Obi, Kwankwaso, INEC chairman to speak at Chatham House next week (updated)

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), is scheduled to speak at Chatham House, the United Kingdom, on Monday.

Chatham House, in a statement on its website, tagged the event as ‘Nigeria’s 2023 elections: A vision for policy change and institutional reforms’.

The LP candidate is expected to speak on his plans for policy and governance reforms in Nigeria.

The event will be hosted by Alex Vines, the managing director of the Africa Programme at Chatham House.

“Nigeria is scheduled to hold presidential and national assembly elections on 25 February as well as governorship and other subnational elections on 11 March,” the post reads.

“The elections end President Muhammadu Buhari’s two terms in office since his election in 2015 and mark the first time he is not a candidate in a presidential election in 20 years – an important marker in Nigeria’s trajectory of democratic consolidation.

“Nigeria’s Electoral Act, enacted in February 2022, has contributed to improved hope around the election process, reflected in the addition of 12.29 million new voters, 9.51 million of which were then validated, in Nigeria’s voter registration exercise, bringing the total number of registered voters to more than 93 million.

“Nigeria stands at a critical juncture, having suffered from two recessions in the past six years, unprecedented levels of physical and food insecurity, persistent fuel scarcity, and high levels of crude oil theft.

“Civic fatigue also remains an important challenge and Buhari’s three main policy pillars of security, economy, and corruption continue to be defining issues for citizens.

“Peter Gregory Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, discusses his vision for policy and governance reforms in Nigeria, including the priorities for tackling deep-rooted insecurity and corruption, and measures to promote social and political mobility for Nigerian citizens.”

Obi’s scheduled visit to Chatham House comes weeks after Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), spoke at the think-tank.

KWANKWASO, INEC CHAIRMAN ALSO INVITED

Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is also scheduled to attend an event on Tuesday at Chatham House.

The INEC chairman will discuss challenges and plans for the conduct of the elections, including election security and the use of new technological systems.

The event is themed ‘Nigeria’s 2023 elections: Preparations and priorities for electoral integrity and inclusion’.

Rabiu Kwankwaso, standard bearer of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), will also be speaking at Chatham House on Wednesday.

The NNPP candidate will discuss his ideas for improving systems and services in Nigeria, with a particular focus on the country’s education sector and the wider priorities for ensuring secure and inclusive service delivery.

The event is themed ‘Nigeria’s 2023 elections: Service delivery and policy alternatives’.