Public Affairs Analyst

“ In respect of political developments, I have kept a close watch on the on-going debate about “Restructuring”. No human law or edifice is perfect. Whatever structure we develop must periodically be perfected according to changing circumstances and the country’s socio-economic developments. We Nigerians can be very impatient and want to improve our conditions faster than may be possible considering our resources and capabilities. When all the aggregates of nationwide opinions are considered, my firm view is that our problems are more to do with process than structure.” -           President Muhammadu Buhari in his 2018 New Year day address to Nigerians. Last Thursday, January 25, 2018, the Mallam Nasir el-Rufai led 23 member committee on All Progressives Congress idea of restructuring submitted its report to the APC chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. APC had on August 10, 2017 set up the committee with the aim of determining the meaning...

“ The lice of poor performance in government – poverty, insecurity, poor economic management, nepotism, gross dereliction of duty, condonation of misdeed – if not outright encouragement of it, lack of progress and hope for the future, lack of national cohesion and poor management of internal political dynamics and widening inequality – are very much with us today. With such lice of general and specific poor performance and crying poverty with us, our fingers will not be dry of ‘blood’ ”. -           Former President Olusegun Obasanjo in his Tuesday, January 23, 2018 special press statement on President Muhammadu Buhari’s government. The dust raised by the missive of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo asking the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari not to run in 2019 is yet to settle. The former president who recently made history as one of the five octogenarians in history to earn a Doctor of Philosophy had last week x-rayed the administrati...

“Going into the new year, I can only wish each and every one of us the best as we prepare for the task ahead. It is a crucial year. As you all know, this, in all probability, will be the last productive year before we go into the 2019 electioneering period. Not only is there a need to up the ante in terms of productivity, it is important we keep our eyes on the big picture. Let us not be caught in the political fray before due season. To each and everything under the sun, its own time. This is Nigeria’s time. Let us devote ourselves to her service. It is therefore imperative that we speed up consideration on the various bills on which legislative work remains outstanding – particularly economic bills. Calling for similar attention are the other parts of the Petroleum Industry Bill related bills still to be passed, namely: the Petroleum Industry Fiscal Bill and the Petroleum Host Community Bill.” -           Senate President, Senator Bukol...

It’s 394 days to Nigeria’s sixth general elections in the Fourth Republic and that is official. The Independent National Electoral Commission constitutionally empowered to organise and conduct federal and state elections in Nigeria had on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 issued what it called the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2019 general elections, consisting the Presidential, National and State Assembly, Governorship and the Federal Capital Territory Council elections.  The timetable was issued at a press briefing by the INEC Chairman, Professor Yakubu Mahmood, which held at the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja. The day after, INEC chairman gave registration certificates to 21 newly registered political parties. The country now has a total of 68 registered parties with about 90 fresh applications still being processed by the election management body. According to the timetable, there are 14 listed activities ranging from when party primaries will be conducted, when ca...

“ As progressives, we believe that Nigeria is greater than any individual or the sum of her federating units, therefore the country can only succeed when all of us have equal rights, where no one is above the law, where the culture of impunity is abolished and where there is (a) level playing field”  – The All Progressives Congress in its party manifesto. Until 2015, politicians in opposition political parties had been looking for an antidote to the dominance of the Peoples Democratic Party, the party that ruled Nigeria for uninterrupted 16 years. They tried all they could under the umbrella of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties; formed working alliances; criticised and did everything imaginable to no avail. Ultimately, immediately after the 2011 general elections some of the opposition political party chieftains decided to moot the idea of a merger. This merger talk was long and tortuous with every attempt made by the PDP to frustrate the success. However, through d...

“Person looking to cheat the Liberian people through the menace of corruption will have no place in my administration. We will build on the institutional gains under Madam Sirleaf to improve the lives of our people. We will build a new institution where necessary to protect rights and engender inclusion among all our people” – President-elect of Liberia, George Weah in his victory speech on December 30, 2017. Heartwarming news came from Liberia last Thursday, December 28, 2017 as the football legend; George Oppong Weah was declared president-elect of Liberia after a December 26 run-off presidential election with outgoing Vice President and candidate of the Unity Party, His Excellency Joseph Boakai. Weah, like he did in 2005 when he first ran for the presidency of Liberia, led the first round of election held on October 10, 2017 but failed to poll the 50+1 percentage votes needed to be declared winner at first ballot. After a seven weeks delay and eventual clearance from Liberia Sup...