Politics
Women, Party Politics And Elective Positions(3)
There is also a laughable school of thought positing that with low levels of education, skills, economic resources, poverty and self esteem, women are in a poor position to assert themselves in the political arena. Thus the multiple forms of exclusionist tendencies and disadvantages tend to re-inforce each other and make it difficult for Nigerian women to break out of this vicious cycle of murderous slumber. Women sincerely need a wake up call.
To my mind, I admit sincerely that because men have turned political and electoral activities into a warfare, producing and manufacturing in the process all manner of political and electoral violence, women in response now experience and exhibit phobia for political participation.
This manifest fear of the unknown is neither here nor there. What women see as dark and dirty political horizon is like a masquerade that delights in scaring its adherents and unlookers only to be unmasked and what you see is one young, inconsequential and drunken man who has no capacity in real life to stand your way.
It is my very strong conviction therefore that the answer to the rider in this discourse could be found in the positive. And I state without equivocation, that women can comparatively cope and participate fully in the party politics and contest all forms of elective positions in Nigeria. Few have done it in the past, many more can do it now with determination, courage, hardwork and goodluck.
To succeed women must eschew unnecessary rivalry, gossip, altercations of all dimension and be committed as an army ready for a revolution. Just as it become absolutely necessary in this country during colonial rule, women carried out a revolution that changed the face of Government policies evidenced in the Aba women riot of 1929 and the Abeokuta demonstration of 1949. The time to act is now.
As in other parts of the world, affirmative action will be essential and highly suggested to mobilise and encourage women to overcome the self imposed and unreasonable fear of men’s violent activities and advance towards women’s advancement particularly in the political arena.
Women have all what it takes to challenge men to a political fight. Men are our sons, fathers and husbands, we live together, eat together and women possess natural endowments that can twist and rattle men as it pleases our conveniences.
Women have the numerical strength, education and decent disposition attractive to the electorate. It is rather men’s continued dominance of the political land scape rather than distinaction or gender bias that has continued to encourage the discrimination against women. The time to act I repeat is now. Women have forgotten so soon the slogan that raged like fire in our political life when we used to say in market parlance, “what a man can do, a woman can do it even better.” Why must men be left all alone to plunder our common heritage and ravage our political and social life like a colossus. Are we then petty and second class citizens that cannot even walk under the huge legs of the colossal man? Nigeria women can effectively cope in the turbulent and volatile political and electoral waters of Nigeria.
I salute the courage in recent times of the likes of Prof. Dora Akunyili who has been championing the re-branding Nigeria project in her capacity as the Minister of Information and Communication and who in the heat of men’s docility in moving the country forward braved it and sent in a memo challenging her fellow memers of the Federal Executive Committee dominated by men to a discussion on the health of the President Umaru Yar’Adua.
Senator Florence Ita-Giwa’s political influence cannot be waived easily in Cross-River State. Presently the likes of Senators Joyu Emordi (Anambra), Chris Anyanwu (Imo), Nkechi Nwogu (Abia), Ekaette Udong (Akwa-Ibom) and their counter parts in the present House of Representatives notably Hon. Abike Daribi-Erewa, Hon. Juliet Akano (Imo) and Hon. Uche Ekwunife who recently contested the Anambra State Gubernatorial election under the platform of the progressive peoples Alliance (PPA) are clear demonstrators and advocates for the advancement of the need for an improved women participation in democratic Governance. They are equally living testimonies to our assertion that women can effectively and efficiently cope in the political adventures of Nigeria. The likes of Dr. Mrs. Okonjo Iwela, Former Finance and Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr. Mrs. Chinwe Chigbu, Former Director General of the Bureau for Public Enterprises, Dr. Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili and of the indefatigable Prof. Dora Akunyili are equally clear testimonies that women are better managers in politics. They all and more excelled where men goofed.
Women as mothers, should be propelled by the love of the people of this country and their enduring strong covenant with God and offer themselves to serve. The exhibition of motherly love by women in politics will certainly change the face of politics in this country. In the new Nigeria of our dreams, women should be prepared to take the lead.
I shall conclude this paper with a charge that women must not dogmatise in their approach to the renewed interest in political participation. We must reason with men as our husbands and sons.
We must rather be persuasive and voluntarily join political parties of our choice. But in making the choice to join a political party we must take a decision that by persuasion, we hope that we could bring more people with us. This shall form the basis of our action plan to act and revolutionise the politics of this country. Women have the potentials.
If we therefore think that we can just make a loud noise and the Tory Wall of Jericho will fall down, then we are doomed to go the way of previous campaigners because men will not take us seriously. Power is not given but taken. You must step out before you are counted. We must stop cosmetic initiatives that are devoid of real substance. We must wake up and join progressive forces in a revolutionary style devoid of armed struggle and take up the mantle of leadership in this country. It is so in ivory cost. It has happened in Ghana. Why not Nigeria?
Conclusively therefore, we further posit that the best guarantee for increased women participation in politics is the elimination of fear no matter how imaginary through the conduct of credible elections in Nigeria. Credible election is not a myth in African but a reality. It has happened in most African countries. It happened in Nigeria in 1993 June 12 elections when Nigerians transparently voted against cleavages and stereotypes. And very recently it happened again in Anambra State. As women are poised to participate in the 2011 general elections, may God help us to witness once again, a fair, free and credible election to the glory of God and better services to mankind.
Barrister Ugboaja is the Imo State Co-ordinator, Network for the Bar, the Bench and the Police (NBB&P).
