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BOMBSHELL: COMMITTEE UNCOVERS BILLIONS LOOTED BY YUGUDA/ABUBAKAR, BAUCHI GOVS
It is with great pleasure that the Bauchi State Government’s Assets and Funds Recovery Committee welcomes you to its press conference. The Committee is very grateful to you for responding to its invitation, and for the fact that you will help us share this news, which is a mixture of sweet and bitter, with members of the public.
You may recall that His Excellency the Executive Governor of Bauchi State Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, CON (Kauran Bauchi) has during the electioneering campaigns, promised that if elected, he would recover all stolen funds and assets belonging to the good people of Bauchi State. The constitution and subsequent inauguration of the Committee on the 12th day of July, 2019 is therefore a promise kept. The Committee, immediately after its inauguration, sat for a maiden meeting during which it came up with a well thought out work plan. Most importantly, the Committee took a firm decision to operate within the boundaries of laws of the Federation and other enabling laws enacted by the Bauchi State House of Assembly, in the discharge of its assignment.
The Committee has received a total of 279 petitions, complaints and whistle blower exposés. In addition to these, the Committee also received information about Federal Allocations, local and international loans, aids, grants, donations and other interventions, from primary and secondary sources.
The primary sources include Federal Government MDAs such as the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Debt Management Office (DMO), Federal Ministry of Finance, Ecological Funds Office, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) etcetera. Other primary sources include World Bank, World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Dangote Foundation and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The secondary sources are the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Bauchi State, to enable the Committee make comparisons and reach conclusions as to the judicious application, utilisation and management of the resources belonging to the good people of Bauchi State.
All these information were painstakingly looked into, which led to the discovery of massive fraud – outright stealing of public funds, wanton mismanagement of resources, deliberate skewing of contracts, breach of trust, reckless abuse of office and other shoddy deals perpetrated against the good people of Bauchi State by the administrations under review, with the connivance of some criminally inclined civil servants.
The following are some of the heart-wrenching discoveries made by the Committee:
FUNDS ACCRUED TO BAUCHI STATE BETWEEN MAY 2007 AND MAY 2015 (EIGHT YEARS ADMINISTRATION OF FORMER GOVERNOR ISAH YUGUDA)
STATUTORY ALLOCATION (2007 – 2015)
According to the submission by Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Bauchi State received a total of N393,867,570,547.75 as Statutory Allocation between May 2007 and May 2015.
Conversely, this Committee was able to trace a total of N386,500,736,402.86, from relevant Bank Statements of Accounts at the Bauchi State Treasury. A discrepancy of N6,611,420,477.79, representing Unaccounted Statutory Revenue due to Bauchi State.
SURE-P INTERVENTION PROGRAMME (2007 – 2015)
The Committee discovered that between May 2012 and December 2014, the sum of N8,338,485,091.46 as Federal Government’s SURE-P Intervention. Investigation is still going on to confirm the actual utilization of this amount and you will be duly informed of further discovery in due course.
BANK LOANS TO BAUCHI STATE (2007 – 2015)
The Committee has discovered that a total of N135,145,096,050.84 commercial loans were taken. Out of this amount, N100,961,539,849.33 were loans taken without the authorisation of Bauchi State House of Assembly as required by the extant law. The balance of N34,183,556,201.51 represents the loans which followed due process of law.
Similarly, the Committee discovered that a total of N881,464,360.73 was interest charge on the unauthorised loans.
TEN BILLION NAIRA (N10,000,000,000.00) LOAN FROM FINBANK (NOW FCMB) – BASG MAIN ACCOUNT NO. 2134384701
The Committee also discovered a commercial loan to the tune of N10,000,000,000.00 taken from the then FINBANK (now FCMB), through a credit entry in the former Main Account of the State Government No. 2134384701, which was apparently “an unsolicited” loan. There were no documents, whatsoever from the Office of the Accountant General of Bauchi State in respect of this loan. The Committee’s search is ongoing to confirm how the funds were utilised.
FIFTEEN BILLION NAIRA (N15,000,000,000.00) BOND
At the beginning of the year 2014, Bauchi State Government initiated a process for raising funds from the Capital Market through the issuance of N15,000,000,000.00 Series 1 Fixed Bond under the Bauchi State Medium Term Loan Programme.
The objective of raising these funds as stated in the issue documents were the completion of Bauchi International Airport; New Bauchi Specialist Hospital and; refinancing of existing bank loans in Fidelity Bank and FCMB.
