Introduction
Born October 18, 1964, Okezie Ikpeazu holds a doctorate degree in Biochemical Pharmacology and was a lecturer in several educational institutions in Nigeria prior to joining politics. He became the governor of Abia state in 2015 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). For eight years, he managed the affairs of “God’s Own State.” On May 29, 2023, he handed over the baton of leadership to Mr Alex Otti, having served his constitutionally-sanctioned two terms.
Preamble
In this report undertaken by Ikengaonline (a non-profit media organisation dedicated to public accountability and good governance) in collaboration with Dataphyte (a data analytics company) under the auspices of Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), and supported by MacArthur Foundation, the eight-year administration of Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, who mounted the saddle as Abia State governor on May 29, 2015, was x-rayed. Specific measurable values were considered, with focus on key sectors of governance – to determine the impact of the administration on the people.
Summary of Performance
Governor Ikpeazu’s performance was assessed across nine critical administrative areas, which collectively represented the entire scope of the research (100 percent). Regrettably, he failed to score a pass in any of the categories (0 percent). Furthermore, he failed in 89 percent of the categories, while in 11 percent of all the assessed criteria, the results were inconclusive and couldn’t be definitively classified as a pass or a fail (Indeterminate).
Full Report
Security
Abia State was plagued with a disturbing wave of insecurity, casting a shadow over the entire South-East region. Among the most troubling issues were the relentless activities of herdsmen, which once turned Abia North into a veritable nightmare for residents until the intervention of a local vigilante group.
Beyond the threat posed by herdsmen, the people of Abia also faced sporadic attacks from various criminal elements, including notorious kidnappers. These incidents left the community on edge, with a palpable fear lingering in the air.
Adding to the turmoil, Abia under Ikpeazu experienced violent clashes between Biafra agitators and security agencies, particularly during the reign of the so-called unknown gunmen. These clashes created a volatile atmosphere, where tensions ran high and conflicts escalated.
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Furthermore, the response from security forces was marked by the excessive use of force against individuals seeking self-determination, resulting in tragic loss of lives. Such heavy-handed tactics only served to exacerbate the already dire situation, deepening the wounds of the community.
To truly grasp the gravity of the situation, we will shed light on a few of the violent attacks that resulted in senseless loss of lives under Mr Ikpeazu.
In December 2016, just a year after Governor Ikpeazu assumed office, Ozuitem Community in Bende Local Government Area fell victim to a gruesome invasion by herdsmen. Scores of locals were injured, and one unfortunate individual named Sunday Oru had his index finger mercilessly severed.
On September 14, 2017, the ancestral home of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, in Afaraukwu Umuahia, faced a military raid. This relentless attack claimed the lives of no fewer than 28 IPOB members within the compound. Tragedy struck again on May 17, 2022, when suspected herdsmen launched an assault on a passenger shuttle along Uturu-Okigwe Road, near the vicinity of Abia State University, Uturu.
The menace of herdsmen reached its peak in Abia North in May 2022 with the shocking abduction of the esteemed Prelate of the Methodist Church, His Eminence Archbishop Samuel Uche, and two priests. Their release came at the staggering price of a N100 million ransom. During a subsequent press conference, the prelate confirmed that their abductors were indeed Fulani herdsmen.
Regrettably, one of the most heinous attacks recorded in the state this year, specifically on May 3, was the beheading of an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) by hoodlums in the Ndiegoro area of Aba. Shockingly, there is no record of any criminal herdsman or non-state actor facing prosecution in Abia State.
The state government under Ikpeazu consistently attributed insecurity to the Federal Government, which maintains control over security agencies. Moreover, the state claimed that heads of security agencies rarely took orders from governors.
Although Abia boasts a local security outfit known as the Abia State Vigilante Service, commonly referred to as Bakassi Boys, the lack of proper motivation severely hampered their efficiency. Despite its recent rebranding as Homeland Security, complete with a dedicated ministry, its effectiveness remained far from satisfactory.
Council Autonomy:
Although in principle, local governments were said to be financially autonomous in Abia, in practice, they did not enjoy any financial autonomy. Our investigation revealed that the state government controlled the finances of LGAs under the guise of the Joint Allocation Committee (JAC), where the councils and state combined their funds for the joint execution of projects in the councils.
