Politics
Obasanjo’s Letter
There is this African adage that says, “A dancer does not see his back”. This assertion is apt as it is the spectators that judge the dancing skills of a dancer and could, when asked to make a comment, point out the mistakes the dancer makes.
In essence, dance steps follow a drum beat or musical beat and when a dancer performs well, follows the correct rhythm, he or she is commended for a job well done. Also, in the political realm, the accolades or criticisms follow the same pattern as it takes only the professional to see the fault in any political setup and offers good advice to those at the helm of affairs.
Just this week, former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo sent an open letter to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari on the state of the nation where he expressed worry over the security situation and other lapses of the administration. This is not the first time Chief Obasanjo has done so. During the presidency of the late Alhaji Shehu Shagari, he counselled the former President and hauled abuses and condemnation at him. Under Ibrahim Babangida, he did same and the reaction was not different under Yar Adua and Dr Goodluck Jonathan. His pen danced and danced and the reward he got was not different.
Chief Obasanjo two years back also wrote a letter to the same President Buhari on his handling of the ship of the nation but was criticised not minding the fact that it was the same Obasanjo that Buhari met to seek his support for the office of the Presidency in 2015.
That notwithstanding, advice is never a curse. That is why those who really want to succeed in life brook criticisms and never hits back at those who give them useful advice. But to say Chief Obasanjo who fought in Nigerian Civil War and even saw to the surrender of Biafra is an unpatriotic person is really ludicrous and laughable.
Obasanjo has paid his dues and most of his observations are done without malice and it is only a dumb-witted person, people who don’t love the country that will see nothing good in his observations and advice.
The issue is not that Obasanjo is a saint or knows it all, but the stark reality is that Nigerians are in trouble and probably have entered what motor park touts call a ‘one chance journey.”
Of all the points or observations made by the former president which really touch the fabric of the country’s future is the issue of Nigerians gradually losing confidence in the ability of the Buhari administration to fight criminality perpetrated by herdsmen, Boko Haram and kidnappers in virtually every part of the country.
Today, even the wealthy in the cities and the poor in the rural areas are afraid for their lives, our houses have become fortresses and our streets in the urban areas are now gated. There is no week that we don’t hear of killings and kidnapping on our waterways and highways which have become death traps to travellers’ and commuters. In short, no place is safe anymore in the country.
Basically, Obasanjo’s letter raises about 11 salient points which include the need for a national dialogue to discuss the way forward and suggested that all former presidents, heads of state, heads of security , governors (both present and past) and other major stakeholders in the country, including council chairmen be invited to deliberate on the issues confronting the country.
Another point he raised was that the government must be an inclusive one. This observation is quite apt because of serious lopsidedness in the composition of the country’s security structure and other critical appointments which show that they favour only one section of the country and people of a similar religious affiliation.
This to some Nigerians shows that the present administration is the most sectionally -minded government Nigeria has ever had. That even after the end of the Civil War under General Yakubu Gowon, Nigeria was a better place in terms of appointment of people to positions of trust.
The advice did not come as a surprise to all who have been following the trend in the country and for Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to use his pen once again to sound a note of caution on the nation’s march into the future calls for concern. According to him, it seems Nigeria has been handed over to a bunch of criminals that even the Chief of Army Staff seems confused and is blaming the spate of insecurity on sabotage and lack of commitment by personnel of the Armed Forces. Is it not the same government that said it has crushed Boko Haram? How come this confession that it is fighting the war against criminality suddenly overwhelming it?
For Obasanjo to say the security issue is hitting the very foundation of our existence is not far from the truth as herdsmen have become a threat to the corporate existence of the country, and if left unchecked, might eventually result in massive inter-tribal war on a national scale as acts of retributive justice may lead to ethnic cleansing as it happened in Rwanda in 1994. So to curb any upheaval of such nature, the president must start thinking of solution and stop living in a cocoon where he sees nothing, hears nothing and is not even aware that his security chiefs are also doing nothing.
It is quite sad that in Nigeria, we are never always truthful to those who occupy the office of the president or governor. That is why according to the late music maestro, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, “Nigeria is a big blind country”. A country where advice is seen as a crime with those who render good advice hounded, called nasty names and even threatened with arrest or even arrested for disturbing the peace of the nation. To be truthful, President Muhammadu Buhari has failed in all facets of governance. Under his watch between June 2018 to May 2019, over 7,253 Nigerians have been killed. The figure released by Nigeria Security Trackers (NST), a project of the Council on Foreign Relations Africa, consists of those killed by Boko Haram and Islamic State in the Northern part of the country, herdsmen and extra-judicial killings by the military.
