General
INEC Becoming A Threat to Democracy—CNPP
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been accused of deliberately frustrating the advancement of democracy in Nigeria with its conduct of the 2023 general elections.
In a statement on Monday, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) lamented that officials of the electoral umpire were out to destroy “the only legacy President Muhammadu Buhari may have intended to leave after signing into law the amended Electoral Act 2022, which cleared the coast for the deployment of technology in Nigeria’s elections.”
In the statement signed by its Secretary General, Mr Willy Ezugwu, in reaction to the controversy surrounding the Adamawa State governorship election, the CNPP said that “in saner clime, all the INEC and non-INEC official fingered in the viral allegation of bribery and falsification of election results in Adamawa State should be in jail.”
“This is not the case because INEC is either acting a script by the enemies of Nigeria’s democracy or some selfish political elites who wish to get the country engulfed in politically motivated anarchy for yet-to-be-known personal benefits,” it noted.
“The unwarranted palpable tension in Adamawa State since on Sunday when the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, announced Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the gubernatorial election is not different from illegalities the commission, in collaboration with politicians, allegedly in the February 25 presidential election in many parts of the country.
“The conduct of the Adamawa State governorship election, which obviously did not go down well with many residents, points clearly to the 2023 sham elections in many states.
“For the CNPP, all the damage control mechanisms deployed by INEC in trying to make Nigerians believe that it meant well in Adamawa State or other parts of the country amounts to mere film trick.
“The INEC leadership, particularly the Chairman of the commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, had assured Nigerians of real-time transmission of 2023 polls results but deliberately failed to make its innovative biometric devices work and resorted to manually transmitted results collation, which opened up the planned electronically controlled electoral processes to all kinds of manipulation.
“Sadly, INEC under the current leadership presents itself as a cash-and-carry Commission where the highest bidder is declared the winner against the wishes of the electorates and urged to go to court.
“Unfortunately, in the eyes of many Nigerians, the judiciary is yet to prove its readiness to deliver judgment on electoral matters based on the merit of the cases rather than relying on technicalities to deny litigants justice in election petitions.
“So many Nigerians have expressed reservations over the preparedness of the judiciary to be firm in delivering justice in many pre-election matters brought before the courts in 2023, particularly at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
“The actions and inactions of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are obviously aimed at intentionally derailing the legal preparations put in place by President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of this year’s elections.
“The result is the now clearly doomed legacy of free, fair, and credible 2023 general elections, which President Buhari would have left behind on May 29 as his outstanding legacy in eight years, but the Adamawa State governorship election has brought to a woeful climax the unpleasant tale of INEC supervised electoral impunity,” the CNPP said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) recently hosted a high-level delegation from Newryton International Industrial Development Company Limited, a leading Chinese investment and industrial development consortium, to advance discussions on deepening bilateral trade, industrial cooperation, and development financing between both countries.
The Newryton delegation, led by Mr David Chen, Assistant Secretary-General of the China Hainan Investment Council, had earlier engaged with the Nigerian Association of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA). They were accompanied to the NCSP by Mr Joe Onyuike, Vice-Chairman of NACCIMA’s Agriculture and Livestock Trade Group, who conveyed NACCIMA’s support for the delegation’s engagements.
Discussions centered on the establishment of a Nigeria–China Trade and Investment Platform, including a proposed Promotion Centre in China to support Nigerian products, investors, and state governments.
The consortium also presented opportunities within Hainan Province’s Free Trade Port (FTP), which offers preferential policies that Nigerian businesses can leverage to expand exports and attract new investments.
In his address on behalf of Newryton, Mr Pong outlined plans to collaborate with NCSP in accessing FOCAC-supported financing for strategic investments in agriculture, energy, mining, solid minerals processing, and related sectors. The delegation identified aquaculture as a key area of interest and referenced the forthcoming Global Aquaculture Conference in Hainan Province, encouraging Nigerian stakeholders to participate.
They also expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation in vocational training and employment under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Welcoming the delegation on behalf of the Director-General, Martins Olajide, NCSP’s Head of Internal Operations, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to fostering mutually beneficial partnerships.
