THESE are not the best of times for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Nigeria’s ruling behemoth was so dominantly assured of its hegemonic hold on power, that many of its leaders arrogantly told Nigerians, that they would rule for sixty years. It was ground enough for a party that was everything but a genuine political party, to arrogantly grab hold of power, and do as they wished.

It would seem that the “missing $20 billion” saga has come to stay. In Nigeria, once they say a large sum of public fund is missing, misappropriated or stolen, it becomes part of our story as a corrupt country. Till date, the “missing” $2.8 billion from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) when the president-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari was Minister of Petroleum in 1978 has not been laid to rest, even though the man is now depicted as saint.

THIS question which agitates the minds of an ever larger number of citizens in the Niger Delta ought to underline every domestic policy consideration of President-elect Muhammadu Buhari,as he gets ready to assume office,and of the leaders of the victorious All Progressives Congress

As we sit and watch our leaders bicker over cabinet positions and appointments, in other climes, more fundamental issues are being argued. The idea of institutionalised racism and the plight of African-Americans in a society built on prejudice and white supremacy is not a new one.

JUST when the number of days he has left in Abuja could be counted off one’s fingers or reeled off without much thought, President Goodluck Jonathan finally did what any leader who is in control of his turf does: takes the hard decisions. He ordered the suspension of the permanent secretary in the Foreign Affairs Ministry.