<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">The KB Scholars Journal, UK is an integral academic outfit of the KB Scholars <span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;"> Journal Ltd. The KBSP is a comprehensive and well-organised open access online journal committed to academic visibility for researchers and scholars around the world. It is more environmentally friendly than printing it on paper. The KBSP Journal is a special platform enabling African scholars to share their research and ideas with the world. Manuscripts for publication are jointly reviewed by legal experts from various departments, and/or faculties/colleges of law in and around the world as well as other top-notch academics in the law knowledge-based industry. Our partnering research outfit of the KB UK of Royal Arcade Scotland periodically provides technological and innovative supports. KBSP Journal has regional offices in the US at Greenbelt Rd Lanham Md 20706 as well as European office at No. 2 The Laurels Dun An Oir Kanturk Co. Cork Republic of Ireland
The Evolution of Gas Development and Utilization in Nigeria
Nigeria is endowed with abundant natural gas resources, which in energy terms, is in excess of the nations’ proven crude oil reserve. Gas was discovered while searching for crude oil, as no deliberate effort was made to search for natural gas then. The reserved estimate of the Nigerian gas is over 120 trillion cubic feet, with about 50/50 distribution ratio between Associated Gas (AG) and Non Associated Gas (NAG). On an energy equivalent basis, Nigeria's natural gas reserve is three times her oil reserve. Nigeria's gas reserve estimated at 182 TCF (trillion cubic feet) with a projected growth rate of over 70% by 2023, has proven to possess the potential of being a key player in the emergent Global Natural Gas Market. A substantial portion of the gas produced is flared while a minute part is re-injected into the system and utilized. There is a subsisting Gas Master Plan to promote investment in pipeline infrastructure and new gas-fired ‘power plants’ to help reduce gas flaring and provide more gas. The gas master plan also seeks to eliminate the wasteful practice of gas flaring in the short term, but in any case make gas available at commercial and affordable prices to local markets as well as reflect its full economic value; allow for the widespread distribution of gas, LPGs, or even CNG to more remote areas, regionally and internationally; formulate a strategy that adds value for all parties and encourage beneficial gas usage both domestically and/or through capture and, where relevant, savings of foreign exchange. The PIA intends to harness the gas potential of the Country by encouraging investments in the gas space of the hydrocarbon sector. It is against this background that the paper evaluated the evolution of gas development and utilization in Nigeria with respect to the Nigerian Gas Master plan and the gas development and utilization measures. The authors therefore concluded that the proper exploitation and exploration of gas, barring any other odds, could be the game changer of the Nigerian economy.
Derechos de autor 2023 KB Scholars Journal, UK
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AIDING CRIME IN URBANAREAS IN NIGERIA: A JURISPRUDENCIAL ANALYSIS
This paper examined the environmental factors contributing to criminal activities in urban areas in Nigeria. The investigation proceeded from the view that crime is one of the human security problems, which confronted humanity across the globe, a menace which is bedevilling developed and developing countries alike. The paper argued that the nature of crime has been a criminal activity that has the potential to cause significant physical, financial and material losses to victims. Consequent on this, the paper outlined the drivers of urban criminality as relative deprivation, life expectancy, economic inequality, educational attainment, social and economic development and loss in human development potential. The authors asserted that the associated environmental factors of urban criminality such as poverty, unemployment, corruption, urbanisation, family, moral decadence, poor education, technology, child abuse, drug trafficking and abuse, architectural or environmental design are largely attributed to the current crime problems bedevilling Nigeria. The paper concluded that the urban centres in Nigeria are the engines of growth and development, premised on the fact that nearly half of the country’s total population resided in cities. The authors concluded that threats emanating from urban crime exert pressures on urban residents and means of livelihoods. In view of the above, the paper recommended that federal and state governments should immediately tackle widespread poverty and growing unemployment and inequality especially amongst the urban poor.
OBASOHAN OMI JOSEPHINE OBASOHAN OMI JOSEPHINE
CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS ON THE CONDUCT OF HOSTILITIES AND CIVILIAN HARM MITIGATION UNDER INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW
Abstract Armed conflicts inevitably place civilians at risk, making the regulation of the conduct of hostilities under International Humanitarian Law crucial, more particularly, in exploring how Nigeria has approached these obligations in its counterinsurgency operations against Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province. The implication of the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution requiring armed forces to separating civilians from combatants, ensuring avoidance of excessive harm, as well as conducting feasible steps in protection of non-combatants. Furthermore, there are other legal duties, inclusive of emerging civilian harm mitigation practices such as collateral damage estimation, casualty tracking, and reparations. Against this backdrop, the authors argued the need for Nigeria to recognize the associated obligations in the midst of serious gaps in both law and practice. The paper therefore maintained that the incomplete domestication of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, the difficulties of fighting asymmetrical warfare, limited access to advanced intelligence and technology, weak accountability mechanisms, and the absence of transparent reporting on civilian casualties remained glaringly inevitable. The authors concluded that these shortcomings remained the challenges which often-times continue to confront the protection of communities as well as promoting the erosion of public trust in conduct of military operations.
