One week after his suspension and subsequent arrest, Abdulrasheed Bawa, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), remains in custody. This does not speak well.

It doesn’t do credit to the country, the president, the EFCC, or the much-touted but largely ineffectual war against corruption in Nigeria.

Now, the issue is not about whether Bawa has committed any infractions. He is human and susceptible to temptations, and like everyone caught up in violating the rules of engagement, he should face the music of his failings. However, there are ideal ways to do things in a democracy; not following those ideals is problematic.

I am saying that stealing public resources is just a subset of corruption; more intangible corrupt practices often rear their heads in the form of poor judgement in the operations of public policy, cronyism, ignoring due process, sabotaging the system for self-gains and devaluing procedures in the management of public affairs. Every time we run afoul of the law, no matter how highly placed or influential we are, we are guilty of some form of corruption.

A point in the case is the penchant of investigating and prosecuting bodies in Nigeria to arrest and detain suspects like it was a fundamental requirement of effective prosecution. 

We must develop a system that respects the dignity of citizens without subjecting them to media trials before they have their day in court. Neither the gravity of the alleged crime nor the suspect’s antecedents (including having previously subjected others to the same treatment) justifies the drama that attends the investigation of people, especially public officials in Nigeria.

And speaking about public officials, it is more about people like Bawa, who led the country’s war against corruption. When we drag people like Bawa and dispense serial and unsubstantiated allegations about them through the media, we erode public confidence in the institution they serve and whatever they represent.

Sadly, this has been the EFCC’s trajectory since its inception. It is the leading anti-corruption agency in Nigeria, yet not one of the five people who have led the organisation has left with their heads high. When they were not accused of corruption, the government of the day found an excuse to push and disgrace every chair out of office.

For instance, arguably the most dreaded chair of the EFCC in its 20-year history is Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. Now, national security adviser to President Tinubu, Ribadu’s tenure brought down one state governor and an inspector general of police. He was reputed to have rejected $15 million from a former state governor. Still, his insistence on prosecuting this governor became his albatross when a “new Pharaoh who did not know Joseph” started occupying the Aso Rock Villa.

 Although that government could have removed Ribadu without drama, the Umaru Yar’Adua presidency went for the spectacular! 

Two weeks after he tried prosecuting former Governor James Ibori (a close associate of the president whom he had accused of attempted bribery), Ribadu was disgraced from office. In public glare, he was forced out of a graduation ceremony at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Plateau state, demoted by the police, and then retired!

Enter Farida Waziri, a retired assistant inspector-general of police (AIG). Throughout her tenure, allegations of covering up for top fraud and money laundering suspects trailed her.

Some reports claimed that certain international donors and partners stopped dealing with Nigeria and that the former American Ambassador, Robin Sanders, once walked out of a meeting with the late Ojo Madueke because Waziri was in the room!

Waziri got the boot in November 2011 with former President Goodluck Jonathan citing “national interest”.

Ibrahim Lamorde replaced Waziri, but he soon came under scrutiny. The senate accused him of stealing some money from the EFCC, even as he was charged with diverting cash and assets recovered from suspects.

His successor, Ibrahim Magu, had it rough from the outset. Upon his appointment by former President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2015, the senate refused to confirm him as chairman. They relied on a report from the Department of State Services (DSS), which allegedly indicted Magu for actions prejudicial to state security, associating with persons of interest, and living above his means.

 Buhari eventually suspended Magu in July 2020, after which he was arrested and subjected to investigations by the Justice Ayo Salami (rtd.) panel. The government never made the findings of the panel public, but Magu was accused of corruption, insubordination, and abuse of office by the former attorney-general, Abubakar Malami (SAN). He did not do it.

Bawa was a breath of fresh air at his appointment in many respects. However, he went the way of his predecessors last week.

His removal and subsequent arrest shocked Nigerians because he met with President Bola Tinubu a few hours before becoming yesterday’s man. Aside from a recent allegation from former governor of Zamafara state, Bello Mattawale, that Bawa demanded a bribe of 2 million dollars from him, the government only attributed his suspension to the investigations of some “weighty allegations of abuse of office.” And there was the fifth corruption czar in Nigeria, going the same ignoble way as all his predecessors.

His continued detention, however, sends wrong signals to Nigerians, who are left to make conjectures about the reason for his arrest. This is more so because of the nebulous character of the expression “weighty allegations of abuse of office.” Historically, we don’t know how much of a president’s or governor’s personal interest is “abuse of office” when an appointee falls out of favour. That always makes things fishy.

