The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: Inec

  • Atiku, ADC Demand INEC Clarification On Ballot Printing Contracts, Staff Transfers

    Atiku, ADC Demand INEC Clarification On Ballot Printing Contracts, Staff Transfers

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to explain its arrangements for printing sensitive election materials and recent personnel changes ahead of the 2027 general elections.

    Atiku urged the commission to disclose the companies contracted to produce ballot papers and other sensitive materials, while the ADC expressed concern over alleged ethnic bias in the redeployment of staff serving in key departments.

    INEC has scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while governorship and state House of Assembly elections are slated for February 6, 2027.

    In a statement issued on Sunday by the Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku asked INEC to confirm or deny reports that Hitech or an affiliated company had secured a contract to print sensitive materials for the elections.

    The former vice-president said information available to him suggested that more than half of the commission’s sensitive election materials, including presidential ballot papers, might have been assigned to a company reportedly based in France.

    He expressed concern that the identity and credentials of the alleged contractor had not been made public.

    Atiku also questioned reports that the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc would print election materials for only 15 to 17 states, leaving private companies to handle the remaining assignments.

    He urged INEC to publish the names of all contractors, the materials and states allocated to each company, the procurement procedures followed and the security measures governing production, storage and delivery.

    “These reports demand urgent and unequivocal answers. INEC must confirm or deny them and publish the names of every company engaged, the materials and states assigned to each, the procurement method, the security clearances obtained and the safeguards governing production, storage and delivery,” he said.

    Atiku argued that transparency in the production and handling of sensitive election materials was necessary to protect the credibility of the electoral process and prevent public suspicion.

    He also questioned the potential involvement of Hitech or an associated company, citing publicly reported business connections between the Chagoury family, which owns Hitech, and the family of President Bola Tinubu.

    According to Atiku, awarding such a contract to a company with those reported connections could raise concerns about the independence of the electoral commission.

    He maintained that INEC should prioritise qualified domestic security-printing capacity and ensure that every ballot paper, result sheet and other sensitive document could be tracked throughout the production and distribution process.

    The former vice-president extended his call for transparency to the printing of higher-denomination banknotes, urging the Central Bank of Nigeria to disclose its current arrangements and clarify the respective roles of NSPMC and any foreign contractors.

    **Atiku Questions INEC Personnel Changes**

    Atiku also called on INEC to explain recent postings and redeployments involving officials responsible for election administration and technology.

    The statement cited reports that Isa Magaji Gum had been transferred from Electoral Operations to the Voter Registry Department, while Oluyemi Titilayo Adeyemi-Showunmi had been appointed to head Electoral Operations. Dr Lawrence Bayode was identified as the head of Information and Communication Technology.

    Atiku asked the commission to disclose the criteria used in making the appointments and demonstrate that the decisions followed established procedures and were free from political interference.

    “These departments are at the heart of election administration. INEC must explain these decisions, publish the criteria applied and show that every appointment and redeployment followed due process, was based on merit and was free from political interference,” he said.

    However, Atiku cautioned against assuming that any official was compromised because of ethnicity, background or personal associations. He said the commission should address concerns through verifiable information rather than general assurances.

    **ADC Alleges Ethnic Bias In Staff Redeployment**

    Separately, the ADC raised concerns over what it described as a pattern of transfers involving officers from northern states serving in sensitive INEC departments.

    In a statement issued on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party alleged that some officers working in Electoral Operations and Information and Communication Technology had been moved to other departments and replaced by officials from Lagos and other South-West states.

    The party said it had received complaints and information about the changes, warning that the pattern required an explanation from the commission.

    “We have specific names of officers moved from Electoral Operations and ICT in a number of northern states and replaced with officers from Lagos and other South-West states. INEC may dismiss this as routine. But we have noticed a pattern, especially along ethnic lines, and we are concerned,” the statement read.

    The ADC did not provide the names of the affected officers or documentary evidence to substantiate the allegations in the statement.

    The party said it was not accusing INEC of having a predetermined motive but argued that personnel changes in departments central to election administration should be explained to avoid undermining public confidence.

    It warned that any perception of ethnic or regional preference in appointments to strategic positions could fuel suspicions about the neutrality of the electoral process and allegations of favouritism towards Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress.

    The party urged INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, to publish details of the recent postings, the criteria used to select officers for the positions and the reasons for the changes.

