The debate over governance and accountability took centre stage this week as the Federal Government’s plan to increase salaries of political office holders sparked sharp criticism from opposition voices and citizens who described it as insensitive amid widespread economic hardship. While the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission defended the proposal as overdue, parties like the ADC and NNPP argued that attention should instead focus on improving the welfare of ordinary Nigerians. At the same time, pro-democracy groups urged President Bola Tinubu to allow an independent and transparent process to appoint the next INEC Chairman, stressing that credible leadership at the commission is critical ahead of future elections.
The electoral body itself remained in the spotlight as INEC defended the credibility of its recent by-elections, where the APC consolidated its hold on the House of Representatives but narrowly missed a Senate supermajority. INEC also reported a surge in voter registration with nearly 70,000 Nigerians signing up online within hours, a development linked to youth mobilisation and social media influence. In Osun, Governor Ademola Adeleke pledged to restore local governments, while in Enugu, controversy deepened as INEC declared a Labour Party candidate serving a prison sentence the winner of a rerun election, an unusual twist that underscores Nigeria’s complex political landscape
