The renowned legal practitioner, Femi Falana, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) has offered to partner with Penpushing Media towards enhancing good governance and accountability in the interest of Nigerans
Penpushing reports that Falana made this known on Thursday while delivering a paper themed,’ Restoring Electoral Integrity: The Path to Good governance And Public Accountability’, at the 8th anniversary lecture of Penpushing Media held in Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital
The Human Rights Activist emphasized that there was need for Penpushing Media to work together as a team to challenge poverty in the country and complete the task of facilitating credible governance
‘I am submitting to Penpushing, that if we can work together and with the progressive extraction of the political class and the human right community, by the time we are meeting next year, we can tell everybody what we’ve done to improve the lives of our people’, Falana said.
‘And Penpushing I’m going to beg of you, next program you do, try everything you can, to bring politicians here, if they are here, I’m happy about that. For those who are here, please let us work together to challenge poverty in our country, to ensure that every child, they gain Ogun state that gave the southwest free education and now making the free education not free now in our country, under the child’s rights law of this state’
Penpushing further reports that Falana, called on Nigerians to actively engage the democratic process rather than abandon ii, argued that meaningful change can only be achieved through sustained civic participation, institutional reforms and the collective resolve of citizens to rebuild confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system.
The high-profile lecture, equally featured a robust panel discussion involving academics, civil society advocates and communications professionals, who described Nigeria’s electoral process as overly monetised and skewed against people of integrity.
Penpushing also reports that while advocating far-reaching reforms, the panel unanimously maintained that the solution lies not in political apathy but in active participation, stressing that the only way we can change the flawed electoral system is to engage it, adding that we have no option but to build it.
The Chairperson Planning Committee Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, earlier in her welcome address explained that the theme was chosen in view of the reality that the country is going into electoral activities ahead of next political dispensation
‘It is worth pausing, too, on why this particular lecture series matters. Since its inception, this platform has used this occasion each year to hold up a mirror to our nation, on building trust for political and national growth, on the media’s role in peace and strong institutions, on our multi-party democracy, on inclusivity, on federalism, and now, on electoral integrity itself’.
‘Each theme has been chosen deliberately, in step with the most pressing conversation of its moment. This year is no exception. As Nigeria looks toward the 2027 general elections, the question of whether our democracy can deliver credible outcomes and genuine accountability to the people is not an academic one; it is a question that will shape the everyday lives of Nigerians for years to come’.
Penpushing reports that she disclosed that since inception of the media outlet, which interestling the first online to start operations in Abeokuta, town where journalism started in 1859 in Nigeria has been using the occasion each year to hold up a mirror to our nation, on building trust for political and national growth,
‘We are gathered today under the theme, “Restoring Electoral Integrity: The Path to Good Governance and Public Accountability.” It is difficult to imagine a timelier subject. As our nation looks ahead to the 2027 general elections, questions of electoral credibility, transparency, and accountability are on the minds of citizens across every state and every walk of life’.
‘We could not have chosen a more fitting moment, or a more fitting voice, to lead this conversation. That voice belongs to our Keynote Speaker, Femi Falana (SAN), a legal luminary and human rights activist whose career has been defined by an unwavering commitment to justice and to the Nigerian people. We look forward to the clarity and depth he will bring to this discourse’.
Penpushing further reports that Akiyode-Afolabi extend profound gratitude to Chairman of the Occasion, Dr. Tunde Lemo, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Father of the Day, Justice Oladeinde Shoremi, a retired Justice of the Court of Appeal, and Mother of the Day, Dr. (Mrs.) Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, adding that their presence lends both weight and warmth to the occasion.
The committee boss recalled that the platform started from a humble WhatsApp group in 2016 to the household name it has become today, stating that over these eight years, Penpushing Media remained faithful to a simple but urgent mission: to counter the tide of fake news and to stand as a credible source of authentic journalism, for our nation and for the world.
‘That mission finds its clearest expression today, in a lecture series that has consistently asked our country the hard questions, on trust, on federalism, on inclusivity, and now, on the integrity of our elections.’
Penpushing also reports that other programme of event was presentation of appreciation awards to Femi Falana, Governor Dapo Abiodun, Senator Ibikunle Amoson, Deaconess Owolabi Oladejo, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola and Apostele Lawrence Achudume
Meanwhile, others awards are panelists at the ceremony which include Prof Babatunde Ekanola, Wemimo Adewuni, Sulaimon Arigbabu, Stella Sawyerr and Hon Remmy Hazzan
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