    According to the ADC, disclosure of the information would reassure Nigerians that electoral officials would carry out their responsibilities impartially, regardless of their ethnic, linguistic or regional backgrounds.

    The party warned that failure to address the allegations with evidence-based explanations could damage confidence in the 2027 elections.

    The concerns come as political parties prepare for the next general elections, with INEC facing expectations to demonstrate transparency in its procurement decisions, personnel management and handling of sensitive electoral materials.

  • 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.

  • INEC Warns Nigerians Against Fake Voter Registration Website

    INEC Warns Nigerians Against Fake Voter Registration Website

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Independent National Electoral Commission has warned Nigerians against a fraudulent website falsely claiming that the commission has reopened nationwide voter registration ahead of the 2027 general elections.

    INEC said the fake platform was advertising a purported registration window from September 28 to October 27, 2026, and had no affiliation with the electoral body.

    The commission, in a public notice, urged Nigerians not to click on the website or submit personal information, photographs or documents through it, warning that such details could be harvested and misused by fraudsters.

    According to INEC, the website falsely presents itself as a platform for a “Final Phase of Nationwide Online Voter Card Registration” and claims to offer services including updating voter information, transferring voters to different polling units and replacing lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards.

    The electoral body stressed that the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration exercise ended on July 26, 2026, and that there is currently no new nationwide online registration exercise.

    INEC had earlier reaffirmed that the July 26 deadline would not be extended, urging eligible Nigerians to complete their registration or update their voter information before the close of the exercise.

    The commission’s official voter registration portal also currently states that the Continuous Voter Registration exercise has ended, while allowing registered voters to check their voter status and PVC collection information.

    The warning comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections. INEC’s revised timetable provides for the publication of the official register of voters on December 15, 2026, while the presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027.

    The commission advised Nigerians to be cautious of websites and social media posts that claim to offer voter registration or PVC-related services outside its officially announced processes.

    INEC urged members of the public to verify election-related information through its official website, verified social media accounts and other recognised communication channels before providing personal information.

    The commission also provided its Citizens Contact Centre for enquiries and complaints, urging Nigerians to report suspicious electoral information through its established channels.

    INEC said vigilance was particularly important as the country approaches the 2027 elections, warning that fraudulent platforms could not only mislead eligible voters but also expose sensitive personal information to criminal elements.

  • INEC Records Over 9.3 Million New Youth Voters Ahead Of 2027 Election

    INEC Records Over 9.3 Million New Youth Voters Ahead Of 2027 Election

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Independent National Electoral Commission has disclosed that 9,324,349 young Nigerians registered during the 2026 Continuous Voter Registration exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections.

    INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed the figure on Wednesday at the investiture of newly appointed INEC Youth Ambassadors in Abuja.

    Amupitan, who was represented by National Commissioner, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, said the number demonstrated the growing involvement of young Nigerians in the country’s electoral process.

    In a statement issued on Thursday by INEC Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, the chairman said youth participation remained important to strengthening democracy and building public confidence in elections.

    He explained that the appointment of the Youth Ambassadors was part of efforts to strengthen INEC’s engagement with young Nigerians and encourage greater participation in electoral activities.

    “The appointment of these distinguished young Nigerians as INEC Youth Ambassadors is therefore a deliberate step towards strengthening the connection between the Commission and the youth population,” he said.

    Amupitan added that young people were more likely to engage with electoral information when it was communicated through credible and relatable individuals within their communities and social networks.

    He urged the ambassadors to use their platforms to promote voter education, peaceful participation and responsible electoral conduct, while also helping to counter misinformation.

    The chairman further encouraged them to mobilise young Nigerians to take an active role in shaping the country’s democratic process.

    Also speaking, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Outreach and Partnership Committee, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, urged the ambassadors to speak out against electoral violence and manipulation.

    Ajayi cautioned young Nigerians against allowing themselves to be used for activities that could threaten their lives or disrupt the electoral process.

    The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, represented by the Deputy Director of Network and Social Mobilisation, Lami Bature, also charged the ambassadors with promoting voter awareness, peaceful participation and responsible citizenship.

    Similarly, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Oniru, represented by the Director of Civic Values and Democracy Education, Dr Olukemi Afolayan, urged the ambassadors to promote civic responsibility, electoral integrity and peaceful participation ahead of the 2027 elections.

