Politics
2027: INEC voter register highly compromised, says former national commissioner
** Reveals register inflated with underaged, fictitious, duplicate registrants
***Says many Nigerians have lost confidence in democracy
A former national commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Festus Oloyede, has called for Ex-National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Festus Okoye, has stayed that only a fresh and immediate compilation of a new biometric voters’ register can give Nigeria a reliable voter register ahead of the 2027 general election
Okoye, who was a national commissioner, during the Professor Mahmoud Yakubu led INEC that conducted the 2023 general election, revealed that the current voter register contains fictitious, underage, and duplicate registrations
The former INEC national commissioner who made the revelation when he appeared on a podcast, Deep Insight with Agbonsuremi, said the current voter register could not provide an accurate picture of Nigeria’s genuine voting population, adding that it has been inflated with several multiple registrations, underage registration, as well as those of deceased persons and Nigerians who had left the country.
He noted further that the current register was compiled when INEC lacked the technological capacity to effectively detect multiple registrations.
“We must have a new biometric voters’ register. If we have a new biometric voters’ register, then we can be sure of the number of individuals that are on the voters’ register,” Okoye said.
“People registered and registered and registered. Some registered 10 times, some registered 20 times. Some of those people, their names are still on the voters’ register,” he said.
Okoye also alleged that underage persons were captured in the register in some communities, while there was no effective mechanism for removing the names of deceased persons or Nigerians who had relocated abroad.
He argued that these factors made the register unreliable as a basis for measuring voter participation.
The former commissioner, who said he monitored the recent Osun State governorship election, also rejected the suggestion that low voter turnout was solely an indication of voter apathy.
He described the situation largely as “voter disengagement,” saying many Nigerians had deliberately withdrawn from the electoral process because they had lost confidence in democracy.
According to him, insecurity, fear of electoral violence, distrust in the system and the belief that elections had already been decided were among the reasons many registered voters stayed away from polling units.
“What we have in Nigeria is voter disengagement. Some people have completely and absolutely and fundamentally disengaged from the electoral process.
They believe that democracy is not working for them. So why waste my time?” he said..
Okoye argued that the existing Electoral Act as amended was sufficient to conduct credible elections, noting that the major challenge was not the absence of adequate legislation but the failure to enforce it.
The former INEC commissioner called for the establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission to investigate, arrest and prosecute electoral offenders, while allowing INEC to focus exclusively on election management, adding that electoral offences persisted because institutions responsible for investigating and prosecuting offenders were not sufficiently empowered.
“The commission should concentrate fully on its core mandate of organising and undertaking and supervising elections,” he said.
Politics
Senator Emma Nwachukwu unveils scorecard, says not final destination but firm foundation of longer journey

By Ijeoma Nwajiobi, Nnewi
Senator Emmanuel Nwachukwu of Anambra South Senatorial District has presented his one year achievements in the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Nwachukwu during a press briefing on Thursday, October 8, 2026 in his country home, Ukpor in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State said the zone recorded enormous milestones in his one-year stay in office.
Onodugo, who took the oath of office following the by-election of August 2025 to fill the vacant seat of late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah said he doubled his efforts because he understood that representation is not about occupying a seat or enjoying the privileges of office but carrying collective voices , hopes , tears, and aspirations of the people of Anambra South to where national decisions are made.
“My journey into the chamber was accompanied by immediate legal challenges surrounding the mandate. Yet, I remained resolute”the lawmaker explained.
Sen. Nwachukwu listed his key pillars of accomplishment which included Institutional Continuity and Stability where he retained the administrative secretary of the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah to ensure the constituents services continued without interruption.
Other key pillars, Power and Industrial Sector Support, he noted he engaged the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Federal Power Authorities to tackle Right – of – Way bottlenecks in Nnobi and accelerate completion of the crucial Nnewi injection substation.
On National Electoral Integrity and Reform, Nwachukwu said as a member of the Sanate committee on electoral matters, he was among the Senators who voted against manual fallbacks in favour of mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results.
