"Prof Nwosu was a true Democrat, an outstanding academician whose love for democracy and its values was copiously demonstrated in the way and manner he carried out his responsibilities as an electoral umpire between 1989 to 1993.
His courageous defense of democratic principles, even under a non-democratic government, put him out as a man who was ready even to sacrifice his life for the sake of democracy and good governance.
For his pivotal role in holding and upholding the 1993 presidential elections, Prof Nwosu’s name will remain indelible in the history of Nigerian democracy. He stood for the truth In Nigeria for standing for the truth and the best tenets of democracy when it was delicate and even dangerous to do so...."
This man fought to ensure that the main fulcrum or pivot democracy stands upon - free, fair and credible election- June 12 1993 election was enforced to the letter. He staked his life against the Babangida's government to start announcing the results. This is what your heroin drug lord have destroyed today. "If you know your history, then you will know where you're coming from....." - Rastaman Bob Nesta Marley.
This man defied the military Junta having the likes of IBB, Abacha, David Mark, and other desperate military hawks of the inglorious military era( even @ the threat of his life) to start announcing the results of the watershed June 1993 presidential election that MKO Abiola clearly won.
Even if the same election was truncated by the then military with the likes of Arthur Nzeribe, and the infamous Daniel Kanu( Youth Earnestly Asked for Abacha-YEAA), It took the determination of Igbos like the legendary R.Adr Ebitu Ukiwe, R.Adr Ndubuisi Kanu and their non-military democrats to fought courageously for the actualization of the June-12 mandate while the like of Walter Ofonagoro, Ebenezer Babatope, Wole Oyelesi and others were the betrayers therein.
Same Makinde that deliberately encouraged the foisting of this same disaster Nigeria has on seat today? Perhaps Makinde was not in existent when Tinubu openly went to dust out the tired bag of bones called Buhari and encouraged him to start the destruction of this nation.
"Now, we come to the ‘sophisticated’ South-West, and to a great extent, the South-South. I wept for Yorubaland! The regioen proved to be the most unfortunate group in the ‘protest’, which ensured that everything about the hunger in the land is as a result of the ‘hatred’ for Tinubu!
I feel so ashamed each time I come across the state-sponsored narratives that have emanated from the South-West over this ‘protest’. Again, the pro-government groups and individuals in the South-West have also shown that Nigeria is a superglued nation!
For many of these ‘Hallelujah’ groups, it doesn’t matter if Tinubu performs in office or not as long as it is a Yoruba man that is there! They don’t care if or not their man would be leaving behind any legacy.
These are the set of people (very many of them hungry and beggarly), who have taken the “Èmilókán” campaign to a level that no matter how fatuous a government policy is, as long it is Tinubu that initiated it, ‘all true sons and daughters of Yorubaland’ must embrace it!
To them, with that kind of thinking faculty, the hunger in the land is because people lost elections. The inability of farmers to go to their farms because of farmers’/herders’ clashes can be traced to election losers. The floating of the Naira, poor economic policies of the government and the extravagance at all levels of government is all about 2027. Pity!
"The Eagles have landed, welcome home" Heathrow Air Traffic Control 24/10/03. Twenty One Years ago today just after 4.00pm, Three British Airways aircraft landed in succession at London Heathrow.
BA aircraft G-BOAE was coming in from Edinburgh after a quick supersonic dash over the North Sea filled with competition winners.
G-BOAF was returning from a Supersonic trip around the Bay of Biscay filled with ex BAC and British Airways crew and staff.
G-BOAG was coming in from New York flying the final BA002 transatlantic commercial supersonic service filled with VIP's and celebrities including Joan Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Bernie Eccleston, Piers Morgan, David Frost, Darcy Bussell etc
Upon landing, Heathrow was brought to a standstill as virtually every airport worker seemed to be out in force. Tens of thousands of people were standing around the airport perimeter all vying for that perfect vantage point.
The World's media were also present all watching these three aircraft land for the final time, watching them taxi around the airport, bringing it to a standstill as they took their lap of honour and into retirement bringing an end to 27 years of flawless supersonic commercial service with British Airways.
This small fleet of just seven aircraft had made the airline £500million NET profit over its operating life as the airline's undisputed Flagship.
