Politics
Sovereign National Conference And Nigeria’s Polity
If they want to initiate moves to breakup the country, fine, if they want to secede and form their own Oduduwa Republic or the MOSSOB people want to re-enact the Biafran tragedy, they are welcome to it. But they should know that it is not going to be their own decision only; it is going to be the decision of all Nigerians.”
These were the words of social critic and second Republic parliamentarian, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, who, by his closeness to the corridors of power in Nigeria in a long while, and attachment to governance can unarguably be regarded as an elder-statesman. He spoke at a recent meeting he convened on the nagging issue of Sovereign National Conference (SNC).
Put subtly, Mohammed expressed the opinion that those who clamour for a SNC are doing so out of their selfish interest, either to favour themselves, or the group they represent as against the idea that it is in the interest of the country at large.
In an interview in “The Sun” of March 4, 2012, Mohammed hinted that having an SNC is not a wrong idea but that all key stakeholders in the Nigerian State must be given an opportunity to be represented, if for nothing, to avoid a reoccurrence of the 1967 to 1970 Nigerian Civil War.
According to Mohammed, “Where an issue has become a national issue, rightly or wrongly, whether the issue has been properly defined at all, and we are at the risk of being dragged or pushed to slip into another Civil War, without knowing it, I think anybody of conscience, especially those of us who are young men, we have a responsibility to say, ‘look, yes here I am, if this is a valid and meaningful discussion, I will participate.’
Consequently, he said “let us go ahead to have the conference, but I want to warn every Nigerian that what they call Sovereign National Conference is nothing but a complete transfer of power from the current leaders of the executive branch, from the legislative and even certain judicial powers to the SNC, which will be sovereign, it will be the ultimate authority in the land.”
Part of Mohammed’s grievance over the call for a SNC stems from his belief that proponents of the conference consulted Balarabe Musa, who allegedly spoke as a representative of the Northern Nigeria.
“That, to me, showed the level of duplicity and audacity of this people and those behind the calls for the SNC. If you want people to be represented, you look for their genuine representatives, the genuine people who speak for them.
“Whether what they say is pleasant or not, you know that they are speaking for some people. If you speak to a rather nobody like Balarabe Musa, then he will speak for nobody. Then when it suits you, you say that Balarabe Musa is representing the North, and when it does not suit you, you say the North does not like SNC.”
On record, proponents of the call for an SNC express the belief that the National Assembly, made up of the Senate and House of Representatives, as constituted, will be incapable to come up with a truly representative Nigerian constitution which would comprehensively address the anomalies in the Nigerian State, hence the call for an SNC, which they believe, will be more representative of all facets of the Nigerian populace.
They say from decisions that would be reached at the proposed conference, an improved federal constitution will be drafted from the 1999 edition.
However, renowned legal luminary, Chief Ricahrd Akinjide, thought otherwise; according to him, “people think as long as you change the constitution, things will change. I don’t accept that, I think that is nonsense.
“The fault is not in the constitution, it is in the people.” He gave credence to the Chinese constitution, saying as small as it is, it takes care of a far higher population than Nigeria.
“Go and look at the Chinese constitution, it is a very small document, and is being used to govern 1.4 billion people so, even if you summon another conference and write a new constitution, can you tell me it is going to work?”
The major problem, Akinjide said, is that “Nigeria is just a country, not a nation.”
This, he explained, is because “you have people shouting they want Yoruba President, they want Igbo President, and they want Northern President. Why don’t we say we want a Nigerian President?
“No matter from which part of the country he or she comes from, until we see ourselves as brothers and sisters, this nation cannot move forward.
“The problem we have is that when somebody from another section is the President, another person is agitating and wanting the President to come from their area as if the other President is not elected by the people of the country,” he said.
This, to a large extent, adds credence to the activities of the Boko Haram sect with base in the North, which has produced the greatest number of the country’s leadership from independence in 1960. Boko Haram’s initial grudge was against Western education including its development paradigm, which they claim was inimical to their existence and why they would prefer a Sharia country.
Currently, they claim their actions are necessitated by apparent poverty in the North, warranted by unjust revenue allocation, as alleged recently by Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, with full backing by northern governors as clearly enunciated by Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State. He said his state got between N2.4bn and N4.5bn monthly allocation, while some others got 20 times the amount.
