“A sentiment asserts its claim by its force, persistence and universality.” – Joseph Conrad

My younger readers might find this piece of interest in their attempts at understanding what democracy means. If democracy is a sentiment, it can assert itself by the force of practice and persistence that can be felt from its universality and common utility in the greater family of mankind. Democracy’s common attributes transcend historical boundaries and cultural peculiarities while encompassing universal approaches to the enablement of individuals in a representative system of government.

To my mind, democracy is not just a “one man, one vote” system, or a “government of the people, by the people, for the people” only. It is not even the freedom to elect your representatives. It is a combination of all these, plus more. It means a system of governance that caters best to the majority of the people of a country, conducted through consensus of opinion and by the will of the people.

It means a representative system in which the majority can have its way but also the minority can have its say on any issue of public interest or significance. It means a system where class distinctions do not make or guide the government but where the entire state structure is attuned to the needs of the generality of the people and not to any particular class or segment of the society.

It means a system of government that includes everyone and no one is left out or left behind. It means a system where there is no ruling class but a class of people elected from among the people themselves from all backgrounds representing all shades of opinion. It means having a military, a police force, security services and other agencies of the state that are composed of men and women of various backgrounds and from no particular class but are accountable to the people only.

It means having services and amenities available to each and every member of the society regardless of age, sex, status, wealth, religion or ethnic background. It means equal opportunity for everyone in having a reasonable standard of living. It means not being unemployed for life or living in abject poverty while others get rich and prosperous. It means having a government that protects the rich, the not-so-rich and the poor in the enjoyment of their possessions and fortunes no matter how much or how meagre.

It means living in a decent and clean environment. It means having a house or a home for your family. It means not going hungry at night and jobless in the day time. It means having access to good education for your children and a prospect of good life for yourself. It means living in safety and reasonable comfort and not being afraid or fearful most of your life. It means safety and security for you and your family and for your property no matter how much or how little.

It means the freedom to hold an opinion and express it on any matter that you deem is of importance or of interest to you. It means the right to assemble and intermingle with your fellow men and women, and exchange felicitous moments together without let or hindrance. It means going to wherever you want to go without anyone stopping you or placing obstacles in your path.

It means doing whatever you want to do so long as this is not injurious to your fellow citizens or to your country and the state. It means going to bed peacefully at night and waking up the next morning safely. It means owning your property and disposing of it the way you wish and deem fit. It means inheriting and bequeathing property from and to your near ones or benefactors and beneficiaries. It means the freedom to pursue happiness and enjoy whatever that attracts your interests legitimately and judiciously.

It means practicing your religion without any interference or hindrance from the state, the authorities or anyone. It means living in a healthy environment and having access to good healthcare for you and your family. It means practicing your profession or pursuing your calling in life without being supervised or dictated to, by the state or the authorities.

It means getting married, having children and raising them in accordance with your traditions, customs, beliefs and conventions so long as these are not in contravention of nationally or globally accepted practices and norms.  It means availing yourself of whatever gives you happiness, pleasure and comfort, without having to seek approval or acceptance from anybody as long as your pursuits are not injurious to the collective well-being of the community or the state or against commonly approved morality and conventions.

It means having an opportunity to freely and consciously contribute to the development and progress of your community by expressing your opinion on how it should be governed and by whom. It means having the latitude to accept or reject whatever is put forward as a policy or a programme for your community or in the arrangement of the affairs of your country.

It means having the freedom under the law to say “yes” and “no” to any decision or policy to be rolled out by those that you have put in the position of power, to administer the laws and conduct the affairs of your government. It means having the right to make informed choices without being dictated to by the state, the government or your elected leaders under any circumstances. It means having the freedom to think and proclaim your thoughts aloud in the open without being deemed a violator of the law.

It means reading whatever you wish to know or to write whatever you wish to express freely so long as it is not inimical to the peace and security of others. It means having the same rights and equal status before the law as the richest, the mightiest and the most powerful persons in the land, and not suffer any distinctions or discriminations in the dispensation of justice on account of your position or status.

It means doing whatever you think is right and proper and good to you, your community and your country, without necessarily causing harm and discomfort to others around you. It means knowing how to live in peace and letting others also to live the way they want. It means having the right to enjoy the fruits of citizenship to the fullest without any diminution of your rights and privileges unless they infringe on the safety of the state and the rights of other citizens.

