Ahead of the 2027 general elections, political parties are scrambling to resolve post-primary conflicts, finalize candidate lists, and complete consultations on running mates. This urgency comes as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) prepares to open its candidate nomination portal.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• Portal Timeline: INEC plans to issue official access codes to authorized political party officials on June 26, 2026. The nomination portal will be accessible starting June 27, 2026, and will automatically close on July 11, 2026, the firm deadline for submitting candidate particulars.

• Administrative Preparedness: INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, has urged parties to ensure their ICT personnel are prepared, emphasizing that the portal is fully automated and will not allow for late submissions.

• Party Readiness: While parties like the ADC, YPP, and APGA have indicated they are ready to submit their candidates, others continue to grapple with internal leadership tussles and grievances stemming from their primary elections.

• Judicial Challenges: INEC has filed appeals against two recent Federal High Court rulings that challenged specific timelines within the electoral schedule. The commission argues that the electoral timetable is a highly interdependent framework; separating its components could lead to administrative chaos.

• Call for Integrity: Professor Amupitan stressed that the success of the 2027 polls relies on both INEC’s preparedness and the commitment of political parties to uphold democratic principles, avoid violence, and promote issue-based campaigning.

INEC has reiterated its commitment to remaining impartial and ensuring that all election-related activities are managed within a transparent and coherent framework.

Nollywood actor Rotimi Salami has addressed long-standing rumors alleging a past romantic involvement with the late actress Allwell Ademola, a claim that has persisted within the Yoruba movie industry for years.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate commencement of efforts to repatriate approximately 300 Nigerians currently imprisoned in Ethiopia, allowing them to serve the remainder of their sentences within Nigerian correctional facilities. This intervention is the first of its kind by the President, addressing a long-standing issue that remained unresolved through diplomatic channels for over three years.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The primary reasons and details regarding this mission include:

• Humanitarian Concerns: The directive follows alarming reports regarding the conditions at Ethiopia’s Kaliti Prison in Addis Ababa, which include severe overcrowding, poor healthcare, inadequate nutrition, illness, and instances of death among the inmates.

• Government Delegation: To facilitate the transfer, President Tinubu has dispatched a high-level delegation to Addis Ababa, led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi.

• Legal Framework: The delegation’s core objective is to finalize and sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ethiopian government, which serves as the necessary legal instrument for the prisoner transfer.

• Inmate Profile: Ministry of Foreign Affairs records indicate that more than 270 Nigerians are currently incarcerated in Ethiopia, the majority of whom were convicted on drug-related charges.