So, even though Nigerians cannot vouch for Bawa’s honesty, speculations about steps that he may have taken against President Tinubu’s interests have also hit Nigerians’ consciousness.

The government should not keep Bawa for long without sharing the specifics of his offence with Nigerians. This request is not just about taking care of speculations on the particulars of his transgression; it also goes to the root of the credibility of the EFCC as well as the readiness of the administration to tackle corruption once and for all.

It should start with the decent treatment of those whom we remove from this exalted office. Of course, the government must ensure it appoints only people of integrity to this position, but there is also the issue of security of tenure. This absence of this may pressure officeholders into misdemeanours and encourage distractions. We should give adequate attention to the welfare of the leaders and operatives of the EFCC.

Second, we must try to understand why corruption has been so endemic in Nigeria. This is a country where the bribe takers and bribe givers are in a marriage officiated by bribe keepers. Consequently, we have created a nation where the brazen pursuit of wealth defines social character. 

So, is there a sociological explanation for why corruption has become so cultural? Why are people numb to bribery, influence peddling, and reckless circumvention of due processes in all spheres of life?

Thirdly, and most importantly, we must build the power and force in the EFCC around the institution and not the leader. 

The reform of the EFCC must encourage respect for the rule of law, the dignity of persons, and a level playing field where no one is favoured or despised. All animals must be equal in a country ready to deal with corruption, where Nigeria is. Corruption is so widespread that it is suffocating the oil and gas industry, compounding poverty, increasing insecurity, turning many youths into monsters, adulterating our moral foundation, and bringing the country to its knees.

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has described the proposed 40 percent hike in electricity tariff scheduled to take effect from July 1, 2023, as “simply outrageous.”

The MAN also highlighted that the federal government had increased electricity tariff by 186 percent in the past eight years, adding that the “expectation of the manufacturers is that government and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) will ensure improvement in electricity generation, transmission and distribution that will lead to adequate and reliable electricity supply in the country, rather than increasing the tariff on the mere 4000MW, to meet all revenue needs of stakeholders in the electricity supply industry.”

The manufacturers expressed these views yesterday in a press statement titled, “Possible Impact of Impending Electricity Tariff Hike on Manufacturers.”
The manufacturers stated that the proposed increase in tariff would lead to rise in cost of production, reduction in manufacturers’ profit margin, high probability of activities paralysis and potential reduction in government’s collectible revenue.

The association further noted that implementation of the proposed tariff would complicate the inflationary pressure on the economy, accelerate the recession in the manufacturing sector, hurt the competitiveness of Nigerian manufacturers and heighten the probability of manufacturing firms relocating their plants from Nigeria to other countries.

According to the Director General of MAN, Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir, who signed the press statement, “it is highly concerning for manufacturers to witness the electricity tariff skyrocketing beyond the present embattling high prices, starting July 1st. A 40 percent hike at this time is simply outrageous.”
Ajayi-Kadir further noted that the absence of stable, effective and fairly priced electricity supply in Nigeria has been a long-standing challenge for manufacturers.
He said: “The worrisome development has compelled many manufacturing industries to supplement the unreliable electricity supply with alternative energy sources. Regrettably, the available alternative energy sources such as diesel have become exorbitantly expensive.
“On average, surveyed data by MAN suggested that manufacturers spent at least N144.5 billion on sourcing alternative energy in 2022, up from N77.22 billion in 2021.

“This translates to about 87 percent increase in the cost of access to alternative energy sources by manufacturers within a year.
“In the past eight years, electricity tariff has been increased by 186 percent. The fact that the government itself owes N75 billion in unpaid electricity bills is indicative of how burdensome the cost of electricity has become.”

The MAN argued strongly that as a matter of fact, any further rise in electricity tariff will directly increase the cost of production for manufacturers.
“Already, we have energy constituting between 28 and 40 percent in the cost structure of manufacturing industries. You can imagine the impact on manufacturing industries that are energy-intensive such as metal processing, heavy machinery, and chemicals manufacturing.”
The Association added that “a spike in the electricity tariff will erode the profit margin of the manufacturers and reduce their ability to expand operations and create new jobs.”

It also feared that reduction in profit margins would be “a definite possibility among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who are unable to accommodate the higher price.”
MAN states further: “The hike in electricity tariff will reduce the manufacturers’ profitability and by extension the quantum of taxes and fees payable to the three tiers of government.
“Manufacturers remain the largest income taxpayers in the country. Therefore, in the event of poor income generation due to high costs of production, the government purse will suffer.

