Despite the complexities, it’s important to recognize that pre-colonial African traditions and values celebrated women’s power, contributions, and importance in ways that challenge simplistic narratives of female subordination. Understanding this history is crucial for building a more equitable future.Women held positions of power, respect, and influence often overlooked in historical narratives dominated by colonial perspectives. There were Queen Mothers and Royal Women in many kingdoms; women held significant political power, often serving as advisors to the king or ruling in their own right. Examples include the Queen Mothers in Ashanti (Ghana) who played a crucial role in selecting chiefs, Queen Nzinga of Angola who led resistance against Portuguese colonization and Queen Amina of Zauzau who ruled in the mid-16th Century.
The Dahomey Amazons (Benin) are a well-known example of an all-female warrior corps that played a crucial role in the kingdom’s defense.Nigeria, a nation with potential, is being quietly eroded by a destructive force: misogyny. Our headlines may scream of corruption and insecurity, but the insidious impact of deeply ingrained misogynistic values creeping into our politics is being tragically overlooked. It’s time to shine a light on this unseen pandemic, this slow poisoning that debases women and, in turn, threatens to cripple our entire societal structure.This isn’t simply about individual men “hating on women.” In Nigeria, misogyny is a deeply rooted systemic issue, a web woven into the fabric of our society. It manifests as a persistent belief in male superiority, a subtle devaluation of women’s vital contributions, the insidious objectification of women, and a prevailing justification for controlling their freedom and their bodies. This toxic ideology isn’t confined to remote villages or antiquated traditions; it thrives in our bustling cities, within the walls of our homes, and even within the hallowed chambers.The constant, often subtle, barrage of messages telling girls they are somehow less valuable than boys relentlessly chip away at their self-esteem and confidence. This insidious erosion makes them far less likely to pursue leadership roles, to challenge harmful societal norms, or to realize their inherent potential.
This sense of inferiority, fostered by a culture of ingrained misogyny, can have devastating lifelong repercussions, profoundly impacting their relationships, their career aspirations, and their overall well-being.Perhaps the most alarming consequence is the heightened risk of violence and abuse that Nigerian women face. Violating a woman or a girl’s right to speak out against any form of injustice or abuse has become, appallingly, almost commonplace. Consider the disturbing case of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is battling to return and retain her seat in the Senate simply for daring a system that would rather keep her silent. Even though we may not always agree with how she expresses her frustration, it is our collective responsibility to listen, to investigate her claims, and to hold the guilty parties accountable. Yet, instead of seeking the truth, the Senate, seemingly desperate to protect a figure, slammed her with a suspension. Meanwhile, the opposition in Kogi State also launched a shady recall process, clearly aimed at silencing her voice permanently.As if that wasn’t choking Nigerians enough, fast forward to March 26th 2025. Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, the respected former Minister of Solid Minerals, appeared before the Senate Ethics Committee as Senator Natasha’s witness in the harassment case.
She inadvertently ignited the fury of the Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Onyekachi Nwebonyi, who has never made any secret of his animosity towards Natasha and her accusations of sexual harassment and intimidation against Senate President Akpabio and, by extension, the entire Senate. Senator Nwebonyi’s overtly defensive and wholly inappropriate reaction to Mrs. Ezekwesili’s insistence to be heard only confirmed the disturbing truth: that Nigeria is, indeed, sliding dangerously into deeply ingrained misogynistic tendencies. As Kurtis Adigba rightly observed, “What else does anyone watching need to know that the men in the Senate have no tolerance for women?”This disturbing pattern is further underscored by the alarming surge in reported cases of gender-based violence across the nation, too often fueled by social media platforms and a pervasive culture of victim-blaming, which together paint a grim picture of the challenges facing women in Nigeria today. But the damage doesn’t stop with girls and women.
Tragically, Nigerian boys are also victims of this insidious ideology. From a young age, they are pressured to conform to rigidly defined masculine stereotypes, forced to suppress their emotions and denied the fundamental human right to express vulnerability. This enforced emotional repression can lead to profound difficulties in forming healthy relationships, significantly increased aggression, and a drastically higher risk of developing serious mental health issues later in life.The deeply ingrained belief that men are inherently entitled to dominance and control over women breeds a pervasive sense of disrespect, contributes directly to the perpetuation of harmful behaviors, including sexual harassment and domestic violence.
Tragically, boys who are raised to believe that women are primarily objects of sexual desire rather than fully realized human beings are far more likely to engage in exploitative and abusive relationships.We must, as a society, acknowledge that the unseen wounds of misogyny are crippling our politics and jeopardizing out values. Only then can we begin to heal and build a more just and equitable nation for all.
