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Category: Politics

  • Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto and the Mabera Community

    Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto and the Mabera Community

    • By Emmanuel Ado

    For Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, the main purpose of development is to help increase  the choices  and opportunities for the people of Sokoto State. Since his assumption of office on May 29th 2023, the governor has taken several initiatives that reflects this deep commitment to dedicated service and improvement in the welfare of the people, like the good shepherd that he is. His approach of an all inclusive,  human-centered development has undoubtedly been shaped by this philosophy that the welfare of the people is paramount and the purpose of government. This explains Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto’s agenda as encapsulated  in his well articulated 9- Point Smart Agenda that prioritizes infrastructural development, education, healthcare, economic development and empowerment. Even when it’s bricks and mortar, the end objective for the governor is and will always be about improving the standard of living of the people, and sustainable development. For him development is and would always be about man.

    This underlying philosophy which has purposefully driven Governor Sokoto’s governance, is largely responsible for the construction of a network of roads in the long forsaken Mabera community, home to more than 300,000 people that vividly tells the story of the governor’s sincerity of purpose and humane approach to development better.

    Until the coming of Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto life for the people of Mabera community was a nightmare as they had constantly lived in mortal fear of the perennial flooding that for years wrecked untold havoc. The residents of the area have been known to spend days in their flooded homes with nocturnal “visits” from reptiles and other dangerous creatures. The massive flooding also exposed  the people to waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and malaria.Not even some fortunate owners of 4 -Wheel drive vehicles could dare attempt moving  around either in pursuit of their daily activities or social visits whenever the heavens opened up.

    Over the years, several houses in Mabera community were destroyed, with thousands of people rendered homeless and many tragically lost the sources of their livelihood. It’s an understatement to say that the flooding disrupted  socio-economic activities, it did in fact destroyed lives.

    Read Also: Two years of Aliyu Sokoto’s foot prints in Rural Development

    It must be stressed that the  plight of the Mabera people is not because their village is far flung, somewhere near the Niger Republic boarder with Nigeria,  which must have made previous governments to forget them, no, the community is at the centre of the state capital, an earshot to the seat of power. Their plight is unfortunately a sad reflection of the failure of leadership and unconscionable neglect by some previous governments in providing critical infrastructure to the people.

    Granted that government lacks the limitless resources to address the myriads of problems, clearly the lack of political will and the failure to prioritize good governance are the major factors  that have created disasters like that of the Mabera community.

    Today the people of Mabera can go to bed with their eyes closed. Apologies to late General Sani Abacha. Today they can drive in and out without fear of being unable to access their homes because the heavens had opened up, simply because Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto decided to be guided by his conscience and to keep his electoral promise to a people who had gotten used to failed promises by some former governors. Several unkempt promises had rightly caused the Mabera residents to take any promises with a pinch of the salt.

    The neglect of the Mabera community was an open wound. Before Governor Ahmad Sokoto,only former governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wammakkao, had made a serious effort to solve the problem. The community acknowledged that he deployed  experts to assess the situation, but unfortunately he couldn’t  tackle the issue before the expiration of his tenure.  And Aminu Tambuwal who succeeded him abandoned the project as was his operating tradition.

    So why didn’t the administrations of Attahiru Bafarawa, and Aminu Tambuwal frontally address such a fundamental problem and several others like the lingering water crisis in Sokoto metropolis? Why did Aminu Tambuwal abandon the Mabera initiative by the Wamakko administration? Why wasn’t he moved by their plight? One must ask these  questions despite the notoriety of Tambuwal in abandoning projects.

    Going by facts, the difference between former governor Aliyu Wamakko,  and his mentee Governor Aliyu Sokoto on one side and former governors Attahiru Bafarawa, and Aminu Tambuwal on the other side, is that while the two Aliyu’s genuinely  love, and have empathy for the people the same can’t be said of former governors Bafarawa and Tambuwal. And these differences have shown in terms of their service delivery to the people and that their words are their bond ,

    Wamakko as governor executed numerous projects; housing ,water supply, roads etc that touched lives and initiated several projects; water schemes,roads and empowerment schemes that he couldn’t complete which Tambuwal for inexplicable reason abandoned and which have become the lot of Aliyu Sokoto to complete.

    World wide, most  politicians are tragically notorious for making exaggerated promises, which ab- initio they had absolutely no plans of keeping,reason why the people have often savaged and painted them as  unreliable, hypocritical and as more propelled by what would win them the next election- political expediency. The unreliability of politicians like Tambuwal seems to be the main problem many people, including notable politicians  like Adlai Stevenson I, a one time Vice President of the United States have with them. Stevenson, was  known to constantly take swipes at his fellow politicians as  hypocrites who after “cutting down a redwood tree would talk about conservation”.

    The people of the Mabera community, shouldn’t be blamed for their wait and see attitude towards person of Governor Sokoto. Their attitude was as a result of the failed promises by former governors Bafarawa and Tambuwal. But like they say in the military, Governor Ahmad has cleared their doubts.

    Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, like his mentor Wamakko has proved to be an exception to the perception of politicians as “promise breakers” and has proved that to the contrary that there are politicians that  can indeed be trusted to keep their word. And the people of Sokoto State have continued to attest to the fact that the governor’s word is his bond and that he doesn’t forget, as the people of the Original Symbol Road Network and the Mabera areas of Sokoto metropolis  enthusiastically testify.

    Like Mabera community, the Original Symbol Road Network area was a no go area during the rainy season for trucks delivering fruits.  During the campaigns the governor promised to  fix the road within his first 100 days in office and being a man of his word, delivered to the delight of the people.All the seven roads within that axis have been reconstructed and motorists are enjoying the brand new road, which they thought was never going to materialise. He made a similar promise during the campaign trip to Alkilla settlement.  Today the 10 roads network in the settlement have been completed.

    Nasir Dan Tsoho, the commissioner of Housing,and Planning has this to say about the governor:”Governor Ahmad is a born leader that God has blessed with a wonderful memory, a conscience and the love of people and he has proven himself equal to the task of moving the state forward”.

    In the last few weeks Governor Sokoto invited some his colleagues to commission his myriad of conscientiously executed projects;water,roads,housing as part of the activities marking his two years anniversary and it must be stated that while every one of the single project touches lives, none of the several kilometers of road projects, the water schemes, healthcare facilities etc come close to the road network in Mabera community, because the governor didn’t just build a road,he saved an entire population from a problem that had threatened to wipe them out for over two decades.

    While we commend the governor for what he has accomplished, the people moving forward help themselves,because part of what worsened the Mabera situation was the indiscriminate dumping of refuse and their failure to provide drainages. With the reality of climate change the people must understand the urgent action needed to protect the environment for future generations, and protect what they have, because they don’t know when an Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto will come their way again.

    By addressing neglected communities and keeping his electoral promises Governor Sokoto has rescued the political class who like Will Rogers said is “their own grave diggers”. From the testimony of those who know the governor and his antecedents there is no fear that the governor would change because he is essentially someone who believes that government should be responsive to the  welfare and security of the people.

  • North won’t back Atiku, Obi in 2027 – Ex-ACF Scribe Sani

    North won’t back Atiku, Obi in 2027 – Ex-ACF Scribe Sani

    Elder statesman and former Secretary General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Chief Anthony N.Z. Sani, has dismissed the chances of opposition heavyweights like Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi winning Northern votes in the 2027 presidential election. In this exclusive interview with ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE, the prominent Northern voice argues that zoning, Buhari’s lingering influence, and the North’s strategic interest in reclaiming power in 2031 make President Tinubu the region’s preferred choice despite rising opposition alliances.

    SIR, as a prominent voice from the North, what is your assessment of the current political realignment ahead of 2027, particularly in terms of the region’s loyalty after Buhari’s exit from the political stage?

