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2027: INEC Yet To Get Full Funding, 5 Months To Polls

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to receive the full budget proposed for the conduct of the 2027 general elections, with five months to the polls.

 

Report says the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, made the disclosure during an interview in Abuja.

“When asked if the commission had accessed the proposed budget of N873.78 billion for the 2027 elections five months to the polls, Eta-Messi said only part of the money had been released so far.” the report further mentioned.

“The Hon. Chairman had earlier stated that 60% of the funds for the 2027 General Election had been received by the commission. We are yet to receive the outstanding,” she said.

Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2026 provides that “The election funds due to the Commission for any general election shall be released to the commission not later than 6 months before the next general election.”

On the proposal by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan that funding for the commission should be drawn directly from the Federation Account, Eta-Messi said discussions are still ongoing.

“Engagements are still in process with regard to drawing from the Federation Account,” she stated.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, also confirmed that the commission had received part of the 2027 election budget.

Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, 16th January 2027, while Governorship and State Assembly elections will hold on 6th February 2027.

The electoral body had proposed a total budget of N873.78 billion for the conduct of the 2027 general elections, with substantial allocations meant for election operations, technology and capital expenditure.

Amupitan, while making a presentation before the Senate and House of Representatives Joint Committee on Electoral Matters at the National Assembly on Thursday, February 12th, 2026, noted that the budget was prepared in line with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the commission to prepare its election budget at least one year before the general election.

He said the proposed budget was carefully structured under four major heads.

According to him, Election Operations Cost accounts for N375.75 billion, Election Administrative Cost would get N92.31 billion, Election Technology Cost gets N209.21 billion, and Election Capital Cost has N154.90 billion budgeted for it.

In addition, a miscellaneous provision of N41.01 billion brings the grand total to N873,778,401,602.08.

He clarified that the N873.778 billion required for the 2027 polls is separate from the Commission’s 2026 budget proposal, in which INEC plans to spend N171 billion on its operations, including the conduct of by-elections and off-cycle elections.

According to Prof. Amupitan, the projected election budget does not include a fresh proposal by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) seeking an increase in allowances for Corps members engaged as ad-hoc staff during elections.

In a tweet on the commission’s account on 28 July, 2026, the INEC Chairman called for constitutional and electoral reforms that would guarantee genuine financial autonomy for the electoral body.

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Court Arraigns Journalist In Benue

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A Benue State High Court, presided over by Justice Mary Abounu, has arraigned the Benue State correspondent of Aljazirah Newspaper, Henry Ibya, in Makurdi over alleged cyberstang.

 

The trial judge had sought the prosecution’s response to the defendant’s argument that the journalist was reliable and should be granted bail.

The absence of the prosecution counsel in court did not stop the proceedings, as the defendant’s counsel, Tom Uja, Esq., notified the court of his bail application for his client.

He stated that the prosecution had taken the journalist to two other courts in the state on the same charge and that his client had never failed to appear in court whenever required.

Although the prosecutor’s absence did not affect the judge’s decision to proceed and grant bail, which was also believed to be in the interest of justice, the matter was adjourned until November 5, 2026.

One Terna Abuul, said to be the Director of ICT at Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi, reported Henry Ibya to the Nigeria Police Force, Benue State Command.

The director had accused the journalist of allegedly reporting mismanagement in the institution’s ICT department.

According to Abuul, Ibya’s report accused him of wrongdoing.

On the strength of the said report, the journalist was arraigned before the High Court in Makurdi.

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64 Dead, 80 Injured As Two High-Speed Trains Collide

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At least 64 people have been killed and dozens seriously injured after two high-speed trains collided near Urda, south of Madrid, in one of Spain’s deadliest rail disasters in more than a decade.

 

The Castilla-La Mancha regional government confirmed the death toll as emergency crews continued rescue operations at the crash site. More than 500 passengers were travelling on the two trains involved, according to a regional government spokesperson.

The BBC reports that the collision of the two trains involved a Renfe high-speed train and an Iryo service operating on the Madrid-to-Seville route. Aerial images analysed by the broadcaster showed parts of the Renfe train leaving the tracks, while carriages of the Iryo train also derailed.

The cause of the collision had not been officially confirmed. However, Spanish media cited preliminary accounts suggesting that the Renfe train struck the Iryo service, which may have been stationary following a problem on the tracks.

The scale of the disaster prompted a major emergency response involving ambulances, helicopters, rescue teams and police officers. At least 80 people were reported injured, with about 50 believed to be in serious condition and 15 in critical condition, according to regional officials.

Several victims were transported to hospitals in nearby areas, while others were taken to Madrid for treatment. Hospitals in Toledo, Ciudad Real and Alcázar de San Juan reportedly suspended planned surgeries to accommodate casualties from the crash.

Blood transfusion centres in Madrid and Toledo also appealed for urgent donations to meet a possible surge in demand.

Survivors described scenes of panic and severe destruction. One passenger, Sebastián Herrero, told Spanish newspaper El Mundo that he felt a powerful impact that threw him into the seats ahead. He said injured passengers had broken noses and arms, while smoke spread through the carriages.

Another passenger, Iñaki, told El País that the impact sent him rolling across the floor. After escaping, he saw injured people and bodies around the wreckage.

BBC Verify also examined images and videos appearing to show a section of railway track piercing through a Renfe carriage, with approximately 10 metres of rail protruding through its roof.

The disaster has revived concerns about railway safety in Spain, which suffered another deadly high-speed rail accident near Córdoba in which 46 people died. The country’s previous worst rail disaster occurred in July 2013, when 80 people were killed in a derailment near Santiago de Compostela.

Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, said he was shocked by the crash and remained in contact with the transport minister. The Spanish royal family also expressed condolences to victims’ relatives and praised emergency workers.

Meanwhile, the Royal Spanish Football Federation postponed 24 Copa del Rey matches in solidarity with the victims, while most political parties suspended campaign activities.

Rescue and recovery operations continued as authorities worked to establish the full circumstances surrounding the collision.

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Police Arrest Suspected Eiye Cultist, Recover Two Pistols, Cartridges In Ogun

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Operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Squad of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested a 26-year-old suspected cultist and recovered two locally made pistols, three live cartridges and a battle axe in the Atan area of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Council of the state.

 

The suspect, identified as Okiki Muhammed Adewusi, popularly known as “Baba Obo”, was arrested in the Ore area of Atan on October 26, 2026, following intelligence received by operatives of SWAT Base 7, Abule Iroko, Sango-Ota.

The Police Spokesperson, Oluseyi Babaseyi, confirmed the arrest in a statement in Abeokuta yesterday.

According to Babaseyi, a search of the suspect’s residence after his arrest led to the recovery of a locally made pistol and three live cartridges.

He added that preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect had allegedly admitted to being a member of the Eiye Confraternity.

Babaseyi said information obtained from the suspect led to a follow-up operation at about 6.30 a.m. on October 27, 2026 during which operatives recovered a second locally made pistol and a battle axe from a separate location.

The recovered items have been secured as exhibits, while efforts are ongoing to arrest other suspects believed to be involved in the activities and recover additional weapons.

The police spokesperson said investigations were ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the case.

The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended the SWAT operatives for their vigilance, professionalism and effective use of intelligence.

Ojajuni reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks, curbing cult-related activities and tackling the illegal possession of firearms across the state.

He urged residents to provide timely and credible information about suspected criminal activities, assuring them that the Command would act on actionable intelligence to protect lives and property and maintain public safety.

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