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  • Tinubu heads for Benue to galvanise against serial killings

    Tinubu heads for Benue to galvanise against serial killings

    Alarmed by serial killings by terrorists and armed herders, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will tomorrow visit Benue State.

    He will galvanise security and rally the people against the marauders to end their dastardly actions.

    In the last round of attacks, which drew out youths in protest at the weekend, no fewer than 147 people were killed, according to Governor Hyacinth Alia.

    President Tinubu put off his original plan to visit Kaduna State to enable him to move to Benue, where he will have a town hall meeting with traditional rulers, political leaders, religious figures, youth groups, and civil society representatives. 

    The meeting is designed to generate home-grown solutions to the prolonged violence.

    Ahead of the visit, he dispatched the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume, also a former governor of the state; the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, Inspector General of Police (IG) Kayode Egbtokun; heads of intelligence agencies, and chairmen of the Defence Committees in the Senate and House of Representatives, to assess the situation, according to Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga.

    Yesterday, the President, who spoke on the killings during the Abuja water project, said: “While I sympathise with the Benue people, I have spoken to the governor, the leadership and the people of Benue, to accept our condolences and try very consciously to maintain peace and harmony among themselves.

    “I have always said that we are one single huge family living in the same house, staying in different rooms, but living together in harmony will be the result of our diversity for prosperity. We should be able to manage our anger and frustration.

    “I sympathise with those who have lost their lives. I will adjust my programme and go see Benue people on Wednesday.”

    Governor Hyacinth Alia, who hailed the proposed presidential visit, said it would be a soothing balm to victims and reassure the people that they are not abandoned in this trying period.

    The governor, who confirmed that 147 were killed, also explained that 127 bodies had been buried.

    He said eight were awaiting burial, with two in the mortuary, after the latest round of attacks.

    Alia insisted that foreign militants were behind the killings. He spoke on television.

    The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), led by Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, frowned at the persistent violence, saying that the attacks are heinous, barbaric and inhuman.

    Akume urged the people to unite for peace.

    The North’s umbrella organisation, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), implored security agencies to double down and quickly halt the bloodletting.

    Egbetokun ordered the deployment of additional policemen to join the special forces already deployed in the state.

    President’s visit would restore hope, says Alia

    Alia said the President’s visit would restore hope to already traumatised  Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), who have been hit by armed bandits.

    He told reporters in Makurdi that the visit would also bring succour to the people.

    The governor, who also received Egbetokun at the Government House, said the deployment of special forces would make a big difference in the battle against the bandits.

    The IGP also visited the Yelwata Community in Guma local government, where he inspected the damage done and engaged the community leaders alongside the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa.

    Read Also: Benue massacre: IGP orders deployment of additional manpower

    The IGP sympathised with the governor and the people over the killings and assured that the police would flush the criminals out of the state.

    Alia said foreign terrorists, and not just herders, are now responsible for the persistent killings.

    He said the attackers are heavily armed, operate without cattle, and do not speak any Nigerian language.

    The governor said the nature of the violence has evolved beyond the traditional farmer-herder clashes, adding that the onslaught now involves foreign militants with sophisticated weaponry.

    He said: “These are not just herders. Many of them are armed terrorists who don’t speak any known Nigerian dialect.

    “They move without cattle, which tells you they are not pastoralists.”

    Alia acknowledged President Tinubu’s and the Federal Government’s support, noting that significant security deployments have been made to address the crisis.

    He said the number of local governments under serious attack has reduced from 17 to three due to these interventions.

    Alia added: “After some of the recent deadly incidents, three federal security agencies were immediately deployed to Benue. That action forced many of the invaders to retreat from occupied communities.”

    The governor, who lamented that local collaborators were assisting the attackers, said: “Some of them are being aided by people within.”

    He urged the communities to be vigilant and support security efforts.

    The governor expressed deep concern over Benue’s porous borders, particularly with neighbouring Cameroon, Taraba, and Nasarawa states, which he said are being exploited by foreign militants to gain entry into Nigeria.

    He said: “We have serious security concerns along our borders. Many of these attackers are not from here. Even if they have local connections, intelligence shows they are foreign nationals.”

    Alia explained that he had held discussions with Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, saying that they shared intelligence reports linking the violence to foreign terrorist infiltration.

    The governor called for greater national attention to the crisis, emphasising the need for sustained federal collaboration to secure Benue and restore peace to its communities.

    Akume calls for unity, peace

    Akume urged leaders to urgently unite in forging a path to peace.

    He appealed to traditional rulers, political leaders, community stakeholders, and citizens across the state to set aside differences and act with urgency to restore peace and security in the region.

    He said: “We must rise above division and act decisively to protect our people and preserve our future.”

    The SGF condemned the continuous wave of violence, describing the latest killings as “reprehensible” and “a deep wound to the soul of our nation.”

    He noted that similar tragedies had occurred in Plateau and Zamfara states, stressing that the root causes were largely economic and not religious.

    Akume said: “These dastardly acts are not restricted to Benue State alone. Plateau and Zamfara states also suffer the same fate. These killings are economically deterministic, not religiously driven.”

    Akume thanked President Tinubu for his prompt intervention. He believes that his swift directive for a comprehensive security operation would flush out the perpetrators and restore order.

    Akume said beyond the security response, the Federal Government, through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has started providing humanitarian assistance..

    He promised to engage stakeholders and coordinate peace efforts across the affected communities.

    Akume said: “On my part, as a son of the soil and a key stakeholder, I will not relent in consulting, mobilising, and coordinating all necessary efforts to find and implement a durable solution, as I am doing the same for all the other affected states.”

    Stressing the sanctity of life, he called on Nigerians of all faiths — Christians, Muslims, and traditionalists — to reject violence and reaffirm the values of peace and brotherhood.

    He said: “As believers… we believe in the sanctity of human lives. Any single life lost offends the sensibility of God Almighty. All of us must live as brothers and sisters in peace and harmony.

    “In this dark hour, we stand with you. And we will not rest until justice speaks — loudly, clearly, and without delay.”

    CDS vows to end banditry

    Gen. Musa vowed that the military would end banditry.

    Speaking in Yelwata, the CDS said the Armed Forces would leave no stone unturned to ensure that such devastating attacks were not repeated.

    He also assured that wherever the attackers were, the military would get and neutralise them, adding that the Yelwata attack would be their last act.

    Gen. Musa, who admitted that there were officers who compromised and gave out information, clarified that such officers were no longer in service.

    He said there was evidence that the bandits had their targets, adding that there were insiders who aided them.

    Gen. Musa said: “I’m going to see my commanders, and we have to change our strategy. We want to look inward and see how we can address this.

    “We have even within us people who compromise and give information. Going around the scene, the way the killings and burnings were carried out shows that they had insiders.

    “I discussed with community leaders, traditional rulers and the clergy the need for us to work in unity.

    “There have been some issues of trust, and we are going to address them.”

    Aondoakaa urges leaders to close ranks

    Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mike Aondoakaa, urged the people to close ranks in this moment of grief.

    He said in a statement that this is not the time to trade blame but to support every effort to bring about peace.

    He lamented the killings, which rendered many people motherless and fatherless.

    Aondoakaa said: “Beyond the mourning, we must reflect. This is no longer the time for political divides, clannish sentiments, or personal loyalties.