Therefore, “it will not serve any useful purpose if some parts are not doing well while others are doing exceptionally well,” hence “the pressure from Boko Haram will continue until we are able to find a solution.”
The question, therefore, is how will this solution, or whatever solution for that matter, come if there is no opportunity for dialogue by the Nigerian populace which constitute the sovereignty of the country?
Meanwhile, the Senate says any quest for a change in the political configuration of the country must be pursued through members of the National Assembly because it must follow stipulations of the constitution, particularly Section 9, which prescribed how the constitution may be amended.
However, The sun, as quoted earlier, disagrees with this stand in its editorial, saying “We disagree with the position of the Senate that Nigerians can only dialogue on the way forward and the best political configuration for the country through the politicians in the National Assembly.
“This preposterous idea stands on its head. Sovereignty without any equivocation belongs to the people, and not the politicians in the National Assembly. Election of politicians as representatives of the people in the National Assembly does not in any way limit Nigerians’ right to self-expression and self-determination. Legislators should be subject to the wishes of the Nigerian people, and not the other way round. Any view contrary to this is an affront on democracy.”
Senator Pius Akpor Ewherido, representing Delta Central Senatorial District seems to have this in mind when he said in The Nation of Thursday, March 15, that “the democratic institutions that you see are not as free as you look at them. So you cannot just come up and say it should be as it is in the constitution.
“The provisions in the constitution are being flouted daily and nothing is happening.”
There could not have been a better picture than the fore-going that the issue about the SNC is not whether it should hold, but how best it can be held in such a way that decisions will truly represent all facets of the Nigerian state, without prejudice to any personal interest seem to be the crux of the matter, and on which concentration should be focused for a better Nigeria.
He said he would not hesitate to activate the recall process against any lawmaker found wanting, if he returns for a second term in office.
He stated this while addressing members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), including those who lost out at the recently held national and state assemblies primaries and have become aggrieved and disrespectful to the party.
While emphasizing the supremacy of the party, he said decisions were taken in the overall interest of the party and the state and must, therefore, be respected by all members.
He warned lawmakers against being insolent and arrogant to their people to the extent of shutting them out after each election cycle, saying such would no longer be condoned.
“So I am appealing to all of you. If you were born with arrogance, please just drop that ticket here”, he said.
The governor hinted that after the next cycle of elections, the process of recalling lawmakers who made themselves “tin gods” would be activated.
“Well, they say they don’t recall people from parliament, but this will be the first time.
“Anybody whom the people say they are tired of will be brought back home. Anybody who goes and forgets his people completely and doesn’t care, thinking that during elections he will come and pretend to be a good man, will be brought back.
“And we are making this very, very clear. We will not fail in what we have said. I am working tirelessly; I don’t sleep. If you are going into office during this period, there will be no sleep for you”, he said.
He advised politicians not to ignore their people who hold the power, insisting: “You cannot overlook them and become so arrogant and pompous that you don’t know your people.”
Gov. Otu also advised members of the ruling APC, who lost at the just-concluded party primaries in the state, not to defect to opposition parties like the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) or the African Democratic Congress (ADC), warning that they would suffer untold hardship and would not make any political headway, if they did.
“There are some kwashiorkor parties that are registering people. Such parties are wasting their time and not even my time. They cannot do anything.
“I don’t want anybody to suffer the fate I suffered. That’s why I’m warning those aggrieved aspirants who lost not to go the way of those parties to avoid unnecessary suffering.
“I don’t want anybody to go that route. It’s an absolute waste of time, energy and people’s future, because at the end of the day, you will drag people into that bottomless pit.
“And when you drag them there and can’t take care of them, you begin to rot, you begin to die. May God give me the energy and power to sustain.”
He appealed to the aggrieved APC members, saying: “There’s nothing that we cannot settle. God’s time is the best. Whatever we’ve done is for the common good of all of us.”
2027: INEC APPEALS JUDGMENT ON ELECTION GUIDELINES
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja which nullified aspects of the Commission’s 2027 General Election Guidelines.
The appeal, filed before the Court of Appeal, seeks to overturn the judgment delivered on May 20, 2026, by Justice Muhammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The trial court had nullified the provision in the guidelines directing political parties to submit their membership registers and databases by May 10, 2026, as part of the conditions for participation in the 2027 General Election.
