News
Off-season polls: Electronic collation illegal, says INEC, police warn NLC
•Uzodimma, others absent at peace accord, Diri, Sylva clash, Imo workers, banks shun strike
The Independent National Electoral Commission has insisted that electronic collation of results is illegal in Nigeria.
The commission said this against the backdrop of expectations that the results of Saturday’s off-cycle governorship elections in Imo, Kogi, and Bayelsa states would be transmitted electronically.
The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, made the clarification to one of our correspondents on Wednesday, as the police in Imo State warned the organised labour against intimidating voters during the election in the state.
There has been a clamour for electronic transmission of election results in the country with the issue forming a core plank of the presidential election petitions filed at the Presidential Election Petitions Court by the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party.
But Oyekanmi clarified that the result viewing portal was not for collating election results or determining the winner; neither was the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System an electronic voting machine.
When asked how results from the polling units would be transmitted after voting had been concluded in the governorship polls in the three states, Oyekanmi explained, “Polling unit election results, also known as Form EC8As, will be uploaded directly to the INEC Result Viewing Portal from the individual PUs by the presiding officers after the close of poll and declaration of results at that level.
“Presiding Officers are expected to use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System to snap the Form EC8A and upload the same to the IReV after the conclusion of all processes at the various polling units.
“However, people need to understand that the IReV is not for collating election results or determining the winner, while the BVAS is also not an electronic voting machine.
IReV portal
“To be sure, electronic voting or collation of results is illegal in Nigeria at the moment. All that the IReV portal does is just to display the Form EC8A uploaded from the polling units for the public to see.
“The process for determining and declaring the winner of a governorship election is well encapsulated in section 179 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Speaking on the logistics arrangement the commission had made for the distribution of materials given the strike declared by the organised labour in Imo State, the chief press secretary noted, “In the area of logistics for Imo State, we already have an agreement with individual vehicle owners and the NURTW (National Union of Road Transport Workers), Imo State Chapter, for forward and reverse logistics.
“We will fulfill all our obligations and we expect the other parties to fulfill their obligations too. We have not received any information to the contrary.”
In readiness for the election, the Imo State Police Command said it would not spare anyone who might want to disrupt the exercise in the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, said the command had carried out heavy deployments across the state following an appraisal of the security situation during the presidential, National, and House Assembly polls conducted earlier in the year.
Speaking on the strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress in the state, he noted that the labour unions lacked the constitutional power to halt an election and cautioned the unions’ leaders against intimidating voters.
Okoye said, “(The) Nigerian Labour Congress can never stop the election from being held in Imo State. They don’t have the constitutional power to stop elections from being held in Imo State. The election will be held successfully in Imo State. The election will be conducted successfully in Imo State.
“We have done an appraisal of the presidential and National House Assembly elections conducted this year which was relatively peaceful. And now we have come up with enhanced security measures to ensure that the election this time around is going to be conducted free, fair, transparent, and will be acceptable at the end of the day.
“I don’t need to mention any areas, but what I can say is that we have done our assessment, and we’re fully prepared, we have prepared enough security on the ground to make sure that the election in Imo State is successful.”
Concerning the threat posed by the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra and the Eastern Security Network, Okoye stated, “We are going to deal ruthlessly with any criminally-minded individual or group of individuals that wants to disrupt the election in Imo state.”
Responding to a question about the security threats in the volatile areas in the three states, the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, noted that the police had beefed up security in all the areas of concern.
He said, “We have done heavy deployments in all areas. DIGs have been charged to head election security management in the affected states.’’
Meanwhile, the industrial action declared by the Organised Labour in Imo State recorded partial compliance as Imo workers, ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as banks, shunned the strike.
Our correspondent who monitored the development in Owerri, the state capital, reported that banks, state government offices, and the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport in Owerri opened for business.
But the courts and schools were shut while students who had gone to school were observed returning home.
There had been a power outage in the state for the past eight days.
Civil servants
A civil servant who confided in our correspondent said that there was a memo mandating employees not to honour the NLC strike.
A source at the Sam Mbakwe cargo airport told our correspondent that flights landed and took off at the airport on Wednesday.
Also, fuel stations opened and dispensed fuel to motorists unhindered in the state capital.
The state chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers didn’t join the industrial action.
A group, Imo Patriot League, and other Civil Society Organisations criticised the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and asked him to reconsider the decision of the labour unions to cut electricity supply to the state.
