The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: 2027 Elections

  • 2027 Elections: INEC Begins PVC Distribution, Displays Voter Register

    2027 Elections: INEC Begins PVC Distribution, Displays Voter Register

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Independent National Electoral Commission has commenced the display of the preliminary register of voters and distribution of Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the 2027 general elections.

    The exercise, which runs from October 9 to 15, 2026, will enable registered voters to verify their details, submit claims and objections, and collect PVCs issued during the first phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise.

    In Plateau State, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Sam Egwu, said the exercise would take place across all 207 Registration Areas between 9am and 3pm daily, including weekends.

    In a statement issued in Jos on Thursday, Egwu said the exercise was being conducted in line with Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires INEC to display the voter register at least 90 days before a general election.

    He urged registered voters to check their names, photographs, dates of birth, polling units and other registration details to identify errors and submit necessary claims or objections within the stipulated period.

    The Plateau REC also confirmed that PVCs from the first phase of the registration exercise, conducted between August 18 and December 10, 2025, would be available for collection.

    In Sokoto State, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Umar Garba, announced the same seven-day exercise while briefing journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Press Centre.

    Garba said the commission was committed to ensuring that eligible voters had the opportunity to verify their registration information and obtain their cards.

    However, he clarified that PVCs relating to lost or damaged cards, transfers, updates and registrations completed during the second and third phases of the CVR were not yet available. He said INEC would announce when those cards could be collected.

    According to him, PVC distribution would continue at INEC offices across Sokoto’s 23 local government areas after the Registration Area exercise ends on October 15.

    Garba explained that the extension to local government offices would provide another opportunity for eligible voters who could not collect their cards at the Registration Area centres.

    On security, the REC said INEC had worked closely with security agencies throughout the recent voter registration exercise, adding that their advice helped ensure the process was completed without casualties.

    He also disclosed that the commission was consulting security agencies to determine the number of internally displaced persons in Sokoto State and establish arrangements for their participation in the 2027 elections.

    Garba said INEC was working to ensure that eligible displaced persons in officially recognised camps could exercise their voting rights.

    He added that the commission would announce the total number of registered voters in Sokoto State in due course.

  • 2027: INEC Sets October 9 For Nationwide PVC Collection

    2027: INEC Sets October 9 For Nationwide PVC Collection

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced that nationwide collection of Permanent Voter Cards will begin on Friday, October 9, 2026, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

    The INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Monday at a strategic workshop for media executives organised by the commission in partnership with Development Alternatives Incorporated and the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Abuja.

    Amupitan said the National Register of Voters had grown to more than 103 million following the commission’s three-phase Continuous Voter Registration exercise.

    According to him, more than 10.6 million Nigerians submitted applications during the registration exercise.

    He added that INEC had completed the public display of the Preliminary Register of Voters, allowing citizens to raise claims and objections, as well as the final biometric clean-up of the register using its Automated Biometric Identification System.

    The INEC chairman said the commencement of PVC collection was a major step in preparations for the 2027 elections, stressing the commission’s commitment to conducting a transparent and technology-driven electoral process.

    Amupitan said INEC would continue to improve the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the INEC Result Viewing Portal to strengthen the credibility of the voting and result-transmission processes.

    He identified public confidence as a crucial component of electoral integrity.

    “The ultimate arbiter of electoral integrity is public trust,” he said.

    The INEC chairman also called for closer cooperation between the commission, media organisations, civil society groups and other stakeholders to improve the flow of reliable electoral information.

    He said the commission was willing to engage editors on operational concerns and provide timely information on developments to reduce the space for misinformation.

    Amupitan urged media organisations to establish digital fact-checking desks and said INEC would provide editors with channels to verify information concerning field incidents, logistics and security developments.

    He also proposed a sustained feedback mechanism between INEC and the Nigerian Guild of Editors to assess preparations and address emerging challenges throughout the 2027 electoral cycle.

    INEC Tasks Media On PVC Information

    The Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, urged the media to provide citizens with accurate information as PVC collection gets underway.

    Eta-Messi identified misinformation and disinformation as factors contributing to declining public participation in the electoral process.

