latest
2027: INEC Announces Plan To Conduct Nationwide Mock Election
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed plans to conduct a nationwide mock presidential election ahead of the 2027 general elections to evaluate its result transmission systems and avoid a repeat of previous technical setbacks.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, made this known on Sunday at the Citizens’ Townhall on the Electoral Act 2026 in Abuja, assuring Nigerians that the commission is committed to delivering what he described as the nation’s “best election yet.”
The announcement comes after a recent revision of the 2027 election timetable. INEC had initially scheduled the Presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, with Governorship and State Houses of Assembly polls set for March 6, 2027.
Under the updated timetable, however, the presidential and National Assembly elections will now take place on January 16, 2027, while governorship and state assembly elections are fixed for February 6, 2027. The commission said the adjustments align with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
Addressing participants at the town hall, Amupitan underscored the need to rigorously test electoral technology before full deployment. He noted that modern elections rely heavily on technology and that proper stress-testing is essential.
He explained that the proposed mock presidential poll is intended to ensure seamless transmission of results across states, preventing system failures during the actual election.
According to him, although the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) was piloted in off-cycle governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti before the 2023 general elections, it was not sufficiently tested for the scale of a nationwide presidential contest.
Amupitan expressed confidence that the technical challenges recorded during the 2023 presidential election would not be repeated, stating that new safeguards have been introduced. He clarified that legal provisions allowing alternative collation methods are precautionary and not replacements for electronic transmission.
The INEC chairman reiterated that the commission’s goal is to ensure smooth transmission of results while strengthening logistics and collation processes across the country.
The move comes amid ongoing discussions surrounding the amended Electoral Act 2026, recently signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The amendment allows both electronic and manual transmission of results, depending on operational feasibility.
While opposition parties have pushed for electronic transmission to be made mandatory without alternatives, Amupitan reaffirmed INEC’s dedication to credible elections, describing free and fair polls as the foundation of democracy. He added that voters in 2027 are more politically conscious and understand the critical link between elections and national development.
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.
-
latest8 months ago“Social Media Erupts As Jim Iyke Declares Rita Dominic Nollywood’s Most Beautiful”
-
latest2 years agoEdo Political Showdown: Oshiomhole Appears At Presidential Villa As Tinubu Hands APC Gubernatorial Flag To Okpebholo (Photos & Video)
-
entertainment2 years agoLove Knows No Age American Woman Defends Marriage To Young Nigerian Man “I’m Not 70”
-
latest2 years agoOlumide Akpata Strikes Again: Drops Killer Track, Sends Edo State Into Frenzy!(Video)
-
Politics2 years agoNigerians React As Pastor Adeboye Foresees Passing Away On A Sunday After Enjoying A Satisfying Meal Of Pounded Yam
-
latest2 years agoFG Identifies 31 States At Risk Of Heavy Flooding In 2024: See Full List
-
Politics2 years agoBREAKING: Inspector-General Of Police Summons Top Police Commanders For Crucial-Security Challenges
-
latest2 years ago5 NYSC Corpers Perish In Fatal Road Accident Returning From Camp