At a press conference in Owerri, on Wednesday, the convener cum spokesperson for the group, Jones Onwuasonya, said that the organized labour’s industrial action had cost the state about N500bn loss.
He said that the economy of the state was shrinking on account of the power outage.
The group accused Ajaero of working with the opposition parties to undermine Governor Hope Uzodimma’s re-election bid.
Onwuasonya said “We find it reprehensible that Comrade Joe Ajaero, an Imo son could bring himself to derail the governorship election because of his personal political agenda, which by all intents and purposes is vindictive and selfish.
Uzodimma, others absent at peace accord, Diri, Sylva clash
PDP urges REC to recuse self from Imo poll INEC adds Sylva to Bayelsa gov candidates list.
In Lokoja, the 18 political parties participating in the governorship election in Kogi State signed a peace accord on Wednesday.
The accord was the initiative of the National Peace Committee led by former head of State, General Abdusalami Abubakar (retd.)
Present at the occasion was Governor Alhaji Yayaha Bello who pledged the commitment of his party, the All Progressive Congress, to a free, fair, and credible election.
Speaking at the ceremony, a former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Cardinal John Onaiyekan emphasised the need for a peaceful election, arguing that no meaningful development could take place in an atmosphere of chaos and insecurity.
“The exercise should be an honest and serious commitment by all candidates to ensure a peaceful election and peaceful coexistence even after the election might have been concluded,” he said.
Bello in his address stated, ‘’I stand before today to emphasize the commitment of our party to peace before, during and after the election. I also want to assure you that we in APC are going to abide by this and none of our members will be found wanting before, during and after the election.’’
He said the government had made the state too hot for criminals.
Giving an update on the election security operation in Kogi, the state Commissioner of Police, Bertrand Onuoha, explained that the command had identified several flash points in the Central and the Eastern Senatorial Districts of the state.
The areas, he said, included Olamaboro, Dekina, Ejule in the East and Adavi, Obehira, and Obangede in the Central District.
The commissioner said sufficient personnel would be deployed in the black spots areas, before, during and after the election.
Security agents
He said. ‘’About 40, 000 security operatives will be mobilised for the poll in the state because the election is an off-season one; we will have enough officers available for mobilisation for effective coverage due to the volatile nature of Kogi elections.”
On efforts being made so far, the CP explained that he had met with the Attah Igala, who assured him that he would talk to his subjects about the need to be civil before, during and after the election.
He said the political parties had also been advised to be civil in their campaigns and not use abusive words.
“I have also been meeting with officers and rank and files of all sister security agencies and everyone has been properly briefed about the role they are expected to play during and after the election,’’ he added.
Onuoha sounded a note of warning to those who might be planning to foment trouble during and after the election to have a rethink ‘’because they will not be given a breathing space to do so.’’
Reacting to the calls for his redeployment for being partisan, the CP declared that he was not in the state to serve the interest of any individual or political party but to protect the interest of the people at the instance of the IG.
“He (IG) is the only one who can pass judgment on my performance. So, as long as the IG is satisfied with my performance, I have nothing to worry about,’’ he added.
In a move to ensure a credible and peaceful exercise, the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, Wednesday, held a crucial meeting with key stakeholders in Kogi State.
Disclosing this in a statement, Adejobi, said, “The meeting, which was held in the state capital, brought together various stakeholders including political leaders, representatives of political parties, civil society organizations electoral officials, traditional and religious leaders, youth leaders, and security agencies.
“’The primary goal of this gathering was to engage in constructive dialogue, share information, and strategize on measures to guarantee a free, fair, credible, and peaceful electoral process in the state.
“The IGP also encouraged political leaders to play a significant role in maintaining the peace by promoting a culture of non-violence among their supporters and ensuring that the electoral process is conducted without any form of intimidation or coercion.’’
He further noted that the IG charged the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department to take over the investigation into the armed attack that took place in the Anyigba area of Kogi State on Tuesday.
He added, “During the meeting, the IGP reacting to a trending video of an incident in Anyigba where it was alleged that some armed men attacked the residence of one of the key officials in one of the parties, charged the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department to take over the case for thorough investigation in order to ascertain all parties concerned, their respective levels of involvement and to ensure justice by all means.