    She called on media organisations to support voter education by ensuring that information reaching the public was accurate, timely and properly verified.

    ### INEC Proposes 24-Hour Verification System

    The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, said the workshop was designed to strengthen communication between the commission and the media ahead of the elections.

    He said one of the objectives was to rebuild institutional trust through open dialogue between INEC and media gatekeepers.

    Oketola said another objective was to tackle information disorder by developing a system that would allow newsrooms to quickly verify electoral information with the commission.

    He said INEC was seeking “seamless 24-hour fact-verification loops between newsrooms and INEC so that speed would not come at the expense of accuracy.”

    He added that the initiative would also promote shared responsibility among the media, civil society and electoral institutions through ethical reporting, conflict-sensitive journalism and civic education.

    ‘Verify Before You Amplify’

    The Executive Director of the Centre for Media and Society, Dr Akin Akingbulu, said the country was approaching a critical period in its democratic development as preparations for the 2027 elections intensify.

    Akingbulu noted that electoral information was already influencing public discussions across traditional and digital media platforms.

    He urged editors to take seriously their responsibility as gatekeepers of electoral information, particularly amid the growing use of artificial intelligence and the spread of manipulated content.

    He stressed the need for journalists to authenticate information before publication and urged newsrooms to be cautious about deepfakes and unofficial election results.

    “Verification is a two-way street,” Akingbulu said, adding, “Verify before you amplify.”

    NGE Calls For Balanced Election Coverage

    The President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba, described the workshop as timely as the country moves closer to the 2027 general elections.

    Anaba said credible elections depended not only on citizens casting their ballots but also on their confidence that their votes would be properly counted and that electoral institutions would operate fairly.

    He urged editors and journalists to uphold accuracy, fairness, balance and the public interest in their coverage of the elections.

    The NGE president also called for stronger access to credible and timely information from INEC to enable the media to effectively inform voters throughout the electoral process.

  • 2027: Anambra Govt Urges APGA Supporters To Reject Obi, NDC

    2027: Anambra Govt Urges APGA Supporters To Reject Obi, NDC

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Anambra State Government has urged supporters of the All Progressives Grand Alliance to reject Peter Obi and his Nigeria Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections.

    The government made the call in a statement posted on its official X account on Monday, accusing the former Anambra governor of working against APGA since he left the party in 2014.

    The statement, titled “A Betrayal Alert for Ndi APGA,” described support for Obi and the NDC as a threat to APGA’s political strength in the state.

    “A vote for Peter Obi and the NDC is a vote to kill APGA,” the government said.

    It alleged that Obi had been working to undermine the party that produced him as governor after his departure from APGA.

    The government also contrasted Obi’s political position with that of President Bola Tinubu, claiming that Tinubu supported APGA while Obi backed efforts against the party.

    “Do not be deceived by a man who abandoned his own house. Anambra is APGA. Ndi APGA, defend your home. Resist the NDC,” the statement added.

    Obi governed Anambra from 2006 to 2014 after emerging as the APGA candidate. He left the party in October 2014 and joined the Peoples Democratic Party.

    He later moved to the Labour Party in 2022 and contested the 2023 presidential election, finishing third behind Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.

    Obi left the Labour Party in December 2025 and joined the African Democratic Congress before subsequently aligning with the NDC ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

    The latest exchange comes amid an increasingly heated political relationship between Obi and the administration of Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo.

    The two sides have also been engaged in a dispute over financial obligations linked to projects implemented during Obi’s tenure as governor.

    The state government said in September that Obi’s administration was associated with external financing valued at $123.77 million, with $92.35 million reportedly outstanding as of June 30, 2026, citing figures from the Debt Management Office.

    Obi rejected the characterisation of the facilities as loans he personally obtained for the state, saying he neither borrowed from financial institutions nor issued bonds on behalf of Anambra during his tenure.

    The state government has also challenged Obi’s claim that his administration left N2.1 billion in ecological funds, saying it could not establish that the money was held in the account and bank identified by the former governor.

