A presidential aide, Bayo Onanuga, has cautioned former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, to be mindful of his statements after the former governor claimed that democracy in Nigeria had collapsed.

Obi, while speaking at the 60th birthday colloquium for former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, in Abuja on Monday, said the progress made since Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999 had been eroded.

He stated, “If you looked at where we are today, it’s like, they (the PDP) started in 1999, laid the foundation. Some people came and took it to decking, and some people were trying to take it to the first floor, when some people came and knocked everything down.

“That is the situation we are now. Everything has been knocked down and nothing works. I am somebody who can say this, exemplarily. I became a governor through the courts when President Obasanjo and Atiku were in government.

“I did not pay the court one naira. I was sitting in my office and the court declared me winner, when a governor was not seeing them. This cannot happen in Nigeria today.”

Reacting to the remarks, Onanuga, in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, dismissed Obi’s claims as exaggerated and lacking in logical foundation, insisting that democracy in Nigeria has only grown stronger over the past 26 years.

“I listened multiple times to former Governor Peter Obi’s statement in this clip, where he claims that democracy has collapsed in Nigeria. His hyperbolic remarks, suited for headlines, have been made without deep reflection and lack a solid logical foundation,” Onanuga wrote.

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy further argued that if democracy had indeed collapsed, Obi would not have been able to express his views so freely at the colloquium.

“Only a discontented and disgruntled Peter, who benefits from the very free speech democracy provides, could perceive such a democratic downfall through his lens. If democracy had indeed collapsed, as Peter claims, and we were living under a regime antithetical to democratic principles, he would not have been able to make his comments on Monday,” he stated.

Onanuga warned Obi against making statements that could mislead the public, urging him to exercise restraint and avoid what he described as playing to the gallery.

“I will urge him to watch what he says and restrain himself from playing to the gallery,” he added.

The Head of the Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, has resigned his appointment.

The resignation of the HoS, who served under the suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara was contained in a statement issued by the Chief of Staff to the Sole Administrator and obtained by newsmen on Tuesday morning.

The Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), thanked Nwaeke for his service to him within the short period since he assumed office and wished him well in his future endeavours.

The statement reads, “The office of His Excellency, the Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (retd.) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas CFR, is saddened to announce the resignation of the Head of Service, Rivers State, Dr George Nwaeke, FCA, Mni.

“His Excellency, the Administrator appreciates the immense contributions he has shown this administration in the short period he served and wishes him well in his future endeavours.”

Meanwhile, Ibas has appointed Prof. Ibibi Worika as the new Secretary to the Rivers State Government.

Worika’s appointment was also contained in a statement from the office of the Sole Administrator also obtained on Tuesday morning.

The statement reads, “His Excellency, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd.) CFR, the Administrator of Rivers State, is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Ibibia Lucky Worika as the new Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG).

“His appointment follows careful consideration of his credentials, extensive experience, and performance during rigorous selection process.

“Professor Worika’s distinguished career spans academia, international legal practice, and high-level policy advisory roles, making him uniquely qualified to support the administrator in the onerous task of achieving Mr President’s mandate. His appointment takes immediate effect.

“Professor Worika’s appointment reflects the administrator’s commitment to harnessing the great human capital of the Rivers’ people to work with him to achieve the much-needed peace, stability and security.”

A UK-based Nigerian lady identified as Juli P has taken to Facebook to share her perspective on supporting loved ones.

According to her, she would rather bring them abroad to work than send money home.

In her post, she highlighted the challenges of sponsoring someone from Africa but encouraged those who could afford it to do so, as it offers long-term benefits.

“As a Nigerian living in the UK, It’s a good thing to bring your siblings, friends or families who is not lazy to work and who will not pay your goodness with evil to the UK if you are able to do so!

“Sponsoring someone from Africa is not an easy task… it cost lots of pounds and naira…. but if you can, please take your person with you as one tree can never make a forest.

“I prefer not to be sending money back home to anyone but to bring them along to hustle for themselves and help the family,” she wrote

Nigerians have achieved stellar feats in recent times and it is important to celebrate those who continually make the country proud by challenging Guinness World Records. 

Alma Asinobi is one of such and she recently challenged the record for the least hours/fastest hours used to complete a trip to seven continents, her recorded attempt is 71 hours. 

