Politics
Tinubu, Akpabio meet on Senate committees’ chairmen, others
This is the outcome of the meeting the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, had with President Bola Tinubu on Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to discuss the setting up of the Senate committees.
It was gathered that Akpabio decided to have the meeting with the President because of the fierce battle among senators for the headship of some committees and to also have Tinubu’s input into the composition of the committees.
The Villa meeting was the reason Akpabio’s deputy, Senator Jibrin Barau, presided over the Senate plenary on Thursday, a source added.
At the meeting, it was gathered that Akpabio briefed the President on the plan by the Senate to set up what sources described as tactical panels to set the ball rolling for the constitution of the committees.
Based on discussions at the Villa, it was gathered that leadership and members of a few committees would be announced this week by the Senate President. Some of the committees that may be named are that of selection, Senate Services and about four others.
Informed sources said the composition of the few committees, especially that of selection, was to give members the privilege of being carried along in the selection process.
A source disclosed “The President of the senate was at the Villa on Thursday to meet with President Tinubu. The idea was to name members of some of the committees that day.
“In actual fact, Akpabio sent a message to some senators to inform the presiding officer, his deputy, Senator Jibrin Barau, to delay the plenary until he returned from the Villa.
“But due to some issues like the jamming of the network within the chambers or members putting their phones in silence, those that the message was sent to were unable to access it before the end of the plenary.
“Some saw the message about 10 minutes after the Senate had adjourned. With that, the announcement of the composition of some of the committees could not be made.”
The source added, “Now, the matter is this. Some former presidential aspirants and former governors, who worked with President Tinubu during the campaign, are also rooting for major committees that are more feasible. Nigerians refer to such committees as juicy ones.
“Such committees include appropriations, finance, army, works, customs and foreign affairs, among others.
“Supporters of Senator Abdulaziz Yari are also coming back to bargain for the headship of some committees. But there is a possibility that they won’t get what they want. This is because there is precedence.
“When Bukola Saraki emerged as the President of the Senate, those who were foot soldiers of Senator Ahmad Lawan, who was also in the race for the Senate presidency, were left without heading any committee. The likes of Senator Solomon Adeola and others were denied any significant role during the period because of their loyalty to Lawan.”
It was also gathered that the Governor of Imo State, who is also the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodimma, played what was described as a significant role in the emergence of Senator Opeyemi Bamidele as the Senate Leader.
Apart from Bamidele, other senators said to have indicated interest in the position were the immediate past governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, and Senator Ali Ndume.
Both Umahi and Ndume played significant roles in the emergence of Akpabio as the Senate President.
While Umahi served as the Chairman of his campaign committee, Ndume was its director-general.
But unlike Umahi, Ndume had earlier indicated interest to contest the Senate presidency but stepped down for the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, who eventually defeated Yari.
A source said Uzodimma told Ndume and his backers that throughout the eight-year reign of President Muhammadu Buhari, he was allowed to have his choice and a northerner as the Senate Majority Leader and that it would be wrong to deny Tinubu of the same opportunity of having his choice to occupy the same position.
“It was very painful to Ndume and some of his backers, especially with the role the Borno State senator played in the development that threw up Akpabio, but he had no option but to agree and take the position of Senate Whip,” the source added.
In the House of Representatives, the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, had on Thursday, June 15, 2023, constituted seven special committees for the effective take-off of the assembly.
They are the Internal Security Committee led by Mohammed Danjuma; Selection Committee chaired by the Speaker himself; and Media Committee headed by Buka Ibrahim.
Others are Legislative Agenda Committee, which is chaired by Prof Julius Ihonbvare; Rules and Business Committee led by Igariwey Iduma; Welfare Committee headed by Wale Raji; and Ethics and Privileges Committee led by Tunji Olawuyi.
Lawmakers intensify lobbies
Meanwhile, intense lobbying is going on among lawmakers over committees’ chairmanship and membership, particularly the juicy ones.
