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Concerns About Democracy Collapsing in Nigeria. What’s Next?

They started in 199, and laid the foundation. Some people came and took it to the decking while others were trying to raise it to the first floor. And then, some people came and knocked everything down. That is the situation we are now. Everything has been knocked down.

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” Democracy will work if the actors play by the rules. It’s work in progress. Under OBJ (Obasanjo), state of emergency was declared. The NASS worked together to ensure that 2/3 majority passed the emergency. Each member had to vote. “In this same NASS we have the same constitution. What happened in the last one? We need to chase out the bad operators in democracy.”

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, including  the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate,  Peter Obi,  have strongly voiced out that Democracy is collapsing in Nigeria.

Nigeria became a demoratic country in 199, with Obasanjo as its first democratically elected president.

But 26 years down the journey, several eminent Nigerians, former governors and past public office holders are now  expressing fears over the falling standards of democracy in Nigeria.

They voiced their fears during a colloquium held at the Abuja Intercontinental Hotel to mark the 60th birthday celebration of former Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, which was chaired by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Also in attendance were former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Emeka Anyaoku; former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi; former Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; and the immediate past Governor of Katsina, Aminu Masari.

In his keynote address titled ‘Is Democracy Failing in Africa?’ Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, lamented that it seemed like Nigeria’s democracy only worked for a few selected persons.

Kukah said: “We as Africans inherited a system that is not ours, but we can’t say it is not relevant to us. There are differences between democracy in Asia and that of Africa. I feel sorry for the judges. At the last election, even small me, I had people calling me, complaining, talk to this, talk to that.

“There was pressure on judges to deliver justice. I agree that there’s an urgent need to clean up the mess. Democracy is about everything, and it’s about justice. Democracy and its principles are endless contestations.

There are certain things God has given us which people can’t control.”Kukah urged politicians to borrow a leaf from the cat-and-mouse relationship between Obasanjo and Atiku, which he said also helped to deepen democracy. “The relationship between Obasanjo and Atiku is like a Catholic marriage. You will quarrel without breaking up… “Democracy is a work in progress.”

On his part, Obasanjo said that what Africa was practising today’s a mere reflection of ‘representative democracy.’ .

Abraham Lincoln describes it as a government of the people, by the people and for the people. But what do we have today? The Greek democracy affects everyone. Democracy has now become representative democracy and it hasn’t taken care of everyone.

“Democracy in Africa has failed because it’s not African, it didn’t have our culture and way of lives. You will say, ‘go to court’ when you know that you can’t get justice.Democracy is dying in Africa and to save it, it should be made in the context of Africa,” Obasanjo said.

Peter Obi asserted that many progressive-minded leaders from 1999 have been striving to raise the bar of the country’s democracy to an enviable height

Peter Obi, submitted: “They started democracy in 199, and laid the foundation. Some people came and took it to the decking while others were trying to raise it to the first floor. And then, some people came and knocked everything down. That is the situation we are now. Everything has been knocked down.

Nothing works. I am somebody who can say this exemplarily. I became a governor through the court when President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar were in government.I did not pay the court one naira.

I was sitting in my office and the court declared me the winner when the governor was hosting them.

It can’t happen in Nigeria today… So, democracy has failed. Let’s talk about how to rebuild it because it is collapsing.”

at the event, Atiku reflected on the price many leaders paid for the realisation of democratic rule. “In my case, I ran into exile because Abacha was very hostile,” he said.

The former Vice President, however, praised Ihedioha for remaining loyal despite belonging to different political platforms. “

Emeka and I have kept this relationship and till today I have found him extremely loyal, dedicated and focused even though sometimes we found ourselves on different political divides but we kept our relationship and I think that testifies with the kind of person Emeka is,” he said.

The former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal believes Nigerians can make democracy thrive as long as everybody is willing to play their roles.

Tambuwal, who condemned the recent state of emergency imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, criticised the National Assembly for the unconstitutional manner it approved it.

He said, “Democracy will work if the actors play by the rules. It’s work in progress. Under OBJ (Obasanjo), state of emergency was declared. The NASS worked together to ensure that 2/3 majority passed the emergency. Each member had to vote. “In this same NASS we have same constitution. What happened in the last one? We need to chase out the bad operators in democracy.”

The former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, however, said it was high time Nigeria reviewed the 1999 Constitution to address the plethora of problems plaguing its structure. According to him, the country cannot afford to lose its enviable status in the international community.

