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Friday Sermon)The Prophet’s Night Journey and Heavenly Ascent (Al-Isra’ Wal-Mi’raj)

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5 years ago

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Sheikh Murtadha Gusau

By Imam Murtadha Gusau

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Praise be to Allah Who chose His praiseworthy servant Muhammad (Peace be upon him) for the Message, distinguished him with the night journey on the lightening-mount Buraq, and caused him to ascend the ladders of perfection to the high heavens to show him of the greatest signs of his Lord. He raised him until he reached the Lote-tree (Sidratil-Muntaha) of the Farthest Boundary where ends the science of every Messenger-Prophet and every Angel Brought Near, where lies the Garden of Retreat, to the point that he heard the sound of the pens that write what has befallen and what is to befall. To proceed:

Dear Brothers and Sisters! On Tuesday, 27th Rajab, 1443 AH/Tuesday, 1st March, 2022 marked the Isra’ and Mi’raj. Isra’ and Mi’raj are Arabic terms that describe the mystical Night Journey from Makkah to Baitil-Maqdis in Jerusalem, and Prophet Muhammad’s (Peace be upon him) upward journey through the heavens to reach the very throne of Allah Almighty. This is one of the most amazing events in the life story of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).

Some scholars say that the Isra’ and Mi’raj occurred on 27th Rajab. Others disagree about the date, saying no one knows for certain. Only Allah knows best. But no Muslim disputes the essence of Prophet Muhammad’s Isra’ and Mi’raj: his Mystical Night Journey and his Ascension through the Heavenly Spheres. May Allah’s peace and mercy and blessings be ever upon him. The Noble Qur’an alludes to this momentous occasion in the first verse of Surah Isra’i. Allah the Most High says:

“Glory to [Allah] Who did take His Servant on a journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, whose precincts We sanctified; in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for Allah is He who hears and sees everything.”

Respected brothers and sisters! It was during this sacred month of Rajab, Allah Almighty conferred on Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), the great honour of ascending to the heavens.

FRIDAY SERMON)The Virtues Of The Months Of Rajab And Sha’aban

This honour had never been ascribed to any other Prophet than the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). He (Peace be upon him) made a journey with his physical being from the sacred city of Makkah to Jerusalem and, from there he ascended through the seven heavens to a place so near to the Divine Court that not even an angel, far less a human being, could have access. After having reached the Sidratul-Muntaha even Angel Jibril (AS), the head of the angels expressed his inability to proceed beyond this point. The five daily prayers became obligatory on all Muslims following this night of ascent.

This momentous event occurred more than 14 centuries ago. Then, as now, it aroused the sceptics and cynics to dismiss it as a fantasy, as a delusion. How can someone travel hundreds of miles in one night, and then claim to have travelled through the heavens to the throne of Allah? Then, as now, the true Believers have the same answer: He Who created the heavens and the earth out of nothing can do whatever He pleases. He can part the oceans to save the followers of Prophet Musa (AS). He can drown Fir’aun (Pharaoh) in that same ocean. He can flood the world while saving Prophet Nuh (AS) in the Ark. He can turn to the roaring flames that are licking at the feet of Prophet Ibrahim (AS), and decree: “Fire, be cool!” And, Prophet Ibrahim can walk out of the fire with no burns. Allah can change the properties and behaviour of any part of His creation. He is not enslaved by the natural laws that He, Himself, wrote. He’s the Author. He can edit and do as He pleases.

A man was once asked, can Allah pass a camel through the eye of a needle? He answered: Not only can Allah pass a camel through the eye of a needle; if He decided to put the whole world, the whole earth through the eye of a needle that’s easy for Him. He says: Kun, faya kun! … Be! And it is!

Centuries ago, this might have seemed fanciful. But nowadays, every scientist knows that if the universe began with a big bang 14 billion years ago, then all matter and energy, all time and space must have been concentrated in an extremely dense, incredibly small area, smaller than the head of a pin, and certainly, smaller than the eye of a needle. Today every self-respecting scientist believes that. But many of them still hesitate to go one step further. Who created the Big Bang? Was it spontaneous? Did time and space all begin by accident? So many scientists have difficulty in taking that crucial next step. That is, to accept that this big bang did not just happen by chance. As believers we know that everything follows the Will of Allah. When Allah decrees a thing, He only has to say, “Kun!” Be! Faya kun! …. And it is! Subhanallah!

Dear servants of Allah! In the short time we have, I want to deal with 3 points:

1. The story of the Isra’ and Mi’raj

2. The significance of Mi’raj

3. and the Gift of the Mi’raj.

