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Brig Gen Samaila Uba Assumes Role as Director of Defence Information

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Brigadier General Samaila Mohammed Uba, a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (FNIPR) and an experienced strategic communication specialist, has assumed office as the new Director of Defence Information (DDI).

A seasoned military officer with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from the prestigious Bayero University Kano (BUK), his appointment signals a renewed focus on strategic communication within the military.

The handover took place during a brief ceremony at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), following a recent reorganization within the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

​Brig. Gen. Uba took over from Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, whom he appreciated for his achievements during his tour of duty.

In his inaugural address, Brig Gen Uba pledged to steer the Directorate under four strategic priorities: unity of purpose, timeliness and transparency, digital innovation, and media collaboration. He commended his predecessor for his contributions and wished him success in future endeavours.

Born on July 1, 1968, in Tudun Wada, Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State, Brig Gen Uba began his military journey at the Nigerian Defence Academy as part of Short Service Combatant Course 30. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on March 13, 1993, and initially served in the Directorate of Army Public Relations before transitioning to the Infantry Corps.

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His academic journey includes Tudun Wada Primary School and Saint Thomas Secondary School in Kano, where he earned his First School Leaving Certificate and West African School Certificate in 1981 and 1986 respectively. He later graduated from Bayero University Kano in 1990 with a degree in Mass Communication. He also obtained a Post-Graduate Diploma in Public Administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration in 2009 and a Master’s degree in Strategic and Development Studies from Bangladesh University of Professionals in 2019.

Throughout his career, Brig Gen Uba has completed all relevant military courses, including the Senior Staff Course at Ghana Armed Forces Command & Staff College and the National Defence Course at the National Defence College in Bangladesh. He has held numerous command, staff, and instructional roles, including Officer in Charge of Administration at the Infantry Centre and School, Commander of the 401 Special Forces Brigade in Borno State, and Public Relations Officer for the Nigerian Contingent to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda. He also served as Public Relations Officer to a former Chief of Army Staff, where he played a key role in projecting a positive image of the Nigerian Army.

Brig Gen Uba was a distinguished member of the Directing Staff and Chief Instructor at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji. He was seconded to the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College in Gwagwalada as the DHQ Training Team Leader, training customs officers in command and staff responsibilities. He also served as Deputy Director Peacekeeping Operations and Director Personnel Services at Army Headquarters. Until his recent appointment, he was the Director of the Department of Joint Studies at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji.

He is the recipient of numerous awards and decorations, including the Grand Service Star, Distinguished Service Star, Field Command Medal, Passed Staff Course double dagger (++), National Defence College (Bangladesh), Nigerian Army Outstanding Tactical Command Medal, and the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award Medal.

Brig Gen Uba is affiliated with several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Nigerian Institute of Management, Nigerian Army Resource Centre, and the Nigerian Society of International Affairs. He is happily married with children and enjoys playing squash and reading in his leisure time.

 

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JUST IN: Senate Rules Out Mandatory Electronic Transmission of Election Results

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February 4, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Nigerian Senate has rejected proposed amendments that would have made electronic transmission of election results compulsory, opting instead to retain the existing provisions from the 2022 Electoral Act.

During plenary session on Wednesday, senators considered the Bill for an Act to Repeal the Electoral Act No. 13, 2022, and Enact the Electoral Act, 2025. A key proposed clause (new Clause 60(5)) that would have required presiding officers to electronically transmit polling unit results in real time to INEC’s IReV portal after completing Form EC8A was rejected.

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The Senate retained the 2022 framework, which mandates manual completion, signing, stamping, and distribution of results to party agents and security personnel, with results announced at polling units and transferred “in a manner as prescribed by the Commission” – without mandating electronic transmission.

Senators also rejected Clause 47, which sought to allow electronically-generated voter identification (such as downloadable voter cards with QR codes) for accreditation.

The requirement to present a physical Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) remains in place, while the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) or other INEC-prescribed devices for verification was upheld.

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INEC Concludes 2027 Election Timetable, Decries Legislative Delays in Electoral Acts Amendment

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February 4, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that its preparations for the 2027 general elections remain on course, despite pending amendments to the Electoral Act in the National Assembly.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made the announcement on Wednesday in Abuja during a stakeholder briefing with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).

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He revealed that the commission has already drafted a preliminary timetable and schedule of activities for the polls. However, he noted that the timeline remains contingent on the National Assembly’s passage of the amended Electoral Act.

“We have submitted our recommendations for the Act’s amendment to the legislature,” Amupitan said. “While our preparations are advancing steadily, the finalization of some activities will depend on when the new law is enacted.”

The Chairman assured that the commission would adapt its plans as necessary once the legal framework is in place, affirming that the delay would not compromise INEC’s commitment to conducting credible, free, and fair elections.

“Until the amended Act is passed, we will continue to operate under the existing electoral law,” he stated. “Our focus remains unwavering on delivering our constitutional mandate.”

Amupitan also emphasized the importance of continued partnership with CSOs and other stakeholders to bolster public confidence and ensure a transparent electoral process ahead of the 2027 polls.

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2027 Polls: ATM Gwarzo to Challenge Deputy Senate President at Kano North Senatorial Zone

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2 hours ago

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February 4, 2026

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The former Deputy Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Tijjani Muhammad Gwarzo, is prepared to challenge Senator Barau I. Jibrin during the 2027 Kano North Senatorial Zone elections.

Bashir Hayatu Gentili, the secretary of ATM Gwarzo’s steering committee, stated this to Nigerian Tracker

The statement reads as follows: *”ATM Gwarzo for Senator 2027 Steering Committee: All the invited 45 members of the above committee for the Abuja meeting should report to Nicon Luxury Hotel, Tafawa Balewa Road, Area 11, Abuja, from Friday, 6 February 2026.
Announcer: Bashir Hayatu Gentili (MA London), mnipr, mipra, mipsa, arpa. Interim Committee Secretary.”

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Those urging Engineer Abdullahi Tijjani Muhammad Gwarzo to contest for the Senate are his political allies since the days of the Social Democratic Party, when he served as Chairman of Gwarzo Local Government, through his time at the defunct United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP), his tenure as Chairman of Gwarzo under the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and his candidacy as the ACN gubernatorial candidate in the 2011 general elections.

If the former Deputy Governor accepts the call, he will slug it out with Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, during the APC primaries.

Recently, during the defection of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf from NNPP to APC, the Deputy Senate President seemed to have shelved his gubernatorial ambition by declaring support for Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

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