Politics
INEC Seeks UN’s Support Towards 2023 Polls Success
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has identified voter education and sensitisation as one of the core areas it would require the support of the United Nations to successfully conduct a free, fair, credible, and inclusive 2023 general election.
The daily bulletin issued by the commission quoted INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, as listing the areas of required support when he received in audience the United Nations Needs Assessment Mission, led by Serge Gakwandi Kubwimana, at the commission’s headquarters, Abuja, on Wednesday.
Yakubu said that given the size of Nigeria, there was the need to keep engaging citizens and stakeholders using different media platforms.
The INEC chairman reiterated that the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive election remains the core concern of the commission.
He listed other areas of priorities for the Commission to include consolidating the gains of electoral reforms through increased capacity building for the commission and other stakeholders.
Also identified by Yakubu were enhancing the security of elections, increasing inclusivity and participation, as well as expanding the use of relevant technology in the electoral process.
He said that there were issues in the conduct and management of the electoral process that were actually sovereign responsibilities to be borne by the Nigerian government.
Yakubu, however, said that “there are some areas of electoral activity where support will be appreciated and we have prioritised five areas.
“The first one is training and capacity building support for staff of the commission. The second is voter education and sensitisation. Given the size of the country, we need to keep engaging using different media”.
Number three area of support as highlighted by the INEC Chairman “is election security and conflict mitigation.
The fourth area of support enumerated was capacity building for political parties, which nominated candidates for elections.
“So we need to build the capacity of the parties to nominate good candidates, so that when elected, they can represent the country well,” he added.
The INEC Chairman further identified inclusivity measures as the fifth area of support.
Speaking on the huge task ahead of the commission in conducting the 2023 general election, Yakubu explained that the general election will be conducted in 1,491 constituencies across the country.
“We have 18 political parties. Assuming that half of them field candidates in all the constituencies, we are talking about close to 15,000 nominations which is really a huge task.”
Commenting on the size of the voting population in Nigeria, Yakubu said it was currently 11 million larger than the other 14 countries in the West African sub-region put together.
“In 2019, we had 84 million registered voters, we are still registering voters for the 2023 general election, and in our estimation the voter population will be at least 90 million for 2023. At 90 million, it will make our voter register in Nigeria the largest in West Africa.
“Minus Nigeria, the other 14 countries in West Africa all together have about 73 million registered voters.
“At present, we have 84 million registered voters, so we have 11 million more registered voters than the rest of West Africa combined.
“So each time we conduct an election in Nigeria, it is like we are conducting an election in the whole of West Africa. So, election in Nigeria is no joke at all”.
He further hinted that the 2023 general election will involve about 1 million election officials, including regular and temporary or ad-hoc staff across 176,846 polling units, across 8,809 Wards, and 774 Local Government Areas across the country.
Yakubu expressed delight that the election would be governed by the new Electoral Act 2022.
Earlier in his remarks, the leader of the delegation from the United Nations, Kubwimana, said they were in Nigeria in response to a letter written in January to the United Nations Secretary General, seeking the support of the organisation ahead of the 2023 general election.
He explained that the meeting with the Chairman and members of the Commission was the highpoint of a series of scheduled meetings with other key players in the democratic process such as the Leadership of the National Assembly, Leaders of Political Parties and the Government of Nigeria.
This, according to him, is to explore ways of the U.N. intervention through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other entities on ground can support the democratic process in Nigeria.
Kubwimana also said that the visit to Nigeria would equally help the UN keep abreast with the state of preparedness for the 2023 general election.
He added that they were available to listen to other issues that the Commission may wish to bring to their notice.
“We also use this to serve as your ambassadors when we go back. If need be to encourage others to support the very important work that you do,” he added.
The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, says he would not help President Bola Tinubu’s administration to correct the administration’s policies affecting the citizens.
Emir Sanusi spoke on Wednesday in Lagos as the chairman of the 21st Anniversary of Fawehinmiism (Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture 2025).
The emir stated that while there were “a few points” he could offer to explain the trajectory the administration had taken and how such decisions were predictable, he chose not to do so because “they don’t behave like friends.”
He said explaining the government’s policies would help the government, but he did not intend to assist them due to the way they had treated him.
“I can give a few points that are contrary, that explain perhaps what we’re going through and how it was totally predictable, most of it, and maybe avoidable. But I am not going to do that.
“I have chosen not to speak about the economy or the reforms or to even explain anything because if I explain, it would help this government, but I don’t want to help this government,” the emir said while addressing some of the points made by speakers about the economy.
He added: “You know they’re my friends, but if they don’t behave like friends, I don’t behave like a friend. So I watch them being stooges. And they don’t even have people with credibility who can come and explain what they are doing. I am not going to help. I started out helping, but I am not going to help. I am not going to discuss it. Let them come and explain to Nigerians why the policies that are being pursued are being pursued.
“Meanwhile, I’m watching a very nice movie with popcorn in my hands. But I will say one thing: What we are going through today is, at least in part, not totally, but at least in part, a necessary consequence of decades of irresponsible economic management.
“People were told decades ago that if you continue along this path, this is where you’re going to end up, and they refused to open their eyes. Now, is everything being done today correct? No.”
Emir Sanusi, who was deposed as the 14th Emir of Kano in 2020 by then-Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the current national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was reinstated as the 16th Emir of Kano in 2024 by the New Nigeria People’s Party-led Kano State Government.
His emirship has faced ongoing challenges from forces believed to be backed by the federal government, including federal officials’ continued recognition of his predecessor, Emir Aminu Ado Bayero.
Last month, the police barricaded his palace, with the state government accusing the federal government of orchestrating the action to stir unrest in the peaceful state.
The Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Oriyomi Onanuga, is dead.
Also known as Ijaya, Rt Hon. Onanuga, who was the member representing Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency, is said to have died following a brief illness.
This was confirmed in a tweet on the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the House of Representatives, on Wednesday night.
Rt Hon Onanuga, who was born in Hammersmith, London, to Nigerian parents on December 2, 1965, was a politician and entrepreneur. She held the position of Deputy Chief Whip in the Nigerian House of Representatives since 2023.
She contested and won a seat in the House of Representatives under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019. She also served as the Chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development.
Gov. Aiyedatiwa, however, exempted two members of the cabinet from the dissolution due to the critical nature of their duties.
The two commissioners exempted include the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Kayode Ajulo, SAN, and the Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Omowunmi Isaac.
This was contained in a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Mr Adeniyan said in the statement that “All the affected cabinet members are to hand over all government properties in their care to the accounting officers of their respective ministries.
Gov. Aiyedatiwa thanked the executive council members “for their service and contributions to the development of Ondo State under his administration and wished them well in their future endeavours”.