“The Inspector General of Police reiterated that the Force is committed to impartiality and neutrality throughout the electoral process and will take decisive action against any person who engages in any form of misconduct or violence. He also charged candidates and their followers to embrace peace as the police and other security agents would not spare anyone caught fomenting troubles during the electioneering process.”
The Force Headquarters also noted that the police had carried out heavy deployments in all areas, including areas prone to violent attacks, adding that three Deputy Inspectors-Generals of Police had been deployed for election security management in the three states.
In response to the incident at Anyigba, the spokesperson for the APC Governorship Campaign Council in Kogi State, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, appealed to the security agencies to absolve its members from the violence that rocked the Kogi East Senatorial zone of the state.
Speaking at a press conference in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Wednesday, he insisted that members of the party were not involved in any violent and terrorist acts in any part of the state.
Fanwo, who is also the state commissioner for Information and Communication, said, “The APC Governorship Campaign Council expressed reservations on the recent security operations in some parts of Kogi East, especially in Dekina Local Government Area where chieftains of our party were arrested for reasons unknown to us.
‘’Our chieftains were not involved in any act inimical to the peace of the state and shouldn’t have been subjected to such treatment. We wouldn’t condone or defend any act of lawlessness, but we make bold to say that our leaders and members who were arrested and detained did not deserve to be subjected to such treatment as they are innocent.
“The arrest of the affected leaders by security agencies was unknown to us because our chieftains were not involved in any act inimical to the peace of the state and shouldn’t have been subjected to such treatment.”
According to him, “In as much as we subscribe to a peaceful and free poll, we also call for responsible conduct on the part of law enforcement agencies in such a way that innocent citizens are not unnecessarily punished for the sins of others”.
“We call on security agencies to release them unconditionally so that they can be reunited with their families. It is not in doubt as to the candidates fanning the embers of violence and division.
“A member of the All Progressives Congress, Khadija, was murdered in cold blood at Koton-care for daring to wear a fez cap with the logo of the All Progressives Congress on the day the bloodsuckers were in town.
“It is sad that security agencies have not informed us how far they have gone in apprehending the trigger-happy thugs that committed the murder.”
Fanwo, however, added that “The leadership of the All Progressives Congress is committed and determined to keep the state within the progressive family, and performance of the APC government in Kogi State has made it almost impossible for the opposition parties to rear their heads.”
The Director of the Enugu State Fire and Rescue Service, Chief Okwudili Ohaa, has said the swift mobilisation of emergency resources by Governor Peter Mbah led to the rescue of five occupants trapped in a collapsed building in Enugu metropolis.
The uncompleted four-storey building, located along Ogbaru Street, by Alvan Ikokwu Street, Independence Layout, Enugu, collapsed in the early hours of Sunday.
Ohaa told newsmen on Sunday that all five occupants of the building, as confirmed by the security guard on duty, were successfully rescued.
Ohaa
He said four of the occupants were rescued alive and conscious, although they sustained injuries, while the fifth person was rescued unconscious.
Ohaa commended Governor Mbah for his swift mobilisation of emergency response agencies, including the Red Cross, Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Enugu State Ambulance Services, the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Other agencies and organisations at the scene included the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Enugu Capital Territory Development Agency (ECTDA) and a Chinese construction company, which provided four heavy-duty cranes.
According to Ohaa, the governor alerted him about the incident early Sunday morning, prompting the immediate mobilisation of officers of the Enugu State Fire and Rescue Service to the scene with extrication equipment.
“His Excellency, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, must be commended for also mobilising adequate rescue equipment such as heavy-duty cranes, bulldozers and excavators, which ensured the rescue of the five persons,” he said.
Ohaa explained that rescue officers initially relied on information from the security guard to determine how many people were trapped in the building.
“As rescue officers, what we did was to ask the security man how many people were here. He said there were supposed to be six. One person had left before it happened.
“So, we were able at that initial time to rescue four persons. Out of the four, two sustained minor injuries and they were all rushed to a health facility for proper checks,” he said.
The Chief Fire and Rescue Officer said the fifth person was eventually recovered unconscious and taken to a health facility by the Enugu State Ambulance Services.
The NEMA Information Officer in Enugu, Mr Nnanyelugo Ezeani, also confirmed that five people were rescued.
He said the situation could have been worse because the state government had earlier sealed the construction site.
“One person among the six residing in the collapsed building was not on the site at the time of the incident, while five others were rescued and taken to the hospital,” Ezeani said.