    “The enemy before us does not care whether we are Tiv, Idoma, Igede, nor do they care which political party one belongs.”

    “Your Excellency, now is the time to show the heart of a father; a father who grieves not just with words, but decisive action.

    “I plead with you to put the house of Benue family together, from traditional rulers to religious leaders, youths, women and all stakeholders to achieve peace in the state so that Benue will not be a killing field.”

  • Villains of democracy

    Villains of democracy

    President Tinubu last Thursday bestowed national honours on heroes and heroines of June 12, 1993 struggle. Leading the pack was MKO Abiola, the winner of what has come to be regarded as the freest and the most credible election in the nation’s history and who had to pay the supreme sacrifice for winning a pan-Nigerian mandate. Others honoured by the president include activists, journalists, scholars and Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni nine who were executed by Abacha’s junta in 1995 following their protest against Shell’s activities in the region.

    But as a nation that often shields its youths from knowing the painful past and treacherous role of its political elite, I think beyond honouring our martyrs of democracy for their heroic struggle, this is also an opportunity to identify some of the villains responsible for undermining our democratization process.

    Ibrahim Babangida on whose desk the buck stops as self-appointed president who took Nigerians through eight years of ‘transition without end’ only to annul the result of the fairest and most credible election in the nation’s history, won by his friend, MKO Abiola has been fingered as the one responsible for Nigeria’s nightmare despite his attempt to blame others including, his generals, northern establishment and the judiciary.

    Yet with characteristic conceit of Shaka the Zulu, his hero, Babangida started his game of deceit by first setting up a political bureau, decreeing two political parties, NRC and SDP for a nation that had since 1923 managed political parties, and setting up Centre for Democratic Studies (CDS) where his State House professors swore they could teach democracy and democratic ethos. And against wise counsel, he went ahead to fritter away N3billion on building political party headquarters, later taken over by reptiles as well as allocating another N531b for the take off their two decreed parties.

    To protect his decreed political parties reserved only for military groomed new-breed politicians, he had on October 7, 1989 ordered the dissolution of  the then existing  13 political associations,  disqualified 12 aspirants on the eve of gubernatorial election for their role in October 19,1991 primaries and banned 12 national assembly members as well as  all the powerful 23 presidential candidates.

    If however you ask me for the villain of June 12, 1993 debacle, despite Babangida’s “eight years of transition without end”, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo is the one who in my view fits the bill. Without Obasanjo playing god in 1979, we would not have had Buhari in 1984, Babangida in 1985 and of course, Abacha in 1993.

     Obasanjo, it was who in 1979 declared the best candidate in that year’s election didn’t need to win. He was to later confess he aided Shehu Shagari, who was only interested in going to the senate to win the 1979 election.

    Olu Falae, who joined the Babangida regime a few weeks after adopting the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) while appearing on Channels TV programme last week, reminded us that it was Shehu Shagari who, through indiscriminate and uncontrolled issuance of import licences, ruined Nigerian economy in four years of importation of foreign manufactured goods including NPN chairman Akinloye’s branded wine.

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     We owed international creditors and without paying our debt, Olu falae insisted that there was no way to trade with the international community. This according to him was what drove Babangida to embrace SAP, which reduced our country to an importer of the labour of other societies while with the collapse of our budding industries, with our unemployed youths moving to foreign lands in search of greener pasture.

    And if there those who want to hold brief for Obasanjo for undermining our democratization process in 1979 and in the process used his hands to destroy the legacy he left behind in 1979, all that is needed is to interrogate his treacherous role in the annulment of MKO Abiola’s June 12, 1993 victory and imposition of Interim National Government, declared illegal few months later by the court.

    Obasanjo, who was widely acclaimed as a pillar of democracy in Africa for voluntarily handing over power to a civilian government in 1979 in addition to his virulent criticism of Nigeria military whose leadership he claimed was “deficit in so many fundamental attributes”, Nigerians and the international community had expected Obasanjo to call Babangida, his protégé to order.

    But Obasanjo, who often suffers from messianic complex, was to tell Nigerians that MKO Abiola who had just secured a pan Nigerian mandate was not the messiah Nigerians were waiting for. And to supplant Abiola’s victory, a spineless Ernest Shonekan, Abiola’s fellow Egba man was installed head of illegal interim national government.

    And if there are those still in doubt as to who constituted the greatest threat to Nigeria’s democratization process in the fourth republic, events that followed the sudden death of General Abacha, the maximum ruler finally laid that to rest.

    Obasanjo was the military and northern establishment PDP candidate for the 1999 presidential election to assuage the raw feelings of aggrieved Yoruba that had, along with other Nigeria’s pro-democracy groups, fought five years strategic battle with the military. Many including Olu Falae, his opponent, believed the election was rigged in his favour. By 2003, Obasanjo and PDP had rigged the six southwest governors except Lagos out of office. In the 2007 election denounced even by Umaru Yar’Adua, the winner, Obasanjo and PDP with the help of Tony Anenih, “Mr. Fix it”, took control of 28 of the nation’s 36 states.

    Obasanjo for eight years danced on the grave of MKO Abiola without acknowledging his supreme sacrifice.  Instead, in an effort to consign June 12 to history, Obasanjo went on to cynically adopt May 29, the day the military was humiliated out of power as democracy day.

     Ironically, it took Buhari, a man with a large heart, whose removal from office in 1985 through Babangida’s palace coup was widely believed to have been sponsored by Abiola, to right an historic wrong. Buhari conferred on Abiola the nation’s highest national honour and declared June 12 1993 as Nigeria Democracy Day.

    Now that we have established that Obasanjo emboldened Babangida and Abacha to hold Nigeria hostage while a fertile ground for hungry politicians to exploit the ethnic and religion vaults in our nation for personal gains between 1985 and 1999 brewed, we can again interrogate those often regarded as villains of democracy stating with Arthur Nzeribe, the arrow head of those opposed to inauguration of Abiola as president.

    This was a man who once admitted beating up his Irish principal in secondary school, an international business man described by BBC as the “largest arms dealer in Africa, who wanted extension of IBB tenure by three years “to eradicate poverty, corruption and rights the wrong of political inequality”. Despite placing a full page advertorial in newspapers claiming the Igbo opposed Abiola’s presidency, there was no evidence Nzeribe spoke for the Igbo nation. Nzeribe was no doubt working for his stomach.

    Uche Chukwumerije,  the secretary of Information whose brief period witnessed the proscription of no less than five different newspapers and newsmagazines, who “ succeeded in reducing Abiola’s pan Nigeria mandate to a Yoruba mandate, government critics to Lagos sectional press, many believed was out to demonstrate he was a propaganda genius.  Chidi Amuta, who authored Babangida’s biography, Prince of the Niger, Eric Agume Opia, Walter Ofonagoro,  Bassey Ikpeme, Dr Atkin, Abimbola Davis, Ebenezer Babatope, Minister of Transport and Aviation who later became chieftain of PDP, Lateef Jakande, General Haliru Akilu – Director General of National Intelligence Agency, Chief Clement Apamgbo – Attorney General, Babagana Kingibe who abandoned his mandate to become Abacha’s internal affairs minister, Justice Bassey Ikpeme who gave a midnight judgment to scuttle the election, Justice Dahiru Saleh, who passed the judgment stopping further announcement of result, were driven more by self-preservation than by desire to derail the democratization process.