The story is well known: it has a horizontal aspect and a vertical aspect. The horizontal aspect is the journey itself, from Makkah to Baitil-Maqdis in Jerusalem and back, in one night. The vertical aspect is the Ascension from Jerusalem to the heavens into the very presence of Allah, the Glorified and exalted.

We are told that one night, the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was asleep near the Ka’abah, when the archangel Jibril [Gabriel] awoke him, washed his heart and placed him on Buraq, a mystical winged horse. Buraq could travel from horizon to horizon in one leap. Accompanied by Jibril (Gabriel), they rode to Jerusalem and from there they travelled upward through the seven heavens, meeting and greeting all the earlier Prophets along the way, until Jibril (Gabriel) stopped by ‘the lote tree of the furthest extremity, the utmost boundary’ Sidratul-Muntaha. Here he left Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) because not even angels could go further than this point. This is where Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) proceeded on his own until he was, as the Qur’an says, “Qaba Qawsain,” two bows-length from Allah. [Let us remember that words are so inadequate We are trying here to describe what is infinitely beyond description, beyond our strongest imaginings] The Noble Qur’an simply uses an evocative description:

“His vision did not waver, nor did the eyes deny what they saw…”

This was the absolute nearest any human being has ever come to the Divine Presence. Allah the Glorified and Exalted, and Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings on him, alone at last, face to face. No interlocutors, no distractions. Creator and created, indeed, the best of His creation in direct communion. Again in the words of the Noble Qur’an, Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) saw:

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“Of the Signs of His Lord, the Greatest.” [Qur’an, 53:17-18]

We are told that Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) then descended to earth, and in Jerusalem he led all the other Prophets in prayer. He returned from his meeting with Allah, carrying this blessed Gift of the Mi’raj, the Prayer, the Salah, as we know it today. At first he had instructions that Muslims are required to pray 50 times each day. But when Prophet Musa (AS), said that this would be too difficult, Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) went back several times till Allah reduced it to 5 times a day. Again Prophet Musa said that 5 daily prayers was too much, people are lazy and rebellious. But Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) replied that he was too embarrassed to go back and ask Allah for a further reduction. So there we have it. This gift of the 5 daily prayers, is a direct gift of the Mi’raj, over 14 centuries ago.

Imagine for a moment, what would Islam have been like without the Prayer (Salah), without precisely detailed formal prayers. Our faith would have been little more than an academic exercise, something to tickle the intellect; a belief system with some quaint notions about the meaning and purpose of life, but with no pivotal connection between Creator and created. Prayer (Salah) is what makes Islam more than just a good idea, but a functioning, purposeful relationship between Allah and His servants.

Before the Mi’raj occurred, we Muslims had no idea as to how and when they should pray. Now we not only know how and when, but also, most importantly, we must remember the reason, the ‘why’ part. Why do we pray? Why 5 times a day? Why not just once?

Dear brothers and sisters! Know that Prayer (Salah) is not a human invention. Also It’s not the product of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)’s imagination. It’s planned and prescribed by Allah Almighty Himself. It’s our divinely designed means of communication with Allah. This is how He wants us to turn to Him, 5 times a day, amidst all our distractions and mundane pursuits of daily life. He does not want us simply to go into seclusion in a temple or monastery to remember Him, once in a while. He wants us to remember Him constantly, in the marketplace, in our offices, in our homes and during our leisure time. Right there in the midst of life’s distractions, we must keep our spiritual compass. We must maintain our moral integrity. This is the real challenge. While we are busy enjoying Allah’s blessings, we must never forget to thank Him. Prayer (Salah) is our formal link with our Creator. It brings our body, mind and soul into complete harmony and submission to Allah. Properly performed, it helps us to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Our hearts fill with stillness, serenity, Sakinah (tranquility), and we develop a yearning to be close to Allah. We long to be in that blissful presence just as our beloved Prophet Muhammad had on the Mi’raj. Prayer (Salah) is our own Mi’raj. In prostration (Sujud), it’s the nearest we’ll ever be to Allah. With heads touching the ground, all limbs pointing towards our Qiblah (Makkah), all our thoughts and feelings and desires focussed on Allah, this is the magical moment when we become the connecting-point between time-space and eternity. In prostration (Sujud), we, humble creatures of dust, when we’ve shut off body, mind and soul to everything else except His Presence, we can become like lightning-rods that connect heaven and earth. In that moment of sheer and absolute surrender, we become truly, Allah’s Khalifah, His viceregents, on the earth.

