Category: Daily Trust

In Nigeria’s political space, internal party disputes are not new. But when those disputes move from party offices into the electoral arena, they raise far more serious questions.

The Peoples Democratic Party, one of the country’s biggest opposition platforms, is once again at the centre of such uncertainty. Competing factions within the party continue to lay claim to authority, raising concerns about who truly represents the PDP structure.

But beyond the leadership struggle lies a more complex scenario what happens if rival factions of the same party go beyond disagreement and present separate candidates in an election?

At that point, the issue is no longer just about party unity. It becomes a question of legality, recognition, and ultimately, where votes will go on election day.

So today on Nigeria Daily, we examine the unfolding situation within the PDP, speak with a Daily Trust correspondent following the crisis closely, hear from a lawyer on the legal implications, and later, a political analyst helps us understand what this could mean for Nigeria’s opposition politics going forward.

The Alangwa of Agbeyangi in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State, Alhaji Aliyu Oladaride, has called for stronger grassroots governance and renewed investment in rural development.

He spoke at an event in Il?rin which also featured the unveiling of his autobiography titled, ‘Faith, Leadership and Legacy: My Journey Through Agbeyangi History’ and the conferment of chieftaincy titles on deserving indigenes to mark his 35 years on the throne.

The gathering drew traditional rulers, religious leaders, academics, government officials and indigenes from within and outside the country.

The 106-year-old monarch stressed the importance of traditional institutions in driving community progress and national cohesion.

He used the milestone event to reflect on decades of communal progress and warned that rural communities across Nigeria risk further stagnation without deliberate investment and stronger collaboration between government and traditional institutions.

He described traditional rulers as ‘indispensable partners’ in development, insisting that their proximity to the people positions them as critical drivers of unity, mobilisation and cultural preservation.

Oladaride said the history of the town proves that sustainable progress is rooted in collective effort rather than isolated leadership.

He recalled how early development projects were achieved through communal contributions of labour, resources and time.

He pointed to landmark achievements such as the construction of the community’s first Central Mosque and the establishment of its primary school in 1950, describing them as enduring symbols of unity-driven development.

The monarch, however, cautioned that the spirit of collective responsibility that once defined Agbeyangi was gradually weakening.

He called on residents, especially younger generations, to revive it in the face of modern development challenges.

‘Development is a shared responsibility between the people and leadership,’ he said, stressing that both government and citizens must play active roles if rural communities are to keep pace with urban centres.

He urged indigenes of Agbeyangi to reconnect with their roots and contribute to community growth, noting that several infrastructure gaps still hinder economic and social advancement in the area.

Turning attention to government responsibility, Oladaride appealed to the Kwara State Government to prioritise the reconstruction of the Panada-Agbeyangi-Yarun road, describing it as critical to unlocking economic opportunities in the axis.

He argued that rural transformation must not be secondary in governance planning, warning that national development would remain uneven without targeted investment in rural infrastructure and social amenities.

‘Anyone who has witnessed urban renewal in Kwara State would naturally desire similar transformation in rural communities,’ he said, adding that balanced development remains essential for long-term stability and growth.

The monarch also used the occasion to challenge newly installed chieftaincy title holders to view their positions as a call to service rather than personal prestige.

He urged them to support education, youth empowerment and economic development initiatives.

Prominent among the proposals he highlighted were the proposed Darul Kitab University and the NALDA Integrated Farm Estate, which he said require strong community and elite backing to materialise.

Former Chief of Staff to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, who reviewed the book, described it as a rare contribution to indigenous historiography.

He praised the monarch for documenting community history from a leadership perspective rarely captured in written form.

He noted that the work offers valuable insights into Agbeyangi’s transformation across education, infrastructure, healthcare and governance participation, while also projecting a future anchored on stronger rural development policies.

Dignitaries described the monarch’s reign as one marked by peace, continuity and community advancement, with many praising his long-standing commitment to unity and service.

In his sermon, the Grand Mufti of Ilorin, Sheikh Sulaiman Onikijipa, urged residents to prioritise community development and ensure their contributions are recorded for future generations to learn from.

He cautioned against attitudes that discourage collective progress, stressing that development cannot thrive in an environment of selfishness or resentment.

‘We should stop the idea that if we don’t get something, then it must not go to another person or it should be destroyed. Communities don’t grow like that. Those of us running away from our communities under the pretext that people want to kill us should stop. Come back home and develop your community and write your name in gold, because only Allah has power over life and death,’ he said.

