National News
INEC, CSO collaborates to increase women, youths participation in politics
INEC, CSO collaborate to increase women, youths participation in politics
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is collaborating with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), a civil society organisation (CSO), towards increasing women and youths participation in politics.
Sam Egwu, the INEC Niger Resident Electoral Commissioner, stated this at a roundtable on ‘Strengthening Internal Democracy with Special Focus on Gender and Social Inclusion in Abuja.
Mr Egwu said the aim was to increase the number of women and youths in elective offices in the country. He added that the collaboration would also help increase the participation of People With Disabilities (PWDs) in the political space.
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“The continued exclusion of women, youth and PWDs in politics challenges Nigeria’s claim to a democratic status of accommodation of diversity and amounts to a denial of citizenship rights,” explained Mr Egwu. “Nigeria has only paid attention to territorially based diversities which are ethno-regional differences; even then poorly managed. Many explanations like the ideology of patriarchy, culture, the resistance of parties to democratic practices, lack of economic power, low level of mobilisation of women, weak regulation, among others are responsible.”
Mr Egwu said statistics indicated that the 2019 general election witnessed the lowest voter turnout in Nigerian history and a drop in the participation of women, youths, and PWDs in an election.
Mr Egwu stressed that political parties had to be pressured by regulatory bodies, CSOs and citizens to entrench party quotas guaranteed in law to change the outcome.
He charged the National Assembly to enact laws that would help boost the participation of marginalised groups in politics in Nigeria.
PLAC executive director Clement Nwankwo explained that the event was organised with the MacArthur Foundation’s support to help increase the participation of women, youths, and PWDs in politics.
Mr Nwankwo added that political parties were the only platforms for candidates to contest elections in Nigeria, so candidates presented by the parties to contest needed to be inclusive of the population, demography, and diversity.
He said in Nigeria, women occupied only 21 out of 469 seats in the National Assembly, making Nigeria the worst performer in West Africa on the representation of women in parliaments.
Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC)’s national chairman Yabagi Sani said the council was aware of the challenges faced by PWDS, women and youths and was working to deepen democracy by increasing their representation.
“We are in the season of political activities towards 2023, which will be a watershed in our journey towards entrenching democracy, so IPAC’s in entrenching inclusiveness is key,” he said.
MacArthur Foundation’s Africa director Kole Shettima said there was the need to analyse Nigeria’s democracy to assess the level of social inclusion.
“This is because unless we really get this right to enable an all-important segment of our society to be part of this process, we will still be excluded in our democracy we will not be able to deliver. The foundation has evolved a concept called gender and social inclusion as a mechanism to bring up the voices of people who have been excluded in our democratic system.”
(NAN)
Nigerien Army Deserter Who Joined Boko Haram Surrenders in Diffa Region
By: Our Reporter
A deserter from the Niger Republic Armed Forces who reportedly joined the terrorist group Boko Haram has surrendered to local authorities in Kindjandi, located in the Diffa Region of southeastern Niger Republic.
The individual, identified as Abba Ibrahim, had been serving with the Nigerien Armed Forces since 2022 before deserting his post in Bosso on March 8, 2025, according to military intelligence sources. He fled alongside a fellow soldier, Bandam Dala, and subsequently joined a Boko Haram faction active in the Lake Chad area.
Security sources disclosed that Ibrahim surrendered on April 21, 2025, arriving in Kindjandi on horseback with a rifle. He was accompanied by an unidentified young man whose details are yet to be confirmed.
Ibrahim was taken into custody by the Nigerien Armed Forces on the morning of April 22, 2025, and is currently undergoing debriefing and interrogation by military intelligence.
The Diffa Region has remained a hotspot for insurgent activity due to its proximity to Lake Chad and border areas with Nigeria, where Boko Haram and other extremist groups operate.
Nigerien Army Deserter Who Joined Boko Haram Surrenders in Diffa Region
National News
ECOWAS @50: WADEMOS Commends Subregional bloc for Inviting Mali, Burkina-Faso, Niger to Launch
ECOWAS @50: WADEMOS Commends Subregional bloc for Inviting Mali, Burkina-Faso, Niger to Launch
By: Michael Mike
The West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS) has commended the initiative by ECOWAS to extend an invitation to the governments of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger for the official launch of ECOWAS’ golden jubilee in Accra.
The Network, in a press statement on Tuesday, said it supports the initiative by ECOWAS to ease tensions and foster diplomacy in a bid to sustain the common heritage, shared history, and longstanding socio-cultural ties of the peoples.
The statement read: “As ECOWAS opens its doors and extends an arm of friendship and collaboration to Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, the Network encourages the three countries to reciprocate the gesture, upholding the spirit of good neighbourliness and cross-border cooperation. Such
cooperation is necessary now more than ever, especially as we require a concerted effort to confront matters of common interest to the subregion, such as security and trade.
“WADEMOS maintains the position that the restoration of trust and confidence between
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, on the one hand, and ECOWAS, on the other hand,
remains critical to sustaining cooperation and enhancing the free movement of goods and people. Building trust and confidence, we believe, is also critical to effectively combat the growing threat of terrorism across the subregion.
“Considering the close ties that exist among the West African peoples, WADEMOS
continues to urge the three Sahelian countries to be reconciliatory in their engagements with ECOWAS.”
WADEMOS is an independent and non-partisan network of diverse national and transnational civil society organisations and civic groups working to promote and defend democracy, good governance, and inclusive development in the West Africa region.
It mobilizes, coordinates, and leverages the collective voice and power of civil society and other pro-democracy actors, resources, and opportunities within the West Africa region to advance its mission. The current membership of WADEMOS stands at 47 spread across West Africa.
The WADEMOS Secretariat is based in Accra, Ghana.
ECOWAS @50: WADEMOS Commends Subregional bloc for Inviting Mali, Burkina-Faso, Niger to Launch
Interior Minister Orders Investigation into Alleged Extortion by NSCDC Officers
By: Michael Mike
The Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has ordered an immediate investigation into allegations of extortion involving officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The officers, according to a viral post, allegedly extorted ₦5.2 million from a group of young men traveling from Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State to Akure, Ondo State.
The Minister, in a statement by his spokesman, Babatunde Alao, noted that any officer found guilty will face the full weight of the law.
He said: “We will not tolerate any form of misconduct from our security agencies.
“We are building a paramilitary that is disciplined, professional and serve Nigeria and Nigerians with all sense of diginity and patriotism.
“On this case, we will see that justice is upheld and ensure that security personnel serve with forthrightness,” he said.
Interior Minister Orders Investigation into Alleged Extortion by NSCDC Officers
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