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Category: Politics

  • ADC tasks Oyegun, others with people-centred solutions as party inaugurates policy, manifesto committee

    ADC tasks Oyegun, others with people-centred solutions as party inaugurates policy, manifesto committee

    The national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Sen. David Mark, has said the party is committed to producing policies and a manifesto that are practical and people-centred, capable of responding to Nigeria’s deepening economic and social challenges.

    Mark gave the assurance in Abuja on Monday while inaugurating the 50-member ADC Policy and Manifesto Committee.

    Other members of the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led committee include Prof. Pat Utomi (Deputy Chairman) and Salihu Lukman (Secretary), alongside former Bauchi State APC governorship candidate, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar (rtd), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, Dr Usman Bugaje, Prof. Anthony Kila, Pastor Funke Awowolo, Madam Jumoke Olawuyi, and Prof. Sam Amadi, among others.

    The National Chairman said the assignment before the committee was not a routine party activity but a responsibility arising from the ADC’s claim to offer Nigerians a credible alternative at a time of widespread hardship.

    He cautioned committee members against equating complexity with effectiveness, urging them to focus on addressing root causes rather than surface symptoms.

    According to Mark, policies should be judged by their impact on the daily lives of citizens, not by their technical sophistication.

    Mark criticised what he described as a policy culture that prioritises reports, committees and white papers without producing tangible outcomes.

    He said such approaches often remain academic exercises detached from the realities faced by ordinary Nigerians.

    He said the committee’s task went beyond drafting proposals, charging members to engage with farmers, traders, workers, parents and young people across the country.

    He urged them to test every recommendation against a basic standard, whether it reduces hardship or merely redistributes it.

    “The question should always be whether a policy eases suffering or shifts it from one group to another,” Mark said.

    Responding, the Chairman of the ADC Policy and Manifesto Committee, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said the party’s policy direction would represent a clear break from decades of ineffective governance.

    He assured Nigerians that the ADC would not operate on a “business as usual” basis if entrusted with power.

    Odigie-Oyegun said the committee clearly understood the seriousness of its assignment, describing it as a responsibility rather than a ceremonial exercise.

    He said the directive from the party leadership made it clear that governance under the ADC must be fundamentally different from existing practices.

    He said Nigerians were watching the ADC closely, having lost confidence in other political platforms, and were eager to see whether the party could offer a genuine alternative.

    According to him, the committee’s task was to develop policies and a manifesto that would function as a binding social contract between the party and the Nigerian people.

    He noted that successive governments had spent trillions of naira with little improvement in living conditions, attributing the failure to a political culture in which manifestos are quickly abandoned after elections.

    Odigie-Oyegun stressed that the ADC must ensure its policies reflect the everyday realities of citizens, including how people live and earn a living.

    He also warned against a system in which elected officials become untouchable once in office, arguing that the party must retain the capacity to guide and restrain those elected on its platform.

    “We must not let them become emperors,” he said, adding that the party must remain relevant to the people who place it in power.

    Read Also: I can’t leave APC for ADC, Nwosu dispels rumour

    He said the manifesto being developed must be written in clear language that ordinary Nigerians can understand and relate to, noting that faithful implementation could help redefine the country’s political culture.

    Addressing internal party issues, while outlining how the ADC intends to enforce discipline and accountability, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, dismissed reports of congresses being conducted within the party, saying no such exercises had taken place.

    He explained that the party only approved the filling of vacancies where they existed and that the tenure of current party executives had not expired.

    “The directive was that where there are vacancies in the existing structure, those vacancies should be filled,” he said, adding that congresses would be conducted transparently and inclusively when due.

    He warned that any actions taken outside the party’s official processes would not be recognised.

    Abdullahi said producing a manifesto alone was insufficient, noting that the real challenge lay in ensuring that any ADC-led government adheres strictly to its policy commitments.

    He said the party was developing mechanisms that would allow Nigerians to hold such a government accountable.

    He noted that since the party announced its coalition arrangement several months ago, Nigerians had repeatedly asked what would distinguish the ADC from existing parties.

    According to him, the policy and manifesto process was the party’s response.

    Abdullahi said the ADC aimed to show that it is possible to take difficult decisions while still protecting citizens from hardship, adding that aspirants seeking the party’s ticket would be required to demonstrate a clear understanding of, and commitment to, its manifesto.

    Other members of the party include Prof. Pat Utomi, who will serve as Deputy Chairman, and Salihu Lukman as Secretary.

    Other members of the committee include former Bauchi State APC governorship candidate, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar (rtd), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, Dr Usman Bugaje, Prof. Anthony Kila, Pastor Funke Awowolo, Madam Jumoke Olawuyi, and Prof. Sam Amadi, among others.

  • I can’t leave APC for ADC, Nwosu dispels rumour

    I can’t leave APC for ADC, Nwosu dispels rumour

    Former Imo state governorship candidate and foundation member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, has vowed not to leave the ruling party for the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC).

    He described those spreading the rumour of his carpet crossing as daydreamers, whose dreams were nothing but a mirage.

    The former Chief of Staff to former Governor Rochas Okorocha made this declaration after revalidating his membership of the governing APC at the party’s ongoing e-registration exercise in his ward, Eziama Obaire, Nkwerre Local Government Area of Imo State.