No longer would it be possible to fly over 11 miles high viewing the Earth's curviture travelling at Twice the Speed of Sound, 23 miles a minute, 1 mile ever 2.75 seconds whilst dining on the very finest cuisine and enjoying vintage wines and champagne from its own wine cellar. That day the World took a step backwards
On this day in 2003: The final ever Air France Concorde flight took place as F-BVFC was retired home to her birth place at Toulouse Blagnac. The aircraft made one last supersonic sprint off the French coast enroute to Toulouse and Andre Turcat was onboard the flight. Today Fox Charlie resides at Musée Aeroscopia along with the first French production aircraft F-WTSB.
Béatrice Vialle is a French aviator and one of three women in the world (along with the Briton Barbara Harmer and French aviatrix Jacqueline Auriol) to have flown a concorde.
Born: 4 August 1961 (age 62). Bourges, Cher (departement), France. Béatrice Vialle is a French aviator, one of the two operational female concorde pilots and the first French female pilot on a supersonic airliner.
She is credited for being the only French-qualified female concorde pilot( and one of the two female concorde operational pilots) flying the final Air France concorde flight, AF 4332, with fare-paying passengers on board. 31 May 2003. 🇫🇷
CONCORDE RETURNS TO THE AIR AFTER 16 M0NTHS That November 7, 2001, once everyone was on board, Captain Bannister welcomed them: Good morning, gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Captain MIKE BANNISTER, British Airways Concorde Chief Pilot. I would like to welcome you aboard this special flight to New York today, the airline's first scheduled supersonic flight in more than a year. Today's flight is symbolic in more ways than one, (due to the CONCORDE tragedy and the 9/11 attacks), British Airways hopes it will help show our support for the great city of New York and show that everything is business as usual between the UK and the US
In 5 minutes I will start the engines and back up for takeoff and hope to be in the air around 10:45. I am accompanied by Captain RICHARD OWEN, First Officer ANDY BARNWELL and Senior Engineering Officers DICK MAHER and BOB WOODCOCK. Our flight time to New York today is only 3 hours and 20 minutes.
Relax and enjoy today's service. I leave them in the very capable hands of LOUISE MUNN, Director of Cabin Service on today's flight, and her team." British Airways' first scheduled Concorde service to New York in almost 16 months departed from Terminal 4 for a short taxi to Heathrow's runway 27L.
As it accelerated down the runway, an American Airlines pilot waiting to take off was heard shouting over the radio: "Go, Concorde! Go!" Speedbird Concorde One" took off at 10:44am, and British Airways, after months of anguish, finally got its flagship back into service. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/77VkSn2DBGTq4PX7/?mibextid=oFDknk
THE TIME MACHINE Shortly before 10:30am (9:30 GMT), and ahead of schedule, F-BTSD departed from the gate for the 15minute taxi to the threshold of runway 09 at CGD. The airport tower cleared her for take off, and at 10:44am on November 7th 2001, Air France had officially put Concorde back in service.
45 minutes after Sierra Delta had departed from Paris, the first scheduled British Airways Concorde service to New York for nearly 16 months departed terminal 4 for the short taxi to runway 27L at Heathrow. After a little over three and a half hours since the AF 002 departed from Paris, she was on her stand at the New York terminal shortly after 8:20 EST.
The aircraft had arrived more that an hour before she left, helped on by the world's time zones! No one could doubt it, Concorde was indeed what the marketing people called it - "A Time Machine" After a text book landing she taxied to the BA Terminal to be greeted personally, as the AF002 had been, by Mayor Giulian Once both aircraft had been unloaded, the Air France Concorde (Sierra Delta), was towed to the BA terminal where (s)he was placed 'Nose to Nose' with the British Airways Aircraft (Alpha Echo). This was symbolic of the first two inagural flight to the USA in the late 1970s. Firstly to Washington in 1976 and to New York in 1977 when the aircraft were placed nose to nose, for that one off picture. The crews from both airlines posed in front of the parked aircraft to jointly commemorate the return to service, in the same way that every other major milestone in the entire Concorde project was shared simultaneously between the UK and France.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnxX5a08x38?si=OZE0Jp5TX4MjmGUW On October 24 2003, British Airways (BA) organized a grand celebration to commemorate the final day of commercial operations for Concorde, an iconic supersonic passenger jet. The event attracted significant media attention, with journalists and television crews gathering at Heathrow Airport to capture this historic moment.
