The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

  • El-Rufai’s back-duty accounting

    El-Rufai’s back-duty accounting

    There is often a need for Malam El-Rufai to seek attention, even for the wrong reason.  When he is not goofing about the state of the APC, he is drawing ire from the youth of his new home Social Democratic Party – where he claims to be a member. But he is neither a tenant nor even landlord. He seems to be a squatter. He does even have shelter, and that makes his call for birds of the same feather who want to vacate their nests to be wary. They don’t want to move from a half-home – that is, APC – to homeless like him.

    Now, he is looking for new trouble where he used to call home. He charged recently that his successor has dropped the internally generated revenue levels from the heights he left it. Heights? He even came up with a figure for colour. But he got a mouthful from a man who should know. Jerry Adams, the executive chairman of Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KSIRS) has rolled out the figures and challenged the mouthy ex-governor who defected without an earthquake. He said El-Rufai acted based on” limited and inaccurate information, or perhaps deliberately chosen to distort facts.”

    El Rufai says he left with an average of N7 billion a month and that it has dropped to two billion naira. For a man who is yet to answer for a slew of allegations about money unaccounted for, he sure has gumption. It is an old tactic he deploys often. It is now too familiar and has lost its power to impress. He has shown he has diminished in imagination for new ways to divert attention from his time in office.

    Hardball hopes El Rufai can match Adams figure for figure, and logic for logic. What would he say to Adams’ assertion that his highest figure while in office was N59 billion a year, amounting to N4.9 billion a month.

    What would he say to Adams’ assertion that from 2019 to 2022, the IGR came from one-off inflows, including sale of government properties to the tune of N45 billion. “When these one-off inflows are discounted monthly, the revenue collection during the period paints a different picture,” state Adams.

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    So, he was boosting figures by dismantling and auctioning what he met the ground, not what he created.

    Then he lays bare the figures under Governor Uba Sani, and he is free to dispute the figures, with evidence of course. Adams said in 2023, the state recorded N62.48 billion and in 2024, N71 billion and these will average N5.2 billion and N6.0 billion monthly in IGR.

    For 2025, already, it seems to be even rosier. Here Adams. “For January and February 2025 alone,” wrote Adams, “Kaduna State has already collected N7.46 billion and N6.68 billion, respectively, totaling N14.16 billion in just two months – without any back-duty recoveries.”

    El Rufai also alleged that the government transferred N100 million to an unknown individual. Adams counters that every transaction undertakes the process of the Treasury Single Account. No anonymity. Over to you, former governor!

     He who alleges must prove. It makes little sense to throw figures, especially when those who live in glass houses are not wary to throw stones.

    The problem with El Rufai, it seems, is that he is becoming a loner, more and more. Not even the new coalition of frustrated men he is looking for will trust him, especially when the man he is working with, for now, is Atiku Abubakar who knowsa him too well.

  • Repeated jailbreaks

    Repeated jailbreaks

    How did 12 inmates escape from the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Koton-Karfe, Kogi State, on March 24? Their escape was said to have happened after they succeeded in opening the padlocks in a section of the facility.  They were said to have left the prison through a collapsed window.

    Witnesses were reported saying the escapees had tied up two prison officers. Tragically, another officer, Senior Correctional Assistant Shuaibu King David, was killed. According to the Nigerian Correctional Service(NCoS), he had “bravely stood his ground in an effort to prevent the escape of inmates and protect the integrity of the custodial centre.”

    The NCoS said five of the fleeing inmates had been recaptured, and efforts were ongoing to apprehend the others.  The Controller-General of the NCoS, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, ordered a comprehensive investigation into the incident and a security audit across correctional facilities nationwide. 

    Also, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, said: “The theory that the inmates escaped through the tower without causing any structural damage raises serious concerns. This calls for a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the escape, arrest the fleeing inmates, and identify possible saboteurs within the system.”

