Regrettably, inspite of the earlier assurance to maintain the stability of the Naira in his inaugural address, Emefiele, the CBN Governor’s, policy summersault with Naira devaluation shortly afterwards, has since led to the National Currency trading above N173=$1, thus establishing Naira depreciation of about 13%; alarmingly, the pressure remains unabating and there are real fears that sooner than later, the Naira exchange rate may tumble below N200/$1 with the attendant severe social and economic consequences.

Jesus berated the mercenary religious leaders of biblical days. He told them: “‘It is written, my house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’” (Matthew 21:13).

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC)-the two major Nigerian political parties have concluded their primaries to select flag bearers for the 2015 general elections. While many analysts have bothered about the appropriateness of the use of “consensus” or the role of money in the high-wire tension-soaked political process, the focus of this piece, is on political succession against the backdrop of a tradition where leaders often worked against their immediate aides at elections. Before the recently concluded primaries, there were strong indications that President Goodluck Jonathan would sacrifice his deputy, Namadi Sambo. Many had thought that as part of negotiating his way through the many booby traps, the President might be pressured to pick a new Vice, just to calm some frayed nerves. It is a great sign of dexterity that he did not do that. While commending him for the approach, it is hoped that if he is re-elected, he would hold-on to that level of matured leadership while selecting his aides and cabinet.

Black Friday, cyber Monday and don’t know about you but if the last couple of days has been nothing to go by, then last Thursday is definitely a super Thursday. Well, for our politicians and those who have a stake in their progress or lack of? To be honest, it was predictive; a two horse race. There was a lot of horse-trading, double dealing, political musical chairs and defections. Threats, legal wrangling, and innuendos, bargaining, pleading, begging and blaming.

By noon on Thursday, it became clear that Muhammadu Buhari, retired Major-General of the Nigerian Army, and former Military Head of State of Nigeria (1984-1985), had emerged as the Presidential candidate for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2015 General elections. Buhari is not a stranger to Presidential elections. He has had a go at it consistently since 2003: he ran against Obasanjo; he ran in 2007 against Yar Adua; he also ran in 2011 against Jonathan, the incumbent President. In all of these cases, the Daura born Army General lost. He did not let such humiliating losses deter him. It rather seemed to have fuelled a greater resolve to continue on the marks. In his last outing, Buhari had publicly declared very solemnly to Nigerians that he was on his last elections and would not run for public office again after 2011.