Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

Following the exclusion of the name of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, from the final list of governorship candidates published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the party has approached the court to seek justice.

The party’s Publicity Secretary, Architect Kayode Adebayo, disclosed in an interview that the matter would be filed before a competent court this week to seek redress.

Recall that Adebutu’s name, alongside that of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate in Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo, and former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy and PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State, Isa Ali Patami, was conspicuously missing from the list of governorship candidates published by INEC on October 10.

While Patami’s name was cleared for the 2027 election in a list published by INEC last Thursday, Adebutu’s fate remains uncertain.

Adebayo said, ‘I don’t have the details, and I don’t want to mislead the public. But I know definitely that we are going to court this week.

‘The hearing will start, and the case will commence this week. But I don’t have the actual date, so I don’t want to be misquoted.’

He, however, urged party supporters to remain calm and maintain strong faith that the matter would be resolved and Adebutu would appear on the ballot in the 2027 general elections.

‘If democracy is at play, we believe that the court is the last hope of the people. We believe in the court process, and we hope that, at the end of the day, the case will be heard and fairly judged,’ the Publicity Secretary said.

Suspected bandits have killed five police officers after ambushing a convoy conveying personnel from Sokoto to Zamfara for a special duty assignment.

The attack reportedly occurred on Sunday while the officers were travelling in three vehicles when armed men suddenly opened fire on the vehicle bringing up the rear of the convoy.

A police officer who was part of the team but escaped the attack confirmed the incident, disclosing that five of his colleagues were killed.

The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the assailants launched the attack without warning.

‘We were travelling in three vehicles when they suddenly opened fire on the third vehicle behind us.

‘Five of our members were killed in the process,’ he said.

He explained that the officers were deployed to Zamfara for a special duty assignment when they were attacked.

Videos circulating on social media showed the lifeless bodies of some of the officers inside a vehicle, with their hands and legs reportedly tied with ropes.

The footage also showed personal belongings scattered around the scene, while bloodstains were visible inside the vehicle.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 10, Sokoto, DSP Abdullahi Faruk, said the remains of the five officers had been deposited at the morgue of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto.

Faruk confirmed the attack in a telephone interview with our correspondent in Sokoto on Monday.

He, however, promised to provide further details about the incident in due course.

The killing comes amid persistent security challenges across the North-West, where armed groups continue to launch deadly attacks on security personnel, travellers and rural communities, alongside widespread abductions for ransom.

A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, presided over by Justice Musa Kakaki, was on Monday asked to recuse itself from an alleged trafficking of 184.5 kg of cocaine and money laundering case involving a Lagos-based social media influencer and businessman, Afolabi Michael Kazeem, popularly known as KC Luxury.

The request for Justice Kakaki’s withdrawal from the case came through the businessman’s lawyer, Chief Emefo Etudo, following the court’s refusal last Wednesday to grant him bail on medical grounds.

It would be recalled that Justice Kakaki had ruled that the defendant failed to establish special circumstances to warrant his release on health grounds.

Though during the resumption of hearing on the matter, Kazeem was absent, his lawyer, Chief Etudo, informed the court that his client no longer has confidence in the court due to alleged irregularities in court records and concerns over his deteriorating health.

The senior lawyer hinted to the judge that the record of proceedings did not reflect the October 28, 2026, ruling delivered on his client’s bail application, adding that all efforts to obtain a Certified True Copy of the ruling from the court registry proved abortive as the defence was informed the judge was yet to sign it, a delay he said could affect his client’s right to appeal within time.

Chief Etudo equally alleged that a reply affidavit filed by the defence had gone missing from the court file, raising concerns about the safety of documents.

According to Chief Etudo, ‘The record of proceedings did not reflect that any ruling was made on October 28, 2026, by this honourable court. And we don’t feel so safe that our evidence, like the reply affidavit that got missing, is safe in the court.’

The lawyer further frowned at the lack of verbatim recording facilities in the Federal High Court, arguing that proper recording equipment would prevent such discrepancies.

Chief Etudo equally contended that the prosecution’s evidence did not link the first, second, and third defendants to the alleged offences, adding that he would file a separate application challenging the sufficiency of evidence.

But in opposing the application, the counsel for the prosecution, Ibrahim Abu, insisted that the matter was slated for trial and faulted the defence for not explaining Kazeem’s absence.

In his words: ‘I thought what Chief Etudo would have begun with was to address the business of the day, which is trial. Etudo has not explained to the court where his client is. That is where he should have begun from.’

The prosecution counsel revealed that he was served the application during a court stand-down, with an addition that he needed five days to respond.

Abu described allegations of bias as serious, maintaining that refusal of bail is at the discretion of the court and cannot amount to bias. He said the defence could appeal the bail refusal.

The lawyer confirmed that six prosecution witnesses were in court and ready to testify.

On his part, the lawyer for the second defendant, Augustine Audu, SAN, prayed to the court to entertain the recusal application first, noting that it had stalled the accelerated hearing earlier ordered by the court.

The SAN equally urged the prosecution to sever the charges to allow the second and third defendants to stand trial separately.

The SAN said, ‘We do not want the fate of the second and third defendants to be tied to the first defendant, because we are stuck,’ and added that his clients were languishing in custody despite the presumption of innocence.

Responding, Etudo noted that he reluctantly filed the application because his client had lost confidence in the court. He made public that Kazeem’s health had deteriorated and cited a previous experience at the Ikeja High Court where a client with prostate cancer died in custody after bail on medical grounds was refused.

The hearing on the recusal application has been adjourned until November 25, 2026.

