WE welcome our President back from Uganda. Our President has outgrown being assessed by the company he keeps.

THE widespread call for the new Federal Cabinet to be peopled mainly by technocrats is a scathing disclaimer of the political class.

IN the twilight of his eight-year tenure, as Kwara state governor, this week, Bukola Saraki has literally been in overdrive. He hosted Goodluck Jonathan to commission projects: the university at Malete; an aviation college; water plant in Ilorin, even flag-off of a train service.

COMING into office on the crest of populist clamour it was natural for Rauf Aregbesola, Governor of Osun State, to respond to public adulation via a populist gesture.

I imagine a ship on the high seas. So far it is plain sailing. No problem whatsoever and those on board decide to take it easy.

AS I said before, those elected into various political offices must understand the meaning of their mandates. When we say votes must count, we are not just saying the election should not be rigged.

Echoes of the unsuccessful bid to foist former President Olusegun Obasanjo on the nation for a third consecutive term in office continues to reverberate five years after the event. Although there were speculations that the intentions of the promoters of constitutional amendment for this purpose were not truly altruistic

Hi Readers!
I was pleasantly surprised when we got to the airport in Accra to find the place awash with so many of my relatives; mainly the younger generation of dad’s family in Ghana, and mum’s family from Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Mr. President: as you begin to constitute your administration, I think it proper that you take a moment and reflect on aspects of your own journey to the Presidency. You once painted a picture of your humble background from the backwoods of Otueke, where you grew up, went through school barefoot, without the luxuries of the official chauffeur, and certainly without the benefits of the so-called silver-spoon.

Towards the 2011 elections, three opposition parties in Niger were up in arms –albeit each on a lonely furrow- against Talba’s re-election: CPC, ACN and the bitter, grudgy old horse, ANPP. And, although CPC’s promise of rough time for the ruling PDP was a virtual fait accompli, the stealthy encroach into the state of ACN was no less threatening.

And, for every politician who joins the Government of National Unity, GNU, or decamps true democracy is deferred. President Jonathan won the election, until the courts say otherwise. Every member of any of the opposition parties, elected or not, who seeks appointment under the foolish contraption called GNU should be regarded as an enemy of our fledgling democracy. Jonathan should not even consider them.

I join millions of his well-wishers from across the country and the globe, in wishing President Jonathan God’s blessings as he begins soon, his four years as president of Nigeria. He won overwhelmingly because he worked hard to convince many Nigerians that he’s the best candidate at this point in time.

By June 7 we will know who becomes the Speaker. It would have to be Mulikat Akande-Adeola or Muraina Ajibola. Two of them come from Oyo State: both of them are lawyers and are two-time representatives. As I have heard them out, the two of them are very articulate. Any of them will be a credit for the lower legislative chambers.

Since the death of many Nigerians in the post-election riots of last month, the media have been replete with reports on the subject. The figures being published for those affected are quite disturbing.

There is an unstated or implicit consensus among ndi Imo, particularly those parts of old Imo State that constitute the present state, to the effect that since the late Samuel Onunaka Mbakwe’s governorship ended in 1983, the state has never witnessed purposeful, people-oriented, governance. In other words, the administration of Mbakwe remains the gold standard for judging the performance of any administration in Imo State.