Politics

Many Shut Out As INEC Ends Voters’ Registration

Published

4 years ago

August 1, 2022

Nigerians waiting at one of the INEC centres

Despite spirited efforts, many Nigerians were unable to register for Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) as the exercise ended yesterday.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had ruled out the possibility of extending the exercise, saying it needs time to scrutinise the voters’ register to clean up possible incidents of double registration, print permanent voters’ cards (PVC), among others.

Some state governments had declared work-free days to enable residents to complete their voter registration exercise before the July 31 deadline.

However, our correspondents, who visited different registration areas yesterday, reported that many centres were crowded with many waiting in queue as of 6:00pm.

In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), one of our correspondents, who monitored the exercise in Bwari, Dutse and some parts of Kubwa as well as Garki Area 10 in the city centre, reported that several people were unable to register as of 4pm yesterday.

Mr Martins Abah, a teacher in one of the secondary schools in Bwari, said if the electoral body stood by its July 31 deadline, many willing residents would not be able to exercise their civic right.

He appealed for the extension of the exercise.

Another resident in Kubwa, Mohammed Isah, said he came to the registration centre around 10am thinking many people might have gone to church but to his surprise, there were close to 300 people in queue when he arrived.

“I have been here since then, this is 2:17pm now and not more than 20 people have been attended to,” he said.

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But a man, who said he was attended to at Area 10 in Garki, blamed Nigerians for their rush hours attitude, adding that even if they extend the exercise, many will still complain.

Traditional rulers in the FCT had, at the weekend, pleaded for the extension of the exercise, claiming that many rural dwellers in the territory had not been captured.

Kaduna

Usman Suleiman, a resident of Kinkinau, Kaduna lamented that he couldn’t find a registration centre in the whole of Sabon Gari ward, which made him to give up.

Zayyana Surajo, a fairly-used cloth dealer at Sabon Garin Tudun Wada in Kaduna South local government area, said he was not happy that the exercise ended without him getting registered.

Muhammad Shehu Bakura, another resident, said: “I went to two centres at LEA Tudun Wada and Kaduna Polytechnic on Friday but nobody was there to attend to us.”

Khadija Shehu Kakura said the crowd at some of the centres visited discouraged her from registering.

Kano

In Kano, many prospective registrants were still in the queue as of the time our reporter visited one of the registration centres at Tarauni Local Government Area of the state.

Many of those spoken to, however, expressed doubt that they would be able to register before the close of the registration.

At the Tarauni Local Government INEC office, Daily Trust observed that hundreds of people were still in the queue in anticipation to get registered.

It was the same situation at other registration centres in Kano metropolitan areas.

Prospective registrants said based on the pace of the exercise, it was practically impossible to register more than 10% of those still in the queue before sunset.

Speaking shortly after his registration, Abdulrahman Bala Kawu, said he was able to register after six hours of waiting in the queue.

Amina Ibrahim, who was still waiting to register, said she had spent three days in a row without success.

A group of young women, who spoke to our reporter, complained that the process they went through was tedious.

“This is the fifth day we have been here, spending the whole day. We have gone to different registration centres. In some places, security men even beat us and shot teargas at us. We spent N500 everyday each for transport to come here. Honestly, we have really suffered and we still may end up not getting registered,” one of them said.

Lagos

Visit to some centres in Lagos revealed that party chieftains hijacked the process as they colluded with some INEC staff to manipulate the process.

At Oluwole centre in Ogba, Ikeja local government area, it was gathered that party chieftains gave out numbers to people.

A prospective registrant, Oreoluwa Phillip, who visited the centre on Friday, said she left in annoyance owing to the manipulation.

“I got there as early as 6:32am but I was given number 107 while some people who just arrived got number 5. We learnt that party members have taken the number 1-100, so we were left with numbers from 101. Sadly, there is only one computer and the process was slow,” she said.

Daily Trust gathered that some of the approved centres in Lagos were not open to the public yesterday.

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When our correspondent visited one of the centres on Agu-Are street, Ijanikin, INEC staff were not on ground.

Hundreds of people, who stormed the place with the hope to beat the deadline, were disappointed and went back home disappointed.

One of the residents, who identified himself as Emeka said: “No INEC staff was on ground to attend to people. Ago-Are is among centres approved by INEC for PVC registration.”

Imo

In Owerri Municipal Council, many prospective registrants forgo their church services as they thronged registration centres as early as 5am.

