General
Tinubu Tasks INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan to Serve With Integrity
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The new chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Amupitan, has been challenged to serve with integrity and beyond reproach by President Bola Tinubu.
Mr Tinubu, while swearing in Mr Amupitan in Abuja on Thursday as the sixth substantive head of the electoral body, reminded him that, “Your nomination and the subsequent confirmation by the Senate are a testament to your capacity and the confidence reposed in you by both the executive and the legislative arms of government.”
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the INEC chief was urged to “approach your responsibility with the highest level of integrity, dedication and patriotism.”
President Tinubu noted that the country had been on a path of democratic governance and learning since 1999, with notable achievements in the strengthening of various institutions.
“Our democracy has come a long way in 25 years. We have consolidated and strengthened our democratic institutions, particularly in electoral systems, through innovations and reforms.
“We have learned a great deal along the way and have improved significantly from where we were many years ago. We must now remain committed to the principles that underpin democracy in a complex and multifaceted society.
“The electoral process is a vital part of a democracy that grants the people the exclusive right to choose their leaders and shape their future. To ensure that our democracy continues to flourish, the integrity of our electoral process must be beyond reproach,’” he was quoted as saying at the event.
The President stated that the governorship election on November 8, 2025, in Anambra State will serve as a litmus test for the new leadership of the electoral commission.
“It is important that our elections are free, fair and credible. We must consistently improve our electoral process, addressing the challenges of yesterday and innovating for today and tomorrow.
“To maintain public trust in the election, electoral integrity must be protected. All aspects of the process – from registration to campaigning, the media access, voting and counting should be transparent, non–violent and credible.
“No electoral system is flawless, but since elections are vital to a nation’s future, it is essential to continually strengthen electoral institutions, ensuring that they are robust, resilient and safeguarded against artificial setback.
“I therefore charge you, Prof Amupitan, as you take on this important assignment to protect the integrity of our electoral process and strengthen the institutional capacity of INEC.”
The swearing-in ceremony followed the Senate’s confirmation of Mr Amupitan’s nomination on October 16.
He succeeds Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure as INEC Chairman ran from 2015 to 2025.
The 58-year-old academic outlined his plans to reform Nigeria’s electoral system, strengthen institutional independence, and rebuild public trust in the commission at the screening.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has said it would continue the probe of a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Ahmed Farouk, despite the withdrawal of the petition by Mr Aliko Dangote.
The agency said it had received a “notice of withdrawal” of the petition against Mr Ahmed, submitted by a legal counsel to the petitioner.
Recall that Mr Dangote had alleged that Mr Ahmed, a public servant, spent over $7 million in public funds on the education of his four children in different schools in Switzerland, allegedly paying fees upfront for a period of six years.
In December, the businessman demanded the arrest, investigation, and prosecution of the former MD for allegedly living above his means as a public servant.
In the petition, Mr Dangote listed the children and their schools in Switzerland, including the amount paid for each of them to establish his allegations and verification by the anti-graft agency.
Mr Ahmed denied the allegations, describing them as “wild and spurious”.
The ex-NMDPRA boss has since resigned from his position, prompting a withdrawal of the petition by the businessman.
However, the ICPC said in line with the provisions of sections 3(14) and 27(3) of its enabling law, it would continue to investigate the matter in line with its statutory mandate and in the interest of transparency, accountability, and the fight against corruption for the benefit of Nigeria.
“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is in receipt of a letter dated January 5, 2026, titled “Notice of Withdrawal of Petition against Engineer Farouk Ahmed,” submitted to the Commission by Dr. O.J. Onoja, SAN and Associates, legal counsel to Alhaji Aliko Dangote,” a statement by the spokesperson of the commission, Mr J. Okor Odey, partly read.
“The letter from O. J. Onoja SAN, states that the petitioner has withdrawn the petition dated 16 December, 2025, submitted against Engineer Farouk Ahmed, the immediate past ACE/CEO of the NMDPRA, in its entirety, and that another law enforcement agency has taken over.
“The ICPC wishes to state categorically that, in line with the provisions of sections 3(14) and 27(3) of its enabling Act, the investigations in the interest of the Nigerian people and the Nigerian state have already commenced and are presently ongoing,” the statement added.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Sim Fubara.
The exercise commenced on Thursday and if successful, it would see the removal of Mr Fubara from office by the state parliament.
This is coming less than less than four months after he was restored as the Governor of the oil-rich state from a six-month suspension on democracy in the state.
In March 2025, President Bola Tinubu suspected Mr Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly over political tension between the Governor and his predecessor, Mr Nyesom Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.
A peace deal was reportedly brokered by Mr Tinubu between Mr Fubara and Mr Wike but things fell apart a few months after.
The Rivers Assembly is populated by loyalists of Mr Wike and has lawmakers from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
A few weeks ago, the Governor decamped from the PDP to the APC, in a move described as a masterstroke because it was calculated that it would free Mr Fubara from the grip of Mr Wike, who has been expelled from the PDP but yet to join the APC.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The petition filed by Mr Aliko Dangote to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) against the former chief executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed, has been withdrawn.
The businessman had accused Mr Ahmed of using his office to enrich himself and living above his means.
According Mr Dangote, the former NMDPRA chief spent about $7 million belonging to Nigerians for the primary education of his four children in Switzerland.
In the heat of this, Mr Ahmed resigned from the position, with the ICPC promising to further look into the matter.
It was gathered that the owner of the Lagos-based Dangote Petroleum Refinery has withdrawn his petition against Mr Ahmed from the ICPC because a similar complaint is already being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The ICPC, in a statement signed by its Head of Media and Public Communications, Mr John Okor Odey, on Wednesday said, “The ICPC is in receipt of a letter dated January 5, 2025, titled ‘Notice of Withdrawal of Petition against Engineer Farouk Ahmed’, submitted to the commission by Dr. O.J. Onoja, SAN and Associates, legal counsel to Aliko Dangote.
“The letter states that the petitioner has withdrawn the petition dated December 16, 2025, submitted against Engineer Farouk Ahmed, the immediate past ACE/CEO of the NMDPRA, in its entirety, and that another law enforcement agency has taken over.
“The ICPC wishes to state categorically that, in line with the provisions of Sections 3(14) and 27(3) of its enabling Act, investigations in the interest of the Nigerian people and the Nigerian state have already commenced and are presently ongoing.
“The ICPC will therefore continue to investigate this matter in line with its statutory mandate and in the interest of transparency, accountability and the fight against corruption for the benefit of Nigeria.”
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