New Post Africa

Category: Politics

  • INEC Releases Timetable for 2027 General Elections, Vows Strict Enforcement of Electoral Laws

    INEC Releases Timetable for 2027 General Elections, Vows Strict Enforcement of Electoral Laws

    ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria’s apex electoral body, has released the official timetable for the 2027 general elections. In a statement issued on Friday, the Commission announced that the presidential and National Assembly elections will take place on Saturday, February 20, 2027, marking the start of the electoral cycle in Africa’s largest democracy and leading oil producer.

    INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, described the announcement as “a significant milestone in our democratic journey and a constitutional obligation aimed at consolidating Nigeria’s democracy.”

    According to the timetable, the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, March 6, 2027. Prof. Amupitan emphasized that the notice was issued in line with constitutional provisions, which require publication of election dates not later than 360 days before polling.

    “The timely announcement of the election date allows political parties, civil society organisations, and the electorate to prepare adequately,” he said.

    The INEC Chairman also welcomed ongoing amendments to the Electoral Act, 2022, currently under consideration at the National Assembly, noting that such reforms would strengthen Nigeria’s electoral framework.

    Under the released timetable, political parties are expected to:

    • Conduct primaries within the statutory period.
    • Submit nomination forms within the approved window.
    • Commence campaigns as provided by law, ending 24 hours before Election Day.

    Prof. Amupitan warned that the Commission would strictly enforce compliance with electoral laws and timelines, reiterating INEC’s commitment to independence and neutrality.

  • Trump Says No Definitive Outcome with Netanyahu as Israeli Leader Concludes Washington Visit

    Trump Says No Definitive Outcome with Netanyahu as Israeli Leader Concludes Washington Visit

    WASHINGTON, D.C., US: President Donald Trump has wrapped up talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House amid heightened tensions in the Middle East over Iran’s uranium enrichment program, which continues despite pressure from both Washington and Tel Aviv.

    In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump described the meeting as “very good,” highlighting the “tremendous relationship” between the United States and Israel. He added, however, that “nothing definitive” was agreed upon, aside from his insistence that negotiations with Iran should continue to determine whether a deal can be reached. “If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be,” Trump wrote.

    The president’s cryptic remarks have left foreign policy analysts uncertain about the concrete results of the meeting, particularly as the US continues to deploy aircraft carriers and other military assets to the region.

    Trump, signalling a preference for diplomacy over direct confrontation, warned Tehran against repeating past mistakes: “Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer — that did not work well for them. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible.”

    Meanwhile, tensions remain high across the Middle East, with speculation mounting over possible US military action in response to Iran’s human rights abuses. Recent protests in the Persian Gulf nation reportedly resulted in mass casualties, further fuelling uncertainty about Washington’s next steps.

    Photo credit: Facebook/The Prime Minister of Israel

  • Mbah Hosts Chartered Institute of Taxation, Vows to Convert Revenue into Visible Development

    Mbah Hosts Chartered Institute of Taxation, Vows to Convert Revenue into Visible Development

    ENUGU, NIGERIA: Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has reaffirmed his administration’s readiness to collaborate with the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) in driving the effective implementation of the recently introduced Tax Reform Acts by the federal government.

    Hosting the CITN leadership, led by its president, Innocent C. Ohagwa, at the Government House, Enugu, on Thursday, the governor emphasised the importance of ensuring that the new tax laws are fully operational in the state.

    The visit formed part of the institute’s nationwide sensitisation programme aimed at educating citizens on the new tax reform policies. The South-East sensitisation exercise was jointly organised by CITN and the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service.

    According to Governor Mbah, “Strengthening our tax system is about fairness, accountability, and building a state that works for everyone.”

