News
Give us the new electoral law, INEC begs NASS *Amupitan briefs CSOs
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Wednesday, spoke of the imperative of the new electoral law being packaged by the National Assembly, saying like many Nigerians, the commission is waiting eagerly for the outcome.
In fact, the electoral body, which spoke amid anxiety by a groundswell of Nigerians, called on the federal lawmakers to expedite action on the new instrument, even as it pledged to roll out the programme for the 2027 electoral activities soon, regardless.
Joash Amupitan, INEC Chairman, at the first quarterly meeting with Civil Society Organisations at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, on Wednesday, told his audience that getting the elections right, was critical to national development.
The INEC boss, who cited Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which empowered the Commission to issue a notice of election not later than 360 days before the date of the poll, stated it had also made its own submission to the NASS was currently working on amendments with regards to the amendment of the Electoral Act.
He said: “We are mindful of the growing public interest and anticipation surrounding the release of the timetable and wish to assure political parties and the Nigerian public that the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election will be released in full compliance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and the Electoral Act, 2022.
“Having said that, we seek your support in urging the National Assembly to expedite action on the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act.”
Amupitan, who also argued that credible register of voters remained the bedrock of free, fair and transparent elections and that no electoral process could command public confidence without trust in the integrity of such a critical document, added that a clean up was also necessary to what current register in use.
Hear him: “Nigeria’s national register, first compiled ahead of the 2011 General Election, has since been continuously updated and deployed in the General Elections of 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023, as well as in several off-cycle governorship and bye-elections. As of the 2023 General Election, the register stood at 93,469,008 voters.
“However, persistent challenges —including duplicate registrations, under-age registration, registration by non-citizens, deceased voters and incomplete or inaccurate records— continue to generate legitimate concerns. Such anomalies undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
“In response, the Commission will embark on a thorough clean-up with a view to further sanitising and strengthening the integrity of the register. Accordingly, the Commission will be embarking on a nationwide Voter Revalidation Exercise ahead of the 2027 General Election.”
He also gave updates on the continuous voter registration exercise, saying after the first phase of the ongoing conducted from 18th August to 10th December 2025, the Commission registered a total of 2,782,589 eligible voters, while the second phase, which commenced on 5th January 2026 would run until 17th April 2026.
“The entire CVR exercise is scheduled to span one year and will conclude on 30th August 2026. We are encouraged by the strong public response to the exercise, which affirms the continuing belief of Nigerians in the democratic process and in the efforts of the Commission to ensure that every eligible citizen is afforded the opportunity to register and vote.
“For transparency purposes, data on completed online pre-registrations and physical registrations are published weekly on the Commission’s website,” the INEC boss, who also gave updates on the subsequent pre-2027 elections, starting from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Area Council polls this February, to the
bye-elections in Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies of Rivers State, as well as the Ekiti and Osun governorship polls in June and August this year, respectively.
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, announced the approval of the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats and ordered the immediate release of ₦10 billion as emergency intervention funding.
Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesman, who conveyed the development to the public, said the fund would strengthen the operational preparedness of the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support critical national public health emergency response activities.
To be chaired by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President, the committee with membership drawn from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and state representatives is also expected to get briefings on their plans to contain the disease.
Onanuga, stated that Tinubu also specifically directed all states hosting international airports and international border corridors, as well as relevant MDAs, to submit their plans, funding requirements and intervention needs for consideration and coordinated implementation.
Stating that the President’s move followed a stakeholder meeting convened under the CoS to review Nigeria’s preparedness and develop strategies against the possible importation of Ebola into the country., the statement informed that the Task Force would also intensify passenger screening at all international airports through enhanced temperature checks and crowd-control protocols.
Other measures would also include enhanced monitoring of passengers arriving through high-risk airline routes, including Air Uganda, Rwanda Air, Air Tanzania, Air Angola, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines; and the immediate activation of referral and isolation centres at the Lagos and Abuja international airports, with other airports to follow.
Other measures include the mandatory activation of QR code-based pre-arrival health declaration systems for passengers originating from or transiting through designated high-risk countries, as well as the disinfection of departure halls, cargoes, baggage areas and airport facilities as precautionary environmental measures.
