The Independent National Electoral Commission has assured Nigerians of its full readiness for the 2027 General Election despite delays in the passage of the amended Electoral Act at the National Assembly.

INEC chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), stated this on Wednesday at the Commission’s first quarterly consultative meeting with Civil Society Organisations in Abuja.

The Commission said it has already finalised its election timetable and schedule of activities in line with existing legal provisions.

Amupitan explained that while INEC has submitted its recommendations to the National Assembly, the timing and content of the amended Act could affect some aspects of the election schedule.

“While we have made our submissions to the National Assembly, the passage of the amendment may have implications for certain items in our timetable. However, for now, the Commission has no choice but to operate within the framework of the subsisting Electoral Act,” he said.

At the meeting, the INEC chairman also called on CSOs to intensify efforts to mobilise residents of the Federal Capital Territory to collect their Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the Area Council elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026.

“The ongoing PVC distribution in the FCT will end on 10th February 2026, and we do not want anyone to be disenfranchised. As partners, we urge you to help mobilise FCT residents to go out and collect their PVCs,” he said.

Beyond PVC collection, Amupitan urged CSOs to help monitor political parties’ conduct during campaigns and promote peaceful participation.

“Let’s work together to monitor the activities of the political parties, especially their campaigns and general conduct in the election. Let’s sensitise the public, particularly party members, to refrain from hate speech, vote buying, misinformation, disinformation and violence, and to conduct their activities strictly within the framework of the law,” he added.

Providing an update on preparations, Amupitan said the FCT Area Council elections would involve 1,680,315 registered voters across 2,822 polling units in Abaji, AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali.

“A total of 570 candidates will contest the chairmanship, vice-chairmanship and councillorship positions,” he said.

According to him, INEC has delivered and batched non-sensitive materials at Area Council offices, concluded recruitment and training of ad hoc staff, and is configuring BVAS devices for accreditation and upload of results to the IReV portal.

He said sensitive materials would be delivered a day before the polls.

He announced a mock accreditation exercise scheduled for Saturday, February 7, in 289 selected polling units across the six Area Councils, adding that 83 domestic and five foreign observer groups had been accredited to monitor the FCT elections.

Amupitan also confirmed that bye-elections would hold the same day in Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies in Rivers State, as well as in Kano Municipal and Ungogo State Constituencies in Kano State.

In Rivers State, he said 41,085 registered voters would vote in Ahoada East II across 87 polling units in six wards, while 71,865 voters would cast their ballots in Khana II across 155 polling units in eight wards.

In Kano State, he said 330,228 registered voters would vote in Kano Municipal constituency across 630 polling units in 13 wards, while 205,418 voters would participate in the Ungogo constituency poll across 384 polling units in 11 wards. Ten political parties, he noted, are participating in both bye-elections.

Looking ahead to 2027, Amupitan urged the National Assembly to speed up work on the Electoral Act amendment.

“We seek your support in urging the National Assembly to expedite action on the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act,” he said.

He also announced plans for a nationwide voter revalidation exercise ahead of the 2027 General Election to strengthen the integrity of the voters’ register.

“A credible register of voters remains the bedrock of free, fair and transparent elections. Accordingly, the Commission will be embarking on a nationwide Voter Revalidation Exercise ahead of the 2027 General Election,” Amupitan said.

The first clinical trial for the treatment of colorectal cancer has been launched at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

Under the initiative, colorectal cancer patients will receive free treatment from the OAUTH, Lagos University Teaching Hospital and Medserve’s NSIA-Diagnostic Centre, Lagos.

Addressing journalists at an event to formally unveil the initiative at the OAUTH complex in Ile Ife, on Wednesday, a Professor of Surgery at the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences at Obafemi Awolowo University, Olusegun Alatise, said the breakthrough in the treatment of colorectal cancer was a result of a collaboration involving experts from different institutions.

Alatise, who noted that experts from OAU worked with their colleagues from Lagos University Teaching Hospital and Medserve, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, a global leader in cancer care based in the United States, on the project, further said the experts explored the use of a type of immunotherapy called PD-1 blockade in patients with mismatch-repair-deficient colorectal cancer.

Describing the initiative as the “first clinical trial in sub-Saharan Africa to utilise immunotherapy, a treatment that uses a person’s own immune system to fight cancer,” Alatise further stated that colorectal cancer remains a growing health problem in the country with less than half of the patients living one year after diagnosis.

Highlighting other gains of the clinical trial in the management of colorectal cancer in the country, Alatise, who is the National Director, African Research Group for Oncology and a Consultant General Surgeon at the OAUTH, said the research had secured approval of the National Health Research Ethics Committee, an organisation responsible for ensuring that all health research conducted in Nigeria is ethical and globally compliant, and the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control.

“The approval of this trial marks an important milestone in the fight against colorectal cancer in Nigeria. Our research could provide vital insights into novel treatment strategies, particularly for patients with limited therapeutic options due to genetic mutations.

“First clinical trial using immunotherapy in Nigeria is now enrolling patients with colorectal Cancer. The historic clinical trial is a global effort between Obafemi Awolowo University, Logos University Teaching Hospital, and Medserve in Nigeria and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in the United States.

“As the study sponsor and data coordinating centre, investigators from MSK will work closely with teams from OAU, LUTH, and Medserve on the research. Additionally, BeOne Medicines will supply and distribute the immunotherapy drug tislelizumab, and BioVentures for Global Health will support the
regulatory approvals in Nigeria.

“We are proud to be part of this groundbreaking trial that brings cutting-edge immunotherapy closer to Nigerian patients with colorectal cancer. This collaboration demonstrates our commitment to advancing cancer care and ensuring that our patients benefit from the very best of global research,” Alatise said.

With the commencement of the trial, Alatise urged patients managing the ailment to approach OAUTH, LUTH and Medserve’s NSIA-Diagnostic Centre, Lagos, for enrollment before treatment at no cost.

The announcement of the commencement of the first clinical trial for colorectal cancer came on this year’s occasion of World Cancer Day celebrations.

World Cancer Day is an international day marked on 4 February to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment.

The United States has deployed a small team of troops to Nigeria, the first official US military presence on the ground since airstrikes targeted terrorists on Christmas Day 2025.

The deployment of Nigeria follows airstrikes ordered by President Donald Trump in December 2025 on what he described as “Islamic State targets” in the country.

Trump had also indicated that further US military action in Nigeria could follow.

Reuters reports that the US had been conducting surveillance flights over Nigeria from neighbouring Ghana since at least late November 2025, providing intelligence support ahead of the December strikes.

According to a report by Reuters on Tuesday, the deployment follows an agreement between the Federal Government and Washington to deepen cooperation against growing terrorist threats in West Africa

Head of the U.S. Africa Command, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, said during a press briefing on Tuesday, “That has led to increased collaboration between our nations to include a small US team that brings some unique capabilities from the United States.”

He did not disclose the size or specific role of the team but said it would support Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts.

According to Reuters, Defence Minister, Christopher Musa, also confirmed the team’s presence but declined to give further details.

Security sources cited by Reuters said the Americans are likely involved in intelligence gathering and assisting Nigerian forces in targeting groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.

Nigeria has faced intense pressure from Washington over its handling of terrorist attacks, particularly after U.S. President Donald Trump accused the government of failing to protect Christians in the northwest — a claim the Federal Government has rejected.

The FG has stressed that its military operations target all armed groups that attack civilians, regardless of religion.