News
Amupitan resumes next week ahead of Anambra poll
- /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Prof-Joash-Amupitan.jpeg&description=Amupitan resumes next week ahead of Anambra poll', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Prof-Joash-Amupitan.jpeg&description=Amupitan resumes next week ahead of Anambra poll', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
The new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, is expected to officially assume office next week, ahead of the November 8 Anambra State governorship election.
Multiple officials at INEC informed The PUNCH that Amupitan would formally take over the reins of the commission after his swearing-in by President Bola Tinubu, a ceremony traditionally conducted at the Federal Executive Council meeting, expected to be held next week.
“Prof. Amupitan will assume office on the day he is sworn in by the President.
“The tradition is that he gets sworn in before a Federal Executive Council meeting, and he would be escorted by INEC National Commissioners to resume office immediately,” a senior official involved in the transition process said.
An INEC Director confirmed that while the exact date remains uncertain, the swearing-in is imminent.
“He will assume his position after his inauguration,” the official said.
Activity within the commission also suggested that preparations are underway for Amupitan’s arrival.
An insider revealed, “I heard some of his ‘personal staff’ have been showing up at the commission, hoping he will be sworn in during the FEC meeting.”
Another insider added, “I learnt that he may likely assume office next week.”
When contacted by our correspondent, the Director Voter Education and Publicity Victoria Eta-Messi said, “We are expecting him but there is no information on when he will officially assume office.”
Amupitan, a 58-year-old Professor of Law at the University of Jos and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was confirmed as INEC Chairman by the Senate last Thursday after a voice vote led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The don’s confirmation followed a rigorous screening process during which he responded to a range of questions posed by lawmakers.
President Tinubu had earlier nominated Amupitan, widely regarded for his expertise in constitutional and international law, to replace Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who recently concluded his tenure.
In the interim, National Commissioner May Agbamuche-Mbu, who has been serving as the Acting INEC Chairman, recently chaired various stakeholder meetings at thecommission’s headquarters.
Meanwhile, INEC has reaffirmed its commitment and preparedness to conduct a free, fair, and credible governorship election in Anambra State on November 8, 2025.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, gave the assurance in Awka on Tuesday during a forum with journalists and on-air personalities ahead of the poll.
Olumekun said the commission had been implementing a comprehensive operational plan covering logistics, technology, training, stakeholder engagement, and security coordination.
“Permit me to assure you that INEC is fully prepared for the upcoming Anambra governorship election. The level of readiness is both practical and measurable. All non-sensitive materials have been delivered to the state, while sensitive materials will arrive in due course under strict security arrangements,” he said.
The INEC official disclosed that Permanent Voter Cards from the recently concluded Continuous Voter Registration exercise in Anambra were ready for collection from Wednesday, October 22 to Sunday, October 26, 2025.
He urged voters who registered during the exercise to visit their respective wards to collect their cards ahead of the election.
Olumekun noted that INEC officials were in Anambra for a week-long readiness assessment, including meetings with security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, transport unions, and other stakeholders.
He cautioned against the spread of fake news and misinformation, which he described as one of the biggest threats to electoral integrity.
“False stories and manipulated videos can create unnecessary tension and erode public trust. Let truth remain your only compass. Verify before amplifying,” he told journalists.
Olumekun also emphasised that accreditation for journalists covering the election would not be extended beyond the approved window, noting that the list of accredited reporters would be shared with the Resident Electoral Commissioner and security agencies to ensure proper coordination and safety during collation.
In her remarks, the Anambra State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Elizabeth Awgu, assured that all logistics had been finalised to guarantee the timely distribution of materials across the state, including riverine areas.
“Materials will leave the CBN state headquarters on Thursday afternoon. If that happens, there will be no late arrival of materials. We are very much prepared for this election,” she said.
Awgu added that polling would commence at 8:30 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m., assuring voters that anyone on the queue within the timeframe would be allowed to cast their ballot.
Also present at the forum were the HOD, ICT/VR, Emeka Nnaji; HOD, Legal, Mrs. Olachi Nwuko; and HOD, Electoral Operations, Ejikeme Ejimofor, who all restated INEC’s commitment to a transparent exercise.
“Together with the media, we are determined to make the 2025 Anambra governorship election a milestone in Nigeria’s democratic journey — peaceful, transparent, and credible,” Olumekun concluded.
By Gloria Ikibah
A member of the House of Representatives, Rep. Kolawole Akinlayo, has urged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to strictly apply the provisions of the Electoral Act in resolving the controversy surrounding the party’s primary election for Ekiti North Federal Constituency II.
Akinlayo, who represents Moba/Ilejemeje/Ido Osi Federal Constituency in the House, made the appeal while speaking with journalists in Abuja on Sunday, following a petition he submitted to the APC National Chairman and the party’s National Assembly Appeal Committee over the outcome of the primary election held on 16 May.
The lawmaker argued that compliance with Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, as well as the APC Constitution, is essential to safeguarding the credibility of the party’s internal democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He maintained that the rule of law should take precedence over political considerations, warning that any departure from the Electoral Act could weaken confidence in the party’s candidate selection process and expose the APC to avoidable legal disputes.
Akinlayo also challenged the eligibility of the aspirant declared winner of the primary, Kunle Ibrahim, contending that he did not meet the legal requirements to contest the election.
According to the lawmaker, Ibrahim was still serving as a Special Assistant in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation at the time the primary was conducted and remained on the government payroll until May 2026.
