News
INEC To Extend Deadline For Voters Registration
Barring any changes, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may anytime from now announced an extension in the on going registration of voters.
Chairman of the commission, Prof Attahiru Jega who made the disclosure when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters said the possibility of extending the time frame for the ongoing voters registration exercise would be announced next week.
“If it is absolutely necessary for us to extend the time, we will not hesitate to do so. But we have to do an assessment on whether such extension should be nationwide, or only in the areas where the exercise is starting late.”
He noted the progress so far made on the hitches-ridden exercise, and efforts to address the challenges, however, agreeing that as much as 2,273 polling units were yet to get the Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines as at yesterday.
According to him, there have been significant improvement in the speed of per capita registration in the last few days, as according to him, adjustments had been made to the fingerprints scanners, which he said were initially set at a high sensitive aperture, specifically meant for forensic analysis in criminal investigation, and was slowing the process down due to multiple rejections, but that such was not necessary for voters registration.
“Over eighty per cent of the machines in the field have already been reached and they are being re-configured and that is why in the last two days many are saying there is a remarkable improvement in the registration,” Jega stated.
He disclosed that out of the 132,000 DDCs ordered by the commission through three firms; Messrs Zinox Technologies Ltd, Haier Electrical Appliances Corp Ltd (a Chinese company) and Avante International Technology (an American firm), only 115,000 were delivered as last Monday, but quickly pointed out that the only defaulting firm (Avante) was expected to deliver 5,000 units last night, and the balance of 11,000 units today.
Zinox was contracted to supply 80,000 units of the DDCs, while Haier was offered to supply 30,000 units, and Avante 22,000. Jega explained that some polling units could not get the DDCs because while Messrs Zinox Technologies Ltd and Haier Electrical Appliances Corp. Ltd, delivered on promise, Avante delivered only 5,500 units as at last Saturday when the exercise commenced.
While enumerating the various hitches faced by the exercise, Jega admitted that the ad-hoc staff did not get the requisite training as there were no enough funds to provide the comprehensive training required for the exercise.
“We wish we had more money for more days of training including hands on the machines. I know when I say more money every Nigerian now laugh because people say that we have already being given too much money, but frankly we could have done with more time of training because the more people are trained, then the better,” he said.
He insisted that any would be voter who has obtained a voter’s card without fingerprints being captured risked disenfranchisement, and advising that such persons to bear the inconveniencies of repeating the process, he warned all offenders by way of multiple registration and all other related offences would be prosecuted.
“One of the major challenges we have on the field is that our officers when confronted with long queues took decisions to register without finger prints and that is wrong. We have devised guidelines now and have informed all our officials on the field, whoever has been registered has to go back and re-register again and all the ten fingers must be registered.
“It’s unfortunate that they have done this and are causing additional inconveniences to the people but what is worth doing is worth doing well. The reason for capturing ten fingers is to make it near impossible for double registration, only the possibility of one duplication in five million voters. So we have to go back to that otherwise the moment we register people without fingerprint, it creates additional problem of checking double registration.
“People have also discovered that there is no way they can do multiple registration on one machine, they now go to another polling unit to register but we have mechanism in place to check double registration at the state level. We do it local government by local government across the state. Whoever does double registration will be caught, we will remove it and we will have evidence to prosecute them subsequently because even if you do registration with different names it will still be your photograph.
“We are using this opportunity to also warn Nigerians because we have information from some states that some politicians are using vehicles to move people from place to place to do double registration. The security agencies are already helping us to apprehend these people and we will prosecute them because clearly, it is electoral offence that they have committed,” Jega said.
Earlier in his remarks, Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Musa Sarki explained that the invitation of Jega was necessitated by the several concerns expressed by Nigerians on the technical hitches experienced from the takeoff point of the exercise.
Adar said Nigerians were greatly disappointed owing to the huge expectation on INEC, saying that the committee wanted to know the possibility of registering all eligible Nigerians within the two weeks stipulated by the commission.
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
-
News2 days ago
Tinubu, Govs Forum Congratulate Okpebholo On S’Court Victory …As Obaseki Expresses Disappointment
-
Politics2 days ago
Lagos LG Polls: Police Restrict Movement, Tightens Security
-
Rivers2 days ago
VALVA Restates Commitment Education Advancement, Literacy In Nigeria
-
Politics2 days ago
Obey Order On AA In Six Days, Court Directs INEC, Yakubu
-
Niger Delta2 days ago
Cancer Risk: HYPREP, IARC Launch Human Biometric Study in Ogoniland
-
Sports2 days ago
Coach Eager To Transform El Kanemi Warriors
-
News2 days ago
Presidency Faults US Visa Restrictions On Nigerians, Demands Fair Treatment
-
Politics2 days ago
PDP Still Formidable Ahead 2027 – Nat’l Youth Leader