Former Kano State Governor and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has accused Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of allegedly plotting to disqualify governorship candidates in the state through what he described as secret legal manoeuvres involving the courts and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Kwankwaso made the allegation during a press briefing in Kano, claiming that the governor was attempting to cover up an earlier mistake by preventing the emergence of governorship candidates in the state.

According to him, the initial plan was to get INEC to declare that Kano had no governorship candidate, but when the alleged move failed, those behind it resorted to legal action.

He alleged that the case was secretly instituted against the party and INEC without the knowledge of the affected candidate.

‘They schemed, met secretly, and under the cover of darkness went to court here in Kano. They filed the case against the party and INEC. They deliberately hid it from the candidate himself so that he would not even hear about it until a judgment had been delivered,’ Kwankwaso said.

The former governor, however, insisted that his candidates had no constitutional impediments relating to age, educational qualifications or other requirements that could justify their disqualification by INEC or the courts.

He further alleged that associates of Governor Yusuf had sent lawyers to Kano to institute another case, accusing them of failing to understand the political influence and significance of the Kwankwasiyya movement.

Kwankwaso argued that occupying the office of governor did not automatically guarantee electoral victory, warning public officeholders against assuming that political power made them untouchable.

He cautioned against what he described as arrogance of power, noting that those in public office often forget that their authority comes from the people.

Drawing a comparison with the 2019 Kano governorship election, Kwankwaso said the current political developments reminded him of events surrounding Governor Yusuf’s previous electoral experience.

He recalled that a court judgment was delivered on a Monday removing Yusuf as a candidate, but he subsequently won the election held on Saturday.

Kwankwaso also described the alleged political developments as a betrayal, saying the greater betrayal was against the people of Kano State, who would ultimately exercise their constitutional right to determine their political leadership through the ballot.

He urged his supporters not to be discouraged by the unfolding legal and political developments, advising them to verify their voter cards and sustain their political activities.

Governor Yusuf and the other parties accused by Kwankwaso were not represented in the claims contained in his briefing.

On one side lies the opportunity of peak seasonal demand; on the other, the danger of entering January with working capital trapped in deadstock. Storing unsold goods through the first quarter incurs real carrying costs, consumes warehouse capacity, and ties up liquid funds needed for fresh Q1 inventory.

When consumer demand cools after the holidays, holding onto surplus inventory turns into a direct drain on business health. Warehousing costs mount, physical space becomes cramped, and cash that should be reinvested into fresh stock or core operational expenses remains locked on store shelves. Executing a structured, data-informed year-end inventory liquidation protects working capital while safeguarding brand equity.

Audit stock velocity before discounting

Clearing deadstock effectively begins long before cutting retail prices. A common mistake among small business owners is applying flat discounts across all remaining products when sales slow down. Broad markdowns needlessly sacrifice profit margins on items that would naturally sell at full price given a few extra weeks.

Instead, a systematic inventory audit separates fast-moving core items from seasonal peak stock and true deadstock that has remained stagnant for over sixty days. Classifying inventory based on movement speed reveals precisely where markdowns are required. This approach prevents panic pricing and ensures that promotional discounts target only the specific stock holding down liquidity.

Bundle aging goods with seasonal bestsellers

Storing leftover products past their natural selling window involves far more than simply occupying shelf space. Stagnant inventory incurs direct financial carrying costs, including warehouse fees, physical handling, insurance premiums, and the risk of product degradation or obsolescence.

When goods sit idle for months, their effective profit margin steadily erodes until the cost of holding them exceeds their original retail value. Small business operators must recognize that holding out for a full-price buyer late in the season often costs more than accepting an immediate, modest loss. Recognizing these daily storage costs makes aggressive year-end clearance a rational, profit-protecting strategy rather than a compromise.

Structure private liquidation channels

Slashing prices on individual items can sometimes signal financial distress to customers or lower the perceived quality of a premium brand. An effective way to clear slow-moving inventory without cheapening primary product lines is strategic product bundling.

Pairing an aging, slow-moving item with a high-demand holiday bestseller creates an attractive composite offer for shoppers. The customer perceives increased value in a complete package deal, while the merchant successfully liquidates holding costs and recovers wholesale capital. This tactic clears shelf space efficiently while keeping stand-alone product prices intact across public sales channels.

Time discount waves to capture Q4 cash flow

Publicly advertising massive discounts on primary storefronts can alienate recent full-price buyers and invite unwanted friction. Seasoned retail managers avoid this by utilizing private, targeted liquidation channels to move surplus inventory quietly.

Exclusive email lists, dedicated buyer groups, and direct outreach to corporate clients provide private avenues for bulk inventory sales. Offering specialized package deals directly to repeat customers creates an air of exclusivity while clearing surplus stock in volume. This targeted approach protects public price integrity while reliably converting excess stock into immediate operational cash.

Convert liquidation revenue into working capital

Liquidation is most profitable when executed as a series of planned, time-sensitive promotions rather than a single post-holiday clearance event. Waiting until January to begin discounting forces a business to compete with every other merchant attempting to dump stock simultaneously.

Staggering markdowns across November and December captures early bargain hunters and late-season holiday shoppers alike. Early promotional waves can offer soft incentives, such as gift-with-purchase bundles, while final clearance markdowns clear remaining items right before year-end books close. This gradual approach ensures steady cash inflows throughout the busy season rather than a delayed trickling of revenue in the new year.