    I have been saying it over and over again that the North may be united on political issues which most northerners share issues like security, national unity, equitable development, and the fight against poverty, but when it comes to partisan matters and political affiliations, the North hardly speaks with one voice. There is always diversity of opinion when it comes to party loyalty, even though we often agree on broader national interests.

    That may explain why the North tries to speak with one voice in its submissions during constitutional amendments, especially when it involves restructuring or power-sharing debates, despite the partisan differences within the region. You would notice that when it comes to matters of national importance like revenue allocation, state police, or federal character, the North often seeks consensus. That also explains why the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) is political in outlook and engages on national issues, but deliberately chooses to remain non-partisan so as to carry every group along.

    The late former President Muhammadu Buhari was able to command the loyalty and support of most northern voters largely because he was widely perceived as an honest, disciplined, transparent, principled and austere leader. Northerners saw him as someone who would never dip his hands into public funds for personal gain. That image gave him an uncommon kind of cult followership, especially among the poor.

    With his demise and the evolving political alignments ahead of 2027, I do not think that his political influence will fade or wane substantially at least not so soon. His legacy is still fresh in the hearts of many, especially in the rural North, and that will continue to shape voting patterns for some time to come.

    But, now that Buhari no longer going to be on the ballot or at campaign rally, who do you think stands the best chance of pulling his traditional bloc votes in the North, Tinubu, Atiku, or Peter Obi?

    With the passing of President Buhari, I believe President Bola Tinubu may still prevail among northern voters for two key reasons. First, because the influence of Buhari, particularly in the North is still very strong and may not diminish significantly before the 2027 elections. Second, because of the politics of zoning and rotational presidency, which is very important to many Nigerians today.

    You may recall that when Buhari was still alive, he made it clear he did not support the coalition of opposition forces against the APC. He publicly distanced himself from such efforts, which showed that his loyalty remained with the APC platform that brought him to power. That endorsement of continuity with the APC by Buhari still matters to many of his supporters today.

    Given the nature of his cult followership particularly among the poor, uneducated, and rural voters I do not think those loyal to him would betray him, even in death. The people who believed in Buhari did so not just because he was in power, but because they trusted his personal character. That kind of emotional loyalty does not disappear overnight.

    The crowd that welcomed him back to Daura after his tenure ended was massive and organic. Likewise, the turnout during his burial ceremony was unprecedented. These are not just ceremonial signs, they are political signals. They show that even in death, Buhari’s legacy remains intact among millions of voters in the North.

    More so, the political dynamics surrounding zoning currently favor President Bola Tinubu. He has only one term left, and after 2027, power is expected by many to return to the North in 2031. That prospect alone will influence how the North votes. Tinubu, being the only Southern candidate constitutionally limited to one more term, is likely to get the support of voters who are thinking beyond 2027.

    Do you believe President Tinubu can retain the trust and electoral support of the North in 2027 without Buhari’s direct influence?

    Yes, I do. This is because the politics of zoning strongly favors President Bola Tinubu. The reasons are not difficult to understand.

    Southern voters, because of the zoning arrangement and the quest for fairness, would not want the presidency to return to the North just yet. They would prefer the presidency remains in the South until 2031 so they can complete their expected eight years before power shifts again. Therefore, it is unlikely that the South would vote massively for a Northern candidate in 2027.

    On the other hand, most Northern voters would also strategically vote for Tinubu, not only out of loyalty to the late Buhari, but also because it aligns with their long-term interest of producing the next president in 2031. Supporting Tinubu in 2027 means the North can present a strong case for power to return to their region after his final term.

    Among all the Southern aspirants, it is only President Tinubu who has one constitutionally guaranteed term left. Any other Southern candidate, be it Atiku’s running mate or Peter Obi would likely seek two terms of four years each, which pushes the North’s turn further into the future.

    Even though Peter Obi has publicly promised to serve only one term if elected, many Northern voters will not take that assurance seriously. There is political history that makes people skeptical. For example, former President Goodluck Jonathan once promised to serve only one term, yet he re-contested in 2015. That experience has made voters wary of such pledges, especially when they are not legally binding.

    Some believe the emerging opposition coalition could pose a serious threat to Tinubu’s re-election bid. From your experience, how realistic is this prospect?

    The coalition can only pose a serious challenge if the opposition is truly united ideologically, structurally, and strategically. But from what we have seen so far, it appears that the opposition lacks the cohesion needed to unseat an incumbent president.

    The politics of zoning, which many Northerners now support, also works in favor of President Tinubu. Zoning is no longer just a party affair, it has become a national expectation. People now see it as a tool for balancing power and fostering unity. Most Northern voters have keyed into this arrangement for the sake of fairness and stability.

    There is also the undeniable advantage of incumbency. As we all know, sitting governments often have stronger access to state resources, structures, and visibility, which gives them a boost during elections. Unless the opposition is extraordinarily united and strategic, it would be difficult to dislodge the incumbent under such conditions.

    Most Northerners will prefer Tinubu to finish the Southern tenure, after which power can reasonably return to the North. At the same time, many Southern voters will likely rally behind Tinubu because of the same zoning sentiment. Added to this is the fact that the APC has made progress in regions like the South-East and South-South, where it had weaker support before.

    Let’s not forget that in 2023, it was the inability of the opposition to unite that caused them to lose the presidency. That history is likely to repeat itself if they go into 2027 fragmented again.

    Read Also: 2027: Why North won’t back Atiku, Obi – Ex-ACF Scribe Sani

    But, don’t  you think a joint Atiku-Peter Obi or Atiku-Amaechi ticket can galvanize enough national support to defeat the ruling APC?

    Although I am not a prophet, I have observed politics long enough to say that the combination of certain factors, such as the lingering influence of Buhari, the current zoning logic, continued fragmentation of the opposition, and the power of incumbency will likely work against any opposition ticket.

    Whether it is Atiku/Peter Obi or Atiku/Amaechi, as long as the opposition fails to speak with one voice and present a unified, credible alternative, the chances of defeating the ruling APC remain slim.

    Also, any ticket where the running mate is a Southerner would still face resistance from Southern voters who want to complete their turn through the sitting president. At the same time, Northern voters might stick with Tinubu for strategic reasons, knowing he won’t seek re-election beyond 2027.

    There are suggestions that with heavyweights like Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso, and possibly El-Rufai in the opposition camp, Tinubu may find his second term bid very tough. What is your candid take on that?

    Yes, it is true that these are political heavyweights who command influence in different parts of the country. If they were to unite sincerely and shelve their personal ambitions for the sake of collective victory, they could pose a formidable challenge to President Tinubu. However, based on what we have seen in the past, that unity is easier said than done.

    Most of these figures have presidential ambitions of their own. Personal interests and lack of ideological alignment have always been the biggest obstacles to forming a united opposition front in Nigeria. I do not see that changing drastically before 2027.

    Also, the dynamics of zoning and the weight of incumbency continue to tilt the scale in favor of the sitting president, making the opposition’s task even harder.

    Considering their political structures and grassroots connections, how much impact do you see figures like Kwankwaso and El-Rufai making in shifting Northern votes in 2027?

    Former Governor Nasir El-Rufai is undoubtedly a very intelligent and capable man. He has made his mark as a technocrat and policy strategist. However, when it comes to grassroots politics and electoral influence, he does not enjoy the kind of mass following needed to swing large votes in the North.

    On the other hand, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has a significant grassroots base, especially in Kano State, where he commands a loyal movement known as the Kwankwasiyya. He is what you can call a street-level politician, someone who connects directly with ordinary people, much like the late Mallam Aminu Kano did.

    For that reason, I foresee Kwankwaso exploring the option of returning to the APC, where he can consolidate his influence and possibly secure a role that aligns with his ambitions. His defection to APC would boost the party’s standing in Kano and the North-West at large.

    Some Northern elders argue that the North is yet to see the full dividends of the Tinubu administration. Do you share this sentiment, and could it affect the voting pattern in the next election?

