An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced two men to 15 years’ imprisonment each over the death of a 12-year-old housemaid.

The convicts, Edidiong Edem, a 22-yera-old painter, and Alex Effiong-Etim, a 21-year-old mechanic, were handed the jail terms by Justice Abiola Soladoye after entering a plea bargain on an amended charge of involuntary manslaughter.

Delivering judgment on Thursday, March 12, 2026, the court found the duo guilty and imposed a 15-year custodial sentence on each of them.

Justice Soladoye ruled that the punishment would take effect from the date the convicts were first remanded in a correctional facility.

The court heard that the men flogged the victim with a broom, an assault that ultimately resulted in her death.

Edem and Effiong-Etim were initially arraigned before the court on February 25, 2022, where they pleaded not guilty to the charge. 

However, they later opted for a plea bargain agreement dated February 25, which led to the amended charge of involuntary manslaughter.

Earlier during proceedings, the prosecution, led by state counsel Oluwaseun Adewoye, told the court that the offence occurred in January 2022 at Military Estate in the Eleko area of Lagos State.

According to the prosecution, the convicts recklessly flogged the young girl on her legs with a broom, inflicting injuries that later became infected with tetanus and eventually led to her death.

The prosecution further stated that the offence contravened Section 224 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

By Johnson Agu

Nigeria’s controversial economic reforms are facing renewed scrutiny after a new study revealed that nearly two-thirds of the country’s population slipped below the poverty line following the removal of petrol subsidies, intensifying concerns that ordinary citizens are bearing the cost of policies whose benefits remain elusive.

The research, presented at a policy dialogue in Abuja organised by Agora Policy, found that the national poverty rate surged from 49.8 percent to about 63 percent after the government scrapped the decades-long fuel subsidy.

The policy was announced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his inauguration speech on May 29, 2023, as part of sweeping economic reforms intended to stabilize public finances and boost government revenue.

But the findings suggest the immediate impact on households has been severe.

“After the subsidy removal, poverty increased from a baseline of about 50 percent to 63 percent,” said Mohammed Shuaibu, a senior lecturer at the University of Abuja who presented the study.

Although government social protection programmes, such as cash transfers, helped moderate the crisis, poverty only declined slightly to about 56.2 percent, still far above pre-reform levels.

Rising Pain, Lingering Questions

The findings are likely to intensify debate over Nigeria’s economic reform agenda, particularly as millions of citizens continue to grapple with soaring fuel prices, higher transport costs, and surging electricity tariffs.

For critics, the most troubling question is not whether the reforms boosted government revenue, but how that revenue has been used.

Prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana said the reforms had indeed increased government income but raised serious concerns about transparency and priorities in public spending.

“The cardinal objective of the reform was to boost government revenue. It did,” Falana said.

“But the question is how the government has spent that revenue.”

He added that many Nigerians remain sceptical about whether the proceeds from subsidy removal are being channelled into meaningful social programmes.

“The real issue for me,” Falana said, “is whether citizens can trust government spending and priorities compared to social interventions that directly support households.”

Unequal Impact Across Society

According to the research, the economic shock triggered by subsidy removal was far fromevenly distributed.

High-income households were largely shielded from the worst effects of the policy, while low-income families experienced the sharpest decline in living standards.

The study found that the poverty gap, an indicator of the depth of deprivation, widened dramatically, rising from 31.6 percent to more than 45 percent after the policy change.

In practical terms, this means not only that more Nigerians fell into poverty, but that the poor became even poorer.

Household consumption also declined sharply across the country.

“Across the board, household consumption declined following both subsidy removal and electricity tariff adjustments,” Shuaibu said.

Rural households and urban low-income families were particularly affected as rising fuel and transport costs rapidly eroded purchasing power.

Survival, Not Recovery

Focus group discussions conducted across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones revealed a stark reality: many families are coping with the reforms not through recovery but through sacrifice.

Households reported cutting food consumption, reducing travel, rationing electricity, and borrowing money just to meet basic needs.

“Households adjusted to the shocks not through recovery but through sacrifice,” Shuaibu said.

