Longstanding readers of this column might recall that I was extremely unhappy when my Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, spectacularly fell out with the Presidential Duo – Dr Goodluck and Dame Patience Jonathan – in 2013.

A week after Islamic terrorists murdered 12 employees of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris, the victims’ colleagues defiantly featured a provocative cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed on the magazine’s front cover.

I am proud to highlight the fact that Engineer Abiye Membere – a consummate professional and highly respected son of my home state, Rivers – was, this week, conferred with a Fellowship of the distinguished Nigerian Society of Engineers.

Meanwhile, a Fulani friend gloomily informed me two years ago (we were discussing President Goodluck Jonathan’s unimpressive performance and wondering whether he would up his game before he completed his first term) that his people often say that one can tell by Wednesday what kind of weekend one is likely to have. Both statements, though contradictory, make sense. Wilson’s implies that political outcomes can never be accurately predicted because anything – ie, all manner of unexpected developments – can happen during any seven-day timespan. The Fulani one implies that most outcomes can be predicted on the basis of recent occurrences.

EX-PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo and Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, are at it again. These two grand old men have been at each others’ throats for years; and it doesn’t look as if their colourful verbal battles will end anytime soon.

At the time of writing, APC delegates’ votes are still being sorted at the APC Convention venue in Lagos, so I cannot offer Vanguard readers any comments about the APC’s Presidential candidate because I don’t yet know which of the aspirants will win. And if I hang on any longer to await the result, I will not be able to complete this column before the printing deadline for Friday’s paper.

I AM in Paris at the moment. The editors of a foreign publication invited me here because they want me a) provide them with professional advice about the best way of covering the upcoming Nigerian elections and b) to add my voice to wide-ranging discussions about the publication’s African coverage in general.

Last Monday, at least 13 PDP governorship aspirants from Rivers State were disqualified by the committee that their party appointed to screen them.

Last week, President Goodluck Jonathan made his way to Eagle Square in Abuja; and, surrounded by a large crowd of cheering supporters, firmly and formally declared his intention to run for a second term in 2015.

By Donu Kogbara On Tuesday, the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Air   Marshal Alex Badeh, announced that he accepted full responsibility for the Nigerian Army’s failure to effectively deal with Boko Haram insurgents in the North East. Speaking to State House correspondents in Abuja, Badeh – whose Adamawa State hometown has been overrun by rampaging […]

Last week, I congratulated President Goodluck Jonathan for managing the Ebola problem well; but I also expressed disappointment in his overall performance and said that I used to support him because he is a fellow Niger Deltan but now believe that it’s wrong to base electoral choices on ethnic or regional considerations.

By Donu Kogbara LAST week, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, the former military Head of State, formally declared his interest in replacing President Goodluck Jonathan. This declaration surprised nobody, given that Buhari has been doggedly trying to re-possess the Number One slot for many years. And, until recently, I had reservations about his refusal to abandon this […]

SOMEONE just sent me a fascinating article. Written by a US-based Zambian called Field Ruwe in January 2012, it is based on a conversation he had with a White man he met on a plane on New Year’s Eve, 2011.

Mr Imeh Usuah, a heroically honest taxi driver who returned N18 million that was left in his cab by a foreigner; Mr Onuh Isaac Michael, the diligent Chief Steward at the Presidential Villa, who has served nine Heads of State; Corporal Solomon Dauda, a dancing Abuja traffic warden who approaches his duties with a cheerful dedication that puts smiles on the faces of the motorists he entertains; and Mr Taiwo Akinkunmi, an elderly gent who designed our flag.

Last week, I complained about justice being delayed. I was referring to the fact that the Federal Government and Ministry of Petroleum had not even started to implement a 3 year-old United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) report.