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Tag: Bola Tinubu

Ugly optics from Turkiye and return of our visiting president

By

UGO ONUOHA

Nigeria’s president, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, enjoys gallivanting. Put together he has been out of the country for more than half of one year in the two years and some months that he had been in office so far. For this period alone counting from December 28, 2025 to today, February 3, 2026, Tinubu would have spent only 11 days in Nigeria out of 34 days, less than one-third. He has set the tone for this year because the Igbo say that “ana esi n’uto ahuru mara uto nsi”. For decency we will just say that this means that the taste of the pudding is in the eating. But in truth, the transliteration of that Igbo sentence would come out as “you can guess the taste of feces from the smell of the fart that preceded it”. Those who keep tabs on presidential travels in the modern era of our country may yet find out that he holds the record as the most travelled Nigerian head of state in the first two years of their being in office.

Tinubu has spent about 220 days abroad since he acceded to office on May 29, 2023. He just returned to the country on Saturday, several days after the state visit to Turkiye ended. That was not unusual. That explains why his handlers announce his departure dates but never the return dates. It’s the same when he goes to Brazil as an observer during the BRICS [Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa] summit. It’s the same when he visits London. It becomes worse whenever he is in Paris, France, his preferred home which coincidentally is the abode of his long time friend and business associate, Gilbert Chargouri [GCON], the Lebanese Nigerian. Some angry Nigerians have dubbed this secretly awarded medal of Grand Commander of the Order of Nigeria as Gilbert Chargouri Order of Nigeria [GCON].

Whenever President Tinubu travels out of the country, which turns out to be very very often, the only thing that is known is the date for his departure. His return date is never or at best seldom stated in presidential communications. Sometimes the country he would be going to is never named. For instance, on December 28, 2025, one of the president’s spokespersons, Bayo Onanuga, caused a statement to be issued wherein Nigerians were told in a contemptuous, disdainful and derisive manner that Tinubu had departed for Europe as part of his end of year activities. He said that from Europe, the president would go to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates [UAE] for a programme. That event was scheduled to last for one week. On that trip, the president stayed away from the country for three weeks. The name[s] of the European country[ies] he went to remained a mystery. Though he was said to have been sighted in Paris during that period.

When he returned from Abu Dhabi,Tinubu managed to spend one week in Nigeria, the very country he swore an oath to govern, and then he hurried out to Turkiye for a state visit. Though the presidency avoided putting a timeframe to the visit, the understanding was that the Turkiye state visit was not meant to last beyond two days. That’s the way it should be. Nobody should expect the president of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a busy and obviously serious-minded leader of a country to devote or waste one week babysitting the president of another ostensibly unfocused and unserious country whose ruler may desire to even stay longer in a foreign land. For Tinubu, it’s obvious that better anywhere else but in Nigeria.

In hindsight it should now be obvious even to the not too discerning that this ruler of Nigeria had a game plan for the duration of his presidency – four years, eight years or any number of years in-between. Travel. Travel. And travel. That should explain why he hastily acquired a well-appointed wide body Airbus aircraft as an addition to the presidential fleet. The prior talks that the aircraft in the presidential fleet were too many to start a commercial aviation service were not for him. Tinubu had made up his mind that he would rule Nigeria from the skies, and from across oceans, and from foreign lands. Of course, as should be expected for a jet procured in a hurry and in an untardy manner, there was no appropriation for it by what has turned out to be a supine national assembly [NASS]. Onanuga later explained, obviously reluctantly amidst national outcry, that the multi billion Naira jet was bought with monies from a slush fund otherwise called Service Wide Vote. It has to be said that this Vote is not unique to this regime. Tinubu did not create it. It has been in existence. Such opaque budgetary provisions are not unusual in jurisdictions such as Nigeria’s where kleptomania rules. To accentuate the proclivity to hedonism, an armour-plated and bomb-resistant Cadillac was added to spruce up the comfort and safety of President tinubu.

However, Tinubu’s state visit to Turkiye last week demonstrated that there is so much that the perks and appurtenances of a high and demanding office can mask. They cannot mask a man suspected of infirmity to become suddenly strong. Even a performance enhancing steroid wears away over time. Comforts and access to the best of medical facilities and technologies and inventions are useful and life-enhancing. But they cannot cure slowdowns and noticeable sluggishness that come with age. It gets worse when there’s a combination of infirmity and old age. To be sure old age could be grace that comes from on high which many actually covet but do not have. It has to be said, however, that for some people old age could be karma designed to serve them cold dinner in the twilight of their lives when they are helpless and most vulnerable. When suspected infirmity combines with old age, living a jet-set lifestyle becomes ill-advised. It certainly will not be good for a man in his mid-70s or actually in his mid-80s.

In national terms Nigeria is in a dire straits in almost all facets. If Nigeria were to be a human being it would be a key candidate for admission in the ICU [intensive care unit]. Its politics is bastardised. Its economy is comatose. Paranoid. Paralysed. Its sovereignty is challenged by domestic non-state actors and foreign powers with morbid interests. The claims of the unity of the country and its indissolubility are convenient and self-serving slogans in the mouths of the members of the corrupt and looting ruling elite. In Turkiye last week, it was the instability of Nigeria that was in the global spotlight. Tinubu merely approximated it. The world saw Nigeria on display through their ruler. Nigeria told the world that this was the best it had on offer. The irony is that this country is still a mystery to the international community. It presents a contradictory image of itself – a country of young and tech savvy people and, at the same time, a country of a bungling and utterly corrupt ruling class. It’s a mystery. And an enigma.

There’s no attempt here to diagnose the health status of President Tinubu. I am not a certificated health professional. And I am not his personal physician. But the telltale signs of a stumbling and tumbling man in Turkiye last week who needed to be assisted by his host to stabilise and focus should be concerning, nay troubling for any Nigerian who means well for this country. The signs were writ large prior to the 2023 election after which he was declared the winner. What this means in effect is that this country which is in ICU has had the dubious burden of nursing its nurse for the better part of 10 years. A president should be a nurse for an ailing country.

The affliction of Nigeria who masqueraded as its president from 2015-2023, Maj. Gen.[rtd] Muhammadu Buhari, became a patient instead of a nurse for the country. He was in and out of hospitals abroad for the duration of his eight years of reign. At a time he was on a hospital bed in London for 103 consecutive days. His appointees formed cabals which ran the country to benefit themselves. The chickens are now coming home to roost. The only achievement of Buhari was ‘non-governance’ which ensured that the country went back by at least 30 years. It will be frightening if this country is on the cusp of witnessing a déjà vu. Already, people who should be in the know are indicating that Tinubu is not firmly in control of his regime. They claimed that contending cabals have been pulling at opposite ends which accounts for the many missteps by the regime including smuggling a strange name into the list of ambassadors-designate. Indeed, the strangler had been assigned to a duty post before the scheme was uncovered. The burgeoning perception and image of Nigeria as a rolling crime scene is foreboding.

UGU ONUOHA, Veteran Journalist, Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Champion Newspapers Limited writes from Lagos, Nigeria’s Centre of Excellence

02/03/2026
President Bola Tinubu Arrives in Abu Dhabi for 2026 Sustainability Week

President Bola Tinubu arrived in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Sunday night for the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), which begins Monday.

His aircraft landed at the Presidential Wing of Zayed International Airport at 11:30 p.m. local time, according to Presidential Spokesperson Bayo Onanuga.

Tinubu was welcomed at the airport by Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and UAE Ambassador to Nigeria Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, alongside Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, and other members of the Nigerian diplomatic mission.

At his hotel, several Nigerian officials received the president, including Minister of Budget and Planning Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Dr Jumoke Oduwole, and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency Amb. Mohammed Mohammed.

President Tinubu arrived from Europe, where he held consultations with Rwandan President Paul Kagame and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The 2026 ADSW, themed “The Nexus of Next, All Systems Go,” focuses on sustainable development, climate action, energy transition, and inclusive growth.

Tinubu’s visit highlights Nigeria’s commitment to global sustainability discussions and aims to strengthen diplomatic and economic relations with the UAE.

01/12/2026
Forgeries, taxations and the reign of Rehoboam

By UGO ONUOHA

“A profligate regime should not expect Nigerians to willingly submit to a new tax regime that looks like an exercise in extortion. The administration gets its priorities wrong. At a time that virtually all federal highways have collapsed and become deathtraps, this government prioritises the construction of a N15 trillion coastal highway from Lagos to Calabar.”

A little over three months into the presidency of Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on September 5, 2023, I wrote an opinion piece titled “100 days of Rehoboam” in this space and elsewhere. Rehoboam was a king of the divided kingdom of ancient Israel. He was the son of King Solomon and the grandson of King David, both of whom were also past rulers of a united Israel. Rehoboam caused Israel to be divided through policies that inflicted pains on his people. He was reckless. He was proud. He was unfeeling. He took counsel from his scatter head fellow young men. He told the Israelites that the privations they suffered under his father should be regarded as a child’s play. And that while his predecessors chastised them with a whip, he would chastise them with a scorpion. And he verily proceeded to do so. Rehoboam and Tinubu share similarities and dissimilarities. Rehoboam was a monarch. Tinubu is not a king in spite of his pretending to be one. Rehoboam was born into royalty. Tinubu was not. Indeed Tinubu’s birth and early years are still subjects of conjectures and controversies. Rehoboam was a young man when he ascended the throne of his fathers, and so could be excused on account of youthful exuberance. Tinubu was an old man when he was installed as president of Nigeria though his true age is only known to himself and himself alone. There’s no verifiable evidence of when he was born and where. Unlike Rehoboam, Tinubu takes no counsel from anyone. He said this much himself when, without consultations and without a Cabinet, he unilaterally removed the so-called petrol subsidy.

Tinubu at 100 days in office] has been like that proverbial bird that perched on a tree branch—the branch has remained unsettled and the bird can’t stop dancing to unheard sounds. Since his inauguration on May 29, 2023, exacerbated hopelessness has been the lot of Nigerians. Tinubu himself can only pretend to have peace of mind…”

On September 5, 2023, I wrote this about Tinubu and Rehoboam. “[Tinubu at 100 days in office] has been like that proverbial bird that perched on a tree branch – the tree branch has remained unsettled and the bird can’t stop dancing to unheard sounds. Since his inauguration [as president] on May 29 [2023], exacerbated hopelessness has been the lot of Nigerians and Tinubu himself can only pretend to have had peace of mind. If he has had the presence and prescience of mind, he would not have been enmeshed in serial fumbling from one policy somersault to another from the removal of the so-called petrol subsidy, [devaluation of the Naira], student loan and [the] proposed payment of N8,000 per month for six months to a specified number of poor Nigerian families, and planning to lead the Economic Community of West African States [ECOWAS] to war on Niger Republic [when the military in that country seized political power]”… In Igbo Tinubu is a classical case of ‘akwu rere ere n’ikwo puru epu’ which transliteration in English language will roughly read: rotten palm fruits being pounded inside a decayed mortar. The finished product is better left to the imagination…”

When Rehoboam became the king, the older advisers in the palace pleaded with him “to heed the cry of the people and lighten the heavy load of labour and taxes that Solomon had laid on them, but the younger elements who had grown up with the new king counselled otherwise. He took the counsel of his mates. The consequences of the actions of the new and rash King Rehoboam are well documented in the chronicles of the kings of Israel in the Holy Bible book of 1Kings. In Tinubu’s rash and irrational decisions [on] the first day and [subsequent] weeks of his reign, he appears to have borrowed a leaf from the wicked and unthinking King Rehoboam”. One of the undoings of Rehoboam was that he insensitively raised taxes on his people and so lost more than half of his kingdom. The northern part of Israel split away, taking its own path separate from the southern kingdom of Judah. But Nigeria is not a monarchy and bears no resemblance to the old kingdom of Israel. Does that mean that Nigeria splitting is unthinkable?

With the new tax laws set to come into effect in a matter of days, Tinubu who rules like a monarch may yet be treading the path of King Rehoboam. Rehoboam raised taxes on his people at a time they were already complaining of privations and pains, Tinubu is poised to also raise taxes on Nigerians at a time the people are groaning under the weight of a multiplicity of harsh economic policies of the regime. And he appears not to be bothered. He is irritated by wise counsel that he steps on the brakes and allows Nigerians to breathe. Instead, he empowers the relevant agency of government to execute a secret contract with a so-called tax consultant in France which may lead to handing over Nigeria’s tax data to a foreign company. Tax data is a national security issue that should not be traded as a favour to a friend. Tinubu and the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, are known to be buddies. The frequent ‘working visits’ of our president since he assumed office a little over two years ago had been to Paris, France, unlike his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, who made London his tourism and medical destination, and the former archbishop of Canterbury his bosom friend. And a go-to man.

A profligate regime should not expect Nigerians to willingly submit to a new tax regime that looks like an exercise in extortion. The administration gets its priorities wrong. At a time that virtually all federal highways have collapsed and become deathtraps, this government prioritises the construction of a N15 trillion coastal highway from Lagos to Calabar. To add insult to injury, the contract for the road was not subjected to an open and transparent bidding, no public tendering, no definite and finite route, and no environmental impact assessment report. To cap it up, the highway contract was awarded to a known long time friend and business associate of Tinubu. The president’s son, Seyi, is alleged to be a significant shareholder in some of the companies in the Chargouri Group which owns Hitech construction company which was awarded the opaque Lagos – Calabar highway contract. This is a classic and glaring case of abuse of office. The argument by the regime that much of the money for the execution of the road contract would be borrowed does not make the smell of the contract less pungent and offensive. Even the money to be borrowed will still have to be paid by Nigerians. By you. Or by me. Or by our children and grandchildren.

As the government preps to extract more taxes from us, it is telling us that we should be the people to fund their ostentatious, obscene and provocative lifestyles including, committing billions of Naira to build or to refurbish mansions for the president and vice president, buy hundreds of foreign manufactured sport utility vehicles [SUVs] for ministers, a coterie of advisers, lawmakers, local government chairmen, and even for the wife of the president whose well appointed office of the first lady is not known to any law in the land. Members of the boards of MDAs [ministries, departments, and agencies] are usually not left out of the largesse. Ours is probably the only country in the world where government computers, vehicles, websites, and the like, are replaced every year. The debauchery includes procuring a fleet of armour – plaited presidential limousines every four years with the advent of a new president and a presidential jet in tow. Of course, the issue of looting the public treasury has been normalised. It’s so brazen that public servants routinely send their children to schools abroad where the fees are charged in millions of the United States dollars. If you want to be reminded of how decadent the system is, do not look further than the annual budget provisions for the feeding of our president and his family. It runs into multiple billions of Naira. We give the president a rent-free accommodation, we afford him and his family pro bono top rate round-the-clock security, gift him a fleet of high-end luxury vehicles, fuelled and maintained at our expense, top it up with a presidential jet, and then turn around to pay him millions of Naira every month as salary. Not even the United States of America, the biggest economy in the world, does that.

In spite of the foregoing proclivity of this regime to extort citizens, it still cannot be satisfied and appeased. It is a leopard that cannot change its spot. The information last week was that the administration had allegedly fiddled and rigged the tax reform laws passed by the national assembly [NASS]. Last week Rep. Abdulsamad Dasuki [PDP, Sokoto] raised the alarm, alleging discrepancies between the tax laws passed by NASS and the versions subsequently gazetted and made available to the public. He said the rigging of the laws should be concerning because some provisions were deleted and strange and terrifying provisions illegally inserted. Hon. Dasuki had said during plenary on the floor of the House that his legislative privilege had been breached by the fact that the content of the tax laws as gazetted by the executive arm of government did not reflect what lawmakers debated, voted on, and passed on the floor of the House. “I was here, I gave my vote and it was counted, and I am seeing something completely different”. He said that he obtained copies of the gazetted laws from the ministry of information and found them to be inconsistent with what was approved by both the House and the Senate. Dasuki said that there had been ”a serious breach”, and warned that allowing laws different from those duly passed by the national assembly to be presented to Nigerians would undermine the integrity of the legislature and violate the Constitution.

“Mr. Speaker, I will be pleading that all the documents should be brought before the Committee of the Whole [House]. Thank you. The whole members should see what is in the gazetted copy and see what they passed on the floor so that we can make the relevant amendment. Mr. Speaker, this is a breach of the Constitution”. Consequent upon the alarm, the House raised a committee of seven persons to probe the allegations. However, Nigerians are not fooled. The current administration across board, from the executive to the legislature and the Judiciary, is populated by people who are adept at rigging and forgery. The NASS and the executive, working separately or in collusion, routinely rigged our national budgets. The 2025 fiscal document is the latest of fiddling with budgets. It was reported and never denied that about 6,000 illegal projects were inserted into the budget with accompanying billions of Naira allocations. We complained and grumbled and then moved on as usual. In effect, the NASS is the least morally competent to cry foul on the issue of rigging and forgery of documents. The same can be said of the judiciary where court judgements, especially of political hues, are routinely awarded to the highest bidder or to the most powerful and connected. So our system thrives on rigging or “mago mago” or “wuru wuru” to use the local lingo.

But whether rigged or not the implementation of the new tax laws should be suspended, if it cannot be scrapped. It’s inhuman and inhumane to tax poverty. The majority of Nigerians are dirt poor. The other day, a top federal government official said that about 80 million citizens do not know where their next meal would come from. And a little over two years ago, the national bureau of statistics [NBS] determined after its study that over 130 million Nigerians were dimensionally poor. Certainly, the figure should be higher today given what Nigerians have been subjected to since May 29, 2023. And by the way, there has been no concrete evidence that any country has engendered or engineered economic recovery by taxing the poor. Instead putting more money in the pockets of citizens could help to reflate the economy as long as it is done in a manner that will not trigger inflation.

UGO ONUOHA, a Veteran Journalist, was the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Champion Newspapers Limited

12/23/2025
How to Make Nigeria Work, If Still Possible
By Ugo Onuoha

It will be difficult, probably impossible, to make Nigeria work the way it is presently structured and governed. In theory, we are running a federal system. In practice, it is a unitary structure where operatives in Abuja determine who gets what, how, when, and where.

The Osun Example and a Flawed Federal System

Until recently, Osun State, governed by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), became the latest victim of this distorted arrangement. The Supreme Court had ruled in July 2024 that local government funds must be paid directly to councils, not through state governments. It also declared that only democratically elected councils are entitled to federal allocations.

Yet, that judgment has largely been ignored. Some states have passed laws effectively nullifying it, and in many others, it remains business as usual.

Ironically, the same federal government that sought the ruling, under President Bola Tinubu, has itself been accused of flouting it. For months, Abuja withheld Osun’s local government allocations, claiming that PDP-controlled councils were illegitimate. The state was forced to rely on Governor Ademola Adeleke and his nephew, musician Davido, who reportedly contributed funds to pay council workers’ salaries.

When Osun challenged the federal government at the Supreme Court, the court struck out the case for lack of standing but condemned Abuja’s action as “illegal and egregious.” Both sides claimed victory, but Nigerians were left with the same lesson: partisan politics trumps governance.

Politicians vs. Statesmen

The Osun case typifies a larger truth, partisan politicians cannot build nations. They are fixated on winning the next election, not on laying enduring foundations. Any country dominated by politicians rather than statesmen will struggle on the lower rungs of global development. That, sadly, has been Nigeria’s reality since the military sacked the First Republic in 1966.

Nation-Building: A Process, Not an Event

Nigeria will not work until we are intentional about making a nation out of the country. Building a sustainable nation requires a shared vision that fosters unity, common values, and inclusive governance. It also demands:
- Transparent and accountable institutions
- Security and the rule of law
- Diversified economic development beyond oil
- Investment in education, healthcare, and innovation
- Social cohesion and citizen participation
Without these, our quest for progress will remain an illusion.

The Foundation Is Broken

The biblical question in Psalm 11:3 asks: “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Nigeria’s foundation, fractured by the 1966 coup and deepened by years of military rule, remains defective. The 1999 Constitution, hurriedly drafted by the Abdulsalami Abubakar junta, was designed to serve narrow interests—not the people. For nearly three decades, we’ve been trying to erect a nation on a bogus foundation.

To move forward, Nigeria must start afresh, with a people-driven constitution that reflects true federalism and equity.

A Case for Restructuring

Many credible voices, including The Patriots led by Chief Emeka Anyaoku, have long called for a new national arrangement. Their proposals include:
- A new, people-driven Constitution drafted by a non-partisan Constituent Assembly and approved through a referendum
- True federalism with six or eight federating zones, each with its own constitution
- Fiscal federalism and devolution of powers
- A smaller federal cabinet and unicameral legislature
- Electoral and judicial reforms, including technological voting and specialized courts
These ideas, if sincerely implemented, can provide a roadmap to rebuild Nigeria.

Structural Inequities and Centralized Power

The existing federal structure, largely created by military fiat, is riddled with inequities. For instance, the old Kano State was split into Kano and Jigawa, now boasting over 70 local councils combined—while Lagos, with a similar population, has only 20. This imbalance affects representation and resource distribution.

Power is dangerously centralized in the presidency, making elections a do-or-die affair and fueling corruption. The figures involved in federal scandals have ballooned from billions to trillions of naira, yet Nigerians no longer express shock. The presidency has become a “golden calf”, an object of worship.

Unchecked power breeds inefficiency, arrogance, and impunity. The signs are visible everywhere.

The Way Forward

To make Nigeria work, we must:
1. Rebuild the foundation through a new constitution anchored on fairness and true federalism.
2. Shift from partisan politics to statesmanship, focusing on national unity rather than party victory.
3. Strengthen institutions and make them independent of political interference.
4. Diversify the economy and ensure infrastructure, power, and education receive sustained attention.
5. Restore security and trust between citizens and the state.
Until these steps are taken, Nigeria will continue to move in circles—rich in potential, poor in leadership, and crippled by structure.

In conclusion, Nigeria’s tragedy is not that it lacks talent or resources, but that it is burdened by a defective system and a political class unwilling to change it. The challenge before us is to summon the courage to rebuild from the ground up. Otherwise we will keep trying to place something on nothing and expecting it to stand.

Ugo Onuoha is a journalist, public affairs commentator, and former Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Champion Newspapers Limited. He writes from Lagos.
12/11/2025
Rivers Assembly Endorses Tinubu for Second Term Amid Criticism of “Sycophancy”

In a move many described as politically motivated, the Rivers State House of Assembly has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office.

The endorsement, announced on Wednesday, was presented as a vote of confidence in appreciation of what the lawmakers called the “numerous Federal Government projects and interventions” in the state under Tinubu’s leadership.

The motion, signed by 26 members and read by the House Leader, Mr. Major Jack (Akuku-Toru), claimed that Tinubu’s administration had demonstrated commitment to peace, stability, and development.

In a controversial justification, the legislators cited Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency and the temporary suspension of the state legislature, moves widely criticized by Nigerians and international observers, as evidence of his “fatherly role” in restoring order.

Speaker of the House, Mr. Martin Amaewhule (Obio/Akpor I), praised the president as a “compassionate father” working to reposition the nation for growth.

He also lauded the appointment of Rivers indigenes into key federal positions, saying it reflected Tinubu’s inclusiveness and strengthened the state’s relationship with the Federal Government.

The lawmakers further pledged loyalty to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and promised to mobilize grassroots support for Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.”

12/04/2025
Obaseki Says Shaibu Remains Impeached

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has reiterated that his deputy, Philip Shaibu, remains impeached, despite a recent court ruling.

On Friday, Obaseki responded to a statement attributed to Shaibu, where he warned Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) against the possible looting of government properties by political appointees.

Obaseki, through his media adviser Crusoe Osagie, urged Edo State workers to dismiss Shaibu’s directives, emphasizing that Shaibu has no authority to issue instructions as he remains impeached.

The governor reaffirmed that Shaibu’s removal from office is still in effect, pending the court’s final decision, and that the deputy governor holds no power to interfere with the functioning of state employees.

This comes after the Federal High Court in Abuja, in a July ruling, ordered Shaibu’s reinstatement, stating that due process was not followed during his impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly.

The state government and the House of Assembly’s attempt to challenge the court’s decision was dismissed, with costs awarded against them.

Obaseki’s administration, however, continues to uphold Shaibu’s impeachment while awaiting the court’s definitive ruling on the matter.

10/04/2024
Peter Obi Doubles Down on Condemnation of ethnic and religiously profiling

Leading opposition figure and Labour Party candidate at Nigeria’s last presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi has doubled down on his condemnation of what he called the “distasteful comments” of a Nigerian woman living in Canada.

Posting on his confirmed X handle this afternoon, Mr. Obi insisted that he would not pander to the wish of the others who argue that Mrs. Sennberger was merely reacting to those who had sustained their negative ethnic profiling of South Easterners.

“While condemning such a level of tribal and religious division, I have received a barrage of reactions from people, many of who tried to justify their actions.

Some explained that her comments were in reaction to earlier hateful comments made by another Nigerian and reportedly directed at other Nigerians of the Igbo ethnicity which I also now condemn in the strongest terms,” he insisted.

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The former Anambra state Governor states, “As I mentioned then, and still maintain now, tribal tension and religious division must not be allowed to grow among us.”

“Such divisive and hateful comments and behaviours against one another should have no place among us,” he admonished.

It would be recalled that the last national election was marred by a lot of ethnic attacks and profiling was directed at the Igbo, Mr. Obi’s ethnicity, especially in Lagos state.

Unlike his opponent, Mr. Bola Tinubu who was a direct beneficiary of such tribal attacks, Mr. Obi vehemently opposed the divisive acts during electioneering and and now.

“We must remain one united nation, focused on solving the myriads of challenges facing us as a nation.”

We must unite against further polarisation of our nation along tribal, religious and political lines, and focus on finding lasting solutions to the challenges of high insecurity, unbearable high cost of living and leadership failure that has continued to weigh us down,” he concluded.

09/04/2024
Afenifere rejects Supreme Court Ruling On LG Autonomy

The Pan Yoruba Socio-Political Group, Afenifere, has faulted the Supreme Court verdict that granted fiscal autonomy to local government areas.

It lamented that the Apex Court verdict has “done incalculable injury to the Nigerian state.

This was contained in a statement signed by the leader of the group, Pa Ayo Adebanjo and it’s National Publicity Secretary Prince Justice Faloye, made available to newsmen in Akure, the state capital.

It’s entitled ” Tinubu and the Grand Conspiracy Against Democracy and True Federalism in Nigeria.

The statement declared that ” Afenifere views the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case filed by the Federal Government on the so-called Local Government autonomy as sheer judicial conspiracy in cahoots with the Tinubu administration against the Nigerian state and its foundational principles of federalism.

Rather than interpret the constitution to uphold its elementary but overriding federal principle which recognises only a two-tier federal structure of the central government and federating states, the Supreme Court played to the gallery and wittingly allowed itself a most retrogessive declaration that the power of the government is portioned into three arms of government, the federal, the state and the local government.

For the avoidance of any doubt, Afenifere makes bold to say that in line with its negotiated basis of existence, Nigeria is a “Federation consisting of States and a Federal Capital Territory”. as affirmed by Section 2 (2) of the 1999 constitution.

While Afenifere frowns at corruption and misuse of public funds at levels of government, it condemns in most unmistaken terms the subjugation of the states and its constitutional roles including the Local Government system to the whims and caprices of the federal government by any means including obvious manipulation of the federation account as in the present case.

The 1999 constitution, which in spite of its flaws, gives life and power to the Supreme Court provides in Section 162 and particularly subsection (6) that “each state shall maintain a special account to be called “State Joint Local Government Account” into which shall be paid all allocations to the local government councils of the state from the Federation Account and from the Government of the state”.

“Against this unambiguous provision the Supreme Court held that “demands of justice requires a progressive interpretation of the law.

”It is the position of this court that the federation can pay Local Government allocations to the Local Government directly or pay them through the states.

”In this case, since paying them through states has not worked, justice of this case demands that Local Government allocations from the federation account should henceforth be paid directly to the Local Governments .

”Contrary to this invented alternative routes, Section 162 of the Constitution is not ambivalent about the process and route through which “all allocations to the local government councils of the state from the Federation Account and from the Government of the state” shall become payable to the Councils.

‘In other words, the interpretation does not require a voyage into jurisprudential sophistry leading to the absurdity of deliberate judicial amendment of the grundnorm.

“By wittingly or inadvertently equating the Nigerian Federation with the Federal Government in the erroneous belief that both expressions are used interchangeably, such that the President may withold funds to the credit of the Local Governments from the Federation Account, under the guise of having no democratically elected officials, which is obviously subject to the interpretation by the Federal Government.

”The apex court has not only done incalculable injury to the Nigerian state, it has lent itself to setting aside its precedent in the hallowed judgment against the President Obasanjo administration withholding funds to the credit of Local Governments in Lagos State even when the Supreme Court said so.

07/13/2024
BREAKING! Tinubu Names National Theatre After Wole Soyinka

President Bola Tinubu has named the National Arts Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos, after Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, in celebration of his 90th birthday.

This announcement was made in a letter to the literary icon, acknowledging his immense contributions to literature, human rights, and justice.

Tinubu praised Soyinka’s remarkable achievements, including his Nobel Literature Prize in 1986, and his unwavering dedication to human dignity and justice.

He said, “I am pleased to join admirers around the world in celebrating the 90th birthday of Nigeria’s iconic son and the world-renowned Professor Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde, famously known as Wole Soyinka.

“Tomorrow the 13th July will be the climax of the series of local and international activities held in his honour. To underscore the global relevance of the literary giant, a symposium, along with poetry reading was held in Rabat Morocco on 9 July. The event was organized by the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA).

“Professor Soyinka, the first African to win the Nobel Literature Prize in 1986, deserves all the accolades as he marks the milestone of 90 years on earth. Having beaten prostate cancer, this milestone is a fitting testament to his ruggedness as a person and the significance of his work.

“It is also fitting we celebrate this national treasure while he is still with us. I am, accordingly, delighted to announce the decision of the Federal Government to rename the National Theatre in Iganmu, Surulere, as the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts.”

07/12/2024
EndSARS Protest: ECOWAS Court finds FG guilty of human rights violations

The Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) has found the Federal Government guilty of violating the fundamental human rights of youths that participated in the October 2020, EndSARS protest.

A three-man panel of Justices, had in a unanimous decision, held that there was merit in a suit brought before it by three participants in the protest – Obianuju Catherine Udeh, Perpetual Kamsi and Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka.

Specifically, the court held that the Federal Republic of Nigeria, through its security agencies, violated Articles 1, 4, 6, 9, 10, and 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, ACPHR, pertaining to the right to life, security of person, freedom of expression, assembly and association, prohibition of torture, duty of the state to investigate, and the right to effective remedy.

The Applicants had, in their suit, alleged that these violations occurred during peaceful protests they held at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State on October 20 and 21, 2020.

In the judgement delivered by the lead Judge Rapporteur, Justice Koroma Mohamed Sengu, the regional court dismissed the Applicants’ allegation that their right to life as guaranteed under Article 4 of the ACPHR, was violated.

However, it ordered FG to pay each of the Applicants the sum of N2million as compensation for violations of their security of person, prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and association, duty to investigate human rights violations, and right to effective remedy.

Additionally, it held that FG must adhere to its obligations under the ACPHR by investigating and prosecuting its agents responsible for the violations.

The court ordered FG to, within the next six months, report to it, measures it has taken to implement the judgment.

The Applicants had alleged that during the peaceful protests against the SARS Unit of the Nigerian Police Force at Lekki Toll Gate, Lagos State, on October 20 and 21, 2020, the Respondent, committed several human rights violations.

Triggered by the alleged killing of one Daniel Chibuike, the protests were aimed to address police harassment and brutality.

In the suit, the 1st Applicant, among other things, told the court that soldiers shot life ammunitions at protesters, resulting in deaths and injuries, which she live-streamed.

She told the court that subsequently, she started receiving threatening phone calls that forced her not only to go into hiding but also to seek asylum.

Likewise, the 2nd Applicant, who said she was responsible for the welfare of the protesters, described how soldiers began shooting after a power cut, leading to her hospitalisation due to excessive tear gas she inhaled.

On her part, the 3rd Applicant narrated how she narrowly escaped being shot and how soldiers refused to allow an ambulance to enter the protest ground to help the injured participants.

She further told the court that she later witnessed how the victims were neglected without the provision of adequate healthcare for them at the hospital.

She further submitted that with the help of her colleagues, she eventually took over and started taking care of the victims.

She alleged that she faced numerous threats and was placed on surveillance by security agents.

Consequently, all the Applicants prayed the court to issue declaratory reliefs against FG and award compensation to them for the gross violations of their fundamental human rights.

Meanwhile, in processes it filed before the court, FG, through its team of lawyers, denied all the allegations and claims that were made up by the Applicants.

It told the court that the protesters unlawfully assembled at Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020, under the guise of protesting against SARS.

FG also maintained that its agents followed strict rules of engagement and did not shoot or kill protesters.

It argued that the 1st Applicant incited the crowd by playing music and using her Instagram page to stir disaffection against law enforcement agents who were targeting escapee members of Boko Haram and bandits.

FG further contended that the 2nd Applicant’s provision of logistics and welfare packages indicated her support for the violent protest.

It claimed that soldiers were present to restore peace until the police arrived, denying any harm inflicted on protesters and the alleged refusal to access the ambulance.

More so, FG denied that the 3rd Applicant’s presence was peaceful, asserting it was meant to escalate violence.

It argued that the treatment and care of the injured were managed by the Lagos State government, insisting that the Applicants failed to provide credible evidence to support their claims and the reliefs they sought from the court.

In its judgment on Wednesday, the court held that it could not establish that there was a violation of the right to life as the Applicants failed to adduce any evidence to that effect.

Nevertheless, it held that several articles of the ACHPR were breached by the Respondent (FG), which occasioned fundamental breaches of human rights.

Furthermore, the Court said it was satisfied that the Applicants were denied the right to an effective remedy.

It ordered FG to make reparations to the Applicants for the violation of their fundamental human rights.

Other members of the panel that concurred with the lead judgement were Justice Dupe Atoki, who presided, and Justice Ricardo Claúdio Monteiro Gonçalves

07/11/2024