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A public affairs analyst, Shehu Mahdi, says Nigeria has everything it takes to adopt the real-time transmission of election results. Mahdi made this statement on Friday when he featured in an interview on Arise Television monitored by DAILY POST. He was speaking on the ongoing national debate of e-transmission of election results in Nigeria. Recall that the Senate on Tuesday amended Section 60 of the Electoral Act to allow presiding officers at polling units to electronically transmit election results to the Results Viewing Portal, IREV, of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Reacting, the public commentator said, “The Senate is toying with the future of Nigeria. We have the resources, manpower, financial capacity, and infrastructure to facilitate the live transmission of results. Enough of the pretence and breach of the law. “Let it be on record that the leg dragging and the knee jerking by the Senate in respect of of live transmission of election results is an injury to the nation, an injury to democracy, an injury to the local and image of Nigeria. “If the Senate assumes that Nigeria is not ripe for live transmission of result, when is it going to be ripe? It is more than ripe considering the fact that the Federal Executive Council, the National assembly had been conducting their meetings and their sessions via zoom. “A country where zoom is a means of communication is a country that is adequately prepared for live transmission of results. Nigeria is fully equipped for e-transmission of election results.” https://dailypost.ng/2026/02/13/nigeria-fully-equipped-for-e-transmission-of-election-results-shehu-mahdi/ |
......challenges Tinubu A former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has challenged President Bola Tinubu to summon courage and allow ‘real time’ electronic transmission of election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Eze wondered why a President who claims to be popular, and to have won the 2023 presidential poll, is now afraid to allow the electronic transmission of election results. In a statement on Thursday, Eze reminded Tinubu and the Senate led by Godswill Akpabio that the conduct of 2027 general elections is sacrosanct. “The 2027 poll is all about liberating Nigerians from the shackles of bad governance occasioned by obnoxious and anti people’s policies of the Tinubu-led APC administration. “Even with the coercion of almost all the governors into the ruling party, Mr President has continued to lose sleep over the general election and is doing everything humanly possible to win the 2027 presidential election,” Eze said. Meanwhile, Eze has commended Nigerians following the nationwide rejection and condemnation that trailed the Senate’s stance on electronic transmission of election results. “Today, I am so happy that Nigerians are now ready to rescue our democracy and our country from those that feel they have occupied and conquered Nigeria,” he said. He hailed Rotimi Amaechi, former Governor of Rivers State and ex-Minister of Transportation, as well as erstwhile governor of Anambra State and the Labour Party 2023 presidential flagbearer, Peter Obi, and all Nigerians that mobilized to occupy the National Assembly. “It is not about Tinubu choosing what he wants in terms of the conduct of the 2027 general elections, but what Nigerians want in ensuring a seamless, free and fair election. “Anybody that is against the adoption of electronic transmission or transfer of election results real time in this modern day Nigeria, is an enemy of democracy. “We cannot continue to recycle ignorance and mediocrity in the name of using archaic methods in conducting an election when technology can help us get it right, at least for once,” he added https://dailypost.ng/2026/02/12/2027-allow-real-time-electronic-transmission-of-results-apc-chieftain-challenges-tinubu/ |
ENDING THE CYCLE - WHY ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE ENSHRINED IN THE ELECTORAL ACT BEFORE 2027 Nigeria's electoral framework has been plagued by persistent legal uncertainty, forcing courts to determine election outcomes. This uncertainty stems from a fundamental failure: the absence of strong regulatory processes backed by express statutory authority. With every election cycle, we rush to amend the Electoral Act. Yet we continue to grapple with the same challenges, leading to continued rounds of amendments. This vicious cycle must end. The 2023 election exposed a critical gap in our electoral legal framework. Despite INEC's deployment of the IReV portal for electronic transmission of results, the Supreme Court ruled that this innovation lacks legal force. The Court held that because electronic transmission is not expressly provided by the Electoral Act 2022 (appearing only in INEC's Regulations and Guidelines), it is not legally binding. And that the IReV portal serves merely for public viewing and is not admissible evidence of results in election petitions. The message was unmistakable: without explicit statutory provision, electronic transmission remains optional and legally inconsequential, no matter how transparent or efficient it may be. This legal gap creates an insurmountable evidentiary burden in election petitions. The late Justice Pat Acholonu, in Buhari v. Obasanjo (2005), doubted that a petitioner could successfully challenge a presidential election. He noted that a petitioner needed to call approximately 250,000 to 300,000 witnesses across electoral constituencies in the country, and even if successful, the president-elect would have completed the four-year tenure, rendering any victory "an empty victory bereft of any substance." This prophecy has proven tragically accurate. No presidential