    I am not sure others labelled as villains of democracy including the likes of Arisekola Alao, the Aare Musulumi of Yoruba, a military contractor and Lamidi Adedibu, the strong man of Ibadan politics, notorious for his variant of politics of stomach infrastructure, Jerry Gana, a man who doesn’t believe in anything and has freely deployed his awesome talent into the services of every government in power since 1979, Akanni Aluko of The Third Eye, really cared about democracy.

    I similarly don’t think that other zealot Babangida worshippers like Duro Onabule who staked his honour to defend his boss even after his principal’s admission that “the government interfered to save the judiciary from ridicule or Augustus Aikhomu’s assertion that they “are trying to save the neck of Abiola” was driven by a desire to truncate the democratization process. 

    The tragedy today is that the very villains of democracy are the same people putting themselves forward as solution to our crisis of democracy.

  • The anatomy of opposition

    The anatomy of opposition

    That the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration has given Nigerians, nay the world, a lot to chew upon in the last two years of being in the saddle is certainly beyond debate. For while most Nigerians would not readily characterise the president as a disruptor in the mould of United States President Donald J. Trump, whose mission to carve the global socio-economic and political landscape after his liking continues to roil global capitals, the fact remains that nothing in the course that his Nigerian counterpart has set upon in the last two years can be said to be any less tremor-inducing in terms of their impact in fundamentally reordering the nation’s beleaguered political economy.

    From the swirling controversies over the removal of the graft-ridden fuel subsidy to the termination of the atrocious regime that left forex management in the hands of corrupt bankers and their allies, right up to the steady revamp of the decadent public finance infrastructure, there is, most certainly a lot to be said of the dismantling of those elegant castles of corruption as marking a turning point in the nation’s redemptive journey.

    Already, we know what the numbers are. From allocations to the federal, states and the local governments that have grown exponentially to the steady rise in foreign reserves that has brought relative stability to the foreign exchange market, the returns on the GDP (this newspaper, quoted a World Bank report as stating that the GDP grew 3.4% in 2024, the highest in a decade) the gradual moderation of the troubling inflation with foreign reserves now at $38 billion, there is a sense that things will return to normalcy in no distant future. In fact, only yesterday, inflation, the scourge of the working class, reportedly declined from 23.71 percent in April to 22.97 percent in May – a decline of 0.745.

    Today, if those numbers are any indication of the soundness of policy, a reflection of the extent to which some of the issues holding down the economy are being tackled headlong, what Nigerians must find exasperating isn’t just the unceasing denial of the reality by the so-called opposition, but their desperate insistence in foisting their specious, alternative reality on the people in the bid to make their prognostication of gloom and doom a living, self-fulfilling prophecy!

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    For while the idea of an opposition being unable to live down the prospects of citizens’ hope finally being renewed by an administration that has demonstrated far more grits in tackling the demons which have held the country down than those before it would not seem entirely strange, particularly concerning is the state of opposition politics in the last two years, given the inability of the leading parties, the PDP of Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party of Peter Obi, to reinvent themselves after the gruelling 2023 elections.

    Nigerians will recall the blatant campaign by these sore losers to de-legitimise the election outcome at every turn. When allegations of widespread malfeasance of electoral practices increasingly sounded hollow, their spin-doctors trained their attention on the I-Rev portal said to have ‘suddenly’ malfunctioned. They would neither countenance nor accept the rational explanation that this actually has nothing to do with the credibility of the outcomes – not with party agents in all of the 176,974 polling units already having in their custody, copies of the already scanned result sheets, which at that point, were being uploaded, albeit slowly on the I-Rev viewing portal. That a glitch occurred along the line was apparently sufficient to declare the entire process as compromised!

    But then, this would be child’s play compared with the vicious campaigns that followed, home and abroad, to kick out the winner, not on the basis of the election that had just been held; certainly not in any breach of any of its known guidelines, but on matters that could only have been conjured in their opportunistic flight of fancy! To ensure clinical execution of ‘righteous’ anger, their supporters had to literally put the guns to the heads of our eminent jurists in the Supreme Court in their bid to secure what could only have been justice pleasing only to them! As for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not only did they declare the body the number one public enemy, they wanted the body sequestered and their leaderships condemned to the guillotine!

    In the whole of 24 months, they have done little else but rant – over anything and everything that has to do with the Tinubu administration and its handling of the economy – which, by the way, is no crime – unfortunately with no coherent alternative suggested.

    Apparently, no lessons was learnt from the events prior to, and in the aftermath, of the 2023 elections; no time to reorganise and reflect; and no strategy to reconnect with the people after that electoral cycle. Rather, it was sufficient to retire to the shadows to plot, to keep playing the victim, to accuse the government of not working for the people; to claim that the removal of fuel subsidy – which they themselves – I mean the leading opposition candidates Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi – also swore to do – was callous – going as far as branding other notable reforms being undertaken to get the economy going as nothing but self-serving.

    Never mind that when the Labour Party candidate in particular was asked what he would do differently on the subsidy issue, he could only utter some incomprehensible mumbo-jumbo about doing so IMMEDIATELY but in an organised manner!

    Touching on corruption, he claims, in his utmost naivety, to possess the magic to stamp it out overnight, although he would admit that a good number of the policies that he wants to pursue, like the one the administration was being criticised for, would also require some time before gestation since he didn’t claim to be a magician! As far as the LP candidate is concerned, the policies aren’t working simply because, he, Peter Obi, is not the one in charge! Hubris or plain dissonance?

    Now, between the trio of Atiku Abubakar who would rather spend valuable time and cash in the (vain) pursuit of a vehicle of convenience that would guarantee that his perennial quest for the presidency finally comes to fruition, a confused Peter Obi, whose credo of leading from behind is largely responsible for the crises afflicting his Labour Party, and the brood of entitled wayfarers from the ruling APC, the most prominent of which are Rotimi Amaechi and Nasir El-Rufai, individuals,  who, apparently , could no longer bear the thought of life out of power – the anatomy of Nigeria’s current opposition may have finally come, fully unveiled. The sight, to say the least, is unflattering.

    Glad to be back from vacation, dear readers.

  • Use Sovereign Wealth to Build Africa, Tinubu urges African nations

    Use Sovereign Wealth to Build Africa, Tinubu urges African nations

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged African nations to deepen regional cooperation and deploy sovereign wealth funds strategically to accelerate development across the continent.

    He said the coordinated use of these national reserves is essential for closing infrastructure gaps, enhancing climate resilience, and creating employment for the rapidly expanding youth population.

    Speaking on Monday in Abuja at the opening of the 4th Annual Meeting of the Africa Sovereign Investors Forum (ASIF), President Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said the continent must align its resources and ambitions in response to a fast-changing global landscape.

    The event was hosted by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) under the theme: “Leveraging African Sovereign Wealth Funds to Mobilise Global Capital for Transformative Development in Africa.”

    “This forum comes at a time when the world is undergoing rapid transformation and is under pressure to think outside the box. For Africa, this is the moment to position itself to seize opportunities arising from these changes,” the President said.

