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  • Jonathan: Buhari won Boko Haram ‘technically’

    Jonathan: Buhari won Boko Haram ‘technically’

    Was former president, Goodluck Jonathan wrong to expect his successor, late Muhammadu Buhari to have defeated Boko Haram insurgency soon after assuming office? That is the question brought to the fore by Jonathan’s reservations last week, on Buhari’s inability to expeditiously bring the war to an end, despite being once named by the insurgent group as their negotiator.

    This question still needs answers irrespective of the clarification by Jonathan that his statement should not be misconstrued as an indictment on Buhari or suggestive of his complicity in the Boko Haram saga. Perhaps, interrogating the observation, may well get the country closer to comprehending the complexities posed by the festering Boko Haram challenge.

     Jonathan had during a book launch in Abuja said, “One of the committees we set up then, the Boko Haram nominated Buhari to lead their team to negotiate with the government. 

    “So, I was feeling that, oh, if they nominated Buhari to represent them and have a discussion with the government committee, then when Buhari took over, it could have been an easier way to negotiate with them and they would have handed over their guns. But it is still there till today”.

    The statement quickly drew the ire of Buhari’s former spokesman, Garba Shehu.  He described it as misleading since neither Boko Haram’s founding leader, Muhammed Yusuf, nor his successor, Abubakar Shekau, ever nominated Buhari for mediation. Shehu claimed that Shekau consistently denounced and threatened Buhari while recalling that Buhari escaped a Boko Haram bomb attack in Kaduna in 2014.

    Shehu however, claimed confusion over the nomination of Buhari arose after a Boko Haram faction, allegedly sponsored by his (Buhari’s) political opponents staged a press conference in Maiduguri, through one Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulaziz claiming that the sect preferred Buhari and other northern elders.

    Even then, he said Buhari dismissed the report at the time as “just speculation” since nobody had contacted him directly.

    All that Shehu strove to prove is that Buhari was not nominated by the known leaders of the Boko Haram insurgency. But he admitted there was a nomination by Ibn Abdulaziz, a factional leader of the insurgency group who he claimed was a political agent. Shehu also sought to establish that Buhari has no known links with Boko Haram as they demonised and even attacked him in Kaduna. All that could as well be.

    Does Jonathan’s observation collapse just because Buhari’s nomination was not made by either Mohammed or Shekau presented by Shehu as the known leaders of the insurgent group? Or, how correct is it to presume that the nomination by Ibn Abdulaziz did not exist coming from the quarters it did, especially since the insurgency group demonised and attacked Buhari?

    Shehu’s answers to the two questions will likely be in the affirmative. In order words, having seemingly faulted the premise on which Jonathan based his expectation of Buhari to have won the war soon after assuming office, his statement should be seen as lacking in merit. That would however, amount to an oversimplification of the larger issues thrown up by Jonathan.

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    If Jonathan was wrong to expect Buhari to have won Boko Haram based on the factional leader that made the nomination and Buhari’s rejection of the same, what do we make of copious evidence where Buhari made claims of his uncommon capacities to tame the insurgency group?  Did Buhari leave anyone in doubt that he had the capacity to handle the raging insurgency in the country better? At any rate, was the fight against insecurity not one of the cardinal campaign programmes with which he sought the votes of the electorate?

    Buhari unarguably, was one of the greatest critics of the handling of the Boko Haram insurgency by the Jonathan administration. He not only accused Jonathan of “looking the other way” when the Chibok girls were abducted but was reported to have said in 2013 that the “military offensive against Boko Haram is anti-north”. Many northern leaders had at the budding stages of the insurgency faulted it and read political motives into it. Elite dissonance was one of the key reasons Boko Haram got entrenched.

    During his famous speech at Chatham House London, Buhari did not leave his audience in doubt that he had solutions to the Boko Haram insurgency. He did not only fault the prosecution of the war but promised to lead the war from the front.

    Hear him, “We will always act on time and not allow problems to irresponsibly fester, and I Muhammadu Buhari, will always lead from the front and return Nigeria to its leadership role in regional and international efforts to combat terrorism”.

    He also promised to pay special attention to the welfare of soldiers in and out of service: “we will give them adequate and modern arms and ammunitions to work with… to choke Boko Haram’s financial and equipment channels, we will be tough on terrorism and tough on its root causes”. Buhari received thunderous ovation from his audience for speaking so confidently on his plans to eliminate Boko Haram.

    Buhari was also reported to have assigned himself a timeline of six months to win the war against the insurgents after he won the 2015 general election.

    It is therefore not in doubt that Buhari’s statements and body language gave the impression that he had all it takes to tame the Boko Haram monster. So, Jonathan’s expectation of him to have won the war against insurgency soon after assuming office is based on solid foundation. In that also, he is with many.

    Irrespective of the quarters from which the mediation nomination came, Buhari left nobody in doubt that he had the magic wand to win the war against Boko Haram. Many believed him and he owes his electoral victory largely to that expectation. His profile as an Army General and former military head of state counted as added advantages.

    Jonathan may not have gone this length, but the issues were obviously at the back of his mind when he spoke the way he did at the book launch. It serves no useful purpose misconstruing his statement as suggestive of Buhari’s link with Boko Haram. Buhari made such claims and there is nothing wrong holding him accountable to his words.

     Buhari was conscious of the promises he made on the matter. It was in apparent bid to fulfil them, that he gleefully declared in December 2015, barely six months after assuming office that “Nigeria has technically won the war” against Islamist Boko Haram insurgents. He had predicated his claims on the grounds that the militant group could no longer mount “conventional attacks” against security forces or population centres.

    For him, Boko Haram had been reduced to fighting with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and remained a force only in its heartland of Borno State. His claims were seen as hasty and received with mixed feelings by those versed in asymmetrical warfare.

