Broken politics: Deeply flawed primaries point to a messy 2027, by Olu Fasan
The morning foretells the day. Early signs can indicate how a day will unfold. In that sense, the recent presidential, gubernatorial and legislative primaries foretell a very messy general election next year. Over the past two weeks, the media have been awash with endless stories about deeply flawed party primaries. The primaries betray a political […]
Finding a running mate for Bola Tinubu
WEEKS after political parties in the country chose their flagbearers, the issue is yet to be finally laid to rest as a number of the presidential flagbearers are yet to make a final choice of running mate. Ever so inventive in the negative manipulation of the political process, Nigerian politicians have come up with the curious category of placeholders.
June 12: The capriciousness of Buhari, the half-baked democrat
By Olu Fasan PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari is at pains to show that he is truly a “converted democrat”. Indeed, he’s desperate to be seen as a strong defender of democracy. To that end, his democratic lodestone is the annulment of the presidential election of June 12, 1993, which, unlike his predecessors, he revisited and sought […]
Reflections on party primaries: Corrupt politics taints Nigeria’s democracy
By Olu Fasan THIS year’s “Democracy Day”, marked on June 12, came on the heels of deeply flawed presidential primaries that threw up unsavoury candidates for the two leading parties, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. There’s really nothing to celebrate in a democracy built on a corrupt and broken […]
2023: APC rewards Tinubu’s
self-interest and entitlement politics
By Olu Fasan AS I write, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Lagos State governor, has just emerged as the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in next year’s general election.Those who thought Tinubu’s recent outburst might work against him were proved wrong. If anything, the outburst reminded APC governors, leaders and delegates of […]
Seven years on: Buhari has mis-defined the purpose of govt
By Olu Fasan LAST week, on May 29, President Muhammadu Buhari marked his seventh and penultimate year in office.With just one year left in power, he’s in the twilight of his presidency.But, judged by what government is really about, Buhari’s achievements over the past seven years are shrouded in dubiety. Yet, he’s deemed such a […]
APC’s presidential candidate: Buhari’s choice will shape his legacy
By Olu Fasan THERE is a confluence of events next week that bears strongly on President Muhammadu Buhari. First, on Sunday, May 29, he marks his seventh year in office, and his penultimate as president. Second, the same day and the next, May 30, his party, All Progressives Congress, APC, elects his successor as presidential […]
2023 presidency: Nigeria faces deeper turbulence without power shift
By Olu Fasan SO what? That’s the key question for thinking through the future consequences of any action. As a critical-thinking tool, it forces you to identify the possible implications of your action. Well, let’s apply this test to the 2023 presidency. Of course, there are many “so-what?” questions about 2023, but my focus here […]
National rebirth? Nigeria needs unity government, not interim contraption
By Olu Fasan CHIEF Afe Babalola, SAN, a distinguished legal icon and elder statesman, was recently in the eye of the storm for advocating the postponement of next year’s general elections and the establishment of an interim government to restructure Nigeria and create a new Constitution. Few comments by prominent Nigerians have provoked such an […]
2023: Osinbajo’s declaration and the viciousness of attack dogs
By Olu Fasan DAMNED if you do, damned if you don’t! That saying captures the dilemma Vice President Yemi Osinbajo faced on whether or not to run for president next year. If he decided to run, as he now has, he would be viciously attacked, as he now is. If he decided not to run, […]
Lagos State APC’s politics is a cesspool; it stinks to high heaven
By Olu Fasan A FEW years ago, I met some local government chairmen and councillors from Lagos State. They came to London for a week’s training, and the organisers invited me to teach them the principles and practices of public policy and local governance. I spent two days with them. In those two days, I […]