Some of the lawmakers that are suspected to have been penciled down for some committees are Senator Adeola Solomon, (APC, Ogun West) for Appropriations; Senator Francis Fadahunsi, ( PDP, Osun East) for Customs and Exercise; and Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central), who was named the Chairman of an ad hoc committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission.
The 9th Senate had about 70 standing committees, but the juicy ones included Appropriations, which was chaired by Senator Jibrin Barau; Finance, Adeola; Public Accounts, Matthew Uroghide; Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Albert Bassey Akpan; Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Mohammed Nakudu; Works and Niger Delta Development Commission, Peter Nwaoboshi, who was later replaced by the Vice-Chairman, Amos Bulus; Defence (Army), Ndume; and Banking Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, Uba Sani.
Other are, Power, Gabriel Suswam; Tertiary Education and TETFUND, Ahmed Baba Kaita; Gas, James Manager; Communications, Oluremi Tinubu; Aviation, Smart Adeyemi, who was later replaced by Biodun Olujimi; and Independent National Electoral Commission, Kabiru Gaya.
The committees and their chairmen in the 9th Senate also included Agriculture and Productivity, Abdullahi Adamu, who was replaced by Yahaya Abdullahi when he left to become the Chairman of the APC; Air Force, Bala Ibn Na’allah; Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Suleiman Kwari; Capital Market, Ibikunle Amosun; and Cooperation and Integration in Africa and NEPAD, Chimaroke Nnamani.
The list also included Culture and Tourism, Rochas Okorocha; Customs, Excise and Tariff, Francis Alimikhena; Defence, Aliyu Wamakko; Diapsora and NGOs, Ajibola Basiru; Drugs and Narcotics, Hezekiah Dimka; Ecology and Climate Change, Mohammed Hassan; Education (Basic and Secondary), Ibrahim Geidam; Employment, Labour and Productivity, Benjamin Uwajumogu; and Environment, Ike Ekweremadu.
The committees and their chairmen also included Establishment and Public Service, Ibrahim Shekarau; Ethics and Privileges, Ayo Akinyelure; FCT, Abubukar Kyari, who was later replaced by Smart Adeyemi; Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Danjuma Tella La’ah; FERMA, Gershom Bassey; Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Bulkachuwa; Health, Ibrahim Oloriegbe; Housing, Sam Egwu; ICT and Cybercrimes, Yakubu Oseni; INEC, Kabiru Gaya; Information and National Orientation, Abdullahi Sankara; and Interior, Kashim Shettima, who is now the Vice President.
Others were Inter-Parliamentary Affairs, Godiya Akwashiki; Industry, the late Sikiru Osinowo, who was replaced by Tokunbo Abiru; Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Opeyemi Bamidele; Land Transport, Abdulfatai Buhari; Legislative Compliance, Adelere Oriolowo; Local Content, Teslim Folarin; Local and Foreign Debt, Clifford Ordia; Marine Transport, Danjuma Goje; Media and Public Affairs,. Adedayo Adeyeye, who was later replaced by Ajibola Basiru; National Identity and National Population, Saidu Alkali; National Planning and Economic Affairs, Olubunmi Adetunmbi; National Security and Intelligence, Ibrahim Gobir; Navy, George Sekibo; and Police Affairs, Halliru Jika.
The remaining are Public Procurement, Shuaibu Lau; Primary Healthcare and Communicable Diseases, Chukwuka Utazi; Privatisation, Theodore Orji; Rules and Business, Sadiq Umar; Science and Technology, Uche Ekwunife; Senate Services, Musa Sani; Social Welfare and Poverty Alleviation, Lawal Yahaya Gumau; Solid Minerals, Tanko Al-Makura; Special Duties, Yusuf Yusuf; Sports, Obinna Ogba; States and Local Governments, Olamilekan Mustapha; Sustainable Development Goals, Aisha Ahmed Dahiru; Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Baba Kaita; Trade and Investment, Rose Oko, who after her death was replaced by Seidu Alkali; Water Resources, Mandiya Bello; Women Affairs, Betty Apiafi; and Works, Adamu Aliero.
