Category: Daily Trust

Key stakeholders in the security sector are set to converge in Abuja on June 13 to deliberate on collaborative and innovative approaches to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.

The event, organised by the National Private Security Conference (NPSC), is expected to bring together government institutions, security agencies, private sector operators, investors, researchers and development partners.

Speaking at a press briefing yesterday, the convener, Dr Charles Awule, said the gathering would provide a platform for broad engagement on critical national security concerns.

He described the conference as an independent and non-partisan initiative aimed at promoting dialogue, policy engagement, innovation and strategic partnerships within Nigeria’s security ecosystem.

‘Nigeria stands at a defining moment in its security journey. These challenges demand not only courage and commitment, but also innovation, collaboration, and a willingness to rethink how we collectively safeguard our nation,’ he said.

Awule added that the theme of the conference, ‘Building a Modern Security Ecosystem: Integrating Private Sector Capacity into Nigeria’s National Security Architecture,’ reflects the increasing need for multi-sector involvement in security management.

‘Security can no longer be viewed as the responsibility of the government alone. Around the world, successful security frameworks increasingly rely on partnerships between government institutions, security agencies, private sector operators, technology innovators, researchers, investors, and local communities,’ he stated.

He stressed that the conference is not intended to replace existing security institutions or regulatory bodies, but to complement their efforts through stronger collaboration.

The bi-lateral trade between the United Kingdom (UK) and Africa reached £52 billion in 2025, reflecting the progress of trade between them despite continued global economic uncertainty.

This was disclosed during the inaugural London-Africa Business Summit which brought business leaders, investors and policymakers from across both regions to strengthen trade and investment ties, and to position London as a leading global gateway for African enterprise.

In a statement, it was said during the summit that UK exports to Africa increased to nearly £26.2 billion, reflecting rising demand for UK goods and services across African markets.

‘Africa is increasingly recognised as one of the world’s most important long-term growth regions, driven by rapid urbanisation, infrastructure investment, population growth and expanding consumer markets,’ the statement..

During the summit, the Mayor’s London Growth Plan identified the need to attract more foreign direct investment to help grow London’s economy by £107 billion by 2035 and support the creation of 150,000 good jobs by 2028.

‘London continues to lead as the top destination for African foreign direct investment in Europe and the US, ranking second globally outside Africa behind only Dubai,’ the statement reads.

The summit also highlighted major opportunities for collaboration across sectors, including financial services, digital technology, education, healthcare, energy transition, infrastructure and the creative industries, with London well positioned to deepen its role as a strategic trade and investment partner for African markets.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, recalled his 2025 trade mission to Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa, saying it yielded gains as more African companies listed on the London Stock Exchange than any other exchange signals global important growth regions.

‘I am delighted that my African trade mission last year has encouraged both inward investment and outward expansion, creating jobs and further strengthening the links between us. I look forward to more opportunities developing from this Summit as we continue to build a better, more prosperous London for everyone,’ he said.

Mr. Mark Smithson, Country Director, UK Department for Business and Trade, Nigeria, and Anglo West Africa expressed commitment to deepen partnerships that drive sustainable growth, shared prosperity and long-term opportunity across both regions.

‘The London-Africa Business Forum has brought together ambition, capital and creativity, reinforcing London’s role as a global gateway for African enterprise. As we look to the next chapter, In Nigeria, we are working closely with key partners, businesses and investors to unlock investment, create jobs and deliver tangible economic outcomes,’ he said.

Soren Nikolajsen, Managing Director, Industry Engagement Defence and Trade at Natwest stressed that London remains one of the world’s leading destinations for international investment, underpinned by its deep financial expertise and global connectivity.

Olukorede Adenowo, Chief Executive Officer, FirstBank UK, said the bank stands at the intersection to support the strengthening of the Africa-UK corridor, where growing demand for capital and expertise continues to drive cross-border opportunity.

‘At FirstBank UK, we are focused on supporting cross-border trade and facilitating capital flows by connecting clients to global markets and structuring bankable opportunities. Through stronger collaboration, we can unlock greater investment and deliver sustainable growth across both regions,’ he said.

Dylan Martin, Chief Executive Officer of Teybridge Capital said the firm’s expansion in London marks an important milestone for Teybridge Capital Europe and reflects the strength of our growth in the UK market.

