31 October 2005

The FPC hosted a seminar on Democracy and Human Rights in Nigeria at the House of Commons, on Monday 31 October 2005. The main speakers at the event were Olisa Agbakoba, a senior Human Rights lawyer, Boma Ozobia a senior maritime lawyer specialising in the oil and gas sector, Rotimi Sankore, a distinguished journalist and Human Rights Campaigner and Sir Stephen Wall, former adviser to the Prime Minister on foreign affairs. The meeting was chaired by Malcolm Bruce MP, Chair of the International Development Select Committee.

"Nigeria is like a limited liability company owned by 120 million shareholders. The company's shareholders elect the company's employees at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Tasks are shared among the elected employees and tenure of office is established with a provision for re-election, based on performance, at the next AGM. The dilemma in Nigeria is that the elected employees have stolen the electoral process. They do not want to go. How will the shareholders reclaim their company?"

Olisa Agbakoba