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INEC Takes Decision On Erring Candidates Over Supreme Court judgment

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The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said political parties that field candidates whose names were not in the registers submitted to the commission will not be allowed to participate in the 2027 elections.

 

The Supreme Court had, in a September 24, 2026 judgment, affirmed the constitutionality of sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act 2026 and upheld INEC’s revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections.

INEC National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Mohammed Haruna, spoke on the implications of the judgment while speaking on Trust TV’s Daily Politics programme on Wednesday evening.

Haruna said the affected parties would also not be allowed to substitute such candidates, arguing that parties should not benefit from violations of the law.

He said the commission was expected to make a definite pronouncement on the implications of the Supreme Court judgment by Tuesday next week.

“It’s like you committed an offence. And then, you come and benefit from it. You remember cases that we had of some in Zamfara, you remember Plateau? The same thing.

“The parties, because they did the wrong thing, they thought they could now steal through the candidates.

“And the law was very clear. Once you do that kind of thing, you cannot benefit from it. You are benefiting from it, if you are able to substitute a candidate,” he said.

According to him, depending on when the commission concludes its review, some political parties may be unable to field candidates for some elective positions.

“All the candidates, all the way to the Houses of Assembly, we interviewed them. If their names are not on the party register, they were not members of the party at the time that they contested for those tickets,” Haruna said.

He explained that the delay in INEC’s final position was due to the need to obtain legal advice after receiving the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment.

Haruna said the commission had to exercise caution because forged copies of court judgments had been presented in the past.

“You can’t be too careful with these things because even when you see copies and they tell you it’s a CTC, it may be forged. We’ve seen instances where people have even gone, have the audacity to forge a Supreme Court judgment.

“So, we have to be very careful to make sure that when you took us, we did put a lot of pressure and we were able to get it yesterday (Tuesday),” he said.

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Police Arraign 5 Over Attack On Officers In Ogun

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Ogun State Police Command has arraigned five suspects before the Ota Magistrate Court over their alleged involvement in the assault and obstruction of police officers carrying out their lawful duties in Ota.

The suspects were brought before the court following an incident around The Bells area of Iyana-Iyesi, Ota, on October 2, 2026, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi B. Babasiyi.

The police said the incident occurred after a patrol team intercepted and arrested a suspect allegedly found with a large quantity of substances suspected to be Indian hemp.

According to the command, the officers were taking the handcuffed suspect to the station when they were allegedly ambushed by a group of people armed with cutlasses, stones and bottles.

The attack reportedly resulted in injuries to some of the officers, damage to the police operational vehicle and the escape of the suspect in custody.

Following the incident, the command said an intelligence-led operation was launched, leading to the arrest of five suspects identified as Morenikeji Badmus, 36; Adedoja Segun, 40; Jeremiah Odise Ugbede Onride, 49; Mike Stephen, 28; and David Odeh, 32.

The suspects were arraigned on charges bordering on conspiracy, serious assault on police officers, obstruction of lawful duty and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.

The police said efforts were still ongoing to arrest other suspects who fled the scene of the incident.

The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Bode Ojajuni, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting police officers carrying out their lawful responsibilities.

“Members of the public are urged to refrain from physical confrontation with law enforcement personnel and channel grievances through established lawful channels,” the statement said.

The command added that “the safety of police officers performing lawful duties remains a priority of the command.”

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9 Yr-Old Arrested Over Deaths Of 4 Family Members

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The Yobe State Police Command has arrested a nine-year-old boy over the alleged killing of four family members in Rugan Badali community, Karasuwa Local Council of the state.

 

The police said the child allegedly set fire to the family house while his two stepmothers and two younger brothers were asleep, resulting in their deaths.

According to report, the suspect was said to have committed the act after his father flogged him over an allegation that he had stolen a fowl.

Speaking with journalists in Damaturu yesterday, the suspect, whose name was withheld because of his age, allegedly confessed to setting the house ablaze.

He said he bought matches the following day and set fire to the house.

“I carried one of our fowls to sell. People reported me to my father, and I was beaten. The following day, I bought N50 worth of matches in the neighbourhood. While my two stepmothers and two younger brothers were asleep, I set our house on fire as revenge for what my father did to me,” he said.

The boy added: “People came to the rescue. I did not tell them that I was the one who did it until after three days of prayer. I then confessed and was later arrested by policemen and brought here to Damaturu.”

Parading the suspect alongside his father, Abubakar Idi, the police spokesperson, ASP Yusuf Ali, said the boy remained a suspect despite his age.

Ali said the case would be handled in accordance with the law, stressing that the incident underscored the need for greater attention to criminal activities involving children.

He expressed concern over the development, particularly as the state continues to recover from the effects of Boko Haram insurgency and other security challenges.

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Hisbah Arrests 6 Women In Anti-Prostitution Raid In Yobe

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The Yobe State Hisbah Commission has arrested six women suspected of engaging in sex work during an operation in Gadaka, Fika Local Government Area of the state.

The women were arrested in the Abuja area of Gadaka town during a weekend operation conducted by operatives of the commission’s Fika Local Government Area command.

The operation also targeted locations suspected of selling and processing alcoholic drinks, according to the commission.

Head of Administration of the commission in Fika LGA, Malam Musa Abari Talba, who confirmed the arrests, said the operation was part of efforts to check activities considered contrary to the religious and moral values of the community.

Talba said the operatives also embarked on awareness campaigns during the exercise, warning residents against activities they described as harmful to the peace and moral conduct of the society.

He said: “The operation was carried out by our men at the weekend in the Abuja area of Gadaka. Six women suspected of engaging in sex work were arrested.”

According to him, the operatives also visited locations suspected of selling and processing alcoholic drinks, where residents were cautioned against activities prohibited by law.

He added that the commission used the opportunity to preach to residents and encourage them to comply with the law and shun practices considered detrimental to the community.

Talba said the exercise was not limited to arrests, stressing that the commission’s broader objective was to promote peace, discipline and good moral conduct among residents.

He further disclosed that similar operations would continue across the local government as part of efforts to ensure compliance with the law and promote peaceful and orderly communities.

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