    But all these claims were soon to collapse like a pack of cards. The insurgents quickly to put a lie to them as they resumed onslaughts against military formations and population centres. These took enormous toll on the military both in human and material capital despite efforts to contain the insurgents.

    It is an irony of sorts that Buhari failed to win the war against the Boko Haram insurgency until he left office. What has rather been witnessed has been the emergence of more splinter groups with some attacking population centres in parts of the country they were not able to access when Jonathan held sway.

    Just a few weeks ago, Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum raised an alarm on the regrouping of the insurgents around the Tumbus areas of Lake Chad and Mandara Hills within the Sambisa Forest in the state. This is in addition to several attacks, killings and abductions by the insurgent group.

    But the more troubling arising from the book launch, is the seeming lack of clarity among leaders on what Boko Haram really stands for, its sponsors and the best strategy to eradicate the scourge.

    Jonathan believes the issue of Boko Haram is far more complex than it is often presented. He sees their motivation beyond the hunger-narrative even as he fingered external sponsorship given their sophistication in arms and ammunitions.

    The Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa wants the underlying factors that incubate insecurity; poverty, lack of education and unemployment to be addressed. For former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, the country must ask itself hard questions about how it has handled the crisis over the past 15 years. If by now there is no consensus on some of these issues, is it surprising Boko Haram appears to be defying solutions?

  • What did Jonathan forget in Aso Villa?

    What did Jonathan forget in Aso Villa?

    Ten years after he was rejected at the poll, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, like the wife of Lot, is trying to look back.

    He left, more or less in a blaze of glory, despite the general perception of his government as inept and clueless by many political actors, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who vigorously campaigned against his stay in power beyond 2015.

    Generally perceived as a gentleman who could not frontally ruffle feathers, GEJ, as he is fondly called by some admirers, behaved responsibly and adjusted to life outside power. He became more popular outside Nigeria, particularly in the West African sub-region and the continent as an envoy and important observer during presidential elections.

    But since 2019, certain people who pose as his admirers have not allowed him to be himself. They have been urging him to terminate his blissful retirement. He now seems to pander to deceit, with the insatiable nature of man dominating his thought process.

    Jonathan has the right to contest for president, like other past leaders with unquenchable appetite for political control. Politicians are incurable optimists, even if they are contending with a fading influence. In the game of politics, retirement is never contemplated.

    Power is so alluring and highly captivating that former leaders always prefer to come back. What has saved Nigeria from the sit-tight syndrome is the primacy and potency of the constitution that sets the limit. It is not the desire for credible service that is the motivation. Their intention may be to return to power for personal gains, for ego, for a show-off, and for private accumulation.

    Kleptocracy is the political ideology of many African leaders. Those who eventually succeeded in regaining power have often left their countries worse than they found them in their second coming.

    None of them is insulated from the temptation, despite the realisation that power obsession could also lead to personal and national doom, as the power baron tends, with the passage of time, to equate himself with the nation he mischievously governs.

    The addiction to power is an all-consuming passion fueled by poor judgment and neglect of reality. Warning signals are ignored, and self-assessment becomes defective. Liars and manipulators mill around the kleptomaniac who ultimately falls into deception, only to be deserted after the collapse of the inordinate ambition. This is peculiar to Generals who had set themselves upon the country, brandishing the barrels of guns.

    Some examples offer instructive lessons. As politicians competed for available spaces in the ill-fated Third Republic, some elements, for reasons best known to them, suddenly remembered that former Military Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon was around. They, therefore, resolved to draft ‘Gentleman Jack’ to the presidential race. The former leader, a political scientist, was excited. The Ebora Owu, General Olusegun Obasanjo, frowned at the antics of those trying to draft his former boss to the murky waters of politics. He retorted: “What did Jack forget in the State House?”

    Mercifully, the plot crumbled at the initial stage of the laborious Option A4 experimentation.

    Obasanjo himself was lucky. But at the end of eight years, many Nigerians thought that it was better if he had not returned to power. Up to now, he has been haunted by the ghost of his infamous third-term agenda. OBJ handed power voluntarily, as often said, to democratically elected leaders in 1979. He elicited a round of applause. But by the time he left power again in 2007, the praises had evaporated. The then Deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu apologised to the bewildered nation over Obasanjo’s tenure elongation plot. Although Nigeria is also entitled to an apology over the flawed election that took Umaru Yar’Adua to power, none has been forthcoming from the man at the centre of the controversies.

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    It could not be ascertained if the Evil Genius, former military President Ibrahim Babangida, had a pact with OBJ that he would succeed him. However, IBB, as fondly called by admirers and foes, threw his hat into the ring. A wealthy man who had stepped aside ingloriously after eight years of tossing around Nigerians and annulling the most credible election, Babangida embarked on a nationwide consultation until he was stopped by northern leaders who opted for Atiku Abubakar, who, in the end, failed at the poll.

    Although General Muhammadu Buhari returned, like OBJ, the soldierly steam he was famous for in his military heydays had deserted him. Active, energetic, and vibrant between 1984 and ‘85, the latter-day Buhari contrasted sharply with the Buhari the nation had known and the corrupt ones had feared, accompanied by a no-nonsense Ilorin-born Fulani soldier, Brigadier Tunde Idiagbon. While Buhari was hailed in 2015 as the symbol of change, he forfeited the adulation in 2023, with his ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), battling with internal contradictions. Under his watch, the nation was grounded by self-imposed fuel scarcity, forex burden and punishment, and a curious currency change that made life unsavoury for the citizens for weeks.

    Since Jonathan was voted out of power, his intention to bounce back has been a subject of speculation. Naive and poor at self-assessment, the former president has often listened to Ahithophelean advisers who have continued to urge him on.

    Jonathan is not a strong politician, neither is he a giant of history. He was nevertheless catapulted to stardom by sheer luck. In every political position he held, he was about garnering experience when he was suddenly promoted to a higher pedestal.

