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Nigerian lawmakers reject bill requiring president to secure over 50% votes in presidential election

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The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, rejected a bill that sought to make it mandatory for presidential and governorship candidates to secure more than 50 per cent of the total votes cast, to be declared winners.

The bill, sponsored by Awaji-inombek Abiante (PDP, Rivers), aimed to amend the 1999 constitution by removing the simple majority rule for presidential and governorship candidates.

Mr Abiante’s proposal sought to amend sections 134 and 179 of the constitution, which provide the conditions to be elected president and governors, respectively.

In the case of a presidential candidate, they are only deemed elected after securing the “highest number of votes cast at the election; and they have not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the States in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja,” as stated in section 134 of the constitution.

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Similarly, a governorship candidate must secure the highest number of votes cast at the election and have not less than one-quarter of all the votes cast in each of at least two-thirds of all the local government areas in the state.

Mr Abiante’s proposal sought to change the simple majority rule to a majority. In other words, when there are more than two candidates in the race, the winner must secure more than 50 per cent of the total votes cast.

The bill aimed to prevent the scenario that played out during the last presidential election, where Bola Tinubu, the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged as the winner without securing the majority of the total votes cast. He had a simple majority having polled 8.79 million of the total votes.

Over 90 million voters registered to vote in the 2023 presidential election out of which only 88 million collected the Permanent Voters Cards. Of this figure, only 25.2 million voted in the 25 February election.

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Mr Tinubu secured about 37 per cent of the total votes cast in the election, a feat that was enough to meet the constitutional requirements.

No, to bill
However, the lawmakers did not allow Mr Abiante to lead the debate on the bill. When Speaker Abbas Tajudeen put the question for the bill to be considered for a second reading, the “nays” were louder than the “ayes.”

Shocked by the development, the speaker repeated the voice votes again, and the voices of those opposed to the bill were louder.

Consequently, Mr Tajudeen ruled in favour of those who wanted the motion thrown out.

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However, even if the House of Reps passed the bill, it would still require a lengthy process to amend the constitution. It would have, among others, required the support of the Senate and approval by Houses of Assembly in 24 of Nigeria’s 36 states.

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2027: Despite Ex-President Jonathan’s unusual silence, supporters storm PDP convention with posters(Photos)

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Despite Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s unusual silence towards his 2027 presidential aspiration, many Peoples Democratic Party members who support former President Goodluck Jonathan’s political comeback were seen at the party’s current elective convention in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State.

With Bala Mohammed, the governor of Bauchi State, projected as Goodluck Jonathan’s running mate, the supporters were seen raising flags.

According to an online newspaper there has been conjecture on Jonathan’s potential return to run for president in 2027.

Despite the former president’s silence on the subject, his allies attested to his purported preparedness to run in the much awaited election.

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On Friday, posters of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde were seen at the convention site.

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Why I honoured Fayose on his birthday despite his many insults -Obasanjo

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed why he decided to attend the 65th birthday celebration of former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, despite warnings from people who reminded him of past disagreements between them.

Speaking at the event, Obasanjo said many people had called him to discourage him from attending, saying Fayose once insulted him.

“I told them, thank you for reminding me,” he said.

He explained that in Yoruba culture, a bad child is never abandoned to be devoured by a leopard, adding that no matter the past, reconciliation and growth are more important.

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“You are not the best of my political children, you are not,” Obasanjo said, addressing Fayose directly. “But you have made achievements that must not be ignored.”

Obasanjo added that even the process of inviting him had shown humility. According to him, Fayose did not approach him directly but sent Osita Chidoka, whom he also described as a political son.

“When Osita came to me and said ‘Ayo,’ I asked, ‘Ayo who?’ He said Ayo Fayose. I told him Fayose can come to me anytime,” Obasanjo said. “Everybody should learn a lesson from that.”

He concluded by confirming that Fayose had sought forgiveness over past issues.

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“You have asked for forgiveness, and you are forgiven,” Obasanjo declared.

The reconciliation is striking considering past public exchanges between the two politicians.

In 2018, Fayose described Obasanjo (and President Buhari) as “expired,” saying they no longer represented a modern Nigeria. He also accused Obasanjo of not being a true democrat, claiming he used security agencies to intimidate opponents. In another controversial jab, Fayose said it was a “shame” that Obasanjo had failed to honour the late MKO Abiola on June 12, suggesting it reflected ego rather than respect for democracy.