Many participants also reported receiving little or no support from government intervention programmes designed to cushion the impact of the reforms.

Businesses told a similar story.

Rising fuel and electricity costs have significantly increased operating expenses, forcing some companies to raise prices, lay off workers, or shut down entirely.

Others have turned to alternative energy sources to stay afloat, but many said promised government support programmes had either failed to reach them or were too small to make a difference.

Government’s Defence of the Reforms

Officials insist that the painful reforms were unavoidable.

Speaking at the dialogue, Muhammad Abdullahi, Deputy Governor for Economic Policy at the Central Bank of Nigeria, said the country inherited severe economic distortions that made policy changes inevitable.

“Nigeria faced severe macroeconomic imbalances, economic distortions and collapsing revenues before the reforms,” he said.

He noted that oil revenue had collapsed dramatically over the past decade, falling from about $92 billion in 2012 to less than $2 billion in 2023, placing enormous pressure on public finances.

The CBN official also revealed that the country’s foreign exchange reserves were far weaker than they appeared.

Although official reserves were listed at about $32 billion, much of the funds consisted of borrowed resources, leaving net reserves of only about $800 million at one point.

Macro Gains, Micro Pain

Some economists argue that the reforms are beginning to produce positive macroeconomic signals.

According to Abdullahi, inflation has been declining steadily and Nigeria is gradually moving toward single-digit inflation.

Non-oil exports have also increased, reaching about $6 billion last year.

But critics say those gains remain largely invisible to ordinary citizens.

“The economy may be improving at the macro level,” said Chinyere Almona, Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“But that improvement has not trickled down to the common man.”

She noted that subsidy removal alone could save the government roughly $7.5 billion annually, funds that should be invested in infrastructure and human capital development.

“For the private sector, what we want to see is that the savings from subsidy removal are actually being used to build infrastructure,” she said.

Reform Fatigue and Public Distrust

For many Nigerians, however, the debate is increasingly defined by a familiar frustration: reforms that promise long-term gains but deliver immediate hardship.

With widespread reports of corruption, wasteful spending, and the re-looting of public resources, public trust in government assurances remains fragile.

As policymakers push ahead with economic restructuring, the central question facing Nigeria’s reform agenda is becoming harder to ignore:

Will the painful sacrifices demanded of citizens translate into real improvements, or simply deepen the cycle of austerity, inequality, and broken promises?

A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Port Harcourt was thrown into confusion on Wednesday after a lawyer, believed to have died last December, appeared before the court to represent a client.
  
Earlier, during proceedings presided over by Senior Magistrate Kingsley Briggs, a matter came up for hearing and the counsel representing the litigant failed to appear in court.

When the magistrate inquired about the lawyer’s whereabouts, the litigant informed the court that his counsel had died in December 2025.
  
The revelation stunned the court, prompting Briggs to immediately consult the court’s record book. 
  
Upon reviewing the records, the magistrate confirmed that the same lawyer was recorded as present in court  on February 10, 2026.
  
According to the magistrate, the lawyer had on that date intervened on behalf of the litigant, and pleaded with the court not to issue a bench warrant against his client, explaining that the litigant was ill and required medical attention.
  
Briggs explained that based on the lawyer’s plea, the court exercised discretion and declined to issue the bench warrant, instead adjourned the matter till March 11, 2026.
  
The development sparked confusion among the audience in the courtroom, as the litigant insisted that his lawyer had died two months before the February court appearance.
  
In an effort to resolve the situation, Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), who was present in court, suggested that the family of the deceased lawyer be contacted for clarification.
  
A family member, who was subsequently reached, confirmed that the lawyer had indeed died in December 2025. The lawyer, he added, was allegedly strangled to death in his Oyigbo apartment.
  
The family member further disclosed that the matter had been reported to the police and investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death were still ongoing.
  
The strange development left both the court and observers confused, raising questions about how the name of the deceased lawyer came to be recorded as present during the February court proceedings.
  
Court officials were said to be reviewing records to determine what transpired during the earlier sitting.

The case was subsequently adjourned.