During the time frame according to the report, Borno and Zamfara recorded the highest number of killings, contributing to 49% of the total deaths within the last one year. Borno recorded 2,384 killings while 1, 157 people were killed in Zamfara. Other states that make up the most affected states are Kaduna, 540, Benue 330, Adamawa 303, Yobe 264, Taraba 176, Plateau 166, Rivers 160 and Katsina, the President home state, with 127 deaths.
One of the factors that ensured President Buhari’s success in the 2015 election was the issue of insecurity and most Nigerians thoughts that with his military background he would do a better job in the fight against criminality, but today, the tale is different as things are worse. States which never experienced bandits before are now bearing the brunt of banditry, robbery and kidnapping. States like Sokoto, Kebbi in the north and Ekiti, Oyo and Kogi axis are now seeing people killed on the highways, homes and farms. Not just there alone, farmers both in the South-South and South-East regions are even not faring better.
The situation is so bad that even elderly women are reportedly raped in their farms, killed or maimed and yet nothing is done to arrest and prosecute the culprits.
To Obasanjo, this is due to poor management of or mismanagement of our diversity, and when the silence by the victims becomes too much, something might set up a spark which might result in unforeseen circumstance. The earlier we tackle this malady, the better for the future of the country. And the only way forward is for President Muhammadu Buhari to be presidential in his actions by abiding by his oath of office to ensure the safety of lives and property of Nigerians and obey the constitution.
A country can survive one civil war but might not survive a second one which also involves ethno-religious differences.
Tonye Ikiroma-Owiye
Senate has again approved a three-month extension implementation period for capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act from June 30 to Sept 30.
This followed the adoption of a motion moved by Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno (APC- Borno) at plenary yesterday.
Monguno, moving the motion, said the extension became necessary given the unutilsed substantial funds released to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for implementation of projects under the 2025 budget.
According to him, delays caused by procurement processes, project implementation challenges and administrative procedures had slowed the execution of several critical government projects.
Monguno said many strategic projects across key sectors of the economy were already at advanced stages of completion and required additional time for execution, certification and payment.
“Failure to extend the implementation period of the 2025 Appropriation Act may result in the abandonment of critical projects, the wastage of already committed public resources and the disruption of ongoing government interventions,” he said.
He argued that some allocations contained in the budget might not be accommodated in subsequent appropriation cycles if the implementation window expired.
This, he said would create funding gaps and ultimately undermine development objectives.
He said that extending the validity period of the budget would improve budget performance, facilitate the efficient utilisation of released funds and support economic growth.
“Granting a further extension of the implementation period is in the national interest and will ensure value for money in public expenditure,” he said.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Sen. Solomon Adeola (APC-Ogun), supporting the motion, explained that the extension was specifically targeted at the capital component of the budget.
According to him, when President Bola Tinubu presented the 2025 budget to the National Assembly, there is an understanding that 30 per cent of the budget implementation will be completed by March 31, while the remaining 70 per cent will be rolled into the 2026 budget.
Adeola said that the implementation timeline was not fully achieved, prompting the National Assembly to earlier extend the budget’s lifespan to June 30.
“While we were passing the 2026 budget, due to the non-implementation of that promise, we were forced to extend the budget to June 30,” he said.
He said although payments had commenced, significant obligations remained outstanding.
“There is a need to extend this budget beyond June 30 to September 30, by then, we are hopeful that the outstanding 30 per cent will have been paid in full, while implementation of the components transferred to the 2026 budget can commence.”
Adeola urged senators to support the extension to ensure proper implementation of projects and prevent disruptions to government programmes.
Sen.Victor Umeh (NDC-Anambra), who seconded the motion cited the need to sustain the execution of projects captured under the 2025 Appropriation Act.
“In view of the need to sustain the continued execution of the projects covered in the 2025 Appropriation Act, as amended, I hereby second the motion,” Umeh said.
Following deliberations, Senate President Akpabio put the proposal to a voice vote and it was overwhelmingly adopted by the lawmakers..
Akpabio in his remarks said the decision was necessary to prevent interruptions in payments and project execution.
“The payment would have stopped halfway if this was not done,” he said.
The Senate President commended the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee and other lawmakers involved in handling the matter.
He directed that the Senate’s resolution be transmitted to the executive for implementation.
“Accordingly, the resolution of the Senate is being communicated to the Executive that the 2025 Appropriation Act has been extended to Sept 30.
The National Assembly had earlier extended the implementation period of the 2025 budget to June 30, following delays in the release and utilisation of capital funds.
Senate, thereafter, adjourned plenary to July 7.