Ngozi Nweke, a resident, said she had been visiting the centre since last Monday, but had not been able to get registered.

In Nwangele local government area, a staff of INEC, who spoke anonymously, blamed the slow pace of the exercise on network failure.

He said, “Another problem is that most people who are here don’t have any business being here. They would’ve done theirs online, especially those who want to change registration points or areas.”

Residents of Port Harcourt in Rivers State also expressed concern over their inability to register for PVC.

A Port Harcourt resident, Chuks Nwama, told our reporter that all efforts to obtain the voters’ card were unsuccessful.

“Since last week, I have been making efforts to obtain the card but it was very difficult. On Monday and Tuesday, I left my house about 5.00am to the INEC office located at Aba Road. I was there from 5.am to 5.00pm, I couldn’t get registered,” he said.

Another resident, Pastor Emmanuel Chukwu, said he could not stand the pressure of standing in a long queue to obtain the card.

A public affairs analyst, Toyin Ajayi, reminded Nigerians that INEC has to work with its scheduled time table for proper planning, adding that frequent extension of such exercise might interrupt the arrangement.

He advised INEC to assess their schedule time table and take appropriate decisions regarding the requested extension by some Nigerians in the overall interest of the country.

Related Topics:Featured INEC voters’ registration

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Politics

Kachikwu Celebrates Court Victory, Says ADC Hijack Plot Failed

Published

4 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu

Kachikwu Celebrates Court Victory, Says ADC Hijack Plot Failed

Former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu, has hailed the Federal High Court judgment nullifying recent congresses and conventions conducted by a faction allegedly aligned with former Senate President David Mark, describing the exercise as “kangaroo congresses and conventions.”

Kachikwu made the remarks while reacting to a judgment delivered by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which reportedly invalidated the disputed congresses and convention conducted by the rival faction within the party.

In a statement issued shortly after the ruling, Kachikwu described the judgment as a major setback for individuals he accused of attempting to illegally take control of the ADC structure ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“Today, a Federal High Court in Maitama nullified the kangaroo congresses and convention conducted by the David Mark-led group,” Kachikwu said.

According to him, Justice Abdulmalik held that the group lacked the legal standing to organise the congresses and convention in the first place.

“In her judgement, which could be classified as a stinging rebuke, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that even though this group didn’t have any locus, they proceeded to conduct, in her own words, ‘kangaroo congresses and convention,’ which she proceeded to nullify,” he stated.

Kachikwu further explained that the court recognised the state chairmen of the party, who constitute the National Executive Committee (NEC), as the legitimate body empowered to organise congresses and national conventions for the party.

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“She also held that, with the lacuna within the leadership of the ADC, the state chairmen of the party who make up the NEC of the party are the rightful body to conduct a national convention and congresses at the different levels and that INEC should recognise them as such,” he added.

The ADC chieftain said he had repeatedly warned against attempts by external political actors to seize control of the party structure for personal political interests.

“I had long warned that the ADC is not for sale and that these political buccaneers would be shown the way out through the same back door they came in from,” he declared.

Kachikwu maintained that the court ruling had now exposed what he described as a failed attempt to hijack the opposition party.

“With this judgment, it has become clear that these desperados who attempted to hijack our party have failed woefully. We are aware that they are shopping for other parties to destroy and wish them bon voyage,” he said.

The internal crisis within the ADC has intensified in recent months amid growing political realignments and coalition talks ahead of the 2027 elections.

Several opposition politicians and political blocs have reportedly explored alliances with smaller parties, including the ADC, as part of broader efforts to reposition ahead of the next electoral cycle.

Although former Senate President David Mark has not publicly responded to the latest allegations or the court ruling, the judgment is expected to deepen the leadership dispute within the party.

Kachikwu also used the opportunity to reassure party supporters that the ADC remains stable and will participate fully in future elections.

“To our party faithful, I urge you to remain vigilant. The battle is not over till it is over,” he stated.

“The ADC will be on next year’s ballot, and any Nigerian who genuinely desires to salvage Nigeria should see the ADC as a ready home. We shall overcome.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to issue an official statement regarding the implications of the court ruling on the party’s leadership structure.

Political observers say the development could significantly influence ongoing opposition coalition discussions and internal power struggles within smaller political parties ahead of 2027.