“As Commonwealth Secretary-General, I helped members to transit to multi-party democracy. We need a new constitution to address many challenges.

True federalism is the answer to the management of national issues. The recent coups in Mali and Niger tend to take us back. “The nature of our politics and the conduct of our politicians is another problem of our democracy. They have become instruments of capturing political power.

It’s only true, stable democratic governance that can rid our country of the crises which impede development. “I believe that Nigeria can change this Eurocentric narrative. We in Africa and Nigeria have a responsibility to get a stable democracy and change the Eurocentric narrative,” he stated.

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INEC Swings into action on Fake PDP Ekiti NWC Resolution

The Commission hereby states unequivocally that the said correspondence did not emanate from the office of the Secretary to the Commission, nor any official channel of INEC.

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The attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been drawn to a correspondence currently in circulation on various platforms, dated November 10, 2025, concerning the Resolution of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) Meeting and postponement of the Ekiti State Congress/Governorship Primary, purported to have been issued and signed by the Secretary to the Commission.

The Commission hereby states unequivocally that the said correspondence did not emanate from the office of the Secretary to the Commission, nor any official channel of INEC.

Preliminary findings indicate that the signature of the Secretary to the Commission was forged by unscrupulous elements.Consequently, the general public, political parties and the media are strongly advised to disregard the contents of the said correspondence in its entirety, as it is fake.

The Commission views this act of forgery and the circulation of false documents as a serious electoral offence and a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.

INEC wishes to use this medium to appeal to persons engaging in such futile, criminal, and disruptive activities to desist forthwith in the interest of electoral integrity and peace.

Meanwhile, the Commission is collaborating with security agencies to investigate this matter and ensure the perpetrators are apprehended and prosecuted according to the law.

Mrs. Victoria Eta-MessiDirector, Voter Education and Publicity 21st November, 2025

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Adewale Leads APC E-Registration in Lagos, Earns Praise from Party Leaders

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has intensified its digital membership modernisation efforts as Comrade Ayodele Adewale led the high, level Train-the-Trainer session for the ongoing E-Registration exercise on Tuesday 18 November 2025.

Comrade Adewale, who serves as the APC Lagos State Organising Secretary and also doubles as the State Coordinator for the E-Registration training and registration exercise, has been central to coordinating the digital rollout across the state’s 20 Local Government Areas, positioning Lagos as a leading example in the party’s nationwide technological transition from analog to digital.

The training, held on Tuesday, 18th November 2025 at the All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos State Secretariat on Acme Road, Ogba, Ikeja, brought together senatorial administrators and strategic stakeholders who will be responsible for executing the digital membership exercise across the state.

In attendance were Dr. Seriki Muritala, APC Lagos State Youth Leader and Lagos East Senatorial E-Registration Administrator covering the Kosofe and Ikorodu axis; Mr. Opeoluwa Adebonu-Topronu, Lagos West II Senatorial E-Registration Administrator covering the Alimosho and Ikeja axis; Alhaji Sharafadeen Ibrahim, Lagos West I Senatorial E-Registration Administrator covering the Badagry axis; Mr. Abdul Waliu Balogun, Lagos East Senatorial E-Registration Administrator overseeing the Lekki and Epe axis; and Mr. Patrick Oyadina, Lagos Central Senatorial E-Registration Administrator covering the Lagos West senatorial axis.

A high-powered delegation of senior APC leaders attended the session to demonstrate the party’s strong institutional backing for the exercise. The delegation was led by Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi (OON), Deputy Chairman of the Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), alongside other respected GAC leaders including Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State and former APC State Chairman; Chief Henry Oladele Ajomale, former Commissioner for Special Duties and former APC State Chairman; Chief Tunde Balogun, former Commissioner for Home Affairs and former APC State Chairman; Alhaji Mutiu Are, Secretary of the GAC; and Hon. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, APC Lagos State Woman Leader and GAC member.

Also present was Hon. Engr. Sesan Olowa, Executive Chairman of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government and Chairman of the Conference of the 57 Local Government and Local Council Development Area Chairmen and Women in Lagos State, who attended with all LGA/LCDA Chairmen and Women; Hon. L. A. Dally-Adeokun, Chairman of all APC Party Chairmen and Women in Lagos State, likewise led all party Chairmen and Women to the programme.Comrade Adewale educated attendees on the critical importance of the APC digital registration exercise, emphasizing that it will enhance effective planning and mobilisation, improve demographic identification, strengthen party members’ financial contribution structures, facilitate the seamless conduct of party primaries, and provide a platform for efficient information dissemination and strategic decision making.

