The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), has asked staff of the commission to brace up for the task of delivering a free, fair, and credible poll, saying it is the only thing that would erase the trust deficit around the commission.

He said the commission is determined to strengthen and deepen the country’s democratic process and restore the trust of the people ahead of 2027.

Amupitan stated this on Friday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, while addressing INEC staff at the commission’s secretariat after inspecting the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration exercise in some local government areas of the state.

He said INEC would collaborate with the National Population Commission and other relevant agencies to track Nigerians of registrable age and ensure they take advantage of the CVR exercise.

“As we build up to 2027, I want to announce that we are in it together to serve Nigeria and strengthen democracy. Though INEC is already having a trust deficit, whatever we are doing in Abuja, we have to cascade it here.

“We should work hard to restore the trust. We know state congresses are ongoing and some of you are part of it — please, any activity you are handling, do it with every honesty and utmost courtesy.

“What you are doing today will determine the 2027 elections. If you want to determine the future, you create it. What we owe Nigerians is free, fair and credible elections; let their expectations be met. We want Nigerians to begin to believe in INEC, that whoever emerges is the will of the people,” he said.

Amupitan also disclosed that the commission would embark on a voters revalidation exercise to have accurate data of those eligible to vote, stating that those who had died or whose names should not be on the register would be removed.

“The register should be sanitised,” he added.

He charged all INEC staff to join in creating awareness about the ongoing voter registration exercise, saying it should not be left to the Voter Education and Publicity unit alone.

“Encourage and galvanise them to come out while assuring them that their votes will count,” he said.

Responding, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barrister Obo Effanga, thanked the chairman for visiting the polling units and interacting with staff, promising to ensure the commission delivers on its mandate ahead of 2027.

Our correspondent reports that the chairman visited some CVR registration centres in Ikot Ekpene and Uyo, where he received complaints about network challenges and login problems, which he assured would be resolved.

He expressed satisfaction at the turnout of young people for the registration exercise and called for more voter education in the state.

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has clarified that its substantive drug case against the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, remains ongoing and is scheduled to continue before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on March 16, 2026.

The Federal High Court on Thursday discharged and acquitted Kyari of 23 charges bordering on alleged non-declaration of assets filed against him by the NDLEA.

Justice James Omotosho, who delivered the judgment, held that the anti-narcotics agency failed to provide sufficient evidence to establish the allegations against Kyari and his two brothers, who were also arraigned in the charge for allegedly swearing false affidavits to conceal the origin of certain properties.

The judge held that the prosecution did not present credible materials linking Kyari to the landed properties said to be located at Fountain Estate, Kasana, which were alleged to belong to Ramatu Kyari.

According to the court, the prosecution equally failed to provide evidence connecting the suspended police officer to other properties said to be located on Linda Choko Road in Asokoro, Abuja, as well as in Maiduguri, Borno State.

Justice Omotosho noted that ownership of landed property could be established through traditional history, title documents, acts of possession or possession by connection, adding that none of these was presented by the prosecution to prove that the properties allegedly linked to Kyari were indeed owned by him.

Reacting to the ruling in an interview with The PUNCH, the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, stated that the prosecution team would need to obtain the Certified True Copy of the judgment to know the details of the ruling and thereafter be guided on its next line of action.

He, however, noted that the ruling being referenced was separate from the substantive drug case currently before another judge.

Babafemi said, “First, I need to clarify that the ruling by Justice Omotosho is completely different from the main and substantive drug case, which continues before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, 16th March 2026.

“That one is very much on course. The case determined by Justice Omotosho today is a different case of money laundering and non-declaration of assets.

“Regarding whether the agency will appeal the ruling, the prosecution team has been directed to obtain a Certified True Copy of the judgment, the details of which will guide management in deciding the next course of action.”

The PUNCH reports that Kyari was prosecuted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency over allegations that he concealed ownership of several properties and failed to fully declare his assets.

The anti-narcotics agency, in the 23-count charge filed before the Federal High Court, accused Kyari and his two brothers, Mohammed and Ali Kyari, of conspiring to disguise the ownership of properties and swearing false affidavits to conceal their origin.

According to the NDLEA, investigations allegedly traced about 14 assets, including shopping malls, residential estates, farmlands, parcels of land and a polo playground, to Kyari in Abuja and Maiduguri, Borno State.

The agency also claimed it discovered about N207m and €17,598 in accounts allegedly linked to Kyari in some banks.

Kyari, however, denied the allegations, telling the court that some of the properties attributed to him belonged to his late father and were inherited by him and his siblings, while insisting that he had properly declared his assets.

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The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday granted bail to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, his wife, and their son in the ongoing N9 billion money laundering trial before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The former AGF is being prosecuted alongside his wife and son on a 16-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering.

At the resumed sitting, the trial judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, directed the EFCC to call its first witness after counsel to Malami, Joseph Daudu, attempted to draw the court’s attention to the defendants’ pending bail application.

The judge, however, reminded counsel that she had earlier ruled that the bail application and other motions would be taken after the prosecution’s first witness had given his evidence-in-chief.

Following the ruling, the EFCC called its first witness, David Ajoma, a compliance officer with Sterling Bank, Abuja, who told the court that he had worked with the bank for three years and handles compliance requests from law enforcement agencies.

Ajoma testified that on December 2, 2025, Sterling Bank received a request from the EFCC seeking details of loan facilities granted to Rayham Hotel Limited.

According to him, the bank subsequently forwarded the requested documents, including the account opening package, loan account statements, and other supporting records.

The witness further told the court that the loan facility granted to Rayham Hotel Limited was backed by a cash collateral from Metropolitan Autotech.

He explained that both Metropolitan Autotech and Rayham Hotel Limited maintain separate accounts with Sterling Bank, adding that the signatory to the Metropolitan Autotech account is one Hassan Aliyu.

Under cross-examination, Ajoma admitted that he was not the relationship manager for either Rayham Hotel Limited or Metropolitan Autotech accounts and was therefore not privy to the specific details or purposes of inflows into the accounts.

He also confirmed that the name of the former AGF, Malami, did not appear on the loan application documents presented to the court.

According to the witness, the only name appearing on the loan application was Abdulaziz Malami, who signed as the Managing Director of Rayham Hotel Limited.

Ajoma further told the court that none of the transactions reviewed by the bank originated from any government account, the Federal Ministry of Justice, or from Malami personally.

The compliance officer also stated that from the documents available before the court, he could not identify any suspicious transaction linked to the accounts under review. He added that no transaction was found to be in breach of regulations issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

After the witness concluded his testimony, counsel to the defendants moved for bail for Malami, his wife and their son.

The EFCC informed the court that it was not opposed to the request but urged the judge to impose conditions that would guarantee the defendants’ availability for trial.

Ruling on the application, Justice Abdulmalik granted bail to the three defendants in the sum of N200m each with two sureties in like sum.

The judge ordered that one of the sureties must deposit title documents of landed property located in either Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja.

The court also directed the defendants to deposit their international passports with the court registrar.

Pending the perfection of the bail conditions, Justice Abdulmalik ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service.

The judge subsequently adjourned the case till March 16 for the continuation of the trial.