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10 Million New Voters Registered – INEC

Published

8 years ago

July 29, 2018

Eric

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says over ten million names have been added to Nigeria’s voters register in the course of the continuous voter registration exercise being undertaken by the commission.

The exercise is scheduled to end next month.

This was revealed Saturday by the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, at a bi-annual retreat of State House journalists with the theme ‘covering electioneering campaign’ which held at EPE Resort, Lagos State.

Represented by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC in Lagos, Samuel Olumekun, Mr Yakubu said “as at 13th July, 2018, a total number of 10,292,647 (5,620,401 males, 4,672,246 females) prospective voters had registered.”

Mr Yakubu, however, said the commission still has a large number of uncollected Permanent Voters Cards in their various offices.

He called on members of the press corps “to use your networks and platforms to publicise this information and encourage the owners to come and pick them.”

Mr Yakubu said political activities are already gathering momentum in the country and very soon the electioneering campaigns will commence.

He said he already came up with the timetable of activities for the 2019 general elections.

He said the timetable indicates that the commencement of campaigns by political parties for presidential and National Assembly, and for governorship and State House Assembly elections are slated for November 18, and December 1 respectively.

He called on the media to ensure an accurate coverage of political activities.

Mr Yakubu said all over the world, the media are known as the “cornerstone of democracy” because they play critical roles in proper functioning of democracy.

He said in facilitating the full participation of the citizenry in democratic elections, the media are specifically saddled with the responsibility of educating voters on how to exercise their democratic rights.

He also said it is the duty of the media to provide platforms for political parties and candidates to communicate their messages to the electorate; as well as “providing a platform for public feedback, concerns, opinions and needs to the political parties and candidates, the Election Management Body (EMBs), government, and others.”

The INEC chairman advised the media that as they carry out their duties they should provide information in a manner devoid of inflammatory language, and help to prevent election-related violence.

“Elections are not just about the right to vote. Knowledge of the voting process, information about political parties, candidates and their programmes are also crucial.

“Also required is the acquisition of the knowledge of how to vote.

“It is the sacred responsibility of the media to provide avenues and opportunities for citizens’ participation, political inclusion, and empowerment.

“The media should avail voters with adequate information about the electoral process and informed analysis on policies, political parties, and their candidates, to enable the citizens make informed choices,” he said.

Mr Yakubu also said INEC has improved with every election it has conducted so far. He said INEC under him is determined to make the 2019 general elections “our best election ever but we cannot do it alone.”

He said the commission needs the support of all concerned.

“I wish to remind you that the role of the media in the forthcoming elections is challenging.

“Our expectation is that the media will set agenda for the political class and also play the role of peace building, to heal the cleavages that may have been raised from intense campaigns,” he said.

Also, a University lecturer, Abubakar Kari of the department of Sociology, University of Abuja, who made a presentation on ‘Hate Speech, the Media and Nigeria’s Unity’ said the upsurge on hate speech in Nigeria presents a clear and present danger to the peace and unity of Nigeria.

“Everywhere and in all circumstances, hate speech pitches persons and groups often as “us” versus “them.”

“For a fragile polity such as Nigeria`s, which complex diversity seems forever a source of friction and which fate almost always hangs on the edge of a precipice, every dose and every moment of hate speech takes a huge toll on the social fabric of society,” Mr Kari said.

The don said the Nigerian media, just like their counterparts elsewhere, “have been complicit in the matter of hate speech in a number of ways.”

He said the media often serve as “veritable sources of offensive and toxic hate speech materials; as platforms and peddlers of same; and for encouraging, tolerating or being indifferent to something so atrocious.”

He said these things happen in spite of clear moral, social and legal issues associated with hate speech, and grave consequences the phenomenon easily elicits and instigates.

Mr Kari described hate speech as “any expression or picture or symbol that vilifies an identifiable group”.

“If that is the case, then, Nigerian media, both print and broadcast, are full of them,” he said.