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Wanted drug kingpin arrested as NDLEA recovers large drug shipment, forex in Lagos hideout(Photos)

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. Seizes over 14,440kg skunk in Osun forest, Lagos, Edo, Kwara, Taraba, Nasarawa raids

A wanted drug baron who operates under the cover of a businessman and hotelier, Frank Chijioke Ibemesi, alias Chisco Bee, has been arrested by operatives of a Special Operations Unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after weeks of intelligence and surveillance on his criminal activities.

The 42-year-old Ibemesi who is the MD/CEO of Franc CJ Ibemesi Nig Ltd was arrested at his Daisy Garden Hotel, 66-68 Agbeke street, Ago palace way, Isolo Lagos in the early hours of Saturday 15th November 2025 after which he was taken to his warehouse at 7 Pius Ezeobi street off Ago place way, Isolo where 42 jumbo bags and four cartoons of Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 1,762.8 kilograms were recovered. Also seized from him at the point of his arrest include: $11,600 US dollars; ⁠2,000 British Pounds; 2,200 Euros and 50 Canadian dollars, all in cash.

Attempt by a drug syndicate operating at Orita-Apeje, Araromi-Okeodo forest reserve, Ife South LGA, Osun state to load and distribute across the country large quantities of processed skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing a total of 11,135 kilograms were thwarted on Tuesday 11th November by NDLEA operatives after days of surveillance in the forest. Two trucks being used to transport the illicit consignments: a Volvo truck marked WWR 29 XA and a Mercedes truck with registration number AWK 713 YZ were seized and seven suspects arrested. Those in custody in connection with the seizure are: Lucky Abiodun; Julius Amos; Victor Ngbikili; Sunday Oduegwu; Ibrahim Akanni; Eze Godstime; and Fred Ifeanyichukwu.

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A total of 1,902.1 kilograms of skunk were recovered in parts of Edo state. While 184.1kg was recovered along a bush path at Oza/Igbanke road, Igbanke, in Orhionmwon LGA on Thursday 13th November, 672kg was evacuated from Utese forest, Ovia North East LGA on Friday 14th Nov, with 494kg recovered from a Mercedes Benz car marked DE311BEN along Benin-Akure road where a suspect Felix Edah, 45, was arrested same day, just as Lucky Abagha, 51, was nabbed in another Mercedes Benz car marked JJJ 56 JW conveying 552kg.

While four suspects: Micheal Okoh; Offor Agada; Raphael Nkemjika and Nwabueze Franklin were arrested with 68kg skunk and 3.150kg methamphetamine along Ijebu-Ode expressway in Ogun state, Danjuma Tukura, 50, was nabbed with 172kg skunk at Sunkani area of Ardo Kola LGA, Taraba state on Friday 14th November and Wisdom Titus, 24, with 84kg of same substance at Takum area of the state.

In Adamawa state, NDLEA operatives on Friday 14th November recovered 396,000 capsules of tramadol from a suspect Ahmed Isyaku Nda, 50, at Aliyu Mustapha International Airport Yola, while 785kg of skunk was evacuated from the warehouse of a drug dealer currently at large at Asob Maraba Karu, Nasarawa state.

Two suspects: Jamiu Kunle Kardoso and Oriyomi Waliu were on Friday 14th November arrested with 130 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 65.150kg in Surulere area of Lagos, just as Taofeek Moraina was nabbed same day with 282 blocks of Ghana Loud with a gross weight of 141kg at Otto, Oyingbo area of Lagos.

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In Kwara state, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 13th November intercepted a truck marked T- 0262KT along Ilorin – Jebba expressway conveying 197 blocks of skunk weighing 78.565kg and 155 cartons of rubber solutions. The truck driver Umar Yakubu was taken into custody. In another operation, a commercial bus with registration number KJA- 657CY was intercepted at Eiyenkonrin, Ilorin on Wednesday 12th November with 20 blocks of skunk concealed in a 50-litre jerry can recovered and the driver Ibrahim Bello arrested.

In like manner, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA sensitization lecture to students and staff of Government Day Secondary School, Birnin Ruwa Gusau, Zamfara; Holy Ghost Secondary School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi; Government Science Technical School, Ringim, Jigawa; City Girls Secondary School, Enugu; Randle Junior Secondary School, Surulere, Lagos; and Anglican Girls Grammar School, Obalende, Ijebu Ode, Ogun state, among others.

While commending the officers and men of the SOU, Osun, Lagos, Edo, Ogun, Taraba, Adamawa, Nasarawa, and Kwara Commands for the arrests, and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.

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