Politics
The Opposition As An Enemy
In the African political setting, power is so intoxicating and profitable that once a person gets elected into office, he or she sees nothing good in the opposition or dissenting voices. Here, power is seen not as an opportunity to serve the larger society but the office is seen as personal estate of the incumbent. Dissenting voices are silenced, opponents accused of treason, jailed and sometimes killed.
From the 1950s when independence from colonial rule was achieved, the pattern has remained the same. No elected President or Prime Minister affords the luxury of being criticised.
They all want to be adored and worshipped. The exception were Botswana and Mauritius.
This dangerous trend of the 1950s and 1960s is still with us in the 21st century except that more countries now claim to be democratic and are no longer under military dictatorship but is the behaviour of the modern day Presidents and other elected officers different from the past leaders? A cursory look at the past reveals that most of the prominent politicians who fought for independence either ended up in jail, were killed or went into exile because of threats to their lives.
In Burundi, Rwanda, Cameroun, Sudan, Egypt, Chad, Uganda and even here in Nigeria, opposition politicians are often branded as thiefs, harassed, their businesses wrecked and bank accounts frozen.
Just recently, the spokesman of the All Peoples Congress (APC) in Nigeria described some prominent members of the main opposition party; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as enemies of the country. Is the ruling party now a law enforcement agency with the mandate of curbing crime in the society? Are opposition politicians now armed robbers and insurgents that they will be branded as enemies of the country?
Prior to the defection of the likes of Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki, Rabiu Kwankwaso back to the PDP, and others, they were not corrupt, not armed robbers and not enemies of Nigeria and were even described as patriotic Nigerians by the same APC.
Why is the chant now different?
If for about 60 years of independence, this warped way of thinking is still prevalent from even those who claim to be better educated than the politicians of the past, what is our future?
Can we boastfully claim that our politics has improved or better than the past? I think the answer is no, especially in Nigeria. In the Second Republic, under Shehu Shagari, no politician was chased into exile, arrested on flimsy excuse or killed.
The then members of the main opposition parties; the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Nigeria’s Peoples Party (NPP) and the Great Nigerian Peoples Party (GNPP) were not in anyway arrested nor harassed with the secret police or soldiers.
The political parties had the freedom to campaign as their members were not chased into exile or threatened. The maturity exhibited by the founding fathers of Nigeria in their quest for political power should be an example to our modern day gladiators who in their haste to occupy various offices have made politics a dangerous game.
What we need are good ideas on how to move the country forward.
Politics is all about providing a better leadership skill, every contender to an office believes that he or she has a better way of doing things, ditto, the political party. In 2015, the APC claimed to have a better idea of moving Nigeria forward and this resulted in the party’s victory at the polls. At that time, nobody was branded an enemy of the state. So, if this time around, opposition parties feel that the ruling party has failed in their mandate, then, there is no need for the name-calling and threats. This is 2019, let the electorate decide the fate of each party.
The average Nigerian is not interested in name- calling but better governance and the provision of basic amenities like good roads, power, water and job creation. We should not allow the dictatorial touts within us to blind our eyes to everyday problems which are holding us back as a nation.
We should have people who can think beyond today and its short-term benefits as a result of being in power and eating from the proceeds of crude oil. The quest for power from opposition politicians is never a threat and will never be a hindrance to the country’s growth.
In African countries where their democratic culture has really improved, no one hears the archaic chant of our enemies any longer.
In any democratic country where opposition figures are harassed, the negative impact is always reflected on the economy as serious investors will hardly put their funds into such country.
From 2015 till date, the politicians who have been harassed include the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, his running mate, Peter Obi, former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, Senate President Bukola Saraki, his deputy, Ekweremadu, the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan and virtually almost all the aides who served under his administration. The list does not include politicians only but also social critics and journalists. With the elections in less than six weeks away from now, we should pray that this cycle of intolerance for dissent and divergent political views and arrests of opponents is not allowed to be part of our political culture.
