Welcome to Friday’s roundup of Nigerian newspaper headlines, where we call government’s attention to the concerns and needs of the people.

1. The Guardian: N’Assembly Tightens Grip on Public Finances Amid 2027 Election Funding Debate

The Independent National Electoral Commission says it will need N873.78 billion for the 2027 polls which is significantly higher than the N313.4 billion spent in 2023, alongside N171 billion to run its 2026 operations, as Ekiti, Osun and the Federal Capital Territory prepare for their own elections this year.

Our Take: With INEC proposing N873.78 billion for 2027, far above the N313.4 billion spent in 2023, citizens must demand not only a detailed breakdown of the rising costs and real-time transparency in spending but also credible, free, and verifiable elections that justify the price tag, because if democracy is going premium, Nigerians should not be handed basic service dressed up as luxury, complete with glitches, delays, and the usual ‘technical difficulties’ encore.

2. Daily Trust: Workers abandon FCT health centre over banditry

Kurmin-Daudu, a small farming community on the FCT border with Kaduna and Nasarawa, once had a health centre locals were proud of, but today, that same facility lies in ruins, abandoned out of fear of bandit attacks. Now, residents say it is little more than a shadow of its former self, raising questions about safety, governance, and the protection of lives and property in areas that the constitution says should be safeguarded.

Our Take: Citizens of Kurmin-Daudu have every reason to demand that the government fulfill its constitutional duty to protect lives and property, ensuring that health facilities remain safe, functional, and accessible; after all, if fear of bandit attacks can turn a once-thriving clinic into a ruin, Nigerians shouldn’t have to choose between staying healthy and staying alive, or treating ‘security’ as optional.

3. Punch: NASS to harmonise Electoral Bill Monday

Lawmakers are racing against the clock to reconcile differences in the Electoral Amendment Bill, with a joint National Assembly conference committee set to meet on Monday to produce a harmonised version for President Bola Tinubu’s assent. The focus is on contentious provisions, especially the electronic transmission of election results, after the Senate and House passed differing texts.

Our Take: As lawmakers scramble to harmonise the Electoral Amendment Bill, citizens should demand a version that guarantees transparent, credible elections, especially on electronic result transmission, rather than a compromise that turns democracy into a tech-powered guessing game.