Bola Tinubu - The African Mirror

Jun

2023

Nigeria’s elections eroded public trust in voting, EU observers say

NIGERIA'S elections early this year were marred by problems that reduced public trust in electoral processes, European Union observers said in a final report, urging reforms to enhance transparency and accountability. President Bola Tinubu won the disputed February vote, whose result is being challenged in court by his two main rivals. The EU mission said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should improve in six priority areas, including removing ambiguities in electoral law, ensuring the real-time publication of and access to election results and clamping down on electoral offences. "Shortcomings in law and electoral administration hindered the conduct of well-run and inclusive elections and…

Jun

2023

By MACDONALD DZIRUTWE

Analysis: Nigeria’s Tinubu faces daunting hurdles after reform sprint

SPECIAL FEATURES: ANALYSIS

NEW Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has moved at lightning speed in his first month in office, implementing a raft of radical changes aimed at finally unleashing the full potential of Africa's sluggish economic giant. But while his rapid headway on reforms has wowed investors, some analysts, observers and business leaders warn that bigger challenges await and question whether the 71-year-old - viewed by many as part of Nigeria's old guard - is really the man to take them on. "There has been a big policy shift (but) I think there are things that investors would like to see happening to really be convinced…

Jun

2023

By The African Mirror

Nigeria’s Tinubu forces security chiefs out in reshuffle

NEWS

NIGERIA'S President Bola Tinubu forced out the country's security chiefs and the head of police on Monday and replaced them with new appointments, in a major reshuffle of the country's defence forces. Tinubu, who was sworn into office on May 29, has named new commanders of the defence forces, army, and navy air force with immediate effect, the secretary to the government of the federation said in a statement. Nigeria's military has been fighting Islamist insurgents in the northeast for more than a decade, and banditry and kidnappings in the northwest as insecurity has spread to most parts of the…

Jun

2023

By The African Mirror

Nigerian court orders detained central-bank governor to have access to lawyers

NEWS

NIGERIA'S High Court has ordered the country's state security service to allow detained central bank governor Godwin Emefiele access to his lawyers, an interim court ruling seen by Reuters showed. Emefiele was suspended by President Bola Tinubu this month as part of the new president's drive to reform the central bank, which went on to remove restrictions on foreign currency trading, to the delight of investors. "The lawyers of the applicant (Emefiele) shall have access to the applicant immediately and regularly, at a reasonable time, pending the determination of the application", Judge Hamza Muazu said in a ruling on Friday. Emifiele's application cited the…

Jun

2023

By The African Mirror

Nigeria’s President Tinubu suspends head of anti-graft agency

NEWS

NIGERIA'S President Bola Tinubu suspended the head of the economic and financial crimes unit Abdulrasheed Bawa indefinitely for abuse of office, the presidency said in a statement. The move came a week after the president suspended the country's central bank governor Godwin Emefiele. A spokesman for the Economic and financial crimes unit (EFCC) did not immediately respond to calls for comment. Created 20 years ago, the EFCC investigates and prosecutes financial crimes, including money laundering and corruption. Bawa, the fifth chairman of EFCC, was appointed two years ago after the Senate refused to approve the reappointment of his predecessor who…

Jun

2023

By The African Mirror

Nigerian president advised by team to cut state’s stake in oil and gas sector

BUSINESS

NIGERIAN President Bola Tinubu has been advised to reduce the state's stake in the oil and gas sector to raise up to $17 billion to boost economic growth during his four-year term, a policy document showed. The proposals, drawn up by Tinubu's policy advisory team and first reported by Nigerian media at the weekend, would represent a major shake-up of the sector that has been Nigeria's economic lifeblood since the 1960s. Under the plans, the state-controlled Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Ltd (NNPC) would sell part of its stakes in joint ventures it operates with oil majors. The document finalized in…

May

2023

By MACDONALD DZIRUTWE

Explainer: What to expect from Nigeria’s new president Bola Tinubu

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

NIGERIA'S new president Bola Tinubu faces a litany of problems, including widespread violence, double-digit inflation and industrial-scale oil theft. His victory is being challenged in court by his two main rivals in February's election, and analysts say he may need to reach out to opponents to help heal a divided nation. Here is how Tinubu proposes to address problems that many Nigerians believe worsened under his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, on whose party ticket he ran. HOW DOES HE PLAN TO FIX THE ECONOMY? Tinubu says he will build on Buhari's public infrastructure programme to create jobs and remove legal limits on government…

May

2023

By FELIX ONUAH

Nigeria’s Buhari defends election outcome, economic record

NEWS

NIGERIA'S President Muhammadu Buhari defended his record on the economy and the outcome of a disputed presidential election, saying he was leaving a legacy of credible and fair votes, a day before he hands over power to his successor. Buhari first came to office in 2015 after promising to reboot the economy and end corruption and insecurity, but many Nigerians say these issues have worsened under his watch. Incoming President Bola Tinubu's victory is being challenged by his two closest opposition rivals, and on Tuesday a tribunal will begin to hear the main arguments in the election petition. Buhari, an ascetic 80-year-old retired general,…

May

2023

By MACDONALD DZIRUTWE and LIBBY GEORGE

After inauguration fanfare, immense economic challenges await Nigeria’s Tinubu

NEWS

NIGERIA'S incoming President Bola Tinubu will inherit anaemic economic growth, record debt and shrinking oil output, but before he can start fixing these pressing problems he will need to secure public support for painful decisions. Life is tough for citizens of Africa's biggest economy, and a tangle of protectionist economic policies and foreign currency interventions have spooked investors. An attempt by Nigeria to reduce hugely expensive fuel subsidies a decade ago met with mass public protests and had to be dropped. Tinubu, a member of President Muhammadu Buhari's All Progressives Congress, helped propel the outgoing president to power in 2015.…

Apr

2023

By The African Mirror

NIGERIA: The court battle to save the elections

NEWS

NIGERIA'S ruling party has asked the Appeals Court to dismiss a petition by third-placed candidate Peter Obi who is challenging the victory of president-elect Bola Tinubu following a disputed election in February, court documents showed. Labour Party's Peter Obi, who came third in the election, and second-placed opposition People's Democratic Party's (PDP) Atiku Abubakar last month separately challenged the results in court. The two candidates said the results were fraudulent, citing Tinubu, his ruling All Progressives Congress Party (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as respondents. The APC said in a countersuit on Tuesday that Obi's petition should be dismissed on several…