A special grandstand was erected overlooking the northern runway, providing an optimal view for invited guests and aviation enthusiasts. Additionally, a dedicated "media stand" was constructed to offer a clear vantage point of the final parking area. The plan was for three Concordes to arrive in succession, with one coming from Edinburgh, another from Heathrow (via the Bay of Biscay), and the third from New York.
Fortunately, all five modified Concordes were in serviceable condition, ensuring that any potential engineering issues could be addressed promptly. As the clock approached 4:00 pm, the first of the three Concordes, approaching from Edinburgh, could be seen in the distance. With its familiar roar echoing through the skies, the aircraft, designated as G-BOAE, descended gracefully towards the runway.
The specially erected grandstand was now filled with an eager crowd, waving Union flags and eagerly anticipating the arrival of the legendary aircraft. Meanwhile, in the sky behind the Edinburgh flight, another Concorde, G-BOAF, could be spotted returning from the Bay of Biscay.
Inside the BBC commentary box, renowned aviation commentator Raymond Baxter expressed his delight at witnessing not one but two Concordes on final approach. This moment held particular significance, as the BBC had recently aired a clip of Baxter's commentary from 1969, when he reported on the very first take-off of Concorde 001.
In those early days, there were aspirations to build hundreds of Concordes, envisioning a future where the sight of multiple Concordes on approach would be a routine occurrence. However, as fate would have it, this afternoon presented a rare opportunity to witness three Concordes simultaneously on final approach, a testament to the aircraft's enduring legacy.
As the cameras shifted their focus to the third and final aircraft, G-BOAG, designated as Flight BA002 from New York, it approached from the east, its call sign echoing through the air as "Speedbird Concorde zero zero two."
The aircraft's descent continued, with the engineer providing precise altitude updates. As the Concorde neared the runway, the autothrottles were disconnected, and the throttles were gradually closed. To counteract the tendency of the delta-winged aircraft to pitch down due to thrust reduction and ground effect, the elevons were adjusted to maintain a controlled rate of descent.
With the wind coming from the right, the pilot skillfully used the left rudder to correct for drift, while simultaneously employing the elevons to keep the wings level. The touchdown executed by Captain Mike Bannister was flawless, eliciting applause not only for the successful landing but also in recognition of Concorde's remarkable 27-year journey.
After vacating the runway, all three Concordes taxied along the designated taxiway until they reached their designated parking positions near the "November" parking stands. Positioned strategically, with the grandstand to their left and ground staff to their right, the three aircraft simultaneously performed the iconic Concorde bow a graceful lowering and raising of the nose and visor, bidding farewell to an era of aviation history.
The intricate design of Concorde’s cockpit can be attributed to a combination of factors, including:
♤Supersonic Flight As a supersonic commercial airliner, Concorde’s operations demanded advanced technology and systems to ensure safety and efficiency at speeds exceeding the sound barrier. The cockpit accommodated the intricate controls and instruments required for supersonic flight.
♤Advanced Systems Integration Concorde’s design and construction in the 1960s and 1970s coincided with rapid advancements in aviation technology. The aircraft incorporated state-of-the-art systems for navigation, communication, and flight control, necessitating a sophisticated cockpit layout for effective pilot operation.
♤Space Optimization Concorde’s relatively compact size compared to modern commercial airliners posed challenges in accommodating the necessary equipment and controls within the limited cockpit space. The design had to be meticulously optimized to ensure efficient utilization of the available area.
♤ Supersonic Flight Challenges and Cockpit Design Supersonic flight presents unique challenges in terms of aerodynamics, stability, and control. The cockpit of Concorde was meticulously designed to provide pilots with the necessary information and controls to effectively manage these complex flight characteristics.
♤Safety and Airworthiness Regulations As a commercial airliner, Concorde adhered to stringent regulatory requirements for safety and airworthiness. The cockpit design complied with aviation authority regulations, ensuring the aircraft’s safe operation.
Overall, the complexity of Concorde’s cockpit was a result of the technological challenges associated with supersonic flight, the advanced systems required for operation, the limited space available, the unique flight characteristics of the aircraft, and the regulatory requirements that had to be met.
