General
INEC Chair Tasks Media On Balanced Reports
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Yakubu Mahmood, has urged journalists to always cross check their facts from several channels available to them at the Commission before going to press.
He said because accuracy is one of the hallmarks of professional journalism, it was necessary for the media to ensure its reports are unbiased.
Prof Mahmood also said, “The Commission welcomes and appreciates constructive criticism, which will help us grow since no Election Management Body is perfect.”
Speaking at the 12th all Nigerian Editors’ conference (ANEC) held in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, last Friday, the INEC Chairman, represented at the occasion by the Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi, noted that the Commission was aware of the unprecedented attention and scrutiny it had gotten from the press following the conduct of recent elections through several articles that had been published or aired on what INEC did or did not do.
The INEC Chairman reiterated the challenges that have hampered the smooth conduct of elections in recent times, which the Commission had constantly, spoken against and tried to mitigate.
“The most daunting problem encountered by the Commission in conducting elections thus far is violence, which manifests in many ways: physical attack (sometimes leading to unfortunate death) on INEC staff (ad-hoc and regular), intimidation, completion of result sheets under duress and sundry electoral malpractices. At times, violence takes the form of attack on our offices, facilities and public institutions used as polling centres,” he said.
He re-affirmed INEC’s willingness and readiness to conduct elections in any part of the country, but stressed that: “the environment has to be conducive for us to perform our duty. Under no circumstance will INEC conduct an election where our permanent and ad-hoc staff, voters, local and international observers, local and international journalists face the imminent danger of being killed or maimed. No election is worth the life of a human being and we take the safety of our staff and all stakeholders very seriously. The Commission will never conduct or conclude any election that has not met the minimum threshold of credibility under our laws.”
He used the opportunity to correct the wrong impression that all recently conducted elections under his watch were inconclusive. He explained that: “over the last eight months, INEC has conducted over 83 re-run elections, 7 by-elections and three end of tenure elections.
“Of these, 58 were successfully concluded, contrary to the insinuation that all our elections have been inconclusive. It is instructive to note that 22 of the remaining inconclusive elections arose from the March 19 elections in Rivers, which all stakeholders agreed were marred by violence, demonstrated by the untimely death of a youth corps member.”
Professor Yakubu further explained that: “We have thus always ended up with inconclusive elections in all the areas where violence took place. In instances where the Commission could not vouch for the credibility of the process or its outcome, elections were either cancelled in the entire constituency, relying on Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), or in selected Polling Units, relying on Section 53 of the Electoral Act (as amended)”.
On the Commission’s plans to consolidate on the gains of the 2015 general elections and improve the electoral process ahead of the 2019 general elections, the INEC Chairman disclosed that: “The Commission is also looking at ways by which election results can be transmitted electronically from the Polling Units to the Collation Centres in the interest of security, sanctity of the ballot, speed and accuracy. Similarly, we have designed a portal from which all registered voters can confirm and verify their registration online ahead of elections.”
The workshop was attended by various Editors from media organizations across the country with the Commission also being represented by the Commission’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, Deputy Director in Charge of Publicity, Nick Dazang and the Assistant Director of Publicity, Chinwe Ogbuka.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United Kingdom has reaffirmed its development partnership with Kano and Jigawa States, as part of its long-term commitment to development and reform in northern Nigeria.
The Head of Development Cooperation at the British High Commission Abuja, Ms Cynthia Rowe, recently completed high-level engagements with governors of both states as well as senior government officials and civil society leaders.
The discussions underscored the UK’s modern approach to development as a genuine partnership with Nigeria, which prioritises state-led ownership and sustainable development that delivers lasting impact through strengthening systems and partnerships grounded in investment, trade, climate financing, technical expertise and joint accountability.
According to a statement, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, via the British High Commission, said Nigeria remains one of the UK’s most significant development partners, adding that the engagements underlined the strength and ambition of the bilateral relationship reaffirmed during the recent UK-Nigeria State Visit.
In Kano, Ms Rowe met with Deputy Governor Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo and senior officials, including the newly confirmed Head of Civil Service and Secretary to the State Government. The visit recognised Kano’s progress on climate finance, health system reform and private sector investment supported through UK technical assistance.
