Former Director of Voter and Publicity Education at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, has expressed concern over the discovery of 1.5 million questionable entries in the commission’s voter register.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Osaze-Uzzi argued that although INEC had reportedly removed about 1.2 million questionable records, such irregularities should not have occurred in the first place.

He raised the concerns during an interview on Arise Television, where he questioned how such a large number of questionable entries could have found their way into the voter database.

The former INEC official explained that voter registration should be a simple process, given the safeguards introduced by the commission to prevent multiple registrations and other forms of irregularity.

He noted that prospective voters are required to appear physically for registration and undergo biometric capture, making the reported number of questionable records difficult to understand.

He said, “The work ordinarily ought to be easier for the commission. The law is quite clear about who is entitled to be on the register: you’re a Nigerian citizen, you’re 18 years and above, and then you go there, and you register. It’s as simple as that.

“You must turn up physically for the registration. So it should be a straightforward, simple process. But Nigeria, being what it is, the simpler it is, the more complex things, issues, and challenges arise from those things.

“I don’t know how up to 1.5 million entries can be made in the register. You’ve heard of AI. You’ve heard of multiple registrants. That ought not to be with things that have been put in place by the commission.”

Osaze-Uzzi, however, faulted INEC for not providing adequate information about the period covered by the exercise and the process through which the questionable records were detected.

He maintained that the commission needed to explain how the entries entered its database despite its efforts to sanitise the voter register.

The former director also identified the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) as an important tool for detecting individuals who may have registered multiple times.

According to him, comparing fingerprints across different states and communities could help uncover cases of deliberate or accidental multiple registration.

He further noted that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which INEC’s Director of Information and Communication Technology had reportedly acknowledged, was another issue requiring clarification.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ruled out the possibility of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, winning the 2027 election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Wike urged the people of Rivers State not to vote for Lulu-Briggs simply because he is their kinsman, insisting that such a decision would be a mistake.

The minister made the remarks on Thursday while addressing Lulu-Briggs’ kinsmen at a town hall meeting in Abonnema, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.

He called on the community to instead support the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Kingsley Chinda, pointing out that his running mate is also from their community.

Wike acknowledged that the people would naturally want one of their own to become governor but urged them to consider the political realities.

He said, “I know that one of your sons is contesting for governorship under NDC, yes, we want our son to be a governor but we must be realistic. As it is today, he cannot win under that party.

“If it is APC or even PDP, we would have said, okay, as a coalition member, what do we do? NDC is totally far from it.

“You have a son who is going to be the deputy governor and that one is certain but there is no way for the other one. Let’s not make mistakes because he is your son.”

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State has been thrown into mourning following the death of three party members in a road accident while returning from a party meeting.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In response to the tragedy, the party’s 2027 governorship candidate, Usman Shehu Bawa, popularly known as ABG, has suspended all campaign activities until further notice.

The decision was announced in a statement by his spokesperson, Yusuf Idris, who disclosed that the candidate was deeply saddened by the loss.

As a result of the suspension, the inauguration of Bawa’s campaign council and other related events scheduled for Saturday have been postponed indefinitely.

The governorship candidate also apologised for any inconvenience the decision might cause, particularly to guests and other individuals invited to the events.

The deceased were identified as Caleb Ishaya Alot, Secretary of the PDP in Jema’a Local Government Area; Mercy Achi, Women Leader of Wise Ward; and Charity Bahago, a party member from the same ward.

All three victims hailed from Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Reacting to the incident, Bawa described their deaths as a painful loss to their families and the entire PDP family in the state.

He extended his condolences to the bereaved families, the people of Jema’a Local Government Area and other members of the party.

The PDP candidate also prayed for the speedy recovery of those who sustained injuries in the accident.

He reiterated that all campaign activities would remain suspended until further notice.