𝐀 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞: 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐀𝐢𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 Since its formation in 1974 from the merger of BEA, BOAC, and British Air Services airlines (Northeast and Cambrian Airways), British Airways has sported some iconic liveries. Let’s take a journey through time and explore the various liveries that have adorned BA’s aircraft, reflecting the airline’s rich history and evolution. 🌟✨
The Concorde made its final flight over 20 years ago
and supersonic air travel has yet to return. Here’s a look back at its incredible history. For a fleeting 30 years during the 20th century, supersonic commercial air travel was a reality. But on October 24, 2003, that era came to an abrupt end.
That day, British Airways operated its last commercial Concorde service from JFK International Airport to London Heathrow. Air France pulled its Concordes from service a few months earlier. Thus, it would be the Concorde’s last ever commercial flight in a career that started in January 1976. The Anglo-French Concorde was co-developed by BAC, a forerunner of BAE Systems, and Aerospatiale, now a part of Airbus.
The Supersonic Jet Has A Storied History. The Concorde was never the commercial success for which its creators had hoped. Environmental and operational limitations of the Concorde hampered its commercial appeal among airline customers. Only 20 of the planes were ever built, and just 14 of them were production aircraft. The Concorde saw service with only two airlines — Air France and British Airways — on just two routes.
However, its lack of commercial success doesn’t diminish its role as an icon of modern aviation and as a technological marvel, one which plane makers and aerospace startups still talk about replicating. Over 20 years after its last flight for British Airways, the world is still without a viable form of supersonic passenger service.
Here’s a look back at the awesome history of the Aerospatiale-BAC Concorde supersonic airliner. As soon as Chuck Yeager crossed the sound barrier in 1947, commercial aviation companies began planning to take passengers past Mach 1. On November 29, 1962, the governments of France and Great Britain signed a concord agreement to build a supersonic jetliner, hence the name of the plane that resulted: Concorde.
France and Great Britain each agreed to spend between £75 million and £85 million for the development of the plane, the Associated Press reported. Together, Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation predecessors of today’s Airbus and BAE Systems agreed to produce a four-engine, delta-wing supersonic airliner.
At the same time, engineers in the US and the Soviet Union were working on supersonic airliners of their own. As part of the agreement, the Concorde was built in the UK and France. The engine selected to power the Concorde was the Olympus 593 turbojet.The Olympus engine’s afterburners gave the Concorde its signature smoky takeoffs.
The Concorde had features found on no other Western commercial airliner, such as the double delta wing. Concorde planes also featured an adjustable drooping nose that gave pilots better visibility on takeoffs and landings. The Concorde was operated by a crew of three: two pilots and a flight engineer.
In 1967, the Concorde was presented to the public for the first time in Toulouse, France. The first Concorde prototype made its maiden flight on March 2, 1969. More than a dozen airlines from around the world placed orders for the jet. But the Concorde soon encountered opposition due to the loud sonic booms that resulted from breaking the sound barrier. In addition, residents near airports that were home to the Concorde fleet protested the amount of noise generated by the plane’s four massive turbojet engines. Because of environmental and economic concerns stemming from the 1973 oil crisis, most of the Concorde’s customers dropped their orders. In total, 20 Concordes were produced, six of which were prototype test planes.
On January 21, 1976, two Concordes, one from each airline took off simultaneously to mark the plane’s first supersonic passenger flight. The Air France flight flew to Rio de Janeiro by way of Senegal, while the British Airways plane flew to Bahrain in the Persian Gulf.
Later that year, British Airways started scheduling transatlantic flights between London and New York.Cruising at more than twice the speed of sound and an altitude of up to 60,000 feet, the Concorde could cross the Atlantic in just three hours — a major improvement over the seven hours it took for a conventional jumbo jet to make the crossing.In the beginning, the 100-passenger interior was simple and a bit austere.As the clientele became more posh, so did the decor.
In the 1990s, the Concorde transported celebrities and royal family members.Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, explored Concorde’s flight deck in 1987. Ferguson earned her private pilot’s license in 1987, and was the first woman in the royal family to do so, UPI reported.
