FOR most of last week, Senate President Godswill Akpabio was in the eye of the storm as his traducer, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, was relentless in getting her voice hear loud and clear. Though the matter eventually culminated in the suspension of the Kogi senator for six months on Thursday, it is clear that the drama has not ended yet. The whole saga, as we have seen in the last few weeks, smacks of many wrongs and few rights. The Senate scored some rights and some wrongs, the same for Kogi senator. But in apportioning the rights and the wrongs, we have to distinguish between emotions and the rules.

Recall that in July of 2024, Senator Akpabio had compared the conduct of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to that of someone in a nightclub.  That statement incensed the Kogi Central Senator, the womenfolk and a number of senators. Days later, Akpabio, having sensed the mood of the Senate, spoke from his chair and said: “I will not intentionally denigrate any woman and always pray the God will uplift women, Distinguished Senator Natasha, I want to apologise to you.” That was expected of him and by that statement, Akpabio  brought some calm into the relationship between him and the Kogi senator, but as we are to discover in the last two weeks, still waters do run fast under the surface.

The latest scene of the drama started with what looked like an innocuous development on the Senate floor.  The Senate president, in exercise of the power conferred on him by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Senate Rule book, made adjustments to the seats in the minority wing of the chamber and relocated Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.  The excuse was that following the defection of some senators from the minority side, seat adjustments had to be effected. That was within Akpabio’s power. Remember that the Senate Rule book does not only empower the Senate president to allocate seats, he can also change the seats occasionally. So, Akpabio was right with that action. But perhaps, Akpoti-Uduaghan, based on family relationships with the Akpabios, expected that she would have been alerted of the impending seat change. And on getting to the floor of the Senate to discover the seat switch, she got alarmed. Was she right to flare up? No is the answer. Apart from the powers of the Senate president to change seats allocated to senators, the rule book also says that every senator must speak from the seat allocated. The implication is that anything a senator says outside the allocated seat will not go into the Senate records.  The Senate, or any parliament for that matter, is a regulated environment. The Hansards take records of every word and action made on the floor of the chamber. And so, it is incumbent on every senator to follow the rules.

So, on Thursday February 20, when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan raised hell over her seat relocation, and engaged Senator Akpabio in a shouting match, she was on the wrong side of the Senate rule book. No Senator is expected to be unruly. In fact, unruly conducts can be summarily punished by the presiding officer. It is important to note that the rules of the Senate treat the occupier of the chair of Senate President like a golden egg. The President of the Senate is the number three citizen in the country, even though he was elected to represent a constituency like his colleagues. He is first among equals, but the numero uno position comes with a lot of difference.

A legislative expert once told me that the Chair of the President of the Senate must be revered at all times and that infractions to the rules are heavily punished unless the offender shows penitence. The rule says the President of the Senate must be heard in silence; Senators must avoid naming (being called out for unruly conduct); and that any situation that compels the President of the Senate to rise up  to hit the gavel in trying to restore order could earn the culprit (any named senator) summary dismissal. Those are the powers of the President of the Senate, which Madam Natasha was trying for size. I think it is important that Senators are taken through inductions on the rules and regulations whether they got in mid-term or at the beginning of the session. 

Rules are very key to operations in a big club like the Senate or the House of Representatives. But as we will later discover on this page, the number of years spent on the floor does not necessarily guarantee clear understanding of the rules.

Rather than go to the court of public opinion to accuse Akpabio of sexual harassment, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan should have quietly assumed the seat allocated to her, raise her complaints through Order 10 and at the same time tender details of her allegation of sexual harassment against Akpabio and seek Senate’s intervention. If she had done that, she would have been on the right side of Senate rules and had Akpabio by the balls.  As much as the Senate rules forbid a senator from submitting a petition he or she personally signed, the Senate does not forbid any lawmaker from raising any allegations that affects either their rights of privileges on the floor. Several newspaper editors have been summoned before the Ethics Committee to answer questions of alleged breach of the privilege of senators.  I recall that as correspondents in the chamber, senators were always unhappy each time we scooped a story or blow open a report they were about to submit. Such senators didn’t need to write petition, they would only come to the floor and raise points of order on privilege. Senator Akpoti- Uduaghan failed to do that.

But the conduct of the Senate President and some of the principal officers on Wednesday March 5 left so much to be desired of the Senate. I was shocked to see Senator Akpabio rule Senator Natasha in order; he also ruled Senator Mohammed Monguno in order as well as Senator Opeyemi Bamidele. How do you have three right rulings on one issue? First, he allowed Senator Natasha to lay a defective petition on the Senate table. That’s expressly out of order. In the days of Senate Presidents David Mark, Bukola Saraki and Ahmad Lawan, we saw how such scenes were handled. A David Mark would simply ask the senator, ‘Distinguished Senator please open to Order 40(4) and read’. By the time the senator finished reading the order and seeing the order had negatived his or her motion, he would only be begging to withdraw that motion. That was not the case with Akpabio. And to make matters worse, the Clerks at the Table were also looking lost. They could not guide the presiding officer in any way. That tells a bit about human resource capacity in the assembly. But then the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele and the Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno who have spent quite a long time in the National Assembly should know better. Their interventions did more damage to Akpabio’s Senate. When the Senate President had ruled Senator Natasha in order to submit a petition she personally signed, (against the rules of the Senate which forbids such),  and the Kogi Central Senator had approached the chair and laid the petition on the table, the matter in a way becomes sub judice, to borrow the language of the law.  The Senate Rule Book classifies that action as Matters Not open to Debate.” So at that point, the matter was no longer open to debate. Since the gavel has been hit and the action has been taken, no senator has the right to reopen the case. It was wrong of Senator Bamidele and Monguno to immediately start to revisit a closed matter and that’s illegal.

I recall an incident in the 6th Senate when President Umaru Yar’Adua was bedridden in Saudi Arabia. Some senators moved a motion, seeking the Senate constitute a panel to visit Saudi and ascertain the health status of the president. Somehow, when the motion was finally passed on a day Senator Ike Ekweremadu presided, it turned out that the motion only mandated the Federal Executive Council to do the assignment. The original proponents of the motion were enraged but they were not allowed to reopen the matter. They had to go into lobbying and eventually secured signatures of two-thirds of the Senate to re-table the matter and pave the way for the adoption of the famous “Doctrine of Necessity.” That’s how serious the matter should be, but it was trivialized by Akpabio, the Senate Leader and Senate Whip. That’s on the wrong side of the rule.