The 26 year-old successfully crossed six continents with her final stop in Sydney, Austrialia where she revealed she faced a major hindrance to breaking the record.

According to her, she was initially denied access to her final destination, Australia due to visa issues after spending 56 hours on her journey.

Meet Alma Asinobi

Alma is a graduate of Architecture; A lifestyle blogger and content writer.

The 26-year-old is a tech sis, marketing copywriter, travel entrepreneur, storyteller, and content strategist for several tech startups. 

She describes herself as a content creator, travel entrepreneur and a world citizen on a mission to visit every country in the world.

Her love for travel did not start until 2020 when she decided she wanted to see more of the world.

Her love for road trips to the village as a child also sparked her curiosity for more and as an adult, she developed interest in travelling after going on a trip to neighbouring country during which she saw people of different cultures and languages.

Attempting GWR

Alma Asinobi embarked on this journey–to challenge a title currently held by Johnny Cruz Buckingham, a U.S. Air Force veteran who completed the challenge in 64 hours–to highlight the countless visa rejections and challenges many Africans, especially Nigerians, face simply because of their nationality.

She wanted to highlight this struggle while pushing the limits of what was possible.

Her journey, tagged #AlmaChasingContinents and #7in60, has sparked global conversations on passport inequality and travel restrictions faced by citizens of developing nations.

Her attempt began on March 20 from King George Island, Antarctica, after an initial delay.

From there, she traveled through Chile, the Dominican Republic, Spain, Egypt, and Dubai, overcoming visa issues, flight delays, and other bureaucratic hurdles.

Despite setbacks, including being denied boarding to Perth, she remained determined, securing a flight to Sydney instead.

She eventually ended her journey as the youngest and only Black solo record attempt in this category, in her bid to challenge and transform the narrative surrounding passport inequality using only her Nigerian passport.

Despite being unable to break the record, she made it to all seven continents, raising the Nigerian flag with resilience and determination.

She has undeniably made history in her own way and Nigerians are immensely proud of her.

The Akwa Ibom State Government has made a significant move in support of the Super Eagles by purchasing 30,000 tickets for enthusiastic football fans and supporters ahead of the highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe.

This initiative is aimed at galvanizing widespread support for the Super Eagles during the must-win match.

The encounter, where the Super Eagles will face off against the Zimbabwean Warriors, is set to take place at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Tuesday.

This stadium has been the proud host for all of the Super Eagles’ previous home games during the ongoing World Cup qualifiers, reinforcing its importance as a fortress for the national team.

The three-time African champions are eager to secure their second victory in the qualifiers, following an impressive 2-0 win over Rwanda in Kigali last Friday. This victory has significantly boosted the team’s morale and enhanced their chances of qualifying for the World Cup.

Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has emphasized the importance of the upcoming match, stating that the team is fully committed to clinching maximum points.

He expressed confidence in the team’s capabilities, affirming, “We are looking forward to a win. The three points are crucial for us. At this pivotal stage in the qualifiers, we cannot afford to drop any more points.”

Troost-Ekong stressed the need for the team to build on their recent success against the Amavubi, saying, “Our aim is to take it one match at a time, collect three points here and there, and fervently hope that these efforts will be sufficient to secure our ticket to the World Cup.”

Note that the Group C match will kick off at 5 PM Nigeria time on Tuesday, March 25.

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has declared that the possibility of reconciliation between the Northern region and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reached a point of no return.

Despite a series of presidential appointments and infrastructure promises, Ohanaeze stated that the once-promising partnership between Tinubu and the North has now deteriorated into a mere shadow of its former self.

In a statement issued on Monday, the factional Deputy President-General of Ohanaeze, Mazi Okechukwu Isigozoro, claimed that the North has firmly abandoned Tinubu, and that the north is now actively forming alliances with leaders from the Southeast and Niger Delta with the sole objective of challenging his re-election bid in 2027.

The statement emphasized that it was crucial for President Tinubu to understand the harsh reality: without an immediate reversal of key federal government policies and the swift implementation of substantial corrective measures, Nigeria’s suffering masses will inevitably be drawn to opposition coalitions, particularly those led by Northern leaders, advocating for a transformative leadership change.