At the Eight Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, the GEF Council has approved 232.5 million USD in their 71st meeting, marking the end of the GEF-8 funding cycle that has now funded 24 projects in 22 countries. In the final round of project approvals by the Council, the GEF Trust Fund, one of the GEF Family of Funds alongside Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) and Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF)/Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF), received 144.3 million USD in allocation and is expected to generate 828 million USD in co-financing. The GBFF will support two conservation-focused projects at 20.5 million USD, while the LDCF/SCCF will support eight projects at 67.7 million USD in climate adaptation financing for the most vulnerable nations to climate change-induced environmental disasters.

The Minister of Environment in Nigeria, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, speaking at the Assembly on Thursday, endorsed the GEF-funding process, which has supported financing for biodiversity conservation, land restoration, and climate change adaptation projects in Nigeria since 2009. Nigeria received 21 million USD from the GEF-8 funding cycle, which began on July 1 2022, funding projects such as ‘Accelerating Nature and Climate Action to Advance Nigeria’s Net Zero and ’30×30′ Targets’ that aim to strengthen Nigeria’s net-zero emissions framework, is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and is executed by the Federal Ministry of Environment.

The council document, ‘GEF Trust Fund Financial Report,’ however shows that Nigeria continues to default on its registered pledges to GEF, known as ‘Instruments of Commitment (IOCs),’ to donate to GEF-4 and GEF-5 funding cycles. The outstanding amount is shown as 6.1 million USD from both cycles. Nigeria is the only country there yet to fulfil its pledges from two cycles, but the document also shows that Greece, Portugal, and the Russian Federation are also defaulting by a cycle at most. Regarding the unfulfilment of its pledges, the minister said in his speech that, ‘Nigeria is fully aware of its responsibility as a member, and I am glad to confirm that efforts are being made to redeem her pledge to GEF.’ Although, he did not specify what steps are being taken. The dire economic situation in Nigeria has seen the federal government default on a lot of pledges, run on budget deficit, and spend almost 70% of its revenue on debt repayments, leaving little-to-nothing for environmental pledges or other administrative projects. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan, at the Assembly, has now committed to supporting GEF programmes, evolving from a recipient country to a donor country.

Lawal highlighted that Nigeria is committed to achieving the global biodiversity framework targets and continued to request for increased financial support for Nigeria’s environmental programmes, specifically requesting for finance when the GEF-9 cycle starts on July 1 to address desertification, coastal erosion, and biodiversity loss plaguing the Nigerian ecosystem.

The interim CEO of GEF, Claude Gascon, acknowledged that these are challenging fiscal times in the world but called for perseverance and hope for all. ‘This GEF Assembly comes at a defining moment in time, not only for the GEF, but for people everywhere who are looking for hope, leadership, and action in the face of growing environmental challenges,’ Gascon said.

Local Communities Set to Be Prioritized with Indigenous Groups

Gascon, in his introductory remarks at the GBFF Council meeting, noted that close to 32% of approved GBFF funding is now supporting actions by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC), from an aspirational target of 20%, which is also the same set target for the GEF-9 cycle.

This new cycle will also prioritize IPLCs in project-related decision-making, according to Mohamed Bakarr, Integrated Programs and Knowledge Manager at the GEF. Upon inquiry, he explained that countries like Nigeria with multiple, diverse but non-institutionalized indigenous groups, as seen in climes in the Amazon or the Congo rainforest areas, will also benefit from IPLC prioritization, as projects with strong connections and benefits for local communities will be viewed as favorably as those benefitting indigenous groups.

‘These standards [as it relates to IPLC benefits] are going to be applied based on the individual country’s context. If you are going to do a project in West Africa and Nigeria, where people don’t live inside the forest, they live outside the forest, and they [entrepreneurs or external parties] are trying to cut down their forest. It’s a completely different context, right? So there are the local communities that are associated with that forest [that are affected].

‘In the GEF, we consider both [indigenous peoples and local communities] to be equally important,’ Bakarr explained.

GEF Small Grants Aid Impact of Nigerian NGOs on Livelihoods and Local Communities

Local farming communities living in the desertifying Hadejia-Nguru wetlands in Yobe state benefit from early warning signals and access to improved seed varieties aimed at bolstering food security through a GEF-funded UNDP small grant programme, according to Joseph Onoja, director-general of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), the implementing partner for the project. ‘We are working specifically in a community called Maja-Kura,’ he said in an interview on the sidelines of the Assembly. ‘We’ve identified some improved varieties of cereals, wheat, maize, and rice that the farmers can grow in a very short time, that can mature in 60 days.’ He added that identifying signals early is helping to fight desert encroachment, while the seeds ensure that the farmers harvest their crops faster.

