizens involved in vote-buying schemes. He assured Nigerians that the Commission would intensify efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections, stressing that vote buying remains a financial crime that would be prosecuted without fear or favour.
Concerning electoral corruption, the EFCC’s boss stated that it had become increasingly sophisticated, with perpetrators now deploying covert methods, coded communications, and off-site arrangements to influence voters. “Vote buying manifests not just through financial inducement of voters but also through other material and commodity offers. Investigations are pointing to the fact that some of these criminal activities are no longer being carried out in the open.
They are not even being done on election days. Codes are being used covertly. Linkages are being established with voters outside the electoral frameworks, all in a bid to influence them to follow some fraudulent routes. We are aware of all these antics and we are prepared to safeguard the integrity of our elections”, he said
The anti-graft czar identified stronger collaboration among stakeholders, enforcement of electoral laws, issue-based campaigns, media responsibility, impartial security operations, and effective conflict-resolution mechanisms as critical ingredients for credible elections.
He urged political parties to build consensus around decency in campaigns and collectively reject vote buying, noting that inflammatory rhetoric and divisive politics had contributed to electoral violence in previous election cycles.
Olukoyede also challenged the media to play a more proactive role in exposing electoral corruption, particularly vote-buying networks, while urging security agencies to maintain professionalism and neutrality throughout the electoral process. He maintained that proactive and coordinated security arrangements would significantly reduce electoral risks and enhance public confidence in the democratic process.

Ola Olukoyede
Earlier, the Director of CPSS, G. A. Animasawun said the lecture series was conceived to provide a strategic platform for stakeholders to identify and address threats to Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 elections. He noted that the Centre was determined to move beyond academic discourse by fostering practical solutions capable of strengthening electoral integrity, peace, and national security.
In his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, described electoral corruption as a major national security threat and called for stronger institutional collaboration to prevent electoral malpractice. He commended the EFCC under Olukoyede’s leadership for adopting a preventive approach to electoral corruption and proposed a strategic partnership between the Commission and the CPSS to deepen research, training and policy development on the nexus between electoral corruption and national security.
The event drew participants from the electoral management body, security agencies, civil society organisations, academia, the media, and other key stakeholders committed to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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Anthony Joshua Dedicates Comeback Victory To Friends Killed In Ogun Crash
Anthony Joshua Dedicates Comeback Victory To Friends Killed In Ogun Crash
Nigerian-British heavyweight boxer, Anthony Joshua, has dedicated his victory over Kristian Prenga to his late friends and trainers, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, after overcoming two knockdowns to secure a second-round knockout win.
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The bout, watched online, marked Joshua’s first fight since a car crash in Ogun State, Nigeria, in December claimed the lives of Ghami, his strength and conditioning coach, and Ayodele, his personal trainer.
Joshua entered the ring wearing camouflage attire bearing the names of the deceased coaches in their honour.
Speaking after the fight, the former world heavyweight champion described the victory as a tribute to their memory.
“It’s what champions do. We rise, we get knocked down and we stand up and keep going. That’s life.
“It was more than punch power. That was spirit, that was Latz, that was Sina and their families. It still hurts to talk about it. It’s been tough,” he said.
Joshua, who started the contest as the overwhelming favourite, suffered a dramatic opening round after Prenga knocked him down twice within the first three minutes.
However, the British boxer recovered to dominate the contest, eventually stopping the Albanian in the second round to remain on course for a highly anticipated showdown with fellow Briton Tyson Fury.
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, praised the former champion’s resilience, describing his performance as remarkable given the personal tragedy he had endured.
“To even step into the ring was astonishing,” Hearn said.
He added that Joshua had used his training camp to remain focused while coping with grief, noting that the fighter had shown exceptional determination after being knocked down twice.
Hearn also confirmed that contracts had been been signed for the long-awaited heavyweight clash between Joshua and Fury, although the date and venue have yet to be announced.