    Yes, I understand why such complaints are being raised. The North played a pivotal role in the emergence of President Tinubu, both during the APC presidential primary and the general election. So it is only natural for Northerners to feel dissatisfied if they perceive that appointments, infrastructure, and major contracts are not fairly distributed.

    In essence, if the management of Nigeria’s diversity, especially in terms of access to power and resources is seen as skewed against the North, it could generate some discontent.

    That said, we are still midway into the first term of this administration. President Tinubu has time to address these concerns before the next elections. From what we know about his political style, he is someone who listens and adjusts when necessary. So I believe he is aware of the complaints and will take steps to correct any imbalance.

    In your view, what are the key issues Northern voters will likely prioritize in 2027 ethno-religious balance, security, economy, or party loyalty?

    All of the above are important to Northern voters. Security, of course, remains a top priority because without peace, there can be no meaningful development. The economy is also key, especially in addressing poverty and unemployment, which fuel insecurity.

    Another issue is education. The North still has a large population of out-of-school children, and that is a serious concern because such children may become tools for criminality or extremism in future. So reducing the number of out-of-school children will be a major yardstick for evaluating any administration.

    Party loyalty will matter, but only to the extent that the party’s candidate has credibility, competence, and proven performance.

    Finally, what would be your advice to both the ruling party and the opposition on how best to engage Northern voters with sincerity and developmental focus ahead of the 2027 elections?

    Both the ruling party and the opposition are in government at one level or another—federal, state, or local. Therefore, the politicians involved are already known to the people. Their track records are out in the open.

    As such, elections in 2027 may not be based on hope or sweet promises alone. Voters will assess candidates based on what they have done in the past and how they have impacted the lives of ordinary Nigerians. My advice is simple: focus on real development, fairness, inclusivity, and security because that is what the North, and indeed Nigeria, truly needs.

  • Coalition: APC has nothing to worry about – Emokpaire

    Coalition: APC has nothing to worry about – Emokpaire

    Ibrahim Bamidele Emokpaire, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is the chairman and convener of the Progressives Solidarity for Asiwaju. He contested for the position of the APC national chairmanship in 2018, before he eventually stepped down for Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. He was also the Secretary of the United Kingdom Chapter of the APC for four years. Before then, he served as the chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria, U.K., for a year. He holds a postgraduate degree in Management Science and Law.

    He has been with the party since 2006, when the party was Action Congress (AC) before it metamorphosed to Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and now APC. He was a member of APC PCC 2022; he spoke with GBENGA ADERANTI on a wide range of issues. Excerpts:

    How would you rate your party’s performance so far?

    APC’s performance has been quite good and reasonable. As a party, APC is now the largest party in Africa. We have about 23 states right now, which is to the APC’s credit. We will soon have the 24th State. We are still counting. We believe very strongly that the party is growing stronger;  this is purely as a result of the fact that the party is doing its best. It is getting stronger by the day. There is unity in the party, and the structures are firm, and now we have a president who has been a party man all his life. He has been able to galvanise the party to ensure that the party is not fractured. We believe that the party will continue to wax stronger as we go forward.

    What notable achievements has your party made that have positively impacted the lives of Nigerians?

    The party has had a positive impact on the lives of Nigerians. We have a president who came in with a Renewed Hope Agenda. He has been very focused on governance. From the day that he was sworn in, he hit the ground running. He saw the flaws that were in the economy and in the country altogether. At the time this new administration came in, the economy was more or less at the precipice, and the nation’s economy was almost collapsing. And it was a situation where we needed leadership, and this leadership came about through President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s boldness to tackle the long-running problems that have been facing this country for decades. All the past leaders failed to take bold decisions, starting from the time of President Obasanjo.

    A lot of people ask, ‘Why did he announce the removal of the fuel subsidy right away?’ The fact remains that the fuel subsidy was already removed before he came into government. There was no fuel subsidy provision in the budget that he took over from his predecessor, so at the end of the day, he took on the immediate liability, and he had to announce it straight away to say, ‘Look, fuel subsidy is gone.’

    A lot of things were put in place to ensure that the effects of fuel subsidy removal were cushioned.

    We also saw the fact that when he removed the fuel subsidy, a lot of other things were put in place, like the government had to make provision for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). He ensured that some of these policies were rolled out very quickly to ensure that Nigerians do not suffer.

    Again, the minimum wage was raised from N30,000 to N70,000 immediately. The students’ loans scheme was introduced and was granted to a lot of students; before then, a lot of parents could not train their children. Over 300,000 have benefited from the students’ loans. No government, no president has ever initiated this move.

    We also saw policies like the declaration of a state of emergency on food insecurity to ensure that we have food security in the country, cushioning the effect of fuel subsidy removal, and inflation that occasioned the removal of fuel subsidy.

    Other bold decisions like making sure that the floating of the naira took effect immediately to make sure it finds its real value. All along, the previous governments were subsidising the naira to the dollar.

    A lot of Nigerians do not understand that the APC has taken a bold step to save our future generation. The children yet to be born are the ones who will benefit so much. Inflation is coming down. We are now having inflation at 22 per cent, and it is still coming down.  A lot of harvests are coming out. The direction of the policy of this APC government is to ensure that we are in a position to export food and have a surplus of food for the citizenry.

    Read Also: FG issues new cash advance thresholds

    Insecurity has been tackled severely, too, to ensure that people can now travel by road without worries about being kidnapped on the way. We have a reasonable improvement in security as of now.

    We also have a situation where President Tinubu has been able to roll out some infrastructural development, including the Coastal highway. These are the gains of the removal of fuel subsidy. We have seen a big turnaround in everything we are doing.

    President Tinubu is a leader who has also solved the problem of livestock with the creation of the Ministry of Livestock.

    He also took a bold decision on the devolution of power by ensuring that power goes down to the people. The aviation sector is also being developed. Same in the internal affairs, a lot of things have been done in this place. These are impacting Nigerians very well. He has displayed true leadership.

    By the time we get to the third year of this administration, Nigerians will begin to feel the true governance they expect from President Tinubu.

    Many people are concerned that your party may soon implode due to the departure of figures like El-Rufai, Aregbesola, and Boss Mustapha. What is your perspective on this?

    Now, El-Rufai is leaving the party; every Nigerian will see that he left the party because of personal interest. It is not about Nigeria. If you go to Kaduna today, he has not been a part of the APC. Leaving the party is a positive for us. We believe that the APC is more popular in Kaduna today than when El-Rufai was the governor of the state. We lost the 2023 presidential election in Kaduna when he was the governor. He needs to tell us what value he would have added if he had stayed behind. We are quite happy with the governor in Kaduna today; he is doing a fantastic job.

    As for Aregbesola, he has long left the party before now; he was expelled from the party because of his anti-party activities. Aregbesola’s leaving will not change anything in Osun State.

    As for Boss Mustapha, he was the SGF under Buhari; before then, why don’t you ask, what has Mustapha brought into the party? He was only appointed. We were all together in the ACN; he was our deputy chairman at one point. Even in Adamawa, he is a lightweight there; let him go and contest an election in Adamawa to prove a point. He has not played any role since he left the government; he just wants to find himself in government again.

    When you look at the so-called coalition, you can see the exact situation with all of them. They formed this coalition only six months after President Tinubu came to power, so sometimes you really need to sit down and think, what is the focus of these people? They gather themselves not because of Nigeria, but because of their stomach.

     Boss Mustapha, while speaking at a book launch, downplayed President Tinubu’s contributions to President Buhari’s victory in 2015. How do you respond to this?

    Well, my simple response to this is that Boss Mustapha was never a CPC member. He was never a Buharist; he was only trying to play to the gallery and be mischievous. One thing that this coalition is doing is to blackmail President Tinubu; they roll out so many lies about the state of affairs in Nigeria, while ignoring all the positive indices that are being rolled out there by various authorities, national and international, who have unveiled the progress by the government of President Bola Tinubu.