Infrastructural advocacy, he said he sponsored a major Senate motion calling national attention to the collapsed bridge and failed sections along the critical Okija Spur – Ihembosi – Ukpor – Ebenator – Ezinifite Road corridor.
“I successfully secure Senate resolution directing the Federal Ministry of Works and FERMA to execute immediate engineering intervention” he added.
He further noted that he has been working closely with NEMA and the Nigeria Red Cross to ensure that his people never feel abandoned in times of emergency.
“I secured and distributed substantial relief materials to victims of devastating fire outbreak, including affected families in Ozubulu, brought attention of NEMA to the victims of building collapse in Oko, Orumba North LGA,” Onodugo further revealed.
Furthermore, Nwachukwu disclosed he engaged the Ecological Fund Office and the Federal Ministry of Environment to bring targeted federal remediation to their most vulnerable sites.
The lawmaker said he has established strong collaborative working relationship between members of the National Assembly caucus and the Executive Governor of Anambra State, His Excellency Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR to ensure alignment between state transformation goals and federal interventions.
He further revealed that a lot of qualified youths from Anambra South have been empowered with skills and have secured jobs across various ministries, departments and agencies.
Currently, Onodugo said he would undertake the first phase of installation of over 3,000 solar-poweted streetlights across the zone.
Beyond Abuja, he said he has maintained continuous town-hall meetings and consultation sessions with traditional rulers, Presidents-General, youths, women and constituents across the 7 Local Government Areas in Anambra South as well as their diaspora communities across the country.
Sen. Nwachukwu maintained that the voice of his people would continue to be clear, respected and active in the Senate with his commitment to build a stronger, safer and more prosperous Anambra South.
He expressed his profound gratitude to Governor Soludo, the APGA National Chairman, Barr. Sly Ezeokenwa, traditional rulers, religious leaders, community leaders, youth, women groups and all his constituents for their support, confidence and commitment.
Politics
Senate postpones security summit over NAF aircraft crash
The Senate has announced the indefinitely postponement of its two-day National Security Summit, initially scheduled for October 12 and 13, 2026, following the tragic crash of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft in Ondo State that claimed 25 lives.
The postponement was announced in a a statement signed by Senate Leader and Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the National Security Summit, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele on Tuesday
The Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft crashed in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, killing 25 officers including seven crew members on board.
The Senate expressed deep sympathy to President Tinubu, the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigerian Air Force, and the families of the officers and crew members who lost their lives in active service.
The Senate leadership noted that a new date for the summit would be announced in due course, appealing to all key stakeholders to stand with the nation during this period of grief.
Politics
Kano NDC chieftain in trouble over firearms display at campaign ground
From Musa Disso (Kano)
A chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), in Kano state Aminu Warkai, has been summer bed by the state Police authorities for questioning over his alleged display of firearms during a recent political gathering.
Warkai had in a viral video openly displayed a firearm suspected to be a pump-action rifle at the said political occasion.
The Kano state Police Command In a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Kiyawa, said the alleged act constituted a clear violation of the provisions of the Firearms Act.
The police insisted the act was capable of inciting fear, intimidating the public, and amounted to a breach of public peace and security.
“On the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, the said Aminu Abdullahi Warkal was invited to the Command Headquarters, Bompai, Kano,” said the statement.
“He is currently at the Command’s State Intelligence Department (SID), and an investigation is in progress,” the statement held.
“The Commissioner of Police will not tolerate any act of lawlessness, thuggery, or display of weapons capable of threatening public peace, irrespective of the status of the person involved,” the statement disclosed.
The police statement said the “alleged unlawful display of a firearm, if established, constitutes a clear violation of the provisions of the Firearms Act and is capable of inciting fear, intimidating members of the public and breaching public peace and security
“All political activities must be conducted in a manner that promotes peace, tolerance and respect for the rule of law,” the police said.
The Command reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property and ensuring that Kano State remains peaceful before, during and after the political season.
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