By David Owei,Bayelsa
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‎The organizers of Nigeria’s biggest grassroots football spectacle, the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament christened the Prosperity Cup, say they are pleased with the progress of the State referees in the last few years of the tournament.
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‎Director General of the tournament, Mr Ono Akpe gave the thumbs up while speaking at the opening ceremony of the referees refresher training programme at the Golden Tulip Resort and Apartments, Onopa, Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
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‎The Director General, who was represented by the Deputy Director General of the tournament, Mr Perela Aboro, noted that the training exercise has continued to improve the capacity of the state referees, pointing out that the dream of the tournament is to see Bayelsa excel at the global stage.
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‎According to him, the state referees are receiving international recognition as a result of the continuous investment on the umpires, urging them to discharge their duties during the tournament with utmost professionalism.
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‎He explained that five Bayelsa-born referees are in the Nigeria Premier Football League NPFL, 12 in the Nigeria National League and five in the Nigeria Women Football League NWFL, maintaining that the quality of officiating has improved since the introduction of the refresher training.
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‎Also speaking, Acting Director of Sports, Mr. Aye Andrew, while expressing gratitude to the organizers of the tournament for the laudable initiative, charged the referees to make good use of the opportunity,
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‎Chairman of the Bayelsa State Football Association, BSFA, Barr Porbeni Ogun, who was represented by the secretary of the Association, Mr. Diseye Nwankwe, remarked that the refresher course was not just an event but an investment in the future of football in the State.
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‎While commending the organizers of the tournament for the exercise, the Bayelsa State Football Association boss noted that since the commencement of the refresher training for referees, complaints of controversial officiating have reduced in the tournament.
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‎He explained that the exploits of the state referees outside the shores of Bayelsa State was indicative of the huge steps taken by the Prosperity Cup organizers for umpires in the State to compete favourably with their peers outside the state..
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‎Speaking in an interview shortly after the end of the theoretical session of day one of the training programme, CAF instructor and member of the NFF Referees Committee, Chukwudi Chukwujekwu, emphasized that the refresher course would significantly enhance officiating standards in line with global best practices.
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‎He appreciated the organizers for their efforts and encouraged other states to adopt similar training programmes to improve refereeing nationwide, stating that the exercise would give referees new directions when the competition begins.
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‎Richman Otiti and Rachel Onyekwere, who participated in the training programme, acknowledged that the exercise introduced them to new laws of the game, some of which would take effect in June.
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‎The duo expressed gratitude to the organizers for updating them with the latest officiating rules and ensuring that they remained competitive with their counterparts across Nigeria and beyond.
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‎The theoretical session of the training programme was immediately followed by a practical session at the Government House pitch. The programme continues tomorrow, Wednesday, February 18, 2026.

By George Mgbeleke

To avert the clsh in Election Timetable,Senate, at its emergency plenary on Tuesday, reworked for the second time in one week, the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2026 , rescinding the action it earlier reached last week when it passed the bill.

The Red Chamber achieved this by readjusting the 360-day notice requirement prescribed in clause 28 to ensure that the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections do not fall within the period of RAMADAN.

The upper legislative chamber also for the second time in a week, and after a call for division rejected ‘real time ‘ electronic transmission of election results ; favouring the manual mode where network fails.

Coming under ORDER 1(b) and 52(6), Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele moved the motion to rescind and re-commit the Electoral Act 2022( Repeal and Enactment ) bill 2026 to the committee of the whole-asking the Senate to completely jettison every thing it had previously done on the Electoral Amenment bill 2026.

In doing so, Bamidele explained that the review had become necessary after the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC )met with both chambers of the National Assembly on ways to resolve conflict in the timing of the election and the Muslim festival of Ramadan.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had last Friday announced that the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections will be held on February 20, with governorship and state Houses of Assembly polls scheduled for March 6, 2027.

The timetable comes amid ongoing debate on the Electoral Act Amendment bill to allow for electronic transmission of election results in real time.

It also comes amid reactions from the Muslim community kicking strongly against INEC’s proposed election dates.

On Tuesday, the Senate was again forced into another emergency session on the knotty Electoral Act Amendment bill 2026 with Bamidele’s motion to rework the document.