    Meanwhile, INEC has presented a Certificate of Return to the winner of the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency by-election held on September 19, 2026.

    The certificate was presented to the member-elect, Kallamu MaiJama’a, by the National Commissioner supervising Gombe State, Rear Admiral Jamila Malafa (retd.), at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.

    MaiJama’a commended INEC for the conduct of the election, describing the exercise as free, fair and credible.

  • INEC Sets October 9 For Nationwide PVC Collection

    INEC Sets October 9 For Nationwide PVC Collection

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed October 9, 2026, for the nationwide collection of newly issued Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the 2027 general elections.

    INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, announced the date on Monday in Kaduna during the commission’s North-West Zonal Interactive Meeting with staff and readiness assessment for the 2027 elections.

    The announcement followed the completion of three phases of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, which recorded 10,772,421 new registrations. The new registrations are subject to biometric verification to identify and remove multiple or ineligible entries.

    Supervising National Commissioner for Kaduna, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said Amupitan had earlier communicated the collection date to the Emir of Zazzau during a courtesy visit.

    Haruna urged traditional rulers to mobilise eligible citizens in their communities to collect their PVCs and participate in the electoral process.

    The INEC chairman also directed the commission’s officials to address bottlenecks that could prevent eligible voters from obtaining their cards, particularly at the local government level.

    Amupitan said the commission was adopting a “Zero-Failure” approach to election logistics, covering the early deployment of electoral materials, transportation, security coordination and training of ad hoc personnel.

    He also warned electoral officers against partisan conduct, administrative negligence and other actions that could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

    According to him, polling units must open on time, officials must remain neutral and technical challenges must be promptly addressed to prevent avoidable problems from affecting the credibility of the elections.

    Amupitan said the Kaduna engagement formed part of a six-zone readiness assessment tour designed to identify operational challenges and strengthen INEC’s preparations ahead of the 2027 polls.

    The commission is also refining its technology systems for voter verification and result transmission, including its Result Management System and the recently introduced electronic EC8A.

    Earlier, INEC Director of Planning and Monitoring, Helen Ajayi, said the zonal meetings were designed to assess the preparedness of states, identify operational challenges and ensure that personnel remained aligned with the commission’s code of conduct.

    The commission has urged eligible voters to monitor its official platforms for further information on PVC collection arrangements and designated collection centres. Its voter portal also allows registered voters to check their PVC status and locate their collection centres.

  • 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: Appeal Court Upholds NDC Registration as Political Party

    2027: Appeal Court Upholds NDC Registration as Political Party

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress as a political party, overturning a Federal High Court judgment in Lokoja, Kogi State, which had nullified its registration.

    The appellate court reached the decision in a split judgment, with two members of the three-member panel ruling in favour of the NDC and one dissenting.

    Justices Mohammed Danjuma and Muslim Sule Hassan, who formed the majority, set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court and upheld the Independent National Electoral Commission’s recognition of the NDC.

    The majority held that the Lokoja court erred by revisiting its own earlier judgment of December 10, 2025, which had directed INEC to register the NDC as a political party.

    The appellate court described the lower court’s action as an abuse of judicial power and hierarchy.

    The judgment also rejected a dispute over the NDC’s logo, which an association operating under the name Peace Movement Party had claimed belonged to it.

    The appeal followed a ruling by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, which had set aside the court’s earlier decision directing INEC to recognise and register the NDC.

    The reversal followed an application by the Peace Movement Party, which argued that it had a legal interest in the matter but was not joined in the original proceedings.

    Justice Dashen had agreed with the argument and held that all parties with an interest in the case ought to have been given an opportunity to participate before the earlier order was made.

    The Federal High Court consequently ordered that the matter be heard afresh with the relevant parties properly joined.

    Dissatisfied with the decision, the NDC appealed to the Court of Appeal.

    In the latest ruling, the majority allowed the party’s appeal and restored the effect of the earlier judgment recognising its registration.

    However, Justice Okon Abang, the third member of the panel, dissented.

    In his judgment, Abang upheld the Federal High Court’s position, holding that there was no basis to fault the lower court’s decision and that it had acted in accordance with the principles of justice and fair hearing.

    The ruling comes as the NDC prepares for the 2027 general elections, having already nominated candidates for the polls.

