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Lai Mohammed: How We Reversed Global Perception of 2023 Election Rigging
Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has disclosed the strategic efforts undertaken by his office to counter and dispel allegations of electoral fraud surrounding the 2023 presidential election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Presenting a paper at the Spokesperson Summit, inaugurated in Abuja by the current Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the former minister recounted how the Buhari administration, toward the end of its tenure, faced serious accusations of election rigging.
According to Mohammed, these allegations were mainly tied to delays in uploading election results to the INEC Results Viewing (IReV) portal—an issue he said had no impact on the official collation process. He attributed the controversy to emotional narratives, fueled by sections of the international media that relied on flawed opinion polls and social media sentiments suggesting the Labour Party candidate had won.
To address the situation, Lai Mohammed stated that his office launched a fact-based information campaign aimed at local and international audiences. “Our objective was to present verifiable data on how the election was conducted and the actual results,” he said.
He revealed that meetings were held with major global media outlets and think tanks such as Voice of America, BBC, Reuters, Bloomberg, The Economist, Chatham House, the Hudson Institute, and others. These discussions focused on educating them about Nigeria’s constitutional guidelines for electing a president.
Under Section 134 of the Nigerian Constitution, a presidential candidate must not only secure the majority of votes but also obtain at least 25% of the vote in two-thirds of the states and the Federal Capital Territory. Based on this, Mohammed explained that neither the PDP nor the LP candidates met the necessary criteria for victory.
He went on to provide specific figures: the Labour Party candidate came third, trailing the APC candidate by approximately 2.7 million votes. The APC flagbearer achieved 25% in 29 states, surpassing the constitutional requirement. The PDP and LP candidates achieved this threshold in only 21 and 15 states, respectively.
Mohammed further dismissed the rigging claims by pointing out that APC lost in several strategic states—including Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, and Katsina—despite having governors from the party. “If the election was truly rigged, would the ruling party lose such important states?” he asked.
He also highlighted that top APC figures, including the presidential candidate, party chairman, and campaign director-general, lost their respective home states in the presidential election—a further testament to the credibility of the process.
In conclusion, Lai Mohammed emphasized that through consistent engagement and data-backed explanations, they were able to successfully reshape international perception and reaffirm the integrity of the 2023 presidential election.
The 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) began nationwide on Thursday, with over 2.2 million candidates expected to participate across accredited centres.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The exam, conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), will run from April 16 to April 22 in multiple daily sessions.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, urged examination officials to remain highly committed and professional, noting that the success of the exercise depends largely on their dedication.
He gave the charge during a virtual final briefing for technical officers ahead of the examination, where he also praised staff, ad hoc personnel, service providers, and technical advisers for their roles in the successful conduct of the mock exam.
Oloyede said many of the issues recorded during the mock exercise were due to poor assessment of centres by some technical officials.
He further stated that incentive packages would be awarded to teams that perform exceptionally, particularly in handling exam materials and submitting timely reports.
Reiterating JAMB’s zero-tolerance stance on malpractice, he warned candidates against bringing prohibited items into examination halls.
He also disclosed that biometric verification and real-time monitoring systems have been deployed to protect the integrity of the exercise.
Candidates whose biometrics cannot be verified, he added, will be rescheduled to write the exam at approved centres.
Meanwhile, a NAN correspondent monitoring proceedings at Aduvie International School, Jahi, reported that the first session scheduled for 8:30 a.m. began slightly behind schedule at about 8:40 a.m.
The Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, on Thursday inspected security deployments at Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres across Abuja.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to the FCT Police Command spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, the inspection is part of proactive measures to ensure a smooth, peaceful, and hitch-free conduct of the ongoing examinations.
The UTME is scheduled to run nationwide from April 16 to 18, 2026.
During the exercise, CP Sanusi assessed security arrangements put in place to safeguard candidates, examination officials, and CBT facilities.
He also engaged with centre supervisors, assuring them of adequate security presence throughout the examination period.
Adeh added that the CP reaffirmed the command’s commitment to maintaining law and order, warning that any attempt to disrupt the examinations would be met with decisive action in line with the law.
Over 700 former terrorists who have undergone deradicalisation and rehabilitation are set to be reintegrated into their communities.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The Nigerian military has also dismissed reports alleging that beneficiaries of Operation Safe Corridor are being recruited into military institutions.
According to African Independent Television, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brigadier-General Yusuf Ali, made this known during a media tour of the Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Centre in Gombe, North-East Nigeria.
He said many Nigerians still misunderstand the Federal Government’s structured counter-terrorism initiative, which is designed to restore peace in communities affected by insurgency.
Brigadier-General Ali explained that the programme focuses on rehabilitation and peaceful reintegration of repentant individuals into society.
During the tour, some of the participants also shared accounts of their involvement in offences that led to their admission into the programme.
The facility inspection was part of preparations for the graduation of over 700 clients who have completed the deradicalisation and rehabilitation process and are set for reintegration.
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