It means being just yourself, how you want to live and expire in this world in freedom and dignity and not in perpetual want or fear. It means having the same opportunity and right as others in your society to contribute to the development, progress, peace and security of your community and your country as a duly recognised bona fide citizen.

Last but not least, democracy in the Nigerian context means the translation of the provisions of chapters two and four of the 1999 Constitution into practice for your benefit and your dignified existence. Ultimately, democracy means appreciating the fact that “All political truths are based on the principles that man was born free and that social and political rights are crucial to all human progress”, as rightly asserted by Mr John Buchan!

The North-Central All Progressives Congress, APC, Forum has rejected calls for President Bola Tinubu to drop Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate in the 2027 election.

The position of the North-Central APC Forum was made known in a statement released by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, in Abuja on Wednesday.

The APC Forum’s position followed agitation by some North-Central stakeholders, under the aegis of North-Central Renaissance Movement, who are calling on Tinubu to drop Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 election.

The Movement asked Tinubu to pick a running mate from the North-Central as a condition for the zone to support his reelection.

According to the Movement, the North-Central zone should produce Nigeria’s Vice President in 2027.

However, rejecting the calls for Shettima’s replacement as Vice President, the North-Central APC Forum declared that its earlier endorsement of Tinubu for the 2027 election extended to the Vice President.

According to the statement signed by Zazzaga, a member of the APC campaign council for the 2023 election, North-Central APC stakeholders are satisfied with Shettima, and are not involved in the calls for his replacement ahead of the next election.

“The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum rejects calls on President Bola Tinubu to drop Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate in 2027.

“The calls are not coming from stakeholders of the APC in the North-Central. We disassociate ourselves from the calls and we hereby emphasize that our endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 election extends the Vice President, Kashim Shettima.

“For emphasis, we hereby again endorse President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for the 2027 election.

“We urge Mr President not to pay any attention to the antics of individuals and groups who are trying to derail his administration, which has recorded so much achievements towards repositioning Nigeria on the part of progress and sustainable growth.

“We are satisfied with the role being played by Vice President Kashim Shettima in President Bola Tinubu’s administration, and we also commend the harmonious working relationship between the President and the Vice President, which is being envied by those in the opposition, who are now trying to sow seeds of discord in the APC government.

“The North-Central APC Forum stands on the Tinubu/Shettima ticket with which our party emerged victorious in the 2023 election,” the statement said.

The APC Forum, which had earlier promised to deliver six million votes for Tinubu in 2027, insisted on its determination to achieve the feat, as the people of the North-Central are happy with the President’s administration.

“We also restate that the six million votes we promised Mr President are intact. We are happy with the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the ministerial portfolios and other appointments given to the North-Central, as well as infrastructural projects in the zone.

“However, if there are other opportunities, including infrastructural projects, that can come to the zone, we will also appreciate them,” the statement added.

The APC Forum noted that, currently, in addition to the high profile position of SGF, occupied by Senator George Akume from Benue State, the North-Central zone is holding key ministerial portfolios, as well as some other important appointments in the Federal Government.

The statement identified key ministries headed by ministers from the North-Central to include: Ministry of Justice, headed by the Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, from Kwara; Ministry of Information and National Orientation, headed by Mohammed Idris from Niger State; Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, headed by Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda from Plateau; Ministry of Women Affairs, headed by Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim from Nasarawa; Ministry of Special Duties, Intergovernmental Affairs, headed by Zephaniah Bitrus Jisalo, from the Federal Capital Territory, and Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, headed by Prof Joseph Utsev from Benue.

It would be recalled that in December 2024, the North-Central All APC Forum endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term in office.

The Forum declared that it decided to endorse Tinubu for a second term because his administration has extended several opportunities to the North-Central zone since he assumed office as President in 2023.

“The Forum equally evaluated the programmes and initiatives of the Federal Government and it is evident that, since the current democratic dispensation in Nigeria, no other President has given the North-Central as many opportunities as much as President Bola Tinubu.

“No other President has brought as many infrastructural projects to the North-Central as the President Tinubu administration.

“After assessing the state of the nation, the North-Central APC Forum is of the view that President Bola Tinubu has done well to earn a second term in office.

“An assessment of President Bola Tinubu’s policies also shows that he is taking the country in the right direction and deserves the support of all Nigerians to get the country there.

“The economic policies introduced by President Tinubu are already making the expected impact, with the recent strengthening of the Naira in the foreign exchange market, improvement in volume of oil production, and rise in foreign reserves, among others.