    In a statement personally signed by Nwosu and issued in Abuja to newsmen on Monday, the APC chieftain said as a founding member of the party, he had no intention of leaving a house he helped to build.

    He also reaffirmed that the former Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, and other members of the Rescue Mission team remain committed members of the APC.

    Dispelling the rumour, Nwosu said, “I remain a committed member of the APC. I will not abandon a house I helped to build,” he reportedly said, reaffirming his loyalty to the ruling party.”

    Accompanied by a large crowd of supporters and party faithful, Nwosu called on his supporters and the people of the area to come out en masse to register with the APC and actively support the party at all levels, from the grassroots to the federal level.

    He emphasized the importance of political participation and awareness, urging citizens to stay informed and involved in shaping their political future.

    Read Also: Why I married my abusive husband – Ngozi Nwosu

    The event drew the presence of several party leaders and stakeholders, including his Ward Chairman and other ward executives, the Ward Councillor, the President General of Eziama Obaire, and the Director General and executives of the Ugwumba Movement.

    Also in attendance were the Eze-elect of Eziama Obaire and former Executive Chairmen from Nkwerre, Orsu, and Isu Local Government Areas.

    The gathering further signalled continued grassroots mobilization efforts within the APC in Imo State ahead of future political activities.

  • Ex-FCTA director backs Gov Kefas’ alignment with APC

    Ex-FCTA director backs Gov Kefas’ alignment with APC

    A retired director with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Mukhtar Galadima, has described the alignment of Taraba State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a move that will bring more projects and dividends of democracy to the state.

    Galadima made the statement while speaking with journalists, where he described Governor Kefas as a smart and dynamic leader who is focused on innovation and development for the people of Taraba State.

    According to him, the governor’s decision to work closely with the federal government demonstrates that he has the interest of the people at heart and is determined to attract more development to the state.

    The former director, who is aspiring to represent Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, said his decision to contest was informed by the lack of participatory democracy in the constituency.

    He noted that elected representatives must carry the people along in governance.

    Galadima lamented that while other states are benefiting from constituency projects, Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency has been largely left out.

    Read Also: Gov Kefas must act now

    He stated that, by virtue of his experience at the FCTA and his wide network of contacts built during his years of service, he is well positioned to bring positive change and development to the constituency.

    Appealing to the people of Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency, Galadima urged them to support his aspiration, assuring them that collective effort would usher in the desired change.

    He further noted that the people are currently facing hardship despite the area being richly blessed with agricultural potential.

    Galadima expressed confidence that if elected, Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency would witness a new dawn.

  • 2027: Adamawa APC backs Tinubu, welcomes new governorship aspirant

    2027: Adamawa APC backs Tinubu, welcomes new governorship aspirant

    The Adamawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday welcomed a new governorship aspirant, declaring that President Bola Tinubu remains the party’s only viable option at the federal level ahead of the 2027 general elections.

    Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a ceremony to receive the aspirant, Engr. Diaulhaq Abubakar, the state chairman of the party, Barrister Idris Shuabu, expressed confidence that the APC would secure victory at the federal level.

    According to him, President Tinubu has demonstrated strong leadership and performance since assuming office, adding that his record leaves no room for alternative considerations in 2027.

    Shuabu cited initiatives such as the students’ loan scheme, the establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development, and efforts to curb insecurity as evidence of the president’s experience and achievements.

    He said these accomplishments underscore why Nigerians should not look beyond Tinubu in deciding the next presidential election.

    Read Also: Mutfwang, Plateau APC and 2027 battle

    The APC chairman also described Abubakar as a young, industrious and philanthropic individual, noting that his entry into the Adamawa governorship race is a welcome and deserving addition ahead of the 2027 contest.

    In his remarks, Abubakar formally declared his intention to seek the party’s governorship ticket, describing himself as a youth driven by a vision for equitable and inclusive governance in Adamawa State.

    “I have the mind to raise the revenue generation of the state to generate enough money to develop infrastructure, spread skills acquisition for personal development of the people, and generally ensure that everyone gets what is due to him or her,” Abubakar said.

  • Why Ebonyi youths endorsed Nwifuru, Tinubu for second term – Commissioner

    Why Ebonyi youths endorsed Nwifuru, Tinubu for second term – Commissioner

    The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Francis Ori, has revealed how unity among youths in Uburu led to the unanimous endorsement of Governor Francis Nwifuru and President Bola Tinubu for a second term in office.

    He described the development as a historic moment for youth solidarity and political stability in the area.

    Uburu, the hometown of the current Minister for Works and one of the three major towns in the Ohaozara local government area of the state.

    Speaking during an interview, the commissioner explained that Uburu is made up of four autonomous communities and that youths across these communities had previously operated under different youth platforms.

    “However, driven by shared interests and appreciation of the governor’s leadership, rival youth groups resolved their differences and dissolved into a single body known as the Uburu Youth Front

    According to him, the decision to unite was motivated by Governor Nwifuru’s inclusive governance and youth-friendly policies, which have seen many Uburu youths appointed as commissioners, senior special assistants, special advisers, and board members in the state government.

    “The governor is one of us. He has treated Uburu youths as his own, and we felt the best way to appreciate him was to speak with one voice,” the commissioner said.

