Tag: Inec

…denies presenting candidate

The National Rescue Movement (NRM) has expressed dismay over the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s alleged imposition of a candidate on it concerning the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State.

The party said it was taken aback that the same INEC that has refused to recognise its National Electoral Committee (NEC), constituted at its last emergency convention held on January 17, wondered how the same electoral body arrived at publishing the name of a candidate for the same party for the forthcoming Anambra election.

Speaking on Wednesday in Abuja, the immediate past National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Isaac Chigozie Udeh (who is now the National Organizing Secretary of the NRM) noted that although, his name remains the party’s Chairman in INEC’s record and website, he, at no time, submitted any candidate’s name to the electoral body for his party in respect of the Anambra election.

Udeh said, “On January 16, 2025, we received an order compelling INEC to monitor our emergency national convention slated for January 17, 2025. INEC was duly notified.”

“The emergency national convention was held, and Chief Edozie Njoku and other national executives were elected.  I stepped down (as the National Chairman) to become the National Organising Secretary of the party.

“On March 5, 2025, Hon. Justice Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, went further to give a judgment impelling INEC to accept and recognise the outcome of the January 17, 2025, emergency national convention of the party.”

Udeh stated that despite being notified about the January 16 order and March 5 judgment, INEC allegedly “decided to monitor an illegal NEC meeting on January 27, 2025, and the purported Emergency National Convention of April 14, 2025.

“In total defiance to the subsisting court order impelling INEC to recognize the national executives of the Party that emerged from January 17, 2025, INEC went ahead to reject all the letters we wrote notifying them of the our electoral activities in preparation for the Anambra governorship election and they need for them to monitor it as required by the law.

“Brazenly, INEC chose to monitor the illegal governorship primaries organised by Mr. Chinedu Obi, the National Welfare Officer of the party.”

Read Also: NRM protests INEC’s failure to recognise Njoku-led NEC

Udeh accused some identified INEC officials of allegedly subverting the intention and efforts of the NRM to function effectively as a political party under a new leadership led by Edozie Njoku.

He accused the said officials of misleading INEC to violate Subsection 2.5 (a), (b) and (d) of the Electoral Act 2022 relating to how a political party submit its candidates’ list and particulars to INEC.

Udeh added: “It is abundantly clear that the purported name inserted against NRM, in the Anambra governorship election, does not  have the approval of the legally recognised NRM National Chairman, Chief Edozie Njoku, nor does it have my endorsement, the man whose name still adorns the commission’s website.”

He accused the said INEC officials of engaging in forgery, wondering how they came about his signature and that of Njoku.

Udeh noted that by the law, “Outside the two of us, no other person(s) has the right to sign or authenticate the party’s candidate.

“Our lawyers have been contacted to act accordingly in addressing this very disturbing scenario.

“We urge Nigerians that holding public office holders accountable is part of our civic duty. No one should shy away from it,” Udeh said.

With the tenure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, nearing its end, pro-democracy advocates are calling for the establishment of an independent body to recommend qualified candidates for the position, replacing the current system that grants the President the power to make unilateral appointments.

The proposal was unveiled on Thursday in Abuja during the presentation of policy briefs and memoranda by the Women Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), in collaboration with the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD).

The documents, which will be submitted to the Joint Committees on INEC/Electoral Reform of the Senate and House of Representatives, advocate for greater transparency and independence in the appointment process of INEC leadership.

Delivering a lead paper titled “Memo on Appointment Criteria for INEC Chairman and Commissioners and Suggestion for Electoral Reform,” Dr. Austin Aigbe, Senior Program Officer at the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), argued that the current method undermines public trust due to the potential conflict of interest when the President appoints the electoral body’s leadership.

He stressed that reforming the appointment process to reduce political interference would enhance INEC’s integrity, credibility, and impartiality. Aigbe cited the 1999 Constitution’s requirement for public officials to act in the public interest, pointing out a contradiction between Section 154(1)—which gives the President appointment powers—and Section 15, Part F of the Third Schedule, which mandates INEC to conduct free, fair, and credible elections at all levels.

The activists urged lawmakers to consider amending the constitution to align INEC’s appointment process with democratic best practices.

He therefore called for the alteration of Section 154(1) to reflect the establishment of an independent panel for the selection of INEC leadership.