“President Tinubu’s policies in the petroleum sector have already eliminated scarcity, and we believe that, with time, Nigerians will witness reduction in the cost of petroleum products, which would reverse inflation in the county.

“The APC North-Central Forum believes President Bola Tinubu deserves a second term to midwife these reforms which are already bearing fruit, and we call on all Nigerians to support his administration to improve the situation in the country.

“After extensive considerations, North-Central APC Forum has given the President a passmark on insecurity, appointments, infrastructure, economy and other areas. We stand firmly behind President Bola Tinubu as his bold leadership has brought significant progress to our region, and we believe he is the right person to continue leading Nigeria towards greater prosperity.

“We urge all Nigerians to rally behind the President and support him for a second term, to enable his administration to deepen the gains of his reform policies.

“Just as we worked for his election in 2023, the North-Central APC Forum assures President Tinubu and all his supporters that we will again work for his reelection in 2027,” the North-Central APC Forum said in a statement released to announce the endorsement of President Tinubu for the 2027 election.

[DailyPost]

A team of Nigerian civil servants has clinched the N5 million grand prize at the 5th Federal Public Service Innovation Competition with a groundbreaking carpooling app designed to ease transportation challenges among public workers.

The winning team, Team Carpooling, developed a ride sharing solution that allows civil servants to either pay colleagues who own cars for rides or rotate the use of personal vehicles among a group of car owners without financial transactions.

The innovation, tailored to address daily commuting struggles, was hailed as a practical, scalable solution to reduce transport costs and improve productivity.

Team leader Nusrah Wali said the app offers both financial and non-financial models, noting that the idea was born out of real hardship faced by workers.

“This will not only ease the burden of transportation but also foster collaboration and convenience among civil servants,” she said.

She described the initiative as perfectly aligned with the ongoing Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP25), which prioritizes innovation as a core pillar.

“This is more than an app; it’s a symbol of the new direction we’re heading, a service that is smarter, more citizen-focused, and solution-driven,” Walson-Jack said during the award ceremony held in Abuja.

The Head of Service noted that this year’s competition saw over 155 entries, with 132 ideas pitched and 66 teams emerging after rigorous virtual training and mentorship. Judges included international experts from MIT (USA), San Francisco, Canada, and Nigeria.

Other winners received N3 million and N2 million as first and second runners-up, while ten finalists were awarded N200,000 each.

Walson-Jack also unveiled several digital tools now available to civil servants, including: SERVICE-WISE GPT – an AI assistant for real-time support on public service processes; FCS Online Academy – an e-learning platform offering professional development and the Civil Service Newsletters – internal publications promoting welfare, reforms, and innovation.

She called on private sector players and development partners to support the scaling of such innovations, emphasizing the need for a collaborative ecosystem that drives national development through technology and ideas.

Walson-Jack noted that the Federal Public Service Innovation Competition, launched in 2020, has grown into a flagship initiative for transforming public service delivery in Nigeria.

[TheNation]

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has said he is unbothered by what he described as the “noise” from opposition party members in the state.

Otti made the remark on Tuesday while receiving a delegation led by the member representing Bende North State Constituency, Nnamdi Ibekwe, who recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party to join the ruling Labour Party in the state.

According to the governor, many of those in the opposition who claim they are coming to contest elections are not serious contenders.

He said their motives are to seek recognition, negotiate political benefits, or project themselves for the future.

“We are not bothered about the oppositions and their noise. There are different reasons why people show up (for elections).

“Sometimes, they just want recognition—that their names showed up for the primaries—knowing fully well that they will not win the election.

“Some of them also come for negotiations, and then of course, some others also show up for projections. They look at themselves and say, ‘If I start the noise in 2025, maybe by 2040 they will know that I have been in the race and they will call me and recognise me,’ so they are projecting themselves”, Otti stated.

He noted that his focus remains on the mandate given to him by the people, and his response to opposition criticism is to deliver tangible results across the state.

“People are making noise, but I respond with work. We are very committed to the job that our people asked us to do. We are doing just that. For us, governance is about stewardship and leadership. And that is what is keeping us here,” he said.

Speaking further, Otti congratulated Ibekwe on his decision to join the LP, stressing that it was a voluntary move made without pressure.

He reiterated that his administration does not prioritise political affiliations in governance, but is focused on delivering good governance to all Abians.

He added that the party is inclusive and welcoming, noting that Ibekwe has become a ranking member of the party.

He also announced that an official reception would be organised in his honour.