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair flew to New York aboard a Concorde in 1997. Blair flew to New York to attend a special session of the UN General Assembly. Rock legend Sting served Champagne to Piers Morgan on a Concorde flight.[/b]
The Concorde even served as the Queen Elizabeth II’s royal transport. Queen Elizabeth traveled on Concorde planes for trips to Kuwait, Barbados, Saudi Arabia, and the United States from the late 1970s until the Concorde was retired in 2003, according to the Royal Collection Trust. Every day, the Concorde fleet was stocked with fine Champagne and Beluga caviar.
The Concorde had a sparkling safety record until July 25, 2000, when an Air France Concorde burst into flames and crashed shortly after taking off.The plane caught fire after a blown tire ruptured the Concorde’s fuel tanks, and 113 people died in the crash. All 12 remaining Concordes were immediately grounded. The planes were retrofitted with stronger fuel tanks. Though the Concorde fleet returned to service in late 2001, the business never recovered.
By spring of 2003, Air France and British Airways announced their intention to permanently retire the Concorde fleet. British Airways executives blamed cuts to Wall Street’s travel budgets post-9/11 and skyrocketing maintenance costs for its decision to ground the plane, The Guardian reported. Air France operated its last commercial Concorde flight from New York to Paris on May 31, 2003.
British Airways operated its last commercial Concorde flight on October 24, 2003, after it completed a farewell tour of the US. Over the skies of London, the flight out of New York joined up with two other Concordes. Together, the three supersonic jets celebrated the occasion by landing in succession at Heathrow Airport.
In 27 years of service, British Airways’ fleet of Concordes made 50,000 flights and carried more than 2.5 million passengers, according to British Airways.
Now, the Concordes have become museum pieces.There are three places to see a Concorde on display in the United States: the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum in New York City, the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, and The Museum of Flight in Seattle.
For many, the end of the Concorde represented not just the end of an era, but also a step backward for mankind.We no longer cross the Atlantic at twice the speed of sound. And we may never again.
The recent decimation of these terrorists by the IDF is highly commendable and encouraging. Just rid the world of these motherfuckers. Next on the lne please.
Yet the same world bank or Brentwood institution kept borrowing these kleptomanics neck-constricting loans that they are looting endlessly while they continue to impoverish their nations.
Karma served you your desires in multiple folds and yet you are complaining. Emilokan shege is not a good thing you may want to wish your deadliest enemy sef. Meanwhile enjoy it.
NgeneUkwenu: Only an illiterate would read that useless garbage written by the equally useless newspaper outfit called The Guardian and believe Allen Onyema had been acquitted..
Acquitted by which court? When did he enter trial? Has he been docked? Ipob terrorists are really brainless
Please respond! This time around it is not a newspaper but a US court. Unbridled hatred for a race does not change who they are - blessed people.
Shame on all the high grade mummified zombies of this govt. Guess they can tell their heroin-infested brain certificate forger of a hero to go clear his name from his endless criminalities too in US courts.
The firm noted that there have been false and unsubstantiated stories in Nigeria, about the indictment. Our clients never took loans or credit from any American Bank and Mayfield was never paid the sum of $20,000 at any time to commit any fraud, as it is being peddled in some quarters.
“There was no loss of money or any damage whatsoever to any third party. The American government admitted in Court that no bank suffered any financial loss in the matter..."
Humn! What a long battle for Air Peace. The life a man live always speaks for him. Congratulations Allen Onyema.
Now Shell is also taking it exit from Nigeria. Well it will be good because Shell has been part of the problem - exploited of the resources of this nation.
The most useless and selfish NASS. They refused to reduced their economic burden on this nation. They refused to give this nation a unicameral legislature or let their services be on part time basis.
They refused to maintain a check and balance on the executive because they are a part to the executive corruption. Oversight functions are simply corrupt and criminal ventures to these overfed gluttons. Yet they are making laws for a nation.
".... The National Assembly is facing mounting criticism for its role in approving these measures, which have exacerbated poverty and hunger across the nation. This apparent disconnect between the legislature’s actions and the pressing needs of the populace raises questions about its responsiveness and accountability.
“The National Assembly has lost its moral authority. Its members are beneficiaries of a corrupt system, having accepted luxury SUVs at a cost of billions of naira to taxpayers. Additionally, the Assembly approved the draconian policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), including the floating of the naira. This decision has weakened the national currency’s purchasing power, making essential commodities unaffordable for millions of Nigerian households already suffering from multidimensional poverty.”