“In addition, the manufacturers would ultimately pass on the additional cost to the consumers of their products, which will increase the cost of locally made products in the market and complicate the rising inflation rate in the country.
“An increase in electricity tariff will reduce the purchasing capability. One of the resulting effects is the fall in demand and recession of manufacturing activities over time.”

The association also envisaged a high probability of outward investment as “some manufacturing industries may consider shifting production to other economies with lower electricity tariffs and guaranteed availability.”
Ajayi-Kadir adds: “As it is today, the manufacturing sector, which is the engine of growth, is still struggling as a result of the inclement production environment in Nigeria.

“The expectation is that the government will engage in extensive and intensive consultations with the manufacturers; focus on measures that will salvage the sector and halt the trend of shutdown of factories, knowing the implications and the multiplier effects on employment and the economy.
“Care should be taken to avoid introducing burdensome measures that will further strangulate the manufacturing sector and the whole economy.”

The director general of MAN stated further that the government should ensure that at least 90 percent of electricity consumers are metered to ensure consumption reflective electricity bill payment.
He also advised the government to formulate electricity policies that will aid investment in the energy industry to increase generation capacities and ensure effective implementation of the Electricity Act 2023 aimed at increasing electricity supply in the country.

[ThisDay]

The Society for Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing of Nigeria says ensuring standards and professionalism in sales and marketing in the pharmaceutical sector will contribute to the advancement of the sector and promote the ethical use of drugs by patients.

Speaking at the induction and investiture of fellows of the society in Lagos recently, the president of the society, Tunde Oyeniran, a pharmacist, said recognising the importance of training, ethics and integrity in the sales and marketing of drugs would make a significant impact on the health and well-being of the nation.

He stated, “We are a professional association and that predisposes that there is a minimum level of behaviour, a minimum body of knowledge and a minimum way of doing things, and that is what we are trying to do.

“Before now, that didn’t exist in the pharmaceutical industry. What happens in pharmaceutical sales and marketing is that it is an all-comers affair without any form of standardisation of behaviour, ethics and the way they do things.

“So, what we are trying to do is to bring together everybody involved in sales and marketing whether you are a pharmacist or not. Through this platform, we aim to address common challenges, explore opportunities and promote the highest standards of professionalism and practice in pharmaceutical sales and marketing.”

He said the society recognised the contributions of sales and marketing professionals in driving the success of the pharmaceutical industry, adding that unethical practices would not be tolerated.

[Punch]

• SEC says it is a law-abiding agency that has duly audited its financial accounts year after year before and onward from 2014
• Statements submitted to Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning; Office of the Auditor General of the Federation; Fiscal Responsibility Commission
• They add proper dissemination of factual information is critical to the growth and development of the capital market

Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission), denied media reports claiming it has not audited its financial statements since 2014.

In a statement released on Friday signed by its management, the SEC revealed it is a strong promoter of world-class corporate governance standards, and hereby restates its commitment to upholding such ideals.

False Claims

SEC stated that its attention had been drawn to some reports in the electronic and print media, insinuating that the Commission had not audited its financial statements since 2014, adding:

• “ Contrary to these false claims, the Commission as a law-abiding agency has duly audited its financial accounts year after year before and onward from 2014 and has submitted these to the relevant agencies statutorily empowered by the Federal Government to receive same.

The said agencies they have submitted statements to are the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning; Office of the Auditor General of the Federation; Fiscal Responsibility Commission; Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, as well as the appropriate committees of the National Assembly.

SEC also noted that it is a strong promoter of world-class corporate governance standards, hereby restates its commitment to upholding such ideals and strongly advises persons with requests for information to channel such to the Commission via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., to which the Commission would respond accordingly.

• “The dissemination of factual information is critical to complement the efforts of the Federal Government for the growth and development of the capital market and Nigeria’s economy.

SEC in the news

Nairametrics reported recently that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said that it is collaborating with the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) to develop standards for commodities.

Director General of the SEC, Mr. Lamido Yuguda added that Nigeria has various commodities that could be exported in a bid to grow the economy, provide jobs for Nigerians as well as provide the nation with forex.

Yuguda said that the agricultural sector in the country is expected to grow significantly soon.

• ‘’In its desire to ensure that agricultural produce is of exportable standards and quality, the Commission is collaborating with the Standards Organization of Nigeria to develop standards for commodities”, he said.

