Politics
INEC Assures On Free, Fair By-Elections In Lagos
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State yesterday met with various security agencies to ensure successful Lagos East Senatorial and Kosofe Constituency II by-elections on October 31.
INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Sam Olumekun, at meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), said that the commission was ready to conduct free, fair and credible elections without lowering the bar.
Olumekun commended security agencies’ contributions to the success of the 2019 General Elections, saying their demonstration of high sense of responsibility and professionalism led to the success of the elections.
“Security is key to the conduct of any election. There is the need for strong collaboration between the immigration and customs department to deal with the problem of alien voters, we cannot pretend that they are not among us.
“The police have the lead role over and above other agencies in the electoral security. The Air Force and the Navy are to assist INEC in accessing difficult terrains for logistics deployment if necessary.
“INEC is to make available the list of harmonised polling units and their locations for operational planning by the police and other security agencies.
“ The police should make available in advance manpower posting to polling units for the information of INEC.
“You will have observed that our performance has progressively been getting better and we cannot afford to lower the bar,” the INEC boss.
Olumekun, the co-Chairman of ICCES, said that security agencies were to arrange joint training for officers, and there was the need for preemptive raids in hot spots, to discourage tendencies of violence.
He said that the by-election became necessary as a result of the demise of the Senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District and the member, representing Kosofe State Constituency II, Lagos State House of Assembly.
Olumekun, who intimated the security agencies with the details of INEC preparations for them to key into by setting up a robust security architecture, said that INEC was prepared for a hitch-free exercise.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As amended) and the Electoral Act provide the process of election for the circumstance of a general election and when vacancies occur into elective positions.
“Consequently, the Commissioner of Police and gentlemen officers, we are here today because we are faced with another important assignment of conducting by-election into Lagos East Senatorial District and Kosofe II State Constituency.
“The commission is committed to conducting a free and fair election in accordance with our vision and mission, hence we plead for your total support to fight such malpractice as violence, vote buying, ballot snatching and the likes,” he said.
The INEC boss said that the commission had issued regulations and guidelines for the conduct of elections under the COVID-19 pandemic period which should be strictly observed by all.
According to him, the Revised Code of Conduct and Rule of Engagement for security personnel must be followed while other officials will swear to the relevant oaths of office.
In his remarks, CP Hakeen Odumosu of Lagos State, who doubles as the co-Chairman of ICCES, assured that the security agencies would do everything possible to secure both electoral officers and materials.
Odumosu, who promised massive deployment by security agencies, said that all regulations, guidelines and rules of engagement for security officers for elections would be followed to the letter.
The Tide source reports that the meeting, held at Police Command Headquarters in Lagos, had representatives of various security outfits including the Police, the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in attendance.
Others at the meeting were representatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Department of State Security (DSS), the Nigerian Correctional Service, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The Senate yesterday received the 2026-2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper from President Bola Tinubu, marking the formal launch of the 2026 federal budget cycle.
In a letter addressed to the upper chamber, Tinubu said the submission complies with statutory requirements and sets out the fiscal parameters that will guide the preparation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
He explained that the MTEF/FSP outlines the macroeconomic assumptions, revenue projections, and spending priorities that will shape Nigeria’s fiscal direction over the next three years.
The letter was read during plenary by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), who urged lawmakers to expedite consideration of the document.
“It is with pleasure that I forward the 2026 to 2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for the kind consideration and approval of the Senate.
“The 2026 to 2028 MTEF and FSP were approved during the Federal Executive Council meeting of December 3, 2025, and the 2026 budget of the Federal Government will be prepared based on the parameters and fiscal assumptions therein,” the President stated.
Last week, the Federal Executive Council approved the fiscal projections, pegging the oil benchmark price at $64.85 per barrel and adopting a budget exchange rate of ?1,512/$1 for 2026—figures expected to significantly shape revenue forecasts and expenditure planning.
After reading the President’s letter, Jibrin referred the document to the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), with a directive to submit its report by Wednesday, December 17.
The Senate adjourned shortly after to allow committees to commence scrutiny of the fiscal framework and continue the ongoing screening of ambassadorial nominees.
Tinubu’s communication to the Senate came less than 24 hours after he transmitted the same MTEF/FSP documents to the leadership of the House of Representatives.
The letter was read on the House floor by the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who also urged timely legislative action as required by law.
The MTEF and FSP are statutory instruments mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act and serve as the blueprint for Nigeria’s annual budgets.
They outline the government’s fiscal stance, macroeconomic assumptions, revenue frameworks, projected deficits, and sectoral priorities over a three-year period.
The Tide reports that approval by the National Assembly is a prerequisite for the executive to present the Appropriation Bill for the next fiscal year.
In a statement on Saturday, the former Senate Leader stated that the allocation of nominees across states and geopolitical zones falls short of the constitutional requirement for fair representation in the composition of the Federal Government.
The ex-Senate Whip warned that allowing the list to pass could deepen ethnic suspicion at a time when the administration should be consolidating national unity.
He highlighted disparities in the spread of nominees, noting that while some states have three or four slots, others have none. He also cited the inclusion of Senator Adamu Garba Talba from Yobe, who reportedly died in July.
“The entire North-East states have seven nominees in the list. Further checks revealed that the South-West geo-political zone has 15 nominees, while North-West and South-East have 13 and 9, respectively.
“North-Central region has 10 nominees in the list of career and non-career ambassadorial nominee while South-South parades 12 nominees,” Senator Ndume said.
According to him, such imbalances could heighten tensions and undermine Section 14(3) of the Constitution.
“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list. At this critical juncture in his administration, he should avoid missteps that could undermine national unity and foster ethnic distrust.
“I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who is at home with every segment and stakeholder in the country. He should withdraw that list and present a fresh set of nominees that will align with the spirit of the Constitution on the Federal Character Principle,” Senator Ndume added.
He accused the legislators of undermining the sanctity of the legislature and acting as instruments of destabilization.
“The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have, by their actions since they assumed office, shown that they are political puppets and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress,” Comrade Ememobong stated, adding that “They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature.”
“So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC,” he said.
Comrade Ememobong announced that the party would deploy constitutional provisions to reclaim its mandate from those who have “ignobly and surreptitiously” abandoned the platform on which they were elected.
“Consequently, the PDP will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) to recover the mandate gained under the banner of our party which these people have now switched to another platform,” he said.
He urged party members in Rivers State to remain calm and steadfast.
“We urge all party members in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity,” Comrade Ememobong assured.
