Wike’s politics of gbas-gbos — the brand of raw confrontation that blurs party lines, intimidates institutions, and thrives on public spectacle — appeared, until recently, immune to political boundaries. For years, Nyesom Wike operated in a space where allegiance to party mattered less than allegiance to power. He fought PDP leaders while funding APC victories. He governed […]

For many Nigerians, it came as a surprise—almost a cultural jolt—that a Trinidad-born, United States-based rapper and global pop icon, Nicki Minaj, would emerge as one of the most prominent Black voices amplifying claims of a Christian genocide in Nigeria and openly aligning with the rhetoric of President Donald Trump on the issue. Beyond reposts and […]

It may appear superfluous to once again warn of the existential threat confronting Nigeria’s continued existence as a multiparty democracy, especially given the manner in which the All Progressives Congress (APC) has continued to ride roughshod across the political landscape. Yet what remains disturbingly underappreciated is not the threat itself, but the striking ill-preparedness of […]

For a Senate that has not only in herited but arguably worsened its predecessor’s reputation as a rubber stamp, the scene that played out during the screening of President Bola Tinubu’s ambassadorial nominees was bound to be bewildering. Yet, even by Nigeria’s increasingly elastic standards of legislative conduct, what unfolded in Senate Committee Room 211 last […]

At a time President Bola Tinubu has chosen to nominate some of Nigeria’s most controversial personalities as ambassadors to represent the country abroad, the emergence of his so-called Renewed Hope Ambassadors—appointed to canvass support for his second-term aspiration—has shaken the polity in a manner that many did not expect but which, perhaps, should no longer surprise anyone […]

One of the most articulate men to have passed through the House of Representatives in the Fourth Republic, Alhaji Alhassan Ado Doguwa, again demonstrated his mastery of parliamentary rhetoric last Tuesday as lawmakers debated the worsening insecurity in the country. A former journalist turned politician, Doguwa has walked a path as colourful as it is controversial, […]

When Senator Orji Uzor Kalu recently paraded himself in an attire emblazoned with “Tinubu 2027” insignia and Governor Hope Uzodimma became a regular sight at the Abuja Airport waving goodbye to President Bola Tinubu or welcoming him back from foreign trips, a certain impression was created. Their public performance of loyalty suggested that the Igbo […]

One of the most astonishing acts of political absurdity in recent Nigerian politics is the report that the faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, loyal to Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State produced only one set of nomination forms for the now–disputed national convention scheduled for Ibadan today. By this […]

Undoubtedly, the greatest significance of today’s governorship election in Anambra State lies not merely in who wins or loses, but in the symbolic weight it carries as the first major election to be supervised by the new leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). After years of controversies, legal tussles, and credibility questions trailing the Professor […]

For a long time, many had chosen to look away from the gradual erosion of political reasoning in Edo State under Governor Monday Okpebholo, often excusing it as a natural reaction to the years of unpleasantness under his predecessor, Governor Godwin Obaseki.  But as the dust of Obaseki’s turbulent reign begins to settle and the former governor […]

This weekend, the eyes of football lovers across the continent will be fixed on Abuja, where glamour meets generosity as some of the most iconic names in world football converge for a cause that transcends sport.  At the magnificent Moshood Abiola National Stadium, the Barcelona Legends will lock horns with the African Legends in a charity exhibition […]

Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has ignited what appears set to become the most combustible political drama the state has seen since the impeachment saga that deposed Diepreye Alamieyeseigha in December 2005. His recent announcement that he is leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has stirred shockwaves across Bayelsa’s political landscape and raised profound questions about […]

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s latest exercise of the prerogative of mercy has stirred politics and principle in equal measure. In a sweeping decision endorsed by the National Council of State on Thursday, October 9, the presidency announced “clemency to 82 inmates,” “reduction of prison terms of 65 others,” commutation of seven death sentences to life, and posthumous […]

For Atiku Abubakar, the path to 2027 may have just met a rare stumble arising from aclumsy interview. In a BBC Hausa Service interview, Atiku — who turns 79 next month — was quoted as saying he would be willing to step down for a younger aspirant, if such a candidate emerged and commanded widespread acceptability. […]

Two strong disruptions to Nigeria’s democratic flow in March 2025 were seemingly repaired recently with the dramatic restoration of Governor Siminilayi Fubara to the helm of affairs in Rivers State and the reinstatement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Senate after months of suspension.  On the surface, both restorations may appear as victories for democracy, yet when […]