Developed standards being exposed to different markets

He also disclosed that because of the collaboration with SON, some of the standards have been developed and exposed to different markets close by and they have been received very well.

The DG said that the development of these standards will pave the way for the export of these products to the international market and in turn, boost the Nigerian economy.

He said that the Commission is pleased about the new government’s mention of supporting the commodities sector as it will further boost the SEC’s efforts at developing the Commodities sector.

[Nairametrics]

The end to wobbling efforts in checkmating security challenges in the country was manifested this Monday when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu sacked former security chiefs and replaced them with persons believed to possess the capacity and determination to tackle the monsters of insurgency that have turned life into a nightmare for many ordinary citizens.

The replacements of the service chiefs came on the heels of the appointment of Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as the Chief of Staff to the President, and Sen George Akume as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). To demonstrate how low the psyche of many Nigerians has become, many citizens, on hearing the names of the new service chiefs, quickly asked: ‘Where do they hail from?’

That is how low the past eight years have dealt with Nigerians in building mutual distrust among citizens of a nation that witnessed the killing of 63,000 citizens under the watch of former President Muhammadu Buhari. Not only were hundreds of communities decimated in the inferno ignited by these monstrous elements, insecurity turned many into terrified people, awaiting the tormentors who have become the dread of the night.

The appointment of Major-General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Chief of Defence Staff); Major-General Taoreed A. Lagbaja (Chief of Army Staff) Rear Admiral Emmanuel A. Ogalla (Chief of Naval Staff) and Air Vice Marshal Hassan B. Abubakar (Chief of Air Staff) was seen by many Nigerians as a departure from the norm where many insisted was not reflective of federal character.

From the applause that have trailed the appointments of these new service Chiefs, there is no doubt that their appointment is a clear departure from the past and representative of the new dawn where every section of the country is given a new direction. More assuring is the footprints anchored on capacity and courage in the discharge of their duties. A look at the profiles of the new service chiefs gives hope that the nation’s security is now in firm hands under the coordination of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu who was named as the new National Security Adviser (NSA).

Born in Sokoto on December 25, 1967, Major General Christopher Gwabin Musa, who hails from Kaduna State was this Monday appointed the 18th Chief of Defense Staff (CDS). He commenced his primary education in 1974 when he was enrolled at the Marafa Danbaba Primary School, Sokoto. Thereafter, he left for the Model Primary School Dorowa Road, Sokoto, in 1978. 

The new CDS got admitted into the Federal Government College, Sokoto, in 1981. After successful completion of his secondary education in 1985, he proceeded to the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria. In the same year, he was enrolled in the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) where he obtained a Bachelor of Science (Hons) and commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant.

The newly appointed CDS, who before his elevation was the Commander of the Infantry Corps,  attended the Young Officers Course in Infantry (1993), the Regimental Signal Officers Course (1998-2000); Junior Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji  (2004-2005); Senior Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji (2007 – 2008). General Musa would later obtain an Advanced Diploma in Security Management from the University of Lagos.

From 2012 and 2013, the infantry officer acquired an Advanced Diploma in Defence and Strategies Course, and Masters of Science (Military Science) from the International College of Defence Studies, National Defence University (ICDS-NDU) in Changping, China. He would in 2017 go through Combined Joint Land Component Commander’s Course on Leadership at the US Army War College.

Among some of the positions he has held in the Nigerian Army include the General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division; Commanding Officer 73 Battalion, Assistant Director Operational Requirements at Department of Army Policy and Plans; Deputy Chief, Staff Training/Operations, headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps; Theatre Commander, ‘Operation Hadin Kai’.

For the new COAS, Major General Lagbaja, he was born on February 28, 1968 in Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State. He attended St. Charles Grammar School and Local Authority Teachers College The new army chief was admitted into the NDA in 1987 as a member of the 39th Regular Course, and later commissioned as a second lieutenant on 19th September 1992.

He was Platoon Commander of the 93 Battalion (1992-1995), and 72 Special Forces Battalion (19995-2001) Lagbaja acquired a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from the NDA, and later studied Strategic Studies at the US Army War College at the Master’s level. In 2009, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff G1 at Headquarters 81 Division and rose to become the Commanding Officer at 72 Special Forces Battalion Makurdi (2012 – 2015).