Renegotiate supplier terms using recovered liquidity

The ultimate goal of year-end inventory liquidation goes beyond empty shelves; it centers on converting stagnant physical assets into immediate liquid reserves. The fresh cash generated from successful clearances should be deployed strategically to strengthen the business’s balance sheet before Q1 begins.

Liquid capital allows business owners to pay down high-interest short-term credit lines or settle outstanding vendor accounts early. Furthermore, entering the new fiscal year with cash on hand provides leverage when negotiating wholesale prices or payment terms for upcoming seasonal orders. Cash availability consistently translates into better vendor terms and stronger operating margins.

Set strict inventory baselines to prevent future overbuying

A successful liquidation cycle provides valuable operational data that should directly inform future purchasing decisions. The inventory types that required deep discounting to move represent clear indicators of overestimating market demand or misjudging delivery timelines.

Documenting these trends helps business managers refine their purchasing forecasts for the following year. By setting lower stock thresholds on risky product lines and establishing tighter reorder triggers, businesses avoid repeating the cycle of overbuying. Turning liquidation insights into better purchasing habits ensures long-term operational resilience.

Structure clean financial transition into the new fiscal year

Entering January with lean store shelves, updated balance sheets, and liquid reserves positions a business for immediate growth. Trying to manage fresh Q1 projects while surrounded by leftover Q4 stock creates operational friction and distorts financial reporting.

Closing out inventory write-offs and recording cleared stock before year-end accounting closes provides an accurate baseline for new financial targets. This clean break gives management clear visibility into actual profitability, helping them set realistic budgets and focus entirely on driving momentum in the new year.

Nigeria’s quest for self-sufficiency in military equipment production has received a fresh boost as DICON-D7G unveiled plans to expand indigenous defence manufacturing, attract foreign investment and create 7,000 employment opportunities for retired military personnel and civilians.

The initiative, being promoted at the ongoing Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) in Lagos, also includes plans to secure 40,000 square metres of land for the establishment of a world-class international exhibition centre.

The Chief Executive Officer of DICON-D7G, Mr Osman Chennar, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists on Monday, saying the initiative was aimed at accelerating Nigeria’s transition from dependence on imported military equipment to local manufacturing, technology transfer and industrial self-sufficiency.

DICON-D7G, a major sponsor of AFRIDEX, is using the international exhibition to promote its vision of building a stronger Nigerian military-industrial complex through local production, strategic partnerships, investment mobilisation and employment generation.

The renewed push comes 61 years after the establishment of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) in 1964, with the country still working towards developing the capacity to manufacture a substantial proportion of the military equipment required by its armed forces.

For decades, Nigeria has depended considerably on foreign suppliers for military hardware, ammunition, components and other defence technologies, raising concerns about foreign exchange expenditure, supply-chain vulnerabilities and the sustainability of national security operations.

Chennar said DICON-D7G was seeking to address the challenge by bringing government institutions, private investors, indigenous manufacturers, research organisations and international technology partners together.

‘Our ambition is to move Nigeria from dependence on imported military equipment to a country that can increasingly manufacture, maintain and sustain its own defence requirements,’ he said.

According to him, Nigeria possesses the human resources, technical expertise and industrial potential to achieve defence industrial independence through strategic investments and effective partnerships.

He said the organisation’s objective was to move Nigeria beyond importing finished defence products to developing the capacity to design, manufacture, maintain and eventually export military equipment.

As part of its international expansion, DICON-D7G recently made its debut at an exhibition in Qatar, where it sought partnerships with foreign manufacturers, investors and technology companies to facilitate technology transfer and strengthen local production.

‘Our engagement with international partners is designed to encourage technology transfer, attract investment and build the technical capacity required to strengthen Nigeria’s defence industry,’ Chennar said.

He described AFRIDEX as an important platform for bringing manufacturers, investors, technology developers and other stakeholders together to advance Nigeria’s defence industrial ambitions.

The exhibition, he said, would provide opportunities to promote indigenous innovation, attract investment and encourage collaboration capable of translating Nigeria’s industrial potential into practical defence manufacturing capabilities.

In another major development, DICON-D7G is pursuing the acquisition of approximately 40,000 square metres of land in Lagos for a proposed international exhibition centre.

The facility is expected to host international defence exhibitions, industrial trade fairs, technology showcases, manufacturing conferences and investment forums, while providing a platform for Nigerian manufacturers to showcase locally developed products.

‘The proposed exhibition centre in Lagos will provide a permanent platform for international defence exhibitions, technology showcases and investment opportunities,’ Chennar said.

The proposed centre is also envisaged as a commercial asset that could generate revenue and support the organisation’s long-term industrial objectives.

The organisation is equally projecting 7,000 employment opportunities, comprising 2,000 positions for retired military personnel and 5,000 for civilians.

The retired military personnel are expected to contribute their experience and technical expertise in areas including training, engineering, logistics, administration and project management.

The civilian employment opportunities are expected to cover manufacturing, engineering, information technology, research and development, skilled trades and other supporting services.

‘We are looking beyond military equipment production. We also want to create opportunities for retired military personnel and young Nigerians to contribute their skills to national development,’ he said.

Beyond employment generation, the initiative is seeking to strengthen Nigeria’s military-industrial ecosystem by expanding local production and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers.

DICON-D7G has also indicated plans to expand its manufacturing activities beyond arms and ammunition to include tanks, armoured personnel carriers, mine-resistant vehicles, boats and drones.

The broader ambition is to develop local capacity that can support the country’s defence requirements, conserve foreign exchange, create jobs and stimulate technological advancement.

The development comes amid renewed efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s defence manufacturing framework following President Bola Tinubu’s signing of the DICON Amendment Act into law in November 2023.

