Opinion

The Nation And Partisan Journalism

Published

8 years ago

July 4, 2018

Nobody is in doubt that The Nation Newspaper is the All Progressives Congress’ (APC ) in-house journal. Therefore, they are permitted to grandstand on behalf of the failed APC-led Federal Government and her deadly destabilisation agents across the country.
However, it must be pointed out that the partisanship of the The Nation has reached an embarrassing level. Even in-house journals have operational ethics. For The Nation Newspaper, advancing the agenda of the APC should be without scrupples….without decency and respect to societal norms.
On Sunday, July 1, 2018, The Nation, acting on behalf of her client and Rivers APC Election Rigging Agent, SARs Commander, Akin Fakorede published a report titled: “Court Sentences Wike’s Loyalists to 17-Year Imprisonment, “ with a rider: “Verdict Vindicates Me, says Rivers F-SARS Commander”.
I read through the report to see anywhere the presiding judge mentioned Governor Nyesom Wike, but there was none. The Nation’s editors and her APC reporter simply cast the headline to humour their paymasters, the APC.
On a regular basis, criminals are convicted in Lagos State by different courts; whose loyalists are they? There are more armed robbers and kidnappers convicted in Lagos State than any other state. In view of the political landscape, majority of them are tilted towards the APC. The Nation has never embarked on any campaign of calumny against the government and people of Lagos State.
However, for political reasons, The Nation time and again refuses to put on the ethical cap whenever it comes to Rivers State. They report a court case as if it is a political story, trying unsuccessfully to belittle the Rivers State Governor.
For The Nation, the issue of security must be seen from a political and ethnic viewpoint. They struggle to defend the indefensible Rivers SARS Commander, Mr Akin Fakorede.
Make no mistake, Fakorede can never be vindicated. No level of propaganda will redeem his damaged personality. Posterity will be harsh to Fakorede. He is one of the bad examples of the Nigerian Police, an unfortunate introduction by the Inspector General of Police to compromise the security of Rivers State.
The video evidence against Akin Fakorede during the Rivers East Senatorial District rerun collation will forever stand against him. Even if the APC Federal Government and The Nation continue to shield Fakorede, he stands convicted in the court of the people.
The issue of the criminality of Fakorede’s actions in Rivers State cannot be cured by irresponsible journalism. The man has been at the top of illegal activities to undermine the security of the State and the theft of the people’s mandate.
Recall that in May 2018, a faction of the Rivers APC loyal to Senator Magnus Abe accused Fakorede’s SARS of aiding and abetting the rigging of Rivers APC ward congresses. SARS’ action led to violence and the sealing of Rivers APC State Secretariat.
Very importantly, in September 2017, a High Court in Port Harcourt convicted five SARS personnel for the extra-judicial murder of Michael Akor and Michael Igwe in Oyigbo Local Government Area. The court ordered the Nigerian Police to pay N50 million to the families of the deceased.
In June, 2018, Fakorede’s orderly, Sergeant Ndubuisi Okoro and another SARS operative, Christopher Abakpa, were arrested for kidnapping and armed robbery. The Police High Command is still struggling to sweep the matter under the carpet with ridiculous excuses.
It will be necessary to refresh the memory of the The Nation and their client, Fakorede.
Last year, the alleged criminal activities of Mr Fakorede were uncovered by the Inspector General of Police X Squad, Abuja, deployed to the State after the squad busted the attempted kidnap of one Mr Azumana Ifeanyi on September 11, 2017 at the GRA, Port Harcourt.
The Official Police Signal with the title: “Police Wireless Message “ and Reference Number DT0: 121030/09/2017 —INGENPOL-X-FHQ ABUJA TO-INGENPOL SEC ABUJA, noted that the squad received a distress call on the kidnap of Mr Ifeanyi and immediately swung into action. According to the signal, they met the three SARS operatives robbing and a gun duel ensued. The operatives had taken Mr Ifeanyi to a Fidelity Bank ATM where they compelled him to withdraw N500,000 as ransom.
This case which stunned the entire country is yet to be acted upon by the Police High Command. Of course, the reason is obvious. Fakorede is here in Rivers State at the instance of the APC-led Federal Government. He is their agent for electoral fraud and the destabilisation of the state’s security architecture.
The Nation is entitled to her manipulation of facts and concoction of falsehood in liaison with Fakorede and the Police High Command. This entitlement has been entrenched because Nigeria has been hijacked by impunity. The APC Federal Government only rewards promoters of impunity, election rigging and mass murder. Fakorede is a beneficiary of this warped era.
It is a huge shame that a newspaper prefers to side with indicted criminals and turns a blind eye on the way forward.
Despite being very partisan, the editors of The Nation must, as a matter of urgency, assume their roles as gatekeepers, especially in relation to Rivers State. The man they have as a correspondent in Rivers State is a confirmed APC member. He is deeply involved in the political arena, hence, his judgement is flawed and unreliable. He lacks the capacity for objective reportage. Every report or feature from him, except announcements, must be clinically edited to expunge mischief, political trading and outright falsehood.
In Rivers State, Wike is the man. He delivers projects and quality programmes. He has given governance a meaning and improved on the living condition of the people. He cannot be distracted by The Nation’s propaganda or any falsehood for that matter.
His defining objective is to lift the State. On this, Rivers people have resolved to go all the way to 2023 with him. If The Nation Newspaper failed in 2015 when Wike was only running on his contributions as a Minister, they will fail woefully now that he has written his name in gold through countless projects in the 23 local government areas of the State.
Nwakaudu is Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media.

