National News
Don urges ECOWAS parliament to ensure effective budget monitoring, implementation
Don urges ECOWAS parliament to ensure effective budget monitoring, implementation
By: Michael Mike
Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Nile University, Nigeria, Prof. May Nwoye, has implored the ECOWAS parliament to ensure effective formulation, monitoring and implementation of community budgeting for subregional development.
Speaking on the sub-theme: “Improving the Effectiveness and Efficiency of the ECOWAS Parliament in Considering and Monitoring the Community Budget,” at the event with main theme: “The Role of the ECOWAS Parliament in Community Budget Formulation and Monitoring.” Nwoye said
that parliamentarians should be committed to ensuring that the budget always effectively and efficiently aligned with the long-term goal of ECOWAS integration Vision 2050.
Nwoye defined a budget as a financial plan, which forced an institution to map out its goals, control expenditure and keep track of progress to make vision a reality.
The Management Science expert said that effective budget formulation, monitoring and implementation were crucial for achieving both financial stability and ensuring efficient allocation of resources.
“For me, ethical budgeting is the building block of financial management.
“Effective budget formulation is crucial for achieving economic stability, promoting economic growth and ensuring efficient allocation of resources.
“We should take a collective resolve to decolonise our region through ethical budgeting that is goal-oriented, effective and efficient towards the recovery of our ecosystem.
“We must, therefore, tackle the old impediments to be able to confront new imperatives, and contribute in ensuring that Africans benefit from their resources.”
The academic noted that the subregion was besieged with economic predicaments and was currently faced with the problem of formulating an impeccable system capable of delivering socioeconomic services to the citizenry.
She told the parliamentarians that their bringing financial management issues for discussion at the event showed how important the parliament viewed the goals and programmes of pursuing regional economic development.
Nwoye said that in order to promote ECOWAS’ economic integration vision across the region, which required humongous resources, the lawmakers must be strategic in their plan and intentional in their approach.
“The essence of this event is to encourage parliamentarians to improve on their knowledge of community budget formulation and implementation.
“The event also aims to help participants attain a better understanding on how to mitigate the challenges associated with considering and balancing the community budgets.
“The knowledge of financial management will play a pivotal role in the strategic and operational functions of most of your activities.’’
The expert also stressed the need for parliament to have a cordial working relationship with the ECOWAS Commission and the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) in implementing the 2016 Supplementary Act.
She said that various sectors were competing for the same limited and scarce resources; hence, they were expected to negotiate for adequate allocation of funds by justifying why they wanted the money.
“ECOWAS Parliament should also facilitate collaboration and coordination among the ECOWAS institutions and relevant bodies within the community for effective and efficient budget formulation, monitoring and implementation.
“Implementing effective budget monitoring and control measures is crucial for ensuring that their budgets are accurate and that budget variances are minimised.
“By closely monitoring and controlling the budget, ECOWAS Parliament can identify potential issues and take appropriate actions to address them in a timely manner,” she said.
Nwoye urged the parliament to leverage ICT by deploying budgeting software or tools, which could greatly enhance the effectiveness of budget monitoring and control.
“These tools provide real-time visibility into budget performance, automate data collection and analysis, and generate reports and alerts to keep stakeholders informed,” she said.
She said that to ensure accountability and transparency, the parliament should create a budget oversight committee to oversee the monitoring and control process as well as applying deliberate efforts to regularly track and review budget performance.
Don urges ECOWAS parliament to ensure effective budget monitoring, implementation
VP Shettima Attends AU Heads of State Plenary Session
By: Our Reporter
Vice President Kashim Shettima is attending the plenary of the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The opening session has drawn leaders from across the continent and beyond, as delegates convene to address critical issues under this year’s theme: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.”
The Vice President is representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the high-level gathering.
VP Shettima Attends AU Heads of State Plenary Session
National News
Experts Warn Senate Amendment to Electoral Act May Weaken Electronic Transmission Safeguards
Experts Warn Senate Amendment to Electoral Act May Weaken Electronic Transmission Safeguards
By: Michael Mike
A coalition of electoral reform advocates, legal experts and technology specialists has warned that the proposed amendment to Clause 60(3) of Nigeria’s Electoral Act could undermine recent gains in electoral transparency if not carefully revised.
They gave support to the position of the House of Representatives over that of the Senate, stating that the lower legislative arm position on the amendment of the electoral act was a lesser devil than that of the upper chamber.