The legislation provides an expanded framework for promoting indigenous defence production and strengthening the country’s military-industrial capacity.

However, the success of the renewed ambition will depend on sustained investment, research and development, technology transfer, quality assurance and effective collaboration between government and private-sector manufacturers.

Sixty-one years after DICON’s establishment, the renewed drive highlights the importance of translating Nigeria’s long-standing ambition for defence industrial independence into measurable manufacturing capacity.

For DICON-D7G, the objective is to ensure that Nigeria does not merely depend on importing equipment required for its national security but progressively develops the capacity to manufacture and sustain such equipment locally.

The detection of poliovirus in Ibadan North and Ogbomoso North Local Government Areas has prompted a targeted immunisation campaign by the Oyo State Government to further prevent the spread of the virus and protect children.

The Executive Secretary of the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, Dr Muideen Olatunji, represented by the State Health Educator, Mr Olaoye Olarinde, disclosed the information at a State Social Mobilisation Committee meeting ahead of the November 7-12 vaccination exercise.

Olarinde said the detections informed the selection of the two local government areas, stressing the need for sustained vigilance despite Nigeria’s polio-free status. He urged committee members to use their grassroots structures across the state’s 33 local government areas to sensitise residents and encourage parents to present eligible children for vaccination.

He added that the exercise would involve house-to-house mobilisation, calling on community leaders, religious institutions and other stakeholders to support the campaign.

Speaking at a stakeholder engagement in Ibadan, the State Immunisation Officer, Mr Oluwakayode Adediran, said the campaign was targeting 240,000 children under five following the detection of circulating poliovirus strains in 14 locations across Nigeria, including Oyo State.

The six-day Subnational Immunisation Days (SNID) campaign will cover 22 wards and 693 settlements in Ibadan North and Ogbomoso North. A second round is scheduled for December 5.

Adediran explained that environmental surveillance identified circulating variant poliovirus strains in 14 locations nationwide, with Oyo among the affected states.

He recalled that poliovirus was detected in Ogbomoso North late last year, while a Type 3 strain was detected in Ibadan North around August.

‘Oyo State is part of the current 14 places in Nigeria where the poliovirus has been found. We recorded cases in Ogbomoso North last year, and not quite long ago, around August, type 3 poliovirus was also found in Ibadan North. That is why the National Primary Health Care Development Agency directed us to carry out this targeted response campaign in these two local government areas to interrupt transmission completely,’ he said.

He added that health workers would administer the Novel Oral Polio Vaccine (nOPV2) and Bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (bOPV) in Ibadan North because of the combination of circulating strains detected there, while nOPV2 would be administered in both local government areas.

The state will deploy house-to-house visits, fixed health posts and mobile outreach teams to ensure comprehensive coverage. Security personnel will also support vaccination teams in volatile and security-sensitive communities.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Coordinator in Oyo State, Dr Philip Zorto, stressed that vaccination was essential to preventing polio-related deaths and permanent paralysis among children.

He urged parents to ensure that all eligible children under five received the oral and injectable polio vaccines, while calling on government agencies, schools, traditional rulers and religious leaders to support the exercise.

Zorto said the 2026 detection of poliovirus in an environmental sample in Oyo State underscored the need for sustained surveillance and intensified immunisation efforts.

He also urged stakeholders to address vaccine refusal and non-compliance in communities, schools and places of worship, stressing that protecting children against polio was a collective responsibility.

He called for concerted efforts to eliminate the virus from Oyo State, Nigeria, Africa and the world.

The Oyo State Lead for the Corona Management System, Mrs Aderonke Sule-Odu, appealed to parents, guardians and traditional leaders to ensure compliance and help address vaccine hesitancy.

‘We are pleading with caregivers to allow their children to be vaccinated. It is strictly for their good and protection,’ she said.

Sule-Odu noted that some caregivers had rejected vaccination because the campaign was restricted to specific local government areas. She urged traditional rulers, religious institutions and community leaders to help communicate the importance of the exercise at the grassroots.

She also appealed to parents who might be away from home during the campaign to authorise other responsible caregivers to present their children to vaccination teams.

Experts have reiterated that hgh transportation costs directly drive up the prices of commodities, as moving raw materials, farm produce, and finished goods from the production centres to markets is becoming more expensive.

Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune, an Entrepreneur, Tor Ikuan, explained that transport and logistics are core part of the supply chain, ‘Producers and traders do not absorb high transit expenses; instead, they add freight, fuel, and vehicle maintenance expenses directly into the final wholesale and retail price of goods to protect their profit margins.’

He said until the Federal government finds an alternative to fuel or road transportation, the country will continue to experience induced commodity price increases.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), transport accounts for a designated expenditure weight (share of the average household consumption basket) of roughly 6.5 percent to 10.7 percent.

Analysts noted that recent monthly NBS reports (such as mid-2026 data), transport’s direct year-on-year contribution to headline inflation hovers around 1.64 percent to 1.70 percent (contributing 1.64 percent in July 2026 and 1.70 percent in April 2026.

Also speaking to Nigerian Tribune, an Economic Expert, Mr Eric Igulla revealed that increases in the price of diesel or petrol (such as from subsidy removals or global energy crises) immediately inflate vehicle-operating expenses, which ripple across every tier of the logistics chain.

He explained that long distances between production hubs (such as farms or ports) and consumer markets, combined with bad roads or degraded transport networks, slow down transit times and burn more fuel and spare parts.