He also called for the alteration of section 157 to reflect “the process for appointing officials to INEC shall involve the independent panel, which shall be responsible for screening candidates and submitting a list of recommended individuals to the President who shall appoint the Chairman and members of INEC from this list, subject to approval by the National Assembly.”

On the composition of the independent body, the pro-democracy activist recommended representatives of the National Judicial Council (NJC), Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), National Union of Journalists (NUJ), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to serve as members of the Independent body.

In another paper “Policy brief on improving the credibility of elections in Nigeria”, a political scientist and lecturer from Baze University, Abuja, Dr Iroro Stephen Izu stressed the need to ensure transparency, healthy environment, reforms, inclusivity, voter and political education and equipment functionality of voting materials to ensure credible poll in 2027.

The don warned that democratic rule in the country could be doomed if the challenges associated with the worsening incidence of voter apathy among Nigerians is worsened beyond redemption.

He added: “Non credible election hinders voter participation. That is why it is a risk, like a time bomb. voter apathy has been categorized into three degrees.

“We have voter apathy at the level of voter burnout. And voter apathy at the level of voter meltdown. And voter apathy at the level of voter blackouts. These are dangerous degrees of voter disillusionment, which can destroy our democracy.

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“So it is in the interest of everybody, politicians, citizens, and everybody, for our democracy to be credible in Nigeria. You know, when you look at what is happening in some of these Sahel states where coups have taken place in recent times and citizens are chanting and celebrating, it means that there is something wrong somewhere. This is because there was never democracy in these countries.

“That you have elections does not equate or is tantamount to having democracy. To have a democratic leadership, it is only when you have credible election that you can say in truth we have democratic government in power.

“Non credible elections that produce some leaders is equivalent to a coup d’etat through the ballot box.

“So it is in the interest of all to have credible election because Nigeria is the biggest democracy in West Africa and in Africa and so if Nigeria does not get it right, there is going to be a multiplier effect on every other country in Africa. It is better we have credible election or not have elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the names of 16 governorship candidates of the political parties that will participate in this year’s election in Anambra State.

A statement by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education, Sam Olumekun, said LP replaced its deputy governorship candidate alongside three others, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) replaced its governorship candidate.

The statement reads: “The public may recall that the commission recently published the personal particulars of candidates that emerged from the primaries conducted by political parties for the forthcoming Anambra State governorship election.

“A total of 16 political parties uploaded the particulars of their candidates (Form EC9) by the deadline of 6.00 p.m. on Monday, May 12, 2025.

“In line with the provision of Section 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, political parties are empowered to replace their candidates who voluntarily withdraw from the race.

“Accordingly, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) conducted a fresh primary election to replace its candidate while four political parties replaced their deputy governorship candidates.

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“They are: Accord (A), African Action Congress (AAC), Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). The deadline for the withdrawal and substitution of candidates was Monday, June 2, 2025.

“Consequently, the commission hereby publishes the final list of candidates that will contest in the 2025 Anambra State governorship election.

“Sixteen out of the 19 registered parties are participating in the election out of which the African Action Congress (AAC) and the National Rescue Movement (NRM) have nominated female candidates while six parties are fielding female running mates.

“They are: Accord (A), All Progressives Congress (APC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Boot Party (BP), Labour Party (LP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). No party has nominated a person with disability as a candidate. In terms of age, the candidates range between 36 and 71 years.

“The full list of the candidates by party, age, gender, and academic qualifications has been uploaded to our website and social media platforms for public information.

“With this publication, no further withdrawal or replacement of candidates will be allowed except in the event of death of a candidate or running mate before Election Day, as provided by Section 34(1) of the Electoral Act.

“In line with the provision of Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, political parties are now at liberty to start their electioneering campaigns in public from Wednesday, June 11, 2025 and end at midnight on Thursday, November 6, 2025.

“As enshrined in sections 92 and 93 of the Electoral Act 2022, the commission wishes to remind political parties, candidates and their supporters that it is unlawful to use abusive language, carry out physical attacks on opponents during rallies, processions and meetings or destroy their campaign materials.

“Similarly, all parties and candidates must be given unimpeded access to public facilities for media campaign, outdoor advertising, as well as public rallies and meetings. For the avoidance of doubt, Section 95(2) of the Electoral Act 2022 prohibits the use of incumbency to the advantage or disadvantage of any party or candidate.

