By George Mgbeleke

Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele Thursday observed that no nation could meaningfully realise its full potential when a significant proportion of its population “is unable to contribute fully to governance, diplomacy, economic development and public leadership.”

Bamidele, therefore, said inclusion of women in public governance and leadership “is never an act of favour, but indeed a strategic investment in Nigeria’s human capital and institutional strength” while emphasising the centrality of gender inclusion to the future of Nigeria and the world in the 21st century.

He made these remarks at the presentation of the book, “The Female Diplomat: Navigating Power, Ambition and Identity,” held at Nigeria House, New York, United States, on Thursday, reflecting on the significance of gender inclusion in the country’s national life.

The book presentation, among others, brought together prominent dignitaries and diplomats namely the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ms. Amina Mohammed; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amb. Jimoh Ibrahim; Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Amb. Kayode Are and President/CEO, Montefiore Einstein.

Apart from the book presentation, Bamidele also participated in the Nigeria Investment Forum 2026 designed to bring together government representatives, international investors, development finance institutions, multinational corporations, business leaders and strategic partners to explore viable investment opportunities across Nigeria.

Bamidele, who chaired the book presentation at the Nigeria House in the United States, noted that Nigeria’s democracy could only be strengthened when all citizens “are adequately represented in the institutions established to serve them.”

Bamidele disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, evident in the Renewed Hope Agenda, recognised that Nigeria’s development must draw on the abilities and contributions of all its citizens,

He added that President Tinubu had consistently affirmed that women and young people must not be relegated to the background in the political, economic and national life of the country.

He said this commitment “is important because meaningful inclusion goes beyond the presence of women in institutions. It requires genuine opportunities to participate in decision-making, exercise responsibility and contribute to the formulation and implementation of public policy.“

“Gender inclusion is not an act of favour. It is a strategic investment in Nigeria’s human capital and institutional strength. No nation can realise its full potential if a significant proportion of its population is unable to contribute fully to governance, diplomacy, economic development and public leadership.

“Our democracy is strengthened when citizens see themselves represented in the institutions established to serve them. Our foreign relations are also enriched when Nigeria is represented by capable professionals whose knowledge, judgement and experience reflect the breadth of our national talent.”

Bamidele explained the vital role of the National Assembly in deepening gender inclusion, noting that the parliament “will continue to promote institutions that are fair, accessible and responsive through legislation, representation and oversight.”

The senate leader further emphasised that the National Assembly should help establish an environment in which competence is recognised, opportunity is broadened, and leadership is strengthened through the participation of qualified women.

“This is not a responsibility for the government alone. Political institutions, the diplomatic service, the private sector, academic institutions and civil society all have roles to play. Progress will require deliberate policies, supportive institutions and a collective willingness to recognise talent wherever it is found.

“Today’s occasion contributes to that broader national conversation. It offers leaders, diplomats, scholars and members of the public an opportunity to engage with ideas relevant to Nigeria’s ongoing development and its engagement with the international community,” Bamidele observed at the book presentation.

By George Mgbeleke

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has strongly rejected the directive by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to decorate the First Niger Bridge with photographs of President Bola Tinubu, describing the move as an unacceptable personalisation of a public asset.

HURIWA in a statement signed it national coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko said the First Niger Bridge belongs to the Nigerian people and must not be converted into a platform for political personality promotion.

The rights group said it was particularly concerned by the minister’s statement directing the Senior Special Assistants to the President in the South-East and South-South to beautify and colour the bridge with photographs of the President.

Umahi had said:

“The South-South and South-East SSAs to Mr President, they have to fertilise the bridge. They’ll beautify, they’ll colour it with the President’s pictures.”

According to the minister, the President “deserves to be appreciated” for what he described as the quick intervention and quality of work being undertaken on the bridge.

But HURIWA says rehabilitation of public infrastructure cannot legitimately be presented as a personal favour by the President.

HURIWA says the First Niger Bridge was not built with the personal resources of President Tinubu, neither is its rehabilitation being financed from his private resources. It is a public infrastructure funded through public resources and therefore belongs to the Nigerian people.

The organisation says government has a constitutional and administrative responsibility to provide, protect and maintain public infrastructure for the common good.

HURIWA therefore rejects any attempt to personalise the bridge to President Tinubu or any other political office holder.

Public infrastructure must remain public. The First Niger Bridge should not become a billboard for the President, the ruling party or any individual politician.

Whether the project was initiated by a previous administration or rehabilitated under the present administration, it remains a national asset. No President acquires personal ownership of public infrastructure merely because his administration funds its rehabilitation.

HURIWA says Nigerians should be allowed to see public projects as investments belonging to them and not as political gifts from individual office holders.

The rights group further warned that the display of political photographs on public infrastructure could blur the distinction between government activities and partisan political promotion.