Earlier, Ibekwe said he was attracted to the Labour Party because of Otti’s achievements, which he described as unprecedented.

“This is the best time for Abia people”, he said, while praising the governor’s visionary leadership and assured him of his full support and that of his supporters toward the governor’s 2027 re-election bid.

Ibekwe was accompanied by key stakeholders from Bende North State Constituency, including the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze; Labour Party stalwart, Chief Uwakwe Maduka; former Commissioner for Boundary Matters, Mr. Mascot Obike; and the Abia State APC spokesperson, Mr. Okey Ezeala, among others.

[Punch]

Cardinals aged 80 and above are ineligible to vote in a papal conclave. Of the 135 cardinals originally eligible for the 2025 conclave, 15 are 79 years old—some just weeks away from the age limit. However, with Cardinal Antonio Cañizares of Spain stepping aside due to health reasons, the total number of electors now stands at 134.

The age restriction for electors was introduced by Pope Paul VI in the 1970s and reaffirmed by Pope John Paul II in the 1996 apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis.

Among those participating, the five oldest cardinals eligible to vote hail from Spain, Guinea, Poland, Pakistan and England, according to Catholic News Agency.

Here’s a closer look at these senior members of the 2025 conclave:

Cardinal Carlos Osoro Sierra – Spain

Born: May 16, 1945

Cardinal Osoro Sierra, the retired archbishop of Madrid, is known for his pastoral style and dedication to Catholic education. Previously archbishop of Valencia and Oviedo, he was appointed to Madrid by Pope Francis in 2014 and created a cardinal in 2016. His episcopal motto, “Per Christum et cum ipso et in ipso,” translates to “Through him and with him and in him.”

Cardinal Robert Sarah – Guinea

Born: June 15, 1945

A prominent figure in the Vatican, Cardinal Sarah has served under three popes in key curial roles, including prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship. He became an archbishop at age 34 and strongly advocated for traditional liturgy. Fluent in French, Italian, and English, Sarah also participated in the 2013 conclave and is seen by some as a potential candidate for the papacy.

Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko – Poland

Born: July 4, 1945

Cardinal Ryłko, a long-serving Vatican official, was a close collaborator of Pope John Paul II and led the Pontifical Council for the Laity. Ordained by Cardinal Karol Wojtyła before he became pope, Ryłko was made a cardinal in 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI. He played a role in shaping lay ministry initiatives and is fluent in Polish, Italian, English, and German.

Cardinal Joseph Coutts – Pakistan

Born: July 21, 1945

A trailblazer for the Catholic Church in Pakistan, Cardinal Coutts served as archbishop of Karachi and is only the second cardinal from his country. He has been deeply engaged in interfaith dialogue and was present at the 2019 signing of the Document on Human Fraternity in Abu Dhabi. He speaks multiple languages, including English, Urdu, Italian, and Punjabi.

Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe – England

Born: August 22, 1945

A respected theologian and former master of the Dominican Order, Cardinal Radcliffe has had a global impact as a preacher and retreat leader. He previously taught theology at Oxford and was recently asked by Pope Francis to lead spiritual meditations for the Synod on Synodality. His episcopal motto, “Vos Autem Dixi Amicos,” means “I have called you friends” (John 15:15).

[Vanguard]

Abba Moro, the senator representing Benue south, says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would have won the 2023 presidential election if it had not chosen Ifeanyi Okowa as the running mate of Atiku Abubakar, its presidential candidate.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, Moro said the choice of Okowa, the former governor of Delta state, as the opposition party’s vice-presidential candidate was a “serious mistake“.

This is coming on the heels of a comment by Okowa, who said he regretted being Abubakar’s running mate during the 2023 elections.

Okowa, who spoke on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Monday, said his being the PDP’s vice-presidential candidate was against his people’s will.

On April 23, Okowa and Sheriff Oborevwori, governor of Delta, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The former governor of Delta said his defection to the ruling party was in the “best interest of our people” and the need for the people of the state to “connect to Abuja”.

However, Moro said Okowa’s claim of regret after the PDP failed to win the presidential election in Delta state showed that his “soul” was not in the party.

“Given what we know now, with the hindsight that we have now, some of us think that the party would have won the election if other candidates, other than Okowa, had been picked as the vice-presidential candidate from the south,” the Benue senator said.

“I think there is an error of judgment on the part of everybody that was involved in the choice of Okowa as the candidate.