    As a young lecturer, he was tipped for running mate to a boisterous boss with larger than life attitude, the self-style Governor-General of Ijaw Nation, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. When the pompous governor of eight-local-government State of Bayelsa was run out of power, Jonathan, a spare tyre deputy governor, filled the void and finished his boss’ second term.

    No sooner had he secured the governorship nomination for 2007 than fate smiled on him again. At the presidential convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he was surprisingly paired with Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua as the running mate. His first boss was consumed by corruption. His second boss was down with a protracted illness. In the two instances, he became the chief beneficiary of unplanned power shift.

    The latter was not without hassles. As vice president, his ebullient and more strategic wife,  Dr. Dame Patience, complained about the position’s obscurity, alleging that having been sidelined in the high official quarters, he was reduced to a powerless deputy who consoled himself with reading newspapers.

    But the voice of reason made a solid case for him in the absence of President Yar’Adua. The doctrine of necessity was invoked and he moved up as Acting President. After Yar’Adua’s death, Jonathan became the number one citizen.

    It is important to note that Jonathan never struggled to get power at any level. Others struggled on his behalf or paved the way for him. Power always landed on his palm on a platter of gold. He, therefore, lacks the critical experience required for political competition, consultation, negotiation, mobilisation, strategic thinking, and evaluation.

    While in power, his poor experience often led to poor decisions. Jonathan received commendation for setting up a constitutional conference. Eminent Nigerians converged on Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to chart a new course for Nigeria. It later paled into a jamboree, as Asiwaju Bola Tinubu had earlier warned. The confab produced a good report. But the former president developed cold feet overnight. He said the approaching general election deserved more priority than the implementation of the far-reaching recommendations. The non-implementation of the report amounted to a waste of time, resources and opportunity.

    The steps he had taken in his elusive search for power confirmed his gullibility. Ahead of 2015, when it was obvious that he could not penetrate the Southwest, unlike in 2011, he sealed a pact with some elements in the region who lacked grassroots appeal. His major Southwest allies then were an aggrieved Afenifere factional leader, a capitalist lawyer who masqueraded as a revolutionary and leader of a fierce self-determination group. At the close of the poll, reality dawned on him that he struck a deal with fake allies without political clout.

    Gazing at 2027, Jonathan’s approach is laughable, although it casts him in the mould of innocence and meekness. He is banking on hope, the elixir of life, without a formidable structure and networks.

    Since 2015, Jonathan has been more or less “partyless”. After his defeat, he could not offer leadership for the party he used as a vehicle to ride to power. The former president has never played any leadership and stabilising role in the PDP but was aloof as the crisis-ridden platform decayed. The party’s governors who are battling to save its soul at the intensive care unit do not draw inspiration from GEJ who abandoned the platform a decade ago.

    He also deluded himself into thinking that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of Atiku Abubakar, his long-standing political foe, could offer him a temporary refuge. So ingenious was the Otuoke politician that he even applied for the ADC flag on the condition that no other aspirant, not even Atiku, should slug it out with him at the primary. Of course, he got the answer he deserved on the spot: “ADC is Atiku’s property and fortress.”

    Should Jonathan join the 2027 presidential race, he will most likely erase whatever is left of his political significance and sink into the abyss of irrelevance if he loses the poll. Nothing about the current state of the nation suggests otherwise.

  • 2027: Suit to bar Jonathan is an abuse of court process, says Senior lawyer

    2027: Suit to bar Jonathan is an abuse of court process, says Senior lawyer

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Oba Maduabuchi, has stated that the suit filed in the Federal High Court, Abuja, to prevent ex-President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting in 2027 is “an abuse of court process.”

    The senior lawyer made this known on Tuesday while featuring on Arise TV’s Morning Show.

    “An abuse of court process is when you want to relitigate a case or an issue that has already been settled by a court of competent jurisdiction,” he said.

    He added that Jonathan’s qualification or disqualification has already been adjudicated in Yenegoa, and since “nobody has taken that issue on appeal … until that judgment is set aside, it remains what the law is.”

    Maduabuchi said any party that takes that settled issue to a court of coordinate jurisdiction is simply “abusing the process of the court” and branded such action as one by “a busy body.”

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    He observed that what controls any situation is the law in force “when the act in issue was done,” asking whether Section 1373 existed in 2010 when Jonathan took the oath of office.

    He said the law only came into effect in 2018 and “when Goodluck Jonathan was taking the oath of office … there was no statutory limitation … which could inhibit him from running his constitutionally guaranteed two terms.”

    He questioned whether Jonathan swore any oath after the amendment of 1373 and likened attempts to apply a later law earlier to punishing someone under a law that did not exist when the act occurred.

    He recalled that judges’ retirement age was formerly 65, then changed to 70, and asked if a judge who had retired just before that change would sue to be reinstated under the new law.

    He emphasised that law demands certainty, and noted that “in 2011 and 2010, when Goodluck Jonathan swore the oath … Prohibition of 1372 was not in existence. It was not binding on him.”

    He said no “pyrotechnic” argument can breathe existence into a law that did not exist.

    He further referenced a case in the Federal Court of Appeal, which affirmed that Jonathan had the right to run, and one cannot apply retrospective laws to him.

  • 2027: Lawyer urges court to stop Jonathan from contesting

    2027: Lawyer urges court to stop Jonathan from contesting

    A lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to bar former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.

    In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, Jideobi is also urging the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s name as a candidate of any political party for the election.

    Listed as defendants are Jonathan, INEC, and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

    The plaintiff wants the court to determine whether, in view of Sections 1(1–3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, the former president remains eligible to contest for the office of president.

    He is seeking a declaration that Jonathan is constitutionally ineligible to contest or occupy the presidency again, having been sworn in twice — first in 2010 to complete the term of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and again in 2011 after winning the election.