He highlighted NCSP’s strong interest in the proposed Nigeria–China Trade and Investment Platform and the development of the Nigerian Oil Palm Industrial Park as a flagship demonstration project.
Also speaking at the meeting, Ms Judy Melifonwu, NCSP’s Head of International Relations, underscored the opportunities presented by China’s zero-tariff policy and the forthcoming NAQS–GACC protocol on the export of Nigerian aquaculture products. She noted that these frameworks would significantly enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in emerging global markets.
Both parties expressed commitment to advancing discussions toward a structured cooperation framework covering all priority areas.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United Kingdom–Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF), established in 2019 as part of a 16-year legacy of UK-funded infrastructure support to Nigeria, convened over 100 senior stakeholders on Tuesday, December 2, to review its progress and formally close out its current phase of operations.
The event brought together representatives from federal and state governments, development partners, development finance institutions, and the private sector to reflect on UKNIAF’s work across the power, infrastructure finance, and roads sectors. Discussions focused on institutional reforms, capacity development, and the sustainability of tools and processes introduced over the past six years.
Since inception, UKNIAF has delivered targeted technical assistance designed to embed evidence-based reforms, data-driven decision-making, and improved institutional performance. Its interventions have mobilised significant financing, strengthened regulatory and planning systems, and enhanced investor readiness across multiple infrastructure markets.
In the power sector, participants highlighted landmark achievements including the development of Nigeria’s first Integrated Resource Plan, which outlines a least-cost and low-carbon pathway for expanding electricity supply. UKNIAF also supported the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in building advanced real-time data capabilities for tariff monitoring, grid management, and outage tracking. The programme enabled pioneering states to establish their own electricity markets following constitutional reforms.
In infrastructure finance, UKNIAF was recognised for strengthening project preparation systems and enabling access to capital. Notable accomplishments include supporting the mobilisation of $75 million from the African Development Bank to the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) programme in two states, and accelerating mini-grid and solar deployment through improved technical standards at the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
UKNIAF also designed a national project preparation facility, for which N21 billion was allocated in both the 2024 and 2025 budgets to build a pipeline of bankable projects.
Speaking on this, Mr Frank Edozie, UKNIAF Team Lead, described the programme’s close-out as a “handover for sustained delivery,” emphasising that strengthened institutions now hold tools that make Nigeria’s infrastructure landscape more transparent, climate-smart, and investor-ready.
On his part, the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, commended the programme, noting that its technical assistance and advisory services had helped lay the foundation for a sustainable and inclusive electricity supply industry.
Mrs Cynthia Rowe, Head of Development Corporation at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in Nigeria, praised the partnership, highlighting achievements ranging from state-level electricity market reforms to unlocking major financing and designing Nigeria’s Climate Change Fund.
Enugu State Secretary to the State Government, Professor Chidiebere Onyia, underscored the lasting influence of the programme, stating that UKNIAF’s impact continues through the expertise and leadership transferred to national and sub-national institutions.
The close-out event reaffirmed stakeholders’ commitment to sustaining tools, reforms, and knowledge products developed under UKNIAF, while strengthening collaboration among public, private, and development actors in the infrastructure ecosystem.
Participants included federal and state agencies such as the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Federal Ministry of Power, Ministry of Finance, NERC, REA, and the Transmission Company of Nigeria, alongside development partners including the African Development Bank, World Bank, and IFC, as well as private sector and civil society stakeholders.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, has been slashed by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The Lagos-based oil facility brought down the ex-depot price of the petroleum product by 15.58 per cent or N129 per litre to N828 per litre.
Though the company had yet to release an official statement on this development, real-time market data on Petroleumprice.ng on Friday showed the new price.
Punch reports that data from the platform also showed fresh reductions across several private depots following the refinery’s latest review.
Sigmund Depot cut its ex-depot price by N4 to N824 per litre, Bulk Strategic dropped its price by N3, and TechnoOil slashed its by N15.
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