National

Senate Confirms Amupitan As Substantive INEC Chairman

Published

4 months ago

October 16, 2025

Eric

The Senate, on Thursday, approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The confirmation of Amupitan followed a screening session by lawmakers in the Senate Chamber during a Committee of the Whole.

Lawmakers asked many questions during the session, which Amupitan responded to.

After the screening exercise, the nominee was permitted to take a bow and exited the Senate chambers with a promise that the decision of the lawmakers would be conveyed to him.

After the exit of the INEC Chairman-designate and entourage, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, moved a motion to restore all floor privileges earlier suspended.

The motion was seconded by the Minority Leader and approved by the lawmakers when it was put to voice vote.

Thereafter, Senate President Akpabio approved nomination of Amupitan for appointment as the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) when it was put to voice vote.

“The nomination of Joash Ojo Amupitan for appointment as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission is hereby confirmed,” Akpabio said.

During the screening session, Amupitan promised: “No voter will be left behind,” adding: “We will invest in logistics and technology — and where necessary, deploy drones with adequate safeguards — to ensure election materials and personnel reach every part of Nigeria safely and on time.”

Amupitan, a Professor of Law and former university administrator, said he is determined to modernise operational framework to ensure inclusivity and efficiency.

He assured lawmakers that his administration would work closely with the Joint Committee on Election Security to address threats that hinder smooth electoral operations, particularly in hard-to-reach or conflict-prone areas.

Beyond technology, Amupitan emphasised voter and civic education as the cornerstone of credible elections. He said INEC under his watch would embark on an extensive national enlightenment campaign to improve understanding of democratic processes among citizens.

“We will embark on aggressive civic and voter education across the country,” he said. “INEC will build the capacity not only of its staff but also of all election stakeholders — including political parties, their members, civil society organisations, and the electorate.”

He said the Commission would perform this role as mandated by Section 2 of the Electoral Act, which assigns INEC the responsibility of educating citizens on electoral procedures and democracy.

According to him, strengthening stakeholder knowledge would help reduce election-day irregularities and foster citizens’ confidence in the process.

“When people understand the process, they are less likely to be manipulated or discouraged. Our goal is to build an informed electorate that participates fully and freely,” he noted.

Amupitan also reaffirmed his commitment to transparency, integrity, and accountability, adding that INEC would strictly comply with existing financial and procurement laws to ensure judicious use of public funds.

“We will enforce all financial laws to the letter,” he said. “Every kobo released to the Commission will be used for the purpose for which it is appropriated.”

National

FG Orders NAFDAC to Suspend Enforcement of Ban on Sachet Alcohol

Published

6 hours ago

February 11, 2026

Eric

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.

“Accordingly, all actions, decisions, or enforcement measures relating to the ongoing ban on sachet alcohol are to be suspended pending the final consultations and implementation of the National Alcohol Policy and the issuance of a final directive,” the statement read.

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.

National

Senate Makes U-turn, Approves Electronic Transmission of Results, Permits Manual Collation As Backup

Published

1 day ago

February 10, 2026

Eric

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.

However, the provision stops short of mandating electronic transmission and excludes real-time uploads of results.

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.

National

Electronic Transmission of Results: Peter Obi Leads Protest to NASS

Published

2 days ago

February 9, 2026

Eric

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