“How else would you characterise this scenario that a sitting governor, a former senator, and a presidential candidate of a party couldn’t deliver his state even to the presidential candidate?”

“And to think that two out of the senators from that state were from the opposition parties other than the PDP.

“So, I think that picking Okowa as the vice-presidential candidate in 2023 was a very serious mistake.”

Moro added that Okowa’s action showed a lack of commitment to the party.

“As it is now, you can safely conclude that we lost the election because of lack of commitment,” he said.

“Otherwise, how can you explain that shortly after losing his state, that ordinarily should have been a very easy pick for the PDP, instead of rendering an apology to the party and Nigeria, he’s now talking about regretting being on the ticket?

“His soul was not in the PDP. His soul was not in that election, and that is why we performed very miserably in Delta state.”

[TheCable]

Nigeria’s political system officially started in 1923 with the establishment of Herbert Macaulay’s Nigerian National Democratic Party. This was after the coming into force of the Clifford Constitution of 1922. Several political parties, such as the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (later changed to the National Convention of Nigerian Citizens), Action Group, Northern Peoples Congress, Northern Elements Peoples Union, and Union of Middle Belt Congress were later formed. Traditionally, Nigeria has been a multiparty democracy. Except for the two-party system brought by Military President Ibrahim Babangida, during the aborted Third Republic (1990-993), Nigeria has always had plural parties.

As of today, Nigeria has 19 registered political parties officially licensed by the Independent National Electoral Commission. However, many political watchers have started to raise the alarm that the country is sliding into a one-party state. What does that mean? Perhaps I should first say what it does not mean. A one-party state sometimes does not refer to the presence of only one political party, as is the case in the Republic of China, which is a communist state. Tanzania also once had a single political party before embracing multiparty democracy. Metaphorically, an official one-party state refers to a country with one dominant political party.

Legally speaking, Nigeria is a de jure multiparty democracy but a de facto one-party state. Given the mass defection of elected governors, federal and state lawmakers from opposition political parties into the All Progressives Congress, Nigeria is now a de facto one-party state because the remaining 18 are too weak to pose a serious electoral challenge to the dominant APC. This was the scenario that played out in this country between 1999 and 2015, when the Peoples Democratic Party held sway at the centre. The popular cliché then was PDP and others. When this reference was being made, Nigeria moved from three registered political parties to having 91 registered parties by 2011, before many of them were deregistered by INEC after the 2011 General Election, and 74 were left to contest the 2015 general election. Further deregistration by INEC, by the powers conferred on the commission by Section 225A of the Nigerian Constitution has led to a manageable 19 that we currently have now.

It is important to note that countries that are presumed to have a two-party system, such as Ghana, the UK and the US, are actually multiparty democracies. In the US, there are dozens of political parties. The two dominant parties are the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Other parties, often generally termed “third parties”, in the US include the Green Party, Libertarians, the Constitution Party and the Natural Law Party. In the United Kingdom, the dominant political parties are the Conservative and Labour Parties. However, according to the BBC, there are several different parties in the UK, each with different ideas and policies. The largest parties include the Liberal Democrats, the United Kingdom Independence Party, the Green Party, the Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru in Wales, and the DUP and Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland. In Ghana, the Electoral Commission indicated that there are 15 parties registered at the time of the 2024 general election. However, the dominant parties are the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party.

If we go by the political parties that have won presidential elections since the beginning of this Fourth Republic in 1999, there are only two- the PDP, which held sway from 1999– 2015 and the APC, which has won three general elections back-to-back in 2015, 2019 and 2023. However, like I said earlier, Nigeria is effectively a de facto one-party state from 2024 when the exodus of opposition political party chieftains into the APC began. Now, it is APC and others. Is this ideal for our democracy? Not at all. However, while the opposition political parties are quick to blame the APC for their woes, I beg to differ.

Many of the opposition political parties are in a self-inflicted intra-party leadership crisis. Take, for instance, the PDP has been facing an intractable leadership crisis since it lost power at the centre in 2015. After the electoral defeat, the party leadership set up Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s committee to look into the remote and immediate reasons it lost the presidency to the APC. This report has been largely unimplemented. Between 2015 and now, PDP has had four national chairmen. It was the former Governor of Bauchi State, Adamu Muazu, who led the party to the 2015 general election. The moment the party lost the presidency in 2015, Muazu was forced to resign. Senator Ali Modu Sheriff was brought in as the national chairman of the party. Soon after, he was shoved aside and the former Governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, was made to head a caretaker committee to midwife another congress and convention. This was challenged by Ali Modu Sheriff, who took the party to court. That litigation ended at the Supreme Court.