election petition has ever succeeded since 1999. This is precisely because the evidentiary proof of results verification from over 176,000 polling units nationwide is a practical impossibility within the short timelines allowed by law. History offers a proven solution. The June 12, 1993 election remains Nigeria's gold standard for electoral credibility, not because of sophisticated technology, but because of uncompromising transparency. The Option A4 system ensured immediate, open verification at polling units, where voters, party agents, and observers could witness and confirm results before any collation occurred. Despite entirely manual processes, this transparency generated unprecedented public confidence. Both local and international observers acclaimed it as Nigeria's freest and fairest election. If manual transparency could achieve such credibility in 1993, imagine the transformative impact of real time electronic transmission in our digital age in 2026! It would combine immediate verification with tamper proof digital records, delivering the same transparency with far greater efficiency, security, and verifiability. The current legislative process represents a monumental opportunity for the National Assembly to resolve this fundamental issue before the 2027 general elections. Nigerians need a perfect framework for transparency and to restore confidence in the electoral process. Without this amendment, we risk perpetuating the same cycle of disputed elections, protracted litigation, and damaged democratic credibility that has plagued Nigeria's Fourth Republic. The National Assembly must act decisively to embed mandatory real time electronic transmission of results in the Electoral Act, removing all ambiguity and closing the legal loopholes that have been exploited to undermine the people's will. Democracy demands nothing less. Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN February 9, 2026 https://x.com/oagbakoba/status/2020875851139531208 |
Angry U.S. judge lambasts FBI, DEA for delaying release of Tinubu’s criminal records, issues final ultimatum The judge ordered the FBI to provide sworn statements on why it has been missing deadlines to frustrate the release of Mr Tinubu’s records. U.S. judge Beryl A. Howell lashed out at the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration for employing delay tactics to frustrate the release of President Bola Tinubu’s records based on a 2022 Freedom of Information request by transparency campaigner Aaron Greenspan, who was assisted by investigative journalist David Hundeyin. Ms Howell of the U.S. Court for the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C., on February 3, rebuked the FBI and DEA for holding up the release of Mr Tinubu’s records, expected to shed light on a narcotics-trafficking ordeal that made him surrender $460,000 to the U.S. government in the early 1990s. Mr Greenspan, CEO of Plainsite, a data transparency advocacy group, first filed the FOI in June 2022. The sluggishness of the FBI and DEA to honour court submissions, with incessant postponements, has caused the case to linger for more than three years without any headway in sight, Ms Howell said in her opinion, while issuing fresh ultimatums that must not be missed, according to court filings seen by Peoples Gazette. The FBI in 2023 announced plans to release 2500 pages of Mr Tinubu’s records in monthly batches of 500 pages. But the release was stalled after Mr Tinubu fiercely opposed it and sought a reprieve to protect his records, pending a Nigerian Supreme Court judgment that he was then praying to uphold his election victory. He claimed that he would be “adversely affected” if his FBI records were released prematurely. Ms Beryl approved his request then, but even though Mr Tinubu’s presidential victory was upheld, the FBI and DEA continued to delay, begging for new dates to process and release the long-sought records anticipated to clarify the decades-long controversy about Mr Tinubu’s role in a cocaine trafficking scheme. The Nigerian president denies any wrongdoing. The bureau, which ought to submit an updated report in May 2025, adjourned for several months until January 2026, when it requested a new date for February. The latest motion to extend the processing and submission date to February provoked the ire of Ms Howell. “Defendant FBI has produced no records, despite initially anticipating completion of searches by August 1, 2025, Joint Status Report (May 1, 2025), later pushed to September 1, 2025, [51] Joint Status Report (June 30, 2025); and production to begin by December 1, 2025, [51] Joint Status Report (June 30, 2025), later pushed to January 23, 2026, [62] Joint Status Report (December 1, 2025), and pushed again, with minimal explanation, to February 13, 2025,” Ms Howell said. “Similar to the current posture of the DEA in this case, the FBI has provided no reliable end date for the processing and production of responsive records,” the judge stressed. Ms Beryl shot down the DEA’s argument to have released some documents while withholding other pages for over six months. The DEA claimed that the so-called files were “out for consult” with other agencies but failed to state when the documents could be available to Mr Greenspan. “Defendant DEA has produced some documents; see [54] Joint Status Report (August 7, 2025), but has parroted the same message for the past six months and four joint status reports regarding twelve remaining pages not yet produced,” the judge said. Consequently, she ordered the DEA to furnish Mr Greenspan with a Vaughn index detailing the reasons for redacting 50 pages and withholding 172 pages of Mr Tinubu’s records. For the separate 12 records sent to unspecified agencies, Judge Howell ordered that a