By George Mgbeleke

Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has reaffirmed that democracy remains the most effective system of government for Nigeria, given the country’s rich diversity of ethnic, religious, and cultural identities.

In a goodwill message to Nigerians on the occasion of the 2026 Democracy Day celebration, in a statement signed by his Chief, Onwuka Nzeshi, Governor Fubara said June 12 represents far more than a historic date; as it embodies the enduring struggle, sacrifice, and collective aspiration of Nigerians for freedom, justice, and representative governance.

The Governor extended warm felicitations to Nigerians at home and across the Diaspora, paying tribute to the heroes and heroines of the democratic struggle, particularly Chief MKO Abiola, his wife, Kudirat Abiola, and countless others whose courage and sacrifices helped secure the democratic freedoms Nigerians enjoy today.

According to him:

“June 12 is a reminder of the price paid for the democracy we enjoy today. The sacrifices made by Chief MKO Abiola, Kudirat Abiola, and many other patriots who laid the foundation for the democratic journey we continue to enjoy today. Their commitment to the principle that power must ultimately reside with the people remains a source of inspiration for every generation of Nigerians.”

Governor Fubara noted that thirty-three years after the historic June 12, 1993 election, Nigeria’s democratic experiment has continued to evolve despite challenges and setbacks.

“Our democratic journey has not been without difficulties, but the resilience of our institutions and the determination of our people have kept the nation moving forward. The ability to express differing opinions, engage in constructive debate, and peacefully choose leaders through the ballot remains one of the greatest achievements of our nation,” he said.

Governor Fubara stressed that democracy provides the best framework for managing Nigeria’s diversity and transforming it into a source of national strength.

“Nigeria’s diversity should never be seen as a weakness. Properly harnessed, it is our greatest asset. Democracy offers us the opportunity to build consensus, promote inclusion, strengthen national unity, and create the conditions for sustainable development and shared prosperity,” he said.

Governor Fubara commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda and ongoing efforts aimed at economic revitalization, strengthening security, and deepening democratic institutions across the country.

He reiterated the readiness of Rivers State to continue partnering with the Federal Government in advancing policies and programmes that improve the lives of citizens through infrastructure development, job creation, enhanced security, quality education, healthcare delivery, and good governance.

The Governor further called on Nigerians, regardless of political affiliation, ethnic background, or religious belief, to use the occasion of Democracy Day to renew their commitment to the Nigerian project and the ideals that underpin democratic governance.

“Democracy must not be viewed merely as a periodic electoral exercise. It must be reflected in our daily commitment to accountability, transparency, tolerance, justice, respect for the rule of law, and responsible leadership. As citizens and leaders, we all share a collective responsibility to strengthen our democracy and build a nation that future generations will be proud to inherit,” he said.

Governor Fubara expressed optimism about Nigeria’s future, urging citizens to remain united, hopeful, and committed to the values of peace, dialogue, and national development.

“Together, we can build a stronger, more inclusive, and more prosperous Nigeria where every citizen has the opportunity to thrive and contribute meaningfully to national progress,” he said.

By Our Correspondent

As preparations for 2027 general elections, gathers momentum,Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has warned Nigerians against vote buying and other forms of electoral inducement, describing the growing monetisation of the political process as a major threat to democratic governance and national development.

Olukoyede issued the warning on Wednesday while delivering the inaugural lecture of the High-Level Guest Speakers’ Series organised by the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies at the University of Ilorin, where he called for a collective national effort to ensure peaceful, credible and transparent elections in 2027.

Speaking on the theme, “Mobilising Critical Stakeholders for Setting the Agenda for Peaceful and Credible 2027 Elections in Nigeria,” the EFCC boss said the Commission remained committed to combating electoral corruption, particularly vote buying, vote selling and other forms of financial influence that compromise the integrity of elections.

According to him, the commercialisation of the electoral process weakens democratic institutions by distorting the political recruitment process and producing leaders who are more concerned with recovering campaign expenditures than delivering good governance.

“The EFCC is opposed to commercialisation of votes not only because it is a financial crime, but because it weakens the foundation of good governance by compromising the political recruitment process.

“Leaders who pay their way into public office are unlikely to prioritise public good and accountability. Rather, recouping their investments becomes the overarching objective, to the detriment of the common good,” he said.

