International
Foreign Observers Say Nigeria’s Democracy Is Still Troubled With Electoral Failures

Washington, DC – based National Democratic Institute (NDI) and International Republican Institute (IRI) Joint International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) say that the democracy in Nigeria is still fraught with elections failures.
This is after 24 years of the country’s modern democracy which began in 1999.
NDI IRI , in its final report on the 2023 General Elections in Nigeria, released today, also offers practical recommendations for consideration by Nigerian stakeholders and partners to promote a resilient and inclusive democracy in the country.
In the report signed by Paulina Chavez Alonzo, Press Secretary National Democratic Institute, noted that while there were incremental improvements in election administration, advances in results transparency, increased competitiveness in the presidential race, quality engagement of youth, and overall optimism generated by the enactment of the Electoral Act 2022, the 2023 elections in Nigeria fell short of citizens’ legitimate and reasonable expectations.
It said: ” Significant logistical, technological, and communications failures by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), divisive rhetoric by political parties, political violence, regional disparities in electoral integrity, instances of vote manipulation, and marginalization of key populations marred the electoral process and disenfranchised voters negatively impacted on key aspects of the election process.
” The elections also saw the lowest turnout for national contests in Nigeria’s modern democratic history with only 27 percent of registered voters participating.
“The incoming government, lawmakers, INEC, and political parties will need to show genuine and renewed dedication to improving electoral and democratic processes, fighting corruption, and providing Nigerian citizens with responsive and trusted institutions.
Nigerians must undertake collective actions to combat disenchantment, address lingering political grievances, and restore faith in elections and democracy as a whole,” the final report states.
The report includes key findings on the pre-election, election day and post-election periods and offers practical recommendations for consideration by Nigerian stakeholders and partners to promote a resilient and inclusive democracy.
The IEOM found that there is still space to confront electoral integrity challenges and build on the gains of recent reforms, but only through demonstrable political will, good faith, and committed and coordinated efforts among Nigerian stakeholders.
This report is based on information gathered by the joint NDI/IRI Nigeria international election observation mission, which was present in Nigeria from June 2022 to May 2023.
The 40-person election day delegation observed the polls in 20 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FTC).
It was led by a distinguished team including Her Excellency Dr. Joyce Banda, former president of Malawi, and Ambassador Mark Green, former Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
International
BREAKING: Duchess of Kent Passes Away at 92

Britain’s Duchess of Kent, who was known for her links to the Wimbledon tennis tournament, has died at 92, Buckingham Palace said on Friday.
The duchess, born Katharine Worsley into an aristocratic Yorkshire family in northern England, was married to the Duke of Kent, a first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
For many years, she presented the trophies to the winners at Wimbledon.
“It is with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace announces the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
“The King and Queen and all members of The Royal Family join The Duke of Kent, his children and grandchildren in mourning their loss and remembering fondly The Duchess’s life-long devotion to all the organisations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people,” it added.
The Union Flag at Buckingham Palace was lowered to half-mast at midday as a mark of respect.
AFP
Health
Rumours of Trump’s ill health spread online despite denial

From manipulated images to out-of-context photos, false claims that Donald Trump is seriously ill — or even dead — have swirled online, with the misinformation persisting even after the US president publicly rejected it on Tuesday.
At a White House press conference, Trump dismissed social media rumours about his health as “fake news,” following the 79-year-old’s noticeable absence from public appearances and press events last week.
Since last Friday, there were around 104,000 mentions of the hashtag “Trump dead” on the Elon Musk-owned platform X, generating a cumulative 35.3 million views, according to an analysis from the misinformation watchdog NewsGuard.
Some social media users cited online maps purportedly showing road closures near Maryland’s Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre as evidence that Trump was being treated for a serious ailment at the facility.
But there were no credible reports of road closures around the medical facility.
Other social media users shared an image of an ambulance parked outside the White House, claiming it was taken last month and citing it as evidence of a health crisis involving Trump.
It was actually an old photo posted by a journalist on X in April 2023 — while Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, was still in office, according to NewsGuard.
Some users claiming that Trump was dead shared an out-of-context image of the White House flag flying at half-staff, a traditional gesture used to honour the death of a prominent official.
In reality, Trump had issued a proclamation last week ordering flags at the White House, military posts, and naval stations across the country to be lowered in honour of the victims of a school shooting in Minneapolis.
Some users also posted a zoomed-in image of Trump’s face, claiming it showed a deep line above his eye that indicated a recent stroke.
But NewsGuard found that the original image was out of focus and showed no signs of a line over Trump’s eye. The image used in the false posts was digitally enhanced using an AI tool.
The misinformation — which appeared to originate from liberal anti-Trump accounts on X, Bluesky, and Instagram — persisted even after Trump stated on Truth Social over the weekend: “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE.”
The falsehoods continued to circulate following Trump’s press conference on Tuesday, where he publicly dismissed the health rumours.
Shortly after the conference, one Bluesky account falsely claimed that the “White House just announced” the president was dead.
The falsehoods highlight how facts are increasingly under assault on a misinformation-filled internet landscape, an issue exacerbated by public distrust of institutions and traditional media.
The health of US presidents has always been closely watched, but with the White House seeing its two oldest ever occupants since 2017, the scrutiny is now heavier than ever.
Trump — the oldest man ever to be elected US president — has alleged that Democrats covered up the mental and physical decline of Biden, who was 82 when he left office in January.
Biden’s health was a key issue in the 2024 election, and the then-president was forced to drop his campaign for a second term after a disastrous debate performance against Trump.
AFP
International
Nestle Sacks Global CEO Over Office Romance
In a statement, Nestle said Freixe’s departure on Monday, September 1, 2025, follows an investigation overseen by Chairman Paul Bulcke and Lead Independent Director Pablo Isla into an undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate, which breached the company’s code of business conduct.

•Laurent Freixe
Nestlé has sacked its global Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Laurent Freixe, for an office romantic relationship with a subordinate, which breached the company’s code of business conduct.
Nestle said that it had appointed veteran insider Philipp Navratil, who had headed the Nespresso coffee unit, as Freixe’s successor with immediate effect.
In a statement, Nestle said Freixe’s departure on Monday, September 1, 2025, follows an investigation overseen by Chairman Paul Bulcke and Lead Independent Director Pablo Isla into an undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate, which breached the company’s code of business conduct.
“This was a necessary decision. Nestle’s values and governance are strong foundations of our company. I thank Laurent for his years of service,” Bulcke said in a statement.
According to Reuters , the shock departure threatens more volatility for Nestle amid a tough consumer environment and the disruptive United States trade tariffs.
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