    He urged African countries to emulate the example of evolving sovereign wealth funds globally, which now play central roles in national transformation rather than being used solely as fiscal stabilisation tools.

    “Our future lies not in working in silos but in pursuing regional cooperation and collective ambition,” Tinubu stated. “Our sovereign wealth funds must become the anchors for pan-African investment platforms that de-risk projects, standardise processes, and deliver sustainable outcomes at scale. This is not just a strategy. This is a necessity.”

    He acknowledged the fiscal pressures African governments face amid heightened expectations for inclusive and sustainable growth, but said innovation and creativity in resource utilisation will provide a way forward.

    “There can be no greater inspiration to reimagine how we invest, whether in setting up critical infrastructure, strengthening our climate resilience, promoting food security through agricultural innovation, supporting micro, small and medium enterprises, or embracing the digital economy to create jobs and expand opportunity,” Tinubu said.

    He commended the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority for its role in championing strategic infrastructure projects, describing it as a “catalyst” in Nigeria’s development agenda, particularly in renewable energy, healthcare, and agriculture.

    On the ASIF platform, President Tinubu said it represents a vital step toward fostering integration among Africa’s sovereign wealth institutions. He said the platform has the potential to pool expertise, capital and networks across borders and drive investment into high-impact projects.

    “This is precisely why platforms like the Africa Sovereign Investors Forum are not just relevant but essential. ASIF offers a pan-African mechanism to harness the collective strength of our sovereign investment institutions. It gives us the power to share knowledge, co-invest across borders, and speak with a unified voice in the global financial ecosystem,” he said.

    He described the launch of the ASIF Investment Platform as a bold initiative that could galvanise financing for cross-border infrastructure and drive the continent’s sustainable development. President Tinubu praised the NSIA’s leadership for working with like-minded funds and international partners to craft long-term investment strategies tailored to Africa’s unique challenges.

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    In his address, Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, urged stakeholders to focus on large-scale capital mobilisation, human capital development, policy alignment, and intercontinental collaboration. He said these elements are critical to unlocking transformative growth across Africa.

    “We are optimistic that this meeting will produce significant transactions that can attract the needed capital, build impactful partnerships and catalyse economic transformation across the continent,” Edun said.

    On his part, President of the African Export-Import Bank (AfreximBank), Prof. Benedict Oramah, called for a change in investment philosophy, urging that African sovereign wealth funds be retained within the continent to finance domestic projects.

    “There is a misconception that Africa lacks bankable projects. The potential across the continent is massive. The issue lies in how we approach investment strategy. Sovereign fund managers need to prioritise domestic investments that have a long-term impact,” Oramah noted.

    ASIF chairman, Mr Obaid Amrane, said the forum has made notable progress since its inception three years ago, positioning Africa more competitively on the global stage and bridging infrastructure financing deficits. He restated the forum’s commitment to ensuring that sovereign investment is at the heart of Africa’s transformation.

    “While Africa remains open for business, we are focused on enabling sovereign investors to play an active role in projects that change lives across the continent,” Amrane said.

    Managing Director of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Mr Aminu Umar-Sadiq, said the focus of the gathering was on how Africa’s sovereign wealth funds can leverage partnerships at domestic, continental, and global levels to deliver economic transformation.

    He said the funds must strike a balance between taking bold investment risks to drive impact and maintaining the discipline needed to preserve wealth for future generations.

    Sadiq noted that the continent must work together to develop a sustainable investment platform capable of attracting large-scale global capital.

    Such a platform, he said, should support initiatives that deliver strong commercial returns while also generating meaningful social impact, allowing Africa to address its developmental needs through financially sound and socially responsive investments.

    Umar-Sadiq added that African sovereign wealth funds must position themselves as the strategic partners of choice for international investors, combining their domestic knowledge and financial capacity to create an attractive market proposition. He said several investment and strategic agreements would be signed during the meeting to reinforce a collective commitment to economic transformation through collaboration and long-term capital deployment.

    Also speaking at the forum, renowned Pan-African scholar, Prof. PLO Lumumba, urged African leaders to take greater responsibility for future generations by investing within the continent rather than exporting capital abroad.

    “It is our intergenerational duty to deploy the continent’s vast resources for the benefit of those yet unborn. Africa is not poor; our wealth is simply misallocated. Sovereign funds should remain in Africa to secure its future,” Lumumba stated.

  • Tinubu, Abbas seek multi-faceted approach to tackling insecurity

    Tinubu, Abbas seek multi-faceted approach to tackling insecurity

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, on Monday stressed the need for a multi-faceted approach to tackling the emerging security challenges in the country through a robust legal framework for collaboration and intelligence sharing.

    Both the President and the Speaker spoke at a one-day constitution review legislative dialogue on national security architecture organised by the House Committee on Constitution review in collaboration with the office of the National Security Adviser.

    Represented by the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, the President said the nation stands at the crossroads of constitutional responsibility and national necessity, adding that the dialogue is not an academic luxury; it is a national imperative.

    He said for decades, the nation’s constitution has served as the backdrop of democracy, yet the pace of changes in technology and the complexity of security threats and in the dynamics of our federal structure have far outstripped the capacity of some constitutional provisions.

    He said, “The time has come to align Nigeria’s security and structure with some vital life realities. Our national experience has shown that neither centralisation nor fragmentation alone can secure the vast and diverse

    “The growing agitation for state police, the complex demand of cybercrime, cybersecurity, and the urgent need for efficient, intelligent sharing among agencies.

    “Security in the 24th century is cooperative, non-competitive. Terrorism in the North East, mandatory in the North West, harassing the government in Guinea, farmer-headers’ crashes in the Middle-British, separatist opposition in the South East all share one class of instinct: they transcend the capacity of any single agency.

    “It offers an opportunity to entrench constitutional provisions that encourage real-time intelligence joint operations planning and unified strategic response. The commander-in-chief of our armed forces has emphasised repeatedly that security agencies must act as one, united in purpose and action. In recent times,

    “Through enhanced intelligence fusion, joint task force operations, and synchronised air and ground offensive, Nigerian security forces have successfully dismantled separatist groups in the South East, dislodged criminal enclaves in the North West, and reduced the state of heresy in the world of Guinea.

    “This integrated approach has led to a noticeable reduction in high-profile kidnappers and bandit attacks, which improved responses to cross-border threats, demonstrating the effectiveness of the whole-of-government strategy in subduing national security.

    “Those efforts complement the broader objective of the Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises the restoration of peace and public confidence in the state’s capacity to secure its way.

    “Under this agenda, significant strides have been made: the establishment of the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre to protect educational institutions; the procurement and deployment of modern military equipment, including surveillance drones and mine-resistant vehicles; and the approval of community policy framework aim at bridging the gap between security forces and the citizens.

    “Furthermore, government investment in border surveillance technology and cybersecurity infrastructure reflects their proactive stance against a global security threat in both physical and digital domains.

    “No composition on Nigeria’s security is complete without recognising the foreign nature of our borders and their role in foiling arms to our people against national crimes and terrorism.

    “Our constitution must provide for clear federal and sub-national roles in frontier security, enabling community-led vigilance while fostering federal capacity to police nature”.