    Jideobi argued that Jonathan has exhausted the constitutional limit of two terms and that allowing him to contest again would violate the Constitution.

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    He said he filed the suit in the public interest to defend the rule of law and prevent a breach of constitutional order.

    According to the affidavit supporting the suit, Jideobi noted that he saw reports in the media suggesting that Jonathan was being considered for the 2027 race.

    He stated that the former president had already taken the oath of office twice and that contesting again would amount to a third tenure, contrary to the Constitution.

    Constitutional debate

    To clarify eligibility questions for vice presidents or deputy governors who complete unexpired terms of their principals, the National Assembly in 2018 inserted subsection 3 into Sections 137 and 182 of the Constitution through the Fourth Alteration Act.

    Section 137(3) states: “A person who was sworn in to complete the term for which another person was elected as President shall not be elected to such office for more than a single term.”

    However, legal experts remain divided on whether this provision applies to Jonathan.

    What the courts have said

    In a May 27, 2022, Justice Isa Dashen of the Federal High Court, Yenagoa, held that Section 137(3) could not apply retroactively and that Jonathan, who only won a presidential election once in 2011, was not barred from running again.

    He delivered judgment on a suit by Andy Solomon and Idibiye Abraham, who asked the court to declare Jonathan ineligible,

    The judge held that the oath Jonathan took in May 2010 was not a result of an election but a constitutional succession following Yar’Adua’s death, stressing that the new constitutional clause had no retrospective effect.

    Similarly, the Court of Appeal in Abuja had in a March 3, 2015 judgment affirmed Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the 2015 election.

    The appellate court held that the 2010 oath merely completed Yar’Adua’s tenure and did not count as an election.

    Justice Abubakar Yahaya, who delivered the lead judgment, said: “Disqualification is through election, not oath-taking. When a Vice President succeeds a President who dies, that cannot be deemed an election.”

    Mimiko denies leading Jonathan’s 2027 consultations

    Former Ondo State Governor Dr. Olusegun Mimiko has denied reports claiming he was appointed to lead Jonathan’s 2027 presidential consultation team in the Southwest.

    It was alleged that Mimiko was recommended by former Osun State governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Rauf Aregbesola, to head the consultations.

    But in a statement by his media aide, Eniola Akinsola, Mimiko dismissed the report as “falsehood” and “a concocted rumour dressed in news.”

    He said he had not been contacted for any campaign assignment and was not seeking such a role.

    “The falsehood in the report is obvious from the get-go,” the statement said.

    “Mimiko respects former President Jonathan but has neither been reached nor appointed for any campaign that remains the subject of speculation. He is not job-hunting to lead any campaign.”

    The statement added that as political activities gather pace ahead of 2027, such stories will become common, particularly about political figures who have chosen to remain low-profile for now.

    Last week, former Minister of Information and PDP stalwart Prof. Jerry Gana claimed that Jonathan would contest the 2027 election on the PDP platform, saying Nigerians were yearning for his return.

    But presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga dismissed Gana’s claim as “an absurdity,” warning Jonathan to beware of politicians trying to lure him into the race for selfish reasons.

    “Politicians of Jerry Gana’s ilk merely want to lure him into the race to satisfy their personal, political, and ethnic interests. They will abandon him midstream, as they did in 2015,” Onanuga said.

  • I never said Buhari, Boko Haram were connected —Jonathan

    I never said Buhari, Boko Haram were connected —Jonathan

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan has refuted reports quoting him as saying that the late former President Muhammadu Buhari was once nominated by the Boko Haram terrorist group to represent them in a dialogue with the federal government.

    Jonathan, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser (Media and Public Affairs), Ikechukwu Eze, said his comments at the public presentation of Scars, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, in Abuja on Friday, were “grossly misrepresented”.

    The statement said: “The attention of the Office of Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been drawn to misleading reports circulating in sections of the media suggesting that Dr. Jonathan alleged that Boko Haram nominated the late President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, to represent them in dialogue with the Federal Government, and therefore this made him somehow complicit in the Boko Haram crisis.

    “We wish to make it abundantly clear that the former President’s comments were grossly misrepresented. At no time did Dr. Jonathan suggest, imply, or insinuate that President Buhari had any connection with Boko Haram or that he supported the group in any form.

    “Dr. Jonathan’s remarks, made in the course of a broader discussion on Nigeria’s security challenges, were meant to illustrate the deviousness and manipulative strategies employed by Boko Haram in their early years.

    “His reference was to a well-documented episode when various individuals and factions falsely claimed to represent the terrorist group and purported to name prominent Nigerians as possible mediators: without those individuals’ knowledge or consent.

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    “The point Dr. Jonathan sought to make was that Boko Haram, in its characteristic deceit, often invoked the names of respected public figures to sow confusion, exploit political divisions, and undermine public confidence in government.

    “His comments were therefore an illustration of the group’s duplicity, not an accusation against the late former president or any individual for that matter.

    “The former president’s position was that if indeed Buhari was their choice negotiator, why didn’t Boko Haram expeditiously bring their evil terrorist agenda to an end when the retired General became president?

    “For the avoidance of doubt, Dr. Jonathan recognises that President Muhammadu Buhari, like every patriotic Nigerian, stood firmly against terrorism and was himself a target of Boko Haram violence.

    “Both men, during their respective tenures, shared a common commitment to restoring peace and stability to Nigeria.

    “The Office of the Former President therefore urges the public to disregard any misinterpretation of his remarks.

    “Dr. Jonathan remains committed to peace, unity, and the strengthening of democratic values in Nigeria.

    “He believes that the nation’s progress depends on a truthful understanding of its challenges, not on the distortion of facts for political or sensational purposes.”

    Jonathan had said at the book launch: “One of the committees we set up then, the Boko Haram nominated Buhari to lead their team to negotiate with the government.