DEA agent must file sworn affidavits explaining, page by page, when each record was sent to the agencies for consultation, when the review is expected to be completed, and the steps taken so far to expedite the release of Mr Tinubu’s records. Ms Howell ordered the FBI to provide sworn statements explaining why the bureau has been missing crucial deadlines to frustrate the release of Mr Tinubu’s records as requested by Mr Greenspan. The judge further asked the FBI to turn over all non-exempt documents concerning Mr Tinubu, as the bureau promised to do in availing Mr Greenspan “its first interim response within two weeks of January 30, 2026.” The FBI was further directed to provide a timetable detailing how the bureau intends to submit the second batch of 500 pages by March 13 and ensure that the last batch will be released by June 1, 2026. “Submit to the court a detailed status report on how the FBI is fulfilling its representation that ‘the second interim response is anticipated for March 13, 2026,’ id., with production of segregable non-exempt information at the rate of 500 pages reviewed per month, and a plan to complete such processing and production by June 1, 2026,” court filings stated. The judge asked both the FBI and DEA to file a joint status report on their progress “every 14 days” starting February 27, until all processing and production of responsive records is completed.” In April 2025, the judge granted CIA’s motion to be left out of the case after successfully arguing that there was no evidence the agency had collected any intelligence on Mr Tinubu https://gazettengr.com/angry-u-s-judge-lambasts-fbi-dea-for-delaying-release-of-tinubus-criminal-records-issues-final-ultimatum/ |
Why Senate is scared of e-transmission of election results – Yiaga Africa boss, Itodohttps://dailypost.ng/2026/02/09/why-senate-is-scared-of-e-transmission-of-election-results-yiaga-africa-boss-itodo/
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The strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) left patients stranded and government hospitals struggling, with many facilities offering only skeletal services for 84 days.https://leadership.ng/how-health-workers-strike-crippled-hospitals-for-84-days/
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..... not discretionary The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has asked the national assembly to reverse the senate’s position on the Electoral Act amendment bill and include a provision making the electronic transmission of election results mandatory.https://www.thecable.ng/nba-to-nassembly-electronic-transmission-of-election-results-must-be-mandatory-not-discretionary/
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aswani:Saying cloud providers can’t guarantee 100% uptime is a red herring. No serious system, elections included, relies on a single point of failure. Electronic transmission doesn’t remove human processes; it duplicates and secures them. The irony is that the same people demanding human-in-the-middle trust are defending a system where the least accountable humans have the most discretion. IREV didn’t fail because technology is inherently unreliable; it failed because technology was deliberately subordinated to opaque human control. And here’s the part everyone keeps skipping: did INEC ever clearly explain to Nigerians what caused the “glitch,” publish a technical incident report, or outline concrete mitigation steps? That’s the bare minimum any serious public institution owes the public after a system failure. Every credible democracy uses layered systems: physical records, electronic transmission, public verification, and independent audits. Nigeria insisting on manual dominance in 2025 isn’t caution, it’s an admission that some people benefit from ambiguity. So the question isn’t why deepen technology? It is actually why is transparency the one thing that must wait until perfection? And if asking for verifiable, time-stamped, publicly auditable results is now disturbing neutrals, then maybe neutrality is just comfort with a broken process, until it personally stops working for you. The truth is that you are a Tinubu supporter, don't hide |
Obi’s claims over senate’s rejection of e-transmission of results misleading – Lagos APChttps://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/02/obis-claims-over-senates-rejection-of-e-transmission-of-results-misleading-lagos-apc/
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... towards a one party state Electronic transmission of results: Senate’s decision is self serving towards one party state – Afenifere The pan Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Friday, took a swipe at the Senate for rejecting the mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results and digital voter identification.https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/02/electronic-transmission-of-results-senates-decision-is-self-serving-towards-one-party-state-afenifere/ |
A coalition of over 70 civil society organizations (CSOs) advocating for credible elections, on Friday, insisted on mandatory real-time electronic transmission of 2027 general election results.https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/02/2027-elections-70-csos-insist-on-real-time-electronic-transmission-of-votes/#google_vignette
