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Ex Envoy Stresses Need To Strenghten Democratic Institutions
By Steve Oni, Ilorin
A Former United Nations Under-Secretary General, Professor Ibrahim Gambari has advocated the need for Nigeria to create and strengthen institutions that would assist in achieving the national goals of holistic security, democratic governance and sustainable socio-economic development.
According to him, “in Nigeria, we don’t run short of ideas. A lot of ideas have been canvassed on different pertinent issues and challenges that bedeviled our country but the problem we have is that of implementation, hence the need to build and strengthen our institutions.
Professor Gambari, while delivering the sixth Convocation Lecture of the Kwara State University, Malete, titled “19 Years of Democracy in Nigeria and Beyond: Challenges and Prospects” held at the University’s Convocation Arena, said for a meaningful growth of good governance and democracy, there is evidently the need to develop and strengthen the institutions of democracy.
These institutions, according to him, include, the legislature, executive, judiciary, political parties, security agencies, civil society organizations and the press, stressing the need to ponder and reflect on both successes and failures of the country from time to time.
He said: “The imperative of building strong National Institutions for our Democracy and Development cannot be over-emphasized. One of the greatest challenges of nation-building is that of lack of strong national institution building. Whether nations are able to manage their political and social disputes peacefully, without lapsing into conflict, or sustain economic growth without creating huge inequalities, critically depend on the quality of the relevant national institutions.
“ In this regard, there are three important components to institution building: setting the rules; hiring persons with the technical expertise and moral competence to interpret the rules or implement the goals of the organizations; and ensuring that the institutions inspire public confidence by being accountable, transparent, fair and consistent”, Professor Gambari explained further.”
The Founder and Chairman Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development also asked agencies that should act as checks and balances, including the judiciary and the media, to avoid issues that could get them enmeshed in series of controversies.
Professor Gambari stressed the need for Nigerian leaders to create policies and invest the necessary resources in infrastructure and services, empowering people to improve their conditions and safeguard the children’s lives, thus accelerating progress towards the Millinum Development Goals
On the 2019 general polls, the Chancellor of Kwara State University urged Nigerian politicians seeking elective offices to realize the fact that there is no other civilized method of expressing preferences than utilizing the democratic process, adding that they must learn to accommodate one another, no matter their political inclinations.
According to him, “ the political space has been greatly heated up such that we require positive actions to ward off the negative effects of incendiary pronouncements. We must not pretend that hate speech, hurling of insults and making dangerous statements portray well for the coming elections; and the whole antennae of the global community is focussed on Nigeria. Anything that is deceitful amounts to insulting the intelligence of our people”.
The Convocation lecturer however charged the federal government to empower the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a free and fair election in next year’s polls and beyond, saying that government must give that support while insisting on a permanent end to impunity and zero-tolerance for thuggery and manipulation of elections.
He asked political parties in Nigeria to also abandon the current political normadism where the sole purpose is for acquisition of power in order to satisfy parochial interest of the political class and not of the people.
To attain this, Professor Gambari said it is important that parties are based on issues, group interests and ideology.
“Elections are not an end in themselves rather a process leading to the real business of governance. Elections 2019 in Nigeria and beyond must represent a watershed with the potential to cross a threshold into a new era in global governance and human experience. Nigerians must be allowed to freely elect the leaders of their choice from any of the registered political parties”, he added.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain the status quo in a dispute over the party’s candidates emerging from the Benue State APC primaries for the 2027 general election.
The order was made on Thursday by Justice Inyang Ekwo during proceedings in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1429/2026, filed by Engr. Sesugh Akaagba and other aggrieved APC candidates from Benue State against the APC and INEC.
The plaintiffs had, through an ex parte motion filed on July 5, 2026, sought six interim reliefs, including an order restraining the APC from substituting its validly nominated candidates in Benue State through its June 29, 2026 correspondence, or any subsequent communication, to INEC, pending determination of the substantive suit.
They also sought an order compelling the APC to immediately transmit to INEC the names of candidates validly nominated during the primaries monitored by the electoral commission.
When the matter first came up on July 8, 2026, the court declined to grant the interim application immediately, directing both APC and INEC to appear and respond before any decision was taken. The matter was adjourned to July 16.
At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel representing the APC and INEC were present in court, while the plaintiffs were represented by Mohammed Ndarani, SAN, alongside his legal team.
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that since issues had been joined by the parties particularly with INEC now before the court, the defendants were required by law to preserve the subject matter of the litigation pending determination of the substantive suit.
When counsel to the plaintiffs urged the court to caution APC and INEC against taking any further action that could affect the disputed list of candidates, the judge responded that it was “not a matter of advice but of law,” stressing that the defendants were bound to maintain the status quo.
The court consequently restrained APC and INEC from taking any action capable of altering the disputed list of candidates pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
The defendants did not object to the restraining order.
At the commencement of proceedings, the court noted that all parties had voluntarily submitted to its jurisdiction by duly filing and exchanging their respective processes.
It held that there was no procedural or jurisdictional impediment to the expeditious determination of the substantive action, and directed that the matter be heard without further delay.
In furtherance of the objective of preserving the res and safeguarding the efficacy of the judicial process, the court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and final determination of the substantive suit, restraining any act or omission capable of prejudicing the rights of the parties or rendering the proceedings nugatory.
The court further directed that INEC be served forthwith with the originating and all consequential processes.
The effect of the subsisting order is that INEC is restrained from tampering with the existing list of candidates pending final determination of the suit, and from receiving, recognising, or acting upon any purported substituted list of National Assembly candidates from Benue State submitted by the APC.
The matter was adjourned to July 21, 2026, for hearing of the substantive suit.
Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and former First Lady Patience Ibifaka Jonathan recently celebrated a significant family milestone as they attended the graduation ceremony of their son, Ariara Goodluck Jonathan, at Manchester Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom.
The proud parents joined family members and well-wishers to witness Ariara receive his degree, marking the successful completion of his academic programme. The occasion was filled with joy as the Jonathan family commemorated the achievement, highlighting the importance they place on education and personal development.
The graduation ceremony attracted warm congratulatory messages from friends, associates, and admirers, who wished the graduate continued success in his future endeavours.
The Following names joined the political family of Sen. Dr. George Akume today after leaving the sinking Alia ship .
Under the leadership of Barr. Emmanuel Jime .
The are ;
Chief Nelson Alapa
Douglas pepe SAN senatorial Aspirant zone A,
Engr Peter Ashiekaa
QS Clement Beetseh
Former commissioners
Joy Luga
Ann itodo
Barr martins Shaagee
Miss Dorcas
Prof Usar Joseh
Prof Cephas Tushima
Chief Patrick Idoko
Hon Patience Akor
Hon Fred Idoko
Hon Lawrence Ekpo Onoja Jnr
Hon Andrew Abah
Hon Agbo Innocent Ikwumonu
Hon Simon Omachoko
Hon David Egboja
Dr John Garba
Among together,
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