The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

Dousing the tension ahead of 2027
- By Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi
In less than two years, Nigerians will once again throng polling units nationwide to elect leaders who will steer the country’s affairs for another four years, beginning in 2027. Yet, as the nation inches toward this crucial general election, it stands precariously balanced between the promise of democratic consolidation and the threat of descending into political chaos.

The lessons of our electoral history are vivid and sobering. From the post-election violence of 2011, which claimed countless innocent lives, to the judicial controversies of 2023 that reaffirmed the victory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria’s democratic journey has been repeatedly tested. These experiences have left deep political and social scars — and the warning signs for 2027 are already flashing in alarming red. The political temperature is steadily rising.

Across the country, public discourse is becoming increasingly toxic, with inflammatory rhetoric dominating campaign platforms. Politicians, in their desperate bids for relevance and support, lean heavily on ethnic, religious, and regional sentiments to rally followers.

While such tactics energise partisan bases, they dangerously deepen national divisions at a time when Nigeria desperately needs unity, tolerance, and mutual understanding. Such polarisation becomes even more perilous when layered over the harsh realities of everyday life.

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Unemployment remains painfully high, inflation continues to erode purchasing power, and poverty levels are worsening. For millions of frustrated youths, this economic despair makes them vulnerable to political manipulation — and for desperate politicians, they are an easily accessible pool for recruitment into violent thuggery.

The danger is compounded by Nigeria’s fragile security landscape. The Northeast still battles insurgency, the Northwest plagued by banditry, IPOB-linked unrest persists in the Southeast, and the Middle Belt continues to witness deadly farmer-herder clashes.

Each flashpoint presents an opportunity for political actors to exploit tensions for electoral gain. For years, terrorists, insurgents, and other non-state actors have capitalised on insecurity and youth vulnerability to radicalise and recruit them into criminal networks — an asymmetric challenge that continues to overstretch security agencies and undermine stability.

Adding fuel to the fire is the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. Nigeria’s porous borders have allowed a steady influx of weapons from conflict zones in the Sahel and North Africa. According to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, over 500 million illicit small arms circulate in West Africa, with Nigeria shockingly harbouring about 40 per cent of them.

These weapons empower bandits, ethnic militias, and terrorists, turning political disputes into deadly confrontations. Another critical concern is declining public trust in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Many Nigerians perceive the electoral body as beholden to those in power, undermining its credibility. Even technological reforms such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) have not fully erased public scepticism. Far too many citizens believe elections are decided in courtrooms rather than at the ballot box, a perception that fuels apathy and could incite unrest.

Compounding these threats is the toxic digital environment. While the internet and social media have created unprecedented avenues for civic engagement, they have also become breeding grounds for fake news, deepfake videos, and hate speech. In a recent case, an AI-generated video falsely portrayed Nigerian soldiers escorting cattle in Benue State, a fragile security zone. Thankfully, a PRNigeria fact-check report swiftly debunked the content. Still, the speed at which disinformation spreads means a single lie could ignite violence within minutes.

Unfortunately, Nigeria’s early warning and rapid response systems remain weak, reactive, and often too slow to prevent predictable crises. Without proactive detection and coordinated intervention, electoral tensions could quickly escalate into national instability.

The road to a peaceful 2027 election demands a whole-of-society approach. Security agencies, political leaders, religious authorities, community heads, civil society organisations, the media, and ordinary citizens must work hand in hand.

Government must tackle the root causes of political violence by rolling out targeted economic relief and empowerment programmes, particularly for at-risk youth, to reduce their vulnerability to manipulation.

INEC must be adequately funded, granted full operational independence, and backed by tougher laws against vote-buying, hate speech, and political thuggery. A nationwide peace and unity campaign, championed by influential figures across all divides, should be launched well before the polls to discourage divisive politics.

Security agencies must take the lead with intelligence-driven policing, community surveillance, and swift neutralisation of threats. Coordination between the police, DSS, military, NSCDC, and local vigilantes should be seamless, with early mop-up of illegal arms and watertight protection of INEC staff, facilities, and election materials.

The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), under Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has a pivotal role to play, especially in coordination and regulation. Electoral offenders — whether politicians, thugs, or complicit officials — must face swift, visible, and uncompromising justice to send an unmistakable message that violence will not be tolerated.

Ultimately, the responsibility for safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy rests with the people. Citizens, especially young Nigerians, must refuse to be used as pawns in political games. They must demand issue-based campaigns, fact-check information before sharing it online, and engage fully in the democratic process — from registration to peaceful voting — to ensure the will of the people prevails.

The 2027 elections are not just another electoral cycle; they are a test of whether Nigeria can emerge stronger, more united, and more democratic in the face of growing internal and external pressures. The dangers are real, but so are the opportunities to avert them.

Government, security agencies, and citizens must rise to the challenge — not as adversaries, but as co-stewards of Nigeria’s fragile democracy. The time to act is not in 2027. The time to act is now.

•Madobi is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Crisis Communication. He writes via: ymukhtar944@gmail.com
August 12, 2025
An elephantine problem

Today, August 12, is World Elephant Day. Established in 2012, this annual international event raises awareness about the situation of African and Asian elephants, which are listed as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The day also aims to share information on their care and management.