Prince Uche Secondus was elected to lead the party, but he soon fell out of favour with powerful interest groups within the party, and he was shoved aside three months before the end of his tenure. Dr Iyorcha Ayu was drafted in as the national chairman of PDP and he led the party to another electoral defeat in 2023. He was also pressured to resign when his Ward Executive in Benue State suspended him. Since the exit of Ayu, Ambassador Umar Damagun has been the chairman in an acting capacity since 2023. A new convention is being planned for later this year.

The same fate has befallen the Labour Party, with the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee being in a running battle with the Nigeria Labour Congress and some of the party stalwarts, including the presidential candidate of the party in 2023, Mr Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti of Abia, which is the only state won by the party.

The New Nigeria Peoples Party, which won the Kano State governorship election in 2023, has also been engulfed in a leadership tussle.

APGA’s leadership crisis was only laid to rest sometime last year after the Supreme Court judgement on who is the authentic leader of the party. It is trite that a house divided against itself cannot stand.

If the current one-party status of Nigeria is reversed, the opposition political parties will need to work assiduously to resolve their lingering intra-party crises. It took the merger of Action Congress of Nigeria, Congress for Progressive Change, All Nigerian Peoples Party and a faction of APGA led by former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, to form the All Progressives Congress in July 2013. Factionalisation of opposition political parties has created a pathway for mass defection of their elected party members into the ruling APC, with the last being the Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, who officially dissolved all the PDP party structures and elected members into the APC from PDP on Monday, April 28, 2025.

The argument that the APC government, including the presidency, is using the anti-corruption agencies and financial resources to induce members of the opposition to join the APC is not entirely true. In September 2011, former Governor of Lagos State and leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (now President), was docked before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, on allegations that he operated 10 foreign accounts while in office between 1999 and 2007. A three-count criminal charge was preferred against him by the Federal Government. The CCB in November of the same year dismissed the allegations, and he was discharged and acquitted. That was deemed to be a political witch-hunt under PDP, but did that make Tinubu join PDP? Why I cited this instance is that the popular belief is that many of those defecting into the APC want protection from prosecution for financial fraud or corruption allegations. I am not sure that joining the APC will be a bulwark against prosecution for corrupt practices.

Defections are carried out for multiple reasons, one of which could be a voluntary exit from the party for which they are elected because of intra-party crises. Other reasons could be to gain an advantage in seeking reelection, for political appointments, contracts, visibility, et cetera.

I admit that having a de facto or de jure one-party state is inimical to our democratic growth. However, having good governance goes beyond the party system in operation. China is officially a one-party state, but it is performing far better than Nigeria in economic and development terms. China is a technological giant and has a military might that its adversaries are unwilling to test. Of what immense benefit has our multi-party democracy been to us, with all the development indices pointing south? We face endemic corruption, insecurity, bad governance, a high cost of living, a high rate of unemployment and soaring poverty. As far as I am concerned, irrespective of the party system we run, the result should be a higher standard of living for the citizens. Any system that will deliver security and welfare to citizens will earn my support.

After spending quality time in the comfort of the Tinubu Presidency, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a descendant of a Mauritanian patriarch, who has held several senior positions in government, is back on his partisan regional political posturing on behalf of Northern Nigeria’s political establishment.

He has reunited with his friend, Prof. Usman Yusuf, and they are yet to be joined by Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, the third member of the tag team with an exaggerated sense of the Northern Nigerian political machine that has gone past its sell-by day.

The trio do not realise that the military that used the 1979 and 1999 constitutions to structure Nigeria to consolidate the political gains that Premier Ahmadu Bello wrought for Northern Nigeria in the First Republic no longer scares Southern Nigerians. The histrionics of old no longer work, and today’s politics requires cooperative and negotiated engagement between both regions.

As is his wont, Baba-Ahmed is trying his best to stare down the Southern Nigerian political establishment as the “magical” 2027 general elections approach. His ostensive focus is on the interests of the Northern Nigerian masses. But Northern Nigerian political elites, like their Southern counterparts, only secure sinecures for themselves.

Maybe Baba-Ahmed should remember that the North started ruling Nigeria from 1957, when Abubakar Tafawa Balewa became the chief minister and prime minister from 1960 to 1966, and Gen. Yakubu Gowon ruled for nine years before Gen. Murtala Muhammed’s short-lived rule and Shehu Shagari’s four-year tenure.