Now that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has been suspended, many would say she was being silenced. That is far from the truth. Her suspension was on the basis of what the senate perceived as unruly behavior on the floor. We are yet to hear the details of her sexual harassment allegations and I believe that she has avenues to ventilate that. Nigerians earnestly await these details, which should be salacious enough to help us cool off some heat.

LEADERS at both local and international levels make mistakes that reverberate with dire consequences for themselves, their peoples, and other peoples all over the world. Mistakes that leaders make often lead to wars – be they at local or international level as well. Lives are lost, property is destroyed, and the world economy takes a beating which, sometimes, takes decades to ameliorate. Usually, things are never the same again as a result of the mistakes that leaders make. Recent examples are the Hamas/Israeli conflagration and the Russia/Ukraine war. The First and Second world wars profoundly reshaped and re-ordered the world such that hitherto world powers lost their place and new sheriffs emerged in town. So, when the US president, Donald Trump, accused the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, that his belligerence could trigger a Third World War, he was warning that his own focus (as the reigning policeman of the world) is more important to him than the myopic demands of Zelenskiy to continue a war he does not appear ever able to win, even with the support of NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation).

 At the advent of the First World war in 1914, the world powers were the Entente Powers led by France, Russia, the British Empire, Italy (from 1915) and the United States of America (from 1917) in opposition to the Central Powers led by the German, Austro-Hungarian, Bulgarian, and Ottoman (Turkey) empires. Russia pulled out of the war after its October 1917 Bolshevik revolution. The Central Powers lost the war and a crippling peace treaty – the Treaty of Versailles – was imposed on Germany. The League of Nations was established and the defeated powers lost their relevance and power in the new international or world order. In 1939, a resurgent Germany instigated the Second World War; the powers that fought that war were the Axis Powers made up of Germany, Italy and Japan on the one hand, and the Allied Powers made up of France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union (USSR), and, to a lesser extent, China. The war ended in 1945 with the defeat of the Axis Powers and the partition of Germany into east and west, with the east falling to communist USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republic). The League of Nations was replaced by the United Nations Organisation (UNO or, better still, UN) and the “big elephants in the room” became the United States, USSR, China, Great Britain, and France – the five permanent members of the UN’s Security Council, its highest decision-making organ with a veto power over every vital decisions made.

 So, a Third World War cannot but also affect and reshape power configurations on the international scene. A new world order is bound to emerge, depending on the realignment of forces and the outcome of the war. Whatever you may think of him, Trump appears to be a student of history as well as a realist. He knows for sure that the world political order may not remain the same after another global conflagration. A weakened United States may not be in a position to dictate its own “peace” to the world as it did in 1945 when the idea of the UN was that of its president, Franklin D. Roosevelt (at his meeting with the Soviet leader, Josef Stalin, in Teheran, Iran, in November 1943). Little wonder, then, that the UN was headquartered in New York, USA; same with its economic arms (the IMF and World Bank), both with headquarters in Washington, D. C., USA. A new world order after a Third World War is not likely to leave the present arrangement in place; what with the period of a weakened United States coinciding with the stealthy but vigorous emergence on the world scene of China, the historic understanding between it and Russia, and the strident move by a growing number of countries that were hitherto strange bedfellows to divert the world economy away from the dominance of the US dollar. With a new world order, the pecking order of world powers as we have it today is bound to suffer a re-arrangement. Maybe such a moment is what China is waiting for to announce itself as the new sheriff in town and assert its hegemony!

 Trump never stopped saying that Zelenskyy should never have allowed the war with Russia to happen. Whether he was goaded into it or he truly believed he could take on its more powerful neighbour, the Ukrainian leader failed to reckon with the historic mistake his predecessors made in 1994 when Ukraine agreed to give away its nuclear arsenal in exchange for economic compensation (like biblical Esau who gave away his birthright for a mess of pottage!). The Memorandum Of  Understanding giving assurances from Russia, the US, and UK to respect the Ukrainian independence and sovereignty in its existing borders have been disrespected. That, perhaps, must partly have informed the frustration of Zelenskiy;  the revisionism of Trump over Russia’s invasion and seizing of 20% of Ukraine’s territory must have been the last straw that broke his camel’s back. Before it was prodded to give it away, Ukraine reportedly had on its soil the world’s third largest nuclear arsenal (created, though, by the collapsed USSR). It is debatable whether Russia would have so whimsically invaded a nuclear-power Ukraine the way it did on 24 February, 2022.

 For both Russia and Ukraine, the costs of the war in both human and material terms have been staggering. Hundreds of billions of dollars must have been committed to the war efforts on both sides. Hundreds of thousands of lives have also been lost by both combatants. Civilian casualties, including children, women, the aged, and the infirm, are also counted in tens of thousands. Millions have fled their homes while million others have become refugees in their own country, especially in the bombarded regions of Ukraine and Russia. Now, after more than three years of war, neither side is close to the outcome it desired. NATO that thought goading Ukraine would provide it the opportunity of massing its armament at Russia’s doormouth appears to have lost the belly for a fight, having counted the costs; thus leaving Ukraine in a quandary. The Russians themselves, quick to realise that a NATO-backed Ukraine would not be a pushover, have changed tactics, resorting to a scorched-earth policy that leaves the combatants bleeding. Stalemate!

 Now is the time to count the costs for all parties. For Russia, the 20 percent of Ukrainian territory it now occupies may not sufficiently compensate for the war efforts, but that it has stopped NATO from expanding right up to its doorsteps is significant. For Ukraine: The lives lost, the billions committed to the war efforts, the massive destruction of vital infrastructure, and territories lost – all these are to what end and purpose? It has not won the war. It may not join NATO. Now, in addition to losing territory, it will also lose a chunk of its mineral resources as compensation to the US for supporting the war efforts!

 The public spat between Zelenskyy and Trump over how to bring the Russia/Ukraine war to an end is a clear indication that Europe has not taken enough time to study and understand the shift in US policy with Trump in the saddle. While his schoolboy dress to the Oval Office was inappropriate, the accusation that Zelenskyy was setup to be embarrassed begs the issue. Similarly, the show of solidarity with Zelenskyy by a horde of European leaders appears inconsequential. If they mean business, let them quickly fill the void that the US has threatened to create by withholding further aid to the Ukranians!