Coincidentally, a farmer was tragically killed by an elephant attack in a village in Ogun State about two weeks ago. The incident raised questions about the management of elephants at a government reserve in the state.

According to Ogun State Commissioner of Police Lanre Ogunlowo, the police received a report from the Itasin community on July 28. It said that elephants had escaped from a government reserve and attacked a farmer, Musa Kalamu, who later died on the way to the hospital. He added that officers of the Ogun State Forestry were contacted to prevent the animals from causing further damage. The victim was said to have been working on his farm in the Itasin-Imobi area; the government reserve is in Ijebu East local government area.

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A voice in a viral video showing Kalamu’s body said: “This is Kala, he was attacked by the elephants at Onitasin… the marks of the attack are all over his body, even his intestines are out.” Another villager said: “This elephant keeps coming into our community to destroy our crops, damage our fishing nets, and now, it has taken a life.” The villagers called for urgent government intervention, stressing that invasive elephants have posed danger to lives and farmlands in their community for years.

Before now, there had been reports of elephants causing havoc in some Lagos and Ogun communities after leaving their reserve. The question is: How were the elephants able to move out of the reserve? If the elephants had a reason to leave the reserve, that shouldn’t mean they must have a way to leave. The elephants were able to leave the reserve because they could – this indicates a failure in its management. If the reserve were properly managed, the elephants would have been unable to leave.

Wildlife conservation is a serious issue. The Wildlife Conservation Society has outlined and advocated several key actions. These include increasing aerial surveillance in strongholds, training and deploying more rangers, supplying new rangers with equipment, assisting authorities in shutting down trafficking networks, and growing community development programmes to help communities co-exist with wildlife. The authorities should take action.

August 12, 2025
Obi’s new fixation

It started as a three-pronged farce, but you can trust Peter Obi, Labour Party (LP) candidate in the 2023 presidential election, to weigh in with comical nobility!

It was all intra-African Democratic Congress (ADC) manoeuvering to game that platform’s presidential ticket, among the many wannabes scrambling for that lolly.

Crafty Atiku Abubakar, now the northern irredentist (as he postured in 2023, thus dealing the PDP a near-mortal blow), then a born-again(st?) pan-Nigerian, as he now postures in the run-up to 2027, started it all with that farcical pledge: I will only do one term and quit!

How would that help anyone, though? After his one term, who takes over? The North which should duly have, had it waited for the South to finish own eight years, watching its back as it does? Or the South that would now step into, Heraclitus-speak, an entirely new river, in Nigeria’s perennial challenge to find true nationhood?

It was crafty Atiku’s attempt to explain the crass illogicality of own rabid ambition.

Then, Rotimi Amaechi, a decent governor at Rivers and passionate Transport minister under PMB, but whose politics is out-and-out boyish and infantile. “I’ll do one term too,” he pledged. “If I renege, stone me!” As boyishly infantile as Rotimi Amaechi!

But of course, anywhere there’s political inanity — for our man is condemned to talking (sense or trash) — there you’d find Obi! In the latest political burlesque in town, he certainly must show up!

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Waxing poetic over the farce, Obi compared himself to the American duo of Abraham Lincoln and John Kennedy and South Africa’s eternal pearl, Nelson Mandela, the one and only Madiba. Well, talk is cheap!

It’s clear heresy, driven by a chronic personality flaw, for gas-emoting Obi, with his China stats and constant lies, to ever compare himself to this trio. It’s even worse for a guy whose tenure as Anambra governor was at best mediocre, to swear, with some papal solemnity, that he would solve all of Nigeria’s problems in four years, without realizing his clear self-mockery. His usual empty drivels are the clear opposite to rigour!

Well, such drivels drove him to his over-performance in 2023. Why not an encore in 2027? Best of luck to him! He’s often reminiscent of one of James Hadley Chase’s popular titles: believe this — believe Peter — you’d believe anything!

That’s the comic Peter Obi projecting his new-found fixation with spending four years and vanishing. Again, good luck to him — and hey, it’s a democracy! The right to self-scam, aside scamming the gullible, is free and democratic!

Even then, nothing appears more amusing than comic Obi doubling down on his new fixation with a single term, like some agama lizard, nodding furiously to what no one knows.

It’s comic relief, en route to 2027! Enjoy it!

August 11, 2025
President Tinubu, the North and Distortions of Politics
- By Tunde Rahman
Two years in the saddle, has President Bola Tinubu undercut the Northern region in the management of the country’s affairs and distribution of political appointments and development projects? Has he reneged on the promise made to the Northern elites three years ago in Kaduna that he would run an all-inclusive government, protect the national interest and be fair to every part of the country and the North in particular?

It was in a bid to answer these important questions that governors, ministers and other top government functionaries from the Northern region converged on Arewa House, Kaduna on July 29 and 30, 2025, under the auspices of the Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, to present their scorecards and tell the region what they had all done to advance the interest of the region since May 2023.

