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Will Independent Candidacy Bill secure the 10th National Assembly’s place in history?
In a bid to reshape Nigeria’s democratic landscape, the Independent Candidacy Bill debate has been reignited in the 10th National Assembly.
This ground breaking legislation aims to amend the constitution to grant citizens the ability to contest elections without relying on political parties.
Before Nigeria attained independence and during the First Republic, individuals could contest elections as independent candidates.
The practice was part of the democratic framework inherited from the British colonial system. However, with the adoption of the 1999 Constitution, Nigeria’s political framework has become heavily dependent on party structures.
Section 221 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) explicitly states that only political parties can sponsor candidates for elections, thus effectively eliminating the possibility of independent candidacy.
From the fallout of the party structure to gain political power, Nigerians have not ceased to clamour for the return of independent candidacy.
This stems from the desire to expand the democratic space, allowing individuals without political party affiliations to contest elections.
This idea has gained traction over the years, as many Nigerians have argued that it will foster inclusiveness, deepen democracy and reduce the negative influence of god-fatherism and party politics in the country’s body polity.
Efforts to include provisions for independent candidacy have been made during constitutional amendment processes in the National Assembly, but with no tangible success.
One of the first significant pushes for independent candidacy was during the 2009 constitutional review. This, however, failed as lawmakers, largely influenced by political party structures, rejected the proposal.
Also, in the 2018 constitutional amendment, the Senate and House of Representatives voted on a bill to allow for independent candidacy, but they could not gather the mandatory two-thirds majority required for the bill to sail through.
The push for independent candidacy equally surfaced during the 2021 constitutional review.
However, it faced stiff resistance from some quarters, with former President Muhammadu Buhari also declining assent to the bill when it was passed during the Ninth Assembly.
Consequently, it was excluded from the amendments adopted by the then national assembly.
The current 10th assembly is, however, resurrecting the independent candidacy matter, with the introduction of “The Independent Candidate Bill.”
The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Akin Rotimi, stated that the bill sought to amend the 1999 constitution by creating a legal framework that would allow individuals to contest elective offices without being affiliated to any political party.
According to Rotimi, the House Committee Chairman on Media and Public Affairs, the alteration will provide citizens with the opportunity to run for public offices as independent candidates at the local government, state and federal levels.
He said: “The bill aims to promote inclusivity, broaden the democratic space and encourage greater political participation by Nigerians who are not part of any political party,” the lawmaker had said.
The bill was primarily championed by ElectHER, a non-partisan civil society organisation promoting active participation in governance, democratisation of socio-economic opportunities and greater inclusivity in peace processes.
ElectHER is providing technical inputs, mobilising public support and driving robust advocacy for the bill, particularly in the house of representatives.
Rotimi affirmed that part of the demands of the bill was that any Nigerian citizen who met the general qualifications for running for office in terms of age, residency and education could contest elections as an independent candidate.
In his argument, the lawmaker stated that for someone to run as an independent candidate under the independent candidacy bill, he/she would need to gather signatures from at least 10 per cent of the registered voters in his/her area.
“This can be an electoral ward, a senatorial district or even a whole state, depending on the position the candidate is contesting for,” he said, adding that the signatures were important to show that the candidate had real support from the people of his/her community.
“Before the candidate is allowed to run, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will check and verify all the signatures to ensure that they are valid and that the candidate truly has enough backing from voters,” he said.
According to him, the requirement is aimed at preventing just anyone from running for office without any real support from his/her area.
Rotimi said that this would act as a control to ensure that only serious candidates with genuine public backing can contest, thus reducing the risk of too many unqualified candidates crowding the elections.
He further stated that as part of the nomination process, independent candidates must pay a security deposit to INEC to serve as a commitment to their candidacy and ensure that they were serious about contesting the election.
He also stated that the candidates must secure at least 10 per cent of the total votes cast in the election, adding that if they failed to reach this threshold, the deposit would be forfeited.
This regulation, according to him, is to ensure that only candidates with genuine public support and a reasonable chance of success seek nomination as independent candidates.
According to him, the purpose of the rule is to discourage individuals who do not have substantial backing from the electorate from contesting.
The Founder and Chief Executive of ElectHER, Ibijoke Faborode, further said that the introduction of the bill was a significant milestone, adding that it would help the future of the country, if passed into law.
Faborode expressed enthusiasm at seeing the national assembly united in support of the bill, underscoring their dedication to a legislative agenda that promotes inclusivity.
To her, the bill represents a bold step toward breaking barriers that have historically excluded capable Nigerians from leadership roles.
