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Petitions trail UI VC selection committee
Some members of the University of Ibadan academic community have expressed displeasure over the election of members of the community to join the Joint Council Senate Committee of the institution in the selection of its new vice-chancellor.
There are 18 contestants for the position of vice-chancellor of the premier university.
The Joint Senate Council Committee of the university had elected two members of the council committee to join other top authorities of the institution in selecting a new vice-chancellor.
But some members of the community have faulted the method used in the election of the two members.
A petition signed by Prof. Ademola Dasylva of the Department of English of the institution, stated that the whole exercise and outcome of the activities of the committee was “a far cry from credible”.
He noted that the platform for e-voting by the committee to select a new vice-chancellor for the institution was allegedly compromised and manipulated.
“There were two windows associated with the platform, one was meant to display the cumulative votes for each candidate. The other was to display the actual votes that accrued to each of the contestants.
“At the beginning of the exercise, a request was made for the open display of the voting process for close public viewing to ensure transparency; unfortunately, this was not done.
“Instead, the tellers were given a link through which they could check vote counts.
“What was accessible through the link was the first window, which displayed the cumulative votes, denying the tellers access to the second window which should display the actual votes accruing to each of the contestants,” he said in the petition.
Other petitions, directed to the council chairman of the institution, cited various alleged irregularities in the process of appointing a new vice-chancellor for the university.
The petitioners stated that the result of the September 21 election of the two members by the committee was not free and fair.
They requested the council committee to set up an investigation to look into the electoral process.
“I am also constrained to request that the entire election and the results released be nullified.
“Let there be a repeat election to be organised by an external body and monitored by the Joint Council Senate Committee”, one of the petitioners said, pleading anonymity.
Also, pleading anonymity, another petitioner said, “The list (and details) of eligible members of the senate member who had been accredited to vote in the election was not displayed (hard copy or electronically) before the election to enable confirmation of details and validation of those eligible to participate in the election”.
He said that the distribution of the votes in the final result released did not follow the distribution expected of “free and fair” elections.
“There are confirmed reports of conference voting in some offices on campus.
“This violates the most important principle of e-voting which is the enablement of individual voting from individual personal computers.
“The question begging for an answer is if the voters who undertook conference voting normally go to the said offices to read their emails on a daily basis,” the petitioner said.
He noted that the platform for e-voting was allegedly compromised and manipulated.
Others who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria on condition of anonymity, said that the whole process for appointing a new vice-chancellor for the institution was compromised.
But Tunji Oladejo, the Public Relations Officer of the institution, in an interview, denied receiving any petitions written to discredit the process of appointing a new vice-chancellor for the university.
“I am not aware of any petition written to the Council Chairman Nde Waklek who is also the Pro- Chancellor, University of Ibadan,” Oladejo said
News
Trump Approves Deployment of 200 U.S. Soldiers to Support Nigeria’s Fight Against Terrorists
Trump Approves Deployment of 200 U.S. Soldiers to Support Nigeria’s Fight Against Terrorists
President Donald Trump has approved the deployment of 200 U.S. soldiers to Nigeria to assist the country in its ongoing fight against terrorist groups including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The deployment follows U.S. airstrikes in Sokoto and comes at the request of President Bola Tinubu, reflecting a deepening security partnership between the United States and Nigeria. (gazettengr.com)
The American troops are scheduled to arrive in Nigeria in the coming weeks to provide training and technical guidance to Nigerian forces. The U.S. military will focus on air and infantry operations, intelligence gathering, and joint mission coordination to enhance the effectiveness of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.
Major-General Samaila Uba, spokesperson for the Nigerian Armed Forces, clarified that the U.S. troops will not engage in direct combat, but will work closely with Nigerian forces to improve strategic operations and rapid response capabilities.
