Last week Wednesday, 30th March, 2016 marked exactly one year when Nigeria boldly joined the league of nations with civilised democratic behaviour following the peaceful conclusion of the presidential election.

The recent killing of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Samuel Chukwudumobi Okonta, during last month’s legislative re-run elections in Rivers State, has again provoked serious concerns over the safety of corps members deployed for national assignments.

THE Judiciary as an independent arm of government plays a pivotal role in deepening the roots of a young democracy like ours. The 1999 Constitution emphasises this importance and makes sure this arm of government does not rely on other arms of government in discharging its functions. This underscores its inclusion in direct first line charge in terms of funding as provided in Section 81(3) of the Constitution.

WE join other concerned Nigerians to register our disappointment over the spate of inconclusive elections which have taken place under the watch of the Professor Mahmood Yakubu-led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which some now cynically refer to as the “inconclusive” National Electoral Commission.

THE Federal Roads Safety Commission (FRSC) appears bent on enforcing the introduction of the Speed Limiting Device (SLD) come September 1, 2016 in spite of furious opposition from some quarters, particularly transporters and members of the House of Representatives.

NIGERIANS are passing through a survivalist phase as they are daily confronted by skyrocketing prices of goods. Cost of living is at an all time high owing to the high rate of inflation sweeping through the economy.

THE run-up to the federal and state legislative election re-runs in Rivers State had been marked with much bloodshed running up to the dozens. So it was not totally surprising that last Saturday’s elections were also characterised by much violence.

AS the economic situation drives deep welts into the flesh of Nigerians, there is a growing air of melancholy and despair as the Federal Government appears lost for options to bring succour to the people in the near future.

IT is astonishing to learn that the famous Niger Bridge, one of the most prestigious, yet least regarded engineering masterpieces in Nigeria, has been closed to pedestrian users for over two months.

The run-up to the federal and state legislative election reruns in Rivers State had been marked with much bloodshed running up to the dozens. So it was not totally surprising that last Saturday’s elections were also characterised by much violence.

THE Federal Roads Safety Commission (FRSC) appears bent on enforcing the introduction of the Speed Limiting Device (SLD) come September 1, 2016 in spite of furious opposition from some quarters, particularly transporters and members of the House of Representatives.

The Senate last week voted N10 billion for the care and resettlement of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s) in Nigeria’s troubled North East and other parts of the country. This was sequel to a motion championed by Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District in the prestigious Red Chamber of the National Assembly.

IN every constitutional democracy, adherence to the rule of law is the fulcrum on which the principle and tenets of democracy stand. The rule of law demands obedience of the law (including court orders) as it is and not as it ought to be. Anything short of this is a recipe for anarchy. Therefore, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA’s) recent caution to this effect is timely and should not be ignored.

With the February 2016 inflation figure of 11.4 per cent, the highest in three years, Nigeria’s economy would now be grappling with the misery index, which measures the level of suffering in a society.

“We will deal decisively with all sponsors of violence. I have given the security services clear directives in this regard. We will show that violence in any form will no longer be tolerated before, during and after the elections.”