Obi Kingz Blog

There is need to make political offices less attractive, argues Adewale Kupoluyi In spite of the initial disappointment and anxiety, the presidential and national assembly elections have finally been held across the nation. A major feature of the elections is that cases of violence and electoral malpractices were reported. Past elections across the country had recorded one crisis or another before, during and after the polls leading to colossal loss of lives and property. Preliminary assessment of the just-concluded elections shows that electoral violence was prevalent as was the case with previous editions. Electoral violence is ignited when politicians and their supporters foist their inordinate will on others or when there is resistance to such imposition. Such violence is associated with rigging, ballot-snatching/stuffing, disenfranchisement, shooting to scare away voters, rewriting of results, falsification, vote-buying, ki...

Okezie Ikpeazu Abia state under Governor Okezie Ikpeazu is regaining its momentum after a period of low activity, writes Ojo Maduekwe When you hear Abians discussing the contributions made by the duo of late Michael Okpara and late Chief Sam Mbakwe to Abia’s development, there’s always a nostalgic expression on their faces that you’re sure to find very relatable, especially as a first time visitor to the state. Both men were instrumental to the development of the infrastructure, inner city roads and industries that still dot the state landscape till this day, but which have mostly deteriorated as a result of years of use and disrepair. Now, if you’re visiting for the first time, you’re likely going to be overwhelmed by the state’s aesthetics, and probably make the mistake of generalizing the pace of its growth and development, like most critics of Abia are known to do. A potpourri of neglect and growth, the present day Abia is a resurgent state. Havin...

BUHARI As President Muhammadu Buhari looks set to return for another four-year tenure, Vanessa Obioha warns Nigerians to get ready for another season with a president whose remarks often puts him in trouble in the public space In 2014 when President Muhammadu Buhari declared his intention to contest for the third time, he was going against a promise he made without duress that he will run for the office again, having failed at previous attempts. But this time he was contesting on the platform of a coalition called the All Progressives Congress (APC). Not many believed that him or his party could overthrow the almighty ruling party (at the time) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). His ambition to become the Number One citizen drew admiration as well as criticism. Buhari who once ruled the country in the 80s as a military ruler never fulfilled his term as he was overthrown by another military leader Ibrahim Babangida. Though his reign then was dotted with auste...

Nseobong Okon-Ekong writes that the campaign of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to become President of Nigeria has salutary effects on Nigeria’s evolving democratic culture. Nigeria’s former Vice President and presidential candidate of the main opposition political party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 national elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is a survivor of many political battles. If he was in the armed forces, he will be a general with many stars to show for attaining commanding heights. For about 27 years, Abubakar has made an unyielding quest to rule Nigeria, saying to his compatriots, again and again that he has the magic wand to turn around Nigeria’s economy and usher in an era of prosperity that will take the country out of the doldrums. He readily points to his illustrious businesses as evidence that he has the capacity to lead Nigeria successfully. Though Abubakar had carried the presidential...

The broom at the Abuja city gate is a monument to impunity If the claim that some supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) erected the big broom at the Abuja City Gate is credible, it means that anybody can erect anything within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) without statutory permit. But we find the statement very hard to believe and consider it the height of irresponsibility that the Abuja authorities would keep silent over what should never have happened in the first place. No democratic government should get so political as to consider setting up a party symbol within the precinct of a national monument. If the FCT Minister does not know his job, we call on President Muhammadu Buhari to demand the pulling down of the statue. Upon entering Abuja from the airport, it is certain that anyone who sees the giant broom would conclude that Nigeria has degenerated into a country with minimal or no sense of decency...

The two chambers of the National Assembly yesterday adjourned plenary until March 12, for lack of quorum. In the Senate, its President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, presided at the plenary, which was attended by only eight senators. It was the first general sitting of the upper legislative chamber following its resumption from one-month election break. A major item on the Order Paper was the National Minimum Wage Bill, which passed second reading on January 24. The bill is undergoing further legislative work by a seven-member ad hoc committee, which was given two weeks to conclude its assignment. Before the adjournment, chairman of the committee, Senator Olusola Adeyeye, told his colleagues that work on the bill was hampered by members’ engagement in the just-concluded elections. He explained that the committee could not form quorum, and all efforts to hold their sittings electronically failed. Adeyeye said he would traveling for treatment, but in...

My Dear Nigerians, First and foremost, I give thanks to Almighty God Who has spared our lives to witness another victory for Nigerian democracy and victory for our party APC. I thank the millions of Nigerians who voted to re-elect me as your president for the next four years. I am deeply humbled and profoundly grateful to you for judging me worthy of continuing to serve you and for your peaceful conduct. In particular, I would like to thank Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for his masterful leadership as Co-chair of the Campaign Council. I would like to also thank the Party Chairman Adams Oshiomhole, the Director General of the Campaign Council Rotimi Amaechi, all members of the Presidential Campaign Council and other various Support Groups. My grateful thanks to all those who contributed to the logistical expenses of the campaign in such a vast country like Nigeria. I also thank the millions of volunteers, self-appointed overseers, ca...

Royal Dutch Shell yesterday disclosed that the federal government’s recent claims that it owed Nigeria billions of dollars of unpaid oil and gas-related taxes could delay the development of its major oil field – the Bonga South West deepwater oil field located off the coast of the country. The federal government recently ordered several major international oil companies (IOCs) to pay nearly $20 billion in taxes it said were owed the government. Reuters quoted Shell as saying yesterday that the country’s tax claims lacked merit, and could see the Final Investment Decision (FID) on Bonga South West slip into 2020 instead of 2019 that was initially thought. The report quoted Shell’s Head of Upstream, Mr. Andy Brown, as saying on the side-lines of the International Petroleum Week conference in London that the tax claim lacked merit. “It is something that has gone through the courts in Nigeria, which relates to an original clause within the ...

Bandits’ reign of terror has continued unabated in Sokoto and Kaduna States as 45 persons were reported killed yesterday. According to Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, 16 persons were killed in a fresh banditry at Dalijan, Rakkoni and Kalhu communities in the Rabah Local Government Area of the state. The other 29 were reportedly killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen following a fresh attack on Karmai Village in Maro Ward, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Tambuwal spoke at a press conference in Sokoto and said the incident occurred on Monday night. Attacks by bandits, which started in the state on July 9 last year have led to the loss of 81 lives. The governor called on security agencies to intensify efforts at safeguarding the people’s lives and property. Commiserating with the victims and their families, Tambuwal prayed Allah to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss. On recent political developments in the stat...

INEC’s results full of discrepancies, says Situation Room The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), this morning vehemently protested what it called selective use of Smart Card Readers (SCRs) in a significant part of Northern states, saying since it was a breach of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s guideline, the results of the presidential election held last Saturday ought to be reviewed. Raising other sundry concerns about the conduct of the elections, including the deprivation of about 5.1 million voters from participation due to cancellation of votes arising from card reader infractions and violence, the party called for the suspension of declaration of returns until its concerns are addressed. The party’s concerns were expressed by its agent, Chief Osita Chidoka, who argued that since the 5.1 million restrained votes were more than the 3.9million votes margin of win scored by President Muhammadu Buhari, it had...