The small grant programmes have additionally been valuable for livelihood-development projects in Nigeria, according to Nigeria-based nonprofits present at the Assembly. Founder of Lifebuilders, an Oyo state-based NGO focused on propagating climate-smart agriculture among smallholder farmers, Grace Oluwatoye, stressed the importance of funding for sustainability projects in Nigeria, especially when it comes to propagating drought-resistant plants like Moringa or even successfully transitioning from fossil fuel use. She additionally clamoured for increased GEF-9 funding and expanded programmes for Nigeria and wants the federal government to adopt a more intentional and supportive approach to CSOs working on sustainability in the country.

For the Ministry of Environment, in addition to the small grants, the blended financing mechanisms adopted by GEF, including private financing and species bonds, remain just as important to secure. Mr Babagana Bukar, Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics at the Federal Ministry of Environment and the GEF Operational Focal Point for Nigeria, reiterated the minister’s expectation to secure blended funding for biodiversity and climate change mitigation projects during the GEF-9 cycle. He added that conservation cannot succeed without the local communities and that capacity building for staff is important to the ministry to ensure that projects are conducted seamlessly.

Gunmen in the early hours of Thursday attacked Paze community around the Byazhin area of Kubwa in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), killing a local vigilante and abducting four residents, including a pastor.

The attackers, said to be about eight in number, reportedly shot dead a security guard, Shuaibu Yerima, who was engaged to protect the neighbourhood popularly known as ‘Back of Catholic Church.’

The gunmen also abducted Pastor Francis Oriade of the All Christian Fellowship Mission (ACFM), Maitama, Abuja; Jewel Obeh; Friday Isaac; and an 11-year-old boy, Delight Okeke.

Abuja Metro reports that the latest attack occurred less than a week after bandits invaded the nearby Kungabokun community and abducted a resident on Sunday.

Speaking of the incident, Emmanuel Isaac, younger brother of one of the abducted victims, said he first noticed the attackers’ arrival shortly after midnight following a gunshot believed to have killed the security guard.

‘We then saw them coming into our premises, with about four of them bearing guns. Another member of the gang that seemed to be leading them was wearing a mask on his face. We attempted to escape through a back door, only to be rounded up and asked to move back inside the house.

‘They tied my hands and that of my elder brother before directing me to go with them. But my brother pleaded with them to rather go with him, which they agreed to.

‘About 10 minutes after they left, policemen arrived in the neighbourhood with an armoured van and a Sienna car.

‘We pleaded with the police to trail the kidnappers, pointing toward the direction they went but they said no, that they preferred to go through a different direction,’ said Isaac, who had recently moved into a newly built house that was yet to be fully furnished.

Also speaking, Elizabeth Oriade, younger sister of the abducted pastor, said the gunmen gained access into their home through a window after failing to force open the door.

‘We noticed their presence following some gun shooting around 12am, and they invaded our homes about 20 minutes later.

‘They traced us to the toilet, dragged the pastor from his room, while slapping him in the process as, according to them, he made them suffer much for not opening his room’s door immediately.

‘They tore one of our wrappers and tied our hands with it, seized our mobile phones, and also took some cash before taking him away,’ she narrated.

Mrs Joy Alex, whose husband, Jewel Obeh, was among those abducted, said she had spent about an hour searching for the house key on the night of the attack.

‘I stayed till about 11pm at the family shop located by the roadside in our neighbourhood, on that fateful night, searching for the house key for more than an hour. I then advised my husband to go and lodge in a hotel before my daughter eventually found the key.

‘Just about an hour after returning back home, we noticed the arrival of the gunmen. They pulled out a window attached to the house using tools like a digger.

‘Two of them jumped in and directed us to open our door. Initially they wanted to take away my daughter, before they decided to leave with my husband alone,’ she lamented.

The mother of the abducted 11-year-old boy, Erenta Okeke, said the gunmen broke into her home through a window and demanded money while pointing a gun at her head.

‘My husband was not around at the time, so they decided to abduct my little son after pleading with them to spare his younger sister, who was shivering throughout the period of the operation,’ she recounted.

Residents said the slain vigilante was initially shot in the leg but bled to death due to delay in getting medical assistance.

He was buried yesterday after funeral prayers held at the palace of the chief of Ijayapi, also located within the Byazhin community.

Contacted, the FCT Police Command spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, promised to investigate the matter and revert but had not done so as at the time of filing this report yesterday.

At the Byazhin Police Division, officers were seen earlier holding a meeting with some members of the affected community over the incident when our reporter visited the area.

A senior police officer at the Byazhin Divisional Headquarters, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident, adding that its men are on the trail of the kidnappers.

