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Senate President’s Wife, Mrs. Unoma Godswill Akpabio, Files Fundamental Rights And Defamation Suits Against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
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The wife of the Senate President of Nigeria, Mrs. Unoma Godswill Akpabio, has filed multiple lawsuits at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The suits allege a breach of fundamental rights and defamation stemming from statements made by the senator on the Senate floor and during a televised interview on Arise News.
In the fundamental rights suit (Suit No: CV/814/25), brought under Section 34(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Article 4 & 5 of The African Charter on Human And Peoples Rights (Ratification And Enforcement Act) Cap. A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, Mrs. Akpabio seeks:
- A DECLARATIONthat the allegations made by the Respondent on the floor of the Senate on the 20th of February 2025 and subsequent scandalous and salacious allegations Arise News TV by the Respondent, constitute a flagrant violation of the fundamental rights of the Applicant guaranteed under Section 34(1) (A) of The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), Article 4 & 5 of The African Charter on Human And Peoples Rights (Ratification And Enforcement Act) Cap. A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and Section 14 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.
- AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTIONrestraining the Respondent from making further inciteful, scandalous, and spiteful statements that have caused the Applicant and her children emotional and psychological abuse and living under constant threat and fear of their lives.
- AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTIONrestraining the Respondent, whether by themselves, their agents, privies, or howsoever from further inciteful, scandalous, and spiteful statements that have caused the Applicant and her children emotional and psychological abuse and living under constant threat and fear of their lives or in any other manner infringing on their fundamental rights.
- AN ORDERawarding the sum of N250,000,000,000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Billion Naira only) as exemplary, punitive, aggravated and general damages against the Respondent for her infringement of the fundamental rights of the Applicant alongside.
- Such further or other Orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.
Additionally, in a separate defamation lawsuit (Suit No: CV/816/25), Mrs. Akpabio seeks:
- A DECLARATION that the Defendant’s act of claiming on national television, that the Claimant’s husband, who is the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria made sexual advances at her, without any proof of same, has damaged the reputation of the Claimant and indeed her entire family, bringing them into disrepute and opprobrium.
- AN ORDER OF THIS HONOURABLE COURTmandating the Defendant to issue a formal written retraction of the defamatory words and tender an unconditional apology to the Claimant and her family, to be published in 2 (two) nationally-read newspapers to wit: The Guardian and This Day Newspapers.
- AN ORDER OF THIS HONOURABLE COURT compelling the Defendant to pay to the Claimant the sum of ₦1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira only) as punitive and exemplary damages for the ruinous effect of the Defendant’s defamatory words on the Claimant’s family’s reputation.
- AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Defendant from further uttering any defamatory words or causing to be uttered or spread, any defamatory words against the reputation of the Claimant’s family.
- ANY FURTHER OR ANCILLARY ORDER or other Orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.
President Bola Tinubu has signed into law the N54.99tn 2025 Appropriation Bill.
Tinubu signed the budget in the presence of principal officers of the National Assembly and other top government officials in a small ceremony in his office at the State House, Abuja, on Friday.
The bill was passed by the two Chambers of the National Assembly on Thursday, February 13, after Tinubu asked for an increase from the proposed N49.7tn.
The National Assembly approved a ₦54.99 trillion ($36.6bn) budget for the fiscal year, surpassing President Bola Tinubu’s initial proposal of ₦54.2tn.
This increase reflects additional anticipated revenues from agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Nigeria Customs Service.
The budget aims to address key areas, including security, infrastructure, education, and health, with an allocation of $200m to mitigate the impact of recent U.S. health aid reductions.
The 2025 budget is based on ambitious economic assumptions, including a crude oil production target of 2.06 million barrels per day at a benchmark price of $75 per barrel.
Additionally, the Federal Government projects an exchange rate of ₦1,500 to the U.S. dollar and aims to reduce inflation from 34.8 per cent to 15 per cent within the year.
A significant component of the fiscal strategy involves tax reforms, which Tinubu says, are designed to enhance revenue generation and economic stability.
The proposed tax overhaul includes increasing the value-added tax to 12.5 per cent by 2026 while exempting essential goods such as food and medicine to alleviate the burden on households.
The reform also proposes reallocating VAT revenues to favour states that generate more, a move that has sparked debate regarding regional economic disparities.
The 2025 Appropriation Act represents a 99.96 per cent increase from the 2024 Budget of N27.5tn.