Nkechinyere Huomachi Worluh-Okolie [Ph.D, B.L]
Derechos de autor 2025 KB Scholars Journal, UK
CONTEMPORARY USE OF FORCE IN THE SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES IN INTERNATIONAL LAW
Abstract Traditionally, use of force in international law contains implicated notions. Use of force as a matter of fact, is generally prohibited. There are avalanche of international instruments that prohibit use of force, inclusive of the provisions on combined articles 2 (4) and (7) to the UN Charter. However, these instruments brooks of exceptions including self- defence, collective self-defence, self-determination, uniting for peace, and etcetera. Notwithstanding the above, use of force seems to have been subjected to novel disruption in international law, if regard is had to the recent US invasion of Venezuela, actively spear-headed by President Trump. Against this backdrop, the author argued that use of force can escalate tensions and lead to further violence, undermine diplomatic efforts, violates international law, create humanitarian crises, and destabilize regions. The paper therefore maintained that the global community is tended to strive better in the absence of non-use of force in the settlement of disputes in international law.
REVISITING CORPORATE LEGAL PERSONHOOD IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is and has been shaking traditional legal frameworks, necessitating a fresh look at the concept of corporate legal personhood. As AI-driven entities start to play a bigger role in complex decision-making within corporations, we are faced with important questions regarding accountability, liability, and whether AI systems should be seen as ‘legal persons.’ The authors critically revisit the doctrine of corporate legal personhood in light of the increasing integration of artificial intelligence into corporate operations. The objective is to assess if the current legal understanding of corporate personhood is adequate to address the rise of AI-driven decision-making and whether it needs to be updated to recognize the operational independence of intelligent systems. The authors argued that the traditional view of corporate legal personhood does not adequately address the challenges posed by AI-driven- decision making. The paper therefore maintained that as corporations increasingly delegate key decision-making roles to algorithms, stakeholders must strive to grapple with who represents the corporation, ascertain liability as well as rights and interests distributed within the corporate framework. The authors therefore concluded with a call for a more refined and nuanced understanding of corporate legal personhood, which would involve creating a liability, governance and regulatory framework that goes beyond the current model.
EVALUATING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE FACE OF ‘DEVELOPING CRITICAL VOICE IN LEGISLATION AND LEGAL PRINCIPLES’
Over the past few years, the legal profession has undergone rapid transformation due to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), increasing restrictions on freedom of expression, and evolving global communication patterns. Likewise, nations around the globe have taken steps, including imposing legal restrictions that suppress the rule of law, making it difficult for legal professionals to develop independent critical voices. Furthermore, digital platforms, while offering newer and better opportunities for legal discourse, have been subjected to censorship, micro-management and strict and sometimes unconstitutional surveillance. It is in the light of the above that the paper argued the evolving challenges associated with artificial intelligence in developing critical voice in legislations and legal principles. Furthermore, the need to explore how the academic and legal education community can empower law students to critically engage with these challenges and actively shape the evolution of legal principles was evaluated. The author therefore maintained that Legal education resilience project, (a model event and research initiative assessing global academic responses to AI, censorship, and legal suppression and by implementing this initiative, the legal platform Worldwide) will operate to foster generations of lawyers equipped to challenge repressive legal frameworks and advocate for a more just legal order
AN APPRAISAL OF THE LAND USE ACT AND LAND ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA BETWEEN 1978 AND 2024
It is a basic fact that the economy of a country depends on land for its survival. This economic community survival instinct implicates making land in Nigeria available to all and to ensure that land is acquired and put to a proper use for the needed development. Governments, during and after colonial period, enacted the Land Use Act to govern the use or administration of land in Nigeria. There is no doubt that the land policy affects the economy of a nation either positively or negatively depending on how effectively the policy is implemented. An effective land policy is a sine-qua-non or precondition for the sustainability and management of land. The Land Use Act was enacted in 1978 with the aim of improving economic development by ensuring effective and equitable utilization of land and land resources in the country. The authors argue that notwithstanding the importance of management of land in Nigeria, the established administrative structure incidental to the Nigeria Land Use Act has been inconsistent and devoid of clarity of functions and purpose. The reason advanced in support of the above argument is that efforts aimed at achieving the desired objective has been hampered by two major obstacles. The first is the inherent contradictions and defects in the law and the second is institutional weakness and lack of political will to implement the Act fairly and equitably. In other words, the failure is ascribable to problems inherent in the Act and poor implementation. Consequent on the above, the paper maintained the need to critically examine the Nigerian Land Use Act of 1978, its impact on economic development and the inherent problems of the Act since its promulgation as well as the administrative structure under the Land Use Act, focusing on its effectiveness in light of the general principles and policy that motivated the promulgation of the Act. The authors therefore concluded on the need for legislative intervention targeted at reviewing the provisions of the Act.