The North continued ruling again from the time of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Gen. Sani Abacha and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, who consolidated the political structure that already gave Northern Nigeria undue advantage over the South.

After nearly 40 years, they handed over to former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the beginning of the Fourth Republic. He handed over to Umaru Yar’Adua, who yielded to President Goodluck Jonathan, who was browbeaten by the North to hand over to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Between 1957 and 2025, the North ruled for about 50 years. And now, the Baba-Ahmed chorus is angling to take the power from the South, which has just held power for 18 years. From the look of things, a president of Northern extraction in 2027 may be ruling Nigeria up the Niger River.

Nigeria’s politics is never about the interests of the masses of Nigerian citizens but the economic fortunes of the political elite, whose major concerns are the sinecure positions that will give them access to portions of Nigeria’s commonwealth.

Nigerian politicians have no ideological identities or even programmes for the people. That went with the Obafemi Awolowos of the First Republic. Today’s politicians switch political parties mainly on whim and political expediency.

The current rally, especially of some Northern Nigerian political elements, to form coalitions against the presumed ambition of President Tinubu to run for reelection in 2007, is fuelled by regional sentiments and not any altruistic intentions for Nigeria.

Strange bedfellows, who threw shades against each other, are now joining political parties that they had rejected as unviable, or collaborating to form unholy alliances. People who defended political positions with the zeal of evangelists suddenly turn around to defend diametrically opposing points of view.

Some of them hope to achieve a merger on the scale of the ruling All Progressives Congress that emerged from Action Congress of Nigeria, Congress for People’s Congress, All Nigeria People’s Party and breakaways from People’s Democratic Party and All Progressives Grand Alliance.

Sometimes they do it for “stomach infrastructure” gains. At other times, it is to escape prosecution (or political persecution) from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. In other words, most Nigerian politicians only look out for their own good.

President Tinubu appears to be doing his own political calculations in a manner that is ripping apart the political house of cards that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai, former Secretary to the Federation Babachir Lawal (and possibly former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi) are putting together.

Former President Obasanjo has encouraging words for this coalition: “For Tinubu to be defeated (in 2027), there is the need for a powerful unified coalition… Neither Atiku, Obi nor Kwankwaso can defeat Tinubu on their own. If they do not unite, they will fail again.”

Indeed, the Southern Nigerian counterpart of the Northern political establishment has started its own realignment ahead of 2027. Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his immediate predecessor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, have led PDP stakeholders in their state to the ruling party, APC.

Observers think many more such moves are expected in the coming months, if not weeks. These moves further show that Nigeria’s politicians do not quite play the politics of ideology or principles, but of expediency.

Okowa’s exit from PDP sends a Nunc Dimittis to former Vice President Atiku’s quest for the presidency and probably supports the position of Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who preferred a Southern presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections.

Observers say that the move of the Delta State PDP stakeholders was inevitable after former Delta State Governor James Ibori, godfather of Delta State politics, allowed his daughter, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, to contest as a member representing Ethiope East/Ethiope West in the House of Representatives on the platform of the APC.

Are these moves made in the interest of the people of Delta State (or Southern Nigerian people)? Not really. The intention is to position the stakeholders for access to the power and commonwealth of Nigeria, though the defectors claim that their move was made to advance the security, welfare and development of Delta State.

But there is no doubt that these moves are significant steps to reaffirm the resolve of Southern Nigerian politicians who want the presidency to remain in Southern Nigeria, no matter the skirmishes of the Northern Nigerian political establishment to change the narrative.

The PDP, still the main opposition political party, is being steadily decimated as a result. And the seeming insurrection by the CPC faction of the ruling APC, led by Shehu Malami, a Northerner and former Attorney General of the Federation, is being put down most cleverly.

If the Obidient Movement successfully registers its members on its online portal, as it has been announced, it might mean that the inventoried votes will be warehoused only for Peter Obi’s 2027 presidential ambition and are therefore unavailable for another presidential candidate, especially from the North.

With all these, Baba-Ahmed, Yusuf and their co-travellers would be demonstrating a lot of commonsense if they join their so-called Northern voting clout to that of Southern Nigeria to ensure that whoever becomes president in 2027 is a Southerner, even if they do not want President Tinubu to return.

