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Economy

Yiaga Africa Kicks Against Compulsory Voting Bill, Says Its ‘Draconian’

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Yiaga Africa

Yiaga Africa Kicks Against Compulsory Voting Bill, Says Its ‘Draconian’

Yiaga Africa kicks against compulsory voting bill, says its ‘draconian’. He said democracy thrives on freedom which includes the choice to participate or abstain from voting.

Acivil society organisation, Yiaga Africa, has kicked against a bill before the National Assembly seeking to introduce compulsory voting in Nigeria and prescribe six months jail term for any eligible voter who refuses to vote.

Executive director of the NGO, Samson Itodo, in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja, described the bill as draconian.

He acknowledged the fact that the bill was conceived as a legislative intervention to address what he called an abysmally low voter turnout in the county.

Mr Itodo also said that the rationale behind the bill was to address one of the biggest challenges in Nigeria’s electoral system.

He, however, said that the strong-arm approach adopted by the bill was draconian and that constituted a gross violation of constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental human rights.
“Indeed, the right to abstain from voting is itself a legitimate form of political expression protected under domestic and international human rights law.

“Voter turnout in Nigeria has fluctuated significantly over the years, reflecting a complex interplay of political and systemic factors that influence electoral participation.

“In 1979, turnout stood at 34.6 per cent, increasing slightly to 38.9 per cent in 1983 and holding at 35 per cent in 1993.

“A notable surge occurred in 1999 with a turnout of 52.3 per cent, followed by a peak in 2003 when 69.1 per cent of registered voters participated,” he recalled.

Mr Itodo noted that the upward trend, however, got reversed in subsequent elections; 57.5 per cent in 2007, 53.7 per cent in 2011, 43.7 per cent in 2015, 34.7 per cent in 2019 and a historic low of 27.1 per cent in 2023.

According to him, the sharp decline has positioned Nigeria as the largest democracy in Africa with the lowest voter turnout.
“Democracy thrives on freedom which includes the choice to participate or abstain from voting.

“Compulsory voting undermines this democratic freedom and punitive sanctions for not voting erodes the foundational principles of voluntary democratic engagement.

“The bill, in its entirety, fails to address the drivers of voter apathy, such as distrust in the electoral process, election manipulation and poor governance.”

Rather than compelling voting, Mr Itodo said that the National Assembly should prioritise electoral reforms that would rebuild public trust, improve election integrity and remove structural and systemic barriers to participation.

Yiaga Africa

Yiaga Africa

“These include reforms that guarantee mandatory electronic transmission of results, review of the mode of appointments into INEC, early voting, diaspora voting and improved transparency in the management of elections,” he said.

The executive director said that voter apathy should not be addressed with imposing punishment for not but through trust, electoral justice and accountability.

He, therefore, urged the national assembly to reject the proposed bill and channel its legislative efforts toward passing the electoral amendment that would expand access to voting, guarantee electoral transparency and protect the political rights of Nigerians.

Economy

Lagos Assembly Strongly Seeks Suspension Of Makoko Demolition

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Lagos Assembly

Lagos Assembly Strongly Seeks Suspension Of Makoko Demolition

Lagos assembly strongly seeks suspension of Makoko demolition. The Lagos state house of assembly has called for the suspension of demolition activities in Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro waterfront communities following protests by displaced residents and growing public concern over the exercise.

The call was announced on Tuesday by Noheem Adams, chairman of an ad hoc committee set up by Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the house, during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Lateef Jakande auditorium.

Adams called on all state ministries to cease demolition work and promised compensation to the affected residents.
“On behalf of the speaker and all 40 members of the house, we are directing that all demolitions in Makoko, Oko-Agbon, and Shogunro communities should stop from today until further notice,” New Telegraph quoted Adams as saying.

He called for transparency by demanding the full list of taskforce members and the criteria used for engagement, insisting that residents must be actively involved in the process.

“That the taskforce that was constituted, we want to see the list of the taskforce because we want the residents to be duly involved and to be carried along. So we want to have the schedule of those task forces and the criteria for those that we are inviting,” Adams added.

Lagos Assembly

Lagos Assembly

“To the residents of Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro communities, as your representatives, we are giving you all assurances that they will stop demolitions henceforth and there will be compensations for all those whose properties have been demolished.”

Stephen Ogundipe, member of the ad-hoc, said there is need for clear communication, adding that residents targeted for relocation or redevelopment must be informed of the government’s plans in advance.

Babatunde Olajide, special adviser to governor of Lagos on E-GIS and urban renewal, confirmed that $2 million had been earmarked since 2021 to transform Makoko into a modern, internationally compliant water city.

He said enumeration of affected properties is underway and reiterated the administration’s commitment to handling the situation with a human face, prioritizing resident safety and fair compensation.

Yusuf Sagra, baale of Makoko, described the assembly’s decision as a “word of peace,” while Orioye Ogungbure, another leader of the community, praised the “democratic responsiveness” of the government.

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Crime

EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video

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EFCC Probes Man

EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video

EFCC arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for alleged naira mutilation in viral video. The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,   on Tuesday, February 3, 2026  arrested a Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa over alleged Naira mutilation.

Inuwa was arrested following a viral video circulated on social media platforms where she was seen conspicuously cleaning mucus from her nose using Naira notes.

EFCC Probes Man

EFCC

Following the release of the viral video, the Commission swung into action by tracing and subsequently arrested her to answer questions.
She is currently being held at the Commission’s detention facility while investigation is ongoing.

The suspect will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.

Dele Oyewale
Head,  Media & Publicity
February 3, 2026

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Economy

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

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National Bank Of Kenya

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

Access Bank gets new board chair Ifeyinwa Osime. Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29.

Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29, according to a statement to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. on Monday.

Ms Osime, a legal practitioner, joined Access Bank’s board in November 2019 as an independent non-executive director and had chaired its Human Resources and Sustainability Committee and the Governance, Nomination, and Remuneration Committee. This role made her contribute significantly to the bank’s corporate governance, leadership development, and sustainability initiatives.

Additionally, Ms Osime is a director at Ebudo Trust Ltd. and a partner at McPherson Legal Practitioners, where she advises on corporate and commercial matters and contributes to strategic leadership.

She is also a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Women Corporate Directors, Nigeria Chapter, and the Chartered Institute of Directors, Nigeria, where she serves on the Executive Committee of the Women Sectoral Group.

National Bank Of Kenya

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

Beyond her professional responsibilities, Ms Osime is committed to mentoring youths and is actively involved in the Autism and Developmental Delays Support Community, reflecting her dedication to inclusion and social impact.
Speaking on her appointment, the group chairman, Aigboje Aig-lmoukhuede, said, “Mrs Osime is a principled and experienced leader with a deep understanding of the Bank’s strategy and values.

“She has demonstrated strong commitment to the bank’s vision and mission, and I am confident that, under her leadership, the bank will continue to advance its strategic objectives of delivering sustainable value to shareholders and other stakeholders in the pursuit of its vision to become the world’s most respected African bank.”

Mr Aig-lmoukhuede also congratulated Mr Usoro on the completion of his tenure and on his exemplary leadership, dedication, and significant contributions to the group, saying he remains a valued member of the Access family.

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