Politics
2027 Election: N’Assembly in Crisis as Akpabio, Abbas Insist on Manual Result Transmission
What should have been a routine legislative correction to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill instead degenerated into one of the most dramatic sittings of the 10th Assembly, exposing deep partisan fault lines ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In the Senate, 15 lawmakers, led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (ADC, Abia South), stood defiantly against a controversial proviso in Clause 60(3) that recognises the manually completed Form EC8A as the primary source of collation where electronic transmission fails.
In the House of Representatives, the minority caucus staged a walkout, accusing the Speaker Tajudeen Abbas leadership of railroading amendments and frustrating attempts to insist on mandatory real-time electronic transmission without caveats.
Outside the complex, protesters — joined by former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili — accused lawmakers of attempting to dilute electoral safeguards.
President of the Senate Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Reps Abbas
By sunset, both chambers had passed versions of the bill that preserve electronic upload of polling unit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal, while stopping short of making real-time transmission mandatory without exception.
At the heart of the storm lies a familiar Nigerian dilemma – whether technology alone can be trusted to safeguard democracy.
Senate torn apart
Tuesday’s Senate plenary was tense from the outset.
The Upper Chamber had earlier passed the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2026, but was compelled to rescind its decision and recommit it to the Committee of the Whole after discrepancies were identified in several clauses, including those affecting timelines for the 2027 elections already announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
But it was Clause 60 — dealing with the transmission and collation of election results — that ignited tempers.
The final reenacted version of the controversial clause, particularly subsection (3), reads: “The Presiding Officer shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the IREV portal, and such transmission shall be done after the prescribed Form EC8A has been signed and stamped by the Presiding Officer and/or countersigned by the candidates or polling agents where available, provided that if electronic transmission fails due to communication failure, Form EC8A shall remain the primary source of collation and declaration of the result.”
Proceedings later resumed with Abaribe demanding a division on the clause, insisting that senators must publicly record their positions.
The Abia South lawmaker had attempted a similar move during last week’s emergency plenary but withdrew under pressure, which sparked criticisms within the chamber.
His renewed insistence triggered a rowdy session but Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele intervened, stressing that “whether he has done it or not is now in the past. But it is within his (Abaribe) rights to call for it. Let us allow him.”
But Senate President Godswill Akpabio reminded the chamber of Abaribe’s earlier aborted attempt.
“People were mocking you on social media,” Akpabio said, noting that the previous demand had been withdrawn.
Opposition senators protested immediately, arguing that the matter was properly before the chamber.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin cited Order 52(6) of the Senate Standing Orders, contending that it would be out of order to revisit provisions already ruled upon by the presiding officer.
That submission sparked uproar.
Senator Sunday Karimi briefly confronted Abaribe across the aisle as voices rose.
Bamidele insisted that since he had moved a motion for rescission, previous decisions were void, and Abaribe’s demand for a division was procedurally sound.
Each time Akpabio referenced Abaribe’s earlier withdrawal in a tone some senators described as mocking, opposition lawmakers shouted him down.
Eventually, the Senate President put the matter to a vote.
Fifty-five senators that cut across the ruling All Progressives Congress and a few opposition members — including Deputy Minority Leader Lere Oyewunmi, Wadada Aliyu (SDP, Nasarawa) and Amos Yohanna (PDP, Adamawa) — stood in support of retaining the manual backup proviso.
When those opposed to it were asked to rise, only Abaribe and 14 others stood, a development that led to the ‘ayes’ carrying the day.
For the second time in two weeks, the Senate approved electronic transmission with manual collation as a fallback.
Under the amended proviso, the manually completed and signed Form EC8A will constitute the primary basis for collation and declaration of results where electronic transmission is disrupted by network or communication challenges.
2027 poll
Before the explosive division, the Senate had reversed its earlier passage of the bill.
Rising under Order 52(6), Bamidele moved that the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2026 be rescinded and recommitted.
He explained that INEC’s announcement fixing the 2027 general elections for February 2027 had triggered fresh concerns.
Stakeholders argued that the proposed date conflicted with Clause 28 of the bill, which required elections to be scheduled at least 360 days before the expiration of tenure.
There were also concerns that February 2027 would fall within Ramadan, potentially affecting voter turnout and logistics.
Following the debate, the Senate amended Clause 28, reducing the mandatory notice period from 360 days to 300 days.
The revised clause now requires INEC to publish notice of election not later than 300 days before polling.
The 60-day reduction grants INEC flexibility to schedule presidential and National Assembly elections between late December 2026 and January 2027.
Lawmakers said the adjustment was necessary to accommodate religious sensitivities and logistical realities.
The motion also corrected discrepancies in the bill’s Long Title and multiple clauses — including Clauses 6, 9, 10, 22, 23, 28, 29, 32, 42, 47, 51, 60, 62, 64, 65, 73, 77, 86, 87, 89, 93 and 143.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Ahead of the 2027 National Assembly elections, a mass protest voting movement may be building up in Anambra South Senatorial District, following reported moves by members of major political parties to support the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Chief Ebuka Onunkwo.
The development is said to be linked to grievances among some members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and remnants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the treatment allegedly meted out to Onunkwo during previous political contests.
Onunkwo, who had previously contested the Anambra South senatorial seat under APGA, later emerged as the NDC candidate for the 2027 election.
Although the ADC is currently embroiled in legal disputes over the authentic candidates and the conduct of its primary elections, some members of the APC and APGA are also reportedly dissatisfied with developments within their respective parties.
It was gathered that a section of APGA members, in particular, are backing Onunkwo as a form of protest over the conduct of the party’s senatorial primary, while some members of other parties are also believed to be considering voting for him irrespective of their party affiliations.
