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Why Nigeria’s elections must be credible – Ojukwu
Dr. Tony Ojukwu, SAN, Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, has said that the Commission commemorates June 12 as a reminder that credible elections are a fundamental human right, not a privilege.
He said that the June 12, 1993 election remains Nigeria’s clearest proof that free, fair, and transparent polls are possible when institutions respect the will of the people.
He noted that Prof. Humphrey Nwosu’s Option A4 and the Modified Open Ballot system demonstrated that electoral integrity could be achieved through sincerity of the Electoral Management Body, openness and fidelity to the law.
The Number One Human Rights Officer in Nigeria stressed that the right to participate in government through free elections is protected under Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
According to a statement by Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, Director, Corporate Affairs and External Linkages, Ojukwu stated that voter suppression, vote buying, electoral violence, and result manipulation are not merely procedural flaws but direct violations of citizens’ civil and political rights.
He expressed concern that three decades later, these violations continued to undermine public trust, weaken accountability, and erode the dignity of Nigerian voters.
Chief Ojukwu added that when elections lack integrity, the rights to expression, association, participation and peaceful assembly are also threatened.
The Executive Secretary called on INEC, political parties, security agencies, the judiciary, civil society, and the media to uphold neutrality, transparency, and accountability.
He affirmed that the NHRC will intensify its monitoring of electoral processes, document violations, and pursue remedies for Nigerians and victims in line with its mandate.
He urged the National Assembly to strengthen laws safeguarding electoral independence and access to justice.
He concluded that institutionalizing electoral integrity is essential to realizing the right to free and fair elections in Nigeria, and that the NHRC stands ready to work with Government and all stakeholders to make credible elections a lived reality for every citizen.
The Enugu State Government has suspended His Royal Majesty, Igwe Eze William Ezugwu, the traditional ruler of Ibagwa Ogbozalla Opi Autonomous Community, in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu state.
The state government accused Igwe Ezugwu of violating provisions of the state’s Traditional Rulers Law.
In a letter of suspension dated September 24, the Enugu State Government cited his alleged failure to constitute his cabinet, failure to establish a Town Union governing body, and persistent conduct deemed inconsistent with the laws governing traditional rulers in the state.
The suspension comes barely three weeks after Igwe William Ezugwu received NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi at his palace in Opi, Nsukka LGA, where he reportedly blessed Obi’s presidential ambition.
The Deputy Commander of Operation Rainbow, CSP (Chief Superintendent of Police) Dennis David Babale, has been killed after gunmen suspected to be Fulani Bandits ambushed personnel of the security outfit along the Bokkos-Barkin Ladi road in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Operation Rainbow is a State-backed community security and intelligence-gathering outfit in Plateau State, Nigeria, originally established in 2010 under former Governor Jonah Jang and recently revamped by Governor Caleb Mutfwang to combat rural violence and beef up grassroots security.
The incident reportedly occurred at about 4:06 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22, 2026 when the personnel, travelling in a Toyota Hilux vehicle, came under attack by unidentified gunmen.
Troops of Sector 4, Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP), responded to a distress report and moved to the location of the attack.
Sources told reporters that Babale sustained gunshot wounds during the ambush and was evacuated to the General Hospital, Barkin Ladi, for medical attention.
Following the attack, troops, working alongside personnel of other security agencies, launched offensive operations and a manhunt for the assailants within the general area.
Security forces have intensified efforts to track the attackers and prevent further attacks along the route.
Director General/CEO of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative at the World Meteorological Organization, Prof. Charles Anosike and other Chief Executive Officers of similar agencies across the world, have concluded a one week high level dialogue on Climate Science Information for Climate Finance and the 53rd Senior Official Field Exchange (SOFE) in Beijing, China.
The event which was hosted by World Meteorological Organization (WMO), took place from September 14 to 18, 2026 and featured discussions on: strengthening the role and leadership development of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in mobilizing climate finance; aligning scientific and technical capabilities with risk-informed, people-centred early warning systems; shifting from technical assistance to sustainable investments by expanding practical cooperation between meteorological frameworks and multilateral financing entities; and support to NMHSs leadership on strengthening strategic thinking and fostering productive partnerships.
Held back-to-back with the High-level dialogue was the 53rd Senior Official Field Exchange to Fujian Province for first-hand exposure to the implementation of Multi-hazard, Alert, Zero-gap and Universal (MAZU) platform – China’s AI-driven meteorological early warning solution in support of the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative and disaster risk reduction practices through technical exchanges, field visits and peer learning.
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