Public Affairs Analyst

On April 10 and 11, 2017, a rainbow coalition of political heavyweights in Nigeria gathered in Abuja. Political party chairmen, present and past leadership of national and state assemblies, academics, international donor partners, members of the civil society and media juggernauts were all present at the national conference on “Political Party Supremacy and the Dynamics of Parliamentary Autonomy in Nigeria: Towards a more Harmonious Relationship” organised by the Political Parties Leadership and Policy Development Centre of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies. The roll call include the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo represented by Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Senate President Bukola Saraki (represented), former Senate President Ken Nnamani and his Deputy, Senator  Ibrahim Mantu, erstwhile Speaker of  the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole and his Deputy, Emeka Ihedioha, another former Speaker of House of Reps, Ghali Umar Naaba, Senator Chris Anyanwu, Sena...

On April 5, 2017, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari took a bold step towards revamping the comatose economy by launching the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan. The ERGP is the blueprint that enunciates the details of how this government intends to get the country out of recession and put it on the path of prosperity. At a brief ceremony held inside the Aso Presidential Villa, the president, in the presence of key government functionaries, said the ERGP focuses on agriculture with a view to ensuring adequate food security as well as energy, industrialisation and social investment. He said the ERGP is an ambitious plan that seeks to achieve a seven per cent economic growth by the year 2020. Buhari opined that the roadmap is not just aimed at getting the country out of recession, but to put it on the path of strength and growth, away from being an import dependent nation. He stated further that the ERGP clearly sets out what his government is committed to doing by creati...

Last Thursday, March 30, 2017, news broke that Nigerian Senate had passed the amended 2010 Electoral Act. The passage of the Bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act No. 6, 2010 and for other related matters (SB 231 and SB 234) followed the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission. According to the Daily Trust newspaper of April 1, 2017, there are 17 key highlights of the newly passed legislation. It would be recalled that INEC on March 9 this year announced February 16 and March 2, 2019 as the dates for the next general elections. It is heartwarming that Nigerian Senate had keyed into INEC plan to ensure early conclusion of electoral reform so as to give sufficient time for implementation of the new law. How adequate are the Senate amendments of the legal framework for Nigerian elections? However, before I go on to answer that poser, I need to voice my worry about what may be a snag in what the senior lawmakers had done. ...