Details later…
The Supreme Court has nullified the local government election held in Rivers state on October 5, 2024.
In a unanimous decision on Friday, a five-member panel of the apex court ruled in favour of an appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
More to follow…
[TheCable]
A total sum of N 1.703 trillion, being January 2025 federation account revenue, has been shared to the federal, State and local governments in the country by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
The outcome of the FAAC meeting was announced after a similar meeting for sharing of the statutory revenues was deadlocked last week over alleged discrepancies in the funds that were remitted by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The revenue was shared at the February 2025 FAAC meeting held in Abuja.
The N1.703trn total distributable revenue comprised distributable statutory revenue of N749.727bn, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N718.781bn, electronic money transfer levy revenue of N20.548bn and augmentation of N214bn.
A communiqué issued by FAAC on Thursday stated that total gross revenue of N2.641trn was available in January 2025. The total deduction for the cost of collection was N107.786bn while total transfers, interventions, refunds and savings was N830.663bn.
According to a statement that was issued by the director of information in the office of the Accountant-general of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, gross statutory revenue of N1.848trn on was received for January 2025. This was higher than the sum of N1.226 trillion received in December 2024 by N622.125bn.
Gross revenue of N771.886bn was available from the Value Added Tax (VAT) in January 2025. This was higher than the N649.561bn available in December 2024 by N122.325bn.
The communiqué stated that from the N1.703trn total distributable revenue, the federal government received total sum of N552.591bn and the state governments received a total sum of N590.614bn.
The LGAs received total sum of N434.567bn and a total sum of N125.284bn (13% of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting States as derivation revenue.
On the N749.727 billion distributable statutory revenue, the communiqué stated that the Federal Government received N343.612bn and the state governments received N174.285 billion.
The local government areas received N134.366bn and the sum of N97.464bn (13% of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting states as derivation revenue.
From the N718.781 billion distributable VAT revenue, FG got N107.817bn, states: N359.391bn while LGAs received N251.573bn.
A total sum of N3.082bn was received by the federal government from the N20.548bn revenue from electronic transfer levies, with states taking N7.192bn, local government areas: N10.274bn.
From the N214bn augmentation, FG received N98.080bn; 36 states: N49.747 billion. The LGAs got N38.353bn as their share of the money transfer levies, while the total sum of N27.820bn was shared with the specific states as (13% of mineral revenue) derivation revenue.
An Ikeja Special Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced Kolawole Muyiwa, a former part-time lecturer at Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (now Lagos State University of Education), to life imprisonment over rape.
Justice Rahman Oshodi ruled that the prosecution had proven the case of defilement beyond a reasonable doubt.
The crime was committed on October 11, 2021, within the premises of the college in Oto-Ijanikin, Lagos State.
Kolawole was arraigned on October 6, 2023, and pleaded not guilty. However, in delivering the judgment, Justice Oshodi found him guilty, citing the survivor’s detailed testimony and the defendant’s admission of requesting a relationship with her, which he claimed was platonic.
“Kolawole Muyiwa I have found you guilty of rape contrary to section 260 of the criminal law chapter 17 volume laws of Lagos state 2015
“I note that you are a first-time offender with no criminal record, and you are married with three children. You also served as a part time lecturer
However, the gravity of the offense committed cannot be overlooked: “As a part-time lecturer, you occupied the position of trust and authority which you abused.
The victim was a student at the institution where you taught.
“Section 260 of the criminal law describes life imprisonment punishment for your crime, and that is what I shall sentence you to. You shall also be registered as a sex offender.”
During the trial, the survivor told the court that “on October 11, 2021, she arrived early for a departmental meeting scheduled for 10 am. while waiting outside her classroom, the defendant approached and requested her to go get him food. She declined due to her pending meeting.
The court noted that the survivor followed the defendant to get a flask for the food purchase, and he led her to the office.
“When they got inside, the defendant said he no longer wanted food but needed help marking some examination scripts. She added that the defendant went outside, returned, and locked the passage gate and office door.”
She said that the defendant asked if she had a boyfriend, to which she said no.
He suddenly pushed me down the plastic chair I was sitting on, overpowered me and forcefully removed my trousers. I was menstruating at the time, and he removed my sanitary pad and had forceful sexual intercourse with me.
The survivor said that after they had sex with her, the defendant said: “What you refused to give me willingly, I have taken by force.”