By mid-December 2014, the process was completed and the proceeds of the Bonds Issue were disbursed through the lead bank – United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc.
Full investigation on the utilisation and management of the funds is still in progress and details will be announced as soon as investigation is completed.
ECOLOGICAL FUNDS
According to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), the sum of N2,000,000,000.00 was paid to the Bauchi State Government as it share of the Ecological Fund for the year 2013. Similarly, the Ecological Fund Office has through a letter with reference no. EF/ACCT/019/1/14 dated 18th September, 2019 confirmed that in 2014, another N500,000,000.00 was paid into the Bauchi State Government Account No. 0998552029 domiciled with FCMB, as Grant for Displaced Persons in the State.
What is outstanding is how this amount totaling N2,500,000,000.00 were expended.
A total of N564,851,151,690.05 had accrued to Bauchi State between May 2007 and May 2015. Over N200,000,000,000.00 of this funds, this Committee discovered, was mismanaged or outrightly stolen under the administration of former Governor Isah Yuguda.
In line with the Terms of Reference of the Committee, “To consider and appraise the report of various enquiry commissions or committees set-up by the previous administrations from May, 2007 to May 2019 with the view of effecting full implantation of all the recommendations requiring recovery of Government’s properties and funds,” the Committee is going to implement all the recommendations contained in the HIGH POWERED COMMITTEE report that investigated all major contracts awarded between May 2007 and May 2015.
FUNDS ACCRUED TO BAUCHI STATE BETWEEN MAY 2015 AND MAY 2019 (FOUR YEARS ADMINISTRATION OF FORMER GOVERNOR MOHAMMED ABDULLAHI ABUBAKAR, ESQ)
GOVERNMENT FINANCES:
STATUTORY ALLOCATION (2015 – 2019)
According to the submission by Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Bauchi State received a total of N321,460,759,830.34 as Statutory Allocation between May 2015 and May 2019.
BANK LOANS (2015 – 2019)
The Committee discovered that a total of N58,602,385,544.00 loans were taken between May 2015 and May 2019.
BAILOUT LOAN FACILITY
According to the submission by the Office of the Accountant General of Bauchi State, a bailout facility of N8,609,100,000.00; N5,968,400,090.00; N700,000,000.00 in 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively, totalling N15,282,400,000.00 were released to the Bauchi State Government.
PARIS CLUB REFUNDS
Similarly, the total sum of N47,314,330,501.72 in 2016, 2017 and 2018 was received by the last administration of Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, according to submission by the Office Accountant General of Bauchi State.
BUDGET SUPPORT LOAN FACILITY
The Committee discovered that the sum of N17,569,000,000.00 was received by the State as Budget Support Facility from the Federal Government of Nigeria
EXCESS CRUDE ACCOUNT (ECA) LOAN FACILITY
The sum of N10,000,000,000.00 was also received by the State as Excess Crude Account (ECA) loan facility.
However, the Committee has observed a discrepancy in the figures supplied by Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Debt Management Agency (Bauchi State) and Office of the Accountant General of Bauchi State on Budget Support Facility provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The figures under the Budget Support Facility was given as N17,569,000,000.00 and N12,125,000,000.00 by the OAGF and Office of the Accountant General of Bauchi State/Debt Management Agency (Bauchi State), respectively.
Similarly, a loan of N850,000,000.00 being counterpart funding paid Bauchi State by for the Rural Access and Agriculture Mobility Project (RAAMP) has not been captured in the debt portfolio of the State by both the Office of the Accountant General of Bauchi State and Debt Management Agency (Bauchi State).
ASSETS TAKEN AWAY/REFUSED TO BE RETURNED
The Committee discovered that the former Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar has sold to himself, seven (7) posh vehicles belonging to Bauchi State Government in violation of provisions of BAUCHI STATE BUDGET MONITORING, PRICE INTELLIGENCE AND PUBLIC PROCUREMENT LAW (BMPIPP 2008), for the disposal of government assets and/or properties. The vehicles are as follows;
Land Cruiser Armoured Jeep, with Chassis No. JTMHX09J9F4089580 auctioned at the cost of N7,800,000.00.
Land Cruiser V8, with Chassis No. JTMHX09J8D4050814 sold at the cost N2,800,000.00.
Toyota Hilux, with Chassis No. MROFX22G2F1436641sold at the cost of N1,050,000.00.