Speaking on the incident, the Executive Chairman of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Agency (ECTDA), Mr Uche Anya, described the developer as one of those who failed to comply with building regulations.
Anya said the ECTDA had earlier taken regulatory action by sealing the site, which was originally approved in 2021.
“This property was approved in 2021 before the advent of this administration. But usually, we have a habit of stocktaking and checking on every construction at every stage.
“When I personally led the team that inspected here, we found out that there were serious integrity issues and non-compliance with their 2021 approval.
“I personally issued the first ‘stop-work order,’ which, due to the violation, resulted in our sealing the place over the last six months outrightly.
“So, I think within the last 30 to 40 days, the representative of the owner, whom they say lives abroad, has been interfacing with us to remedy the situation. This is the process that we are still trying to interface on, and it came down.”
Anya added that he had handed the owner’s representative over to the police to assist with the investigation.
“This is really a very unfortunate situation,” he said.
A four-storey building under construction in Enugu has collapsed, killing at least one person and trapping several construction workers beneath the rubble.
The incident occurred on Sunday morning at the uncompleted structure, reportedly being developed as a hotel, causing panic among residents and passersby.
According to authorities, six workers were believed to have been sleeping inside the building when it collapsed. Four workers have so far been rescued, while the body of one victim has been recovered.
Authorities said one of the six workers reportedly left the site shortly before the collapse, raising hopes that fewer people may be trapped beneath the debris than initially feared.
The rescued workers were taken to the Enugu State Teaching Hospital for treatment.
Emergency responders, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigerian Red Cross Society, Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Enugu State Capital Territory Development Authority and the police, are participating in the rescue operation.
The cause of the collapse has not yet been established, while rescue efforts continue at the scene.
The member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Chinedu Ogah, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft agencies to investigate the financial activities and source of wealth of socialite and businessman, Paschal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest.
Ogah, who is Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, made the call on Thursday at a press conference in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
The lawmaker said the businessman’s financial dealings should be subjected to scrutiny regardless of his public profile.
“I am urging the EFCC to thoroughly investigate him, investigate his bank accounts, investigate all the things he does,” Ogah said.
He also accused Cubana Chief Priest of undermining President Bola Tinubu’s political fortunes in the South-East ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ogah questioned the socialite’s claim to political influence in Ebonyi State and challenged him to make his membership card of the All Progressives Congress (APC) public.
The lawmaker further criticised recent comments attributed to Cubana Chief Priest on social media in which he reportedly called for the resignation of Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru.
Ogah demanded that the comments be withdrawn and followed by an apology, warning that legal action could be taken if the businessman failed to comply.
“Who is Cubana Chief Priest? What is his address that gives him the impetus to speak against our governor, the most performing governor in Nigeria?” he asked.
According to Ogah, Cubana Chief Priest had no electoral mandate to speak on behalf of Ebonyi State or demand the resignation of its elected governor.
He also questioned the businessman’s political influence, noting that he had previously contested an election in Imo State but failed to secure the party’s primary ticket.
Ogah alleges plot against Nwifuru
The lawmaker further alleged that unnamed political actors were sponsoring campaigns aimed at discrediting the Nwifuru administration and weakening the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.
He defended the state’s security architecture, particularly the Commissioner of Police, Hope Okafor, against what he described as an orchestrated campaign for her removal.
Ogah urged the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS) and other relevant agencies to investigate those behind the alleged campaign and determine whether any law had been breached.
“All of us can attest to the peace and security we enjoy in Ebonyi State. The Army, the police, the Civil Defence and the DSS are doing marvellously well in Ebonyi State,” he said.
Lawmaker accuses Otu of mobilising protesters
Ogah also accused another critic of the state government, Charles Otu, of allegedly mobilising people from outside Ebonyi State to participate in a protest against the government in Abuja.
He claimed that some of those involved were presented as Ebonyians despite allegedly coming from other states.
Ogah said his lawyers had previously petitioned the DSS over allegations involving Otu and urged the agency to investigate the matter.
He also challenged Otu to substantiate allegations he allegedly made against him during an appearance on Arise Television.
“My own is that whosoever defaults the law, we take it legally. I cannot mention who I have not known. But when we get there, it is for the security agencies to investigate,” Ogah said.
Ogah lists Nwifuru’s achievements
Defending the Nwifuru administration, Ogah cited the state government’s scholarship programmes, school construction, road projects and other development initiatives as evidence of the governor’s performance.