The emergence of Kingsley Chinda, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, as the governorship candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has sparked constitutional and political debate.

Chinda, who represents Obio-Akpor Federal Constituency under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), occupies one of the most prominent opposition positions in the House of Representatives.

Traditionally, the office of Minority Leader is reserved for a lawmaker from an opposition party and serves as the coordinating position for minority caucus activities in the House. The occupant is expected to lead opposition engagement on legislative matters, coordinate minority debates and help build the caucus ahead of future elections.

However, Chinda’s emergence as the APC governorship candidate has raised questions about whether he can continue to occupy the office while flying the flag of the ruling party.

The development has also revived discussions around Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which deals with party defection by lawmakers. Legal analysts say the situation could test constitutional interpretations regarding whether contesting under another political party amounts to defection.

Why Chinda’s political status matters

Chinda has served as Minority Leader since the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June 2023. However, on May 21, 2026, he emerged as the governorship candidate of the APC following the party’s governorship primary election in Rivers State.

Political observers argue that a lawmaker seeking to contest under a different political party is expected to resign from his former party before participating in the affairs of another.

Investigations by Daily Trust, however, did not reveal any public record showing that Chinda had resigned from the PDP before participating in the APC governorship primary. Neither was any formal announcement of his defection made on the floor of the House of Representatives.

Analysts further note that political parties often grant waivers to new entrants seeking to contest elections shortly after joining the party.

Daily Trust reports that Chinda appeared before the APC governorship screening committee in Abuja on May 10, 2026, a development that first fuelled speculation about his defection from the PDP.

Checks by our correspondents showed that during the final plenary before the House proceeded on recess on May 5, 2026, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas announced the names of lawmakers who had formally defected from one political party to another.

Chinda’s name was not among those announced, further fuelling debate over whether his movement to the APC had been formally communicated to the House.

The situation has triggered constitutional debates over whether a lawmaker must formally announce his defection on the floor of the House before participating in the activities of another political party, particularly where a principal office such as Minority Leader is involved.

While some observers insist that a formal declaration during plenary remains the accepted parliamentary convention, others argue that neither the Constitution nor the Electoral Act requires such a sequence, provided there is no simultaneous membership of two political parties.

Our correspondents learnt that barring any hitches, Chinda’s defection to the ruling party will be announced today.

Chinda no longer minority leader – Reps

The Deputy Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has said Chinda can no longer functions as Minority Leader following his defection to the APC.

Agbese, who spoke amid the controversy surrounding Chinda’s emergence as the APC governorship candidate in Rivers State, said the law only prohibits membership of two political parties at the same time.

‘He has not been a Minority Leader for quite some time. If you observed our previous proceedings before we went on break, the Speaker stated clearly that the House would not tolerate any unconstitutional conduct on the floor,’ he said.

Agbese explained that defection on the floor of the House differs from membership of a political party and argued that there is no constitutional provision requiring one process to precede the other.

‘There is no constitutional limitation that says you must defect on the floor of the House before joining another political party or that you must defect in your ward before doing the other. Either can come first,’ he said.

According to him, Chinda has not breached any law by accepting the APC governorship ticket, as the Electoral Act only prohibits dual party membership.

‘I think, in view of our current laws and the Electoral Act, what the law forbids is membership of two political parties at the same time,’ Agbese stated.

He, however, maintained that Chinda could no longer perform the duties of Minority Leader because he now belongs to the ruling party.

‘That means Hon. Chinda cannot appear before the House to perform the duties of Minority Leader again, since he is now a member of the ruling party,’ he said.

‘From tomorrow (today), if Hon. Chinda insists on performing the role of Minority Leader, then it could amount to a breach. But as far as the law is concerned at the moment, he has not breached any provision.’

‘He may backdate his resignation’ – Analyst

A political analyst, Jide Ojo, has predicted fresh controversy in the House of Representatives over Chinda’s defection to the APC, saying the lawmaker may seek to regularise his status when the House reconvenes.

‘By the time the House reconvenes, you will see drama. He may backdate his resignation and say the only reason it was not announced was because they were on recess,’ Ojo said.

He added that the development further exposes what he described as the culture of impunity in Nigeria’s political system.

‘Chinda, until maybe the week of the APC primary, was in the PDP. What his political godfather kept saying was that Rivers State was running a ‘Rainbow Coalition’. But there is no INEC-registered political party called Rainbow Coalition,’ he said.