Mr Kari said the media in Nigeria sometimes publish and broadcast stuff that borders on hate speech such as “news items and headlines that stereotype groups; feature stories that drip with prejudice and scapegoating; radio shows and audience-participatory programmes on topics and issues that easily provoke or precipitate exchange of insults and hatred.”

“Radio and television shows hosts sometimes actually encourage or even lead the way through their handling (or mishandling) of proceedings, nature of questions asked, how the questions are asked, choice of words, etc.

“In certain instances, the very choice of guests to discuss an issue is guaranteed to generate hate speech,” he said.

The University lecturer said controversial figures are often given platforms to spew hate speech in the country.

Mr Kari also lamented what he described as “herdsmedia.”

“These are media men and women that have made Fulani herders their bogeyman. Every act of violence and crime is blamed on the Fulani herdsmen regardless of evidence to the contrary.

“Gradually, the frontier of the scapegoating in the mischievous lens of the herdsmedia is being stretched to profile every Fulani man as a mindless killer and destroyer,” he said.

As a way out, Mr Kari said media practitioners should be educated and re-educated on media ethics on matters of balance, fairness and objectivity.

He said they must also be trained on matters of public good, public safety and national security.

“Our reporters, writers and editors must appreciate the fact that freedom of speech is not absolute, and that no individual, group or medium has any right to publish or print materials that incite, precipitate disquiet or lead to break down of law and order.

“Journalists should be schooled in conflict-sensitive reporting and multi-cultural awareness. In particular, they must learn to avoid “us” against “them” reporting. They should exercise professional standards in articles they write, programmes aired and learn to speak to people without taking sides,” he said.

Mr Kari said the full weight of the law should always be brought to bear on perpetrators of hate speech and their collaborators.

He expressed his support to a bill in the Senate, sponsored by Aliyu Abdullahi, which provides for death by hanging for any person found guilty of any hate speech that results in the death of another person.

“I support the speedy passage of the bill and its immediate assent,” he said.

Mr Kari said he has also observed that there is no provision against hate speech in the Code of Ethics of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.

“That is a serious anomaly that must be corrected forthwith,” he said.

Words Of Caution

The chairman of editorial board of Thisday newspaper, Olusegun Adeniyi, who drew from his experience both as a State House correspondent and a presidential adviser advised members of the corps to be careful of information they receive from sources especially in the build up to the 2019 elections.

He said anyone that comes up with a scoop but declines to be quoted is either lying or out to cause a problem.

He advised the correspondents to “always verify every information received” before writing their stories.

Mr Adeniyi said the Nigerian media is often seen as anti-government, saying, reporters should always be professional despite their personal opinions on any matter.

He also disagreed with the position taken by Mr Kari on the efforts by the National Assembly to pass a bill against hate speech.

He said the goal is not really to curb hate speech but “to muzzle the press and it won’t happen.”

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Featured

Seest Thou a Man Diligent – A Tribute to Primate Henry Ndukuba at 65

Published

1 day ago

July 11, 2026

Eric

By Folu Olamiti FNGE

“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” – Proverbs 22:29 (King James Version)

Few passages of Scripture capture the life and ministry of the Most Reverend Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba, Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, as fittingly as these timeless words from Proverbs. As he marks his 65th birthday on 18 July 2026, with a thanksgiving service coming up at the Cathedral Church of Advent Life Camp Gwarinpa Abuja at 10 am offer a compelling reflection of a man whose journey has been defined by unwavering diligence, steadfast faith and exemplary leadership.

Having worked closely with him over the past five years, I write not from hearsay but from personal experience. I have observed his leadership at close quarters and witnessed a rare combination of spiritual depth, humility and administrative excellence. These qualities have earned him admiration within the Anglican Communion and beyond.

My first significant encounter with Primate Ndukuba came shortly after his predecessor, the Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh, entrusted him with the leadership of the Church of Nigeria and formally handed me over as Chairman of the Board of Management of Advent Cable Network Nigeria Television (ACNN TV).

At that moment, I quietly wondered whether the new Primate would permit me the freedom required to nurture the fledgling television ministry. My apprehension soon disappeared.