    The political dispute is unfolding as parties and political groups begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 elections, with APGA remaining the governing party in Anambra and Obi seeking the presidency on the NDC platform.

  • Tinubu Returns To Nigeria After Four-Week European Vacation

    Tinubu Returns To Nigeria After Four-Week European Vacation

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    President Bola Tinubu has returned to Nigeria after a four-week working vacation in Europe, dismissing concerns about his health and declaring that he is ready to resume his activities.

    Tinubu spoke with journalists on Tuesday shortly after arriving at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, from Paris, where he spent the final part of his extended stay.

    Asked about concerns raised in some quarters about his health, the President said there was nothing wrong with him.

    “Ready to kick, ready to walk. There’s nothing wrong. Rumour will always be emanating from politics, but the facts remain: I’m here. Healthy, sound, and ready to go,” Tinubu said.

    The President’s aircraft touched down in Lagos at about 6.22pm. He was received at the airport by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila and other senior government officials.

    A cultural troupe was also present to welcome the President.

    Tinubu departed Abuja on August 30 for what was initially announced as a three-week working vacation. He spent about a week in London before travelling to Paris, where he held several official and business-related engagements. The Presidency later announced that his stay had been extended by a few days.

    Before his return, the Presidency said Tinubu chose to travel to Lagos first to honour the memory of the late Chief MKO Abiola, the winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election and a prominent figure in Nigeria’s democratic struggle.

    The President is expected to attend the October 1 premiere of a film honouring Abiola at the Wole Soyinka National Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos.

    According to the Presidency, Tinubu will also hold strategic meetings with political leaders and associates in Lagos ahead of the 2027 elections before returning to Abuja.

    During his stay in France, the President held a private dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron and met with business executive Vincent Bolloré of the Bolloré Group.

    He also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ogun State Government and DP World for the development of a Gateway Deep Sea Port in Ogun Waterside and a Blue Marine Economic Zone, with DP World planning to invest $7bn in the project.

    On Monday, Tinubu also met with the Chairman of First HoldCo Plc, Femi Otedola.

    His extended absence from Nigeria had generated public and political discussion, including questions about his health and his decision not to personally attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. Vice President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at the gathering and delivered the country’s national statement.

    With his return to Lagos, Tinubu is expected to resume physical engagements in Nigeria after spending about four weeks abroad.

  • Sowore To Continue Defence As DSS Rules Out Long Adjournment

    Sowore To Continue Defence As DSS Rules Out Long Adjournment

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed October 2, 2026, for Omoyele Sowore to continue his defence in the alleged cybercrime case filed against him by the Department of State Services.

    Justice Mohammed Umar fixed the date on Monday after counsel to the DSS, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, told the court that the prosecution was prepared to proceed with the trial.

    Sowore’s counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, had informed the court that he had seen media reports suggesting that the DSS planned to seek a lengthy adjournment of the case to allow his client to concentrate on his campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

    Kehinde, however, expressed surprise that the defence was relying on media reports concerning the proceedings, saying any instructions from the DSS to its legal team would be communicated through official channels.

    He said he had received no instruction to seek a long adjournment and was ready for the continuation of Sowore’s defence.

    The case stems from social media posts made by Sowore in August 2025 in which he referred to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal” and made allegations concerning corruption under the administration.

    The DSS subsequently petitioned the court after Sowore declined requests to retract or delete the posts.

    Sowore has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has challenged the allegations against him.

    The trial has been ongoing before Justice Umar, with the defence opening its case after the prosecution concluded its evidence. In August, proceedings were adjourned to September 20 after a disagreement between lawyers over documents required by the defence.

    The controversy over a possible suspension of the case emerged in August after reports indicated that the DSS had directed its counsel to seek an adjournment until after the 2027 presidential election. The African Action Congress subsequently rejected the proposed suspension and called for the case to be withdrawn.

    With the DSS now indicating its readiness to proceed, Justice Umar adjourned the matter to October 2 for the continuation of Sowore’s defence.

    Sowore is the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress for the 2027 election and also contested the 2023 presidential election.