    Notably, Koton-Karfe Custodial Centre is reported to have experienced at least three jailbreaks in the last 10 years. In July 2016, 13 inmates escaped from the correctional centre. In October 2019, 122 inmates escaped after a flood damaged a section of the facility. The latest incident further demonstrates the need for improved security at the facility.

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    Escapees from Nigeria’s correctional centres in 2021 and 2022, who have not been recaptured, were reported to be about 4,000. This is alarming. Also disturbing is that this could be a conservative estimate.

    The estimated 4,000 escapees, from at least eight jailbreaks across the country in 2021 and 2022, who are said to be at large, pose a serious danger to society as many of them may well be dangerous criminals.  The series of jailbreaks in the two years further exposed poor security at the country’s correctional centres.

    Inmates on the loose create an atmosphere of danger, which compounds security challenges in the country. It also defeats the essence of justice.

    Last year, the NCoS had bragged that there were no jailbreaks and prison attacks in 2023, attributing the “achievement” to “the effectiveness of the top-level security measures that have been diligently upheld in our custodial centres across the nation.”  However, the latest jailbreak does not suggest that such incidents are a thing of the past.

  • On Southeast and self-help policing initiatives

    On Southeast and self-help policing initiatives

    Sir: There is a common axiom that “heaven helps those who help themselves”, like the lepers did in the Bible when they were under serious siege by the Syrians. In extreme situations, people break out from their comfort zones to proffer solutions to their problems. Folding their arms to expect the proverbial manner from heaven does not pay most times.

    This is the situation in the Southeast where most communities have resorted to self-help security initiatives to secure their forests, especially during the farming season, to ensure that these spaces are secured to allow farmers to carry out farming activities. These spaces initially have been ungoverned and taken over by criminal elements.

    This self-help security initiative is both laudable and commendable. It has gone a long way in checking the unwholesome activities of some criminal elements who have converted some forests in the Southeast to ungoverned spaces.

    Due to inadequate manpower of the conventional police which rendered the ability of the force to man every space in the country ineffective, communities in the Southeast have resorted to this self-help initiative by engaging their able-bodied youths in policing functions to flush out criminal elements from their forests, at least to temporarily make those spaces safe, if not for any other period, for the farming season.

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    But inasmuch as this initiative is commendable, much is also left unattended in the security arrangements in the country. Nothing will be more adequate than the government paying genuine attention to police reform to ensure an effective police force that will respond adequately to the policing needs of the citizenry.

    A situation whereby the citizens resort to self-help policing arrangements is an aberration and should not be encouraged. Even the self-help initiatives are characterised by wide gaps because, sometimes, the persons recruited to serve this purpose turn out to be criminal elements themselves if their activities were not properly checked.

    Their recruitment process is highly faulted and lacks integrity. Policing at all levels, both at the ancillary level and conventional levels is all about the integrity of the personnel. If this component is missing, a critical link is missing, and it constitutes a serious vacuum.

    Sometimes, they become willing tools in the hands of the traditional rulers who divert their functions to witch-hunting real and perceived enemies.

    All the same, the efforts are laudable and commendable at least to temporarily fill the yawning gap, but a lot more needs to be done to harness the entire process.

    •Okechukwu Keshi Ukegbu,<keshiafrica@gmail.com>

  • Tinubu’s youth conference and echoes of the past

    Tinubu’s youth conference and echoes of the past

    Sir: President Olusegun Obasanjo, in February 2005, convened the “National Political Reform Conference.” The gathering was an avenue to re-assess, refocus, redefine, and redesign Nigeria’s political landscape in a way that would strengthen the bonds of unity.

    Four hundred and two delegates attended the conference, held between February and July 2005. Copies of the report from that conference were submitted, but nothing substantial happened afterward.