The defendant, in his account, told the court that on October 11, 2021, he came to the college to record and submit a script and that he met the survivor on reaching the gate, who offered to help him carry his bag.
He asked her if she could help record scores, to which she agreed. She informed him that she had a meeting.
The defendant told the court that he asked the survivor for a relationship while inside his office, and she accepted. He explained that the relationship meant was,
“To be together, to talk, relate with one another, but not for sexual relationship. He denied rapping the survivor.
His counsel, Dr G.O. Erenta, told the court to discharge and acquit the defendant as the evidence of the survivor was fictitious and no corroborating evidence was established.
But the judge held that the testimonies of the survivor corroborated with that of the legal practitioner and that of the IPO.
[TheNation]
Former Director General of the Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu, on Thursday claimed the All Progressives Congress, APC, has no money at the moment.
Okechukwu disclosed this while addressing why the APC accumulated N8.9 billion debt.
Recall that the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, on Wednesday said he inherited N8.9 billion debt from his predecessor when he took over office.
Ganduje disclosed this in Abuja while speaking at the APC National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting.
He noted that the expenses were incurred during pre-election legal battles, election cases, and appeals for legislative, governorship, and presidential elections.
Ganduje said, “The current NWC inherited debts and legal liabilities to the total tune of N8,987,874,663, arising from various legal engagements.”
The meeting was attended by President Bola Tinubu; Vice President Kashim Shettima; Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; state governors; NWC members; and other party chieftains.
However, Okechukwu said the huge debt was accrued from legal battles over the years.
Featuring on Arise Television’s programme, Morning Show, Okechukwu said: “On why we accumulated debts, that’s very simple, from day one – this same president Tinubu established a biometric registration quartered in Lagos.
“We were only able to do Anambra in 2013 with that machine, when this information got to the then president Jonathan, he instructed the Department of State Services to close it down.
“Since that close down ruptured our plans to have a biometric membership seamlessly and that could have met with one of the conditions in our constitution that members should have some tokens to contribute.
“If those tokens were done, we could not have been owing because we are now bedeviled in a situation.
“The debt came from outstanding legal fees, we didn’t do what PDP used to do while in the presidency, they were taxing ministers. We don’t have money.”
[DailyPost]
The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned one Barrister Ifeanyichukwu Okonkwo before Justice E. N. Oluedo of the Enugu State High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu for fraud.
The EFCC disclosed this in a statement on X.com on Thursday.
The statement partly read, “He is facing prosecution on a one-count charge, bordering on stealing by conversion to the tune of N41million. The offence is contrary to Section 342 of CAP 30, Criminal Code Law of Enugu State and punishable under Section 353 (L) of the same Law.
“The charge reads: ‘That you, Ifeanyichukwu Okonkwo on or about the 23rd day of November 2015 in Enugu within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently converted to your own use, the sum of Forty-one Million Naira (N41, 000, 000. 00) being money received by you from one Onyishi Maduka Samuel for the family of late Ifemelunma Okoye, in your capacity as the liquidator of Ifemelunma and Company Enterprises Limited and thereby committed an offence.'”
Okonkwo reportedly pleaded “not guilty” when the charge was read to him, following which prosecution counsel, Ajobiewe Enitan asked the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in a correctional facility, while the defendant, who appeared for himself, applied that he be allowed to continue enjoying an earlier bail granted to him by Justice H. O. Eya of the same court, on the same matter.
The statement continued, “After listening to both sides, Justice Oluedo granted the defendant’s application and adjourned the matter to May 13, 14 and 15, 2025 for trial.
“The defendant was initially arraigned before Justice Eya of the same court on June 23, 2022. He pleaded “not guilty” and was granted bail.”
Similarly, PUNCH reported in January that the EFCC arraigned a lawyer, Benjamin Nwobodo before Justice F. O. Giwa-Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu State.
He was reportedly brought before the judge on five charges bordering on forgery and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N12 million.
[Punch]
South Africa wants to find agreement with the new US government on diplomatic, trade and other issues, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Thursday, after harsh criticism of the country by Donald Trump.
Pretoria plans to send a delegation to Washington to settle a host of issues, Ramaphosa said at an event on the sidelines of G20 meetings in South Africa that were snubbed by the US foreign and finance ministers.
“We would like to go to the United States to do a deal,” he said in a discussion with Goldman Sachs vice chairman Richard Gnodde.
“We don’t want to go and explain ourselves, we want to go and do a meaningful deal with the United States on a whole range of issues,” he said.