    Between 2023 and 2025, Enugu State’s internally generated revenue (IGR) witnessed unprecedented growth. In 2023, the state recorded about ₦37.4 billion, which rose sharply to ₦180.5 billion in 2024 following reforms that expanded the tax net and introduced technology-driven revenue collection. By 2025, the figure had climbed to ₦406.8 billion, representing a 125% increase from the previous year and achieving 80% of the ₦509.9 billion target set for that fiscal year. This remarkable turnaround was largely driven by non-tax revenue sources and structural reforms aimed at building fiscal resilience and sustainability.

    Governor Mbah reiterated his commitment to transparency and innovation in revenue management, stating: “We remain committed to a transparent, technology-driven revenue system that eliminates leakages, broadens the tax base fairly, and converts revenue into visible development for our people.”

  • Maureen Badejo vs. Daniel Olukoya: Sowore Accuses Police of Collusion

    Maureen Badejo vs. Daniel Olukoya: Sowore Accuses Police of Collusion

    LAGOS, NIGERIA: Nigerian human rights activist and #RevolutionNow convener, Omoyele Sowore, has accused the police of colluding with Dr Daniel Olukoya, founder and General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), in the detention and trial of UK-based blogger Maureen Badejo.

    In a post on his verified Facebook page, Sowore described Badejo’s continued detention and delays in bail processing as “persecution, abuse of office, and a coordinated scheme between the police and a powerful General Overseer to unlawfully silence her.” He alleged that police officials had sought a 14-day detention warrant, despite the charges being outside the jurisdiction of a magistrate’s court, and accused them of employing the controversial “holding charge” tactic to prolong her custody.

    Sowore further claimed that while a magistrate granted Badejo bail, police manoeuvred to shift proceedings to the Federal High Court, where the case was assigned to Justice Aluko but stalled due to bureaucratic delays.

    The broader case stems from allegations of defamation against Badejo, who was found liable by the UK High Court in 2021 and ordered to pay £100,000 in damages to Olukoya and his wife. Her appeal was dismissed in 2026. In Nigeria, she faces parallel proceedings, where she was granted bail of ₦10 million.

    The controversy underscores growing concerns about freedom of expression, judicial integrity, and the use of defamation laws by powerful figures to protect reputations.

  • South Sudan capital under heavy gunfire

    South Sudan capital under heavy gunfire

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    eavy gunfire erupted in South Sudan’s capital Juba on Thursday evening after security forces moved to arrest the former head of the intelligence service, according to Reuters reporters and an alert sent to United Nations staff.

    The gunfire began around 7 p.m. local time (1700 GMT) and continued sporadically for more than an hour before dying down, Reuters reporters said.

    A U.N. safety alert to staff members in Juba, seen by Reuters, said the shooting was related to the arrest of the former head of the National Security Service (NSS). It urged U.N. staff to shelter in place.

    In early October, President Salva Kiir dismissed Akol Koor Kuc, who had led the NSS since the country’s independence from Sudan in 2011, and appointed a close ally to replace him.

    Army spokesperson Major General Lul Ruai Koang said Akol Kuur had not been arrested and had stayed in his house throughout the shooting. Koang said he would address reporters later on Friday after a meeting with other security officials.

    Analysts said the sacking of Akol Koor reflected a power struggle at the highest levels of government. It came weeks after the transitional government that Kiir leads announced that elections expected in December would be postponed for a second time.

    Rival factions loyal to Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar fought a civil war from 2013 to 2018 that resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths.

    The two have governed together since then as part of a transitional government. There has been relative peace, but the opposing forces clash periodically in addition to frequent fighting among a patchwork of armed groups in rural areas.

    –Reuters

  • Trump granted permission to seek dismissal of hush money case

    Trump granted permission to seek dismissal of hush money case

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    New York judge on Friday granted Donald Trump permission to seek dismissal of his hush money criminal case, in which he was found guilty earlier this year, in light of his victory in the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election.

    Trump, 78, had been scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 26. But prosecutors with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office earlier this week asked New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan to consider deferring all proceedings in the case until after Trump finishes his four-year presidential term that begins on Jan. 20.

    Lawyers for Trump, a Republican, have argued that the case must be dismissed because having it loom over him while he was president would cause what they called “unconstitutional impediments” to his ability to govern.