The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, noted that following the formation of the Selection Committee, the next on the agenda of the Senate was the formation of other committees.
The Selection Committee is in charge of choosing committee chairmen and members and comprises the presiding and principal officers across party lines.
Bamidele noted that the next step was to hit the ground running by forming other committees, reception of the ministerial list from the President and Executive communication.
He said, “For us, the next task is to ensure that we hit the ground running so that from tomorrow, we are able to take steps that will show that we have a clear understanding of what is to be done; the first task ahead of us is to constitute special committees of the 10th Senate. Our rules make provision for six special committees.
“Before long, during the month of July, we will have all the special and standing committees properly constituted so that every senator can get busy based on their own professional background and can properly fit into the sector where they can add value.
“We are ready to receive correspondence from the Executive.”
A former spokesperson of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest and investigate the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over his reported pledge of N10 million to each of Rivers State’s 319 councillors for delivering their respective wards to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
Sara-Igbe described the alleged pledge as a threat to the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process, insisting that Wike’s position as a serving minister should not shield him from investigation.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, reportedly made the promise during a media chat last week, urging the councillors to ensure that President Tinubu wins their respective wards in the 2027 elections in exchange for N10 million each.
With 319 councillors representing the state’s 319 wards across 23 local government areas, the proposed financial commitment would amount to N3.19 billion if fully implemented.
Speaking in an interview with The Southern Examiner, Sara-Igbe questioned why the FCT Minister had not been invited for questioning by security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the reported statement.
He argued that the alleged pledge raised serious concerns about compliance with electoral laws, particularly provisions relating to financial inducements and electoral malpractice.
“We are not in a banana republic where anything goes, no laws. Our security personnel must prove to Nigerians and the entire world that our laws are not implemented haphazardly, depending on who is involved,” he said.
The Kalabari elder also criticised INEC for what he described as its silence over the matter, insisting that electoral regulations must apply equally to all Nigerians, regardless of their political influence or official positions.
Sara-Igbe, who acknowledged that Wike was once his close associate, said Nigeria’s democracy could only develop when citizens rejected injustice, unfairness and inequality.
He warned that political statements capable of encouraging financial inducements could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
“Utterances such as the one Wike spewed out from his mouth could truncate our hard-won democracy and expose our nation to public ridicule. This is why the matter should not be swept under the carpet. Wike must be made to pay for such an unguarded statement,” he added.
Meanwhile, Sara-Igbe denied allegations that he was involved in instigating the renewed political disagreement between Wike and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
He also dismissed claims that his position was motivated by ethnic considerations, maintaining that his disagreement with Wike was based on political principles and what he described as the need to protect Rivers State’s interests.
He accused Wike and his supporters of attempting to undermine Fubara’s administration, arguing that the governor should be allowed to exercise his constitutional mandate without undue political interference.
Sara-Igbe further disclosed that his political position informed his decision to support the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, and the party’s Rivers State governorship candidate, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, ahead of the 2027 elections.
He described Lulu-Briggs as a candidate with the capacity to pursue economic development in the state, highlighting proposals to decongest Port Harcourt, develop other urban centres such as Ahoada, Omoku and Bori, and harness Rivers State’s tourism potential.
He also criticised the Rainbow Coalition over what he described as the introduction of ethnic considerations into the search for an APC governorship candidate in Rivers State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed November 28, 2026, for a nationwide mock accreditation and voting exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The exercise is aimed at testing upgrades to the commission’s Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic results transmission ahead of the polls.
The development comes as INEC disclosed that it had commenced the distribution of non-sensitive election materials to some states in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), announced the planned mock exercise on Thursday during a dialogue at Chatham House in London.
The event, organised in partnership with the Kimpact Development Initiative, was themed, “Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot.”
According to a statement issued in Abuja and signed by the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, Amupitan said the exercise would simulate the presidential election and enable the commission to assess the efficiency of its accreditation and electronic results transmission systems.