    “So, I was feeling that oh, if they nominated Buhari to represent them and have a discussion with the government committee, then when Buhari took over, it could have been an easy way to negotiate with them and they would have handed over their guns.

    “But it (the problem) is still there till today.”

  • ‘Jonathan is no threat to APC’

    ‘Jonathan is no threat to APC’

    Asiwaju Olumuyiwa Asagunla is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State. He was Special Assistant on Students and Special Interest to late Governor Olusegun Agagu, and currently, a member of the Governing Council of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo. Asagunla, who hails from Oke-Agbe Akoko in Akoko North West Local Government Area of Ondo State, in this interview with GBENGA ADERANTI talks about the Ondo politics, his group, Asiwaju Mandate Group, all about, and the 2027 elections. Excerpts

    It is being argued in certain quarters that it is too early to talk about 2027. What is your take on this?

     Nobody is campaigning yet, as that will negate the INEC rules, but what everybody is doing now is to create awareness through sensitisation of the people and the voters about the policies and good work of Mr President.

     The rumour is very rife that the former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, is going to join the presidential race. How comfortable is your party with this development?

     Very comfortable, so long as the law permits him. The more the merrier. But he should be reminded that Nigerians can’t forget in a hurry how insecurity almost overran his government and corruption was highly endemic under his watch. The track record of each person will speak for themselves, that is, if he gets his party’s ticket. But if you ask me, the nation has moved beyond a Jonathan. Better times are here.

     In what way will this affect the fortune of your presidential candidate in 2027?

     The scoreboard will be there to be presented to Nigerians. The things that Jonathan didn’t have the courage and political will to do have been done by President Tinubu. The subsidy that was almost ruining the nation’s economy has been removed, our refinery is working, Nigeria, which used to be the highest importer of fuel, is now the highest exporter of fuel in West Africa, and many other strides have been accomplished, and all that will count for good in the re-election of Asiwaju as president. GEJ must be reminded that he had power but lost it to Buhari with the help of PBAT, who is now in power. How on earth does he think that he can wrestle and get that power from  PBAT! To me, he is no threat at all to us in the APC.

     The coalition group is getting stronger both in size and popularity. What do you have to say about this?

     Getting stronger as how, at where? As far as I am concerned, the coalition is a fluke, a gathering of disgruntled individuals who have been in power and are being pushed by their presidential ambition. Gathering they shall surely gather, but they will by themselves self-destruct. It is a gang of disgruntled elements and politicians who didn’t get access to the commonwealth as they used to, and are driven by their inordinate ambition. Nigerians can see through their intent and deceit. They are spent forces.

     What is the Asiwaju Mandate Group (AMG) all about?

     Asiwaju Mandate Group is a socio-political group put together by the Honourable Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji Ojo on the 8th of March 2024 with the sole aim of proclaiming and publicizing the good works of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), and to explain to the people how the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President is touching positively on the lives of the common man. When you sensitise the people, they will know, and when they know, they can benefit from it, then they wouldn’t have any reason not to support Mr  President for a second term in office.

    Why is your group supporting President Tinubu, especially when you have another aspirant from Ondo, Adewole Adebayo, who is interested in the same position?

     Adewole Adebayo could have been a good candidate, but he lacks the experience and is possibly not mature enough to govern a multi-tribal country like Nigeria. He will do well to learn in Tinubu’s cabinet and contribute his ‘brilliant’  ideas like Dr Olubunmi-Tunji -Tunji Ojo is doing, but as president. He isn’t  ripe for such yet, with due respect to him.

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     In which way are you supporting your candidate?

     Advocacy, policy interpretation, and mobilisation for INEC voters registration, among others.

     The attitude of many is that support groups do not win elections; rather, it is the electorate that determine the fate of any candidate. How would you react to this?

     It is a support group, as the name implies. It is a mobilisation tool and a means of ensuring that democratic dividends reach a larger number of people through grassroots mobilisation. It’s on record that our convener, Hon. Dr Olubumi Tunji-Ojo, has initiated, perfected and financed the decamping of prominent politicians in opposition parties in Ondo State for over two years to date through Asiwaju Mandate Group to add value to our great party, the APC,  thereby reducing the  influx of prominent politicians into the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or ADA.

     Do you see your party surpassing the 2023 feat ? What measures are you putting in place to do this?

     Yes, we will beat them silly come 2027 because they can never talk in one accord. By the grace of God, we are targeting a 90% vote return for the president in Ondo State, and we hope that gets replicated in other states too.

     How would you rate the performance of the Ondo State governor so far?

     He seems to be doing his best, but I believe he can achieve more with a faster speed.

     Would you say Nigeria is practising true federalism?

     Yes in quote

     What are your roles as the DG of AMG?

     To coordinate other members of the executive in making decisions for the overall good of the members and the general public; direct the affairs of the Secretariat and ensure that it runs smoothly; coordinate dividends of the government and the goodwill of the groups convener to the people all across Ondo State.

  • Watch your tongue, Onoh advises Jonathan on Boko Haram talk

    Watch your tongue, Onoh advises Jonathan on Boko Haram talk

    The former southeast spokesman to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Denge Josef Onoh, has asked former President Goodluck Jonathan to be cautious on how he makes sensitive public utterances.

    Jonathan had at the public presentation of a book,”SCARS: Nigeria’s Journey and The Boko Haram Conundrum,” alleged that Boko Haram insurgents nominated the late President Muhammadu Buhari as their negotiator during his administration. 

    Onoh in a statement in Abuja, on Saturday, said that while Jonathan’s intention may have been to shed light on the complexities of the Boko Haram insurgency, the revelation, particularly at this time, carries grave implications that warrant serious reflection and caution.

    Onoh said that the statement is morally inappropriate and deeply insensitive, especially given that former President Buhari passed away recently, and his family is still in mourning. 

    “To publicly associate a deceased leader with such a sensitive and unverified claim risks casting a shadow over his legacy and inflicts unnecessary pain on his loved ones. 

