The live drama staged in the Oval Office on February 28 between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was such that Zelenskyy might never have rehearsed in all his former life as a comedian.

Except that it wasn’t funny. It was unprecedented. You would need to go back 64 years to find anything nearly as nasty as the Trump-Zelenskyy shouting match, with Trump’s deputy, JD Vance, enthusiastically fanning the flames.

The showdown between John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev before the Cuban Missile Crisis was hair-raising, but it wasn’t before a global audience or live TV. Everything else in between, from Richard Nixon’s spats during Watergate to Robert Mugabe’s faceoff with Magaret Thatcher over the Lancaster Agreement, has been child’s play compared with the Trump-Zelenskyy verbal brawl.

Dangerous enemy, fatal friend

There have been suggestions that Trump and Vance staged it to find an excuse to abandon Ukraine or to extract the best deal possible for the US over minerals rights in Ukraine. Whatever, it was Trump, yet again, being Trump. However, even if that were so, Zelenskyy should have been wiser than to turn a dangerous enemy into a fatal friend.

As he flits across Europe and signals a willingness for another meeting with Trump to patch things up, there are a few unfamiliar lessons he might use to save the day and spare his country from being the meatgrinder it has tragically become.

Africa’s path

Africa is an unlikely place to look because hardly any country suffered the Soviet Union-style breakup. However, the continent offers several examples of countries digging themselves out of or managing conflicts and potentially devasting wars to which their colonial histories predisposed them.

From Cameroon to Somalia and the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, several countries on the continent still struggle to find common peaceful existence against a legacy of arbitrary, self-serving partitions created by colonial rule. It’s no less a daunting existential struggle than the one currently confronting Ukraine, a smaller sovereign nation bordering a behemoth like Russia.

For example, for many years, Nigeria and Cameroon, with overlapping colonial boundaries, squabbled over the Bakassi peninsula separating them containing large oil and gas reserves. Nigerians, mainly farmers and fishermen, largely populated the area. The Cameroonian authorities claimed it was bequeathed to them by an Anglo-German treaty in the 20^th century.

Beyond David vs. Goliath

The point is not the relative military strength of the combatants – whether or not it was a David vs. Goliath matchup like one between Ukraine and Russia. It’s about preventing a dangerous conflict from escalating into a killing field potentially on the scale that we have seen in Ukraine in the last nearly four years.

After decades of dispute and violent clashes between Nigeria and Cameroon, often with casualties in the border towns separating both countries, tensions began to boil over, with sections of Nigeria calling for an outright war. A war between countries would have had dire consequences for the subregion, yet some interests motivated by ego pressed Nigeria to go to war.

Warring neighbours

Nigeria took the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). When President Olusegun Obasanjo received information that it would not go well, he braced himself and rallied the public through the media to prepare for the outcome. After the ICJ ruled against Nigeria, some circles favored ignoring the court and going to war for the sake of the Nigerians rooted in Bakassi, and yes, also for the rich mineral deposits there.

To his credit, Obasanjo resisted the pressure to go to war. With a heavy heart, Nigeria cut its losses and turned the chapter on Bakassi, a strip of land which, even if it had won in a battle, might still have been lost in years of endless conflict.

Sudan, one of Africa’s most resource-rich countries, offers a different but valuable example, which litters the continent, of how winning political freedom or winning the battle may not always result in winning peace and prosperity.

Like Putin like al-Bashir?

As dictators go, there’s probably little to separate Omar al-Bashir and Russian President Vladimir Putin. But unlike al-Bashir, who only yielded to a referendum for the secession of South Sudan at gunpoint, Putin has not asked Zelenskyy to return Ukraine to the former Soviet Union – the game that the Sudanese leaders have tried to play by frustrating South Sudan’s production in the oil-rich region of Abyei. Both countries have managed a complicated and fractious co-existence, bringing relative stability to the region.

Whether in Nigeria, Sudan, or the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, Africa has had many devastating conflicts, with the situation in Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo still dire.