 There is a shift in the US foreign policy under Trump. This American president wants to withdraw resources from abroad and concentrate the same into development at home. In doing this, he wants its allies to carry a chunk of the burden that the US alone has borne for decades. That informs the poignant questions Trump asked Zelenskyy and the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. In response to Zelenskyy’s tantrums, Trump asked him: Without US support, would this war not have ended a long time ago? Of course, Zelenskyy knew the answer! Sarcastic Trump! After praising the UK for being a wonderful ally with a powerful military, he asked Starmer whether the UK could stand up to Russia alone! Starmer stammered! Of course, everyone knows the answer! Trump’s US is tired of frittering its resources policing the entire world while its legs wobble at home. But whether – or how  -this policy will affect its commitments to Israel remains to be seen.

 According to Carl von Clausewitz, the Prussian military strategist and theorist, “war is the continuation of politics by other means”. In order words, when politics or diplomacy fails, war ensues. Ironically, leaders recourse to the same (failed) politics or diplomacy  to end wars. The Treaty of Versailles ended the First World War, although Adolf HItler, leader of a resurgent Germany, on 17 May, 1933, in a speech to the German Reichstag or Parliament, denounced it as unjust and humiliating, thus setting the stage for the Second World War. Where war between nations ends without a treaty or agreement (as is the case between North and South Korea), the countries concerned are still regarded to be technically at war.

 So, after having lost so much in their three-year-old war, Russia and Ukraine still have to sit together and sign an agreement to end the war. It is cobbling that agreement that caused the altercations between Zelenskiy and Trump. With the benefit of hindsight, would it not have been better if both Russia and Ukraine had sat down together to jaw-jaw, rather than war-war before eventually returning to jaw-jaw?

 John George Stoessinger in “Why nations go to war”, posits that war is not some faceless entity that merely unfolds in some inexplicable way but that people go to war or precipitate war. In other words, personalities (most of the time leaders) acting on issues go to war.  The failure of politics or diplomacy since 1948 when the State of Israel was created in portions of land said to belong to the Palestinians has necessitated wars and unending conflicts and conflagrations among Palestinians and Israel. Hamas invaded parts of Israel on 7 October, 2023; the unresolved, underlying issues remain those emanating from the creation of Israel in 1948. Israel’s ferocious response was the consequence. After wasting billions of dollars, losing thousands of lives, and almost bombing Gaza out of existence, neither Israel nor Hamas achieved its stated objectives. Hamas failed to destroy Israel while Israel failed in its search for the last Hamas. Both, in the end, returned to the negotiation table where US President Joe Biden managed to cobble a ceasefire agreement in his last days in office.

 Leadership failure accounts for the Nigerian civil war of 1967 – 1970. It also accounts for the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, which is generally-acknowledged as the most credible in the country’s chequered history. At his recent book launch, former military dictator, Ibrahim Babangida, whose junta annulled the election, said he will act differently if given another opportunity. But there are some opportunities that, once lost, can never be regained; which must have informed the immortal words of Stephen Grellet (1773 – 1855): “I shall pass through this world  but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again”

 What Nigeria would have been without the civil war and or the annulment will forever remain in the bowels of conjectures!  

As for the charges against me, I am unconcerned. I am beyond their timid lying morality and so I am beyond caring”, said the redoubtable Nigerian nationalist, Mrs Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who, along with Margaret Ekpo, Laila Dogonyaro and a few other women you can count on your fingers, have been canonised by Nigerians of all creeds and philosophies as patron saints of freedom and justice, and wielders of the harmer of courage that shatters all glass ceilings.

Mrs Ransome-Kuti is remembered today and always because many women in search of a political compass to navigate their trajectory freely throw her name into the argument at every opportunity. Nothing inspires like a story plucked from your own backyard – the story of a truly African amazon.

I don’t know how much of Mrs Ransome-Kuti that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was recently suspended for six months by the Nigerian Senate, has read. But she surely must have heard her story. There is no attempt here to draw a parallel between the political careers of both women separated by several generations. However, it is useful to remind ourselves – especially in this month that features the International Women’s Day with the theme: “For All Women and Girls: Rights, Equality, and Empowerment”, that women activism has a long history in Nigeria.

The woman fondly called the Lioness of Lisabi had one prime question she always asked her country: “How beautiful would it be if our women could have the same opportunity as men.”

4 Out Of 109

Senator Natasha of Kogi Central Senatorial District and three other colleagues represent their gender in the 109-member Nigerian Senate which otherwise would have been an all-male affair. Her suspension last week after her spat with the Senate president brought the issue of misogyny, sexual harassment and the rule of law to the fore all over again. The Nigerian commentariat on social media is never short of palavers to resolve.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s seat in the Senate chambers had been changed on the day in question. The Deputy Whip of the body clarified that it was a usual occurrence for members to be moved around as approved by the Senate president. But the lady felt unfairly targeted and protested, leading to a shouting match during which she alleged that her refusal to reciprocate Akpabio’s sexual advances was responsible for various measures meant to frustrate her.

Her loud protestations reminded one of Indira Gandhi’s famous words: “Women sometimes go too far, it’s true. But it’s only when you go too far that others listen.”

She presented a written complaint on the alleged sexual harassment by the Senate president which was later declared “dead on arrival” by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on account of a technicality (according to the rules, a senator is not supposed to sign her own petition). But the committee treated the disciplinary complaint against the senator with dispatch, sentencing her to six months suspension despite the fact that there was a court injunction against the hearing and the defendant was not present at the hearing.

Punishment

For her outburst over the seating arrangement, Senator Natasha was clamped with six sanctions:

The Senate panel recommends the suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from all legislative activities effective March 6, 2025.

Her office should be locked, and she must hand over all Senate properties in her possession to the clerk of the National Assembly for the duration of the suspension.

Neither the senator nor her staff should be seen within the premises of the National Assembly during the suspension period.

Her salaries, allowances, and those of her legislative aides should be suspended, along with the withdrawal of all security detail for the duration of the suspension.

She should be barred from representing herself locally or internationally as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria during the suspension.

The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions recommended a six-month suspension for the lawmaker representing Kogi Central.