At the end, the intervention by the governors and government functionaries yielded an overwhelming approval rating and an outright rejection of politically motivated allegations of marginalization. They reeled out impressive strides recorded by the administration in infrastructure, social investment programmes, and security. According to them, President Tinubu has done a lot for the North. Whatever under-development that may exist in the region should not be attributed to him, but to Northern leaders, for the many years they had neglected the region.

However, it was apparent that the motive behind the frenzied conversation about the Tinubu administration’s achievements is not so much what the President has done – or not done – for the North in terms of distribution of national offices and infrastructure. It was propelled, essentially, by the self-serving interests of some Northern elites angling to shape political decisions and the politics of 2027. As my friend, the Publisher of The Cable and former Editor of Thisday, Simon Kolawole, would say, “it’s all politics”, and this time, it is all about the politics of 2027.

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It’s a page from an old politics playbook: couching the views, political agenda, opinions, and interests of the elites as those of the larger society where they operate. To achieve their aim, they deploy all kinds of subterfuge, including ethnicity or tribalism. Richard Sklar hints at this when he states that, “tribalism is an instrument in the hands of political elites.”

This is quite evident in the outburst of the New Nigeria Peoples Party leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who recently accused President Tinubu of marginalising the North in infrastructure development. However, available evidence points to the contrary. According to the Director-General, Budget Office, Dr. Tanimu Yakubu, who should know, more than half of the capital budgets for 2024 and 2025, were allocated to projects and programs in Northern Nigeria. “Contrary to politically-motivated narratives, Northern Nigeria is not on the margins; it is at the heart of federal investment priorities. Over 50% of the capital budget for 2024 and 2025 is traceable to projects and programs in the North when major national trunk infrastructure and water basin investments are properly accounted for,” he declared

Tanimu outlined flagship projects and interventions that serve as evidence of the administration’s commitment to developing the North. These include the Abuja–Kano Expressway dualization, ₦12.1 trillion Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway, the most ambitious cross-regional road project in decades, spanning 1,068 km, costing ₦3.63 trillion, with 30% of it already approved by President Tinubu for the project’s initial rollout in Sokoto and Kebbi; Kano–Maradi Standard Gauge Railway, a Sahel trade corridor enabler; Zungeru–Kano Power Transmission Line, boosting industrial power supply; Funtua and Bauchi Inland Dry Ports for agro-export and logistics; and Expansion of Airport Runways in Katsina, Maiduguri and Kaduna.

But firstly, there is a need for recourse to the promise Tinubu made to the North before he was elected president. On October 17, 2022, Tinubu came before the Northern leaders to present his agenda for the region and solicit their votes. This was in the run-up to an election where former vice president Atiku Abubakar and Peoples Democratic Party candidate in the poll, had fouled the air, fanning the embers of ethnicity, telling the North he belonged to it and was the best candidate to protect the Northern interest. There was tension in the land. The nation’s fault lines were being toyed with. Atiku’s erstwhile presidential running mate in the 2019 election, who by then had become the Labour Party candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, was also unrelenting, ratcheting up ethnic and religious sentiments for his candidacy.

It was against this backdrop that Tinubu mounted the podium at the Arewa House. Both Tinubu and Atiku were leading other candidates in the North at the time. Thus, the North had become divided and the atmosphere at the venue of the talks was charged. In a measured but purposeful tone, Tinubu told the gathering that as president, he would consolidate on the investments of the late President Buhari administration in all sectors to build on the gains recorded. He spoke of his plans to ensure that insecurity was nipped in the bud in the North and across the country, harness the resources that abound in every part of the nation for greater economic development, and utilize the vast natural resources of the country through strategic investment in infrastructure.

Speaking specifically and cautiously on his plans for the North, he said, among other things, that the region has a comparative advantage in agriculture and mining, and that under his presidency, the North would emerge as the hub of agribusiness in Africa through huge investment in the sector in collaboration with the private sector. “Agriculture is of special interest to me. It is both an economic and existential issue for every country. Experience in the last seven years has shown the potential of agriculture in solving the problem of unemployment and boosting our GDP,” he said.

On his plans for education and reducing out-of-school children in the North, he said working with both states and local governments to reform and retool the system, he would provide the required leadership and mobilize investment for the development of the sector. These reforms, according to him, will give special attention to the welfare and training of teachers and lecturers as necessary catalyst for the better system the North desires.

He identified some priority roads and hydropower projects in the North which had either not been followed through, and new ones he would introduce to aid the development of the region.

His lucid presentation and the way and manner he calmly but firmly responded to the questions thrown at him were quite impressive. I know this as a fact because I was there. With that event, the North and Tinubu apparently entered into a pact. And following the results of the 2023 presidential election, the North voted well for Tinubu, giving him about 60% of the votes that brought him to power.

Are there gaps in what he promised the North and what he delivered to them? Has President Tinubu treated the North unfairly two years down the road? I do not think so! I think the President has kept faith with his promise. However, there is room for improvement. Ongoing critical projects in the North like the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano reconstruction work, Mambilla Hydroelectric Dam, Baro Inland Port, and Ajaokuta Steel Mill should be pursued vigorously.