    President Goodluck Jonathan convened another conference in 2014. The panel, headed by retired Chief Justice Idris Kutigi, was tasked with advising the government on the framework for a national dialogue. The conference, attended by approximately 500 delegates, proposed substantial reforms. These included scrapping the current system of 774 local authorities to reduce corruption and save costs, creating 18 new states, revising revenue allocation, decreasing the federal government’s share of national income while increasing those of the states, and modifying the presidential system to include parliamentary elements.

    Other key recommendations encompassed power sharing and rotation, specifically advocating that the presidency be rotated and governorship circulated among three senatorial districts in each state. These proposals aimed to promote greater representation, equity, and national unity. But after passing over 600 resolutions and producing a 10,335-page report submitted to the presidency, the recommendations were never implemented.

    On October 1, 2024, President Bola Tinubu, following the tradition of past leaders, addressed the nation. Among numerous pronouncements, the president declared a National Youth Conference to assemble youths from across Nigeria for meaningful conversations that drive nation-building.

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    In economic terms, recent statistics indicate that more than 40% of Nigerian youths are unemployed. This figure could potentially be higher, considering the ongoing challenges the nation faces in data collection and storage. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), a staggering 63% of the population—approximately 133 million individuals, nearly six in ten Nigerians—live in multidimensional poverty, with the majority being youths. Will poverty be a subject on the conference’s agenda?

    # The student loan scheme through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) does not cover the 20.2 million uneducated young Nigerians, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Will this also be a subject of debate?

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) reported in 2023 that approximately 14.3 million Nigerians are involved in drug abuse, predominantly young people. Regrettably, one in four women is also said to  participate in this harmful practice.

    Despite youth affirmative action policies aimed at ensuring 30% representation in the public sector—including federal and state executive councils, boards of parastatals and agencies, and local government councils—and 35% representation in political party leadership positions, electoral bodies, and legislative assemblies for individuals between 18 and 35 years, there remains a significant issue of gross misrepresentation and inadequate youth participation in governance and decision-making.

    A host of other issues also affect Nigerian youth, including migration for greener pastures, cultural limitations, child marriage and early pregnancy, cybercrimes, youth radicalization, the place of young Nigerians in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), as well as the erosion of cultural identity and values. These are all worthy of deliberation.

    As of the time the president promised to work toward modalities for this conference and the selection of delegates in “close consultation with our young people through their representatives,” scepticism looms large.

    At the State House in Abuja earlier this month, the president inaugurated the planning committee of the National Youth Conference, tasking the youths—whom he described as the “heartbeat of the nation”—to seize the opportunity to redefine their future.

    Nigerians keenly await the modalities that will be set by the committee. What is the model for selecting delegates? What would be discussed during the 30-day duration proposed for the conference? While every youth awaits a response, it is pertinent to mention that numerous issues affect the youth, who make up over 60% of the federation’s population.

    Our hopes lie in the words of Eric Teniola, a seasoned columnist, who said after the 2014 National Conference: “A conference will not solve all our problems, but it will give us a platform to exchange ideas and maybe iron out our differences. A conference may halt our present drift to anarchy.”

    It is our hope that this National Youth Conference will be ‘The Conference that Breaks the Myth’ of unyielding conferences in Nigeria.

    •Lawal Dahiru Mamman, Abuja.

  • Unlocking the export potential of Nigeria’s local rice

    Unlocking the export potential of Nigeria’s local rice

    Sir: Nigeria’s indigenous rice varieties, including Ofada, Igbemo, Abakaliki, and Ekpoma rice, possess unique characteristics that make them valuable beyond local markets. While these varieties are appreciated for their rich aroma, distinct taste, and nutritional profile, their potential remains largely untapped in the global grain trade. With the increasing demand for indigenous and nutrient-dense grains worldwide, Nigeria has a significant opportunity to position its local rice as a premium product in international markets. Achieving this however, requires overcoming multiple barriers and implementing strategic interventions.