    Boss Mustapha was not in CPC, was never in ANPP, he was never in any alliance with President Buhari in the past, he was only fortunate to have been nominated as the SGF. His utterances show his level of political naivety.

    He should have known that by the time President Buhari contested the first time, the second time and by the third time, his supporters were already getting wary, they were already losing faith in him, they never believed that he could win an election again because he had contested three times, no success, he couldn’t win the presidency.  The so-called 12 million votes he was calculating were fallacious.  By the time President Buhari contested the 2015 election, he had lost some of his supporters. CPC was only having one state in the entire country, not only that, he was contesting with an incumbent president, so he couldn’t have sat down and say I have so, so, and so votes. Already, they were demonising him, and they labelled him a fanatic.  They were tying him up with negative things, internationally and locally. If the likes of President Tinubu had not come on board, who they know had lots of supporters all over the country, it would have been difficult for him to win that election. President Tinubu has built bridges all across the country, from the north to the south and all the rest of it. He was able to, first of all, secure his nomination as our candidate at the primaries.  Where was Boss Mustapha at that time? I remember when I was in London, when the late President Buhari and President Tinubu would come to London to meet serious stakeholders before he was

    endorsed by the international bodies. Where was Boss Mustapha?

    Boss Mustapha is so naive; he needs to be schooled regarding how somebody helped somebody get into power and become a president. We now come to vote. When you calculate the number of votes that come in from every part of the country, again, that is how you will know how the late Buhari won the election. Even in the FCT here, the late President Buhari was defeated by Jonathan. I don’t understand what Boss Mustapha was calculating and how he came about it, and came up with such a reckless statement that now becomes a controversial issue of ingratitude, which should never have been. I can assure you that President Buhari will not be happy to hear Boss Mustapha making such statements at a book launch.

    You, along with other support groups, campaigned vigorously for Tinubu during the 2023 election to ensure his victory. Some of these groups have since joined other parties. Are you not worried that this might negatively affect your party in the next election?

    Yes, some groups have left out of frustration and capitulated. But for somebody like myself, who is the chairman of the Progressive Solidarity for Asiwaju, we had the entire 36 states covered with FCT. We also have our coordinators, and every one of our structures is still in place. I have never jumped from one party to the other since I came into the APC from ACN. I’m responsible for my followers, but I believe that a lot can be done better to manage all the support groups. I believe that there will be other talks and discussions across the country through the party with some support groups.

    Support groups should have been co-opted into the government because they are the foot soldiers of President Bola Tinubu. They promote his policies; his achievements.

    Among these support groups, we have technocrats, well-experienced individuals, and all that; these are strong loyalists of President Tinubu that will never falter, so there is a need to manage them, bring them on board, and let them be involved. I still look forward to such a development.  I look forward to such a meeting.

    It is important to mention that we were the ones that campaigned vigorously and asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to contest the election because for me personally, I have known him for long, I know he is a man of vision, someone who can turn this country around, make this country a better place all for our children and future generations. I know he has the stamina, the ability, and competent people around him.

     I was one of the people, with my support group, Progressives Solidarity for Asiwaju, to ensure we dragged him out to contest. We were the second support group, apart from TSG, that had an office in Abuja to be able to have a rallying point for all our members across the country, and our group did very well; we were able to pull out votes where votes were not expected, so the people are still intact. We look forward to seeing where they will be able to fit in and get the work done at the next election. We would be waiting for the whistle and a meeting with the president himself, as well as the party, and other support groups.

    Many people are discussing true federalism and regional governments. How do you think we can achieve this in Nigeria?

    The fact remains that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu published a book on true federalism in 2007/2008, when he finished in Lagos as a governor. This is a president who knows the importance of having true federalism in Nigeria. This is one of the things he has quietly achieved so far.  He is still restructuring Nigeria as we speak. President Tinubu has ensured that there is absolute autonomy given to local government because he knows that local governments are the ones that are closer to the people, and ensuring that the three tiers of government- the federal, the state, and the local government- work together to be able to deliver to the people true dividends of democracy.

    He has also gone further to create regional ministries. The regional development ministries all across the six geopolitical zones, North-West, South-South, North-East, Southwest, as well as North-Central, all these six geopolitical zones now have regional commissions. It is an opportunity for each region to now look at themselves holistically and start developing their areas; they are the ones that will now tackle the issue of education, health, as well as the level of insecurity, and they will be able to liberate their people, based on the agitation they have been clamouring for. By the time this government has been in office, we will begin to see the impact of the regional development commission.

    Other policies are yet to come up, based on some of the vision of the president for this country, for example, instead of going about with the issue of herdsmen parading all along the country, creating insecurity, and stirring up trouble in the country, the ministry of livestock will now handle that and be able to encourage, each sub- national or zone to create ranches in each of the states as well.

    Do you believe your party can replicate the same success in the upcoming elections as it did in 2023?

    In 2027, our party, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will be able to achieve more and have a better feat in the outcome of the election that is coming up. One, he will ensure that the INEC is properly funded; he will ensure that everything is in place for them to conduct elections very well. There will be no hurdles like the naira redesigning, hoarding the naira.

    APC would surely come out victorious with a landslide victory at the next election.

  • Fubara: excellent administrator, naive politician

    Fubara: excellent administrator, naive politician

    Perhaps if all indices of governance are based on performance, there is nothing that will have led to the suspension of the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara from office even for a day. Fubara is an embodiment of capacity, commitment and dedication to the development of Rivers. His passion to development especially in timely execution and delivery of people-oriented projects led to the mantra of his administration, “Rivers First”.

    But being a governor is not all about project initiation, completion and inauguration. A governor also plays all necessary high-wired politics to surmount challenges and sustain his office. Playing the right politics stabilises the state, removes tension, protects democratic values and helps in fulfilling oaths of office. While Fubara scored high in performance, he got below average in politicking.

    Indeed, Fubara took over power from the position of strength. His predecessor and godfather, Chief Nyesom Wike, reportedly finished strong in all ramifications both in politics and performance. Wike handed over a performing Rivers to Fubara on May 29, 2023. No wonder the governor premised his administration on continuity. He promised to follow the footsteps of Wike, acknowledging that his predecessor left shoes that were too big for him to wear.

    But Fubara wore the performance side of the shoes with gait. He hit the ground running and continued with the developmental trajectory of his predecessor. He was willing to embrace all contractual debts and to complete some of the projects left by his predecessor. Despite the political crisis, the governor posted statistics of healthy economy with his sectorial performance receiving accolades in many quarters.

    The state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) surprisingly grew astronomically. Despite all the political distractions in May 29, 2024, the government confirmed that the IGR increased from N12bn to between N17bn off peak periods and N28bn during peak periods. The government said Fubara was not in the habit of borrowing money to execute projects and programmes.

    In, fact Fubara’s economic policies underscored his background as a prudent career civil servant, who rose to the pinnacle of his career occupying the position of the Accountant-General before taking over the mantle of leadership.

    Small business owners and new investors were happy that the governor in partnership with the Bank of Industry (BoI) floated N4bn to support micro and small scale businesses in the state. The liquidity support was targeted at empowering 3000 businesses, which were expected to pay a single-digit interest rate with a five-year repayment plan. The intuitive stimulated commerce in the oil-rich state.

    The economy was so healthy in 2024 that BudgIT, a prime civic-tech organisation leading the advocacy for fiscal transparency and accountability in Nigeria, scored Rivers first in fiscal performance ranking. The report also said that only Rivers and Lagos generated enough IGR among other states.

    Within his one year in office, Fubara had inaugurated about 10 projects and initiated new ones. Within the period, Fubara inaugurated the Andoni section 27 km, Emohua-Terma 23km, Egbeda Internal roads 21km, Omoku-Egbema 21km and old Bori Road 11km among others.