However, compared to its history in the late 1980s and 1990s, the continent has managed relative peace despite internal incompetence and foreign instigations that might have worsened the conflicts. That is what realism teaches.

Hindsight

The Russia-Ukraine war might have been prevented if, in line with the assurances from NATO in the 1990s during talks over German reunification, the Ukrainian president had assured Putin of Ukraine’s neutrality.

That was all Putin asked for: That the US and its allies keep their pledge not to expand eastward or encircle his country. Russia’s pre-emptive seizure of Crimea made it challenging to trust Putin, but Zelenskyy played into his hands by putting all his eggs in the dubious European basket.

Zelenskyy allowed Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden and other NATO leaders in the West to deceive him into believing he would get a carte blanche in the war against Russia. Carte blanches only exist in movies.

African lessons and the Ukraine war bill

Africa’s experience teaches a different, nuanced lesson. From the betrayals of Haile Selassie during Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia to the murder of Patrice Lumumba of Congo, the continent learnt the hard way that only fools test the depth of a river with both feet. Unlike his predecessor, Viktor Yanukovych, Zelenskyy was just the fool the West needed.

What has been the cost of the war with Russia? Estimates suggest that about 400,000 Ukrainians, both soldiers and civilians, have been killed in the war, including 12,605 verified civilian deaths reported by the UN.

Also, in contrast to about 450 square kilometres of area captured by Ukrainian soldiers in the Kursk region, Russia controls 19 percent (or 43,749 square miles) of Ukrainian territory, roughly the size of the US state of Virginia. Yet, the future is still dire.

Something must give

Putin’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine and his smash-and-grab are just as detestable as Trump’s pettiness and flippancy. But as petty and detestable as Trump is, he was on point that it would be foolhardy to expect the current war to end without Ukraine giving up anything. Zelenskyy and his backers in Europe must agree that something has to give, and the earlier, the better.

Unlike Africa, which was partitioned by foreign conquest, Europeans have often redrawn the European map by treaty, war, or conquest. Zelenskyy and his backers may kick the can down the road, but that redrawing is about to happen again. Hopefully, Crimea and Eastern Donbas will not be to Ukraine as Alsace and Lorraine were to Germany after World War I, with severe consequences for long-term peace and stability.  

The bitter truth, however, is that for this war to end, Zelenskyy must accept that Ukraine will never be the same again. This is the consequence of the comedian’s tragic act.

Ishiekwene, Editor-In-Chief of LEADERSHIP, is the author of the new book Writing for Media and Monetising It. 

The Supreme Court has ruled that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, had already undermined the State House of Assembly before Speaker Martin Amaewhule and 26 other lawmakers defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The apex court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim, held that the concurrent findings of both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal proved that Governor Fubara engaged in illegal and unconstitutional activities to subvert the State Assembly, violate the Nigerian Constitution, and prevent an anticipated impeachment by opposition lawmakers.

The ruling was part of the Supreme Court’s judgment on Cross-Appeal No SC/CV/1175A/2024, filed by Governor Fubara to challenge the earlier rulings of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal.

The cross-appeal was linked to the main appeal brought before the Supreme Court by the Rivers State House of Assembly and Speaker Martin Amaewhule.

The appeal lists the Government of Rivers State; Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission; Hon. Justice Adolphus Enebeli (Rtd) (Chairman, Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission); Central Bank of Nigeria; Zenith Bank Plc.; Access Bank Plc.; Accountant General of the Federation; the Government of Rivers State (Sir Siminalayi Fubara); the Accountant General of Rivers State; and Hon. Justice S. C. Amadi (Chief Judge of Rivers State) as the 1st to 10th respondents.

Fubara requested the Supreme Court to determine whether Sections 102 and 109(g) of the 1999 Constitution and the doctrine of necessity validate the proceedings of the Rivers State House of Assembly, which was constituted by less than one-third of its members, and the actions of the State government based on such proceedings.

