THIS 2018 will be a year when governance takes the back seat to make way for political party conventions, congresses and campaigns. Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has already showed its enthusiasm for the intense politicking that lies ahead by proactively publishing the programmes and timelines for the impending general elections. Indeed, INEC has brought forward political activities.

FUEL scarcity, which makes life unbearable for Nigerians, has been a fixture of life in Nigeria since the country became  a crude oil exporter first, and then importer of refined products later. Interestingly, it was a phenomenon unheard of when the nation was not a leading producer of crude oil.

EVEN though the Federal Government wasted a lot of time before swinging into action when outrage over the sale of Nigerian migrants into slavery was exposed, we are encouraged by reports that up to 3,000 out of the estimated 5,000 stranded in Libya were brought home before the end of December 2017, going by the words of Ambassador Illiya Danladi Fachano, Nigeria’s Charge D’Affaires in Libya.

THE general attitude of perceived insensitivity of the Federal Government to the spate of attacks on farming communities by armed pastoralist invaders could exacerbate the threats to food security of the nation unless there is an urgent change  in attitude.

THE announcement by the Federal Government in November last year that it borrowed N9.18tn in just 10 months should send a shock wave throughout the land. That amount is more than the budget for 2017 and even exceeds the 2018 recently presented to the National Assembly.