Besides, the two chambers of the National Assembly have become increasingly preoccupied with politically motivated motions and parliamentary investigations. These actions appear to be driven by the pursuit of financial gain rather than fulfilling the legislature’s fundamental role of providing checks and balances against inadequate governance. This trend poses a significant threat to the efficacy and integrity of the legislative process.
• Inflation Reduction Fund, National Food Bank Bills, others stuck • Absence of clear legislative agenda ridiculing Akpabio-led Senate • Rafsanjani advocates expertise, adequate consultations to boost legislation • HURIWA: How N’Assembly’s failures result in trillions of naira losses • Senate: Work on hardship reduction bills at advanced stages
As Nigerians continue to suffer from the painful economic policies of the Bola Tinubu-led administration, numerous bills that could provide much-needed relief are stuck in the National Assembly, while those of lesser importance to citizens’ welfare are prioritised.
Since the removal of subsidies on petroleum products and the floating of the naira against other currencies on May 29, 2023, inflation has surged, rendering the cost of living unaffordable for the average Nigerian. Additionally, palliative measures introduced by the federal government have been insufficient in relieving the economic hardship.
Meanwhile, the search for effective solutions to the ongoing economic crises continues, as several crucial bills, which have the potential to ease Nigerians’ suffering, remain neglected in the legislative process.
Although the lawmakers who sponsored the bills wished to attract accelerated legislative processes (like the bills that changed the National Anthem or the ongoing one seeking the establishment of Bola Ahmed Tinubu University), only 25 of the 447 bills introduced between June 2023 and September 2024 were passed. Of these 25, seven that could impact poverty reduction have yet to become law.
Among them is the Inflation Reduction Fund Bill sponsored by Senator Mukhail Abiru, a banker representing Lagos East Senatorial District. The legislation, also hanging, is titled: “A Bill for an Act to Make Emergency Economic Provisions to Restore Macroeconomic Stability through an Inflation Reduction Programme Involving the Liquidation of the Outstanding Central Bank of Nigeria’s Ways and Means.”
Another bill seeks a legal framework for transactions between large corporations and micro, small, and medium enterprises. The proposed legislation, titled the “Factoring Assignments and Receivables Financing Bill 2023”, will promote transparency, certainty, and adequate protection for creditors and debtors, ultimately enhancing access to capital and credit.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Tokunbo Abiru, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance, and Other Financial Institutions, is designed to facilitate domestic and international trade.
There is also the National Food Bank (Establishment) Bill, 2024, sponsored by Senator Kalu Orji Uzor, which seeks to establish a specialised bank to ensure food security in the country. Sadly, the fate of this bill is hanging as vital legislative machinery has yet to be deployed to ensure its passage.
Others are the Development Planning and Project Continuity Bill, 2023, sponsored by Senator Barau, Jibrin; National Roads Fund Bill, 2023, Senator Ndubueze Patrick Chiwuba; Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023, sponsored by Senator Aliu Wadada.
A few senators have tried unsuccessfully through motions to draw attention to the people’s worsening condition and how other countries solved similar problems.
Former Senate Leader Mohammed Ali Ndume got the Senate to adopt a motion urging the federal government to introduce the Nigerian version of the Food Stamps initiative as an interim intervention to cushion the effects of food insecurity and shortage in the country.
Through the motion, the upper chamber also mandated the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to liaise with development partners and other relevant stakeholders, especially the Lagos Food Bank Initiative, which introduced the Temporary Food Assistance Programme (TEFAP) a few years ago, to work out practicable templates and implementable modalities for the actualisation of the programme via a public and private sector initiative.
However, that motion has since been abandoned as no pressure was put on the executive arm of government to implement it.
Meanwhile, the failure to develop a clear legislative agenda against which its priorities could be evaluated has depicted the Godswill Akpabio-led Senate as lacking focus. A legislative agenda usually contains plans for legislative actions to deepen democracy, improve governance, drive economic growth, and enhance citizens’ living conditions.
Amid the disconcerting lapse in focus, the leadership of the National Assembly has ironically continued to praise itself for having passed some bills to reduce hardship in Nigeria. According to the lawmakers, such bills include the students’ loan facility bill, the bills creating zonal development commissions, and even appropriation bills.
