The Chairman of the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC), Mamman Nda-Eri, has assured voters and political parties that the commission will safeguard valid votes and ensure they are duly counted in Saturday’s local government election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The Chairman of the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC), Mamman Nda-Eri, has assured voters and political parties that the commission will safeguard valid votes and ensure they are duly counted in Saturday’s local government election.
Nda-Eri gave the assurance while monitoring the electoral exercise, reaffirming the commission’s commitment to conducting a fair election and maintaining political neutrality.
He acknowledged that some political parties had raised complaints about the process but dismissed certain allegations circulating on social media, describing some of the claims as inaccurate. He also maintained that some parties had failed to satisfy the requirements for participating in the election.
The KOSIEC chairman admitted that electoral commissions often face accusations of bias but said his commission would make every effort to demonstrate its impartiality.
“Electoral commissions often face allegations of bias, but we will do our best to show that we are impartial. We will also ensure that no polling unit closes at 3 pm if voters are still waiting in queues,” Nda-Eri said.
He further assured voters that everyone eligible to vote who was still waiting in line would be given the opportunity to exercise their franchise.
Nda-Eri attributed voter turnout to increased voter education and the efforts of political parties to mobilise and sensitise their supporters during their campaigns.
He explained that preparations for the election had begun approximately 360 days earlier and that the exercise was being conducted in line with the commission’s approved timetable.
The KOSIEC chairman urged eligible voters who had not yet cast their ballots to participate in the election, emphasising that voting remained essential to strengthening democratic accountability and ensuring that elected representatives reflected the will of the people.

Tighten the election reportLead with the polling-unit assurance

A faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by Nafiu Bala Gombe, who identifies himself as the party’s national chairman, has cautioned former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar against presenting himself as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The faction also dismissed claims of any agreement to enter into an alliance, merger or coalition with the G100 Coalition.

It accused Atiku and some members of the coalition of allegedly attempting to pressure its leadership into accepting an arrangement that could compromise the party’s independence.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Gombe maintained that the ADC would participate in the 2027 elections independently, insisting that the party would not allow its political future to be determined by individuals driven by personal ambitions.

He reaffirmed the faction’s position that the party would make its own decisions regarding its political direction and electoral participation.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has arrived in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, two days after President Bola Tinubu directed security chiefs to rescue all abducted Nigerians and eliminate terrorist and bandit camps across the country.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Shaibu arrived in Maiduguri at about 11 a.m. on Saturday amid renewed calls for security agencies to intensify operations against terrorists and kidnappers, Naija News reports.

However, it remains unclear whether the army chief’s visit was directly connected to Tinubu’s latest directive.

According to The Punch, Shaibu was expected to hold meetings with theatre, field and unit commanders operating across the state.

The visit comes days after the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, revealed that Tinubu issued fresh instructions to security chiefs during a security meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Speaking about the meeting on October 15, Musa said the President directed the heads of security agencies to intensify efforts to locate and rescue all kidnapped victims, regardless of where they were being held.

The minister stressed that the President had called for decisive action to ensure that terrorists and bandits could no longer operate camps anywhere in Nigeria.

“The directive from the President is: all of us must go all out to fish out and rescue all those that have been abducted, kidnapped, wherever they are.

“There shouldn’t be any camp of any terrorists or bandits anywhere in Nigeria,” Musa said.

Tinubu also charged service chiefs and other security officials with ensuring a safe environment for Nigerians to exercise their voting rights during the elections scheduled for January.

Shaibu’s visit to Borno comes amid renewed efforts by the Federal Government to strengthen security operations, rescue abducted citizens and dismantle terrorist networks across the country.