“Independent candidacy doesn’t undermine political parties. Instead, it complements them by fostering a more inclusive and competitive democratic environment.
”Independent candidacy does not undermine political parties. Rather, it complements them by fostering a more inclusive and competitive democratic environment,” she argued.
The bill, according to her, includes: rigorous eligibility criteria to ensure only credible candidates with significant community support can run independently, maintaining the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic institutions, while empowering citizens.
The proponents of the bill highlighted the potential for the bill to deepen Nigeria’s democratic process.
Rotimi particularly added that the bill would remove dependency on political parties and empower citizens who might otherwise face barriers due to party politics or possible high costs of party nominations.
Many advocates of the bill believe that it could break the dominance of political parties in the electoral process by providing a platform for candidates with innovative ideas or strong grassroots support to emerge.
They cited the examples of some countries where independent candidacy had enriched political systems, offering voters more choices and encouraging accountability among elected officials.
However, opponents of the bill have raised concerns about how independent candidates would navigate Nigeria’s electoral framework.
Other issues raised include: campaign financing, voter education and ensuring compliance with electoral laws, which were cited as potential hurdles.
Some lawmakers also argued that allowing independent candidates could lead to an over-saturation of the electoral space, stressing that it would make it harder for voters to distinguish credible candidates from the opportunistic ones.
Part of their arguments was that the bill might inadvertently weaken political parties, which are essential for organising political ideas, stating that it could destabilise governance, particularly if the independent candidates lacked the institutional support from the parties.
For instance, while Rep. Isah Ambarura (APC-Sokoto) emphasises the importance of the bill in enhancing the country’s democratic evolution, Rep. Babatunde Yusuf (APC-Kogi) argued that the concept of independent candidacy might weaken party structures in Nigeria.
Yusuf expressed worries over the risk of sidelining political parties, which traditionally play critical roles in aggregating public interests.
On the other hand, Rep. Abdul-Majid Suleiman (APC-Bauchi) raised concerns about the potential for independent candidates to increase electoral disputes and fragmentations in governance due to the lack of unifying party framework.
Rep. Yusuf Gagdi (APC-Plateau) also pointed out that the bill might create challenges in political accountability and representation, as independent candidates would not be answerable to any party structure.
However, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives has demonstrated institutional support for its consideration.
While not explicitly advocating for or against the bill, he said his leadership would to ensure that the proposed legislation progressed to the House Committee for further review.
Notwithstanding the opposing views of the lawmakers, the current 10th assembly may be etching its name in gold if the long-awaited independent candidacy bill is eventually passed into law, with its attendant potential of altering the country’s political landscape. (NANFeatures)
A Kano State High Court, on Tuesday, reserved ruling in the case of alleged bribery and misappropriation filed against the former governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, and seven others.
The Kano State Government instituted an eight-count charge bordering on bribery, misappropriation and diversion of public funds running into billions of Naira against Ganduje and seven others, including his wife, Hafsat Umar.
Others charged with Ganduje are Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited and Lasage General Enterprises Limited.
When the case came up for hearing of all pending applications, counsel to Ganduje and his wife, Offiong Offiong SAN, applied for an extension of time and urged the court to grant the application.
“We also filed our preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court, dated Nov. 18, 2024, along with a 28-paragraph affidavit and a written address in support.
“We also filed a reply on point of law dated April 4, 2025,” he said.
However, counsel to the state, Mr Ayodeji Adedipe, SAN, filed a reply to the notice of preliminary objection dated Oct. 22, 2024, addressing all the respondents.
“The application is attached with a seven-paragraph counter affidavit and a written address dated Dec. 13, 2024, attached along with several documents as exhibits,” Adedipe said.
He prayed the court to dismiss the respondents’ applications for lacking merit.
Counsel to the 3rd and 7th defendants, Mr Adekunle Taiye-Falola, filed a motion on notice on a preliminary objection dated Oct. 18, 2024, supported by a 14-paragraph affidavit and a written address.
“In reply to the complainant’s counter affidavit, we filed our further and better affidavit dated Dec. 12, 2024, and a reply on point of law. We urge the court to grant the application as prayed,” Taiye-Falola said.
Counsel to the 5th defendant, Mr Sunusi Musa, SAN, also filed a motion on notice on a preliminary objection dated Oct. 18, 2024, which was supported by an affidavit, an exhibit and a written address.
“We also filed our affidavit and reply on point of law and urged the court to grant the application with substantial costs against the complainant,” he said.
