Nelson Ugwuagbo

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has withdrawn a bill seeking to make voting compulsory for all eligible Nigerians.

The proposed legislation, co-sponsored with Daniel Asama Ago, aimed to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to boost voter turnout and strengthen the country’s democratic processes.

In a statement released on Monday by his media aide, Musa Krishi, the Speaker said the decision followed wide consultations with individuals and groups across the country.

“From the start, the goal was to get more people involved in elections and strengthen democracy by boosting voter turnout,” the statement read.

The bill had passed second reading in the House on Thursday, but it triggered mixed reactions. While some supported it as a means to improve participation in elections, others criticised it as an infringement on personal freedom and questioned its feasibility in a country as diverse as Nigeria.

Citing examples from countries such as Australia, Belgium, and Brazil where compulsory voting has resulted in higher voter participation, Abbas acknowledged that Nigeria must adopt a system that aligns with its unique realities.

“Lawmaking is about serving the people, and any new law must respect personal freedom,” he said.

He added that rather than enforcing mandatory voting, efforts would now shift towards encouraging electoral participation, particularly among youths and first-time voters.

“This withdrawal gives us time to talk more about how to build a culture of voluntary voting that supports our democracy and respects citizens’ rights,” Abbas stated.

Public opposition to the bill had been strong, with many Nigerians urging lawmakers to address underlying issues affecting voter turnout, such as electoral violence, distrust in the system, and poor election-day logistics.

The crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deepened on Sunday as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, announced his withdrawal from all reconciliation efforts within the party.

Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and prominent member of the G5 group, blamed Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde for the ongoing turmoil, accusing him of being the “chief culprit” behind the party’s internal crisis.

In a personally signed statement, Wike alleged that Makinde’s failure to honour agreements reached during previous peace talks was at the heart of the party’s challenges. He also accused other senior party figures, including Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, of betrayal and consistent violation of mutual understandings.

“The Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency Seyi Makinde, is the architect of our problems. Non-adherence to agreements reached is the bane of the party, and he is the chief culprit of this anomaly,” Wike stated.

He traced the root of the crisis to the aftermath of the 2023 general elections and vowed to continue fighting until justice is achieved within the party.

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has directed all commissioners and political appointees in his administration to either join him in defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) or resign from their positions.

The directive was issued during a State Executive Council meeting held on Thursday, confirming ongoing speculation about the governor’s planned defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“It’s no more news that I’m moving party. If you don’t know that by now, I don’t know what else you know,” Governor Eno said.

He made it clear that while appointees are not compelled to follow him to the APC, they cannot remain in his cabinet while belonging to a different political party.

“We want our commissioners, members of the executive council, and appointees to understand this: you are absolutely free not to join me. But you won’t remain in my State Executive Council,” the governor said.

“You better be prepared to resign the day I announce that I’m moving, because your loyalty is to me as an appointee. You can’t be in my cabinet and play anti-party. It’s not a threat — it is what it is.”

Governor Eno, who was elected under the PDP, said he still holds affection for the party but expressed concern over its internal crisis, which he believes could hinder future electoral success.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the establishment of a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) Division within its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun.

According to Olumekun, the creation of the AI Division was approved to harness the benefits of artificial intelligence while mitigating its potential risks to the electoral process.

He explained that the division will enhance the Commission’s ability to coordinate and optimise existing technology investments through centralised AI governance. It is also expected to improve decision-making through data-driven insights, strengthen risk management, and boost voter engagement.

“Furthermore, it will strengthen electoral credibility through predictive analytics, automation, and intelligent safeguards,” Olumekun stated.

He added that the initiative places INEC at the forefront of institutionalising AI within Nigeria’s electoral infrastructure and represents a key step in ongoing administrative reforms.

INEC also revealed that it has participated in several continental conferences focused on the implications of artificial intelligence for elections.

Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has publicly declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, distancing himself from his father’s recent defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Bello, who represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, was present at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Summit in Abuja, where Tinubu was formally adopted as the party’s sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

His endorsement of Tinubu comes just two months after Nasir El-Rufai announced his exit from the APC, citing ideological differences.

The former governor had joined the SDP in March 2025, vowing to help unify the opposition in a bid to defeat the APC at the polls.

The contrasting political stance between father and son has stirred public reactions. Commenting on the development, political commentator and activist Reno Omokri wrote on social media: “If El-Rufai can’t convince his son to leave Tinubu, how will he convince Nigerians?”

The political rift within the El-Rufai family had previously surfaced in 2024, when Bashir El-Rufai, another son of the former governor, criticised President Tinubu and Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani on social media.

Bashir had predicted electoral defeat for both in 2027 and described the ongoing probe into his father over alleged mismanagement of N423 billion as politically driven.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially adopted President Bola Tinubu as its sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

The endorsement was announced on Thursday during the APC National Summit held in Abuja, where the party’s National Assembly Caucus and the Progressive Governors’ Forum declared their unanimous support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, speaking at the summit, confirmed the party’s decision, citing what he described as Tinubu’s commendable performance in office.

Commenting on the development, President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, said the move followed a midterm performance review of the administration, which showed that the President had delivered significantly on his promises.

Bwala, speaking later on Channels Television’s Politics Today, said: “The APC leadership conducted a thorough assessment and agreed that President Tinubu deserves another term based on his achievements so far.”

He added that the initiative reflects a progressive shift in political accountability, noting that the President had earlier introduced performance indicators for ministers and had now subjected himself to similar evaluation.

According to Bwala, the party had been engaging in a broader review of its promises and manifesto to determine whether Tinubu had fulfilled enough of his commitments to warrant a second term.

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has stated that the sit-at-home order enforced by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Nigeria’s South-East region is losing its impact.

Speaking at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Summit held in Abuja on Thursday, Ribadu said security conditions in the region have improved significantly under the current administration.

He noted that several high-ranking members of IPOB and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), have been captured or neutralised, weakening the group’s operations.

“The ‘sit-at-home’ orders are becoming more and more ineffective,” Ribadu said. He also reported a decline in attacks on security personnel across the region.

According to the NSA, over 50 police stations and posts have been reconstructed as normal social and economic activities begin to resume across the South-East.

The summit featured the presentation of a two-year scorecard by the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership.

Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has suspended Wilcox Job, the paramount ruler of the Swali community in Yenagoa Local Government Area, over alleged links to cult activities involving his sons.

The suspension, which took immediate effect, was announced in a joint statement on Wednesday by Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, and Thompson Amule, Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs.

According to the statement, the traditional ruler was suspended for failing to provide the leadership expected of his office in combating crime and cultism, despite credible intelligence linking two of his sons to cult activities in the community.

“The commissioner of police has been directed to declare the two royal sons and all those involved in cultism in Swali wanted,” the statement read.

The commissioners further stated that all individuals connected to cultism in the area will be arrested, investigated, and prosecuted.