General
ECA, African Peer Review Mechanism Sign MoU for Improved Cooperation
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Economic Commission for Africa’s Acting Executive Secretary, Abdalla Hamdok, on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understating with the African Peer Review Mechanism to establish a continuous partnership in support of the objectives and priorities of the African Union and the United Nations.
The APRM was established in 2003 by the New Partnership forAfrica (NEPAD) Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC) as an instrument for monitoring performance in governance among Member States. The APRM is a self-monitoring instrument and its membership is voluntary.
The mechanism’s primary objective is to foster the adoption of policies, values, standards and practices of political and economic governance that lead to political stability, accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration, economic growth and sustainable development.
According to the MoU, the parties will, from time to time, agree on programmes and activities that will be carried out jointly, or by APRM with the support of ECA, as they seek to promote issues that will lead to good governance and inclusive growth on the Africa continent.
Mr Hamdok said the key areas of cooperation will focus on ECA’s support to the implementation of the APRM mandate, including implementation of the APRM Strategic Plan 2016-2020 and subsequent plans as may be developed in the future and all activities and missions relating to country review processes falling within the mandate of the APRM.
The activities will also include the monitoring and evaluation of the state of governance in reviewed countries, reinforcement of the role of the APRM as the monitoring organ for Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals, campaign towards universal accession, enhanced role of the APRM in the effort to tackle illicit financial flows out of Africa and any other activities as may be agreed in the future.
“We are excited by the MoU and the prospects it brings for cooperation between the two organisations as we seek the best for Africa,” said Mr Hamdok.
The relationship between the two organisations in the MoU will be guided by principles including equality of partners, African-led and owned development, the pursuit of the AU and UN shared values and aspirations; and pursuit of the African transformation agenda.
The Executive Secretary of ECA and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the APRM Secretariat will ensure that appropriate arrangements are made for the satisfactory implementation of this MoU and to promote close collaboration between the two institutions.
Meanwhile, President Uhuru Kenyatta earlier on Saturday chaired the 26th APRM Forum where he said Africa should take pride in the progress it has achieved in promoting good governance.
He said despite all the challenges facing Africa, there was so much to celebrate on the continent in terms of improved governance and rapid development especially in countries that are participating in the APRM forum.
“Various APRM member states continue to implement mega infrastructural projects with a regional and even continental dimension. These programs are a critical part of our regional integration agenda,” said Mr Kenyatta.
Earlier in the week Mr Steven Karingi, the Director of the ECA’s Capacity Development Division said in line with its mandate of promoting good governance in the continent and its comparative advantage in the UN system, in 2016 the ECA made strategic contributions in knowledge generation and capacity building to the APRM.
These include the secondment of a senior regional advisor to the APRM and undertook three studies on the impact of the APRM on Governance in APRM Participating African Countries; worked on a training manual on the harmonization of the APRM National Plan of Actions into other existing national development strategies and study on a Continental Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting (MER) system.
Mr Karingi was speaking on behalf of Mr Hamdok at the 13th Meeting of the APRM Strategic Partners.
“It is exactly one year, since the launching of the revitalisation of the mechanism. Since then, under the leadership of his Excellency Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, and Chair of the APR Forum, with the strong support of the CEO of the Secretariat and the Panel of Eminent Persons, the mechanism has been injected with energy by reaching remarkable milestones in twelve months,” said Mr Karingi.
Five new countries were peer-reviewed this weekend such as Chad, Djibouti, Kenya, Senegal, and Sudan. This will be the first time in the APRM history that the second generation of reviews was launched and Kenya will be the pioneer the 2nd review generation.
The APRM is meant to encourage participating States to ensure that the policies and practices of those States conform to the agreed political, economic and corporate governance values, codes and standards, and achieve mutually agreed objectives in socio-economic development contained in the declaration on Democracy, Political Economic and Corporate Governance;
By joining the APRM, Member States agree to voluntarily and independently review their compliance with African and international governance commitments. Performance and progress are measured in four thematic areas: democracy and political governance; economic governance and management; corporate governance; and socio-economic development.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Former Vice President, Mr Atiku Abubakar, has lambasted the administration of President Bola Tinubu for the turnout at the FCT Area Council elections held last Saturday.
In a statement signed by his Media Office, the Adamawa-born politician claimed that the health of Nigeria’s democracy under the current administration was under threat.
According to him, “When citizens lose faith that their votes matter, democracy begins to die. What we are witnessing is not mere voter apathy. It is a direct consequence of an administration that governs with a chokehold on pluralism. Democracy in Nigeria is being suffocated slowly, steadily, and dangerously.”