Halima Abdulazeez is a Lagos-based poet and writer known for her poetry collection, ‘Soul Rants: A Journey from Within’. She also dedicates her time and expertise as Treasurer of PEN International’s Nigerian Center and as a Communications Officer at Caprecon International Development Foundation.
Well aware of the deleterious effects and impacts of climate change on the socio-economic development of the global landscape,the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) was established in 2002, as a followup on the Rio De Janeiro Conference in 1992. With the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and UNEP providing both the financial and technical support, the promotion of Resource Efficiency and a Cleaner Industrial Production to different countries across the globe has become more engaging and fruitful. But how far has Nigeria keyed into these laudable initiatives, especially in the face of the mounting challenges of Climate Change? That is the million – naira question, needing urgent answers from our policy makers and the stakeholders.To begin with, are Nigerians aware of the increasing need to protect the ecosystem by the way and manner they dispose their household wastes? Are the areas close to factories also protected, especially where toxic and poisonous effluents are discharged directly into nearby streams and rivers? What efforts have been made to reduce the emission of green house gases? What about the enabling legislation aimed at drastically reducing the disastrous health challenges posed to the host communities?
Are they adequate and being enforced to bring the culprits to book as well as safeguard our fragile environment from further deterioration?In fact, it was largely due to the country’s lack of proper awareness on sustainable production, in line with internationally accepted Best Practices that some oil companies engaged in massive oil spillage and destruction of vast farmlands in the Niger-Delta region, over the decades. Sadly, some of the residents were unprotected from the debilitating health hazards.Subsequently, it was discovered that several residents suffered from different types of cancer caused by drinking water that was highly polluted by heavy metals such as cadmium and lead.It was similarly discovered by researchers that most of the diseasess that got the precious lives of the under-5 children wasted were traced to non-treated and ill-disposed wastes from homes and factories.So, to provide credible answers to the disturbing questions on lack of environmental protection lessons have to be learnt from the efforts made so far by some of our universities, research institutes and how to synchronize them.
That is significantly so for an all-encompassing approach as solutions to the environmental degradation challenges. For instance, the Centre for Sustainable Development, University of Ibadan has been actively involved since 2010 in public enlightenment with the local communities, on the root causes and dangers of Climate Change. That is in addition to the critical issues of leadership, good governance and tourism. With the support of Oyo state government it was discovered that the system of waste disposal has become more effective leading to a drastic reduction in the incident of cholera epidemic.In a similar gesture of the imperative of public enlightenment on environmental protection the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife hosted the first National Conference on Sustainable Production in partnership with Greener Environment and Materials Sustainability ( GEMS ) in 2011. It attracted participants from countries such as Kenya, Ghana, Cameroon, Tanzania and of course, Nigeria. The University also hosts the Africa Round Table with series of workshops on related issues. These include enlightening farmers on how to make more profit by recycling their wastes, while being encouraged to stop the felling of trees.Taking it to a broader global perspective, the premier private university of technology in the country, Bells University of Technology Ota, Ogun state held the Second International Workshop on Sustainable Industrial Production also in collaboration with GEMS in March, 2014.
It was there that the world- renowned Kenyan-born Quality Systems expert and the Executive Manager, African Eco-Labelling Mechanism Secretariat, Ms Cristian Kalui warned about the escalating dangers of environmental degradation caused by Man!She highlighted the fact that while other organisms take only what they need and hardly harm the environment, man has so far exhibited the characteristics of the most dangerous inhabitant to the ecosystem. Yet, the onus still lies on the shoulders of that same man to fix the harm he has brazenly done to the ecosystem.On his part, and in search of solutions to the preventable harm caused by man, Prof.Ifeoluwa Adewumi of the Niger-Delta University, Bayelsa state an expert on Water Resources and Environmental Engineering highlighted the importance and imperative of networking and collaborations. That is of individuals, institutions, company executives, health, safety and environmental managers as well as NGOs. They have to come together and promote sustainable economic situation development of Nigeria in particular and the African continent in general through effective production and consumption methods that protect the environment.And to further bolster that claim, Prof. Labode Popoola, a professor of Forest Economics and Director,Centre for Sustainable Development of the University of Ibadan admitted that: “Nigeria’s environment is grossly polluted and chaotic”. The solution in the view of Prof. Adewumi is to create a new set of leadership to think and work on sustainability.