Respected brothers and sisters! When we pray properly, as Allah decrees, then great things become possible. Let’s not neglect our prayers. Let’s not rush through them like some necessary but unwelcome habit like we’re brushing our teeth or washing the dishes. Let’s concentrate, meditate and rejuvenate with this wonderful gift of our personal Mi’raj. Let’s pray properly, with meaning and with feeling. In Prayer (Salah) we’re in the grand audience hall of the Lord of the universe. This is no place to let our minds wander off. Let’s show Allah our love, courtesy and respect.

Dear brothers and sisters! When we Muslims pray, we enjoy a very special relationship with Allah. While other faiths have intermediaries, Muslims have no priest, Rabbi, Archbishop or even a Pope to stands between us and Allah. We worship Him directly and He answers us directly. Allah the Most High says:

“I listen to the prayer of everyone who calls me. Let them also then, listen to My call, so that they may walk on the straight way.”

Although 70,000 veils may separate us from Allah, nothing separates Him from us. He says that He is:

“Closer to us than our jugular veins.”

What more do we need in the way of assurances and security? Without prayer, without regular, intimate contact with Allah, we would be exposed to all kinds of dangers, to mind, body and soul. Prayer (Salah) brings us intimately close to Allah. It brings us in to safety and security. Prayer (Salah) protects us like nothing else can. My dear brothers and sisters: we should never, never neglect our prayers.

This is especially true for those of us who are facing
different challenges at this time. No matter how busy you are with last minute struggle. Don’t neglect your Prayer (Salah)! Don’t lose Allah’s protection!

“Exalted is He who took His Servant [Prophet Muhammad] by night from Al-Masjid Al-Haram to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, whose surrounding We have blessed, to show him of Our signs.  Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.” [Qur’an, 17:1]

Our Lord, please give us the best of this life, and the best of the life to come, and save us from the torment of the Fire!

Dear brothers and sisters! To conclude our sermon (Khutbah):

Surely Allah commands justice, good deeds and generosity to others and to relatives; and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, so that you may be reminded!

Allah Almighty says:

“And remember Me: I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject faith.”

“And without doubt, Remembrance of Allah is the Greatest Thing in life, and Allah knows the deeds that you do.”

Polite reminder to all our people: Please try to get here (Mosque) in time for the sermon (Khutbah). Some people come running in after the prayers have started. They missed the Khutbah. Remember, the Khutbah is part of your Jumu’ah. If you miss it you may miss Jumu’ah. Please remind those who don’t know this. Thank you.

And as you always asked, In Shaa Allah there’s no problem, you can share our sermons with your relatives and friends!

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation; may Allah extol the mention of our noble Prophet Muhammad in the highest company of Angels, bless him and give him peace and security―and his family, his Companions and all those who follow him correctly and sincerely until the establishment of the Hour.

I ask Allah, the Most High to grant us success and enable us to be correct in what we say and write, ameen.

Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene’s Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761.

This Jumu’ah Khutbah (Friday sermon) was prepared for delivery today, Friday, Sha’aban 1st, 1443 A.H. (March 04, 2022).

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‎IITA Trains Over 1,800 Farmers on Modern Farming Techniques in Kano