Justice Agim stated, “The concurrent findings of facts in the Court of Appeal Judgment in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/133/20249 (exhibit RSHA 5) indicate that some months after the 8th respondent was elected and sworn in as Governor of Rivers State in 2023, he began to fear that, instigated by his political opponents, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly were planning or initiating proceedings to impeach and remove him from office as Governor of the State.

“That to pre-empt his said impeachment, 8th respondent took several steps such as attempting to get the National Assembly to take over the exercise of the legislative powers of Rivers State from the Rivers State House of Assembly, preventing the Rivers State House of Assembly from sitting with its complete members or constitutionally prescribed quorum of one-third of the 32 members and arranged for initially 4 members and subsequently 3 members to be sitting as Rivers State House of Assembly outside the Legislative building of the Rivers State House of Assembly, withholding Rivers State House of Assembly funds, removing the Clerk and Deputy Clerk of the Rivers State House of Assembly, using caterpillars, bulldozers and other earth moving vehicles and equipment to pull down, dismantle and destroy the legislative building of the Rivers State House of Assembly…”

The apex court also knocked Fubara for preventing the lawmakers and other staff of the Rivers State House of Assembly “from having access to the House of Assembly Complex to do official work and engaging in all these actions in disobedience of interim restraining orders of Courts that were obtained by the said 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly in suits to restrain these actions.”

It said, “These series of actions by the 8th respondent caused the Rivers State House of Assembly to commence Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023 against the National Assembly, the 8th respondent, the Accountant General of the Federation, the Inspector General of Police and others.

“The concurrent finding of fact by the Court of Appeal in its Judgment in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/133/2024 is that the 8th respondent admitted engaging in all these activities.

“What is clear from the above concurrent findings is that the 8th respondent started the prevention of the sittings of the Rivers State House of Assembly constituted by the number of members as prescribed by S.96 of the 1999 Constitution long before the issue of the remaining 27 members defecting to another political party arose.”

According to the judge, the said activities of Governor Fubara were adjudged by the concurrent holdings of the Court of Appeal in its judgment in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/133/2024 as illegal and unconstitutional long before the allegation of defection started.

The court said, “Against the background of these concurrent findings and holdings in the Court of Appeal Judgment in Appeal No.CA/ABJ/CV/133/2024, it is reasonable to conclude that the cross appellant’s reliance on Ss.102 and 109 of the Constitution and the doctrine of necessity is to continue his brazen subversion of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the 1999 Constitution and legitimate government in Rivers State.

“Having by his own admission engaged in a series of illegal activities just to prevent the other 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from participating in the proceedings of the House to carry out their legitimate legislative duties which they were elected to do, his resort to Ss.102 and 109 of the 1999 Constitution and the doctrine of necessity on the basis of his allegation that they have defected is a red herring to perpetuate his subversion of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the 1999 Constitution and democratic government in Rivers State.

“The 8th respondent had collapsed the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“Therefore, no question about any member having lost his seat in that House due to defection can validly arise.

“There must be a House of Assembly for any constitutional processes such as declaration of a seat vacant for defection therein to take place.

“Only the House can declare a seat vacant for defection and not the Governor of a State. Not even the Courts can do so.”

The apex court ruled that the assertion that the 27 Assembly members are no longer part of the House due to alleged defection is a continuation of Governor Fubara’s efforts to prevent their participation in House proceedings.

The judge said, “It is not shown or suggested that their names are now in the register of members of another political party or that they have obtained membership card of that other party.

“Membership register and membership card constitute the only proof of membership of a political party.

“What is clear is that the 2nd cross respondent and the other 26 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are still valid members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot be prevented from participating in the proceedings of that House by the 8th respondent in cahoots with the 4 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.”

“A government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the Government of a State under the 1999 Constitution,” the court said.

“In this case, the Head of the Executive arm of the Government has chosen to collapse the Legislature to enable him govern without the Legislature as a despot. As it is there is no government in Rivers State.”

The court said Fubara’s “fear of impeachment by the House Assembly is no justification for his attacks on the House of Assembly, the Constitution, the Government of Rivers State and rule of law.

“What the 8th respondent has done is to destroy the government because of his fear of being impeached.”