The Guardian

About eight years after legal proceedings, a Lagos Special Offences Court has convicted notorious fraudster Emmanuel Nwude and two lawyers linked to him for offences related to forgery and dealings involving forfeited property.

Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, sentenced Nwude alongside his lawyers, Emmanuel Ilechukwu and Rowland Kalu, to one year imprisonment each.

The three defendants were convicted after facing a prolonged trial that began in 2018 following their arraignment on an amended 15-count charge.

The charges bordered on conspiracy, forgery, uttering of false documents, dealing with forfeited property, attempt to pervert the course of justice, and fabricating evidence.

One of the counts presented before the court stated: “Emmanuel Nwude, Emmanuel Ilechukwu and Rowland Kalu, between 2011-2012, at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without due authorization by the Commission, dealt with the property known as Plot Y Mobolaji Johnson Street, Oregun, Ikeja ,whereas you knew that the property was forfeited to the victims of crimes as restitution in the judgment delivered on 18th day of November,2005 by Hon. Justice Oyewole in ID/92C/04 – FRN vs. Emmanuel Nwude and 6 Ors and the victims subsequently sold the property to Rosaab Industrial Design Limited and which Rosaab Industrial Design Limited later assigned to G. C. Nweze and Company Limited.”

At the commencement of the trial on March 2, 2018, all the defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, prompting the court to proceed with a full trial.

During the trial, the prosecution counsel, Nnaemeka Omewa, called five witnesses and tendered several documentary exhibits which were admitted by the court as evidence against the defendants. The prosecution later closed its case on March 19, 2019.

Following the prosecution’s case, Nwude and his lawyers filed a no-case submission, arguing that the evidence presented was insufficient to require them to enter a defence.

However, in a ruling delivered on September 19, 2019, the court dismissed the application and ordered the defendants to open their defence.

Rather than comply immediately, Nwude proceeded to challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CA/LAG/CR/1244/2019.

The appellate court eventually dismissed the appeal and directed him to return to the trial court to present his defence.

Complying with the appellate court’s directive, Nwude opened his case on February 22, 2021. During the proceedings, he testified in his own defence and called three additional witnesses before closing his case.

His co-defendants, Ilechukwu and Kalu, who both served as his legal counsel, also testified on their own behalf. They subsequently closed their defence on February 27, 2025.

Following the conclusion of testimonies, the court ordered all parties to file their final written addresses and adjourned the matter to June 25, 2025.

The defendants submitted their addresses at different times, with the third defendant filing a response to the prosecution on June 20, 2025.

At the June 25, 2025 sitting, the court further adjourned the matter to September 25, 2025.

However, the proceedings took an unexpected turn on that date when Dr. Babajide Martins, Director of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), Lagos State, appeared in court.

Martins informed the court that he had been instructed to take over the prosecution of the case following a petition submitted to his office by the second defendant, Ilechukwu.

Justice Dada questioned the timing of the move, noting that the matter had already reached the stage for adoption of final written addresses and was close to conclusion.

When asked to explain why the DPP would seek to take over a case at such a late stage, Martins reportedly could not provide a clear justification.

The court subsequently adjourned the case to November 5, 2025, to allow the first defendant’s counsel file his reply on points of law to the prosecution’s final address.

The trial eventually culminated in the conviction and sentencing of the three men on Wednesday, bringing the long-running case to a close.

Eight suspects arrested by the Police in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, have confessed to selling 31 human heads to yet-to-be identified prominent personalities in the country.

They also confessed to selling body parts for rituals and spiritual powers.

The suspects were busted by a Joint Investigative Team of the Nigeria Police Force, following information from the public which led to the search of the house of the principal suspect, Azeez Yakubu. A search of Yakubu’s residence at No. 20 Ile Opa Adeta Compound, Ilorin led to the discovery of 11 human skulls, some pieces of human bones, human hairs, and powder suspected to be ground human bones and charms

A statement by Jimoh Moshood, the police spokesman, on Wednesday listed the suspects as: Azeez Yakub a.k.a Baba Muri (principal suspect), Abdulrasaq Babamale, Aishat Yunisa, Lukman Saka, Ahmed Yahaya a.k.a. Eko, Abdulfatai Kadri a.k.a Adedoyin (Vigilante Commander, Adeta Zone, Ilorin), Soliu Ayinde a.k.a. Baba Fawasi and Abdulganiyu Bamidele.