    He noted that the unity of the youths culminated in a solidarity road work exercise and a formal endorsement of the governor for a second term.

    The Commissioner said the youths also resolved to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for re-election, alongside the Ebonyi State governor.

    Mr Ori said the youths are happy with the president for appointing their son, Senator David Umahi, as Minister for Works.

    He noted that the Minister, working under the direction of President Tinubu, has been able to deliver massive infrastructural development to Ebonyi and the Southeast.

    “We are very grateful people, and the only way to show gratitude to the President is to give him our votes”, he said

    In the 2027 general elections, Engr. Francis Ori expressed confidence that Governor Nwifuru would secure a landslide victory, citing peace, unity, and developmental achievements across the state.

    He dismissed fears of strong opposition, arguing that the absence of a cohesive opposition party and the prevailing unity among stakeholders give the governor a clear advantage.

    “This is the first time Ebonyi State is enjoying this level of peace. The governor has united communities and stakeholders. There is no room for divisive politics again,” he stated.

    Read Also: Nwifuru sacks all political appointees, monarchs, community leaders in Ebonyi community

    The commissioner also highlighted humanitarian efforts through his Orimatic Care Foundation, which recently organized a large-scale Christmas celebration for vulnerable widows across the four Uburu autonomous communities.

    He said the foundation, established in 2017, recently distributed rice, wrappers, cash gifts, and other items to over 600 vulnerable widows in Ebonyi State.

    “To ensure fairness, we asked the Presidents-General of the communities to select 150 widows from each of the four communities, ensuring that beneficiaries were truly in need,” he explained.

    He added that the foundation currently sponsors 36 university students—17 of whom have graduated in professional courses such as medicine, engineering, and law—as well as over 100 pupils in primary and secondary schools.

    The commissioner reaffirmed his commitment to youth empowerment, social welfare, and unity, noting that the coming years would see even greater investments in education, humanitarian services, and community development. Ends

  • Electoral Reform Bill at harmonisation stage, Reps say

    Electoral Reform Bill at harmonisation stage, Reps say

    The House of Representatives has defended the delay in the passage of the Electoral Amendment (Reform) Bill.

    The Green Chamber said the process is aimed at harmonising diverse views to produce a credible and acceptable legal framework.

    The House spokesman, Akintunde Rotimi, said the delay was necessary to ensure that the final document effectively addresses gaps identified during the 2023 general election and strengthen Nigeria’s democratic process.

    Rotimi spoke at the weekend in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State while inaugurating road projects at Isaba and Oke-Ayedun, as well as a staff quarters at Odo-Oro High School, Odo-Oro.

    Responding to concerns expressed by Nigerians on why the Electoral Reform Bill is yet to be fully passed by the National Assembly, the lawmaker explained that while the House of Representatives had passed the Bill before its December recess, the Senate was still working on it.

    READ ALSO: Mutfwang, Plateau APC and 2027 battle

    He said: “The Electoral Reform Bill before the National Assembly is targeted at improving the transparency, credibility and efficiency of our democratic system, while also addressing the shortcomings exposed during the 2023 general election.

    “The reforms are all-encompassing and are products of extensive feedback from the stakeholders. The Joint House and Senate Committees on Electoral Reforms have met several times. We have held retreats and consultations with community leaders, civil society organisations, and other interest groups.

    “The reforms are all-encompassing and are a product of extensive consultations and feedback from stakeholders. The Joint House and Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms has held several meetings and retreats involving communities and organisations. We are at the harmonisation stage, and that will be concluded very quickly.”

    Rotimi, who is representing Ekiti North Federal Constituency (Ikole/Oye), explained that the Electoral Amendment Bill 2026 is aimed at improving transparency, credibility and efficiency in the electoral system.

    The lawmaker said credible elections remain the foundation of democracy.

    He added that the reforms would guarantee that Nigerians can vote freely and have confidence that their votes would count.

    Highlighting his legislative achievements, Rotimi stated that he had sponsored over 40 Bills, including the Bill to prevent and redress sexual harassment in educational institutions, the Independent Candidacy Bill, and the Whistleblowers’ Bill.

    Expressing joy over the projects he inaugurated, Rotimi said they were executed on the basis of the demands from the constituents.

    The federal lawmaker stressed that members of the House of Representatives were deliberate in ensuring that constituency projects reflected the needs of the people.

    He urged Nigerians to continue to support the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying such support would enable the government to deliver more on its promises.

  • Mutfwang, Plateau APC and 2027 battle

    Mutfwang, Plateau APC and 2027 battle

    There is a groundswell of support for Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s re-election bid in Plateau State where the political class is closing ranks and working closely for development. Deputy Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU, who witnessed the defection rally in Jos, the state capital, writes on the preparations for next year’s poll in the Northcentral state

    The crowd was huge. It was not a rented gathering. The atmosphere was electrifying. Smiles lit the face of Caleb Mutfwang, lawyer and governor on the Plateau as joy was bold on the faces of all and sundry.

    For the first time, the Northcentral state was in one accord. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) forces, led by the governor, moved enmass to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to continue the journey of development and progress.

    The Polo Field in Jos, venue of the defection rally, was filled to the brim by party members from across the 17 local governments, who were locked in excitment.