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The 2023 general election exposed a brutal truth about Nigeria’s democracy: those in power fear transparency. Before the election, INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu repeatedly promised Nigerians that results would be electronically transmitted in real time from polling units to the IREV portal. That promise collapsed on election day and was casually dismissed as a “glitch.” When challenged in court, the excuse became even more convenient, the Electoral Act did not mandate electronic transmission. Instead of pushing reforms to correct this failure, Tinubu, the APC, and their supporters went on the defensive. Since then, Tinubu supporters have flooded the public space with unreasonable and contradictory excuses: for example They said that Nigeria is not ripe for electronic transmission, that there is no internet across the country, Technology will disenfranchise rural voters These arguments are not only dishonest, they are insulting. Nigerians use smartphones, mobile banking, POS machines, BVN verification, and digital transfers daily, even in remote communities. INEC itself used technology for voter accreditation through BVAS. Yet suddenly, when it comes to transmitting results, Nigeria is “not ready”? That claim collapses under the weight of reality. The APC controls the presidency and over 30 state governments. No ruling party in Nigeria’s recent history has wielded this level of power. A party this dominant should be confident enough to submit itself to free, fair, and verifiable elections. So why the panic? Why resist a system that simply uploads results from polling units where votes are cast into the public domain in real time? The answer is obvious: opacity benefits manipulation. Fear of Reform, Fear of the People; Across Nigeria, citizens, civil society, and opposition parties are united in one demand: make electronic transmission of results mandatory. Only one camp resists Tinubu, the APC, and their supporters. Their resistance speaks louder than any campaign slogan. It suggests that the current systemdelays, human interference, and backroom collation, works perfectly for them. A government that truly believes in its mandate does not fear reform. It demands it. Until electronic transmission is made mandatory, Nigerians will continue to ask the question Tinubu supporters refuse to answer: What exactly are they afraid of? |
In fact, considering the number of Nigerians massacred daily under Tinubu’s watch, this incompetent regime, I don’t think there is any country at war today that records such a number of deaths. Nigeria currently has no government. |
The number of Nigerians massacred daily under Tinubu’s watch, at this point, even countries at war don’t record these numbers |
A total waste of time and resources if electronic transmission of elections results is not made compulsory I suggested that Tinubu and INEC simply share the N1 trillion budgeted for the 2027 elections among Nigerians and dispense with the charade of conducting elections altogether. At least that would be more honest. |
Akpabio forged Senate proceeding to remove electronic transmission of results in electoral act: Senators “We want a law that is clear, concise, and can be interpreted by all and that is unambiguous, so, it is electronic transmission of results,” Mr Abaribe said. A group of Senators on Thursday accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of removing the passage of electronic transmission of election results from the electoral bill passed during proceeding on Wednesday. During a press conference on Thursday, the senators led by Enyinnaya Abaribe, Aminu Tambuwal, and Natasha Akpoti, insisted on retaining electronic transmission of election results in the electoral bill. Speaking during the press conference in a video seen by Peoples Gazette, Mr Abaribe said it was necessary to make a clarification on Wednesday’s proceedings. “To put the records straight, the Senate did not pass the transfer of results which was in the 2022 Act. What we passed; and which the Senate President himself, when he was doing a clarification, sitting on his chair; is transmission of results. “I can assure you on my honour and on the honour of all of us here, that both the electoral committee of the Senate and the ad-hoc committee of the Senate; and also in the executive session that we had, that we all agreed on Section 60(3) which is electronic transmission of results. Transmit, not transfer. What is in the 2022 act is transfer, and we don’t want a law that is vague or can be misinterpreted. We want a law that is clear, concise, and can be interpreted by all and that is unambiguous, so, it is electronic transmission of results,” Mr Abaribe said. The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday announced the passage of the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal & Enactment) Bill, 2026, while rejecting a proposed amendment to make electronic transmission of election results compulsory. The Senate, instead, announced the retainment of the 2022 framework, which mandates manual completion, signing, stamping, and distribution of results to party agents and security personnel, with results announced at polling units and transferred in a manner as prescribed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), without mandating electronic transmission. Senators also rejected Clause 47, which sought to allow electronically-generated voter identification (such as downloadable voter cards with QR codes) for accreditation. The requirement to present a physical Permanent Voter Card (PVC) remains in place and the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) or other INEC-prescribed devices for verification was upheld. https://gazettengr.com/akpabio-forged-senate-proceeding-to-remove-electronic-transmission-of-results-in-electoral-act-senators/ |