ELECTORAL OFFENCES AND ENFORCEMENT OF ATTENDANT SANCTIONS IN NIGERIA
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.785rem; margin: 1.43rem 0px 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">There are various acts of commission or omissions criminalized under the Nigerian electoral laws. These acts of omission and commission are often-times, if not all time, suffer effort fatigue in the process of enforcement as well as incidental sanctions imposed against offenders. The constitutional guarantee of democracy in Nigeria as a state is somewhat intrinsically dependent on the electoral process. The electoral regime is critical to the development of the country’s democracy. However, the maintenance of the integrity of the electoral regime is often undermined by the prevalence of electoral offenses. It is against this backdrop, that the authors argued the need to unearth the crucial facets of electoral offenses and the attendant mechanism for enforcing sanctions. The paper therefore maintained that the nation’s legal framework has evolved various legislations to combat electoral offenses, particularly through the express criminalization of electoral misconducts as provided under the Electoral Act. Furthermore, it should be noted that the efficacious enforcement of imposed penal sanctions for the offenses has been weak, and often resulting in offenders’ escape from the law. The authors therefore concluded that illumination to the dynamics of electoral offenses require the will to identify the dire need for a more effective mechanism to fortify Nigeria’s electoral integrity. <p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.785rem; margin: 1.43rem 0px 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.785rem; margin: 1.43rem 0px 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17045256
REFLECTIONS ON PROVOCATION AS SPECIE OF DEFENCE TO CRIMINAL LIABILITY IN NIGERIA
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">This paper examined the defence of provocation in Nigerian criminal law, exploring its application, limitations, and implications for criminal liability. Provocation is a partial defence that can reduce liability from murder to manslaughter, based on the idea that a person who kills in response to provocation may not have the same level of culpability as one who kills without justification. By adopting the doctrinal method of legal research, the paper analyses the Nigerian Penal Code and Criminal Code, highlighting the requirements for a successful provocation defence, including the nature of the provocation, the loss of self-control, and the proportionality of the response. It also discusses relevant case law and judicial interpretations, illustrating the challenges in applying this defence in practice. It concludes by arguing for a nuanced approach to provocation, balancing the need to acknowledge human frailty with the imperative of protecting human life. Finally, the paper recommend among other things, reforms to clarify and standardize the application of provocation, ensuring fairness and consistency in the administration of justice. <span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17022043
AN INVENTORY ON THE ROLE AND CHALLENGES OF THE EFCC IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">The Nigerian legislation has always favoured the jurisdiction of the Nigerian police in matters appertaining to crime and criminal investigations. However, the economic and global effect of cyber development has created crevice in the ordinary nature of crime and criminal activities, inclusive of crimes such as cybercrimes, economic and financial crimes, money laundering, and etcetera. Oftentimes and most times, the criminal activities concomitant to internet regime has operated to affect the economic and financial development of the country. Sadly enough, the threshold pillar harbouring the development of this new set of criminal activities remain the internet regime, which portends a negative impact on socio-economic development, international banking and financial growth. The sophistication associated with this trend requires a well-trained department conversant in information communication technology. This has given rise to the establishment of the economic and financial crimes commission. Consequent on the above, the author strived to unravel the role and challenges of the EFCC within the economy as well as in juxtaposition to the e-administration and e-governance developmental structure of the country. The paper therefore argued that arresting incidental criminal harvest and menaces associated with the internet regime required a critical consideration of the role and challenges of the EFCC in Nigeria. The author maintained the need to checking the subsisting ‘effort-fatigue’ of the EFCC. <span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17021755
URISTIC OVERVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE SYSTEM IN LEGISLATIVE PROCESS UNDER THE 1999 NIGERIAN CONSTITUTION
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">The committee system is an indispensable component of the legislative process, functioning as a structural and procedural mechanism through which modern legislatures manage their complex and voluminous workloads. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the committee system, focusing on its evolution, typologies, functions, and significance in legislative governance. It explores how committees—classified broadly into standing, select, joint, and ad hoc committees—serve as the core units for the exhaustive examination of bills, detailed investigations of diverse issues, budget analysis, and executive oversight. By delegating responsibilities to specialized committees, legislative bodies are able to engage in more informed, efficient, and deliberative decision-making processes. The study pays particular attention to the Nigerian National Assembly and its committee system, analyzing its structure under the 1999 Constitution and its Rules of Procedure. It examines the allocation of committee leadership, the role of political party influence, and the impact of committee work on the passage and quality of legislation. While the committee system enhances legislative performance and accountability, the paper identifies key challenges undermining its effectiveness. These include political interference, duplication of roles, limited public access to committee proceedings, lack of technical expertise, and poor enforcement of committee recommendations. The paper concludes by recommending reforms aimed at strengthening the independence, transparency, and capacity of legislative committees. Ultimately, the paper argues that a functional and robust committee system is essential to promoting democratic governance, improving legislative efficiency, and enhancing the responsiveness of the law-making process to public needs <span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17021450
EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF RELIGION ON ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY IN NIGERIA
