Electoral transparency in reverse gear
The Senate did not ban electronic transmission; it refused to guarantee it. In Nigeria’s electoral history, that distinction is the difference between deterrence and discretion.
Legislature
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13 articlesTax reform law: Cracks in the code
The integrity of lawmaking is not a procedural nicety; it is the foundation that makes hard policies tolerable because people can trust that what is being enforced is what was debated, voted on, and assented to.
Saving democracy: The urgency of electoral reforms
Ballots must not only be cast; they must be believed. That belief is built now, in the choices we make and the discipline we show.
Gatekeepers or spectators? National Assembly’s two-year performance gap
Every bill should face a “rigour filter” before the second reading: a clear problem statement, a fiscal note, and evidence of stakeholder consultation.
Governors, federalism, and constitutional tension
Potential reforms could include defining emergency conditions more precisely, requiring judicial review of emergency declarations, and strengthening legislative oversight to prevent executive overreach.
Saving the Senate
The best the Senate can do is to conduct a proper investigation on the issue and come out with a clean bill of health.
Bad law, needless levy
The government singling out an aspect of security and levying citizens to pay for it is tantamount to double taxation when we already pay income tax and allow the government income from our natural resources to provide this service.
The electoral reforms imperative
As imperfect as our electoral acts have been, they would have provided better elections if they had been adequately implemented.
Budget of booby traps
Nigerians have expectations of the Executive and NASS regarding the 2024 budget formulation, ratification, implementation, and accountability. We expect a workable and realistic budget.
Why the National Assembly leadership race matters
In addition to our sensitivities, merit must be the highest consideration. NASS should use the election of its leadership to show the public that it is not business as usual and that the focus has shifted to meritocracy.
Security vote and transition stories
The legislature constitutionally granted the oversight role against the executive must reconsider the security vote and either remove them entirely or allow a reasonable amount (about 1% of the budget) for emergency security issues.
Women at war: Gender equality bills to the rescue
The five gender bills rejected at the National Assembly will not bring gender equality. But they are the first and foundational steps in the climb to gender equality.
Loopholes in the proposed Electoral Act
A rejection of electronic transmission of results and a return to the manual transmission of results is a return to everything wrong with elections in Nigeria.