The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to conduct a nationwide mock accreditation exercise in November 2026 as part of preparations for the 2027 general election.

The exercise will test the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and other electoral equipment, allowing the Commission to identify and address potential operational challenges ahead of the polls.

INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, disclosed this during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the Canadian High Commission to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

He said that the mock exercise was among INEC’s five strategic priorities for 2027, alongside strengthening technology, improving electoral inclusion, building institutional capacity, and combating misinformation.

Amupitan also said that INEC would require about 1.4 million ad-hoc personnel to conduct the 2027 elections across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.

The federal government has declared Tuesday, August 25, 2026, a public holiday to mark this year’s Eid ul Mawlid, commemorating the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad.

The declaration was announced on Friday by the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

In a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Magdalene Ajani, the minister extended the federal government’s greetings to Muslims in Nigeria and across the diaspora.

He encourages Muslim faithful to reflect on the virtues embodied in the life and teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, particularly compassion, humility and service to humanity.

“Every Eid ul Mawlid gives us reason to pause and draw lessons from a life defined by compassion, humility and service to others,” the minister said.

• President Bola Tinubu

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned that releasing some records relating to President Bola Tinubu could endanger the lives or physical safety of individuals, as it seeks permission to privately explain why the documents were withheld.

The FBI made the disclosure in an application filed before the US District Court for the District of Columbia on August 20, asking the court to allow it to submit a confidential declaration explaining its position.

The agency said it could not publicly disclose the full reasons for withholding some of the records because doing so could expose sensitive law-enforcement techniques and procedures.

The FBI is seeking an ex parte, in camera declaration, which would allow it to provide the judge with its explanation privately and under seal.

The records are being sought by Aaron Greenspan, founder of PlainSite, who filed Freedom of Information Act requests for documents relating to Tinubu from 1992 and 1993.

Among the requests is Tinubu’s entire FBI file and interview records connected to an FBI case.

In its application, the FBI said it had invoked several exemptions under the US Freedom of Information Act, including provisions covering personal privacy, confidential sources, law-enforcement techniques and information that could endanger an individual.

The agency said: “The FBI has determined that it cannot provide on the public record the full basis for the application of Exemptions 7(E) and 7(F) to certain withholdings and that, therefore, an ex parte, under seal declaration is necessary.”

The FBI said it would submit the confidential declaration before August 28 if the court grants its request.

The development is the latest step in a prolonged legal dispute over requests for US government records concerning allegations linked to Tinubu and a Chicago drug investigation dating to the early 1990s.

The case began after Greenspan filed multiple FOIA requests with six US federal agencies.

(The Sun)