President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured Saudi Arabian investors of a conducive business environment, promising to eliminate bottlenecks and facilitate seamless fund inflow and outflow. Speaking at the Nigeria-Saudi Investment Roundtable in Riyadh, Tinubu emphasized his commitment to economic reforms, declaring Nigeria “open for business” and dispelling negative perceptions about ease of doing business, monetary policy, and trade cooperation.

Tinubu highlighted the removal of red tape and the implementation of free-market economics, ensuring easy financial transactions. He expressed confidence in his team’s ability to drive economic prosperity, citing Nigeria’s vibrant youth population as a valuable asset for innovation and engagement with global services.

The president’s candid expression of Nigeria’s readiness for serious investors resonated with Saudi Arabia’s trade and investment minister, Kahlid El-Falih. El-Falih acknowledged Tinubu’s passionate commitment and expected a positive response from the Saudi investment community, translating into substantial investments across various sectors of the Nigerian economy.

Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Industries, echoed the sentiment, describing Nigeria as the “world’s best-kept secret” in terms of investments and returns. He anticipated a mutually beneficial relationship between Nigerian and Saudi businesses, emphasizing the upcoming launch of the Nigeria-Saudi Business Council as a significant opportunity for collaboration and expansion.

Tinubu’s reassurance and commitment to an investor-friendly Nigeria reinforce the country’s appeal on the global stage, setting the stage for increased economic cooperation between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to promptly establish a joint, credible, transparent, effective, and broad-based investigation into allegations of electoral bribery and violence in the off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states.

Naija News reports that the group made the call in a letter dated 11 November 2023 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare.

SERAP urged him to identify, arrest, name and shame suspected perpetrators and their sponsors of these grave human rights crimes, and ensure their effective prosecution, regardless of their political status or affiliations.

SERAP also urged him to “disclose the spending details on the governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states, including the specific amount spent to conduct voter and civic education and activities carried out in these states.”

The organisation said: “If INEC is to live up to its constitutional and statutory responsibilities, it must take bold and effective measures to combat the culture of impunity for electoral bribery and violence in the country.”

SERAP said the recurring cases of electoral bribery and violence make a mockery of Nigeria’s electoral process and participatory democracy.

The letter, read in part: “INEC must acknowledge its own limitations and now embrace a transparent, credible, inclusive and broad-based investigation into the allegations of grave electoral offences in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states.

“Electoral integrity is critical to a legitimate democracy. When the integrity of that process is compromised, the legitimacy of our government and the public confidence in our public institutions is seriously undermined.

“Reports of grave electoral offences in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states have shown that INEC and politicians have learnt little or nothing from the well-documented problems during the 2023 general elections.

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel INEC to comply with our request in the public interest.

“The right to vote is fundamental and is the essence of a democratic society, and any restrictions on that right strike at the heart of representative government. Nigerians should have the final say in the election of governmental officials.

“Persistent cases of bribery and violence in the country’s elections gravely violate Nigerians’ right to vote, which is central to the effective participation of every citizen.

“Unless there is a transparent, effective, credible, inclusive and broad-based investigation into these allegations, and perpetrators and their sponsors are named and shamed and brought to justice, impunity for these electoral crimes will continue. And citizens will continue to lose confidence in the electoral process.

“Nigerians have the right to know how INEC is spending public funds in the discharge of its constitutional and statutory responsibilities. It is in the public interest to publish the details of spending on governorship elections in the three states.

“According to our information, the governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states witnessed cases of electoral offences including electoral violence, vote-buying, conspiracy, and undue influence.

“The proposed joint investigation should comprise of INEC, anticorruption and law enforcement agencies, the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, the National Human Rights Commission, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and independent leaders and citizens’ groups from Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states.

“Electoral bribery and violence and other electoral offences undermine the ability of INEC to discharge its responsibilities under Section 153 of the Nigerian Constitution and paragraph 15(a) of the third schedule of the Constitution, and the Electoral Act.

“Electoral bribery and violence and other electoral offences reportedly committed during the off-cycle governorship elections in the three states are contrary to the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act and international standards.

“The Nigerian Constitution provides in Section 14(1)(c) that, ‘the participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.’”

“Sections 121 and 127 of the Electoral Act prohibit electoral bribery and undue influence before, during and after any election. Section 145(2) provides that, ‘a prosecution under this Act shall be undertaken by legal officers of the Commission or any legal practitioner appointed by it.’