    Prior to his suspension, Fubara embarked on another round of project inauguration and commissioning spree and inaugurated Okania-Ogbogoro-Mgbaraja road; Okocha road, Umuakali-Eberi road, Bori internal roads, section of Kala-Epellema road, Opobo Ring Road, Egbeda-Omerelu Link Road, among others.

    Perhaps, the most ambitious road project that was almost progressing to completion before his suspension is the 50km Port Harcourt Ring Road. It is a dual-carriage ring road with six flyovers and streetlight. It is designed to connect about six local government areas to the capital city and was awarded at the cost of N195bn. A humongous amount of N150bn was deposited as the initial payment. The ring road was conceived towards the end of Wike’s administration. The former governor was said to have initiated it, but Fubara kicked it off and pursued its completion.

    Undoubtedly, Fubara prioritised the health sector with many interventionist projects. The governor had criticised the deplorable condition of the primary healthcare he inherited from his predecessor.

    He said: “Healthcare goes with development. That is the truth. Your workers need to be healthy to be productive. If you put everything in place and you don’t have good health, then your people will be under-productive.”

    Fubara started rebuilding some of the  health facilities and reviving zonal hospitals in the state. He built general hospitals and upgraded zonal hospitals of Ahoada, Bori, Degema and the Psychiatric hospital. The governor was preparing to inaugurate them when he was suspended.

    The governor further employed 1000 health workers to improve healthcare delivery in the state after more than eight years of neglect of manpower needs in the state hospitals.

    Read Also: Terrorists kill four soldiers in fresh attack on Shiroro communities

    The Chief Medical Director of the Rivers State Hospitals Management Board, Dr. Bright Ogbonda, described the Fubara health policies as friendly.

    He said: “This move has significantly boosted the human capacity of our healthcare system. Rivers State now has 25 general hospitals, with more coming soon, and the governor has upgraded zonal hospitals in Bori, Ahoada, Degema, and the Psychiatric Hospital, among others.

    “With this addition to the workforce, nearly all hospitals will now have at least 7 to 15 doctors and 20 to 35 nurses. This will ensure that quality healthcare reaches the people.”

    Fubara’s turnaround maintenance of the primary health enabled the state to win $500,000  coveted prize as the Best Performing State in the South-South region in the Primary Healthcare Leadership Challenge.

    The state received the award at an event organised by the Nigeria Governors Forum and supported by UNICEF, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Aliko Dangote Foundation, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency.

    Fubara also pursued infrastructural upgrade and rehabilitation of dilapidated schools in the educational sector. He upgraded the Government Secondary Schools in Bokori, Eneka, Emohua, Okrika, Ataba, Community Secondary Schools in Kunusha, Tai, Rumuepirikom and many others.

    He committed N612bn  in furnishing the convocation ground at the University of Port Harcourt and over N700million for the construction of a twin hostel at the Nigerian Law School, Yenagoa Campus. He released N2bn to the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC) as a counterpart fund for the upgrading and standardisation of Basic Schools in Rivers.

    Fubara further  committed major resources to fight insecurity in the state. He donated 100 operational vehicles to the police to improve their fight against crimes in the state. He donated gunboats to the Navy to tackle incessant attacks by pirates and gave one of the state’s helicopter to the Air Force to improve the capabilities of tackling oil bunkering and other related crimes in the state among other interventions.

    Fubara maintained a robust and enviable relationship with civil servants in the state. He regularly paid their salaries and became outstanding for paying their promotional arrears as well as well as owed pensions and gratuities. The governor endeared himself to the civil servants, whom he described as his primary constituents by paying them N100,000 Christmas bonus each among other welfare packages.

    Another project that excited residents was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with two private companies to build 20,000 housing units for low and middle-class income earners and also to develop a central spare parts market in the state.

    Already the housing project is being developed by the Pricewise Home Nigeria Limited, a sister company to TAF Africa Global, the firm that developed Riv/TAF Estate also known as Golf Estate in Port Harcourt. Also the automobile spare part market is being developed by Gosh Project Limited.

    Another ambitious project that caused jubilation in the state was when the governor  kicked off the construction of a new mega smart Port City in Eleme Local Government Area principally to decongest Port Harcourt.

    Fubara said the Port Smart City, a joint venture between the state government and the Rainbow Heritage Group, was important to realign the state with modern developmental realities.

    He said: “The development of new cities and urban renewal is at the core of the programme of this government. Now development is following a new pattern where government and developers come in to partner with communities to ensure there is an orderly and well planned development system.”

    But the governor also received criticisms for discontinuing the 10,000 recruitment of workers into the civil service. The recruitment process started during the administration of Wike and came to completion when Fubara took over.

    The beneficiaries went through various processes to complete their documentations but their hope of securing the jobs were dashed when the governor cancelled it. It was one of the positive initiatives that was consumed by the political crisis that rocked Rivers“

    Giving reasons for the cancellation of the jobs, he said: “I know that is the first question, the 10,000 jobs; when we came on board, we already had details that were submitted to us from the 23 local government areas.

    “You will agree with me that when we subjected those names to proper scrutiny, most of those names 60 per cent of them were over-aged. They were names that people brought for political patronage.

    “But what we are talking about today is employment for the future. I personally after the analysis of those things, I asked how will you employ somebody who is 52 years old as a civil servant? How many years is the person going to work before retirement?”

    His promise of a new recruitment process did not materialise before his suspension. His explanations also were considered flimsy and cruel in some quarters. The cancellation, which many believed was politically motivated especially as it was initiated by Wike created tension in the state.

    Despite all his interventions in security, the state has continued to witness upsurge in attacks resulting in kidnappings and robberies by pirates.

    On August 28, 2024 Israel Pepple, Chairman of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) Rivers commercial district, led his members to Fubara lamenting  constant attacks by pirates on members and passengers on the waterway.

    He called on the governor to intervened urgently. Fubara made promises, but in September the same year, gunmen struck again kidnapping 10 travelers along the Bonny waterways. Similar attacks have continued till date. The government has not been able to find solutions to such incidents including cult-related conflicts in the state. 

    Fubara as a Naive  Politician

    Indeed, Fubara is not a politician. He is simply a technocrat, an administrator in the mold of a former one-term Lagos State Governor, Akiwunmi Ambode. In fact, Fubara’s lack of political experience became evident in most of his missteps, erroneous calculations and near political suicides he committed during the crisis between him and the camp of Wike.

    His actions, political language and choice of words exposed the governor as a political lilliputian and a new comer, who should have patiently waited to learn some fundamentals before picking any political battle. Fubara’s errors showed that he did not wear the political side of Wike’s shoes. Perhaps, he mistakenly thought that performance alone was enough to sustain his grip on power.

    It has become obvious that Fubara had no business allowing the political war with Wike and members of the state House of Assembly to begin. The crisis was needless. First, he started it early and he was not prepared for it. The crisis started barely three months into his administration. He lacked the finesse to see it to the end.

    Despite how some persons have tried to justify the governor’s actions, many analysts are of the opinion that Fubara should have bid his time by stooping to conquer. Many of them opined that he should have played the fool for a reasonable period of time to enable him acquire some experience, win the hearts of major supporters of Wike and later strike decisively to regain political control.

    Some major events defined the political hullabaloo that unsettled the state. First was the October 2023 bombing of the hallowed chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly located on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.

    The second one was the demolition of the House of Assembly complex in December 2023 by the state government under the guise that it failed an integrity test after the bombing. Despite how Fubara and his loyalists had tried to prove their innocence, most people had continued to believe that the two incidents were interrelated and that they bore signs of someone desperately fighting to avert an impeachment by dislocating the legislative arm of government.

    Another major event that shaped the crisis was the purported defection of the 27 lawmakers led by Amaewhule to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in December 2023. The governor was convinced that the lawmakers had defected for good and he saw it as a killer pill.

