National News
Parliamentarians from West and East African to Train at NILDS
Parliamentarians from West and East African to Train at NILDS
By: Michael Mike
Lawmakers from West and East African regions are to benefit from capacity building at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by ECOWAS Parliament and the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).
This training is to enhance is to enhance the capacity of African parliamentarians and advance democracy on the continent.
The resolution was reached at a roundtable on Friday when a delegation of the regional bodies visited the institute in Abuja.
The Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Mr Sidie Mohamed Tunis said that there should be a policy for ECOWAS member states to send their parliamentarians to the institute to build capacity.
Tunis however said that he is happy to align ECOWAS Parliament with NILDS, noting that it was better to train parliamentarians and parliamentary staff at NILDS than The National Democratic Institute (NDI) in the United States.
He said: “If we have something like this here in Nigeria, I believe it is the responsibility of us in the legislature from everywhere in the subregion to take it as our own.
“I want to confirm to you that with immediate effect, we will sign an MoU between NILDS and ECOWAS Parliament.
“We are going to ensure training of not just legislators across the sub region but also our parliamentary staff.”
Tunis added that Africa is witnessing an emergence of young people coming into the legislative field as against the usual destination, the civil service.
He said that most of the young people do not have the requisite qualifications, hence the need to build their capacity in motion bill drafting among others.
Tunis said that Africa is trying to unite and that regional bodies like the African Union must lead the initiative.
In his remarks, the Speaker of EALA, Hon. said the EALA is made up of parliamentarians from seven countries of Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Rwanda.
He said that his primary aim in Nigeria was to canvass support for the Speaker of Tanzania parliament, Dr. Tulia Ackson to emerge President of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
The EALA speaker said he was happy to learn about NILDS, adding that the job being done at NILDS was the best for Africa.
He said that the EALA will also sign an MoU with NILDS to build the capacity of parliamentarians and parliamentary staff for effective legislatures on the continent.
The Director-General of NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman said that the institute was established to train legislators and parliamentary staff.
He said the reason was to support the arm of government which had suffered casualties over the years of military rule.
Sulaiman said that the mandate of the institute which is fully funded by the government of Nigeria and has autonomy, has been expanded to provide for support political parties and civil society organsiations among others.
He said that the institute has 11 departments out of which seven are academic while the other four provide support for the parliament.
The DG said that laws or policies made in ignorance and devoid of research will not stand the test of time saying that African democracy needed institutions like NILDS.
“This institute is involved in what ECOWAS parliament is doing, beyond that we want to expand our hand of friend to East African Parliaments.
“We are ready to enter into MoU with you, we are ready to work with you in any area you want us to, whether in the area of election, parliamentary administration, legislative studies and procedures, we are ready to work with you,” he said.
Welcoming the dignitaries, the Institute’s Director of Legislative Support, Edoba Omoregie, a professor and SAN, said NILDS is Nigeria’s think-tank for the country’s National Assembly and even state assemblies.
Mr Omoregie listed some of the mandate responsibilities of the institute, including drafting bills, analysing bills, provision of a wide array of legislative products, election monitoring and supervision, research and many more.
Parliamentarians from West and East African to Train at NILDS
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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