The Senate was thrown into mourning on Thursday following the death of the lawmaker representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Senator Barinada Mpigi.

A National Assembly source disclosed that Mpigi died on Thursday at the age of 64 after a brief illness.

Until his death, Mpigi represented Rivers South-East in the 10th National Assembly and chaired the influential Committee on Works, which oversees federal road infrastructure and related projects across the country.

Mpigi began his legislative career in the House of Representatives, where he was first elected in 2011 and re-elected in 2016.

He later moved to the Senate in 2019 after winning an election to represent Rivers South-East on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

During the 9th Assembly, he was appointed chairman of a joint Senate committee set up to investigate crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region — a critical assignment at a time when the country grappled with declining oil revenues and widespread pipeline vandalism.

News of his death filtered into the Senate chamber during Thursday’s proceedings, casting a sombre mood over lawmakers who had gathered for budget defence sessions.

Speaking during the session of the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, the lawmaker representing Nasarawa South in the 10th National Assembly, Senator Mohammed Onawo, paid glowing tribute to the late Rivers senator and urged his colleagues to honour his memory.

Lawmakers were subsequently asked to observe a minute’s silence in his honour.

“May his gentle soul rest in peace,” Ogoshi said.

Tributes also poured in from members of the House of Representatives.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Works, Akin Alabi, paid tribute to the late senator on his official X handle on Thursday.

He wrote, “Good night, my dear friend. Rest in Peace, Senator Mpigi Barinada. Sen Mpigi represented Rivers South East in the Senate”.

Mpigi’s death comes barely three months after the demise of the lawmaker representing Enugu North Senatorial District in the 10th Senate, Senator Okey Ezea.

His family had clarified the circumstances surrounding Ezea’s death at the time, dispelling earlier claims that he died overseas.

In a statement issued from Abuja and signed by his son, Jideofor Ezea, the family confirmed that the senator passed away at a private hospital in Lagos at about 11:07 p.m. on Tuesday after a brief illness.

With Mpigi’s passing, the Senate has once again been confronted with the loss of one of its serving members, deepening concerns over the string of deaths recorded in the current Assembly.

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MUS President Donald Trump on Thursday gathers allies to inaugurate the “Board of Peace,” his new institution focused on progress on Gaza but whose ambitions reach much further.

Around two dozen world leaders or other senior officials have come to Washington for the meeting — including several of Trump’s authoritarian-leaning friends and virtually none of the European democrats that traditionally sign on to US initiatives.

The “Board of Peace” came together after the Trump administration, teaming up with Qatar and Egypt, negotiated a ceasefire in October to halt two years of devastating war in Gaza.

The United States says that the plan has now entered its second phase with a focus on disarming Hamas — the Palestinian militant group whose unprecedented October 7, 2023, attack on Israel triggered the massive offensive.

Gaza’s health ministry, which operates under Hamas authorities, says at least 601 people have been killed by Israeli forces since the truce began.

At the “Board of Peace” meeting, Trump is expected to detail pledges of more than $5 billion for Gaza, where the vast majority of buildings lie in rubble and the property-mogul-turned-president has improbably suggested developing resorts.

The meeting will also look at how to launch the International Stabilization Force that will ensure security in Gaza.

A key player will be Indonesia, the largest Muslim-majority country, which has said it is ready to send up to 8,000 troops to Gaza if the force is confirmed.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will take part in the inaugural meeting in Gaza, after joining the launch event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last month.

– Progress on Gaza? –

US officials including Steve Witkoff, Trump’s friend and roving negotiator, have insisted that solid progress is being made and that Hamas is feeling pressure to give up weapons.

Israel has suggested sweeping restrictions including seizing small personal rifles from Hamas.

“The heavy weapon, the one that does the most damage, is called an AK-47,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said recently.

“That’s the main weapon, and that has to go,” said Netanyahu, whose government will be represented by the foreign minister.

Jeremy Issacharoff, a strategic affairs expert at Israel’s Reichman University, acknowledged that disarming Hamas would not be a “simple task” but said that for Israel, a credible pathway would be key to determining “whether this exercise can get off the ground.”

In one step towards a new Gaza, a technocratic committee was formed last month to handle day-to-day governance of Gaza headed by engineer and former official Ali Shaath.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told AFP that the “Board of Peace” should compel Israel to “stop its violations in Gaza” and to lift its long siege of the territory.

– ‘Ambition and narcissism’ –

The meeting will take place in the building of the US Institute of Peace, a longstanding institution that studied conflict resolution whose staff was fired by Trump, whose name was then chiseled on the entrance.

Under terms laid out by the White House, Trump will wield veto power over the “Board of Peace” and can remain its head even after leaving office, and countries that want to stay on permanently rather than enjoy a two-year stint will need to pay $1 billion.

US officials say Thursday’s meeting is about Gaza but have also spoken of the “Board of Peace” in broader, amorphous terms, saying it can address other global hotspots.

“It’s a confused mix of ambition and narcissism, unleavened by any effort at intellectual coherence,” said Bruce Jones, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

The effort comes as Trump thumbs his nose at the United Nations, scaling back funding and withdrawing the United States from key bodies.

– Friends and suitors –

The inaugural meeting will bring ideological allies of Trump including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is facing a tough reelection battle, and Argentina’s President Javier Millei.

Other leaders in attendance include some eager for US attention, such as Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has courted Trump for support in his country’s conflict with India.