    Although Nigeria is historically a major rice producer, cultivation remains suboptimal due to several challenges. One major issue is the diversion of land for alternative purposes. In areas traditionally known for rice cultivation, such as Ofada, farmland has been increasingly converted to housing estates and other urban development projects, significantly reducing the available land for rice farming. Without strategic land-use policies, the long-term sustainability of rice farming in Nigeria remains at risk.

    Smallholder farmers, who produce most of Nigeria’s local rice, struggle with challenges such as limited access to high-quality agricultural input, as well as irrigation and modern farming techniques. Unpredictable weather patterns, pest infestation, and inadequate mechanization also contribute to inconsistent yields. Additionally, poor infrastructure, limited access to credit, and fluctuating government policies create an uncertain environment for rice farmers. To strengthen Nigeria’s rice sector before aiming for export expansion, it is critical to address these foundational issues. 

    Local rice varieties are often associated with inconsistent quality, varying grain sizes, and impurities such as stones. This reduces their competitiveness in international markets where stringent food safety and quality regulations apply. Compromised quality, but also significant post-harvest losses are exacerbated by poor storage facilities, outdated milling technologies, and inefficient supply chains, all of which further restrict export potential. To compete globally, local rice varieties should satisfy international safety thresholds such as pesticide residue limits, heavy metal contamination thresholds, and packaging regulations. Many Nigerian rice producers however struggle to meet these requirements due to weak regulatory enforcement and a lack of support for certification. To enhance the quality, marketability, and export potential of local rice varieties, it is essential to address these issues.

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    To successfully access and thrive in the global market, Nigeria must adopt a multi-pronged strategy that includes quality improvements, branding, strategic partnerships, and policy support.

    Relevant stakeholders should invest in modern de-stoning and polishing technologies to meet international quality benchmarks, establish standardized grading systems for different Nigerian rice varieties, facilitate certification programs (e.g., ISO, HACCP, and organic certifications) to enhance credibility and acceptability in premium markets such as the EU and North America, and develop traceability systems that allow consumers to verify the source and production methods of the rice they purchase.

    The Nigerian government should establish dedicated export incentives for local rice producers, such as subsidies for quality enhancement and export logistics, strengthen trade agreements with key rice-importing countries to ease entry into their markets, provide financial support and training programs for smallholder farmers and processors to improve competitiveness.

    Just as India strategically marketed its Basmati rice as a premium product by obtaining a Geographical Indication (GI) tag and investing heavily in quality control. Nigerian rice could benefit from a similar GI designation to protect and promote its identity.

    Thailand became a major rice exporter by implementing strict quality control measures, government-backed export initiatives, and aggressive global marketing campaigns. Nigeria can adopt such strategies to boost the credibility of its rice in international markets.

    Nigeria’s indigenous rice varieties have great potential to compete in the global market, but a structured approach is required to drive success. A strategic focus on quality improvements, branding, creating relevant market linkages, and policy support, can transform Nigeria’s local rice sector into a major export industry. With the right investments and strategic execution, Nigerian rice can gain a strategic standing alongside the world’s most recognized specialty grains, in a way that drives economic growth and contributes to preserving the country’s rich agricultural heritage.

    •Oluwadara Alegbeleye, PhD,<seunalegbeleye@gmail.com>

  • A dummy dead on arrival?

    A dummy dead on arrival?

    A dummy dead on arrival?

    Sir: For Hadiza Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central in the National Assembly, the battles are closing in on all sides.  On March 24, led by one Charity Ijese,  some constituents from Kogi Central Senatorial Zone stormed the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja with a petition to recall Akpoti-Uduaghan. According to her, they had gathered about 250,000 signatures out of 488,000 constituents.

    Now, Section 69 and 110 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As amended) provides that a senator can be recalled if the conditions under the section are fulfilled.

    It is not unforeseeable that senator Akpoti-Uduaghan could be recalled. If her constituents satisfy the requirements for a recall, why not? But it will be a rare case of a senator recalled, if not the first, since 1999.

