Politics

Musings On The Nigerian Polity

Published

10 years ago

September 12, 2016

The new consciousness
the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari wants Nigerians to imbibe with the launching of the “Change Begins With Me” initiative is to reinforce the notion that the task of building the country is a collective responsibility rather than that of the leadership alone. The message is unmistakable that all and sundry in Nigeria, including corporate bodies, groups, associations and individuals have their roles to play and their contributions to make towards achieving our collective national aspirations and dreams.
These roles and contributions require everyone to be responsible citizens, not only in conduct but also in being alive to developments in the polity and expressing relevant opinions and proffering solutions on issues when necessary. This, indeed, is the hallmark of responsible and responsive citizenship.
“having observed the challenges we are going through as a nation, we are moved by conscience to address some of these issues.” These were part of the opening words of a body of Christian professionals and opinion leaders under the name Club 401 who addressed the media at the Ernest Ikoli Press Centre in Port Harcourt recently.
Led by their chairman, Elder Lawrence F. Jumbo, the socio-religious group bared their mind on contemporary and burning issues in the country such as peace and security, economic wellbeing of the people, inter-governmental relations, pollution and environmental issues in the South-South, perceived inequities, the federation question and the level of involvement of the State in religious affairs.
In making their observations and expressing their convictions on these issues and others, they were mindful to underline with emphasis their belief in one united and indivisible Nigeria and the need for necessary sacrifice from everyone to sustain it.
“Welfare and security of the people is the primary purpose of government,” they noted, arguing that they expect those given the opportunity to deliver on this mandate or be humble enough to throw in the towel when they fail instead of giving the excuse of dwindling resources to deny the people their legitimate earnings while clinging on to power. They described the failure of many State and local governments in the country to be up to date in the payment of salaries to civil servants as a “manifestation of executive recklessness and insincerity” since government functionaries live insulated from the poverty and misery of the working people.
On the issue of peace within the borders of the country, the group challenged the federal government especially to enthrone justice and equity in dealing with all sections of the nation so as to forestall dissentions and violent agitations.
“Government owes all citizens equal obligation to protection,” they posited, adding that they found it inequitable for the authorities to leave farmers without protection while allowing armed herdsmen a free rein to unleash terror on helpless villages and their livelihood.
“Worse still, in a situation where about 80% of command positions are concentrated in the hands of one ethno-religious group, it becomes near impossible for persons from other groups to have a sense of fairness and security,” they said.
While expressing regret about some acts of impunity perpetrated by some law enforcement agents, the Club 401 also decried the involvement of government in some religious activities.
“Making available scarce foreign exchange in these lean times for religious pilgrimage at below the inter-bank rate while critical sectors of the economy such as power, aviation and manufacturing are being starved takes things to a new height,” they noted, adding that they see it as a misplacement of priority that seems not to be sufficiently sensitive to the economic downturn and the folding up of businesses.
As well, the group is disturbed that government had not dealt with the ugly manifestations of religious intolerance in the country in the way it should. They referred to a bill before the National Assembly that seeks to extend the jurisdiction of Sharia Courts to criminal cases and expressed the fear that contrary to a pronouncement by the Sultan of Sokoto that no one can Islamize Nigeria, the federal authorities were not doing enough to prove otherwise.
“Christians are being intimidated or killed for standing for their faith on a regular basis either by herdsmen, students or community mob,” they averred and observed that “the current psyche of some Nigerian Muslims is as if Nigeria has already been Islamized and our leaders are not discouraging same.” They called on the government to rise up to their responsibility of dispensing justice squarely and evenly for and against every Nigerian irrespective of their religious persuasion.
On the question of our federalism, the Christian professionals insisted that our present federal system as practised encourages productive laziness and will not motivate governors and their stats to be resourceful and responsible in revenue generation and management. Their verdict: “there is need for fiscal federalism: let us restructure to liberate our productive potential.”
Not least or last of all, the group also addressed the issue of equity with regard to giving back to the oil bearing communities and asked that due attention be given to the Petroleum Industry Bill (P.I.B) currently before the federal legislative house. They acknowledged the initiative to clean-up Ogoni land and asked that the same be extended to all other polluted sites in the Niger Delta region.
Exchanging views with The Tide in Port Harcourt on the state of the nation, a onetime deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Iyk Oji, identified the absence of leaders with national outlook and interest as the major problem confronting our country.
He recognised the fact that Nigeria is a multi-ethnic and religious country that requires leadership to harmonize and unify it.
Regrettably, he said men and women with the requisite attitude and orientation have continued to elude the nation at the helm of its affairs for as long as it has existed.
“We have ethnic leaders,” he said, pointing out that the grumblings with regard to perceived lopsidedness in federal appointments were fueled by mutual ethnic and religious distrust.
He said that what Nigeria needs are leaders that have an overriding national identity and appealed to our leaders to be broadminded in order not only to untie the nation but to lead it to realise its full potentials.
Irrespective of our differences, Nigeria must not disintegrate, he emphasized, but quickly added that our leaders must make conscious and sincere effort to move away from ethnic, religious and sectional bigotry.

Opaka Dokubo

Politics

Parties’ Deregistration: How Justice Lifu Overruled Appeal Court Justices

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2026

The Tide

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.

Politics

ADC: Okonkwo Rejects Amaechi As Presidential Running Mate, Withdraws Support

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2026

The Tide

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”

Politics

2027: Tinubu’s Projects Give APC Edge In South East – Yilwatda

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2026

The Tide

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.