Humphrey Nwosu, 

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has said that those who annulled the 1993 presidential election now regret their actions.

Yakubu made this statement while paying tribute to the late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, who served as the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) from 1989 to 1993.

Speaking at the Afternoon of Tributes event held in honour of the late professor at INEC headquarters in Abuja on Monday, Yakubu highlighted Nwosu’s significant role in overseeing the 1993 election, which is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most transparent and credible polls.

The late NEC chairman hailed from the Ajali community in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Yakubu noted that former military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, had publicly expressed regret over the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election during the launch of his memoir, A Journey in Service, describing it as the most difficult period of his life.

He emphasized that despite the annulment, history has recognized the 1993 election as a milestone in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.

According to him, “with the passage of time, the outcome of his effort is now widely appreciated. The election is now celebrated as one of the best in Nigeria. Even those who annulled it have expressed regret.”

Yakubu also credited Nwosu with pioneering key innovations in election management, including the establishment of INEC’s three-tier structure at the national, state, and local government levels.

According to him, Nwosu introduced reforms such as the Open Ballot System, popularly known as Option A4, where voters queued behind their chosen party’s symbol to cast their votes and be counted publicly.

Reflecting on Nwosu’s legacy, Yakubu stated: “Professor Nwosu did his best, which was not always appreciated by many, including those who appointed him under an infinite transition from military rule to democracy, which ended in the annulment of the presidential election held in 1993, resulting in the dissolution of the electoral commission and the emergence of an interim government.”

He further noted that while the presumed winner of the election, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, was posthumously conferred with the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) in 2018, and his running mate, Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, received the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), Nwosu and the electoral commission that conducted the election were largely overlooked.

“Sadly, the electoral commission that conducted the election, which was personified by Professor Nwosu, received only a muffled commendation as if no one conducted the election.”

“Surely, the election did not conduct itself. It was organised by a commission made up of commissioners and a chairman. If it was an oversight that Professor Nwosu was not honoured in his lifetime, it is never too late for the appropriate authority to do so posthumously,” Yakubu said.

A group of constituents from Kogi Central Senatorial District has formally petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recall their representative, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The petition, submitted on Monday, March 24, 2025, was delivered by Charity Ijese on behalf of the aggrieved constituents and received by INEC Secretary, Rose Anthony, at the commission’s headquarters.

Titled “Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence,” the document cites dissatisfaction with the senator’s performance and conduct.

The petitioners argue that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions amount to gross misconduct, abuse of office, and disregard for due process, which, they claim, have tarnished both the image of Kogi Central and the Nigerian Senate.

Relying on Section 69 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and INEC’s recall regulations, the petitioners stated that their move follows a widespread loss of confidence in the senator’s leadership.

They emphasized that the petition had been signed by over half of the registered voters in the district, meeting the constitutional threshold to trigger a recall process.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who secured her Senate seat through an Appeal Court ruling in October 2023, has been embroiled in controversies, including a dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

She had accused Akpabio of sexual harassment and abuse of office before being suspended from the Senate for six months over alleged misconduct.

The petitioners are now urging INEC to initiate the recall process and declare her seat vacant, asserting that her continued presence in the Senate is detrimental to their interests and the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic institutions.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has scheduled April 8 to hear and determine cases arising from the conduct of elections across the 44 Local Government Areas of Kano State.

This decision comes after the court resolved multiple motions that were filed alongside the substantive matters.

Meanwhile, the Kano State House of Assembly has urged the appellate court to overturn the ruling of the Federal High Court in Kano, which had previously halted the elections since October last year.

Represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Adegboyega Awomolo, the House of Assembly argues that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to interfere in matters related to local government elections.

Awomolo further contended that “the suit filed by one Aminu Tiga and the All Progressives Congress (APC) was statute-barred at the time it was filed, and that the two plaintiffs have no locus standing to have instituted the case.”

The Federal High Court’s ruling, delivered by Justice Simon Amobeda on October 22, 2024, had restrained the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission from proceeding with elections for local government chairmen and councillors.

The judge ruled that the electoral body’s members were “established card-carrying members of the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano State, contrary to Section 197 and 200 of the 1999 Constitution.”