A bridge linking Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, with communities in Yorro and Zing local government areas, as well as parts of Adamawa State, collapsed on Friday following over five hours of heavy rainfall.

The incident, which is the second collapse of the structure in two years, has cut off hundreds of rural communities from the rest of Taraba State.

Daily Trust learnt that many residents were stranded on both sides of the bridge located in Mallam Audu village.

The bridge, known as Gadan-Mallam-Audu Bridge, serves as a key transport route for farmers, traders, students, civil servants, and other residents across Jalingo, Yorro, Zing, and neighbouring parts of Adamawa State.

A resident of Mallam Audu, Hudu Adamu, told Daily Trust that the bridge is a major route for transporting farm produce and livestock to Jalingo and other parts of the country.

He said cracks had appeared on the structure for several months, and reports were made to both Yorro Local Government and the Taraba State Government, but alleged that no action was taken to prevent its collapse.

According to him, the bridge was originally constructed through the intervention of Hon. Kasimu Bello Maigari, former member representing Jalingo, Yorro and Zing Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

A community leader in the area, Bulus James, called on the Taraba State Government and the Federal Government to urgently reconstruct the bridge to restore movement of goods and services.

The peak of rainy season in the climatic zone of Guinea Savanna is characteristically accompanied with flooding in cities. Additionally, it is also accompanied with building collapses in cities like Abuja, which are beehive of construction activities. There are more concerns these years due to the ongoing conversions of green areas for physical development. Certainly, there will be consequences for these vigorous violations.

Proposals for land uses are aimed at ensuring the city’s functionalities. Abuja is designed to function as the Federal Capital City of Nigeria, much better than the previous capital, Lagos. Other aims are for the city’s beautification and protection against environmental tragedies. The major function of the green areas is the prevention of floods.

Already, NiMet has issued warning, stating that floods are looming in the North Central States of the country, due to the high expectation of above normal record of rainfall this year. This is because there is strong indication that El Nino weather pattern this year. It occurs every two to seven years. Flood cycles are not consistent on yearly basis. Large floods can take long period between the previous occurrence and the next. Conversely, it can reoccur with increased intensity even in the preceding year.

Meanwhile, even before the warning by NiMet, the danger caused by flooding in cities has been envisaged during the process of the master planning. Focus on floods prevention are more on good land-use planning and stewardship rather than large engineering solutions. Developments are therefore not planned where they are not supposed to be.

The natural solution is, no developments at all in areas constituting natural runways for precipitation. Hence the designations of such areas for green developments only. The wisdom was for the plants to aid absorption thereby minimising runoffs. And, in the absence of human residences no life is threatened in case of any emergency.

Wide buffer zones, enough to prevent the natural disaster were provided along the major streams across the length and breadth of the city. Unfortunately, most recently, the greed for wealth accumulation through land misappropriation led to the violation of these buffer zones.

Years 2019 and 2020 were the high peak flood periods in Abuja with many lives losses. Flash floods could occur when large quantity of torrential rains fall within a very short period. In a typical scenario, 14 inches of rainfall occurs in a particular geographic region, concentrating in a space of only four hours. A very narrow stream swells from 18 inches to 20 feet within minutes. It will generate 31,000 cubic feet of water per second which can race down the canyon and take 143 lives, washing some of the bodies 25 miles downstream.

Abuja and its environs has its tastes of similar scenarios. A very narrow stream would experience a humongous expansion in no time, making it very dangerous for residents to cross, or would consume any nearby residential development in the absence of reasonable buffer zone, with threat to lives.

In one of such cases in 2019, one of the residents in a district of Phase II was desperate to catch an early morning flight at the Abuja Airport. He was faced with the alternative of waiting for a flood to subside before he crosses to the other end. In that case he will definitely miss his flight. Alternatively, he would have to take the risk of entering the flood to cross the over blotted stream, which was known to be very narrow just a day before. Despite stern advice and warning by the other residents and onlookers, the alternative to cross took his better part. Unfortunately, he couldn’t make it to the other end. His remain was found later, very far away downstream.

Another episode in Suleja happened along a similar small stream in 2016. The torrential rainfall occurred in the early morning period when residents were asleep. All the houses close to the bank were completely swept before the day break. A particular family of nine who were caught unawares were all drowned. The government made declaration of banning development close to the bank of the stream, but no enforcement. The area has now been redeveloped even more than the previous.

In one of the notorious spots in Abuja, a housing estate, where flooding always occurs almost on yearly basis with loss of lives, the Development Control always encounters resistance from the house owners in the event of any enforcement exercise on the houses developed close to the bank of the stream which doesn’t have adequate buffers.