Toyota Hilux, with Chassis No. MROFX22G701415100 sold at the cost of N1,050,000.00.
Range Rover (Jeep), with Chassis No. SALWA2VF3EA366819 sold at the cost of N2,947,875.00.
Range Rover (Jeep), with Chassis No. SALLSAAD4DA800170 sold at the cost of N2,114,700.00.
Range Rover (Jeep), with Chassis No. SALLSAAD4DA81373 sold at the cost of N2,114,700.00.
Similarly, thirty (30) exotic vehicles allocated to his political appointees and public office holders that have left office were found to have not been returned. The Committee has already recovered fifteen (15) of such vehicles and, is on the trail of the remaining fifteen (15) with a view to recovering and returning them to government pool. In the same vein, the Committee has taken steps to recover the vehicles that the former governor arbitrarily sold to himself.
It was also discovered that in violation of his Oath of Office, the former Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar initiated a transaction and sold to himself a house with Certificate of Occupancy No. BA/40245 located adjacent to Wikki Hotel, belonging to Bauchi State Government, at a highly subsidised rate. This also, in gross violation of the BAUCHI STATE BUDGET MONITORING, PRICE INTELLIGENCE AND PUBLIC PROCUREMENT LAW (BMPIPP 2008), for the disposal of government assets and/or properties. Section 55, Subsection 4 & 5 states inter alia; “All procuring entities shall distribute responsibilities for the disposal of public property between procurement units and Tenders Board;” and, “A report of the findings… shall be forwarded to the Executive Council for appropriate directive.” Similarly, PART XI – Section 56, Subsection 6(f) stipulates, “Avoiding all situations likely to render an officer vulnerable to embarrassment or undue influence.” All these provisions were found to have been violated. Above all, the disposing entity, Bauchi Geographic Information Service (BAGIS) is not backed by any law, as the Bill that established the Agency in 2017 is yet to be signed into law. It follows therefore that, whatever business the Agency transacted, and with whomsoever – individuals or organisations, is illegal, null and void, and of no effect whatsoever. The Committee considers as morally reprehensible for a sitting governor to apply for the purchase of a government property and approved same for himself, placing his individual interest above public interest.
The Committee was also able to trace about fifteen (15) properties in Kaduna State, which belong to Bauchi State Government, with their Certificates of Occupancy and ground rents paid up to year 2017. However, the Committee noticed a lot of trespass and encroachment on the properties due to neglect, but legal machineries have been set to evict the trespassers.
ILLEGAL DEDUCTIONS UNDER SECURITY VOTE
WITHOUT APPROVAL
Between October 2016 and May 2018 alone, nearly N1.4 billion was outrightly stolen. In 2017 and 2018, unremitted taxes amounting to over N705 Million was uncovered to have been carted away by some greedy officers at the State Treasury.
Furthermore, there were deductions in the name of civil servants in Bauchi State, for National Housing Fund supposed to be paid to the Federal Mortgage Bank but diverted to private pockets, amounting to nearly N350 Million. Under these direct withdrawals and theft we have a total of about N2.5 Billion. The culprits have been identified and efforts have reached advanced stage to retrieve the amount, and appropriately prosecuted.
FRAUDULENT/QUESTIONABLE CONTRACTS
The Committee uncovered multi-billion naira fraudulent and questionable contracts, some of them fully paid for according to documents showing capital releases, but were either abandoned or completely not executed. While the Committee is still uncovering such contracts, a few examples of them that were established to be bogus are as follows:
CONSULTANCY CONTRACT ON PARIS CLUB REFUND
The Committee identified a highly suspicious contract on Paris Club recovery, awarded to a consultant, Mauritz Walton. What makes this contract even more suspicious was the claim by the consultant to have received N5 Billion being part payment from Bauchi State Government, waiting for a balance of N3 Billion. However, according to payment voucher from the State Treasury and a Bank Statement of Account of Bauchi State showed a figure much less than what he claimed to have received. Apparently, the Consultant has no idea on how much he has actually been paid. This underscores the shoddy nature of the contract. It is shocking that from our preliminary findings, there was no such consultancy work performed by the presumed consultant to warrant payment of such whooping amount of money. It is on record that Nigeria Governors Forum had hired a Consultant on behalf of all the States of the Federation on the same issue. The Committee is about to conclude its investigation, and certainly recover the amount fraudulently paid to the so called consultant.