Court orders British govt to pay £420 million to families of 21 Enugu coal miners killed by colonial masters The British superintendent shot and killed 21 coal miners and injured 51 others. Justice Anthony Onovo of the High Court, Enugu Division, on Thursday, ordered the British Government to pay £20 million each to the families of the 21 coal miners killed in Enugu State in 1949 by the colonial masters. The massacre took place at the Iva Valley Coal Mine in Enugu on November 18, 1949, which was the administrative capital of the Eastern Region of British-administered Nigeria at the time. The miners were protesting harsh working conditions, racial disparities in wages and unpaid back wages and when their demands were not met, they adopted a “go-slow” protest method and occupied the mine to prevent management from locking them out. This led to British superintendent to shoot and kill 21 coal miners and injured 51 others. The victims were Sunday Anyasodo, Ani Oha, Andrew J. Obiekwe Okonkwo, Augustine Chiwetalu, Onoh Ugwu, Ngwu Offor, Ndunguba Eze, Okafor Agu, Livinus Ukachunwa, Jonathan Agu Ozoani, Moses Ikegbu Okoloha and Chukwu Ugwu. Others include Thomas Chukwu, Simon Nwachukwu, Agu Alo, Ogbonnia Ani Chima, Nnaji Nwachukwu, William Nwaku, James Onoh Ekeowa, Felix Nnaji, and Ani Nwaekwe. The suit, NO: E/909/2024 was brought by Human Rights Activist, Mazi Greg Onoh, who sought an acknowledgment of liability, a formal apology from the British Government, and comprehensive compensation for the loss of their loved ones. The respondents were Secretary of State for foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs as first respondent, British Government 2nd, Federal Government of Nigeria 3rd. Others were the Attorney-General of the Federation and Head of Commonwealth, Government of the United Kingdom as 4th, 5th respondents respectively. No counsel represented the 1st, 2nd , 5th and 6th respondents. Delivering the judgement, Mr Onovo described the massacre as unlawful and extrajudicial violation of the right to life, holding British colonial administration liable and orders substantial compensation, formal apologies, and diplomatic action. According to him, the British government, must be held accountable and must make reparations to the families of the 21 coal miners. “This defenceless coal miners were asking for improved work conditions, they were not embarking on any violent action against the authorities, but yet were shot and killed. ‘”The 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th respondents should pay £20 million per victim, totaling £420 million, payable by the British Government as effective remedy and compensation for the violations of the right to life. “They will also pay post-judgment interest at 10 per cent annum until fully paid while claims for pre-judgment interest and exemplary damages is whereby refused,” Mr Onovo held. He said that unreserved written apologies to the families via their counsel should be published in Nigeria’s Daily Sun, Daily Independent, and The PUNCH, plus three major national newspapers in the United Kingdom, recognising the historical injustice. He said this must show proofs of publication filed in court within 60 days, ordering that the monetary awards would be satisfied within 90 days from the date of judgment. The judge added that the Federal Government of Nigeria and Attorney-General had a constitutional duty under Sections 19(d) and 150(1) to pursue redress, and their prolonged inaction was held to constitute a dereliction of constitutional duty. Mr Onovo added that the Nigerian Government must initiate and pursue diplomatic engagement with the British side within 60 days to seek justice, effective remedies, and reparations. He, however, dismissed a preliminary objection based on sovereign immunity and affirmed its jurisdiction, stressing that grave historical injustices remained justiciable under Nigeria’s Constitution. “The argument by the representative of the Federal Government that Nigeria was still under colonial rule when the killing was committed is hereby struck out,” Mr Onovo held. Reacting to the judgement, Counsels to the applicants, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN, and P.N Agazie, described it as a historic judgement and indication that governments anywhere in the world should not tolerate abuses and violations of any form, torture and taking of human lives without provocation. According to them, the judgment drew persuasive parallels with international precedents, including the United Kingdom’s Mau Mau settlement, underscoring the continuing obligation to provide redress for serious human rights abuses. “This ruling represents a significant milestone in the pursuit of historical accountability and justice for colonial-era violations, affirming that the right to life transcends time, borders, and changes in sovereignty,” Mr Akinseye-George said https://gazettengr.com/court-orders-british-govt-to-pay-420-million-to-families-of-21-enugu-coal-miners-killed-by-colonial-masters/ |
TimeManager:Technical glitches happen agreed. That’s exactly why strong laws remove discretion, not expand it. When systems fail, democracies rely on clear, mandatory safeguards, not “options” that conveniently appear only when results are inconvenient. South Africa didn’t respond to glitches by weakening result transmission they strengthened oversight and transparency. INEC didn’t need options.It needed obligations. Glitches are accidental. Designing loopholes is intentional and that's what Tinubu APC led regime and Senate just did |
Was it made mandatory? Simple That’s what Nigerians want to hear, but he’s being clever by half and not answering the question directly. |