Simeon Nwakaudu

Opinion

Trans-Kalabari Road: Work In Progress

Published

13 hours ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Quote:”This Dream project is one of the best things that have happened to the people and residents of Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas in recent times.”

This is the concluding part of this story featured in our last edition.

Good road network helps farmers to convey their agro-allied products to commercial hubs where buyers and sellers meet periodically to transact business. Road network engineers and motivates people resident in unfriendly geographical terrains, like riverine areas, to own property and shuttle home with ease. Some people will prefer living in their own houses in a more serene and nature-blessed communities to living in the city that is fraught with pollution, and other environmental, social and economic hazards. Prior to the cult epidemic that ravaged parts of Rivers State, the Emohuas, Elemes, Ogonis, and Etches were known for rural dwelling. Most public servants from these areas do their official and private transactions from their villages. For them it was comparatively easier to live in the village and engage in a diversified economic endeavours through farming, fishing or other lucrative business without outrageous charges and embarrassment associated with doing business in Port Harcourt, where land is as scarce as the traditional needle.

That is why the decision to construct the Trans-Kalabari Road by the administration of Dr. Peter Odili was one of the best decisions that administration took. When Dr. Odili vacated office as the Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi took over and awarded contracts for continuation of the road project which in my considered view is the felt need of the people of Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas. Unfortunately, Rt. Hon. Amaechi’s efforts to drive the project was sabotaged by some contractors some of whom are Kalabari people. The main Trans-Kalabari Road is one project that is dear to the people and residents of Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas of Rivers State. This is because through the road commuters can easily access several communities in the three local government areas. For instance, the road when completed will enable access to eight of the ten communities in Degema Local Government Area, namely: Bukuma, Tombia, Bakana, Oguruama, Obuama, Usokun, Degema town and the Degema Consulate. It will also link 15 of the 16 communities in Asari Toru Local Government Area. The communities are: Buguma, the local government headquarters, Ido, Abalama, Tema, Sama, Okpo, Ilelema, Ifoko, Tema, Sangama, Krakrama, Omekwe-Ama, Angulama. The road will also connect 14 of 17 wards in Akuku Toru Local Government Area, and other settlements. It is interesting to note that It is faster, and far more convenient and economical for the catchment Communities on the Trans-Kalabari Road network to go to the State Capital than the East West Road. The people of the three local government areas will prefer to work or do their transactions in Port Harcourt from their respective communities to staying in Port Harcourt where the house rent and the general cost of living is astronomically high.