[NaijaNews]

March 8 is the International Women’s Day. It is not only an occasion to congratulate ladies and give sincere compliments but also an opportunity to remind them of more serious things – for example, the fight for women’s rights, as well as their achievements, including in sports.

It is generally accepted that everything depends only on the abilities of sportsmen and sportswomen. However, female athletes still face many specific challenges – from stereotypes and discrimination to a lack of funding and a low level of infrastructure compared to men’s competitions.

In honor of the holiday, we would like to remember outstanding Nigerian sportswomen who have become symbols of perseverance and fortitude.

Nigerian women who inspire:

1. Tobi Amusan is a world champion and world record holder in the 100-meter hurdles. She also managed to get a Master of Arts and proved that it is possible to combine studies with a successful sports career.
2. Asisat Oshoala is a six-time African Women’s Footballer of the Year who has won every trophy possible with Barcelona. The Nigerian is one of the best female football players and the first African nominee for the Ballon d’Or among women.
3. Ese Brume is a four-time African long jump champion and the first African to win two medals at the World Championships. She also achieved the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
4. Blessing Oborududu’s parents told her that wrestling was not a woman’s sport. Fortunately, Blessing managed to change their minds. She won the African Championship 13 times, and at the Tokyo Olympics, she became the first Nigerian medalist in this sport!
5. Funke Oshonaike – in 2021, she became the first woman in history to compete in seven Olympics. In 2016, the table tennis legend was Nigeria’s flag bearer at the Rio Games.

Supporting women’s sports: 1xBet’s contribution

The issue of gender equality in sports remains relevant, and companies like 1xBet help to change the situation. Here are some examples of how this is happening.

• The brand ambassador in Nigeria is Suo, the first PINJIN female commentator in the country’s history, who is also the chief of the Urubo people. Being responsible for over a million people is a difficult and necessary thing, but what’s more important is that Suo inspires all Nigerian women to take up sports.
• Miracle Chipito from Zambia became the first medalist in the IMMAF World Championship in the history of her country. According to Chipito, 1xBet’s help with tools and logistics allowed her to focus on the competition without being distracted by less important things.
• With the support of the reliable bookmaker, the Waziri Cup tournament was held in Kenya, featuring women’s teams. 1xBet has never considered football a purely male sport and actively invests in developing women’s national competitions, providing squads with jerseys and sports equipment.

Female athletes in Africa have proven that sport has no gender boundaries. Their stories inspire thousands of girls to take up sports, overcome obstacles, and reach the top.

Women in sports are not only about talent and achievements but also about strength of spirit and willingness to go against stereotypes and the opinions of others. The company 1xBet admires them and is proud of the opportunity to help them change the sports world, making it more beautiful and brighter.

[Leradership]

Senator representing Ekiti South and Chairman Senate Committee on Media and Publicity Affairs, Yemi Adaramodu, has said that what Natasha did in the senate is content creation.

Adaramodu stated this during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Wednesday.

He said the senate committee on ethics has started reviewing Natsaha’s petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Daily trust had reported that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan had petitioned the senate on alleged sexual harassment and abuse of office against Akpabio.

However, during the interview, Adaramodu described Natasha’s action as theatrical.

He said the situation was, especially for the first arm of government, the legislature.

He said, “I saw my colleague sister entering with a kiss. It made me look back when we were acting in such a kind of entertainment stage drama, while in primary school. This is where we are very unthinkable and unspeakable.

“They came very close to the plenary for a kiss? For whatever reason like our colleague accused. When we say anything is wrong or not wrong, we talk about legality. It is not illegal, but it is socially and morally wrong. That does not mean all legal things are acceptable for adults to act on. I said initially that this is an episode of content creation. That is part of the skit created by our colleague and everybody is talking about it.”

Chelsea left-back, Marc Cucurella has stated that Enzo Maresca’s side need to be confident to have a chance of winning the UEFA Europa Conference League.

The Spain international believes Chelsea should go into every game with confidence and trust in their ability.

