Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has suffered severe criticism from Nigerians over his alleged role in manipulating the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.
Nigerians, during the “#CurseMahmoodYakubuDay”, rained curses on Okoye, alleging that he deceived Nigerians into believing that the presidential election was going to be a credible exercise.
Okoye was also accused of ‘giving Nigerians his word’ on the use of IReV to transmit election results from the polling centers.
A cross-section of disgruntled Nigerians dissatisfied with the result of the polls, argued that the voting choices of voters were subverted.
The election that produced President Bola Tinubu of the APC as the winner, defeating Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, was described by many as the “worst election” in the history of Nigeria.
Berating Okoye over his alleged role in the turn of events of the election, JayPee stated on X, “Festus Okoye went to every media house and lied that the 2023 presidential election results would be transmitted to IReV in real-time.
“On election day, the IReV portal was shut down to favour their anointed drug baron and certificate forger!”
Raining curses on the INEC staff, Johnson Agiriga stated, “The era is gone where the evil that men do lives after them.
“Festus Okoye and Mahmoud Yakubu’s evil deeds will live with them and their families.
“Cursed they have become, and forever cursed they shall remain.”
For Blessed Frank, he prayed, “Festus Okoye, for bearing fake witness to upturn the will of the people, your life will be visited with pain and mourning. It shall not be well with you.”
Accusing the INEC chiefs of subverting the election result, Aka Ekpachi Onwa rained curses on both the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, and Okoye, saying, “Dear Mahmood, Cursed be you and Festus Okoye for any role you all played in truncating the electoral process.
“Any bribes collected will never be enough to treat the incurable diseases that will befall you all for causing Nigerians this hardship.”
Accusing him and the INEC boss of receiving bribes to subvert the election, Ikuku Onyeluauka said, “You can’t mention Yakubu without Festus Okoye; both men were dishing out lies upon lies, deceiving Nigeria after collecting over 80 billion.”
For Didi Joy, “My God, if what M.Yakubu, Festus Okoye, and the Judges did to Nigeria on February 25th, 2023, is right in your sight, may they succeed in whatever they do, but if what they did was against your will and the will of the people, may all the curses released on them today answer on their heads.”
In his reaction, Eromosele noted, “Mahmood Yakubu, RCCG Pastor Bayode, Festus Okoye, and all others in INEC, on this day, February 25, may all the wishes on your heads from Nigerians be answered, and may your sins stand against you always.”
Speaking in an interview on Channels Televisionion, the INEC national commissioner stated that “there was a glitch in the timing of uploading the presidential election result.”
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