Anthony Joshua
Fury, who defeated 46-year-old Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday, did not attend Joshua’s fight as he returned to the Isle of Man after his bout.
“I respect everything he has achieved, but this is the fight we’ve been calling for and now we’re here.
“I hope the fans will enjoy it.
“I’ve learned that I can’t be stopped, I won’t be denied, and we’re coming.” Joshua added.
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Babachir Lawal: Obi-Kwankwaso Ticket Has 70% Chance Of Winning In 2027 election
Babachir Lawal: Obi-Kwankwaso Ticket Has 70% Chance Of Winning In 2027 election
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has said a joint presidential ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso has a stronger chance of winning the 2027 presidential election than if both politicians had chosen to contest separately.
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Lawal made the remarks during an interview with Symfoni TV released on Saturday.
According to him, an Obi-Kwankwaso ticket would stand a 70 per cent chance of victory, while he predicted that President Bola Tinubu would have a 50 per cent chance and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar would lose.
“Peter Obi will try to be fair to everybody. Peter Obi will try to do that which is right. Peter Obi, Kwankwaso, take note, I’m pairing them. I’m pairing them. Individually will be disaster, but I’m pairing them.
“So I’ll give them, on my own scale, close to like 70 per cent. Again, Bola, 50. Atiku, zero,” Lawal said.
“Definitely, Atiku will lose. He will, and I pray he loses. I’m not the only one, and he will lose,” he said.
Lawal’s comments come after his fallout with Atiku following his resignation from the African Democratic Congress.

Obi, Kwankwaso
The former SGF has repeatedly alleged that the ADC presidential primary that produced Atiku as the party’s candidate was marred by widespread irregularities, claims the party has not officially accepted.
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ICPC: Responsible Data Handling Is Inseparable From Our Anti-Corruption Mandate
ICPC: Responsible Data Handling Is Inseparable From Our Anti-Corruption Mandate
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, has affirmed that responsible data handling is inseparable from the Commission’s anti-corruption mandate, stressing that public trust depends not only on the Commission’s ability to investigate and prosecute corruption-related offences, but also on its capacity to protect personal information entrusted to it.
The Chairman made this known while declaring open a One-Day Sensitization and Awareness Programme on Data Protection and Privacy for officers and staff of the Commission held at the ICPC Headquarters, Abuja.
The programme, themed “Responsible Data Handling: Strengthening Accountability and Preserving Public Trust through Data Protection,” was organised to deepen awareness of responsible data management and strengthen a culture of accountability across the Commission.
Dr. Aliyu, represented by the Director, Legal Services Department, Mr. Henry Emore, noted that the Commission receives, processes, analyses, stores, shares and retains enormous volumes of information in the discharge of its statutory responsibilities, much of which relates to petitioners, suspects, witnesses, complainants, employees, contractors, consultants and members of the public.
According to him, every personal record in the Commission’s custody represents an individual’s dignity, privacy and trust, making it imperative for officers to ensure that such information is handled lawfully, responsibly and securely.
He explained that while data has become one of the most valuable assets in modern governance, enhancing decision-making, service delivery and investigations, its mishandling could expose individuals to harm, compromise investigations, undermine public confidence and damage institutional reputation.
The ICPC Chairman further stated that data protection is no longer the exclusive responsibility of ICT professionals or legal practitioners but has become an essential element of good governance, transparency, accountability and institutional integrity.
Emphasising that responsible data handling is integral to the Commission’s anti-corruption mandate, Dr. Aliyu urged officers to demonstrate integrity in the collection, access, use, disclosure, storage and disposal of personal information, noting that the principles of accountability, fairness, confidentiality and respect for individual rights must guide every aspect of the Commission’s operations.
He disclosed that the Commission has continued to strengthen its internal data protection governance framework through the establishment of the Data Protection and Incident Response Team (DPIRT), comprising officers drawn from various departments and units to identify compliance gaps, promote awareness, improve internal processes, strengthen incident response mechanisms and embed privacy considerations into operational activities.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commission’s Data Protection Officer, Barr. David Nwaze, described the sensitization programme as a strategic initiative designed to reinforce the understanding that data protection is not merely a legal obligation but a professional responsibility and a shared institutional value.
Barr. Nwaze expressed appreciation to the Chairman and the Management of the Commission for their unwavering support towards advancing ICPC’s data protection compliance journey.

ICPC
He urged participants to actively engage in the programme, ask questions, share experiences, and apply the knowledge gained in their daily responsibilities, stressing that protecting personal data is fundamental to safeguarding institutional integrity, preserving public confidence, and strengthening accountability within the Commission.
The event featured two paper presentations titled “Responsible Data Handling: Strengthening Accountability and Preserving Public Trust through Data Protection,” delivered by Mr. Inelegwu Egahi, and “The ICPC–NDPC Collaboration: Leveraging ICPC’s Institutional Mandate to Strengthen Data Protection Compliance in the Public Sector,” presented by a Nigeria Data Protection Commission official, Barr. Babatunde Bamigboye.
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