The comments made by several male colleagues in defence of the Senate president betrayed a misogynistic streak of a similar level of virulence as that which obtained under the leadership of Senator Bukola Saraki during which Senator Dino Melaye made many scandalous sexist pronouncements against Senator Remi Tinubu who is now Nigeria’s First Lady.

Sexism

When cowardly men are confronted with the risk of losing an argument to a woman, their usual resort is to sexist prejudices and innuendoes. And there was no shortage of such primitive pronouncements. And you wonder, what is to be learnt from a grown man who reduces a colleague’s complaint of sexual harassment to a harangue about the number of the complainant’s former spouses and children?

If, by some magic, the jury were to be open on the number of trysts that many male public officials arrange both officially and unofficially, we would, as they say, burst the loudspeakers!

Judging from the commentaries of those who have had a taste of the senatorial pie, there is a code of silence operating in the National Assembly which tends to oil the engine of opaque and scandalous dealings in the operations of the legislature. If not for the courageous disclosure of the salaries and allowances of senators by former Senator Shehu Sani while he was in the upper chamber, Nigerians would not have had the faintest idea of what many have since described as the humongous salaries of the legislators.

Sani recently revealed that some benevolent ‘gods’ had thrown a protective shield over him, otherwise he would have been similarly suspended by his colleagues for betraying the Nigerian version of Omertà. One gets the impression that it’s a cult out there. Intellectual argumentations may be tolerated for the cameras but outside that, orders are orders! It is true that Mrs Ransome-Kuti counselled that, “To be a good politician you must be wise like a snake, calm like a dove and kind like an angel. But it seems we are in beastlier times where soldier-ANTS come out of the woodwork to devour the complainANT!

Commentariat

Whether you like social media or not, it is still a fairly good barometer for measuring the court of public opinion. Make what you will of this (edited) post written by Comrade Babangida Sa’idu Nuhu, copied from ace broadcaster Kadaria Ahmed’s Facebook page:

“What happened to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan today was a collective abuse of power. Her suspension is not just about her, it’s about the message being sent to every woman in Nigeria who dreams of leadership. It is about the dangerous precedent that allows political witch-hunting to masquerade as legislative discipline. And most importantly, it is about a nation that continues to fail its people by allowing impunity to reign unchecked.

“Nigerian women and all real men of goodwill should draw profound inspiration from her stoicism. She sat dignified to the end, in a room filled with men who collectively bullied her for daring to speak up for herself… Senator Natasha, you are indeed a brave woman. You’ll never be alone.”

If you have read or watched Wole Soyinka’s stage play, The Lion and the Jewel and then ruminate over what’s going on in real life, you can’t help but give it to the old lion, Baroka. Compared to some real life predators, he is a class act!

Quotes

1 Whether you like social media or not, it is still a fairly good barometer for measuring the court of public opinion.

2 When cowardly men are confronted with the risk of losing an argument to a woman, their usual resort is to sexist prejudices and innuendoes. And there was no shortage of such primitive pronouncements

United Capital Plc has proposed a final total dividend of N9 billion, representing 50 kobo per share to its shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2024.

The company in its audited results released on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) yesterday showed an impressive full year, 2024 performance.

In a bid to strengthen and maximise stakeholder value in the recently concluded financial year, the Company rewarded shareholders with bonus issuance of two additional shares for every one share held in addition to our first ever interim dividend payment of 90 kobo per share.

United Capital reported gross earnings of N43.43 billion in the full year 2024, slightly down from N45.90 billion in the full year 2023. Total expenses declined by 46 per cent to N15.96 billion, compared to N29.28 billion in 2023.

Profit before tax grew by 74 per cent to N30.10 billion in 2024 from N17.30 billion in 2023. Profit after tax rose by 111 per cent to N24.10 billion in 2024, as against N11.42 billion in 2023, while earnings per share stood at N1.34 compared to N1.90 recorded in 2023.

Total assets amounted to N1.70 trillion as at December 31, 2024, compared to N931.95 billion as at December 31, 2023, representing 83 per cent year-on-year growth; while shareholders fund rose by 47 per cent to N133.50 billion in 2024 from N90.71 billion as at December 31, 2023.

Speaking on the performance, the board chairman of United Capital, Prof. Chika Mordi stated that “United Capital Group held true to its philosophy of creating shared prosperity by delivering record profitability and significant corporate actions which culminated in increased total dividend payout to N14.4 billion for the 2024 financial year, up 33 per cent year-on-year from N10.8 billion payout in 2023.”

He said that “we will continue to strengthen governance frameworks across the Group to protect investors’ assets and sustain superior value delivery to our stakeholders well into the foreseeable future.”

Also, the group chief executive officer of United Capital, Peter Ashade said that “despite the challenging business environment, the Group remained resilient and delivered record profitability as PBT rose 74 per cent to N30.10 billion and PAT soared 111 per cent to N24.10 billion.

“As a testament to our strong market leadership and positioning, Shareholders’ funds increased by 47 per cent year-on-year to N133.65 billion while total assets grew to N1.70 trillion, up 83 per cent year-on-year.”

Ashade added that “as we proceed into the 2025 financial year, we remain committed to rewarding our shareholders while sustaining this remarkable performance. We are poised to lead the Nigerian capital market and unlock new opportunities on the African continent.”

[Leadership]

With the death on Monday, March 7, of Dr Doyin Okupe, twice a presidential spokesman, Nigeria has been deprived of a pan-Nigerian politician. Okupe, who died of cancer at 72 in a Lagos hospital, was free of the primordial tendencies that have over the years made our country underachieve, despite stupendous resources.  

Though he and Chief Moshood K.O. Abiola, the Social Democratic Party presidential candidate in the June 12 1993 vote, hailed from Ogun State, the National Republican Republican Convention candidate in the election, Bashir Tofa, had no difficulty assigning the most trusted role in the election to him: the NRC chief party agent. In this position, Okupe had to certify the overall election result. This was when ethnic, regional, religious, and other primordial forces had not seized Nigerian politics and, by extension, national affairs and even personal relationships.