The statement read: “The suspects [were involved] in kidnapping, murder, ritual killings, exhuming of dead bodies from where buried in the community, removing their vital body parts such as the skull, genital organs, eyes, human hair, certain body bones and sell to prominent personalities in the country for rituals and spiritual powers. The suspects confessed and admitted to have sold thirty-one (31) human heads to some personalities in Ilorin and other towns in Kwara State and other contiguous states to Kwara State.

“Azeez Yakub a.k.a Baba Muri (Principal Suspect) who is a notorious armed robber and have been arrested, charged to court and convicted to prison severally. This suspect now in Police custody has made confessional statement to the Police Investigation Team. He confessed and admitted that one Abdulfatai Kadri a.k.a. (Adedoyin), the vigilante commander in Adeta Zone, introduced him to the business and also supplies the human skulls and other body parts for him to sell. Eleven (11) Human skulls were recovered from his possession during police search on his residence.

“The principal suspect confessed that Abdulfatai Kadri has brought to him twenty (20) human skulls that he exhumed from the Ilorin Community Central Burial ground situated after [Eid] praying ground in Ilorin, Kwara State. He further admitted that Abdulfatai Kadri a.k.a. Adedoyin usually brings in the human heads to him in batches of four (4), six (6), eight (8) for safe keeping and usually collects them within a day or two, and also informed him of the personalities in Ilorin and others he usually supply the heads to.

“Abdulrasaq Babamole was equally mentioned by the principal suspect, Azeez Yakub to have bought one (1) human skull from him. Powder suspected to be grinded human bones was recovered in his possession. He has also confessed to the crime admitting his criminal role.

“Aishat Yunisa a.k.a. Iya Alagbo was mentioned by the principal suspect, Azeez Yakub to be a member of the gang who deals in selling of human body parts. During interrogation, she confessed and admitted to have supplied two (2) human skulls she obtained from Azeez Yakub to one Ahmed Yahaya and Lukman Saka. Ahmed Yahaya and Lukeman Saka were indicted in the confessional statement made by the principal suspect, Azeez Yakub.

“They confessed to have bought two (2) human skulls from the principal suspect through Aishat Yunusa, grinded for their usage and rituals. Abdulfatai Kadri a.k.a. Adedoyin is a vigilante Commander in Adeta Zone indicted by the principal suspect to have introduced him to the business and also supplies the human skull and other body parts for him to sell. He is still being investigated on his criminal roles in the incident.

“Soliu Ayinde a.k.a. Baba Fawasi: This suspect also in police custody confessed and admitted to be a member of the syndicate who receives human parts from both Abdulfatai Kadri a.k.a. Adedoyin, the Vigilante commander and Azeez Yakub the principal suspect. In his possession was recovered human bones cut-off from the leg of one of their victims. He admitted to the Police investigators that the principal suspect Azeez Yakub and Abdulfatai Kadri a.k.a. Adedoyin are working together. At a time he requested for human skull from Azeez Yakub, in his presence, Azeez Yakub called Abdulfatai Kadri a.k.a. Adedoyin to bring the human skull after collecting N15,000 from him.

“Abdulganiyu Bamidele: He confessed and admitted to buying human skull from the principal suspect, Azeez Yakub and supply same to his friend one Kayode still at large. All the suspects have made confessional statements to the Police Investigation Team and have confessed and admitted to the various criminal roles they played in the recent kidnapping, gruesome murder and ritual killing attacks on innocent residents in Ilorin Metropolis and other towns in Kwara State.

“Investigation is still ongoing and efforts being intensified to arrest other suspects including prominent personalities mentioned by the suspects but who are still at large. They will all be arraigned in court on completion of investigation.”

Families of residents abducted by suspected Boko Haram terrorists from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have said they fear some of the captives, particularly pregnant women and children, may have died in captivity due to the prolonged silence from both the terrorists and government authorities.