Kachikwu Celebrates Court Victory, Says ADC Hijack Plot Failed

Politics

BREAKING: Court Bars INEC from Recognising Mark-Led ADC Congresses

Published

7 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Trends Admin

BREAKING: Court Bars INEC from Recognising Mark-Led ADC Congresses

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or participating in any state congresses organised by committees set up by the caretaker leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Delivering the ruling on Wednesday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that the authority to conduct state congresses lies solely with the party’s state executive structures, not the national leadership.

The court affirmed that the existing State Working Committees and State Executive Committees of the ADC remain validly constituted, noting that their four-year tenure is still in force. According to the court, these structures can only be dissolved or replaced through properly conducted congresses followed by a duly convened national convention.

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Justice Abdulmalik further ruled that the caretaker or interim National Working Committee led by David Mark lacks the legal authority to constitute committees for the purpose of conducting state congresses. She stressed that neither the Nigerian Constitution nor the ADC’s internal constitution confers such powers on an interim leadership.

The ruling followed a suit instituted by Don Norman Obinna, Johnny Tovie Derek, Obah C. Ehigiator, Hon. Olona Yinka, Dr. Charles Idowu Omideji, Samuel Pam Gyang, and Obianyo Patrick, who approached the court on behalf of themselves and other state party leaders nationwide.

The plaintiffs argued that the actions of the Mark-led caretaker committee were ultra vires, particularly in appointing congress committees. They contended that any congress conducted under such arrangements would contravene the party’s constitution and undermine internal democracy.

Named as defendants in the suit were the ADC, David Mark, Patricia Akwashiki, Bolaji Abdullahi, Rauf Aregbesola, Oserheimen Osunbor, and INEC, all cited for their roles in the caretaker arrangement.

The plaintiffs also challenged the planned April 2026 state congresses, insisting that allowing the caretaker leadership to oversee the process would erode due process and weaken internal party governance.

With the court’s decision, INEC is now barred from recognising any outcome arising from congresses conducted by committees linked to the ADC caretaker leadership.

BREAKING: Court Bars INEC from Recognising Mark-Led ADC Congresses

Politics

“Hamzat Is Scared of Primaries” — Lagos APC Aspirant Rejects Consensus Plan

Published

11 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat

“Hamzat Is Scared of Primaries” — Lagos APC Aspirant Rejects Consensus Plan

Tension is rising within the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 governorship election, as aspirant Samuel Ajose has openly rejected moves to adopt a consensus candidate, insisting the party must conduct a full primary election.

Ajose accused Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, of avoiding an open contest by backing consensus arrangements instead of allowing party members to decide through primaries.

He made the remarks during an appearance on Politics Today on Tuesday, where he strongly criticised what he described as attempts to sideline other aspirants in the race.

Ajose argued that the idea of consensus is being misapplied within the party, stressing that true consensus requires the agreement of all aspirants who have already purchased nomination forms.

“We understand what consensus means. Consensus says that every aspirant who has picked the party nomination form must consent to it. We don’t know why Hamzat is scared of going into the primaries,” he said.

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He maintained that any credible aspirant should be willing to face delegates in a competitive primary, insisting that internal democracy remains the foundation of the APC’s strength in Lagos.

“If you are big, you have the popularity, the networks and the grassroots support, then let’s go into the primaries. Why is everybody scared of the primaries? Everybody must go into the primaries; that is what the constitution says,” he added.

Ajose also criticised reported endorsements allegedly backing Hamzat’s emergence as a consensus candidate. He described the move by the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as a “kangaroo endorsement,” arguing that it excluded other aspirants and lacked transparency.

He claimed that no inclusive meeting was held involving all governorship aspirants before the reported endorsement, insisting that the process undermines internal democracy within the party.

Beyond party politics, Ajose suggested that public dissatisfaction with governance in Lagos could influence the outcome of the 2027 election, arguing that voters are increasingly demanding change.

The controversy follows reports that the Governance Advisory Council, widely regarded as the highest decision-making body of the Lagos APC, had endorsed Hamzat as the party’s preferred consensus candidate during a meeting at Lagos House, Marina.

The reported decision has continued to generate debate within the party, with some stakeholders backing consensus to avoid internal division, while others insist that a primary election remains the most democratic option.

As preparations for 2027 intensify, the Lagos APC is expected to take a final position on whether it will proceed with a consensus arrangement or open its governorship ticket to a full contest among all aspirants.