Still, when the Ibrahim Babangida military regime announced the cancellation of the vote, Okupe, guided by a profound sense of justice, issued a statement declaring Abiola the winner and lacerating the military junta for the announcement that took Nigeria to the brink. Many Lagosians were impressed by his action and gathered in their numbers the next day at his 21 Sere Close in Ilupeju, Lagos, a stone’s throw from my own residence. The gathering became almost a daily ritual, with me almost on every occasion leading the prayer for the official release of the June 12 election result and the law of Karma for the annullers.

When the Sani Abacha malevolent dictatorship began to crack down on the Yoruba mostly for their relentless opposition to the election annulment and stiff opposition to his rule, Okupe genuinely felt that there was, indeed, an existential threat to his people. He and Fredrick Fashaun, another medical doctor, formed the OmoOduduwa People’s Congress (OPC). Okupe’s star role in the OPC emergence remains a secret for some reason. Ironically, the OPC under Gani Adams became the albatross of the Obasanjo government in the early years, making Okupe commission Tayo Adesina, then a senior history lecturer at the University of Ibadan, and myself to report on how to make the OPC become a non-violent organization.

With the Abdulsalami Abubakar regime returning Nigeria to democracy in 1999, Okupe joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) principally because of Olusegun Obasanjo, seeking the party’s presidential ticket. Though I was a committed supporter of Alex Ekwueme, Obasanjo’s main rival for the ticket, Okupe and I enjoyed the best relationship.

Many journalists were piqued that Obasanjo, on assuming office on May 19, 1999, named Okupe, a medical doctor, his special assistant on the media, a position traditionally reserved for consummate communication practitioners. I naturally came to his defence, citing Pope John the Second, who had a fantastic global media reputation managed by his press secretary, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, a Spanish medical doctor who specialized in psychiatry. I also cited the example of Cyprian Ekwensi, the pharmacist and novelist who did a masterful job as a Biafran propagandist during the Nigerian Civil War and later managed the government-owned Renaissance newspapers in Enugu in the 1970s. Ekwensi’s brilliance showed brilliantly in the implementation of the War Against Indiscipline (WAI) campaign coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in the 1980s under Group Captain Emeka Omeruah.

Okupe had always craved publicity roles, obviously to make up for his failure to study English or communication in the university. He was doing better in the art subjects than in the science ones at Igbobi College in Lagos and so wanted to be a writer. However, his elder sister, a medical doctor who had so much influence on him, wouldn’t hear of it. On one occasion, she drove him to a theatre where she showed him some haggard-looking people and told him pointedly, “These hungry people are artistes. Do you still want to be like one of them?” That’s how he found himself in medical school at the University of Ibadan and met people like Seyi Roberts, with whom he established a bond, not just a relationship.

Okupe was the leader of the Lagos Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) committee on HIV/AIDS in the mid-1980s because it entailed a lot of public communication. He was the national publicity secretary of the Liberal Convention, a political party in the late 1980s, and also the NRC national publicity secretary, which saw him write a weekly column in Sunday Times, sharing the same page with Ojo Maduekwe, the special assistant to the SDP national chairman, Babagana Kingibe. Okupe delighted in his several debates with Maduekwe, a celebrated articulate lawyer who was to become a Minister under Obasanjo. Despite belonging to opposing parties, Okupe and Maduekwe were very close and admired each other. On Okupe’s 40^th birthday, Maduekwe spoke glowingly of the celebrant.

Okupe gave the presidential press secretary office dignity and tremendous influence. He was an excellent political strategist, making him a most valuable asset. A lot of people who wanted things done quickly from above approached him, with some gaining access to him through me; the list includes Dr Chris Ngige who was to become a very effective Anambra State governor, and Prince Yormie Johnson, the Liberian warlord who killed President Samuel Doe in 1990 and died last November at 72 while serving as a senator in his country.

A man of the people, Okupe’s residence in Abuja was always filled to the brim with visitors from all parts of Nigeria. No sooner was the Obasanjo administration inaugurated than Okupe and his lovely wife, Lola, insisted I stay with them during a visit from Lagos. As each room had at least two occupants, they decided that I share their bed with them. When one of the visitors failed to return that night, however, I had to share a room with a Customs officer married to the wife’s sister.

Okupe was pained to know that my village in Ihiala, Anambra State, had no electricity access because of the perfidious role of some influential individuals. The next day he wrote a letter to the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) Managing Director asking him to address the matter urgently. The letter was honoured promptly. In appreciation, my community conferred on the presidential spokesman the chieftaincy title of Nwanne Di N’Mba of Umuezeawala, Ihiala, on December 31, 2000, but he couldn’t attend the ceremony in person. He was over the moon when the regalia and the accouterment were presented to him in his residence in Lagos. His family was there, including his aged mother who came from Iperu, Ogun State. She addressed my people in Igbo, telling us of her memorable days in school in Onitsha as a young girl.  

A fervent believer in Nigeria’s unity, Okupe was proud that his daughter has an Igbo husband. He always had Igbo persons in his office in both the private and public sectors. There was one popularly known as Alhaji from the Southwest who made an AI in Igbo in the school certificate examination as a student of St Patrick’s Secondary School, Emene, Enugu, and married a woman from Awo Omama in Imo State. Okupe always showed him off to his Igbo visitors.  Okupe appreciated that I gave his son, Bolu, the popular Igbo name, Emeka, at birth.

I remember vividly how Okupe and I met for the first time. It was in December 1985 in the beautiful Samuel Shonibare Estate in Maryland, Lagos. I was visiting Lagos to explore a job opportunity since the newspaper where I was working in Enugu was, for all practical purposes, dead. When Okey Ndibe, working at The Guardian, visited Nnamdi Obasi and Chike Akabogu, who were Concord newspaper editorial board members, they suggested we visit Okupe to discuss politics and a health newspaper he was setting up. I didn’t say anything at the meeting, yet when we were going, Okupe gave me only a big envelope. I needed the money.

When I returned to Lagos and settled in Ilupeju after some months, who would move from Shonibare Estate to almost the next street to my house without knowing I was living there? Omooba Doyin Okupe! Thus began a deep friendship between him and myself. His siblings, especially Wemi, Lanre and Owo, became more or less my own brothers.

Nigeria has just lost a true patriot in Dr Okupe. He was a Nigerian Original. May God receive his soul in heaven.

Adinuba was the Anambra State Commissioner for Information & Public Enlightenment.

Experts have predicted that the ongoing trade war will significantly impact the economies of Nigeria and other emerging markets.

Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, as well as 20% tariffs on imports from China.

This fresh round of duties on Chinese goods doubled an initial set of tariffs placed on China last month. In response, China imposed additional 15% duties on U.S. imports, including chicken, pork, soy, and beef, and expanded controls on doing business with key U.S. companies. Canada has also responded with its own measures.

Possible slowdown in U.S. growth 

Speaking on the Drinks and Mics podcast, Samson Esemuede, MD/CIO of Zrosk, forecasted a slowdown in U.S. growth relative to the rest of the world, regardless of whether the tariffs continue or are lifted.

He expressed skepticism about the uncertainty created by Trump’s policy actions, noting that markets thrive on certainty.

According to Esemuede, there will be a relative deceleration in U.S. growth, while markets like China and Europe, which have underperformed post-COVID, may surprise on the upside.

“So, within that context, I felt like relative growth rates for the rest of the world in favor of the rest of the world, we pull capital out of the US, which is why when we did our buy-hold sell, I had a sell on the US, and then that leads to a weakening dollar, and the weakening dollar should basically benefit emerging markets and frontier markets, and by extension, Nigeria should benefit from that.

He added, “If that continues, that would be the case. However, there is a risk that is now evolving. My assessment of the US recession for 2025 was probably a 5% to 10% probability that the US would go into recession because the economy was so strong and consumer spending was very healthy. And now, I think with what is happening with Trump, the uncertainty, the impact on inflation, the probability of a recession is probably around 30% to 35% probability. If that stays and we don’t go into a recession, but we see a material slowdown in US growth, I think that’s positive for Africa and that will be positive for Nigeria.” 

However, Esemuede warned that if the U.S. goes into a recession, it will negatively affect everyone because the dollar will strengthen as there will be a flight to safety.

Weak dollar beneficial for emerging markets 

Chief Investment Officer at Cordros Capital LTD, Arnold Dublin-Green, shared a similar view. According to him, a weak dollar is beneficial for emerging markets.

“A weak dollar also means our commodity prices are good. Commodity exports in countries like us, like Ghana (gold), South Africa, Kenya exports flowers. It’s good for Africa. It’s good for EM. So we all have the same view.” 

He added, “And that’s the crowded trade that you’re seeing right now. Everyone’s saying, ‘Okay, hold on a minute. It’s a weak dollar we’re going into. Let me look for cheaper assets in countries that export commodities. Our external debts also get serviced, so it’s better for us. So weak dollar, where it’s going right now, looks positive for us.”  

What you should know 

• On Wednesday, China’s Premier Li Qiang announced that China would again boost its defence spending by 7.2% this year and warned that “changes unseen in a century were unfolding across the world at a faster pace.” This increase was expected and matches the figure announced last year.
• Leaders in Beijing are trying to send a message to people in China that they are confident the country’s economy can grow, even with the threat of a trade war.
• China has been keen to portray an image of being a stable, peaceful country in contrast to the US, which Beijing accuses of being embroiled in wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.

China may also hope to capitalise on Trump’s actions relating to US allies such as Canada and Mexico, which have also been hit by tariffs, and will not want to ramp up the rhetoric too far to scare off potential new global partners.

[NaijaNews]

The Senate Leader, Bamidele Opeyemi, has clarified that the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, was suspended for gross misconduct and not because of a sexual harassment allegation against Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

Naija News recalls that Natasha’s clash with Akpabio began in February over her refusal to move to a new position assigned to her in the Senate.

She later went on TV and made sexual misconduct allegations against Akpabio, and on March 6, 2025, the Senate suspended her for six months, withdrawing her security details, among other terms.

However, Natasha’s suspension has been stirring controversies among many Nigerians.

Reacting to the aftermath of the suspension, Opeyemi, the lawmaker representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, in a statement on Saturday, said certain media organisations are circulating false narratives on Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension.

Opeyemi stressed that Natasha was suspended solely for her persistent misconduct, blatant disregard for the provisions of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 and gross indiscipline.

He further said that the Kogi lawmaker’s suspension was a decision of the committee of the whole Senate following the submission of a report by the chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, Senator Neda Imaseun, adding, the report found Natasha guilty of violating Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Senate Rules.

Opeyemi urged the public and the media to disregard any false reports suggesting otherwise and to always seek the truth before spreading politically motivated narratives.

The statement read, “The Authority of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria firmly rebuts the deliberate misinformation and false narratives being circulated by certain media organizations regarding the six-month suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan.

“Let it be unequivocally stated that Senator Uduaghan was suspended solely for her persistent acts of misconduct, blatant disregard for the provisions of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (As Amended) and gross indiscipline—nothing more, nothing less.

“It has come to the attention of the Senate that some media reports are attempting to falsely suggest that Senator Uduaghan’s suspension was due to allegations of sexual harassment.

“This is completely untrue, misleading, and a calculated attempt to distort the facts. If Senator Uduaghan had strictly followed our guiding principles, the Senate would have treated her petition based on merit in line with its practice. But she never obeyed the established practices of the institution where she was serving.

“The disciplinary action was a response to her repeated violations of legislative decorum, including: 1. Refusing to sit in her assigned seat during plenary on 25th February 2025, despite multiple pleas from the Minority Leader and other ranking Senators—an act of open defiance and disorderly conduct.

“2. Speaking without being recognised by the presiding officer in clear violation of parliamentary practices and procedures on 25th February 2025. 3. Engaging in unruly and disruptive behavior, obstructing the orderly conduct of Senate proceedings.

“4. Making abusive and disrespectful remarks against the leadership of the Senate. 5. Defying and refusing to comply with the summons of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges mandated to investigate cases of misconduct.

“These actions represented a direct challenge to the Senate’s authority and a violation of Senate Standing Orders 2023 (As Amended), which govern the Senate’s business and the conduct of its members. The disciplinary measure was, therefore, necessary and justified to restore order and uphold the integrity of the Senate as the country’s foremost democratic institution.”

[NaijaNews]

It is not an exaggeration to opine that not many octogenarians in Nigeria, or anywhere in the world, can boast of the level of physical fitness, mental sharpness, and unrelenting energy that former President Olusegun Obasanjo continues to display. As he marked his 88th birthday in grand style, showcasing his physical agility and stamina, Nigerians could not help but admire this enigma of a man who has defied age with remarkable grace. Obasanjo, a two-time paramount leader of Nigeria, has not only left an indelible mark on the country’s political landscape but also serves as an inspiring figure in personal discipline and resilience.

In fact, he is no doubt a rare breed of leader as he is one of the rare African leaders who have transitioned from military to civilian leadership and left an enduring impact on governance. His service to Nigeria spans several decades, beginning as a military officer, head of state from 1976 to 1979, and later as a democratically elected president from 1999 to 2007. Despite the controversies that have trailed his political career, one thing remains undisputed: his passion for Nigeria and his capacity to sustain a leadership presence even in retirement.

His recent public display of physical fitness during his 88th birthday celebration is not just an event for amusement, it is a testament to his disciplined lifestyle, resilience, and commitment to personal well-being. In a country where life expectancy hovers around 55 years, Obasanjo’s vibrancy at 88 is nothing short of remarkable. It begs the question: what is the secret behind his longevity and agility?

Guesstimating about the secret to Obasanjo’s enduring strength, it is not a misnomer to opine that his impressive physical fitness is no accident. Over the years, he has maintained an active lifestyle, often engaging in farming, exercising, and maintaining a disciplined diet. He has never shied away from physically demanding activities, whether it be long walks on his Ota farm, engaging in sporting activities, or dancing with youthful enthusiasm at public functions. Unlike many of his contemporaries who have succumbed to the limitations of old age, Obasanjo has continued to defy expectations.

There is also the mental fitness factor. Obasanjo’s engagement in intellectual and political discussions has kept his mind sharp. He remains one of Nigeria’s most vocal elder statesmen, regularly speaking on national issues and providing insights that shape political discourse. His penchant for writing books, delivering speeches, and engaging in diplomatic missions has ensured that his mind remains as active as his body.

He is no doubt an example for younger generations. At a time when many young people struggle with fitness and health-related issues due to sedentary lifestyles, Obasanjo’s vitality at 88 serves as a powerful example of the benefits of regular physical activity and discipline. Many Nigerians in their 30s and 40s complain of fatigue, high blood pressure, obesity, and other lifestyle-induced ailments, yet here is a man nearing 90 who moves with agility and continues to exude remarkable energy.

His fitness should serve as a wake-up call to both young and old Nigerians to take health and wellness seriously. If Obasanjo can still move with the strength of a man decades younger, what excuse do younger people have for neglecting their health?

Beyond his physical fitness, Obasanjo is known for his bluntness and fearless approach to national discourse. He is one of the few Nigerian leaders who have never hesitated to speak truth to power, regardless of whose ox is gored. Unlike many politicians who are careful with their words to avoid offending the political elite, Obasanjo calls things as he sees them.

Over the years, he has taken a firm stance on national issues, whether it be condemning corruption, criticizing poor leadership, or calling out inefficiency in government. He has written open letters to sitting presidents, challenging them on governance failures and urging them to do better for the Nigerian people. His outspokenness has earned him both admirers and detractors, but he has never been one to shy away from saying the hard truths.

His fearless attitude is a rare quality in Nigerian politics, where sycophancy and political correctness often take precedence over national interest. Obasanjo remains one of the few elder statesmen who consistently hold leaders accountable, making him a voice of reason in times of political uncertainty.

In addition to his frankness, Obasanjo is a detribalized Nigerian who has always placed national unity above ethnic or regional sentiments. In a country often divided along ethnic and religious lines, he has consistently preached and practiced national cohesion. Unlike many politicians who only serve the interests of their ethnic groups, Obasanjo has worked with individuals from all parts of Nigeria and has never shown favoritism based on tribal affiliations.

During his time as president, he appointed ministers and advisers from various ethnic backgrounds, emphasizing competence over ethnicity. His vision for Nigeria has always been one of unity and progress, where every citizen, regardless of tribe or religion, has an equal stake in the country’s development.

Even in retirement, he continues to advocate for a united Nigeria, urging leaders to rise above ethnic biases and govern with fairness. His ability to interact freely with people from different regions and his willingness to support capable leaders, regardless of their background, make him a truly national figure.

In many parts of the world, leaders understand the importance of maintaining good health to function effectively. However, in Nigeria, many political leaders do not prioritize physical fitness, often letting themselves go under the weight of their responsibilities. The result is a class of leaders who are barely able to keep up with the demands of governance due to poor health.

Obasanjo, through his lifestyle, indirectly emphasizes that leadership and physical well-being go hand in hand. A leader who is not physically fit will struggle to make sound decisions and withstand the pressures of governance. It is no wonder that during his time as president, Obasanjo was known for his work ethic and ability to travel extensively on national and international assignments without exhibiting signs of fatigue.

Beyond his physical fitness, Obasanjo represents resilience in all its forms. Having spent time in prison before emerging as Nigeria’s civilian president, his life is a story of rising from adversity. Despite facing numerous political battles, betrayals, and criticisms, he has remained unshaken, always reinventing himself and staying relevant in Nigeria’s national discourse.

Obasanjo’s ability to survive political storms, maintain his influence, and still command national and international respect at 88 is a lesson for Nigerians. In a country where many give up at the first sign of failure, Obasanjo’s life underscores the importance of perseverance and the ability to keep pushing forward despite challenges.

Many experts argue that having a strong sense of purpose contributes to longevity. Obasanjo has never been one to sit idly in retirement. He remains deeply involved in national affairs, advisory roles, diplomatic engagements, and intellectual pursuits. His continued relevance in Nigeria’s socio-political landscape has likely played a role in his longevity. Purpose gives people a reason to wake up every morning, and Obasanjo has never lacked it.

As Nigeria grapples with leadership challenges, economic difficulties, and social challenges, it is crucial to celebrate individuals like Obasanjo who have contributed significantly to the nation’s history and continue to do so in their old age. While he may not be perfect, no leader is, his commitment to Nigeria, discipline, and ability to defy age through a structured and active lifestyle are commendable.

Obasanjo’s 88th birthday and his impressive show of fitness should be a moment of inspiration for Nigerians. He is not only physically fit but also a fearless, blunt, and detribalized leader who has dedicated his life to national service. His life is a reminder that age is not just about the number of years lived but about how well those years are spent. Nigerians, young and old, should take inspiration from Obasanjo’s example and strive for personal discipline, national unity, and a life of purpose.

Ah, Nigeria, the land where politics is not just politics—it’s an action-packed Nollywood thriller, a Yoruba demon love triangle, an Igbo trader’s shrewd business deal, and a Hausa-Fulani kingmaker’s silent but deadly strategy all rolled into one. And here we are in Rivers State, watching Wike vs. Fubara, the political remix of Aki and Pawpaw fight for supremacy, except this time, there are real power plays at stake.

Oh Wike, you thought it was over? That your Abuja judges, including those Supreme Court justices, did all the heavy lifting for you? That once the Supreme Court confirmed Martin Amaewhule as the rightful Speaker, Fubara would just gree? Ha! Oga, this is Nigeria! Nobody gree for anybody! Fubara has the state courts, and he just played his hand like a proper Lagos big boy dodging rent payments.

The Supreme Court ruling must have felt like the final whistle to Wike’s camp. They probably popped champagne, thinking the game was over. “We got him!” they must have cheered, the way an Abuja politician celebrates after winning party primaries by spraying crisp mint Naira notes. But wait—did anyone remind them that Rivers State still has its own judiciary? Because while Wike’s loyal Assembly was flexing their new Supreme Court-backed power, Fubara’s commissioners and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RISIEC) chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd), decided to show them that ‘Port Harcourt no be Lagos’. They walked straight into the state court and slapped them with a lawsuit like an Igbo trader demanding full payment. Their demand? A court order blocking the Assembly from interfering with their appointments and duties. And guess what? The state court gave it to them like a market woman selling fresh akara at dawn.

Now, Wike’s Assembly had been on a power trip, issuing a 48-hour ultimatum to Fubara to submit a fresh list of commissioners and the 2025 budget. They outright rejected the 19 commissioners he appointed, claiming they weren’t properly confirmed. But here’s the problem—Fubara never officially received their ultimatum, at least according to him. “Oh, you sent me a letter? Omo, no be me you send am. My bad, I must have missed it between all these court cases and political backstabbing.” Classic Lagos ‘soft work’ excuse. Meanwhile, Amaewhule and his lawmakers, feeling invincible, summoned the RISIEC chairman to explain why he dared to conduct an election that the Supreme Court nullified. Their plan was clear: strip Fubara of all authority and make him a governor in name only—like those ‘Instagram big men’ whose accounts are louder than their bank balance.

But Fubara, the real Port Harcourt first son, no dey carry last. His commissioners took their fight to the Rivers State High Court, arguing that the Assembly had no power to overturn their appointments. And oh, the irony—while Wike used the judiciary against Fubara in Abuja, Fubara just used the judiciary in Port Harcourt against Wike’s lawmakers. The court didn’t just grant the commissioners permission to serve the lawsuit—it ordered them to do it by pasting it on the gates of the Assembly Quarters. Imagine the lawmakers walking into work, only to see legal documents plastered like ‘house for rent’ signs in Ajegunle. How dare you, Amaewhule & Co.! You thought this would be a walk in the park? My brother, this is not Buga dance, this is survival!

Oh, and now that this is going on, that budget presentation just became an impossible mission. The Assembly had already warned Fubara to submit the 2025 budget, but how can he do that now? His Finance Commissioner, Emmanuel Frank-Fubara, can’t give him anything to present because the state court has frozen all actions related to the commissioners. The Assembly wanted to force Fubara’s hand, but now, they’re stuck too—no budget, no governance, just lawsuits flying like election campaign flyers. The Supreme Court may have put its stamp on Wike’s team, but the state court just locked down the treasury faster than EFCC chasing Yahoo boys.

This is where it gets even funnier. The Supreme Court had backed Wike’s Assembly, but now, Fubara has the local referees on his side. The game is now being played on two courts—the federal court and the state court. While Wike thought he had completely neutralized Fubara’s authority, he forgot that politics isn’t just about who controls Abuja. It’s about who controls the home front. Fubara, rather than fold, just turned Rivers State’s legal system into his own shield—like a proper Yoruba demon dodging relationship commitment.

So what happens next? Will Wike go running back to the Supreme Court for another ruling? Will he start searching for what is now known as the “Abuja Judge” to perform another legal miracle? Well, guess what? The law is clear—Abuja judges have no jurisdiction over state and local matters. Maybe the Supreme Court will find a way around that? Sorry, nop! Wike’s legal magic has hit a wall, and Fubara just dug in his trenches, like a proper Niger Delta militant waiting for government amnesty.

Will Fubara keep using the state judiciary as a roadblock to legislative interference? Will the lawmakers simply pretend they didn’t see the lawsuit pasted on their gate? And most importantly—who will dare to present the budget now? One thing’s for sure—this Rivers State saga is far from over. Wike thought the Supreme Court had sealed the deal, but Fubara just reminded him that governance isn’t won in a courtroom alone. The battle continues, and Naija people, we dey here for the drama! Grab your popcorn, your zobo, your suya—this one go long!

The Real Lesson: Nigeria’s Democracy is at a Crossroads

At the heart of all this political chess and courtroom battles is a deeper Nigerian problem—the rule of man over the rule of law. Every institution in this fight—whether it’s the Supreme Court, the Rivers State Judiciary, the House of Assembly, or the Governor’s office—has been dragged into a game of power and self-interest. Where is democracy in all of this?

Nigeria must learn that a politicized judiciary, a compromised legislature, and self-serving politicians do not grow democracy—they destroy it. When institutions serve personal ambitions rather than the people, democracy becomes an illusion, and governance becomes nothing more than a battlefield for the biggest political godfather. This is why states like Rivers continue to struggle with real governance, while their leaders play legal gymnastics.

The Senate, the judiciary, the executive, and the legislature must function as independent democratic bodies, not as extensions of one man’s political empire. Nigeria cannot grow if every election turns into a court case, if every political disagreement leads to power plays, and if every institution bends to the will of politicians rather than the constitution.

The lesson from Rivers State is clear—until we remove the rule of man and embrace the rule of law, until our judiciary stops being a political tool, until our lawmakers remember they serve the people, not their godfathers, Nigeria’s democracy will remain a fragile joke.

So while we all enjoy the drama, let’s not forget the real question: when will Nigeria stop being a political movie and start being a real democracy? Until then, grab your popcorn, your zobo, and your suya—this one go long.