He said hundreds of Ebonyi indigenes had benefited from postgraduate scholarships in Nigeria and abroad, while roads and schools were being constructed across the state’s 13 local government areas.
Ogah also praised Nwifuru for what he described as political tolerance, saying opposition parties had been allowed to operate freely in the state.
He argued that the people of Ebonyi should determine their political leadership through the ballot rather than through media campaigns and protests.
“Ebonyi people will choose who is their leader. They should stop using the media to castigate the governor,” he said.
Questions Nwifuru’s omission from Tinubu campaign council
The lawmaker also questioned the reported omission of Governor Nwifuru from President Tinubu’s campaign council, describing it as an error that should be corrected.
“How can a governor that has done much in APC not be included in the campaign council? How can a governor that is elected under the APC not be included?” Ogah queried.
He maintained that Nwifuru’s political influence and the APC’s electoral performance in Ebonyi made him an important stakeholder in Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.
Ogah warned political actors against using the media to destabilise the state and urged all parties to pursue their grievances through legal and democratic channels.
The lawmaker, who is also the Ebonyi State Coordinator of the Tinubu Support Group (TSG), was accompanied by other members of the group at the press conference.
He reiterated his call for security agencies to investigate the various allegations raised and take appropriate action against anyone found to have violated the law.
The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has urged youths in Enugu State to disregard the belief that federal government jobs and other opportunities are already allocated before they are advertised.
FCC Executive Chairman, Hulayât Motunrayo Omidiran, gave the charge on Thursday at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, during the Peter Eze Enugu Youth Connect 2026.
Omidiran urged the youths to acquire relevant skills, embrace technology and actively pursue legitimate opportunities, stressing that federal character should promote both equity and merit.
She also warned against fraudulent recruitment schemes and advised applicants to authenticate employment opportunities before applying.
The Enugu State Deputy Governor, Ifeanyi Ossai, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, challenged young people to prepare themselves for available opportunities.
Onyia said government could create opportunities, but individuals must develop the capacity to take advantage of them.
The FCC Commissioner representing Enugu State, Peter Ogbonna Eze, said the programme was designed to bridge the information gap preventing young people from accessing federal employment, scholarships, grants, fellowships and training opportunities.
Eze said many youths were discouraged from applying for federal jobs because of the misconception that such positions had already been shared among influential individuals.
He urged them to apply whenever legitimate opportunities were advertised, warning that nobody should pay money to secure a federal government job.
He also disclosed that five participants in the programme would be selected for a full scholarship opportunity.
Eze said the initiative would continue as a platform for connecting Enugu youths with credible opportunities and urged participants to become “ambassadors of opportunity” by sharing useful information with others.
The event brought together youths and stakeholders from across Enugu State to discuss federal representation, employment, education, skills development and other opportunities.
By Chinedu Sabastine
ENUGU — Umuchigbo Iji Nike Autonomous Community in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State has fixed Sunday, September 13, 2026, for its annual New Yam Festival.
The cultural celebration, which is scheduled to commence at 3 p.m., is being organised under the leadership of the Executive Chairman of Umuchigbo, Hon. Chief Afam Joseph Ogbene, popularly known as Akirika Chioku 1, Na Nike Kingdom.
The festival is expected to showcase the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the people of Umuchigbo and Umuenwene in Iji Nike Autonomous Community, while promoting unity and communal bonding.
Ogbene, in an invitation to the festival, described the celebration as an opportunity for the people to preserve their cultural heritage, strengthen community ties and give thanks for the year’s harvest.
He said, “Our New Yam Festival is more than a cultural celebration. It is a time for us to come together as one people, appreciate our heritage and give thanks for the blessings of the year.”
According to him, the event will also provide an opportunity for sons and daughters of the community, as well as friends and well-wishers, to reconnect and celebrate together.
“We are inviting everyone to come and celebrate with us. It is a celebration of our culture, our community and thanksgiving for the new yam season,” he added.
According to the invitation, activities will commence at Ogbene’s residence on Akirika Chioku Avenue, Nome Ogba Aniji Road, Umuchigbo, before proceeding to Obodoeze Iji Village Square, Odangene, for the New Yam rites and masquerade display.
The event will also feature traditional cuisine, music and other forms of cultural entertainment.
The organisers urged sons and daughters of Umuchigbo, friends, well-wishers and members of the public to join the community in celebrating the festival.
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