“On the 28th of this month, we will conduct a mock accreditation and voting exercise across all states of the federation to simulate the presidential election and verify that we have gotten both accreditation and electronic result transmission right,” the INEC chairman said.
Amupitan also disclosed that the commission had introduced additional technical safeguards to prevent inaccurate polling unit results and figures indicating over-voting from being uploaded to its Result Viewing Portal.
He said the measures were part of efforts to strengthen the credibility, transparency and reliability of the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Deputy National Organising Secretary of All Progressives Congress, Chief Emeka Okafor Esq, has called on Voters of Igbo Extraction living in Ondo State to come out in their numbers and vote massively for APC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 16th of January 2026.
Chief Emeka Okafor made the call in Akure during the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Rally which took place in Akure, Ondo state.
The Deputy National Organising Secretary stated that South East and Ndi Igbo have benefitted massively from the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and All Progressives Congress. He opined that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu meant well for the Country and the President’s reform is yielding the necessary results.
Barr Emeka Okafor stated that Ndi Igbo has always been part of National Party. “Being with the Party at Centre has always been beneficial to Ndi Igbo and 2027 will not be an exception. He urged Igbo Voters in Ondo to support APC and Mr President’s re-election bid.
The chieftain also urged stakeholders to support all APC candidates for the National and State Assemblies in the forthcoming elections, saying party members must work hard to deliver the desired results.
Barr Okafor made the appeal as He joined the Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, other APC leaders and stakeholders at the party’s campaign rallies in Akure, the Capital of Ondo state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned political actors against the use of the controversial slogan, “Rig and Die”, ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that such inflammatory rhetoric could trigger electoral violence and endanger innocent lives.
The Commission also warned that electoral officials, including ad hoc staff, who compromise the integrity of elections would face prosecution in accordance with the law.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, gave the warnings during a media engagement forum for journalists and media executives from the South-East, South-South and South-West geopolitical zones held in Enugu.
Haruna expressed concern over the increasing use of inflammatory political statements and threats, noting that such utterances could put the lives of presiding officers, electoral ad hoc personnel, party agents and election observers at risk.
He urged political parties and their supporters to embrace peaceful participation, stressing that grievances arising from election outcomes should be addressed through established legal channels, including INEC, security agencies and the courts, rather than through violence.
The National Commissioner also called for stronger collaboration between INEC and the media to promote credible, peaceful and transparent elections in 2027.
He described the media as an indispensable partner in the electoral process, noting that public confidence in elections depended largely on accurate, balanced and professional reporting.
Haruna warned journalists against publishing unverified results, manipulated videos, misleading projections and sensational political narratives capable of misleading the public and undermining confidence in the electoral process.
He specifically cautioned against premature result announcements, insisting that only INEC, through its duly appointed returning officers, had the authority to declare election results.
“Results are declared only by the Commission through its duly appointed returning officers. Projections and unofficial figures must be clearly labelled as such,” he said.
He further advised media organisations to verify allegations against the Commission through appropriate channels before publication and exercise caution when reporting electoral incidents.
Haruna also advocated inclusive election coverage, urging journalists to give adequate attention to women, youths and persons with disabilities, particularly the challenges affecting their participation in the electoral process.
He encouraged media organisations to intensify voter education on Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), accreditation procedures, electronic transmission of results and peaceful participation.
Journalists Urged to Uphold Professional Ethics
In a separate presentation on ethical and professional standards in election reporting, resource person, Mr Osaretin Imahheyierobo, urged journalists to familiarise themselves with the Electoral Act 2026, INEC’s election coverage guidelines and the Nigerian Broadcasting Code.
He expressed concern that some journalists covering elections were not sufficiently conversant with the legal and regulatory frameworks governing electoral reporting.
Imahheyierobo urged media organisations to establish dedicated election desks, develop editorial guidelines and strengthen fact-checking mechanisms ahead of the 2027 polls.
He also stressed the need for journalists to understand INEC’s technological innovations, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), to ensure accurate reporting of accreditation, voting and result-management processes.
