The Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) will upload Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim of Accord Birthday celebration to the overall checklist of applicants for the 2027 presidential election.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, introduced this on Thursday in Abuja at an match organised via the Nationwide Orientation Company (NOA).
Amupitan mentioned the Fee will agree to the Federal Top Courtroom judgment on Hashim’s candidacy, confirming the presidential box has now grown to 19.
The addition follows the October 5, 2026 judgment of the Federal Top Courtroom, Abuja, which ordered Accord Birthday celebration to recogniseHashim as its presidential candidate and ahead his title to INEC.
That judgment ended months of interior tussle over the birthday party’s price ticket.
Amupitan mentioned INEC will mirror the court docket order in its legit information, transferring the selection of presidential applicants from the 18 revealed in September to 19.
Talking on arrangements for the overall election, the INEC Chairman described the 2027 polls as probably Africa’s biggest democratic workout and one of the advanced logistical operations on the earth.
He cited over 103 million registered electorate, 176,846 polling devices and 774 native executive spaces, noting the size covers presidential, Nationwide Meeting, governorship and State Properties of Meeting elections.
The Fee is anticipated to put up an up to date ultimate checklist to officially come with Hashim in step with the court docket directive.
In the meantime, Human rights legal professional, Prof. Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, has wondered the reported appointment of Oluyemi Titilayo Adeyemi-Showunmi, spouse of political determine Segun Showunmi, to move the Electoral Operations Division of the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee, INEC.
Odinkalu raised the problem on October 18 in line with a Management file on considerations raised via the Human Rights Writers Affiliation of Nigeria, HURIWA, over contemporary redeployments within the fee.
“Oh, so @SegunShowunmi’s spouse is now in control of electoral operations in @inecnigeria? It’s turning into clearer…!” he wrote on X.
He didn’t elaborate on what the appointment unearths, however his remark has drawn consideration to the political connections round a senior posting at INEC forward of the 2027 common elections.
Adeyemi-Showunmi’s husband is a outstanding political commentator and previous spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar’s 2019 presidential marketing campaign. He has since publicly expressed fortify for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The relationship has triggered questions concerning the appointment, even though neither the wedding nor Showunmi’s political stance establishes that his spouse is compromised or that INEC intends to favour any candidate.
The problem, observers word, is whether or not INEC can give an explanation for the verdict, display it was once according to skilled concerns and display the way it insulates its officers from non-public or political pursuits.
In step with reviews, Adeyemi-Showunmi was once moved from her earlier function as Administrative Secretary of INEC’s Lagos administrative center to move Electoral Operations on the fee’s headquarters in Abuja.
Isah Magaji Gummi, who in the past headed the dep., was once reportedly redeployed to Voter Registry.
Electoral Operations handles crucial facets of election preparation, together with making plans and distribution of election fabrics, recruitment and coaching of advert hoc group of workers, polling preparations and coordination involving collation and returning officials.
Whilst the director of the dep. can not independently decide an election outcome, the placement carries really extensive operational duty, making the reason for the adjustments a valid topic of public scrutiny.
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
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