    They endured the sun from sunrise to 3.30pm when the APC leaders stormed the field for a popularty walk. The party chairman, Rufus Bature, who was Mutfwang’s senior in the secondary school, exuded happiness.

    The chairman and the governor are expected to jointly tackle the challenge of harmonisation of party structures imposed by the entry of new members.

    It was a day of concrete resolutions. The people resolved to back the re-election bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu because he has lived to expectation.

    Also, APC resolved to field its state leader, Mutfwang, for a second term. There was no dissenting voice. Indeed, also for the first time in a long while, unity and peace were restored and the governor received applause as the symbol of harmony, cohesion and transquility.

    Also defecting along with the governor were his deputy, Josephine Piyo, Senator Pam Nwadkou Dachungyang (Plateau North), PDP members of the House of Assembly, other federal lawmakers, local government chairmen and local opposition leaders.

    Mutfwang’s defection was significant for another reason. It marked the completion of the allegiance shift to the progressive bloc in the Northcentral geo-political zone, which is now a stronghold of the ruling party.

    APC National Chairman Prof. Netanwe Yilwatda, who was Mutfwang’s rival during the 2023 poll, assured that he will get the second term ticket and win in next year’s election.

    He said there is no vacancy in the Plateau Government House because APC is waxing stronger, having become one bigger family.

    He expressed excitment that the governor, who was his senior in secondary school and opponent, would team up for APC during the general election.

    Yilwatda said:”My joy knows no bound. The candidates of APC,  PDP, Labour Party and other parties are now in APC. All the structues are now in APC, which is more powerful, more united,more intimidating and more prepared to deliver victory to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We are better, stronger and more united.”

    The chairman added:”There will be justice. There will be no tribal sentiment. There will be peace in Plateau State. We will work together, not by words, but by action.

    “That brotherhood that made us one, that brotherhood that makes us thick should expand. The time for unity, justice and peace is here.”

    Turning to Mutfwang, the chairman said:”Our broom will give you strengty to sweep all your supporters to APC.  The broom will sweep away disunity. The broom will ensure that we are one.”

    Yilwatda also said in 1027, both the President and the governor will win in Plateau overwhelmingly.

    He added:”Anybody who does not belong to the APC is a minority. All our federal and state lawmakers are APC. Our local government chairmen are APC. I urged those who are yet to join APC to come.”

    ‘APC wooing more governors’

    Yilwatda said APC would not relent in wooing more opposition leaders to the ruling party, adding that the membership drive embarked by the party has offered opportunity to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members to jump out of the sinking platform to safety.

    Currently, APC has 29 states, and with Mutfwang’s defection, Northcentral states of Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau have come under the progressive banner.

    However, Yilwatda said APC intends to enlarge its coast for more states and generality of  Nigerians to savour the benefits of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration.

    He stressed:”APC now has 29 states. We will be expecting more. We are not tired of getting everyone. Our intention, our motive is that everyone become members of APC.”

    He added:”PDP is drowning. Come to the party that will give you life. Come and take the broom that will give you the life jacket.”

    Mutfwang: in unity we stand

    Mutfwang,  who spoke after receiving the party flag from Yilwatda,  promised to be a symbol of unity in the state.

    He said he and other defectors have not come to take over the structures of APC in the state but to add value to it.

    Stressing that “Plateau is a must-win state in future elections,” the governor who hailed President Tinubu’s gestures, said “ it is better to follow a man that kniws road.”

    He added:”We have not come to take over. We have come to add value. All disunity and rilvaries will now disappear. Plateau will be united.  No more opposition in Plateau. We are not defecting. We are realigning. We are re-engineeribg. Plateau will be the joker in 2027.”

     Mutfwang promised to fortify the party to achieve victory in future polls, saying: “Today’s movement is a landmark. It is statement that the people on the Plateau have made and they are here in their thousands to publicly declare their support for the APC and to return President Tinubu back to office in 2027.

    “We are beginning a journey that our forefathers had long expected that we be united for peace and development.”

    He thanked the president,  Akpabio, Abbas and other party leaders for encouraging him to join the ruling party.

    Why ruling party is waxing stronger, by Shettima

    Vice President Kashim Shettima,  who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is away in Turkey, noted that APC has continued to wax stronger and enlarge its coast because the administration is fulfilling its promises to Nigerians.

    He described Mutfwang’s defection as an affirmation that the ruling party is a truly national platform open to all Nigerians committed to unity, peace and inclusive development.

    He said the realignment underscored the party’s identity as the destination for all  who believe in a united future for the country.

    The vice president said: “Plateau is a reminder that what powers every nation is unity, not unity rooted in sameness, but unity anchored on shared purpose,” the Vice President said, adding that the state’s entry into the APC symbolised Nigeria’s shared destiny.

    He recalled Plateau State’s historic role in Nigeria’s survival and cohesion, paying tribute to former Head of State, Gen.  Yakubu Gowon,  Wash Pam, Solomon Lar, Joshua Dariye, Lalong, Tallen,  and other eminent sons and daughters whose sacrifices woven into the fabric of the nation’s survival.

    Shettima said “Plateau gave Nigeria a leader whose strength lay in reconciliation. Nations survive not by conquest but by healing”.