Igulla stated further that non-tariff barriers-such as multiple government roadside taxes, unauthorised checkpoints, and transit bribes-add hidden surcharges that transporters pass on to the final buyer.

Analysts believe poor handling of products increases the risk of damage, theft, or spoilage (especially for perishable agricultural commodities), forcing sellers to markup surviving stock to cover losses.

NBS data further disclosed that transportation has a direct divisional contribution of under two percent to headline inflation numbers, stating that agricultural group (such as the All Farmers Association of Nigeria) note that transport acts as a critical multiplier.

‘Spikes in fuel and logistics costs heavily amplify Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages-which remains the largest single driver of headline inflation, accounting for over six percent to eight percent of direct contribution and weighted heavily at 40 percent to 52 percent of the total basket,’ the data revealed.

Another Financial Expert, Pamela Oluwatoyin, asked the Federal government to leverage the rail sector as an alternative for cheaper means of transportation and logistics.

She said while the progress made by the FG in the railway sector is commendable, ‘it is important to acknowledge that additional opportunities for development remain. Financing and loan repayment are critical considerations in rail infrastructure development.

‘In this regard, reallocating a portion of the funds currently devoted to recurrent road construction and rehabilitation towards railway expansion could contribute significantly to addressing the persistent deterioration of the road network.

‘Although railway infrastructure requires substantial upfront capital investment, it typically offers lower long-term maintenance costs and greater durability once completed.

‘Furthermore, an efficient rail system can reduce pressure on road networks by shifting a significant share of passenger and freight traffic from roads to rail, thereby extending the lifespan of road infrastructure and generating broader economic benefits,’ she stated.

Even though the Federal government is expanding CNG conversions and usage, Analysts said currently, the initiative has not been able to suppress the influence of fuel in determining transportation fare in Nigeria.

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has come under criticism, following the omission of some political parties’ candidates from its final list for the 2027 general election, with pro-democracy advocates and constitutional lawyers questioning the commission’s powers to exclude candidates.

Constitutional lawyers have questioned whether INEC possesses the authority to independently disqualify candidates from participating in elections.

A constitutional lawyer, Monday Mawah, said neither the Constitution nor the Electoral Act empowered the commission to selectively remove candidates from an election list.

Speaking during a television programme, Mawah said the recent Supreme Court judgment and provisions of the Electoral Act concerning the submission of political parties’ membership registers should not be interpreted as granting INEC the power to disqualify individual candidates.

He explained that where a political party failed to comply with the statutory requirement for submitting its membership register within the stipulated timeframe, the consequence could be a restriction on the party’s ability to field candidates rather than the selective exclusion of individuals.

Mawah argued that if INEC believed the PDP had violated electoral regulations in Ogun, the commission should have applied the relevant provisions consistently instead of singling out two candidates.

He cited the party’s claim that it submitted 40 candidates’ names in Ogun, out of which 38 were included in the final list.

According to him, if the commission’s position was that the party had breached the law, it should explain the legal basis for allowing some candidates to remain on the list while excluding others.

He also wondered why INEC initially published Adebutu’s particulars before subsequently removing his name, describing the development as an attempt to interpret the law in a manner not expressly authorised by the relevant legal provisions.

The lawyer maintained that INEC should approach the courts for clarification of the Supreme Court judgment rather than take administrative decisions that could affect candidates’ eligibility.

In his own opinion, an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Emmanuel Umahi Ekwe, said INEC possesses statutory powers to scrutinise and determine compliance with the requirements for nomination of candidates under the Electoral Act.

‘He said, however, that such powers are not absolute and must be exercised strictly within the confines of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and binding judicial pronouncements.

The lawyer told the Nigerian Tribune that the distinction that must be appreciated in the Adebutu and Pantami cases is the difference between the disqualification of an individual candidate and the exclusion of a candidate arising from the failure of a sponsoring political party to satisfy statutory requirements.

‘The Supreme Court’s decision in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, delivered on 24 September 2026, affirmed the validity of Sections 77(5), (6) and (7) of the Electoral Act 2026. Consequently, a political party that fails to comply with the statutory membership register requirements risks losing its eligibility to field candidates.

‘Nevertheless, this does not confer on INEC an unlimited power to disqualify candidates at will. The Commission must establish the specific statutory infraction, apply the law consistently and afford affected parties the opportunity provided by law to challenge its decisions.

‘My position, therefore, is that INEC has the power to enforce statutory nomination requirements, including excluding candidates where the law justifies such action. But it cannot arrogate to itself powers beyond those conferred by law or substitute its administrative judgment for that of a competent court,’ he said.

Ultimately, Ekwe submitted that the rule of law requires that every decision affecting the political rights of a candidate must have a clear legal foundation and remain subject to judicial scrutiny. ‘The integrity of our electoral process demands not only strict compliance with electoral laws but also fairness, consistency and due process in their enforcement,’ he said.

The constitutional limits of INEC regarding the disqualification of candidates submitted by parties were also clarified by two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs): Dr Abiodun Layonu and Mr Francis Amobi Nzelu.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on the power of INEC to disqualify candidates and the legal framework governing candidacy in Nigeria, Dr Layonu revealed that the process of becoming a candidate is strictly governed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC guidelines.

He insisted that INEC’s role is administrative and supervisory, adding, ‘Once political parties conduct primaries and submit their list of candidates, the commission is constitutionally bound to comply with valid orders from competent courts.

‘If affected aspirants challenge their nomination in court, INEC is bound to obey valid court judgements.’

Dr Layonu posited that where a court decision is appealed up to the Federal High Court or higher, INEC typically pauses final action on the contested candidacy until the judicial process is concluded.

