Politics
Abuja: The Next Battle Ground
The euphoria or jubilation at the swearing-in of the President, State Governors and elected members of the Houses of Assemblies is finally over with the President and Governors sitting down to face the stark reality of what governance is all about.
This is especially applicable to the newly elected Governors who initially might have thought that it is really easy to govern a people with the resources at their disposal.
Most of the governors will eventually meet what they would later claim as empty treasuries on their assumption of office but that, to a lot of Nigerians, is just rethorics. A mandate has been given and it behoves the elected official to think outside the box and seek for solutions to the teething problems they must face.
Already, one week has gone by, with the various governors beginning to see if the lofty speeches they made and the policy statements read on their inauguration can be implemented.
Some have kicked the ground running by making key appointments into various positions while others are still thinking on what to do.
At the federal level, it was quite disappointing that President Muhammadu Buhari had nothing new to offer Nigerians as he never uttered a word at his inauguration on the new direction his administration would take.
This, observers believe is sign posts admission of failure and lack of anything convincing on the credit side of the balance sheet of his administration.
At least what the president should have done was to come out publicly with his achievements or short comings, especially in the areas of security and infrastructural development. If his silence is seen as a mark of success to his administration, then Nigerians should be ready for a very rough four years ahead.
The main focus now is that all elected executives should take a holistic look at the problems of their various states, especially the Governors who are saddled with the complex rule of governance based on what they can generate as internal revenue.
In virtually every state, no incumbent had it easy prior to the elections which brought them to power as their major opponents gave them a good fight and it was after the final verdict by the electoral umpire that they got to know or realiz that they have won.
So the time for politicking had ended automatically with their assumption of office on the 29th of May 2019.
The reality today is that in Nigeria campaigns never seems to end as politicians are always jostling for power even when is it not yet the time for election thereby distracting most governors from really focusing on governance.
Although there is nothing wrong in keeping the governors and the president on their toes with criticisms, such objections to certain policies should not be done with malice.
It should be a constructive and one which cannot be faulted.
In some states, payment of salaries, gratuities and pensions are big problems which seem to be unending.
Sadly too, the president has not made any key appointment one week after taking his oath of office, and there is indespread hope that this will not be a replica of what happened in 2015 when it took him about six months to constitute his cabinet.
If he is really serious, by now he would have done so. By repeating the same thing he did four years ago it is an indication that he never did a good homework on positive governance.
In other climes, a president once elected and sworn-in within few hours or days makes key appointments which clearly signals his policy direction and to delay creates more anxiety in the business community.
This is 2019, let no chief executive make the old mistake of making appointments that are at variance with the principles of federal character or balance base of the geo-political nature of the state.
It is only under prescedent in the nation’s history that virtually all heads of the security, judiciary and even juicy positions in the presidency are from one geographical part of the country. Despite the hues and cries from other parts of the country he suddenly became deaf and dumb within his first term in office. He is not the only culprit as even some state governors were not left out of this same sin and if the president had been from a minority ethnic group with this catalogue of constitutional violations some ethnic jingoists would have been calling for his impeachment. Likewise, some of these state governors if they are also from the wrong side of the divide.
At the federal level the president still has more time, especially in constituting his cabinet as he is waiting for the 9th national assembly to be inaugurated, but this is not really an excuse as governance is a continous process.
Even the outgoing National Assembly especially the Senate, which has the responsibility of screening ministerial appointees, can still do the job. But if the President believes that he will wait for the 9th Assembly, which he hopes will rubber stamp any appointments or decision he makes, they may be making a wrong assumption.
In politics, anything can happen. It is only a vibrant national assembly that can cheek the excesses of the executive.
Again, this is 2019, the APC does not have absolute majority in the senate. From available records the PDP has 51 senators-elect, the APC 55, the YPP I and two to be determined by the court out of a total of 109 senate seats.
So the power game will be very interesting as to who becomes the Senate President and Vice President next week.
As usual, Abuja will be the next battle ground which will involve the presidency, state governors, party strategists, political jobbers and money bags.
The same goes for who becomes the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
As all the interest groups and power brokers descent on Abuja, the future of the next four years will be determined by one vote and just six votes to determine the number three, four, five or sixth in the nation’s hierarchy of power.
Let the battle begin!!!
Tonye Ikiroma-Owiye
During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.
The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”
“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.
“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.
The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”
They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”
The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”
The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.
- A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
- An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
- A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.
The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”
“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.
“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern that preventing the senator from resuming her legislative duties violates democratic principles and disenfranchises her constituents.
“The suspension, having been imposed by the Senate and not a court of law, has lapsed. Any further attempt to prevent her from resuming is therefore both illegal and morally indefensible,” Mallam Abdullahi said.
The party noted that denying Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan access to the chamber silences the voice of the people who elected her, adding that the withdrawal of her salary, aides, and office access during the suspension amounted to excessive punishment.
The ADC also criticised the Clerk of the National Assembly for declining to process her resumption on grounds that the matter was before the courts, arguing that the Clerk’s role was administrative, not judicial.
“Administrative caution must not translate into complicity. When the administrative machinery becomes hostage to political interests, the institution itself is diminished,” the party stated.
Highlighting that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of only four women in the 109-member Senate, the ADC warned that the handling of the case sends a discouraging signal about gender inclusion in Nigerian politics.
“Any action that resembles gender intimidation of the few women in the Senate would only discourage women’s participation. Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while excluding half of its population from key decision-making spaces,” Mallam Abdullahi added.
The ADC insisted that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan be allowed to resume her seat immediately, stressing that the matter was about more than one individual.
“What is at stake here is not just one Senate seat, but the integrity of our democracy itself,” the party said.