    It was obvious that many of those the governor relied upon completely misled him. Some of them were after their pockets. They deceived him into believing that he could do without the 27 lawmakers and that he could conduct critical state businesses with only three loyal lawmakers.

    Their error of judgement created the problem currently being experienced in the state. Those leaders failed to tell the governor that there is no blanket application of a judicial precedent to future cases without seeking the interpretations of the judiciary. Only the court could determine whether the material facts of a new case are the same with an already decided matter.

    They did not tell the governor that every section of the Constitution must be subjected to judicial interpretation before it can be effectively applied on any suspected breach. Therefore, no one no matter your status is allowed to be a judge in their own case.

    But they told the governor that the actions of the 27 lawmakers amounted to defections and that their fates had been sealed by the provision of the constitution. So, in the eyes of the governor even without seeking court’s interpretation, the lawmakers had lost their seats.

    This singular belief, which the governor relied upon created serious constitutional breaches in the state. It was the springboard that pushed the governor into some actions that cost the state democratic governance.

    Fubara took his 2024 appropriation bill to the three lawmakers, who passed it in a speed of light. He repeated same with the 2025 bill. The three lawmakers screened and confirmed commissioners and performed other functions of the legislature despite the judgements of the  Federal High Court led by Justice Omotosho.

    Unknown to Fubara, he was operating without the legislature and against constitutional democracy, which requires that the three arms of government must play their roles in line with the rule of law. The governor never knew that he had no budgets for 2024 and 2025. He did not understand that all his appointments were non-existent in the eyes of the law; that every businesses he contracted with the threw-member Jumbo-led lawmakers would eventually become ultra-vires, unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect.

    Fubara further demonstrated his political naivety when he refused to completely implement his side of the December 20th, 2024 eight-point agreement prepared by President Tinubu to nip the crisis in the bud before it loomed large. The governor avoided two key recommendations of re-presenting the 2024 Budget and conducting the local government elections before the expiration of the council chairmen’s tenure.

    Despite agreeing to implement it to the letter, the governor later recounted saying there was nothing constitutional in the agreement and that it was simply a political solution to the crisis. He dumped it and followed the advice of his supporters.

    Most people believe that those the governor depended upon for political guidance betrayed him. They deceived him and made him fight like a blind man. They ensured he kept his original political family in abeyance. They concluded that the governor did not need them as they positioned themselves to reap where most of them never laboured.

    Little wonder Fubara was unable woo some lawmakers loyal to Wike to his his camp despite the resources at his disposal. People questioned the governor’s political style when they discovered that over 10 lawmakers from his own Ijaw ethnic group maintained their loyalty to Wike.

    The House of Assembly kept their cool, remained loyal to Wike and continued to diligently pursue their cases to  logical conclusions at the Supreme Court. When the judgement came, it rained ice on Fubara and his camp.

    The court did not mince words in describing Fubara as a dictator, who was running democracy without the legislature. The court said he was spending the state’s resources without a budget. It outlined many constitutional breaches of the governor and mandated him to re-present the budget to the authentic House of Assembly led by Amaewhule.

    The court also blamed the demolition of the state House of Assembly complex on Fubara. The Supreme Court also voided the local government election conducted by Fubara on October 2024 saying it was done against an order of the Federal High Court. The cookies really crumbled in Fubara’s camp after the judgement.

    After the judgement, people expected Fubara to carry out self assessment and sober reflection of his actions. They expected him to know that the judgement had put him in a disadvantaged position. In fact, Fubara should have started cleansing his house immediately by sweeping away all the appointees that were cleared by the three lawmakers. They expected him to write a sincerely worded letter of apology to the House of Assembly promising to release all their withheld allowances and proposing a date for the re-presentation of his budget.

    But instead, his supporters designed a project commissioning and inauguration event, which was seen in some quarters as an affront to the judgement of the Supreme Court because it involved spending monies that the judgement had prohibited.

    Even when the lawmakers issued Fubara 48-hour ultimatum to present his budget and went ahead to extend it to 72 hours, Fubara failed to explore the window. He wanted things to be done his own way as governor without realizing that the judgement indirectly invalidated his office and set a tone for his impeachment.

    In fact, the lawmakers refused to do it the Fubara’s way. There was a stalemate and confusion became the order of the day. The lawmakers instead opted to impeach the governor and begin a process of removing him from office.

    The state was charged. Militants regrouped in the creeks and threatened fire and brimstone against oil installations and innocent citizens of the state of the lawmakers should go ahead to remove the governor.  But the lawmakers did not bulge. They continued with the process of removing Fubara and in not time unknown attackers began to bomb some oil installations in the state.

    On March 18, explosion rocked the Trans Niger Pipeline near the Bodo-Bonny road creating panic in the economy. On March 23, a manifold connecting a federal line in Okwawiriwa area of Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area was rocked by another explosion. Tension and foreboding of imminent violence continued to mount in the state.

    The uncertainties compelled the President to declare a state of emergency and to appoint Vice-Admiral lbok Ete-Ibas as the Sole Administrator of the state for the first six months. President Tinubu immediately suspended the two warring irreconcilable parties, the executive and the legislature allowing for genuine and sincere reconciliation within the period.

    Obviously, the onus of genuine reconciliation rests on Fubara. A former President of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Udengs Eradiri, told Fubara shortly after his suspension to go and beg Wike for forgiveness. He insisted that the Rivers crisis remained a political misunderstanding and had nothing to do with the Ijaw ethnic nationality.

    He said: “I advise Fubara to go and kneel before Wike and beg for forgiveness. Those, who are deceiving him have no balls. They go cap in hand kneeling and begging same Wike when they get it they come in the open to claim ijaw lions.

    “Now, Fubara is the one outside they are there ranting.  Mr. President used the state of emergency to save Fubara and the ijaw nation the embarrassment of impeachment. He should go thank and appreciate President Bola Tinubu.

    He told the suspended governor to shut his doors against crisis merchants and step up the ongoing reconciliation. He classified those, who tried to make an ethnic case out of the crisis and others, who choreographed most political mistakes of Fubara and supervised some of his constitutional breaches without guiding him properly as the enemies of Rivers and Fubara.

    He said most of the people, who claimed to love the governor and offered him pieces of advice, were his real enemies because according to him they were profiting from the crisis and would not want it to end.

    He urged the suspended governor to reestablish his relationship with Wike and heed the directives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the process of finding lasting political calm in Rivers.

    Addressing Fubara, he said: “Thank God that President Tinubu saved you through the declaration of emergency rule. This opportunity has offered you a second chance, please do not bungle it.

    “First, make yourself unreachable to those, who will come and slow this process down and feed you with unsolicited advice to abort this reconciliation”.

    Eradiri appealed to the governor to rein in his supporters and stop them from actions capable of derailing the reconciliation process.

    Just like Eradiri advised, Fubara and Wike recently reconciled and decided to put the crisis behind them. Both parties sheathe their swords and embraced peace in the interest of peace and development of Rivers.

    The suspended governor has returned to his original political family and has shown signs that he learnt his lessons. Storming out of the roundtable, Fubara held a meeting with members of his Simplified Family. He told them pointblank that the division was over and that it would no longer be business as usual.

    He first dissolved all the simplified groups associated with him and said his supporters would henceforth become members of the larger Wike’s political family. On that day he talked tough and spoke in a language considered strange by his foot soldiers. Some of his key supporters in attendance looked flabbergasted; others appeared lost while most of them understood that their leader had signed a new agreement. 

    Fubara to accept the new deal between him and his predecessor,  Wike. He explained that he accepted the terms proposed by Wike because there was no price too big to pay for peace.

    Fubara said: “After the meeting we had before May 29th, we’ve had series of meeting and one of the meetings we had was the one we met with the President and the President Tinubu clearly said, ‘I want you and your oga to settle’.

