Speaking at the sixth anniversary lecture of Realnews magazine, Maureen Chigbo, the publisher, reasons that only a credible election can move Nigeria forward  

By Emeka Ejere

Maureen Chigbo, publisher of Realnews Magazine, has identified credible election as a necessarily step towards achieving speedy socio-economic development of a nation as that will produce the right crop of leaders with the will to make appropriate policies.

Chigbo gave the opinion while speaking at the Realnews sixth anniversary lecture titled: “Political Transitions and Africa’s Economic Development” held on Thursday, November 15, at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos.

She told the audience that “the anniversary lecture is one of the ways Realnews is contributing to the development of our nation by providing a forum for frank discussion by professionals, scholars, technocrats and influential personalities on the way forward for our great nation as the hope for Africa.”

She recalled; “In 2014, we focused on general elections; in 2015 the theme was on the economy, in 2016 the discussion was on security, while in 2017 we focused on the challenges of Leadership in Africa. This year we are deliberately exploring Africa’s political transitions and the economy.”

According to her, the choice of topic for this year’s edition of the lecture was informed by contemporary political, economic, security and other challenges facing Africa, especially Nigeria, the giant of Africa, as it prepares for the 2019 elections.

She described Mahmood Yakubu, the guest lecturer, as the best person to do justice to the topic given his world class experience, academic antecedents and his current position as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and president, Governing Board of ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions, ECONEC.

Chigbo explained that the discussants were also carefully selected based on their expertise in various fields to discuss the implication of credible political transitions on the economic development of Nigeria, Africa and to proffer solutions.

She said: “Our choice of topic for the 2018 lecture has been informed by contemporary political, economic, security, socio-cultural challenges facing Africa, albeit Nigeria regarded as the “Giant of Africa” as it prepares for the 2019 polls where Nigerians are expected to elect leaders they hope will move the country to the next level.

“Credible political transitions will yield the kind of leadership that will come out with the right economic policies to jump start the economy and provide the right business environment that will enable all sectors of the economy to thrive especially the oil and gas sector which currently provides more than 80 percent of the country’s revenue.

“You will agree with me that given Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s world class experience, academic antecedents and his current position as chairman of INEC and president of the Governing Board of ECONEC, he is in a better position to do justice to this topic.

“We have also carefully selected all the discussants with expertise in various fields ranging from the economy, human rights to oil and gas to discuss the implication of credible political transitions on the economic development of Nigeria albeit Africa and to fashion a way forward.”

– Nov. 15, 2018 @ 18:45 GMT |