  • Supreme Court Restores Electoral Act Provisions Ahead Of 2027 Polls

    Supreme Court Restores Electoral Act Provisions Ahead Of 2027 Polls

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Supreme Court has restored key provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 governing political party membership registers and the nomination of candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.

    A seven-member panel of the apex court, in a unanimous decision, upheld an appeal filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission against an earlier Court of Appeal judgment that had declared Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act unconstitutional.

    The ruling means political parties are required to comply with statutory rules on their membership registers and candidate nomination processes.

    Under Section 77 of the Act, political parties must make their membership registers available to INEC not later than 21 days before their primaries, congresses or conventions.

    The law further provides that only members whose names are contained in the register submitted to INEC can vote or be voted for at party primaries, congresses and conventions. Parties are also prohibited from using a different register for such exercises.

    A party that fails to submit its membership register within the stipulated period is not eligible to field a candidate for the election, according to the Act.

    The Supreme Court also restored Section 84(2), which provides that political parties may nominate candidates through direct primaries or consensus. INEC’s 2026 Regulations and Guidelines similarly recognise direct and consensus primaries as the two permitted methods under the Act.

    The legal dispute began after the Zenith Labour Party challenged the provisions at the Federal High Court, arguing that they interfered with the constitutional powers of political parties to manage their internal affairs and nominate candidates.

    The Federal High Court dismissed the challenge in May 2026, but the Court of Appeal later overturned that decision in July and struck down the four disputed provisions. INEC subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court.

    The Supreme Court has now set aside the Court of Appeal’s decision and reinstated the earlier Federal High Court judgment, holding that the disputed provisions were not inconsistent with the Constitution. The apex court also awarded N2 million in costs against the Zenith Labour Party.

    The ruling reinforces INEC’s statutory role in receiving and verifying party membership registers and monitoring compliance with the requirements governing party primaries and candidate nominations.

    INEC had earlier confirmed that all 22 registered political parties submitted their membership registers in May 2026, with the Commission stating that the registers would undergo verification in line with the law.

    The Supreme Court’s decision therefore provides the legal framework that will govern future party nomination exercises under the 2026 Electoral Act, including subsequent elections and the primaries, congresses and conventions preceding them.

  • 2027: INEC Publishes Final List of 4,408 National Assembly Candidates

    2027: INEC Publishes Final List of 4,408 National Assembly Candidates

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Independent National Electoral Commission has released the final list of candidates contesting the 2027 National Assembly elections, with 4,408 candidates cleared to vie for seats in the Senate and House of Representatives.

    An analysis of the candidate documents published by the electoral body showed that 1,195 candidates are contesting Senate seats, while 3,213 are seeking election into the House of Representatives.

    The publication comes as political parties step up preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027.

    INEC’s timetable also fixed February 6, 2027, for the governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

    The figures released by the commission show a significant gender gap among the candidates, with 3,965 men and 443 women contesting the National Assembly seats.

    For the Senate, 1,080 candidates are male, while 115 are female.

    The House of Representatives list comprises 2,885 male candidates and 328 female candidates.

    The Allied Peoples Movement recorded the highest number of female candidates across the two chambers, with 11 women contesting Senate seats and 42 seeking election into the House of Representatives.

    Meanwhile, INEC has also published the final list of presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the 2027 general elections.

    The list, signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, contains 18 presidential candidates and their running mates across various political parties.

    Among the presidential candidates are President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Oyo State Governor Oluseyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement, Sandy Ojang Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party and former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party.

    Other candidates include Rufai Adekunle Omo-Aje of the Action Alliance, Abbas-Bin Aliyu of the Action Democratic Party, Yusuf Kabiru of the Action Peoples Party, Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress, Sunday Adenuga of the Boot Party, Adebisi Olusoji of the Democratic Labour Alliance, Sunday Okereke of the Labour Party, Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party, Peter Agada of the Young Progressive Party and Nwanyanwu Daberechukwu of the Zenith Labour Party.

    Ada Elizabeth Frederick Okwori of the National Democratic Party and Nkem Esther Okereke of the National Rescue Movement are the two female presidential candidates listed by the commission.