    “Nobody can take away the role my oga played, that’s the truth, yes we might have our differences but nobody here will say he doesn’t know the role the man played. Nobody can whish away the risk he took, yes at a point we had our differences and if today there’s need for us to settle please anyone who genuinely believe in me should understand that it’s the right thing to do.

    “So, my dear fathers, brothers and sisters,  no matter the level of peace that a mediator will arrange, the true peace is the one both of you are sitting down together to say yes this is what we want.

    “At this point I’ve met him and we have spoken, you can’t take away him not being hurt, he’s a human being. I also have my own share of pains too and if he feels that for the pains he has gone through these are things he wants, in as much it is not my life , I will give it to him and let us have that peace because even while all these things are going, I still in my quite time appreciate and recognise the role he played and everyone of us here we know it.

    “Like I said, it’s heavy, its bitter but we must accept the situation and move on with it. I can’t abandoned you people that’s one thing I need to say here. This is the time for me to prove to you that I care for you, and I make my commitment here that whichever way it goes I will not abandon anybody.

    “The sacrifice that we are going to make for us to achieve this total peace is going to be heavy and I want everybody to prepare for it. Without a total reconciliation which by the grace of God the both of us have gotten to, there’s no way we can make progress in this state, there’s no way the President can come in to save the situation.

    “So, I want to appeal to every one, I have accepted that we must accept this peace no matter how it looks, no matter how you feel we must accept it”.

    Fubara insisted that it was not all about him, but principally about the development and progress of the state, lamenting the number of abandoned projects in the state in the midst of the crisis.  He promised that all his supporters would be integrated into the bigger family adding that it was time for his followers to stand with him.

    He told them: “We have fought, I think in my own assessment and in the assessment of anyone here who is genuine in this struggle, you will know that we have done what we need to do, at this point if you want to be truthful to yourself,  the only solution is peace. I did say that there’s no price that is too big for peace, I meant it and i’m still ready to follow it to the end.

    “Some of you might be frowning but if we believe that we are in one family and our interest is to support the President,  then what is the issue ? You all will definitely be integrated into the big family. If you say you are with us and you believe in me, this is the time for us to see it. The time when there’s nothing and you stand.

    “It is not even me as a person, it’s about the overall interest of the state, in the midst of this crisis with me and my oga look at the projects we’ve initiated many have been abandoned. We know the progress we would have recorded and areas that would have been developed so there’s need for this peace, that’s the truth.

    “Everyone of us should understand that at this time we’ve done our best and what we need now is this peace so that we can grow. I know its difficult and heavy but that’s the true situation”.

    Immediately after the meeting, the once vivacious Simplified Family became cold. Their leaders walked out and their members went their separate ways. All the gatherings, protests, publications and announcements ceased.

    In fact, all eyes are now on the reinstatement of the new Fubara. By all indications, Fubara will return to his office after Ibas has conducted the local government election. The suspended governor will return with new appointees and most people believe that he will like resume his duties as an excellent administrator on October 1st. Indeed, Fubara will no longer be as politically naive as he was throughout the crisis.

  • Oyetola drops Gov ambition, urges APC aspirants to eschew bitter politics

    Oyetola drops Gov ambition, urges APC aspirants to eschew bitter politics

    Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola has dropped his governorship ambition ahead of the 2026 governorship election scheduled for August 7th, 2026. 

    Oyetola, who served as Governor between 2018 and 2022 lost his re-election bid to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ademola Adeleke, and was later appointed as the minister. 

    There had been speculations that Oyetola may contest for a second term bid with the National Secretary of APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru; the Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji; Prince Dotun Babayemi, Senator Jide Omoworare, Chairman of Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, Kunle Adegoke, SAN, and Professor of Mathematics from the United States of America (USA), Rafiu Durodoye vying to fly the party’s ticket. 

    But Oyetola in a meeting at Tinubu/Shettima Campaign office, which he co-presided over with APC chair, Tajudeen Lawal, Chairman of Elders’ Caucus, Chief Sola Akinwumi, stated that returning APC to Osun government in 2026 is not negotiable. 

    While addressing leaders of the party, Oyetola said he has relinquished his gubernatorial ambition and wished the APC aspirants well in the primary contest. 

    According to him: “We have qualified, competent and people of outstanding track records as aspirants contesting for the governorship election and this is a unique selling proposition to feast on and we will continue to complement the federal government’s efforts on all fronts.” 

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    Oyetola tasked the governorship aspirants  to embrace peace and be their brother’s keepers by avoiding a campaign of calumny, bitterness and politics of acrimony.

    He vowed that no legitimate efforts would be spared to return the APC to power, noting that the APC is formidable, vibrant and potent to unseat Governor Ademola Adeleke. 

    Commenting on the moves of the coalition against President Bola Tinubu, he said the coast is clear for the re-election of Tinubu, saying the coalition is never a threat to the reelection bid of the President come 2027. 

    He asserted that the coalition of the opposition parties was never a threat saying the moves were built on political conspiracy and vendetta, saying “It is crystal clear that the coalition is drifting to collapse. This has no iota of effect on us particularly in Osun. We knew this since it is the same TOP that metamorphosed to Omoluabi and later ADC. We are resolute to come victorious in the future elections and this is incontestable”

  • Tinubu not marginalising North, Afenifere replies Kwankwaso

    Tinubu not marginalising North, Afenifere replies Kwankwaso

    Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has criticised former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, over his claim that the North has been marginalised under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

    Kwankwaso had, during a stakeholders’ dialogue on the 2025 constitutional amendments on Thursday in Kano State, alleged that national resources are increasingly tilted toward the southern region, leading to worsening poverty and insecurity in the North.

    He also lamented the deplorable state of federal roads in northern states, citing a recently cancelled flight that forced him to travel from Abuja to Kano via Kaduna by road, an experience he described as “hell.”

    In a statement on Friday, Afenifere dismissed the comments as a “grossly misleading” and “deliberate attempt to paint President Tinubu in a bad light.”

    It National Organising Secretary, Otunba Kole Omololu said it expected better from Kwankwaso as a former governor and minister, urging him to speak with facts and not emotion “laced with sectional bias.”

    “Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s recent outburst, alleging that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is marginalising the North and concentrating national resources in the South, is not only grossly misleading but also deliberately incendiary,” the group stated.

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    Afenifere argued that, contrary to Kwankwaso’s claim, no region has benefitted more from concentrated federal presence over the past decade than the North.

    The group pointed to the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, under which, it said, “critical national resources were disproportionately channelled to the North.”

    “The World Bank Managing Director publicly disclosed that President Buhari specifically directed the institution to focus its interventions in northern Nigeria,” Afenifere said.

    It also cited projects such as the Kano-Maradi railway extended deep into Niger Republic as examples of lopsided federal investments under the Buhari administration. “Was this done for national integration or to aid cross-border movement of Fulani kinsmen?” the group asked rhetorically.

    The group further highlighted that under Buhari, major southern projects like the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Second Niger Bridge remained incomplete after eight years, even though they were initiated long before his tenure.

    “But less than two years into President Tinubu’s administration, Kwankwaso is crying foul,” the statement said.

    Afenifere added that Kwankwaso may be unaware that the Tinubu administration has initiated and awarded several critical infrastructure projects in the North, including the dualisation of the Kano-Maiduguri road, Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega Road, and the Abuja-Keffi-Lafia corridor.

    Others are: the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline, neglected by past regimes, is being fast tracked.

    “Just last week, President Tinubu approved billions of naira for infrastructure projects in Katsina, Borno, and Niger states,” it added.

    Describing Kwankwaso’s comments as “alarmist rhetoric,” Afenifere warned that such statements not only distort the truth but also risk inflaming regional tensions.

    “Development is a gradual process, and Tinubu has not yet reached the halfway mark of his term. By 2027, and indeed by 2031, every region, including the North will feel the impact of this administration,” the group assured.

    “We must rise above ethnic saboteurs and sectional agitators masquerading as patriots. Let statesmen not ethnic lords shape the national conversation,” Afenifere added.

