Opinion
That Buhari’s Assessment
In the President Muhammadu Buhari’s address at the just concluded two-day Ministerial Performance Review Retreat of his administration, he expectedly scored his government high in all ramifications, including infrastructure, security, health, anti-corruption, social security and others. One area that stood out clearly for him was infrastructural development. According to him, in recognition of the importance of critical infrastructure in economic development and the quest of his administration to leave a lasting legacy, they have implemented high-impact projects across the length and breadth of the Country that meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians. He named some of those “high-impact projects” to include completion of 326km Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri rail line and railway ancillary facilities; the completion of over 156.5km Lagos–Ibadan standard gauge railway modernisation project with extension to Lagos Port, Apapa; the construction of 408km of roads; 2,499km of SUKUK roads and maintenance of 15,961km of roads across the Country; the ongoing construction of the second Niger Bridge; 941km of completed SUKUK road projects nationwide; 21 selected Federal Roads totalling 1,804.6km.
On Wednesday, the Minister of Transport, buttressing the President’s claim, told news men that the second Niger Bridge is ready and will soon be commissioned for use. Of a truth, we must commend the Federal Government under the leadership of Buhari for starting and completing the second Niger bridge. Though a lot of the paper work on the project was done during the immediate past administration of Dr Goodluck Jonathan, the actual work was started and completed by the current government. The importance of this bridge to our national unity and integration and national economy cannot be over emphasised. It is a bridge that links two important zones of the country – the South-South and the South-East and coupled with the effort by the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority, (NIWA), to make the Onitsha River Port functional, the commercial activities in Onitsha, Anambra State, other south-eastern and south-south states will surely be better off for it. Therefore, one does not think the completion of the second Niger bridge should be a basis for the present government to thump its chest and claim that they have done fantastically well and have met the yearnings of Nigerians. As a matter of fact, it is hard to understand why people who have pledged to come and serve the nation and solve the people’s problems should be bragging about carrying out their duties.
One should believe that it should be left for the citizens to assess the government’s performance. like a lizard that fell from a height and getting no cheers from anyone, nods his head in self-praise for a great achievement. Let Nigerians be the ones to not only ascertain the existence of these projects but their quality and whether the projects were evenly distributed to the six geo-political zones in the country or not. Some people, especially writers and journalists are beginning to sound like broken records having to talk about the challenges of the country over and over again but obviously we cannot help but continue to high-light these problems especially when our leaders at any given opportunity make erroneous claims about the state of things in the country. During the aforementioned ministers’ retreat, the president alluded to the fact that his administration has done so well in growing the nation’s economy. Hear him, “on the economy, we have witnessed seven consecutive quarters of growth, after negative growth rates recorded in the 2nd and 3rd Quarters of 2020. The GDP grew by 3.54 per cent (year-on-year) in real terms in the 2nd Quarter of 2022. This growth rate represents a sustained positive economic performance, especially for the Non-Oil GDP which fell by 4.77 per cent in Q2 2022 against Oil GDP that grew by -11.77 per cent. Most Sectors of the economy recorded positive growth which reflects the effective implementation of the economic sustainability measures introduced by this administration.”
The president’s position is at variance with some other available records and the realities staring us in the face. Available World Bank report has it that while Nigeria’s economy is projected to grow at an average of 3.2 per cent in 2022-2024, the growth outlook is subject to downside risks including further declines in oil production and heightened insecurity, as well as continued scarcity of foreign exchange and tighter liquidity which could affect the economic activity in the non-oil sector and undermine the overall macroeconomic stability. The uncertainty is also expected to be accompanied by high inflation and continued fiscal and debt pressures. In its monthly report released last week, the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, disclosed that the nation’s inflation rose to 20.77 per cent in the month of September, 2022 on a year–on- year basis. This, the bureau said was 4.14 per cent points higher compared to the rate recorded in September 2021, which was (16.63 per cent). The economic realities in the country are not hidden. Millions of citizens are living in extreme poverty, the prices of food and other commodities in the market keep skyrocketing and with the unprecedented flood that has continued to wreak havoc in many communities across the country, the days to come are bound to be tougher. The country has been perpetually in an energy crisis and it keeps getting worse. Today, the main issue of oil theft, fuel subsidy which continues to gulp a great percentage of the nation’s budget and has made it impossible for the country to benefit from soaring oil prices is not doing our economy any good.
Also of great interest is Buhari’s scorecard on Social Investment Programmes. He said, “The implementation of our Social Investment Programmes and other socio-economic programmes and policies, demonstrates our administration’s continued commitment to enhancing the welfare of the average Nigerian. As of June 2022, we had enrolled 75 per cent of the 1 million beneficiaries of Batch C under the N-POWER Programme. Additionally, 9,990,862 pupils are being fed through the School Feeding Programme, which employed 128,531 cooks in local communities. The big question is, where are these beneficiaries. Where are these pupils that are being fed daily? What has been the impact of the so-called school feeding programme on these pupils and their parents? . Where is this huge number of cooks in our local communities? Definitely, our leaders can do better than just dishing out such outrageous figures all in a bid to convince the citizens that the government is working. We need empirical evidence – states, local governments, wards, families, schools, names and ages of these pupils and cooks. Nigerians will like to know all details. Of course, we know that many of the problems in the country today predate the Buhari government but we are saying that the administration should not throw a party claiming that it helped to make the situation better because that may be far from the truth.
Let us hope that in the forthcoming elections Nigerians will elect leaders who will be ready and willing to serve this great nation and turn things around for the better, people who will not give excuses, people who will not see Aso Villa and various state government houses as their retirement homes but people that will hit the ground rolling right from the word go and will not sleep on the enormous task of getting Nigeria on her feet again.
By: Calista Ezeaku
Opinion
Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
Opinion
Checking Herdsmen Rampage
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
Opinion
Is Nigeria Democratic Nation?
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.
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