“The Anambra State governorship election will hold on Saturday, November 8, 2025.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed Saturday July 20 and Saturday, August 8, 2026 for the conduct of the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states respectively.

Chairman of the Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu made this known on Friday while swearing in six new Resident Electoral Commissioners whose appointments were recently confirmed by the National Assembly.

Yakubu also disclosed that the Commission was, putting finishing touches to preparation for the conduct of bye elections into vacant seats in the National and States Houses of Assembly

Yakubu explained that the timetable and schedule of activities for the two elections was approved by the commission in compliance with the law.

He said that INEC was under legal obligation to publish the notices for major elections not later than 360 days before the date fixed in line with requirements of the law.

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He said that while the last governorship elections in the states were held in June and July 2022, the four-year tenure of the two governors would end in 2026.

Yakubu said that for Ekiti, the election would hold on Saturday, June 20 2026, while party primaries would start on Oct. 20 and end on Nov. 10.

This, according to him, is to enable political parties upload their nomination forms to the dedicated portal, which automatically shuts down by 6.00pm on Dec. 22 , which is not later than 180 days before the election.

“The final list of candidates will be published on Jan. 18, 2026 while campaign in public by political parties will commence on Jan. 21,  and end 24 hours to the  election day.

“In the case of Osun,  the election will be held on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026.

“Party primaries will start from  Nov. 24 and end on Dec. 15. The portal for the upload of nomination forms by political parties closes at 6.00pm on Feb. 9, 2026,  not later than 180 days before the election.

“The final list of candidates will be published on March 9, 2026 while campaign in public by political parties will commence on March 11, 2026 and end 24 hours to  election day,” he said.

Yakubu added that the detailed timetable and schedule of activities for the two elections had been uploaded to INEC website and social media platforms for the guidance of political parties and public information.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday deployed the newly appointed Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to fill existing vacancies in six states.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the six RECs were deployed shortly after they took oath of office at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

The new RECs include Dr Sa’ad Idris, the Director-General of The Electoral Institute, Dr Johnson Sinikiem, Mrs Feyijimi Ibiyemi, Mukhtar Gajiram, Chukwuemeka Ibeziako and Umar Garba.

Idris was deployed to Gombe, Sinikiem to Cross River, Ibiyemi to Ogun, Gajiram to Taraba, Ibeziako to Abia and Garba to Sokoto.

Sinikiem and Gajiram were reappointed for a second term in office, Idris and Feyijimi Saseyi Ibiyemi are career staff of the Commission.

Before the appointment, Ibeziako was a private legal practitioner, while Garba also had years of experience in the private sector.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, in a remark at the brief ceremony, said that with the deployment of the six RECs, all vacancies had been filled in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Yakubu urged the RECs to justify the confidence reposed in them.

He advised them to focus on their responsibilities; be guided by the electoral legal framework, the code of conduct for RECs as well as the commission’s operation guidelines.

Yakubu also advised them to act in line with their oath of office and prudently manage the commission’s resources entrusted to them.

“Your appointment is a full-time and not part-time responsibility. You must provide leadership and exercise effective supervision.

Read Also: JUST IN: INEC fixes 2026 governorship polls for Ekiti, Osun states

“You can only succeed in this responsibility when you are knowledgeable about the commission’s activities, particularly the innovations introduced in election management,” he said

The INEC boss emphasised the need for them to operate within the limits of their delegated powers and responsibilities.

“You must never act independently or think that you can act in violation of the law, regulations and guidelines or defy the commission without consequences.

“We will hold you accountable for your actions and inactions.

“We will not hesitate to deal with acts of defiance, indiscretion or transgression on the part of any REC,” he said.

Idris, who spoke on behalf of the new RECs, lauded President Bola Tinubu, the chairman of INEC and members of the commission, for the opportunity given to them to serve.

Idris pledged that they would serve diligently and they would not take lightly, the noble call to serve Nigeria.

“As we assume the new role, we do so with a clear understanding of the weight of the responsibility before us.

“The role of a REC is central to the integrity of our electoral process and the sustenance of democracy.

“We are fully aware that the credibility of elections rest not only on systems and structures but also on character and commitment to those entrusted to manage them,” he said.