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">This paper examined the substantial impact of religious beliefs on the governance of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) in Nigeria, where the religious landscape is heavily influenced by both Islam and Christianity, thereby shaping societal views, legal systems, and access to ART services. It examines how religious principles and interpretations influence the formulation and enforcement of ART regulations, often resulting in complex ethical and legal challenges. Through an analysis of religious texts, legal documents, and constitutional provisions, the study reveals the complex interrelationship between religious beliefs, cultural practices, and ART governance. It emphasizes the difficulties in reconciling religious freedom with individual rights and autonomy, especially where religious and secular laws overlap. Additionally, the research explores how religious views on ART affect access to services, frequently restricting choices for individuals and couples looking for fertility treatments. The findings of this paper highlight the necessity for a thoughtful and inclusive approach to ART governance in Nigeria, one that recognizes the influence of religion on societal perceptions while safeguarding individual rights and advancing public health. This study enhances understanding of the connections between religion, law, and healthcare in Nigeria, providing valuable insights for policymakers, healthcare professionals, and stakeholders aiming to create more effective and equitable ART regulations. Ultimately, the paper calls for a regulatory framework that respects religious plurality while also ensuring the protection of human dignity, the promotion of public health, and access to safe and effective ART services. <span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17020160
CHALLENGES TO THE ‘COMMITTEE SYSTEM’ UNDER THE NIGERIAN PRESIDENTIAL AND BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUTIONS
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">The committee system is an essential feature of modern legislatures, designed to manage complex law-making processes, facilitate oversight, and ensure the efficient performance of parliamentary functions. However, the effectiveness of committees varies significantly depending on the system of government in which they operate. This paper undertakes a comparative analysis of the challenges confronting the committee system under presidential and parliamentary constitutions of Nigeria and the United Kingdom, respectively. It is against this backdrop that the authors argued that institutional design, party discipline, executive-legislative relations, and political culture impact the autonomy, capacity, and effectiveness of legislative committees in each system. Furthermore, the presidential systems tend to allow for more committee independence due to a formal separation of powers, which often suffer from gridlock, partisanship, and executive interference, unlike parliamentary systems which benefits from greater party cohesion and legislative-executive alignment, notwithstanding its potential to experience excessive executive dominance and weakened committee autonomy. The authors maintained the inherent structural and functional challenges such as limited resources, weak enforcement of recommendations, politicisation of committee leadership, and lack of transparency. Drawing from comparative constitutional and legislative practices, the paper concluded that effective reform must be context-specific, aimed at strengthening institutional capacity, enhancing procedural rules, and ensuring greater public engagement in committee processes. <span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17019631
CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS OF PLEA BARGAIN IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">The Nigerian state being a hybrid and heterogeneous society reflected a peculiar legal system comprised of the received English laws as well as the Statutes of general application that was in force as at 1900, and furthermore, the customary and native laws operational within the southern part of Nigeria, and the Islamic law of the Maliki school applicable in the predominant Moslem North of the country. Consequent on the above, the legal history of the country Nigeria accommodated both the criminal and the penal codes serving both the Northern and Southern divides and reflected mostly the socio-cultural regimes common with regions. Having this as a background, the practice of plea bargain was introduced vide the provision of the Economic and Financial crimes commission. The authors therefore strived to reconcile the practice of plea bargain (introduced in 2004) in a secular and multicultural society, notwithstanding the fact that the customary and sharia laws of the various ethnic groups in Nigeria operating in the Northern and Southern regions is devoid of the concept of plea bargain. Significantly, the introduction and practice of plea bargain portends a challenge in operation against the traditional criminal justice system. The paper therefore maintained that the introduction and practice of plea bargain though a positive step, is however laden with challenges both in administration and operation. <span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">DOI: zenodo.org/records/15856307
SOCIO-POLITICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS THAT VITIATE INDUSTRIAL OIL SPILLAGE AND POLLUTION MANAGEMENT SCHEME IN NIGERIA
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">Oil pollution, both in the air and land space, has over the years attracted serious problems on the use of the environment. This pollution manifested in water pollution through oil pipeline spillages with the attendant adverse effects on aquatic plants, animals and fishes in the water, contamination of crops and other forms of hazards on the ecosystem. By no stretch, stopping the oil industries from operation has been an impossible venture on the part of the Nigerian government, apparently due to the huge financial benefits accruing from transactions in crude oil which potentially supports the Nation’s economy. Consequent on the above, the Nigerian government resorted to redress and remedy the situation through enacting laws for the purpose of controlling or managing oil spillages within the air and land spaces of the Nigerian environment. Some of the frameworks include the Oil Spill Recovery, Clean-up, Remediation and Damage Assessment Regulations 2011; Oil Spill and Oil Waste Management Regulations 2011, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (Establishment) Act 2006, Oil Pipelines Act 1965 and lots more. Managing oil pollution through these laws has not been easy due to environmental elements such as illegal oil bunkering, pipelines vandalism and corrupt practices of enforcement agencies. The authors therefore argued that these elements have always vitiated industrial oil spillage, control or management scheme in Nigeria. The authors vide a doctrinal research methodology and evaluation examined the said environmental elements that vitiated industrial oil spillages. Consequent on this premise, this paper maintained the need for critical re-organization of environmental law enforcement officials in the face of mounting corruption in order to reinforce the safeguarding of the Nigeria environment from oil pollution. <span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15806471