What did they pass? They passed the same Electoral Act 2022, a law that did not introduce real, meaningful reforms. It only served to maintain the status quo. What new thing did they introduce in the Electoral Act? Nothing new that truly strengthens democracy. Instead of progress, the amendment process was used to protect the existing system of manipulation. The mandatory transmission of election results from polling units, the most effective safeguard against result manipulation was rejected and discarded. What will Tinubu be remembered for? Tinubu will be remembered for destroying electoral integrity. He will be remembered for legalizing electoral robbery, protecting rigging, and turning elections into a sham. Jonathan introduced card reader. Buhari introduced BVAS. What did Tinubu introduce? Tinubu introduced the Electoral Heist. Grab it, snatch it and run away with it . |
Jonathan Introduced the Card Reader, Buhari Introduced BVAS, Tinubu Introduced Electoral Heist Nigeria’s electoral history tells a simple, damning story. Jonathan tried to curb rigging with the card reader. Buhari expanded voter verification with BVAS. Tinubu, however, has overseen what increasingly looks like a deliberate assault on electoral integrity. The 2023 elections were not just flawed, they were brazenly compromised. BVAS failed where it mattered most, with INEC hiding behind “technical glitches.” Results disappeared between polling units and collation centers. Voter suppression was normalized. Instead of accountability, the Tinubu regime chose silence, denial, and power consolidation. Then came the final insult. In the ongoing Electoral Act amendment, the Senate rejected electronic transmission of results from polling units, the single most effective safeguard against manipulation. This is not incompetence. It is intent. A government that profits from opacity will never legislate transparency. The message is unmistakable: this Tinubu regime is not interested in free, fair, or credible elections. It is interested in control, grabbing it, snatching it and running away with it. Nigeria is being dragged backward away from reform, away from accountability, and toward elections as mere rituals with pre-arranged outcomes. When votes no longer count, democracy becomes a scam. Jonathan attempted reform. Buhari pretended to secure it. Tinubu is dismantling it. History is watching and it will remember the Tinubu era not for leadership, but for legalized electoral robbery and political banditry. |
Bayo Onanuga should cover his head in shame while mocking both himself and the government he serves. How absurd is it to celebrate a report called “Lagos: the world’s fastest-growing emerging tech ecosystem” when, under the Tinubu regime he champions, mandatory electronic transmission of election results is deliberately rejected and discarded by an APC-controlled Senate in an age defined by ICT and technology? |
How can a Senate in 2026, an era driven by ICT, vote against the electronic transmission of election results? What exactly are they afraid of? If you claim to be popular with the people, why do you fear implementing far-reaching electoral reforms that would guarantee elections that are truly free, fair, and credible elections devoid of manipulation? At this point, one is tempted to suggest that Tinubu and INEC should simply share the N1 trillion budgeted for the 2027 elections among Nigerians and dispense with the charade of conducting elections altogether. At least that would be more honest. |
IkeOnyia:Are you speaking from the Onitsha Main Market, or from somewhere else |
IkeOnyia:Are you speaking from the Onitsha Main Market, or barking from your hole in Ogbomosho? |
BigCowHornn:Peter Obi lives rent free in their medulla oblongata |
The Presidency spent at least N34.39bn on foreign exchange purchases for international travel and related obligations over a two-year period, findings by The PUNCH have shown. The figure is according to data compiled from GovSpend, a government spending tracker managed by BudgIT. The records, which cover transactions by the State House, Presidential Air Fleet, the Office of the Chief of Staff, and operations linked to the President, Vice President, First Lady, and their aides, show a sharp swing in spending patterns between 2024 and 2025. An analysis of the data shows that 2024 accounted for the bulk of the expenditure, with total forex purchases of N29.35bn, while 2025 recorded N5.04bn. This represents a year-on-year decline of 82.8 per cent, aligning with broader trends in the foreign exchange market where the naira stabilised following policy reforms and improved dollar inflows. The transactions largely relate to the purchase of foreign currencies for official trips, aviation operations, estacodes, training programmes, and logistics for international engagements involving top executive officials. While the Presidency has maintained that such trips are necessary for diplomacy, investment promotion and bilateral relations, the scale and timing of the spending have continued to draw public scrutiny amid Nigeria’s fiscal constraints and forex shortages. In 2024, forex purchases were heavily concentrated in the first half of the year, coinciding with a period of heightened exchange rate volatility and sustained pressure on the naira. One of the most prominent spenders during the year was the Presidential Air Fleet, which alone accounted for several multi-billion-naira transactions described as “presidential air fleet forex transit funds.” The Presidential Air Fleet, managed by the Nigerian Air Force, is responsible for the air transport needs of the President, Vice President, and senior government officials. Despite its strategic role, the cost of maintaining the fleet has long been a subject of public scrutiny and criticism, particularly amid Nigeria’s fiscal pressures and rising debt service obligations. Between March and May 2024, the Presidential Air Fleet Naira Transit Account recorded repeated purchases of about N1.27bn each on March 7, March 9, April 6, May 11 and May 25, alongside larger tranches such as N5.08bn on