The senior lawyer suggested that because Nigeria operates a party-based ballot system where party logos appear on ballot papers, INEC can implement court-ordered substitutions until the legal deadline before an election.

On his part, Nzelu contended that the electoral body does not have the constitutional power to delist or disqualify candidates nominated by political parties.

In his words: ‘Nigerians go to bed and wake up to a new set of laws. This issue is very straightforward.

‘If a political party has conducted primaries and nominated a candidate and forwards that name, the only conditions of removal are if the person dies or voluntarily withdraws in writing.

‘INEC is an umpire. They cannot be game players. Under which law are they operating? I have not seen the law yet,’ he said.

The SAN, who made reference to a recent case in Abuja where INEC monitored the ANPP primaries in Anambra State, countersigned results that included candidates for Senate, House of Representatives, and House of Assembly, only for the party leadership to attempt substitution in Abuja, and maintained that INEC rightly resisted the change.

Nzelu expressed concern that political parties are committing blunders by attempting to arbitrarily substitute candidates who validly won primaries.

His words: ‘Anybody who has gone through primaries as a major winner, his party returns his name, INEC countersigns, and they want to remove them, they should go to court and seek redress.

‘They should not take knives to fight the battle.’

A political science lecturer, Professor Ola Adelana, and two other legal practitioners: Wale Obanigba and Ola Amure, who also weighed in on the matter, said that INEC lacked unrestricted powers to disqualify candidates duly nominated by parties, stressing that its electoral responsibilities must be exercised within the limits of the law.

Adelana, who examined the issue from the perspective of political institutions, constitutional democracy and electoral governance, said: ‘The power to disqualify an individual candidate is not necessarily the same as the power to determine whether a political party is legally eligible to sponsor candidates in an election. That distinction is central to understanding the Adebutu situation.’

The don argued that INEC did not possess unrestricted judicial powers to disqualify candidates duly nominated by political parties, citing the Supreme Court’s decision in Action Congress v. Independent National Electoral Commission (2007).

Aselana said the court had rejected the proposition that INEC could independently assume the judicial responsibility of disqualifying a candidate nominated by a political party.

He explained that the commission’s constitutional responsibility to organise, undertake and supervise elections did not automatically confer on it the authority to determine disputed questions concerning the constitutional eligibility of candidates.

However, he cautioned against interpreting the position to mean that INEC must accept every nomination submitted by political parties irrespective of statutory requirements.

He said political parties were bound by the Constitution and the Electoral Act, particularly provisions regulating membership registers, party primaries and candidate nomination.

On the implications of the Supreme Court’s September 24, 2026 judgment in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, the lecturer said the decision reinforced the distinction between an individual’s eligibility to contest an election and a political party’s eligibility to sponsor candidates.

He explained that Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 required political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC at least 21 days before their primaries, congresses or conventions.

He added that Section 77(5) restricted participation in party primaries to members whose names appeared in the submitted register, while Section 77(7) provided that a party which failed to submit its register within the stipulated period would not be eligible to field candidates for the election.

Adelana said: ‘The consequence of non-compliance under Section 77(7) is directed at the political party’s eligibility to field candidates, rather than the personal disqualification of every individual member.’

Similarly, Obanigba said INEC did not have unrestricted powers to invalidate the nomination of a candidate duly nominated by a political party except in circumstances expressly provided for by law.

He said Sections 77(5), (6) and (7) of the Electoral Act 2026, as affirmed by the Supreme Court in *INEC v. Zenith Labour Party*, made compliance with membership-register requirements a condition for participation in party primaries.

He noted: ‘It follows that a person whose name is absent from the register cannot validly emerge as the party’s candidate.’

The legal practitioner said political parties that failed to submit their membership registers within the prescribed period were also ineligible to field candidates for the election, adding that INEC was obligated to enforce the provisions.

He distinguished this from allegations of irregularities in the conduct of party primaries, arguing that INEC could not independently invalidate a candidate’s nomination on that ground.

‘In this circumstance, it is my view that INEC cannot, on its own, invalidate a candidate’s nomination on account of alleged irregularities in the conduct of party primaries. Such a determination is a matter for a court of competent jurisdiction,’ he said.

Obanigba identified the appearance of Adebutu’s name in the PDP membership register submitted to INEC within the statutory timeframe as the critical issue in the controversy.

He also raised questions about the possibility of the former governorship candidate seeking judicial redress, noting that Section 285(9) of the Constitution prescribed 14 days for instituting pre-election matters.

‘Whether he can still seek judicial redress will depend on when the cause of action arose, the nature of the relief sought and the applicability of Section 285(14) of the Constitution,’ he said.

Also contributing, Amure said INEC’s constitutional and statutory responsibilities to regulate, monitor and administer elections did not translate into unlimited powers to disqualify candidates nominated by political parties.

He said: ‘A distinction must be drawn between INEC’s power to enforce statutory requirements for participation in an election and the power to disqualify an individual candidate who has been duly nominated by a political party. They are not necessarily the same thing.’

Amure explained that Section 29 of the Electoral Act 2026 required political parties to submit the names of candidates who emerged from valid primaries, together with affidavits confirming that they satisfied the constitutional requirements for the offices they sought.

He said the Adebutu controversy reportedly arose from allegations that his name was missing from the PDP membership register submitted to INEC, while the former governorship candidate maintained that he had registered digitally, obtained his membership card and had his documentation submitted to the Commission within the prescribed period.

