Politics
INEC Inaugurates Committee For Review Of Strategic Plan
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has inaugurated a committee for the review of its current strategic plan and projections for future elections.
The INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu who inaugurated the Committee in Abuja, yesterday, said INEC believed that it could not approach election management on ad hoc basis, without deliberate plans.
“This plan will form the basis set for the full formulation of the election project plan for the 2023 general election.
“ It will also help the commission to identify all events, programmes and actions that needed to be implemented before the 2023 general election.
“It will also help us to track the off season governorship elections taking place between 2021 and 2023 to ensure that these elections are also properly implemented.
“As you are aware, there are three of such elections. The first one for which we have already issued, released the timetable and schedule of activities is the Anambra governorship election taking place in November,” Yakubu said.
He added:”Next year, we have two off season governorship elections, in Ekiti State and Osun state.
“Both the strategic plan and the election project plan will enable the commission to monitor all the processes through our election management system platforms.
“So, this is a very important exercise for the commission to undertake.”
He said that the inaugurated committee was the third of its kind in the history of INEC since the beginning of the era of deliberate planning for elections.
“The commission believes that we cannot approach election management on an ad hoc basis, but rather, we must deliberately plan for elections.
“So the commission produced a strategic plan to cover the period of 2012 to 2016. Then we reviewed the plan to cover 2017 to 2021. Now we are reviewing the plan again, to cover 2022 to 2026,” Yakubu said.
The committee was given 10 point terms of reference and 40 days to submit it report.
The 17-member 2017-2021 Strategic Plan and 2022-2026 Strategic Plan Committee, was headed by retired AVM Ahmed Mua’zu, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Committee on Planning, Monitoring and Strategy.
Some members of the committee included National Commissioners, Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu , Dr Adekunle Ogunmola, and two Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) of Lagos and Adamawa States.
Mua’zu represented by Ibeanu thanked INEC for the recognition, assuring that members of the committee would live up to expectations.
Mua’zu said INEC had deliberately formulated its plans to make sure that its activities were properly programmed and sequenced.
“This enables the commission to properly audit its activities and measure the level of success recorded. It will also give the commission an opportunity to plan for the future”, he added.
Politics
Alleged Coup: Protests Rock N’Assembly As Detained Officers’ Children, Wives Demand Justice
Scores of children and wives of military officers detained over an alleged coup plot yesterday staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly, demanding a speedy trial and the release of the accused officials.
The protesters who gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly complex, moved in a slow procession while clutching placards with inscriptions such as “Don’t Kill Our Daddies,” “Detention Without Trial is Injustice,” and “Six Months of Torture: Enough Is Enough.”
Amid tears and trembling voices, the children appealed for justice and access to their detained fathers, many of whom they said they had not seen for months.
The appeal was made during a press briefing in Abuja attended by no fewer than 20 wives and several children of the detained officers, including a two-month-old baby.
The families were accompanied by human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju and activist Omoyele Sowore.
At the briefing, the families lamented that the officers had been held for over 160 days without trial or contact with their relatives, describing the situation as a violation of their fundamental rights.
Speaking on behalf of the families, Memuna Bashiru said the prolonged detention had thrown their households into uncertainty and emotional distress, noting that while allegations had been widely publicised, families remained in the dark about the fate of their loved ones.
The arrest of the indicted officers was first announced on October 4, 2025, by the then Director of Defense Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, who disclosed that 16 officers were taken into custody for alleged breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline.
However, an interim investigation later suggested the existence of a clandestine network of officers, allegedly coordinated by a senior Army officer, which had begun preliminary planning for a coup.
According to the report, the alleged plot involved surveillance of key national assets, including the Presidential Villa, Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks in Abuja, and major international airports, with October 25, 2025, cited as the planned date for the operation.
Those reportedly in custody include Brig Gen M. A. Sadiq, Col M. A. Maaji, Lt Col S. Bappah, Lt Col A. A. Hayatu, Lt Col P. Dangnap, Lt Col M. Almakura, Maj A. J. Ibrahim, Maj M. M. Jiddah, Maj M. A. Usman, Maj D. Yusuf, Capt I. Bello, Capt A. A. Yusuf, Lt S. S. Felix, Lt Cdr D. B. Abdullahi, Sqn Ldr S. B. Adamu and Maj I. Dauda.
The alleged plot, according to findings, targeted senior government officials, including President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
In a statement issued yesterday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, said the exercise would take place in all wards and designated centres nationwide.
He called on existing members to update their records, while encouraging new entrants to join the party through the digital platform.
“As the electronic membership registration exercise resumes in all wards and designated locations nationwide, we urge existing members to validate their membership while new members are encouraged to register and join the progressive family,” Mr Morka said.
According to him, eligibility for registration is limited to individuals aged 18 and above who possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN).
The party said the initiative is part of efforts to modernise its operations by transitioning to a digital database that would enhance record accuracy and accessibility.
Mr Morka noted that the e-registration would “digitise the party’s membership register, ensure the integrity of records, and enhance efficient access to membership data for planning and management decisions.”
He added that the move is also aimed at promoting internal democracy within the party and strengthening its commitment to democratic innovation.
The APC had previously introduced electronic registration as part of broader reforms to streamline its membership system and improve organisational efficiency.
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