The President also directed the advisory group to consult with security, diplomatic and aviation bodies on regulating flights from affected and designated high-risk countries and mandated the task force to designate specific airports or terminals for high-risk flights to enable controlled screening and isolation procedures, and to consider adjusting flight schedules to minimise interaction between high-risk passengers and other travellers.
Justice Akintoye Aluko of the Federal High Court, Lagos on Tuesday ordered the remand of Paul Jibrin Oweleke in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged cybercrime offences linked to social media broadcasts that allegedly called for overthrow of President Bola Tinubu.
Specifically, Oweleke, in a two-count charge was accused of publishing posts on his online platform known as “Oweleke TV”, urging the Nigerian military to remove the President from office in a manner similar to takeovers in some West African countries, an act the agency said bordered on incitement and the use of a computer system to disseminate content considered prejudicial to national security and constitutional governance.
Oweleke’s broadcasts, the agency stressed, were capable of inciting public disorder and promoting disaffection against the government, which will undermine the country’s democracy.
Legal argument had ensued immediately after Oweleke, pleaded not guilty to the charges, with his lawyer kicking vehemently against the prayer of the agency that the court should order his remand pending the commencement of trial, on the ground that a bail application had already been filed and served on the prosecution.
But Aluko, who was persuaded to grant the prayer, went with the DSS, while adjourning the matter to June 16 for the hearing of the bail application, stating that Oweleke, would remain in the facility of the agency pending the outcome.
By June 29 all medical doctors in public hospitals in Nigeria will drop their stethoscopes and other instruments of healthcare, unless the Federal Government settles all unpaid allowances, salary arrears, delayed training funds, and worsening welfare concerns of its members across the country’s health sector.
This was the notice served to the government on Monday, through The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), the umbrella under which the doctors operate, after rising from Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) held in Kano.
In the 21-day ultimatum to the government, the doctors warned that it would not be able to guarantee industrial harmony if the issues remain unresolved within the 21-day period.
In the resolution conveying their position, signed by Mohammad Suleiman, President, Shuaibu Ibrahim, Secretary-General, and Abdulmajid Yahya Ibrahim, Publicity and Social Secretary, on Friday, the body regretted that government had failed to fulfil several commitments to doctors despite repeated assurances and engagements.
“The association hereby declares an industrial dispute with the federal government of Nigeria on the outlined matters above and cannot guarantee industrial harmony after the 21-day window period given to address all the demands,” the communique reads.
The association said it is giving the federal government the 21-day window to commence concrete actions towards the development and implementation of a national healthcare workers assault prevention and response protocol
and the initiation of the necessary legislative process to address the menace.
NARD also demanded the release and payment of the 2026 medical residency training fund (MRTF) to all eligible resident doctors nationwide within the next 21 days.
The association questioned the unpaid salary and promotion arrears in several federal and state health institutions, as well as discrepancies in professional allowances reflected in members’ May 2026 salaries.
It highlighted the welfare issues affecting house officers, including salary delays, unpaid arrears, and difficulties with internship placement and onboarding processes that remain unresolved.
It also accused Motunrayo Omidiran, executive chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), of delaying the issuance of letters of compliance to federal health institutions, noting that the delay has hampered recruitment efforts, manpower shortages, and brain drain in the sector.
NARD expressed worries about the increasing assaults, harassment, intimidation, and violent attacks against doctors while on duty, demanding the arrests, investigation, and prosecution of perpetrators.
It called for the establishment of a national healthcare workers’ assault prevention and response protocol within 21 days by the federal government and security agencies.
-
News4 weeks agoTinubu to African leaders: Copy Nigeria, produce your way out of poverty
-
News3 weeks agoBREAKING: US-Nigeria troops slaughter 175 ISWAP fighters
-
Columns3 weeks agoDear General Gowon: That apology you’re running from is your nemesis
-
News1 week agoBREAKING: Terrorists strike Ibadan again! Abduct ex-Minister’s sister, twin children
-
News4 weeks agoWhy we pegged presidential ticket forms at N60million – NDC
-
News4 weeks agoGowon on civil war: My book is to put records straight, remove falsehood
-
News3 weeks agoBREAKING: Wait over! Arsenal are CHAMPIONS! Win EPL after 22 years hiatus
-
Columns2 weeks agoSee Tinubu’s terrible damage on Option A4 and its precious memories