“Under section 2(a) and (b), the commission ‘shall have power to conduct voter and civic education and to promote knowledge of sound democratic election processes.’

“The crisis confronting the country’s elections and lack of public trust and confidence in the electoral process can be addressed if impunity for electoral bribery and violence is combated through a transparent, credible and effective investigation and prosecution of suspected perpetrators.

“There are reports of specific cases of pre-completed result sheets including in five local government areas of Kogi State – Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi and Okene.

“Suspected political thugs reportedly harassed journalists covering the governorship election in Omuma Community in Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State. INEC official in the Oguta Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo State also alleged that some men invaded her polling unit and carted away result sheets.

“According to a report by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), there were several reports of electoral violence and vote buying across the three states. For example, there were reports of incidents in PU 1, Ward 8 and PU 11, Ward 1 in Sagbama LGA in Bayelsa West.

“In Bayelsa Central, vote trading was reported in PU 16, Ward 6 in Yenegoa LGA, PU 22, PU 30 and 31, Ward 13 in Southern Ijaw LGA with reports of voter inducements ranging from N5,000 – N22,000, and items such as wrappers and rice were also reportedly shared to buy votes.

“In Kogi, there were reports of vote buying in PUs 004, 038 and 039 in Ward A of Lokoja LGA, where party agents were allegedly sharing out money to voters upon confirmation that they voted for their party candidates.

“In Imo, the two major parties’ agents reportedly engaged in vote buying, sharing between N2000 to N3000. INEC officials were reportedly bribed. Electoral violence was reported in Dekini LGA, town where a thug was reportedly shot and killed by military officials while fleeing in an attempt to snatch a ballot box.

“INEC presiding officer was also reportedly abducted in Bayelsa while on his way to the Registration Area Centre – 06 (Ossioma) in Sagbama Local Government Area.” There are reports of thugs attacking several polling units in the three states.”

The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Imo state, Athan Achonu has called for rerun in the governorship election held on Saturday.

Achonu while addressing newsmen claimed that democracy is under attack.

The LP candidate, however, said the masses will resist the attack, and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to embark on a rerun of the poll.

He alleged that there were several infractions during the conduct of the election.

Achonu said, “In so many places, it is either the INEC staff refused to sign the result or refused to upload. It took the intervention of security operatives, who came here before they started uploading the results.

“The machine they said could not upload suddenly started uploading. Maybe, if I was not from this area, it would not have been possible. There are even places in Aboh Mbaise where they did not have result sheets.

“We are winning massively on the ground. They have done everything humanly possible to thwart that but we will not allow that; Imolites will not allow that.

“I hope INEC is hearing me clearly now. They should declare our results the way they are. They can’t change our results.

“The All Progressives Congress government should be ashamed of themselves. They have lost the election and they are trying to change the result.

“In Orlu, they moved the entire electoral materials to the house of a traditional ruler. Orsu was worse; it is madness. They were doing cluster voting.

“They blocked people from coming out to vote and then brought some people with cards they hired from somewhere to vote, claiming they were the people who ran away from home.

“Democracy is under attack but we are resisting it. That is why you see all these people here so that we can have proper democracy and good governance.

“Of course, INEC must cancel everywhere this madness occurred and order a rerun.”

The APC Support Groups have cautioned the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) leadership against using its membership for partisan political connections and personal gain.

The Director-General, Kailani Muhammed, issued this caution during a press conference in Abuja on Saturday.

Muhammed recounted that on November 8, the NLC initiated a protest that blocked access to the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, and the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, despite appeals to the NLC to postpone the industrial action.

He noted that the protest disrupted both human and traffic movements, causing a halt in airport activities for several hours.

“We advise the NLC leadership to refrain from using its membership for personal gains. It is not sound logic to antagonize the Federal Government simply because its candidate lost in the presidential election.

“The NLC’s association with Peter Obi, the LP Presidential candidate, both before and after the February Presidential election, and its alignment as a partisan political affiliate of the LP, is undeniable,” stated the group’s Director-General.

While acknowledging the right to engage in partisan politics under the guise of a labour union, Muhammed criticized the transfer of the alleged failure’s repercussions to the elected President of the Federal Republic, characterizing it as unacceptable and warranting condemnation.

“Nigerians are already feeling the impacts of the fuel subsidy removal in various ways. The NLC should not exacerbate the situation,” he emphasized.

Muhammed proposed that the best way to address the alleged attack on Joe Ajeoro, the NLC president, is through exhaustive engagement in a round table for an amicable solution rather than escalating tensions.

