By Eric Teniola This piece continues from last week the statement by Chief Allison Akene Ayida on how Chief Michael Ani was appointed and reappointed as chairman of Nigeria’s electoral body IF the experiment succeeded, it was due partly to Chief Ani’s fatherly guidance and support. It is not generally known that Chief Ani retired […]

This piece continues today the story of Chief Eyo Ita Esua who organised the first post-independence general elections in Nigeria He died seven years after leaving the office in Calabar in 1973. His children still idolise the outstanding qualities of Chief Esua till today in Calabar. And the man who took over from Chief Esua, […]

By Eric Teniola As expected the tenure of Professor Mahmood Yakubu(58) as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, ends on Monday November 9. Then came the announcement by Professor Yakubu that the presidential election will hold February 18, 2023, that is 885 days away. It is the first time Nigerians have been given […]

By Eric Teniola This is the concluding part of the piece which was first published three weeks ago. Last week ended thus: A few weeks before stepping aside, General Ibrahim Babangida in 1993 promulgated the Forfeiture of Assets Decree No. 54 of 1993. THE Decree returned the properties seized by the Justice Okunribido’s panel of […]

By Eric Teniola The second part of this piece published last week highlighted the drama and aftermath of the trials of former public officers by military tribunals constituted by the Major-General Muhammadu Buhari regime in 1984  Some of the former ministers and former governors protested the government’s actions at that time IT was during that […]

By Eric Teniola The first part of this piece published last week ended with Decree No. 8 and Decree No. 3 of 1984 promulgated by the military regime of General Muhammadu Buhari. THIS Decree(No.8) may be cited as the Recovery of Public Property (Special Military Tribunals) (Amendment) Decree 1984 and shall be deemed to have […]

By Eric Teniola THE presidential pardon granted by President Muhammadu Buhari to former Nationalist and Minister, Chief Anthony Eromosele Enahoro (1923-2010) and also to Professor Ambrose Folorunsho Alli (1929-1989), former Governor of the defunct Bendel State and endorsed by the National Council of State is most welcome. I hope the pardon will be extended to […]

By Eric Teniola This is the concluding part of this piece which was first published three weeks ago. The third part published last week focused on the Raisman Commission set up to examine issues pertaining to taxation and revenue allocation in Nigeria. THIS includes all forms of revenue going to each government besides and including […]

By Eric Teniola THE Raisman Commission was to review the tax jurisdictions as well as the allocation of revenues from these taxes, but such that the Regions had the maximum possible proportion of their income within their exclusive competence. This prescription for maximum independent revenues for the regions could not be fully realised. As the […]

By Eric Teniola SINCE population could be used as a proxy for need and even progress, and the statistical basis for using this principle did not exist in 1946, Phillipson applied only the principle of derivation. His argument that in using it he aimed at inculcating “financial responsibility” into the Regions, was mere rhetoric: all […]