    Bragg’s office said they would argue against dismissal, but agreed Trump deserved time to make his case through written motions.

    Merchan on Friday set a Dec. 2 deadline for Trump to file his motion to dismiss, and gave prosecutors until Dec. 9 to respond.

    -Reuters

  • BIAFRA: Simon Ekpa’s Extradition Almost Impossible —Vince Onyekwelu

    BIAFRA: Simon Ekpa’s Extradition Almost Impossible —Vince Onyekwelu

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    former British Police Officer and National Security Risk Strategist has cautioned Nigeria not to be optimistic about the extradition of Simon Ekpa. This follows the raging media storm over his arrest by the Finish authorities, with the Nigeria military pushing for his extradition to face yet-to-be-calibrated criminal charges.

    Speaking on Arise News, on Friday, monitored by New Post Africa, Onyekwelu said he is not convinced that the extradition will happen soon because there is no treaty between Nigeria and the Scandinavian country in that aspect.

    “Professionally speaking, the Finnish Authorities have done their due diligence and they have every reasonable ground to arrest Mr Simon Ekpa,” he said.

    On what we determine if his extradition will happen or not, he opined that the matter is “now left for the court in Finland to now look into the request by the Chief of Defence Staff to extradite Simon Ekpa to Nigeria. Professionally speaking, the chances are possible to extradite Simon Ekpa. However, in my opinion, it is almost, almost impossible,” he reiterated.

    Further assessing the complexity of the situation, he stated that the case will go through the European Union Criminal Justice system. Because Ekpa is a citizen of the EU and will defend himself and the reason he is fighting for self-determination for Biafra.

    The security expert also accessed the human rights records of Nigeria, describing it as “nothing to boast about,” and cited instances of several alleged human rights abuses in the country and the latest alleged abuse of a couple by officers of the Nigeria military in the Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. All of which he said can weaken Ekpa’s extradition request.

    The man, Simon Ekpa, born on March 21, 1985, is a member of the ruling National Coalition Party of Finland. Since 2022, he and his Biafran Republic Government in Exile, which he serves as its Prime Minister, have actively propagated the restoration of the Biafran Republic from his base in Finland.

    In the last two years, following the arrest of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Kenya and his detention at the Nigeria spy police facility in Abuja, Ekpa has taken the centre stage of the Biafran movement. Unlike Kanu, his approach to the struggle has been offensive. His sit at home orders has been of great concern to the authorities, who accused him of creating insecurity and destabilising the southeast region, which he denies.

  • Sanwo-Olu presents 3 trillion Budget of Sustainability to House of Assembly

    Sanwo-Olu presents 3 trillion Budget of Sustainability to House of Assembly

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    agos State agos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday, presented the state’s 2025 budge to the House of Assembly. The financial plan totalling N3.005 trillion is the biggest ever in the history of Nigeria’s southwest state and the commercial epicentre of the country.

    The total figure in the 2025 budget represents a 32.5% increase from the 2024 budget of N2.3 trillion

    While explaining key financial elements in the document, the governor noted that N908.7 billion is allocated to capital investment, covering areas such as tourism, agriculture, transportation, and deepening of the infrastructure revamping and modernisation drive of the state for sustainable development.

    Besides infrastructure sustainability, economic diversification, social inclusion, human capital development, and environmental sustainability also received robust financial attention in the budget in response to the global climate change crisis.

    The Governor also praised his administration’s performance in many sectors of the economy and road construction, announcing that his administration would commission soon 30 road projects and bridges. He also mentioned a partnership with “the Federal Government to initiate the development of the 68-km Green Line, connecting Marina to the Lekki Free Trade Zone.”

  • 40 Killed In Sudan War Between Government and RSF Forces

    40 Killed In Sudan War Between Government and RSF Forces

    The latest killing is a reminder that the conflict in Sudan is far from over and a need for an urgent peaceful resolution.