The views expressed at the Kaduna two-day summit titled “Assessing Electoral Promises: Fostering Government-Citizens’ Engagement for National Unity” were nonetheless interesting, though admittedly mixed. The Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) Board of Trustees, Bashir Dalhatu, alleged that the Tinubu government had neglected the region, especially in its budget allocations and infrastructural development. “Two years into President Tinubu’s four-year tenure, the feeling among the people of the North is, to put it mildly, completely mixed,” he said, citing certain federal budget figures to underscore the alleged neglect.

Such grim prognosis was offset by some contrasting submissions. Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani and Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State said the President is committed to fulfilling his promises to the North, while Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume affirmed that President Tinubu’s administration would leave no region behind. Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by Dr. Aliyu Moddibo, his Special Adviser on General Duties, noted that the current administration’s inclusive reforms were in line with the economic reality of Nigerians.

Minister of Budget and National Planning Atiku Bagudu stated that the administration is implementing policies aimed at transforming Nigeria’s economy and fulfilling the promises made to Nigerians. “The President has complete faith in Nigeria. He does not make decisions based on ethnicity or region. His government is rooted in fairness and inclusivity,” he said.

On the fight against banditry and terrorism, National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu said the Tinubu administration had made giant strides in protecting lives and properties. Ribadu said Nigerian security forces had subdued and neutralized some of the terrorist leaders, who had unleashed terror along the Kaduna-Abuja highway, making it safer for travellers. The NSA noted that the once-troubled highways from Zamfara to Katsina, Kaduna-Abuja and Kaduna to Birnin Gwari that were a nightmare for travellers, can now be safely used at night due to improvement in security. “Politics will not allow people to give us credit for all of that,” he added.

In the final analysis, the Kaduna Governor gave the Northern leaders some food for thought when he declared that the northern woes should not be blamed on President Tinubu. “Yes, President Tinubu made promises. But let’s be honest with ourselves: he has kept faith with the North in many critical areas – security, agriculture, education, and economic inclusion. The real question is, have we kept faith with our people as Northern leaders?”

•Rahman is Senior Assistant to the President on Media and Special Duties.
August 10, 2025
Revisiting the GMO debate

Sir: A growing public outcry is brewing over the quiet spread of genetically modified (GM) food crops in Nigeria, especially the widely consumed beans, locally known as cowpea.

The concern was reignited recently by a video shared on X by Chinonso Egemba, a medical doctor and social media influencer popularly known as Aproko Doctor. In the now-viral clip, he advocated for the adoption of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) like Bt cowpea as a convenient solution to pest problems, citing benefits such as reduced pesticide use and higher productivity.

Egemba’s stance, however, sparked renewed scrutiny, particularly from scientists and activists who caution against hasty acceptance of GM foods. Prominent among them is Ify Rhodes Vivour, a molecular geneticist who has consistently warned about the long-term effects of GMOs in Nigeria. She reposted the video thread, challenging the science behind Bt cowpea and questioning the government’s motives.

“The cowpea GM trait has been banned in Burkina Faso,” she wrote. “So why is Nigeria now promoting it heavily here? Our people are eating what other African countries rejected.”

She also cautioned that the use of GM traits in everyday foods like beans could expose Nigerians to harmful chemicals such as glyphosate, an herbicide linked to serious health concerns in global studies.

Her warning ignited a wave of reactions online. “We now have farmers spraying beans with herbicides because the seeds are engineered to tolerate them. It ends up in our food. Nobody is talking,” one user replied.

Among the strongest voices in the conversation was politician and architect, Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour (Ify Rhodes Vivour’shusband), who stressed that the introduction of patented GM seeds threatens local farming autonomy.

“Once you allow patented GM seeds into your farming system, you lose control. Farmers are forced to buy seeds every season, can’t reuse seeds, and get locked into cycles of debt,” he said.

He also accused Nigeria’s biosafety agencies of lacking transparency, alleging that approvals are issued without public awareness, proper environmental risk assessments, or long-term studies.

Indeed, Nigeria’s National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has in recent years approved several GM crops, including Bt cowpea, GM maize, and GM cotton, claiming these innovations will boost yields, cut pesticide use, and enhance food security.

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Critics, however, argue that these moves are often made behind closed doors, without adequate consultation with local farmers, scientists, or the public.

Weighing in on the viral video, journalist and media scholar Akin Olaniyan published an analytical article titled, ‘Aproko Doctor and the Genetically Modified Gospel of Convenience.’ While noting that Egemba’s presentation was informative and accessible, Olaniyan also highlighted its one-sidedness. He pointed out that the video omitted critical safety, legal, and socio-economic implications of GM adoption in Nigeria.

“While it is important to make scientific information digestible to a broad audience,” Olaniyan wrote, “it is equally vital not to water down complexities in the name of convenience.”

He added that scientific influencers should avoid “cherry-picking” evidence, especially in matters affecting public health and national food systems.

To provide balance, the Alliance for Science at Cornell University published a report supporting Bt cowpea, saying it followed over 10 years of trials that demonstrated a 20–80 percent reduction in pesticide use and higher yields. Supporters argue that these outcomes can ease the burden on smallholder farmers, if introduced transparently and with adequate training.

This debate holds particular weight because cowpea is a dietary staple in Nigeria, used in popular dishes like moimoi, akara, and gbegiri. Changes to its natural form affect virtually every household.

