Politics

Was There Need To Celebrate This Year’s Democracy Day?

Published

11 years ago

October 6, 2014

Mr Titus Achor – Business Man
I think it is worth celebrating Nigeria at 54 because there has been a lot of development in the country. It is true that some people are still unemployed but many graduates especially those in the engineering field are securing employment. Government of President Goodluck Jonathan is trying to make life better for us so we have to celebrate. It is also true that there is insecurity in the country, Chibok girls are not yet released but that shouldn’t stop us from thanking God that the country is still moving on despite all odds.
Mrs Lilian Okonkwo – Nawoj Chairman
For me, Nigeria at 54, I wouldn’t say it is so good, I wouldn’t say it is so bad. The reason is that there is always room for improvement.
We always think that things should have been better than what it is now. However, for me, I think there is reason for us to celebrate even if we have problems, after all, for those of us who are Christians, the Bible will tell you that in all things you give thanks. We haven’t done so bad even if it is not so good. I know that we have challenges talking about the insecurity problems. But you will find out that there are countries which have gone through the same challenge and it resulted to Civil War. But some how, we have been able to manage our problems and we have remained one indivisible country. And so for us as a country, that we are still one indivisible entity, it calls for celebration.
Having said that, we still have a lot of problems which we need to tackle to make the country better – corruption, self-aggrandisement of our leaders and so on. So we wish that things will get better. We wish that we move from where we are to a higher ground. I want to see a situation where we will have regular power supply so that people’s business will move forward, a situation where the insecurity in the northern part of the country wouldn’t be there and things will be better than it is now.
Despite all these, yes, the Chibok girls are yet to be found but a lot of things still have to go on.
We can’t mourn for ever, the country has to move on. In my own view, there wasn’t even much celebration this year. The celebration was in low key, you cannot compare it to what it used to be in the past. The lectures, the national honours award and a few other events that formed part of the celebration, were in order. Even when a President of the country died, the country moved forward. Amidst the situation, the country has to move on. It is like somebody having a problem and he sinks in it, no! there still has to be a way out. We still have to move forward, hoping that things will be better. We the citizens of Nigeria should also do the best we can to improve the country.

Mr Lukeman Abiodun-Printer
To me, the country is not okay. The economy is in disarray, people are not happy, things are generally tough for the masses, so what are we celebrating? Most Nigerians are living in abject poverty.
Yes, a 54-year-old man is a full-fledged man but the challenges the country is facing makes it difficult to perform. So the country is still a baby, not a man. For people in government, things are okay for them but for us, the poor masses, trying to eke a living, things are not okay. So for those in government , they can celebrate independence but for us, there is no need for celebration. Look at me now, I should have travelled to my village for Eid-el Mubarak celebration because I am a moslem but I couldn’t do that because there is no money. Even the people I worked for couldn’t pay because of lack of money. People can’t celebrate when they are hungry, , when the country does not cater for them.
Mrs Jane Beluonwu – Teacher
There was no need for independence celebration this year because Nigeria is not at peace, no happiness because of the crises here and there, Boko Haram and all the kidnappings. We can’t celebrate in the midst of all these. It is when you are happy that you celebrate. The national honours award, the independence lectures and all that should have been put on hold till next year, when the country shall have hopefull been better. Personally, I am not happy with the present day situation of things in the country. Look at the school children that were kidnapped many months ago and are yet to be found. If you are their parents or relation, will you want to celebrate independence in that state? Our leaders should give us a reason for celebration by making the country a better place.

Mr Ngozi Williams – Transporter
I think we should annually celebrate Independence Day as usual.
Before, when independence was independence, when things were moving fine, the celebration was groovy. Everybody took part in the celebration one way or the other. But this year, I didn’t see much activities. May be because of scarcity of fund and non-payment of workers salaries, the celebration was dull.
However, looking at it the other way round, abduction of over 200 girls from Chibok, Boko Haram problems and other issues, we ought not to celebrate independence this year because there are too much problems in the country. Infact, we want Nigeria to be divided. Let the northern and southern parts of this country go their separate ways so that there will be peace in this country.
Mrs Stella Njoku – Self-employed
That we are one as a country till 2014, we should celebrate and thank God. Many professed about Nigeria disintegrating and all that but we have continued to be one, that calls for celebration. Many people say there are many problems in the country so we should roll out the drums to celebrate our independence but as far as I am concerned, problems are part of life. We cannot have a problem-free society. It is not possible. A man’s ability to forge ahead despite the mounting challenges facing him makes him a man.
Having said that, I will like to add that I personally, do not buy the annual ritual of giving national awards to people. We all know that many of the awaredees do not deserve the award. Some of them are very corrupt. Some contributed to the poor economic and infrastructural state of the nation, yet we honour them, for what? So, there was nothing wrong in thanking God. We have remained one entity despite all challenges but I don’t subscribe to the national honours award.

Politics

LP Crisis: Ex-NWC Member Dumps Dumps Abure Faction

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A former National Organising Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Clement Ojukwu, has expressed regret that the several legal cases brought against the party since the 2023 general elections have impacted the party’s performance.

Mr Ojukwu, who recently returned to the interim National Working Committee led by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, noted that the party had 34 elected members in the House of Representatives, eight Senators, and 80 members at the state Houses of Assembly after the 2023 general elections.

“Now we lost all of them,” he said. “I don’t think we have as many as five members in the National Assembly.”

The former national officer of the LP talked to journalists in Abuja and said he chose to join the caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi-Usman because they are now the officially recognized leaders of the Party.