In one of our inspection visits with a combined team of FCDA and AMMC management staff, enforcement notices were served. But, before we returned to our offices, we received a telephone call from a very senior citizen soliciting for a withdrawal of the enforcement. Particularly, there was a police station with detention cells. Imagine flood occurring in the night, the inmates could get trapped. To our knowledge at the time, the police station was relocated and many of the buildings along the flood prone areas were removed. Hence, the relative silencing of floods in that estate along the Airport Road.

The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed off 572 pharmacies and patent stores across Plateau State for various regulatory violations, including unauthorised clinical practice, operation without valid licenses, illegal drug outlets and obstruction of pharmaceutical inspectors.

The Council said the enforcement exercise, which commenced on Monday and lasted four days, uncovered widespread non-compliance with pharmaceutical regulations, with about 60 per cent of the pharmacies inspected failing to meet the required standards.

Addressing journalists in Jos on Friday, the Head of Enforcement Department of the Council, Dr. Suleiman Chiroma, disclosed that a total of 778 premises were inspected during the operation conducted across Jos North, Jos South, Mangu, Shendam, Barkin Ladi, Qua’an Pan and Bassa Local Government Areas.

According to him, the inspected facilities comprised 199 pharmacies, 499 Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors, PPMVs, and 80 illegal medicine outlets.

He said 572 premises were sealed, including 120 pharmacies, 372 patent medicine stores and all 80 illegal outlets identified during the exercise, while five compliance directives were issued to operators found wanting in specific regulatory areas.

Chiroma explained that the enforcement exercise was carried out in line with the provisions of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria Act and the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDG), aimed at sanitising the nation’s drug distribution system and ensuring that medicines are handled only by qualified and licensed professionals.

He noted that the exercise revealed several disturbing practices capable of endangering public health and compromising the integrity of the pharmaceutical sector.

The recent unauthorised release of voter information from the database of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has exposed a serious weakness in the management of one of Nigeria’s most sensitive national assets. Beyond the controversy surrounding the individuals involved, the incident raises troubling questions about data security, institutional accountability and public trust in the electoral process.

According to INEC, preliminary investigations indicate that the breach did not result from external hacking but from the misuse of authorised credentials assigned to personnel involved in the Continuous Voter Registration exercise. The commission said it has identified the user account involved and commenced investigations, while the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) have also launched separate probes.

The controversy arose after personal voter information relating to actor and politician Emeka Ike surfaced on social media through channels linked to a media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. Reports indicate that a serving INEC official has been detained and questioned by investigators, while the minister’s aide has also been interrogated over his role in the dissemination of the information.

While investigations are ongoing and all parties are entitled to the presumption of innocence, the incident itself is deeply disturbing.

For Daily Trust, this matter goes beyond the privacy rights of a single voter. It concerns the security of a database containing the personal information of more than 90 million registered Nigerians. Citizens submit their details to electoral authorities with the expectation that such information will be protected and used only for legitimate electoral purposes. Any breach of that trust undermines confidence in both the electoral system and public institutions.

Elections are built on trust. When citizens begin to fear that personal information submitted to electoral authorities may be improperly accessed, shared or exploited, confidence in the democratic process is weakened. Such fears can contribute to voter apathy and deepen public cynicism at a time when participation in elections is already declining.

With the 2027 elections just months away, the development is particularly alarming because it comes on the heels of the controversy surrounding the failure of INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) during the 2023 presidential election. Although the commission attributed that failure to technical glitches and maintained that it did not affect the integrity of the election, the episode raised widespread concerns about the management of electoral technology. This latest incident will inevitably reinforce public anxieties about the commission’s ability to safeguard sensitive electoral information.

Whether such information was actively sought or simply passed on is a matter for investigators to determine. However, the reported claim by the aide that he did not know how the information was obtained cannot be sufficient to close the matter. Public officials and their aides are expected to exercise caution when dealing with information that clearly appears to come from restricted government databases.

INEC must also take full responsibility for this breach. It is not enough to say there was no external cyberattack. The fact remains that sensitive voter information was improperly accessed and exposed. To the ordinary citizen, the source of the breach matters less than the reality that personal information entrusted to a public institution was not adequately protected.

It is, therefore, our hope that the commission will conduct a comprehensive audit of its data management systems, access controls and internal oversight mechanisms. It must also investigate persistent allegations that some officials have, over the years, supplied sensitive voter information to politicians and political actors for personal gain. Whether those allegations are true or not, this incident demonstrates the need for a thorough review of how voter data is accessed, monitored and protected.