Olukoyede disclosed that the anti-graft agency had secured several arrests, prosecutions and convictions involving politicians, electoral officials and citizens linked to vote-buying schemes in recent years.

He assured Nigerians that the Commission would intensify surveillance and enforcement measures ahead of the next general elections.

He stressed that electoral offences involving financial inducement would continue to attract prosecution regardless of the status of those involved.

The EFCC chairman also raised concerns about the evolving nature of electoral corruption, noting that perpetrators have adopted increasingly sophisticated methods to evade detection.

According to him, vote buying is no longer limited to cash exchanges at polling units, as some political actors now rely on coded communications, covert transactions and off-site arrangements to influence voters before election day.

“Vote buying manifests not just through financial inducement of voters but also through other material and commodity offers. Investigations are pointing to the fact that some of these criminal activities are no longer being carried out in the open.

“They are not even being done on election days. Codes are being used covertly, and linkages are being established with voters outside the electoral framework in a bid to influence them,” he said.

Olukoyede said the Commission was fully aware of these emerging tactics and was strengthening its capacity to detect and disrupt such schemes in order to protect the integrity of future elections.

He identified stronger collaboration among stakeholders, strict enforcement of electoral laws, issue-based political campaigns, responsible media engagement, professional security operations and effective conflict-resolution mechanisms as critical requirements for credible elections.

The anti-corruption chief urged political parties to reject vote buying and embrace decency in political campaigns, warning that inflammatory rhetoric and divisive politics had contributed significantly to electoral violence in previous election cycles.

He also challenged media organisations to play a more active role in exposing vote-buying networks and other forms of electoral corruption, while calling on security agencies to remain neutral and professional throughout the electoral process.

According to him, coordinated security planning and proactive deployment of resources would help minimise electoral risks and strengthen public confidence in democratic institutions.

Earlier, Director of the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, G. A. Animasawun, said the lecture series was designed to create a platform for identifying and addressing threats to Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 elections.

He noted that the Centre intends to move beyond academic discussions by promoting practical solutions capable of strengthening electoral integrity, peace and national security.

In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, described electoral corruption as a major national security concern and called for stronger institutional collaboration to tackle electoral malpractice.

Egbewole commended the EFCC’s preventive approach to combating electoral corruption and proposed a strategic partnership between the Commission and the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies to advance research, training and policy development on the relationship between electoral corruption and national security.

By Our Correspondent

Deputy of the President of the Senate, Senator Barau I Jibrin has urged universities and other tertiary institutions in the country to prioritise research and its commercialisation as done by higher institutions in developed nations.

Senator Barau made the call when he received the management of the North West University, Kano led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Amina Salihi Bayero, at the National Assembly, Abuja.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, he urged the management of the country’s higher institutions to diversify their revenue sources through the commercialisation of research.

Senator Barau, who chaired the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND in the Eighth Senate, said ” Do not leave innovations in laboratories or bookshelves. Patent them and create value from them.

“Top global institutions like Harvard, MIT and Cornell leverage research, collaborate with industries, and generate revenue through innovation. I encourage you to adopt this model.”

He noted that sustaining and developing higher education is a venture that requires collective effort and not a single entity.

” Maintaining and developing a university is not something that can be assured by just a single entity or person. It needs the assistance, intervention and cooperation of all,” he said, adding that even institutions established and funded by the Federal Government routinely seek external support.

Highlighting the importance of human capital, the Deputy President of the Senate said education must remain a top priority.

“Human capital is the key driver of development globally. It is no longer about resources like petroleum or solid minerals. The number one factor of production in any nation is human capital,” he said.

Praising the Vice-Chancellor’s proactive approach and the university’s rapid growth since its establishment in 2012, he announced the donation of a coaster bus to the institution.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Amina Salihi Bayero who assumed office in December 2025, said the visit was to explore ways of collaboration between the university and the office of the Deputy President of the Senate.

She commended the contributions of the Deputy President of the Senate to the country’s education sector through numerous interventions including scholarships and grants, and the provision of critical infrastructure to higher institutions.

She said the university which started with a faculty at inception now has ten faculties and a student population of thirty thousand.