“I chose to work with the caretaker committee to help save the Labour Party, for the benefit of the party. I also want to use this chance to ask my colleagues at the national, state, and local government levels to come together and help rebuild our party.

“Another election is around the corner. We lost everything we have. They have left to other political parties. So I’ll reach out to all my friends in the other group to get together and work on making this party stronger again.

“The caretaker committee has formed a reconciliation committee. Let’s come together and talk so that we can restore the first opposition political party in Nigeria.”

Mr Ojukwu, who was part of the Julius Abure’s group, said there are no more factions in the LP.

He added, “There is a court ruling, and since it is valid, the right people are in the correct positions.”

He urged Barr Abure and others to drop the legal cases they have filed because they are not helping the party.

“Litigations are killing political parties”, he said. “They’ve seen many political parties disappear because of legal battles, and the Labor Party is losing support every day, which makes me feel sad.”

Mr Ojukwu said he did not think joining the Senator Nenadi-Usman’s NWC was a betrayal of the Abure group, describing himself as “the oxygen” of that faction.

“I’m with this group because of the verdict. But I never betrayed anybody. Rather, I was betrayed,” he added.

Politics

2027: NIGERIANS FAULT INEC ON DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP REGISTER DIRECTIVE

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A number of Nigerians have strongly criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its directive to all political parties in the country to submit digitalized membership register within 32 days.

It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following it’s reversed timetable, directed all political parties in the country to submit their digitalized membership registers within 32 days.

Speaking on the reversed timetable in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, respondents said the directive amounted to disqualifying opposition political parties from fielding candidates in all the elections next year.

They said if the directives by the commission is implemented, only the All Progressives Congress (APC) would participate in the elections since it started it’s digital membership registration since February, last year.

Responding, an elder statesman in Rivers State, Chief Sunnie Chukumele, said the revised timetable was okay, but the timeframe for submission of digital membership register was being made at the wrong time.

Chief Chukumele said, for the past two years, all opposition political parties have been battling various issues in court, adding that they did not have the time to embark on membership drive, talk less of digitalizing their membership registers.

“My reaction is that the only issue with this revised timetable is the timeframe given by INEC for parties to submit digitalize memberships register in all the states of the federation, while giving notice of Congresses and convention. That is not possible”, he said.

He said only the ruling APC is likely to meet up with the directive, since it began its registration since last year.

Chief Chukumele, who is also the National Coordinator of Coalition of Rivers State Leaders of Thought (CORSLOT), alleged that the directive of the electoral body may have been targeted to prevent other parties from fielding candidates for the elections next year.

“When you say all the parties should submit digitalized registers of membership in 32 days, how will that be possible to conclude it in 32 days”, he queried.

He noted that “APC used one year ago to do, so APC has one year in the kitty plus 30 days. This is highly regrettable”.

The CORSLOT national leader urged the election umpire to do away with stringent conditions that will make it hard for opposition political parties to field candidates in the elections.

Also speaking, Mr Jacob Enware from Edo State queried the rationale behind the directive, especially when some opposition political parties are still having cases in court.

In his words, ”What opposition political parties are you talking about, is Labour Party not in court or PDP that is yet to resolve their issues?

”For me, INEC should provide a level playing field for all, because aside the APC, no party can meet up this criteria.”

In his own response, Mr Nathaniel Ebere said he was not prepared to vote for anybody whether INEC provides a level playing field or not.

He alleged that his vote would not count, “so I will not waste my time”.

By: John Bibor

Politics

IT’S A LIE, G-5 GOVS DIDN’T WIN ELECTION FOR TINUBU – SOWUNMI

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Convener of The Alternative, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, has expressed reservations about the political stance of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, while calling for reconciliation among key party figures.

Otunba Sowunmi made the remarks during a television interview on Saturday, when asked about the relationship between Gov. Makinde and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike.

He said, “I don’t believe Seyi Makinde. Because I know them all. I’ve been in this party since it was registered. And I’ve been loyal, faithful, diligent with this party from the get-go, and I’ve never left.”

He underscored his longstanding commitment to the PDP, referencing prominent figures who had exited the party at different times: “I’ve had the grace, and the honor, and the dignity of watching even my father, Obasanjo, shed his card. As much as I love him, I didn’t leave the party”.

He added, “I’ve had the privilege of watching my beloved senior brother, Governor Gbenga Daniel, leave the party a few times. As much as I respect his vision and his ideas, I’ve never left. I’ve watched my former principal, Atiku Abubakar, leave a few times. I’ve never left.”

Otunba Sowunmi stressed that his comments were rooted in deep involvement with the party: “So when I talk about PDP, I’m not talking as an outsider, I’m talking as one of their totems, who was actually carrying them.”

He disclosed that he wrote to Makinde during the governor’s last birthday, urging reconciliation among a bloc of five governors who had formed a movement during the 2023 elections.

“At Governor Seyi Makinde’s last birthday, I wrote him a letter where I tried to say, look, you guys, the five of you, succeeded to the extent of creating a movement of your own”, he said.

He added, “And you fought very hard to make a point in the 2023 election. Although I don’t believe you won the election for the president, that’s a lie. They contributed, but I hate when people take the glory of other people’s work.”

Otunba Sowunmi warned that unresolved differences among the group could weaken the party: “You guys, you must go back to your four friends, your five friends, and you guys go and sort it out. Because not sorting it out with your five friends is going to leave the party worse off.”

He added, “But now that you’re fighting, or you’re not agreeing with yourselves, why don’t you go back to that same energy that allowed you to agree, so that you can use that energy inside to agree, and then we can lead the party.”