Ohanaeze urged the federal government to implement a significant shift in its approach, specifically calling for a credible National Census in 2025. The census, they proposed, should include mandatory identification of ethnicity and religion to provide an accurate representation of Nigeria’s demographics.

The group noted that current data shows that 39% of the Northern population consists of Igbo communities, while 31% are Middle Belt Christians, and the Hausa and Fulani people represent only 30%.

Ohanaeze suggested that the consistent resistance of Northern leaders to include such demographic identifiers in previous censuses reflected their awareness of this reality.

The organization also stressed the need for the federal government to prioritize the needs of the Igbo nation in its policies, which, according to them, would foster solidarity across all Nigerian Local Government Areas and form the basis for a more inclusive national dialogue.

“President Tinubu should act decisively without delay,” the statement urged, calling for the establishment of a sixth state for the Southeast, the revitalization of the Eastern Economic Corridor, and the reopening and dredging of the Calabar Seaport, which has been inactive for 57 years.

Additionally, Ohanaeze called for the full utilization of the Port Harcourt Seaport, the construction of a deep seaport in Azumiri (Abia State), and the upgrading of the Port Harcourt-Aba-Enugu-Maiduguri railway to standard gauge.

The political release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was also emphasized as a critical step in rebuilding trust and fostering engagement.

“By doing so, President Tinubu can dismantle the perceived Northern numerical superiority that has long perpetuated outdated political dominance,” Ohanaeze said, emphasizing that a transparent and inclusive 2025 Census is vital for establishing a new political balance in Nigeria.

The statement also called on the federal government to extend an olive branch to non-violent Biafra agitators, urging dialogue to address the growing insecurity and violence in the Southeast.

Emerging signs, according to Ohanaeze, suggest that proponents of non-violent self-determination are ready for reconciliation.

“The federal government must act now to seize this critical opportunity for peace and stability in the Southeast,” the statement concluded. “For the well-being of Nigeria, we must choose dialogue over division and cooperation over confrontation.”

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and some modular refineries in Nigeria may spend about $8.56bn to import an estimated 122,400,000 barrels of crude oil to achieve full operational capacity in six months, The PUNCH reports.

This means the refiners may spend about $1.43bn monthly on the importation of crude oil into Nigeria.

The plants may spend this much amid the uncertainty surrounding the sustainability of the naira-for-crude policy between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and the Dangote refinery, coupled with concerns about the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation of the Federal Government.

This came as it was discovered that the meeting that was earlier scheduled on Monday between the Technical Sub-Committee on the Naira-for-Crude Policy, Dangote refinery, and other government officials did not hold as planned.

Insiders familiar with the workings of the committee said the meeting was rescheduled and may be held before the Sallah break.

“The NUPRC (Nigerian Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Commission) is not done with the assignment given to it by the committee. Hence, the meeting could not be held today.

“They are asking for more time. Hopefully, the committee can reconvene before the Sallah holiday,” a senior government official who works with the committee told our correspondent in confidence due to the lack of authorisation to speak on the matter.

The Dangote refinery has a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, and the plant had repeatedly made it known that it was importing and would continue to import crude. With the latest uncertainty in the naira-for-crude deal, the plant would rely heavily on imported crude.

Another domestic refinery that is also making efforts to import crude from the US is the Edo Refinery, with a capacity of 30,000 barrels per day. The plant has sought product offtake from a US-based crude supplier, according to information from modular refiners on Monday.

It was further gathered that while other modular refineries were making alternative plans to get the commodity, the Dangote and Edo refineries would require about 680,000bpd crude daily.

This translates to about 20.4 million barrels in 30 days (one month), and 122.4 million barrels in six months. At the average cost of $70/barrel for Brent crude, it means the two plants may spend about $8.56bn to import the commodity in six months.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Crude Oil Refinery-owners Association of Nigeria, Eche Idoko, in an exclusive interview on Monday, stated that sourcing raw materials from alternative suppliers remains their sole viable option for refiners.

He said domestic refiners now find themselves effectively stranded due to the government’s failure to ensure product offtake under the domestic supply obligation or the naira-based agreement.

He revealed that the situation has forced the 30,000 Edo refinery to deepen discussions with a crude supplier from the United States of America to secure an offtake deal.