If the concerns raised by scientists and citizens prove valid, then what’s at stake isn’t just agricultural innovation, but also the safety of the food on Nigerian tables.

Policymakers must demand comprehensive, independent studies on the environmental, health, and socio-economic impacts of GM crops before approving them. Agencies like NBMA and National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) must be transparent with risk assessments, facilitate public consultations, and enforce labelling so consumers can make informed choices.

Farmers must be properly trained and given the freedom to choose between GM and non-GM seeds. Inspection systems must be strengthened to ensure all food, modified or not, is safe.

Rhodes Vivour’s message is worth repeating: “The science exists, but so do the risks. Nigerians deserve to eat food that’s safe, nutritious, and clean—not experimental crops rejected elsewhere.”

•Remi Ladigbolu, Lagos

August 8, 2025
Garlands for our women

Sir: First, it was the Super Falcons who defeated host nation Morocco to win the African Women’s Cup of Nations for a record tenth time this year. And they did so by demonstrating the resilient spirit of Nigeria, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Mr. President did not hold back in rewarding them for bringing glory to the nation. Each player received a cash gift of $100,000, a three-bedroom apartment, and a well-deserved national honour. The coaching crew were not left behind, as each member got $50,000, houses, and national honours.

We were still basking in the euphoria of the Super Falcons’ heroics when the female basketball team known as D’Tigress beat Mali 78–64 in the Afrobasketball final in Côte d’Ivoire to secure their seventh continental title. As expected, Mr. President replicated the same gestures for them.

We were still rejoicing over D’Tigress’ victory when 17-year-old Nafisa Abdullahi beat 69 countries to win the Global English Championship in the UK. Not only her, but also her colleagues Rukayya Muhammad Fema and Hadiza Kashim Kalli emerged as champions in English Language Communication Skills and Debate, respectively.

It is ironic to note that our women are putting the country on the global map for the right reasons at a time when one of them has turned Nigeria into her personal punching bag. I’m referring to no other person than Kemi Badenoch. In her desperate bid to become UK Prime Minister, she has not held back in denigrating Nigeria at every turn.

Surely, our women have done so much for the image of this country. From Chioma Ajunwa, who won Nigeria’s first Olympic gold medal; to Blessing Okagbare, a track and field powerhouse; to Asisat Oshoala, who continues to make us proud in global football; to Tobi Amusan, who broke the world record in the 100m hurdles, Nigerian women have continued to defy odds and blaze trails.

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Add to that the brilliance of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, whose literary voice resonates across continents; the eloquence of Maryam Bukar Hassan, Nigeria’s spoken word sensation recently appointed as the United Nations’ first-ever global advocate for peace; and now young Nafisa Abdullahi, Rukayya Muhammad Fema, and Hadiza Kashim Kalli, who have stunned the world with their intellects.

These women, and many others, represent the true Nigerian spirit, resilient, talented, and worthy of all the garlands we can offer. And not even a horde of Kemi Badenochs can take the shine off us.

Of course, like any other society, we are not without our flaws. These flaws often surface through the unflattering actions of a few bad apples that do not represent the truest essence of the Nigerian spirit. I have always maintained that the Nigerian spirit is a strong force, and it can be used for good. How can our children benefit from it? For one, by tirelessly projecting those values which best define us, especially when displayed by the exceptional efforts of individuals or groups. These values can be our penchant for excellence, perseverance, smartness, diligence, authenticity, friendliness, spirituality, and zeal.

These values, when projected into our national consciousness, can help our youths fully embrace their identity, shoot for the stars in their pursuits, and strive to positively represent Nigeria in every space they venture into. This will prove to others that we are a nation of dreamers and doers with much to offer humanity. While others try to paint us in bad lights, we can proudly trumpet our triumphs and constantly retain the special mentality of doggedness and excellence that is the Nigerian spirit.

•Zayd Ibn Isah,lawcadet1@gmail.com

August 8, 2025
Sowore: Activist with penchant for self-glorification

Sir: The Inspector General of Police (IGP) has shown strong leadership by promoting over 20,000 Inspectors to the rank of Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP). This major promotion has earned him praise from many quarters, as it reflects genuine concern for the welfare and morale of police officers across the country.

But, as usual, Omoyele Sowore is trying to take the credit for himself. He claims that the promotions were a result of his #IGPMustGo protest and other demonstrations he has led against the IGP.

This is simply not true. Police promotions are guided by clear procedures based on merit, years of service, and institutional needs, not protests or social media noise. Giving credit to Sowore for these well-earned promotions is not only misleading but also an insult to the thousands of officers who have worked hard for this elevation, and to the police leadership that made it happen.

Sowore has a habit of trying to make everything about himself. While protests can be useful in drawing attention to issues, twisting facts to stay in the spotlight is not activism, it’s deception. It misleads the public and stirs unnecessary controversy.

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The recent promotions were not a reaction to any protest. They were the result of deliberate planning by the IGP and his management team to reward diligence, boost morale, and enhance operational efficiency in the Force. At a time when the country is facing serious security challenges, these kinds of proactive steps deserve commendation, not baseless attacks.