Investigations revealed that JAC instead became a drainpipe through which the state siphoned allocations meant for LGAs from the federation account. The practice was that councils received meager amounts from their allocations at the end of each month, primarily for staff salaries, personnel costs, and security votes for the chairman.
The state retained the majority of the allocations, which were often misused, as no significant projects were executed by the state at the third tier of government.
A former head of personnel management (HPM) in the council informed us that LGAs had become “ATM machines for governors” in the state who treated them like private estates.
Supporting this account, a former commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs in the state, who preferred not to be named, stated that governors had cleverly turned JAC into a conduit for siphoning public funds.
He emphasised that the continued operations of JAC had remained a burden for LGAs nationwide. In his words: “The downfall of the local government system in Abia is this so-called joint allocation law. There may have been good intentions behind it, such as developing the councils with a certain percentage of the federation allocation. But what do we see in Abia? We witness a rip-off, We witness daylight robbery, where certain individuals, including the House of Assembly, are even given money from that account. They feed off it.”
Gender inclusivity
Our investigation uncovered a glaring lack of gender inclusivity in the political appointments made by Governor Ikpeazu during his tenure. For instance, in his initial set of commissioners in 2015, out of the 20 appointments, a meager 10 percent represented women, with only two female commissioners, while the remaining 90 percent was made up of men.
During his second tenure in 2019, when he appointed another group of commissioners, only three out of the 25 slots were allocated to women, accounting for a mere 12 percent.
In the last round of commissioner appointments made in the last quarter of 2021, the percentage of women in the State Executive Council actually decreased by 2 percent. Out of the 30 available slots, only three were designated for women, once again bringing the representation back to a disappointing 10 percent. This fell far short of the 35 percent affirmative action – a principle that advocates for a minimum of 35 percent political appointments to be given to women.
Beyond the commissioner positions, women did not receive their fair share in other political appointments such as board chairpersons, heads of parastatals and agencies, with the exception of permanent secretaries and judicial officers, which were predominantly based on merit.
Women in Abia continued to experience a degree of political marginalisation, as no administration before Mr Ikpeazu deemed women suitable for certain sensitive positions like the deputy governor, secretary to the state government, chief of staff to the governor, commissioner for finance, commissioner for justice and attorney general of the state, Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), and more.
Despite the abundance of highly qualified, capable, and knowledgeable women in Abia State, no woman was ever appointed to lead any significant government agency, with the exception of Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Ogbonna-Erondu, former executive secretary of Abia Diaspora Commission.
Respect for rule of law
The investigation thoroughly examined the Abia State government’s compliance with court judgments and the rule of law. In some of the cases investigated, substantial compliance was observed, although there are still pending cases at the appellate court. Few examples will suffice.
An arbitration panel, chaired by Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) with Professor Andrew Chukwumerie and Professor Sam Erugo as members, awarded a total cost of N595, 993, 928.62K against the Abia State government in favor of DAMAN RESOURCES NIGERIA LIMITED.
This amount represented the outstanding unpaid balance owed to the construction firm, including damages and arbitration costs for work completed on the Amaoba-Nnono-Ndioro Road with a spur to Ikputu. The contractor’s lead counsel, Mr Jasper Ejimofor, informed us that since October 23, 2022, when the cost was awarded, the Abia State Government failed to comply with the verdict of the panel.
Similarly, the state government did not also not comply with another verdict from the same arbitration panel in a separate matter where it awarded a total sum of N2, 119,984,238.42K in favor of Worldwide Environmental Technologies Ltd. The state government had awarded the construction of a helipad and one-kilometer road at Ovim Isuikwuato to the construction company in 2009 but failed to make payment after the job was completed.
According to Ejimofor, who still represents the firm, the award included N120, 721,989.92K, which was unlawfully collected upfront from the claimant by the respondent as Ministry of Justice fees, even though the same fees were deducted from the contract sum by the respondent.
