DejiElumoye, ChuksOkocha, OlawaleAjimotokanandAdedayoAkinwale in Abuja 

President Bola Tinubu has described the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the backbone of Nigeria’s democratic journey, stating that its role in the conduct of free, fair, and credible elections is central to the trust the public places in the government and in its democratic processes. Tinubu stated this yesterday at the ground-breaking ceremony for the new national headquarters annex building of the commission in Abuja.

Tinubu’s comments came as INEC rejected the notification sent to it by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for its proposed June 30 National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, saying it is not in sync with due process.

The president said the construction of a new INEC headquarters was not merely about bricks and mortar, but about the strength of Nigeria’s democracy, the independence of its institutions, and the future of its electoral integrity.

He stated, “INEC has been and remains the backbone of Nigeria’s democratic journey. Its role in conducting free, fair, and credible elections is central to the trust our people place in their government and in our democratic processes.

“For this reason, it is only right that such a pivotal institution is housed in a structure that reflects its dignity, responsibility, and national significance.

“This new headquarters is a clear signal of our unwavering support for INEC’s autonomy, capacity, and growth. It will provide not just a home, but a hub for innovation, planning, training, and transparency in electoral administration.”

Tinubu described the country’s democracy as nascent, saying as it evolves, so, too, must the institutions that support and protect it.

He said, “We are committed to ensuring that INEC is fully equipped — not only in infrastructure, but in law, policy, and resources — to carry out its constitutional mandate with courage, fairness, and excellence.

“The FCT minister, Barrister EzenwoNyesomWike, has taken another bold step in ensuring the protection of our democracy by initiating this lauding project. I salute his courage as I am, indeed, proud of him.”

The president applauded the leadership and staff of INEC, past and present, for their dedication in the face of challenges, saying with the ground-breaking, the administration has also laid a stronger foundation for democratic resilience in Nigeria.

He reminded Nigerians that democracy was not a destination but a journey, urging them to collaborate with government to strengthen national institutions, safeguard freedoms, and protect the future.

In his remarks, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), NyesomWike, expressed gladness that Tinubu found time to personally perform the ground-breaking ceremony of the INEC Annex Building to complement the current headquarters of the commission.

Wike said for a long time, the commission had been grappling with the problem of inadequate office accommodation. He said the current national headquarters, commissioned in 1997, was severely congested, as it was originally planned to cater for eight commission members.

He stated that since then, the activities of the commission had become more extensive, while the staff strength at the headquarters had more than doubled to 1,048 staff, including 13 full-time commission members, a chairman, 12 national commissioners, and 22 departments and directorates.

Wike said, “In response, the commission was compelled to rent two buildings in Wuse Zone 2 to ease the situation. Over the last 10 years, we made every effort to alleviate the situation until sometime last year, when the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory came to the rescue.

“In fact, today’s ground-breaking event is the third time in the last 34 years that the FCDA, in the discharge of its responsibilities, is stepping in to either provide office accommodation or alleviate the commission’s space constraint.”

He added that provision was made in the proposed headquarters for offices, meeting rooms, conference rooms, a 1,000-seat auditorium, and offices for some of IT-based facilities, such as the Election Monitoring and Support Centre.

According to him, the building also has provision for a museum to serve as a repository of the fiscal and digital history of elections and electoral activities in Nigeria.

The minster stated, “This will afford citizens, particularly students, that regularly visit the commission on excursion, the opportunity to appreciate the evolution of our electoral history, as is the case in major jurisdictions around the world.

“The main building opposite the present site shall remain the national headquarters of the commission. When completed, the new building will complement the main building.”

Chairman of INEC, Professor MahmoodYakubu, said the commission had been grappling with inadequate office accommodation.

Yabuku stated, “Our present national headquarters is severely congested. Commissioned in December 1997, it was originally planned to cater for eight commission members (a Chairman and seven full-time National Commissioners), 10 Departments/Directorates and 500 staff.

“Since then, the activities of the commission have become more extensive and the staff strength at the headquarters has more than doubled. Today, there are 13 full-time ccommission members (a Chairman and 12 National Commissioners), 22 Departments/Directorates and 1,048 staff.

“Consequently, every facility is overstretched, from offices to meeting rooms for the commission’s 15 standing committees and other activities, including regular engagements with stakeholders.”

Yakubu stressed that general staff meetings always took place outside the commission. He added that the commission was forced to rent two buildings in Wuse Zone II to ease the situation.

The chairman added that over the last 10 years, INEC had made effort to alleviate the situation, until last year when the FCT administration came to the rescue.

He said, “I wish to make it clear that this is not the first time that the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) is constructing an office for the electoral commission.

“When the commission relocated its headquarters from Lagos to Abuja in 1991, it was the FCDA that provided it with offices in Garki to accommodate the national headquarters as well as the FCT office.

“When the facility became overstretched, the FCDA again built our present headquarters. The building in Garki now operates exclusively as our FCT Office.

“In fact, today’s ground-breaking event is the third time in the last 34 years that the FCDA, in the discharge of its responsibilities, is stepping in to either provide office accommodation or alleviate the commission’s space constraint.”

INEC Rejects Damagum’s Notification for June 30 NEC Meeting, Says Not Compliant

INEC rejected PDP’s notification for its proposed June 30 NEC meeting, saying it is not in sync with due compliance.

The June 30 NEC meeting was to formally discuss the issue of the substantive national secretary of the party and approve the report of the zoning committee for the national convention in Kano scheduled for August 29 and 30.

The zoning committee is headed by Governor DouyeDiri of Bayelsa State.

PDP had formally informed INEC of its plan to convene a NEC meeting on June 30.

In the letter dated May 30 and addressed to the INEC chairman, acting National Chairman of PDP, Umar Damagum, informed the commission that the 100th NEC meeting would hold on June 30 at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.

Damagum said the notification was in line with INEC regulations requiring a 21-day notice before any NEC meeting to decide on issues, like National Secretary and others.

But INEC, in its response dated June 13, 2025, said, “Your letter on the above subject refers. The commission draws your attention that the notice is not in compliance with the requirement of part 2(12)3 of the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022, that provides ‘the National Chairman and National Secretary of the party shall jointly sign the notice of convention, congress, conference or meeting and submit same to the commission’. Be guided. Please, accept the assurance of the commission’s high regards.”

The acting secretary to the commission, HaliruAminu, signed the letter.

A fortnight ago, friends of the FCT minister had cautioned that any move made without involving or recognising Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary would be considered invalid and could worsen the ongoing crisis within the party.

But an insider disclosed that Damagum took the initiative to write to INEC regarding the 100th NEC meeting in line with decisions taken at the 99th NEC meeting.

The source said, “The letter is in order. The 99th NEC had already scheduled and announced June 30 as the date for the 100th NEC meeting. Due to many unresolved issues from the last meeting, the party had to write INEC ahead of the next NEC meeting to ensure the commission was involved in efforts to address those pending matters.

“Don’t forget that the 99th NEC set up the National Convention Committee and the Zoning Committee and assigned other responsibilities. So, the upcoming meeting will approve and populate the committees, as well as receive reports where necessary.

“Apart from that, the 100th NEC may also take decisive action to resolve the dispute over the national secretary position and is expected to ratify the zonal congresses, among other key matters.”

When contacted, Anyanwu simply said, “INEC has spoken.”

The implication is that the planned NEC meeting slated for June 30 may not hold, as it would not meet the 21 days’ notification requirement for any meeting as specified in  Section 2(12)3 of the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022.

That section provides that a party’s national chairman and national secretary shall jointly sign the notice of its convention, congress, conference or meeting and submit same to INEC.