Politics
Nigeria’s Major Political Events In 2012
As 2012 comes to an end today,it is important and pertinent to analyze the political events of the year and evaluate the activities of the key players, with a view to making them check their actions and decisions in 2013.
Although it has been observed that Nigerian politicians and leaders hardly learn from mistakes of the past leaders. If they did , corruption which has been the major factor working against our democracy would have been eliminated and Nigeria would have been a better country of our dream.
For the wary, 2012 came, set in density the nation was deeply enmeshed in the fuel subsidy protests, which political undertone is yet to settle and clean.
In the melee, the nation stood on edge as every government policy, action and inaction reverberated in the fuel subsidy problem. The crisis in all grace, dictated the pace and tone of the year, exerting heat, anxiety and tension in equal measures.
The PDP Convention
Early in the year, on the heels of the fuel subsidy protests, came the National Convention of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Date was February 10 and Abuja, the national capital, was agog. The current national executive of the party, led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, was constituted at the convention.
Ojukwu’s Burial
A month after the national convention of the PDP, came the week long funeral rites of the ex-Biafran leader and twice presidential candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the 2003 and 2007 elections, Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu- Ojukwu.
The funeral train, which came with elaborate reception in Port Harcourt, Owerri, Aba, Enugu, Abakaliki and Awka, was rounded off with his burial at his home town of Nnewi, in Anambra State on March 3.
Politicians across the various ethnic divides and parties, including President Goodluck Jonathan, participated actively at various segments of the orchestra.
Edo Governorship Election
On July 10, the governorship election in Edo State took place. The pre-election campaign and the election proper generated intense confusion, almost to a boiling point. The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate and sitting governor, Adams Oshiomhole, alleged assassination attempts on him and some of his aides by suspected agents of the PDP.The election was held and the people of Edo re elected Comrade Oshiomhole who defeated other parities,including the Peoples Democratic Party
( PDP) who were bent on reclaiming the political power in that state.
Ondo Governorship Election
This was another major event that heated up the political space in the intervening period.
Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who is of the Labour Party, (LP), generally adjudged as a Small Minority Party, was pitched heavily against arsenals from the ACN armada from the South West, and of course the PDP. The excitement the campaigns generated and the eventual seeming anti-climax of the verdict was as interesting as it was hilarious.
Bayelsa Elections
Before the Edo and Ondo elections was the governorship elections in Bayelsa State, the home state of president Goodluck Jonathan. It did not live up to the billings of the two.
But the events that culminated in the removal from office of the former governor, Chief Timipre Sylva were of more significance and alluring. His tango with the presidency was dripping with red-hot political manouevres, hydra-headed machinations, intense intrigues, and what looked like an unending battle. In the end, Seriake Dickson coasted home with victory.
Farouk Lawal Subsidy Bribe Scandal
Detectives at the Police headquarters investigating the $620, 000 oil subsidy bribe money collected by erstwhile chairman of the House of Representatives Subsidy Probe Panel, Hon. Farouk Lawan from oil magnate
The Embattled Farouk Lawan, had told an Abuja High Court that he was immuned from civil prosecution for any action he took on the floor of the House while serving as the chairman of the ad-hoc committee that probed the management of fuel subsidy in the country.
He said this in a preliminary objection to N250bn suit filed against him by a businessman, Femi Otedola. He asked the court to dismiss the suit on the basis that the action over which he was dragged to court was taking in the course of his duty as chairman of the committee.
Lawan was removed as the chairman of the committee amid accusation by Otedola that he (Lawan) obtained $620,000 bribe from him in order to strike out the name of his company, Zenon Oil, from the list of indicted firms.
The Lawan-led committee had indicted some firms and individuals of shortchanging the subsidy regime to the tune of N1.7trn. It consequently recommended their prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Otedola had alleged intimidation by the House in the wake of his accusation against Lawan and consequently sued the lawmaker; the Speaker, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal; the Clerk of the National Assembly; and the National Assembly. He is asking the court to make the defendants pay him N250bn as damages for the loss of goodwill as a result of their actions in the course of the probe.
APGA Crises
Although, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) had an interminable seven year long crises, the bad turn it took on a fresh wing in the month of June, festered all year long and is yet to abate. A new faction emerged and announced the sacking of the National Chairman Chief Victor Umeh and some members of his national executive.
Allegedly, the two governors produced by the party were said to be backing the opposing factions which deepened the crises immeasurably.
UPP Registration
Chief Chekwas Okorie in August presented a proposal to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for a new party to be registered, United Progressive Party, (UPP).But the Electoral body rejected the proposal.
Constitution Review:
The two chambers of the National Assembly in the going year embarked on a more holistic amendment of the 1999 constitution.
As part of the constitution review exercise, the House of Representatives held a public session on the constitution across the 360 federal constituencies in the country.
Impeachments
In the outgoing year, the deputy governor of Taraba State, Sani Abubakar was impeached by the members of the state House of Assembly for allegedly abusing his office as deputy governor. The impeachment came as a shock to the former deputy governor who had thought that he had been left off the hook by the legislature. Before his eventual impeachment on October 4, Abubakar was first dropped from the National Merit Award honours list on account of his problem with the state legislature.
Also, the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon Bello Abdullahi was impeached by his colleagues on October 16. The impeachment which threw the Assembly into chaos was believed to have the backing of the state governor, Captain Idris Wada.
Following the furore that trailed the impeachment, the House of Representatives made moves to take over the functions of the Assembly. However, after series of interventions, Abdullahi was given a soft landing, as his impeachment was quashed and in return, he promptly resigned from office.
Crashes Of Governors’ Aircraft
The private jet of the Taraba State governor, Suntai Danbaba piloted by the governor himself crashed on October 25. Danbaba and four of his aides who were on board with him sustained very serious injuries. Since that crash, the governor has been in Germany where he is receiving treatment.
On Saturday, December 15, there was another air crash involving the governor of Kaduna State, late Sir Patrick Yakowa. The crash which occurred in Okoroba, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State claimed the lives of Yakowa, the immediate past National Security Adviser, late General Andrew Azazi and four others.
The two air mishaps that left Danbaba in a very bad state and Yakowa dead, greatly altered the power configurations in the respective states, particularly in Kaduna State.
Deregistration Of Political Parties
On December 5, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the de-registration of twenty eight political parties. The commission in a statement said it took the action in exercise of the power conferred on it by Section 7 of the Electoral Act 2011.
According to the section, “The commission (INEC) shall have powers to de-register political parties on the following grounds: (i) breach of any of the requirements for registration, and (ii) for failure to win a seat in the National Assembly or state Assembly election.”
The deregistration exercise opened a floodgate of litigations with the affected parties heading to the courts to challenge the action of the electoral body.
On December 21, INEC deregistered another 3 parties bringing the number of deregistaered parties to 31.
Ibim Amieyeofori
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.
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”
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.