By Adedapo Adesanya

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called for the withdrawal of a bill which contains repressive provisions to jail any Nigerian of voting age for six months and/or impose a fine of N100,000 on them if they fail to vote in national and state elections.

The organisation urged the Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Tajudeen Abbas, to immediately withdraw the bill, which it tagged oppressive.

SERAP urged Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas to instead “amend the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the Electoral Act 2022 to remove constitutional immunity for state governors and their deputies who commit electoral offences, including vote-buying, to facilitate the investigation and prosecution of perpetrators.”

The group also urged Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas “to amend the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act to explicitly prohibit the appointment of members of any political party as resident electoral commissioners (RECs) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”

There is currently in the National Assembly a ‘Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act 2022 to Make It Mandatory for All Nigerians of Majority Age to Vote in All National and State Elections and for Related Matters.’ The bill seeks to make voting compulsory and prescribes a six-month jail term or a fine of N100,000 or both for non-compliance.

In the letter dated 29 March 2025 and signed by SERAP deputy director, Mr Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “Jailing eligible Nigerians for deciding not to vote would be entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution and the country’s international human rights obligations.”

SERAP said, “Rather than proposing bills that would severely punish Nigerians who may decide not to exercise their right to vote, the National Assembly ought to propose bills to remove constitutional immunity for governors and their deputies who commit electoral offences and undermine the integrity of the electoral process.”

According to the organisation, “The most effective way to solve the perennial voter apathy is to create a safe and conducive environment, combat the impunity of high-ranking politicians who commit electoral offences, and generally improve the electoral process to encourage the citizens to come out to vote, and not to send them to jail.”

The letter, read in part: “Should the National Assembly fails to drop the bill prescribing a six-month jail term for eligible Nigerians who decide not to vote in national and state elections, and should any such bill be assented to by President Bola Tinubu, SERAP would consider appropriate legal action to challenge the legality of any such law and ensure they are never implemented.”

“The idea of compulsory voting and jailing citizens for not voting is impracticable, unnecessary and unlawful. The right to vote is part of citizens’ right to participate in their own government and the choice of whether to exercise it is personal.”

“The right to vote includes the right not to vote. If the right to participation is a right of the citizen, she/he must be free to decide whether or not to exercise it.”

“Because the notion of a democracy exists by virtue of the consent of the citizens, voters must get to choose how they exercise consent, not be forced to the polls like ‘cattle to the slaughter.’”

“The National Assembly ought to propose bills to reduce the influence of money in politics, and encourage and not compel the exercise of the right to participation.”

By Adedapo Adesanya

The domestic production of polypropylene will help Nigeria to save around $267 million in import costs, according to estimates by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).

The group said investments from Dangote Group in the sector could significantly reduce the country’s reliance on imported raw materials for the textile industry.

The local production of polypropylene will not only boost industrial growth but also create jobs and enhance the competitiveness of Nigeria’s textile sector.

According to the Director-General of MAN, Mr Segun Kadir-Ajayi, this could help revive and ease the challenges facing a lot of industry in Nigeria, particularly the textile industry, which once employed over 25,000 workers in the northern region.

He attributed the industry’s decline to the lack of local polypropylene production and foreign exchange scarcity, forcing many companies to shut down.

Recently, Business Post reported that Dangote Industries has fully commenced polypropylene production, a move expected to transform Nigeria’s manufacturing sector.

It will help reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imports for this essential material used in packaging, textiles, and automotive components.

The Chairman of the group, Mr Aliko Dangote, projected that once fully operational, the refinery will meet local demand, eliminating the need for $267.7 million in annual imports.

By producing polypropylene locally, Dangote Industries is set to enhance industrial growth, create jobs, and strengthen Nigeria’s economy.

Polypropylene is a versatile thermoplastic used across multiple industries due to its durability, chemical resistance, and lightweight nature.

It plays a vital role in packaging, textiles, automotive, healthcare, construction, agriculture, consumer goods, and electronics. Its applications range from food containers and medical devices to car parts and irrigation pipes.

Local production of polypropylene is expected to boost industrial growth, create jobs, and enhance competitiveness.

Polypropylene’s versatile applications crucial for various industries including packaging, textiles, automotive, healthcare, construction and agriculture.

In packaging, polypropylene is essential for plastic containers and food packaging films. The textile industry relies on it for non-woven fabrics and carpets, while the automotive sector benefits from its lightweight properties in car bumpers and dashboards.

In healthcare, it is used for syringes and medical vials due to its sterility and durability. The construction and electronics industries utilize polypropylene for insulation materials, cables, and battery cases.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

An associate of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Ms Aisha Achimugu, has been declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The agency is investigating her for an alleged money laundering and criminal conspiracy, a statement said.

The action of the EFCC followed a report by an online newspaper, Peoples Gazette, that President Bola Tinubu was not happy that the some funds made available to Ms Achimugu for the 2023 general elections were used to prosecute the campaigns of his main challengers, Mr Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).

Already, the former Vice President of Nigeria, Mr Atiku, has denied getting funds from the fugitive’s ally, Mr Sanwo-Olu, calling the claims “a blatant lie from the pit of hell.”

“We wish to state emphatically and for the record that this is a political hatchet job aimed at providing a much-needed justification to jettison Governor Sanwo-Olu, who appears to have fallen out of favour with the Bourdillon Cult,” a statement from his media office said.

The EFCC asked anyone with the whereabouts of Ms Achimugu to contact any of its offices in the country.

“The public is hereby notified that AISHA SULAIMAN ACHIMUGU, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged case of Criminal Conspiracy and Money Laundering.

“Achimugu, 51, is an indigene of Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State. Anybody with useful information as to her whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja offices or through 08093322644; its e-mail address: info@efcc.gov.ng or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies,” the notice signed on Friday by the commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr Dele Oyewale, said.