    “As a former president, you are expected to uphold the highest moral standards, demonstrating restraint and decorum, particularly when discussing matters involving a departed colleague who can no longer respond or clarify such claims. Your disclosure, especially in the context of Nigeria’s polarized political climate, appears to serve no constructive purpose and instead fuels division and mistrust.

    “Secondly, his statement disregards the sanctity of classified security matters. As a former head of state, you are privy to the fact that certain sensitive issues, particularly those involving national security, are deliberately shielded from public consumption to protect the nation’s stability and the integrity of its institutions. 

    Read Also: Jonathan: Boko Haram once nominated Buhari as negotiator

    “During his lifetime, former President Buhari refrained from making public remarks about your administration’s handling of the Niger Delta militancy, respecting the unwritten code of discretion expected of leaders. By choosing to reveal this alleged nomination of Buhari by Boko Haram, you have breached this code, setting a dangerous precedent that undermines the confidentiality critical to governance and national security,”Onoh said.

    He noted that it was particularly concerning given the timing of Jonathan’s statement, which coincided with speculations about his potential presidential candidacy in 2027, saying that such disclosures risk being perceived as politically motivated, diminishing his stature as a statesman and suggesting that personal ambitions may be influencing his public utterances.

    “The negative implications of your statement are manifold. By waiting until the build-up to the 2027 elections to make this claim, you have inadvertently cast doubt on your intentions, leading many Nigerians to question whether this revelation is an attempt to score political points rather than contribute to a meaningful discourse on the Boko Haram crisis. 

    “This is a disappointment to the sensibilities of Nigerians who expect former leaders to rise above partisan politics and act as unifying figures. Your statement risks deepening public cynicism and eroding trust in leadership, especially at a time when Nigeria needs cohesion to tackle ongoing security and economic challenges.

    “I must also draw your attention to a similar instance in the past when I cautioned former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon for making unsubstantiated claims about the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu after his passing. Such actions, especially when the subject is no longer alive to respond, are not only unfair but also diminish the moral authority of the speaker. Leadership demands accountability, but it also requires empathy and respect for the dignity of others, particularly in death.

    “In light of the foregoing, I respectfully urge you to reconsider the implications of such statements and exercise greater caution in your public remarks. As a former President, your words carry immense weight and can either foster unity or exacerbate division. 

    “Nigerians look to you to model statesmanship, not to “sing like a canary that cannot fly” in pursuit of alleged political ambitions. I encourage you to focus on constructive contributions that honor the sacrifices of all leaders, including the late President Buhari, and to prioritize the healing and unity of our nation,” Onoh advised.

  • Atiku, Jonathan and 2027 (2)

    Atiku, Jonathan and 2027 (2)

    For the second time within a month, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has strongly, even vehemently, affirmed his determination to contest the 2027 presidential election and that he has no plans to step down for any contender. It was obviously in pursuit of this ambition that the Waziri Adamawa facilitated the hostile takeover of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) by elements of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as well as aggrieved members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), who believe they have been marginalised in the President Bola Tinubu administration. Professor Bola Olateju of the Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, most certainly thought he was doing the former Vice-President a favour when, at a recent event, he averred that Atiku was not desperate to contest the presidency but rather was more interested in the emergence of a capable leadership for the country.

    As the professor put it at the defection of some political figures to the ADC, “Atiku Abubakar’s plan is to build a better Nigeria, it’s not about being President; it’s about establishing a government that works for Nigerians – that’s why some of us are with him, not because Atiku must be President at all costs”. In a statement suggesting that Atiku was not keen to be associated with such altruistic motivation as suggested by the Professor, the former Vice-President’s media handlers brutally shut down Olateju ‘s submissions, stressing that he was not authorised to speak for their principal. Again, refuting what he described as misrepresentations in the media of an interview Atiku granted the Hausa Service of the BBC, his media Adviser, Paul Ibe, emphasised that the politician, who has been attempting to become President of Nigeria since 1993, has no intention to step down for any other candidate.

    Rather than planning to step down in favour of a younger candidate as reported by sections of the media, Mr Ibe explained that “What Atiku Abubakar clearly and unambiguously said was that young people, as well as other prospective aspirants, are free to enter the contest. He further stressed that if a young candidate were to emerge through a competitive primary, he would readily support such a candidate without any hesitation”. Of course, the problem is that with the current constellation of political forces within the ADC, it is unlikely that any other aspirant can emerge as the party’s Presidential flag bearer apart from Atiku. There is thus the strong possibility that the ADC may come to electoral grief in the 2027 election just as Atiku’s ambition put the PDP to the electoral sword in 2023.

    For the rotation of the presidency between the North and the South for periods of eight years each has become a cardinal article of faith among members of the political class across party demarcations. As we noted last week, apart from his alleged strong faith in the prophetic vision of some spiritual mystics that he is destined to be President, Atiku has not articulated any alternative economic policy agenda to demonstrate that he would perform better as President than the incumbent administration of President Tinubu. In any case, his former boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo, gave such a ringing and brutally unsavoury verdict on the character, competence and integrity of his former deputy in his autobiography and the wily Ota farmer has neither recanted on his savage put down of Atiku nor has he made any effort to revise and amend his condemnation of the latter as his book is still very much in circulation.

    Read Also: NAFDAC shuts Chinese supermarkets, cosmetics shops in Abuja

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s political moves, on the other hand, appear ‘curioser and curioser’ as certain political elements, especially from the PDP, try to lure him into contesting the presidential election come 2027. Although the ebullient former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, publicly stated that she would back the re-election of President Tinubu, especially given his support for Dr Jonathan in the 2011 elections, the buck stops at the former President’s desk. The ultimate decision is his. Will he leave the certainty of his widely acclaimed post-presidency role as an African and global statesman, or will he dive headlong into the rough and tumble of politics with the record of his tenure up for scrutiny once again in the turbulent, often dirty, game of politics?

