Politics

Amupitan pledges to uphold electoral integrity INEC

… As he assumes office.

Prof. Joash Amupitan, the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has pledged to uphold integrity, transparency and discipline in the management of Nigeria’s electoral process.

Amupitan made the pledge during his first meeting with directors of the commission in Abuja on Thursday.

He said that the integrity of electoral system was not negotiable.

“As we’ve marked the beginning of a new chapter, I want to assure you of my commitment to holding the highest standard of integrity, transparency and discipline in all our operations.

“I want to give you that assurance and also to let you know that our mandate is very clear as INEC.

“INEC has a constitutional responsibility and a statutory mandate to deliver free, fair and credible elections that reflects the will of Nigerian people,” he said.

Describing his appointment as divine, Amupitan said that he is at INEC for a purpose.

“I am here for a purpose. Maybe if I had a choice, I would have said I would not come here. But from all indications, I can see that God is moving this country and my coming is divine.

“With God saying go, who am I to say no? I am here because I have a role to play to ensure that a new Nigeria is birthed,” he said.

Amupitan, however, said that to achieve that he needs the collaboration and team work of all INEC staff members, leveraging on each other unique skills and expertise to improve on the process.

He noted that the upcoming Anambra governorship election represents an opportunity for INEC to demonstrate its commitment to free, fair and credible elections.

He said that the eyes of Nigerians are upon INEC staff members, adding that it is their duty to rise to that occasion.

“The credibility in our elections is paramount and we must ensure that every voters feel confident that their vote will count. Please, because that is a constitutional task.

“Let’s restore back the confidence of every voter that whenever there is an election, their votes will count so that we can address this issue of voter apathy,” he said.

Amupitan, who was accompanied by his wife, children, Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Tanko Ishaya and officials from the institution, also pledged to prioritise the welfare INEC staff.

“For me, staff welfare is going to be a priority. We will expect a lot from you and because of that, you also deserve to be well equipped and supported to deliver.

“We will work assiduously to ensure that your working conditions are conducive and that you have the necessary resources to excel,” he stated.

Earlier in her remarks, the acting chairman of the commission, May Agbamuche-Mbu, who took over from Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, congratulated Amupitan on his appointment.

Agbamuche-Mbu described Amupitan’s appointment as not only a recognition of his distinguished record as a legal scholar, administrator and patriot, but also a call to national service of the highest order.

She said that Amupitan was assuming office at a most crucial time; when the commission was at the final stage of preparations for the Anambra governorship election.

“The task ahead, no doubt, is enormous. Elections are the lifeblood of democracy and the expectations of Nigerians have always been higher.

“However, you are not walking into an empty field. You are stepping onto the firm and fertile ground laid by your predecessor, Prof. Yakubu under whose leadership the commission recorded landmark innovations;

“From the introduction of technology-driven processes such as the Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal to the strengthening of institutional transparency and voter confidence.

“The foundation has been laid; the path is defined. What lies ahead is the building, the consolidation and the forward march,” she said.

Agbamuche-Mbu reminded Amupitan that the assignment before him was a herculean national service that demanded sacrifice, patience and unflinching dedication.

“I have no doubt that you are equal to the task giving your pedigree” she said.

She pledged the commitment and readiness of the commission’s staff members to work with him.

She also appreciated the commission and Nigerians for the privilege to have served as acting chairman of INEC.(NAN)

Politics

Mass defection hits Zamfara PDP as over 10,000 members defect to APC

Over 2,000 representatives of more than 10,000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, across Zamfara State’s 14 local government areas have defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The defectors were received by a member of the House of Representatives in Birnin Magaji/Kaura Namoda Federal Constituency, Aminu Sani Jaji.

Speaking at his Gusau residence on Sunday, Jaji expressed satisfaction with the mass defection, describing it as a clear indication that the APC would reclaim the state and sweep all elective positions in the 2027 elections.

“I am glad that the defectors have expressed readiness to join and support our great party, the APC, through the doors of my Jajiyya movement. This shows they are satisfied with our ideology of playing politics for the development of the state,” he said.

The lawmaker assured the new members of equal treatment within the party, adding that they would not regret their decision to join the APC.

“I am optimistic that whoever emerges as the APC flag bearer in any position will surely win, from the presidential and gubernatorial elections to other political seats in Zamfara by 2027. There is now only one political party in the state,” he added.