Unfortunately, Sowore has made it his mission to unfairly target the IGP with constant abuse, even resorting to calling him unprintable names, all because the IGP remains in office lawfully. And I keep asking myself: where was Sowore when former president, Muhammadu Buhari allowed the then Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai, to remain in office long after reaching the statutory retirement age, without any constitutional backing?

That’s why I take Sowore’s campaign of calumny against the current IGP with a pinch of salt—and I urge well-meaning Nigerians to do the same. We must not confuse senseless, irrational attacks on public officials with genuine activism.

Criticism is welcome in a democracy. But it must be based on facts, not personal grudges or the hunger for relevance. It’s time we learned to separate attention-seeking from advocacy, and truth from noise.

•Hassan Yahaya, Hassanyahaya@gmail.com

August 8, 2025
As people defect in and out, Kwara PDP remains intact, strong

I read your story titled ‘24 PDP Leaders Defect to APC, ADC as Saraki loses grip in Kwara’ written by Adekunke Jimoh. It is a surprise that the same story had earlier been published word for word in the Phoenix online platform under the byline of Adebiyi Abolaji. We can take it that both names represent the same writer or that plagiarism is at play. Anyway, I believe the real writer, whatever his real name is, has exaggerated the small fact that he got to create a salacious piece.

For us in PDP, not only in Kwara State, but on the national level, we believe this is the transfer season for politics. It is the same way you have a transfer period for professional football across all the countries with a functional league system. Players move from club to club for several reasons. Some were even forced out of their clubs because the clubs need to create space for others, while some go to look for greener pastures in other clubs.

In the same way in our polity, politicians change parties for several reasons. The majority of those changing parties want to belong to the ruling party. Some others leave because they have calculated that the ticket for the elective offices they are seeking will not be given to them in the party they belong to. So they move to where they can get the tickets. Some others move because they have lost relevance to younger elements and new players in their current party. This group moves elsewhere to seek relevance.

Now, to the question raised by your article. I don’t know where you got the figure of 24 politicians leaving PDP in Kwara State or how you came about that figure. Indeed, a few individuals who have occupied key elective government offices and secured prominent appointments on the platform of the PDP in Kwara State defected simply because our party is now in opposition, both at the state and federal levels. They have their reasons, and these reasons are not different from the ones I listed in the second paragraph of this write-up. We believe they have simply exercised their fundamental right of freedom of association.

The question remains: What is the level of acceptance, grassroots popularity, electoral value, and political relevance of these individuals at the time they left the PDP? Some of them remained one of the reasons the PDP lost elections in 2019 and 2023. Some of them personify the mistakes PDP was said to have made while in power between 2003 and 2019. We can also submit that some of them left PDP because the party leadership in Kwara State adopted a new model of recruiting young, vibrant, popular, and brilliant men and women to take up leadership at the wards, Local government areas, and state as a way of rebranding, remodeling, refocusing, and restructuring the party. The party decided that the old players should step into the background. A few of our prominent members went to the APC, where they are now silenced and turned into League B players. Some went to ADC, where they have been struggling for existence and relevance.

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We have no problem with the few people who left Kwara PDP. We want Mr. Adekunle Jimoh to check out how many young men and women have since joined the PDP in Kwara State and how these men are mobilising the grassroots in the North, South, and Central Senatorial Districts Jimoh should check why the APC had to resort to wholesome writing of results during the last local government elections when the PDP young elements who were across the 16 LGAs and 193 wards swept the polls That is an example of what will happen during the 2027 polls. Mr. Jimoh should check why no PDP member who defected to APC in Kwara has remained happy or relevant as they were just boxed in and discarded like disused or out of fashion clothes. We need him to give us how many APC leaders have left since 2019. Many are now either in PDP or waiting to join it as the main opposition party in the state.

Let me quickly dismiss at this point one claim in the write-up under review. The PDP or the Saraki Political Group has never in its activities, either during the over 40 years it controlled the politics of Kwara State or in the last six years that it has been out of power been a one-man show. Never. Decisions are taken by a collegiate leadership that operates at different levels. We have a bottom-to-top system in which decisions begin to evolve from the wards and are passed on to the state level where it is further discussed and endorsed by a group of leaders representing the entire state from across the three senatorial districts. That is the essence of having The Great Hall sessions, a feat many political groups have tried to emulate.

That system remains till today. That system produced some of the people Mr. Jimoh mentioned as having complained about the system. It gave them the offices that made them ex-this – – ex-that. That system, by the grace of God, will continue to produce new leaders who will provide good governance not only in Kwara State but across the country.

May God bless Kwara PDP. May God bless Kwara State. May God bless Nigeria.

Olusola is the State Publicity Secretary

August 8, 2025
Makinde: Compacting the pact for greater impact

By Sulaimon Olanrewaju

Sony was already a global brand before it came up with its Walkman on July 1, 1979. This device, which allowed individuals to enjoy music of their choice wherever they were and anytime they wanted, revolutionized the electronics industry globally and played a major role in pushing Sony to the fore as the leading electronics company because the product sold over 400million units.

