Politics

Venezuela In Crisis

Published

7 years ago

May 17, 2019

The crisis in Venezuela seems to be getting worse week by week following the disputed presidential elections held in May 2018 in which President Nicholas Maduro was re-elected.
Following the hues and cries, the national assembly become factionalised with the opposition controlled majority on the 10th of January 2019 recognising the parliamentary leader, Juan Guaido as the acting president of the country who eventually on the 23rd of January declared himself as the president of the country, a direct challenge to the incumbent president.
Why did this crisis start in the first place? According to political analysts, two major factors created this high level of political metability in venezuela a once prosperous and peaceful country. The first was the economic meltdown which began in 2010 under the presidency of the Late Hugo Chavez, and the non-compromising nature of the incumbent president Nicholas Maduro who the opposition claimed rigged the elections of 2014 and that of 2018. In addition to that, there are the allegations that apart from the rigging of the 2018 presidential elections, major opposition candidates were Prevented from running for offices.
As the political situation continues to deteriorate, the US, Bazil, Canada with some Latin American countries and some European Union countries have recognized Juan Guaido as President of venezuala while Russia,China, Cuba, Iran and their alised still recognise Nicholas Maduro as the legitimate president of the country.
As the tension continues to mount, some leading opposition figures have fled, some detained and attempts to factionalise the armed forces and the judiciary have so far failed and despite the sanctions imposed by the United States of America on venezuala, Maduro is still hanging on accusing the opposition for colluding with the American government for trying to overthrow his administration.
However, the opposition is not relenting in its effort to get rid of Maduro from office as the daily protest to oust him continues.
But what is quite worrisome is the unforeseen consequences of the action of the opposition. What if the protests turn violent and result in a civil war like that of Syria, which resulted in the destruction of over 40 per cent of the country’s infrastructure and displacement of millions of people. For now the scenario is relatively calm and hopefully the people of venezuela are more mature in their political outlook, that is both the opposition and members of the ruling party.
If Maduro were to be generally unpopular like Omar Al-Bashir of Sudan or Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria he would have been removed from office long ago. In any case, every country is unique and what may work in country A, may not work out in Country B.
As the politicians lock horns for supremacy, one thing that they have tried to avoid with saner minds cautioning them is never to allow the country plunge into a civil war as dialogue and negotiations are always the best option in resolving issues. Otherwise, deadly armed merchants are waiting on the wings cash in whenever there is instability and the possibility of a civil war in any country.
The examples are many, that’s why even the United States of America is cautious in its approach to the crisis in Venezuela.
For a country to scide into such political crisis, several factors come into play such as personal ambition, the greed for power and foreign interest groups who might not like the politics of the incumbent in power or the possibility of creating chaos so that an individual or a politician who they believe will protect their interest will propped up to take over the reigns of government. So they are ever ready to use every means available to instigate crisis or cash on the existing crisis to achieve their aims by supporting a faction either through diplomatic support or financial inducement to bring about their desired change.
If people say that nobody benefits form chaos in the political life of any country, then we are still living in a fantasy world. Definitely, in every civil war, manufacturers of arms and ammunitions and providers of the necessary logistics and other accessories will hope to make sales and profit.
The economices of these countries will make improvements with job creation based on the increasing demands for their products and services. So one thing that should be paramount to the people of Veneuzuela is never to allow their country to become the next playground or battle field for any proxy war for merchants of death. They should learn from Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen.
They should also ask themselves why the western countries resolve their own political crisis without all these drama, bloodshed and the appeal for foreign support, whereas the reverse is the case for developing countries. It is only when we play into the hands of opportunists next target. Countries in Latin America have passed through violent revolutions after their independence from Spain and Portugal. They have also experienced brutal military dictatorships especially in the 20th century, and now that all of them are under democratic rule, there is no need or any of therebe it Venezuela to go book to the old path of bloodshed and war of attrition.
For any civil war to occur, it venezuala is only the people of venuzuela that will suffer the consequences and all what the United Nations will do is just to pass resolutions upon resolutions to end the conflict. Yemen is in a mess likewise Syria.
The future can still be better only if there is dialogue and trust.

Tonye Ikiroma-Owiye

Politics

Parties’ Deregistration: How Justice Lifu Overruled Appeal Court Justices

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2026

The Tide

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday brushed aside the order of the Court of Appeal in Abuja which ordered him to stay proceedings in a suit that sought deregistration of the African Democratic Party (ADC), Accord Party and three others.
The Court of Appeal in a unanimous decision of a panel of three Justices had on May 22, 2026 directed the Federal High Court Judge not to proceed with the suit until an appeal pending before them and filed by Accord Party is resolved.
In a Certified True Copy Enrol Order of the Superior Court, Justices Mohammed Danjuma, Adebukola Banjoko and Oyejoju Oyewumi asked the lower Court Judge to stay proceedings until all issues on the appeal filed by the Accord Party were resolved
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State had, through the Accord Party, applied to justice Lifu to join him as a defendant in the deregistration legal battle instituted by a group of former legislators.
The contention of the Osun State governor was that he had a stake in the Accord Party, being the platform he was seeking re-election in the August 15 gubernatorial poll in the state.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu on April 27 ruled against the Osun State governor, rejecting his request to be joined in the suit to defend his own position and interest.
Not satisfied with the Federal High Court decision, the Osun State governor, through his lawyer, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), moved to the Court of Appeal in Abuja where he challenged the Justice Lifu decision to refuse to allow him join the suit.
After listening to the argument canvassed, especially that he has interest to protect as Accord Party gubernatorial candidate for Osun State governorship election, the three Justices of the Court of Appeal, unanimously directed Justice Lifu to allow them look into the grievances of the governor.
In specific terms, the Court of Appeal Justices directed Justice Lifu not to proceed further with the matter and fixed October 27 to determine the interlocutory appeal of the appellant.
However, when the certified enroll order and notice of appeal were served on Justice Peter Lifu by Mr Adetunbi (SAN), the judge rejected it on the ground that it was a ploy to arrest his judgment in the matter.
Although the judge had adjourned his judgment delivery in the matter indefinitely, he finally made a dramatic turn around on Monday and proceeded to deliver the judgment that has now proscribed the five political parties.

