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YIAGA Africa urges reforms toward credible LG polls in Nigeria
Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) Africa, a non-profit organisation, has called for constitutional reforms to strengthen the State Independence Electoral Commissions (SIECs) toward enhancing the quality of local government elections in the country.
The Executive Director of the organisation, Mr Samson Itodo, made the call at a book launch in honour of Prof. Nnamdi Aduba, one of its Board Members, on Saturday in Jos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the book launch titled “Building a Virile Nation: Law, Economy and Good Governance”, was organised to honour Aduba, who recently retired from the University of Jos, having clocked the age of 70.
Itodo lamented that 90 per cent of the local government elections recently conducted in the country were marred by irregularities.
According to him, the SIECs lacked the constitutional reforms that will enable them conduct credible elections.
“Our position in YIAGA Africa has been that 90 per cent of the local government polls conducted in 17 states were not credible.
“They do not meet the integrity test and this because these institutions are not independent; there has been a lot of political interference in their operations.
“You, however, cannot call for the scrapping of SIECs because the reforms that have taken place in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have not been implemented for SIECs.
“SIECs are not financially and operationally independent; their regulations and guidelines are subject to the approval of the governor.
“These are some of issues that needed to be addressed if we want credible elections at the local government level,”he said.
On budget increment being demanded by INEC, Itodo explained that conducting general elections in Nigeria required huge funding.
The executive director, who also blamed the political class for regularly subverting the efforts of INEC to deliver credible elections, called for attitudinal change among Nigerians.
“Nigerians need to understand that elections are expensive – on general elections day, each voter will have not less than five ballot papers. It cost a lot to produce them.
“I think what Nigerians should worry about is the fact that as we spend more money for elections, the quality of our elections is declining.
“If our politicians aren’t subverting the efforts of INEC toward conducting credible elections just for their personal gains, we won’t be investing so much funds on technology to ensure every vote counts,”he said.
Earlier, Aduba, thanked the management of the university of Jos and his former colleagues in the Law Faculty, for organising the book launch in his honour.
Aduba, a professor of constitutional law promised to continually contribute his quota toward the growth of democracy in Nigeria, even in retirement.
“I’m retired but not tired. Teaching and research has been part of me; that is what I have been doing in the last 46 years of my life.
“I started from the University of Maiduguri and moved to the university of Jos 33 years ago.
“So, I will continue to mentor the young ones, particularly those who are serious about shaping the future of this country for the better,” he said.(NAN)
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the final forfeiture of N1.29 billion to the Federal Government in favour of Sterling Bank Plc, following allegations of fraudulent withdrawals due to a system glitch.
According to a statement released on Saturday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Justice Deinde Dipeolu granted the final forfeiture order after hearing a motion on notice dated January 8 and filed by EFCC counsel, Hannatu KofarNaisa.
The funds were reportedly part of a larger sum of N2.5 billion unlawfully withdrawn by certain individuals after a system malfunction at the bank.
Acting on a petition from Sterling Bank, the EFCC launched investigations that led to the tracing of the stolen funds to several bank accounts.
The affected accounts include:M Sharif Inter-Trading and Marketing Company Ltd’s UBA account (N900 million),Mustapha Abubakar’s UBA account (N255.8 million),Mustapha Sharif Abubakar’s UBA account (N12.2 million),Jaiz Bank account (N41.1 million),First Bank account (N19 million), and and Sterling Bank Imal account (N30.8 million).
An interim forfeiture order was earlier granted by the court on March 12, with the directive that it be published in a national newspaper to allow any interested parties to contest the forfeiture. The publication appeared in The Punch on March 24.
KofarNaisa told the court that no objections were filed, and urged the court to grant the final forfeiture as the funds were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
Justice Dipeolu, in his ruling, said, “Having gone through the motion and attachments, I find the application meritorious and same is accordingly granted,” ordering the final forfeiture of the N1.29 billion to the Federal Government.
The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has urged the National Assembly to expedite the passage of the bill aimed at establishing state police forces.
During a joint meeting with members of the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council in Kaduna on Saturday, Gombe State Governor and NSGF Chairman, Muhammadu Yahaya, emphasized the need for this legislative action. He also called for a comprehensive review of the nation’s security strategy to effectively address the recent surge in Boko Haram attacks and violent incidents in the north-central region.
Yahaya indicated that the forum reached a consensus regarding tax reform bills, highlighting the collaborative efforts involved. He commended President Bola Tinubu for engaging with stakeholders and reaffirmed his commitment to inclusive governance.
Through platforms such as the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the National Economic Council, Yahaya stated that a productive path forward has been identified, emphasizing the importance of a cooperative approach in managing intergovernmental relations for the benefit of the populace.
The Gombe governor expressed significant concern over the state of infrastructure in Northern Nigeria, noting that many previously awarded projects have suffered from neglect. While recognizing President Tinubu’s dedication to completing key infrastructure initiatives, such as the Kaduna-Kano-Katsina-Maradi rail line and the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano expressway, he pointed out that other vital projects, including the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line and the Kano-Maiduguri expressway, remain unaddressed.
Yahaya stressed the necessity for innovative financing solutions, such as public-private partnerships and infrastructure bonds, to bridge the existing gaps and establish a robust foundation for agricultural production and industrial growth.
In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the forum declared its intention to create inter-state platforms aimed at enhancing surveillance along shared borders. Additionally, they resolved to collaborate with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum to develop strategies for bolstering support for federal security forces.
The forum reiterated its backing for the establishment of state police, urging the National Assembly to take swift action in enacting the necessary legal framework for its implementation.
Currently, the state police bill is under consideration in the National Assembly, proposing to move the term “police” from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
However, some critics caution that such a system could be misused by state governors to suppress dissent. Supporters argue that state police would empower local authorities to effectively address security challenges without relying solely on federal intervention.
Two members of the 135 Special Forces Battalion are currently under investigation for suspected collaboration with ISWAP terrorists, raising significant concerns about national security in Yobe State.
Security operatives intercepted and analyzed the soldiers’ phone conversations, which indicated their involvement in the May 9 abduction of commuters along the Gashua–Azare highway.
A reliable source involved in the investigation reported that the soldiers allegedly disclosed the movements of their patrol team along the Buratai–Kamuya–Azare–Gashua route, facilitating an ambush by ISWAP fighters that temporarily hindered civilian travel until a counter-offensive successfully dispersed the terrorists.
Security analyst and counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama indicated that this betrayal likely allowed the terrorists to orchestrate the ambush. However, the same battalion’s troops quickly intervened, leading to the rescue of four kidnapped civilians and the recovery of weapons and equipment.
Military authorities have initiated a comprehensive internal inquiry into the incident. The two soldiers are presently in custody, and their identities are being withheld pending further investigation.
This development has raised alarms about potential internal sabotage and underscores the urgent need for enhanced intelligence monitoring within military ranks to prevent future breaches and safeguard the integrity of ongoing counter-terrorism efforts in the North-East.
A senior security official emphasized, “The system will not tolerate any uniformed personnel found collaborating with enemies of the state. The fight against insurgency must be supported by unwavering loyalty and trust.”