We are supposed to have moved beyond this level of despotic tendencies. The voices of reason should no longer keep silent as the forces of coercion hold the nation to ransom, that the social critics and organised labour play their part in Nigeria, we want a situation where every individual is a stakeholder in the quest for a better Nigeria. Political parties should stop seeing their opponents as enemies or criminals as they cannot be sure that once they are in power at the federal or state level, they will be there forever. Power is always transient.
2019 is here, let the PVCs speak for us and not threats and intimidation.
Let us nurture our democratic culture so that it can be compared to that of Ghana, Mauritius, Botswana, Benin Republic or even Liberia. These countries have so far overtaken Nigeria in terms of holding free and fair elections. We cannot claim to be the giant of Africa when on a daily basis, hate speech and arrests of political opponents are still rife.
Tonye Ikiroma-owiye
Politics
Alleged Coup: Protests Rock N’Assembly As Detained Officers’ Children, Wives Demand Justice
Scores of children and wives of military officers detained over an alleged coup plot yesterday staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly, demanding a speedy trial and the release of the accused officials.
The protesters who gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly complex, moved in a slow procession while clutching placards with inscriptions such as “Don’t Kill Our Daddies,” “Detention Without Trial is Injustice,” and “Six Months of Torture: Enough Is Enough.”
Amid tears and trembling voices, the children appealed for justice and access to their detained fathers, many of whom they said they had not seen for months.
The appeal was made during a press briefing in Abuja attended by no fewer than 20 wives and several children of the detained officers, including a two-month-old baby.
The families were accompanied by human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju and activist Omoyele Sowore.
At the briefing, the families lamented that the officers had been held for over 160 days without trial or contact with their relatives, describing the situation as a violation of their fundamental rights.
Speaking on behalf of the families, Memuna Bashiru said the prolonged detention had thrown their households into uncertainty and emotional distress, noting that while allegations had been widely publicised, families remained in the dark about the fate of their loved ones.
The arrest of the indicted officers was first announced on October 4, 2025, by the then Director of Defense Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, who disclosed that 16 officers were taken into custody for alleged breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline.
However, an interim investigation later suggested the existence of a clandestine network of officers, allegedly coordinated by a senior Army officer, which had begun preliminary planning for a coup.
According to the report, the alleged plot involved surveillance of key national assets, including the Presidential Villa, Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks in Abuja, and major international airports, with October 25, 2025, cited as the planned date for the operation.
Those reportedly in custody include Brig Gen M. A. Sadiq, Col M. A. Maaji, Lt Col S. Bappah, Lt Col A. A. Hayatu, Lt Col P. Dangnap, Lt Col M. Almakura, Maj A. J. Ibrahim, Maj M. M. Jiddah, Maj M. A. Usman, Maj D. Yusuf, Capt I. Bello, Capt A. A. Yusuf, Lt S. S. Felix, Lt Cdr D. B. Abdullahi, Sqn Ldr S. B. Adamu and Maj I. Dauda.
The alleged plot, according to findings, targeted senior government officials, including President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
In a statement issued yesterday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, said the exercise would take place in all wards and designated centres nationwide.
He called on existing members to update their records, while encouraging new entrants to join the party through the digital platform.
“As the electronic membership registration exercise resumes in all wards and designated locations nationwide, we urge existing members to validate their membership while new members are encouraged to register and join the progressive family,” Mr Morka said.
According to him, eligibility for registration is limited to individuals aged 18 and above who possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN).
The party said the initiative is part of efforts to modernise its operations by transitioning to a digital database that would enhance record accuracy and accessibility.
Mr Morka noted that the e-registration would “digitise the party’s membership register, ensure the integrity of records, and enhance efficient access to membership data for planning and management decisions.”
He added that the move is also aimed at promoting internal democracy within the party and strengthening its commitment to democratic innovation.
The APC had previously introduced electronic registration as part of broader reforms to streamline its membership system and improve organisational efficiency.