FICTITIOUS CONTRACT FOR THE SUPPLY OF CHEMICALS FOR A PURPORTED FUMIGATION
The Committee uncovered a N418,425,000.00 fictitious contract awarded at the eve of the 2019 election on 31st December, 2018 by the Bauchi State Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, for the supply of Agro-Allied Chemicals for fumigation in primary schools in the 20 Local Government Areas of the State. The supply of this chemicals was never done, but the contractor, one Wuro Soyo Investment Nigeria Limited has been fully paid. It is instructive to know that, chemicals of this amount when diluted, can spray a farmland equal to the entire land area of Bauchi State, which is 49,119 km2.
CONTRACT FOR THE REHABILITATION OF MURTALA MOHAMMED WAY (CBN ROUNDABOUT-FEDERAL LOW COST-RAILWAY ROUNDABOUT)
This contract is the most controversial of all the contacts awarded under the administration of former Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar. The 4.5km road contract was originally awarded at the cost N2,328,679,294.33 on 3rd November, 2015. The Committee observed that this contract has been reviewed two times, in the sum of N1,744,338,324.33 and N2,428,995,536.88 respectively. As at today, the contractor has been paid a total sum of N2,786,321,283.45. The Committee’s valuation of work done to date is only N1,318,692,684.54, implying that an overpayment to the tune of N1,467,628,598.91 has been made to the contractor, Messrs QUMECS NIG. LTD.
It is disheartening that after all these payments, work was abandoned and the contractor is not on site. The upward review of this contract, the Committee observed, was done illegally which led to the overpayment as mentioned above. It was also observed that some Certificates of Valuation (CV) raised were not forwarded to Due Process Office Certification for Payments. These Certificates are those that contained the illegally reviewed rates. There seems to be a collusion between some unpatriotic Government Officials and the contractor to review the contracts upward. These officials would be sanctioned according to the Civil Service Rules and Regulations, and the amount overpaid would be recovered.
CONTRACT OF 1.3KM LINK ROAD WITH STREET LIGHT AT FADAMAN MADA, BAUCHI
This contract was awarded to Messrs KANNOU PROJECT NIG. LTD. at original cost of N298,596,929.00 in November 2015. The contract was later reviewed upward to N463,817,177.75. The total amount paid to the contractor as at today is N412,771,115.00, and the actual value of work done is worth N298,715,521.21. The illegal review of the original contract rate led to the overpayment of N414,055,593.79. There is an established collusion between some Government Officials and the contractor, which resulted in the overpayment. The officials would be treated appropriately while recovery of overpayment is being handled.
CONTRACT FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF ITAS-ATAFOWA-MAGARYA ROAD
This contract was awarded to Messrs KANNOU PROJECT NIG. LTD. at the original cost of N1,455,001,214.90 on 7th October, 2016. It was later reviewed upward to N2,979,340,218.25. A total of N553,978,770.00 has been paid to the contractor, while value of work done is only N151,122,021.00. The project has been abandoned and the contractor has left the project site. It clearly appears that the contractor is incompetent to handle project of such magnitude and complexity, that is why for nearly four years on site, and with the amount paid, only 5% work is achieved. This contract is recommended to be determined and the amount of N402,856,749.64 being overpayment to the contractor be recovered.
CONTRACT FOR THE SUPPLY OF 500 UNITS OF TRACTORS INCLUDING COMPLETE IMPLEMENTS
This contract was awarded at the cost of N7,925,000,000.00. This contract was a Public Private Partnership contract, with State and LGs to pay N3,170,000,000.00 (being 40% of the contract sum) and the contractor and Bank to pay N4,755,000,000.00 (being 60% of the contract sum). As at September 2018, a total payment of N2,068,958,350.00 has been made to the contractor.
However, as at today only 40 Units of tractors valued at N554,829,280.00 were supplied by the contractor, leaving a balance of N1,514,129,070.00 with the contractor to date. The contractor’s ground for non-completion of the contract was that the Client could not pay up the “agreed” Advance Payment of 40% balance of N600,000,000.00. The Committee is making appropriate recommendation to the Government on the best option to tackle this matter.