That is in both production and in consumption. This underscores the relevance of individuals to change their mindset on environmental protection. That would make the needed through leadership by example as was done by the erstwhile governors of Akwa Ibom, Osun and Lagos during the tenure of Babatunde Raji Fashola who facilitated the nation’s first Seminar on Waste Management.Going forward, it has become necessary not only to bridge the gap with laws that promote environmental protection but enforce such. That is the valid position of Mr. Andy Ukah, a representative of the Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORCN), a body that has been pushing for the enactment of the Public Health Law since 1973. The protection of our environment should therefore, be seen as our collective responsibility.
And we can play our parts as instructors on the dangers of clogging the gutters and canals with all manner of wastes, that of felling of trees and also as media practitioners in raising warning signals about ecosystem degradation especially near factories. While lawyers and NGOs should stand by the laws on public health the security officers should ensure their enforcement. Of significance also is the application of Public Private Partnerships ( PPP) to reduce the root causes of Climate Change.Ayo Oyoze Baje, a public affair analyst writes from Lagos
“No man’s life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session.”
Gideon J. Tucker
A Governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos would not vacate his seat for anyone appointed illegally from Abuja – or from anywhere. If the heavens wanted to fall, he would ask them to fall. He would not go hide somewhere in his wife’s handbag, and from the safety of his ghetto be issuing gutless press releases. If Abuja insisted on his suspension, he would mobilise the law and lawyers for eruptions of seismic proportions. He would ask the Supreme Court to determine whether the president could sack or suspend elected governors, appoint caretaker governors and take over the role of state Houses of Assembly. He would ask the apex court to reconcile this case with its earlier verdict which outlawed caretaker governments for one of our tiers of government. He would put everything he had into the mix; he would count the teeth of the tiger in Abuja. But Rivers is not Lagos, and Siminalayi Fubara is not Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The difference between both is the difference between courage and cowardice.
Until Saturday when he spoke on the Rivers State problem, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan walked the terrace of power with utmost carefulness. He avoided speaking truth to power the way the barefooted avoids walking a floor of broken glass. But on Saturday, he came out of his zone of reticence, and dared the dark, dangerous sherds of impunity. Jonathan spoke following President Bola Tinubu’s deployment of a Supreme Court judgment to meddle with and seize control of the nuts and bolts of our federation. In a fit of daring, calculative move for political advantage, Tinubu suspended democracy on a floor of the structure. And days after the act, without a whim of resistance, he got legislative approval for the mess. He left no one in doubt that all the powers and principalities of this realm are with him and that they work for him.
The three arms of government in Nigeria have become a triangular cult of iniquity. If the executive is after you, the other two quickly join in the clobbering. Jonathan identified the spring head of the problem. He saw: “a clear abuse of office, clear abuse of power, clear abuse of privileges, cutting across the three arms of government — from the executive through the parliament and to the judiciary.” Now, when those three institutions of democracy become citadels of abuse, what remains and what is next for us?
Yesterday, 23 March, 2025, was the 92nd anniversary of the enactment of Germany’s Enabling Act which gave Adolf Hitler the power to make laws without parliamentary approval.
Nazi Germany had a parliament known as the Reichstag. The decay and destruction of that institution started in very innocuous bits, very small. It took off by saying yes to everything the leader did or took before it. The parliament members, incrementally, thought the leader deserved not their check, but their cheeks. Reichstag began its descent and quickened its suicide by enacting laws without any real debate or opposition. Then it took many other self-destruct steps; the climax came on 23 March, 1933, when Reichstag passed the historic Enabling Act transferring its powers and functions to the head of the executive.
In this Rivers matter, the Supreme Court cast the foundation, the president laid the blocks, the legislature roofed the edifice of an emerging autocracy. Jonathan spoke on the executive dictating judgments to judges. He described Nigeria as a country where “government functionaries can dictate to judges what judgment they will give.” That was a huge one. We expect a reaction or denial from the judiciary now or never. The ex-president also spoke on the operatives of the three branches of government not giving a damn as the country burned. He said they were feigning sleep while a flood of badness swept through the land. What he spoke on was the treachery of the judiciary and the perfidy of the legislature, both of which act as palace courtiers, and as whores of benefit who have surrendered their functions, power and glory to the president.
Checks and balances. How often do we ask what they are and why they are at the core of this democracy? Destruction of checks and balances creates excesses that take rest of mind away from the society. Absolute power creates all the antonyms of peace and stability. It makes the nation the ultimate sick man on a roller coaster. It was exactly so for Hitler and his Germany. The Nazi leader, on 23 March, 1933, got the powers to make laws. The ease with which he got it made him think it was time for further consolidation. Thus, on 7 April, 1933, the leader put officials of his political party in charge of all local governments. On 14 July, 1933, Reichstag became a one-party parliament. January 1934, the ruling party took over all state governments. On 19 August, 1934, the leader announced himself president, chancellor and head of the army. The Fuhrer was born!