We also call on the security agencies to move swiftly equally. Investigations should be professional, transparent and free from political influence. Anyone found culpable, including the INEC personnel involved and any external collaborators, should face appropriate legal consequences. No individual should be shielded because of political connections or official status.

We also believe that the Nigeria Data Protection Commission must be fully involved. Nigerians have long expressed concerns about the safety of personal information held by government agencies. This case presents an important test of the country’s data protection framework and the institutions charged with enforcing it.

Daily Trust welcomes Emeka Ike’s decision to challenge the alleged breach through lawful means. Citizens whose privacy rights are violated should be encouraged to seek legal redress. Such actions help strengthen accountability and remind public institutions that they owe a duty of care to the citizens they serve.

Ultimately, this incident must serve as a wake-up call. Nigeria cannot claim to be strengthening its democracy while failing to protect the personal information of voters. In an increasingly digital age, electoral integrity depends not only on transparent voting processes but also on the security of databases and the professionalism of those entrusted with managing them.

INEC must put its house in order, the security agencies must ensure justice is done, and all those found culpable must face appropriate sanctions.

Anything less will further erode public trust in the institutions upon which Nigeria’s democracy depends.

The delay in the release of the final lists of candidates who emerged from the various party primaries ahead of the 2027 elections has continued to unsettle aspirants awaiting confirmation of their status.

Daily Trust reports that all the major political parties are yet to publish the final lists of their candidates six days after the conclusion of the primaries.

The parties include the All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and others.

For some of the parties, apart from the presidential candidates who have received their Certificates of Return, other candidates, including sitting governors, are yet to receive theirs.

The situation has not been helped by statements from party leaders suggesting that results announced at collation centres may not necessarily be upheld, as the leadership of the parties retains the power to determine the final fate of aspirants.

The National Chairman of the APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, recently stated that only the parties would announce the final results, while Senate President Godswill Akpabio assured colleagues who lost in the primaries that it was not the end of the matter.

The Senate President also met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday in what observers believe is part of ongoing efforts to accommodate some of his colleagues who lost out in the primaries.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen and other House leaders also met with the president on Thursday on the same matter, according to reliable sources.

Our correspondents observed that the situation has created anxiety among aspirants across party lines, as many are uncertain whether their names will appear on the final lists.

Political analysts say this is unusual, as parties are expected to release the names of successful candidates and submit them to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) soon after the primaries. This allows the commission to begin preparations for the general elections while enabling candidates to commence campaign planning.

According to the INEC timetable for the 2027 elections, political parties were expected to commence and conclude primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them, between April 23 and May 30, 2026.

As of the close of business yesterday, results from State Assembly, National Assembly, governorship and presidential primaries were still being awaited.

Why the delay

Our correspondents learnt that while the delay may be due to logistical challenges, it is largely linked to a deliberate effort by the parties to manage the fallout from controversial primaries.

There are indications that some of the challenges stemmed from the direct primary system adopted by many parties, which involved a significantly larger number of voters than the delegate-based process used in previous election cycles.

Political observers recall that during the 2023 elections, when indirect primaries were widely used, results were announced more quickly because the process involved fewer participants.

The alternative option of consensus also generated controversy, as many aspirants disagreed with the manner in which candidates emerged, arguing that the process often resembled imposition rather than genuine consensus.

Party members said many aspirants rejected consensus arrangements and opted for direct primaries, which also generated disputes.

The disagreements triggered numerous defections as parties struggled to manage the protests and dissatisfaction that followed the exercises.

Another source told our correspondent that part of the delay is deliberate and aimed at allowing parties to review and possibly adjust their final lists.

Our correspondent learnt that this concern is particularly pronounced within the ruling party, where some opposition governors were reportedly promised automatic tickets and a 60-40 sharing formula in their favour. In instances where such arrangements conflicted with the interests of existing stakeholders, the party is said to be considering adjustments.

APC blames plethora of complaints

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has attributed the delay to the large number of petitions submitted by aspirants to its appeal committees following the primaries.

A source within the party said its leadership is still working to resolve disputes arising from the exercise.

Our correspondent reports that controversies have trailed the results of several primary elections conducted across the states, with many aspirants alleging that some of the figures announced by electoral committees were fabricated.

Following the complaints, the National Chairman of the APC, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, said only the party’s national secretariat would release the final list of candidates after a thorough review process.

He assured aggrieved aspirants that their complaints would receive due attention and that justice would be done.

The source said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is already intervening to resolve some of the disputes, adding that most party members would ultimately be satisfied with the outcome.