A spokesperson for U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) stated, “The terrorist activity in West Africa—and Nigeria specifically—is something we’re incredibly concerned with. We want to partner with capable and willing partners to address these shared security concerns.” (newsmax.com)
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This deployment complements Nigeria’s ongoing counter-terrorism operations, including Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), which has recorded multiple successes in neutralising insurgents, rescuing kidnapped victims, and recovering weapons caches. (gazettengr.com)
The move comes amid heightened international attention on Nigeria’s security crisis, particularly in the North-East and North-West regions, where terrorist attacks and banditry continue to threaten civilian safety, disrupt communities, and hamper economic activities. (stripes.com)
Local officials and analysts say the U.S. deployment is expected to strengthen intelligence sharing, enhance operational coordination, and improve Nigeria’s military readiness in combating insurgents while maintaining national sovereignty.
The announcement underscores the growing bilateral security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, highlighting both nations’ commitment to counter-terrorism, regional stability, and civilian protection.
Trump Approves Deployment of 200 U.S. Soldiers to Support Nigeria’s Fight Against Terrorists
News
Senate Bows to Pressure, Mandates Electronic Transmission of Election Results
Senate Bows to Pressure, Mandates Electronic Transmission of Election Results
The Nigerian Senate has officially approved the electronic transmission of INEC election results, amending the Electoral Act to modernize the voting process and strengthen election transparency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The move comes after widespread protests, civil society advocacy, and pressure from political figures, including former presidential candidate Peter Obi, demanding real-time digital transmission of poll results to curb electoral fraud.
Under the amended Clause 60 of the Electoral Act, presiding officers are now required to digitally transmit election results from each polling unit directly to the INEC IReV portal immediately after the EC8A result form is signed and stamped. In situations where network connectivity fails, the signed paper EC8A forms will remain the official source for result collation and declaration.
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Experts describe the amendment as a major step toward digital voting transparency, though some critics caution that the manual fallback option could limit the full benefits of real-time election result transmission.
The bill will now be harmonized with the House of Representatives version before being sent to the President for assent, signaling a commitment to credible elections and improving public trust in Nigeria’s electoral process.
This legislative update is expected to play a key role in Nigeria 2027 elections, reducing vote manipulation and ensuring that INEC election results are transmitted securely, efficiently, and transparently across the country.
Senate Bows to Pressure, Mandates Electronic Transmission of Election Results
News
Lagos Announces Four-Week Partial Closure of Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway
Lagos Announces Four-Week Partial Closure of Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway
The Lagos State Government has announced a partial road closure on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway to allow the Federal Ministry of Works carry out critical rehabilitation on failed sections of the road.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, noting that the repairs would cover the stretch between U-Turn Bus Stop and Sango Tollgate, affecting both inbound and outbound lanes.
According to him, the rehabilitation work will begin on Wednesday, February 11, and end on Wednesday, March 11, spanning a four-week period.
Osiyemi explained that the project would be executed in two phases to minimise traffic disruption.
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For Phase One, which affects Abeokuta-bound traffic, work will run from February 11 to March 4. During this period, vehicles travelling from Lagos/Abule-Egba toward Abeokuta/Sango Tollgate will be diverted to one half of the carriageway, approximately 20 metres away from the active work zone.
He said rehabilitation would be carried out one lane at a time, with traffic redirected to completed sections as work progresses, while motorists on the Lagos-bound carriageway will continue to enjoy free traffic flow.
Phase Two, which affects Lagos-bound traffic, will take place from March 4 to March 11, covering the stretch from Obadeyi Bus Stop to Ekoro Junction. Traffic from Abeokuta/Sango Tollgate toward Lagos/Abule-Egba will be similarly diverted through half of the road during construction.
Osiyemi assured motorists that adequate traffic management measures would be deployed throughout the duration of the project.
He urged road users to plan their journeys, obey traffic signs, and cooperate with traffic officials, appealing for patience as the repairs are carried out in the interest of public safety.
Lagos Announces Four-Week Partial Closure of Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway
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