    Dr Jonathan must surely be aware that the only reason he is being offered the bait of contesting for the presidency in 2027 is because it is perceived that, having been sworn in twice before, he can only spend one term of four years before power shifts back to the North. Of course, this itself is a matter of conjecture as he may face a bruising legal challenge as regards his eligibility to contest for the highest office in the land after having taken the oath of office twice before. It is unlikely that any serious party will be willing to take such a risk with the very possibility of not being able to field a candidate for the presidential election if the courts ruled against the eligibility of the former President.

    It has been reported that Dr Jonathan has been consulting with leaders in different parts of the country before taking a formal decision. Apart from meeting former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, he also reportedly had a closed-door meeting with the Interim National Chairman of the ADC, Senator David Mark. At the latter meeting, he reportedly demanded to be presented as the consensus presidential candidate of the party, thus making party primaries unnecessary. It is not surprising that Senator David Mark is said to have turned down the request, insisting that any candidate should contest and emerge through competitive primaries. It is hardly likely that any party will grant Dr Jonathan his wish.

    But even if the PDP, for instance, indulges the former President by fielding him as a consensus candidate without primaries, there is no way he will escape scrutiny of his governance record during the campaigns for the general election. The greatest need of the hour is to have a President who will build on and consolidate the economic reforms of the Tinubu administration. Unfortunately, there is no indication that Dr Jonathan can offer such leadership. It has been claimed by some of his supporters that he would have removed the corruption-ridden fuel subsidy payments as far back as 2012 but for the vehement protests of the opposition. But that exactly is the absence of courageous leadership on the part of the former President that defined his tenure.

    Referring to Dr Jonathan’s seemingly revived ambition, the presidency, through the President’s spokesman, Mr Bayo  Onanuga, submitted that “It is his inalienable right to contest the presidency again, but any such bid would face Judicial scrutiny. The jury will determine whether Jonathan, who was sworn in twice as President, satisfies the constitutional requirements and is eligible to contest the presidency and be sworn in, if successful, for a third term in office”. Turning to the no less substantial issue of Dr Jonathan’s governance record in office as President, this newspaper reports Mr Onanuga’s statement thus, “Recounting its view of Jonathan’s tenure, the statement said the administration “engaged in frivolous spending, ran the economy aground and put the country in dire straits” claiming that key indicators declined and that “the nation’s economic downturn actually began under President Jonathan”.

    Continuing, Onanuga stated that “Some business moguls, allocated foreign exchange to import fuel, simply pocketed the dollars without importing anything and that some still face court cases”. The statement also accused Jonathan and his National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), of distributing security funds to “friends and cronies”. The presidency also noted that Dr Jonathan in 2010 inherited $66 billion ($46 billion in foreign reserves and $20 billion in the excess crude account (ECA) but left foreign reserves “below $30 billion” and the ECA depleted to $2 billion” by 2015 “despite generating record revenue from crude oil sales”. It also noted that oil prices averaged $100 per barrel between 2010 and 2013, yet by December 2014, “the federal government could no longer pay salaries to Federal Civil Servants” while “at least 28 states owed workers arrears”.

    Speaking sometime in 2023 at a birthday event in honour of Dr Udenta Udenta, former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi tendered an apology to former President Jonathan over the vehement opposition to the attempt of his administration to remove fuel subsidy in 2012. Dr Fayemi was quoted as saying that “All political parties in the country agreed, and they even put it in their manifesto that the subsidy must be removed. We all said the subsidy must be removed. But we in ACN at the time, in 2013, we knew the truth, sir, but it is all politics.”.

    Responding to Fayemi ‘s claim at the time, cerebral journalist, editor and now Executive Commissioner (Operations) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Mr Louis Odion, submitted thus on an online platform, “Well, I think the issue is Fayemi ‘s volte face on the ACN stand in 2012. There is nothing to be apologetic about why the ACN opposed fuel subsidy removal in 2012. One, there was about zero safety net to protect the vulnerable then. With the ruling party more interested in splurging oil money on frivolity than and Jonathan using fuel importation license as patronage to party donors, there was no guarantee of any shelter for the poor. Subsidised petrol would then appear to be the only benefit the poor received from Nigeria. Two, Nigeria had a relatively healthy foreign reserve then, plus an excess crude account. So, the position of the ACN was in good faith and on behalf of the vulnerable population who would have been left stranded had the subsidy been removed then”.

    Louis submitted further that “But the situation in 2023 was quite different, necessitating subsidy removal. One, the APC government of Buhari had, between 2015 and 2023, laid out a comprehensive safety net in terms of a social investment programme, the most ambitious in Nigeria’s history. This included a cash register for millions of Nigerians who began to receive direct money transfer monthly, and also school feeding for pupils. Two, subsidy removal became inevitable in 2023 when Tinubu took over because, from a Nigeria that had over $46 billion foreign reserves in 2012, under Jonathan, Nigeria of 2023 had a net foreign reserves of $4 billion with over $7 billion unpaid immediate IOUs and the prospects of earning a kobo from crude oil virtually zero by June 2023…Worse, more than 90% of Nigeria’s earnings were already going into debt service. This was the choking economic climate Tinubu inherited on May 29, 2023”. Surely, there will be interesting policy and economic debates ahead should Dr Jonathan decide to contest in 2027.

  • We must not lose hope, says Jonathan

    We must not lose hope, says Jonathan

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that despite the challenges of insecurity and economic disparities, Nigerians must not lose hope, but continue to nurture hope and sustained belief in the nation’s potentials.

    In his  message to Nigerians  on his verified X-handle, the former President  praised the enormous potentials and resilience of the Nigerian people.

    He described the 65th Independence anniversary as another significant milestone in its journey to nationhood.