The motion was quickly seconded by the Chairman of Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Simon Lalong who explained that INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan did not deliberately fix the election dates to conflict with the Ramadan as being speculated in many quarters.

The Plateau state senator further explained that it was the immediate past INEC Chairman, MAMOOD YAKUBU, that actually set the template for the election dates from 2019 to 2031.

In trying to avert the likely conflict in the election dates and the Ramadan, SENATE said it had taken notice that the coincidence with the Muslim festival of RAMADAN “ could adversely affect voters turnout, INEC’s preparation and the overall credibility of the electoral process.

Senate further disclosed that it had uncovered
discrepancies in the Long Title and 22 separate clauses – including the controversial clause 60 that deals with transmission of election results electronically from each polling unit to INEC IREV portal in real time.

Senate had last week passed electronic transmission of election results from polling units but rejected the phrase “real time “ when it included a proviso that where network fails, then the duly signed Form EC8A by the Presiding Officer and counter-signed by party agents (where available ) shall be the primary source of election results ).

When it was time for the clause by clause consideration of the bill, Senate breezely passed clauses 1 to 59 -including clause 28 on the 360 days notice of election requirements with relative ease, slashing the period down by sixty days -from 360 to 300 days.

Trouble, however, started when lawmakers reached the contentious clause 60 with Senator Enyinnnaya Abaribe raising a Point of Order.

A long pause ensued and unable to resolve-senate went into a closed session that lasted almost an hour.

When the doors eventually reopened, the arguments continued even more forcefully with Senator Abaribe calling for DIVISION on the proviso in clause 60(3) that permits manual transmission of election results where network fails.

Abaribe eventually had the chance to call for the DIVISION after intervention from the Senate leader that it was within his privilege to do so.

To the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, the beauty of democracy is in full action as he quickly moderated the votes -asking Senators to signify where they belong by standing up and raising up their hands in support of the proviso or against it.

At the end of voting , 55 senators, including the Deputy Minority Leader, Oyewunmi Olalere
voted to retain the proviso to allow manual transmission where the network fails.

It was a crushing defeat for Abaribe and 14 others mainly from the opposition, who insisted on MANDATORY electronic transmission of election results in “real time”.

Akpabio believed those who voted for the proviso for manual transmission had just saved Nigeria’s democracy even as he hailed Abaribe and others with him for standing their grounds.

With this development, SENATE has for the second time in one week, effectively rejected “real time” transmission of election results, retaining its earlier position that where network fails, then the signed Form EC8A (MANUAL transmission ) becomes the primary source of election results.

Having achieved its objective for meeting on Tuesday, the Red Chamber adjourned plenary till Tuesday, February 24,2027

A cross section of members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday flared up at the emergency plenary after the Speaker Abbas Tajudeen ruled on a motion to rescind the decision on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025 for further reconsideration.

The motion which was moved by the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Rep. Francis Waive (APC-Delta) was pursuant to Order 9, Rule 1 (6) of the Standing Orders of the House.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the problem started when the speaker put the motion to a voice vote and ruled in favour of the ayes.

Some members who were dissatisfied, revolted in loud voices, and to prevent the rowdy session from further degenerating, Tajudeen directed that the Majority Leader, Rep. Julius Ihonvbere (APC-Edo) moved a motion for the house to proceed into a closed-door session.

Earlier before the rowdy session, Rep. Francis Waive (APC-Delta) recalled that on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed by the house.

Waive said that the house recognises the need to ensure electoral timelines and statutory provisions to promote maximum participation, fairness, inclusivity, administrative efficiency, and public confidence in the electoral system.

He said that the House is desirous of correcting identified inconsistencies and unintended consequences through appropriate legislative action in order to safeguard the integrity of the electoral framework.

The lawmaker said that the assembly did set up a Technical Committee to harmonise the positions of the House and the Senate as well as address the identified anomalies in the bill.

He said that the committee consisted of the leadership of both Chambers of the National Assembly, members of the Conference Committee, the Clerks of both chambers and legal drafting experts from the Directorate of Legal Services of the National Assembly.

As at the time of filing this report at about 12:47 pm, the house was still behind closed doors.