“This will ensure unity and development, with justice and fair play prevailing. The Confederation of APC Support Groups and other well-meaning Nigerians will stand up to defend against any unfounded allegations against the APC-led Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s government, both now and in the future. This is a safeguard to ensure that democracy thrives in Nigeria,” he concluded.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Governor Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the November 11, 2023 governorship election in the state.

The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Prof Abayomi Fashina, who was the state Returning Officer declared Uzodimma re-elected on Sunday morning at about 10 am after over eight hours of collation of local government results.

“That you Hope Uzodimma of APC having satisfied the law is hereby returned elected,” Fashina declared.

 Uzodimma was first declared as Imo State governor by the Supreme Court in January 2020 after the nullification of the election of Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a situation that made him attract more political enemies in the state plagued with the security phenomenon of “unknown gunmen”, abductions and endless Monday’s sit-at-home by pro-secessionist sects.

Uzodimma, 64, sought re-election in Saturday’s poll and cleared all the 27 local government areas in the state.

Uzodimma trounced PDP’s Samuel Anyanwu, Labour Party (LP)’s Nneji Achonu, Jack Ogunewe of the Action Alliance (AA), 14 other opponents.

The APC candidate polled 540, 308 votes to defeat his closest rivals, PDP’s Anyanwu, who scored 71,503 votes and LP’s Achonu who got 64,081.

The eight-hour marathon collation of results from 2:30am to 8:30am on Sunday was fraught with drama and protest from opposition party agents who complained that the results brought before the state collation centre were at variance with what was uploaded on the Result Viewing Portal of the commission.

Labour Party agents and others vehemently demanded the suspension of the collation but the returning officer insisted that the collation be concluded.

According to INEC, the number of registered voters in the state for the poll was 2, 419,922 with 2,318,919 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected.

Generally, observers said Saturday’s governorship poll in the South-East state was marred by vote buying, voter intimidation, violence and other electoral malpractices with antigraft agencies arresting party agents with stashed cash.

Like Imo, governorship elections were held in Kogi and Bayelsa on November 11, 2023, though the collation of results in the two states has been adjourned to Sunday morning.

[Channels TV]

SAMUEL Chukwueze was back in action after a one-month layoff yesterday and made a goal contribution in AC Milan’s 2-2 draw at Lecce.

The Super Eagles winger was playing his first match since sustaining a hamstring injury during Nigeria’s 2-2 draw with Saudi Arabia in a friendly in Portimao, Portugal on October 13.

Chukwueze was on from the start and assisted Milan’s second goal by Tijani Reijnders in the 35th minute as the visitors took a 2-0 lead.

Lecce pulled it back to 2-2 in the 70th minute and Chukwueze was taken off nine minutes after as a stunned Milan sought to regain their lead.

The assist was Chukwueze’s first goal contribution in eight Serie A appearances for Milan since joining them from Villarreal in the summer but it was only his third start.

In England, Joe Aribo was once again left on the Southampton bench as they defeated Semi Ajayi’s West Brom 2-1 in the second-tier Championship.

Aribo, who is in the Super Eagles squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe this week and next week, has now been an unused substitute five times in the Championship this season.

The 27-year-old midfielder has started only once and been substituted on 10 times for the Saints, who rose to fourth place with yesterday’s home win.

Centre-back Ajayi, who is also in Nigeria’s latest squad, came on as an 82nd minute substitute for West Brom’s scorer Kyle Bartley.

Ajayi, 30, has made 10 Championship appearances this season, seven from the start, and scored two goals for seventh-placed West Brom.

Also in the Championship yesterday, Kelechi Iheanacho was in leaders Leicester City’s starting line-up as they lost 1-0 at Middlesbrough.

The Super Eagles striker played the full game as Leicester City’s dodgy form persisted with their second straight defeat.

Iheanacho has started eight games and made eight substitute appearances in the Championship this season, registering five goals and one assist.

In Germany, Super Eagles defender Kevin Akpoguma, who was excluded from the latest squad, was in action for all 90 minutes for Hoffenheim as they played a 1-1 draw at Augsburg.

It was 28-year-old Akpoguma’s fourth start and seventh appearance in the Bundesliga for sixth-placed Hoffenheim this term.

In Belgium, Nigerian midfielder Alhassan Yusuf was impressive in Royal Antwerp’s central midfield and played all 90 minutes as they thrashed visiting Standard Liege 6-0.