    Jonathan said: “As we celebrate 65 years of Independence from colonial rule, this moment offers us an opportunity to reflect on our collective journey of nation-building, on the challenges we have faced, and on the vast possibilities that still lie ahead.

    Read Also: PDP crisis lingers as Anyanwu voids dissolution of Akwa Ibom Exco

    “It is true that we face challenges that could test our sense of hope; insecurity, economic disparities and institutions that often struggle to deliver on the promises of improved wellbeing, peace and security. Yet, as citizens, we must not lose faith. We must continue to nurture hope and sustain belief in the nation’s enormous potential and the resilience of the people. 

    “Nigeria is a blessed nation, endowed with vast land, abundant natural resources, and, above all, the ingenuity and creativity of the people.

    “Our cultural richness, our knowledge, and our wisdom have continued to distinguish Nigerians across every sphere of human endeavor, both at home and abroad.

    “As we look to the future, let patriotism guide our actions. Let us hold firmly to optimism and faith, knowing that the greatness of our country is within reach if we remain united and steadfast.

    “May our nation continue to rise in strength and purpose”.

  • 2027: ex-President Jonathan just one of our options, says PDP

    2027: ex-President Jonathan just one of our options, says PDP

    Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is one of the options on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) shopping list for presidential candidate in 2027, the party said yesterday.

     It also said that it was too late for the allies of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in and outside the PDP to stop its convention billed for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

     The party spoke yesterday through its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, who doubles as the secretary of the Publicity Sub-Committee of PDP’s National Convention Organising Committee.

     He told reporters in Abuja that the PDP extended the deadline for submission of nomination forms so that further consultations can be conducted for states to take final decisions on micro-zoning of positions.

     Saying he is neither the spokesman for Prof Jerry Gana nor Dr. Jonathan, who Gana recently described as PDP’s likely choice for presidential candidate in 2027, Ologunagba said the party boasts of performing governors and other excellent personalities, who may be considered for the party’s ticket.

     He said: “I don’t speak for Prof Gana or former President Jonathan but our party has many worthy personalities and we shall cross the bridge when we reach there.”

     On reports that a faction backed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT Minister), Nyesom Wike, has successfully conducted a state congress and re-elected PDP’s former National Publicity Secretary, Venatius Ikem as its chairman, Ologunagba dismissed such perceptions as ‘mere hallucination’.

     He said the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), led by Umar Damagum, had postponed the state congress and decided that Southsouth Zonal Caretaker Committee, led by Chief Emmanuel Ogidi, will oversee affairs in the Cross River state chapter until a decision is taken to notify INEC and conduct proper state congresses in Cross River, Plateau and Kebbi states, where the exercises have been postponed.

    Read Also: 2027: Jonathan, David Mark disagree on ADC ticket

     Ologunagba said: “Emphatically, there was no PDP state congress in Cross River State; we are getting into the season of carnival in Calabar and those people only went there to do their carnival and it is okay because Calabar is a friendly place where people have a nice time, drink and have a jolly time.

     “This party has its due process and for those who think they can gather people to have drinks and call it a party congress, that’s mere hallucination; as for anyone who seeks to bring the party into disrepute, we will follow them up with proper and due process.”

     Commenting on reports about conflicting letters sent to INEC by Damagum and the PDP National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Ologunagba said the Damagum-led NWC is the sole body that decides for the party and not any individual.

     “There are people in our fold who are working with APC; we know that but we are united as a political party and we are strongly focused,” he added.

     He also dismissed the possibilities that someone from any state or group can sabotage the party’s national convention plans, saying the PDP train has reached Ibadan while the National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC) office at Legacy House in Abuja (which he unveiled on Monday), will serve as a hub for all relevant party activities.

     On why the party’s micro-zoning process has not been concluded, Ologunagba said talks were still on in parts of the country.

     He said: “Out of the need to allow for more consultation and consensus-building, the NCOC few days ago approved an extension of deadline for completion of forms as well as the date for screening of aspirants because we want more people to be involved so that we can have a contention-free national convention in Ibadan.

     “The new dates are to be announced later in line with party guidelines but 15 sub-committees have been appointed for a hitch-free convention and these include the screening sub-committee, venue sub-committee, and other committees for transportation, publicity, accreditation, security and intelligence, entertainment and welfare sub-committee, protocols, medical, accommodation and the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee.

     “We also have a Constitution Amendment and Technical Committee because there is need to look into our constitution again.”

     Ologunagba elaborated further on other issues: “We have concluded state congresses in Lagos, Oyo, Ondo, Edo, Borno, Niger, Kogi, Adamawa, and in the next few days, the PDP NWC will receive a report on the conduct of those congresses but the NWC has approved the postponement of congresses in Cross River, Plateau and Kebbi states.

    “As far as we are concerned, there was no state congress authorised by this party or consistent with its processes and procedures in Cross River, Plateau and Kebbi states where the congresses have been postponed.

    “In the case of Cross River and Plateau states, the NWC will consider a Caretaker Committee for Cross River State chapter under the direct supervision of the Southsouth Caretaker Committee, led by Chief Emmanuel Ogidi, until the date for a congress because the tenure of the exco in that state expired on September 18.

    “The Ogidi committee will continue to oversee party affairs in Cross River until we give statutory notice to INEC for the conduct of state congresses in Cross River, Plateau and Kebbi states.”

    “In Ekiti State, we have five aspirants who have bought governorship nomination forms with three men – Olumayokun Oluwole Oluyede, Dr. Funso Ayeni and two women who did not need to pay for Nomination Forms because of our party’s effort to boost women’s participation.

    “Their screening will take place on October 2 at the NCOC Conference Hall at Legacy House, Abuja.

     “PDP’s scheduled national convention will be very significant for Nigeria’s democracy; that is why you see APC jittery and it is understandable because we have a history of 16 years’ record of prosperity that was unlike APC’s years of scarcity,” he said.