Published

10 hours ago

on

October 19, 2026

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‎The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), in collaboration with Nigeria’s Ecological Project Office (EPO), has trained more than 1,800 farmers in Kano State on modern farming techniques aimed at increasing crop yields and improving food production.
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‎The programme covered farmers from 16 local government areas in Kano South Senatorial District, equipping them with modern agricultural practices to improve farm productivity and address challenges associated with farming, particularly during the dry season.
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‎The training and demonstration of improved farming technologies took place in Hamdullahi community, Albasu Local Government Area, where farmers were introduced to improved crop varieties and other techniques for achieving higher yields.
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‎Speaking at the event, IITA Project Coordinator, Professor Lucky Omoigui, said the training was designed to enhance farmers’ knowledge of improved seed varieties and modern agricultural practices.
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‎He disclosed that more than 1,800 people had benefited from the programme, expressing optimism that the knowledge gained would encourage dry-season farming and boost food production.
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‎Omoigui urged the participating farmers to apply the knowledge acquired to improve their farming practices and increase crop yields.
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‎As part of the programme, the farmers visited demonstration farms, where they were shown modern techniques for cultivating crops, including cowpeas, maize, soybeans, groundnuts, sorghum and rice.
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‎Speaking on behalf of EPO, Bashir Ibrahim Umar said agriculture plays a vital role in poverty reduction and job creation, particularly for young people in Nigeria.
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‎He stressed the need for sustained farmer awareness campaigns and access to agricultural knowledge to encourage the adoption of modern farming technologies and improve livelihoods.
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‎Also speaking, Garba Ayuba, who represented the Chairman of Albasu Local Government Area, Garba Aliyu Hungu, expressed satisfaction with the programme and urged farmers to put the techniques they had learnt into practice.
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‎Similarly, the Gaya Zonal Director of the Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA), Danjuma Uba, commended the farmers for their interest in learning modern agricultural practices.
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‎He emphasised that collaboration between agricultural development agencies and farmers was essential to ensuring the sustainable adoption of modern farming technologies.
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‎In his remarks, Alhaji Saidu Abdulkadir Hamdullahi, whose farm was used to demonstrate the improved crop varieties, said some people had previously doubted the possibility of achieving successful crop production during the dry season.
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‎However, he expressed surprise and delight at the results achieved on his farm, saying the experience had boosted his confidence in dry-season farming.
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‎He thanked IITA and its partners for the training, noting that the programme had improved farmers’ knowledge of seed planting, fertiliser application and other modern agricultural practices.
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‎According to him, the new knowledge would help farmers increase productivity and improve their income.
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‎The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the agricultural sector by encouraging farmers to adopt modern technologies to improve food production and reduce poverty in Nigeria, particularly in areas facing water shortages.

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IITA Technical Support through the Ecological Project Office to promote the best climate-smart agricultural practices around the dams to boost food production and increase the income of smallholder farmers in the Kano South Senatorial District

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is collaborating with the Ecological Project Office (EPO) to leverage the Federal Government’s rehabilitation and expansion of irrigation infrastructure in the Kano irrigation project, covering Tiga Dam, Challawa Gorge Dam, and Kafin-Chiri Dam in the Kano South Senatorial District, to promote sustainable irrigation and dry-season farming to boost agricultural productivity and increase the income of smallholder farmers. The collaboration under the project “Community-based Engagement on Sustainable Agriculture and Biodiversity Restoration for the Kano Irrigation Scheme” is being implemented across the 16 Local Government Areas (LGAs) surrounding the dams (comprising Ajingi, Garko, Bunkure, Doguwa, Tudun Wada, Karaye, Gaya, Albasu, Kibiya, Rogo, Kiru, Wudil, Bebeji, Sumaila, Takai, and Rano), covering 155 communities.

The project interventions aim to boost year-round farming by combining irrigation with climate-smart practices to increase productivity and income, enhance food security, and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. A total of 1,890 farmers, 20% of whom are women, have been trained in Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM), climate-smart irrigation and water-harvesting technologies, and youth entrepreneurship in climate-smart agricultural practices across the 16 LGAs to enhance their resilience to climate-related vulnerabilities.

Participating communities have witnessed increased farming activities and improved access to and use of climate-smart agricultural technologies, contributing to increased productivity, income, and food security.

 

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Former Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, Dies At 71

Published

11 hours ago

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October 19, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Former Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, has reportedly passed away at the age of 71.

Uduaghan, who led Delta State for two terms between 2007 and 2015, reportedly died on the morning of Monday, October 19, 2026.

His death was announced in a statement issued by the family and signed by Toju Anire Uduaghan on their behalf.

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The family described his passing as a painful loss, noting that his contributions and years of service left a lasting impact on individuals and communities across Delta State and Nigeria.

“He was a source of strength, a father figure, a beloved brother and uncle, and a respected elder. We will deeply miss his presence and forever cherish the memories and legacy he leaves behind,” the statement read.

Before becoming governor, Uduaghan served as Delta State Commissioner for Health from 1999 to 2003 and later held the position of Secretary to the State Government from 2003 to 2007.

He assumed office as governor in 2007 and spent eight years leading the state, with a focus on advancing human development and infrastructure.

While mourning their loss, the family expressed gratitude to God for his life and the service he rendered, while offering prayers for strength and comfort for those grieving his passing.

“Your memory will forever remain in our hearts, and your legacy will endure in the lives of those you touched,” the statement added.

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Astute Civil Society Raises Concern Over Exclusion of Gubernatorial Candidates

Published

1 day ago

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October 18, 2026

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The Astute Civil Society for Cultural and Humanity Development has expressed concern over the exclusion of some governorship candidates from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections, calling for transparency, fairness and a review of disputed cases.