Besides, the two chambers of the National Assembly have become increasingly preoccupied with politically motivated motions and parliamentary investigations. These actions appear to be driven by the pursuit of financial gain rather than fulfilling the legislature’s fundamental role of providing checks and balances against inadequate governance. This trend poses a significant threat to the efficacy and integrity of the legislative process.
Furthermore, several factors hinder the National Assembly’s capacity to generate impactful and beneficial legislation. These include an undue emphasis on political posturing, insufficient legislative research, and the compromise of parliamentary investigations and oversight functions. These deficiencies undermine the legislature’s ability to serve the public interest effectively.
In exclusive interviews with active and former legislators, civil society organisations (CSOs) based in the parliament, and other astute observers of National Assembly events, The Guardian has learned that bills and other legislative tools, such as motions and parliamentary investigations, have significantly declined over the past 15 years.
For example, during this period, a disproportionate number of lawmakers have prioritised bills and motions that grant legal status to many non-viable academic institutions, such as universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, within their respective senatorial districts and constituencies. This trend reflects a misallocation of legislative effort and resources.
However, this prioritisation of seemingly parochial concerns appears to be at odds with the growing public discontent over the economic hardship caused by recent government policies. The National Assembly is facing mounting criticism for its role in approving these measures, which have exacerbated poverty and hunger across the nation. This apparent disconnect between the legislature’s actions and the pressing needs of the populace raises questions about its responsiveness and accountability.
The Senate has however explained that legislative actions are being taken to pass those bills intended to reduce economic hardships which arose from reform policies by the federal government. Senate’s spokesman, Yemi Adaramodu, in an exclusive telephone interview with The Guardian, explained that some of the bills that would play roles in reducing poverty, hunger and economic pains are at various stages of legislative operations.
According to him, most of the bills have passed the first reading stage to either second or third reading.I can tell you that we have even passed some of the bills and have transmitted them to the House of Representatives for concurrence.” Adaramodu stressed.
The Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, told The Guardian, “Scholars of legislative studies are unanimous that a greater percentage of Nigerian lawmakers do not have a sound knowledge of the subject matter before undergoing the legislative process and do not consult competent consultants or departments that can assist in developing credible legislative proposals.”
According to him, the problem originates from the conceptualisation of legislative intervention or policy formulation, i.e., when the sponsor of a given bill conceives an idea of a particular legislative proposal.
Ideally, the lawmaker is expected to consider the “expertise of the subject matter for legislative proposal; whether the proposal is within the limits of National Assembly’s legislative powers (that is, under the Exclusive or Concurrent legislative list in the Constitution) that empowers the National Assembly or State Houses of Assembly to legislate on certain items: whether the proposal conforms to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Findings revealed that from 2014 to 2024 (10 years), the number of legislations, bills, motions, and investigations churned out by the National Assembly increased by over 100 per cent compared to what it recorded between 1999 and 2014.
Consequently, the quality of parliamentary proceedings has recorded very serious decadence as reflected in the dwindling performance of government.
For example, the efficiency rate of the 4th National Assembly (1999 to 2003), according to a Parliamentary Monitoring Group (PMG), is 87 per cent. The 5th National Assembly, which passed 112 bills, has a 65 per cent efficiency rate. Similarly, the 6th National Assembly has 77 per cent with 124 bills. The 7th National Assembly passed 143 bills with a much lower rate in terms of quality of legislation.
However, the 8th and 9th National Assemblies, which recorded the highest number of bills passed in the current democratic dispensation, witnessed the lowest efficiency rates in terms of impact on governance and people’s standard of living.
The Saraki-led 8th Assembly passed 515 bills, of which only 80 were assented to by the President. This earned that session of the National Assembly only a 23.8 per cent efficiency rate. The Ahmed Lawan-led 9th National Assembly got the President to sign 104 of its bills into law. However, it recorded a very low-efficiency rate because of the poor governance level of that administration.
The recent clash between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and some senators over the abuse of Senate rules in passing bills confirmed the desperation to use parliamentary positions to gain political relevance instead of making laws to serve the people’s best interests. The immediate past Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Ali Ndume, wasted no time leading his colleagues to decry the unparliamentary practice.