He insisted that the party should carefully review the facts surrounding the matter and ensure that its final decision is consistent with both the Electoral Act and its own constitution to protect the integrity of the nomination process.
Akinlayo argued that Ibrahim’s participation violated Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which provides that:
“A political appointee at any level shall not be a voting delegate or be voted for during party conventions, congresses or primaries of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.”
Citing the Supreme Court’s decision in Tukur v. Mustapha (2023), the federal lawmaker contended that political appointees seeking elective office must first resign their appointments before participating in party primaries.
“The purported winner is not qualified to participate in the primary election by virtue of Section 88(1) and his participation, in the eyes of the law, is a nullity ab initio,” he argued.
Beyond the issue of eligibility, Akinlayo alleged that the primary election was marred by widespread irregularities in several wards across the constituency.
Akinlayo further alleged that the primary election was marred by widespread irregularities, including the absence of voter accreditation in some polling areas, inflated vote figures in others, voter suppression and disruption of the exercise in locations where he claimed to enjoy significant support.
He also accused certain local government and party officials of compromising the integrity of the process by serving as returning officers despite having vested interests in the outcome of the election.
Citing the alleged violations, the lawmaker called on the APC leadership to apply the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act by disqualifying Kunle Ibrahim from the contest on the grounds of ineligibility and recognising him as the lawful winner, having emerged second in the primary.
As an alternative, he urged the party’s National Assembly Appeal Committee to cancel the results from the affected wards and order a fresh primary election restricted to aspirants who meet the legal requirements.
The dispute has emerged as one of the earliest major internal challenges facing the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the party expected to conclude its appeal process before forwarding the names of its candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The controversy has also renewed attention on Section 88 of the Electoral Act, 2026, which reflects provisions contained in the Electoral Act, 2022 concerning the participation of political appointees in party primaries. The issue has repeatedly come before the courts, with the Supreme Court affirming in Tukur v. Mustapha that political appointees must resign their appointments before contesting or participating in party primaries as either aspirants or delegates.
The decision of the APC’s appeal panel is expected to determine who eventually flies the party’s flag in the 2027 House of Representatives election for Ekiti North Federal Constituency II.
A helicopter crash in Saudi Arabia killed 14 Saudi citizens on Sunday, the kingdom’s official press agency reported, adding that the aircraft belonged to state oil giant Aramco.
The Saudi Press Agency, citing an official at the energy ministry, reported the helicopter crashed in Ras Tanura in the country’s east.
“The accident claimed the lives of all 14 passengers, all Saudi citizens,” the agency said, adding that an investigation was under way to determine the cause of the crash.
Aramco says it operates more than 60 aircraft, including helicopters serving more than 300 heliports in Saudi Arabia, making it one of the largest corporate fleets in the region.
The deadly accident comes as oil-rich Gulf nations seek to ramp up their output following Iranian attacks and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the export of oil and gas.
The Gulf monarchy did not indicate the incident was in any way connected to a hostile attack.
During the Middle East war, Iranian attacks had targeted energy facilities in the Gulf.
Ras Tanura is home to one of the largest refineries in the Middle East, with a capacity of 550,000 barrels per day, and is critical to Saudi Arabia’s energy sector.
The refinery has been targeted several times, notably during an Iranian drone attack at the beginning of the conflict, which caused a fire and forced a partial shutdown.
Riyadh said in April that the weeks-long attacks had disrupted several production operations at key facilities, with refineries in Ras Tanura as well as Jubail, Yanbu and Riyadh targeted.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading crude exporter, produces a little over 10 million bpd.
AFP
An Improvised Explosive Device, IED, planted by alleged bandits along the Kurawa–Sabon Birni road in Sokoto State on Sunday hit a vehicle, killing one person and injuring many passengers.
The incident raised fresh concerns over the growing use of explosive devices by criminal groups operating in parts of the North-West.
The vehicle was said to be conveying passengers from surrounding communities to Sabon Birni when it ran over the explosive device, triggering a blast that severely damaged the vehicle and left several occupants injured.
A security analyst based in the area, Bashir Guyawa, disclosed the incident in a post on his Facebook page.
Guyawa described the incident as another reminder of the persistent security challenges confronting communities along the border axis.
He said the vehicle was on a routine passenger trip when the explosion occurred.
“The vehicle was conveying passengers early this morning on their way to Sabon Birni when the unfortunate incident happened,” he wrote.
Ekiti APC Primary: Lawmaker Urges Party to Enforce Electoral Act Over Candidate’s Eligibility
The Three-Month Sprint (3): How in 91 Days We Produced Three Frameworks That Entered the Global Knowledge Ecosystem
2026 World Cup: Portugal coach, Martinez considers dropping Ronaldo against Croatia
-
News16 hours agoNDLEA operatives pin down N12.3bn Loud at Lagos port (Photos)
-
News24 hours agoLagos Begins Unique ID Registration For Public, Private School Students
-
Foreign24 hours agoVenezuela’s earthquake death toll hits 1,430, ‘worst in 123 years’
-
News16 hours agoFinally, Oyo Govt Lifts Curfew In 10 LGAs
-
News24 hours ago‘My Wife Sent Love Messages To Her Lover, Threatened Me With Knife For Dating Two Of My Church Members’
-
Sports16 hours agoSee fixtures as nine African nations make FIFA World Cup knockout stage
-
News16 hours agoLady attempts Guinness Record with 144-Hour Bible reading in Port Harcourt
-
Politics16 hours agoAtiku to TInubu on NDC: Buhari, Jonathan never deregistered opposition parties