The Walkman was developed at the instance of Sony co-founder, Masaru Ibuka. Ibuka, a music enthusiast, loved to go about with Sony TC-D5, so as to be able to enjoy music wherever he was. When he had to make some long flights in 1979, he requested one of the company’s engineers, Norio Ohga, to develop something smaller and more portable than TC-D5 so that he could enjoy music on the flights.

Working with Sony Pressman, a portable, monaural tape recorder, Ohga was able to design a device that enabled Ibuka enjoy his choice of music on his trips. Thus was born the Walkman.

But rather than build on this feat which earned it a fortune, Sony embarked on a long chest-thumping binge. By the time it returned to reality, Apple had built on the Walkman to develop the iPod. Thus, despite giving the world its first mobile stereo music device, Sony failed to move to the next stage. Apple beat Sony to it by coming up with the iPod.

This is known as the Sony slip.

Although Sony is still running, it is no longer a front runner in the industry it once dominated. Complacency is always costly.

Armed with the Roadmap for Accelerated Development 2019-2023 and the Roadmap for Sustainable Development 2023-2027, both of which constitute his pact with the people of Oyo State, the former for his first tenure and the latter for the current tenure, Governor ‘Seyi Makinde has birthed unprecedented development in Oyo State. He has constructed more kilometers of roads than any governor in the history of the state, he has employed more civil and public servants than any of the governors that came before him, he has promoted agribusiness more than any governor in the country, he has renovated more schools than any of the governors since 1999, he has appointed more permanent secretaries than any of his predecessors in office, he has funded security outfits more than any of the governors that preceded him, he has championed inclusivity more than any other governor in the history of the state, he has reduced the dependency of the state on FAAC allocation more than any other governor in the state’s history, he has put the state on the world stage more than any of his predecessors through his domestication of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), being the first sub-national to do so, he has attracted more investments into the state than any other governor since 1999, he has supported primary healthcare more than any governor in the history of the state, he has established more institutions and agencies than any governor in the history of the state, he has taken urban renewal to a height never experienced before in the state, he is the first Oyo State governor to achieve independent power generation. Indeed, Makinde has shown the people of Oyo State that his understanding of leadership is service to the people.

His unmatched performance has left the people in awe. Consequently, the applause from all the zones, cities, towns, wards and villages across the state has been deafening. But the governor has always maintained that he is not doing any of the things he is doing for the applause, but for impact.

So, unlike Sony, which plateaued after reaching a significant height, Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, keeps revving up despite his unparalleled accomplishments. For Makinde, complacency is a sacrilege, slowing down is a sin and resting on the oars is a crime against the people who entrusted their collective destiny to him. For him, the tempo of service delivery has to keep rising until he breasts the tape in the final seconds of May 28, 2027. Therefore, rather than rolling out the drums to celebrate the feats he has accomplished, Makinde believes he has to roll up his sleeves to deliver more dividends of good governance and exceptional leadership to all and sundry in Oyo State.

Speaking on the theme “Reflecting on Omituntun 2.0: Towards Building an Enduring Legacy” at the Omituntun 2.0 Mid-Term Leadership Retreat held recently at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Makinde told his cabinet members, heads of departments and agencies as well as permanent secretaries that notwithstanding the strides of the administration over the past six years, it was not yet time for backslapping or self adulation but a time to tighten the belt, work smarter and collaborate better so that the administration could finish on a high note.

After thanking members of his team for their contributions to the success recorded, the governor threw some posers:

“Have we made progress? Yes.

“Are we where we need to be? Not yet.”

Not one for theatrics, Makinde drove home the point. He said, “Across our Roadmap, there remain gaps — not of vision, but of delivery. Projects that began with promise now need a final push.”

Expatiating on this, the governor said: “Several critical road and transport infrastructure projects are behind schedule. Our Agribusiness Industrial Hubs — Eruwa, Akufo, Ijaiye— are not yet completed. Solid Minerals Development is just gradually taking off. IGR targets, although rising, have not yet met the monthly benchmark we envisioned.

“These are not failures. They are reminders that great visions demand deliberate coordination — across ministries, agencies, and partners.”

He then gave the clincher: “Finishing strong requires inter-ministerial collaboration. No single ministry can build a legacy. Not Agriculture alone. Not Education alone. Not Public Works, Energy or Lands. But together, they can.”

Makinde told his team members that the last half of the current tenure should not be about starting new projects but about completing ongoing ones. He urged them to consolidate institutional wins, while ensuring that all arms of government work in alignment.

To leave no one in doubt about his determination to see that his administration delivers optimal benefits to the people, Makinde proposed an Oyo State Delivery Taskforce, a monthly review system among ministries to unlock bottlenecks, track legacy projects, and solve problems before they escalate.

He also proposed a public-facing Legacy Dashboard to show citizens what is left to complete and who is responsible as well as quarterly cross-ministerial retreats, focused not on reporting activities, but on co-delivering outcomes.

The governor said the Legacy Dashboard could be patterned after the Rwandan model known as the Imihigo Delivery Compact, through which ministers publicly state what they will accomplish, so the public can hold them accountable when they do not.

Stressing that the exercise would not be an excuse to drop any appointee, Makinde said by deploying the strategy, Oyo State would be setting its own gold standard, which is grounded in coordination, not competition.

