By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called on the National Assembly to pass a proposed amendment to the Electoral Act that would explicitly compel the electronic transmission of election results from polling units.

In a statement issued on Saturday via X (formerly Twitter), the NBA’s National Executive Council (NEC) endorsed a report by its President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), urging legislators to approve changes to Clause 60, Subsection 3. The NEC, which met in Maiduguri, Borno State, on February 5, 2026, stated the report “highlighted the urgent need to mandate the electronic transmission of results to strengthen transparency and public confidence in elections.”

The proposed amendment would legally require presiding officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit results in real time to the INEC Result Viewing portal “immediately after Form EC8A has been duly signed, stamped, and countersigned by party agents.”

The NEC criticised the Senate’s decision to retain the current wording, which permits results to be transferred “in a manner as prescribed by the Commission.” It argued this phrasing weakens “the legal foundation for transparent elections and [leaves] room for manipulation and ambiguity.” Such discretionary language, it warned, “undermines democratic accountability,” adding that “clear statutory compulsion… is essential to guaranteeing electoral transparency, protecting the integrity of votes cast, and restoring public confidence.”

The NBA described credible elections as “the bedrock of constitutional democracy” and urged lawmakers to demonstrate “legislative responsibility and statesmanship” by approving the amendment.

In response, the Senate has dismissed claims that it removed the electronic transmission requirement. Senate President Godswill Akpabio described such reports as misleading, clarifying that the 2022 Electoral Act still mandates presiding officers to transmit results electronically.

“This is misleading. Electronic transmission has not been removed from the law. The provision under the 2022 Electoral Act remains in force, and presiding officers are still required to transmit results electronically as prescribed,” Akpabio stated. He added that retaining the current provision ensures “legal and operational clarity” within a secure, standardized process.

The Senate Minority Caucus echoed this stance, emphasizing that lawmakers did not reject electronic transmission and that the Upper Chamber’s actions aim to safeguard electoral transparency and credibility.

The NBA has reaffirmed its “commitment to sustained engagement and advocacy” to ensure Nigeria’s electoral laws clearly reflect the will of the people.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Buckingham Palace has announced that His Excellency President Bola Tinubu of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will undertake a State Visit to the United Kingdom on Tuesday, 18 March.

The two-day visit, which will include his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is being hosted at the invitation of His Majesty King Charles III. It marks the first State Visit by a Nigerian leader to the UK in 37 years, with the most recent being that of President Ibrahim Babangida in 1989.

This visit builds upon a series of high-level engagements between the two leaders, who both assumed office in May 2023. Their discussions have consistently focused on strengthening the historic partnership between Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Previous meetings include an introductory encounter ahead of COP28 in November 2023 and a private audience at Buckingham Palace in September 2024, where global and regional priorities, particularly the challenge of climate change, were central topics.

The forthcoming visit underscores the enduring diplomatic ties between the two nations. Previous Nigerian State Visits to the UK were made by President Yakubu Gowon (1973) and President Shehu Shagari (1981). King Charles, during his tenure as The Prince of Wales, has visited Nigeria on four occasions: in 1990, 1999, 2006, and 2018.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has inaugurated a new radio station, “Majority FM 89.5,” explicitly designated to support the re-election campaign of President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.

The station is housed within the offices of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, a pro-Tinubu advocacy group, in Port Harcourt. Its launch signals an escalation in early political mobilization efforts for the President’s campaign within the strategic South-South geopolitical zone.

Online video footage from the commissioning shows Mr. Wike touring the facility’s studio and engaging with staff. According to sources familiar with the project, the station is intended to function as a dedicated strategic communications hub for the Renewed Hope movement.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Wike emphasized the station’s grassroots reach, stating, “This will take messages to all over the 666 units of Rivers State. We are ready for this job, we are ready for 2027.”

Political analysts view the establishment of Majority FM as a significant move that consolidates Minister Wike’s influential role within Rivers State politics while simultaneously bolstering the infrastructure for President Tinubu’s anticipated re-election bid. It also underscores the early and active positioning of key political figures nearly three years ahead of the 2027 polls.