The 23-year-old Yusuf, who is yet to make his Super Eagles debut, has made five starts and five substitute appearances for fourth-placed Royal Antwerp in the Belgian Pro League this season.

[NaijaTimes]

Twenty students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) were yesterday rushed to the university’s teaching hospital following a stampede at an examination hall in the campus.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the stampede occurred where the students were billed to write the General Studies and Communication Skills (GSS) examination that was postponed to Saturday from Friday.

The GSS examination was for100-level students from all the faculties of the university.

The examination, meant to be taken in batches, saw the students rushing to secure the few available spaces.

NAN reports that Saturday’s GSS examination was meant to be the climax of the institution’s second semester examinations that started on October 16.

When contacted, the university management declined to comment on the stampede, but a competent source confirmed the incident.

(NAN)

Residents of Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa states, on Saturday, filed out to cast their ballot during the off-season governorship elections amid violence and alleged manipulation of the system.

DAILY POST reports that about 5,169,692 eligible voters collected their Permanent Voter’s Card, PVC, for the election.

The exercise, which was held in 10,470 polling units across the three states, was, however, marred by thuggery and cries of manipulation.

Before Saturday, INEC had alerted Nigerians that the exercise would not be held in two polling units in Bayelsa and 38 in Imo. This may not be unconnected to security issues bedevilling the areas.

Aside from the outbreak of violence recorded in several polling units, there were reports of attempts to manipulate the outcome of the polls.

DAILY POST recalls that some INEC officials were allegedly caught with pre-recorded result sheets in PU 020, Eika/Ohizenyi, Okehi LGA of Kogi State.

Senator Dino Melaye, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, also raised the alarm that all polling units in Ogori/Magongo local government areas of the state had their result sheets tampered with or prefilled.

Responding to the irregularities, INEC in a statement on Saturday night, suspended the election in nine wards of Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area.

Bayelsa

Prior to the commencement of the election on Saturday, an INEC official in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State was kidnapped by suspected thugs.

In a statement on Friday, Wilfred Ifogah, head of INEC voters’ registration in the state, said the electoral official was kidnapped while waiting to board a boat at the jetty.

During the election, a violent clash between supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Famgbe, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, led to the killing of a yet-to-be-identified man.

The clash, which involved suspected political thugs, resulted in gunshots that led to the death of one person.

Our correspondent gathered that one Ovie Ogbara, a younger brother to Benjamin Ogbara, a former Bayelsa State House of Assembly aspirant under the APC was allegedly one of those shot during the incident.

Similarly, election materials were reportedly carted away by armed thugs who broke into polling units in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and shot sporadically into the air.

DAILY POST gathered that voting materials were destroyed at Agorogbene, units 6, 7, and 8 in Ward 11 of the Local Government.

Sources said that when the electorates attempted to confront the armed men, they were met with a barrage of gunfire.

More worrisome was the attack on an ad-hoc staff of INEC and a corps member by thugs suspected to be working for the APC.

DAILY POST gathered that the thugs also carted away the election materials, the BIVAS for Ward 1, Unit 23, located at Onopa in Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state.

A bag and other belongings of the corps member were also taken by the armed thugs.

Also, in ward 11 of Opume and Emakalakala in Ogbia Local Government area of the state, armed APC thugs descended on unit 14,15 and 19, disrupting the election process. But before the process was disrupted, some results were recorded.

Imo

The exercise was disrupted at Amaimo Central School, Amaimo ward, Ikeduru LGA, Imo state, following reported sounds of gunshots by security operatives.

Across the state, security operatives, especially the police were being accused of aiding thugs and INEC officials to manipulate the process for the APC.

A case in point is where NSCDC officials alleged that they were disarmed by policemen under the supervision of an aide to Governor Hope Uzodinma.

Similarly, thugs allegedly working for APC, carted away ballot boxes and other election materials at Umuchoko Umuohiagu Junction Polling Unit, Ward 11, in Ngor Okpala LGA.

There were also reports of suspected armed robbers in Owerri North Local Government Area, who carted away the sum of N1.5 million earmarked for vote buying.

DAILY POST gathered that the daring robbers stormed the area where four polling units were located, shot sporadically and demanded money from the APC officials.

Under intense gunfire, DAILY POST witnessed individuals, including journalists and police officers, scampering for safety.

A police officer was also brutalised by community youths after the officer allegedly snatched election materials at a polling unit.

DAILY POST learnt that the officer, alongside others who were beaten by the irate youths, was attached to a chieftain of APC, in Ikeduru Local Government Area.