Speaking to the media ahead of their Round of 16 first leg clash with Copenhagen on Thursday, Cucurella said (via SI), “For sure. Chelsea are a top club. We have top players with skills and ability.

“We need to feel we can win the competition, believe we are ready and can do it. We go with all we have to win it.

“If we win everything it’s more easy. We have a good opportunity, we play tomorrow against a tough team. If we win this competition, we have the opportunity to bring a trophy.

“It would be the first time Chelsea have won this trophy. It could be special. It’s a big opportunity to show we are ready.”

[DailyPost]

There is rising tension and fear amongst the people and residents of Rivers State, particularly political office holders in the state, following a spate of violent threats by individuals and groups over the series of ultimatum dangling on the state governor, Sir Siminilayi Joseph Fubara.

This is coming on the heels of the one hour and thirty-six minutes judgment by the Supreme Court of Nigeria on the lingering political stalemate in Rivers, dating back to August 2023.

The Apex Court had last Friday, through a five member jurists, made some pronouncements which have caused uneasiness and unsettled pockets of political upheavals in the state.

Amongst some controversial decisions of the Supreme Court, is the order granting unhindered access to the Martyns Amaewhule led 27-members of the state legislature to resume sitting against two different cases on their defection at the lower courts.

Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara

The suit for the legality or otherwise of the defection of Martyns Amaewhule and his 26 other lawmakers are already before the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, and was not a subject of litigation before the Apex Court.

Individuals and groups, including the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, have separately criticised the Apex Court rulings, describing it as a “Miscarriage of justice and a clear contradiction of established legal precedents.”

The Supreme Court also nullified the local government council election held on October 5, 2024, insisting that the electoral umpire, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, did not follow the necessary procedures in organising the polls.

In addition, the Apex Court stopped the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and the Accountant General of the Federation from releasing the monthly allocations due to Rivers State until after the conduct of a fresh election into the state’s 23 LGAs.

Based on the order of the Apex Court for Governor Fubara to represent the 2024 state’s appropriation bill to the Martyns Amaewhule’s legislators, the House of Assembly on Monday gave him a 48 hours ultimatum to comply.

But Rivers government, through its Secretary to the state government, Dr. Tammy Wenike Danagogo denied the receipt of any letter from the House of Assembly up until yesterday, Wednesday, the expiry date of the deadline.

While the controversy over the letter and its ultimatum rages, the state House of Assembly yesterday again issued a series of letters accompanied with a 48-hour ultimatum to the state chief executive and the Chairman of RSIEC, Justice Adulphus Enebeli.

In its latest letter dated March 5, 2025, addressed to the governor, the Legislature directed him to sack all his political appointees, including the 19 commissioners, chairmen, and members of institutions governing councils, boards and parastatals.

According to the legislators, these appointees, particularly the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Dagogo, SAN, were not screened and cleared by them in accordance with the constitutional requirements, accusing the governor of several constitutional breaches

The pro-Wike lawmakers also ordered the RSIEC chairman, Justice Adulphus Enebeli, to appear before them within 48 hours to explain details of the proposed state local government election scheduled for Saturday, August 9, 2025.

The Legislature warned the RSIEC chairman that it would invoke the necessary laws, including issuance of a warrant of arrest on him should he fail to honour their invitation.

Justice Enebeli had called a stakeholders meeting at their RSIEC office. along Aba Road, Port Harcourt, where he released the timetable and guidelines for the LGA elections in the state.

Since after last Friday’s Supreme Court judgment, there have been sounds of war drums from all parts of the state and beyond, especially with the 27 lawmakers displaying actions as though they were acting on an already prepared script, well crafted for them.

Both the Ijaw National Congress, INC, and the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, the umbrella bodies of all elders and youths of Ijaw Land, have separately warned that no harm should be done to their son, Fubara or his office.

Since the current democratic dispensation started in 1999, the upland area of the state had been at the helm of affairs in the state, boasting of four governors, including Dr. Peter Odili, Chief Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Sir Celestine Omehia, and Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike.

