Politics
Don Tasks Parliarmentarians On Democracy
An academic, Prof. Muyiwa Falaiye, has urged parliamentarians across Africa to perform their constitutional roles judiciously, saying they hold the key to the success of democracy.
Falaiye, Director, Institute of African and Diaspora Studies (IADS), University of Lagos, made the plea on Wednesday at the end of a two-day hybrid international conference in Lagos.
Theme of the conference was: “Legislature and Democratic Consolidation in Africa in the 21st Century.”
The conference, hosted by IADS, in collaboration with Glotan Research Services, started on Wednesday with some participants physically present, while others participated online.
Falaiye, represented by Dr Ayo Yusuf, IADS’s Head of Research, said: “Entrenching full blown democratisation in Africa will be mainly determined by the manner of politics played by the national legislators.
“The resolve of legislators globally, especially those at the national or federal levels of governance, is the key to how democracy thrives in any society.
“To understand why Nigeria’s democracy or that of other African countries is failing is to explore the performances of legislators, particularly as they carry out oversight of the national executive arms.”
The IADS director said that judicious execution of the legislative oversight functions in Nigeria, and all over Africa, underscored the advancement or derailment of democracy in Africa.
Also, Dr Phemelo Marumo, North West University, South Africa, in a keynote lecture, urged the legislators to seek African solutions to Africa’s problems in their act of legislations.
Marumo, who spoke on: “RE-imaging the New Normal During COVID-19 from an African Philosophical School of Thought”, said legislative practices in Africa were still built on Western ideals and patterns.
“It is high time parliamentarians across Africa incorporate the communitarian ideals we Africans are known for in their performances and eventual laws that they enact.
“The COVID-19 pandemic exemplifies how our national legislators still copy the ways of the colonial masters and tailor their legislations to combat Coronavirus from Western promoted instructions by the UN and WHO.
“I strongly believe that COVID-19 cannot overwhelm us, if African national parliamentarians embrace ideals of communalism over individualism, togetherness over selfishness, and African humanness over self-interest in their duties,” Marumo said.
Politics
Gov Alia Appoints TuFace As Adviser

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has appointed Nigerian music legend, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as TuFace, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.
In a viral video on Wednesday, Governor Alia praised TuFace for all the support towards his administration.
The Governor stated that TuFace can do more.
He stated, “On behalf of the Benue State Government and our very good people, we want to give you some more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advice as well.
“So, I’m pleased to announce that we will make you a Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entertainment and Community Outreach.”
Politics
Oborevwori, Okowa Dump PDP For APC

Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made following a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Asaba on Wednesday.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with The Tide’s source.
Similarly, the defection of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was announced on Wednesday in Asaba by Senator James Manager, following a meeting that lasted over six hours at the Government House.
Senator Manager said all PDP members in the State, including the Governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, and all local government chairmen, had agreed to join the APC.
“We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat,” he said.
The decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) followed extensive consultations with political stakeholders and was made in the interest of Delta State’s long-term development.
Governor Oborevwori, who won the 2023 gubernatorial election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was received by senior APC officials in what political analysts are already describing as a strategic realignment with far-reaching implications ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Politics
Speakers Conference Tasks FG, Governors On Wanton Killings
The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has condemned the recent wave of killings in Plateau, Borno, Benue, Niger State and most recently, Kwara State, calling on the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to stem the tide.
Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Adebo Ogundoyin, stated this in a statement issued in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Rt Hon. Ogundoyin, who is the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, said the gruesome killings had led to tragic loss of lives, widespread displacement, and unimaginable trauma for thousands of Nigerians.
“We are alarmed by the escalating insecurity in the land and the seeming helplessness with which these attacks are met. The time for mere condemnation and rhetoric has passed; urgent and coordinated action is now required at all levels of government to end these bloodbaths and restore peace and order.
“While we acknowledge that defence and national security fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, we must stress that every level of government bears responsibility for the security and welfare of the people. State governors, in particular, must rise to the occasion and fully understand that governance is not limited to road construction and ceremonial functions. True governance is rooted in the protection of lives, the preservation of order, and the alleviation of suffering,” he said.
He called on state governments to complement the efforts of the Federal Government by making and enforcing enabling laws for community policing and other grassroots-driven security models.
According to him, States must develop proactive frameworks that integrate local intelligence, social support systems, and youth engagement in the fight against insecurity.
The conference also urged the Federal Government to meaningfully engage the citizenry and introduce bold, practical measures to cushion the hardship caused by its current economic policies.
“Millions of Nigerians are groaning under the weight of inflation, unemployment, and a cost-of-living crisis. It is imperative that relief initiatives—targeted, transparent, and impactful—are rolled out without delay. Dialogue, not distance, must define the relationship between the government and its people at this critical time.
“The Conference of Speakers affirms its commitment to supporting all legislative actions necessary to restore security, promote justice, and foster inclusive governance across the country. The killings in Benue, Niger, Plateau, Borno, Kwara, and any part of Nigeria must not be allowed to continue unchecked. Justice must prevail, and peace must be restored.
“Let it be known: the safety, dignity, and well-being of every Nigerian must remain the top priority of all arms and levels of government,” Rt Hon. Ogundoyin said.
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