CONTRACT FOR THE SUPPLY OF MAHOGANY AND SHRUOD TO CEMETERIES
This contract was awarded between 2016 and January 2019, to an array of companies including one that is an Engineering and Design Company. The supplies were to be made to Bauchi Central Cemetery, Azare, Misau, Ningi, Jama’are, Dass, Toro, Gamawa, Darazo, Alkaleri Cemeteries, and other “various locations” not properly defined. The total number of mahogany to be supplied is 573,000 (2”x12”x12”) at the cost of N1,568,033,810.00. While the total number of shroud to be supplied is 66,000 bundles at the cost of N820,423,360.00. The total cost of the contract therefore, is N2,388,457,170.00.
The above outrageous contract implied that at the worst case scenario, at least 573,000 people must have died within this period for the mahogany to be exhausted. While a total number of 198,000 people must have died within the period for 66,000 bundles of shroud to be exhausted.
In the meantime, the relevant Ministry handling the two related matters has already approached the current Governor for approval to supply more of such materials at over N155 Million Naira, but investigation would be concluded when the Committee confirm death figures from various locations to assess the true position of whether or not the materials could truly be said to have been exhausted.
CONTRACT FOR THE REHABILITATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF SOME ROADS IN BAUCHI
This contract was awarded to Messrs QUMECS NIG. LTD. at the initial cost of N1,957,519,297.53. It was later reviewed downward twice in the sum of N1,103,734,742.13 and N1,237,202,468.13 respectively. Similarly, the sum of N133,467,726.00 was found to have been added to the contract sum as “Loss of Profit” to compensate for the omission of Asphalt Work. This, the Committee believes is too much a compensation. The percentage of work done to date is 21.6% and, the contract has been abandoned and the contractor has left site. The Committee has established an overpayment of N537,117,385.86, which is going to be recovered. In the same vein, the appropriate compensation for “Loss of Profit” would be determined, and any such amount overcharged would be recovered.
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Tuesday spent the second night in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, as his lawyer, A.U Mustapha (SAN), pushes for his release on bail.
There are, however, indications that the commission may seek a remand order to extend his stay in custody to enable him to respond to questions posed by investigators handling his matter.
The former governor arrived at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Monday around 10 a.m. for questioning in connection with an alleged N432bn corruption probe. He was, however, detained at the commission, where investigators continued to grill him.
An official of the commission who pleaded anonymity said the anti-graft agency was considering obtaining a remand order after the expiration of the hours allowed by law to enable investigators conclude questioning him.
“Forget the speculations being peddled on social media that he has been released. He has not. El-Rufai is still with us and will be spending another night in custody.
“He is very much with us and will remain so because the investigators are considering getting a remand order after the expiration of the 48 hours allowed by law.
“The investigators need some time with him to answer questions arising from his eight years as governor in Kaduna State,” the source said.
Speaking in a telephone conversation with The PUNCH on Tuesday, El-Rufai’s counsel, Mustapha, confirmed that the former governor remained with the anti-graft agency, while insisting that his client had fully cooperated with investigators.
He described his client as a responsible citizen who is not a flight risk if granted bail.
Mustapha said, “Well, as a responsible citizen, he was invited and, true to his word, he honoured the invitation.
“As we speak, he is still with the EFCC. He is cooperating to the best of his capacity, and we hope that the EFCC, given its integrity, will be kind enough to admit him to bail because he is presumed innocent, and I am sure if he is granted bail, he will not jump bail.
“He is a responsible citizen, and everybody knows him. He came to Nigeria on his own volition. He wrote a letter that he was going to honour the EFCC invitation, and he kept his word as a man of integrity. We’re hopeful that very soon he will be granted bail.”
When asked about the specific allegations against his client, Mustapha declined to offer details.
“You’re asking the right question from the wrong person. That question can only be answered by the EFCC and not by me. I would just be speculating, and lawyers don’t do that.”
Pressed further on whether he witnessed parts of the interrogation and what it was about, Mustapha responded, “That would be prejudicial. It’s a confidential matter and not meant for public consumption.”
The EFCC’s interrogation is linked to the report of an ad hoc committee of the Kaduna State House of Assembly set up in 2024 to probe finances, loans, and contracts awarded between 2015 and 2023 during El-Rufai’s administration.
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The committee, chaired by Henry Zacharia, had alleged that several loans obtained during the period were not utilised for their intended purposes.
While presenting the report, the Speaker, Yusuf Dahiru Leman, claimed that about N423bn was allegedly siphoned under the former governor’s administration.