When contacted, the State Director of Civil Litigation under Mr Ikpeazu, Mr. Paul Ogubunka, stated that the state government had appealed the verdict of the arbitration panel due to objections raised during the trial, which were ignored by the panel. However, he mentioned that once the matter, now pending before the court, was fully discharged, the state government will abide by the final decision of the court.
Ogubunka explained that the Abia State Government had a profound respect for the rule of law and had consistently complied with valid court judgments, even when they were not in favour of the state. He cited an instance involving GIBROS Nigeria Ltd, which obtained a consent judgment against the state government in 2022. Although the government agreed to settle out of court, the claimant proceeded to the Abuja High Court and obtained a garnishee order against the state.
“In accordance with our respect for the rule of law and court orders, we agreed to make payments in installments until the entire N250 million cost was settled,” Ogubunka stated.
He further emphasised that the state government under Mr Ikpeazu adhered to several interlocutory injunctions, restraining it from recognising certain traditional rulers until the substantive suits challenging their kingship were resolved.
The director noted that the Ministry of Justice had, on several occasions, provided judicial advice to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies based on the integrity of various matters and court orders or judgments against them.
He mentioned a case involving one Uwadileke, a staff member of the Ministry of Lands, who was suspended and later dismissed following a panel report on theft within the ministry. However, the court exonerated the suspect due to insufficient evidence and ordered his reinstatement. Ogubunka stated that when the Abia State Civil Service Commission sought advice from the Ministry of Justice, “we reviewed the judgment and agreed with the court’s decision.”
In summary, while the state director of civil litigation asserted that the government of Governor Ikpeazu demonstrated respect for the rule of law, the reality on the ground painted a different picture.
Finance
State revenue comprised the amount received from the federation allocations and its internally generated revenue. Analysis shows that most of the revenues generated from 2015 to 2021 were from its allocation from the federation account.
The state generated N424.15 billion as revenue between January 2015 and December 2021, but only N106.79 billion was generated internally. About N317.35 billion came from the federation account. This shows that 74.8 percent of its revenue came from the federation account, while 25.2 percent was generated internally.
Federal allocation
As an oil-producing state, Abia receives an extra portion of the federal allocation as it partakes in the 13 percent derivation revenue. The flow from the federation account to the state fluctuated over the period, with the highest being in 2018 when it received N55.33 billion. The state got N30.72 in 2016, which was its least amount from the federal allocation.
A breakdown shows that the state received N40.08 billion in 2015, N30.72 billion in 2016, N38.88 billion in 2017, N55.33 billion in 2018, and N52.04 billion in 2019. In 2010 and 2021, the state got N48.37 billion and N51.94 billion respectively.
Annual analysis shows that at least N70 out of every N100 generated by the state came from the federation account. The amount received in 2015 represented 75.02 percent of the state’s total revenue for the year. It was 70.76 percent in 2016, 72.27 percent in 2017, 78.86 percent in 2018, and 77.05 percent in 2019. The state’s federal allocation comprised 75.24 percent and 72.62 percent of its total revenue in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
Internally Generated Revenue (IGR)
Internally generated revenue (IGR), which accounts for less than 30 per cent of the total revenue generated yearly, requires improvement. This source of revenue shows where the economic strength of the state lies.
The state recorded a progressive improvement in its IGR from 2018 to 2021, where revenue generated increased from N14.83 billion to N19.58 billion.
The N12.69 billion generated in 2016 represented the least amount of IGR generated by the state in the period under review. However, 2016 was when it generated the highest proportion of IGR to total revenue. The IGR accounted for 29.24 percent of the total revenue in 2016.
But Abia IGR had significantly improved since then as the Executive Chairman of the state Board of Internal Revenue, Mr Chijioke Okoronka, once disclosed that the state raked in over N6 billion in the first quarter of 2023.
Public expenditures
The revenue generated provides a framework for its expenditure. This expenditure is split between recurrent and capital spending. While recurrent expenditure takes care of the welfare of public staff and the activities that enhance their productivity, capital expenditure provides infrastructural amenities for the public.
Abia State’s expenditure analysis shows that more funds were budgeted for capital expenditure than recurrent. However, the difference between the two was not quite pronounced. There was less than N5 billion difference except in 2021 and 2023, where the differences were N7 billion to N9 billion respectively.