The lawyer identified two critical questions requiring clarification: whether the PDP submitted its membership register within the period prescribed by Section 77(4), and whether the absence of Adebutu’s name from a register submitted within the stipulated period automatically disqualified him from contesting the election.

He said Section 77(7) specifically addressed a political party’s failure to submit its membership register, while Section 77(5) dealt with eligibility to participate in party primaries.

Amure said: ‘The Supreme Court’s decision upheld these statutory provisions, but that does not necessarily mean that every allegation concerning an individual’s membership automatically establishes the legal basis for excluding that individual from the final list.’

Another legal practitioner and rights activist, Chief Niyi Aborisade, also averred that it is only the court that has the prerogative of disqualifying candidates nominated by political parties based on certain grounds.

He however said the issue had stirred controversy over time due to certain recent court decisions on matters concerning the current Electoral Act.

‘The power to disqualify a candidate rests with the court, but INEC has put measure in place which, on the face of it, gives the commission power not to register a candidate.

‘The matter has been a subject of court decision recently. Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act 2026 empowers the INEC that any candidate whose names are not in the registers of the parties submitted to INEC within the stipulated time will not be allowed to contest the 2027 elections. (The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC v Labour Party SC/495/2026)

‘The Supreme Court of Nigeria has upheld these sections of the Electoral Act in a judgment of 24.09.2026,’ Aborisade stated.

He noted that the conditions under which the INEC resorts to disqualifying a candidate is if the name of the candidate in the party register submitted to the INEC within the stipulated time.

‘There are other factors in the Act as well which empower the INEC not to register the candidate. However, as in all cases, the absolute power rests with the court to interpret the provisions of the Electoral Act in line with the FEDERAL CONSTITUTION OF NIGERIA. The Supreme Court has ruled in favour of the Electoral Act and INEC.’

On the possible options opened to candidates affected by the INEC disqualification, Aborisade said it is curious the way and manner the commission had gone about his case.

He said the INEC needs to offer more explanation on its action, stressing the Nigerian Constitution remains the grund norm of the land.

Why INEC can disqualify candidates -Sani

On his part, a chieftain of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Anthony Z Sani, said INEC has the power to disqualify a candidate, since it has an unambiguous threshold for eligibility.

According to Sani, ‘INEC has minimum requirements or qualifications for those who aspire to elected positions. It is, therefore unthinking of anybody to imagine INEC has no power to disqualify those who do not meet the minimum requirements spelt out in the constitution and the electoral act as amended.’

He emphasised that the commission could disqualify a candidate where it is established he failed to meet the basic requirements under the electoral law. ‘There is the minimum level of education, which aspirants must present for nominations by their political parties.

‘Anything short of what is spelt out in the Constitution and the Electoral Act would naturally attract disqualifications by the INEC,’ Sani stated.

‘The second requirements are due processes of party primary, which political parties must apply for nominations of candidates.

‘Anything short of due processes spelt out by the constitution and electoral act would naturally attract disqualifications by INEC.’

He noted that under the law, including the Electoral Act in a multiparty democracy, ‘The good news is that multiparty democracy is governed by rule of law. Anybody who feels aggrieved is at liberty to approach the court for redress.’

INEC reconfirms voter register manipulation, vows sanctions against officials

Meanwhile, INEC has reconfirmed suspected manipulation of its voter registration system by some officials, following the discovery of more than 1.5 million questionable registration records, warning that those found culpable will face severe sanctions.

The commission’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr Lawrence Bayode, disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he revealed that some registration officials allegedly exploited their access to the commission’s registration platform to introduce irregularities into the national voter database.

Bayode, who described the discoveries as disturbing and embarrassing to the commission, said the alleged manipulation was not limited to isolated locations but had been identified across several states.

He explained that the commission deployed its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), which uses fingerprint and facial recognition technology, to examine the 11,088,238 registrations recorded during the 2026 Continuous Voter Registration exercise.

According to him, the system flagged 1,545,052 records for various irregularities, including suspected multiple registrations and other discrepancies requiring further investigation.

He said that although a substantial number of the flagged records had already been removed, 268,000 remained for human verification before the commission could determine their authenticity.

Explaining why the commission did not automatically exclude all the flagged records, Bayode said the system was designed to identify suspicious entries, while human adjudication was necessary to establish whether they were genuinely fraudulent.

He said: ‘Any suspect has to be adjudicated to a human come and confirm what the ABIS has reported.’

The ICT director disclosed that some of the questionable registrations were allegedly facilitated by officials who exploited a special registration provision designed for persons with disabilities who had incomplete fingers or no fingers.

He explained that the provision allowed eligible individuals without complete fingerprints to register through an alternative process, but some officials allegedly abused the facility to create fictitious voter profiles.

According to him, the officials allegedly used their access credentials to create such profiles, exploiting the system’s provision for special registration to introduce questionable records into the database.

Bayode also disclosed that the commission discovered instances of identical photographs appearing against different voter profiles, as well as photographs allegedly sourced from calendars and picture frames and used to deceive its web-based registration platform.

He, however, distinguished between legitimate photographs enhanced with artificial intelligence applications and suspicious images used to create fictitious identities.

He explained that some genuine registrants might have used AI applications on their mobile phones to improve the quality of their photographs, insisting that such cases should not automatically be treated as fraudulent registrations.

The director said: ‘Some of the profiles have similar photo for different profiles with one photo. And you cannot find seven, eight people who are from the same family.’

Describing the alleged manipulation as extensive, he said some officials had identified loopholes in the registration system but rather than report them for correction, allegedly exploited them.