Some of the top command position he held included the Chief of Staff at Headquarters 8 Task Force Division, Monguno (2016);  Director of Operations at the Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and Operations (2018); Commander of Headquarters 9 Brigade, Ikeja, Lagos State, and Headquarters 2 Brigade, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Before his appointment as the new COAS on June on Monday, General  Lagbaja served as General Officer Commanding Headquarters 82 Division  (March 2021 – August 2022) and  Headquarters 1 Division (August 2022 – June 2023).

From 2008 to 2010, the new COAS attended several courses that include the Military Observers Course on Peacekeeping Wing at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji and ECOWAS Standby Force Battalion Command Post Course-Peacekeeping Centre, Bamako, Mali  (June-August 2010).

General Lagbaja also participated in Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi Peninsula; United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC); Operation ZAKI Internal Security Operation in Benue State; Operation LAFIYA DOLE; Operation MESA/Operation UDO KA – March 2021-August 2022 , among several military operations.

 The new army boss is reputed to have performed creditably well when he spearheaded the Internal Security Operation in South-east Nigeria (Anambra/Abia/Ebonyi/Enugu and Imo States); Operation FOREST SANITY (August 2022-2023) and Internal Security Operation in Kaduna/Niger states where he degraded banditry leading to the reduction of abductions along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway.

Air Vice Marshal Hassan Abubakar was born in Shanono, Kano State, on 11th September 1970. He was enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) as a member of NDA regular course 39, when he was commissioned Pilot Officer in September 1992. He appointed the Chief of Standards and Operations, at the NAF headquarter, before his eventual elevation to the position of Chief of Air Staff.

Some of the training courses AVM Abubakar attended included the Basic Flying Training Courses at the 301 Flying Training School Kaduna; Basic and Advance Airborne Courses at Nigerian Army Infantry Center and School Jaji; Company Amphibious Operations Course at Nigerian Army Infantry Center and School in Calabar; Junior and Senior Command and Staff Courses at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji. He attended the National Defence Course at the Nasser Higher Military Academy in Cairo, Egypt, and also acquired a Master’s Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He was also  at Air Force Military School, Jos where he served as Officer Commanding Yellow Squadron and Admin Officer Primary Flying Training Wing – 301 FTS NAF Kaduna; Aviation Planning Officer, MONUC Air Operations Kinshasa, DRC; Commanding Officer Base Services Wing 81 Air Maritime Group Nigerian Air Force Benin; Operations Officer Operational Conversion Unit, 88 Military Airlift Group, Nigerian Air Force, Lagos; Operations Officer, 88 Military Airlift Group, Ikeja, Lagos; Commanding Officer, 21 Wing 88 Military Airlift Group, Lagos; Group Safety Officer, 88 Military Airlift Group, Ikeja, Lagos; Fleet operation officer, 011 Presidential Air Fleet, and Commander 011 Presidential Air Fleet, among other positions.

Rear Admiral Ogalla, the 55-year new Chief of Naval Staff hails from Ezike in Igbo Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State. He obtained the West African School Certificate from Nigerian Military School ,Zaria, in 1987 where he was the best performing best male science student. He obtained B.Sc in Maths, and was named best naval cadet in his 39th Regular Course. Ogalla was at the Basic Hydrography National Hydrographic School in India (November 2001), and later attended the Junior and Senior Staff Courses at Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, (July 2006). He participated at the National Defence Course (NDC) Course 22 and obtained an M. Sc. Strategic Studies at the University of Ibadan (2014 – 2015). He was on board NNS EKUN, to monitor the ceasefire monitoring exercise embarked by ECOMOG. The new Chief of Naval Staff was also in charge of coordinating anti-illegal bunkering operations and also policing the entire area under the watch of the base. During the period he served, there was reduction in illegal activities in the maritime area within the area of his command.

With President Tinubu appointing Nigeria’s most competent officers to spearhead the fight against insecurity threatening the corporate existence of our nation, many are hoping that criminal activities perpetrated by these murderers are set to be something of the past. President Tinubu has shown clearly through these appointments that insecurity under his watch won’t be given oxygen.

The headline question is usually not my style of writing. The reason for it is that it leaves the readers with some unresolved puzzles. As a matter of rule, a good write-up should provide answers to all probing questions. But in this piece, I take an exception to that rule.

Other than fuel subsidy which is at the heart of the nation’s economy and its impact on every single individual, household, corporate body, and business concern, another issue that excites the populace is the outcome of the deluge of election petitions before the various tribunals sitting at different levels. In Ogun State, it is more like a boxing bout between Governor Dapo Abiodun and the governorship candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Oladipupo Adebutu, who is fighting a proxy war.

