Author: People&Politics - Page 5

Feb

05

2026

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By People&Politics

Who Does YIAGA AFRICA Really Work For?

Opinion, Politics

By SHEDDY OZOENE The next time we reflect on the series of Nigeria’s deeply flawed elections and the ineptitude of INEC, it may be worth pausing to interrogate also the role of YIAGA AFRICA as well. Founded in 2007 as a student organisation at the University of Jos, YIAGA AFRICA has since grown into one of the loudest civil society voices in Nigeria’s electoral space. It presents itself as a democracy and human rights organisation, deeply involved in election integrity, civic engagement, and the strengthening of democratic institutions. So far, so good, but there is a troubling pattern in the…

Feb

04

2026

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For Gov Abba Kabir Yusuf, A Risky Gamble

Column, Opinion

By SHEDDY OZOENE (As published in the back page of Daily Times, Tuesday, February 3, 2026) Since the middle of 2025, when rumours first began to circulate that Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, was contemplating a break with the Kwankwasiyya Movement that brought him to power in 2023, many dismissed the speculation with a wave of the hand. Abba was not only the favoured godson of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; he shared a personal relationship with the former governor that dated back more than four decades when both men worked together as civil servants in Kano. That bond was further…

Jan

29

2026

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EFCC Arraigns BFI Group Corporation, Six Others For Alleged €100m Fraud

BREAKING

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, January 29, 2026 arraigned BFI Group Corporation, Reuben M. Jaja, Uzor Chidi Jerry, David Femi James, Imeobong Jumbo Udom, Adeola Edward and Emeka Emmanuel Okorie before Justice M.S. Idris of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Jabi, Abuja for alleged fraud to the tune of €100 million (One Hundred Million Euros). They were arraigned on a five-count amended charge bordering on fraud, conspiracy and false pretence. At Thursday’s proceedings, prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN drew the attention of the court to an amended charge, dated January, 27, 2026 and…

Jan

28

2026

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Fubara: Timidity, Calmness Or Nonchalance?

Column, Opinion

(Also published in Back Page of Daily Times on Wednesday, 28th January, 2026) By SHEDDY OZOENE Since his swearing-in as Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara has faced a cascade of challenges. The state has lurched from one crisis to another—some minor, others serious, and a few outright grave. In most of these crises, public perception has cast the governor—locked in a deadly political contest with his predecessor, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike—as the victim. The heavy hand of godfatherism appears to have tightened relentlessly around his neck. Even as a sitting governor, Fubara has reportedly…

Jan

18

2026

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When A Side Chick Saves Marriage

Column, Opinion

By OREVA GODWIN Before anyone sharpens their knives, let me be clear: I do not support cheating. I have never romanticized infidelity, nor do I excuse men who lack discipline. As my Delta brothers love to joke, “Men don’t cheat; only women cheat.” That entitlement alone is why feminism and I struggle to coexist peacefully with Delta men. There’s also a popular belief that a woman who becomes a side chick will one day “pay for it” when she marries, that karma will hand her a cheating husband. This belief is lazy, misogynistic, and conveniently ignores reality. If karma truly…

Jan

13

2026

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Olaosebikan Emerges as Rallying Point for APC’s 2027 Push in Oluyole

News

Chief Kehinde Olaosebikan, former Chairman of Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State, is fast re-establishing himself as a key driver of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s grassroots resurgence in the local government, as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum. Speaking at the APC Unity Rally held in the Olomi area of Oluyole, Olaosebikan outlined a deliberate strategy anchored on voter mobilisation, party expansion, and internal cohesion, which he said would significantly boost support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other APC candidates in the next election cycle. According to him, electoral success is built from the grassroots…

Jan

09

2026

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Wike, Fubara And The Political Endgame In Rivers State

Entertainment

BY ABRAHAM OGBODO The assumption is that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is enjoying the fellowship of Nyesom Wike. Without waiting for Bayo Onanuga to issue a confirmation or denial, I can go ahead and speak for the President on this. The man is not enjoying anything. If anything, he is thinking and very seriously too, of how to discharge Wike with minimum collateral consequences. To smash the tsetse fly that perches on the scrotum requires more tact than might. That is the constraint of Mr. President. But I can also tell you right away that President Tinubu, known for plotting…

Jan

03

2026

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Kwankwaso Vs Gov. Yusuf: NNPP Now A House Divided Against Itself

Politics

OUR POLITICAL ANALYST The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) is beginning to fall apart, and the cause is the growing rift between its two most important figures, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. Kwankwaso is reportedly considering a move to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while Yusuf is preparing to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). With both men heading in different directions, the NNPP is facing the real danger of political extinction. At the same time, the Kwankwassiyya movement, once a powerful political force, risks fading into little more than a memory. The…

Jan

03

2026

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[OPINION] And Here Comes The Tax Sheriff, By CHUKWUDI ACHIFE

Economy

By CHUKWUDI ACHIFE He arrives promptly and firmly when beckoned -not with sirens and guns blazing but with a scale and a bagful of powers to ensure justice, equity and fairness in tax administration. He is the Tax Ombudsman of Nigeria. A new office created to strengthen President Ahmed Tinubu' s sweeping tax reforms. Heading this all -important office, is Dr. John Nwabueze who became the pioneer occupant of the office following his appointment by President Ahmed Tinubu GCFR in November 2035. His appointment has been widely and enthusiastically received within the nation's business community as he comes with a…

Jan

03

2026

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Ugwuanyi: A Diplomat By Nature

Opinion

By SAMSON EZEA Among the prominent names in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent list of ambassadorial nominees is a man widely regarded as a diplomat by temperament and practice—the immediate past Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (CON).It is an axiomatic fact that Ugwuanyi embodies diplomacy in character and conduct. Naturally gifted in peacemaking, dialogue, negotiation, and brinksmanship, he is known for his patience, humility, accessibility, humanity, and generosity. These qualities have defined his public life since he ventured into politics in 2003 and continued after he left office in 2023. To date, he remains unchanged—calm, dependable, and…