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AS SPECIE OF HUMAN RIGHT IN INTERNATIONAL LAW
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">Reproductive health is a human right as well as ecological right. These rights are guaranteed through various International Instruments as well as local legislations. Prominent among these International Instruments are the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women, American Convention on Human Right, the African Charter on Human and People’s Right and etcetera. Reproductive health has constituted a serial problem in the global community, apparently due to ignorance on the efficacy of the genius ‘human rights’ as well as ‘religion-cultural’ inclinations and practices. It is observed that both males and females are victims of the reproductive failures which made them sad. The regime of Assisted Reproductive Technology has been a welcome development in rescuing the plights of childlessness in most couples. However, some religious practices remain vehemently opposed to the available remedies ushered by technology, which is perceived as a misnomer to natural conception. The author argued that legislative provisions of state parties be made compulsorily available to the citizenry in order to set them free from religious and cultural bondages opposed to alternative means of procreation. The paper therefore maintained that environmental degradation has in some cases operated to hamper reproductive health in some nations inclusive of Nigeria. The author therefore concluded that absolute precautions are to be accommodated in order to preserve national biodiversity and eco system. <span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">DOI: https://doi./org/10.5281/zenodo.15803506
LEGAL THRESHOLD IN THE BRAKING OF THE CARBON CURVE TO EFFECTIVE VEHICLE EMISSION REGULATION IN NIGERIA
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">The Nigerian transport sector accounts for a significant share of carbon emissions. Studies show that this is a worldwide trend as transport accounts for approximately 14% of global greenhouse gas emission. The major sources of this disturbing phenomenon are emissions emanating from motor vehicle exhaust. These emissions pose health and environmental challenges on a daily basis. Given this effect, carbon reduction strategies have become increasingly imperative. Nigeria has made little but adequate provisions to curb this problem. Research shows that despite the adequacy of these provisions, the problem persists. The authors therefore examined relevant legal provisions on the control of automobile emission and argued for the need to harvest legislative and regulatory framework aimed at containing the shortcomings in vehicle emission regulations. The paper revealed significant gaps like weak enforcement and institutional overlaps. The authors therefore maintained that the problem of vehicular emissions required an effective and comprehensive reform strategy, capable of embracing the establishment of a centralized body to oversee vehicular emission regulations in Nigeria. The paper recommended that by addressing identified barriers Nigerian can significantly reduce her carbon footprint, thereby halting the brakes in the Nigerian carbon curve.
LEGAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHALLENGES IN REGULATION OF LAND USE RIGHT IN NIGERIA
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">It is an axiomatic fact that the ever increasing population in urban areas in Nigeria has negatively impacted on land space and invariably, land use rights. Increase by way of population growth and routine migration to urban areas has continued to exert population pressure, and impacts negatively on socio-economic growth involving transfer of land use rights. Land use right has a sharp increase tendency in Nigerian cities, affecting the methods of land use rights as well as the management and regulation of land, which has always been at the core of national development, urban planning, real estate development, and environmental management. Against this backdrop, the authors argued the need for the regulation of the transfer of land use right in order to harvest the concomitant economic developments. The paper maintained that government has paid great attention to management and regulation of land through series of legislations and regulations, right from colonial times with the aim of achieving maximum use and regulation of land space through granting access to use of land, which for instance, promoted initiatives aimed at increased transparency, a clear legal framework and competent institutions to ensure maximum benefit to the people, in the grant of land use right, including the subsisting Land Use Act 1978.
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF PLEA BARGAIN IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN NIGERIA
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">The issue of delay in the administration of criminal justice has been a deep seated one, premised on the fact that ‘justice,’ is not a one way traffic, it is not even a two way traffic, it is a three way traffic, justice, for the accused, justice for the victim and justice for the society at large. The search for justice is as old as the existence of man. Society all over the world had at one time or the other, designed models of public justice to attain criminal justice. But a full proof model of criminal justice till date has remained illusory. By no stretch, pragmatic legislators developed the instrument of plea bargain in the attainment of criminal justice. Plea bargain is generally an agreement in a criminal trial in which a prosecutor and an accused person arrange to settle the case against the accused usually in exchange for concession by pleading guilty to the crimes. The paper therefore traced a countervailing consideration behind the articulation by judges, legislators and law reformers in adopting plea bargain in the administration of criminal justice in Nigeria. The doctrinal method of legal research was adopted, which included primary and secondary sources. The research also carried out a comparative analysis of plea bargain in Nigeria and some selected jurisdictions particularly America and proffered suggestions to reinforce and strengthen the legal framework for plea bargain. The author concluded that plea bargain is necessary but there is need to improve its applicability in our criminal justice system particularly in corruption cases as it is applied globally, with particular attention to America. The paper maintained that all states of the federation should adopt plea bargain as provided in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act to strengthen the administration of criminal justice in Nigeria as well as improve administration of criminal justice in-order to reduce delay in the administration of criminal justice and to decongest the criminal courts in Nigeria.