Since the declaration of Prince Abiodun as the winner of the last gubernatorial election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), heaven has been let loose. Adebutu and his cohorts have seized Ogun State by the scruff of the neck, literally turning the State into a hotbed of politics. They are the forces allegedly fingered behind the commotion recorded at a recent sitting of the tribunal held within the Magistrate Court premises, Isabo, Abeokuta and the continued threats to lives which have always put the state in the spotlight for the wrong reason.

Months after the elections, their sponsored supporters are still roaming about in the streets waiting for the last-minute order to unleash mayhem at the slightest opportunity just simply because they lost out of power contest.

Recently, they took their restiveness to a ridiculous level, beating up Segun Sowunmi, a recalcitrant member of their party, at the premises of the tribunal. The state has yet to recover from that embarrassing scenario. At home and abroad, people have condemned the culture of violence being foisted on the peace-loving people of the state. Unfortunately, they have refused to heed the wise counsel of the elders to give peace a chance and allow the course of justice to run its natural course while pursuing their legitimate case at the tribunal. They refused because of the fear of defeat that is already staring them in the face.

So, the strategy to ward off the looming disgrace now is to make the state ungovernable by constituting themselves into a huge distraction to the Abiodun administration. Yes, politics, sometimes, is a bully game. But a good player doesn’t get distracted, he keeps his eyes on the ball. In spite of all distractions, Governor Abiodun is keeping his eyes on the development agenda he promised the people in his electioneering for his second term. And he would live by them.

Most regrettably, the petitioner (Adebutu) is cooling off in an undisclosed location in the United Kingdom (UK) from where he has been fanning the ember of disunity all in the name of power acquisition. This leadership style is both uninspiring and unpatriotic. A patriot is one who places the collective interest of the state above personal ambition. Adebutu’s quest for power has become an obsession. And the problem with obsession is this recurring urge to repeat the same behaviour over and over again which smacks of desperation.

Beneath the desperation we have seen is the challenge of striking a delicate balance between what constitutes the collective interest of the state and his personal inclination to lead. An inspiring leader leads in the front. Lado has remained largely at large since the legal fireworks on his petition started. And understandably so because of the shadow of his past. But no matter how fast he can run, it will continue to dog his footsteps.

While we wish him a quick recovery from his lingering illness, it is rather shocking and pretentious to hear that he recently attended a party in London. If that is the case, we can hazard a guess that all is now well. We are anxiously waiting for his homecoming to answer the charges of vote-buying, money laundering, bribery, and criminal conspiracy for which he is being tried because that was the primary reason he went into hiding in the first place, claiming to be on medical treatment.

While his alleged medical treatment lasted, the governorship election tribunal hearing his case challenging the victory of Governor Abiodun had made considerable progress. Unfortunately, it has been a harvest of losses for him and the PDP.

What’s more? The tribunal in its Thursday ruling dismissed the application by Adebutu seeking to strike out Governor Abiodun’s prayers establishing vote-buying allegations against him. This followed strong evidence of electoral fraud allegedly perpetrated during the March 18 governorship election in the state which Governor Abiodun had proved against them.

Accordingly, acting on what it termed as a plethora of evidence at its disposal through discreet investigation and the confessions of some members of PDP who were caught in the act in the alleged money laundering along with Zenith Bank, the police accused them of gross criminal conspiracy during the polls consequent upon which Adebutu took to his heels and hurriedly sneaked out of the country.

With the weight of evidence before it and the portion of Governor Abiodun’s response which specifically indicated the degree and effects of electoral fraud committed by Adebutu and the PDP, the tribunal unanimously ruled against the application seeking to strike it out, giving the governor another victory in the ongoing legal proceedings. This was in spite of Adebutu’s argument that the petition did not include allegations of vote buying and that the governor’s defence should not also have included such allegations.

However, in its ruling, which was delivered by a member, Hon. Justice J.B. Egele, and supported by the Chairman Hon Justice H N Kunaza, and the other member Hon. Justice Sannusi Shehu, the Tribunal held that Governor Abiodun was not restricted to the same issues that Adebutu and PDP raised in their petition. The Tribunal further held that in any event, vote buying is in the same family as corrupt practices, which is the ground on which Adebutu and PDP filed their petition, and accordingly dismissed the application.

