Politics
FCT: INEC Assures On Credible Poll
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is committed to conduct credible area councils election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by February 12, 2022, with appropriate technology deployment and its innovative tools.
The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, stated this while speaking at the ongoing INEC FCT Election Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC) Amber Zone Implementer’s workshop, on Monday in Abuja.
Oyekanmi said that the technology deployment and its innovative tools would be on election monitoring and support systems.
He said that the EMSC and the commission’s newly-introduced Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) remain critical factors in ensuring success in upcoming election in the six area councils of the FCT.
He said that while the BVAS was introduced to improve on the credibility of elections in the country, EMSC helps the commission to identify and mitigate potential risk in the conduct of an election in the country.
He listed the commission’s election monitoring components to include Election Management System (EMS), Electoral Risk Management (ERM) and Election Operations Support Centre (EOSC).
“EMSC has become a vital tool in the monitoring, implementation and management of Nigeria’s electoral plans and activities.
“The EMSC makes available to the commission the necessary information in making real-time interventions to avert or mitigate potential risks or threats to an election,” Oyekanmi said.
In his presentation, titled “Communication Strategy”, Oyekanmi said communication was critical to the operations of the EMSC, hence the need for an appropriate strategy that strings together the personnel involved in the operational structure of the EMSC.
“The EMSC Communication Strategy aims at enhancing effective dissemination of information in a timely manner.”
He also re-emphasised INEC’s commitment to addressing some of the glitches noticed with BIVAS during the Anambra governorship election before the FCT poll.
The Project Coordinator, European Centre for Election Support (ECES), Mr Hamza Fassi-Fihr, in his remarks, described the workshop as an important step towards the conduct of transparent and credible area council election in the nation’s capital city.
Fassi-Fihr said that the FCT election was critical, as the first election to follow the Anambra governorship election where the BVAS was deployed on an extensive scale, after the Isoko by-election, in Delta State.
“We know that the system worked overall well despite the glitches and technical issues it has suffered, be it related to the software or to the handling of the device by the ad hoc staff or the voters.
“In this context, therefore, the FCT Area council election will be an important step forward for the Commission as it will have the opportunity to prove on the functionality of the BVAS, enhancing its acceptability among the stakeholders and at a very strategic moment which will be one year before general election,” Fassi-Fihr said.
The project coordinator said it was the expectation of the centre that the conduct of the FCT area councils election would set the standard for future elections, especially election monitoring.
“Monitoring the level of readiness of the commission across the various electoral operations and the pace of implementation through the EMSC is important to the successful conduct of the election.
“The EMSC helps the commission have a real time view on the electoral process and continually adjust to evolving context on the ground.
“This workshop is therefore of utmost importance as it will allow sharing the information on what has been done so far, where you stand and what needs to be done.
“I am sure that the EMSC tool will once again play its role as it did in the 2019 general election, and other off cycle governorship elections,” Fassi-Fihr said.
He predicted that before the next election cycle, Abia’s political landscape would witness broken alliances, surprising mergers, and new contenders emerging from within established networks.
Prophet Arogun concluded with a broader appeal to Nigeria’s political leaders, emphasizing the need for justice, peace, and integrity in public governance.
“Nigeria is the assignment. Only righteousness will stabilize this nation. Only fairness will preserve the mandate. Let those who have ears hear”, he said softly.
Senator Makarfi’s resignation comes on the heels of the national convention that saw the emergence of the new Chairman of PDP, Dr Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN).
In his letter of resignation, which was addressed to the PDP BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, and made available to journalists in Kaduna on Monday evening, the former governor said, “Chairman and Members of the Board of Trustees may recall that about two months ago I had resigned as Secretary of the Board and posted same on the Board’s WhatsApp platform.
“Mr Chairman, you may also recall that you personally urged me to stay on until after a convention that produced a Chairman.”
He added that the principal reason he initially tendered his resignation then “and now, was and is still my belief that the National Chairman of the Party and Secretary of the Board of Trustees should not come from the same geopolitical zone.
“Now that a chairman has emerged from the North West, where I come from, it’s necessary to give him full space to do the needful. Accordingly, I hereby formally resign as Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party with effect from today, November 17th, 2025.”
While commending the BoT Chairman for his support during his tenure as Secretary of the Board, he stressed, “I truly appreciate the very respectful relationship between us during my period as Secretary,” adding that, “I also appreciate all Board members for their support and the good relationship that prevailed during my period as Secretary.”
Meanwhile, Dr Turaki on Monday pledged to ensure that power returns to the Nigerian people, urging the judiciary to uphold the tenets of democracy.
Dr Turaki, while giving his acceptance speech after the swearing-in of new officers at the end of the Elective Convention of the PDP in Ibadan, assured that there will be “no more impunity, no more suppression of the will of Nigerians”.
The chairman appealed to the judiciary to uphold the principles of stare decision, abiding by the decisions of the Supreme Court, and not to “willingly or unwillingly put yourselves in a situation where, rightly or wrongly, it may be assumed, correctly or incorrectly, that you are part and parcel of the process to truncate Nigerian democracy.”
According to him, the new leadership of the party would be open to listening to the yearnings of members, with a view to aligning with their will, declaring that “No more monkey dey work, baboon dey chop,” adding that “if baboon wants to chop, baboon must be seated to work.”
He noted that the PDP has maintained its original name, motto and logo, unlike the other parties that started with it, making it a recognised brand anywhere in Nigeria.