Sir Siminilayi Joseph Fubara, an Ijaw son from the Opobo extraction, is the only governor from the riverine part of the state now in Government House, Port Harcourt, 26 years after.

Viewed against this background, the INC president, Prof. Benjamin Okaba regretted that the Apex Court did not take into cognisance the sacrifices of the Ijaws to the peace, unity, and stability of the state, in its decisions.

Prof. Okaba warned of dire consequences that may follow the removal of Governor Fubara, saying, “Any move to impeach the Rivers State governor will destabilise the Niger Delta region and disrupt oil production.”

According to him, the obvious implications of allowing oil facilities to be disrupted would be too grave on the nation’s economy, and appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intervene and call his FCT Minister to order.

In his words, which was also chorused by Dr. Alaye Theophilus, the president of Ijaw youths, “We cannot fold our hands and watch our first riverine governor in decades being removed from office by a few individuals and the mandate of Rivers people shattered.”

The IYC president cautioned those, “Wishing to use the Supreme Court judgment as a canon folder to impeach the governor should have a rethink,” and asked President Tinubu to choose between a peaceful Niger Delta and Wike and his co-travellers.

A socio-cultural group “We Stand With Sim” urged Amaewhule and his pro-Wike disciples not to misinterpret the Apex Court rulings as a “Death Sentence”, and appealed to them to be cautious in their dealings with the governor in the interest of peace and stability.

From all indications, the pro-Wike’s 27 legislators are bent on having their pounds off flesh from Governor Fubara whose trouble with his political godfather, Wike started in August 2023, just three months after his swearing-in on May 29, 2023.

Although Wike, who had ruled the state for eight years blamed their political differences on alleged destruction of his political structure, Fubara on his part said it was more about the control of the resources of the state.

The political brouhaha got to the climax when on October 30, 2023, Martyns Amaewhule led 26 of his colleagues to defect from their original Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, following a foiled attempt to impeach Fubara.

To fuel their support base and cause anxiety amongst Governor Fubara’s followers, a kite was flown through online media that Prof. Ngozi Odu, the state deputy governor has already resigned from office, to avert being impeached.

But yesterday evening, the Omoku-born academia turned politician denied resigning from office, assuring that she was still loyal and faithfully committed to joining Fubara to provide Rivers people and residents with the elusive dividends of democracy.

The current scenario allows for rumours, stabbing and backstabbing, with virtually everyone becoming a suspect to one another. The days ahead are still pregnant, even with the governor’ s vow to implement the decisions of the Supreme Court, after perusing the certified true copy of the judgment.

Heyford is Managing Editor, Politics, of The Southern Examiner

On Wednesday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio finally defended himself since Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan accused him of sexual harassment. This is not the first time he has been accused of such, but this instance feels different. He denied the accusation by alluding to his record of awards as a “gender-friendly” governor and pointing out his cherished personal relationships with women that put him beyond such impropriety. Good for him, but there is also enough record of his public conduct to consider a pattern of his behaviour when dealing with women.

For instance, in 2020, when former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission Joy Nunieh accused him of corruption, he went on television to talk about how many times the woman had been married. By pulling out the woman’s personal life, he wanted to set her up for ridicule in our society that associates a woman’s virtues with her marital status. Like every bus conductor who finds himself outwitted by a woman and quickly resorts to calling her “ashewo!” Akpabio, too, deflected the shame emanating from the corruption accusation.

Akpabio might have waited until his accuser submitted an official petition, but he has not been defenseless all this time. His female proxies have been doing so, some of them even stripping themselves of either their dignity or common sense just to defend him. On Saturday, some Akwa Ibom women protested the allegations against Akpabio. Typical Nigerians that they were, they did not say anything about seeking the truth; they just wanted the accusations to go away. What is there to say about those poor old women carrying placards they probably cannot read? Looking at their hungry faces, one shrugs in pity. Our politics is as tacky as other aspects of our Nigerian lives.