By this ruling, the allegation of vote-buying, money laundering, and criminal conspiracy has become an albatross on the PDP and its candidate. And the earlier he (Adebutu) comes out of his hiding to face the trial, the better for his party. This development and without prejudice to the outcome of the tribunal proceedings, Governor Abiodun may be well on his way to the final victory, while working hard to deliver on his electoral promise

.Ezekiel wrote from Imeko, Ogun State

After an unexpectedly sluggish start (it took him longer than usual to appoint his spokesperson, which conduced to the luxuriant flowering of avoidable rumors and disinformation), President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is finally decisively stamping his authority on the Nigerian political space with a frenetic blizzard of appointments and disengagements of the personnel of government. 

Both supporters and opponents of the president appear flushed with fervor by the ongoing whirlwind of firing and hiring. It has even infused a new leash of life to the notoriously lethargic Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), which has emerged as one of the most reliable sources of news on social media, particularly on Twitter, for Tinubu’s announcements of personnel changes.

But why are people exuberating over routine changes that herald—or should herald—every change of administration? I think there are at least three reasons for this.

The first is the enduring human thirst for novelty for its own sake, which is particularly noticeable among Nigerians who have had the misfortune of being habituated to stagnancy. You can put Nigerians in a perpetual state of suspended animation and rob them silly without their realizing it if you can sustain a never-ending parade of entry and exit of people in and out of the corridors of power. I don’t know why most previous Nigerian leaders, except IBB, haven’t discovered this. 

The second reason is that appointments to government positions are the symbolic conduits through which most Nigerians vicariously connect with governance. They feel connected with, and feel a sensation of having a stake in, an administration if someone from their hometown, local government, state, region, religion, or other forms of collective and emotional identification is appointed to an important position.

The demographic profiles of new government appointees also help people to situate a new government’s direction and to get a sense of the identity categories it seeks to privilege or demote. So far, although Tinubu’s appointments cumulatively favor the Southwest, they have shown sensitivity to Nigeria’s many intricate emotional maps.

Tinubu’s appointment of Sokoto-born, Southern Kaduna native Major General Christopher Gwabin Musa as Chief of Defence Staff not only honors merit but also provides a source of indescribable elation and emotional connection for the people of Southern Kaduna and northern Christians who had been some of the firmest foes of Tinubu and APC. I’ve read many northern Christians say the appointment has caused them to reassess their opinions of the new government.

The appointment of Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla as Chief of Naval Staff has also helped to call attention to the Igala-speaking people of Enugu and Anambra states whom most Nigerians didn’t know existed. I imagine, however, that Tinubu probably thought he was appointing an Igbo man when he considered Ogalla for his position. 

With a hometown called Enugu Ezike, a local government called Igbo Eze North, and a middle name called Ikechukwu, who would have guessed that Ogalla was an Igala (never mind that Ogalla and Igala kind of rhyme)? It was thanks to some Igbo people on social media that this bit about the man was revealed. 

Whatever it is, Tinubu can’t be accused of excluding the Southeast in the Security Council. Ogalla represents the Southeast. He probably speaks Igbo and is also probably culturally Igbo. In any case, many self-identified Igbos in Anambra and Enugu states have Igala or Benin provenance. Most people from Onitsha, for example, have either Bini or Igala ancestral roots, which they are still acutely aware of, even proud of, yet they identify as Igbo.

 As the late Professor Harry Garuba pointed out in his chapter contribution to a 2001 book titled Shifting African Identities edited by Martine Dodds, Meshack M. Khosa, and S. B. Bekker, “At the height of the Nigerian Civil War, Nnamdi Azikiwe declared that the Onitsha people really came from Benin, and were thus also descended from the Edos. A wave of public outcry from the Igbos greeted this declaration” (p. 17).

The truth is that our identities aren’t always neat, discrete, self-contained categories; they are often messy, complex, and overlapping in more ways than we care to admit.

Anyway, Tinubu’s 7 National Security Council appointments have 4 southerners and 3 northerners and 5 Christians and 2 Muslims. Given that the president and the vice president (who are also members of the Council) are Muslims, I think this is a reasonably fair and inclusive council, especially in light of Nigeria’s immediate prior experience where no more than two southerners or Christians served on the council at any point during an 8-year rule.

As is now obvious from the preceding point, the third and most important reason Tinubu appears to be exciting Nigerians is attributable to the style of outgone President Muhammadu Buhari. Buhari started his administration in 2015 by precipitously lowering the bar of governance. Before his second term was over, he threw away the bar outright. By his second term, he wasn’t gratified with just throwing away the bar; he broke it to smithereens. Then he buried the smithereens and exited the stage. That was why I invented the term “ungovernance” to describe his style of ruling.