Trump tore into the South Africa government early this month, accusing it of “confiscating” land from white farmers and announcing he would cut off funding.
He was referring to a bill that Ramaphosa signed into law last month that stipulates the government may, in certain circumstances, offer “nil compensation” for property it decides to expropriate in the public interest.
The new law is intended to go some way in addressing historic inequalities in land ownership, with the minority white population still owning most farmland three decades after the end of apartheid.
Ramaphosa said he had a “wonderful” call with Trump soon after the US leader took office in January. But relations later “seemed to go a little bit off the rails”, he said.
The US secretaries of state and finance later said they would not attend this month’s G20 ministerial meetings in South Africa.
The United States is South Africa’s second-biggest trading partner and will take over the rotating G20 presidency next year.
“We have got to make a deal of one sort or another on trade issues, on diplomatic issues, on political issues, a whole span of issues,” the South African leader said.
“It’s inevitable that we will get together and do a deal.”
Vanguard News
Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has slashed the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), or petrol, for the second time this month. It has cut N65 off the previous price of N890, bringing it down to N825 per litre at the gantry (ex-depot). This follows a N60 reduction on February 1.
The ex-depot price has thus decreased from N950 per litre in January to the current price of N825 per litre, representing a reduction of N125 per litre within 26 days.
This recent price reduction will also ensure that Nigerians pay between N860 and N865 per litre for petrol at the pump in Lagos.
In a statement from the first privately owned petroleum refinery in Africa, it was announced that the price adjustment will take effect from Thursday, February 27, and is intended to provide essential relief to Nigerians.
"This strategic price adjustment is designed to provide essential relief to Nigerians in celebration of the Ramadan season, while also supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic recovery policy by alleviating the financial burden on the Nigerian populace.
"It is important to note that Dangote Petroleum Refinery has consistently lowered the prices of petrol and other refined petroleum products to the benefit of Nigerians. This marks the second reduction of PMS prices in February 2025, following a previous decrease of N60 earlier in the month. Additionally, in December 2024, during the yuletide period, the refinery reduced the price of PMS by N70.50, from N970 to N899.50 per litre, as part of its commitment to easing the cost of living and providing relief to Nigerians during the holiday season," the statement read.
The refinery highlighted that previous reductions have positively impacted the overall cost of living, benefiting various sectors of the economy. They also helped ensure that Nigerians did not experience the typical fuel scarcity and price hikes associated with the yuletide season.
Dangote reiterated that its high-quality products, which have become a favourite in both domestic and international markets, will remain available nationwide, particularly through its key partners—MRS Holdings, AP (Ardova Petroleum), and Heyden—at market-friendly rates.
"Nigerians will be able to purchase high-quality Dangote petrol at the following prices across our partners’ retail outlets: For MRS Holdings stations, it will be sold for N860 per litre in Lagos, N870 per litre in the South-West, N880 per litre in the North, and N890 per litre in the South-South and South-East regions, respectively.
"The same product will also be available at the following prices in AP (Ardova Petroleum) and Heyden stations: N865 per litre in Lagos, N875 per litre in the South-West, N885 per litre in the North, and N895 per litre in the South-South and South-East," it added.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery assured the public of a consistent supply of petroleum products, with sufficient reserves to meet domestic demand and a surplus for export, thereby boosting the country’s foreign exchange earnings.
The refinery called on marketers to support this initiative, ensuring that Nigerians remain the primary beneficiaries of this effort.
"This collective action will contribute to the broader economic recovery plan led by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is committed to making Nigeria self-sufficient in refined petroleum products and positioning the country as a leading oil export hub," it concluded.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which has exported its products to Europe, America, Asia, and other regions, recently supplied jet fuel to Saudi Arabia. The refinery has confirmed it holds over 500 million litres of petrol in storage, enough to meet Nigeria's petrol demand for several days. Additionally, the refining capacity of the 650,000 barrel per day refinery has surpassed Nigeria's average daily requirement of 385,000 barrels.
…Decries Bleeding of Public Resources by Political Elite
…Hinges Coup D’etat on Poverty, Disempowerment of African Peoples
A leading Human Rights Activist and Political Science Scholar, Professor Sylvester Odion Akhaine says Nigeria, the world’s largest black democracy is yet to pass Huntington’s two-turn over test in spite of gains in democratic transition evinced by the 26 years of unbroken civilian rule since 1999. He also posits that prevailing poverty, corruption and disempowerment of the African peoples make coup d’etat a veritable option on the continent.
Presenting the 103rd inaugural lecture of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo titled, “SHIFTING FOR GOOD: THE WEAPON OF EMPIRICISM IN THE DISORDER OF A THIRD WAVE OF DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA“, Akhaine argues that this departs from progress.
“Despite some optimism about its democracy the country (Nigeria) is yet to pass the Huntingtonian two turn-over test after two and half decades of civil rule. It is anything but not an indication of progress,” he contends.
Samuel P. Huntington, a political scientist at Harvard University, in his article published in the Journal of Democracy and further expounded in his 1991 book, “The Third Wave: Democratization in the Late Twentieth Century”, had identified three waves of democratization spanning 1828-1926, 1922-1942, 1943-1962, 1958-1975 and 1974 to now.
A wave of democratisation according to him, “is a group of transitions from non-democratic to democratic regimes that occur within a specified period of time and significantly outnumbers transitions in the opposite direction during that period of time. A wave also usually involves liberalization or partial democratization in political systems that do not become fully democratic.”
Drawing an allusion from Ghana’s leap with democratic transition that has seen power changing hands in four election cycles between the two leading parties - National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New People’s Party (NPP) since 2000, Akhaine notes that Nigeria has only witnessed transfer of power from the then ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) once in 2015.
“The Ghanaian democracy has grown qualitatively while Nigeria’s democracy has only grown quantitatively and not qualitatively.”
Concerted attempts at institutional building was evident in Ghana “as there were some innovations and incremental improvements in the electoral process and brinksmanship. For example, the Election Commission, the judiciary, and the election security task force demonstrated institutional
strength through resilience, professionalism, and impartial adjudication of electoral matters. The international community also helped to set up the Peace Council comprising religious and civic leaders that mediated election conflicts.”
Arguing that the Nigerian republic has continued to manifest the ills of the past, he attributes this to four major pathologies.
“One is the absence of free and fair elections. Virtually all the elections since 1999 have been rigged in absolute disregard of the democratic method anchored on the principle of consent of the governed.
“It got so bad that the Commonwealth Observers reported that Nigeria went below the standard, it set for itself in the 2007 election.
“The beneficiary of that election, President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, admitted so and set up the Uwais Panel to reform the electoral process.
“Consubstantial to the absence of fair elections are the politically motivated killings that have blighted the political landscape.
“The third term genie reared its head and was quickly smashed by the combined forces of the political and civil society elite.
“Two, human rights violations have characterised every administration since 1999 exemplified by heinous violations such as Odi, Zaki Biam, and
more recently Okuama massacres. Boko Haram insurgency has created additional horrific human rights violations. Identity politics writ large in the polity.
“Three, apart from periodic ethnic clashes among the various ethnic groups, ethnic identity as of old has continued to define voting patterns.
“Four, The mismanagement of public funds has been unprecedented in Nigeria's fourth republic. In the Special Political Report on Nigeria, the Nigerian economy was described as one that was non-productive and rewarded indolence.
“This perspective of the national economy has not changed. The political elite constitutes
its most hideous façade. Politics has become the only game in town due to the opportunity it provides for the blatant looting of public resources.
“The bleeding of the national economy by public
officials is aggravated by expenditure on public office holders and sundry appendages. By some estimates, over 70 percent of national income is expended on recurrent expenditure to the detriment of capital expenditure. In Nigeria, we speak painfully of stolen billions “
Revealing that 27 countries in the African Continent were ravaged by a total of 56 coup attempts between 2010 and 2024, Akhaine, a leading figure in the campaign that saw the end of military rule in Nigeria in late 90s, argues that, “ in so far as we have a problem of poverty, intolerance, corruption and the consequent alienation of the people in the continent, coup d'état would remain a constant in the political equation of Africa and thus a permanent threat to democracy in the continent.”
“Democratic reversals in the form of coup d'état, or state-level militarism have bedevilled African countries under the third wave. It is as endemic,
and significant as to constitute a reverse wave within the third wave schema albeit momentarily.
“In Africa, coups are driven by both internal and external factors. The coups in Egypt, Zimbabwe, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger illustrate a mix of these factors.
“Internal crisis often arises from the economic contradictions of society. The inability of democratic political regimes to resolve the economic problems rooted in the structure of production and then fulfil the welfare content of democracy has caused democratic reversals in the form of coup d'état,” he maintains.
