Excerpts from a Paper presented at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) 2024 Annual General Conference, Lagos, 27th August 2024 Since the advent of Nigeria’s 25-year democracy, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Assembly have reformed election laws and regulations before and after every general election. These amendments are designed to address the...

*By David Mkpume  In Nigeria’s federal structure, the local government system is designed to operate closest to the grassroots, making it easier for citizens to participate in governance. This is intended to shape good governance and provide essential social amenities necessary for development at the lowest level. According to the Nigerian Constitution in its Fourth...

What do elections and football have in common, especially in terms of how you can improve both?

*By Samson Itodo Local government elections in Nigeria have long been marred by rampant rigging and manipulation, favouring incumbents and ruling parties. Since the 1950s, political interference has plagued these elections, thwarting the goal of establishing truly representative local governments. The key factors contributing to these flawed elections include the absence of constitutionally guaranteed financial...

*By Uchenna Aja On May 29th, 2024, South Africans went to the polls for their general elections for the seventh time in its three decades of multi-racial democracy. This election was highly contested with new political dynamics affecting the voting pattern and vote shares for political parties in the 9 provinces. As evidenced in the...

*By David Mkpume Democracy as the cornerstone of modern governance thrives on the strength of its institutions, which includes political parties as they play a pivotal role in shaping the democratic landscape, and in the functioning and sustenance of democracy. They also serve as the organizational framework through which citizens express their political preferences by...

*By Mark Amaza The past couple of weeks have been abuzz with outrage at the circular from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to commercial banks in the country to begin to implement the 0.5% cybersecurity levy on electronic transactions, itself based on the Cybercrime (prohibition, prevention, etc.) Amendment Act of 2024. The reactions to...

By Cynthia Mbamalu South Africans will be going to the polls on 29 May in the seventh general elections since the end of Apartheid in 1994. Interestingly, 2024 is a symbolic year as South Africans and many countries in Africa who supported the fight against apartheid celebrate 30 years of freedom. As a kid, I...

By Ana’ayi Jennifer Danbagai Recently, the world celebrated the emergence of President Faye Bassirou Diomaye, the youngest Senegalese President since its independence, on his victory. His victory demonstrates the possibility of a shift in the emergence of younger leadership in Africa, which is a deviation from the age norm of presidents across the continent. The...

*By Ana’ayi Jennifer Danbagai Democracy in the African continent has suffered major setbacks over the last few decades. The coup trends across Sahel West Africa; Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger in the last four years have not only destabilized local democracies but also burdened regional blocs with protecting democratic integrity across the continent.   With...