    The early signs indicate that the forces bent on recalling her face an uphill task. The senator is battle-hardened and her travails in the senate are only but her latest scars. She fought tooth and nail to make it to the senate in the first place. In the 2023 elections, though she was clearly the people’s choice, it took a decisive decision of the Court of Appeal to rescue her victory after it was stolen by forces loyal to Yahaya Bello, then incumbent governor of the state.

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    Immediately after her victory at the court of Appeal, a tumultuous crowd welcomed her back home when she returned to the zone to thank the people for their support. She was only sworn in November 2023, but she is said to have worked wonders for her people.

    It is why the recall attempt apears doomed to fail. It is clearly covered in the fingerprints of those with whom she mopped the floor in the 2023 elections in Kogi State and those who she has thus far thoroughly embarrassed in the senate.

    Nigerians have a painfully short attention span, but this time around, they must strive to pay a little longer attention to this case. It is way beyond Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan as a person; it is more about institutional oppression and women participation in politics.

    •Kene Obiezu,keneobiezu@gmail.com

  • Return of Dangote to Ogun State

    Return of Dangote to Ogun State

    Sir: These are probably the best of times for the government and people of Ogun State. For a state widely referred to as the gateway state and the industrial hub of the nation, it is about to witness the establishment of two gigantic projects, that is the building of another cement plant with a capacity of 6.0 million metric tons per annum, at Itori, Ewekoro Local Government Area, and the construction of the biggest port at Olokola, Ogun Waterside Local Government Area.

    What gladdens the mind is that this same cement plant was pushed out of the state few years ago due to some misunderstanding between the Dangote Group and the immediate past administration. For those who might want to know the sudden change of Dangote’s mind, it is imperative to look at the current administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun and his disposition to investors vis-a- vis investments.

    Abiodun, apart from being the number one promoter of investments in the region is also working assiduously to attract more investors to the state. He anchored his vision on leading a focused government that brings prosperity to the state and its people through public private partnership believing that no government or country could succeed in its development drive without active participation and contributions of the private sector.

    To encourage the private sector, the state government embarked on policy reforms and put in place needed infrastructure, like good road network and of course carried out a comprehensive overhaul of the security architecture to make the state safe for business and leisure.

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    For those who have come across the president of Dangote group, Aliko Dangote, he is a man who does not do things out of sentiment or emotions. He will not invest his hard earned money where the atmosphere is not conducive for business. To him, Ogun has really changed and the ambience is conducive enough for his two gigantic projects to make their way back to the state.

    To show that he meant what he said, he suggested that the state in addition of being known as the Gateway state, should add another title to its name as ‘the Bed Rock State” for being one of the most attractive investment destinations in Nigeria.

    It should be recalled that Dangote pulled out of the state some years ago when the administration of Governor Ibikunle Amosun destroyed his cement plant that was being constructed at Itori. Therefore, his return to Ogun, the state he once abandoned due to infrastructural and policy challenges, speaks volumes about the evolving economic landscape and opportunities under the current administration.

    Dangote’s return is not just symbolic—it comes with massive financial commitments. His company is reconstructing the Itori cement plant with two new production lines, each with a capacity of 6.0 million metric tons per annum. Combined with the Ibeshe plant’s output, Ogun State is poised to become the largest cement producer in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa, with a total production capacity of 18 million metric tons per year.

    But Dangote’s ambitions don’t stop at cement as he has also announced plans to revive the Olokola Free Trade Zone (OKFTZ) and construct Nigeria’s largest port at Olokola. This development, if realized, could significantly boost Nigeria’s logistics sector, reducing dependence on the congested Lagos ports while enhancing international trade.

    Sure, the return of Dangote cement plant at Itori and the deep sea port at Olokola will drive further the industrialization process and the economic development of Nigeria and make Ogun State to continue to be the nation’s industrial hub.

    •Elijah Udofia,Laderin Abeokuta, Ogun State.

