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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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Why Tinubu Was Absent at Commissioning of Sanwo-Olu’s Projects in Lagos – Presidency

Published

1 hour ago

April 9, 2026

Eric

The Presidency has come up with reasons behind President Bola Tinubu’s absent at the commissioning of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s projects in Lagos, on Wednesday.

Tinubu was noticeably absent at the scheduled project commissioning in Lagos, sparking public curiosity.

However, Sunday Dare, his Special Adviser on Public Communications and Orientation, has clarified the reason behind the last-minute development.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Dare revealed that the President had to prioritise urgent national security matters over the event.
According to him, although Tinubu is currently in Lagos, he has been deeply engaged in high-level State duties, particularly ongoing security briefings tied to recent developments across the country.

“The president has been busy taking constant briefs and has to prioritise when it comes to state matters, especially security,” Dare stated.

He referenced rising security concerns, including recent unrest linked to incidents in Jos, noting that the President has been closely monitoring the situation and working directly with intelligence agencies.

Dare emphasised that Tinubu remains fully engaged behind the scenes, actively coordinating with security operatives and receiving continuous updates to address emerging threats.

The absence, he stressed, should not be seen as neglect of official duties but rather a reflection of the President’s focus on safeguarding national stability at a critical time.

Tinubu skipped the Lagos commissioning not out of disregard, but to handle pressing security issues demanding immediate presidential attention.

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Benin Republic 2026: Romuald Wadagni, The President in Waiting

Published

7 hours ago

April 9, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

As the presidential election draws very close, one man stands taller than most of the candidates that would be on the ballot paper, or may have been on the ballot paper as far as the presidential election in Benin Republic is concerned. He is the hard working and most Indefatigable achiever, Monsieur Romuald Wadagni.

He us young, able and full of experience, having practiced positive and sincere politics for a very long in his young existence.

Wadagni comes across as the typical chip off the old block, when it comes to genuine leadership qualities and agenda. He has been tested, trusted and ready to take up the mantle of leadership towards providing genuineness and purposeful living condition for the people of Benin Republic.

In 10 consecutive years, since he was 39, Wadagni, has supervised the Finance and Economy ministry without blemish, and has received accolades from far and wide.

It is therefore not a fluke as the 49 years old, Romuald Wadagni was nominated as the ruling majority’s candidate for the upcoming presidential election in Benin.

Consequently, listed below are three things to know about him: 1:he has been the Minister of Finance for nearly 10 years. Romuald Wadagni was appointed Minister of Economy and Finance in April 2016. He was reappointed to the position in 2021 with the rank of Minister of State. He is considered one of the main architects of Benin’s economic recovery.

At the end of January 2025, he welcomed “average growth of more than 6.5% in recent years.” In 2018, Financial Afrik magazine ranked him among the 100 African personalities transforming the continent. In December 2024, the same media outlet named him “Best Finance Minister in Africa,” praising Benin’s macroeconomic stability in the face of international crises. 2: He is an expert in finance and accounting. Romuald Wadagni is a chartered accountant. After studying finance, private equity, and venture capital, he began his professional career in 1998 at Deloitte, one of the largest audit and consulting firms in the world.

At Deloitte, Romuald Wadagni rose through the ranks and successively held several positions of responsibility in France, the United States, and then in Francophone Africa. In 2012, at the age of 36, he became a partner at Deloitte. He later led the firm’s expansion across the African continent. After 17 years, he left the firm in April 2016 when he was appointed Minister of Economy and Finance of Benin.

He is the heir apparent of Patrice Talon. After two consecutive terms, President Patrice Talon, who can no longer run again, had promised to play an active role in choosing his successor. On August 31, 2025, he officially endorsed his Minister of Finance, Romuald Wadagni, as the candidate of the presidential majority.
This designation was confirmed in a joint statement by the Union Progressiste le Renouveau (UPR) and the Bloc Républicain (BR), the two main parties of the majority. On October 4, 2025, in Parakou, Romuald Wadagni and Mariam Chabi Talata, the current Vice President, were officially nominated during a major rally of the presidential majority. In his speech, the candidate minister promised to “consolidate the achievements” of his predecessor.

Prior to entering politics, Wadagni worked for the consulting firm Deloitte for 17 years. He was first appointed the minister of economy and finance on 7 April 2016, in the first Talon government, and subsequently reappointed in 2021 with the rank of senior minister.

Wadagni was born in Benin in 1976 in Lokossa, the eldest of five children. His father, Nestor Wadagni, a statistician and economist with a degree from ENSAE, had a career in the Beninese civil service before writing a thesis in fundamental mathematics after his retirement.From an early age, he took an interest in manual work and trained himself in bricklaying and mechanics.

