Connect with us

News

INEC: Yakubu reveals major challenges under his watch

Published

on

The immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, has admitted that the Commission under his watch from 2015 to 2025, was marred by relentless crises that threatened the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process, despite reforms and innovations introduced during the period.

Yakubu made this revelation in INEC’s new publication, Election Management in Nigeria: 2015–2025.

He painted a sobering picture of how recurring setbacks – from pre-election litigations and conflicting court rulings to violent attacks on INEC facilities and personnel – consistently undermined the smooth conduct of polls.

According to him, the commission was dragged into thousands of court cases, often receiving contradictory orders from courts of concurrent jurisdiction, creating legal confusion and disrupted preparations for elections.

The former INEC boss equally cited the menace of vote trading, persistent logistical breakdowns that forced nationwide postponements, and targeted violence against election officials as some of the most destabilising problems.

“The 2015–2025 decade was not without its challenges. Conflicting court orders, violence targeted at our staff and facilities, the scourge of vote trading, and persistent logistics bottlenecks continued to test the credibility and smooth conduct of elections,” said Yakubu.

He added that beyond human and legal hurdles, technical failures also dogged INEC’s operations, stressing that equipment breakdowns and network collapses sometimes crippled accreditation and delayed transmission of results, raising public doubts about the reliability of the system.

News

EFCC evicts Malami from Abuja home amid forfeiture dispute

Published

on

Former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami says Economic and Financial Crimes Commission operatives forcefully evicted him and his family from their Abuja residence despite ongoing court proceedings over the property’s forfeiture.
He described the action as unlawful and vowed to challenge it in court.

Continue Reading

Business

Fuel price hike: Gov Makinde announces N10,000 transport support for workers

Published

on

 

The governor of Oyo state, Seyi Makinde, has approved a N10,000 transportation allowance as a palliative for the state workforce to cushion the effects of the increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise known as petrol.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Oyo State chapter, Kayode Martins, in a statement released on Monday, March 23, disclosed that the governor has granted the request of the union on the issue of transportation allowance.

The statement read

“Following the intervention and formal request made by the State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) earlier this morning, the state government has approved a N10,000 transportation allowance for all workers in the state.

The newly approved allowance is set to take effect from April 2026, providing much-needed relief to workers grappling with rising transportation costs amid current economic challenges.

This development comes as a direct response to sustained advocacy by the state NLC, aimed at cushioning the impact of increased living expenses on the workforce.

Further details on implementation are expected to be communicated by the relevant government authorities in due course.”

Continue Reading

News

Former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation bags 72years imprisonment for diverting N868.46 million security funds

Published

on

 

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, March 23, convicted and sentenced Chukwunyere Nwabuoku, former acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGoF), to a 72-year jail term without an option of fine.

DailyTrust reports that in the judgment delivered, Justice Omotosho held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had been able to prove the nine-count money laundering charge beyond reasonable doubt.

According to the judge, the defendant is hereby convicted as charged.

Justice Omotosho convicted Nwabuoku in all the nine counts and sentenced him to eight years imprisonment in each of the counts, making 72 years.

The judge, however, ordered that the counts shall run concurrently.

Justice Omotosho, who described Nwabuoku’s act of diverting funds meant for security and defence while he served as Director of Finance and Account in the Ministry of Defence as “appalling,” commended the EFCC for being detailed in its prosecution.

The judge observed that the evidence of the 9th prosecution witness that Nwabuoku voluntarily refunded part of the siphoned money of over N200 million during investigation was not controverted by the defence.

Nwabuoku served as the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021. He became acting Accountant General of the Federation in May 2022.

Continue Reading

Trending