He said other refineries that don’t have the financial muscle are no longer operational.

Idoko said, “Edo refinery, which is trying to expand its plant to 30,000 barrels per day, is in talks with crude suppliers from the United States. Others, apart from Walter Smith refinery and Aradel, who are momentarily relying on crude produced from their fields, are more or less stranded. Other modular refineries have not been able to refine a litre in the last six to eight months.”

Currently, modular refineries operating in the country include the Walter Smith modular refinery, Aradel, the Omsa Pillar Astex Company refinery, the Edo refinery and the Duport modular refinery. Clairgold and Azikel refineries are at an advanced stage in their construction.

Idoko emphasised that the government’s failure to allocate sufficient feedstock represents a major setback to its efforts to stabilise the sector and carries significant political consequences.

The national officer added, “Let it be clear that the news of Dangote or any local refinery procuring crude offshore through import as a result of failure or inability to source locally is a major dent in the efforts of this government to stabilise the sector.

“Whoever is frustrating the supply of crude to the local refinery is an enemy of this government and arming opposition with weapons ahead of the 2027 elections because the manner investors in local refining, including the Dangote refinery, have been treated would definitely be a factor to consider in the coming elections.”

The local refiners decried the difficult situation that had confronted them since last week after the abrupt alleged cancellation of the first phase of the naira-for-crude arrangement.

The refiners said they had anticipated being included in the second phase of the naira-for-crude deal after a successful pilot phase with the 650,000 barrels per day capacity Dangote refinery.

Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity due to a lack of authorization to discuss the matter, revealed that talks broke down because of issues related to crude availability from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

Insiders familiar with the development said the national oil firm had allocated large volumes of crude to its foreign creditors to settle the loans acquired by the firm, making it difficult to sustain the naira-for-crude deal between NNPCL and Dangote refinery.

Analysed reports from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and the 2023 NNPC financial statements, had shown that 8.17 million barrels of crude had been pledged for different loan deals by the national oil firm monthly, with an additional $9.5bn forward oil sales deal in the offing.

In response to failed talks, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery announced a temporary halt in the sale of petroleum products in naira, citing an imbalance between its sales proceeds and crude oil purchase obligations, which are denominated in US dollars.

The company explained that its naira-denominated sales had exceeded the value of naira-priced crude it had received so far. As a result, it decided to temporarily align its sales currency with its crude procurement obligations.

“Dear valued customers, we wish to inform you that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has temporarily halted the sale of petroleum products in naira. This decision is necessary to avoid a mismatch between our sales proceeds and our crude oil purchase obligations, which are currently denominated in US dollars.

“To date, our sales of petroleum products in naira have exceeded the value of naira-denominated crude we have received. As a result, we must temporarily adjust our sales currency to align with our crude procurement currency,” the firm announced last week.

The development means that domestic refiners have to turn to crude oil importation as an alternative strategy to ensure their continued operations. Dangote refinery imported 654,766 metric tonnes of crude oil in three days after the announcement.

The situation, which has drawn widespread condemnation and backlash from stakeholders and Nigerians alike due to the looming threat of a petrol price increase, has also led to severe business consequences, significantly impacting production costs.

Dealing a further blow to optimism around the reconsideration of the naira-for-crude deal, The PUNCH exclusively gathered that the much-awaited meeting between both parties didn’t hold on Monday.

A source close to the committee revealed that the meeting didn’t hold because the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission was unable to present the options required by the committee on Monday.

The committee had mandated the NUPRC  to come up with possible options that would be reviewed by the panel.

“The meeting didn’t hold today as scheduled because the NUPRC hasn’t completed its findings as directed,” the official who sought anonymity disclosed.

The official was also silent on a likely date to reconvene but noted that the committee would meet soon.

As a result of this fallout, private depot owners in Lagos State have continued to consistently implement hikes in the loading costs of petrol and other refined petroleum products at their facilities.

Also, retail petrol stations in the Federal Capital Territory raised their pump prices by N42 or 4.67 per cent to N940 per litre on Monday.

A visit by our correspondent across various stations revealed that Conoil, located along Airport Road, increased its price to N940.

AYM Shafa raised its price by N20 to N920; Matrix effected a similar change to N920. Salbas, located along the same route, increased its price to N930 per litre.

