2026, Nigeria’s year of unlimited politicking
Welcome to 2026, Nigeria’s year of unlimited politicking. The Independent National Electoral Commission will next month, in line with provision of section 28 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022 publish Notice of Election for the next general polls. The section says “The Commission shall, not later than 360 days before the day appointed for holding of an election under this Act, publish a notice in each State of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory— (a) stating the date of the election; and (b) appointing the place at which nomination papers are to be delivered. Ideally, this is the year that governance should be at its peak, but knowing Nigeria’s ruling elite, once INEC releases the Notice, governance will take the back seat while politics takes the centerstage. Last year despite being two years to the next general elections, INEC had to hold a stakeholder meeting to caution the political class to stop pre-mature campaigning. The whole of Abuja streets were taken over by ...