    A suspected attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a Sudanese paramilitary force, has reportedly left 40 people dead, a medic told AFP from a central Sudan village.

    “All 40 people suffered direct gunshot wounds,” the medic from Wad Rawah Hospital, north of Wad Oshaib village in Al-Jazira State, who requested anonymity over safety concerns, said.

    “The attack resumed this morning,” one eyewitness told AFP by phone on Wednesday, adding that fighters were “looting property.

    The conflict between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese army stems from a power struggle that began in April 2023. The RSF, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (also known as Hemedti), and the Sudanese army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, have been vying for control over the country’s major institutions1.

    The fighting is primarily about control over the country’s political and military institutions, with both sides accusing each other of initiating the conflict.

    The conflict has caused a dire humanitarian crisis, with thousands of civilians killed and millions displaced. Hospitals and other critical infrastructure have been targeted, exacerbating the suffering of the people of Sudan.

    The international community, including the United States, has condemned the violence and called for a ceasefire. Efforts to mediate peace talks are ongoing, but the situation remains volatile and unpredictable.

  • Somaliland opposition leader Cirro wins in presidential election, beating incumbent

    Somaliland opposition leader Cirro wins in presidential election, beating incumbent

    Reuters—Somaliland opposition leader Abdirahman Cirro defeated incumbent president Muse Bihi Abdi in last week’s election, the electoral commission said on Tuesday, setting up a handover of power as the breakaway Somali region pushes for global recognition.

    Somaliland has had de facto self-rule since declaring independence from Somalia in 1991, but has not been recognised by any country, restricting access to international finance and the ability of its six million people to travel.

    Cirro, leader of the opposition Waddani party, won 64% of the vote against Bihi’s 35%, said Musa Hassan, chairman of the Somaliland Electoral Commission.

    “This election is not a win or loss for the candidates. It was an election of unity and fraternity and pushing ahead the Somaliland nation,” Cirro said in a televised address on Tuesday.

    Occupying a strategic location at the juncture of the Indian Ocean and Red Sea, Somaliland sees international recognition as being within reach after signing a preliminary deal with landlocked Ethiopia in January that would grant Addis Ababa a strip of land on its coast in exchange for recognition.

    Somaliland is also hopeful that the incoming U.S. administration of President-elect Donald Trump will be favourable to its cause. Several leading Africa policy officials from Trump’s first term have voiced support for its recognition.

    The breakaway region has enjoyed a comparative period of peace since achieving autonomy three decades ago, just as Somalia plunged into a civil war from which it has yet to emerge.

    While Cirro has signalled broad support for the proposed pact with Ethiopia, his commitment to implementing it is not clear. Some analysts suspect he could be more open to dialogue with Somalia’s government, which opposes the agreement.

    The deal has soured Somalia’s relations with Ethiopia, a major contributor towards a peacekeeping force in Somalia fighting Islamist militants, and drawn Somalia’s government closer to Ethiopia’s historic rivals, Egypt and Eritrea.

    The presidents of Somalia and neighbouring Djibouti, whose relations with Somaliland were also strained under Bihi, congratulated Cirro on his win.

    Ethiopia’s foreign ministry also sent a congratulatory message to Cirro.

    “Congratulations to the newly elected President of Somaliland… and to the brotherly people of Somaliland for their political maturity,” Djibouti’s president, Ismail Omar Guelleh, wrote on X.

    In his message, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud committed to ongoing reconciliation talks, which he said were focused on preserving the unity of Somalia.

    “While I think there are concerns that (Cirro) may opt for a radical departure from his predecessor, jettison the MOU (deal with Ethiopia), embrace dialogue with Somalia, there’s a big difference between campaigning and governing,” said Matt Bryden, a strategic adviser with the Sahan think tank.

    Cirro’s victory could also signal closer ties with China, a major investor in the Horn of Africa.

    According to Somali media reports, Cirro has in the past questioned the value of Somaliland’s ties with Taiwan, which China sees as part of its territory, in its quest for recognition.