General News
CIVIL SOCIETY AND JOURNALISTS UNITE TO STRENGTHEN NIGERIA’S DEMOCRACY
Nigeria’s electoral system has been plagued by deep-seated challenges, including attacks on journalists, vote buying, and political interference, which have eroded public trust in the system. In response to these concerns, the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) convened an advocacy meeting in Abuja to chart a path towards credible elections, starting with the Anambra election scheduled for November 2025.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders from the media and civil society, emphasizing the need for them to uphold their pivotal role in safeguarding democracy in the country. Speakers at the meeting highlighted pressing concerns, including political influence in media ownership, electoral malpractice, proliferation of fake news, and the independence of electoral bodies.
The meeting also called for stricter accountability from security agencies following documented attacks on 89 journalists during the 2023 elections. To address these concerns, the meeting produced a series of resolutions, including urging journalists to intensify investigative reporting, hold public officials accountable, and collaborate with civil society to promote voter education.
The meeting also called on President Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that politically exposed persons are not appointed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The National Assembly was tasked with unbundling INEC and making electronic result transmission mandatory. Furthermore, security agencies were urged to protect journalists covering elections and eliminate the militarization of the electoral process.
Political parties were reminded of their duty to uphold internal democracy, transparent campaign financing, and issue-based campaigns. The essence of these discussions was to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy by ensuring electoral transparency, press freedom, and accountability at all levels, especially as the nation prepares for the 2027 general elections.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has introduced an urgent, coordinated strategy to safeguard food security across West Africa and the Sahel, as global economic disruptions and rising oil prices continue to threaten agricultural production.
The decision followed an extraordinary virtual meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Agriculture held on March 23, 2026, where regional leaders assessed the growing risks to food systems.
The high-level meeting, convened by the ECOWAS Commission through its Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture under Commissioner Kalilou Sylla, brought together key regional institutions, development partners, and financial stakeholders.
Participants—including representatives from the West African Economic and Monetary Union and the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel—reviewed the impact of rising fertiliser costs, driven by global market volatility and increasing energy prices, on agricultural productivity across the region.
Deliberations resulted in the adoption of a medium- to long-term operational framework aimed at strengthening food sovereignty and building resilience within regional food systems.
Key measures outlined in the plan include the immediate establishment of regional agreements to secure strategic fertiliser supplies, as well as the creation of emergency reserves to cushion the effects of future price shocks.
The ministers also approved the introduction of liquidity swap mechanisms through central banks to address foreign exchange constraints faced by importers—an intervention expected to improve access to critical agricultural inputs.
“Our collective response underscores the urgency of safeguarding food security in the face of external shocks,” Sylla said, noting that enhanced regional coordination and targeted interventions would help sustain agricultural production and protect vulnerable populations.
The initiative highlights ECOWAS’ commitment to deepening regional cooperation and implementing sustainable solutions to emerging threats to food security across West Africa and the Sahel.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on Monday paid a Sallah homage to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos.
The visit formed part of activities marking the Sallah celebrations, as top government officials and political leaders paid courtesy calls to the President.
During the meeting, President Tinubu also received members of the Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Council, a key political body in Lagos State.
Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Council
The engagements provided an opportunity for discussions on national issues and strengthened ties between the executive and legislative arms of government.
The Sallah homage is a long-standing tradition in Nigeria, where political leaders and stakeholders visit the President and other top officials during major Islamic festivities.
Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has expressed concern over the reported arrest of a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani Umar, describing the development as a threat to Nigeria’s democratic principles.
In a statement issued on Monday, Obi said he was informed that the cleric was arrested by authorities shortly after hosting him in Kaduna on Sunday. He described the situation as “deeply troubling,” warning that it reflects a growing pattern of intimidation and suppression of dissenting voices in the country.
Obi noted that such actions, if confirmed, undermine fundamental rights, including freedom of speech and movement, which he said are essential pillars of any democratic society.
He further stressed that harassment or persecution of citizens based on perceived political affiliations must not be tolerated, urging the government to uphold the rule of law in its dealings with Nigerians.
“This country must defend freedom and free speech, which are the hallmarks of every democratic society,” Obi stated, adding that suppression and intimidation of dissent have no place in a functioning democracy.
The former Anambra State governor called on authorities and all relevant actors to refrain from actions capable of weakening the nation’s already fragile democratic system.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official confirmation from security agencies regarding the alleged arrest.