But major historic allies of the United States are not participating, including France and Canada.

Japan, usually among the most stalwart US allies, has not decided whether to join the board and will send an envoy handling Gaza.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva declined an invitation, saying the board should be limited to Gaza and “include a seat for Palestine.”

Lula last month dubbed Trump’s board “a new UN where only he is the owner.”

AFP

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has said the Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems would be deployed in all polling units for the Federal Capital Territory area councils election, while results would be uploaded to the Result Viewing portal to enhance transparency.

This was disclosed by the Chairman of the electoral commission, Prof Joash Amupitan (SAN), at a high-level stakeholders’ forum on Wednesday.

At the stakeholders’ forum, Amupitan outlined the commission’s preparations for the polls and reaffirmed its commitment to a peaceful, transparent and credible process.

He specifically noted that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission would be on the ground to deter vote trading and other electoral offences.

“Any individual found buying or selling votes will be apprehended and dealt with in accordance with the law,” Amupitan said.

He added that 1,132 vehicles, 620 motorcycles and 14 boats would be deployed to facilitate the movement of personnel and materials, stressing that there must be no logistical lapses on election day.

Amupitan noted that INEC remained neutral in the contest.

“INEC does not have a political party and does not have a preferred candidate. Our mandate is clear: to provide the enabling environment for residents of the Federal Capital Territory to freely choose their representatives,” he said.

Amupitan called on political parties, candidates and their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully, while urging security agencies to remain professional and impartial throughout the exercise.

This comes as the commission is set to deploy no fewer than 11,288 ad hoc personnel for Saturday’s area council elections, as the Nigeria Police Force announced a territory-wide restriction of movement to bolster security during the exercise.

The electoral body fixed February 21, 2026, for the conduct of the election into the FCT area councils.

Findings by The PUNCH show that 2,822 polling units have been designated across the FCT’s six area councils, with four officials, a Presiding Officer and three Assistant Presiding Officers assigned to each unit in line with the commission’s standard procedure.

Supervisory Presiding Officers will also coordinate activities at ward centres, while sensitive materials, including ballot papers, Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems and result sheets, are scheduled for early deployment to council offices to prevent delays on election day.

With 2,822 polling units and four officials assigned to each, the commission is expected to deploy at least 11,288 ad hoc personnel for the exercise.

INEC said voting would take place in 2,822 polling units, supported by 3,345 BVAS devices to facilitate accreditation and result transmission.

The INEC chairman noted that 89 observer groups and 700 journalists have been accredited to monitor the exercise, adding that multiple security agencies would be deployed to ensure order.

A top official of the commission responsible for monitoring the Area councils election disclosed the preparations to The PUNCH.

The official said sensitive materials, including ballot papers, BVAS and result sheets, would undergo “thorough checks on Wednesday and be moved to the councils’ offices on Thursday.”

The early deployment of materials, another official at the FCT INEC office indicated, was aimed at “enhancing the electoral process and preventing delays on election day to ensure a seamless voting experience.”

For the successful conduct of the election, the FCT police command deployed personnel across the territory, as it announced a restriction of movement across the FCT from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm on election day.

Only essential service providers and election officials were granted exemptions.

In a statement on Wednesday, the command spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, said the deployment, carried out under a comprehensive operational order, involved a coordinated effort with sister security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, the Department of State Services, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The statement read, “The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has deployed personnel across the FCT as part of its comprehensive operational order for the February 21, 2026, FCT Area Council Elections.

“This massive deployment has enjoyed a rich exchange of operation and human resources from sister security agencies, comprising the Nigeria Army, Nigeria Air Force, Nigeria Navy, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, among others”

Announcing the restriction of movement, Adeh urged residents to cooperate with security personnel and comply with security guidelines during the period.

She assured voters that adequate measures have been put in place to enable them to exercise their civic responsibilities peacefully and without fear.

Adeh said, “The public is hereby informed that there will be a restriction of movement across the FCT from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm on February 21, 2026, except for essential service providers and election officials.

“Consequently, FCT residents are urged to cooperate fully with security personnel and comply with security operations guidelines during this period.

“The command also uses this opportunity to enjoin all residents of the FCT to remain law-abiding and come out to exercise their civic responsibility peacefully and without fear, as adequate security measures have been put in place.”

The police spokesman added that the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Miller Dantawaye, directed all deployed officers to maintain professionalism and ensure adequate security at polling units and collation centres to guarantee a peaceful, free and fair electoral process.

“The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Miller G. Dantawaye, charged all deployed officers to maintain the highest level of professionalism and ensure adequate security coverage at all polling units and collation centres in order to guarantee a peaceful, free, and fair electoral process.

“He further warned that officers must remain vigilant, impartial, and courteous in the discharge of their duties, while respecting the rights of all citizens,” Adeh said.

As the election approaches, campaign activities have intensified. Already, 17 political parties fielded 637 candidates to contest for 68 elective positions across 62 political wards, with 1,680,315 registered voters expected to participate.

The polls will be held in Abuja Municipal Area Council, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali and Abaji, where chairmen and councillors will be elected.

Political actors have described the exercise as a dress rehearsal for the 2027 general elections.

Major parties, including the All Progressives Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party, the Labour Party, and the Social Democratic Party, are engaged in keen contests, particularly in the Abuja Municipal Area Council and Bwari.

The African Democratic Congress and smaller parties are also seeking to make electoral gains.