The position emerged from an Expert Round Table convened in Abuja on Friday by ActionAid Nigeria, YIAGA Africa and the Movement for the Transformation of Nigeria. The meeting brought together academics, civil society leaders, lawyers, engineers, election administrators and governance specialists to examine the implications of the National Assembly’s amendment to Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.
At the centre of deliberations was the provision dealing with electronic transmission of election results. While the current law provides for electronic transmission, the Senate’s amendment affirms that manually signed polling unit results remain legally valid if electronic transmission fails. Participants argued that this caveat could reopen long-standing vulnerabilities in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Experts at the forum stressed that credible elections are the bedrock of democratic legitimacy and political stability. They noted that Nigeria’s democratic history has repeatedly been strained by allegations of manipulation, flawed collation processes and protracted post-election litigation. According to participants, strengthening transparency in result transmission is critical to rebuilding public confidence.
A major focus of the discussion was the role of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in safeguarding results at polling units. Participants described electronic transmission not merely as a technological innovation but as a protective mechanism against manipulation during collation — historically considered the weakest link in Nigeria’s elections.
Technical experts at the meeting maintained that electronic transmission is largely feasible nationwide, citing data that shows approximately 98 per cent network coverage across polling units, with only about two per cent classified as connectivity blind spots. They recommended targeted infrastructure investment to address these gaps rather than reverting to manual safeguards that could compromise transparency.
Concerns were also raised about legal ambiguities in the proposed amendment. Participants observed that the Senate version does not explicitly mandate electronic transmission through BVAS, nor does it clearly outline procedures in the event of technical failure. This, they argued, could create loopholes and fuel conflicting interpretations between manual and electronically transmitted results.
Another issue highlighted was the legal status of regulations issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Many operational guidelines governing electronic transmission are contained in subsidiary regulations rather than entrenched in the Act itself, potentially weakening their enforceability in court.
The experts warned that ambiguity in the law could increase election petitions and deepen what they described as the “judicialization of politics,” where electoral outcomes are increasingly determined in courtrooms rather than at the ballot box.
Beyond the amendment, participants identified broader institutional challenges affecting electoral integrity, including perceived executive influence in appointments to INEC, vote buying, weak enforcement of electoral offences and political interference. They called for comprehensive reforms to strengthen the independence and technical capacity of the electoral body.
In their resolutions, the roundtable participants reached consensus that electronic transmission should be clearly established in law as the primary and legally binding method for transmitting election results. They expressed preference for the version passed by the House of Representatives, which does not prioritise manually signed results in cases of transmission failure, while recommending further refinements to ensure clarity.
They also urged lawmakers to incorporate key INEC regulations directly into the Electoral Act, reform judicial procedures governing election disputes for faster resolution, and invest in election technology infrastructure.
Looking ahead, the experts advocated a long-term reform agenda that could eventually include electronic voting, drawing from international best practices. They further called on the National Assembly to conduct a public hearing on the technical glitches recorded during the 2023 general elections to prevent recurrence and enhance accountability.
The meeting concluded that Nigeria’s democratic future depends on ensuring that electoral reforms strengthen — rather than dilute — safeguards designed to reflect the true will of voters. Participants pledged continued legislative engagement and public advocacy to protect the integrity of the country’s electoral framework.
Experts Warn Senate Amendment to Electoral Act May Weaken Electronic Transmission Safeguards
Wife of the Vice President of Nigeria in Ethiopia
By: Our Reporter
Wife of the Vice President of Nigeria Hajiya Nana Shettima arrived Addis Ababa With Her Husband, Senator Kashim Shettima to attend the 30th General Assembly of Organization of African First Ladies For Development (OAFLAD) while The Vice President will be attending the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Union Heads of States and Government on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Mrs Shettima is Representing First Lady of Nigeria Senator Oluremi Tinubu CON.
The African First Ladies are expected to Focus on internal issues and advance OAFLAD’s strategic priorities.
The 30th General Assembly’s open session under the theme “Building Resilience for Women and Girls: Climate, Conflict, and Sustainable Futures will be held on the 15th of February.
Mrs Shettima who left Abuja this afternoon for Addis Ababa the Capital of Ethiopia will participate in various meetings with African First Ladies spanning for Three Days
Wife of the Vice President of Nigeria in Ethiopia
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