In Jigawa, she met with Governor Umar Namadi and heads of key ministries, departments and agencies. The meeting celebrated more than 25 years of UK-Jigawa partnership, one of the most longstanding bilateral development relationships at the subnational level in Nigeria. Discussions covered the state’s continued progress on health systems reform, agriculture, and governance and the path forward under UK technical assistance.
Since 2022, PLANE has supported Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa to strengthen state-led education delivery systems, working through Ministries of Education, SUBEB and key agencies. Its RANA+ foundational learning packages have reached 1.4 million pupils across the three states, alongside wider system strengthening.
Speaking on this, Ms Rowe said, “For more than 25 years, we have worked side by side with state governments, including Jigawa and Kano states, their communities, and civil society to build stronger health systems, improve learning outcomes for millions of children, support farmers to grow their businesses, and help states attract the investment they need to thrive.
These visits have reinforced our confidence in what this partnership can achieve. We are working together to deliver lasting change, and deepening a relationship built on genuine mutual respect and shared ambition for Nigeria’s growth and development.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on data sharing to enhance economic productivity.
This was done at a meeting at CBN Head Office in Abuja, where the weather body led by its Director General, Mr Charles Anosike, on Wednesday, highlighted the importance of integrating weather and climate data into economic research, especially in sectors such as agriculture, energy, and transportation.
He noted that extreme weather events can reduce agricultural productivity and threaten food security.
He added that the collaboration aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which prioritises food security through major agricultural investment, including the cultivation of 10 million hectares of land and the distribution of mechanised equipment.
Mr Anosike cited a 2026 World Bank report that showed that extreme weather driven by climate change is significantly affecting global food security, with more than 87 million people facing hunger in East and Southern Africa and 52 million in West and Central Africa.
He also referenced the latest Berkeley Earth Report, which projects that 2026 is likely to be the fourth warmest year on record, a trend that continues to shape agricultural and energy market projections.
In his remarks, Mr Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, Deputy Governor, Economic Policy Directorate of the CBN, said the signing of the MoU marked an important step in strengthening the partnership between two key national institutions whose mandates intersect in data, research, and policy support.
He emphasised that, in an increasingly complex and dynamic economic environment, timely and reliable data remain essential for effective policy decisions.
According to him, the Economic Policy Directorate relies heavily on timely and credible statistical information from NiMet, saying that such data are critical for inflation monitoring, agricultural sector assessment, and broader economic policy advisory functions.
He described the initiative as both timely and important, adding that strong institutional partnerships are essential for strengthening evidence-based policymaking and improving the robustness of national data systems.
At the close of the event, Mr Anosike and Mr Sani Abdullahi signed the MoU on behalf of their respective institutions.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Tunji Disu, has ordered an immediate nationwide ban prohibiting Point-of-Sale (POS) operators from running their businesses within a 200-metre radius of any police station, divisional headquarters, or police formation across Nigeria.
This directive, released via an internal police wireless message, addresses critical systemic challenges regarding extortion and corrupt financial practices within law enforcement facilities.
The order is to be strictly enforced nationwide, with senior officers overseeing various formations to be held accountable for any breach of the directive.
The Nigeria Police Force stated that the measure is intended to strengthen transparency, accountability, and public confidence in the policing system.
The decision comes after an alarming proliferation of POS businesses near police facilities, with investigations and public complaints revealing that some operators were actively complicit in facilitating extortion, bribery, and illegal cash transfers forced upon civilians or suspects during police encounters.
Under the directive, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs), State Commissioners of Police (CPs), and heads of formations will be held vicariously liable for any breach within their jurisdictions.
The IGP’s order states: “Any officer or POS merchant found flouting the 200-metre operational boundary or colluding in illicit transactions will face immediate disciplinary and criminal actions under extant laws.
“If you are a POS agent or looking into regulatory compliance for financial services in Nigeria, let me know. I can provide details on current Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) radius registration guidelines or share methods to report officer misconduct directly to the Force Headquarters.”
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn