These days, whenever, a Nigerian citizen is appointed into a public office, the first reaction is usually not about the proven competence of the appointee for the job, rather it is an immediate call for the reversal of the appointment on grounds of the political affiliation of the appointee. This is a very disturbing trend which if not quickly addressed may postpone the rapid development which our nation eagerly desires. The trend happens across the nation, but it is understandably more noticed at the federal level because everyone has an interest in the big level government at the centre. It is important to admonish our politicians and indeed, their youths to desist from the mundane inclination. All over the world, the fine difference between party and government is clear. Before an election, a candidate may be heard talking about his party; but as soon as he wins the election, he is obliged to see the bigger picture of the task ahead which is societal development. He is not expected to continue to wear the toga of a party; instead be becomes the President of the people.

Some two weeks ago, the United States Embassy in Abuja announced an increased visa fee to be paid by Nigerians wishing to travel to that country. Considering that the old fee was already quite high for an average traveller, some commentators, fiercely criticised the Embassy for the development. Many were shocked to later learn that the Americans were merely retaliating the posture of Nigeria in fixing same high figure for Americans seeking to obtain Nigerian visas. Indeed, the US Embassy appropriately blamed the Nigerian government when it disclosed the pains it had taken severally to ask Nigeria to reduce its own fee. The US could not be said to be wrong because international diplomacy is premised on the principle of reciprocity, known in Nigerian parlance as ‘You do me, I do you.’ If so, it means every country is entitled to retaliating any policy towards her by another country. This policy of equality was what first occurred to me when media reports from Johannesburg, confirmed the killing of Nigerians in South Africa. All over Nigeria, the subject was the matter of the moment, provoking heated debate here and there.

The most common fight which is usually between a governor and his immediate predecessor is attributable mainly to greed. It manifests, firstly, in the form of intense last-minute activities by an out-going governor to either siphon whatever fund is on ground or to set a booby trap for his successor

In Nigeria, government officials are always talking about politics or politicizing every other subject. Worse still, officials such as ministers often take Nigerians for granted

The testimonies were concise just as they aptly reflected the reality; no embellishment whatsoever. It was hard for one not to be proud of Oyegun because the speakers were men of substance who spoke in unison about the solid personal achievements of a great patriot, statesman and decent politician

Civil society groups must wake up now and mobilize our people to stop the massive political exploitation of our nation by the political class. What we need is not insurrection but public enlightenment to create awareness among the masses of their rights

It is indeed against the spirit of our constitution to ask anyone to take a bow and go. If as we hear, more than half of the nominees enjoyed the bogus privilege, the present senate has merely joined its predecessors to circumvent the constitutional mandate

The story was that a snake sneaked into the accounts department of the Benue State Branch of the Board in Makurdi and made away with N36million naira cash

We are sad that the party encouraged their leaders in the federal House to complicate the subject which has now led to the obnoxious order to the Police to shut the Assembly despite a court order restraining the security operatives from getting involved in the same matter.

The nation needs to work out how best to ensure that the substance rather than technicality takes the front burner in the settlement of election disputes which is the segment assigned to the judiciary