Politics
February 3 Rerun Elections: NSA Vows To Provide Adequate Security
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, says security agencies are putting measures in place to provide a secure environment for the nationwide February 3 by/rerun elections.
Mr Ribadu, represented by the Director of Internal Security in the Office of the NSA, Hassan Abdullahi, stated this at the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting on the elections in Abuja, yesterday.
He said the security agencies were also working on measures that would uphold the integrity of the electoral process.
“The president and Commander- In- Chief of the Armed Forces, as always, posited that the ability of security agencies to maintain law and order, protect lives, property and ensure the safety of voters, electoral officials and candidates is fundamental to the integrity of the electoral process.
“Therefore, in future elections, particularly the forthcoming by-elections and rerun elections, we must prevent and manage election-related violence, intimidation and other security threats so as to uphold the credibility of the process,” Mr Ribadu said.
He assured that the office of the NSA, security agencies and INEC would collaborate to ensure a peaceful and secure environment during the elections.
Mr Ribadu added that the Office of the NSA was also coordinating security agencies in the strategic management of post-electoral conflicts to hold the legitimacy of the outcomes of the votes.
He said that in addition to proactive communication plans, measures were also in place for transparent handling of security-related issues in shaping public confidence and perception in ICCES and agencies involved.
The NSA said that learning from the last off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi States, the office of the NSA believed that strategic planning for post-election security remained crucial in maintaining law and order.
He said such was also crucial in preventing post-election violence and addressing any security challenge that might arise following the announcement of results.
On his part, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said the police, as a lead agency in election management, would provide security alongside other security agencies for the elections.
Mr Egbetokun said the police were aware of the challenges associated with conducting isolated elections.
“I want to assure Nigerians that we are on top of the situation. We have conducted threat analysis in all 26 states where elections will take place, and we are going to deploy according to the assessments”, Mr Egbetokun said.
He added, “We are also going to deploy adequately and massively for this election, just like we did in the last elections in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi.”
The Commission disclosed the figure in its weekly update for week 14 of the second phase of the exercise, which ended on Friday, April 17, 2026.
According to the breakdown, 2,259,288 Nigerians completed their registration through the online pre-registration portal, while 1,489,416 finalized their registration physically at designated centres nationwide.
INEC noted that the figures remain preliminary and are subject to further verification and data cleaning processes to ensure accuracy ahead of the consolidation of the national voter register.
With the conclusion of the registration phase, the Commission has now shifted focus to the display of the Register of Voters for Claims and Objections, a statutory stage aimed at strengthening the credibility and integrity of the voters register.
The display exercise is scheduled to hold from April 29 to May 5, 2026, across designated centres nationwide, providing citizens the opportunity to verify their details and raise objections where necessary.
The Commission urged all registered voters from the concluded phase to take advantage of the exercise to confirm the accuracy of their information and assist in identifying ineligible entries, including duplicate registrations, deceased persons, and non-citizens.
INEC explained that the Continuous Voter Registration exercise is being conducted in phases, with the first phase running from August 18 to December 10, 2025, while the second phase commenced on January 5, 2026 and ended on April 17, 2026.
The Commission further stated that the date for the commencement of the third phase will be announced in due course.
Reaffirming its commitment to credible elections, INEC stressed that maintaining a clean and accurate voter register remains central to ensuring free, fair, and transparent electoral processes in Nigeria.
The Executive Director of IPC, Mr Lanre Arogundade, informed the journalists that the dialogue was sponsored by the European Union, under the auspices of the EU-Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN II), Component 4: Support to Media.
According to the veteran media practitioner, the programme is aimed at strengthening the capacity of the media to promote credible elections through factual, accurate and fair reporting.
He explained that the programme is part of a broader five-year intervention designed to support democratic governance and improve the role of the media in Nigeria’s electoral process, stressing that fact-checking and inclusive reporting are critical responsibilities for journalists, especially during electioneering.
He described the media as a central role agent with regard to upholding transparency and accountability in the democratic process.
A resource person and Director of Journalism Clinic, Lagos, Mr Taiwo Obe, enjoined journalists to embrace the evolving technology so that they would not be in the backwaters in the practice of the profession.
He advised journalists not to downplay Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their bid to remain relevant in the media environment by being abreast of the changing patterns of news consumption.
The journalism teacher explained that with digital transformation of the media industry, it had become imperative for journalists to constantly upgrade and update their skills, stressing the fundamental place of attitude and self-development and underscored the dynamic nature of media consumption in the digital age, thereby compelling journalists to embrace tools and platforms, but without much reliance on AI.
In his lecture, a Professor of Mass Communication at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Adebola Aderibigbe, advised journalists in Ekiti State to ensure that coverage of the upcoming governorship poll is issue-based rather than dwelling on personalities.
He added that sensationalism should not occupy the front-burner of any discussions concerning the 2026 election, admonishing that sustenance of democracy is anchored on responsible journalism.
”Journalists must prioritise accuracy, fairness and balance in their reports by verifying facts and giving all parties involved in political matters the opportunity to present their views”, he said.
According to the university don, the election will not be defined by personalities, but by issues. ”Let issues be the pivotal ring upon which every discussion should be made. Sensationalisation of issues should not be the bedrock of discussions in the 2026 election”, he added.
“Do not hear from Party A without hearing from Party B, otherwise the report will be skewed to one side and once issues of elections are skewed, problems will naturally arise”, he stressed.
-
Maritime4 days agoCustoms Deploys Seven Patrol Vessels, Boost Waterway Anti-smuggling
-
Sports4 days agoFinancial Issues Stall Chelle’s Eagles Contract Talks
-
Sports4 days agoNFF mourns ex-Eagles striker Eneramo
-
Sports4 days agoEuropean Giants Circle For Osimhen
-
Sports4 days ago
Four Private Clubs Gain Promotion To NPFL
-
Sports4 days agoW/Cup Qualifier: Flamingos In Impressive Opener
-
Sports4 days agoTennis Event Boosts Grassroots Development Push
-
Sports4 days agoChelle Confirms Financial Issues in Eagles Contract Discussion