Ojo argued that Chinda’s emergence as APC governorship candidate shortly after leaving the PDP reflected the absence of ideological differences among many political parties.

‘How would somebody leave a party on the eve of another party’s primary and become the candidate of that party? We are talking about a ruling party, not a fringe party,’ he said.

The analyst said such developments continue to raise questions about compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act regulating party membership and participation in primaries.

‘What value has Section 77 of the Electoral Act added when people can leave one party today and become candidates of another party within 24 hours?’ he asked.

According to him, Nigeria’s democracy still falls short of established democratic standards in several respects.

‘If you subject our democracy to forensic analysis, looking at rule of law, due process and checks and balances, you will find that in many places these principles are weak or virtually non-existent,’ he added.

Fresh trouble in Rivers APC

Meanwhile, the reinstated leadership of the APC in Rivers State has declared that all nominations arising from the party primaries conducted by the Chief Tony Okocha-led executive are invalid.

The position follows last Friday’s judgment of the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, which upheld an earlier High Court ruling nullifying the congresses that produced the Okocha-led executive.

The Publicity Secretary of the Emeka Beke faction, Darlington Nwauju, in a statement on Monday, also called on the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to withdraw certificates of return earlier issued to candidates produced by the Okocha faction during last year’s local government elections.

Nwauju argued that, based on the court judgment, all nominations, representations, communications and decisions made on behalf of the APC in Rivers State between December 20, 2024, and May 29, 2026, lack legal standing.

Political observers say the development could further complicate internal party dynamics ahead of the 2027 elections.

Efforts to obtain Chinda’s reaction to the controversy surrounding his political status were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.

Several telephone calls placed to him were not answered, while text and WhatsApp messages sent to him had yet to receive a response.

The lawmaker has also not publicly clarified whether he formally communicated his departure from the PDP to the House of Representatives before emerging as the APC governorship candidate in Rivers State.

The Kwara State Police Command has launched a manhunt for individuals involved in reprisal attacks, arson and alleged extrajudicial killings that rocked Ilesha-Baruba in Baruten Local Government Area over the weekend.

The violent incident left at least two people dead and led to the destruction of several properties.

Police said the crisis began after a Fulani boy, identified as Seke, popularly known as Bosso, allegedly attacked a Tijaniyyah cleric, Alhaji Mohammed Ilyasu, inside his residence during a Quranic class.

Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said preliminary investigations showed that both men sustained machete injuries during the confrontation and were rushed to the hospital, where the cleric was confirmed dead on arrival, while the suspect later died from his injuries.

The police said tensions escalated after some angry youths stormed the hospital, seized the corpse of the suspect and set it ablaze.

Another passer-by was also attacked and burnt to death by the mob, while about 10 houses belonging to members of the Fulani community, including the residence of the Ardo Fulani, were destroyed.

Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, condemned the violence, describing it as ‘criminal, barbaric and a direct affront to the rule of law,’ and vowed that those responsible would be arrested and prosecuted.

He urged residents to remain calm and avoid actions capable of escalating tensions or triggering ethnic reprisals.

The Emir of Ilesha-Baruba, Alhaji Halidu Abubakar, said he intervened alongside other community leaders to prevent further breakdown of law and order, appealing to youths to remain calm and allow security agencies to handle the matter.

He described the incident as painful, noting that many of the affected Fulani families had lived peacefully in the community for generations.

The Seriki Fulani of Ilesha-Baruba, Ardo Muhammed Abdullahi, said the suspect had previously worked in the area and was known as a farm labourer involved in occasional disputes over payment.

He said investigations were still ongoing to determine the exact motive behind the attack, but suggested a disagreement between the suspect and the slain cleric could not be ruled out.

Abdullahi alleged that several Fulani properties were set ablaze during the reprisal attack, including three of his own houses, adding that his wife and children narrowly escaped after being helped out of the residence through a back entrance.

He further claimed that at least two of his children were missing and expressed fear over the safety of other family members.

The Fulani leader said he had reported the incident to security agencies, including the Inspector-General of Police and the Department of State Services, and was considering leaving the community due to safety concerns.

It is to argue that the ongoing debate about police pensions in Nigeria should now shift from calls to exit the Contributory Pension Scheme to support for reforms already introduced within it. It recognises the sacrifices made daily by officers of the Nigeria Police Force and acknowledges that demands for improved retirement welfare are both legitimate and necessary. However, it contends that recent interventions by the federal government have substantially addressed many of the concerns that originally fuelled agitation for a separate Police Pension Board.

