General
Political Parties Throw Weight Behind Clause 84(12) of Electoral Act
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The coalition of political parties in Nigeria known as the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has thrown its full weight behind the controversial Clause 84(12) from the electoral act.
Last Friday, President Muhammadu Buhari finally signed the electoral bill into law after initially asking the National Assembly to work on a clause that made it compulsory for political parties to use the direct primary mode for selecting candidates for elective positions.
When the bill was returned to the parliament after spending 30 days without the President’s assent, the lawmakers inserted a new clause that requires political office holders to resign from office before contesting for positions.
This did not go down well with members of the executive, especially the Governors, who attempted to force the President to refuse to sign the bill into law.
With Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) sensing that Mr Buhari may wait till 30 days before rejecting the bill, they staged a protest last Tuesday and three days later, the President signed the piece of legislation but asked the parliament to delete the clause.
Reacting, CNPP congratulated Nigerians and all active citizens within the civil society bloc for the development, urging well-meaning Nigerians to strongly resist the removal of Clause 84(12) from the electoral act, insisting that the clause actually introduced equity into political party primaries at all levels.
The umbrella body of all registered political parties and political associations in the country, in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Mr Willy Ezugwu, said that “Mr President is crying more than the bereaved by ordering the immediate removal of the clause that barred political appointees at all level from voting as delegates or be voted for at party conventions or congresses political parties for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for elections.”
According to the CNPP, “Clause 84 (12), which reads no political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election only introduced equity in political party primary elections.
“An appointee of the executive should not, and must not, be a delegate in primary elections while still in office, just as an appointee must not be contesting as a delegate while still in office.
“Such appointees have ended up using their offices to intimidate political opponents of their principals during party primaries in a bid to retain their jobs.
“This is the major reason for electoral violence witnessed at local government and state Congresses of most virile political parties in the country with the attendant loss of lives and property.
“Rather than delete the clause, the National Assembly should amend any provision of the constitution that allows any appointee to be a delegate or be a voter or contest as a delegate at party conventions or congresses the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.
“However, the CNPP congratulates Nigerians, especially active citizens in the civil society community for their resilience, doggedness, and for the nonviolent manner, they resisted the attempt to return the bill for the sixth time to the National Assembly by Mr President.
“We equally commend the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for fighting on the side of the masses. So, we urge INEC to continue to improve on the electoral processes, even as we urge Nigerians to have faith in the leadership of INEC to deliver free and fair elections in 2023 in view of the provisions of the new Act”, the statement read.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has pledged its commitment to provide the regulatory leadership, technical coordination, and stakeholder engagement required to successfully develop and implement a robust National Action Plan on maritime decarbonization in Nigeria.
The Director General of the agency, Mr Dayo Mobereola, made this known during the National Stakeholders’ workshop on the development of a National Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan, further describing the workshop as a critical step in actualising the Federal Government’s blue economy and climate objectives.
Represented by the Executive Director, Operations, Mr Fatai Taiye Adeyemi, the NIMASA DG underscored the significance of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, a technical cooperation initiative /designed to support developing countries in implementing the IMO GHG Strategy.
According to him, the National Action Plan being developed will reflect national realities, leverage existing capacities, address identified gaps, and align with broader economic and environmental priorities of the federal government.
Mr Mobereola stressed that “this transition is not merely about compliance with international obligations, it is about safeguarding our marine environment, protecting public health, strengthening the blue economy, and ensuring that our maritime industry remains competitive and future-ready”, the DG said.
Also speaking at the event was the Technical Manager of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, Ms Astrid Dispert, who highlighted that the overarching objective of the initiative is to advance a coherent and globally aligned regulatory framework to accelerate maritime decarbonization.
She also emphasised that NIMASA plays a pivotal role in driving the project at the national level.
The IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project provides technical expertise and institutional support to assist countries in developing and implementing National Action Plans that promote sustainable shipping practices, encourage investment in clean technologies, and strengthen capacity for long-term emissions reduction.
Through this collaboration, the federal government is advancing deliberate steps towards maritime decarbonization, reinforcing its commitment to global climate goals and ensuring a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future for the sector.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with its digital submission process effective March 1.
The directive was contained in a circular signed by the Director-General of the Bureau, Mr Adebowale Adedokun, noting that the move was part of the bureau’s commitment to digital transformation and paperless governance.
It explained that the transition followed an earlier circular of Aug. 4, 2025, which introduced electronic submission procedures.
According to the bureau, it has successfully moved from physical filings to a dedicated e-mail service for document submissions and is now advancing to a more robust and integrated system.
The circular announced the inauguration of the BPP Digital Submission Portal, a web-based platform designed to enable MDAs submit procurement-related documents directly to the Bureau.
It stated that the automated platform would streamline the submission process, enhance transparency and ensure accelerated tracking of procurement-related documents and petitions.
“With effect from March 1, all MDAs will be required to use the portal to submit requests for ‘No Objection’ Certificates, approvals for ‘No Objection’ for special procurements, clarifications and status updates on submissions,” the bureau said.
It added that the portal would be hosted on the Bureau’s official website and would become fully operational from the effective date.
The bureau warned that physical submissions or manual hand-deliveries would no longer be prioritised and would eventually be rejected following the full transition to the digital platform.
It urged accounting officers to brief their procurement departments and ICT units on the development to ensure seamless processing of procurement activities from March 1.
It further advised MDAs to contact the Bureau via its official email for information on the onboarding process and integration into the portal.
The bureau emphasised that full compliance by all MDAs was required to ensure a smooth transition and avoid delays in the implementation of the 2026 fiscal year procurement processes.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Senate has asked President Bola Tinubu to remove the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mr Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, from office.
The Senate Committee on Finance, while passing a resolution in Abuja on Thursday, accused Mr Magaji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), of failing to honour the Senate’s invitations to account for the finances of his agency.
“He refused on so many occasions to honour our invitation to appear before this committee.
“We have issues with the reconciliation of the revenue of CAC.
“Each time we invite him, he gives us excuses,” the Chairman of the committee, Mr Sani Musa, said as the committee passed the resolution.
CAC was part of a group of agencies that the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) recommended zero allocation for the year 2026, for allegedly failing to account for public funds appropriated to them.
The committee, at an investigative hearing held two weeks ago, accused CAC and some other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of shunning invitations to respond to audit queries contained in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s annual reports for 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The PAC chairman, Mr Bamidele Salam, stated that the National Assembly should not continue to appropriate public funds to institutions that disregard accountability mechanisms, saying this will create fiscal discipline and strengthen transparency across federal institutions and conform with extant financial regulations and the oversight powers of the parliament.
“Public funds are held in trust for the Nigerian people. Any agency that fails to account for previous allocations, refuses to submit audited accounts, or ignores legislative summons cannot, in good conscience, expect fresh budgetary provisions. Accountability is not optional; it is a constitutional obligation,” he said.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn