By Eze Nnadi 

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), professor Joash Amupitan, has described last weekend’s bye elections  Bauchi, Delta, Gombe and Kano states as crucial operational benchmarks for testing the nation’s electoral infrastructure.

Amupitan, who spoke on Saturday while personally presiding over operations at the Commission’s National Situation Room at its Headquarters in Abuja, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, emphasised that no electoral contest should be dismissed as trivial or routine.

The Commission conducted four key legislative bye-elections in the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency in Gombe State, Dawakin Kudu State Constituency in Kano State, Sakwa and Disina State Constituencies in Bauchi State and Udu State Constituency in Delta State.

Amupitan, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser, Adedayo Oketola, asserted that every off-cycle poll served as an important dress rehearsal for nationwide elections, said, “These four bye-elections provide indispensable operational lessons for the Commission as we systematically chart our roadmap toward the 2027 General Election.”

“We must resist the temptation to view any exercise as merely an ordinary bye-election. Every election is a critical component of our broader preparations for the 2027 General Election, allowing us to continuously audit our logistics framework, stress-test our technological deployment, and evaluate administrative field readiness.”

The INEC Chairman, accompanied by National Commissioners and senior management officials, monitored the bye-elections as operational reports arrived from the field.

Amupitan reassured Nigerians of the Commission’s resolve to uphold electoral integrity, noting that operational bottlenecks encountered before polling were swiftly identified and resolved.

“Our primary mandate in the Situation Room is monitoring and proactive crisis resolution,” the Chairman added. “Whatever administrative or field challenges arose in before the day of the elections, the Commission was able to nip them in the bud effectively. We remain committed to refining our processes so that every subsequent exercise reflects higher standards of efficiency and public confidence.”

He thanked everyone present in the situation room, especially the technical team, for ensuring the Commission was able to monitor the multi-state exercise seamlessly and assess the field performance without any hitch.

As political parties continue to raise financial support ahead of campaign fundings for the 2027 general election, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court, over its alleged refusal to disclose the limits on political contributions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The suit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/2114/2026, was filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Oluwakemi Agunbiade, Kehinde Oyewumi, Andrew Nwankwo and Valentina Adegoke. 

SERAP in the suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is asking the court to compel INEC to disclose whether it has exercised its powers under Section 91 of the Electoral Act 2026 to prescribe limits on political contributions, as well as the specific limits prescribed, if any.

The Right and Accountability Project is also praying the court compelling INEC to disclose the measures it has put in place to monitor, investigate and enforce compliance with political contribution and campaign expenditure limits. The organisation said the information is necessary to ensure transparency as political parties and candidates prepare for the 2027 elections.

According to the organisation, “Greater transparency in political financing is essential to ensuring that the 2027 elections are conducted on a level playing field and that citizens are able to make free and informed political choices,”

It  also wants INEC to publish political parties’ latest financial statements, audited accounts, sources of funds, assets, liabilities and election expenditure returns covering 2023 to 2025.

It is further asking the commission to disclose its examination and audit reports, including reports submitted to the National Assembly, as well as details of enforcement action taken over political-finance vio

 SERAP noted further  that voters, journalists and civil society organisations would struggle to effectively scrutinise political financing if contribution limits and mechanisms for monitoring compliance are not publicly accessible.

“INEC should be compelled to disclose and publish the political-contribution limits prescribed under section 91 of the Electoral Act, 2026, as well as political parties’ latest financial statements, audited accounts, sources of funds, assets, liabilities and election-expenditure returns for 2023–2025.

“Citizens cannot meaningfully exercise their political rights if undisclosed or excessive financial resources are allowed to distort the political process,” SERAP said.

The organisation also urged INEC to explain the methodology used in determining any contribution limits and how it intends to monitor political financing during the campaign period, including cash and in-kind contributions, digital and social-media advertising, political consultants and third-party campaign expenditure.

By Tony Chuddy 

Ahead of the 2027 general election, there seems to be a rising crisis within the ranks of the opposition Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), over the composition of it’s presidential campaign council

An affiliate of the party, the Obi- Kwankwaso (OK) Movement, last Thursday, constituted it’s 59 man campaign council letter sting the Director General, John Ugulu as the chairman, while Sa’adatu Sani was listed as Secretary 

But the leadership  of the party, in a statement on Sunday, dissociated itself from the OK Movement Campaign Council 

The ​‌⁠‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​⁠⁠⁠​⁠‍‌​party, in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Sen. Moses Cleopas, described the announcement as unauthorised and urged the public and media to disregard it.

Cleopas, in a statement, noted that all candidates contesting elections on the platform of NDC and are subject to the party’s authority and discipline, rather than operating as independent candidates.

The NDC chairman warned that only the party leadership had the authority to constitute and announce its presidential campaign council, adding that no individual, candidate or support group was authorised to create or publish campaign structures in the party’s name without approval from the National Working Committee (NWC).

Cleopas, however, acknowledged the contributions of support groups and encouraged their continued support for its political objectives.

He said such groups could collaborate with the party but should not regard themselves as alternative structures or parallel organs of the NDC.

He also urged members and support groups with grievances to use the party’s internal channels for resolution rather than engaging in public attacks against the party.

The statement  further stated that Ughulu had been referred to the appropriate disciplinary organ of the party over what he described as his “excesses” during the party’s primary election in Lagos and repeated disregard for party authority.

He said the disciplinary process would be conducted in line with the provisions of the party’s constitution.

Cleopas said NDP remained focused on its issue-based campaign and commitment to delivering what he described as a ‘New Nigeria that is possible’.