The distraught families spoke to SaharaReporters on Thursday evening as anxiety and despair continue to spread across the rural community months after the mass abduction.

According to relatives of the victims, there has been no meaningful communication from the terrorists since the captives were taken away, while the government has also failed to provide any concrete update on rescue efforts.

One of the family members said the situation has left many households devastated and hopeless.

“We are living in fear every day,” the relative told SaharaReporters. “Since they were taken, we have not heard anything from the terrorists or from the government. No calls, no demands, nothing. This is exactly a month they paraded them in a video, we have not heard anything again and government seems to have move on.”

The source said the silence has heightened fears that some of the abductees may have already died, especially vulnerable individuals among them.

“We are particularly worried about the pregnant women and the children,” the source said. “Some of them were already weak before they were taken. If they are in the bush without food, without medical care, how can they survive for this long?”

Another family member said the community has been plunged into a state of mourning, with residents struggling to cope with uncertainty.

“Our hearts are heavy every day,” the resident said. “We don’t know whether our people are alive or dead. We are begging the government to do something because we cannot continue living like this.”

The relative added that many families are beginning to lose hope

“We are losing hope because nobody is telling us anything. The government is silent, and the terrorists are silent too,” the source lamented. “We are afraid that some of our people might have died in their den.”

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that suspected Boko Haram terrorists, formally known as Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, released a disturbing video in which they paraded 176 abducted victims, including women, children and a nursing mother allegedly seized from Woro community.

In the video, one of the terrorists was seen interrogating the captives and asking them to state where they were kidnapped.

Responding in Hausa language, three women, including a nursing mother, said they were abducted from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The footage showed dozens of women and children standing in rows, many of them visibly distressed.

Their clothes appeared dirty and worn, while several children were seen without trousers, highlighting the harsh conditions under which they were being held.

While parading the victims, one of the terrorists openly accused the Kwara State government of misleading Nigerians and the international community over the scale of the abductions.

According to the terrorist in the video, the state government falsely claimed that only between 20 and 30 people were kidnapped, insisting instead that the number of captives in their custody stood at 176.

“The Kwara State government lied to Nigeria and to the whole world,” the terrorist alleged in the footage.

The video sparked widespread concern about the deteriorating security situation in Kaiama Local Government Area and other parts of Kwara North, where residents say communities remain vulnerable to attacks by armed groups operating across the state.

Responding, the Kwara State Government, said it was deeply concerned on the disturbing video released by terrorists.

“As always, our thoughts are with all the families affected, and we reaffirm our commitment to securing the safe return of all those impacted,” the state government stated in a statement issued by the State Commissioner for Communications, Bolanle Olukoju.

The government said it acknowledged the anxiety that this footage might cause but declared that government officials and security agencies were carefully analysing the video to establish the identities of the individuals shown.

As of the time of filing this report, the Kwara State Government had not publicly communicated any progress made so far towards rescuing these abductees. 

The latest fears expressed by families come weeks after SaharaReporters reported the initial massacre and mass abduction that rocked the quiet agrarian community.

On February 3, 2026, SaharaReporters reported that dozens of people were brutally killed following a coordinated and deadly attack by suspected Sahel-backed terrorists on Woro community.

Among those killed during the bloody assault were two wives of the Emir of Woro, several of his children, the Chief Imam of Woro, a school principal, a headmistress and students who had just returned home from school.

The attackers reportedly stormed the community on a Tuesday evening, killing indiscriminately and attacking residents and travellers passing through the area.

Source: SaharaReporters

One of the impressively large support groups for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reelection which was recently unveiled in Abuja, known as Working People United, (WoPU) for good governance has reechoed its unwavering loyalty and support for the President ahead 2027 presidential poll.

The civil society-driven initiative aims to promote transparency, accountability, and people-centered leadership in governance. Formed by workers across multiple sectors, the movement seeks to ensure that governance delivers measurable impacts on citizens’ welfare, job security, and economic stability.

It also emphasizes the importance of fair wages, social protection, sustainable development, and responsible management of public resources. The movement also advocates for reforms that ensure governance structures serve the broader public interest rather than sectional or personal agendas.

