ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Henry Seriake Dickson, has announced that the party has been granted access to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal to upload the names of its qualified candidates for the 2027 general elections.

Dickson made the disclosure on Monday in a statement posted on his X platform, while also revealing that the party had filed an appeal and an application for a stay of execution against a recent court ruling affecting its status.

According to him, the appeal and accompanying application have been served on the INEC Chairman and the commission, urging them to act in accordance with the law.

He maintained that the NDC remains a duly registered political party that has participated in all electoral processes so far and has already concluded its nomination exercises across the country.

“The Nigeria Democratic Congress has come to stay and remains a duly registered party in Nigeria. Nomination processes have already been concluded and, in the eyes of the law, candidates have already emerged from the party for all offices across the country in primaries observed, monitored and recorded by INEC,” he said.

Dickson disclosed that only the administrative process of submitting candidates’ names remained, adding that the party had already been granted access to the INEC portal.

“My name and that of the presidential candidate have been uploaded to the INEC portal, while that of the vice-presidential candidate will be uploaded tomorrow upon completion of the deposition. The process is also ongoing for other candidates,” he stated.

He noted that, in line with the INEC timetable, the party has until July 11 to upload the names of its National Assembly candidates and until July 17 for governorship and State House of Assembly candidates.

“There is enough time for all candidates’ names to be submitted to INEC, and there is no reason for anyone to panic,” he added.

Dickson thanked all aspirants who participated in the party’s primaries, acknowledging that although the exercises were not perfect, they were conducted under challenging circumstances for a newly registered political party with a large number of contestants.

He disclosed that reconciliation efforts had commenced to unite members who were unsuccessful in the primaries, assuring them that they would be accommodated in the party’s campaigns, committees and other structures.

“As National Leader, I congratulate all NDC candidates, members and lovers of democracy. All those who expressed interest will be carried along because they constitute the grassroots strength and backbone of our party,” he said.

The former Bayelsa State governor also stressed the need to safeguard Nigeria’s democratic system, warning against attempts to weaken the country’s multi-party democracy.

“Our multi-party democracy must not die. We will not allow desperados and mercenaries parading as political leaders to destroy our hard-earned democracy,” he declared.

Dickson commended INEC for what he described as its professionalism, particularly in complying with court directives on the registration of the NDC and two other political parties.

He also praised the commission’s decision to oppose moves seeking the deregistration of some opposition parties and its recognition of the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following a court order.

While acknowledging the imperfections of Nigeria’s democratic institutions, Dickson urged political leaders to protect the neutrality of the judiciary, INEC and security agencies.

He expressed confidence that the judiciary would fairly determine the pending appeal, saying, “Having filed and served our appeal and the accompanying applications, the ball is now in the court of the judiciary, and we expect the judiciary to do what is right under the law.”

He ended the statement with a reaffirmation of the party’s commitment to Nigeria’s democracy, declaring, “Long live the NDC. Long live Nigerian democracy.”

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Giant portraits of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s late supreme leader killed in US-Israeli airstrikes, hung from Tehran’s Grand Mosalla on Tuesday as workers raced to prepare for his grand funeral ceremony.

His funeral, initially delayed at the height of the Middle East war, will take place as Iran and the United States uphold a fragile ceasefire after signing a preliminary deal to halt the conflict.

His public funeral will begin on Saturday, with his body lying in state at the colossal complex in central Tehran that hosts major Friday prayers, official ceremonies and religious gatherings.

The bodies of his slain relatives will also be presented.

The ceremonies are expected to draw between 15 and 20 million mourners, according to officials, which would make it the biggest state funeral in the country’s history.

Workers applied fresh paint across the venue, while a heavy police presence could be seen around the site.

Footage aired by state television showed workers welding metal structures as cranes lifted construction material around the complex.

With huge crowds expected, state television has been urging mourners to use public transport to reach the venue and issued public safety messages urging people to stay hydrated with temperatures set to rise during the funeral period.

An AFP journalist saw some lanes on major highways across the capital already closed, adding to Tehran’s notoriously heavy traffic.

State television has also devoted much of its programming in recent days to documentaries on Khamenei’s life.

– ‘Bright future’ –

A separate event for foreign heads of state is scheduled for Friday, according to Ali-Akbar Pourjamshidian, secretary of the funeral ceremony headquarters.

He estimated that representatives from around 30 countries are expected to attend the funeral with people pouring in from neighbouring countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Tehran, as well as the holy cities of Qom and Mashhad, which will host later stages of the funeral and burial ceremonies, will observe public holidays while the events are under way.

Authorities have ordered public and private offices in Tehran to close from Saturday through Monday, while major traffic restrictions will make much of the city centre inaccessible to private vehicles.

The ceremony also comes six months after nationwide protests that began over the rising cost of living before evolving into anti-government demonstrations.

Across Tehran, funeral posters promised Iran a “bright future”, while others displayed the ceremony’s slogan: “We Must Rise”.

Following the ceremonies in Tehran, Khamenei’s body will be taken to the holy Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala before his burial on July 9 at the shrine of Imam Reza in the northeastern city of Mashhad, his birthplace.

But at the main ceremony in Tehran, it remains unknown if Khamenei’s son and successor Mojtaba, who has not been seen in public since his appointment, will be present.

“The issue of the Supreme Leader’s attendance is not within my authority or knowledge,” said Pourjamshidian.

“If there is any programme, it will certainly be announced by the Office of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.”

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Promotion exercise for over 13,000 civil servants in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) will start today.

Chairman of the FCT Civil Service Commission, Engr Emeka Ezeh, who made this known on Wednesday, said the exercise was as approved by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

The promotion exercise, which will commence today, will be on for a period of ten days, with over 13,000 civil servants participating across 150 cadres and grades.

The statement read; “As part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President, the Honourable Minister of FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has approved the promotion exercise for over 13,000 FCT Civil Servants for the year 2025.

“The exercise is expected to commence on July 1, 2026 for a period of ten days.

“The Minister further directed the Commission to ensure that 2026 promotion is also conducted before the end of the year to ensure all eligible officers are given the opportunity to grow in the service. He directed the Commission to work with all relevant agencies of FCTA to ensure a hitchfree exercise such that all isues which arose from the previous exercise do not repeat themselves.”

He assured all candidates that arrangements have been concluded to ensure this year exercise is hitch free, pleading with participants to be patient during the exercise while wishing them the best of luck in the CBT promotion exercise.

Recall that the FCT Civil Service Commission blazed the trail as the first Civil service Commission to conduct its promotion exercise by CBT in 2024 barely six months after inauguration in March 2024.