THE ROLE OF VOLUNTARY CONSUMERS ASSOCIATIONS IN THE ENFORCEMENT OF CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS IN NIGERIA
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">Protecting the consumers of goods and service has become a central issue of concern in many countries of the world, more than, it has ever been. The upsurge of attention in this issue could be ascribed to a number of factors which includes, but not limited to, upsurge in the rates of fake and substandard products and services offered in the market and the resultant health and life-threatening challenges it poses for man. The complex nature of plethora of problems has made the perception of consumers’ to be difficult; for instance, the entirely new dimension of trade malpractices, information asymmetry, and power imbalance between the consumer and manufacturer, and suppliers of products and services. This is made even more difficult as a result of the complex nature of modern products occasioned by the use and adoption of advanced technology, the disadvantaged position of the large majority of consumers <em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">vis-a-vis <span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">the manufacturers and suppliers of products and services, apathy and high level illiteracy and poverty of many consumers in many countries, especially sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia, and absence of effectual and effective competition and aggressive advertising which often times create false impression about products. To ensure that consumers of products and services are not surcharged through trade malpractices in their dealings with manufacturers and suppliers-governments all over the world, governments usually enact laws and/or establish administrative regulatory measures to check and protect the interests of consumers. Any government that does not take the issue of consumer production serious is being likened to a government that toys with the human right and wellbeing of its people. Consequent on the above, the authors argued that the checks and measures established by governments, do go a long way to ensure that consumer interest is advanced and protected by voluntary non-governmental associations. The paper therefore maintained that the role of voluntary services offered in the market operated to improve the consumer-manufacturer-supplier market chain as well as ensuring the very best for the regime of consumerism.
THE NEED FOR REFORMS ASSOCIATED WITH PROBLEMS IN DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE UNDER THE NIGERIAN MARRIAGE ACT
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">Before 1970, the Nigerian divorce legislation followed the matrimonial offence theory, which was influenced by English Matrimonial Cause Laws. With respect to this theory, a marriage could only be terminated if a spouse-party committed a matrimonial offence such as adultery, cruelty, or desertion. This concept however faced consistent criticism from scholars and jurists who argued that the theory emphasized assignment of blame rather than addressing the underlying causes of marital breakdown. Critics undeniably considered matrimonial offences as indications rather than the actual reasons for marital problems. Nevertheless, a significant shift occurred with the enactment of the Act, introducing the breakdown principle, which permits either party to seek divorce based on the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. This paradigmatic shift streamlined the divorce procedure, removing the necessity to prove specific matrimonial offences for obtaining a divorce. Flowing from the above, the paper argued the need to appreciate the inherent problems associated with the process of obtaining a divorce under the Nigerian Marriage Act as well as the aftermath effects. The author maintained that there is a structured procedure for the dissolution of marriages, with inherent notable complexities and gaps that negatively or positively impact implementation, thereof.
ESTABLISHING LEGAL FRAMEWORK ON INTERNAL DEMOCRACY IN POLITICAL PARTIES IN NIGERIA
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">It is an axiomatic fact in Nigeria that political parties specifically constitute the only harbinger and/or platform operating as a threshold for harvesting nomination and sponsorship of candidates for elective positions. As a matter of fact, political parties advance the process of recruitment of political elites as well as simultaneously mobilize the electorates for elections. The ultimate role in this chain is that political parties assume the task of providing governance to the people. Consequent on the above, the authors explored the legal framework regulating political parties and the provision of crucial tendencies of inclusivity, intra-party dynamics, leadership structure, external influences, and the judiciary as they impact the enthronement of internal party democracy. The paper therefore, detailed the fundamental nature of political parties and juxtaposed these parties with the routine operation of attendant intricacies of ensuring internal party democracy. The authors therefore maintained the need for a multifaceted landscape with robust legal provisions under the Nigerian electoral laws, notwithstanding the fact that these regulatory provisions suffered insufficient implementation, adherence, and deficit enforcement. The paper concluded that the enthronement of internal party democracy continues to face various challenges. Significantly, the work identified the inherent lacuna as well as recommended need to reinforce democratic practices in intra-party affairs in order to ensuring stern enforcement of the existing legal provisions by the courts.