The inaugural lecture which was presided over by the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello who was represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Prof Adenike Boyo, had in attendance other principal officials of the university. They include the Registrar, Mr Emmanuel Fanu, Bursar, Mr. Said Olayinka and Librarian, Dr. Omawumi Makinde.
Other prominent guests include former Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, former General Secretary, Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Chief Ayo Opadokun, former Private Secretary to Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Mr Odia Ofeimun and former Arts Editor, The Guardian, Mr Ben Tomoloju.
The capacity filled lecture held at the Buba Marwa Hall at the university’s main campus in Ojo, Lagos also attracted other guests, colleagues, political elite, actors in civil society and the media.
Akhaine, a former general secretary of Campaign for Democracy (CD), an organization led by fiery Dr Belo Ransome Kuti which played a frontline role in ending military rule in the 90s, has over 100 works in prominent journals, monographs, books and other publications. A specialist in Comparative Politics, he’s a member of the editorial board of The Guardian and The Constitution, A Journal of Constitutional Development, published by the Centre for Constitutionalism and Demilitarization (CENCOD). He missed death by the whiskers shortly after his prolonged detention in the 90s when agents of the regime of General Sani Abacha pushed him off a moving truck.
More...
…Maintains Continent Has Been Wracked By Massive Debts
…Wants a Strong State to Play Dominant Role
A University Don, Professor Sylvester Odion Akhaine has lamented the insidious role of Bretton Woods Institutions (BWIs) - World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other agents of international finance in wracking and undermining the development of Africa over the years. He argues that while “the masses in Africa desire popular democracy that is both participatory and egalitarian and guarantees their basic material needs and self-actualization,” the international finance agencies led by the United States desires a political dispensation
congenial to finance capital and its realisation.”
Delivering the 103rd inaugural lecture of the Lagos State University titled, “SHIFTING FOR GOOD: THE WEAPON OF EMPIRICISM IN THE DISORDER OF A THIRD WAVE OF DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA“, Akhaine, a professor of Political Science contends that the economic policies reined in on African countries by these agencies of international finance have led to debt overhang which has virtually crippled their economies, wracking them to their knees thereby making them incapable of meeting their infrastructural demands to guarantee better life for their people.
According to him, World Bank and IMF engineered policies in Africa only promotes pauperisation of the people”.
Although the Bretton Woods Institutions- International Monetary Fund (IMF) and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), also known as the World Bank, were established after the Second World War with the aim of “managing the post-war global economy and promoting international economic cooperation,”Akhaine argues they have become tools for domination of the less developed economies particularly Africa.
“Neoliberal economic policies from the BWIs are de-empowering for the states of the global south, and in particular, Africa. While they inflict on the state negative sovereignty, they also encourage authoritarianism that usually thrives well under the military. The problematic nature of democratic transition arises partly from long-time socialisation to the military ethos of the larger population. Therefore, demilitarisation remains a state-building problem.”
Notwithstanding the sundry macro-economic indicators and growth projections, he says, the economies of many African countries are prostrate with burgeoning debt burden put at $1.52 trillion as of 2023 according to the African Development Bank (AfDB).
“Africa's debt is put by some estimation at about $300 billion out of which that of sub-Saharan Africa alone is put at about $236 billion. Africa's debt represents about 11 percent of the developing world's debt estimated at $2.17 trillion as at 1997. In the last one and half decades an estimated $1.3 trillion in loan and debt servicing obligations went to the wealthy countries.
“Between 1970 and 2002, Africa received about $540 billion in loans, paid back $550 billion, principal and interest, and is still saddled with a debt cargo of $295 billion. For sub-Saharan Africa (SSA),
it has received $294 billion in loans and expended
$268 in debt services and is still indebted to the tune of about $210 billion,” he reveals underlining the chilling statistics about Africa’s debt crisis.
Dismissing neoliberal policies which tend to favour rolling back the state in economic planning, Akhaine posits that, “The state needs to be brought back into the development equation. Truly, the enormity of the continent's problems requires a capable state. I have traversed the continent to know that our problems cannot be solved by private capital and philanthropy, the state must be brought back to the table.”
“The era of the third wave has been coterminous with ravages and pillaging of capital. The concept of rolling back the state has become the rallying cry of capital underlying the Marxist conception of the state as the executive committee of the dominant class in society.
“The polity requires a re-orientation of civic value.