    Read Also: APC Northeast endorses Tinubu, Shettima for 2027

    Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, said the dialogue highlights the urgent need to review existing laws, close and streamline overlapping,  and enact new ones to strengthen and reposition the security architecture to be able to confront existing and emerging security challenges that now threaten our nation.

    According to him, the complex and dynamic nature of these security challenges demands new approaches and strategies that are multi-dimensional, adaptable, inclusive, and technology-driven.

    He said these new approaches and strategies must be backed by legal and institutional frameworks that would ensure enhanced capacity, capability, and competence for overall effectiveness.

    He said further that the dialogue is intended to deepen discussions on the constitution review by focusing on how best to achieve comprehensive security and policing reforms, improve cooperation and coordination between security agencies, enhance border security for national and regional stability as well as make inputs into proposed security related bills including the bill that seeks to establish state police.

    Speaker Abbas said further that terrorism, banditry, piracy, militancy, and oil theft in different parts of the country combined to make life difficult for Nigerians. We therefore resolved to take the necessary legislative measures that would support the government’s drive to end insecurity.

    He said beyond the motions and bills introduced by the House, it has also taken several practical steps to improve security governance in Nigeria, saying, “as lawmakers, we must take the lead in improving cooperation between government agencies and making laws that reflect current realities.

    “Let me reiterate the need for renewed attention on House Bill 617, which supports the creation of state policing systems. This topical issue continues to generate public interest and concern.

    “The issue of border security is also critical and needs urgent legislative attention. The porous nature of Nigeria’s expansive border makes it vulnerable to crime and criminality. Although we have enacted the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Law, 2024, legislation on border security is necessary to strengthen this law and make it more effective.

    “Stronger legal support in these and other critical areas can improve safety and give our people more confidence in our security agencies.

    “Community involvement is also key to making our country safer. Security is not just the job of the military or the police; it is the collective responsibility of all Nigerians.

    “Therefore, our reforms must reflect the voices of everyday Nigerians, and this justifies the importance of this dialogue. I am confident that the outcomes of this dialogue will meet our collective expectations.

    “We look forward to receiving comprehensive recommendations on the proposed bills seeking to strengthen our security architecture, a collaborative framework for inter-agency synergy, and a roadmap for enhancing border security and regional stability”.

    Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, Benjamin Kalu, said the dialogue is not happening in a vacuum as the House has convened several high-level engagements to address Nigeria’s security challenges.

    He said the central aim of this engagement is to synthesise and collate, directly from you, the key actors in our national security architecture, your candid perspectives on the “sickness” in our constitution that impedes the effective delivery of your mandates.

    He said, “Over the years, laws have been crafted on various aspects of national life, including security governance, often without a proper diagnosis of the real gaps and challenges as experienced by those on the frontline.

    “To proceed with constitutional amendments without first hearing from you would be akin to a medical doctor prescribing treatment without a thorough diagnosis or treating a patient without listening to their symptoms. As legislators, we recognise that the work of parliament is much like that of a physician: we must depend on accurate laboratory diagnosis to prescribe the right medication to cure an ailment.

    “This dialogue is designed to be that diagnostic process. We are here to listen to you, those who wear the shoes and know exactly where it pinches. Whether the issues are rooted in inter-agency harmonisation, command authority, intelligence coordination, or other critical aspects, your insights are indispensable.”

    Also speaking, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Chris Musa, said as security threats continue to evolve,  ranging from terrorism and insurgency, cyber warfare and hybrid threat,  it has  become imperative that a legal and institutional framework evolves in tandem.

     Accordingly, this gathering is not only timely, but essentially a straight foundation for a more robust, agile, and responsive national security system.

    He disclosed that the Armed Forces of Nigeria is presently operating with a legal structure that is increasingly inadequate to address the complex future environment in which it functions, saying, “Our current laws were not designed to support the potential welfare of communities, particularly as we face threats and non-trivial future engagements.

    “Operational ambiguities regarding command authority, undefined arrest and detention procedures during internal operations and traditional overlaps with other security agencies are adversely affected by efficiency and operational coherence.  These are concerns that have practical implications for mission success and the safety of our citizens. 

    Therefore, Legislative reforms, particularly to the Armed Forces Act and key sections of the Constitution, are not just overdue, but are critical.  They must be pursued with urgency and clarity of purpose.

    He highlighted some key legislative areas where reform is urgently required to include the recognition of modern security threats, including terrorism, cyber warfare, and misuse of digital platforms.

    The review, he said, should consider the establishment of a field court martial and a sitting court martial in all military divisions and commands for speedy justice and accountability and the creation of a permanent commercial tribunal within each military division to ensure consistent access to justice.

    In the same vein, we advocate for explicit constitutional recognition of court-martial as superior courts of record, with concurrent judicial powers alongside federal and state high courts. This review should also consider empowering the armed forces to detain and investigate suspects during internal operations. This will reduce delay and enhance the efficiency of kinetic and non-kinetic efforts.

    Furthermore, the Nigerian Navy should be constitutionally authorised to collaborate with the Nigerian Customs and Immigration Service along the inland waterways to combat piracy and smuggling challenges, which remain persistent in our coastal and riverine areas. 

    We also recommend the introduction of the merit-based selection process where the Chief of Defence Staff provides three nominees per service to the President for appointment. This will foster transparency, professionalism, and constitutional continuity.

    “We also propose the insertion of a clause enabling court-martial to try individuals captured in the act of terrorism and insurrection under martial law conditions.  This will streamline the justice process in hiring scenarios and high-stakes authority.

    “I will close by reminding us all that security is not merely about boots on the ground or an advanced system.  It is also about the strength of our law, the clarity it brings, the power it confers, and the protection it guarantees.

    “I therefore urge this dialogue to take a deeper look at the areas highlighted, as they will help speed up the trials of suspected cases, thereby reducing the spread of insecurity in the country.  Let us work together to produce an elegant instrument that will empower security forces, clarify institutional mandates, and strengthen the sovereignty of our republic.”

    The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said security and constitutional order are inseparable. A resilient, inclusive and forward-looking constitution is one of our most effective tools in preventing the conditions that give rise to insecurity.  The Constitution is not just a legal document.  It is the bedrock of national unity, justice and stability.  In our diverse and complex society.

    “The constitution must continue to evolve to reflect the hopes and challenges of the Nigerian people.  At the Office of National Security Advisor, we understand that addressing national security requires more than just a kinetic approach.  It involves addressing grievances, protecting human rights, fostering trust between citizens and the state and ensuring that every Nigerian, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or region, feels a sense of belonging.  These are all constitutional issues.  I commend the National Assembly and all stakeholders here today for initiating this dialogue.

    “It is only through inclusive, consultative, and transparent processes such as this that we can truly build a constitution that strengthens our federation and enhances our national security. 

    “As you engage in today’s deliberations, I urge you to consider how constitutional reform can support more effective governors, improve accountability, decentralise service delivery, and foster the kind of resilient institutions that can withstand both internal and external threats.”

  • Kokori’s family thanks Tinubu for national honour

    Kokori’s family thanks Tinubu for national honour

    The family of late labour icon and pro-democracy activist, Comrade Frank Ovie Kokori, has expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for conferring the posthumous national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on their patriarch.