  • Wike’s visionary leadership, relentless pursuit of progress Inspiring – Rivers Reps Caucus

    Wike’s visionary leadership, relentless pursuit of progress Inspiring – Rivers Reps Caucus

    The Rivers Reps Caucus in the National Assembly has commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FTC), Nyesom Wike, for what it described as his visionary leadership and relentless pursuit of progress.

    The lawmakers made the commendation in a congratulatory message to Wike on his recent conferement of an honorary Doctor of Science degree in Political Science by the University of Port Harcourt.

    The caucus noted that Wike’s dedication to advancing the welfare of Nigerians is evident in his policies and tangible improvements in various sectors and the Federal Capital Territory.

    The caucus members are prominent lawmakers from Rivers State which included Senator Barry Mpigi, Senator Allwell Onyesoh, Rt. Hon. Kingsley Chinda, Rt. Hon. Dumnamene Dekor, Rep. Solomon Bob, Rep. Felix Nwaeke, Rep. Kelechi Nwogu, Rep. Cyril Hart, Rep. Victor Obuzor, and Rep. Blessing Amadi.

    In their jointly signed congratulatory message, the lawmakers expressed confidence that Wike’s honor would inspire him to continue making a positive impact on the lives of Nigerians.

    They described Wike’s leadership as exemplary and inspiring, saying, it has motivated countless individuals and communities.

    They said: “We, the members of the Rivers State Caucus in the National Assembly, extend heartfelt congratulations to our leader, the Minister of Federal capital territory; His Excellency Dr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike CON, DSSRS, Life Bencher on his recent conferment of an honourary degree; Doctor of Science in Political Science, by the prestigious University of Port-Harcourt.

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    “This remarkable honour is a testament to your unwavering dedication and exemplary leadership in the service of our great nation and particularly in the science of politics.

    “Your commitment to advancing the welfare of our people is evident not only through your policies but also through the tangible improvements you have championed across various sectors and the federal capital territory.

    “Your visionary approach and relentless pursuit of progress continue to inspire countless individuals, communities, and public servants.

    “As you receive this distinguished accolade, we join the voices of many across Nigeria in celebrating your achievements. May this honour serve as a catalyst for greater impact in the years to come, reaffirming your legacy as a leader who uplifts and transforms society.

    “Congratulations once again on this well-deserved recognition. We look forward to your continued leadership”.

  • Coalition leaders motivated by self-interest, desire to regain access to national resources – group

    Coalition leaders motivated by self-interest, desire to regain access to national resources – group

    The Tinubu National Solidarity Movement has knocked opposition coalition, accusing its key actors of being power-hungry politicians bent on reclaiming influence they squandered over two decades of misrule.

    In a statement signed by its national president, Mohammed Akwashiki, the organisation described the coalition as a desperate alliance of political actors from Nigeria’s recent past, who, after being out of power for just under two years, are now conspiring to sabotage the current administration through blackmail and false narratives.

    According to the statement, those driving the coalition are the same individuals who held power for over twenty years and left behind a legacy of corruption, division, and economic hardship.

    The group claimed these political figures have nothing new to offer and are only motivated by self-interest and the desire to regain access to national resources.

    It accused the leaders of the coalition of masquerading as saviours of the nation while refusing to present any credible or forward-looking policies to the Nigerian people.

    The group argued that their desperation stems from President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, which he said has begun dismantling the entrenched structures that allowed these individuals to manipulate and exploit the system.

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    The organisation said the country was on the path to transformation, emphasising that the current administration was charting a new course anchored in development, equity, and accountability.

    It described President Tinubu as a visionary and decisive leader who embodies the type of intentional leadership Nigeria needs at this critical juncture.

    It said, “The President through the Renewed Hope Agenda has introduced policies like the Nigeria First initiative, the student loans scheme, paying of outstanding salaries and welfare packages of lecturers owed over the years thereby stabilising our tertiary institutions, the livestock initiative, mechanization of agriculture, massive infrastructural development, funding of the security agencies, the establishment of the six geopolitical regions development commissions to drive development to all parts of the country.

    “The new tax reform bill signed into law. New reform policies have a gestation period. The opposition will not tell Nigerians the great impact these policies are having in the reshaping of our Country Nigeria.”

  • APC France chapter congratulates Yilwatda, pledges support for party unity, growth

    APC France chapter congratulates Yilwatda, pledges support for party unity, growth

    The France chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has congratulated Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda on his emergence as the National Chairman of the ruling party, urging him to steer the APC toward greater unity, discipline, and strategic growth.

    Yilwatda was elected on Thursday at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, becoming the 7th National Chairman of the party following the resignation of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on health grounds.

    In a statement issued on Friday in Abuja, Chairperson of the APC France Chapter, Hajia Amina Suzuki Baba, expressed confidence in Yilwatda’s leadership and ability to advance President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

    “On behalf of the entire executive council and members of the APC France Chapter, I extend our heartfelt congratulations to Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda on his well-deserved inauguration as National Chairman of our great party,” the statement read.

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    “This new chapter marks not only a personal milestone but also a renewed opportunity to lead our party toward enhanced cohesion and strategic development. We trust in your visionary leadership to align with the aspirations of President Tinubu and the broader goals of the APC.”

    Baba reaffirmed the commitment of APC members in France and across Europe to support the party’s progress.

    She emphasized the chapter’s dedication to mobilizing support, promoting party ideals, and advocating for Nigerians in the diaspora.

    “We look forward to working closely with you to strengthen the party’s presence in Europe, engage more actively with Nigerian communities abroad, and contribute to democratic growth and national development.

    “As you assume this critical leadership role, we pray for wisdom, strength, and divine guidance. May your tenure usher in impactful reforms and a renewed focus on inclusiveness and national progress. Congratulations once again, sir.”

  • Ganduje hails Yilwatda, says appointment strategic

    Ganduje hails Yilwatda, says appointment strategic

    The immediate past national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has congratulated Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe on his emergence as the new national chairman of the ruling party.

    In a statement personally signed by him, Ganduje, who also served as governor of Kano State, described Yilwatda’s emergence as strategic and timely, coming at a crucial period in the life of the APC.

    He expressed strong confidence in the capacity, intellect, maturity, and administrative competence of the new chairman to take the party to greater heights.

    Ganduje also commended the APC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and other party organs for facilitating a transparent and consensus-driven process that led to Yilwatda’s emergence.

    The former chairman urged his successor to build on the “solid foundations and legacies” established during his tenure, just as he had done by consolidating on the achievements of his own predecessor.

    Ganduje also extended appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for their statesmanlike roles and guidance during the leadership transition within the party.

    He described their contributions as crucial in maintaining party unity and ensuring a smooth and credible selection process.

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    “Our President and Vice President have once again shown maturity and far-sightedness in the affairs of our great party. Their commitment to ensuring cohesion and stability within the APC is commendable, and I urge all stakeholders to rally around the new leadership to deliver on the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.

    Ganduje called on the National Working Committee (NWC), state chapters, youth and women wings, as well as all other stakeholders of the APC to offer their full cooperation and unwavering support to the new chairman, stressing that unity, discipline, and loyalty must remain the cornerstone of the party under the new leadership.

    “As I bow out with a sense of fulfillment, I wish to assure Prof. Yilwatda of my unflinching support, counsel, and brotherly solidarity. I urge all our leaders, governors, lawmakers, and faithful party members across the federation to queue behind him and give him the necessary backing to consolidate on our party’s vision of building a united, progressive, and inclusive political platform for all Nigerians,” he stated.

    Ganduje further pledged to continue offering his experience and political guidance whenever called upon, reaffirming his dedication to the APC’s growth and the democratic development of the country.

    He concluded by praying for divine wisdom, strength, and courage for Prof. Yilwatda as he takes up the mantle of leadership at a time of both opportunity and responsibility.