    The Vice President conveyed assurances from President Tinubu that Mutfwang would enjoy full standing and recognition within the APC, stressing that good governance is an asset to any political movement committed to national progress.

    He described the governor as a unifying leader whose administration has begun to reposition Plateau from conflict and stagnation towards peace and transformation.

    He alluded to Mutfwang’s initiatives in peacebuilding, renewable energy deployment for primary healthcare centres, agricultural expansion, transport infrastructure revitalisation, and people-focused budgets in education, healthcare and youth empowerment, urging him to sustain the tempo

    Shettima said the defection marked the restoration of unity, justice peace, harmony to the state.

    He said the president has ordered the construction of the Akwanga/Jos Road and recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in Plateau to complement the push for security in the state.

    Tinubu is  most Christian-friendly leader, says Akpabio

    Akpabio, who led his colleagues, including Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, Simon Lalong, Rochas Okorocha, and Adams Oshiomhole, said it is now evident that President Tinubu will win the next poll and Mutfwang will secure a second term.

    Addressing fears that the defections could lead to a one-party state, Morka dismissed such concerns, arguing that Nigeria had experienced similar political dominance in the past without undermining democracy.

    Akpabio described President Tinubu-led administration as the most Christian friendly government since Nigeria came into existence.

    He therefore, dismissed the insinuations of religious discrimination as unfounded.

    Akpabio said:  “Let me place on record that the President Bola Tinubu- led administration is the most Christian friendly administration since the creation of Nigeria. He has shown this through his actions and deeds. He treats both Christians and Muslims equally.”

    The Senate President hailed Mutfwang for taking Plateau to the centre of Nigeria’s political gravity.

    He said: “Mr Governor, I congratulate you on this action of taking the people of Plateau to the centre of national politics. Let me assure you that insecurity will soon come to an end in the Plateau.

    “We will support your government in all sectors inorder to better the lives of your people. We will not leave you alone. Today’s action has finally brought all the states in the North Central geo- political zone into the party. This is significant.

    “Government will do everything within its powers to protect Nigerians no matter their religious inclination and belief. We will support President Tinubu through approval of funds inorder to shut down all IDP camps in the state.”

    Abbas: Governor should reconcile Plateau

    House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abba, who hailed Mutfwang’s courage, urged him to embark on reconciliation in the state to foster cohesion and harmony.

    He described the occasion as historic, noting that Plateau was the last state in the Northcentral to join the APC.

    He urged Mutfwang to embrace reconciliation and provide inclusive leadership as the party leader in the state.

    He said:”As the state party leader, you should embrace reconciliation and promote brotherhood. Take members of APCand PDP as one indivisible family and give everyone a sense of belonging.”

    APC will bring prosperity,  says Uzodimma

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     Uzodimma said APC will nit renege on its promise of renewedhope, development and prosperity.

    He described Mutfwang as one of the best and brightest, assuring that Plateau would reap the benefit of defection.

    No formidable team like Tinubu/Shettima, says  Sule

     Nasarawa State Governor Sule said Northcentral is now a stronghold of APC, noting that the six ststes are under the leadership of the ruling party.

    He said Plateau had chosen a path that would reposition it to fully support President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

    He praised the President’s passion for national unity and progress, urging Nigerians to work together to steady the nation.

    The governor paid special tributed to Vice President Shettima, acknowledging his pivotal role in encouraging his defection to the ruling party.

    At the rally were Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos State), Ahmad,Aliyu (Sokoto), Dikko Raddah (Katsina), Monday Okphebolo (Edo), Abdullahi Sule(Nasarawa), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Agbu Kwfas (Taraba), and Francis Nwifuru (Akwa Ibom).

    Other dignitaries included Secretary to the Government of the  Federation Senator George Akume, former Deputy Governor Pauline Tallen, former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Idris Wase, Prof. David Yakubu,  APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru, and other National Working Committee (NWC) members -Saliu Muazu, Duro Meseko, Chinedu Ogah, Senator Lawrence Adudu, Abdulkarim Kana, Garuba Datti, and Mustapha Saliu.

  • Ekiti council rejects imposition of chairmanship candidate

    Ekiti council rejects imposition of chairmanship candidate

    ‘We need an urgent stakeholders’ meeting’

    Efon political leaders have rejected moves by Ekiti State Physical Planning Commissioner Karounwi Oladapo to impose a chairmanship candidate on the local government on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) without consultation with the stakeholders.

    Expressing surprise at the attempted personalisation of power and influence, they urged Governor Biodun Oyebanji to pay attention to the brewing nomination crisis in Efon local government ahead of the council polls.

    Karounwi, an APC stalwart, was said to have arranged for the controversial endorsement of an aspirant, Ifetade Ola, without consultation with other party leaders, including Chief Joseph Alake, stakeholders’ leader; Prof. Adio Folayan, former Agriculture commissioner, Elder Odunayo Ategbero, former local government chairman and commissioner, Victor Kolade, former special adviser,  Chief Joel Omoniyi, former council chairman, and Bode Adetunji, former council chairman.

    Also, other commiited party chieftains – Chief Bode Olayinka and Chief Dele Jeje, respected chieftains and community leaders; Olaitan Olayinka, a retired federal civil servant,  and Afolabi Ige, a lawyer and businessman, dissociated themselves from the imposition.

