Public Affairs Analyst

The true rule, in determining to embrace, or reject any thing, is not whether it has any evil in it; but whether it has more of evil, than of good”. –Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of USA, in a speech to the American House of Representatives on June 20, 1848. The use of motorcycles as commercial means of transport in Nigeria, popularly known as ‘ Okada ’ or ‘Achaba’ may soon be banned throughout the country”, so reported Sunday PUNCH of October 26, 2014. The news story which was one of the most read went on to say that, “The proposal for the ban was made by the National Council on Transport after its annual conference in Enugu State and endorsed by the Minister of Transport, Sen. Idris Umar”. Quoting a statement from the Federal Ministry of Transport purportedly issued last Saturday, the newspaper said that, “the ban of commercial motorcycles was one of the measures proposed towards adequate provision of safety and secure transport in Nigeria”. This decision was allegedly taken ...

It is no doubt an election season and all actors and stakeholders are gearing up for the battle ahead given that election is war in Nigeria. Sometimes, it is civil combat; other times, it is uncivil war. As part of preparations for the 2015 elections, the intellectual arm or the “ivory tower” of the Independent National Electoral Commission known as The Electoral Institute on Monday, October 20, organised a one-day roundtable at its Abuja headquarters to discuss some salient issues that can define the oncoming polls. The forum deliberated on issues of voter education, election violence and the role of the media in the 2015 elections. It was the maiden edition and yours truly was privileged to be among the eminent resource persons carefully selected to do justice to the topics under discussion. Prof. Chike Okolocha, a sociologist from the University of Benin, made a presentation on “Strategies and Methods towards Improving Voter Education in 2015 General Elections,” while Dr. Adelaja...

What wouldn’t these oyibo people force down our throat? They keep asking us to do the absurd. They brought all manner of ideas alien to our culture and tradition to us. They form pressure groups in the name of non-governmental organisations to advocate for the good, the bad and the ugly. The white men brought Christianity to us. We largely accepted. Then, some of their folk told us to legalise abortion, legalise gay marriage, devalue our currency, sack our workers in the name of right-sizing, use condom, space child-bearing, embrace family planning, immunise our children against polio and other major killer diseases, hold elections according to their supposed “international best practices”, and so on and so forth. Their latest campaign is that we should abolish death penalty. Abomination! Aren’t they familiar with our history, culture and tradition? From the time of our forebears, it is an established norm that whosoever kills another human being unjustly must lose his or her life i...

Following the release of timetable for the 2015 elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission on Friday, January 24, 2014, the commission last Wednesday, October 1 published Notice of Election in accordance with the provision of section 30 (1) of Electoral Act 2010, as amended. That is more like blowing the whistle for the electioneering race for different elective offices in 2015 to commence. Political parties are to conduct their party primaries from October 2 to December 11, 2014. I am very delighted that the preparation for the fifth general election in this Fourth Republic has commenced in earnest. It is unprecedented in the political history of Nigeria to have uninterrupted civilian regimes for 15 years. (Four general elections have already been conducted in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011.) Yes, the quality of our elections is debatable. However, the fact that we have been having successful transitions from one civilian administration to another is commendable. It will...

The controversy surrounding the purported trafficking of $9.3 million dollars to South Africa in a Private Jet of a renowned Christian cleric by two Nigerians and an Israeli in September has added to the long list of knotty issues that have caused this crippled giant of a nation international embarrassment. The pertinent questions to ask are: Why did the traffickers refused to declare the huge sums to the South Africa customs and immigration officials at the port of entry if the business they are doing with the money is not illicit? Couldn’t such money presumably meant for purchase of arms and ammunition by Nigeria’s federal government had been made through electronic transfer? Why making cash purchases? Are there contract papers from the Ministry of Defence to the arms dealers to make the purchase on behalf of the Federal Government? Is it true that some members of the House of Representatives were bribed with $50,000 each to prevent the issue from being discussed by the House? Al...

Compatriots, hearty congratulations on Nigeria’s 54th independence anniversary and successful containment of the Ebola Virus Disease. Today, as the President reads his independence speech, so will the Independent National Electoral Commission be issuing the Notice of Election in fulfilment of the provision of section 30 (1) of Electoral Act 2010, as amended. With the umpire blowing whistle for the formal commencement of electioneering towards the 2015 polls my anxiety is heightened by the dishonourable antecedents of Nigeria’s political class. The unfolding scenario in Ekiti State, if it will be the barometer for 2015 elections, then all well-meaning citizens and well-wishers of Nigeria must be concerned. Am I really surprised at last week’s attacks on courts and judges in Ekiti State? No, I am not. It’s a war foretold. The Ekiti warriors were just acting out a similar script has had been played in Delta, Edo and Rivers states. How do I mean? In January 22, 2014 article I wrote in t...

The preparation for the 2015 general elections in Nigeria is at a fever pitch. On October 1 the Independent National Electoral Commission will issue Notice of Election while political party primaries for the nomination of candidates will follow swiftly from October 2 – December 11, 2014. INEC had scheduled the next general polls for February 14 and 28, 2015. As part of the preparations the International Republican Institute in collaboration with Centre for Democracy and Development on August 27 organized a roundtable on how to ensure campaign finance enforcement during the looming general elections. I was engaged to make a presentation on the topic “Challenges, Opportunities and Strategies of Enhancing Campaign Finance Regulations Ahead of 2015 General Elections”. In that paper, I observed that Nigeria has one of the most robust party finance regulations in Africa nay the world. Some of these legislations are contained in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, as amended, Electoral ...