Comrade Ibrahim Ali, who represented the organisation, stated this on Saturday while addressing journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat, Kano, during a press conference on democratic principles, electoral fairness, the rule of law and peaceful coexistence.

Ali said the organisation was concerned about reports that several candidates had been omitted from INEC’s final list, including Kano State Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo and his running mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso.

He said similar concerns had emerged in other states, particularly Gombe and Ogun, where the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidates, Isa Ali Pantami and Oladipupo Adebutu, popularly known as Ladi Adebutu, alongside his running mate, were reportedly affected by the omissions.

According to Ali, the developments had attracted public attention and raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the affected candidates’ nominations and their exclusion from the final list.

The civil society organisation acknowledged that INEC had attributed the exclusions to compliance with statutory requirements relating to political party membership registers, following a recent Supreme Court judgment.

However, Ali said the organisation recognised the importance of complying with electoral laws and respecting judicial decisions while insisting that disputed cases should be examined fairly and transparently.

He maintained that the organisation was not demanding special treatment for any candidate or political party but was advocating a process that would allow relevant facts, submitted evidence and applicable legal provisions to be considered before conclusions were reached.

“Our position is simple: compliance with the law must be upheld, and where an omission is disputed, the facts should be examined fairly and the outcome clearly communicated,” Ali said.

He added that no candidate should automatically be presumed eligible simply because an omission was challenged, just as no disputed exclusion should be treated as beyond review without considering the relevant facts and provisions of the law.

Ali urged INEC to establish a fair, transparent and case-specific review process for affected candidates and political parties, stressing that electoral authorities had a responsibility to administer the electoral process impartially and consistently.

He said democracy depended on institutions that applied the law fairly, political parties that fulfilled their statutory obligations and candidates who met the prescribed requirements.

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The organisation further called on INEC to communicate clearly with affected political parties, examine properly submitted complaints within the applicable timelines and take corrective action wherever the facts and law justified such steps.

Ali noted that transparent handling of the disputed cases would help strengthen public confidence in the electoral commission and demonstrate that electoral administration was guided by evidence, due process and impartiality.

On the implications of the controversy for peace and stability, he warned that unresolved electoral disputes could undermine public trust, deepen mistrust among political stakeholders and create avoidable tensions within communities.

He observed that Kano State, like other parts of Nigeria, had a diverse population with competing political interests and strong expectations regarding democratic participation, making transparent communication of electoral decisions particularly important.

According to him, uncertainty surrounding the exclusion of candidates could generate public anxiety, especially where affected political parties and their supporters believed their concerns had not received adequate consideration.

Ali, however, stressed that the organisation did not intend to alarm the public, assign blame or threaten any institution, but rather to encourage the timely, lawful and peaceful resolution of electoral disputes.

He urged political parties, candidates, their supporters, civil society organisations and members of the public to remain calm, exercise restraint and pursue their grievances through established legal and administrative channels.

The organisation also cautioned political actors against allowing differences over electoral matters to degenerate into hostility, emphasising that peace, national unity and democratic progress should take precedence over partisan interests.

As part of its recommendations, the group called on INEC to undertake a thorough review of disputed exclusions involving candidates and political parties that maintained they had fulfilled the applicable statutory requirements.

It also urged the commission to provide clear, case-specific explanations whenever a candidate was excluded, including references to the relevant legal provisions and the facts informing the decision.

Ali said that where a review established that an exclusion resulted from an error, INEC should take appropriate corrective measures, provided such action was permitted under the applicable legal framework.

The organisation further urged all political parties, candidates and public institutions to respect the rule of law and comply with lawful court decisions, noting that electoral disputes should be resolved through established procedures rather than inflammatory public statements.

It also called on relevant institutions to communicate transparently and act impartially to protect public confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Reaffirming the organisation’s position, Ali said its intervention was not an endorsement of any political party or candidate but a call for an electoral process in which the law was respected, legitimate concerns received fair consideration and public institutions remained accountable to citizens.

He also urged the media to report electoral developments accurately and responsibly, saying journalists had an important role to play in informing the public, promoting accountability and creating an atmosphere conducive to peaceful democratic participation.

Ali called on INEC to ensure that disputed exclusions were addressed promptly and transparently, while urging political stakeholders and citizens to place the interests of their communities and the country above partisan differences.

He said the organisation remained committed to promoting democratic principles, cultural and human development, peaceful coexistence and responsible civic engagement as Nigeria prepared for another electoral cycle.

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