The newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, appeared before the Senate on Thursday for his screening and confirmation.

Amupitan, who arrived at the National Assembly complex earlier in the day, exchanged pleasantries with Senators before entering the chamber. He was accompanied by Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo and other dignitaries.

At about 12:50 p.m., he was ushered into the Senate chamber by Senator Abubakar Lado, the Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters (Senate). The session was convened after Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) moved that Order 12 be suspended to allow “strangers” into the chamber. His motion was seconded by Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South).

Senate President Godswill Akpabio welcomed Amupitan, his family, and well-wishers to the Red Chamber. He informed Senators that the nominee had been cleared by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) after a comprehensive vetting process.

According to Akpabio, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Inspector-General of Police’s office had also cleared Amupitan, confirming he had no criminal record.

The screening commenced around 12:55 p.m., following Akpabio’s remarks outlining the procedures for assessing the nominee’s credentials.

Earlier in the week, President Bola Tinubu had nominated Amupitan — a Professor of Law at the University of Jos and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) — to succeed former INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who resigned from his position.

Tinubu’s nomination letter was read on the Senate floor during plenary on Tuesday.

Amupitan, a former Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Jos, is widely recognised for his expertise in constitutional and international law. His nomination, however, has attracted mixed reactions from civil society organisations and political stakeholders, some of whom have called for deeper electoral reforms to strengthen INEC’s independence and transparency.

The ongoing screening is expected to centre on Amupitan’s vision for credible elections, his plans for institutional reforms within INEC, and strategies to enhance the use of technology in Nigeria’s electoral process.

If confirmed by the Senate, Amupitan will lead preparations for the forthcoming off-cycle governorship elections and set the foundation for the 2027 general elections.

Sanyade Okoli, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Finance and the Economy, says Nigeria’s economy is projected to grow 4% in 2025 and 5% in 2026.

Speaking at the Nigeria Investors Forum in Washington, D.C., United States, held on the sidelines of the World Bank–IMF Annual Meetings, Okoli said Nigeria has already achieved a growth rate of 4%, with Q2 2025 showing 4.3% growth.

“We know we need to diversify the economy — and we’re seeing results,” Okoli said.

He explained that in Q2, 13 sectors grew above 7%, compared to 9 sectors in Q1.
According to him, Nigeria’s dependence on oil for total exports has dropped to 57.5% in the first half of 2025 — a decline from previous years — while oil now contributes only about 4% of GDP, down from 8% in 2021.

“The economy is diversifying, and resilience is building,” he added.

Okoli said Nigeria’s oil sector is also improving, with daily crude production expected to reach 2 million barrels per day by 2027, and further growth anticipated by 2030 — supported by better security and management reforms.

The presidential aide also outlined ongoing partnerships with the private sector and development partners to boost infrastructure and drive long-term growth.

“On roads, the Highway Development and Management Initiative has identified over 10 routes for PPPs,” he said.

“On power, we’re partnering with the World Bank and AfDB to mobilise about $32 billion to improve electricity access and reliability.

“On digital infrastructure, we’re laying 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic coverage to future-proof connectivity for our young population.”

Okoli said agriculture remains central to Nigeria’s growth and job creation strategy and is critical to reducing food inflation.

He also noted that the government is investing in human capital, citing programmes such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) for interest-free student loans and the Digital Health Initiative.

On fiscal policy, Okoli reported improvements in Nigeria’s public finances, stating that while expenditures have risen slightly, revenues are increasing and deficits are narrowing.

“The federal government’s deficit-to-GDP ratio is now around 3.6%, down from over 4% previously — trending toward the 3% target,” he said.

He added that non-oil revenue has remained strong, driven by improved tax compliance, automation, and digitisation across the system.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) says Nnamdi Kanu’s health condition does not appear life-threatening.

In a ruling on September 26, Justice James Omotosho, presiding judge, had issued an order directing the president of the NMA to constitute an investigative panel to ascertain the defendant’s health status.

Omotosho gave the directive while ruling on an application seeking to move Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), from the Department of State Services (DSS) custody to the National Hospital in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for treatment.

The IPOB leader had claimed that his health had deteriorated in detention, citing medical reports that revealed liver and pancreatic complications, a lump under his armpit, and dangerously low potassium levels.

However, the prosecution opposed the application, insisting that the federal government had provided Kanu with adequate medical care in detention.

At the court session on Thursday, prosecution counsel Adegboyega Awomolo said the report had been received and filed in court on October 13, and it had also been served on the defence.

Kanu Agabi, counsel to the defendant, confirmed that they had been duly served.

In the report read in open court, the NMA panel concluded that Kanu is fit to stand trial.

Based on the information contained in the report and in the absence of any objection from both parties, Justice Omotosho ruled that the court was satisfied the defendant could proceed with the trial.

The judge said he would give six consecutive dates for the defendant to open and close his defence.

Agabi, however, urged the court to fix a date for the defendant to be brought before it so that the defence team could interview him, expressing concern that the DSS might eavesdrop if the meeting were held at its facility.

Omotosho granted the request, stating that he would set aside a day for the defendant and his lawyers to confer privately in court.

He then fixed Wednesday, October 22, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., for the meeting.