QUEST FOR THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF A CONVICT IN CRIMINAL CAUSES INVOLVING DEATH PENALTY IN NIGERIA
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">Laws are no doubt backed by sanctions, therefore, any breach of the law attract penalties. In criminal causes convicted and sentenced criminals are made to suffer for the crime they committed. Death penalty is prescribed for capital offences such as murder, armed robbery, terrorism, kidnapping among others. There have been raging arguments across the globe for and against the imposition of death penalty. The protagonists of death penalty posit that there is the need for retribution for a crime committed and that the death penalty deters and prevents other criminals from committing crimes and as such death penalty should be abrogated. On the other hand, the antagonists are of the utmost opinion that death penalty should be abolished sequel to the fact that it is against the right to life; it is inhuman and immoral to kill intentionally; it is demeaning and has not in any way deterred or prevented crimes. The doctrinal research methodology was adopted in this work, and the findings revealed that the arguments canvassed by both the protagonists and the antagonists of death penalty are germane. The authors concluded however, that having regards to the raging confrontations and contestations, it has become pertinent that death penalty should be abrogated and replaced with life imprisonment. The paper therefore maintained that a moratorium be made on death penalty in order to temporarily suspend its implementation for a period of four years in every country where death penalty is practiced before it is finally abolished
UTILIZING LEGISLATIVE INTERVENTION TO PROMOTE ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY IN NIGERIA
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">Assisted Reproductive Technologies is a process aimed at facilitating procreation devoid of physical sexual intercourse between the male and female partners. The procedure is medically designed to assist infertile couples to achieve conception and bear children, notwithstanding the problem of infertility. There are different methods of ART. However, each depends on the causes of the infertility as determined through clinical diagnosis. Generally, ART involves the manipulation of human sperm and ovum outside the woman’s body to facilitate fertilization and conception. It is against this background that the authors canvassed for a specific legislative intervention in the application of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) in Nigeria. The authors further argued for the use of assisted reproductive technology to achieve conception in the face of condition of subsisting infertility which has introduced several emerging issues that require legislative intervention. The paper noted that while several countries have taken deliberate actions to establish legal and ethical guidelines to regulate ART, Nigeria has failed to do so despite the relatively long duration of the practice in the country. The paper maintained that the development of binding and enforceable legal norms is fundamental to entrenching transparency, accountability, and quality assurance in ART practices. The authors adopted the doctrinal research approach and thereafter recommended the establishment of flexible and decentralized legal and institutional regulatory mechanisms that would create a minimum standard of practice and define the rights and obligations of individuals who are involved in the utilization of ART techniques in the country.
RESOLUTION OF BOUNDARY AND NAME DISPUTES UNDER THE UN CONVENTION ON LAW OF THE SEA
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">Maritime Boundary is a conceptual division of the earth’s water surface areas using physiographic or geopolitical criteria. It usually bounds areas of exclusive national rights over mineral and biological resources. The power of a State over its territory is not limited to the terrestrial area but extends also to the sea area adjacent to it therefore maritime boundary are very important. As states formed, developed, and expanded, the need to define and uphold maritime boundaries became increasingly relevant, in order to avoid unnecessary maritime boundary disputes. Notwithstanding the fact that disputes are inevitable in the international community, there was need for the UNCLOS to regulate transactions of states in the seas. These international law efforts subsisted in regulating maritime transactions. It is against this background that the authors argued whether unilateral declaration by the President of the US changing the name of Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America constitutes a maritime boundary disputes notwithstanding the fact the declaration related only to change of name but not contentions relating to a portion of sea, sea-bed, or even marine resources. The paper therefore maintained that there was research ‘evidence gap’ supporting the traditional claims of states to marine environments bearing names derivative of the coastal state. The authors therefore concluded that maritime name change constituted maritime boundary dispute. <span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">DOI: https://doi.org/10.60787/kblsj.v2i1.66
EVALUATING THE EQUITY OF FEDERAL CHARACTER PRINCIPLE AS SPECIE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE NIGERIAN DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">The federal character principle is aimed at providing equitable attention in the distribution of governmental and public positions within the civil and public service as well as other areas of benefits with a view to solving the problem of ethnic domination of the nation’s governmental offices by any particular ethnic group particularly to the detriment of vulnerable ethnic groups. Ethnicity has been viewed as a major hindrance that causes a state of imbalance in the even distribution of governmental and public offices in Nigeria. To curb this misfortune, the federal government of Nigeria established the Federal Character Commission as a federal executive body through Act No. 34 of 1996 to implement and enforce the Federal Character Principle of fairness and equity in the distribution of public posts and socio-economic infrastructures among the various federating units of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The author therefore maintained that the Federal Character Principle has not yet attained the purpose of its creation, as ethnic related sentiments and huddles operate to dominate every inch of the fabrics of the nation, Nigeria. The paper therefore concluded the result of the failure of the Federal Character Principle on the above direction has led to the dominance of some ethnic groups in the corridors of power, to the marginalization of the weaker ethnic groups. <span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">DOI: https://doi.org/10.60787/kblsj.v2i1.60
Democratisation, democracy and socio-legal aspects of political parties in Nigeria
