THE change Nigerians need in their politics has started under out-going President Goodluck Jonathan. In an unprecedented but highly commendable spirit of sportsmanship and patriotism, he called the winner of the presidential election, Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari, admitted defeat, and congratulated him, more than eight hours before the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, announced the official result.

WE are in the final hurdles of the 2015 elections. They are, however, as important as the presidential and National Assembly polls held on March 28. Elections to offices in the States affect our people more, but the skewed politics of looking up to Abuja for everything, sometimes tend to de-emphasise the importance of the States.

THERE can be no justification for the threats that His Royal Majesty Rilwan Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos, issues against Igbos days ago. The Oba told some Igbo leaders, who paid him a courtesy visit, that if Igbos did not vote for his preferred candidate, he would throw Igbos into the lagoon. He swore, by the Almighty, that he would carry out the threat seven days after the election unless he was not his father’s child.

IN the ingenuity of the politician, the future is about elections. When politicians engage in phased discussions of Nigeria, they are not contemplating legacy projects that would enhance the development, as we have seen in most of the states that would be up for grabs on Saturday. Politicians’ concerns are elections, power, who becomes what, and those marked for nothingness.

MERRIMENT and excesses, the type associated with Christmas, are alien to Easter. The manner of celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, whose death according to Christian doctrine, God used in saving mankind, is always filled with the sobriety of appreciating the depth of the sacrifice.

MARCH 31 (17.15) was a very Nigerian moment. It was when President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan called President-elect, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to concede the 2015 presidential election. It was unprecedented, almost unthinkable, if one judged the stridency of the campaigns and the testy contest for the votes.

THERE is something about the brand of justice ordinary Nigerians get that requires attention, if our society recognises equity as an essential ingredient of justice. While we preach equality of all before the law, we must admit that one of the challenges of treating all equally, is that our laws rate us differently.

NIGERIANS are determined to save their country. They may never get credit for the efforts they make to get the country going, but there are instances when the Nigerian spirit is too obvious to ignore. March 28 was one of such days when the patriotism of the Nigerian was put to test. Nigerians excelled.

THE signing of two peace accords within three months underlines imperative for peace before, during and after the elections. President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC, signed the first accord in Abuja on 14 January. Among witnesses were former United Nations Secretary-General, Dr. Kofi Annan and former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku

LAGOS—Under the leadership of the President General, Mrs Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, market traders kept Lagos markets shut yesterday to hold a rally at the Onikan statdium in support of Akinwunmi Ambode, the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in the state, ahead of the elections.

OUR country is in more danger each day. Every move to pull her from the brink is set for ruination by those who think that the country is all about them. They have narrowed issues to a few politi-cians, instead of the larger interests of Nigerians, without which the country would remain mired in its many challenges.

VOTES counting would ordinarily mean that people are casting their votes with a certain wakefulness that informs their decisions. For politicians, votes counting would mean that adequate numbers of votes to ensure victory are in their favour.

WHO are contesting for seats as your legislators: State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, and Senate? Do you know them? Have they spoken to you? What would be the bases of your decision about these men and women, who in their numbers and memberships really rule Nigeria? Do you realise the importance of their decisions? Do you appreciate the implications of the stand you take when you tick one, and not the others?

LAST year, the police raided Soka area of Oyo State on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway where, by police’s account a den of kidnappers was uncovered. The graphic images of the discoveries are causes for concern. Public expectations were high that the police would act swiftly on the matter – the issue died quickly.

MARCH 22 was the World Water Day. It was the 22nd anniversary of the United Nations World Water Day.