Not only did he grant me complete professional latitude, but he also consistently encouraged innovation and supported initiatives that enabled ACNN TV to flourish. His confidence in those entrusted with responsibility created an atmosphere where excellence could thrive. Looking back, the years of my two terms supervisory role remain among the most rewarding of my professional life.

That approach reflects his broader philosophy of leadership.

As the spiritual head of more than twenty million Anglican faithful across Nigeria, Primate Ndukuba leads with firmness tempered by compassion. He expects commitment from those who serve alongside him and becomes understandably concerned whenever individuals fail to align with his vision for the ‘Decade of God’s Reign’. Yet his response is never driven by vindictiveness. Rather than discard people, he seeks to correct, mentor and inspire improved performance.

His administration demonstrates that discipline and compassion are not mutually exclusive.

Perhaps nowhere is his passion more evident than in evangelism.

For Primate Ndukuba, proclaiming the Gospel is not merely one responsibility among many-it is the very heartbeat of his ministry. He lives, breathes and dreams of spreading the unadiluted Word of God to every corner of Nigeria and beyond. Whether addressing vast congregations, commissioning missionaries or encouraging local church planting, his singular objective remains bringing men and women into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

His extraordinary energy continues to astonish those who work around him.

Despite an exceptionally demanding schedule, he approaches each day with remarkable enthusiasm, travelling tirelessly across dioceses, provinces and international engagements. Watching him move from one assignment to another, often with scarcely a pause for rest, one cannot help but admire the resilience that underpins his ministry.

Leading a Church comprising more than 180 active bishops across fourteen ecclesiastical provinces is no ordinary responsibility. The familiar expression, “uneasy lies the head that wears the crown,” aptly describes the enormous demands of such an office.

On one occasion, I asked him how he managed the constant stream of challenges arising from numerous dioceses under his pastoral oversight.

His response was characteristically simple.

“God has been faithful.”

Those four words revealed the foundation upon which he has built his leadership.

His answer reminded me of a similar conversation I had decades earlier with the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo while as a young reporter solely assigned to cover his electioneering campaigns during the late 1970s and early 1980s. I asked him while having his dinner how he was coping with the immense burdens of national leadership, he replied, “Look up to Jesus-the problem solver.”

Primate Ndukuba embodies that same unwavering confidence in divine guidance.

Whether confronted by criticism or praised for his accomplishments, he rarely betrays anxiety. His confidence rests not in public approval but in God’s faithfulness.

Beyond the altar and the boardroom lies another defining characteristic—his generosity.

Primate Ndukuba possesses a deeply compassionate spirit. He gives quietly, freely and without expectation of recognition. Countless individuals have experienced his kindness, and I count myself among those who have personally benefited from his generosity on several occasions.Such acts are never publicised. They flow naturally from a life shaped by Christian service.

His workload is staggering.

Curiosity once led me to glance through his engagement diary earlier this year. What I saw was astonishing. Daily commitments stretched well into the following year, leaving scarcely any room for rest. The schedule reflected an unrelenting cycle of pastoral visits, ecclesiastical meetings, missionary engagements, international assignments and administrative responsibilities.

Yet he rarely complains.

Behind every successful ministry, however, stands a dependable partner.

In Primate Ndukuba’s case, that partner is his wife, Mama Angela Ndukuba. Throughout his demanding years of service and up to now she has remained a steadfast companion, sharing both the sacrifices and the triumphs of ministry. Their partnership reflects a shared calling rather than separate assignments, demonstrating that Christian leadership flourishes when husband and wife serve together in unity.

One of the hallmarks of Primate Ndukuba’s administration has been inclusiveness.

He believes that everyone whom God has called possesses a role within the mission of the Church. To harness these gifts, he has established numerous committees and ministry platforms, carefully monitoring their effectiveness while ensuring accountability. Contrary to assumptions in some quarters, he continually evaluates performance. He has little tolerance for mediocrity or mere eye service.