Politics

ADC: Okonkwo Rejects Amaechi As Presidential Running Mate, Withdraws Support

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2026

The Tide

Actor turned politician, Mr Kenneth Okonkwo, has rejected the choice of former Rivers State Governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, as the running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a statement on Monday, Mallam Bolaji Abdulllahi, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, announced the party’s choice of Mr Amaechi.
However in a statement, Mr Okonkwo said that the choice of Mr Amaechi from the South South strengthens the continued marginalization of people from the South East.
According to the former spokesperson of the Labour Party, any arrangement that would not factor a person from the South East either as president or vice president in the party is anti-Igbo.
He contended that Chief Raph Nwosu, who founded the ADC in 2005 and willingly surrendered it’s leadership to Senator David Mark did not do so to entrench Igbo marginalization in the party.
The former actor said: “I heard from the social media that ADC has picked its vice presidential candidate from the South-South. If this is true, it is unfortunate, as this will continue the crude marginalisation of the South-East.
“This geo-political zone has neither produced a president or vice president since 1999. To deny the South-East the opportunity to produce the president or vice president in the ADC in 2027, will amount to perpetuating the marginalisation.
“The ADC was founded by Ralphs Nwosu from the South-East in 2005. He made the sacrifice to give up the party in 2025 for the coalition to usher in a better Nigeria. He couldn’t have made that sacrifice to marginalise his own people.
“I did not join the coalition to assist in marginalisation of my own people further. I am of the opinion that if we made a sacrifice to give up the national chairman and the president, it will amount to unpardonable injustice to deny us the vice president in 2027.
“I joined politics to fight for a better Nigeria where no region, geo-political zone, or person will be marginalised.
“The only favour I asked Atiku Abubakar, who openly declared that he is the pathway to the presidency of the South-East, is to show it by choosing someone from the South-East to be his vice.
“If it is confirmed that he has chosen a candidate from the South-South, I wish him well. I am not favourably disposed to campaigning for any presidential ticket that does not have a person of South-East origin as president or vice in 2027”

Politics

2027: Tinubu’s Projects Give APC Edge In South East – Yilwatda

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2026

The Tide

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, on Monday said that the numerous projects being executed by President Bola Tinubu across the states in the southeast will give him upper hand over other presidential candidates during next year’s general elections.
Prof. Yilwatda stated this at the Abakaliki Township Stadium during a mega rally organized by the Ebonyi State government and Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, during which President Tinubu and other APC candidates for the 2027 general elections were adopted.
According to the APC National Chairman, no President had done for the southeast region what President Tinubu has done for them and expressed the confidence that the president would not only win in Ebonyi State but in the entire South East.
Prof. Yilwatda also used the occasion to address growing insinuations in some quarters that Ebonyi State had been conceded to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dismissing the claim, Prof. Yilwatda said the state would not allow the PDP to win any position in the forthcoming general election.
“We will return President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Francis Nwifuru as Governor of Ebonyi State in 2027.
“We want to return all APC senators, members of the House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates in 2027.
“Nobody has conceded Ebonyi to the PDP. Therefore, there is no vacancy in Ebonyi State. Ebonyi PDP has no place, and there is no vacancy at all in the Government House come 2027,” the APC National Chairman declared.
He commended the people of the state for their support for President Tinubu and urged them to re-elect him in the next presidential election in appreciation of what he has done for the state and the entire South-East through infrastructural transformation and human capital development.
Governor Francis Nwifuru, who also spoke at the event, said the state had no other presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections apart from President Tinubu.

He declared that Ebonyi remained a stronghold of the APC and vowed that the party would deliver the President in the state.

Gov. Nwifuru said President Tinubu had shown exceptional commitment to the state and deserved total support for appointing Senator Umahi as Minister of Works, a role he said Senator Umahi had performed creditably.

“Ebonyi has no other presidential candidate apart from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and we will return him in the presidential election.

“We are standing here today to tell the whole world, especially those using the President’s name to orchestrate division and confusion in this great state, that we have only one party, and that is the APC.

“This statement became necessary because some people are going around claiming they have discussed with Mr President and that he has handed Ebonyi over to the PDP. They are also saying that Chief Nyesom Wike is their leader and that Wike said the President has given Ebonyi to him.

“Ebonyi is not for sale. We are restraining ourselves because the people are with us. Nobody should push us because we have what it takes to confront anyone trying to destabilise us.

“We want to tell Mr President that he has earned our votes. He gave us what we had never had in Eastern Nigeria — the office of the Minister of Works. And this Minister of Works is not sitting idle; he is working,” he stated.

Senator Umahi, in his remarks, said President Tinubu had done what no other President had done for Ebonyi State and the entire South-East by executing numerous projects across the state and the region.

“Ebonyi State is a one-party state under Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru. We are not going to repeat the mistakes of the past.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done a lot, not just for Ebonyi State but for the entire South-East and other geopolitical zones,” he said.