The committee recommended the investigation and prosecution of El-Rufai and some former cabinet members over alleged abuse of office, diversion of public funds, money laundering, contract awards without due process, and reckless borrowing.
The Assembly subsequently forwarded petitions to the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
El-Rufai has denied the allegations, describing the probe as politically motivated, and insisted that loans obtained during his tenure were properly appropriated and used for infrastructure, education, healthcare, and security.
On Monday, an EFCC source said the commission had been investigating the matter for about a year, noting that suspects are usually invited after investigations have reached an advanced stage.
“The commission has been investigating him for about a year now. As a commission, we don’t just rush to invite suspects. Persons accused are always the last; that is, after we might have done our investigation to an advanced stage.
“We are investigating him on the allegations against him by the Kaduna State Assembly,” the source said.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, the Department of State Services has filed criminal charges against El-Rufai before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged unlawful interception of the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The three-count charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, was filed under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
According to the charge sheet, El-Rufai allegedly admitted during a February 13, 2026, appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time Programme that he and unnamed associates unlawfully intercepted Ribadu’s communications.
Count One alleged that El-Rufai “did admit during the interview that you and your cohorts unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu,” an offence said to be punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes Amendment Act.
Count Two accused him of acknowledging knowledge of an individual involved in the alleged interception without reporting it to security agencies, while Count Three alleged that he and others still at large used technical equipment that compromised public safety and national security.
The prosecution further claimed that the alleged act, reportedly admitted during the television interview, caused “reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians.”
He is yet to be arraigned.
Harmonisation of versions begins •Red Chamber okays e-upload to IREV
The controversy over the passage of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2026 at the Senate was laid to rest yesterday.
The Red Chamber endorsed electronic transmission of election results, without including the contentious “real-time” provision.
This was shortly before it adopted the Votes and Proceedings of the passage of the Bill, which scaled third reading on February 4, during a rowdy session.
Because the version passed by the Senate did not include “real-time” transmission, unlike the version earlier passed by the House of Representatives, a conference committee of both chambers will harmonise the bills before final approval and eventual presentation for presidential assent.
The amendment of Section 60(3), effected yesterday and passed along with other sections read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, states: “The Presiding Officer shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the INEC Result Viewing Portal, and such transmission shall be done after the prescribed Form EC8A has been signed and stamped by the Presiding Officer and countersigned by the candidates or polling agents where available at the polling unit.
“But if the electronic transmission of the result fails as a result of communication failure, and it becomes impossible to transmit the result electronically, the signed and stamped Form EC8A by the Presiding Officer, and countersigned by the candidates or polling agents where available, shall in such a case be the primary source of collation and declaration of results.”
This differs slightly from the version passed by the House of Representatives in December, which states: “The Commission shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the IREV portal in real time, and each transmission shall be done simultaneously with the physical collation of results.”
The House also passed Section 60(5), which provides: “The Presiding Officer shall transmit the results, including the number of accredited voters, to the next level of collation.”
The Electoral Act 2022, under which the 2023 elections were conducted and which is in the process of being repealed, states in part under Section 60(5): “The Presiding Officer shall transfer the result, including the total number of accredited voters and the result of the ballot, in a manner as prescribed by the Commission.”
Before senators began proceedings yesterday, protesters, for the second consecutive day, gathered in front of the National Assembly to call for the passage of real-time electronic transmission of election results.
Among the protesters was the former Governor of Rivers State and immediate past Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi.
The police prevented the protesters from gaining access to the National Assembly complex.
Inside the chamber, the Senate passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill after a heated debate in a rowdy plenary session.
At the session presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, senators modified their earlier position on real-time electronic transmission of poll results.
They consequently approved a revised clause mandating electronic transmission of results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV), with a fallback mechanism in the event of network failure.
In such instances, Form EC8A, on which results are recorded, would serve as the basis for collation.
The amendment, once harmonised with the House of Representatives’ version and signed into law by the President, is expected to legalise the use of IREV in the result transmission process, unlike what obtained during the 2023 elections.
There was palpable tension in the hallowed chamber as the initial proposal to adopt the Votes and Proceedings of the previous sitting led to heated procedural disputes, which were carefully managed by Akpabio.
Outside the National Assembly, protesters continued to agitate for the inclusion of the real-time electronic uploading clause, which had been upheld in the House of Representatives’ version of the bill.
The modification followed the approval of a motion by the Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Tahir Monguno (Borno North), titled: “Motion for Rescission on Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2026.”