At the centre of the discussion is the newly enhanced pension framework for police personnel. The reforms reportedly guarantee retired officers 100 per cent of their last salary as a pension for life, along with a gratuity equivalent to 200 per cent of annual emoluments and an additional 20 per cent contribution to Retirement Savings Accounts. According to the argument, these measures significantly improve retirement security, restore dignity to life after service, and strengthen morale among serving officers who can now look forward to a more stable future.

The analysis presents the reforms as not only a welfare intervention but also an institutional reform strategy. A police force that feels secure about retirement, it argues, is more likely to remain disciplined, motivated, and less vulnerable to the pressures associated with financial uncertainty. In that sense, improved pensions are framed as part of broader efforts to strengthen professionalism and public service delivery within the security sector.

The piece also warns against romanticising the old Defined Benefits Scheme, reminding audiences of the delays, corruption scandals, verification hardships, and administrative failures that characterised earlier pension systems in Nigeria. It argues that the Contributory Pension Scheme was created precisely to eliminate those problems by introducing transparency, professional fund management, accountability, and long term sustainability under the supervision of the National Pension Commission.

Rather than dismantling the current structure, the article advocates reform from within. It highlights the role of NPF Pensions Limited as a specialised institution already established to manage police pensions within the CPS framework. The argument is that strengthening and improving this system is a safer and more responsible path than creating another standalone pension bureaucracy that could eventually face the same historical weaknesses.

Another major issue raised is fiscal sustainability. The article notes that proposals for a separate Police Pension Board could cost the federal government trillions of naira over a few years, at a time when the country is already managing competing demands involving infrastructure, healthcare, education, debt obligations, and national security. It therefore questions whether a separate arrangement dependent on direct government funding would remain reliable during periods of economic pressure.

Importantly, the piece stresses that the enhanced CPS framework may already provide better benefits than the proposed alternative. It points out that while the current reforms reportedly guarantee one 100 per cent salary replacement as a pension, some alternative proposals contemplate pension ceilings of about 90 per cent. This comparison is used to argue that the existing reforms may, in fact, offer superior protection for retirees.

The broader message is that Nigeria should avoid returning to fragmented pension systems that depend heavily on political appropriations and weak oversight mechanisms. Instead, the focus should now be on ensuring effective implementation of the enhanced reforms, continuous monitoring, transparency, and periodic improvements that keep pace with economic realities.

For a television discussion, the central positive takeaway is that the government has demonstrated responsiveness to the welfare concerns of police officers without dismantling the pension architecture built over the past two decades. The conversation is, therefore, not about denying better welfare for officers, but about achieving it in a way that is sustainable, transparent, and capable of protecting retirees for generations to come.

At least two Nigerien nationals and three other masterminds linked to the abduction of school children in Papiri, Niger State, have been arrested by operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS).

The operatives also recovered a large cache of arms, including 15 AK rifles and 1,434 rounds of live ammunition from them.

Gunmen, on November 21, 2025, attacked St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri village, Niger State, abducting nearly 300 students and staff.

While about 50 of the children managed to escape in the chaos that greeted the attack, over 250 others were marched for days into the Kainji Lake Reserve forest.

On December 21, 2025, the federal government and Niger State officials confirmed the rescue and safe return of the remaining 130 students and teachers, with government officials confirming that not a single pupil remained in captivity.

Giving an update on the incident, sources within security agencies disclosed that one Yusuf Mohammed, aka Bature, and his accomplice, Mubarak Ibrahim, were arrested on the Zaria-Kaduna highway.

One of the sources said Bature has been on the list of wanted members of the Boko Haram terror organisation.

According to the official, Bature and Ibrahim were on their way to collect a consignment of arms for their commanders when they were nabbed by the secret operatives.

He also revealed that a follow-up operation led to the arrest of Goni Ibrahim, an international arms courier from Diffa Region, the Niger Republic.

He added that one Tukur Sani, identified as Ibrahim’s accomplice, was also arrested.

Another security source said AK rifles, 15 magazines and 1,434 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition were concealed in an unnamed blue car that the arrested men were travelling in.