Idris assured INEC and Nigerians of their total dedication and loyalty to the values and objectives of the commission.

“We pledge to discharge our duties with utmost integrity, impartiality, and professionalism.

“We are committed to upholding the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act, and the Guidelines, Regulations and all policies of the Commission in all circumstances.

“We are also deeply committed to promoting voter education, encouraging citizens participation, and ensuring that every vote counts.

“We will work tirelessly with stakeholders, including political parties, civil society organisations, the media, and security agencies, to build trust and strengthen the electoral process in our states of deployment,” he said.

Idris commended Yakubu’s visionary and examplary leadership, which he said had continued to inspire confidence, trust and transparency in the electoral process.

Meanwhile, the commission also redeployed some existing RECs.

They included Aminu Idris to FCT, Prof. Gabriel Yomeri to Rivers, Dr Hale Longpet to Kwara, Dr Agundu Tersoo to Kogi, Mahmuda ISA to Zamfara, Mohammed Sadiq to Plateau, and Mohammed Nura to Adamawa.

Others are Prof. Saidu Ahmed to Kaduna state, Umar Ibrahim to Bauchi state,Isha Ehimeakhe to Bayelsa and Mr Obi Effanga to Akwa Ibom.
(NAN)

…to release timetable for by-election soon

The National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states for Saturday, July 20, and Saturday, August 8, 2026, respectively.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, announced the dates on Friday during the swearing-in ceremony of six newly appointed Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), whose nominations were recently approved by the National Assembly.

Yakubu also revealed that the Commission is finalising preparations for the bye-elections to fill vacant seats in the National and State Houses of Assembly and the commencement of continuous voter registration.

The INEC chairman said, “In line with the requirements of the law, the commission is under legal obligation to publish the notices for major elections not later than 360 days before the date fixed for the election.

“In compliance with the law, the Commission has approved the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the Ekiti and Osun State Governorship elections. The last gubernatorial elections in the two States were held in June and July 2022. The four-year tenure of the Governors will end next year.

“For Ekiti State, the election will be held on Saturday, 20th June 2026. However, party primaries will start on 20th October 2025 and end on 10th November 2025 to enable political parties to upload their nomination forms to the dedicated portal, which automatically shuts down by 6.00 pm on 22nd December 2025, i.e., not later than 180 days before the election.

“The final list of candidates will be published on 18th January 2026, while the campaign in public by political parties will commence on 21st January 2026 and end 24 hours before Election Day.

“In the case of Osun State, the election will be held on Saturday, 8th August 2026. Party primaries will start on 24th November 2025 and end on 15th December 2025. The portal for the upload of nomination forms by Political Parties closes at 6.00 pm on 9th February 2026, i.e., not later than 180 days before the election.

“The final list of candidates will be published on 9th March 2026, while the campaign in public by political parties will commence on 11th March 2026 and end 24 hours before Election Day.

“The detailed Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the Ekiti and Osun State governorship elections have been uploaded to our website and social media platforms for the guidance of political parties and public information”.

Speaking on the continuous voter registration, the INEC Chairman said “the Commission is aware of the concern expressed by many Nigerians about the pending bye-elections and the resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) nationwide.”

On existing by-elections to fill vacant seats, he said, “The number of by-elections has now risen to 17. We are aware of the urgency to commence the CVR, particularly in view of the forthcoming Governorship election in Anambra State. We want to assure Nigerians that we are finalising our preparations for both activities, the details of which will soon be made public.”

Speaking on the swearing-in of six Resident Electoral Commissioners, Prof Yakubu said with the swearing-in of the six RECs, all vacancies have been filled in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

Read Also: JUST IN: INEC fixes 2026 governorship polls for Ekiti, Osun states

While congratulating the new RECs, he reminded them that the conduct of elections is not only a huge responsibility, but also a sacred duty, saying, “As RECs, you are the representatives of the Commission in the various States to which you will be deployed shortly. The work of the Commission is, to say the least, very challenging.

“As you assume or resume duty, I urge you to focus on your responsibilities. Let me make it clear from the outset that you must at all times be guided by the electoral legal framework, the code of conduct for RECs, as well as the regulations and guidelines governing the Commission’s operations.