The suit challenging the directive was instituted by the Youth Party, which argued that the Commission’s timeline was inconsistent with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
In his ruling, Justice Umar held that INEC could not lawfully shorten the timeline stipulated under Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 regarding the submission of party membership records and candidates’ particulars.
However, INEC, through its counsel, Chief Alex Izinyon, SAN, filed a notice of appeal dated May 25, 2026, asking the appellate court to set aside the judgment.
The Commission also filed a motion seeking an order staying the execution of the judgment pending the hearing and determination of the appeal.
INEC raised nine grounds of appeal, arguing among others that the trial court failed to determine the jurisdictional issue concerning whether the suit was hypothetical and academic in nature.
The Commission further contended that the respondent lacked the locus standi to institute the suit and urged the Court of Appeal to strike out the case accordingly.
INEC maintained that its actions were in line with its constitutional mandate to ensure the orderly conduct of elections and effective electoral administration ahead of the 2027 General Election.
WHY I ENDORSE TINUBU’S SECOND TERM BID — ADELEKE
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has explained that his decision to support President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term in 2027 was influenced by moral responsibility and the need to sustain developmental progress.
The governor said his endorsement was not based on political calculations alone but on what he considers appropriate in view of the relationship between Osun State and the President, as well as ongoing projects benefiting the region.
The position of the governor was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by his spokesperson, Mr Olawale Rasheed.
According to the statement, Gov. Adeleke spoke on Sunday after conducting an inspection of the ongoing construction work on the Ibadan–Ile Ife–Ilesa Expressway.
During the visit, the governor reportedly commended President Tinubu for embarking on major infrastructure projects across Osun State and other parts of the South-West.
Gov. Adeleke noted that infrastructure development remains essential to economic growth and improved connectivity among communities.
He acknowledged the significance of road projects currently underway, stressing that such investments are expected to contribute to easier transportation, commercial activities, and broader development outcomes within the region.
The governor also highlighted the importance of leadership support in facilitating projects that have direct effects on residents.
He indicated that recognition should be given where efforts are being made to improve public infrastructure, particularly projects capable of enhancing movement between states and strengthening economic interactions in affected areas.
According to the statement, Gov. Adeleke’s remarks came while assessing the progress of the expressway project, which has continued to attract attention due to its strategic role in linking major cities within the South-West.
The governor reportedly used the opportunity to express appreciation for federal involvement in projects impacting Osun State.
His comments further reflected his view on political and regional ties, especially considering Osun State’s historical connection to President Tinubu.
Gov. Adeleke suggested that such considerations, alongside visible developmental initiatives, shaped his decision to openly support the President’s anticipated re-election effort in 2027.
He said, “I am the governor of the ancestral birthplace of Mr President. How can I have my own in the saddle and think twice before embracing him?”
IPAC specifically said that INEC guidelines cannot supersede constitutional provisions or extant electoral laws.
The Council, which stated these while appraising the judgement of the Federal High Court, stressed that the court judgement specifically addressed exclusionary conditions capable of disenfranchising aspirants and party members during primaries.
This is contained in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of IPAC, Mr Martins Egbeola, stating that the judgment was a reaffirmation of constitutional supremacy, democratic principles and the rule of law within Nigeria’s electoral process.
IPAC said that even though INEC possesses powers to issue election guidelines, such powers must however, operate strictly within constitutional provisions and electoral laws.
It noted that the court judgment represented a major victory for democracy, political parties and citizens participating in Nigeria’s electoral process.
IPAC also said that the court judgement had restored the constitutional rights of political parties to manage their internal affairs democratically without unlawful interference through administrative directives.
“The judgment would ensure equal opportunities for eligible members to participate in party primaries without discriminatory or exclusionary conditions.
“The INEC Chairman should deepen engagement and consultation with political parties on issues concerning electoral administration and reforms.
“Greater dialogue and collaboration between INEC and political parties would help prevent avoidable disputes and litigation arising from controversial guidelines,” IPAC stated.
Prof. Yilwatda stated this while speaking on a live television interview programme.
According to him, the ruling APC was not focused on fighting opposition parties, claiming that the political battle was currently between the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
He said, “In the last three weeks, the APC has not been fighting ADC or NDC. It is NDC versus ADC or ADC versus NDC.