Kogi

Although the Police Public Relations Officer in Kogi State, SP William Ovye Aya told DAILY POST prior to the election that the state command made necessary moves to ensure a peaceful election, the exercise was characterised by violence.

Contrary to the assertion of the PPRO that the command had “engaged party leaders and relevant stakeholders to talk to their supporters to stop the violence”, there were reports of incidents aimed at snatching electoral materials.

DAILY POST recalls that military operatives on election duty in Igalamela local government area of the state intercepted and arrested the council chairman and several party supporters for being in possession of ammunition and cash.

The soldiers seized the cash, as well as a large cache of ammunition. The video of the operation has been trending on social media.

Several AK-47-wielding men, suspected to be fake policemen, were also arrested in the State.

Recall also that the governorship candidate of the Action Alliance, Olayinka Braimoh was also arrested in Kabba after some materials were allegedly found in his car.

Speaking to DAILY POST, a public affairs analyst, Sam Amadi, berated the electoral umpire and security agencies for allegedly failing to meet expectations.

According to him, INEC’s performance in the gubernatorial election was worse than how it handled previous polls.

Amadi, who condemned the electoral violence recorded in some parts of Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa, alleged that incumbent governors of the states pocketed the security agencies.

He said, “So far, what we have seen is a continuation of electoral manipulation. This is a sham election. The only difference is that the level of manipulation has gone deeper.

“The level of violence and violation of rules superseded what we witnessed in the February and March general elections.

“The way governors are going around with security operatives intimidating their opponents is just too bad.

“Violence disorganised the election and vote buying in this election is even higher than what we witnessed in the previous elections.

“The story is simple, both INEC and security agencies are not encouraging.

“INEC has done worse than what it did during the general elections; for example, see reports from Kogi State, election results were written before the exercise started.”

[DailyPost]

Well over three decades ago, one of Nigeria’s respected political scientists, Professor Oyeleye Oyediran, now late, ignited a controversy when he opined that “only a military FEDECO” could successfully organize a national election in Nigeria. Several political analysts publicly and violently disagreed with him.

Oyediran’s controversial viewpoint must have been informed by the unwholesome electoral dispensation of the political class of the 2nd Republic as well as the perverse performance of the then Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO) – a commission that reportedly declared winners of election before votes of the same contest were counted in full. It was also accused of announcing election results for polling centres where voting did not even hold. 

Oyediran was perhaps moved to praise the military because of the relative peace which attended to the1979 and 1999 general elections which they supervised. Of course, loud disapprovals of Oyediran’s eulogy of the military were led by those who held-on to the world-wide belief that military rule should always be condemned as an aberration. Till today, Nigerian politicians take pride in chorusing the saying that the most benevolent military administration is worse than the worst democratic dispensation making it obvious that democracy is the best system of government. However, whereas the statement is a true representation of happenings in many climes across the globe, it is unfortunately not so of Nigeria especially in electoral matters.

The June 12 1993 presidential election internationally acclaimed as Nigeria’s best was ill-advisedly annulled.  Every well-meaning Nigerian did deprecate and still loathe the annulment by the military but we must never forget to utilize some aspects of that election that showed a huge degree of efficacy. While president Ibrahim Babangida has taken vicarious liability for the annulment because the buck stopped at his table, there were military and non-military actors who played ignoble roles during the period and who are now our political manipulators. Such people make it easy for us to suggest that IBB’s controlled elections have proven to be better than those organized by supposed democrats.

One aspect of political engineering which IBB, sought to redress in his days as military president was the proliferation of political associations that merely created tension in the polity. What he did was to initiate a design that streamlined the nation’s political groupings into two for easy handling. But our democrats argued at the time that parties not being government agencies, ought not to be so regulated. Today, how many Nigerian political groups that call themselves political parties are real? We can hardly find more than two and a half viable parties; the rest are populated by political jobbers who merely complicate the logistics of elections. 

Smaller parties that could have become viable are not allowed to grow by the big two that constantly use huge resources to dismember them. This played out just before the governorship elections scheduled for yesterday in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi states. In Bayelsa State, for instance, nothing else better illuminates the emasculation of the Labour party which disowned its own governorship candidate a few days to voting. If politics and elections are appropriately organized, we shall see less of political speculators who defect to the ruling party on the grounds of wanting to help build a better Nigeria. What type of democrats abhor the existence of opposition political parties in a democracy?