    A community leader, Ajiroba Patrick Ojo, who condemned the brewing hulaballoo, urged Oyebanji to call the commissioner to order.

    In a statement titled: ‘When men dare to play God,’ called for a stakeholders’ meeting to discuss the political crisis.

    Ojo, former President of the umbrella township association, Efon Development League (EDL), said it is important to prevent chaos and instability in the lical government.

    The statement reads: :For over a week now, we have been following the activities of certain party men and women in the political land space of our local government. I have personally been reading with interest the several media posts of our dear Hon Commissioner, Mr Karounwi, his boastful assertions and his claim of been the singular authority to choose for Efon Alaaye, who and who represents us without any regard or consultation with the Efon traditional council, Efon Development League, Efon stakeholders and the majority of APC leaders.

    “Having consulted widely and generally with several notable leaders and people of our kingdom, I, Ajiroba of Efon Alaaye, in my capacity, wish to advise Commissioner Karounwi to tread softly.

    “This current attitude of his only tends to throw our dear community into chaos and instability. Not a single known and recognised political heavyweight in APC has supported any of his spurious claims. From Chief Alake, Chief Jeje, Chief Olayinka, Prof Adio Folayan, Chief Omoniyi, Elder Ategbero, Engineer Skiddo, Victor Kolade, Olaitan Olayinka, Afolabi Ige and several other party leaders and their followers, none has has shown any sign of support for this sole candidate of Hon. Karounwi.

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    “Their cold silence, the silence of the traditional council and the rest of us the good people of Efon Alaaye, show our discontent and disapproval for this arrogance and undemocratic attitude.”

    “The constant and irresponsible attitude of picking our third eleven to represent us should stop forthwith. We will forever remember that this same attitude of rebellion led Efon to loosing a Federal Government College during the Teacher Training College episode a few decades ago.

    “My dear people of Efon, we would be calling a meeting of all Efon Alaaye stakeholders shortly. Our respect, love and support remains forever undiluted and strong for our Omoluabi Governor BAO. Those presently misrepresenting his government will surely be put to shame eventually.”

    But the commissioner fired back, saying that Ojo should let him be.

    Oladapo said in a statement:”I read with rude shock about your outbursts and unnecessary defamation of my characters through your post to various Efon social media platforms.

    “I am only taking your write-up and propose next move with philosophical calmness and understanding knowing fully that you are not a practicing politician.*

    “With due respect Sir,  you are free to form your own opposition party without insulting or tarnishing my long built reputations in my party APC.

    *As one of the APC political leaders in Efon Alaaye Local Government and Ekiti State, I am entitled to play my role based on my party dictates.  I don’t think I have ever interfere in any areas of your own choosing careers. Let everybody maintain his or her own lane with respect for individuals.

    “Election time is still far and we have alot of opposition parties e.g. PDP, LP, AAC, etc. from where concerned citizens of Efon can showcase their own preferred candidates for LG elections without causing disharmony. Please, let me be sir.”

  • The men who ruined a republic

    The men who ruined a republic

    •Sam Omatseye’s review of Ayo Opadokun’s Gun Hegemony

    A context is necessary to review a book like Ayo Opadokun’s. First, the use  of the phrase gun hegemony may be problematic. The word hegemony was popularized by the Italian activist and theorist Antonia Gramsci. He was not referring to things but humans. He was talking about how segments of society try to lord it over others.

    Human societies have always been about hegemony, whether it is the hegemony of ethnic superiority, or the sway of certain set of ideas.

    Opadokun, in this book also wants Nigeria’s contemporary history to be written by the gun. That is a large claim for any writer. On the fictional level, writers tend to give narrative voices to anyone to tell the yarn of a society. They give it to children as in Abiku or Ogbanje in Ben Okri’s The Famished Road, to a long-gone ancestor like Mofolo’s Chaka. In fact, the Nigerian novelist Chigozie Obioma gave the honours to a chi, the private god in Igbo mythology. It was in his second novel and Booker Prize finalist, the Orchestra of Minorities.

    On the nonfictional level, however, Opadokun seeks to raise the stakes. Is it a question of the gun or the man. The debate is hottest today in the United States. George Bernard Shaw suggests the conundrum in his play, Arms and the Man.

    In the U.S, those who say it is not the gun that kills but man have argued that guns are not to blame. Guns are innocent. Guns are sinned against. Man is the sinner. You can have a thousand guns on street, and not a murderer and not a shot fired. The reason? Guns cannot shoot themselves.

    Every year, the country laments a school massacre, a neighborhood bereavement, a church funeral, and old man fallen, or community leader pockmarked. But those who want their guns defend the guns. They do not accept any argument about a gun hegemony. We have to fix the people, not the guns.

    It is a very important part of Opadokun’s argument, although he does not probe the interstices of this issue.

    He does well to probe the origins of guns and how it changed forever the turn and tone of warfare over the ages. Man no longer had to refer to the great horse man of war wielding swords and slashing throats. No more the grand battle Caesar leading the troops against the Roman hordes trying to tear the empire apart. War became more clinic. Death was efficient.

    But the concern of our author is how the gun has changed the Nigerian narrative forever. He laments how we missed an opportunity in January 1966. In doing so, he has excavated some facts that were known to a few, and even those who knew did not insist on the veracity of their witnesses.