Additionally, Justice Amobeda directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “not to release any part of the national voter register to Kano State to conduct the local government polls.”

He also barred the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other security agencies from providing security or participating in any local government election in the state.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, the Kano State House of Assembly has now turned to the Court of Appeal, seeking to have the judgment set aside.

The lawmakers insist that “the local government election conduct is entirely the affairs of the Kano State Government and that it is the Kano State High Court that can adjudicate over any matter arising from local government election conduct and not the Federal High Court.”

Administrator Ibas, 

There are growing concerns within Rivers State following reports that the state’s sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, is allegedly planning to announce new Local Government Area (LGA) administrators.

Sources close to the Government House revealed that the move could sideline constitutional provisions and a recent Supreme Court ruling affirming local government autonomy.

Following the Supreme Court’s nullification of the October 5, 2024, local government elections in Rivers State, suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara had directed all council chairmen to hand over to their respective heads of local government administration pending fresh elections.

However, insiders, who requested anonymity, claimed that Ibas has finalized plans to appoint new administrators despite constitutional stipulations and the Supreme Court’s verdict.

According to one of the sources, “Nigerians must remain vigilant against this unconstitutional maneuver, as it threatens the foundation of grassroots democracy. Any attempt to impose unelected administrators on LGAs must be met with firm resistance from law-abiding citizens, political stakeholders, and civil society groups.”

The sources further revealed that a list of potential administrators has already been compiled, raising fears of a deliberate attempt to override democratic norms.

Such a move, they warned, could deepen the existing crisis in the local government system and set a dangerous precedent for executive overreach.

Another source questioned the implications of the alleged plan, saying, “Will the rule of law prevail, or will impunity reign? The next 24 hours will be crucial in determining whether democracy holds firm or is trampled upon.”

The alleged maneuver, if executed, would be seen as a direct contradiction of the Supreme Court’s decision, which emphasized that local governments should be led by elected officials rather than appointed administrators.

Political observers say any such appointment could spark fresh legal battles and political unrest in Rivers State.

A political group, Eyes on Democracy, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of using its powers to suppress Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, due to his critical stance against the government.

The group alleged that the EFCC is no longer acting independently but has instead become “a political tool” used to silence opposition figures.

The controversy follows the recent arrest of Sirajo Jaja, the Accountant General of Bauchi State, who was taken into custody by the EFCC in Abuja during a Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting.

The Commission alleges that Jaja was involved in the mismanagement of N70 billion.

During a press briefing on Monday, the leader of Eyes on Democracy, Munir Aska, stated: “We believe that the recent detention of the Accountant General of Bauchi State, Sirajo Jaja, by the EFCC while he was attending the FAAC meeting in Abuja is politically motivated and orchestrated by political adversaries to silence the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, for being the strongest voice of Nigeria’s masses amidst the bad governance of the All Progressive Congress.”

The group expressed strong disapproval of the arrest, labeling it as “a politically motivated witch hunt” aimed at intimidating Governor Mohammed and his administration.

Aska further remarked: “This desperate move is clearly an attempt to silence a courageous leader who has consistently spoken truth to power, refusing to be cowed by the forces that seek to suppress democracy and good governance.”

The group pointed out that the timing of these actions was suspicious, arguing that “these arrests and intimidation of Bauchi State Government officials are happening at a time when Bala Mohammed has remained vocal in challenging the excesses of the presidency and standing firm in defense of the interests of the Nigerian people. His bold stance has made him a target for persecution, and the EFCC is being weaponized as an instrument of political oppression rather than a true anti-corruption agency.”

Aska called for the immediate release of the detained officials, stating that if there were any allegations against them, they should be charged in a competent court of law rather than subjected to what the group perceives as politically motivated harassment.

Salihu Mohammed Lukman, a key figure in the ongoing coalition discussions among opposition leaders, has stated that negotiations on selecting a political party to serve as the coalition’s platform for the 2027 elections are almost complete.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had confirmed that opposition leaders had formed a coalition aimed at unseating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.

His remarks sparked widespread debate and speculation across the country.

However, clarifying the situation on Monday, Lukman, a former National Vice Chairman (North West) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), explained that while consultations were at an advanced stage, no final decisions had been reached yet.