He warned that the steady erosion of participatory governance, if left unchecked, could inflict irreversible damage on the democratic fabric painstakingly built over decades.
“A democracy without vibrant opposition, without free political competition, and without public confidence is democracy in name only. If this chokehold is not released, history will record this era as the period when our hard-won freedoms were traded for fear and conformity,” he stressed.
Mr Atiku said the turnout for the poll was below 20 per cent, with the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) recording 7.8 per cent.
He noted that such civic participation in the nation’s capital, the symbolic heartbeat of the federation, is not accidental, as it is the predictable outcome of a political environment poisoned by intolerance, intimidation, and the systematic weakening of opposition voices.
The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections stated that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) under Mr Tinubu has pursued a deliberate policy of shrinking democratic space, harassing dissenters, coercing defectors, and fostering a climate where alternative political viewpoints are treated as threats rather than contributions to national development.
He called on opposition parties and democratic forces across the country to urgently close ranks and forge a united front, declaring, “This is no longer about party lines; it is about preserving the Republic. The time to stand together to rescue and rebuild Nigeria is now.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria is set to validate a technical committee report geared towards transitioning the country from observer status to full membership of the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) in April.
Mr Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, said this when the council’s mission visited him over the weekend in Abuja, noting that the ministry had constituted a technical committee to consider how the country would seamlessly transit from observer country to membership in CPOPC based on its strategic importance in palm oil production.
“We are conscious of the fact that the palm oil value chain is very strategic for us and identified it as an export crop that can drive foreign exchange for the country and ensure good health in terms of consumption.
“We are conscious of the fact that we need the support of CPOPC countries to provide the country with a new variety of seeds that are climate-smart and resistant so that they can be produced by farmers in the country,” he said.
Mr Alphonsus Inyang, President, National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN), said being a member of CPOPC Nigeria would target over 10 million tonnes of oil palm between 2026 and 2050.
“We are also targeting 2.5 million hectares from among Nigeria households who are out to produce one hectare each, geared towards a N20 trillion annual economy within this period from among Nigeria households.
“We are working side by side with the big players who will be developing plantations,” he said.
The Secretary-General of CPOPC, Ms Izzana Salleh, said the council’s mission to Nigeria was to see how the country could transit from observer status to full membership, among others
She said that the status of the country as an observer nation since 2024 would expire by November.
Ms Salleh assured the country of the council’s readiness to support its vision to strengthen domestic production, enhance food security and build a competitive and sustainable palm oil supply chain.
The official emphasised that being a member of the council would strategically position Nigeria for a greater future regarding oil palm production.
According to her, the visit is to strengthen the council’s engagement with Nigeria, including potential membership in CPOPC.
She said: “The council’s mission to Nigeria aims to advance both Nigeria’s national ambitions and Africa’s collective voice in global agricultural discussions.
“CPOPC was established to promote cooperation among producing nations, empower smallholders, advance sustainability, and ensure fair, science-based global dialogue on vegetable oils.
She emphasised that being a member of the council would strategically position the country for greater future prospects regarding oil palm production and the value chain, as well as export.
“We are ready to support Nigeria’s vision to strengthen domestic production, enhance food security, and build a competitive and sustainable palm oil supply chain,” she said.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The ward congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State on Saturday left several party members injured after a violence clash erupted.
According to reports, one of the injured persons was Mr Idowu Oyawale, who served as the campaign Director General of a House of Representatives member in the last general elections, Ms Tolulope Akande-Sadipe.
It was disclosed that he sustained severe injuries during the exercise and is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
The ward congress was organised by the ruling party to elect ward executives across the local government’s wards.
However, it was disrupted at Olomi Ward 7 by suspected heavily-armed political thugs allegedly linked to a member of the party.
It was claimed that the thugs invaded the congress venue at Olomi Basic School 1, dispersing party members and officials supervising the exercise, with stones, clubs and other weapons.
Eyewitnesses said tensions escalated unprovoked over delegates’ lists and ward executive positions. The disagreement reportedly degenerated into physical altercations before the violent attacks on some party members.
It was learnt that security operatives led a tactical team to restore order, peace, and disperse the attackers.
Reacting to the incident, some party leaders and elders condemned the violence, describing it as unfortunate and capable of undermining the credibility of the internal democratic process.
The leaders have called on party chieftains and President Bola Tinubu to immediately order an investigation into the violent attacks.
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