Inclusive participation in the electoral process is essential for measuring the quality of elections. An inclusive electoral process is an indicator of a country’s democratic development. Election management bodies must ensure the principles of inclusion and representation are guaranteed in their operations. If youth participation must be enhanced, then youth engagement must be seen to...

The Independent National Electoral Commission says the growing number of political parties may pose challenges for the commission in the 2019 general elections. The Chief Technical Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Bolade Eyinla, said this in Abuja on Monday at a retreat organised by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru. While...

The Senate recently passed the Electoral Act No. 6 2010 (Amendment) Bill 2017 into law. The passage of this Bill in the Senate is a bold, innovative and common sense step on Electoral Reforms designed to guarantee free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria. Without much ado, these are some of the highlights of the...

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is considering heading to the Supreme Court for determination of its powers to fix the date for general elections, following fears that the National Assembly would change the order of general elections. Changing the order of elections could force the electoral body to head to the Supreme Court for...

One major slur on elections and indeed the democratic process in Nigeria is the practice of vote buying. It has become a recurring decimal in the nation’s elections, to the chagrin of right-thinking Nigerians and the international community. And not even the shadowy and powerful forces behind the uncouth practice can predict just how devastating...

Senate President Bukola Saraki has announced a six-man committee of senators to harmonise the Senate’s version of the amended Electoral Act with that passed by the House of Representatives. The Senate’s conference committee has the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Suleiman Nazif, as Chairman. Other members of the...

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will be temporarily suspended in the second week of December to allow for the conduct of the general election starting on February 19, 2019. In a statement issued wednesday by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC),...

Delay in the passage of the Electoral Act prevented the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from including the budget of 2019 elections in the 2018 appropriation, Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the commission has said. Mr. Yakubu said until legislative process is completed on the bill, the commission will be unable to estimate effectively the...

As the 2019 general elections draw nearer and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) timetable of activities for the election already released, lawyers have called for strict implementation of the electoral offences laws with particular emphasis on the role of the judiciary and law enforcement agencies. Even as the laws prohibiting all forms of electoral...

Nigerians have again been assured that only their votes will determine the outcome of the 2019 General Elections and future polls. Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu gave the assurance at the 15th edition of the Daily Trust Dialogue, with the theme: “Nigeria and the challenges of 2019,” held in...