The Federal Government has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to suspend all enforcement actions relating to the proposed ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic products.

The government also warned the agency to immediately stop sealing factories and warehouses over the issue.

The directive was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Terrence Kuanum.

Kuanum said the order followed a joint intervention by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the National Security Adviser, which raised concerns over the security implications of continued enforcement in the absence of a fully implemented National Alcohol Policy.

He said although the National Alcohol Policy had been signed by the Federal Ministry of Health in line with the directive of President Bola Tinubu, both offices insisted that NAFDAC must refrain from all enforcement measures until the policy is fully implemented and further directives are issued.

The government said such measures include factory shutdowns, warehouse sealing and public emphasis on the sachet alcohol ban.

According to the statement, the continued sealing of warehouses and what it described as a “de facto ban” on sachet alcohol products, without a harmonised policy framework, was already causing economic disruptions and posing security risks, particularly due to its impact on jobs, supply chains and informal distribution networks nationwide.

Kuanum said the position reinforced an earlier directive issued by the SGF’s office in December 2025, which suspended all actions relating to the proposed ban pending consultations and a final decision.

He added that the SGF’s office had also received a letter from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control dated November 13, 2025, raising concerns over NAFDAC’s proposed enforcement actions and referencing existing resolutions of the National Assembly on the issue.

The letter, referenced NASS/10/HR/CT.53/77 and signed by the Deputy Chairman of the committee, Hon. Uchenna Okonkwo, raised concerns over NAFDAC’s proposed enforcement actions and drew attention to existing resolutions of the National Assembly on the issue.

The Federal Government said it was reviewing legislative resolutions, public health considerations, economic implications and national interest factors surrounding the matter.

The government said the involvement of the National Security Adviser showed that the issue had gone beyond regulatory concerns, warning that premature enforcement without coordinated policy implementation could destabilise communities, worsen unemployment and trigger security challenges.

It assured Nigerians and industry stakeholders that a final decision would be communicated after consultations and inter-agency coordination, in the interest of public health, economic stability and national security.

The Senate has approved the electronic transmission of election results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s result viewing portal (IReV), while allowing manual collation to serve as a fallback where technology fails.

The decision followed a reconsideration of a controversial provision in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill during Tuesday’s plenary.

The amendment was introduced through a motion sponsored by Tahir Monguno, senator representing Borno north, who told the chamber that further scrutiny of clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill 2026 had revealed the need for adjustments to prevent disputes and operational setbacks during elections.

Monguno proposed that presiding officers at polling units be permitted to transmit results electronically to the IReV portal after form EC8A has been duly completed, signed and stamped.

Under the approved amendment, where electronic transmission is disrupted by network or communication challenges, the manually completed EC8A form will constitute the primary basis for collation and declaration of results.

The motion was seconded by Abba Moro, senate minority leader, who supported the view that electoral laws must reflect both transparency objectives and the infrastructural realities across the country.

Following brief deliberations, Godswill Akpabio, the senate president, put the amendment to a voice vote, with the “ayes” prevailing.

Prominent politician and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr. Peter Obi, has joined ongoing protests at the National Assembly in Abuja over the rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of election results by the Senate.

Protesters on Monday morning stormed the National Assembly to protest the action taken by the Senate.

Speaking at the protest ground, Obi faulted the Senate’s position on the electronic transmission of election results, urging lawmakers to allow the electoral process to proceed without restrictions.

Obi said, “Allow the election to go through the normal process. Whatever the outcome is, we will accept it. Why introduce confusion after the process?”

The protest, tagged ‘Occupy National Assembly’, saw Nigerian youths and pro-democracy activists converging at the entrance of the National Assembly to express opposition to the Senate’s rejection of e-transmission of election results.

The demonstration attracted a heavy security presence, with personnel drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, deployed to maintain order around the complex.

The protesters are demanding that the National Assembly reconsider its position on the e-transmission clause of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, insisting that electronic transmission is vital to transparency, credibility, and public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

As of the time of filing this report, the protest remained peaceful, with security operatives closely monitoring activities at the scene.

DailyPost