“Actually, I watched with fun all the insults that the ADC is raining on the NDC and the NDC is returning those fireworks on the ADC.
“I watched the videos, and I laughed. The self-implosion is in the opposition rather than in the APC.”
When asked whether he was orchestrating the crisis in the opposition, Prof. Yilwatda denied the allegation but said weakening the opposition was part of politics.
He said, “No, I can’t. But I will be happy if I can do it. That’s my job.
“If you are opposing me, should I be happy? If you oppose me because you are in the opposition, what’s my job? Of course, to stop the opposition.”
The APC chairman also said the ruling party had stronger conflict resolution mechanisms than other political parties.
According to him, the party had committees at national and state levels to resolve internal disputes arising from congresses and other activities.
Speaking on the APC membership register and the votes secured by President Bola Tinubu during the party’s presidential primary, Prof. Yilwatda said the party relied on data from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) for its registration process.
“To register as a member of the APC, your name and primary data are sourced from NIMC. That’s the same primary data that is used across the country to open a bank account, get a driver’s licence and secure an international passport.
“So we’re the only political party that sources our primary data from NIMC. This is why people have seen the APC as one of the most politically viable and stable parties. We are a data-driven political party,” he stated.
RIVERS ADC PRIMARY: ASPIRANT REJECTS OUTCOME, ACCUSES AMAECHI OF IMPOSITION
The governorship primary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Rivers State has been thrown into turmoil after aspirant Mr Allen Idaso Ezekiel-Hart rejected the outcome and accused former governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi of imposing a candidate.
Mr Ezekiel-Hart described the exercise as a “shambolic charade” and said it had produced three separate governorship primary “winners” within the same party.
“Right now, we have three governorship candidates in one party, all thanks to Amaechi’s high-handedness,” he told journalists in Abuja on Monday.
He warned that the situation could plunge the opposition party into crisis ahead of the 2027 elections if the national leadership fails to intervene.
According to him, while the party’s timetable fixed May 23 for the primary, aspirants were informed late Friday that the exercise had been moved forward.
Mr Ezekiel-Hart said he was mobilising supporters across the 23 local government areas when fellow aspirant, Hon. Farah Dagogo, informed him that a parallel process had already been conducted.
He accused the state party chairman, Mr Chukwudi Dimkpa, of inviting only five aspirants loyal to Mr Amaechi while excluding himself and Hon. Dagogo. The arrangement, he alleged, was designed to clear the path for Dr Gabriel Pidomson, whom he described as Mr Amaechi’s preferred candidate.
He further alleged that three aspirants were persuaded to step down for Dr Pidomson in what he described as a disguised consensus arrangement, despite the party’s public stance against consensus.
Mr Ezekiel-Hart claimed Hon. Dagogo later approached him to jointly resist Mr Amaechi’s camp but asked him to publicly congratulate him as the winner.
“He told me to go on air and congratulate him, saying we are from Atiku Abubakar’s political family and should unite. I told him to stop rubbishing Atiku’s name. Atiku will not be part of this nonsense,” he said.
The aspirant said he rejected the offer and subsequently declared himself winner after Hon. Dagogo made a similar announcement.
“As it stands, Farah declared himself winner, Thompson was declared winner by the state exco, and I also declared myself winner. Three winners in one primary that never held. This cannot stand,” he said.
Mr Ezekiel-Hart accused the Rivers ADC leadership of sidelining him despite being the only aspirant who formally notified the party in writing of his intention to contest.
He also faulted Mr Amaechi for allegedly imposing candidates while demanding transparent presidential primary at the national level.
“How can someone who is demanding transparent presidential primaries at the national level turn around and impose a governorship candidate in Rivers?”, he queried.
He urged the ADC National Working Committee to nullify the exercise and either conduct a fresh primary or adopt a lawful consensus arrangement in line with the timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“The most pragmatic thing now is for the NWC to order a rescheduled primary or quickly adopt a lawful consensus option. Time is running against us,” he said.
Mr Ezekiel-Hart said he would pursue all grievances within the party’s constitution and warned Hon. Dagogo against invoking Atiku’s name to bolster his claim.
“We will exhaust every legal channel within the party. I will not rock the boat unnecessarily, but the party must recognise that I won the primaries,” he said.