Asked when the final results would be released, the source said: ‘Any moment from now, once the NWC concludes its work. We still have ample time to submit the list to INEC.’

He added that reports submitted by the various appeal committees are still being evaluated and that once the process is completed, recommendations would be forwarded to the National Working Committee (NWC) for final action.

‘The NWC will meet on the matter shortly and, once a decision is taken, the list will be released,’ the source said.

Our correspondent further reports that disputes have erupted in several states following the declaration of results from governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly primaries in states such as Nasarawa, Bauchi, Kwara, Oyo, Delta and Kogi.

Some aggrieved aspirants, including former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, have dumped the party, alleging irregularities in the exercise.

A former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, who participated in the Nasarawa governorship primary, also alleged irregularities and subsequently left the party.

To avert further crises, the party leadership has stepped in to pacify aggrieved aspirants and resolve outstanding disputes.

NDC may send results directly to INEC

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), which is also grappling with unresolved disputes, has indicated that it may submit the final results of its primaries directly to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) if disagreements over candidates persist.

Our correspondent observed that aspirants who participated in the recently concluded primaries have expressed reservations about how the party leadership is handling the release of the final results.

Daily Trust reports that although election committees declared winners at various centres during the primaries, the party’s national leadership has yet to release the final list.

The leadership insists that only the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) can formally announce the final winners.

The delay has fuelled suspicion among aspirants who had earlier been declared winners by the electoral committees.

Some of the aspirants, who spoke on condition of anonymity, warned that failure to address the situation could plunge the party into crisis ahead of the general elections.

Apparently sensing an impending crisis, the NEC met on Wednesday to address some of the contentious issues.

Daily Trust reports that one of the aggrieved aspirants, Aisha Yesufu, openly challenged the party leadership over its role in the conduct of the primaries in Abuja.

Yesufu contested for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) senatorial seat but reportedly lost. Dissatisfied with the conduct of the exercise, she confronted party leaders during the NEC meeting before discussions moved into a closed-door session.

A source familiar with the meeting told our correspondent on Thursday that the final list may be forwarded to INEC before being released publicly.

The source said: ‘INEC will publish the names of the candidates after submission by the party, and candidates can check the commission’s website. This is aimed at avoiding a crisis at a time when tensions remain high.’

Meanwhile, ahead of the release of the final results, the party has announced plans to launch a post-primary reconciliation programme aimed at healing internal divisions and strengthening unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Party leaders said the initiative is intended to address grievances arising from the primaries and prevent possible defections by aggrieved aspirants.

Addressing party members at Wednesday’s meeting, the National Leader of the NDC, Seriake Dickson, acknowledged concerns raised by some aspirants regarding the conduct and outcome of the primaries.

However, he maintained that the party has established internal mechanisms for resolving disputes.

He urged unsuccessful aspirants to remain loyal to the party and accept the outcomes of the primaries.

Dickson disclosed that a structured reconciliation programme would soon be unveiled to foster unity and strengthen cohesion ahead of the 2027 polls. He also directed state and zonal leaders to immediately begin engaging stakeholders to address grievances and rebuild trust within party structures.

Also speaking, the National Chairman of the party, Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, said the NDC had recorded significant milestones within a short period, including membership registration, congresses, conventions and primaries conducted without major disruptions.

‘It is not easy for party leaderships, because some aspirants felt that they had been cheated and are relying on the party leadership to give them justice. If they do not feel that they were fairly treated, it would be a serious problem for the parties,’ he said.

Efforts to get the reaction of Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, the National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress was not successful as he did not respond to calls made to his phone.

Also the spokesman of the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Ini Ememobong could not be reached but the spokesman of the Wike faction, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, said there are appeals arising from the conduct of the exercise and the party is waiting for the recommendation of the appeal panels committee on the matter.

‘After which, the National Executive Committee of the party will ratify the report, before we can come out with the final list of candidates. The process will soon be completed’, he said.

Parties not violating law by withholding candidates’ names after primaries – Electoral Act

However, Daily Trust review of the Electoral Act 2026 and the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicates that political parties are not under any immediate legal obligation to publish the names of their candidates following the conclusion of primaries.

Some party members and political observers had questioned why parties were yet to formally announce or publish comprehensive lists of successful candidates, despite the end of the nomination process.

But Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 provides that political parties have up to 120 days before the election to submit the names of candidates who emerged from valid primaries to INEC.

The section states: ‘Every political party shall, not later than 120 days before the date appointed for a general election under this Act, submit to the Commission, in the prescribed Forms, the list of the candidates the party proposes to sponsor at the elections, who shall have emerged from valid primaries conducted by the political party.’