Equally, the lack of accountability was a major administrative deficit under military rule. Solving these issues requires a grand approach in the form of process-led constitution-making to produce a grundnorm that engrosses a corpus of democratic rights and power distribution such as fundamental human rights including freedom of the press, association, and the rule of law and separation of powers in ways that the people will become the boss of democracy.”
“This foregrounds the need to review the structure of production in Africa reified, over time, by sundry market and peripheralisation measures coming from agencies of global governance that I have dubbed elsewhere as policies of secondary uneven development, that is, post-colonial policies that reinforce extant inequalities caused by the slave trade and colonialism.
“Colonial states linked African economies to global capitalism through commodification and export production. It oriented Africans towards the production of products with exchange-value thereby entrenching a counterproductive dependency. As Ake (1981) has noted, the inherited colonial economy logically reinforces disarticulation inherent in the production of exchange value in place of use-value.
“The political elite, largely neo-colonial in outlook, have been unable to surmount this contradiction and achieve the goal of governance. The situation has been aggravated by the fact that the transition from colonial rule was hurriedly done “without any fundamental transformation in the economic, cultural and bureaucratic domains.
“Worse still is the fact that the process of integration into the global economy was accompanied by an intentionality that undermined the development of indigenous capital that could have aided the development of a liberal democratic order as in the metropole. So, Africa lacks the bourgeois class capable of coalescing other classes in society into a system of bourgeois representation that is liberal democracy
“This deficit has found expression in class and ethnic cleavages in the quest for an elusive legitimacy. The consequences are protests and tensions in the society which have attracted authoritarian tactics easily exploitable by other power contenders in society. Therefore, Africa must disengage from extroversion and unleash its productive forces while fostering pan-African trade and cooperation in line with Agenda 2063,” Akhaine postulates.
The inaugural lecture which was presided over by the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello who was represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Prof Adenike Boyo, had in attendance other principal officials of the university. They include the Registrar, Mr Emmanuel Fanu, Bursar, Mr. Said Olayinka and Librarian, Dr. Omawumi Makinde.
Other prominent guests include former Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, former General Secretary, Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Chief Ayo Opadokun, former Private Secretary to Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Odia Ofeimun and former Arts Editor, The Guardian, Mr Ben Tomoloju.
The capacity filled lecture held at the Buba Marwa Hall at the university’s main campus in Ojo, Lagos also attracted other guests, colleagues, political elite, actors in civil society and the media.
Akhaine, a former general secretary of Campaign for Democracy (CD), an organization led by fiery Dr Belo Ransome Kuti which played a frontline role in ending military rule in the 90s, has over 100 works in prominent journals, monographs, books and other publications. He’s a member of the editorial board of The Guardian and The Constitution, A Journal of Constitutional Development, published by the Centre for Constitutionalism and Demilitarization (CENCOD). He missed death by the whiskers shortly after his prolonged detention in the 90s when agents of the regime of General Sani Abacha pushed him off a moving truck.
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Prof Adenike Boyo with Prof Sylvester Odion Akhaine
![[PRESS RELEASE] Enough is Enough! The Senate Must End Its Systemic Disrespect of Women](/media/k2/items/cache/c3227c3b3c030f411fdd2e4ff3e33fb6_XS.jpg)
We at Purple Women Foundation (PWF) are deeply disturbed and outraged by the deplorable treatment of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The recent incident, where Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was ordered to be removed from the chamber, is not just an attack on her as an individual but a glaring reflection of the entrenched misogyny in Nigerian politics.
The way the few women in the National Assembly are treated is unacceptable. The issue with Natasha is not new, it is part of the daily business of a male-dominated political system that thrives on disregarding, infantilising, and silencing women. Is it any wonder that there are only three female senators (out of 109 seats) eight female deputy governors (out of 36), and just 17 women in the House of Representatives (out of 360 seats) The exclusion of women is not accidental; it is deliberate.
This is not an isolated incident. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has repeatedly faced intimidation, condescension, and outright hostility from the Senate President, an attitude that extends towards the other two female senators. The remarks made by Mfon Patrick, reportedly an aide to Senator Akpabio, dismissing her response as “bottled-up anger” and making sexist, misogynistic comments about her appearance, are appalling and wholly unacceptable.
As a democratically elected representative of her constituency, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan deserves to be treated with the utmost respect and dignity, equal to that of her male counterparts. It is wholly condemnable that she, and other women in the Senate, are daily subjected to such segregationism, impertinence and chauvinism. If this is how they treat women in the highest echelons of power, one can only shudder to think how they treat women behind closed doors.