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.785rem; margin: 1.43rem 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">There is a cordial interaction among the three-some regimes of ‘democratization,’ ‘democracy’ and ‘socio-legal’ aspects of political parties in Nigeria. A political party is a legitimate association of free men and women who congregate and agglomerate for the purpose of wrestling power through the ballot box and forming the government in a democratic state. Democratisation as a matter of fact, is the harbinger of democracy which is a form of government. Democracy is about developing the political culture or specific behavioural norms that protect individual and group rights in a political process. Significantly, democracy is that form of government in which the sovereign power resides in and is exercised by the whole body of free citizens directly or indirectly through a system of representation as distinguished from monarchy, aristocracy or oligarchy. Consequent on the foregoing, the authors argued that a political party must exhibit if not all, but some of the three-some regimes of democratisation, democracy and socio-legal ingredients as well as check the dominance of godfathers in order to be viable and command the compliance of members. The paper therefore concluded that certain challenges such as the effect of godfatherism on democratisation as well as internal democracy operated to hamper the smooth running of the socio-legal aspect of good governance in the entirety of the Nigerian political space. <p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.785rem; margin: 1.43rem 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.785rem; margin: 1.43rem 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">DOI: https://doi.org/10.60787/kblsj.v2i1.64
Foundation for corporate social responsibility under the petroleum industry Act 2021
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has garnered the interest of numerous<br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">management and legal researchers over time. Unfortunately, there has not been any agreement<br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">among academics about how CSR would affect corporate performances hence the relationship<br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">between the two has proven contentious. Prior to the enactment of the PIA 2021, there was an<br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">unending debate as to whether CSR should be made voluntary or mandatory. With the<br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">emergence of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, the issue has now been settled as corporate social<br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">responsibility is now mandatory for every settlor. The authors therefore argued that corporate<br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">social responsibility being a fundamental part of the oil and gas sector has been subjected to<br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">diverse discussion, following the enactment of the Act. They maintained as a matter of fact, that<br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">the Act contained various definitions without end, which for instance, provided in S. 240 of the<br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">PIA as mandatory for every settlor to contribute 3% of her actual annual operating expenditure<br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">of the preceding financial year in the upstream petroleum operations to the host communities for<br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">the development of the host community, with sanction-provisions for noncompliance. The paper<br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">therefore concluded that the PIA 2021 as good as it sounds, did not provide for other<br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">communities that are not oil producing communities, directly affected by the activities of the<br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">settlor, that is, gas flaring, but rather focused only on oil-producing companies that operated in<br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry within the host communities. <span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">DOI: https://doi.org/10.60787/kblsj.v2i1.61
APPLICATION OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN ELECTION PROCEEDINGS IN NIGERIA
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">The enactment of the Electoral Act 2022 is a welcome development for Nigerians and friends of Nigeria because of one peculiar feature, which is the introduction of electronic transmission of results from the polling units as well as other related provisions, contained therein. The provisions of the Act, which provides for the transmission of results from the polling unit envisaged the collation of results from the polling centers as well as the declaration of the results. It is against this background that the authors critically examined the electronic transmission of results which invariably seek to promote credibility of election matters in Nigeria, and specifically focusing on judicial intervention on the use of electronic devices in the conduct of elections. The authors demonstrated the extent to which electronic devices or technologies applied in the Nigerian electoral process as well as the pronouncement of courts has effected on the regime of use of electronic devices in the conduct of elections. The paper considered the concomitant challenges associated with the application of electronic devices and resultant utilization in the Nigerian electoral process usually in the face of electoral disputes in the courts or tribunal. The paper found that while the courts and tribunals in the course of resolving electoral litigations have faithfully or otherwise, accommodated the use of manual methods together with the use of electronic devices, and by so doing, invariably creating a window for election manipulators to operate in a different dimension. The authors concluded by demonstrating that the electoral umpire, INEC have continued to undertake legal, structural and institutional reforms which are not only supportive of the credible electoral process but also reinforced the efficient performance of the technology used in Nigeria, particularly, such measures aimed at making the use of electronic devices or other relevant technological devices for the electronic transmission of results mandatory through necessary amendments to the Electoral Act 2022. <h2 class="label" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 1.143rem; line-height: 2.143rem; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 1.43rem; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">References <div class="value" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: 'Noto Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"> A. K. Anya, The Role of Courts in Application and Enforcement of Law in Nigeria, Vol. 9 (No. 1) (2017) Port Harcourt Law Journal; ResearchGate.com/anyakingsleyanya Ibid, at P. 2 Ibid, at P. 3 [Hereafter, The INEC] (as amended) Available online at www.inecnigeria.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/FINAL (2010) All FWLR (Pt. 524) p. 117 at 136-137. (as amended) INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2019 Ibid. Ibid. Section 153 of the Electoral Act [Hereafter, The SCR] Oyetola & anor. v INEC & Ors. (2023) LPELR 60392 (SC) Pp. 18, 20 Paras. (E)–(F) Supra, at P. 21, Paras. (A)–(F) Oyetola & anor. v INEC & Ors. (2023) LPELR 60392 (SC) Per Emmanuel A. Agim JSC at Pp. 18 – 20 Paras (A)–(D) Oyetola & Anor, supra, at paras. (A)-(F) Oyetola & anor. v INEC & Ors. (2023) LPELR 60392 (SC) Per Emmanuel A. Agim JSC at Pp. 16 –18 Paras (C)–(D) Supra, at P. 22, para. (A)-(F) (2019) LPELR-48488(CA) (as amended) Abubakar & Anor. v INEC & Ors., Supra Ibid, Per Samuel Chukwudumebi Oseji, JCA at Pp. 363, 384 (Paras. (A)–(D) (as amended) supra Unrep. SC. 907/2016 delivered on 8th January 2016 (2016) 12 NWLR (Pt. 1526) 179 at 237 (E)-(H) to 239 (A) per Nweze JSC Unrep. judgment of the Court in appeal No. SC.1004/2015 of February 5, 2016 Unrep. Judgement, supra. Per Mohammed Lawal Garba JCA at Pp. 187, 214 Paras (C )-(E) Supra, Per Samuel Chukwudumebi Oseji, JCA at Pp. 384, 385 Paras (E)-(F) (as amended) Ibid. (2023) LPELR-60392(SC) (as amended) supra
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