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Electoral Act: Senate Cuts INEC Election Notice Window to 180 Days

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The Senate on Wednesday approved a major adjustment to Nigeria’s electoral timetable, reducing the period within which the Independent National Electoral Commission is required to publish the notice of election from 360 days to 180 days.

The decision followed the adoption of an amendment moved by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Tahir Monguno, who proposed that the earlier requirement of 360 days be reviewed downward to six months.

The change was made during clause-by-clause consideration of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, which lawmakers subjected to scrutiny in a session that lasted about four and a half hours.

Consideration of the bill commenced at about 2 p.m. and stretched until 6:26 p.m., underscoring the intensity of deliberations on the wide-ranging electoral reforms contained in the proposed legislation.

The Electoral Act amendment bill was the only item listed on the Senate’s Order Paper for the day, following a valedictory session held in honour of the late former lawmaker, Okey Ezea.

At the Committee of the Whole, senators reviewed all 155 clauses of the bill, approving the legislation after adopting the committee’s report.

While several provisions of the existing Electoral Act were amended to reflect emerging realities in Nigeria’s electoral process, the majority of the clauses were retained as originally proposed.

The reduction in the notice period is expected to give INEC greater operational flexibility while still providing sufficient time for political parties, candidates and other stakeholders to prepare ahead of general elections, as the National Assembly continues efforts to fine-tune the country’s electoral legal framework ahead of future polls.

POLITICS

APC E-Registration: Benue Records Over 383,496 Members in First Phase

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From Attah Ede, Makurdi

The All Progressives Congress (APC) have registered over 383,496 members in Benue State in the e- registration exercise embarked upon by the party.

Recall that the e-registration was flagged off in Benue state on January 12th, 2026 with Governor Hyacinth Alia enrolled at his polling unit in Mbangur, Mbadede Council Ward, Vandeikya Local Government Area as 001.

The Benue State APC Organizing Secretary/Publicity Secretary, James Ornguga who announced this in a telephone  interview with our correspondent on Monday, disclosed that Benue State ranked 2nd in the North Central behind Kwara state.

He also said with this figure, the State is ranked 11th out of the 36 states, stressing that the registration has been suspended at the moment.

He added that the party would resume the e – registration after the National Convention of the party slated for between March 25th 28th, 2026.

“The person in charge of the ICT at the National Secretariat of the party had a zoom meeting with all organizing secretaries across the states and told us that the exercise would be temporarily halted so as to collate the number for our national convention. After the convention, the exercise will resume.

“So far, the exercise has been impressive with a massive turn out of members. The good thing about this e-registration is that there are no manipulations. Members are registered using their BVN. There were no issues as both the SGF and the governor’s agents cooperated and all the registration was collated into one portal.

“We appeal to those yet to be registered to be patient as they will be captured as soon as they exercise resumes”.

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Transmission of election results electronically and manual recipe for Chaos – Atiku

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From Dan Amasingha, Minna

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has warned that the decision of the Senate to approve dual election transmission of election results through electronic and manual means will spell doom and cause chaos for the 2027 general election.

The Former vice President stated this at the residence of former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida while speaking to journalists shortly after a closed door meeting with the elder statesman.

He explained that the decision to grant electronic transmission of election results alongside using manual means is deliberately done to orchestrate chaos in the transmission of results.

According to him, the amendment of section 60 of the electoral act by the Senate was to afford Nigerians the opportunity of real time electronic transfer of election results at different levels.

“But what we got is a mixture of manual and electronic which is going to cause chaos

“I think there is urgent need for all opposition parties to come together, so that we do not allow this issue to rest, where they want it to rest”

On his plans to contest the 2027 Presidential election, the former number two citizen of the country said, noted that the issue of contesting does not even arise as he and other ADC leaders are now busy trying to firmly build the party from the ward, Local government, State and at the national level.

“We are now busy mobilising for membership and register as many members as possible”

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar also debunked the notion that the party has a zoning policy in place, noting that it has never inserted such in its constitution.

“ADC as no zoning in ADC constitutional provision, it only PDP that has it”

Speaking on the controversy over the alleged forging of the recently gazetted tax law, the Former vice President described APC as a party of Forgets.

“What do you expect from APC, generally they are a party of Forgets and election riggers

“They forge everything, they forge certificates, they forge age declaration, they simply forge everything that is the hallmark of APC”.

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Reps Constitute Seven-Man Sub-Committee to Audit Gas Supplied to Gencos

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By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating power sector reforms and expenditure between 2006 and 2024 has constituted a seven-man sub-committee to conduct a forensic audit of the usage of gas supplied to electricity generation companies (Gencos) across the country.

The decision followed the adoption of a motion moved by Representative Harrison Nwadike, who questioned the rationale behind the continued supply of gas to the moribund Sapele Power Plant over the past one year.

Nwadike said the committee made the discovery during its recent oversight visit to the plant in Sapele, Delta State, noting that despite receiving gas supplies, the facility has not generated electricity.

Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Representative Al-Mustapha Aliyu, said there were widespread concerns among Nigerians that Seplat Energy Company was not supplying adequate gas to Gencos as required, thereby strangulating power plants and short-changing the country.

However, responding to the allegations, the Managing Director of Seplat Energy, Ibiada Itoto, dismissed the claims, insisting that the company has remained committed to supporting the Federal Government’s power sector reform agenda.

According to her, Seplat’s primary objective has always been to ensure the sustainability and growth of Nigeria’s power sector, rather than undermining it.

Also speaking, the General Manager, Gas, Seplat Energy Company, Olubukola Fasoyin, disclosed that the Sapele Power Plant is currently indebted to Seplat to the tune of ₦20 billion for gas supplied.

Despite this, Representative Nwadike, who moved the motion for the forensic audit, alleged that Seplat may have committed an economic crime by allegedly being an accomplice to a power plant that has diverted gas supplied for electricity generation over the past one year.

Reacting, Chairman of the Committee, Representative Aliyu, expressed shock, disappointment and surprise that a company of Seplat’s stature allegedly lacked the internal structure to detect foul play in the utilisation of gas supplied to power plants.

Meanwhile, the committee constituted a seven-man sub-committee to carry out the forensic audit. Members of the sub-committee include Representative Afam Victor Ogene as Chairman, while Kafilat Ogbara, Salisu Magaji, Faud Kayode Laguda, Harrison Nwadike among others will serve as members.

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