“It is all clear to everybody that the questions of proper parliamentary representation in Nigeria are very low,” said Rafsanjani. “Many legislators who happen to be at the National Assembly or state Houses of Assembly do not have a grasp or understanding of their mandate. This is because of the commercialisation and privatisation of public offices, especially the elective and appointive positions in Nigeria.
He explained, “The governors and the president are in control of political parties. The president controls the federal while governors control their respective states. So, the whole essence of democracy itself, of which political parties are supposed to provide a vehicle for people on the basis of popular choice, is no longer the benchmark for getting people to be elected or appointed in leadership positions either in the Assembly or as appointees of the governor or president. So, we have already lost that ground. Therefore, there is a total disconnect between representation of people’s interests and personal interests as we see it today.”
A former House of Representatives member and chairman of the Committee on Privatisation, Tajudeen Yusuf, summed up his views: “The 10th Assembly, to me, has not been able to be what it should be because of the way it came. And it’s unfortunate too, I’m sorry, the quality of men and women who are being recruited from Nigerian society reflects where we are as a people and our values. So, they didn’t come from Ghana, they are Nigerians. The quality has been declining. Every year, those who are coming are ill equipped.”
The Abuja-based Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) strongly rebuked the current National Assembly, criticising its poor performance and blaming it for Nigeria’s governance challenges and widespread hardship.
HURIWA’s leader, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, stated: “The National Assembly is widely perceived, and rightly so, as an extension of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. The President installed the leadership of the lower and upper chambers, rendering the legislature complicit in the ongoing poor governance in Nigeria.”
He argued, “Since its resumption in June last year, the National Assembly has consistently rubber-stamped the administration’s harmful economic programmes and policies. These policies have directly contributed to the mass hunger, poverty, and cost-of-living crisis currently affecting the nation.”
Onwubiko condemned the National Assembly’s lack of accountability, alleging: “The National Assembly has lost its moral authority. Its members are beneficiaries of a corrupt system, having accepted luxury SUVs at a cost of billions of naira to taxpayers. Additionally, the Assembly approved the draconian policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), including the floating of the naira. This decision has weakened the national currency’s purchasing power, making essential commodities unaffordable for millions of Nigerian households already suffering from multidimensional poverty.”
He continued his criticism by highlighting the Assembly’s failure to exercise effective oversight: “The National Assembly neglected its oversight duties, allowing large-scale corruption within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). This resulted in Nigeria losing $1.5 billion under the pretext of turnaround maintenance of the four publicly-owned refineries, none of which are operational.
“The Assembly also failed to prevent the unprecedented rise in fuel prices, which has further worsened poverty and hunger across the country. Consequently, the National Assembly has become more of a liability than an asset.”
Onwubiko accused the National Assembly of corruption. “The legislature has approved exorbitant allowances and constituency project budgets amounting to billions of naira,” he said. “It also sanctioned N25 billion for the upgrade of the Vice President’s residence and hundreds of billions for a new presidential jet, despite 10 jets in the presidential fleet.”
He characterised the seemingly harmonious relationship between the executive and legislative branches as a conspiracy against the Nigerian people: “This collaboration serves the interests of the elite, keeping the poor perpetually in chains.”
On the Assembly’s failure to hold the executive accountable, Onwubiko declared: “The executive controls the legislature, as its leadership is beholden to the President, violating the principle of separation of powers enshrined in Sections 4, 5, and 6 of the 1999 Constitution. The President effectively dictates the legislature’s actions, undermining and sabotaging the interests of the Nigerian people. The people must rise to defend their democracy.”
Onwubiko emphasised the National Assembly’s failure to address significant economic leakages, particularly within revenue-generating agencies, which have been blamed for the yearly loss of trillions of naira.
These are the Senators making law for this nation. Well, nothing new. Their national leaders was a drug baron. So what else does any rational human being expect?
So how much of electricity are you consuming and how much are you paying Mr Minister of Darkness. Fashola was overhyped but this one is the most useless but talkative fella under this impactless regime.
Politics / Re: 'May God Give Nigeria The Likes Of Nwosu' - Peter Obi Mourns ex-NEC Chair by Racoon(m): 8:24pm On Oct 24