Recurrent expenditures
The state’s recurrent expenditure from 2018 to 2023 amounted to N410.2 billion. Annual expenditure analysis shows that recurrent expenditure increased from N68.68 billion in 2018 to N68.78 billion in 2019. It dropped in 2020 to N67.04 billion and then to N62.62 billion in 2021.
Recurrent expenditure increased after 2021 for the next year. It was N67.5 billion in 2022 and N72.78 billion in 2023.
Capital expenditures
Capital expenditure accounted for 52.2 percent of the N858.17 total budget for Abia State from 2018 to 2023. The state’s capital expenditure stood at N447.96942 for the period.
Capital expenditure experienced varying degrees of change. It declined by 1.4 percent in 2018 over the figure budgeted in 2018. The capital budget dropped from N72.45 billion in 2018 to N71.43 billion in 2019. Years 2020 and 2021 witnessed further declines in the capital budgets.
However, in 2022, the capital budget increased by 15.3 percent from N69.19 billion to N79.78 billion. In 2023, it increased further by 6.22 percent to N84.74 billion.
Debt
Abia State’s public debt grew by 253.27 percent between 2015 and 2022.
The state’s debt profile stood at N147.28 billion by the end of December 2022. Data show that the ikpeazu administration inherited a debt of N41.69 billion but handed over a debt of N147.28 billion. This means the administration grew its debt by N105.56 billion.
There was an annual increase in the debt of the state. The highest increase was witnessed in 2016, with a 58.55 percent rise. The debt increase rate was 38.65 percent in 2017, 6.09 percent in 2018, 5.01 in 2019, 23.28 percent in 2020, 8.83 in 2021, and 7.52 in 2022.
Infrastructural projects
Expectations were very high that the Ikpeazu administration was going to revolutionise infrastructure in Abia particularly in Abia, which had suffered infrastructural deficit. Regrettably, the administration did not seem to have lived up to this expectation.
Although Ikpeazu rehabilitated a few of the dilapidated roads in the state, too many others begged for attention. Ikpeazu had in August, during the 31st anniversary of the state, claimed that his administration had delivered 150 roads with a promise to construct 48 roads more before the May 29 handover date.
Some of the roads projects delivered by the Ikpeazu administration included: Umuola Road, Ukaegbu Road, Kamalu Road, Umuotako Road, MCC Road to Samaek Road, Osokwa -Aro Umueje Road which provides alternate route from Ogbor Hill Aba to Enugu/Port Harcourt expressway, Osusu Road and Ngwa Road all in Aba (even though Ngwa road and Osusu road are still having the challenges of flooding when ever it rains). Most of these roads are less than 2 kilometers each.
He also rehabilitated Ururuka Road from Obikabia junction near Ogbor Hill to his Umuobiakawa community in Obingwa, leaving the greater portion of the road (Umuobiakwa to Umuahia) undone.
Perhaps, one of the most celebrated infrastructural landmarks of the Ikpeazu administration was the Osioma Interchange (flyover) but critics believed the media hype was unnecessary as the neighboring state of Ebonyi with lesser allocation boasts of over 25 of similar and even better projects.
Investigations also revealed that the few roads done by Ikpeazu administration in Aba were of better quality as the governor, for the first time, introduced cement technology in road construction in the state. Nonetheless, many roads in Aba, especially Port Harcourt Road, Obohia Road, Ohanku Road, Uratta Road, Omuma Road, and Ama Ogbonna to Cemetary down to Ama Pope where the road peters into the Enugu /Port Harcourt highway, are all death traps.
Minus Nkporo-Abriba Road in Abia North (the home of Ikpeazu’s Deputy Governor), and few re-coated streets in the state capital, the infrastructural presence of Ikpeazu’s eight-year administration was not felt in the remaining parts of the state.
Apart from the deplorable condition of roads across the state, the failure of the Ikpeazu administration to complete the Abia new Government House project initiated by his predecessor is seen as a colossal failure on his part.
However, on the eve of his exit from office, Gov. Ikpeazu hastily inaugurated a portion of the new Abia Government House, a project initiated by his predecessor eight years ago.