Its coordinator, a foremost unionist, grassroots mobilizer and community leader, Comrade Williams Eniredonana Akporeha on behalf of the group revalidated it’s pledge for Mr. President who will be flying the flag of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the coming year.

This reassurance was contained in a statement signed by Akporeha on Thursday.

He said, “Mr President, we assure you of our full and unwavering support for you, your administration, and your party, the APC, which remains our hope, our pride, and the formidable platform to sustain Nigeria’s gains and secure the future,” Akporeha said.

The statement continues, “Mr. President, you undoubtedly posses the spirit of cohesion, inclusivity, unity and purpose, with a commitment to take Nigeria back to its place of pride in every sphere of life, not mere political assemblage.

“Your Excellency Sir, through a genuine and patriotic zeal, you conceptualized and built the foundation for the Renewed Hope agenda, a pragmatic, scientific, and rewarding blueprint for national restoration. Your economic reforms, policies and programmes especially in the petroleum sector are quite rewarding and commendable by the entire stakeholders in that value chain. This is not just a slogan but a vision we are committed to, ensuring the success of you and your party an ultimate and landslide victory in 2027.

“Without mincing words, your people-friendly government has given Nigerians more hope and reasons to believe in our future as a nation, than we have ever had at any time in our history.

“For many years, we were led down dark paths by a misguided few and today, everything is being done to reverse that distasteful, disgraceful, and obnoxious phase in our democracy. Thank you Mr. President for changing the national trajectory positively.

“To be honest, good governance cannot possibly happen overnight, not even in four years. Thus, we want to call on Nigerians to get behind the president and vote him into office come 2027.

“We therefore issue a rallying cry to every Nigerian man, woman and youth to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reelection for 2027.

“While commending you and your government for promoting peace and unity despite the challenges you inherited, we urge you not to relent in ensuring security in every part of the country. To sustain the policies and reforms already in place, we are with you in principle and purpose. May God continue to grant you strength, wisdom, and protection to lead this nation to the promised land.

“On behalf of all of us at Working People United, we thank you for being a true nationalist who mean well for his fatherland. Our loyalty and commitment to you and your government are irrevocable. You truly share a vision for a Nigeria built on discipline, justice, economic sovereignty, and responsible governance these and many more are your laudable and enviable credentials that will make your reelection realistic and sustainable,” Akporeha said.

The Working People United, (WoPU) has gained support from union leaders, including those in the oil and gas sector, and has announced additional processes, projects, and strategic initiatives to strengthen democratic accountability and inclusive development in Nigeria.

A pilot working for British Airways has been accused of secretly recording intimate encounters with multiple women and allegedly uploading the videos online without their consent.

According to reports, the 31-year-old pilot was arrested by authorities in the United Kingdom last week after several women came forward claiming they had been secretly filmed during private meetings with him in hotel rooms around the world.

Read Also: Equatorial Guinea’s DG of National Financial Investigation Agency caught in sex tango with multiple women

One of the alleged victims said she only discovered the recordings after another woman contacted her with similar claims. 

“I was being recorded during sexual encounters without my consent,” the woman said, adding that the pilot would often place a laptop nearby with music playing and the screen turned off during their meetings.

She later learned that the footage had allegedly been uploaded to adult websites and that several other women had experienced the same situation. 

Sources said some flight attendants had begun warning one another about the pilot’s behavior after suspicions grew.

Another woman reportedly discovered multiple videos on the suspect’s laptop showing different women in separate hotel rooms. Some of the women allegedly appeared to be wearing uniforms from other airlines, including Virgin Atlantic.

The alleged victims, whose ages range from 24 to 36, reported the matter to the Metropolitan Police, which launched an investigation. 

Authorities arrested the pilot on March 5 on suspicion of voyeurism. Police later confirmed he had been released on bail while investigations continue. 

The airline has reportedly suspended the pilot from duty while the inquiry is ongoing. Sources also claimed he is being investigated over alleged cocaine use.

British Airways has not publicly released the pilot’s identity as the investigation remains active.
 

