Politics

By IKECHUKWU AMAECHI One of the absurdities of Nigeria’s pseudo-democracy is the fact that those clamouring for President Bola Tinubu’s second term are not flaunting his achievements. Instead, the battle cry is the need for him to complete his “constitutionally guaranteed” two terms of eight years, not minding that there is no such guarantee in the 1999 Constitution. The more sophisticated amongst them are blackmailing the country with the rotational presidency arrangement between the north and south. They insist that since Muhammadu Buhari, a northerner, was president for eight years, then a southerner must be accorded the same privilege. And…

BY ABRAHAM OGBODO It is too early to worry about the coalition to fight Tinubu in 2027. Even if the lion is ensnarled, you do not approach it with bare hands. You give all the benefits of doubt and go very prepared for any eventuality. When the coalition was announced some weeks ago, there was some breathe of relief across the land. This was, however, not in the air-tight assurance that the days of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President could now be counted. It was more in the feeling that a ferocious tiger was being released into the jungle to…

By SHEDDY OZOENE The formation of a coalition of opposition elements in Nigeria has sparked off a wave of political activities as the general elections of 2027 draw closer. Led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Kaduna State governor Nasir el-Rufai and former Senate President David Mark, the coalition is built around the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which has emerged as a potential vehicle for a unified opposition platform.  The key drivers of the coalition have not minced words about what their mission is: to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress…

BY ABRAHAM OGBODO . The one that is already in and seated is called APC. The one that is outside and itching to be admitted to unseat the one that is seated is called ADC. The difference is in the displacement and replacement of letters P and D. On the surface, this distinction lacks the firmness to affect a clear choice. This means that either of the entities can go or stay, and nothing significant will be lost in content. It is the same as saying that if, per adventure, ADC replaces APC in 2027, it will look like replacing…

FESTUS ADEDAYO Power politics in the animal kingdom could be as intense, deceptive and selfish as it is in the human kingdom. An ancient African allegory whose patent cannot be credited to a particular tradition, illustrates this. It is the fable of an old forest warhorse, the lion. After years of feasting on animals, his mane soaked in their innocent blood, Old Lion became too senescent to haunt for games. Stricken with old age, diverse infirmities and unable to put food on his own table, the King decided to get food by subterfuge and trickery. Always by himself and soaked…

BY ABRAHAM OGBODO There are a few idiomatic expressions around the Catholic Church and the Pope. And that is because the Catholic institutions have endured long enough to constitute part of global folklores. For instance, when cause and reaction are disproportional, there is a description for it that touches on Catholicism and the Pontiff. This is when the man or woman involved is advised not to be more Catholic than the Pope. Listeners will understand at once that the fellow is seeking to be more concerned than he or she that is actually concerned in the matter under review. The…

BY ABRAHAM OGBODO There is something in theology called anthropomorphism . It happens when God assumes the attributes of a human. I can supply an instance right away. Turn to Chapter 3 of the Book of Genesis and read from verses 8 to 10. It says God came down from heaven to the Garden of Eden and was pacing about the beautiful garden in the cool of the evening searching for Adam who was nowhere to be found. Having tasted the forbidden fruit, Adam, the only man that came by the direct creation of God, realised he was naked and…

By SHEDDY OZOENE This is a season of political divorces, that strange separation of godsons from their godfathers and the end to political alliances between people of like interests. The events of the last two weeks were quite revealing, from the rift that blew open in the political relationship between Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu and the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu Lagos in Nigeria to collapse in the political romance between US President Donald Trump and billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk in the United States.  The former is more of a godfather and godson relationship, while the later is/was…

BY ABRAHAM OGBODO Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi has a way of saying the right things to court public attention. He talks as if he is one of us and not one of them. He was President Muhammadu Buhari’s minister of transport for eight years. Before then, he had been Governor of Rivers State for eight years too. Altogether, he had been very lucky. He had never been short-changed in the serial partisan transactions in the ongoing Fourth Republic. He knew how to create the right alignments and realignments to secure his due. Even as a rookie, he had started very high.…

By SHEDDY OZOENE Since leaving office in May 2023, former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has evoked all manner of sentiments. While his die-hard supporters idolize him for his perceived integrity and simple mien, most Nigerians write him off as, perhaps, the most inept to ever lead Africa’s most populous Black nation. Indeed, very few people look back at Buhari’s tenure for inspiration or with any nostalgic feeling, not necessarily because the present administration has done substantially better, but because the systemic rot in the nation’s economy assumed a worse dimension on Buhari’s watch.  Buhari sunk so low in the estimation…