He highlighted that the session marks the first phase of a structured capacity building cascade. His team is scheduled to train all 20 APC Local Government Supervisors on Tuesday, 25th November 2025, after which these supervisors will train APC ward agents responsible for membership registration across the wards.

He encouraged party leaders, especially LG/LCDA chairmen and APC party chairmen, to mobilise members effectively and ensure they come fully prepared for the digital exercise. He reiterated the need for all members to have their NIN and Voter’s Card ready as valid means of identification and qualification for registration.

Comrade Adewale emphasized that, given the high population of APC members in Lagos State, the state is poised to produce five million and more registered members, which will be the highest in the country.

Dr. Seriki Muritala also registered Alhaji Mutiu Are, Secretary of the GAC, as the first person to be registered at the ward level in Lagos State during the E-Registration test sample session.

Senior party leaders including Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, APC Lagos State Chairman; Chief Henry Oladele Ajomale; Prince Tajudeen Olusi and others praised Comrade Adewale and his team for their efficiency, organisational skill and attention to detail.

They described Adewale’s presentation as highly educational and enlightening; they commended the competence of his team and expressed satisfaction with their dedication to the exercise. The leaders reaffirmed Lagos State’s readiness to complete the E-Registration training exercise before the end of November, describing Lagos State as a model state in the APC’s nationwide digital transformation agenda.

Prior to the E-registration exercise and training, Lagos State was among six South-Western states trained on the 3rd and 4th of October 2025 by APC consultants and senior officials from the APC ICT Department in Abuja, led by Dr. Umar Majigi, Head of APC Headquarters ICT Department, during a specialized workshop held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Ikeja.

The statewide E-registration exercise was formally flagged off in Lagos State by Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, represented by his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat.

The ceremony was attended by prominent members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC), led by Dr. Ajibola Bashiru, PhD.

With strong leadership backing, comprehensive organisational structure and coordinated training across all levels, the APC Lagos E-Registration training exercise continues to gather momentum, placing the state firmly on track to deliver one of the most advanced, accurate and extensive digital membership database within the Nigerian political landscape.

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ADC Launches National Mobilisation Office in Jos, Urges Youth Participation

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Senior officials from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have inaugurated a new National Mobilisation Office in the central city of Jos, Plateau State, in a move signalling the party’s intensified preparations for future elections.

The high-profile event on Thursday saw party leaders, including prominent figures like former Kaduna State Governor, Nasiru El-Rufai, rallying supporters and directly addressing the nation’s youth.

The new office in Jos is designated as a central hub for the party’s grassroots recruitment and strategy efforts, a key part of the ADC’s plan to position itself as a viable third force in the Nigerian political landscape.

A central theme of the unveiling was the role of young Nigerians in governance. In a speech that drew cheers from the crowd, former Governor El-Rufai delivered a forceful message, encouraging the youth to take an active role in shaping the country’s future.

“We can no longer sit on the sidelines and complain,” Mr. El-Rufai was quoted as saying. “The energy, innovation, and passion of our young people are the nation’s greatest untapped resource.

This mobilisation office is not just a building; it is a call to action. It is here to harness that potential and channel it into meaningful political change.

“He emphasised that the ADC provides a platform for a new generation of leaders disillusioned with the established political order.

Other national officials present at the event described the choice of Jos, the capital of the politically significant “Middle Belt” region, as a strategic one.

They stated it underscores the party’s commitment to national outreach and building a broad-based coalition.

“The unveiling of this office in the heart of Nigeria is a clear statement of intent,” said one party chairman.

“We are building from the ground up, and we are starting here, listening to the people and addressing their specific needs.

“The ADC Plateau state has been working to increase national profile, and the establishment of a dedicated mobilisation office, backed by high-level figures, is seen as a concrete step in that direction.

Political analysts suggest that attracting well-known personalities like El-Rufai and focusing on youth engagement could help the party build the momentum it needs to challenge Nigeria’s two dominant parties in upcoming electoral cycles.

The event concluded with a rally, where supporters expressed optimism that the new office would mark a turning point for the party.

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