Civil rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, has queried the type of democracy being run in Nigeria. He criticised the Nigerian Police and judiciary for their handling of peaceful protests by those seeking the release of detained Biafran leader, Nnamdi Kanu. He said their actions showed that Nigeria is only pretending to practise democracy. Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday, Farotimi argued that the suppression of protests and court restrictions on citizens’ rights to assemble freely are clear signs that the country has strayed from democratic norms. He said, “In a democracy, there should never be a need for…
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ADO EKITI A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chief Wole Olanipekun, has urged the National Assembly to a referendum that will lead to a new constitution as a better alternative merely amending the existing constitution. The legal luminary said the country required a new homegrown constitution that would genuinely reflect the collective will of Nigerians and their uniqueness instead of another round of patchwork reform. He said, “The National Assembly should, for the time being, stay action on the ongoing amendment or any further amendment to the 1999 Constitution. This constitution needs a…
ABUJA The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and its affiliate unions in the education sector have told the Federal Government to resolve all lingering issues affecting the sector, warning that failure to do so would trigger a nationwide workers’ action. The NLC and the unions also declared a “no pay, no work” stance in response to the Federal Government’s “no work, no pay” policy following the ongoing two-week warning strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU. The unions involved include the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational…
By: Kunle Somorin Dear Prof. Amupitan, This is not a congratulatory note. It is a summons to conscience. Last week, my concern was about who would inherit the institutional wreckage at the Independent National Electoral Commission. Now, the waiting is over. You have been named. And so, let us speak plainly – not to flatter, but to forewarn. You are stepping into an office that has become both a symbol of democratic aspiration and a graveyard of public trust. You are a scholar of law, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and a professor whose intellectual contributions span constitutionalism, corporate governance,…
By: Olanrewaju Fatunmbi By dint of hard work, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola’s reputation for good representation continues to soar, extending his goodwill beyond his Ogun west constituents. The mammoth crowd that braved the heavy downpour to welcome him during his recent (precisely Sunday, October 5, 2025) visit to Ijebu-Ode underscores his growing acceptability as a preferred successor of the incumbent Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun across Ogun State, particularly in the Ogun East Senatorial District. Pulling such a large welcoming crowd in a city like Ijebu-Ode is highly significant because it shows that people’s preference for his candidacy has transcended his…
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has urged members of the Peoples Democratic Party not to lose hope over the recent wave of defections, assuring them that the party’s current challenges are only temporary and that victory lies ahead. Makinde, who made the remark on Monday during the inauguration of the PDP National Convention Transportation Subcommittee in Abuja, noted that although the party is currently facing a challenging period, the experience will eventually fortify the PDP and position it for future electoral victories. The Oyo State Governor, who is the Chairman of the Transportation Subcommittee, encouraged members to remain steadfast, united,…
It has been said that No country has ever won the World Cup with a foreign-born coach, but Carlo Ancelotti said Monday that there was “always a first time” as he eyes glory with Brazil. The Italian became Brazil’s first overseas coach in six decades when he took over in May, and he helped the five-times champions punch their ticket for next summer’s World Cup. Brazil face Japan in a friendly in Tokyo on Tuesday, fresh from a 5-0 hammering of South Korea in Seoul last week. Ancelotti said he is aiming to create history for himself and his team…
OPINION 2027 Elections as a Litmus Test for Reforms By; Simon Kolawole No, I am not talking politics. I am aware that sixteen months to the next general election, the political atmosphere is already fully charged as if we are going to the polls tomorrow. I am tempted to say I have never seen anything like this in my life, but that would be an unacceptable exaggeration. In reality, Nigerians were created for politics. We live, eat, drink and smoke politics 24/7. As I always say, nothing excites us more than playing politics and doing electoral permutations. Some pundits have…
ABUJA Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the National Assembly has proposed that presidential and governorship elections be conducted in November 2026, instead of the usual February or March of the election year. The proposal is contained in the draft amendments to the Electoral Act 2022, which were discussed on Monday during a one-day public hearing held by the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters, chaired by Senator Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South). According to Section 4(7) of the proposed amendment, “Elections into the office of the President and Governor of a State shall be held not later than 185 days…
FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, on Monday announced sweeping interventions in the judiciary in Abuja, pledging to end the era of judges living in rented apartments while also digitising the operations of the FCT High Courts. Speaking at the flag-off of official residences for Heads of Courts in the FCT, Wike described the initiative as the most important project yet under the current administration’s infrastructure drive. “We cannot afford to continue to see judges living in rented houses, sometimes squatting with relatives. By the end of President Tinubu’s first tenure, no judge of the FCT High Court will be living in…