If those women can be dismissed as a hired crowd, how about Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s female colleague in the Senate, from whom one would expect reasonable intervention? When Senator Ireti Kingibe, one of the three remaining women in the Senate, spoke on the issue, she came across as conservative and more invested in upholding the norms of the institution than considering how it could be oppressive. First, she claimed that they (the other three female senators) have not been sexually harassed, and I wondered why she had to assume a corporate voice. Unless, of course, she is omnipresent, how could she have known that for sure? Is she privy to the battle each woman fought privately to get to the Senate? Why not just speak about your own experience?

In the same interview, Kingibe mentioned that Akpoti-Uduaghan had once told her she was supposed to discuss some official business with Akpabio, “but he said to meet him at a hotel”. So, the woman told you that in a prior conversation, and you could still boldly claim that you were unaware that she was being sexually harassed? So, what else defines sexual harassment in Kingibe’s book? How come she did not correlate Akpoti-Uduaghan’s present predicament with that hotel incident to at least understand her frustration with the Senate rules you are still asking her to obey unquestioningly? I do not blame Akpoti-Uduaghan for snubbing Kingibe afterward. I would do the same.

Then came another woman, Senator Abiodun Olujimi, who, though well-spoken, appeared just as tone-deaf. She thought the issue was Akpabio’s sense of humour, which makes him “vulnerable”. Olujimi is a polished woman who knows what vulnerability means. Her use of the word to describe someone like Akpabio makes me suspicious of her politics. In her interview, she went further to talk about the struggles of men in the Senate and how she has had to support them when they faced challenges from the domestic front. My heart goes out to the men who experience challenges because of their public service, but is the issue at hand about what the menfolk endure? That rhetorical manoeuvre is called whataboutism. For context, please recall that Olujimi was also the one who sponsored the serially rejected bill seeking gender equality. For someone who had such a grand vision while in the Senate, her present politics is rather contradictory.

The worst of all the female politicians wading into the issue is Senator Florence Ita-Giwa. She said that once a woman becomes a senator, she has “passed that stage of your life of being sexually harassed” because you somehow become gender neutral. That is a rather curious point to make. So, do the men and women also share the same restroom since their physical differences get magically erased once they are sworn in as senators? Ita-Giwa not only argued that sexual harassment cannot happen in the Senate but that even talking about it shows weakness on the part of the woman. My impression listening to her is that she has not only spent the bulk of her life bending over backward to take in a lot of ethical compromises, but she justified what she endured as female strength. Watching a younger woman who refuses to lie down and take it comes across to her as a weakness.

Then enters Mrs Akpabio herself. You know, no woman in Nigeria can be counted upon to overreach herself any more than the wife of a powerful man whose husband has been accused of sexual impropriety. You will see the woman take off her clothes in public to defend her husband, not necessarily because she believes in his virtues, but because she cannot stand to see her privileges jeopardised. Mrs Akpabio went to the extent of suing his accuser for defamation. She knows it is not a case she can win, but a typical Naija woman wants to impress her husband. Unfortunately, all she is doing here is making him look emasculated. She even described her husband as “disciplined and respectful”. The same man who made the disparaging “nightclub” comment for which even you had to reportedly urge him to apologise? That should be the very definition of irony. Speaking of “disciplined and respectful”, has Madam seen her husband’s charge sheet with the EFCC?

Akpabio is not the only one who has made disrespectful comments about Akpoti-Uduaghan; even his aide did! The only reason that one could do so publicly and confidently is because of his boss’ loose ethical standards. Akpoti-Uduaghan is human and would naturally feel the snide comments. It should not be too much to expect men in an institution like the Senate to be respectful of their female counterparts and treat them with professional courtesy. This was the same Senate where a former beauty queen appeared for appointment confirmation and some horny old goat openly leered at her. If they can do that during their official business, you want to put it past them that those ones will sexually harass?

If there is a reason Akpoti-Uduaghan’s issues resonate with many women, it is because what we are dealing with is a general problem. The truth is, Nigerian men in professional places have a woman problem. They can be insecure, and the only way they know to manage their inadequacies is by rudely putting down their female counterparts or by putting them in their supposed place. It is a cultural problem, and one must be used to being disrespected not to see it. Some women will confront such denigration by just shutting up and taking it so as not to be taken as weak. Some others will brook no such nonsense. Akpoti-Uduaghan is the latter.