HURIWA says the Ministry of Works should instead focus on ensuring the structural integrity, safety and durability of the bridge.

The organisation noted that Umahi also directed the removal of unauthorised advertisements from the bridge, installation of additional solar lights, completion of CCTV facilities and an assessment of the bridge above and below the water level.

HURIWA says those measures are legitimate responsibilities of the relevant authorities and should be pursued without attaching the personality of any politician to the infrastructure.

The group therefore calls on the Minister of Works to withdraw the directive for the display of President Tinubu’s pictures and ensure that the First Niger Bridge remains a neutral national asset.

HURIWA says Nigeria must move away from the culture of naming, branding and decorating public infrastructure around individual political office holders. Public projects should be remembered for their service to citizens, not for the political personalities occupying office when they are constructed or rehabilitated.

By Our Correspondent

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said adequate funding of elections is critical to providing the security and logistics required for successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.

Amupitan stated this on Wednesday in Owerri, Imo State, while delivering a goodwill message at the sixth edition of the Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers, themed: “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections.”

The INEC chairman was accompanied by National Commissioners Dr. Ken Nnamdi Ukeagu and Rear Admiral Jamila Abubakar Malaga (Retd.), OFR, mni; the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Imo State, Chukwuemeka C. Ibeziakor, Esq.; and the Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to the Chairman, Mr. Adedayo Oketola. Also on the entourage were Mustapha Muhammad Dogondaji, Personal Assistant; Ahmad Yusuf, Executive Assistant (Finance); and Barr. Ezeh N. Emmanuel, Head of Legal, INEC Imo State.

Amupitan said although the commission’s funding was constitutionally provided as a first-line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the scale of its responsibilities required sustained financial support to enable it to conduct elections effectively.

He explained that INEC was responsible not only for presidential and National Assembly elections, but also for governorship and state House of Assembly elections, voter registration and the registration of political parties.

According to him, the commission also has statutory powers to request the deployment of security agencies for elections and voter registration, making security an integral part of the electoral process.

He said: “Sometimes, it is not what you would like to do that you are able to do because of financial constraints. The system does make allocations of what is available and what is affordable at a particular time for the expenses and appropriation of the agencies, including the police and also including INEC.”

Amupitan stressed that voter registration remained the foundation of credible elections, saying an inaccurate or outdated voters’ register could undermine the inclusiveness of the electoral process.

He argued that because INEC conducts elections affecting the three tiers of government, election expenditure, including security-related costs, should be approached as a collective national responsibility.

The chairman said adequate funding was particularly important for the deployment of personnel and electoral materials to local government areas, wards, registration areas and polling units.

According to him, even where security agencies succeed in maintaining peace, inadequate logistics could still undermine the conduct of an election.

Amupitan said INEC had made both security and logistics priorities under his leadership, adding that the commission was working with government and security agencies to ensure that operational challenges did not undermine the 2027 polls.

He also highlighted the role of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), describing it as a platform that brings INEC and relevant security and government agencies together to coordinate election security.

He said the committee, which began as a coordinating arrangement after the 2011 general elections following concerns over post-election violence, had evolved into a structured mechanism for election security coordination.

According to him, ICCES now operates at federal, state and local government levels, with the Inspector-General of Police participating at the national level, commissioners of police at the state level and divisional police leadership represented at the local level.

The INEC chairman said stronger coordination among the agencies would be necessary ahead of 2027, noting that the police remained the lead agency when it came to election security.

He also cited recent off-cycle elections as evidence of the importance of adequate security and coordination, recalling that security agencies had helped to resolve incidents that could otherwise have disrupted the electoral process.

Amupitan said the experience of recent elections should be used to strengthen preparations for the 2027 general elections, particularly in intelligence gathering, logistics and inter-agency coordination.

He added that Nigerians expected a highly effective electoral system but must also recognise that achieving such standards required adequate resources.

“In Nigeria, we want the best. We want our electoral system to be 100 per cent. But sometimes we don’t ask ourselves the question: if we want the nation to be perfect, there must be a cost for it,” he said.

He urged the relevant authorities to provide the resources required by security agencies and INEC to perform their respective responsibilities effectively.

Reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to deepening operational synergy through ICCES, the Chairman expressed optimism that the Owerri retreat would produce an actionable, forward-looking roadmap ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

He charged senior police managers to sustain absolute professional neutrality, proactive intelligence gathering, and seamless inter-agency coordination to continuously protect the integrity of the ballot.

President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya,
charged the leadership and operational personnel of the Nigeria Police Force to extend their unalloyed support and synergy to the INEC Chairman in fulfilling his mandate.

The NBA President emphasised that robust policing support remains vital to safeguarding the electoral process and guaranteeing the delivery of free, fair, credible, and transparent elections across the nation.

E- Signed: