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[PRESS STATEMENT] Salute to Muslims on Eid-el-Fitr, our cooperation against threats to national security is absolutely necessary - Nuhu Ribadu
On behalf of the management and staff of the Office of the National Security Adviser, I wish to extend heartfelt greetings to Muslims across Nigeria and around the world on the occasion of Eid-el-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. This sacred period embodies the virtues of resilience, discipline, and sacrifice. As we celebrate, I urge you to bring to bear these virtues in our collective efforts to strengthen national security.
Your cooperation in the fight against terrorism and other threats remains vital in ensuring peace and stability across our Nation, particularly in our commitment to a ‘whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.’ Therefore, the continued collaboration between the government, religious leaders, communities, and security agencies in combating terrorism and extremism remains paramount.
The celebration of Eid-el-Fitr serves as a moment for deep reflection, gratitude, and a renewed commitment to peace and national unity. It is thus pertinent for Muslims and all Nigerians to come together in unity, embracing the core principles of love and togetherness that are essential for our national progress. Peace, unity, and compassion are the core values underpinning the true spirit of Eid-el-Fitr; therefore, Nigerians must continue to uphold the virtues of empathy, kindness, and tolerance during the festivities and beyond.
I appeal to all Nigerians to remain vigilant against any forces that threaten our peace, and together, we can build a Nigeria where all citizens, irrespective of their faith, can live in harmony and prosperity.
Our diversity is our strength, and despite the challenges we face as a Nation, we remain united by a shared commitment to peace and stability. The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and this Office uphold these values, and under my leadership, we are dedicated to ensuring the safety and security of all Nigerians regardless of background or faith. We remain steadfast in our mission to enhance Nigeria's resilience against terrorism and violent extremism while promoting peaceful coexistence and national security. I wish you all a happy Eid-el-Fitr celebration.
Mallam Nuhu Ribadu mni
National Security Adviser
Tinubu: I nearly quit 2023 race amid economic turmoil
- Appreciates Nigerians for birthday well wishes
- I’m proud of my association with Tinubu, says Buhari
- Babangida, govs, CDS, others laud President @ 73
President Bola Tinubu last night revealed how the economic crisis triggered by the naira redesign policy nearly forced him to quit the 2023 presidential race.
Speaking at a special Iftar at the State House in Abuja, the President recounted how a conversation with a close relative almost made him reconsider his ambition.
The Iftar coincided with his 73rd birthday and he used the opportunity to express appreciation to Nigerians for their outpouring of goodwill and prayers during the birthday.
His predecessor, General Muhammadu Buhari reminisced on his relationship with Tinubu and said he was proud of the deep bond between them.
Buhari ,in a telephone chat with the president to congratulate him on his 73rd birthday was full of praise for him for his contributions to the country.
Ex-military president ,General Ibrahim Babangida said Tinubu’s leadership intervention thus far, has been “very remarkable, bold, resilient and encouraging.”
More congratulatory messages for the president also came yesterday from the Ooni of Ife ,Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi,state governors and other members of the political class as well as the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa who credited Tinubu’s leadership role with what he called the military’s recent successes against terrorism and other security challenges in the country.
Tinubu at yesterday’s Iftar thanked guests for their presence, prayers, and contributions to the nation’s development.
His Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, quoted him as acknowledging the challenges he faced in the presidential race and reaffirming his commitment to advancing Nigeria’s progress.
At the Iftar were First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and his wife, Nana Shettima, members of the Federal Executive Council, principal officers of the National Assembly, current and former governors, diplomats, business leaders, religious figures, and some of the President’s childhood friends.
Dr. Abdulkadir Sholagberu, Imam of the National Mosque, Abuja, led special prayers seeking divine guidance and continued progress for the President and the nation.
Reflecting on the challenges of the 2023 presidential race,Tinubu spoke of when he contemplated withdrawing from the contest following an encounter with a close relative.
“Those close to me know that the odds were against me. During the campaigns, one of them came to my living room around 3:30 a.m. and said he needed just N50,000 to buy foodstuff for our uncle,” he said.
“He told me, ‘the currency is gone because of you. People are jumping over bank counters because there is no cash. Our uncle, a wealthy man, doesn’t even have N10,000 in cash. What are you running for?’
“I told him, ‘I am running for President, not for you and our uncle.’ I gave him the N50,000. As he walked out, he turned to me and said, ‘I don’t think you will make it.’ I replied, ‘I will make it.'”
The President said that his uncle later called to confirm receiving the money but admitted that he had only given the messenger N10,000, keeping the rest.
“I was amazed. At that moment, I almost dropped the idea of running for President. But thanks to Aminu Masari and all of you who encouraged me. When I came to Abuja, Masari told me, ‘I am the Chairman of the North West Group; don’t look back.'”
President Tinubu noted that he assumed office during a time of economic uncertainty and had to take immediate, difficult decisions, including removing fuel subsidy.
“On the day of my inauguration, I had to decide on something not originally in my speech, and that was the fuel subsidy removal,” he said.
Noting that Nigeria had reached a point of no return on the issue, the President said: “The hallmark of a great leader is the ability to make the right decision at the right time. That was the day I declared that the subsidy was gone. The following day, I was hounded and thoroughly abused in the media. But I stood firm, knowing it was the right thing to do for our nation’s future.”
Vice President Shettima lauded the President’s sacrifices, stating that history would remember him as the leader who took on the nation’s most complex challenges.
“Thanks to his boldness, future presidents of Nigeria will not have to wrestle with the same ghosts that haunted past administrations, including fraud-ridden fuel subsidies, an unstable forex market, and the suppression of local government autonomy.
“These were the thorny issues that many before him sidestepped. But Asiwaju did not sidestep history; he came to rewrite it.
“And in rewriting it, Asiwaju has taken the bullets that many before him simply lacked the courage to face. But that is the thing about true leadership: it is not for those who seek comfort. It is for those who understand that the path to national greatness is lined with difficult choices,” he said.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio praised the President’s ability to forgive and his relentless passion for national development.
Akpabio described the President as a leader who thinks outside the box and as the ‘most audacious president’ in the country’s history.
He said that, under Tinubu’s watch, governors are getting more allocation.
“If I were a governor under your administration, I would have been a ‘supernatural governor’ and not an uncommon governor,” he said.
House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, described President Tinubu as a leader who has broken barriers and uplifted future Nigerian politicians.
He noted that the President had taken the backseat to raising leaders for decades.
“Today, he is at the forefront because Nigeria needs him. In 2019, despite not being from his region, he supported me in my most difficult political moment. Nigeria needs leaders who rise above tribal considerations, and he has demonstrated that,” he said.
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State commended the President’s decisive leadership at a time when Nigeria needed stability.
“Only a leader with deep conviction and love for the country could have taken the bold and yet necessary decisions that averted national collapse and now restoring hope and confidence across the federation,” he said.
Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy Minister Bosun Tijjani shared his personal experience of being appointed by President Tinubu despite his past activism.
“Before my appointment, I had never met Mr. President. But after my confirmation, he told me, ‘I have looked at your records and activism, and I am giving you an opportunity to serve,'” he said.
The minister recounted a recent meeting at the World Bank, where a senior official described President Tinubu as the best reformist leader in Africa today.
Professor Shaffideen Adeniyi Amuwo, a childhood friend of the President, reminisced about their early years and how divine providence led Tinubu to the presidency.
“Our relationship did not just start in Chicago; we played soccer together as children. While I chose the library, my brother chose politics because he loved to speak. Today, Allah has shown His greatness by guiding him to lead Nigeria.
“The city of Chicago, founded by a Black man, has educated the man who now leads the most populous Black nation on earth. I pray that Allah continues to hold his hand and guide him as he works to save our country,” he said.
Buhari: I’m proud of my association with Buhari
Former President Buhari in the telephone chat with Tinubu prayed and wished him long life, good health and success for his administration.
“When we pray for our leaders, we are praying for ourselves and the nation. We owe this to ourselves and the nation,” Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, quoted him yesterday as telling Tinubu.
Buhari added that his family and himself remain indebted to Tinubu and the other leaders of the party for the invaluable contributions they made toward the formation of All Progressives Congress (APC), catapulting him to the presidency for two terms after failed attempts in the past, and helping to produce another APC administration with the Asiwaju himself at its head.
He added:“ No doubt, the annals of the country will not be complete without bringing into mention, and a recognition of the varied and numerous roles of President Tinubu as an entrepreneur, a party stalwart, a staunch activist, party organizer, party builder, a reliable ally and a serial winner of democratic elections. I am truly proud of my association with the Asiwaju.
“When Nigerians handed the baton of leadership to the APC in 2015, it was a mandate to lay the foundation for a new Nigeria where the poor get opportunities for a better future and I am glad that the vision is not lost. It was a victory of all those who wish the country’s good.”
He also used the opportunity to wish the president, his family, and the nation a successful completion of the Ramadan fast and a happy and joyful Eid el Fitri.
Asiwaju of the universe, happy birthday —-IBB.
General Babangida said a result-driven and utility leader like Tinubu “fits the present challenges especially with the kind of innovations and policy thrust of your administration, so far.’
His message: “There comes a time in the life of a nation when uncommon personality and courageous disposition forms the basis for appreciating the essentials of problem-solving leadership. With your rich background in the struggle for the emancipation of the ordinary Nigerian, coupled with your commitment to deepening democratic values in Nigeria, your history speaks for your persona.
“At a time like this, when your birthday strikes the right chord, it is gratifying to join millions of your admirers, associates, supporters and fellow Nigerians to celebrate you with a pat on the back. You have come to lead Nigeria at a very trying time in our nation’s history, but your leadership intervention thus far, has been very remarkable, bold, resilient and encouraging. Only those who have been there know exactly the grit required to lead Nigeria and Nigerians.
“Mr. President, let me assure you of my support and solidarity always. Even though the challenges facing us as a nation may be daunting, you have shown equal commitment to contend with the realities that stare us in the face. I can easily recollect when our paths crossed in the late eighties when the government I ran was trying to birth democracy.
“You have remained consistent to your ideals, principles and democratic values till date, reason why Nigerians entrusted you with the mandate to lead them at this auspicious moment.
“A result-driven and utility leader like you fits the present challenges especially with the kind of innovations and policy thrust of your administration, so far. You must not be tired or discouraged in providing the desired leadership to move the country forward. You have shown grit, gusto and gravitas in your leadership emanations, and the courage you have exemplified speaks to your capacity to take uncommon decisions.
“Mr. President and the Asiwaju of the Universe, as I fondly call you, congratulations on your 73rd birthday celebrations. On behalf of Aisha, Muha, Aminu and Halima, accept our collective felicitations on this special day. This is happening at the Holy month of Ramadan. It is an indication of Allah’s abiding mercy and love for you. May Allah accept our supplications and grant you good health and more wisdom to help you chart the way forward for our dear country. Congratulations Mr. President. Many happy returns.”
Tinubu’s birthday a testament to his resilience, dedication to Nigeria, says Ooni
The Ooni described the President as a beacon of hope and a visionary leader who has significantly shaped the nation’s socio-political landscape.
“His selfless contributions to the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria remain an indelible legacy that history will always celebrate,” he said,adding:“From the trenches of democratic struggles to the pinnacle of national leadership, President Tinubu has stood as a champion of progressive governance.
“His relentless fight for justice, equity, and good governance has uplifted many, rekindling hope in the hearts of countless Nigerians.
“Today, as he steers the ship of our great nation, we acknowledge his sacrifices and dedication to ensuring that future generations inherit a Nigeria that thrives in peace, prosperity, and unity.”
Oba Ogunwusi r prayed for God’s continued wisdom, strength, and divine guidance for the President, asking that he be blessed with clarity in leadership and the fortitude to navigate the complexities of governance.
Uzodimma: Tinubu has opened door to new era of growth
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma said President Tinubu’s leadership has opened the door to Nigeria’s new era of growth and sustainable progress across all sectors.
The Governor said the profound impact made by the president has significantly benefited the people.
He said: “With strong passion and commitment to national development, President Tinubu has opened the door to a new era of growth, ensuring that every sector experiences real and sustainable progress.
“His leadership stands out through bold initiatives, people-centric policies, and a compassionate approach that prioritises the well-being of Nigerians. Whether in revitalising the economy or renewing our infrastructure, Mr. President’s dedication to building a stronger, more prosperous Nigeria is evident.
“As you mark another year of wisdom and experience, I pray that God blesses you with long life, good health, and even greater insight to guide our great nation. May your vision for transforming Nigeria become a lasting reality, and may the years ahead bring even more remarkable achievements.”
Otti hails his sacrifice, resilience in rebuilding Nigeria
Abia State Governor . Alex Otti acknowledged what he called Tinubu’s dedication to the progress and unity of the country.
Otti in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, also commended the resilience of President Tinubu in building a united and strong nation.
He prayed that God might continue to grant him the strength, wisdom and good health to steer the ship of our Nation to greater heights.
Tinubu ‘s leadership key to military gains against adversaries, says CDS
Chief of Defence Staff Musa said the military’s successes against the adversaries of the country could not have been possible without President Tinubu’s “immense guidance and purposeful leadership.”
The CDS, in a statement said the President’s relentless efforts to provide the needed funds, incentives, and equipment to execute the fight against the enemies of the country had gone a long way in boosting the morale of the troops.
He said: “Your leadership has impacted positively to the successes being achieved by the Armed Forces of Nigeria. We remain loyal and committed to your ideals and aspirations for a safer nation where citizens and their businesses will strive.
“The successes achieved so far in the fight against insurgency, terrorism, economic sabotage, and other criminalities could not have been achieved without your immense guidance and purposeful leadership.
“As you celebrate, we are confident that the Almighty God will guide, protect, and provide you with sound health and additional wisdom to steer the ship. We seize this opportunity to continue to pledge our unending resolve to submit to our constitutional responsibilities and ensure a safer and peaceful nation.
“The present increase in troops morale is attributed to your relentless efforts to provide the needed funds, incentives, and equipment to execute the fight against the enemies of Nigeria.”
Benue will ever be grateful to him,says Gov. Alia
Benue State Governor Gov. Hyacinth Alia said President Tinubu has shown his state considerable love, given the numerous appointments, infrastructural development projects, and other Federal Government interventions in the state.
The governor appreciated the President for always putting Benue at the front burner of his “Renewed Hope Agenda”.
He said the government and people of the state would be forever grateful and proud of him and his administration.
Alia said that the future of the country looked great under the leadership of the President.
Soludo hails Tinubu’s leadership on 73rd birthday
In Awka,Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo said the President’s commitment to democratic governance continued to inspire renewed hope for a better Nigeria.
He descried the birthday as another moment to celebrate a life dedicated to service, vision, and the pursuit of national unity and progress.
“President Tinubu’s leadership is anchored in deep political experience, strategic thinking, patriotism, and a commitment to democracy. This continues to inspire hope for a better Nigeria,” Soludo said and appreciated his “ large-heartedness and support for Anambra’s developmental aspirations.’
He added:“His inclusive approach to governance and willingness to partner with subnational entities for national progress reflect his belief in a Nigeria that works for all.”
He’s guiding Nigeria toward growth, prosperity -Otu
Cross River State Governor Bassey Out said Tinubu’s leadership has been “pivotal in guiding our country toward growth and prosperity.”
The Governor also emphasized the importance of unity and cooperation among all states in Nigeria, stating that working together is essential for the progress and well-being of the nation.
The governor pledged the continued support of the people of the state to the president to enable his administration succeed with his Renewed Hope Agenda.
He continues to inspire hope, progress – Gov. Ododo
Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo described President Tinubu as a statesman whose leadership and dedication to national development continue to inspire hope and progress across Nigeria.
The governor said that Tinubu’s reforms were strengthening the national unity, stabilising the economy and advancing the nation’s democratic values.
“On behalf of the government and people of Kogi State, I celebrate Mr President on this special day.
“Your resilience, visionary leadership, and patriotism have laid a strong foundation for Nigeria’s growth.
“We deeply appreciate your tireless efforts in repositioning our country for sustainable development,” he stated.
He reaffirmed his support for President Tinubu’s administration and prayed for continued wisdom, strength, and good health for the President as he leads Nigeria toward greater prosperity, sustainable development, peace and stability.
He’s courageous reformer, says Bamidele
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele called the president a courageous reformer, a fearless patriot and an incurable optimist in the glorious future of Nigeria.
“President is no doubt a courageous reformer, fearless patriot and an incurable optimist, who never bothers about reelection, but about the next generation. Since he assumed office 22 months ago, he has focused on implementing key reforms that are now restoring stability to and confidence in the economy,” he said..
“In the last 22 months alone, President Tinubu signed the Student Loans Bill that has benefited no fewer than 90,000 students and raised the national minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000. Under his leadership, also, our GDP has recorded significant growth and inflation now down trajectory.
“Statutory transfers to state and local governments have significantly risen, availing them more resources to fund projects and programmes at the sub-national level.
“The increase has no doubt prevented the country’s descent into a fiscal crisis, possibly another economic meltdown.
“Asiwaju’s courage to undertake strategic infrastructure projects is historic and legendary.
“This is evident in the construction of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, among others. These projects are indeed economic routes that connect several states together.” Bamidele observed.
Bamidele further commended the president for promoting such programmes as Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Health Sector Renewal Initiative and Renewed Hope Homes purely in the interest of Nigerians across all strata.
His unwavering commitment to repositioning Nigeria commendable – Nwoko
In his own goodwill message,Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North ) said that the nation recognised the weight of the task before the president and his genuine efforts to steer the country towardgrowth and stability.
According to him, this special day offers yet another moment to acknowledge Tinubu’s unwavering dedication to the service of the country and his resilience in the face of the enormous responsibility of leadership.
“Mr President, we recognise the weight of the task before you and the genuine efforts you are making to steer the nation towards growth and stability.
“As you celebrate another year today, we acknowledge your unwavering commitment to repositioning Nigeria and advancing the vision of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“It is our earnest hope that the year ahead brings you renewed strength, wisdom, and the collective support needed to fulfill the aspirations of Nigerians,” he said.
Arewa Think Tank holds prayer session for President
The Arewa Think Tank (ATT) yesterday organized a prayer session in Kaduna to mark the 73rd birthday celebration of President Tinubu.
Two Islamic Clerics, Sheikh Yahaya Musa and Abdulkareem Abumujahidah led the prayer session.
According to the Clerics, “there is nothing bad praying for our leaders. God even says that we should continue to pray for our leaders so that they can have the strength and good health to lead us better. So this prayer for the President and Nigeria as a country is in order”.
They urged Nigerians not to cease from praying at all times as part of encouraging them to ensure speedy development for the country.
In his remarks, the Convener of Arewa Think Tank, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu said the gathering was solely for prayer session in commemoration of the 73rd birthday celebration of the President.
And fielding questions from journalists shortly after the occasion, he expressed optimism that President Tinubu’s chances for a second term were bright in view of the various reforms he has implemented, “which are now yielding results. So his coming back to office for the second tenure is very much assured by the grace of God”.
“We must not forget the fact that the respective holy books of the two major religions; Islam and Christianity call on the people to always pray for their leaders. So what we are doing here today is in line with one of the religious tenets. We are not doing anything political here today. Remember that last year we organised same event for Mr. President’s 72nd birthday celebration. So this is not the first we are organising this prayer session.
The former governor of Kaduna State, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero and the Director General of the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, Comrade Issa Aremu graced the occasion. Both of them commended the organisers of the prayer session.
[TheNation]
NJC rejects bill to sanction corrupt judges
The National Judicial Council has raised concerns about a proposal by the House of Representatives to empower the Nigerian Bar Association to sanction and remove corrupt judges.
On March 25, 2025, the House of Representatives passed a bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution by introducing provisions for the removal of corrupt judges from the judiciary.
The bill proposes that the NBA should receive petitions against such judicial officers, consider the defense of the petitioned officer, and take further steps on the matter.
Reacting to the bill, the Deputy Director of Information of the NJC, Kemi Ogedengbe, questioned the feasibility and legality of such a move, citing constitutional constraints and procedural requirements.
In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Ogedengbe said the Constitution placed the responsibility of disciplining judges squarely in the hands of the NJC.
She emphasised that sanctioning a judge is a process governed by specific procedures, including presenting evidence against accused judges.
“The constitutional requirements place the discipline of judges in the hands of the NJC, and it doesn’t just come with the NJC—it has procedures that must be followed. If a judge is deemed to be corrupt, you can’t just put up a statement that a judge is corrupt. It must be backed up with evidence.”
“Either the judge is caught in the act or you have evidence against the judge. Once it happens that way, the dictates of the Constitution will now be followed to deal with such a corrupt judge. That’s what the Constitution says,” she said.
Ogedengbe further questioned the practicality of the NBA taking on such responsibilities, and the potential for abuse.
She said, “The question is, who are those corrupting the judges? A crime does not occur in isolation; there are always accessories. Who are these accessories? Are they members of the public, lawyers, or medical doctors? Or are they lawyers themselves?”
The council also emphasised that public hearings and stakeholder input would play a critical role in determining the viability of the proposed amendment.
“The House of Representatives’ bill will not just end there; it will pass through the Senate and the 36 state Houses of Assembly. They are going to ratify it; there will be public hearings on it. So, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
“Whether it will be able to curb corruption is what I don’t know because one person cannot perpetuate corrupt practices. There must be accessories. So, who are those accessories? Or will a judge just sit down, and they will charge him for corruption?”
“It is those accessories that we have to identify. From there, we will now know if the NBA taking over sanctioning judges will be abused or not.”
“This is just the beginning of the conversation. Whether this bill can effectively curb corruption remains to be seen. For now, we must adhere to the Constitution, which already provides a framework for disciplining judicial officers through due process.
“There is no constitutional amendment that does not involve public hearings. Every stakeholder will come to say if they support it or not. That is when we will know if this type of amendment will succeed or not. A law is not a good law until it is made perfect,” she said.
[Punch]
[OPINION] Rivers emergency declaration is a national ill-wind - Dele Sobowale
“Lord, protect me from my friends; I can take care of my enemies” – Robert Greene, author of 48 LAWS OF POWER.
I pray that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, aka, BAT, will live much longer. Irrespective of whether he secures a second term or not in 2027, there was one meeting and a decision arising from that encounter that he will regret for the rest of his life. Few people know who initiated the first meeting between then-presidential candidate of the APC (Tinubu) and then-governor of Rivers State, a member of the PDP, Nyesom Wike.
Without being there, it requires no space science intelligence to figure out what the subject of the appointment was all about – treachery for sale. Wike was there to betray his party and help Tinubu win the presidential election; in exchange for a plum appointment if the plot succeeded. BAT, aware that the election might be close, was desperate for assistance from anyone. What could be better than a powerful insider who could deliver the prize; just for a mere political appointment? A deal was struck.
Wike was very circumspect about his intentions. He persuaded four other serving PDP governors and Fayose – intelligent but not wise – to follow him on his trip to London; where the details of the betrayal of their party were worked out. None of the gullible governors campaigned for their own candidate. None was rewarded for helping to destroy their own party; and none can now confess that they have been duped. Wike is the only beneficiary of a conspiracy hatched by him and executed by him. Makinde, Ikpeazu, Ortom and Fayose were used as collaterals to seal the agreement. They perhaps now wish they never met Wike.
Wike a serial traitor
“The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies. It comes from friends and loved ones.”
Poser: Can anybody point to someone who has helped Wike, as he climbed up the political ladder, who has not directly or indirectly been betrayed? Invariably, the association starts with Wike, apparently totally loyal to the other party; until he secures a better and more powerful client. Thereafter, the turnaround is so swift and brazen that the wounds left never heal. Last week, one of his former benefactors, former President Jonathan, was forced to comment on the dangerous situation which declaration of emergency has created in Rivers State.
When Jonathan and Amaechi had a quarrel, Wike immediately became a staunch loyalist of the President. He was rewarded with the governorship of Rivers State. Today, if Tinubu asks Wike to blast GEJ, he would do it gladly and with all the venom at his disposal. What Jonathan left unsaid must have been his regret that he helped to build the force that is threatening the PDP now. Below is what Jonathan said about the problem Wike has created for Tinubu and Nigeria: “They are pretending to sleep; and waking such a person is extremely difficult because the person knows the right thing — a clear abuse of power and power cutting across all three arms of government.”
Brief, but impactful. Rotimi Amaechi, ex-this, ex-that, was governor of the state (Rivers) on PDP platform; when he nominated “loyal” Wike for ministerial post. Once a rift developed between Amaechi and Jonathan, Wike wasted no time. Amaechi was not only dumped, his former friend became the most vicious tag team partner of Jonathan. Every former Rivers State governor must now be regretting helping Wike. They thought he was a friend. Wike’s only friend is Wike.
Tinubu’s turn
“Show me your friends; and I will tell you who you are.”
Granted not every person appointed to high office by a President can be regarded as his friend. Some are imposed by the political party or close acquaintances. But, one or two are his personal choices; based on his personal assessment of their utility value. Tinubu and Wike operated like two parallel lines most of their political lives that there was very little chance of their being political friends – until the opportunity for perfidy, by Wike, occurred. Everything being fair in war and politics, Tinubu cannot be blamed if a top official of another party was willing to act in bad faith.
It was mutually beneficial to both of them – Tinubu became President and Wike was once more a Minister. That should ordinarily have been the end of the matter. A President has every right to expect every Minister to focus on his duties totally; and the other ex-governors on the cabinet – Umahi for instance – have done just that. Only Wike, among the Ministers, apparently has a personal agenda; he wants to run the Ministry as well as Rivers State. And he is not hiding the fact. Every adult Nigerian, who follows political events, knows this and believes that power-greed by Wike is at the heart of the political crisis in Rivers State.
Tinubu obviously approved of Wike’s divided interest and the attempt to privatise Rivers State. So, he has not called the Minister to order. Meanwhile, Wike’s plans have met a stiff resistance. Governor Fubara has refused to be a figurehead Chief Executive Officer. The political stalemate which threatened to erupt into political and ethnic violence has forced Tinubu to take a controversial measure which constitutionality is in doubt. I will shortly offer my own opinion regarding the declaration of emergency in Rivers. However, two things are clear to me. First, it has not solved the problem; and, second, the Presidency, the National Assembly and the federal judiciary have been thrown into the midst of another political crisis by selfish and unpatriotic politicians who don’t wish the people of Rivers State and Nigeria well.
Was the declaration advisable?
“A journalist should be pursuing a fair rendition of truth without regard to popular moods; the journalist should not be swayed by public opinion; only by the pursuit of truth, as close as he can get to it” – Malvin Kalb, American journalist, 1997. I am not a professional journalist; only a media contributor. But, I have accepted the basic rules of journalism as my guide each time an article is published. As much as possible, sentiments are discarded; bias against or in favour of individuals or groups is suppressed.
Thus, even though a staunch Christian, I have no opposition to the introduction of the Sharia Law, anywhere in Nigeria – as long as it is applied only to Muslims. My approach to this matter is the same. This is one of those devilish cases which most thoughtful people pray they are never called upon to offer an opinion. That notwithstanding, when they occur, each of us must stand up and be counted. It is not easy; believe me. My approach to this sort of thing is to ask two simple questions: What would have happened if Tinubu did not declare the state of emergency?
And what would have been the general opinion of his competence as a leader for allowing it? In my view, the contending parties – pro-Wike and pro-Fubara – in and out of government have reached such a stage that dialogue and peaceful solution was impossible. Both sides were moving gradually and surely towards mutual violent destruction. Once it starts, such conflicts don’t end in days or weeks; and sometimes, not even months. Rivers State would have been locked down for a long time; and healing would have taken years to achieve. The Nigerian economy would have been damaged beyond redemption. Every Nigerian alive and millions unborn would suffer immeasurably.
Truth is Rivers State, right now, is the most important state in Nigeria from the standpoint of dollar revenue – given its dominant position on oil and gas. It is our egg basket; which a bunch of blockhead politicians were about to scatter. Fubara, Wike and the legislators were totally obstinate and uncommonly uncompromising as to have left the state without access to its own funds; and the stalemate would have continued indefinitely – if left unchecked. The only power left to bring a halt to the lunacy is the President of Nigeria. Granted, he might have, deliberately or inadvertently, contributed to the mess. But, the fact remains that, having observed the drift of events, he had no choice other than to call a halt. The only instrument at his disposal was the declaration of emergency – which he has done. Unfortunately, Tinubu missed the last step which would have brought nationwide approval; instead of condemnation.
What should have been done?
“The buck stops here” – US President Harry Truman, 1884-1892. That was the statement of a former American President whose Secretary of State was fomenting trouble in his own state on account of ambition to dictate to his successor as state governor. The fellow was doing exactly the same thing Wike has been attempting to do in Rivers. Although, the incident occurred long before Harry Truman pronounced the obiter dictum for all Presidents everywhere, it still has relevance today. No President should encourage possible breakdown of law and order in any part of his country; neither should he retain a Minister who does. Tinubu should also have sacked Wike; who is the cause of the problem.
SEGUN ODEGBAMI: Day the gods deserted the Super Eagles!
If there is a god of soccer, on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, it deserted the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
On the dot of 90 minutes, with only added time of some 5 minutes left to play, Eric Chelle had his plan for winning the match. He replaced a forward with another forward.
He replaced Victor Osimhen, the most consistent finisher in the team, with Boniface who has not scored a single goal for the national team to date. Or has he? If any player was likely to score, it would be Osimhen.
I did not understand the substitution. If Eric wanted the team to ‘shut down’ and run down the match as they did successfully against Rwanda, basic tactics would require that he added a player to the midfield/defense area, get the players to keep possession of the ball as much as possible, and to close up the spaces in the midfield, disallowing the opposing team from doing anything constructive.
That’s what he did during the Rwandan match after the Eagles were two goals up and time was running out.
Against Zimbabwe, however, the situation was different. With only one goal in the kitty, it was dangerous to do what he did against Rwanda. So, his substitution meant, in basic football tactics, that he wanted to score another goal.
But it was clear the Zimbabweans were desperate, had started to throw everything forward, and were unlucky to have been denied what could have been a goal had VAR been available to check where the ball landed when it struck the crossbar and landed either behind or in front of the Nigerian goal line. No one is still certain where the ball landed.
Still the Super Eagles’ intentions were not obvious – to attack or defend the lone goal? They did neither. The Eagles suddenly looked tired. They started to leave yawning gaps in the midfield and allowed the Zimbabweans plenty of space and time on the ball. They also started to lose possession of the ball with ease, with Lookman attempting solo runs with the ball and losing possession, unnecessarily.
That could, surely, not be Eric’s intentions or instructions. I will still ask him whenever we meet what instructions he gave the team as the match drew to an end.
On the other hand, the Zimbabweans deserve credit for how they started to play, pressing, chasing after every ball, passing and attacking the spaces in the Nigerian midfield and defence opening up with every passing second.
Then it happened. Their persistence paid off.
It was almost on the dot of 90 minutes. The Zimbabweans cut through the Nigerian defense with a pass that ended with only William Troost-Ekong to beat. It was what would be called ‘50/50 ball’ in Nigerian football parlance. At this point, it all came down to what he did. The Nigerian captain is a dependable team leader.
At that stage of the match, any defender grounded in the Nigerian psyche, how to play when something like the World Cup ticket is at stake, would not think twice about what to do in that instance!
With the prowling attacker running at him and the ball between them, the typical Nigerian defender would have gritted his teeth, shut his eyes, with determination written all over his action, and with almost reckless abandon, cleared everything in his path – ball and the foot of the attacking player. The sound of that kick would have reverted around that stadium, and the ‘fragments’ of the ball and the foot of the opposing player would be picked outside the Uyo township stadium!
Okay, that may be an exaggeration, but the reality is that a Christian Chukwu, Stephen Keshi, Austin Eguavoen, Sunday Eboigbe, Francis Monidafe, or 10-10 Omokaro, or any one of several Nigerian former Captains and defenders, in Ekong’s shoes, would have booted the ball and the Zimbabwean player into the terraces.
Instead, and, unfortunately, what Ekong did may haunt him for the rest of his life. It could be the moment Nigeria lost the opportunity to go to the 2026 World Cup. It could turn out to be his last chance to attend a World Cup. It was a moment Nigerians, all 250’million of them, will remember forever.
Ekong took his leg off the pedal, probably thinking he might trip the attacker and give away a penalty kick (We will never know now). He let the ball and the opposing attacker go through, a gift to the player who slid the ball under a helplessly sprawling Nwabili for an equalizing goal that pierced the hearts of 250 million Nigerians like a knife.
William Troost-Ekong has since apologised for that poor decision, and Nigerians have no choice but to forgive him.
The bottom line is that Nigeria had no business letting victory slip through their hands with only a few minutes of the match to go. It was a very painful end to what was otherwise a match they had under their control until they scored, and, thereafter, went to sleep.
The silence around the Uyo Township stadium and around the country as a whole, after the match, spoke loudly about the gloom that has since settled over Nigerians.
Last Tuesday was a ‘bad’ day at the market for the Super Eagles. The country would need more than prayers and a miracle to still make it to the 2026 World Cup.
Daily Diary!
The African Women’s Volleyball Club Championship starts on Monday in Abuja. Clubs from 24 countries, including Nigeria, will be participating. Nigeria will be represented by the Nigerian Customs Women’s Volleyball Club.
I shall be there LIVe and shall be keeping a Daily Diary on my experiences of this first-ever championship. Watch out!
We won’t succumb: Anger trails fresh emergency rule declaration threat
•Opposition leaders in 11 states hit back at AGF Fagbemi
•President after govs who may oppose him in 2027—Amaechi
Following the threat by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, AGF, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, that President Bola Tinubu would declare a state of emergency in any state should the need arise, opposition parties’ leaders across states controlled by them and residents have vowed to resist any such action.
They noted that the remark by the AGF should be taken as a threat to democracy, adding that it portrays Nigeria as a country under dictatorship.
The AGF had warned that the Federal Government would not hesitate to mete out sanctions, including a declaration of a state of emergency, in any state that threatens the economic interest of the country.
Fagbemi spoke in the defence of the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State which saw Tinubu suspending Governor Sim Fubara, his deputy and the state House of Assembly.
The action of the President drew widespread condemnation across the Nigeria as it is widely believed that whereas Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution provides for emergency rule declaration under certain circumstances, there is no such provision in the document for the suspension of a state governor, the deputy, the House of Assembly or any other democratic structure.
Meanwhile, the Sole Administrator appointed for Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), took a cue from Tinubu when, last Wednesday, he dissolved all democratic structures in the state.
Fagbemi had said: “So, it is Rivers State’s turn today. It can be anybody’s turn tomorrow.
“Let the signal be clear for those who want to foment trouble, who want to make the practice of democracy and enjoyment of dividends of democracy a mirage to think twice.
“If it happens again, I will encourage Mr President to do the same, maybe this time with even greater vigour and vitality.
“So, the question of separating or treating or giving preferential treatment to anybody does not arise.
“You give preferential treatment to anybody, you are giving preferential treatment to illegality. Just call a spade a spade.”
But opposition leaders drawn from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, Labour Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and residents of states where opposition parties rule, said Nigerians won’t succumb to the antics of the ruling party.
Whereas the government at the federal level is controlled by the All Progressives Congress (APC), of Nigeria’s 36 states, 11 are governed by the opposition.
They include Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Adamawa, Zamafara, Osun, Kano and Taraba.
Instill fear
Speaking on the matter, Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Akwa State, Ekemini Uba, said the AGF was instilling fear in opposition parties.
Uba, who admitted that a state of emergency is declared in a state to restore peace and stability, however, advised that it should not be used as a political tool against the opposition.
His words: “The procedure to declare a state of emergency in any state is spelt out in the Constitution clearly.
“It is about restoring peace and stability. Let them not use it as a political tool against the opposition parties.
“So when they are saying they will declare a state of emergency in any state that threatens, they are merely trying to instill fear in the opposition.
“It is a way of stifling the voice of PDP and a few other opposition parties that have been speaking out lately and criticizing their government’s actions.”
Another stakeholder of the PDP in the state, who pleaded anonymity on the issue, angrily said: “Why have they not declared a state of emergency in Borno, Benue?”
Consequences
On his part, Chairman of the NNPP in Kano State, Hashimu Dungurawa, and a political analyst, Prof. Kamilu Sani Fagge, described the development as a dangerous trend.
Dungurawa said: “It is quite unfortunate to have this drastic decision taken by Mr. President because democracy is full of noises, agree and disagree.
“Mr. President could have called the aggrieved parties, Wike and Fubara, discuss and advise them wisely, but because of selfish interest and partisan politics, he decided to take action in favour of his party and abandon the opposition.
“Why didn’t he declare emergency rule in Katsina and Sokoto where insecurity is out of hand? So many people have lost their lives and properties?
“This is unfortunate and not helpful to democracy. And I think, he has no advisers who are putting him through. “Honestly, the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers amounts to trying to create havoc in democracy because nobody is happy.
“You need to see responses from legal practitioners, politicians, and the downtrodden.
Unilaterally
“And he unilaterally took the decision.
“He should have allowed stakeholders to deliberate and take a stand before declaring a state of emergency.
“He just operates like a one-man business. This is what he did when he was sworn-in as the President when he just removed fuel subsidy, now bringing new taxes and declaring a state of emergency in an opposition state. It is quite unfortunate, and he should think wisely”.
Lending his voice, Fagge said: “Such a comment by the AGF is troubling. “Because it shows that our leaders are trying to become dictatorial.
“I think there is a need for caution given that what happened in Rivers has generated a lot of controversies.
“By making such a statement, I think it shows that we are in for trouble, it shows that, at any slightest mistake, the President might declare a state of emergency in any state. This is a dangerous trend.
“In fact, it is highly undemocratic. It seems our leaders have not learned a lesson from what happened in the past. “Such action was what caused the crisis in Western Region and which culminated in the collapse of the First Republic.
“Similarly, such a crisis is what contributed to the failure of the Second Republic.
“It also contributed to the inability of the Third Republic to stand.
“I think this is a dangerous trend and highly dictatorial.”
‘Executive recklessness’
The leadership of PDP in Taraba State, on its part, told Sunday Vanguard that what the AGF said amounted to executive recklessness and an attempt to stifle opposition.
The party’s spokesperson, Andeta’rang Irammae, accused the Federal Government of undermining democracy, warning that the AGF’s remarks suggested that Nigeria no longer runs a democracy but a dictatorship.
He said: “What the AGF said implies that Nigeria no longer runs a democracy and what we have now is dictatorship.
“Our democracy is being targeted, and their intention is to totally capture it.
“The saddest reality is that Mr. President was one of those who fought for this democracy, but now, instead of strengthening it, he is destroying it.
“The AGF is supposed to be a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), not someone who undermines Nigeria’s Constitution.”
Dictatorship
A political analyst, Istifanus Mashi, also spoke, describing the AGF’s statement as dangerous and warning that such threats could lead Nigeria toward what he called a “democratic dictatorship.”
He said: “The President does not have the unilateral power to suspend an elected governor, as Nigeria’s federal system grants constitutional autonomy to states.
“Any such action must follow due legal procedures rather than executive overreach.”
Another critic, Godwin Peter, condemned the AGF’s remarks, calling them “reprehensible, coercive, and a serious threat to constitutional democracy.”
He argued that the statement was made at a time when the state of emergency declared in Rivers State is already facing widespread opposition, raising concerns that such measures may be politically motivated.
His words: “The central government is now using the proclamation of emergency rule in opposition states as an instrument of coercion, possibly to foist a one-party state, which should be condemned by all.”
He called on opposition parties, civil society organizations, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), traditional rulers, and religious leaders to take action.
‘Dangerous signal’
In Abia State, a former Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara, cautioned the AGF against using the threat of state of emergency to intimidate opposition states.
Wabara, who is also the Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, of the PDP, said the comment “is a dangerous signal to Nigeria’s democracy”.
He warned the APC-led Federal Government of taking anti-democratic steps capable of putting Nigeria “in the reverse gear.”
Wabara accused the APC of using intimidation and harassment to suppress the opposition in Nigeria and, therefore, urged Nigerians not to succumb to the antics of the ruling party, insisting that the opposition voice is an essential ingredient of democracy.
International community
He said: “Such a remark coming from a personality like the AGF is very disappointing, and portrays Nigeria as a country under dictatorship.
“This is not only undemocratic but a bad image for Nigeria before the international community.”
On his part, Abia State Secretary of Labour Party, LP, Rev. Andrew Ohiagba, cautioned the AGF against frightening opposition states with emergency rule.
He faulted President Tinubu on emergency rule in Rivers State, insisting that the process violated Nigeria’s Constitution.
The LP scribe, who warned against actions that could derail Nigeria’s fledgling democracy, added that the opposition should not be muzzled or intimidated into silence with emergency rule.
Arbitrariness
In Anambra State, Igboezue Internal Association Nigeria and the Diaspora, IIAND, condemned the statement by the AGF.
Reacting to the statement through its National President Worldwide, Chief Pius Okoye, Igboezue regretted that such a statement could come from a senior and notable lawyer like Fagbemi, who many Nigerians believe knows the law and should be guiding the President not to act contrary to the law.
The pro-Igbo group stated that using what the President has done in Rivers State to threaten other states and governors in the country is wrong and amounts to silencing the opposition. Igboezue also believes that if the President had called former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike (now FCT Minister and apparently using majority of the state lawmakers to try to impeach Fubara) to order when the problem started, the situation in the state could not have degenerated to the level of him declaring a state of emergency in the state, for reasons best known by him.
According to Igboezue, “emotions are getting high in Nigeria, and Ndigbo must be very circumspect this time concerning the political quagmire in Rivers State that led to the declaration of state of emergency in that state.”
The group went on: “It is regrettable and unfortunate that Nigeria and its leaders seem to be with neither soul nor spirit, but with a body clothed in evil and injustice, the country seems to be an artificial construction, and, therefore, Ndigbo must tread with caution and remember 1966.
“Ndigbo should remember that the crisis in which many Igbo were slaughtered during the Nigeria-Biafra war (which) started in Yorubaland between Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Ladoke Akintola, then-Premier of Western Region, a crisis that was nicknamed ‘Wild Wild West’ before the ‘Operation Wetie’ started, followed by the constitutional crisis.”
‘Shameful’
Commenting on the issue, Chairman of Labour Party in Rivers State, Hilda Dokubo, described the situation as shameful.
Dokubo said: “State of emergency because for two years we have had peace! State of emergency because you want to capture the economic soul of Rivers State.”
She compared Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State to George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm. The 55-year-old urged every citizen of the state unfamiliar with the book to take the time to read it.
“Animal Farm by George Orwell should be given to every Rivers State citizen as palliative. Meanwhile, someone tells Mr. Jones to rein in his pigs”, she noted.
Imposition
A chieftain of the PDP in Bayelsa State, Mr. Igenewari Dom, said Nigerians would resist imposition of state of emergency in any other state.
Dom said: ‘’They have used Rivers as a pilot scheme. Nigerians are reacting but not resisting. Next time, we will mobilize and resist it.
“The AGF made a reckless statement because Nigerians accept their misrule”, he said.
“What they failed to realize is that they won’t be in power forever. It’s just four years because I know nobody will re-elect Tinubu and his group.
“Nigerians are already united against his dictatorial rule. This is the time for the opposition to unite and send them packing.
“We have had enough, please”.
In the same vein, a political activist in Delta State, Mr. Blessing Adima, said: “I am surprised. Is it because he (Fagbemi) is the Minister of Justice? “He’s not talking as Attorney General. He is talking as a Minister of Justice, as a man under President Tinubu, who will support anything unconstitutional the President does.
“There is nowhere in the Nigerian Constitution that empowers the President to suspend a state governor. “There is no ambiguity in any Section of the Constitution that allows the President to suspend.
“A governor can be removed from office, either through impeachment by the State Assembly, not even the National Assembly, or through incapacitation or through death or through resignation.
“Here, in Section 305, there is no where it states that the President can suspend a governor; this is not democracy at all. “These people have just come to kill our constitutional democracy.
“Did Governor Fubara invite Tinubu and said, ‘oh, the situation in the Rivers state is overwhelming?’ It is only on that note that you will say, ‘okay, Mr. Governor, step aside, let me take this step.’
Judiciary
“Okay, let us look at the manner in which the state of emergency was declared; the President puts the cart before the horse.
“You declared state of emergency before you now transmitted the proclamation to the National Assembly. “That again, is unconstitutional; both the executive and National Assembly acted recklessly.
“So we are waiting for what the judiciary will tell us about this act, this unconstitutional act of Mr. President.
“The President is supposed to consider the Constitution and consider the sovereignty of this country before he exercises his powers.
“I think the President just did his overreach and for a Minister for Justice to support this overreach, then they are now telling us that we have lost the country; but we are still waiting for what the judiciary has to say about this action that the President took.”
Fears in states
Expressing his fears, Chairman of PDP in Rivers State, Nname Ewor, described what happened in the state as state capture.
He said the development has led to tension in states governed by the opposition.
Ewor said: “What they have done in Rivers State has given the impetus to do it in any other state. Having done it in Rivers State and succeeded without following the laid down principle, they are likely to do it in another state.
“The governors, especially governors of the opposition should be wary of the system as we speak.
“The declaration of the state of emergency in Rivers State is not in line with the constitution. Section 305 of the constitution provides the conditions that will give rise to emergency declaration. None of the conditions stated there happened in Rivers.
“All the situations that would warrant emergency rule never happened in Rivers State, but they went ahead to do that, I call it political exigencies.
“They declared a state of emergency and sent a Sole Administrator. What is he doing? He is just destroying the political structures of the governor. He removed the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, removed the Chief of Staff, political appointees and commissioners.
State capture
“They know that the declaration was not constitutional. But having done it in Rivers State and succeeded, the likelihood that they will do it in any other opposition party state is there.
“The AGF is only informing us of what they will do. So we should be wary and rise to the occasion by resisting them.
“What has happened in Rivers State is state capture. There is no emergency. We have states that need emergency in Nigeria. As we speak, in Borno, last week, soldiers were killed. Many LGAs are under siege. The North-West is under the control of bandits, Boko Haram. In Benue, herdsmen have done havoc. But Rivers State has been calm.
“Even the pipeline they claim, since Fubara resumed in 2023, no single pipeline was attacked. What they have done is to take over the structure of governance in the state and hand it over to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. They have dismantled all the structures Fubara put in place.”
Also, a lawyer, Chief Festus Ogwuche, said the position taken by the AGF brings to question his knowledge of the nation’s constitution as it concerns human rights abuse.
Ogwuche said the statement by the AGF would only create tension in states, adding that emergency rule as declared by President Tinubu runs contrary to democratic principles.
Meanwhile, a former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has described President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State as a ploy to intimidate governors to support his re-election bid.
Amaechi, who spoke in an interview with DW Africa, said the President’s move has sown fear in governors “that if you are not careful, the president will remove you.”.
He added that Fubara has “no security responsibility” over the Rivers crisis, adding that the suspended governor is being punished for an offence he “did not commit.”
Power grab
His words:”It is between the President and the FCT Minister. The President wants power grab. They want to frighten governors who may not support them in 2027. There is a rumour everywhere that if you are not careful, the President will remove you.
“If the President said it is because of insecurity because they blew the pipeline, what about the part of the country where there is insecurity? Is the President saying they should impose an emergency rule on him too? They can’t because he is a democratically elected President. Nobody can impose an emergency rule on him because there is serious insecurity in the North-East, North-West, even in South-East and South-West.
“Rivers governor has no security responsibility. It rests squarely on the President. So why punish a man who did not commit an offence?”
Amaechi called on Rivers residents to “resist the president”. He said the resistance should be done “by democratically protesting against the President.”
[Vanguard]
[OPINION] In memory of Humphrey Nwosu - Simon Kolawole
Dead or alive, Professor Humphrey Nwosu always evoked extreme emotions. I am not by any chance surprised by the outbreak of controversy over whether or not to immortalise him. The former chairman of the National Election Commission (NEC, now INEC), who died at 83 and was buried on Friday, is best known for conducting the June 12, 1993 presidential election. The watershed election was annulled by Gen Sani Abacha, the minister of defence, while Gen Ibrahim Babangida, the president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, watched helplessly and innocently from his balcony. (If you believe that fantastic story, you can as well believe I am the Queen of Yugoslavia.)
I recall that on Monday, June 14, Nwosu announced results from 15 states, 11 of which were won by Bashorun MKO Abiola, candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The highlight was Abiola’s victory over Alhaji Bashir Tofa, candidate of the National Republican Convention (NRC), in his own backyard. Abiola did not only win Tofa’s ward, but he also won Kano state. It was total humiliation for Tofa and sweet victory for Abiola, whose backbone in Kano was Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, the former governor. On June 16, NEC suspended announcement of results citing a court injunction, although the electoral laws ousted the jurisdiction of the courts in the conduct of the transition elections.
On Wednesday June 24, Babangida told the nation that the annulment of election, based partly on the need to “protect the judiciary” (don’t laugh). By the way, fake news did not start in the age of social media. The best sites for fake news in those days were newsstands where, depending on the algorithm, you could be served the best rumours and conjectures tailored to your taste. We were told then that as Nwosu insisted on announcing the remaining results, he was arrested by soldiers and given the beating of his life. As a result of the torture, the “bloggers” at the newsstands explained, Nwosu was taken ill and could not continue with the announcement. We believed it.
I pitied Nwosu, whom I saw as the last man standing in a dishonourable and duplicitous military government bent on truncating democracy and holding on to power. He thereafter disappeared from the public eye, perhaps out of trauma, perhaps out of remorse. He refused to grant any media interview. In 2001, when I was editor of TheWeek magazine (a weekly publication founded by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar), I thought Nigerians should hear from Nwosu. A story is best enjoyed from the horse’s mouth. I sent the political editor, Raphael Duru, to Nwosu’s village in Anambra state to search him out. The professor of political science chased him away, shouting: “Leave me alone!”
For long, there was some frustration about Nwosu. Nigerians had many questions lined up that only he could answer, but he refused to come out. Who was really behind the annulment? What role did Babangida, in particular, play? What were the roles of Abacha and other top military officers? Why did Nwosu suddenly stop announcing the results? Why did he not go ahead to announce Abiola as the winner in spite of the court injunctions since the electoral laws expressly ousted judicial jurisdiction? Was it true that he was arrested and manhandled by Brigadier Halilu Akilu, the director of the dreaded Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), for insisting on announcing the results?
In 2008, he announced that he had written a book on the election. He picked an interesting date for the presentation: June 12 — exactly on the 15th anniversary of the election. The book, titled ‘Laying the Foundation for Nigeria’s Democracy: My Account of June 12, 1993 Presidential Election and its Annulment’, was published by Macmillan Nigeria. It was presented at the Abuja Sheraton Hotel and had in attendance Akilu, the man reputed to have arrested and slapped him. I looked forward to devouring it, although I felt he was telling the story too late. By the way, both Akilu and Nwosu used the occasion to deny that the professor of political science was arrested and manhandled in 1993.
But I was generally disappointed with the book. We did not wait for 15 years for Nwosu to come and tell us that the president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces was not to blame for the annulment. Babangida himself had taken responsibility in interviews. More so, he stepped aside in August 1993 and conveniently left Abacha behind as minister of defence and, technically, commander-in-chief. This allowed the Goggled One to sweep away the interim national government, led by Chief Ernest Shonekan, in a matter of 83 days. Abacha had saved Babangida by foiling the Orkar Coup in 1990. This 1993 arrangement looked like a case of one good turn deserving another.
My conclusion after leafing through Nwosu’s book was that Babangida had his nudes, so he felt obliged to defend the former president till his dying days. I also believed Babangida was preparing to launch a comeback into politics and had sent Nwosu ahead to help in rehabilitating him in the minds of Nigerians. In one word, I wished Nwosu had not written that book at all. Silence is golden. I began to view him differently and the respect I had stored up for him in 15 years started evaporating. But years down the line when I watched his interview with Sahara TV, my hard line on him began to dissolve. I could see that he put in a decent shift under the difficult circumstances he found himself.
The irony of it all is that it was Babangida’s memoir, ‘A Journey in Service’, published last month, that finally made me cut Nwosu some slack. To me, Nwosu appeared to have been quite brave in going ahead to conduct the June 12 election despite the body language of the powers that be following the late-night injunction issued by Justice Bassey Ikpeme. From similar narrations by both Babangida and Nwosu, it was clear that senior members of the National Defence and Security Council (NDSC) — the highest ruling body in the country then — did not want the election to go ahead despite the illegality of the injunction stopping the election. The NDSC appeared divided but the consensus was clear.
The easiest thing for Nwosu to do — were he to be, indeed, complicit in the annulment plot — was to put things on hold until the injunction was vacated, even though the electoral laws had clearly stated that no court had the power to entertain matters concerning the conduct of the election. But in the end, was it not court injunctions that were relied upon by Babangida to annul the election? We should resist the temptation to discount the fact that Nwosu insisted on conducting the election despite the implicit and explicit opposition from the military authorities. Nwosu specifically recounted that Babangida told him he was on his own if he went ahead to announce the winner.
Abacha was obviously more straightforward than Babangida in his opposition to Nwosu’s position. At a meeting with the NDSC after declaring the first batch of results, Nwosu recounted: “I told them to allow us to complete the exercise. Abacha screamed at me when he heard this. He told me who do I think I was. He said I was not a member of the national security council and that I went ahead and held an election even after the court had declared it illegal.” This was Abacha’s way of telling Nwosu: Are you a baby? Can’t you read our lips? Do you expect us to talk with the whole of our mouths? Unlike Abacha, Babangida was typically playing the Pontius Pilate and going through the corners.
Perhaps half the story has not been told, but with what is in the public domain, Nwosu did his best to serve Nigeria within the context of a brutal military regime that was notorious for curtailing civil liberty, arresting activists at the slightest provocation, closing down media houses at will, and sacking political appointees without any compunction. It may also be of interest at this stage to point out the fact that the NEC actually filed an appeal in Kaduna on June 20 to quash the various injunctions against the June 12 election and submitted the full results to the court. Guess what happened next? Babangida (or is it Abacha?) dissolved the commission and sacked Nwosu as chairman on June 23.
June 12 election aside, Nwosu did many things. He was a political scientist who performed many experiments to improve the electoral system. He first brought back the open ballot system, mandating voters to queue behind the posters of their candidates and be counted. The idea was to avoid inflation of figures but it ended up killing the secrecy of ballot, eroding the principle of free choice (imagine the possible consequences of husband and wife openly voting for different candidates). He also introduced staggered presidential primaries, by which a party did not have to hold its primary on a single day. It was held in states in different rounds, based on the timetable.
There was serious criticism of the open ballot system as voters complained about intimidation while commentators said it was archaic and regressive. Nwosu tinkered with it and came up with the modified open ballot system (MOBS) which is still in use today. Ballot boxes used to be inside polling booths. This created room for multiple voting and stuffing. With MOBS, voting would be in secret but ballot boxes would be in the open. Everyone could see that no stuffing is taking place. Asked at a press conference why he changed his mind after having defended the open ballot system and declared it as the best, Nwosu replied: “My friend, can’t a good thing give way to a better thing?”
Nwosu also came up with the Option A4 system (which many mistakenly refer to as open ballot till this day). Through Option A4, presidential candidates had to go through four stages before they could pick their party’s tickets. First stage was to contest and win at the ward level, after which they would contest and win at the local government level (stage two) and then proceed to contest and become the state’s flag bearer (stage three). The final (fourth) stage was the national convention, where all the flag bearers from the states would contest for the party’s ticket. No matter the controversies postmarking his life and death, Nwosu was a thinker. He served Nigeria creditably.
AND FOUR OTHER THINGS…
IBAS’ RIVERS
Bob Marley sang it: “Give them an inch they take a yard/Give them a yard they take a mile.” Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, the emergency administrator of Rivers, is recreating the state in his own image. Standing on President Tinubu’s mandate, he has sacked all Siminalayi Fubara’s political appointees — as if the governor would not return. He fired the SSG, the chief of Staff, commissioners, board members, special advisers, special assistants and senior special assistants. He appointed a military officer, Commodore Aminu Shehu, as chief of staff, and is now more or less probing the councils. This is somebody that was brought in to stabilise the state. What next? Remove the chief judge? Agenda.
OBI AND OBA
I almost passed out when I watched a video in which Mr Peter Obi was speaking glowingly about how democracy flourished under President Olusegun Obasanjo. And to make matters worse, the audience erupted in applause. Only those who don’t bother to check their facts would take Obi’s eulogy seriously. Where do we even start from? Is it the illegal impeachment of dissenting governors, sometimes by six lawmakers? Is it the abduction of a governor and the withdrawal of his security? Is it the declaration of a meaningless public holiday in April 2007 to stop the Supreme Court from delivering a ruling that was going to favour Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, his estranged deputy? Amnesia.
JUSTICE FOR TEEJAY
Mr Adetunji Opayele aka TeeJay, the 32-year-old co-founder and CTO of Bumpa, was reportedly knocked down on his bike on March 4, 2025 along Ozumba Mbadiwe, Victoria Island, Lagos. There is much to be said about the motorist but a sad part for me is that in the year 2025, there are no functional emergency services in the so-called “Centre of Excellence”. Many motorists refused to help the bleeding and unconscious victim to the hospital, apparently to avoid police trouble. Above all, several hospitals turned him back maybe because of who would pay the bills. He eventually died. What a sad, sad, sad story. When are we going to start valuing human life in this country? Sickening.
NO COMMENT
After using voice vote to determine two-thirds of 360 members in endorsing the state of emergency in Rivers state, the house of reps has been pretty much busy trying to justify the billions of naira we pour into their pockets yearly. On Wednesday, they passed two bills for second reading, a vital legislative stage. One strips the vice-president, governors and deputy governors of immunity. The other bill abolishes the death penalty. If you thought they knew what they were doing, you were giving them too much credit. Less than 24 hours later, our honourable lawmakers gathered again and rescinded the bills. That is the level of diligence that goes into lawmaking in Nigeria. Hahahaha.
Military appointments during emergency rule undermine democracy, says Audu Ogbeh
Audu Ogbeh, a former minister of agriculture, has faulted the practice of replacing civilian governors with military appointees during state of emergency.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the ex- minister said President Bola Tinubu and his predecessor, Olusegun Obasanjo, had taken similar steps, raising concerns about a return to military-style governance.
Ogbeh warned that the practice could send a damaging message to Nigerians about the ability of civilian leaders to govern themselves.
“The only other thing that I’m asking is: Why is it that each time there is this suspension of a governor, a military person is put back in place?” he asked.
“Do we miss military rule or are we suggesting that civilians are incapable of governing themselves?
“Obasanjo did it twice, in fact, thrice, and we have it again. What’s the logic? This is why, in the first place, this whole imposition of a state of emergency should be avoided.
“Since the constitution doesn’t say you can only pick this or that person, the president is free to do so, but it’s also sending a funny signal that civilians can’t do the job themselves.
“That’s not a good one. That’s why civilians themselves should be more responsible. Elected individuals should behave themselves and not carry on as if it’s a holiday and that they can do as they wish because they are sending the wrong signal to society.”
On March 18, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers, citing the protracted political crisis and vandalisation of oil facilities.
The president also suspended Siminalayi Fubara, the state governor; Ngozi Odu, his deputy; and members of the state assembly.
Tinubu nominated Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice-admiral, as the sole administrator of Rivers.
On March 20, the senate and the house of representatives controversially ratified Tinubu’s request for the emergency rule.
The presidency had said that the decision was to prevent further escalation of the political crisis in the south-south state.
Several stakeholders, including the south-south governors’ forum, have condemned the emergency rule in Rivers.
[TheCable]
[OPINION] How “free” is the “Free World”? - Bolanle Bolawole
Lech Walesa, remember him? He was the Labour union leader who succeeded in forming and leading a broad anti-Communism and anti-Soviet Union mass uprising under the banner of the Solidarity Movement which, in 1989, ended Communist rule in Poland and ushered in a chain of events that led to the disintegration of the behemoth called the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) and brought an end to the Cold War as it was then known - even if temporarily and for a season as recent events appear to demonstrate.
For his efforts, Walesa, an electrician by profession and Polish dockworkers’ union leader, was awarded the Nobel Peace prize, going on to win the 1990 Polish presidential election and becoming the first democratically-elected president of his country (1990 - 1995) since 1926 and the first-ever Polish president elected by popular vote. Recently, I read him complaining about the United States’ President Donald Trump’s alleged (mis)treatment of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the superpower United States’ apparent abandonment of its leadership of the so-called “Free World”. And I began to wonder and ponder.
Who constitutes the Free world? “Freed” and or “free” from what, who? According to Google, the term Free World “refers more broadly to all liberal democracies collectively, as opposed to authoritarian regimes and communist states. It has traditionally primarily been used to refer to the countries allied and aligned with the United States, the European Union, and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation).”
In practice, the Western world, as the US and its economic and military allies are called, are the Free World. These, majorly, are the countries of Western Europe, the United States, and Canada. They are also known as the “West”. They are the "metropoles" or metropolitan powers while other countries allied or aligned to them from the other parts of the world are their satellites. The United States of America, beginning from the end of the Second World War in 1945, leads the hordes. Hence, it is referred to as the leader of the Free World. Derisively and derogatively, it is also jeered at as “the policeman of the world”!
Policing and protecting what, who? Policing and protecting, ostensibly, the sovereignty, territorial integrity, freedom, and liberties of its members and their satellite states against any encroachment from external forces and or factors. It stands to reason that the arch enemies of the Free World are the other side or section of the world that is not “free” and which is assumed to be opposed to the freedom of others. These are the countries whose political, economic, and social systems are opposed to those of the countries of the Free World.
While the countries of the Free World practice capitalism or what they call the free market or deregulated economy and flaunt as democracy the regular election of its leaders by popular vote, their opponents practice a regulated communist or socialist system where the freedom and liberty to run haywire on all fronts and fly on spoils granted by the Free World is reined in to ensure a more equitable distribution of resources towards the establishment of an egalitarian and more just society.
Led by the defunct USSR, Moscow was the metropole while the satellite states were also spread across the world. Until recently, China, then a sleeping giant (to quote the French general, Napoleon Bonaparte), stood aloof from the Cold War that raged between the US and the NATO countries/forces it led on the one hand, and the USSR and the Warsaw Pact countries/forces led by it on the other. Most of the east European countries belonged in the Warsaw Pact/Communist Bloc. They were known as the Communist Bloc or the Eastern Powers. Derisively and derogatively, they have been referred to by the West as the “Evil Empire”.
The disintegration of the USSR in 1991, which resulted in 15 of its constituent republics gaining independence and moving away, one-by-one, from the eastern axis to the western axis, whittled the power and influence of what remained as the rump of the old USSR, which is the Russian Federation, but which, as a superpower, is still strong enough to command immense influence and exert commensurate power in regional and world politics. The meteoric rise of China from the backwoods of superpower politics to the centre stage of power and recognition and its alignment with Russia, so far, has all but ended the sole superpower status enjoyed by the US and its NATO allies in the post-USSR disintegration era.
This is the realisation that must have dawned on Trump but which the likes of Walesa, still marooned in the past and remaining nostalgic of its heroics, want the US to still forge ahead with. The US disastrous policy of policeman of the world is unwelcomed in many parts of the world. Whatever has a beginning must have an end - with the exception of He who is the Alpha and the Omega.
1776 was when America made its declaration of independence. Before then it had been a colony of Great Britain. It also had to fight a civil war, buy and grab territories before it became the behemoth that it is today. Even at that, it was not originally interested in world dominance but in the preservation of the Americas as its own “sphere of influence”, which is the import of the Monroe Doctrine (1823) by the 5th US President James Monroe (1817 - 1825).
If the first World World (1914 -1918) opened the eyes of the US to the fact that it had a role to play in world affairs, the second (1939 - 1945) confirmed to it that it must not only assume the leadership of the (Free) World but also put in place mechanisms to create it in its own image, assiduously preserve it, and beat everyone into line. We have since been in that era - the era of the United Nations Organisation - with the enforcement tools of NATO, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, among others.
“Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains” bemoans the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Little wonder, then, that the battle cry of the French Revolution of 1789 was “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” in its “Declaration of the Rights of Man and of Citizen”. The Americans, in their 1776 Declaration of Independence, stated unequivocally that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
Please, don’t rejoice yet! Whenever the West speak such eloquent words and espouse noble principles that make the hair stand on the body, they mean it only for themselves, the so-called Free World, and not for anyone else! Otherwise, there would have been no centuries of Slave Trade when the human resources of Africa especially were pillaged and carted in the most inhuman, horrid, horrible, and despicable conditions to develop the so-called New World. Walter Rodney’s seminal work, “How Europe underdeveloped Africa” graphically depicts the effects of this inhuman trade on the underdevelopment of Africa and Africans.
Otherwise, too, there would have been no decades of colonization of the African continent following immediately after and the Berlin conference of 1884/1885 where Africa’s head was shaved behind its back (to quote MKO Abiola). There would have been no gruesome murder of African leaders demanding the same “unalinable rights” that the same leaders of the so-called Free World had so eloquently propounded and so forcefully demanded, fighting even to the death to earn them. Patrice Lumumba! Kwame Nkrumah! Walter Rodney! Conscientious African and other satellite-country leaders that raised their heads to demand equal rights for their own people were murdered, were hounded out of office, and were prevented from taking office. Salvador Allende! Sylvanus Olympio! Obafemi Awolowo! The list is endless!
Neo-colonialism or imperialism, which Vladmir Lenin, leader of the Bolshevik Revolution of October 1917, described as the highest stage of capitalism, has replaced direct colonial rule. What we have in many satellite countries today is Frantz Fanon’s black mask or faces hiding the face of the white colonial masters still calling the shots. Africa’s mineral and material resources are pillaged for the benefit of the metropoles. Peanuts are what the Free World pays for these resources.
Just one example here: While France paid $0.8 per kilogram of uranium to its former colony, Niger Republic, it paid $200 for the same quantity of the same commodity to Canada, a member of the same “Free World” like itself! We may mouth the same cliches, but they mean different things to different folks. We may be rallied to fight for the same principles (as was the case during the Second World War), but when the chips are down the same principles and ideals will be interpreted and implemented differently for different peoples.
Their freedom is our slavery. Their rights, our chains. They are the Free World. We are the Enslaved World. They have reasoned - and reckoned - that we cannot both be free together. One has to be enslaved for the other to be free. One has to be looted and deprived of its resources, human and material, for the other to enjoy the good life. One hand must be down for the other to be on top. Their prosperity and our poverty are inversely proportional one to the other. For those who may not understand that mathematical expression, what it means is that they are rich because we are poor and we are poor because they are rich. To get rich, they first make us poor. Another way of putting it is that they must make us poor before they can become rich.
There is no moralization involved here. Or, better put, the morals of the situation is that, to break their yoke from off our neck, we must stand up and fight, like the French did, and like the Americans did. This has got nothing to do with religion; in fact, religion was, has been, and remains one of the tools they employed for our subjugation. It is the reason Karl Marx described it as the opium (sedative) of the people. If we cannot turn the tables and employ the same religion against them - now that we cry more than the bereaved and act holier than the Pope on the matter of religion - we should at least see beyond the veil.
Morals play no role in the Free World’s code of conduct. Their ethics revolve around the good life for themselves and themselves alone. To achieve this, their doublespeak and deceit even make the few conscientious folks among them blush. Otherwise, how can second- or third-generation immigrants and sons of immigrants like Trump sit in judgement over - and begin to deport - the descendants of those who have been there centuries earlier?
Bob Marley then was right: Them crazy/Them crazy/We gonna chase those crazy baldheads out of town/I an I build a cabin/I and I plant the corn/Didn’t my people before me/Slave for this country?/Now you look me with that scorn/Then you eat up all my corn/…Hate is your reward for us/Telling us of your God above/We gonna chase those crazy…”
Only by first freeing ourselves shall we help to free the so-called Free World from their pride and prejudice, hatred, bigotry, jaundiced worldview and oppressive manipulation of the other parts and peoples of the world.
Eid Mubarak to my teeming readers and all our moslem brothers and sisters all over the world! But should I put it on record that none has yet considered sending me ram, rice, and condiments for me to also hillariously join them in the celebration?
Don’t overspend at your expense – Frank Edwards
Gospel singer Frank Edwards has advised against overspending in an attempt to emulate his charitable actions.
Edwards, on Facebook, emphasised that his financial capacity and business ventures enable him to support others.
He cautioned fans not to drain their savings in an effort to help others, as they may not have the same financial stability or guidance.
The singer specifically addressed those trying to start their lives, urging them to prioritise stability before attempting to support others.
He wrote: “For those following me i need to sound you this warning! Don’t say Frank Edwards empowers people, gives a lot … and you go and start doing the same thing with your little savings .. you don’t know how many businesses i own , you don’t know how long I’ve been working, you don’t have the instructions i have ..This is specifically for those of you trying to kick start your life . DONT EMPTY YOUR SAVINGS. .
stand 1st so you are able to carry others. Because i saw a comment that says “sir i am going to empty my savings and help people like you do”, calm down”.
[TheCable]