Moving the motion, Monguno recalled that the bill had been passed by the Senate on February 4 but said “fresh issues have emerged in respect of Clause 60(3), which require further legislative consideration to ensure the conduct of smooth, transparent and credible elections in Nigeria.”
Invoking Orders 1(b) and 52(6) of the Senate Standing Orders, 2023 (as amended), he urged the chamber to rescind its earlier decision on the clause and recommit it to the Committee of the Whole for reconsideration and passage.
Trouble began when Monguno rose to move the motion while the Senate President was reading out the rules on Votes and Proceedings.
His action triggered confusion, with many senators questioning whether the Senate could revisit a decision already taken within the same legislative session.
Some senators argued that Order 1(b) empowered the Senate to suspend normal procedure.
Following a voice vote, the chamber agreed to allow Monguno to proceed.
Monguno said ambiguity surrounding the earlier amendment, particularly the controversy over the use of the words “transfer” and “transmission” of election results, had generated public concern and required urgent legislative clarification.
He proposed a fresh amendment stipulating that presiding officers at polling units must electronically transmit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) after completing and signing Form EC8A.
He added that where electronic transmission fails due to communication challenges, the signed and stamped Form EC8A would serve as the primary source for collation and declaration of results.
After the motion was seconded by Senator Abba Moro, who described the development as “a victory for democracy,” the chamber descended into disorder when the Senate President declared that the voice vote had carried the amendment.
Several senators protested and invoked Order 72, which allows any senator to challenge the opinion of the presiding officer by calling for a division.
Citing Order 72, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe demanded individual voting, triggering loud protests, shouts of points of order, and repeated calls to order by Akpabio.
At the height of the confusion, Abaribe withdrew his request for a division, a move that further unsettled the chamber.
Akpabio ruled that Abaribe’s withdrawal stood, thereby upholding the voice vote that carried the amendment.
Following the approval of the revised clause, the Senate adopted the Votes and Proceedings of the previous sitting, bringing the stormy session to a close.
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Electoral Reform Bill at harmonisation stage, Reps say
Reps committee summons finance, agriculture ministers, auditor general
The committee is chaired by Senator Simon Bako Lalong, with Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Adamu Aliero, Orji Uzor Kalu, Abba Moro, Asuquo Ekpenyong, Aminu Iyal Abbas, Tokunbo Abiru, Adeniyi Ayodele Adegbonmire, Jibrin Isah (Echocho), Banigo Ipalibo and Onyekachi Nwebonyi as members.
Expressing optimism that the committee would conclude its work swiftly, Akpabio said: “This is a matter of urgency. If you are able to conclude within the next few days or one week, the President should be able to sign this amended Electoral Bill within this month.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who spoke in Minna, the capital of Niger State, said electronic transmission of results would restore sanity and avert chaos.
However, he expressed doubts about the ability of the proposed law to guarantee real-time transmission.
Atiku said: “This is below the expectations of Nigerians. During the last elections, Nigerians were expecting real-time electronic transmission of election results at various levels of the election, but what we got was a mixture of electronic and manual uploading, which caused more confusion and chaos.
“It will be best if we have a single-tier electronic transmission, which is real-time electronic transmission, which is the preference of all Nigerians.”
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) stalwart urged opposition political parties to reject the Senate’s decision to allow manual uploading of election results.
He said: “We need all opposition political parties to pursue this issue. We should not allow it to rest the way they wanted it to rest today at the Senate.”
The African Democratic Party (ADP) warned of likely public distrust of the electoral process if electronic transmission is not upheld.
The party’s National Chairman, Yabagi Sani, said in a statement that “while the Senate’s reversal of its earlier rejection of electronic transmission reflects public pressure and democratic expectation, the ADP notes that a reform that does not guarantee mandatory, real-time transmission cannot restore electoral credibility.”
The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the Senate’s modified position as a victory for the resilience, vigilance and rising political consciousness of Nigerians.
He said in a statement: “It demonstrates, in the clearest possible terms, that when citizens act with unity, clarity of purpose and resolve, they can indeed move mountains.”
The ADC credited Nigerians’ coordinated civic actions, noting: “From the street protests to the digital campaigns, the Nigerian people have once again shown that sovereignty truly belongs to them.”