Jaji further highlighted the renewed unity within the Zamfara APC, noting that the divisions that led to the party’s 2019 defeat had been resolved.

“There is perfect unity and mutual understanding among the leaders and members of our great party. We know what led to our failure in 2019, and we have resolved those issues to ensure history does not repeat itself,” he said.

He also described Zamfara as an APC stronghold, recalling that the state played a key role in delivering President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 presidential election.

Politics

Nov. LG elections: Niger Gov Bago flags off APC campaign

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Niger State has flagged off its campaign for the forthcoming local government council elections scheduled for November 1, 2025.

Flagging off the campaign in Minna, the state governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, reiterated the commitment of his administration, at both state and local levels, to improving the lives of citizens.

Bago called on the people of the state to vote massively for APC in all 25 chairmanship and 274 councillorship positions.

While praying for peaceful and successful elections, he charged APC stakeholders and supporters across the state to work diligently to ensure a resounding victory for the party.

The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, who also serves as the Director-General of the APC State Campaign Council for the council elections, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, described the forthcoming polls as a litmus test of the party’s integrity, capacity, and popularity, expressing confidence that all APC candidates would emerge victorious.

The APC National Vice Chairman (North Central), Mu’azu Bawa Rijau, who represented the National Chairman of the party, stated that APC had recorded numerous achievements nationwide, reflecting the party’s change mantra. He therefore urged the electorate to vote for the party in the council elections.

The Niger State APC Chairman, Alhaji Aminu Musa Bobi, affirmed that the party would abide by all laid-down electoral guidelines and accept the outcome of the elections, while encouraging party faithful and the general public to come out en masse to vote for APC candidates.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, urged residents of the state to reciprocate the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Bago by voting for APC candidates to sustain the delivery of democratic dividends.

Politics

I rejected El-Rufai as my successor over immaturity – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed that he rejected a proposal to make former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, his successor in 2007, citing El-Rufai’s lack of maturity at the time.

Obasanjo made the disclosure in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Friday, October 24, during the second edition of the Ajibosin Platform annual symposium, themed “Importance of Leadership in Governance.”

The former president explained that the idea had been put forward by former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, who had recommended El-Rufai as a potential successor. El-Rufai served under Obasanjo’s administration as the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises before being appointed Minister of the Federal Capital Territory from 2003 to 2007.

Recounting the events in a lighthearted exchange with Chidoka during the symposium, Obasanjo said, “He was pushing when I was leaving government that his friend, El-Rufai, should be brought in as my successor.” Turning to Chidoka, who was seated among the panelists, Obasanjo asked, “No be so?” to which the former minister nodded in agreement.

Obasanjo continued, “I did not yield to the pressure. Later, he said, ‘I suggested this person, why didn’t you agree?’ I said El-Rufai needed to mature. When I left government and, many years later, he saw the performances of El-Rufai, he came back to me and said, ‘You’re absolutely correct. El-Rufai needed to mature.’”

While he declined to endorse El-Rufai at the time, Obasanjo said he held respect for both El-Rufai and Chidoka, describing them as individuals with “special attributes” who contributed significantly to his administration’s success.

Speaking on the essence of leadership, Obasanjo stressed that true leadership requires character, exposure, experience, and proper training. “It’s only in politics that I found out there is no training for leadership,” he said. “Even among armed robbers, I was told there is apprenticeship. But it’s only in politics that there is no training in leadership. That’s not good enough.”

In his keynote address, Osita Chidoka argued that Nigeria’s challenges stem largely from what he called “the politics of alibi,” where excuses replace accountability. He said leadership should be measured not by speeches but by systems that ensure efficiency, transparency, and continuity.

“Leadership finds its true measure not in charisma but in the systems it leaves behind. Nigeria’s problem has never been a shortage of ideas; it is the absence of systems strong enough to outlive their authors,” Chidoka said. He urged leaders to move from rhetoric to measurable results through stronger accountability systems and institutional monitoring.

The symposium’s convener, Aare Olanrewaju Bakinson, said the event aimed to deepen the discourse on ethical and effective leadership. “Leadership is not just about power; it’s about responsibility, vision, and service,” he said.

Among those present at the event were Senator Shuaibu Salis (Ogun Central), the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Saka Matemilola, the Olota of Ota, Oba Adeyemi Obalanlege, and former Ogun State First Lady, Mrs. Olufunsho Amosun.