Confirming the growing support for Onunkwo, the Chief Executive Officer of NOWAS Oil and Gas Limited and a major stakeholder in Anambra South politics, Chief Ignesus Ikechukwudere Nnubia, said the NDC candidate currently enjoys widespread acceptability across party lines.
Nnubia said the growing support for Onunkwo had made his party affiliation less significant, arguing that voters would ultimately vote according to their conscience and assessment of the candidates.
He said, “At the moment, the number of APGA members with him and supporting him makes one wonder what is left of that party. Even the remnants of the PDP have pitched their tents with him, while members of the ruling APC at the national level are also behind him.
“So, the party that he belongs to is not a factor at all. You know that it is a game of numbers, and people are going to vote according to their conscience and not necessarily because of the political party they belong to.
“People are not bound to vote for their party, and some of them are ready and willing to vote for him.
“We are not talking about the party because he will surely get votes from the NDC, APGA, APC and even other political parties that are already closing ranks to support him as their candidate.”
Nnubia further described Onunkwo as the candidate currently standing tall among the contenders for the Anambra South senatorial seat, expressing confidence that his emergence would usher in what he described as a “new dawn” for the district.
He said political parties should not be the major consideration for voters, stressing that what matters most is the ability of elected representatives to improve the lives of their constituents.
According to him, political parties exist because of the people, and therefore the influence of party structures and incumbency has its limits during elections.
Nnubia said those factors would ultimately be tested by the electorate in the 2027 election, which he described as a contest in which voters’ choices would determine the outcome.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 Ebonyi State election, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, has pledged to attract more than ₦2 trillion in private-sector investment to the state within six months of assuming office if elected.
Odii made the pledge while addressing supporters in Lagos ahead of the formal commencement of his campaign.
He said his investment strategy would cover key sectors of the Ebonyi economy, including mining, hospitality, real estate and manufacturing.
According to the PDP candidate, he has identified more than 2,000 prospective investors, each capable of investing about ₦1 billion in the state.
“I have over 2,000 people who can invest ₦1 billion each. When you multiply it, you will get over ₦2 trillion. This has been structured in such a way that all aspects of the economy will be involved,” Odii said.
He said the proposed investment drive was designed not only to inject capital into the state but also to create jobs, expand the productive base of the economy and provide opportunities for young people and entrepreneurs.
Odii said Ebonyi’s natural resources and strategic location placed it in a strong position to attract large-scale investments if its economic potential was properly harnessed.
He promised that his administration would prioritise private-sector participation, industrialisation and job creation while creating an enabling environment for both local and foreign investors.
The candidate also said existing businesses in the state would be supported to expand, while new investors would be encouraged to establish operations across various sectors.
His pledge comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with economic development, employment generation and wealth creation featuring prominently in his campaign message.
The proposed ₦2 trillion investment target within six months, if achieved, would represent a significant boost to Ebonyi’s economy and rank among the most ambitious private-sector investment mobilisation plans proposed in the state.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The planned visit of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to Anambra State has sparked controversy following a protest by the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Emma Anosike, that the party was not informed about the visit.
Anosike said the APC in Anambra was never consulted or briefed about the proposed visit, adding that the party was taken aback by reports that the wife of the party’s national leader and presidential candidate, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would be visiting the state without recourse to the state chapter.
He said, “It is indeed strange that the First Lady of our presidential candidate is visiting Anambra State without recourse to the party in the state.
“The party wishes to state categorically that we are not part of the arrangements for the reception of our First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, because the party was never put in the picture.”
Anosike also dismissed the mantra that “The Progressives Are Working Together”, being canvassed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), describing it as a smokescreen by the ruling party in Anambra to hijack President Tinubu’s re-election from the APC.
He said, “For instance, the APGA-led government in Anambra State did not interface with us on the organisation of the visit, and the party wonders if the progressives are indeed working together.”
The APC chairman, however, said the development would not compromise the First Lady’s visit, urging all APC members and supporters in the state to turn out and give Senator Oluremi Tinubu a warm welcome.
He stressed that despite the party’s reservations over the arrangements, APC members remained committed to welcoming the First Lady to Anambra State.
Former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Sagir Saleh, has resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Saleh, who served as deputy governor under former Governor Isa Yuguda, announced his resignation in a letter submitted to the party leadership in Katagum Local Government Area.
He cited personal reasons for his decision but did not provide further details.
His exit comes amid growing disagreements within the Bauchi APC following the party’s 2027 governorship primary. Other prominent members, including former governorship aspirant Bala Jibrin and Sunusi Kunde, an associate of Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, have also reportedly left the party.
Jibrin, a former National Auditor of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), resigned on August 31, 2026, following his opposition to the emergence of former Bauchi Governor Muhammad Abubakar as the APC’s 2027 governorship candidate.
He had criticised the primary process and questioned how the candidate emerged.
Kunde also resigned from the APC in August, submitting his resignation to the party chairman of Beti Ward in Misau Local Government Area.
The latest departures are coming as efforts continue to resolve internal disputes and disagreements among APC members in the state.
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has raised the alarm over an alleged plot to assassinate former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 general election.
Ayodele issued the warning in a video shared on his verified X account on Sunday, urging both opposition figures to strengthen their security and remain vigilant.
The cleric did not identify those allegedly behind the purported plot but claimed that attempts were being made to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
According to him, divine intervention would prevent the alleged plan from succeeding.
“Obi and Atiku, be very conscious of your security. They are looking for any means to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
“But God will never allow it to happen. Watch out and be cautious about your security,” he said.
Ayodele also urged President Bola Tinubu to reconsider travelling to the United States, alleging that there were forces in America working against his political fortunes.
The claims come as political activities and realignments intensify ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
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