Consequently, development will seamlessly spread to the 28 out of 34 communities of Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas. The only Communities that are not linked by the road project are Oporoama in Asari Toru, the Ke and Bille Communities in Degema Local Government Area and the “Oceania” communities of Abissa, Kula, Soku, Idama, Elem Sangama of Akuku Toru Local Government Area. But because of the economic value of the unlinked Communities to Nigeria, (they produce substantial oil and gas in the area), the Federal, State Governments and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), can extend the road network to those areas just as Bonny is linked to Port Harcourt and the Lagos Mainland Bridge is connecting several towns in Lagos and neighbouring States.Kudos to previous administrations who had constructed the Central Group axis.

However, what is said to be the First Phase of the Trans-Kalabari Road project is actually a linkage of the “Central Group” Communities which consists of Krakrama, Angulama, Omekwe. Ama, Omekwe Tari Ama, Ifoko, Tema, Sangama. It is the peripheral of the Trans-Kalabari Road. The completion of the Main Trans Kalabari project will free Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor areas from congestion. It will motivate residents and people of the three local areas to contribute to the development of their Communities. If the Ogonis, Etches, Emohuas, Oyigbos, Okrikas, Elemes can feel comfortable doing business in Port Harcourt from home, residents and people whose communities are linked to Port Harcourt through the Trans-Kalabari Road will no doubt, do likewise. The vast arable virgin land of the Bukuma people can be open for development and sustainable agricultural ventures by Local, State and Federal Government.

It is necessary to recall that the Bukuma community was host to the Federal Government’s Graduate Farmers’ Scheme and the Rivers State Government moribund School-to-Land Scheme under Governor Fidelis Oyakhilome. Bukuma was the only community in Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas that has the capacity to carry those agricultural programmes. However the lack of road to transport farm produce to Port Harcourt and facilitate the movement of the beneficiaries of the scheme who lived in the community which is several miles away from the farms, hampered the sustainability of the programme. The main Trans-Kalabari Road remains the best gift to the people of Degema, Asari Toru, and Akuku-Toru Local Government Areas. Kudos to Sir Siminilayi Fubara.

By: Igbiki Benibo

Opinion

That U.S. Capture of Maduro

Published

13 hours ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Quote:”Strategic convenience does not nullify sovereignty. Political frustration does not authorise military abduction.”

The first part of this story was published in our last edition.

In Africa and the Middle East, regime change—whether by invasion, proxy warfare, or sanctions—has often left behind fractured states, weakened institutions, and prolonged instability. Washington’s motivations in Venezuela are widely understood: vast oil reserves, alliances with U.S. rivals, and symbolic defiance of American influence in the Western Hemisphere. But none of these reasons confer legal or moral legitimacy. Strategic convenience does not nullify sovereignty. Political frustration does not authorise military abduction. If every powerful nation acted on its grievances in this manner, global chaos would inevitably follow. International law provides mechanisms for accountability. Under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), individuals accused of crimes against humanity or other grave offences are subject to investigation and prosecution through judicial processes.

Likewise, extradition treaties, mutual legal assistance agreements, and Interpol mechanisms exist to ensure accountability while respecting due process. These frameworks were designed precisely to prevent unilateral enforcement of “justice” by military force. The most profound consequence of America’s action may not be in Caracas, but in the precedent it sets. If the world accepts that a superpower can unilaterally depose another country’s president, then the foundation of the international system is weakened. Sovereignty becomes conditional—no longer a right, but a privilege tolerated at the discretion of the powerful. Going forward, if another country invades its neighbour, will the United States retain the moral authority to impose sanctions or demand restraint? Some analysts already warn that parallels between Russia’s actions in Ukraine and America’s conduct in Venezuela risk further eroding global norms. Selective adherence to international law breeds cynicism and accelerates the drift toward a world governed by force rather than rules.

Power—military, economic, or political—should serve human progress and collective well-being, not domination and destruction. For African nations, many of which emerged from colonial rule through bitter struggle, this precedent is especially alarming. Sovereignty is not an abstract legal concept; it is a hard-won shield against external domination. Any erosion of that principle anywhere weakens it everywhere. Africa’s painful history of foreign interference makes this lesson especially urgent. For me, the real issue is not whether Nicolás Maduro is a good or bad leader. That judgment belongs, first and foremost, to the Venezuelan people. The larger issue is whether the international system still operates on law—or has quietly reverted to hierarchy. If America insists it is defending global order, it must ask itself a difficult question: can an order survive when its most powerful guardian feels entitled to violate it? Until that question is answered honestly, the capture of a foreign president will remain not a triumph of justice, but a troubling symbol of a world drifting from law toward force.

