Alleged plot to shift poll: it’s fake news, we’re unaware — Presidency
The Presidency has dismissed allegations that the Federal Government is planning to shift the January 16, 2027 presidential election, describing the claims as fake news.
The allegation was raised by the African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC), which claimed there was a plot to pressure the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) into changing the election date.
Reacting to the allegation, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the Federal Government was unaware of any plan to postpone the election.
“The Federal Government is not planning to shift the date of the election or postpone any election. This is not in the works; the Federal Government is unaware of this, and this is just fake news as far as we are concerned,” Idris said.
However, the ADC-PCC insisted that it had received information suggesting that INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, could be summoned to the Presidential Villa and instructed to alter the election timetable, with about 80 days remaining before the poll.
In a statement by its Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the council urged President Bola Tinubu to abandon any such move and called on Amupitan to reject any instruction to change the date and publicly disclose any attempt to influence the commission.
“The election date belongs to Nigerians. It must not be rewritten behind closed doors at the Villa,” the council said.
The council argued that Nigerians had endured three and a half years of rising prices, shrinking incomes and economic hardship, insisting that voters should be allowed to assess the Tinubu administration at the ballot box on January 16.
“A government that has made life this difficult for Nigerians must not be allowed to postpone its day of judgment,” it added.
While acknowledging Ebola as a serious public health concern, the ADC-PCC said health professionals should be allowed to contain the disease, while INEC takes appropriate measures to protect voters and election workers.
The council also cited the position attributed to the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) that there was no current reason to postpone the election. It warned against using the public health situation as a political justification for delaying the poll.
It further called on INEC, domestic election observers and international monitors to ensure that any proposal to change the timetable was made publicly, supported by published health evidence and subjected to public scrutiny.
“The Presidency must not use a health emergency to escape an electoral verdict,” the council said.
As of the time of the report, INEC had yet to react to the allegation.
Reps to Invite INEC Over 2027 Election Preparedness
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has resolved to invite INEC to brief its relevant committee on the commission’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections.
The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Mansur Manu Soro and Abdussamad Dasuki, who raised concerns about operational challenges facing the electoral body.
The motion, which initially sought INEC’s appearance before the House, was amended to require the commission to provide a comprehensive briefing on its readiness for the elections.
Under the resolution, INEC is expected to appear before the relevant committee within seven legislative days and submit a detailed report on its preparations.
The lawmakers said the assessment should cover voter registration, the production and distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), election logistics, deployment of technology, recruitment and training of personnel, electoral security, risk assessment and funding.
They also requested details of budgetary appropriations, funds released, outstanding releases and the possible impact of funding gaps on the commission’s preparations.
The House expressed concern over reports from Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) centres across the country indicating inadequate registration equipment, insufficient personnel, network challenges, prolonged waiting times and increased demand from citizens seeking to register or update their voter records.
According to the lawmakers, these challenges could limit the participation of eligible voters, particularly first-time voters, rural residents, persons with disabilities, students and workers.
They warned that failure to address the operational gaps promptly could undermine public confidence in the electoral process and threaten the peaceful conduct of the 2027 elections.
The lawmakers maintained that the credibility, transparency and acceptability of the polls would depend significantly on INEC’s preparedness in voter education, logistics, technology deployment, personnel training, security coordination and timely funding.
They also noted that the recently concluded Ekiti State governorship election offered lessons in election administration, technology deployment, logistics management and stakeholder engagement that could inform preparations for the 2027 general elections.