Nkechi Yvonne Ugboaja
Politics
Reps Constitution Review Committee Holds Zonal Hearing For Rivers, C’River, Akwa Ibom In Calabar

A press statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Cross River State Governor, Mr Linus Obogo, disclosed that the Calabar Centre — designated as Centre B — will host representatives and stakeholders from Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States.
The public hearing is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Transcorp (Metropolitan) Hotel, Calabar.
The initiative, according to the statement, is designed to promote inclusive dialogue and capture the aspirations of Nigerians from all regions.
It aims to serve as a platform for citizens to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing national efforts to refine and strengthen the country’s legal and institutional frameworks.
“Citizens, civil society groups, professional bodies, traditional rulers, and other interest blocs are invited to participate in this landmark engagement aimed at advancing a more just, equitable, and responsive Nigerian Constitution,” the statement read.
The hearing forms part of the broader review process of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and is seen as a strategic move toward fostering national unity and addressing structural legal issues within the federation.
Politics
Tinubu’s Contribution To Buhari’s Presidency Marginal – Ex-SGF

For the first time since 2022, when then-presidential aspirant Alhaji Bola Tinubu declared he made former President Buhari Nigeria’s President in 2015, Mr Mustapha dismissed the claims, stressing that the merger only contributed about three million votes in addition to Buhari’s existing 12 million votes in the North.
He insisted that former President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to the breakthrough, not the three million votes from the merging parties, which he described as insignificant.
Speaking on the role of the merging parties, particularly President Tinubu, the leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr Mustapha, who was the keynote speaker at the launch of the book ‘According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesman’s Experience’ authored by Mallam Garba Shehu, described the impact of the votes from other merging parties as very insignificant.
In attendance were former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, chair of the event; immediate past Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; SGF George Akume, who represented President Tinubu; PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar; former Chief of Staff to Buhari Ibrahim Gambari; elder statesman Babagana Kingibe; former governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Chris Ngige (Anambra), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Raji Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); former ministers Solomon Dalung and Sunday Dare; former Army Chief Tukur Buratai, and Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s spokesman, among others.
According to Mr Mustapha, “I do not intend to stir up any controversy. The merger in 2013 was midwifed to create a Buhari presidency. Let us look at the statistics. In the 2003 election, it was the Obasanjo-Buhari presidential contest where Buhari recorded 12.7 million votes. In 2007, it came to 6.6 million, and it went back to 12.2 million in 2011.
“When we were conceptualising the merger, what would give us a headstart? Obviously, it was at the back of our consciousness that the merger with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), though it had only one state, the ACN had six states, ANPP three states, and when you sum up the total votes that we had as the presidency in 2015, the aggregate of the total votes was 15.4 million.
“So, basically, what we brought to the table after the merger outside the Buhari 12.5 million votes was three million. Before turning to that presidency, it is important to recognise the former President’s role in reshaping Nigeria’s political trajectory.
“In early 2013, as the leader of the CPC, Buhari formally requested and supported the creation of a CPC merger committee, part of a broader coalition-building process that brought together the ACN, ANPP, APGA faction, and elements of the ruling party through the breakaway ‘new PDP’ group. His endorsement and participation, along with other party leaders such as President Tinubu and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, lent credibility and direction to the merger, helping to unify disparate party factions under the banner of the APC. That coalition-building paved the way for the first democratic defeat of an incumbent ruling party in Nigeria’s history.
“President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to that breakthrough. No account of President Buhari’s tenure would be complete without acknowledging the extended periods he spent on medical leave. These moments, while politically delicate, were also telling of his leadership philosophy and personality,” he said.
In his remarks, President Tinubu promised to build on the legacies of former President Buhari, stressing that “nation-building is a relay. The efforts of one administration lay the foundation for the next.
“In this regard, I acknowledge the efforts of my predecessor, President Buhari, and assure all Nigerians that the reform-oriented path he initiated will be consolidated and strengthened under this administration. Our Renewed Hope Agenda is inspired by the desire to build a resilient, just, and inclusive Nigeria—a nation that delivers dividends of democracy to all its citizens”.
Politics
Your Lies Chasing Investors From Nigeria, Omokri Slams Obi
Speaking during an appearance on live television on Wednesday, Mr Omokri alleged that Mr Obi’s statements were misleading and damaging to the country’s economic prospects.
Mr Omokri said some investors currently operating in Nigeria were considering exiting the market due to Mr Obi’s remarks.
“That is not true. He doesn’t rile me up. I rile him up. The reason why I came here is because I’m a patriot. Peter Obi lied. You know, foreign direct investors are watching your programme, who are making investment decisions not to come to Nigeria. There are foreign investors in Nigeria that are making investment decisions to leave Nigeria because of the lie he told.
“One of the lies he told is that President Tinubu has borrowed more than the administrations of Yar’Adua, Jonathan, Buhari. That is a blatant lie”, Mr Omokri said.
To buttress his claims, Mr Omokri referenced figures from the Debt Management Office (DMO), maintaining that President Tinubu had actually reduced Nigeria’s external debt burden since assuming office.
“I have here with me data from the Debt Management Office, and Nigerians who are watching can go to DMO.com and search Debt Management Office, Nigeria State of Indebtedness 2015.
“As of 2015, Nigeria was owing a total of $63 billion. When Buhari was leaving office, Nigeria was owing $113 billion. Today, from the DMO, our debt has gone from $113 billion to $97 billion, meaning that Tinubu has reduced our debt by over $14 billion.
“We should be appreciating this man. Yet Peter Obi came here and lied to the Nigerian people. He took the debts and translated them into naira to make it look like the debts have increased”, he said.