He had promised to complete the project and “sleep in it” before leaving office but for reasons best known to him, he could not until his last week in office.
The three-storey palatial building/Governor’s Lodge was furnished to taste but the premises needed more finishing touches while the other structure opposite the lodge, believed to serve as the governor’s office upon completion, is still at the foundation level where it was eight years ago.
Abia State spent N31.9 billion on 113 contracts, which the state awarded between 2020 and 2021 as recorded by open contracting. An analysis of these contracts shows that they were categorised into goods, services and works. “Goods” refer to contracts for the provision of consumables while “works” deal with the provision of durable infrastructures.
The contracts for the provision of consumables (goods) were 21 in number, which represented 18.58 percent of the total contracts awarded. Contracts for the provision of services were 14, representing 12.39 percent. Seventy-eight contracts were meant for infrastructure in the state. These contracts represented 69.03 percent of the total.
Further insights revealed that most of the contracts awarded in the state were selectively awarded. The state awarded 49 of the 113 projects to selected contractors which represented 43.36 per cent of the total contracts awarded.
Thirty-five of the awarded contracts were direct procurement, meaning that 30.97 percent of the contracts fell under direct procurement. Only 29 (25.66 percent) of these contracts were open to bidders.
Contract analysis shows that there were 32 road project contracts awarded worth N27.83 billion. Contracts to provide for the health sector were five in number, amounting to N174.5 million. Education projects were worth N1.57 billion and there were 23 electrical projects worth N926,000.
An analysis of Abia’s contract awards shows that the state awarded most of its contracts through the selective process. This process allows tenders to be submitted by invitation in a situation where there were only a few suppliers. Thus, the state’s decision to follow this process might not have resulted in efficiency, especially if there were many suppliers. This, analysts say, affected the quality of work done in the state.
Education
The educational sector in Abia State had its fair share of challenges. The state’s budget for education hovered around the UNESCO-recommended budget for education, which was between 15-20 percent.
The state’s budget for education ranged from 11.99 percent to 17.31 percent of the total budget for each year.
The 2021 education budget had the highest proportion of the total budget. The state government budgeted N23.82 billion on education, amounting represented 17.31 percent of the total N131.82 billion budget for the year.
The highest budget for education was in 2019, where N23.88 billion was budgeted for the sector. The year 2022 had the least budget of N17.66 billion to education.
Days out of school (Strikes)
The government neglected the welfare of the teachers in Abia State, as there were reported cases where they embarked on strike as the last resort to highlight their grievances.
Before the economic lockdown in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic, schools in the state were shut down because of unpaid salary arrears. The issue of unpaid salaries and arrears was a challenge in the state as the Nigerian Union Teachers (NUT) shut down schools in 2018 and 2019. The teachers in the state embarked on an indefinite strike in June 2022.
In addition to the stand-off between the teachers and the government in the state, which led to the closure of schools, tertiary institutions in the state were also shut down. This was due to the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) strike.
Between 2016 and 2020, ASUU shut down schools for 13 months and one week, demanding their unsettled remuneration. In 2022, the strike lasted for over 180 days.
Performance in national exams
Students in the state recorded improved performance in external examinations over the years. The performance in the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination improved from 2016 to 2019. The percentage of those who scored at least credits in five subjects, including Mathematics and English, increased from 70.44 percent to 92.91 percent.
Though the percentage performance dropped in the subsequent years, its overall performance was not less than 80 percent. Year 2016 percentage performance was the least in the state from 2016 to 2021.
Out-of-school children
One of the biggest challenges facing education in Nigeria is the country’s increasing number of out-of-school children. Nigeria has the third highest number of out-of-school children globally, according to UNESCO.
Abia State had its share of this national number. In 2017/18, the state had 91,548 out-of-school children. This, when compared to the national figure, was 0.89 percent of the total in the country.
Health
Abia State’s indices show worse statistics in some of the major health indicators. The state had the highest under-five mortality rate of 115, one of the highest in infant and child mortality rates of 55 and 64, respectively.
Data from the Men and Women Report published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) show that the state had some improvement in some areas as the number of reported malaria cases in 2021 was 7,289. Though this was an increase in the 4,648 of 2020, it represented a decline in the 13,123 reported in 2019.