Unless this is duly investigated, we do not factually know whether Akpabio is guilty or not. Still, he needs to check himself and his professional conduct. From how he talks and what the men around him say freely, there is enough to suggest his attitude towards female colleagues is pejorative.

Chelsea have been boosted by the return of Cole Palmer and Trevoh Chalobah as they prepare to face Copenhagen in the UEFA Conference League Round of 16 first-leg tie tonight (Thursday).

The Blues, dealing with several injury setbacks, will be without Nicolas Jackson, Noni Madueke, and Marc Guiu.

Wes Fofana and Romeo Lavia alongside Palmer were not registered at the beginning of the tournament as part of a workload management strategy.

However, the inclusion of Palmer, Chalobah, and Mathis Amougou offers much-needed depth and versatility to the squad.

They were not added to the squad list at the beginning of the tourney.

In a statement released on the club’s website earlier today, Chelsea expressed confidence in their reinforced lineup, stating, “We have a few players out, but we’re confident in the squad we’ve assembled.

“The additions of Palmer, Chalobah, and Amougou bring versatility and depth, which will be crucial against a well-organized Copenhagen side.”

Chelsea’s journey to the Round of 16 has been dominant, with the Blues winning all six group-stage matches and scoring 26 goals — more than triple Copenhagen’s tally.

Christopher Nkunku has been instrumental in their campaign, contributing five goals and three assists.

Copenhagen, meanwhile, had a rocky path to this stage, finishing 19th in the group phase and narrowly overcoming Heidenheim 4-3 on aggregate in the play-offs.

The Danish league leaders come into this clash off a goalless draw against Aalborg, while Chelsea have had a full week to rest and prepare.

Chelsea have fond memories at Parken Stadion, having won all three of their previous visits, including victories over Copenhagen and Nordsjaelland.

Reflecting on this, the club added, “The team is well-prepared and eager to extend our unbeaten record here. Every game from this stage is like a final, and we’re approaching it with that mindset.”

Conference League knockout

The knockout stage stakes are high, especially with the ‘away goals’ rule scrapped.

If the aggregate score is level after 90 minutes of the second leg, extra time and penalties will decide the winner, with VAR in operation.

Disciplinary management could also be crucial. While no Chelsea players risk suspension for the return leg, Copenhagen’s Mohamed Elyounoussi, Rodrigo Huescas, and Marcos Lopez will miss the Stamford Bridge fixture if they receive yellow cards tonight.

The road to the final in Wroclaw, Poland, on May 28, remains daunting, with a potential quarter-final clash against either Molde or Legia Warsaw on the horizon.

Should Chelsea and Tottenham both progress to the last eight, UEFA has confirmed that the Blues’ home and away legs will be reversed to prevent fixture congestion.

PUNCH Online reports that the UEFA Conference League, launched in 2021, is Europe’s third-tier club competition, sitting below the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.

[Punch]

Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday halted the hearing of the charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, against Ezekiel Onyedikachi also known as Eezee Tee over what he described as an ‘Administrative’ procedure.

The EFCC had filed a four-count charge against Onyedikachi over alleged fraudulent conversion.

During the hearing on Thursday, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, SAN along with Dr Monday Ubani, SAN, announced appearance for Onyedikachi while Bilikisu Buhari announced appearance for the EFCC.

The defendant, Onyedikachi who had been absent at the last court hearing was however present in court.

After the parties announced their appearances, Justice Owoeye informed them of an ongoing administrative procedure in respect of the matter and that he would not be able to make any pronouncement in the case.

“There is an administrative procedure going on in this case, and until it is completed, I cannot make any pronouncement on it,” he said.

The judge also declined to grant the request by Mr Ojukwu that parties should maintain the status quo pending the completion of the administrative procedure.

He subsequently adjourned the matter till May 14.

[Vanguard]