The member representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State, Frederick Agbedi, yesterday emerged as the new Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
Agbedi’s emergence follows the resignation of former Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda of Rivers State, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress, creating a vacuum in the leadership structure of the opposition caucus in the Green Chamber.
His nomination was contained in a letter transmitted to the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, by the minority caucus during plenary, yesterday.
In the letter, the caucus announced that its members had reached a consensus on the replacement of vacant principal offices allocated to opposition parties in the House.
Abbas, while reading the letter said, “The election of the House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria, the minority members of the 10th Assembly hereby unanimously nominate the following members by consensus to fill the vacant positions of the minority in the parliament.
“Number one is the Minority Leader, Hon Frederick Agbedi.
“Number two is the position of minority whip, and the person they have endorsed is Hon Mansur Soro (APM, Bauchi).
“The last but not the least is my brother from the North-West, Hon Abdussamad Dasuki (ADC, Sokoko) for the position of Deputy Minority Leader.
“Honourable colleagues, today the body of principal officers is complete, and I want to seize this opportunity on behalf of the whole entire House to congratulate the three people and to wish them all the best in their new positions.”
With the development, Agbedi assumes the responsibility of coordinating opposition lawmakers in the House and articulating the position of minority parties on legislative matters before the chamber.
A ranking lawmaker and one of the longest-serving members of the House, Agbedi has represented Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency since 2011.
His appointment is expected to strengthen the voice of the opposition caucus at a time when defections and realignments continue to reshape the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Also announced was the emergence of Hon Mansur Soro of the Allied Peoples Movement as Minority Whip and Hon Abdussamad Dasuki of the African Democratic Congress as Deputy Minority Leader, completing the minority leadership structure in the 10th House.
Speaking after the announcement, Abbas congratulated the newly appointed principal officers and pledged the cooperation of the House leadership.
“The leadership of the House will work with them assiduously in ensuring that we achieve our legislative agenda objectives of this very important 10th Assembly,” he added.
The emergence of the new minority leadership comes amid recent changes to the House Rules governing the selection of principal officers. The amendments, which introduced fresh eligibility requirements, have generated debate within opposition ranks and influenced the contest for key leadership positions.
Shortly after the announcement, a lawmaker from Imo State who had been nominated for the position of Minority Leader last week, Ikenga Ugochinyere, formally withdrew from the race.
He cited the amended House Rules and the new eligibility criteria for principal officers as the basis for his decision.
The latest appointments are expected to restore stability within the opposition bloc following weeks of uncertainty triggered by Chinda’s defection and the subsequent scramble for leadership positions.
Political observers believe the new leadership team will face the immediate challenge of forging unity among lawmakers drawn from different opposition parties while providing effective legislative scrutiny of the executive and the ruling APC-dominated parliament.
For the PDP, which remains the largest opposition party in the House despite recent defections, Agbedi’s emergence is seen as a strategic move aimed at maintaining cohesion within the minority caucus and strengthening its influence in parliamentary proceedings.
In a letter titled, “An Open Letter to Former President Goodluck Jonathan,” the observer said Dr Jonathan should be careful not to allow himself to be drawn into partisan calculations driven by ambition rather than national interest.
He cautioned the former president against allowing himself to be used by what he described as desperate political interests.
“I believe this is the time to protect the good name and legacy you have built over the years. You should not allow yourself to be used by desperate political elements who may be more interested in their own ambitions than in the future of Nigeria,” the letter read.
The Social Commentator further warned Dr Jonathan to be wary of those advocating for his comeback, claiming many of them were previously opposed to his administration.
“Many of those calling for your return today were your antagonists, those who frustrated your government back then. You should be careful not to become a pawn in a game designed by others or else they will stain your white with their ‘roforofo’,” he said.
He maintained that Dr Jonathan’s legacy remains defined by his decision to concede defeat in 2015, which he described as a landmark moment in Nigeria’s democratic history.
“Your legacy was built through years of public service and your decision to put the country’s peace above personal ambition at a critical moment in Nigeria’s history. That legacy should not be put at risk because of the desperation of a few politicians,” he added.
Mr Adenuga also alleged that some of the promoters of Dr Jonathan’s return have lost credibility in the public space.
“The truth is that some of the people pushing you to contest have already damaged their own reputations. They should not be allowed to stain your legacy with their soiled hands. What they could not achieve on their own should not be pursued through your name and goodwill,” he stressed.
He concluded by urging the former president to remain above political manoeuvring and protect his place in history.
“History has been kind to you. Preserve that honour and remain above the political games of those who want to use your name for their own purposes,” he wrote.
Recall that former President Goodluck Jonathan recently emerged as the presidential candidate of the Kabiru Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following a special convention held in Abuja, where delegates ratified his nomination ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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