    The release of the various candidate lists marks another stage in INEC’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.

  • Court overturns own judgment ordering INEC to recognise NDC

    Court overturns own judgment ordering INEC to recognise NDC

    A Federal High Court in Lokoja on Friday set aside its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.

    Justice Isah Dashen, the presiding judge held that all relevant parties must be heard before any substantive decision can be made in the matter.

    The court upheld the application filed by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), ruling that the party was a necessary party to the suit.According to the judge, the earlier judgment was constitutionally defective as it was delivered without hearing from all interested parties.

    He declared that such an omission rendered the entire process null and void.

    Justice Dashen further ruled that the status quo be restored to what it was before the December 2025 judgment, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

    He also observed that certain material facts were suppressed in the earlier proceedings, which justified the decision to set aside the judgment.

    Consequently, the court ordered that the substantive suit should begin afresh, with INEC, the PMP and the NDC as parties to the case.

    NAN reports that Counsel to the applicant, Chikezie Ekeocha, told journalists that the PMP approached the court after discovering that NDC’s registration was based on a logo it had previously submitted to INEC before the commencement of the suit.

    According to Ekeocha, the court agreed that the applicant’s rights had been affected and consequently vacated the earlier judgment.

    “The court has ordered all parties to return to the position they occupied before the judgment of December 10, 2025, and directed the claimants to join all necessary parties to ensure the issues in dispute are effectually and completely determined,” he said.

    He explained that the implication of the ruling is that every action taken by INEC in compliance with the now-vacated judgment stands reversed.

    “The recognition of the NDC, the issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in INEC’s records, and any appearance on ballot papers arising from that judgment must be withdrawn pending the final determination of the substantive suit,” Ekeocha stated.

    He, however, clarified that the substantive case remains before the court and has not been decided.

    “The matter has not been concluded. The court merely set aside its previous judgment and directed that the party whose interests were affected be joined so that all sides can be heard before a fresh decision is reached.”

    Ekeocha also dismissed suggestions that the court merely ordered parties to maintain the status quo, insisting that the ruling specifically directed a restoration of the position that existed before the December 10, 2025 judgment.

    The ruling effectively returns the dispute over the registration of the NDC to the Federal High Court for a fresh hearing, with all relevant parties expected to participate before a new determination is made. (NAN)

  • LP’s Moghalu Calls For Electoral Reforms at CPO Summit

    LP’s Moghalu Calls For Electoral Reforms at CPO Summit

    The Labour Party Governorship Candidate in the November 8 Anambra election, Dr. George Moghalu, on Thursday, September 11, 2025, joined political leaders, intellectuals, and democracy advocates at the Third Annual Summit and Book Launch of the Coalition for Peter Obi (CPO) held at Denis Hotel, Abuja.

    The event, hosted by Hon. Ikenna Mbanefo, National Coordinator of the Coalition for Peter Obi, drew a cross-section of stakeholders under the theme: “Electoral Reforms: Panacea for Nigeria’s Political and Economic Development,” with HE Mr. Peter Obi, former Labour Party Presidential Candidate, as Special Guest.

    Dr. Moghalu, who served as the Chief Book Presenter, commended the coalition and the author for addressing such a critical issue at a defining moment in Nigeria’s democracy. He described the initiative as visionary and timely, noting that electoral reforms remain the backbone of sustainable democratic governance.

    In his remarks during the unveiling, he said: “For me, this is an opportunity to encourage and support the author, and by extension, to support the movement entirely. The movement is built around a role model, someone who has led the way, and what we are doing is simply to follow so that Nigeria becomes a better place for everyone.

    “The focus of the author on getting the electoral process right is quite commendable. I have said it in many fora that the worst form of corruption is electoral corruption, because once the electoral process is compromised, everything else that follows must equally be corrupted. You cannot get a goat and expect a cow as the offspring — there is no magic about it.”

    The summit featured robust discussions, goodwill messages, and contributions from reform-minded Nigerians.

    Among the dignitaries in attendance was Dr. Tanko Yunusa, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, who praised the coalition for sustaining the push for credible elections and accountable leadership.