April 23 and N2.43bn on May 8. These aviation-related transactions show the high cost of maintaining and deploying the presidential fleet for overseas travel. Additional transfers of N205m in July, N34m, N1.25bn, N2.21bn, N160.4m, N1.24bn and N902.9m in August further swelled the air fleet’s forex bill. Smaller amounts followed later in the year, including payments in September and December, bringing the air fleet’s cumulative forex-linked transactions in 2024 into several billions of naira. Beyond aviation, the State House Headquarters also recorded extensive forex purchases throughout 2024. In February alone, the State House spent over N2.5bn on forex linked directly to specific presidential and vice-presidential trips. These included N426.88m for the Vice President’s trip to Switzerland, N1.04bn for the President’s trip to Ethiopia, N750m for the President’s trip to Dubai, N176.77m for the Vice President’s trip to Côte d’Ivoire, N149.79m for the First Lady’s trip to France, and N86.76m for the Vice President’s trip to Liberia. March 2024 saw further spending tied to foreign travel by the First Lady and Vice President. Transactions included N202.39m for the First Lady’s trip to Mozambique, N144.57m for her trip to Addis Ababa, and N126.30m for a trip to London. The Vice President’s engagements also featured, with N201.12m spent on a trip to Côte d’Ivoire and N169.54m for estacodes linked to UK and US training programmes. From July 2024, forex purchases by the State House intensified, with multiple same-day transactions on July 17 alone. These included N149.05m, N358.53m, N243.32m, N739.07m, and N73.07m, all tagged as forex purchases. Additional payments were made on July 23, August 6, October 11, and October 28, with notable amounts of N569.68m, N323.14m, N246.80m, and a significant N1.36bn on October 28. By the final quarter of 2024, spending remained elevated. In November, the State House Operations – President recorded several purchases, including N22.19m, N18.34m, N169.10m and N185.23m on November 28. December added another N736.20m on December 1, reinforcing the pattern of sustained forex demand by the Presidency throughout the year. Cumulatively, these transactions pushed total forex purchases linked to the Presidency in 2024 to N29.35bn, making it one of the most expensive years for official foreign travel and related forex spending in recent times. In contrast, 2025 marked a significant pullback. Total forex purchases for the year stood at N5.04bn, a steep decline from the previous year. The reduction was broad-based, cutting across the Presidency, Vice Presidency and supporting offices. Transactions in 2025 were also generally smaller in size and more sporadic, suggesting a deliberate effort to rein in forex outflows. Data from April 30, 2025, show multiple forex purchases by State House Operations – President and Vice President, but most were in the tens of millions rather than billions of naira. Amounts such as N535.82m, N57.94m, N32.51m, N57.81m and N23.67m dominated the April transactions. Even the larger figures recorded in mid-2025, including N1.29bn, N1.28bn and N626m linked to the Presidential Air Fleet, were fewer and spread over several months. By the second half of 2025, forex purchases had tapered further. August transactions included N7.67m and N11.14m, while November and December recorded modest payments by the Office of the Chief of Staff and the Presidential Air Fleet. The overall pattern points to tighter controls and possibly improved planning around official travel as the naira stabilised in 2025. The PUNCH observed that the naira ended 2025 on a firmer note, closing at N1,429/$1 on December 31. This was a 7.4 per cent appreciation from the N1,535/$1 recorded on the final trading day of 2024, according to official exchange rate data from the Central Bank of Nigeria. The local currency concluded 2024 with significant depreciation, recording a 40.9 per cent loss against the dollar in the official market. The 2025 performance marks the naira’s first annual gain since 2012, when it appreciated slightly to N157.29 from N158.99 in 2011. The currency had depreciated every year since then, marking a major turnaround after 13 years of consistent declines. A further breakdown of the GovSpend data also shows that aviation-related expenses remain a major driver of forex demand. The Presidential Air Fleet consistently accounted for some of the largest transactions across both years, reflecting maintenance, fuel, leasing and operational costs that are typically dollar-denominated. This has renewed debate over the size and cost structure of the fleet, especially at a time when many countries are reviewing the sustainability of maintaining large official aircraft inventories. The State House and Office of the Chief of Staff accounted for smaller but still significant amounts, often linked directly to specific trips by the President, Vice President or First Lady. These include forex purchases for estacodes, accommodation, logistics and protocol obligations. The Country Director of Accountability Lab Nigeria, Odeh Friday, earlier expressed concern about the impact of such spending on taxpayers and the need for greater transparency and accountability. “This highlights the urgent need for a shift toward greater equality and accountability in the management of public finances,” Friday said. He emphasised that it is critical to evaluate the outcomes of these significant expenditures, questioning whether they truly serve the interests of the Nigerian people. “Some of them are clearly wasteful expenditure,” he added. Former Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu for spending much of January abroad. Obi, in a post on his X handle on Sunday morning, noted that while