Our National Assembly would act Reichstag if it had not done so already. It spent the whole of last weekend denying taking bribes to approve the president’s illegal suspension of democracy in Rivers State. Our multi party Senate has 109 members; the House of Representatives has 360, elected from various parties. Yet, on a very critical day last week, members of the parliament collapsed their structures into a single party; they endorsed illegality with a single voice. The president suspended democracy, appointed and swore in a viceroy to serve as governor. He declared a state of emergency without parliament’s prior approval. He usurped the powers of the legislators and the legislators endorsed the usurpation without following the law. They used voice votes to announce that he was right!
Treachery has no other definition. What does it cost a leader to be told the truth? President Bola Tinubu himself called for truth two weeks ago. He told Catholic Bishops who paid him a visit that they should tell him the truth whenever he was missing the way: “I’m here open to you, ready to listen…I won’t shut my door,” he said. But he made that request to the wrong audience. The right audience for that demand is the National Assembly, a conglomerate of dank agents. They are his enemy. He also acts his own enemy, redacting his own records of resistance and activism.
Abuse of any power will happen where there are no checks. With the help of the legislature and the judiciary, Prime Minister Balewa abused the emergency law of his time. Olusegun Obasanjo did same. And, despite all the political and legal repercussions of what Balewa and Obasanjo did, Tinubu learnt nothing and has also done it. He now sits back, watches and smiles as we fret.
The president and all who cheer him would remember that this presidential democracy is not our creation. We copied it from America. And if they agree that we copied this system from the US, have they ever found out why an American president has never tried to suspend or remove a state governor under any pretext, including under emergencies which are provided for under their own laws? It is because US governors are not boys of the president, and both sides know this to be legally and historically correct.
Where the law is allowed to work, there are always consequences for aberrant behaviour. Whatever is happening in Donald Trump’s America today, the fact is that the US Congress had historically managed to contain the excesses of presidents who thought they were king. I cite an example:
President Andrew Johnson took over as US president following the 1865 assassination of Abraham Lincoln. But Johnson does not enjoy as much favours of history as Lincoln does. Why? President Johnson ran into problems because of his Kabiyesi stance on procedural and constitutional issues. On August 5, 1867, Johnson asked Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton to resign because the secretary disagreed with him over Reconstruction plans. The man refused to resign. The president gave him a week of grace, the man remained recalcitrant; then the president suspended him on August 12 without the approval of the Congress.
Four months after that act (December 12), the president submitted his reasons for suspending Secretary Stanton to the Senate. On January 13, 1868, Senate refused to approve Johnson’s suspension of Stanton. The following day, the man who had been acting as Interim Secretary of War, Ulysses S. Grant, informed President Johnson that in view of Senate’s decision, he was vacating his post for the rightful owner, Stanton. He left.
Stubborn President Johnson, on February 21, 1868 in gross violation of the Tenure of Office Act, formally removed Stanton and gave the control of the War Department to General Lorenzo Thomas. With the law behind him, sacked Stanton glared down President Johnson’s decision. For the next two months, he stayed put, he slept and woke up (holed up) in his cabinet office, barricading himself in there.
The US Congress watched with consternation as the president usurped its powers. It saw what the president did as a blatant violation of the Tenure of Office Act. It proceeded to commence an impeachment process against the Commander-in-Chief. On February 24, 1868, the House of Representatives voted 126-47 to impeach Johnson. On March 5, 1868, the Senate began its impeachment trial with Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase presiding. On May 16, 1868, the Senate voted 35-19 to convict President Johnson. The figure was, however, one vote short of the necessary two-third majority to get the man sacked. On May 26, 1868, the Senate gave the president a reprieve, it voted to acquit the president on two of the charges. It then adjourned and never voted on the remaining eight articles of impeachment.
Johnson escaped sack but the damage had been done. It was effectively the ‘end’ of Johnson as president. He never recovered.