The governor then announced the launch of Oyo State’s Performance Delivery Compact, which he said would afford each Ministry, Department, and Agency to identify three to five legacy deliverables that could be realistically completed before 2027. The deliverables will then be broken down into 6-month targets — what would be delivered by January 2026, and what would be completed by May 2027. The MDAs are to ensure that each deliverable is S.M.A.R.T. — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. These deliverables will then be published as their Oyo Legacy Pledge.

He added that the MDAs should be prepared to stand before the public and say: “This is what we promised. This is what we delivered.” He also underscored the importance of collaboration among the MDAs through Joint Compacts, especially where outcomes overlap — such as infrastructure and commerce, education and youth, tourism and environment.

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Governor Makinde said, “These compacts will be monitored quarterly and reviewed at our Legacy Retreat in 2026. They will guide resourcing, visibility, and decision-making for the remainder of this administration. The Oyo State Legacy Compact is not a slogan. It is a covenant. A pact between us and the people we serve.”

The governor then gave a list of four things that must be accomplished for the administration to build a legacy that would transcend generations.

He said completion must be prioritized: “We must finish the agribusiness hubs, upgrade our PHCs, deliver the airport and feeder roads.”

Whatever works must be institutionalized: “We must protect effective policies through legal frameworks and performance-linked budgeting.”

The process, not just the product must be celebrated: “We must make our delivery model transparent and replicable.”

Successors must be empowered, not sabotaged: “A true legacy is one that outlives its architects.”

He added, “We are at a defining point. The foundation is solid. The vision is clear. The next two years must be about intentional delivery, inter-ministerial synergy, and generational impact.”

Then he delivered the crux of his presentation: “Let us remember: A legacy is not what you start. It is what you finish — and finish well. Let posterity say of this government, of this season: They came, they saw the gaps… and they closed them.”

Makinde’s commitment to the development of Oyo State is both humbling and inspiring. At a time when other second term governors are strategizing for the next election and trying to position themselves for opportunities in Abuja, Makinde is compacting his pact with the people to the most important things and concentrating energy and resources on the most critical things that would positively impact the people and leave an impact for generations yet to come.

Makinde, on assumption of office, hit the ground running and also wants to yield the ground running at the end of his tenure, thus setting a template for good governance and exemplary leadership.

This is probably why Mr Ayodele Ogundele, Chief Executive Officer of Davies Hotel, Ibadan, said in an interview that he had never seen a second term governor working as conscientiously as Makinde is doing.

The best gift a people can have is a leader who does not pay perfunctory interest to their welfare, but one who braces all the odds to improve the people’s lot. Makinde goes the extra mile to make life meaningful for every resident of the state; he leaves no stone unturned to turn around the fortune of the state. So, if Oyo State appears to be on a present continuous development trajectory, it is because it is led by a governor who is consistently raising the bar of service delivery.

•Dr Olanrewaju is the Chief Press Secretary to Oyo State Governor.

August 8, 2025
Hurricane Nwifuru

Governance in Ebonyi State must be on crutches about now, courtesy of a one-month suspension slammed by Governor Francis Nwifuru on 87 cabinet functionaries. Officials affected include 25 commissioners, 22 permanent secretaries, 14 senior special assistants and 24 special assistants.

The governor, on Monday, 28th July, imposed the sanction that will keep affected functionaries out of government operation for all of a month. A statement by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Monday Uzor, said they were being suspended for failing to attend an important government function. Governor Nwifuru directed that the officials “proceed on a one-month working suspension without salary for failure to attend an important government function,” the statement read; adding that the governor made clear the affected officers should not sign any official document within the period of their suspension, with the commissioners expected to hand over to their permanent secretaries.

The statement listed the functionaries affected. According to the spokesman, the governor remained firm in ensuring government officials uphold the highest standards of conduct and dedication in serving Ebonyi people.

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A natural poser is, what was the important state function so many officials of government failed to attend? The statement didn’t clarify. Subsequent findings, however, showed it had to do with the burial of the mother of a prominent businessman and close associate of the governor, Chief Innocent Elechi Ojiugwo. The entrepreneur hails from the same Izzi clan as Nwifuru and is said to be one of the biggest financiers of his governorship campaign in 2023. According to reports, the burial event was duly logged in the governor’s itinerary, with the suspended functionaries listed among persons to accompany him. But the governor also had an official assignment in Abuja same day and when a delayed flight hindered his timely return, he assigned Deputy Governor Patricia Obila to represent him at the burial, with expectation that government officials would also massively attend.

Many government officials apparently got hint of the governor not returning in time for the burial ceremony and decided to also stay away. This did not go down well with Nwifuru, who directed that attendance be taken at the event. A media aide, Leo Oketa, in a Facebook post, said the governor, upon his return, directed the suspension of officials not at the burial. “This is not the first time the governor has warned about government officials absenting themselves from government functions. This time, he had to act,” the aide added.

You would wonder, though, how a private funeral became a state function as to justify culling government in reprisal against attendance defaulters. And what happened in ministries where both the commissioner and permanent secretary are on suspension? If the business of government is unhindered by the suspensions, those officials are superfluous and had no business being engaged in the first place.

August 8, 2025