leaders in other countries focus on domestic governance at the start of the year, Nigeria’s president has prioritised foreign engagements over pressing national issues. Obi also questioned the necessity of Tinubu’s frequent foreign trips, noting that the President spent 23 days abroad in January across two trips, returning only briefly to Nigeria in between. “While leaders in other nations prioritise domestic governance in January, Nigeria’s president prioritises international engagements over pressing national issues. This month, he spent 23 days abroad across two trips—beginning the year overseas and returning on the 17th, and departing less than 10 days on the 26th to Türkiye, where he remains as of January 31. What urgent matters continuously warrant his absence from the nation? When he does return, it often appears to be merely to welcome defectors into the APC before he jets off again.” https://punchng.com/travels-presidency-spends-n34bn-on-forex-in-two-years/ |
No nation succeeds with recklessness – Peter Obi slams Tinubu over multiple budgets Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has criticised the Federal Government over what he described as “fiscal recklessness” in the management of Nigeria’s national budgets. In a statement posted on his official X account on Monday, Obi questioned which budget Nigeria is currently operating, ahead of the expected approval of the 2026 national budget by the Senate on March 17. He noted that since 2023, Nigeria has been implementing budget items from multiple fiscal years simultaneously, describing the practice as abnormal and harmful to public finance management. According to Obi, President Bola Tinubu inherited a N21.83 trillion budget in 2023 but later introduced a N2.17 trillion supplementary budget, which he said prioritised benefits for public office holders despite widespread economic hardship. He further stated that the pattern continued with the approval of N35.06 trillion for 2024 and N54.99 trillion for 2025, bringing total appropriations under the current administration to over N114 trillion in less than three years. Obi expressed concern that despite the massive spending, budget implementation has remained below 50 per cent, leading to what he described as a crisis of credibility in public finance. He also criticised the government’s decision to repeal and re-enact the 2024 and 2025 budgets with extended timelines, saying Nigerians were not provided with details of the revised budgets or their capital projects. The former Anambra State governor accused the Federal Government of lacking transparency, alleging that treasury reports were no longer being published on the OpenTreasury.gov.ng platform and that no budget implementation report was released in 2025. Obi warned that no country could succeed under such fiscal practices and called on the government to restore discipline in budget management. “This lack of transparency is not accidental; it reflects a deliberate pattern of undermining public scrutiny and debate. “The Federal Government has stopped publishing treasury reports on the OpenTreasury.gov.ng portal, dismantling a vital transparency framework inherited from the previous administration. “In 2025, no budget implementation report was released, regardless of how poor the performance was! No nation can operate with such recklessness and succeed,” Obi said. https://dailypost.ng/2026/02/02/no-nation-succeeds-with-recklessness-peter-obi-slams-tinubu-over-multiple-budgets/ |
The federal government says President Bola Tinubu’s reforms are laying foundation for Nigeria to become an unstoppable global force by 2050. The minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this while delivering a lecture at the 34th Convocation Ceremony of the Federal University of Technology, Minna on Saturday He explained that the reforms introduced under Mr Tinubu’s administration were deliberate and necessary steps to reset Nigeria’s economic and governance systems “We need to state the fact that nation-building cannot happen without reform, hence it is a necessity for growth and development. “Tinubu’s reforms are already attracting renewed investor confidence and creating opportunities across sectors. “These include technology, agriculture, renewable energy and the creative economy, with young Nigerians positioned as primary beneficiaries. “All these, with the right education, skilling, and preparation for the rapidly transforming workspaces of the 21st century, Nigeria will be an unstoppable global force in the arts, science, technology and innovation “The future belongs to the youth, it is important for them to seize it from this moment and hold it dear to them, because they are the prospect of tomorrow,” Mr Idris said. On the new tax laws, the minister said the aim was not to burden citizens, but to create a fairer, more transparent system that unlocks resources for development and investment. “The goal was never to take more from Nigerians, but to simplify taxation and make it fairer and more transparent”. He also listed government-backed programmes such as the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which had supported over 900,000 students on tuition fees and upkeep across the country. The minister encouraged the graduates to see themselves as builders of the nation. He urged them to engage actively with opportunities, develop their skills, embrace lifelong learning and consider public service as a platform for national contribution. “You can build from where you are, with what you have. “You do not need to wait until you have amassed wealth or influence before contributing to nation-building. Start now,” Mr Idris said https://gazettengr.com/tinubus-reforms-will-make-nigeria-global-force-by-2050-minister/ |