Bayode, who expressed disappointment over the development, said: ‘They saw the loophole and they leveraged on the system.’

He further disclosed that the commission had withdrawn access from the officials under investigation, adding that digital records and one-time password (OTP) authentication could help establish those responsible for the questionable registrations.

According to him, the registration system sends an OTP to an official’s registered email address or telephone number before access is granted, making it difficult for officials to claim that their credentials were used without their knowledge.

‘If anybody is using your login details to do anything, it means that you are conniving with that person,’ he said.

Bayode, however, said he was taking time to establish sufficient evidence before submitting his investigative report to the commission, stressing that he did not want innocent officials implicated without conclusive proof.

He assured that the commission would review the evidence and follow due process, expressing confidence that officials found culpable would face severe consequences.

He said: ‘This is an embarrassment. … Maybe the punishment now will be so huge than what they experienced in 2020.’

On the implications of the questionable registrations for the 2027 general election, the ICT director warned that fictitious voter profiles could potentially be exploited to manipulate elections if the irregularities were not identified and removed before the final register was certified.

Using a hypothetical polling unit with 800 registered voters, including 400 fictitious profiles, he explained that the production of Permanent Voter Cards for such entries could create an opportunity for electoral manipulation.

He, however, maintained that the commission’s Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) had biometric safeguards capable of preventing individuals whose fingerprints were not captured from successfully participating in the voting process.

On concerns about the credibility of the preliminary register, Bayode explained that its release was necessary to allow Nigerians to participate in identifying questionable entries through the claims and objections process.

He said the commission had to balance the time required to complete biometric screening with the statutory timelines for publishing the preliminary register, adding that the document released was not the final register for the 2027 elections.

He maintained that the commission was working to complete the verification and cleaning exercise before December 15, when the final register is expected to be certified.

The ICT director also expressed openness to independent scrutiny of the voter database, saying the commission could engage a third party to examine the records if it considered such an exercise necessary.

He added that interested parties could request Certified True Copies of relevant records to examine the commission’s findings and corrective measures.

On public confidence in the electoral umpire, particularly following controversies surrounding the 2023 general election, Bayode acknowledged that the latest revelations had further complicated INEC’s efforts to rebuild public trust.

He said: ‘We are trying to build the trust, whether you like it or not, the trust is on the ground zero.’

He expressed regret that the alleged actions of some officials could undermine the commission’s efforts to restore confidence in the electoral process, insisting that INEC had learnt lessons from previous elections and continued to improve its technological systems, including BVAS and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

Bayode assured Nigerians that the commission remained committed to conducting a credible 2027 general election, stressing that the integrity of the voter register was fundamental to the credibility of the entire electoral process.

Former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye has challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to a Quranic recitation contest following the President’s recent pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

Melaye announced the challenge on Monday in a post on his X handle, saying he would be willing to compete with Tinubu in Quranic citations when he returns from the lesser Hajj, known as Umrah.

He wrote, ‘Now that Alhaji Bola Tinubu is in Umrah. Immediately he comes back, I challenge him to a Quranic citation competition with me. No one can mock God. SDM.’

The challenge followed Tinubu’s account of his spiritual experience in Saudi Arabia, where he said he prayed for wisdom and resilience to continue leading the country and believed his request had been granted.

The President made the remarks on Monday after performing Umrah and receiving permission to enter the Holy Kaaba in Makkah, where he offered prayers for Nigeria and its people.

Tinubu said his prayers focused on national unity and prosperity, noting that Nigeria’s diverse population and different religious groups needed to coexist for the country to achieve its potential.

He also described his emergence as President and Commander-in-Chief as a special privilege from Almighty Allah, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to lead the country.

‘I feel fulfilled and grateful to Almighty Allah for giving us the opportunity, the health and the day that went very well.

‘The prayer is for Allah, Subhana wa Ta’ala, to comfort our diversity. Nigeria is full of diverse people. It’s made up of all the faiths. May Allah comfort our diversity to prosperity for the entire country. That’s the prayer.

‘Well, I ask for wisdom and resilience to continue to serve the people. I know that has been granted.

‘Prior to the 2023 election, I did the same thing. I asked Allah to bless my Umra then. He did, and I promised that I’ll come back to thank Him. Almighty Allah. There’s no other God but Him. He is the giver and the taker.

‘He owns the power. He says, use it well. If you don’t use it in accordance with my dictates, I can take it from you and give it to another person.

‘I am the only God who has that authority. So, I have faith in that, and I believe extremely well that He has done me and my country a great favour.

‘Out of millions of people, to be the president and commander-in-chief is a favour from God Almighty.

‘My commitment is higher, determined to bring prosperity and to develop the country consistent with the wish of Allah and the support of the people. It is important to put Allah first, then move on.

‘Follow your conscience. Follow the right path that will lead Nigeria to that greatness. The foundation is solid.

‘The economy has come out of the dark tunnel. It’s inspiring. We need to build a future for our youth.

‘If we don’t invest in their future, in 50 years from now, how do we want to be remembered as leaders? That’s the main thing. I’m not looking for anything else.

‘I want to say a big thank you for the faith and for the recognition. I can’t believe the fencing of the Kaaba was in green, white, green. Thank them for the hospitality and recognition given to me as a leader of the delegation and, you know, at the country.

‘We are all facing challenges and hostility around us. We will overcome it with faith in God Almighty. I’m grateful forever.

‘I thank the King and the Royal Crown Prince. It is their honour that I enjoyed, and it was gracious of them to have allowed me to enter inside the Kaaba. It is history.’