    It is a story of false heroes. January 1966 was the day we might have saved democracy for Nigeria. We might have demonstrated in the contagion of coups in the sub region that Nigeria’s democracy had a resilience of spirit, and the guns would not have dared any form of hegemony. Many have asked, when the coup failed, how come we had a military in charge? What happened to the parliament? According to records from men like Richard Akinjide and Shehu Shagari, after no one saw prime minister Tafawa Balewa, members of the parliament picked Dipcharima from the northeast to act as prime minister. It was the task of Nwafor Orizu to legalise it by swearing him in. He would not.

    Even though he had all the powers to do so, he dithered. He said he was only acting on Zik’s behalf. But he was told he was going to formalize it since Zik was on the high seas. Zik has reportedly been tipped off by Emmanuel Ifeajuna about the coup and the coward was not in air or land.

    If you read Opadokun’s earlier work, Aristocratic Rebel about M.D. Yusufu, Nigeria’s top spy and former inspector general of police, you would understand that all Nigeria’s coups were known ahead of time. The eminent powers did not act because they were like drones, fat and too bulky to roll. For instance, The Dimka coup was dismissed and they claimed they would not worry themselves about a drunkard.

    It turned out, back to 1966, that Nwafor Orizu knew he had power to swear in an acting prime minister. His eyes were set on his kinsman K. O. Mbadiwe. The rumble within the parliament was that it seemed Orizu was confirming the fears that the coup was dictated by ethnic designs. This is a very serious allegation. He obviously could not pull it through.

    That opened the window for a very cruel option. Individual ambition trumped national interest. General Ironsi, the man who moved about with a baby crocodile, had control of the army. He was even triumphal.

    According to the eyewitnesses, Ironsi summoned the lawmakers in one room and read them the riot act. It was either they surrendered the power to him as gentlemen or he would take it by force. That was not the language of a democrat but a despot.

    So the lawmakers wanted to make it clear that they did not give up power without resistance. The soldier had taken over with guns. Dialogue and constitution were out of the window. Some context is necessary for Ironsi. He was supposed to be one of the targets of the coupists. He was basking in the sun while his colleagues had expired like Maimalari and Sodeinde.

    Ifeajuna, who should have eliminated the general according to their plan, left him. Ifeajuna fled to Ghana. He and his rival colleague Kaduna Nzeogwu would eventually die in the civil war. Many believe that Ironsi was grateful to the young men for sparing his life. Was it to spare his own life that he took over power? Was he feeling guilty? Was he anticipating a sort of  institutional revenge from the army because he was breathing why they, his soldier colleagues, lay dead, some as yet undiscovered in bushes?

    Was he paranoid? If he survived, was that any reason for any parliament to come after him? to come after him would be to legitimize the coup. No lawmaker was going to do that. Opadokun is a writer with an attitude, and that gives him punk. What he has asserted are the facts . That is, that Ironsi and Orizu destroyed the First Republic. We must understand that it was not politicians that killed the republic. The coupists had failed. They were scrambling for their own lives. They had been arrested. What was the next step? Of course try them. Ironsi would not. The issue was raised in parts of the country, especially in the north and west that Ironsi’s reluctance to do the logical thing was because these men were his kinsmen and the “kinsman in trouble,” as Chinua Achebe asserts in No Longer At Ease, “must be saved, not blamed. Anger against a brother was felt in the flesh, not in the bone. He is a fool who treats a brother worse than a stranger.”

    The claim that some of us took over from our classrooms in the 1980’s was that civilians were responsible for the demise of the republic.  That politicians failed democracy. Politicians can always be bumbling. Yet, as we have seen, they might have been running a flawed system. Yet they kept the faith. Part of the illusion was resonance of a speech. That was because of the soaring and self-serving rhetoric of the Nzeogwu coup speech about 10 percenters, etc.

    Ironsi swaggered to power as a messiah. He was just a soldier but suddenly, he was going to govern the country. There was a sore thumb in the tale. Obafemi Awolowo. According to Nzeogwu, he was being released from Calabar Prison to lead the country. The bars of Calabar did not rattle. Some of the coupists moved to eastern and midwestern regions at the time and probably had tea with the premiers while the Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello and Samuel Ladoke Akintola were slaughtered in the presence of their families.

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    We have to keep returning to January 15. Shall we say the foolhardiness of Orizu and Ironsi led to the eventual slaughter of the Igbos in the pogrom that smeared parts of the north from Sokoto to Makurdi? If Dipcharima became acting prime minister, there might have been no Ironsi. We might not have heard of pogrom, Gowon or Murtala or some of the bloody chapters of the civil war.

    The promulgation of Decree 34 has become one of the contentious laws in our history. Some historians have tried to excuse Ironsi with the explanation that it might have been naïve. It was called unification degree, but it was a clarion call for ethnic domination. As Opadokun noted in his Aristocratic Rebel, Ojukwu had exploited the decree to ask all prefects to take charge across the civil service. The decree was bad enough, but Ojukwu’s cry poisoned the pool. The civil servants in the north were the first to feel alienated.