    In a statement issued on Monday and signed by his son, Kive Kokori, the family described the gesture as a “commendable step toward correcting a long-standing national oversight” regarding Comrade Kokori’s pivotal role in the June 12, 1993, pro-democracy struggle.

    “We deeply appreciate the President’s resolve in ensuring that the heroes of Nigeria’s democracy are not forgotten,” the statement read.

    However, the Kokori family urged President Tinubu to consider a higher honour that truly reflects the magnitude of their father’s contributions to Nigeria’s democratic journey. They also appealed for a national monument or institution to be named after the late unionist as a lasting tribute.

    “With great humility and in the spirit of justice and historical clarity, the Kokori family appeals to President Tinubu to further elevate this recognition to more appropriately reflect Comrade Kokori’s extraordinary and unmatched contributions to the restoration of democracy in Nigeria,” the statement added.

    Highlighting his legacy, the family recalled that as General Secretary of NUPENG during the military dictatorship, Comrade Kokori led a historic oil workers’ strike that crippled oil production and exports—the lifeblood of the national economy—in protest against the annulment of the June 12 election won by Chief M.K.O. Abiola.

    “This singular act of resistance was unprecedented in scale and consequence, earning him a brutal abduction and nearly four years of incarceration, largely in solitary confinement, under some of the most inhumane prison conditions in Bama, Borno State.

    “Despite threats, inducements, and unimaginable hardship to his family, he remained unbending in his principles, refusing to capitulate or trade his convictions for personal gain. Even when a high-ranking position in government and a blank cheque were offered to him by the Abacha government as an appeasement, he declined, choosing integrity over convenience—a path few dared to take. Many who stood in the same moment later accepted appointments or changed sides; he did not.

    “While we do not seek to diminish the contributions of other patriots in the June 12 struggle, Comrade Kokori’s role was singular in its courage, consequence, and cost. He stood out, not only for what he fought for, but for what he endured. This is not just a family sentiment—it is a truth borne out by history.

    “Indeed, Mr. President himself referred to Frank Kokori as a brother and comrade-in-struggle in his tribute to him, and eulogized him after his passing. It is our belief that, in light of that intimate understanding of his sacrifices, the CON award, while appreciated, does not sufficiently reflect the weight of his national impact.

    Read Also: Tinubu, First Lady salute fathers, say they are nation builders

    “Therefore, we respectfully appeal to President Tinubu and the Nigerian government to reassess and upgrade the honour accorded to Frank Kokori—ideally to the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) or at minimum, Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR)—in alignment with the precedent set for other leaders of similar impact.

    “Furthermore, we advocate for the naming of a national monument or institution after Frank Kokori to enshrine his name in public memory and inspire future generations. Such an act would serve not only as a gesture of gratitude but as a national statement that integrity, sacrifice, and courage still matter in Nigeria.

    “Though he did not receive this recognition during his lifetime, it is never too late to do what is right. We thank President Tinubu for his leadership, and we trust that—as a man who himself paid a steep price for democracy—he will rise to the occasion in correctly honouring one of its most unsung but indispensable warriors.”

  • APC Northeast endorses Tinubu, Shettima for 2027

    APC Northeast endorses Tinubu, Shettima for 2027

    Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Northeast have endorsed the retention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima on the party’s presidential ticket in 2027.

    Their adoption is contained in resolutions passed during the region’s Consultative Forum meeting in Gombe yesterday.

    At the meeting were governors, National Assembly members, some key party leaders, including National Chairman Abdulahi Ganduje and former Senate President Ahmad Lawan.

    The states in the Northeast are Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe.

    The APC has three governors in the zone. These are: Babagana Zulum (Borno), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe) and host Governor Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe). All of them attended the meeting.

    One of the resolutions said the ticket had been useful to the zone and any alteration might create division among leaders.

    READ ALSO; Tinubu’s 2027 landscape: Reform, resistance and the road ahead

    But a few leaders led by the National Vice Chairman (Northeast), Mustapha Salihu, made a fresh case for the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

    It was not immediately clear if Ribadu was interested in being the Vice President or not.

    A source at the meeting said the session was a stocktaking type, governors and leaders took a position on 2027.

    The source said: “Most leaders, including governors and the National Assembly Caucus wanted continuity. We opted for the retention of Tinubu-Shettima ticket.

    “We don’t want to underrate the coalition being put in place by some Northern leaders, including some dissenting Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) wing of APC, we felt it was better to avoid division.

    “The truth is that we have got a better deal, more strategic appointments and projects under this ticket, why changing a winning team.”

    Asked to be specific, the source gave insights into what happened at the zonal meeting.

    “But Usman Kumo, Chief Whip of the House, representing Kumo Federal Constituency, from Gombe State endorsed the ticket on behalf of the Northeast House of Reps Caucus. 

    “Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno, representing Borno North, endorsed the joint ticket on behalf of the Senate from the Northeast while Ali Bukar Dalori, Deputy National Chairman (North), spoke on behalf of the other National Working Committee (NWC) members from the Northeast.

    “Only Comrade Mustapha Salihu that spoke against the ticket while the four members of the NWC from the North-East all supported the joint ticket.

    “Those NWC members, who supported the joint ticket were Dalori;  Mohammad Ali Kumo (Deputy Financial Secretary, from Gombe State); Zainab Ibrahim (Deputy Women Leader, from Taraba State); and Abubakar Maikafi (National Auditor, from Bauchi State).”

    There was disruption during the meeting over Mustapha’s dissenting position.

    Senior party leaders and stakeholders from across the zone were also in attendance.

    The Forum praised the President and the Vice President for what it’s members described as transformational leadership in the short time they have been in office, driven by the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

    Yahaya said: “The Northeast is fully behind the president and the vice president. Their leadership has brought renewed hope to this region.”

    Zulum highlighted key achievements of the current administration over the past two years, particularly in sectors such as health, education, youth and women empowerment, revenue generation, and overall improvement in citizens’ welfare.

    He emphasised that continuity of the Tinubu/Shettima ticket in 2027 would sustain the ongoing progress and national unity.

    Ganduje said: “We need unity more than ever. This region delivered over 1.2 million votes in 2023. In 2027, we expect three times that. But we must remain focused and disciplined as a party.

    “This zone has produced the number two of this country, we are proud of this zone, we are proud of the north and we are proud of Nigeria as a nation.

    “I have to tell you, we have a progressive president, the leader of our party Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and we are proud of vice president Shettima, it is a one ticket according to the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.”

    The Forum promised to forward its resolution to the party’s Abuja National Headquarters.

  • Tinubu, First Lady salute fathers, say they are nation builders

    Tinubu, First Lady salute fathers, say they are nation builders

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Senator Remi Tinubu yesterday celebrated Nigerian fathers on the occasion of this year’s Father’s Day.

    They acknowledged the roles of fathers in the home and nation-building and hailed them for their sacrifices.

    The President’s message on the occasion of Father’s Day was posted on his verified X handle, @officialABAT. A copy of the  First Lady’s was made available to our correspondents.

    Tinubu described fathers as the “first institution of leadership,” and reminded them that Nigeria’s strength as a nation is deeply rooted in their integrity and leadership of their homes.

    He acknowledged their quiet sacrifices, resilience, and unrelenting contributions to nation-building.

      “Our country is only as strong as the men who lead with integrity within their families. To be a father is to carry the weight of responsibility with quiet strength.

