The long military rule in Nigeria has impacted negatively on the 23 years of uninterrupted democratic rule. Vice Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Issa Aremu, who was Lead Guest Speaker at the distinguished Alumni Association of National Institute (AANI) lecture held yesterday at Kuru, Jos, said “this is because good governance is not made compulsory for both elected and appointed political leaders.”

Discussing ‘Good Governance and the Consolidation of Democracy in Nigeria: Issues and Challenges’, Aremu charged Nigerian politicians toe guard their utterances and not antagonise their opponents.

Playing in the largest democracy in Africa, Nigerian politicians, Aremu counselled, should behave in conformity with Part II of the Nigerian Constitution.

Recalling the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, Aremu said never again should any government annul a free and fair democratically conducted election in the country.

He wondered why it is difficult for the big political parties to choose females as their running mates, adding: “Today is the Nelson Mandela Day when Nigerians are expected to follow his footsteps in democracy.”

Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Prof. Ayo Omotayo, said the new programme was captured within the ‘Frame of Activities and Programmes’ planned upon his resumption of duty as DG for integration into the institute’s various directorates’ plan, not just for the year but also for the future.

His words: “This is of utmost importance, if we are to maintain our stance as the nation’s foremost think-tank.

“Four thematic areas have been arrived at from which lecture themes and topics would be drawn up for the Lecture Series. These are Governance, Strategic Leadership, Economy and Security. This gave rise to the theme of this inaugural lecture.”

To qualify as a resource person for the Lecture Series, such person must not only be an alumnus of the institute, but must also be a specialist or a practitioner in the thematic area for the proposed lecture.

He added: “The person must possess an accomplished and proven track record on the subject area. I, therefore, commend our resource persons for distinguishing themselves out of the so many persons considered by meeting these eligibility criteria.