He warned media practitioners against compromising professional ethics for financial inducements, commonly referred to as brown envelopes. He maintained that political candidates should be subjected to objective scrutiny rather than having their claims and manifestoes amplified without proper examination.
The resource person also called for equitable media coverage of all political parties and candidates, noting that voters relied on credible information to make informed electoral decisions.
Earlier, the Enugu State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, disclosed that INEC had received approximately 35,000 Permanent Voter Cards for distribution across the state’s 260 wards.
He appealed to journalists to support public enlightenment campaigns to ensure that eligible voters collected their PVCs ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Chukwu described the media as a strategic partner in voter education, public opinion formation and institutional accountability, warning that misinformation could erode public confidence in the electoral process.
While acknowledging the media’s independence and watchdog responsibilities, the REC urged journalists to uphold accuracy, objectivity, fairness and professionalism in their coverage of electoral activities.
He assured stakeholders that the Commission remained committed to conducting credible, transparent, inclusive and peaceful elections in 2027, adding that it was open to constructive criticism and recommendations from media practitioners.
NUJ Raises Concerns Over Election Logistics
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State Council, Comrade Obinna Ogbuka, commended INEC for organising the engagement but regretted that the initiative had not commenced early enough to accommodate more journalists before the election cycle gathered momentum.
Ogbuka also raised concerns over the apparent lack of adequate budgetary provisions for journalists’ logistics during election assignments, stressing that media practitioners required sufficient support to perform their duties effectively.
He further called on INEC to take deliberate steps to rebuild public confidence in the Commission ahead of the 2027 elections.
Participants at the engagement commended INEC’s preparations but urged the Commission to address weaknesses observed in previous elections, particularly the technical challenges that affected the electronic transmission of results during the 2023 presidential election.
They also called on INEC to recognise journalists as critical stakeholders in the electoral process and involve them more meaningfully in its preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended his promise to reward councillors with ₦10 million each for delivering their respective wards ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that the offer is a reward for political commitment and not an attempt to buy votes.
Wike made the clarification on Tuesday during an inspection tour of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja, dismissing criticisms of the proposed incentives.
He argued that rewarding political mobilisers for their hard work and electoral performance should not be confused with inducing voters to influence election outcomes.
The minister had reportedly pledged ₦10 million to each councillor who successfully mobilises support and delivers their ward, a promise that sparked concerns over the possibility of vote-buying ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Responding to the criticism, Wike said he never instructed the councillors to share money among voters in exchange for their votes. Rather, he challenged them to demonstrate commitment and deliver the expected electoral results.
“I didn’t tell them, ‘Take this money and go and buy votes.’ I said, ‘Go and work. Show commitment. Demonstrate that you really mean what you are talking about. When you win, come and we are going to reward you,’” he said.
To justify the offer, Wike compared the proposed political incentive to rewards given to athletes who win international competitions, arguing that such promises motivate people to achieve outstanding results.
He cited instances where athletes are promised houses and other benefits for returning from competitions with trophies, questioning why similar incentives in politics should automatically be considered bribery.
The FCT minister also faulted sections of the media for what he described as their failure to distinguish between legitimate performance-based rewards and vote-buying.
He argued that political parties and candidates routinely spend money on campaign advertisements without attracting similar criticism.
Wike challenged journalists to examine the distinction between financial inducements intended to influence voters and rewards promised to political organisers for meeting mobilisation targets.
Meanwhile, the minister expressed satisfaction with the progress of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja, including Interchange Section 2 (ISEX 2), the Southern Parkway and the S1 Road, which incorporates a fire station.
He said the projects were expected to be completed by December 15, ahead of the January 16, 2027 general elections.
Wike further argued that the infrastructure achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration would provide a strong basis for its re-election campaign.
He maintained that his support for Tinubu was driven by the administration’s development agenda rather than party affiliation, insisting that Nigerians who genuinely desire progress should support policies and programmes aimed at national development.
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