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.

By David Torough, Abuja

A fresh political confrontation erupted on Sunday between the Presidency and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over the state of Nigeria’s economy and the role of religious leaders in holding the government accountable.

The Presidency mounted a robust defence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reforms, rejecting Atiku’s criticisms as outdated, misleading and politically motivated.

In a statement titled “Facts, Not Fear: A Point-by-Point Response to Atiku Abubakar on Nigeria’s Reform Journey,” it argued that the former vice president relied on economic data from 2024 while ignoring improvements recorded over the past two years.

According to the Presidency, the economy has shown significant recovery following the initial pains of key reforms, with Nigeria’s dollar-denominated Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rising from about $253 billion after exchange rate adjustments to approximately $377 billion, while the naira value of GDP increased from about ₦314 trillion to around ₦530 trillion.

The government also defended its borrowing profile, insisting that debt should be assessed in relation to the country’s economic capacity and the purpose for which loans are obtained. It maintained that Nigeria’s debt-to-GDP ratio remains below 40 per cent and that debt service-to-revenue has dropped from nearly 100 per cent in December 2022 to less than 60 per cent under the Tinubu administration.

On the controversial removal of fuel subsidy, the Presidency said the policy had significantly boosted revenues to states and local governments through the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), enabling greater investment in infrastructure, education, healthcare and social programmes.

It also rejected claims that its tax reforms were designed to overburden Nigerians, insisting instead that they seek to reduce taxes for low-income earners and small businesses while improving compliance among wealthier individuals and profitable companies.

Highlighting achievements in the social sector, the Presidency said over 3,000 primary healthcare centres had been upgraded, more than 78,000 frontline health workers retrained, while over 100 hospitals now provide free caesarean sections for indigent mothers. It added that more than 1.64 million students had benefited from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), with over ₦303 billion disbursed.

The Presidency further dismissed Atiku’s allegation of an unaccounted ₦7.98 trillion oil windfall, describing the claim as analytically flawed and arguing that actual government earnings were affected by production shortfalls, production costs, revenue-sharing arrangements and forward crude sale commitments.

While acknowledging the hardships created by the reforms, it insisted they were necessary to correct longstanding structural distortions in the economy and expressed confidence that inflation would continue to ease as macroeconomic conditions improve.

However, Atiku rejected the government’s defence, describing it as an attempt to rewrite Nigeria’s economic realities. In a statement issued through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) argued that official data contradict the administration’s claims.

He questioned the government’s assertion that workers’ welfare had improved, noting that the Federal Government had yet to fully implement the new minimum wage and had not paid the 40 per cent peculiar allowance expected to take effect from May 1, 2026.

Atiku also disputed the administration’s claims on public debt, citing Central Bank of Nigeria figures which, according to him, show that the Federal Government’s indebtedness to the apex bank rose from about ₦26.9 trillion when President Tinubu assumed office to over ₦40.38 trillion.

He argued that converting Ways and Means advances into Treasury Bills and bonds amounted to debt restructuring rather than repayment, while accusing the administration of continuing to accumulate fresh debt.

The former vice president also challenged the government’s explanation that fuel subsidy savings were financing NELFUND, recalling that the agency’s management had previously attributed part of its funding to recovered assets from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He further blamed the administration’s borrowing pattern for rising debt servicing costs, saying excessive government borrowing had crowded out private sector investment and worsened economic conditions.

According to Atiku, soaring food prices, persistent inflation, business closures, unemployment, naira depreciation and rising poverty remain the realities confronting millions of Nigerians despite the government’s optimistic assessment.

The political exchanges also extended beyond economic issues, with Atiku condemning what he described as the Presidency’s attack on the Catholic Church and Cardinal John Onaiyekan following recent comments by Catholic bishops on the state of the nation.

He said Catholic bishops are not “political props, rented cheerleaders or praise singers” but moral leaders with a responsibility to speak truth to power irrespective of who occupies the Presidency.

Atiku accused the administration of intolerance towards dissent and urged government officials to address the concerns raised by the bishops instead of attacking respected religious leaders.

He maintained that the Catholic Church has historically defended the interests of the poor, oppressed and vulnerable, insisting that criticism from religious leaders should be seen as an opportunity for reflection rather than an act of hostility.

The former vice president called on the Presidency to apologise to Cardinal Onaiyekan, the Catholic Church and the country’s Catholic faithful, warning that attacks on independent voices undermine democratic values and do not diminish the economic hardships facing Nigerians.