If the United States felt so strongly about the allegations of terrorism, drug trafficking against Maduro, were there no other lawful options? Judicial accountability, diplomacy, regional mediation, and multilateral pressure may be slow and imperfect, but they reflect respect for international law and sovereign equality. Military seizure is a blunt instrument. It humiliates institutions, radicalizes populations, and hardens resistance. It may remove a leader, but it rarely resolves the underlying crisis. History teaches that military interventions seldom result in stable democratic outcomes. More often, they breed resentment, resistance, and long-term instability. For the sake of global order and the rule of law, the United States should reconsider this path and recommit to diplomacy, legal cooperation, and respect for the sovereign equality of states. Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris reportedly described the invasion of Venezuela as “unlawful and unwise,” warning that such actions “do not make America safer, stronger, or more affordable.” Her words reflect a growing recognition, even within the United States, that force without legitimacy undermines both moral authority and global stability.

Should what happened in Venezuela serve as a wake-up call for corrupt African leaders who undermine the people’s right to choose their leaders? The answer is yes. The capture of Maduro should alarm African leaders who manipulate elections, weaken institutions, suppress opposition, undermine citizens’ rights, or cling to power at all costs. Venezuela faced widespread criticism over disputed elections and repression long before this episode, and that context shaped how the world reacted. This does not justify foreign military intervention, but it highlights an uncomfortable truth: prolonged democratic decay isolates nations and invites external pressure—from sanctions to diplomatic censure. Global opinion matters, and legitimacy at home strengthens sovereignty abroad. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and several African leaders have rightly condemned the events in Venezuela, invoking the principles of sovereignty and non-interference enshrined in international and regional law.

Beyond condemnation, however, African leaders must look inward. The continent’s future cannot be built on repression, constitutional manipulation, and personal greed. Leadership must reflect the will of the people, not desperation for power. Two days ago, a social commentator on a radio station argued that Trump’s action—though condemnable—demonstrates how far a leader can go for his country’s interest. According to this view, he did not intervene in Venezuela for personal enrichment, but to strengthen his nation. In stark contrast, many African leaders plunder their own countries. They siphon public resources, impose crushing taxes and harmful policies, and leave their citizens poorer—all for selfish gain. That contradiction is the deeper lesson Africa must confront.True sovereignty is protected not only by international law, but by accountable leadership at home.

By: Calista Ezeaku

Opinion

Kudos Gov Fubara

Published

2 weeks ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Please permit me to use this medium to appreciate our able governor, Siminalayi Fubara for the inauguration of the 14.2-kilometre Obodhi–Ozochi Road in Ahoada-East Local Government Area. This inauguration marks a significant milestone in the history of our communities and deserves commendation. We, the people of Ozochi, are particularly happy because this project has brought long-awaited relief after years of isolation and hardship.

The expression of our traditional ruler, His Royal Highness, Eze Prince Ike Ehie, JP, during the inauguration captured the joy of our people. He said, “our isolation is over.” That reflects the profound impact of this road on daily life, economic activities, and social integration of the people of Ozochi and other neighbouring communities. The road will no doubt ease transportation, improve access to markets and healthcare, and strengthen links between Ahoada, Omoku, and other parts of Rivers State.

The people of Ahoada, Omoku, and indeed Rivers State as a whole are grateful to our dear governor for this laudable achievement and wish him many more successful years in office. We pray that God endows him with more wisdom and strength to continue to pilot the affairs of the state for the benefit of all. As citizens, we should rally behind the governor and support his development agenda. Our politicians and stakeholders should embrace peace and cooperation, as no meaningful progress can be achieved in an atmosphere of conflict. Sustainable development in the state can only thrive where peace prevails.

Samuel Ebiye