Tinubu has merely brought a new bar. But for people who have become accustomed to not seeing a bar at all for 8 years, the mere sight of one seems exciting, even revolutionary. I agree that Tinubu deserves plaudits for bringing the bar and for not dithering about taking decisions. But he needs to do more than that. He needs to raise the bar, assess the impact of his decisions, and be humble enough to change course if his decisions inflict material violence on the vast majority of the people.

His government’s sustained assault on subsidies that benefit the poor (such as petrol, electricity, and tuition at higher education institutions) while leaving untouched the extortionate subsidies that fund the epicurean pleasures of Nigeria’s overpampered political class won’t raise the bar of governance. He is being feted by Western financial institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank and applauded by Western financial media outfits such as Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal, but everyday folks in Nigeria are squirming in excruciating existential torment.

I don’t see how this will end well. What shall it profit a country when it pursues policies that cause the economy to “grow” but causes the people to growl? After the economy has “grown” but the people still groan, where is the growth? The most important growth isn't the rise in abstract, disembodied, World Bank/IMF-created metrics but in the improvement of the quality of life of everyday folks.

Governance is the other side of a social contract. Social contract rests on the idea that everyday members of a society have agreed formally or informally to give up some of their natural rights and to recognize the authority of people in power in exchange for security and basic economic liberties. 

Social cohesion and the sustenance of social order are guaranteed when both parties keep their side of the bargain. Anomie results when either side fails to live up to the terms of the contract. That is why citizens get thrown into jails or fined for offenses ranging from misdemeanors to felonies. 

When those who control the levers of the power structure, who enjoy the privilege of being rulers, provide neither security nor basic economic liberties for everyday citizens who give up their natural rights for the sake a common social order that works for everybody, you get rebellion, insurrection, revolt, or even revolutions.

I hope people who love Tinubu cause him to be aware that after the excitement of the welcome motions he has been making peters out, people’s material realities will push them to ask him for movement, movement in the quality of their lives. 

The IMF/World Bank-inspired neoliberal nirvana he seems intent on building in Nigeria may create a fertile environment for “foreign investment” and invite the commendations of the financial buccaneers of the West but, like elsewhere in the developing world where this is tried, it will create hell for the poor and wipe out the middle class. It’s already starting.

 I also hope that Tinubu’s supporters and inner circle learn from Buhari who was shielded from even the mildest, best-intentioned, and most innocuous criticism. Being in the field of play creates multiple blind spots for players but onlookers, as the saying goes, see most of the game.

To satisfy politicians, as well as use experts to drive development

President Bola Tinubu has plotted a strategy of managing the political interest groups that helped him achieve his life ambition of becoming president but not without compromising his aspiration of ushering Nigeria into a new era of development.

Tinubu who is widely hailed rightly or wrongly as the founder of the modern Lagos according to sources is determined to etch his name in history by leading Nigeria towards a new era of development using some of the best brains in the country.

Tinubu who also has a reputation as one of the country’s most accomplished political godfathers has plotted a twin strategy of “giving to politicians what belongs to them and giving to develop what is required” a highly placed presidency source revealed.

In that direction, it was gathered that Tinubu hopes to build on his well-known knack for tapping brains to fetch Nigerians within and outside the country to help drive his aspiration. While doing that the president would not disappoint his political base by giving them jobs that would not ordinarily distract from the core objectives of governance.

“The president will satisfy the political base and I can assure you they will be happy, but the key facilitators of governance and development will be some key advisers who the president will keep close to him to drive his key developmental goals.

“It is a twin strategy that will leave everyone happy,” the source revealed.

It was gathered that it was part of that reason for satisfying the political base that the president dissolved the boards of government parastatals and agencies just before he travelled to Paris, France.

Saturday Vanguard reports that the dissolution is expected to open up at least 2,000 job openings that will immediately satisfy the needs of the political base although there are indications that he may collapse some agencies. Besides, there are pressures on the president to also recall ambassadors appointed by the immediate past Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Saturday Vanguard reports that a desperate scheme by some of the diplomats to sustain themselves until next year when most of them are due has already commenced.

However, the pressure on the new administration to appoint trusted allies for such strategic diplomatic posts in Paris, London and Washington D.C. is being considered especially given the importance of those posts.

Meanwhile, serious lobbying for boards and ministerial positions is ongoing in several states with loyalty to Tinubu or otherwise being canvassed by several interest groups.