Hailing the protesters, Abdullahi added: “We salute the courage and tenacity of Nigerians. We commend every citizen who raised a voice, whether online or offline, to resist legislative mischief that threatened to undermine our electoral integrity.”
A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), said the adoption of real-time upload of results would engender public trust and close electoral loopholes.
He said the regulatory process must be adequately backed by law.
Agbakoba noted in a statement that the 2023 election exposed a critical gap in the electoral legal framework, recalling that despite INEC’s deployment of the IREV portal for electronic transmission of results, the Supreme Court ruled that the innovation lacked legal force.
The human rights lawyer explained that the IREV portal currently serves only for public viewing and is not admissible as evidence of results in election petitions.
He said: “The message was unmistakable: without explicit statutory provision, electronic transmission remains optional and legally inconsequential, no matter how transparent or efficient it may be.
“This legal gap creates an insurmountable evidentiary burden in election petitions.”
The Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the PDP rejected the Senate’s position on transmission of election results, describing the senators as “clever by half.”
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said in a statement that the addendum introduced by the Senate to allow manual transmission was a backdoor attempt to achieve the same objective as the earlier rejection.
The statement reads in part: “We have taken note of the outcome of the Senate’s reconsideration of its earlier position on the real-time electronic transmission of election results, wherein an addendum was introduced to permit manual transmission where technology is said to fail.
“We hold the firm view that this addendum is nothing more than a backdoor attempt to achieve the same objective as the earlier outright rejection, while pretending to align with the wishes of the Nigerian people.
“Manual transmission is already sufficiently provided for under the Electoral Act. The current agitation for electronic transmission is aimed at introducing a second-layer authentication mechanism that prevents the alteration of results en route to collation centres, a malpractice that has historically been the bane of Nigeria’s electoral process.
“Furthermore, it is inconceivable that the same BVAS technology, which successfully undertakes accreditation throughout an election, would suddenly become unreliable for the transmission of results and accreditation data arising from that same exercise.
“This caveat is a clear indication of the humongous fear being harboured by senators opposed to electronic transmission, particularly Senate President Godswill Akpabio, whom we reasonably suspect remains haunted by the ghost of his 2019 election loss, occasioned by the deployment of technology to curb over-voting.
“They must be reminded that Nigeria is bigger than their narrow personal and political interests.
“We therefore urge members of the Conference Committee to adopt the version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives as the harmonised position, if indeed they are committed to delivering credible elections in 2027.
“They must rise above the instincts of politicians fixated on the next election and instead focus on the sustenance of democracy and the protection of future generations.
“Should this democracy fail, the names of Senator Akpabio and all senators who voted against electronic transmission will undoubtedly occupy a conspicuous chapter in the book of infamy.
“We also call on Nigerians to remain resolute in their demand for real-time electronic transmission of election results. This is no time for excuses. This hard-won democracy is far too valuable to be left in the hands of politicians alone.”
The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has accepted to be the Royal Father of the Day at the New Telegraph Awards Night/ Dinner holding at the Grand Ballroom of the Oriental Hotels, Lagos this Friday.
That is as veteran Elder journalist and former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, has also accepted to be the Chairman of the event.
The New Telegraph Awards Night/Dinner is a high octane event, where governors, captains of industry, banking and financial institutions and executives as well as public, private sector players and sports personalities would be honoured.
Nine state governors from across the country have confirmed their attendance at the event, with other awardees expressing delight and anticipation towards the event.
In a letter conveying his choice as the Royal Father of the Day, the Management of Daily Telegraph Publishing Company, publishers of the New Telegraph, Saturday and Sunday Telegraph titles informed the paramount ruler and the number one Yoruba king that his choice was borne out of his dedication to excellence and public good in his 10-year reign as the Paramount Ruler of the Yoruba Nation.
“Your Highness, it is important to let you know that you were chosen because of your position as not only the Paramount Ruler of one of the largest and homogenous nations in Nigeria, but also because of your dedication to service, excellence, reward and honesty in your over 10-year reign on the throne of your ancestors.
The letter was delivered to him personally by the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, Mr Ayodele Aminu. Similarly, Aremo Osoba, a former Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Times and Grand Patron of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, was chosen because of his close association with his profession, several years after serving as governor.
Osoba is ever present in the activities of journalists and editors, despite being a leading political figure in the country.
According to Aminu, Osoba reflects the dream of not only journalists but every profession because he did not forget his roots and easily identifies with his colleagues, no matter the gap in age and experience.
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