    ‘’It is to sacrifice comfort so your children can dream, to model discipline, and to lead with love and firmness”, the President. 

    READ ALSO; June 12: Remembrance and omissions

    Tinubu emphasised that fatherhood goes beyond biological ties, celebrating all men who shoulder the mantle of responsibility and mentor the next generation, whether at home or in public life.

    He added: “Today, we honour our first teachers, silent defenders, and tireless nation-builders…our fathers,” the President wrote, noting that these values are fundamental not only to family life but to the broader fabric of a stable society.’’

    ‘’As a father and grandfather himself,’’ Tinubu reflected personally on the role, calling it “the most sacred” of titles. “The home is the first institution of leadership,” he noted, underscoring the foundational role of families in shaping the nation’s future.

    The President expressed gratitude to Nigerian fathers, both within the country and in the diaspora, saying their everyday sacrifices form the moral compass and strength of Nigeria.

    “Thank you to all Nigerian fathers, biological and symbolic, home and abroad. Your everyday labours shape the character of our country and the future of our children,” he said.

    • First Lady emphasises role of fathers 

    Senator  Tinubu called for continued support for men to fulfil their responsibilities as role models.

    She  paid tribute to  them  for their dedication to raising children who are “confident, responsible, and compassionate.”

    Like the President, the First Lady recognised men who serve as fathers roles through mentorship, guardianship and leadership in their communities.

    She said: “On this Father’s Day, I salute all Nigerian fathers who dedicate themselves to raising confident, responsible and compassionate children.

    “I also celebrate the men who step into fatherhood roles through mentorship, guardianship  and community leadership.” 

    Senator Tinubu stressed that creating an enabling environment for men to succeed in their roles as fathers is critical to the well-being of families and the broader development of the country.

    “Let us continue to give men the support and enabling environment to function effectively as fathers. When fathers are involved, families grow stronger, and so does the nation,” she said.

    The  First Lady offered prayers of strength, peace, and fulfilment for fathers across the country, acknowledging the weight of their responsibilities and the impact of their sacrifices.

    “God bless all fathers, strengthen you in your responsibilities, and reward your labour with peace, joy, and fulfilment,” she prayed.

  • President Tinubu and June 12

    President Tinubu and June 12

    • By Tunde Rahman

    Around this period in 1993, precisely on June 12, 1993, the day of that historic election, this writer operated in two different but mutually reinforcing capacities. While I was the Political Correspondent of the old Daily Times, covering the then-unfolding electoral process in Abuja, I was also an officer in the Nigerian Election Monitoring Group monitoring the poll in the federal capital. It was an important day in the nation’s life, as it was in my journalism career. The late Professor Omo Omoruyi, an intellectual giant and the brains behind General Ibrahim Babangida and his transition programme, who designed most of the electoral ideas introduced by that regime, including Option A4, had put the election monitoring group together.

    As the Political Correspondent of the Daily Times, I had an uneasy sense of foreboding when the then National Electoral Commission, which had been announcing the results of the election on a display board mounted at the commission’s headquarters then at Area 10, Abuja, suddenly stopped adding new results after results from 14 states had been announced. I promptly filed a story on this strange and disturbing development. The next day, the late Dr. Femi Sonaike, Editor of the Daily Times at the time, ran a front-page editorial demanding the continuation of the publication of the results. I was beside myself in ecstasy at the NEC HQ, celebrating the editorial and Dr. Sonaike’s bravery and boldness. For a government-owned newspaper, the editorial was an unforgivable affront to the military. As it turned out, that was the last edition Dr. Sonaike edited as Daily Times Editor. He was instantly removed from office.

    Then began a sad spiral of events, culminating in an announcement formally annulling that free and fair election. A dark pall descended on the nation. The country erupted in turmoil, with almost daily protests against the election’s annulment. The rest did not simply become history, as they say, but a profound history with compelling lessons.

    This piece is not an odyssey of my journalism career. It’s about President Bola Tinubu and the undocumented contributions to June 12, particularly after that annulment. Tinubu played a frontline role in the conception and later agitation of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), which stridently fought for the de-annulment of June 12.

    At the time of the election, he was a Senator of the Federal Republic. In defiance of the military, he and others reconvened the Senate that had gone on recess, during which they demanded the de-annulment of the poll or immediate termination of military rule.

    For his agitation, the military hounded him. His residence at Balarabe Musa Crescent in Victoria Island, Lagos was petrol-bombed by agents of the junta who thought he had been burnt alive. However, he escaped abroad and continued the agitation, providing direction and funding for NADECO Chieftians abroad. All of that had been widely publicised and commended.

    Many may also recall that iconic and viral picture, which circulated online, where Asiwaju Tinubu was seen behind the late Bashorun MKO Abiola as Abiola went to confer with the late dictator, General Sani Abacha, on the June 12 matter. The significance of that event signposted Asiwaju’s relationship with MKO as a trusted ally and his essential role in the then-unfolding struggle. Asiwaju Tinubu, it was learned, warned the late MKO to tread cautiously and be wary of Abacha or the military over June 12. As he often says, the military uniform is called camouflage, and camouflage, according to him, is a synonym for deception.

    Read Also: 2027: Northeast APC declares support for Tinubu/Shettima ticket

    It is thus unsurprising that much of his contributions, particularly after June 12, remained indelible years after the death of Abiola, owner of the stolen mandate. The profundity of June 12 is evident in the fact that its ghost has refused to go away years after the restoration of democracy in 1999. President Olusegun Obasanjo, who inherited power on a silver platter and his Peoples Democratic Party, carried on as though oblivious of the historical import of June 12 and the ominous pall that its years of neglect had cast on the nation’s democratic system. Although the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua inaugurated the Justice Muhammed Uwais Electoral panel to reform the nation’s electoral process after admitting his election in 2007 was flawed, he battled ill-health for the better part of his presidency to think of June 12. President Goodluck Jonathan also remained seemingly unfazed about that annulled poll. For 16 years after the democratic renewal, the PDP government carried on with the utter neglect of June 12 and its symbolic place in our democracy.

    However, President Buhari took bold steps to resolve the June 12 conundrum and put Abiola in his rightful place even in death. Recognising him as the winner of June 12 and as President, Buhari bestowed on MKO posthumously, the highest national honour of GCFR reserved for presidents. He also declared June 12 a national public holiday. Buhari gave Abiola’s running mate in the election, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, the second-highest honour of GCON. Buhari’s gesture won him admiration and commendations.

    Many didn’t know that Asiwaju Tinubu had made the recommendation to President Buhari.

    Addressing the National Assembly last Thursday, President Tinubu again commended Buhari for this critical decision: “Let me pay tribute to former President Muhammadu Buhari for reaching back into history to rectify a national misdeed by making June 12 Democracy Day and by officially acknowledging Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola and his running mate, Babagana Kingibe, as the victors and thus duly elected President and Vice President respectively of Nigeria after the June 12, 1993, elections.”

    President Tinubu completed the restitution for Abiola and other heroes of democracy that Thursday. He conferred posthumous national honours on Kudirat Abiola, MKO’s wife, and other heroes. Agents of the military junta killed Kudirat on the streets of Lagos in the wake of the June 12 struggle.