The source added that days after the arrests, another member of the arms courier syndicate, identified as Alhaji Adamu aka Gado Banufe, known to be supplying arms around the Kebbi axis, was arrested in Yauri, Kebbi State.

He further disclosed that preliminary investigations established that the five men served as arms couriers to the gunmen who carried out the November 2025 attacks.

Neither the DSS nor the Office of the National Security Adviser could be reached for comments on the arrest but the Country Director of Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, confirmed the arrest.

Hayab, who doubles as the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states and FCT, said people of good conscience should not only criticise government when it fails to meet expectations but should also acknowledge positive outcomes whenever they occur.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, has disclosed that visa restrictions have been eased for Nigerians.

The UAE’s Ambassador to Nigeria disclosed this during a visit to Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, according to her spokesperson, Magnus Eze, in a statement on Sunday.

Al-Shamsi also explained that there were no longer visa rejections for Nigerian nationals travelling to the UAE.

According to him, no fewer than 15,000 Nigerians travelled to the UAE in the last year.

He said Nigeria’s bilateral relations with his country will soon receive a boost as First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) opens in Lagos, adding that the UAE’s leading carrier, Etihad Airways, will commence operations in Abuja this year.

Nigeria holds its relations with the UAE in the highest esteem, and the two countries have maintained warm, cordial, and mutually beneficial diplomatic ties since 1971.

Economic relations between the two countries have remained robust and dynamic, especially in non-oil trade, driven by strong trade flows, investment partnerships, and people-to-people exchanges.

The Ambassador applauded his country’s relationship with Nigeria, noting that non-oil trade between them grew from $ 4.3 billion in 2024 to $ 5 billion in 2025.

He projected that it may hit about $ 8 billion in 2027.

The envoy stated that his country stands firmly with Nigeria in its fight against terror and has issued at least eight statements to date condemning terrorist attacks in Nigeria.

On her part, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs said both countries are working towards the implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which they had signed.

The Minister noted that CEPA will transform economic ties between the two nations and deliver tangible benefits for Nigerian businesses, professionals and workers.

Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu said that Nigeria remains firmly committed to creating an enabling environment for Foreign Direct Investment, including from UAE-based sovereign wealth funds and private sector entities.

The minister was gratified that, through sustained dialogue and engagement, visa issues had been significantly addressed, and that over 15,000 Nigerians had visited the UAE after the easing of restrictions.

‘I am restating the commitment of Nigeria to mutual diplomatic ties with the UAE. We remain committed to working together to continue moving our bilateral relations from strength to strength,’ she stated.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said the red chamber is working towards securing tickets for some of the senators who lost the bid to contest the 2027 general elections.

Daily Trust reports that about 40 senators across the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), among other lost the primaries.

Speaking after the 4-week recess of the Senate Akpabio congratulated those who lost the primaries in anticipation of the desired results.

He said the Senate leadership was shocked by the high number of losses suffered by incumbent lawmakers.

‘I felicitate, particularly those who have secured their mandates to represent their parties in the next election. I know that there will always be victories and disappointments, yet above every individual triumph stands a greater triumph, the triumph of democracy itself.’

‘And in this Senate, we have promised that we will have very few disappointments, and I do know that the Senate leader and the leadership of the Senate are working very hard towards that, so in advance, I will say congratulations to all of us across party lines,’ he said.

Senators Ned Nwoko, Gbenga Daniel, Danjuma Goje, Rufai Hanga, are among the lawmakers who lost return tickets.

Akpabio expressed concern over the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State, assuring that the government was doing its best to ensure their return.

Describing the incident as an assault on ‘our collective humanity’, Akpabio warned politicians against exploiting national tragedies for partisan advantage.

‘At moments such as these, there is a temptation to divide, to accuse, and to seek advantage from tragedy. Politicians and aspirants must resist that temptation for such cheap publicity.’

‘Let us continue to support every lawful and necessary measure to strengthen security, protect our schools, safeguard our communities, and ensure that every bandit faces the full weight of justice,’ he said.

The Director General of the National Blood Service Agency (NBSA), Prof. Saleh Yuguda, has announced the official slogan for the 2026 World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) campaign as unveiled by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The slogan for this year’s global campaign is: ‘One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives.’

Prof. Yuguda, while conveying the message to stakeholders and partners in the blood transfusion sector, extended compliments of the season and urged greater commitment towards promoting voluntary blood donation across the country.

According to him, the campaign seeks to reinforce global efforts aimed at ensuring a safe, sustainable and adequate blood supply through regular voluntary donations.