  • Nigeria’s life expectancy crisis and urgent call for action

    Nigeria’s life expectancy crisis and urgent call for action

    Sir: At just 54.6 years, Nigeria’s life expectancy is among the lowest in the world, a grim reflection of a broken healthcare system, widespread poverty, and an economy that continues to push millions to the edge of survival.

    This crisis is not the result of war or natural disaster but of leadership failures that have neglected the very essence of governance—protecting and improving the lives of citizens. Preventable diseases like malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis remain major killers, while malnutrition silently claims the lives of countless children.

    The situation is even worse in rural areas, where hospitals are either non-existent or in shambles. Many primary healthcare centres have no doctors, no drugs, and no equipment. When meningitis recently broke out in Kebbi State, authorities had to transport samples all the way to Abuja just to confirm the cause of death. This is the tragic reality in a country that boasts of being Africa’s largest economy.

    Despite not being at war, Nigeria ranks lower in life expectancy than countries with histories of prolonged conflict, such as South Sudan and Somalia. The World Poverty Clock reported in 2024 that 70.8 million Nigerians live in extreme poverty.

    As inflation soars, more families can no longer afford nutritious food or basic healthcare. The National Health Insurance Scheme exists, yet millions remain excluded due to accessibility issues.

    Meanwhile, the cost of medicine is left to the whims of market forces, allowing exploitation to thrive while ordinary citizens suffer. A nation’s future is shaped by the well-being of its people.

    Yet in Nigeria, the alarming maternal and infant mortality rates continue to erode the country’s development prospects. Pregnant women face life-threatening risks due to a lack of skilled birth attendants, inadequate antenatal care, and poor emergency response services.

    Many die from preventable complications, leaving behind children who are thrust into a cycle of poverty and deprivation. The inability to ensure safe childbirth in the 21st century is an indictment of the government’s failure to prioritize healthcare.

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    Beyond healthcare, environmental factors further threaten life expectancy. Poor sanitation, contaminated water sources, and exposure to pollution contribute to the spread of deadly diseases.

    Urban slums and overcrowded settlements breed infections, yet government policies remain largely ineffective in addressing these hazards. Without proper investment in clean water, sanitation, and waste management, millions will continue to fall victim to avoidable illnesses, further dragging down life expectancy rates.

    This is not a crisis of fate but one of misplaced priorities. The government often flaunts economic growth statistics, but these numbers mean little when hospitals remain death traps and food insecurity continues to weaken an already vulnerable population.

    A country that cannot guarantee the health and well-being of its people is a country setting itself up for collapse. There is still a chance to turn the tide. The government must immediately invest in primary healthcare, expand health insurance coverage, regulate food and medicine prices, and ensure that no Nigerian is denied medical care due to poverty.

    The time for empty promises is over. Lives are on the line, and the consequences of inaction will be measured not in statistics but in the suffering and premature deaths of millions.

    •Firdausi Abubakar, Abuja.

  • Waffling a la Jonathan

    Waffling a la Jonathan

    What did former President Goodluck Jonathan say on Rivers emergency rule? Nothing, save verbal waffling.  That painfully reminds all of his indecisive and best-forgotten Presidency.

    That waffling was classic Jonathan! 

    Indeed, that intervention — or was it, really? — echoed that famous quip by Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatest US presidents, ever: “Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than speak and remove all doubt”!

    The Jonathan Presidency wasn’t great — indeed, about the worst in this 4th Republic.  His own waffling, plus systemic wreckage that accrued well ahead of his tenure, no thanks to imperial President Olusegun Obasanjo, conspired to make Jonathan a tragic fall guy, for years of PDP political sins. 

    But Jonathan clawed at some salvation by stoically accepting his presidential defeat.  That can’t be said of many of the power noise makers today. That rare nobility earned him today’s post-office redemption.  Nigerians are not ungrateful for that grace.