According to INEC’s timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, political parties are expected to submit the names and personal particulars of their candidates at different dates depending on the offices being contested.

For presidential candidates, submission of Form EC9 and other required documents will commence at 9:00 a.m. on June 27, 2026.

For National Assembly candidates, the deadline is 6:00 p.m. on July 11, 2026.

The submission period for governorship candidates opens at 9:00 a.m. on July 18, 2026, while candidates for State Houses of Assembly have until 6:00 p.m. on August 8, 2026, to be submitted by their parties.

The law further requires candidates to submit affidavits confirming that they meet the constitutional requirements for the offices they seek.

Section 29(2) provides that the information submitted by each candidate must be accompanied by an affidavit sworn before the Federal High Court, a State High Court or the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.

The responsibility for publishing candidates’ personal particulars rests with INEC after receiving the documents from political parties.

Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act states that the commission shall, within 21 days of receiving the personal particulars of candidates, publish them in the constituencies where they intend to contest.

In line with the timetable, INEC is expected to publish the personal particulars of presidential and National Assembly candidates on August 1, 2026, while those of governorship and State House of Assembly candidates will be published on August 29, 2026.

The provisions suggest that while political parties may voluntarily announce winners of their primaries, the Electoral Act does not compel them to immediately publish comprehensive lists of candidates after the primaries.

Rather, the law focuses on the submission of candidates’ names and documents to INEC within the stipulated timeframe, after which the commission is mandated to publish their particulars for public scrutiny.

‘Why parties are delaying release of their candidate’

Kabiru Sa’id Sufi of Kano State College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies told Daily Trust that political parties across the country are delaying the publication of their candidates lists due to complications arising from the new system of direct primaries and consensus arrangements practiced this year.

According to him, this is the first time parties are grappling with direct primaries alongside the option of consensus, which has created bottlenecks in the process.

‘It has never been like this. But I think there is a reason for this, because this is the first time we are having direct primaries, which is suited with an option of either conducting the direct primaries or having a consensus,’ he said.

He said even the consensus option has not been fully complied with, as the law requires all contestants to sign and attest to the agreement, something that has not happened in most cases.

He explained that even where direct primaries were held, dissatisfaction among aspirants has slowed down the process.

‘This cuts across all the parties. So I think the parties are trying to tidy up things with regard to either the consensus or the direct primaries,’ he added.

Dr Sufi noted that parties are liaising with governors to ratify outcomes, which has further contributed to the delay.

He stressed that the novelty of the process has made it more difficult compared to the indirect primaries of the past, where results were quickly published and blame was easily shifted to delegates.

On whether the delay could affect preparations for the 2027 elections, he said it would not, provided parties act within the timeframe stipulated by the Electoral Act.

However, he warned that irregularities and dissatisfaction could trigger voter apathy.

‘As long as it is within the stipulated date as prescribed in the electoral law as amended, I think it will not really affect the timing. But maybe it may raise questions about the legality of the poll process and its compliance with laid-down procedures,’ he said.

He cautioned that if complaints persist, some voters may abstain from the general elections, leading to reduced participation.

The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resign, citing what it described as his failure to address the worsening insecurity across the country.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, the party’s national chairman, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said the federal government appeared overwhelmed by the nation’s security challenges and had failed in its primary responsibility of protecting citizens.

He said insecurity has continued to spread under the current administration, leaving Nigerians vulnerable to attacks by violent criminals regardless of their status, age or location.

‘It is now beyond doubt that President Tinubu has failed woefully in discharging his foremost responsibility as President, which is securing the lives and property of Nigerians,’ the statement said.

The party argued that no part of the country is immune from insecurity, alleging that criminal groups have expanded their operations while government efforts have yielded little improvement.

The PRP further expressed concern over the increasing targeting of vulnerable groups, including schoolchildren, warning against accepting the situation as normal.

The party accused the President of concentrating power at the centre without effectively using it to address the security crisis.

‘Our President has failed the nation, and there is no evidence that he can improve on his record. He has amassed enormous powers but has failed to use them to protect Nigerians,’ Baba-Ahmed said.

The PRP maintained that accountability is a key principle of democracy and argued that leadership should be judged by its ability to safeguard citizens.

While noting that voters could decide the administration’s fate in the 2027 elections, the party insisted that Nigerians should not have to wait while insecurity continues to claim lives. It therefore urged citizens to demand greater accountability and stronger action to tackle the country’s security challenges.