He stated that the objectives of the 2026 World Blood Donor Day campaign include driving sustained growth in regular, voluntary and unpaid blood donation worldwide, while raising awareness about the life-saving impact of blood and plasma donation.

The NBSA boss further noted that the campaign is designed to highlight the invaluable contributions of blood donors and promote the enduring values of solidarity, compassion and humanity that underpin blood donation.

He added that the initiative would also encourage governments, development partners and relevant stakeholders to strengthen and invest in national blood programmes in order to achieve universal access to safe blood transfusion services.

Prof. Yuguda disclosed that a major focus of this year’s commemoration would be community integration and grassroots engagement, with the agency taking the blood donation advocacy campaign beyond health institutions and into communities across the country.

According to him, traditional institutions, community leaders, youth groups, faith-based organisations and local stakeholders would be actively engaged to domesticate the message of voluntary blood donation at the grassroots level and foster a stronger culture of community ownership of blood services.

He stressed that the community-based approach is aimed at deepening public understanding of the importance of blood donation, dispelling misconceptions surrounding the practice, and building sustainable donor pools capable of supporting national blood needs.

World Blood Donor Day, commemorated annually on June 14, serves as a global platform to recognise voluntary blood donors and advocate for strengthened blood systems capable of meeting the transfusion needs of patients in emergencies, maternal healthcare, surgeries and the treatment of various medical conditions.

The 2026 campaign is expected to mobilise governments, healthcare institutions, civil society organisations and citizens around the world to embrace blood donation as a humanitarian act capable of saving millions of lives, while strengthening community participation in the quest for universal access to safe blood transfusion services.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has broken its silence on the controversy involving Lere Olayinka, spokesman of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.

Olayinka had taunted Emeka Ike, a Nollywood actor, for registering in Imo State and transferring his registration details to the FCT on May 15.

He attached two images to the post, which social media users said contained details obtained from INEC’s administrative login portal.

The controversy erupted after announced that he was interested in contesting for the House of Representatives seat for the AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency in the FCT under the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).

The issue generated widespread reactions as many wondered why it was leaked through an INEC administrative webpage.

In a statement on Tuesday, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, said investigation was ongoing.

The statement said the aide did not have direct access but that he obtained the information via people who had such access.

‘The attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been drawn to allegations currently circulating on social media and in some sections of the media regarding the alleged unauthorised access to the Commission’s Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database and the subsequent publication of information on a candidate in the recent primaries of a political party in the Federal Capital Territory.’

‘The Commission takes this allegation seriously and has immediately commenced a thorough investigation to establish the facts surrounding the incident.

‘As part of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise nationwide, authorised INEC Registration Officers were granted controlled access to specific components of the CVR system to enable them register new applicants, process requests for transfer of registration and update voter records where necessary. Such access is restricted to official duties only and is withdrawn at the conclusion of the exercise.

‘The audit trail from the preliminary investigation has enabled the Commission to identify the user account through which the information was accessed. Accordingly, relevant personnel have been questioned, and all units connected with the incident are cooperating fully with the investigation.

‘The Commission is also examining all technical, administrative and operational factors associated with the matter in order to establish individual responsibility and determine the circumstances surrounding the use of those credentials and identify any breach of internal access-control protocols before taking appropriate action against anyone involved.

‘Preliminary findings from the Commission’s audit trail so far, however, indicate that there was no external breach of the CVR database, no hacking incident, and no unauthorised external access to the Commission’s ICT infrastructure. Rather, the information in question was accessed through valid user credentials assigned to personnel participating in the ongoing CVR exercise but released without authority.

‘The incident under investigation relates to the retrieval of a specific voter record and does not indicate any compromise of the Commission’s broader voter registration infrastructure or the personal data of over 90 million registered voters.

‘The Commission wishes to state categorically that it takes the security, confidentiality and integrity of voter data with the utmost seriousness and remains committed to transparency, institutional integrity, and the protection of voters’ personal information.

‘Furthermore, the Department of State Services (DSS), on its own accord, has commenced an independent investigation into the matter. The Commission will continue to cooperate fully with all relevant security agencies and will not hesitate to refer any person found culpable for appropriate legal action.

‘Members of the public and the media are therefore urged to disregard unfounded speculations while investigations remain ongoing. The Commission will continue to keep the public informed of its final findings and any measures taken in response to the incident in due course.’