For him, every Christian worker is ultimately accountable to God.Service in God’s vineyard, he believes, must be motivated by genuine commitment rather than personal ambition.

His commitment to discipline is equally uncompromising.

While compassionate by nature, he insists that the Church’s canonical rules must be respected. Clergy who violate ecclesiastical regulations are held accountable through established disciplinary procedures, while faithful and diligent servants are recognised and encouraged.

It is this careful balance of mercy, accountability and justice that has strengthened confidence in his leadership.

Observers often ask why his years as Primate have remained remarkably stable despite the complexity of overseeing one of the world’s largest Anglican provinces.

His answer remains unchanged.

“I remain focused on my vision, which is vigorous evangelisation-winning as many souls as possible into God’s Kingdom and following that with church planting. Above all, the glory belongs to the Almighty God.”

That conviction captures the essence of his ministry.

His philosophy echoes Christ’s Great Commission in Mark 16:15 , where Jesus commanded His disciples: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

For Primate Ndukuba, buildings, institutions and material achievements, important though they are, remain secondary. The true measure of ministry is found in transformed lives and souls won for Christ. Eternal impact, rather than temporal accomplishment, is the legacy he seeks to leave behind.

As he continues the final years of his decade-long primacy, Primate Henry Ndukuba stands as a remarkable example of servant leadership, spiritual integrity and unwavering devotion to God’s calling. His ministry has demonstrated that genuine authority is exercised not through power but through humility, faithfulness and sacrificial service.

On the occasion of his 65th birthday, my prayer is simple yet heartfelt: that Almighty God will continue to strengthen him his beloved wife Mama Angela and entire family, granting them wisdom, good health, renewed strength and the grace to finish their race with honour.

May their latter years be even more fruitful than the former, and may the Lord whom they have served so faithfully continue to uphold them.

Happy 65th Birthday, Your Grace.

Featured

Tinubu, Makinde Express Relief at Rescue of Oyo Kidnapped Pupils, Teachers

Published

2 days ago

July 10, 2026

Eric

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has expressed relief and joy over the release of the abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area.

“It is such a big relief for all of us. Right now, I am overjoyed and can hardly say much,” the governor told Channels Television.

President Bola Tinubu has also expressed delight over the successful rescue of abducted children and teachers, commending the military, the DSS, and the Nigeria Police Force for ending their 56-day captivity.

The President said the security operation led to the arrest of eight suspected abductors while several others were neutralised, describing the outcome as a major relief for the victims, their families and the nation.

In a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu praised the security agencies for what he described as their tireless efforts in securing the victims’ release.

He also sympathised with the children, teachers and their families over the trauma they endured during the prolonged ordeal

The President further commended the Oyo State Government for its cooperation with the Federal Government throughout the rescue operation and urged the state to strengthen security around schools to prevent similar incidents.

President Tinubu also directed emergency response agencies to work with the Oyo State Government to provide the rescued children and teachers with all necessary medical care and relief support as they recover from the ordeal.

Featured

Searching Phones Without Court Warrant Unlawful, Police Warn Officers

Published

2 days ago

July 10, 2026

Eric

The Police Command in Plateau State has warned its personnel against unlawfully demanding and searching citizens’ mobile phones.

The Commissioner of Police (CP) in the State, Bassey Ewah, issued the warning while addressing its personnel in Jos.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, Alfred Alabo, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

“No personnel of this command has the legal authority to search mobile phone of any citizen on the road without a court warrant,” Alabo quoted Ewah as saying.

The PPRO said that the commissioner, who reiterated the command’s commitment to professionalism, warned personnel against unprofessional conduct.

He added that the commissioner advised residents to politely decline any unlawful attempt by personnel to search their phones and report the incident to the nearest police station.

Alabo also advised residents of the State to report any incident of harassment through the following phone numbers: 08034448617, 08060545670, 08037681026, 09016146804, and 09051145757.

The PPRO further reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting the lives, property and rights of law abiding residents in line with global best practices.

NAN