However, the NNPCL and MRS filling stations sold their products at N880 per litre, which caused a long queue.

Similarly, an analysis of data obtained by our correspondent revealing petrol price movements at loading depots on Monday showed that Rainoil Depot increased its price from N860 to N870 per litre, and WOSBAB depot effected an increase to N870 per litre.

Pinnacle Depot made a similar price change from N860 to N870 per litre, while Aiteo and Nipco changed their prices from N856 and N860 per litre, respectively, to N870.

Muhammadu Sanusi, the Emir of Kano, has appealed to residents to uphold peace, respect the law, and work together to ensure stability and harmony in the state.

Speaking at a special Iftar (breaking of fast) at his palace on Sunday, the emir denounced those opposing his reinstatement, declaring that “fire would consume those inciting unrest in the city.”

Sanusi added that those disputing his emirship are defying God’s will, adding that they would “ultimately face unfortunate consequences for opposing what has been divinely ordained”.

“We urge everyone to maintain peace. This issue is beyond us; it is about God’s will, and He needs no one’s assistance,” the Emir said in Hausa in a video seen by TheCable.

“Let us be patient and continue praying, for God will always support those on the right path.

“May fire consume anyone seeking to cause trouble in Kano. May Allah protect us and our community from all evil. Let us remain peaceful and steadfast in prayer.

“Whoever challenges God’s judgment will never succeed.”

Sanusi’s remarks come on the heels of a directive from Abba Yusuf, the governor of Kano, that emirate councils should commence sallah durbar preparations.

Yusuf asked all four emirates in Kano to commence preparations for the sallah durbar to ensure that citizens and visitors enjoy the festive period to the fullest.

Subsequently, Aminu Ado Bayero, the deposed Emir of Kano, notified security agencies of plans to hold a durbar and commemorate his fifth year as the city’s monarch.

The tussle over the emirship of Kano has lasted for months.

In May 2024, a high court in Kano restrained Bayero from parading himself as the emir following the reinstatement of Muhammad Sanusi II.

Several eminent Nigerians, former governors and past public office holders expressed fears on Monday over the falling standards of democracy in Nigeria, arguing that it left much to be desired.

They voiced their fears at a colloquium held at the Abuja Intercontinental Hotel to mark the 60th birthday celebration of former Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, which was chaired by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Also in attendance were former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Emeka Anyaoku; former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi; former Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; and the immediate past Governor of Katsina, Aminu Masari.

In his keynote address titled ‘Is Democracy Failing in Africa?’ Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, lamented that it seemed like Nigeria’s democracy only worked for a few selected persons.

The cleric also noted that such feeling had fuelled a debate on the suitability of the Nigerian Constitution, which had constantly put pressure on the judiciary.

He said, “We as Africans inherited a system that is not ours, but we can’t say it is not relevant to us. There are differences between democracy in Asia and that of Africa. I feel sorry for judges. At the last election, even small me, I had people calling me, complaining, talk to this, talk to that.

“There was pressure on judges to deliver justice. I agree that there’s an urgent need to clean up the mess. Democracy is about everything, and it’s about justice. Democracy and its principles are endless contestations. There are certain things God has given us which people can’t control.”

Kukah urged politicians to borrow a leaf from the cat-and-mouse relationship between Obasanjo and Atiku, which he said also helped to deepen democracy.

“The relationship between Obasanjo and Atiku is like a Catholic marriage. You will quarrel without breaking up. No constitution will be better than the Bible and Koran. Yet, we are still living in sin. The weaponisation of religion is a big problem in Nigeria.

“Democracy is a work in progress. God doesn’t discriminate against either Christian or Muslim prayers. If we are not treating each other rightly, one must be a bastard.”

But Obi disagreed with Kukah’s assertion that Nigeria’s democracy was a work in progress.

According to him, many progressive minded leaders from 1999 have been striving to raise the bar of the country’s democracy to an enviable height.

“They started in 199, and laid the foundation. Some people came and took it to the decking while others were trying to raise it to the first floor. And then, some people came and knocked everything down.

“That is the situation we are now. Everything has been knocked down. Nothing works. I am somebody who can say this exemplarily. I became a governor through the court when President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar were in government.