The health issues were mostly addressed by the state’s funding provision for health, which was reflected in its budget.
Health budgets between 2018 and 2023 were below 10 percent.
Access to healthcare
Health insurance coverage in the state is very low as it has 0.6 percent of its women under health insurance. About 1.6 percent of men, 0.6 percent of children and 0.4 per cent under-five are also covered by health insurance.
Citizens of the state face further challenges in accessing health services in the state. As reported by the 2018 National Demographic Housing Survey, 68.1 percent of the women in the state face four-dimensional barriers to health services. The report stated that 65.4 percent face financial barriers and 34.4 per cent face distance barriers to health facilities.
Condition of public health facilities
Health services in Abia State were reported to be in deplorable condition. A report noted that in addition to the deplorable state of the health facilities, health workers were owed a backlog of salaries which had worsened the state of health delivery in the state.
Less than two weeks to the expiration of Ikpeazu’s tenure, workers in the state were still on indefinite strike over backlog of salary said to be over 80 months in some parastatals. Doctors at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, and ABSUTH were owed for 24 months.
Doctor-to-patient ratio
The number of doctors in Abia State was 917 in 2017. This increased to 1,010 in 2018 but dropped to 407 in 2019 and 380 in 2020.
Abia State’s doctor-to-patients ratio worsened over the years under Ikpeazu. In 2017, the state had a ratio of one doctor to 4,176 patients. This got better in 2018 where it was one doctor to 3,895 citizens.
The ratio in 2019 was one doctor to 9,931 citizens. Year 2020 saw the ratio of doctor to patients increase to 1: 10,927.
This ratio fell behind the recommended World Health Organization (WHO) approved ratio of 1:600 people in a locality.
Sanitation
Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, prior to becoming the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015, served as the manager of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) in the Aba Zone. One would have expected that being plucked from the midst of waste to assume a position of power, Ikpeazu would have prioritised making Abia the cleanest state in Nigeria. However, that expectation was not met.
In fact, during his tenure, Abia experienced its worst environmental conditions, particularly in Aba, which is known as the commercial capital and economic hub of the state. It was widely regarded as one of the dirtiest cities in the South-East region.
Industrial areas and major markets, such as Shoe Plaza and Bakassi Area of the Ariaria International Market remained plagued by nightmarish heaps of refuse dumps. Some streets, including sections of Port Harcourt Road in Aba and the Alaoji/Osisioma segment of the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway, were occasionally obstructed by garbage.
Even Umuahia, the state capital, was not spared, as refuse dumps intermittently marred the cityscape, particularly around Isi Gate and Orie Ugba junction along Bende Road.
The deplorable state of sanitation in Abia can be attributed to irregular salary payments and a lack of motivation for ASEPA staff and street cleaners, coupled with the absence of functional recycling trucks. The government’s disregard for these issues exacerbated the problem.
Water channels in many roads of Aba and Umuahia became clogged with refuse, and the state government turned a blind eye to this pressing issue. It was only through the occasional efforts of residents and business owners, who undertook the desalting of these blocked channels, that some roads remained passable.
The failure to address the sanitation challenges in Abia State underscores the lack of commitment and effective management of waste under Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu’s leadership.
Mode of data collection
Data were collected using various processes and methods, which included but not limited to site visits, inspection of documents, and review of government records under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, interviews, and testimonials. Where necessary, experts were called upon to shed more light on a subject.
Having collected the data, a thorough analysis was carried out by numerous stakeholders, comprising a team of policy experts, seasoned journalists, and representatives of civil society organisations, as well as other relevant bodies. A three-tier scoring system was adopted to rate the administration’s overall performance in a particular sector. Consistent with investigative journalism best practices, the goal was to present the facts objectively and dispassionately, without compromising sources and methods.
Scoring System
Pass: When the administration is deemed to have performed creditably in a particular sector.
Fail: When the administration is deemed to have performed woefully in a particular sector.
Indeterminate: When the facts are not compelling enough to score the administration’s performance in that sector as a pass or fail.
A research by Ikengaonline in collaboration with Dataphyte under the auspices of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), this report was made possible through the generous support of John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.