Yusuf says the current Muslim-Muslim presidency has not served him. Well, Vice President Kashim Shettima is not from his North-West Nigeria. Baba-Ahmed, who could not resist throwing shade at former President Buhari, thinks President Tinubu should step down for the younger generation.

 Both men should, however, ensure that ethnic Yoruba Nation agitators and their Indigenous People of Biafra counterparts, who are watching the developments with keen interest, are not thinking of exiting Nigeria if a Northerner becomes President in 2027

Daniel Chukwueloka Monyei, a final-year Law student from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, emerged victorious at the recently concluded Innovate Conference 2025, taking home the coveted $2,000 grant prize with his innovative waste plastic-to-paint conversion business.

The event, which reached its climax on Saturday, April 26, 2025, saw five finalists compete for the prize money.

The finalists included Anesi Lifestyle, Mercysweet Foods, Softway Finance, Suftly, and P2P (PLASTIC 2 PAINT) – Monyei’s enterprise that ultimately claimed the top spot.

The “Innovate Pitch & Grant” program, an initiative by Crosspoint Church, aims to empower young Nigerian entrepreneurs and professionals through competitive pitching, business mentorship, networking opportunities, and a platform for showcasing groundbreaking ideas.

Speaking to the press at the event, Convener of Innovate and Lead pastor at Crosspoint church, Ladipo Soyombo emphasized the importance of supporting young talents: “Innovate is a means to foster the innovative spirit shared among Nigerian youth. We are committed to creating value for young people to benefit from. There’s youth disconnection within the economy, yet our youth have the potential, talent, and passion to drive innovation in society. Innovate was born out of our commitment to bridge the gap between Nigerian youth and economic opportunities. What we’re witnessing today is the manifestation of what happens when we create platforms that nurture innovation. The disconnect between our youth’s immense potential and their access to resources has been a longstanding challenge in our economy. Through initiatives like this, we’re actively working to transform Nigeria’s brightest minds into job creators rather than job seekers.” 

Keynote speaker Kola Aina, founder of Ventures Platform and a prominent investor across Africa’s startup ecosystem, stated the need to invest in initiatives like Innovate. “What we’ve seen today represents the future of Nigeria’s economy. These young entrepreneurs are creating solutions to our most pressing challenges. All people of means, government agencies, and established corporations must recognize their social responsibility to support these dreamers with capital, mentorship, and market access. Innovation thrives where support exists, and today’s event demonstrates the incredible outcomes possible when we invest in our youth.” 

Upon receiving the grant, Daniel Chukwueloka Monyei, CEO of P2P, shared his vision: “The future of P2P is that for every liter of paint purchased, you’re actually helping save the planet, you’re saving the world, and this is what we believe. The future of P2P basically involves producing more paint and eliminating more plastic. This support from Innovate will help us scale our operations and impact more communities across Nigeria.”

Monyei’s winning business model addresses two critical issues in Nigeria – plastic waste management and access to affordable paints. By implementing a community-based collection system and innovative processing technology, P2P creates an environmentally sustainable solution while offering cost-effective products to the market.

What set P2P apart in the competition was not only its innovative approach but also its remarkable impact. To date, the company has upcycled over 250 tonnes of plastic waste and prevented over 190 tonnes of CO2 emissions, significantly reducing environmental pollution across Nigeria. The company projects it will process up to 500,000 tonnes as operations scale. P2P’s paint products feature mosquito-repellent properties that remain active for six months while maintaining their glossy finish for years, addressing both environmental and public health challenges simultaneously.

A cornerstone of P2P’s success has been its community engagement model, working in partnership with 35 women and the Kaduna State Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA) to collect plastic waste, providing economic opportunities while educating communities about environmental sustainability. Additionally, P2P trains schoolchildren about the dangers of plastic to the environment and has trained over 14 at-risk youth in artistic and vocational painting skills, equipping them to become professional painters now engaged by P2P and others seeking skilled painting services. This dual approach to social and environmental impact was a key factor in the judges’ decision to award P2P the grant.

Joining Monyei in leading P2P’s innovative approach are Abdulfattah Omisanya as Chief Marketing Officer, Idakwo Ramatu as Chief Operating Officer, and Abdulmalik Yahya serving as Chief Technology Officer. This diverse leadership team brings complementary expertise to drive the company’s mission forward.

The Innovate Conference 2025 brought together aspiring entrepreneurs, industry experts, and investors, providing a platform for knowledge sharing, networking, and growth opportunities for Nigeria’s next generation of business leaders.