Lukman, who recently left the APC and has been actively involved in forming the opposition coalition, assured that once negotiations were finalized, a formal announcement would be made detailing the coalition’s membership, its political agenda, and the framework for contesting the 2027 elections.

“At this stage of negotiations, the main focus is around getting leaders to agree to work together and substantially there is strong recognition that prospective members should set aside personal ambitions to contest the 2027 elections,” Lukman said.

He highlighted two major issues dominating the discussions: uniting opposition leaders under a common goal and selecting the political party through which the coalition would field its candidates.

Dismissing media reports that suggested internal disagreements were delaying the talks, Lukman stated that discussions on zoning arrangements had not even begun.

“The consensus among leaders is that the final decision about processes of candidates’ selection can only be handled and determined when there is agreement regarding the political party on whose platform the coalition will field candidates,” he added.

Lukman identified finalizing the party platform as the coalition’s biggest hurdle, pointing out that while some members had tried to register new political parties, they faced challenges from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which he accused of deliberately blocking such efforts.

“To make matters worse, many of the existing registered parties who did not meet the electoral threshold of winning any seat in the last general elections face the threat of deregistration. Given this unpleasant reality, members of the coalition opened negotiations with some of the existing parties that have met the electoral threshold,” he said.

He further alleged that some of these existing parties were being destabilized, citing internal crises within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) as examples.

Lukman suggested that these challenges were part of a broader strategy to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections.

“It is almost a clear case of destroying the legal basis for any party to qualify to field candidates for 2027 other than the ruling APC,” he said.

Lukman also expressed concern over what he described as a shrinking democratic space, accusing the APC-led government of political maneuvers that he argued should not be happening under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, given his background as a pro-democracy advocate.

“The way the Nigerian democratic space is rapidly shrunken can only be imagined under a military government,” he said.

Despite these obstacles, Lukman reassured Nigerians that the coalition’s leadership remained steadfast in its commitment to defending democracy.

He urged citizens, including members of the judiciary, to resist any attempts to undermine democratic institutions.

“The leaders of the coalition are committed to providing the needed leadership to rescue Nigerian democracy.

“Difficult as the situation would appear, the negotiation about the political party that will be the platform for the 2027 electoral contest is about to be concluded. All the attempt to push Nigeria into a one-party state will be defeated. Once the negotiation about political party is concluded, Nigerians will be formally informed of all the details, and mobilisation towards 2027 will commence,” he stated.

Lukman emphasized that the coalition’s primary goal was not just to field candidates but to ensure that those elected at all levels remained accountable and committed to upholding democratic governance.

He called on all patriotic Nigerians to support the coalition’s efforts in what he described as a necessary struggle to prevent the country from becoming a one-party state.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) has dismissed reports claiming she apologised to the Senate, urging the public to disregard the viral news.

In a statement on Monday titled “Re-purported apology to the Senate over my sexual allegations claim against Senate President Godswill Akpabio”, she reaffirmed her stance, saying, “I, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, stand firm in my resolve to never apologise for speaking my truth.”

The senator, who was recently suspended for six months over alleged gross misconduct, described the action as a “clear case of political victimisation” but maintained that she would not be deterred.

Natasha’s suspension came days after a confrontation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over a change in the chamber’s sitting arrangement during plenary.

Following the incident, she accused Akpabio of making sexual advances toward her and later petitioned the United Nations over the issue.

Reiterating her commitment to justice, she stated, “I will continue to fight for the rights of Nigerian women and ensure that our voices are heard. The desperation to silence me is palpable, but I will not be intimidated. The games being played in full view of the Nigerian people will be exposed, and the corrupt individuals who have hijacked our institutions will be held accountable.”

She emphasised her role as a lawmaker, stating, “As a senator, I have a duty to represent my constituents and uphold the principles of justice and transparency. My allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio were not made lightly, and I will continue to seek justice and accountability, no matter the cost.”

Addressing the reports of her supposed apology, she urged Nigerians to disregard them, insisting, “I urge the public to ignore the viral report claiming that I apologised to the Senate, as it is entirely false. I will continue to stand by my truth and fight for what is right, even in the face of adversity.”