    It is relevant to state that certain things are instructive about President Tinubu and June 12. Tinubu became President in 2023, 30 years after June 12. Is this simply a coincidence or divinely ordained?

    The late MKO Abiola christened his campaign manifesto “Hope 1993: Farewell to Poverty.” President Tinubu called his own Renewed Hope Agenda for a Better Nigeria.

    Now, has the ghost of June 12 been finally laid to rest? Is MKO’s vision for Nigeria alive in Tinubu’s presidency? Vice President Kashim Mustapha Shettima thinks so.

    Speaking during the public lecture commemorating the 26th year of unbroken Democracy, VP Shettima said decades after the June 12 debacle, providence returned the baton of Abiola’s struggle for a better Nigeria to “one of his most trusted lieutenants—President Tinubu.”

    He affirmed that, based on the final account of Abiola’s life, the military could not take away or extinguish hope. “It is this faith in the promise of Abiola’s vision that has renewed the hope of this nation,” he said.

    The work is not entirely done. Although the recent resolution of the National Assembly adopting June 12 of every year for the Presidential Address is a step in the right direction, as it will help to institutionalise June 12 and immortalise Abiola, I think MKO deserves full recompense for his contributions and for paying the supreme price for Nigeria’s democracy. The government should pay the debts if actually it owes Abiola some money, as his family claims.

    In the meantime, President Tinubu’s pronouncements last Thursday at the hallowed chamber of the National Assembly stand as homage to resilience and a bold reminder of what might have been.

    •Rahman is Senior Assistant to the President on Media and Special Duties.

  • Tinubu’s 2027 landscape: Reform, resistance and the road ahead

    Tinubu’s 2027 landscape: Reform, resistance and the road ahead

    • By Kayode Oladele

    The bipolar opposition coalition forming against President Bola Tinubu appears to be an uneasy alliance of strange bedfellows – Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai, and others with vastly different ideas without  clear ideologies and political trajectories. Their shared goal of unseating the President may not be enough to overcome their internal contradictions which is also threatened by the law of the negation of the  negotiation.

    Without a unified, unambiguous alternative policy platform or coherent leadership structure, the opposition  coalition can at best,  be perceived as marriage of convenience made in hell rather than a platform for providing a more credible and more reliable alternative for Nigerians in the forthcoming 2027 general elections.

    Political science teaches us that such opposition  coalitions can succeed only when built on shared principles, not just mutual resentment against the seating President. Whether this opposition coalition front can present a viable challenge that can mussel life out of the  All Progressives Congress (APC ) government will depend on its ability to build trust, articulate a clear national agenda, and appeal beyond narrow political bases. Unfortunately, it is difficult to see any of these fundamental elements in the present opposition agitation and gang-up coalition against President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Party.

    Conversely, Tinubu’s  political machinery is not just built on rhetoric but on decades of deliberate institution-building, loyal patronage networks and a knack for striking alliances for mutual benefit. Unlike his rivals, who often rely on reactionary politics or populist waves, the President placidly plays the long distance  game with the words of desiderata: one carefully calibrated move at a time.

    Whether he is navigating the internal politics of the APC, disarming dissents within his base, or neutralizing potential opposition threats, Tinubu has demonstrated a mastery of Nigerian politics that few can match. And unless the opposition coalition  can offer more than sporadic outrage or opportunistic alliances, he will continue to dictate the tempo of Nigeria’s political future heading into 2027 general elections.

    Read Also: Tinubu orders security chiefs to restore peace in Benue

    Within the opposition coalition , it is clear that many joiners are focused mainly on their personal ambitions and long-term goals powered by the desire for grabbing raw power rather than offering real panacea  to the challenges they pretentiously claim to be facing the country under the current administration. This indicates that many opposition coalition members prioritize their own empowerment and ambitious over national interests.

    Their decisions to oppose the President has no beneficial or positive impact on the general public nor has it addressed  important national issues. Examining the profiles of the frontline figures within the opposition coalition will provide valuable insights into their history, characters and the bumpy roads that lie ahead of their contorted orchestra that sounds like a broken  record.

    The lead vocalist, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is often described as a hardy perennial contender whose political journey has traversed nearly all of Nigeria’s major political platforms. To date, he has contested the presidency six times. His first attempt was in 1993 when he sought the presidential ticket of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) but lost to the late Moshood Abiola, whose eventual election was annulled by the military regime of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.

    In 2007, Atiku contested under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) but was unsuccessful. In 2011, he returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), only to lose the presidential ticket to then-President Goodluck Jonathan. He later joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014 but lost the party’s ticket to the former President  Muhammadu Buhari. He eventually became the PDP’s presidential candidate in 2019 and 2023, losing both elections, most recently to President Bola Tinubu.

    With eyes now on 2027, Atiku is once again maneuvering through the political terrain, scavenging on some passing throbs occasioned by the government’s bold reform policies in a bid to court public sympathy and support. Critics argue that he has become emblematic of political persistence without renewal. He has exhausted all his trump cards and incapable of spinning surprises in order to gain any electoral advantage over the President.

    Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) Presidential  candidate in 2023, emerged as a third-force figure, galvanizing urban youth and disaffected voters through the “Obidient” movement. However, some critics argue that the movement leaned heavily on ethnic and religious sentiments, lacking a cohesive national strategy. Others view it as a necessary disruption to Nigeria’s entrenched two-party dominance. The 2023 elections showcased both the energy and limitations of the movement, raising questions about whether Obi’s appeal can translate into a broader coalition with national viability ahead of the 2027 elections.

    Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has recently reemerged as a vocal critic of the Tinubu administration after being sidelined from ministerial appointments due to his failure to scale through the rigorous Senate conformation. He is now reportedly aligning with the opposition coalition to wrestle power with the President in 2027.

    The opposition coalition team also includes a pocked of some other aggrieved figures within the APC  fold itself  who claims exclusion from the Party. While some of their complaints are framed as calls for inclusivity, political pundits suggest that they may be rooted more in personal political survival than in genuine concern for balance or equity.

    Be that as it may, these  elements are coming together to form a moribund alliance and bipolar opposition  coalition against the President. However, Nigerians are bored by their rhetoric and lack of policy alternatives even though,  what they fail to realize is that, at the end of the day, the PDP is thinning out while the APC is swelling up as it continues to witness mass defections into its fold at a geometrical rate. Ultimately, the aggregate of the elements decamping from the PDP to the APC and those leaving the PDP to form another third-force opposition coalition will turn the PDP into a mere carcass, which will eventually weaken the opposition against the President.

    Despite these opposition threats, President Tinubu’s administration is pushing ahead with his progressive reforms as encapsulated in the Renewed Hope Agenda. These reforms are not without pain, but they represent essential steps in correcting decades of fiscal irresponsibility and lack of political direction. 

    As the country braces for the road to 2027, Nigerians will ultimately judge their leaders not just by rhetoric or past affiliations or the opposition coalition’s politically motivated feeble  narratives and lack of direction , but by who, like the President, offers the most credible pathway to economic stability, national unity, security and good governance. For now, Tinubu’s reform agenda has sparked a shift in the political conversation from failed promises to good governance and sterling performance.

    Oladele, a lawyer, is a member of the Federal Character Commission.