Nigeria’s Senate President Godswill Akpabio has ignited fresh political controversy after declaring that criticism from opposition parties over legislation passed by the Nigerian Senate only reassures him that lawmakers have made the right decisions.

Akpabio made the remarks in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, while addressing guests during a reception organized in honour of Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu.

“Each time we make a law and the opposition frowns, I get excited that I’ve made the right law,” Akpabio said.

The statement has triggered renewed debate over whether Nigeria’s recent legislative reforms are strengthening democratic institutions or deepening political divisions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Boycott Threats and Political Tensions

Akpabio also dismissed threats by some opposition figures who have suggested that they may boycott the next presidential election due to concerns over amendments to the country’s electoral framework.

Referring to televised criticism of the new legislation, he argued that such threats merely indicate a lack of preparedness among those making them.

“Yesterday I saw one man shouting on TV because of the amended Electoral Act, saying we’re likely to boycott elections,” Akpabio said.

“My response was: tell the truth—you’re boycotting the elections because you’re not ready. If you are ready you won’t boycott.”

The remarks come as political tensions intensify over the Electoral Act 2026, which was signed into law earlier this year by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Clause 60 Dispute

At the centre of the controversy is Clause 60 of the amended law, which governs the transmission of election results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal known as the **INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

The law formally recognizes electronic transmission of results but allows election officials to revert to manual processes if technological systems fail.

Critics say that fallback provision could reopen the door to manipulation of election results.

Civil society organizations, including Yiaga Africa, have warned that allowing manual result sheets—specifically the Form EC8A used at polling units—to override digital records in cases of communication failure may undermine transparency.

The concern stems partly from Nigeria’s electoral history, where disputes over manual result collation have frequently triggered allegations of vote tampering.

Removal of “Real-Time” Transmission

Another flashpoint in the debate is the removal of the phrase “real-time transmission” from the legal text of the amendment.

Earlier proposals supported by the House of Representatives required election results to be uploaded immediately from polling units while party agents and observers were still present.

However, the Senate’s final version replaced that requirement with language allowing the electoral commission flexibility to determine how electronic transmission should occur.

Supporters of the change argue that rigid real-time requirements could create logistical challenges in rural areas with poor internet connectivity.

Critics counter that removing the provision weakens a key safeguard intended to prevent manipulation during result collation.

Lessons From the 2023 Elections

The debate over electronic transmission of results has lingered since the 2023 Nigerian general election, when several election disputes reached the courts.

Judicial rulings at the time held that electronic transmission was not explicitly mandated under Nigerian law, meaning paper result sheets remained the legally binding evidence in election litigation.

Opponents of the new amendment warn that the latest changes could reinforce that legal interpretation, allowing manual records to take precedence over digital systems whenever technological failures are cited.

Budget Questions Add to Senate Scrutiny

The controversy surrounding electoral reforms is unfolding alongside criticism of recent fiscal decisions by the Senate.

In an unusual legislative development, lawmakers allowed the 2024, 2025, and 2026 federal budgets to operate simultaneously through repeated extensions of capital expenditure deadlines.

The capital component of the 2024 budget was extended until December 31, 2025, while supplementary appropriations were introduced during the same period.

Meanwhile, significant revenue shortfalls, only about ₦10 trillion realized from an estimated ₦40 trillion projection for 2025, forced the government to roll over nearly 70 percent of capital projects into the 2026 budget cycle.

The 2025 Appropriation Act was subsequently re-enacted with a sunset clause extending project implementation into March 2026, effectively aligning it with the 2026 fiscal year.

A Defining Political Battle Ahead

With Nigeria’s next general election still more than a year away, the controversy over the Electoral Act is already shaping the country’s political landscape.

For critics, the debate raises concerns about whether electoral safeguards are being weakened at a crucial moment.

For supporters of the amendment, the changes simply reflect pragmatic adjustments designed to address technological limitations across a vast and unevenly connected country.

Either way, Akpabio’s remarks, and the sharp reactions they have triggered, underscore how deeply contested Nigeria’s electoral future remains as the nation edges closer to the 2027 vote.