International
Foreign Observers Say Nigeria’s Democracy Is Still Troubled With Electoral Failures
Washington, DC – based National Democratic Institute (NDI) and International Republican Institute (IRI) Joint International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) say that the democracy in Nigeria is still fraught with elections failures.
This is after 24 years of the country’s modern democracy which began in 1999.
NDI IRI , in its final report on the 2023 General Elections in Nigeria, released today, also offers practical recommendations for consideration by Nigerian stakeholders and partners to promote a resilient and inclusive democracy in the country.
In the report signed by Paulina Chavez Alonzo, Press Secretary National Democratic Institute, noted that while there were incremental improvements in election administration, advances in results transparency, increased competitiveness in the presidential race, quality engagement of youth, and overall optimism generated by the enactment of the Electoral Act 2022, the 2023 elections in Nigeria fell short of citizens’ legitimate and reasonable expectations.
It said: ” Significant logistical, technological, and communications failures by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), divisive rhetoric by political parties, political violence, regional disparities in electoral integrity, instances of vote manipulation, and marginalization of key populations marred the electoral process and disenfranchised voters negatively impacted on key aspects of the election process.
” The elections also saw the lowest turnout for national contests in Nigeria’s modern democratic history with only 27 percent of registered voters participating.
“The incoming government, lawmakers, INEC, and political parties will need to show genuine and renewed dedication to improving electoral and democratic processes, fighting corruption, and providing Nigerian citizens with responsive and trusted institutions.
Nigerians must undertake collective actions to combat disenchantment, address lingering political grievances, and restore faith in elections and democracy as a whole,” the final report states.
The report includes key findings on the pre-election, election day and post-election periods and offers practical recommendations for consideration by Nigerian stakeholders and partners to promote a resilient and inclusive democracy.
The IEOM found that there is still space to confront electoral integrity challenges and build on the gains of recent reforms, but only through demonstrable political will, good faith, and committed and coordinated efforts among Nigerian stakeholders.
This report is based on information gathered by the joint NDI/IRI Nigeria international election observation mission, which was present in Nigeria from June 2022 to May 2023.
The 40-person election day delegation observed the polls in 20 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FTC).
It was led by a distinguished team including Her Excellency Dr. Joyce Banda, former president of Malawi, and Ambassador Mark Green, former Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
International
Brazil’s Lula Wins Fourth Term In Presidential Runoff
Flávio Bolsonaro rejected the runoff result, describing it as “inexplicable” and calling for the election to be annulled.
Brazil’s left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won a fourth term in office after defeating right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro in a closely fought presidential runoff.
The 80-year-old secured just under 52 per cent of the vote, overturning Bolsonaro’s first-round lead in a surprise victory that runs against a wider shift towards right-wing leadership across Latin America.
Addressing cheering supporters in São Paulo, Lula thanked voters for what he described as their defence of Brazilian democracy.
The victory follows a bitter election campaign between the veteran left-wing leader and Bolsonaro, whose father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, is serving a prison sentence under house arrest for plotting a coup after losing the previous presidential election.
Flávio Bolsonaro rejected the runoff result, describing it as “inexplicable” and calling for the election to be annulled.
International
JUST IN: Four Pilots Die After Mid-Air Collision of Military Planes in Philippine
Four Philippine Air Force pilots died Friday after two SF-260 trainer aircraft collided mid-air during a training flight and crashed at Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, Batangas, south of Manila, the air force confirmed Saturday.
The accident occurred at about 3:51 p.m. local time on October 23, 2026. Both single-propeller planes went down within the base perimeter. No other casualties were reported on the ground.
Philippine Air Force spokesman Colonel Alvin Capinguian (also referred to as Alvin Jay Capinguian) said the aircraft were involved in a training flight. Officials with knowledge of the incident, speaking anonymously, and local reports confirmed the planes collided while flying at low altitude. Some accounts noted they were part of a larger formation or flyby rehearsal, with other aircraft landing safely.
The air force described it as an “aviation accident” and said an investigation is underway to determine the cause. As a precaution, the entire fleet of SF-260 aircraft has been temporarily grounded. The air force is coordinating assistance with the families of the deceased and asked the public to respect their privacy. One of the pilots was later identified in some reports as 1st Lt. Angeleo Adrian Peñaflor.
The SF-260 is a light Italian-designed trainer used by the Philippine Air Force. The incident is the latest fatal crash involving the type; two pilots were killed in a similar SF-260 training accident in Benguet province in May.
International
“Mother of all bombs,” Trump Plans To Hit Iran
The 21,600-pound airburst weapon is designed to affect surface targets over a wide area and has so far not been deployed by the U.S. in previous strikes on targets inside Iran. It was used in Afghanistan in 2017 during the previous Trump administration.
The U.S. military is considering use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb if it resumes strikes inside Iran, CNN reported Thursday, citing U.S. officials.
The 21,600-pound airburst weapon is designed to affect surface targets over a wide area and has so far not been deployed by the U.S. in previous strikes on targets inside Iran. It was used in Afghanistan in 2017 during the previous Trump administration.
Trump said Oct. 8 that he would not resume U.S. strikes on Iran before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, while attacks on shipping near the Strait of Hormuz and deadly Houthi strikes in Saudi Arabia have raised regional tensions.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran will combine military capabilities and negotiations to press its demands.
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