    If it was naïve, the resistance in the north should have restrained Ironsi. Yet he did not. Middle ranking officers in the north had written letters saying they would act if it was not reversed. Ironsi was deaf. The Igbo streets across the country became self-righteous. They burnt the Sardauna in effigy, and were singing triumphantly. In the barracks, the Igbo officers’ wives were mocking their northern counterparts. The tension was in the air. The Ironsi men knew a plot was afoot. He could not do anything to stop them. If he tried, it would be an open sesame of civil war. Yet, he would not reverse course. Historians do not say anything is inevitable. But something was going to happen. It was like King Oedipus of Sophocles’ play who saw tragedy and was careening towards it as though there no other course. A literary critic known as Killam described it as insistent fatality, and we see this in Okonkwo’s  Things Fall Apart. And it happened in what is known as the revenge coup of July 1966.

    The issue of death and destruction was all the January 15 night brought us. The revenge coup in July was blood roll. It might not have happened if Nzeogwu and his colleagues were tried. It is a story about how we must not allow our heroes to destroy our societies. Orizu has been memorialized today, but what of the millions of Igbo that were slaughtered in cold blood because he was trying to pursue the same ethnic agenda? It brings to mind the poem by Claude Mckay

    If we must die, let it not be like hogs

    Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,

    While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,

    Making their mock at our accursèd lot.

    If we must die, O let us nobly die,

    Another crucial part of this book is the person of Adekunle Fajuyi. He has been mythicise as a hero as a host. In July 1966, he and Ironsi were picked up, and the widespread belief was that the soldiers wanted to spare him, but he insisted on being shot. The eyewitness, including Theophilus Danjuma, say otherwise.

    Here are the words of Lieutenant Colonel William Walbe (rtd):

    “We arrested him as we arrested Aguiyi-Ironsi. We suspected him for being party to the January coup. You remember the Battle Group Course which was held in Abeokuta…Fajuyi was the commander of the Battle Group Course…All those who took part in the January coup were those who had taken part in the course… he had to suffer too. I am sorry about that but that is the nature of the life of a military man…”

    Danjuma said it was under Fajuyi the training on the raid of the Sardauna took place. After Fajuyi’s arrest, he said, “The chaps could not stomach Fajuyi such that if there was anybody who should die first, as far as they were concerned , it was Fajuyi, not even Aguiyi-Ironsi.”

    Opadokun’s Gun Hegemony is meditation on a nation’s dark moment, and he nudges to look back again on that day, this day, to understand how to treasure the beauty of democracy.

  • 2027: Ijaw Youth Council endorses Tinubu, Fubara

    2027: Ijaw Youth Council endorses Tinubu, Fubara

    …demands clean-up of polluted Ijaw communities

    The second-term ambitions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, received a boost on Sunday as the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide endorsed their re-election bids ahead of the 2027 general elections.

    The council also urged relevant government agencies to immediately commence comprehensive remediation and clean-up of all polluted Ijaw territories.

    The endorsement was contained in a communiqué signed by the IYC President, Dr. Alaye Theophilus, and issued to journalists in Abuja following the council’s National Convention.

    Passing a vote of confidence on both leaders, the council stated, “Through a resounding voice affirmation, the Convention unanimously passed a vote of confidence and endorsement on His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, for a second tenure, and His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the 2027 general election.”

    The IYC said the decision was based on the leadership qualities demonstrated by Governor Fubara, particularly his commitment to peace in Rivers State as a foundation for sustainable economic growth and development.

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    According to the council, the governor’s efforts at maintaining stability and promoting inclusive governance have created an enabling environment for progress in the state, adding that continued peace remains critical to addressing developmental challenges in Ijaw communities.

    “The maturity he displayed when faced with challenges shows that he is well prepared for leadership. The governor as of day is a living Hero of democracy, an ambassador of peace, a detribalized leader par excellence.

    “While Mr President, on his own part, has won the heart of the Ijaw Youths, hence our declaration of total support of his re-election bid in 2027 is solely on his show of genuine love and commitment in making sure that there is peace in Rivers State for our Governor, Sir Siminalaye Fubara, to govern Rivers people in peace.

    “Mr. President has told us why he should be trusted, and we have seen it with the way he managed the Rivers State political impasse. Mr. President has given us reasons why the Ijaw Youths should support his re-election bid, and we have seen reasons with him. Hence, the Ijaw Youths hereby declare our unalloyed support for Mr. President come 2027.”

    Reviewing the environmental status of the entire South-south region, the council gave another 60-day ultimatum to all relevant agencies to immediately commence full-scale remediation and clean-up of all polluted Ijaw territories and avoid the shutting down of all oil and gas facilities within Ijaw territories

    It added that the Ijaw people would no longer tolerate the destruction of their land, waters, livelihoods, and future.

    The communique read, “The Convention unequivocally condemned the continued ecological violence, oil pollution, and environmental degradation being inflicted on Ijaw territories through decades of reckless oil and gas exploitation.

    “This Convention makes it abundantly clear that the Ijaw people will no longer tolerate the destruction of their land, waters, livelihoods, and future.

    “Upon the expiration of this ultimatum, and in the absence of visible and concrete action, the Ijaw Youth Council shall collectively and decisively shut down all oil and gas facilities operating within Ijaw territories, drawing precedence from the Ogoniland no remediation,  no oil and gas exploration and exploitation approach.”