Purple Women Foundation stands in unwavering solidarity with Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
We demand that the Senate President and the National Assembly take immediate steps to address the toxic, exclusionary, and misogynistic culture that has become synonymous with the 10th Assembly. We call on all Nigerians to condemn this pattern of behaviour and to advocate for a political system that is truly inclusive, respectful, and gender-balanced.
Women in leadership, especially in Nigerian politics, must be granted the same honour, dignity, and respect as their male counterparts. Anything less is an affront to justice and democracy.
Dignity, equity, and justice are not gendered words it's time we demand that our leaders uphold them for all. Stand up, speak out, and insist on a political system that respects and values women.
#RespectForWomen #SolidarityWithNatasha #PWFStandsWithWomen
Signed:
Adegbite Adenike
PWF Secretariat
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally issued the notice of elections for the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), scheduled to take place on Saturday, February 21, 2026.
The commission on Wednesday in a statement, said that the early notice, aligned with Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the announcement of elections in advance.
“Nomination papers for all elective positions must be submitted through the commission’s online portal and delivered to its headquarters in Maitama, Abuja,” the statement said.
The commission said the exercise would take place on Saturday, February 21, 2026 at 8:30am, in all polling units (PUs) across the FCT.
The notice said only registered voters whose names appear on the voter register and possess valid Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), would be allowed to cast their ballots.
It also said that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), would be deployed for the election, reinforcing its ‘No PVC, No Voting’ policy.
The commission, therefore, urged all eligible voters and stakeholders to take note of these guidelines and prepare accordingly.
[DailyTrust]
[PRESS RELEASE] Hon (Dr) Babatunde Oyetola Diya, The Executive Chairman, Odogbolu Local Government Mourns His Royal Majesty, Oba Olusegun Adedeji Onagoruwa, Elesi 1, Alayaye Of Odogbolu
Admin![[PRESS RELEASE] Hon (Dr) Babatunde Oyetola Diya, The Executive Chairman, Odogbolu Local Government Mourns His Royal Majesty, Oba Olusegun Adedeji Onagoruwa, Elesi 1, Alayaye Of Odogbolu](/media/k2/items/cache/15fb0c0f888779e0508782ed1234971e_XS.jpg?t=20250226_080849)
With deep sorrow and a profound sense of loss, the Government and people of Odogbolu Local Government, Ogun State, mourn the passing of our highly revered monarch, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adedeji Onagoruwa, Elesi 1,Alaye of Odogbolu, who has joined his ancestors. This solemn occasion marks the end of a glorious era of wisdom, leadership, and unwavering dedication to the prosperity of our land.
The reign of Oba Adedeji Onagoruwa was a beacon of peace, progress, and unity, laying a formidable foundation for the socio-economic development of Odogbolu. Under his visionary leadership, our community witnessed remarkable transformations, empowering our people and strengthening the cultural heritage that defines us. His Royal Majesty was an embodiment of grace, justice, and fairness, earning him the admiration and respect of all.
The Executive Chairman of Odogbolu Local Government, Dr. Babatunde Diya, expresses his heartfelt condolences to the royal family, the chiefs, and the entire people of Odogbolu. In his tribute, Dr. Diya acknowledged the personal and historical significance of Oba Onagoruwa’s reign, recalling the instrumental role played by the late Asiwaju of Odogbolu and formal Chief of General Staff to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, LT General Donaldson Oladipo Diya GCON, in facilitating the ascension of Kabiyesi to the throne. He further emphasized the long-standing relationship between the Diya and Onagoruwa families, strengthened by the invaluable contributions of the late monarch’s elder brother, *Olu Onagoruwa, former Attorney General of the Federation.
In this moment of collective mourning, Dr. Diya calls upon the good people of Odogbolu to remain steadfast in unity and to preserve the legacy of our beloved Oba by upholding the principles of peace, equity, and community-driven development that he so passionately championed.
As we bid farewell to our dearly beloved King, we draw strength from the indelible mark he has left on our land. His wisdom, benevolence, and leadership will forever be a guiding light for generations to come. May his soul find eternal rest in the bosom of the Almighty.
Signed, Hon. (Dr.) Babatunde Oyetola Diya
Executive Chairman,
Odogbolu Local Government,
_Ogun State.