“I did not pay the court one naira. I was sitting in my office and the court declared me the winner when the governor was hosting them. It can’t happen in Nigeria today,” he bemoaned.

To buttress how low the country had gone, Obi recalled the incident that transpired during his impeachment as Anambra governor, saying he was surprised to see the emissaries former President Obasanjo sent to intervene on his behalf.

The former LP presidential candidate noted that the likes of Ken Nnamani, a former Senate President, came pleading profusely with the state House of Assembly members not to impeach him.

He said, “Today, the President will impeach the person. So, it has collapsed and failed. These people were begging the House of Assembly not to impeach me. They were in PDP and I was in APGA. President Obasanjo was calling me, asking ‘Peter, are you okay?’ Even when I was impeached, Obasanjo called me and said ‘Are you safe?’

“When the court eventually declared me winner, President Yar’ Adua called me while I was in London and said, ‘congratulations.’ I said, ‘Mr President, I can’t come back. He said, ‘tell me the flight you are coming back with.’ I told him. When I came back, the military came to receive me at the airport. I couldn’t believe it.

“They took me straight to him (Yar’ Adua). Now, the President would ask me not to come back here again. So, democracy has failed. Let’s talk about how to rebuild it because it is collapsing.”

On his part, Obasanjo said what Africawas practising today was a mere reflection of ‘representative democracy.’

“Abraham Lincoln describes it as a government of the people, by the people and for the people. But what do we have today? The Greek democracy affects everyone. Democracy has now become representative democracy and it hasn’t taken care of everyone.

“Democracy in Africa has failed because it’s not African, it didn’t have our culture and way of lives. You will say, ‘go to court’ when you know that you can’t get justice. Democracy is dying in Africa and to save it, it should be made in the context of Africa,” Obasanjo said.

Speaking at the event, Atiku reflected on the price many leaders paid for the realisation of democratic rule.

“In my case, I ran into exile because Abacha was very hostile,” he said.

The former Vice President, however, praised Ihedioha for remaining loyal despite belonging to different political platforms.

“Emeka and I have kept this relationship and till today I have found him extremely loyal, dedicated and focused even though sometimes we found ourselves on different political divides but we kept our relationship and I think that testifies with the kind of person Emeka is,” he said.

Former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal believes Nigerians can make democracy thrive as long as everybody is willing to play their roles.

An emotional Tambuwal, who condemned the recent state of emergency imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, criticised the National Assembly for the unconstitutional manner it approved it.

He said, “Democracy will work if the actors play by the rules. It’s work in progress. Under OBJ (Obasanjo), state of emergency was declared. The NASS worked together to ensure that 2/3 majority passed the emergency. Each member had to vote.

“In this same NASS we have same constitution. What happened in the last one? We need to chase out the bad operators in democracy.”

Former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, however, said it was high time Nigeria reviewed the 1999 Constitution to address the plethora of problems plaguing its structure.

According to him, the country cannot afford to lose its enviable status in the international community.

“As Commonwealth Secretary-General, I helped members to transit to multi-party democracy. We need a new constitution to address many challenges. True federalism is the answer to the management of national issues. The recent coups in Mali and Niger tend to take us back.

“The nature of our politics and the conduct of our politicians is another problem of our democracy. They have become instruments of capturing political power. It’s only true, stable democratic governance that can rid our country of the crises which impede development.

“I believe that Nigeria can change this Eurocentric narrative. We in Africa and Nigeria have a responsibility to get a stable democracy and change the Eurocentric narrative,” he stated.

However, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, holds a contrary view.

While acknowledging Nigeria is plagued by significant challenges, Abbas emphasised that the country was making steady progress.

He said, “For me, it depends on what we make of democracy in Africa. Only by understanding that, and deeply reflecting on it, can we be in a position to say if democracy has added value to development and growth in the continent or not.

“For me and the 10th House of Representatives, democracy has come to stay in Africa and indeed Nigeria. It is a process which over the past two decades has crystalised into an acceptable model of leadership and it is being consolidated in our nation. Nigeria is making steady progress despite varying challenges characteristic of a developing nation.

“One of the basic features of democracy is the periodic conduct of elections to choose leaders. This is the essence of democracy.”