Can Tinubu Advice Governors On What He Controls? By Emmanuel Aziken
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may have intended to offer straightforward governance advice when he urged state governors to focus less on grand infrastructure projects and more on addressing the immediate needs of ordinary Nigerians. Instead, his remarks may have ignited a much broader conversation, not only about governors’ priorities but also about the Federal Government’s own choices. The […]
Why Tinubu is afraid
By Emmanuel Aziken After dithering procrastination the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has pledged to commence the planned validation and registration of party members next week. Ever since the plan was first revealed last year it has remained a source of acrimony among party members struggling over the soul of the party. […]
Biden’s emergence in the shadows of Nigeria’s 2023 contest
By Emmanuel Aziken The inauguration of Senator Joseph Biden as the 46th president of the United States of America came at a momentous point in the history of the country. It came when a plague with a yet controverted pathway was ravishing the country. So remarkable has been the COVID-19 pandemic that for his inauguration, […]
As Museveni dips into more ignominy
By Emmanuel Aziken Early results from Thursday’s presidential election in Uganda showed President Yoweri Museveni in early lead. The lead by the president was, however, no cheer most people, especially victims of his 35-year iron grip on his nation. A nation once enriched by the flavour of Africa’s rich tradition, Uganda has been worsened by […]
Abe and Amaechi: Conspiracy tales
By Emmanuel Aziken When Senator Magnus Abe last Monday insinuated that followers of the minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, were running loose in Rivers State, it again brought to light the fickleness in relationships among Nigeria’s political class. His assertion followed what he alleged as the disruption of a gathering of his supporters in Buguma […]
President Yahaya Bello and other apparitions of 2020
By Emmanuel Aziken 2020 was indeed a year for many not to be remembered. However, for many others who invested early in Nigeria’s stock market it was a memorable year with bountiful profits that made the year beautiful. On the political terrain, there were, however, many things to be remembered. The emergence of Hope Uzodinma […]
Our Jonathan love story
By Emmanuel Aziken A sequel to Nigeria’s love story with President Goodluck Jonathan formally commenced in Abuja last Tuesday with the launch of a book titled “Dear President Goodluck Jonathan, An Open Letter.” Your correspondent has not seen the book or the nature of the letter in the book that was apparently purposely meant to […]
Issues from Buhari’s power shift theory
By Emmanuel Aziken President Muhammadu Buhari made one of the most profound political statements of his second term last Tuesday when he alluded to a pre-merger pact among leaders of the legacy parties that formed the All Progressives Congress, APC. His allusion during the extra-ordinary National Executive Committee, NEC meeting of the party did not directly spell […]
Buhari: From virtual to isolated Presidency
One of the major revelations of the COVID-19 lockdown was the emergence of the social distancing protocol as a way of modern-day life. For politicians, whose inclination is to work the crowd, the COVID-19 social distancing rules were especially touching. Some, like Donald Trump, just dumped the procedures leading to dire consequences for him and […]
Umahi, Diri and the search for morals
By Emmanuel Aziken The theatrics shadowing the defection of Governor Dave Umahi from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC should ordinarily have been enough humour for Nigerians in the face of challenges at all levels of governance. But besides Umahi’s solo political drama, Nigerians were this week also treated to […]
El-Rufai in ‘enemy’ territory
The visit of Governor Nasir El-Rufai to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Thursday was remarkable. The sympathy visit was despite the well-known political differences between the two leaderships of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos and Kaduna. Significantly, it came days after Mallam hosted one of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s most notable Southwest political rivals, Dr […]
Trump and Biden: How Nigerians are voting
By Emmanuel Aziken With the dominant influence of the United States in the world, it is understandable that many are concerned about next Tuesday’s presidential election. Dr Rueben Abati on Friday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to caution the United States to ensure democratic ethos are observed in the election! The omens are indeed cloudy. On […]
Lazy youths and lazy govts
By Emmanuel Aziken In the euphoria to get President Muhammadu Buhari to speak to the nation on the #EndSARS protest, it was bemusing seeing hardened critics of the president ardently and subtly pushing that he should not read from a prepared address. The intention was purely an act of mischief by the critics to ridicule […]
The minimisation of Mimiko
By Emmanuel Aziken The re-election of Rotimi Akeredolu as governor of Ondo State was a significant political landmark. While it showed the struggle for political ascendancy between the two major political parties in the country, it also posited the readiness of the increasingly divided chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC to bury their […]
Int’l Day of the Girl Child: African First Ladies call for greater protection, equal opportunity
By Emmanuel Aziken The African First Ladies Peace Mission, AFLPM, has called for equal opportunities and greater protection of the girl child from gender-based violence, and harmful practices. The body of wives of African Heads of States and Governments made the call in a goodwill message by the Acting Chairperson and Nigerian First Lady, Mrs. […]
Why Ngige likes mocking the NLC
By Emmanuel Aziken If anyone still thought of Nigeria’s organized Labour as a serious bunch, that idea would have evaporated after the promised strike action was called off last Monday without any of the demands being met! Of course, many gave up on the present set of labour leaders long ago after they consistently kept […]