Counsel to the 6th respondent, Mr Ashafa Yusuf , also filed a notice of preliminary objection dated Sept. 9, 2024, supported by a nine-paragraph affidavit and a written address.
“My Lord, we filed a further and better affidavit dated Feb. 17, supported by an 11-paragraph affidavit. We also filed a reply on point of law and urged the court to grant the application,” he said.
Also, Faruk Asekone, counsel to the 8th defendant, filed a notice of preliminary objection dated Oct. 18, 2024, supported by a five-paragraph affidavit and a written address.
“In reply to the complainant’s counter-affidavit, we filed our further and better affidavit and reply on point of law dated Feb. 13, 2025, and urge the court to grant the application,” Asdkome said.
The judge, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu, granted the application for an extension of time.
Adamu-Aliyu adjourned the matter for ruling on the notices of preliminary objection to a date that would be communicated to the parties at a later date. (NAN)
A former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has slammed the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government, describing it as the most “corrupt and worst” government in Nigerian history.
El-Rufai, who spoke in an interview with some journalists in Katsina Monday night, said Tinubu’s government is also the most intolerant government since the return of democratic rule in 1999.
He claimed that the Federal Government of President Tinubu is the most lying government that depends on false propaganda, especially on security challenges bedevilling the country.
The erstwhile Kaduna governor, who was in Katsina to condole with Governor Dikko Umaru Radda over the demise of his mother, also refuted the claim by the Federal Government that security has improved in the country.
He added that the insecurity in the country is due to the Federal Government’s failure to proffer deeper solutions to address what he termed the prevailing security challenges from their roots.
He stressed that many local government areas in Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto States were under the control of bandits, adding that bandits and terrorists’ leaders like Dogo Gide, Mallam Abba and Bello Turji have not been killed.
El-rufia said: “I have said it before, this is the worst Federal Government in Nigerian history and all the indices have shown it. This is the most corrupt and most intolerant government in Nigeria.
“This is the most lying government that depends on false propaganda. They lied that security has improved in Nigeria. They read out numbers of bandits killed except the ones we know are the leading bandits.
“In Kaduna, Dogo Gide is still around, Mallam Abba, the Boko Haram terrorist is still alive. Bello Turji is still around but everyday, they announce names of people that are bandits’ leaders that they have killed and security has improved.
“How many local governments are under the occupation of bandits in Katsina State? How many are occupied by bandits in Zamfara State and some parts of Sokoto State? And because you are in government you think that nothing would happen?”
The former FCT Minister, however, described his new political party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), as a party with a long history and credibility that will wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
A prominent loyalist of former Nigerian Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has sharply criticised Bauchi State Governor Bala Muhammed for comments deemed “reckless” and “disrespectful” towards the elder statesman.
Dr. Aslam Aliyu, known as Gimbiyar Kauran Namoda from Zamfara state and one of the mast respected politicians in Nigeria, issued a statement on Tuesday condemning Governor Muhammed’s remarks, which she described as unbecoming of a party leader.
One of Nigeria’s respected female political voices suggested that Atiku is not a politician to be betrayed.
“Atiku Abubakar is not a politician to be undermined by mere political officeholders whose relevance remains confined to their states,” Aliyu said.
Dr Aliyu highlighting the former vice president’s enduring influence since 1999.
She pointed to his service under President Olusegun Obasanjo, his pivotal role in shaping the PDP, and his consistent presence in Nigeria’s political landscape over two decades.
Aliyu accused Muhammed of exposing his “political inexperience” by attempting to diminish Atiku’s stature within the party.
“For a governor who owes his platform to the PDP’s legacy to belittle one of its founding pillars is not just ungrateful—it is dangerous,” she warned.
She stated that when discussing the leaders of the People’s Democratic Party today, after Atiku Abubakar, the next in line is Senator Aminu Tambuwal.
“He demonstrated a spirit of sportsmanship by stepping down for Atiku in 2023 for the sake of northern development.”
She added that if Kaura wishes to resolve the PDP crisis, where was he when Wike and Fubara were at loggerheads over leadership for more than two years? No action was taken until the Governor was suspended and the state was declared a state of emergency .
“If he wants to end the crisis in the PDP, he should first resolve the one in his own state, Bauchi, and also reinstate the Rivers State Governor, Fubara, who is currently suspended.”
The statement urged Muhammed to exercise humility and cautioned that divisive rhetoric threatens the PDP’s unity.
“The PDP stands today because of the loyalty, sacrifice, and vision of men like Atiku Abubakar,” Aliyu declared, calling for mutual respect to safeguard the party’s future.