“Above all, you must always act in good conscience. Do not betray your oath of office. In the best tradition of the Commission, you must engage with stakeholders through regular consultative meetings and must not be impervious to genuine criticisms.

“In the various States to which you will be deployed shortly, you will be in charge of personnel and resources. Manage your personnel and the extremely limited resources at your disposal very well. Your appointment is a full-time and not a part-time responsibility.

“You must provide leadership and exercise effective supervision. You can only succeed in this responsibility when you are knowledgeable about the Commission’s activities, particularly the innovations introduced in election management.

“It is also important to understand and operate within the limits of your delegated powers and responsibilities. Our State offices are part and parcel of the Commission. You must never act independently or think that you can act in violation of the law, regulations, and guidelines, or defy the Commission without consequences.

“We will hold you accountable for your actions and inactions. We will not hesitate to deal with acts of defiance, indiscretion, or transgression on the part of any Resident Electoral Commissioner.

“In line with the current policy, you will be deployed within your geo-political zones, but none of you will serve in his/her State of origin.

He said the deployment requires a consequential redeployment of some of the serving RECs from their current locations to other States in line with the extant policy, adding that “For the serving RECs, this has been handled administratively.

“However, the full list will be uploaded to the Commission’s website and social media platforms for public information shortly. I must add that the deployment of RECs is a routine exercise. While the Commission tries to maintain stability of the process, RECs can be redeployed again as the need arises”.

Following the swearing in of the new RECs, the commission also announced the deployment and redeployment of the new and existing Commissioners.

The new posting includes Mukhtar Umar (Taraba), Hale Gabriel Longpet (Kwara), USA Shaka Ehimeakhe (Bayelsa), Obo Effanga (Akwa Ibom), Johnson Alalibo (Cross Rivers), Feyijimi Saseyi (Ogun), Umar Ibrahim (Bauchi), and Saidu Ahmed (Kaduna).

Others are Muhammed Nura (Adamawa), Sa’ad Umar (Gombe), Chukwuemeka Ibeziako (Abia), Umar Garba (Sokoto), Mohammed Sadiq (Plateau), Mahmuda Isa (Zamfara), Agundu Tersoo (Kogi), and Gabriel Tomorrow (Rivers).

Responding on behalf of the RECs, Sa’ad Umar, who, until his appointment, was Director of the Electoral Institute of the Commission, said the new appointees were assuming their new assignment with a clear understanding of the weight of the responsibility before us.

He said, “The role of a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) is central to the integrity of our electoral process and the sustenance of democracy. We are fully aware that the credibility of elections rests not only on systems and structures but also on character and commitment to entrust to manage them.”

He assured Nigeria people of their total dedication and loyalty to the values and objectives of the Independent National Electoral Commission, while pledging to discharge our duties with utmost integrity, impartiality, and professionalism. 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed its readiness to harness the positive aspect of artificial intelligence (AI) in election management in the country.

The commission thus announced the creation of an Artificial Intelligence Division under the ICT Department to continue to harness the positive aspects of the technology and mitigate its negative impact on elections.

The announcement is contained in a statement yesterday by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee of the Commission, Sam Olumekun.

The statement reads: “The commission held its regular weekly meeting today, Thursday, May 22, 2025. Among other issues, the meeting considered the increasing relevance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to elections and electoral activities in Nigeria and across the world.

“Recently, the commission attended several conferences with colleagues around the continent on the impact of AI on elections.

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“These interactions were not only motivated by the concern over the use of AI to spread fake news or manipulate content online, but also to utilise its benefits for data-driven decision-making, risk detection and mitigation, deepening voter services automation and geo-spatial intelligence in support of logistic optimisation for better material distribution and polling unit allocation.

“Consequently, the commission approved the creation of an Artificial Intelligence Division under the ICT Department to continue to harness the positive aspects of AI and mitigate its negative impact on elections.

“The division will enable the commission to better coordinate and maximise existing technology investments through centralised AI governance.

“It will also enhance decision-making through data-driven insights, risk management and voter engagement. Furthermore, it will strengthen electoral credibility through predictive analytics, automation and intelligent safeguards.

“This initiative puts the Commission in the forefront of institutionalising AI capabilities within our ICT infrastructure. It is also an important step in our ongoing reform of the electoral process in areas that only require administrative action by the commission.”