    The judgment provides the latest development in the legal dispute over the party’s registration, which began with the Federal High Court’s December 2025 order directing INEC to register the NDC.

  • Court Rejects Suit Seeking Oduah’s Disqualification From 2027 Senate Race

    Court Rejects Suit Seeking Oduah’s Disqualification From 2027 Senate Race

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking the disqualification of former Senator Stella Oduah as the All Progressives Grand Alliance candidate for the Anambra North Senatorial District in the 2027 election.

    Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in a judgment delivered on Friday, held that failure to possess a National Youth Service Corps certificate does not constitute a ground for disqualifying a candidate from contesting a senatorial election.

    The suit was filed by an APGA aspirant, John Okechukwu Emeka, who challenged the nomination of Oduah by the party.

    Oduah, APGA and the Independent National Electoral Commission were joined as the first, second and third defendants respectively.

    Emeka, through his counsel, A.C. Ozioko, had alleged that Oduah provided false information to INEC in her Form EC9 in connection with her qualification for the 2027 election.

    The plaintiff claimed that Oduah had stated in her 2026 INEC form that she had never presented a forged certificate to the commission, while allegedly stating in an earlier affidavit that she had lost her First School Leaving Certificate and NYSC certificate.

    He further alleged that the authorities responsible for issuing the certificates had indicated that Oduah was not issued the documents.

    The plaintiff also challenged Oduah’s NYSC record, alleging that she had not completed the mandatory national service and had relied on a letter from the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association in presenting her qualification to INEC.

    The court, however, rejected the suit and held that the allegations of forgery raised by the plaintiff could not properly be determined through the originating summons procedure.

    Justice Abdulmalik noted that forgery constitutes a criminal offence and would have to be established to the required standard of proof.

    On the NYSC issue, the court specifically held that non-possession of an NYSC certificate was not a basis for disqualifying a candidate from a senatorial election.

    The court also upheld arguments by Oduah’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, and APGA counsel, Ifeanyi Mberi, that issues concerning the former senator’s qualification to contest public office had previously been determined by an election petition tribunal in 2019.

    The court further found that the suit was statute-barred because it was filed outside the 14-day period prescribed by law for challenging the nomination.

    APGA submitted Oduah’s name as its candidate for the Anambra North senatorial election on July 7, 2026, while Emeka instituted the action on July 24, three days beyond the statutory period.

    The court consequently dismissed the case for lacking merit.

    The judgment comes as political parties and candidates prepare for the 2027 National Assembly elections, with INEC listing the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027.

  • SERAP Gives INEC Seven Days to Explain Alleged ₦126bn Electoral Spending

    SERAP Gives INEC Seven Days to Explain Alleged ₦126bn Electoral Spending

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has given the Independent National Electoral Commission seven days to account for more than ₦126.46bn in electoral funds flagged over alleged procurement irregularities.

    SERAP made the demand in a statement issued by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, following concerns raised in the 2023 audited report of the Auditor-General of the Federation.

    The audit report, published on August 7, 2026, examined government transactions between January and December 2022, with some findings extending to December 31, 2023.

    According to SERAP, the funds in question were linked to the procurement of ballot boxes, electoral devices and other materials, sensitive electoral materials, result sheets, vehicles and other services related to election administration.

    The organisation said some of the payments were allegedly made without following required procurement procedures, while the delivery or utilisation of some of the goods and services could not be established.

    SERAP urged INEC to provide details of the amounts paid, beneficiaries, contracts and procurement processes, as well as the contractors and suppliers involved.

    It also asked the commission to provide evidence of the delivery and utilisation of the goods and services and account for the current status of the electoral assets involved.

    The organisation further called on INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, to refer the alleged financial irregularities to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission for investigation.

    SERAP said the agencies should prosecute anyone found culpable and recover public funds where wrongdoing is established.

    One of the major issues highlighted by the organisation involved more than ₦112.15bn allegedly paid for ballot boxes, electoral devices, items and materials without competitive bidding or a Certificate of No Objection from the Bureau of Public Procurement.

    SERAP said the Auditor-General reported that there was no evidence that the items were procured.

    The organisation also said the audit raised questions about the companies involved, including concerns over their competence, experience, capacity, addresses and factory locations.

    SERAP maintained that INEC must account for the funds and demonstrate that they were spent for their intended purposes.