After obtaining a scientific baccalaureate in Benin, he continued his studies in France. From 1995 to 1999, he studied at the École supérieure des affaires de Grenoble (ESA) where he obtained a master’s degree in finance, graduating top of his class. During his studies in Grenoble, he met a partner from Deloitte who identified his potential and recruited him into the consulting firm in 1998.Among honours attached to his ebullient services and achievements, are as follows:

In 2021, the financial newspaper Financial Afrik named Romuald Wadagni “Best African Minister of Economy and Finance”.

In 2024, the financial newspaper Financial Afrik named him “Finance Minister of the Year” for the 4th time in its ranking of “The 100 who are transforming Africa”.

ROMUALD WADAGNI AT A GLANCE

Romuald Wadagni is Senior Minister in charge of Economy and Finance of Benin. He was appointed on April 7, 2016, in the first government of President Patrice Talon and reappointed to this position in May 2021.

Romuald Wadagni is a public accountant certified in France and the USA. He also holds a master’s degree in finance and has completed specialized training in private equity and venture capital.

Before being appointed Minister of Economy and Finance in 2016, Romuald Wadagni had a leading international experience within Deloitte. In France from 1998, then in the United States from 2003, he developed cutting-edge expertise in several fields, serving customers in various sectors of activity (Mining, TMT, Financial Sector, Public Sector, Retail) and various governments and donors.

Wadagni is a handful in service delivery, transformation and economic re-engineering. He is the best suited for the presidency of Benin Republic as election holds on Sunday, April 12, 2026

Featured

ADC Raises Alarm over INEC’s Plot to Prevent Party from Fielding Candidates

Published

3 days ago

April 6, 2026

Eric

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has revealed the deliberate administrative landmines being deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prevent the Party from fielding candidates in the upcoming elections.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party stated that at the heart of this emerging crisis is INEC’s stated position that it will no longer receive any correspondence from the ADC pending the determination of a matter before the Federal High Court. On its face, this may appear procedural. In reality, it creates a direct and dangerous conflict with the clear timelines imposed by the Electoral Act (2026), which provides defined windows, including the mandatory 21-day notice period and subsequent submission requirements, within which political parties must complete critical electoral processes.

The full statement reads:

We are compelled to raise serious concerns about a developing situation that appears designed to prevent the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from fielding candidates in the upcoming elections. It is based on documentary evidence which we are now placing before the Nigerian public, including certified INEC records, attendance logs, monitoring reports, and excerpts from the Commission’s own sworn affidavit. Taken together, these documents establish a clear and consistent record of events.

INEC received formal notice of the July 29, 2025 National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the ADC. It deployed officials to monitor that meeting. It documented the proceedings and received formal reports from its field officers. Following this, INEC updated its internal records and uploaded the names of the new leadership, including Senator David Mark as National Chairman and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary.
These are not claims. They are facts contained in INEC’s own records.

In addition, the Commission’s sworn affidavit before the Federal High Court, in its response to Nafiu Bala Gombe on 12 September 2025, particularly in Clauses 14 to 19, affirms key legal principles: that the leadership transition had already been completed and recognized, that such internal party matters fall outside the scope of judicial interference, that completed acts cannot be reversed by injunction, and also recognizes the David Mark-led NWC.

Yet, despite this clear documentary trail, INEC has now taken the position that it will no longer receive any correspondence from the ADC pending the determination of a matter before the Federal High Court. This is where the contradiction becomes dangerous.

The Electoral Act imposes strict timelines on political parties, including the 21-day notice requirement and submission deadlines. INEC itself has fixed May 10 as the deadline for the submission of relevant documents. However, by refusing to receive communication from the ADC within this same period, the Commission is effectively preventing the Party from complying with the law.

In simple terms, INEC is effectively threatening that unless the courts deliver judgment on the ADC leadership issue by May 10, it will prevent the ADC from producing candidates.

This places the ADC in an impossible position and creates a clear pathway to artificial non-compliance, which can then be used to justify excluding the Party from fielding candidates. That is the landmine.

INEC has claimed that its April 1 decision was taken to avoid rendering the proceedings before the Federal High Court nugatory. The reality is the opposite. By intervening in a matter already before the court and issuing a pronouncement with clear legal and operational consequences, the Commission has itself undermined the very process it claims to protect.

What is even more concerning is that this position contradicts INEC’s own prior conduct and legal stance. The same Commission that monitored, documented, recognized, and swore to an affidavit confirming the ADC leadership is now acting in a way that contradicts its earlier position.
We therefore call on the Commission to immediately reverse this position, resume the acceptance of all lawful correspondence from the ADC, and uphold its constitutional responsibility to ensure a level playing field for all political parties.

We also call on Nigerians to be wary and remain vigilant about these dangerous machinations to subvert Nigeria’s democracy and impose a civilian dictatorship on the country.