    That’s why Jonathan must always be wary of loose talks, unbefitting of a former president.  Unlike his take, it’s no secret that former presidents all over the world have often been wary of political commentaries.  He should have kept his cool.

    The only one that balks that convention is Obasanjo, and he does so because he knew he blew up rare historic opportunities. He feels his only route to relevance is to de-market all of his successors, military or civilian.  As he has found out, even as he wars against his troubled conscience, he progressively devalues himself.

    But back to Rivers. Jonathan’s take, with his circumlocutory inexactitude, was well and truly tragic.  Did the former president clearly form the concepts in his mind before blurting?  Or it was deliberate mischief to make everyone — legislature, executive and judiciary — share equal blames, in a cynical show of jiving, yet saying absolutely nothing?

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    Pray, even if both the legislature and the executive are game for ex-presidential ranting — peopled by hustling politicians — shouldn’t a wise Jonathan have been wary of the judiciary?  Does he want to be quoted as suggesting the even the Supreme Court, the very apex of the judiciary, could be on the take?  Classic Jonathanian naïveté!

    Still, talking of taking stands: what did Jonathan do to caution Siminilayi Fubara, his fellow Ijaw man, on his well-chronicled gubernatorial outlawry, some of them even documented in the Supreme Court verdict?

    But even from the Ijaw tribal perspective, of the “monster” Nyesom Wike, subjecting a co-Ijaw to so much executive pain — some fib! — who built Wike into today’s so-called power gargoyle?  Was it not Jonathan’s wife that first used him as battling ram against Rotimi Amaechi, in the build-up to Jonathan’s last presidential days?

    Did Jonathan ever caution Dame Patience Faka Jonathan, aka Mama Peace, who nevertheless loved to wage war against then Governor Amaechi, as authentic Okrika, Rivers girl?  Did Jonathan stop the ex-First Lady’s subversion of Amaechi’s government, for which she pressed the then Minister Wike into (dis)service?

    Jonathan was mum when all these went on.  His silence was deafening at Fubara’s random and flagrant outlawry.  But now, he just found his voice — when the President imposed emergency rule to halt the drift and save lives!

  • Rivers and President Jonathan’s blather

    Rivers and President Jonathan’s blather

    • By Bishir Dauda Sabuwar

    Sir: The reaction to the imposition of emergency rule on Rivers State by the former president, Goodluck Jonathan was characteristically unbecoming of an elder who was one time a president. The remark is pedestrian, lacking wisdom and circumspection.

    At this point in time, any wise statesman, if he had to speak about any issue, should say something that will add value. Incessant talks from elders can be counterproductive. Jonathan’s comment cannot inspire new thinking. It will not address any issue because it is not predicated in context, and he didn’t speak as a mediator. His blubbering is not different from the torrential partisan comments made by hundreds of ordinary people.

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    When Fubara, the ill-tempered suspended governor of Rivers State, bombed the building of the Rivers State House of Assembly, I waited to hear from Jonathan what he would say as an “elder statesman” only to be greeted with silence!

    Jonathan perhaps was perhaps AWOL when Fubara presented his budget to four people. It is a caricature of the whole system for a governor to present a budget to only four legislators. It is a disgrace to the country, but to Goodluck Jonathan, this illegality will not dent the image of Nigeria.

    Jonathan did not initiate reconciliation as a “man of peace.” He hid himself elsewhere. And even when Fubara spit fire that he would surprise those who underrate him, Jonathan did not comment.

    A pipeline was blown a day after an impeachment notice was served on Fubara; Jonathan was nowhere to be found.

    It was only after President Tinubu did the needful that Jonathan reacted. These are the kind of elders we have today in this country. This man even made spurious remarks against the judiciary just to earn undeserved applause from those who pushed him to make comments.

    The former president has the right to comment on any issue to his fancy, but for God’s sake, anytime he wants to dabble in any matter, he should not forget that he is an elder statesman.

    •Comrade Bishir Dauda Sabuwar,

     Unguwa Katsina.