During the transition to civil rule era, there was a consensus that democracy ought to be premised on the ‘politics of equality’ where every actor is seen as equal to the other. For this to be achieved there was the need to bring to an end, the old practice of money bags taking ownership of a political party, hence a party secretariat was built in each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas for the two registered political parties of the era. The idea was to involve more persons in the decision making process of a party by creating a neutral venue for party meetings instead of the private residences of money bags. Rather than modify the initiative to suit the times, it was thrown overboard by party chieftains who restored their own control of the parties.

The results of the manipulation of political activities in Nigeria are not too difficult to see. Party primary elections are not only rancorous, those who eventually emerge as winners are replaced at will by the choices of their chieftains to the extent that in some of the primaries held to pick party flagbearers for the 2023 elections those who allegedly won were non-aspirants who never took part in the contestations. Yet, such atrocious outcomes were ratified by the judiciary. Ordinarily such illegalities could not have happened in a party that is supposedly anchored on one man one vote, one woman one vote. Alas, Nigerian political parties are run as businesses with certain well placed persons functioning as undertakers and proprietors.

Perhaps the greatest feature which distinguishes elections held under the period of aberration from those of our democratic era is the new trend of electoral commissions which consist of members of the ruling party. Last week, virtually everyone was incensed by the nomination and confirmation of some resident electoral commissioners who are reportedly well-known chieftains of the ruling party.

Although many analysts have taken time to quote provisions of extant laws which forbid a partisan INEC, one wonders the logic behind the support of any true democrat for the idea of one of the teams in a contest providing the umpire. In 2019, president Buhari nominated one Olalekan Raheem a card-carrying member of the APC as the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun State. The Ninth Senate however declined to confirm the nomination.

At other times, all efforts to resist illegal nomination into the nation’s supposed independent electoral commission failed because members of the same ruling party work assiduously to ensure senate’s clearance of such tainted umpires. Today, it is the APC that is perpetuating the anomaly, but it was not started by that party. In its days as the nation’s ruling political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP consistently smuggled politicians into the management of the electoral commission. In addition, adulterating the electoral framework has always extended beyond the federal level. State governments are actually worse as virtually every member of a state electoral commission is either a member of the ruling party in the state or an associate of the governor.

Interestingly, Nigerians have always frowned at the idea of politicising their electoral umpire. Just before the latest assault on INEC by the ruling party, a former chairman of INEC Professor Attahiru Jega admonished the political class on the subject. Speaking at a retreat in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Jega observed that, “We have seen, in 2023 elections, the damaging effect of how people in the corridors of power get their client/partisan nominees appointed, without being thoroughly screened, and then they are influenced to compromise the integrity of elections.” This timely warning like all others before it was ignored by the relevant political actors. Is it not time to establish an electoral commission made up of nominees of all political parties?

The point must however be made that Nigeria may never attain free and fair elections considering that the relevant leaders are benefitting from electoral malpractices. After all, over 197 electoral offenders who were apparently sponsored by politicians are yet to be prosecuted several months after the 2023 general elections. Why has nothing been done about the issue despite the fact that the Nigerian Bar Association, had offered pro bono legal services for the effective prosecution of arrested electoral offenders?

To find an answer to this question we need go back in history to review some electoral reforms of old which solved certain problems. One factor causing immense disquiet of recent is the number of people among them senior lawyers who are dissatisfied with several judicial pronouncements on election disputes and petitions in Nigeria.  Perhaps it is time to fall back on the old provision that judges should only nullify problematic elections, they should no longer determine the winners but allow voters to do so through a rerun election. That would certainly stop those using courts to win elections. It would also establish the rationale for certain innovations in the past.

Hope Uzodinma, the APC governorship candidate in Imo State, is leading with the results so far announced.

He has won 20 out of 27 local government areas.

Below are the standings at the time of filing this report:

???: 430,218

??: 45,020

???: 45,698

However, yesterday, there was anxiety in the polity as leading candidates and political parties awaited the results of the Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states’ governorship polls.

The was because early results showed tight contests among the major candidates.

In Kogi State, for example, Alhaji Usman Ododo of APC, was running neck-and-neck with Muritala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party, SDP.

But Governors Uzodimma (Imo) and Diri (Bayelsa) now look to be ahead for now.

Meanwhile, the collation officers of five local government areas – Orlu, Ikeduru, Ihitte Uboma, Ohaji/Egbema and Ideato North – in Imo State have been asked to go and reconcile their result sheets before they can present the election results for said local governments.

[Vanguard]