The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has passed into second reading “A Bill for a Law to Provide for the Establishment of Nasarawa State Asset Management Authority” (NASAMA) and for Other Matters Related Thereto.

The Speaker of the House, Dr.

Jatau said that the bill, if passed into law, would ensure transparency and accountability in the management of the state assets/properties.

He then committed the bill to the Joint Committee on Works and Transport and Public Account to work on and report back to the House on Aug.

The Sponsor of the bill, Daniel Ogazi, said that the bill would ensure adequate control and maintenance of government properties across the state.

 “Mr Speaker and Honourable colleagues, this bill will ensure transparency and accountability in the management of state properties.

“We have a lot of assets that have been abandoned, depreciated and sometimes governments do not know the numbers of assets they have in the state and the country.

“So, we need to have an agency that will ensure proper record of the state assets as this bill will ensure transparency and accountability in the management of the state assets,” he said.

Ogazi called on his colleagues to support the bill to scale second reading.

Contributing, other members such as Jacob Kudu, Esson Mairiga, Dr Hajarat Danyaro, Ibrahim Sa’ad, Suleiman Azara and Mohammed Isimbabi supported the bill to scale to a second reading.

They said that the bill would also address abandonment of projects in the state and create employment among other benefits to the state.

Some civil society organisations (CSOs) have urged the National Assembly to reject bills capable of threatening civic space, constitutional freedoms and democratic governance in Nigeria.

The CSOs stated this at a joint news conference on Monday in Abuja over what they described as growing restrictive and repressive legislative proposals before the national assembly.

The statement read at the joint news conference was signed by Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Rafsanjani; Director, Centre for Democracy and Development, Dr Dauda Garuba, and the Country Manager, Global Rights, Olubunmi Aweda, among others.

They warned that the proposed laws would expand executive control over civic life and undermine freedoms of expression, association, peaceful assembly, media independence and democratic participation.

The CSOs argued that the pending bill formed part of a broader legislative effort to tighten executive control over civil society, independent media and digital spaces.

According to them, the proposals could create fear and self-censorship ahead of the 2027 general elections instead of encouraging open democratic participation and accountability.

The organisations particularly opposed the Foreign Aids (Regulation, Transparency and Disclosure) Bill, saying it grants excessive powers over organisations receiving foreign assistance.

According to them, the bill seeks to establish a Foreign Aid Regulatory Commission, with powers duplicating existing agencies, including the Corporate Affairs Commission and EFCC.

“Mandatory registration, extensive reporting requirements, audits and sanctions under the bill can undermine civil society independence and legitimate humanitarian activities,” the CSOs said.

They also criticised the proposals requiring social media platforms to establish physical offices in Nigeria, warning that such measures could facilitate censorship and restrict access to information.

The CSOs maintained that both proposals were inconsistent with Nigeria’s constitution, African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and international human rights obligations.

They, therefore, urged the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the entire lawmakers to withdraw the bills, consult stakeholders and ensure future legislation complied with constitutional and international human rights standards.

They stressed the need for the national assembly to protect civic space, strengthen transparency and accountability, and uphold democratic values rather than enact laws which they described as repressive.

On which chamber of the national assembly proposed the bill and at what level it stands now, Rafsanjani called on the legislators to be patriotic.

“It is our responsibility as Nigerians, as patriots, as democrats, to begin to demand that there must be accountability, there must be transparency, there must be openness.

“That is why we are advising people in power, whether in the executive or legislature, or even the judiciary, they should be just and fair to everybody.

“They should create a system, an enabling framework that will guarantee freedom as enshrined in our constitution and the various intentional protocols that we have signed as a country.

“We cannot continue with this impunity and reckless governance. We cannot continue to be lamenting and everyday counting dates because some people have refused to do what they are supposed to do,” Rafsanjani said.

No fewer than 89 CSOs were signatories to the statement.

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Monday said the people are behind him in the forthcoming governorship election, urging the electorate in the state to be courageous and come out to participate in the poll.

Adeleke spoke in Osogbo, the state capital, shortly after an interactive session with the civil servants and pensioners at a programme tagged ‘A day with Mr.

Adeleke, who declared that he was not under pressure going into the final moment of the election, expressed doubt over police neutrality.

He, however, said that members of the National Peace Committee will engage with the leadership of the security agency, having briefed them on the security situation in the state during the signing of the Peace Accord by the candidates.

“I am not under pressure because I have God on my side and on the side of the people of Osun. We are very prepared, and I want you to tell them that they should not be afraid. This is democracy, and Nigeria has decided to practice democracy. They should not be afraid even against all the intimidation of the APC.

“I am telling them that democracy and the will of God will prevail. They should come out on August 15 en masse and should not be afraid to vote and let them go and perform their civic duty, and their votes will count.

“After signing the peace accord, the peace committee has promised me that they are talking to them. The police, I don’t trust them right now, but the peace committee are talking to them, and they promised to work on it. I pray by the special grace of God, God will touch their heart,” Adeleke said.

Speaking at the event, the Osun State chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Christopher Arapasopo, highlighted various initiatives introduced by the Adeleke administration to improve workers’ welfare.

Arapasopo further said in Yoruba language, “We must not go back to dark days under the APC government. Enough of intimidation and harassment. Tell them that we cannot be intimidated. God gave them opportunities to be governor of Osun State.

“Before now, some of our pensioners were receiving N300, N1,500 and N3,000 as pension allowance. The story is now different as pensioners are now getting N25,000, N10,000 and better allowances.

“Workers of Osun State, it is time for an election. All those causing problems for Governor Ademola Adeleke will evaporate like a fart.

We don’t have anybody, but we have Almighty God. We are the anointed, and let us tell God in prayer so that Adeleke’s enemies will meet their Waterloo.”

The electorate in Osun State will be going to the polls on Saturday, August 15, to elect a governor in an election where 14 candidates will be participating, including the incumbent governor, Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party.