On 11 July, 2024, Nigeria’s Supreme Court declared that state governors had no power to sack elected local government chairmen and councilors and constitute caretaker committees to run the local governments. The court further declared that a local government council was only recognisable with a democratically elected government. “A democratically elected local government is sacrosanct and non-negotiable,’’ the apex court declared. The Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who was the plaintiff in that case saluted the Supreme Court for delivering justice. He said the judgment had effectively ended the practice of governors replacing democracy with autocracy by wantonly sacking elected council bosses and replacing them with unelected caretaker committees. On Wednesday, 19 March, 2025, the same Fagbemi addressed a press conference in Abuja endorsing President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of a caretaker governor for Rivers State and the suspension of democratic structures there. “A lawyer’s truth is not the truth” (David Henry Thoreau).
Fagbemi is supposed to know (and he knows) that there is nothing like ‘suspension’ of governor or ‘suspension’ of the legislature in our constitution which governs all other laws and everything about our democracy. But he went further to threaten other governors with the fate of Fubara. He hinted them not to dare dare his boss: “It is Rivers State’s turn today, it can be anybody’s turn tomorrow, let the signal be clearly sent to those who want to foment trouble, who want to make the practice of democracy and the enjoyment of dividends of democracy a mirage to think twice.” In other words, when you slaughter a goat in the presence of another goat, the living will be sober; it will behave well.
But wait. If the emergency rule is declared by the president over the whole country, will he appoint himself sole administrator and suspend the National Assembly? Or who rules?
To Nigeria’s chief law officer, under an emergency rule, the president can become the electorate deciding who governs and who ceases to govern. He can also be the people of any or all the states; voters in INEC registers would become Shakespeare’s “blocks, stones …worse than senseless things.”
From the courts to the president’s office to the office of the Attorney-General, to the parliament, we could see the futility in hoping for acting right and talking straight. An incestuous triangle of the three arms or what David Wyatt called a “tyrannizing unity” of the powers, reigns. Their ways remind us of a favourite passage in Jonathan Swift’s ‘Gulliver’s Travels’: “You have clearly proved that ignorance, idleness, and vice are the proper ingredients for qualifying a legislator. That laws are best explained, interpreted, and applied by those whose interest and abilities lie in perverting, confounding, and eluding them.”
Emergency rule started in Rome around the 3rd century BC. The Romans used the law to create what they called ‘office of the dictator’ to solve specific public (safety) problems. They had two main categories of such. The first they named the dictatura rei gerundae causa (dictatorship for getting things done). The second was dictatura seditionis sedandae causa (dictatorship for suppressing civil insurrection). The Romans did not, however, create the emergency rules and laws for free roamers to exploit. They limited the dictators’ term to six months. They also struggled to contain abuse of their powers. But, apparently because of abuses such as we saw last week in Nigeria, the Roman senate took direct control of resolving crises. It replaced the office of dictator with what was called ‘Ultimate Decree of the Senate’ (senatus consultum ultimum). The present controversy presents us an opportunity to also rethink our emergency law and everything connected with it.
Strong, uncontrollable leaders always put their nations in trouble. Keeping quiet, excusing their excesses or enabling their illegality put everyone in danger. Where big men reign above the law and below decency, people pay for what they did not buy. Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini was created and nurtured by a culture of acquisence. His appointment as Prime Minister in 1922 was approved despite his party holding only 35 seats out of 535 in the parliament. With intimidation and harassment of voters, his party pushed up its figure to 374 seats in the April 1924 election. In January 1925, Mussolini, right inside the parliament, declared himself dictator. The legislators heard him and applauded him. They proceeded to grant him more powers. They passed laws that dissolved opposition parties and shut down free press. Mussolini dismantled democratic institutions that won’t let him breathe and emit fire. He got the constitutionally recognised Chamber of Deputies, Italy’s equivalent of our House of Representatives, replaced by something called the Chamber of Fasces and Corporations, a body controlled by his Fascist Party. He made the parliament in his image transforming it for his use in outlawing the opposition and the law.
The National Assembly that sat last week in Abuja may go that way unless Kabiyesi, our president, does not want it to.
The Ogun State government has shut down Perfect Light Nursery and Primary School in Eyinogbe, near Igode, Sagamu Local Government Area, over the alleged defilement of a pupil by the headmaster, Ashafa Afelaja.
The school was also found to be operating illegally, according to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Dr. Ronke Soyombo, who announced the closure on Wednesday after visiting the school.
Soyombo condemned the alleged abuse and the poor learning conditions at the school, assuring the community that the government and the state police command were investigating the matter.
She added that legal action would be taken against the suspect.
She assured the community that the state government, in conjunction with the state police command, had stepped into the matter and would ensure adequate investigation, while legal sanctions would be taken against the perpetrator.
Soyombo said, “The commitment of the government towards providing conducive learning conditions for the betterment of learners in both private and public schools irrespective of their level remains uppermost in the mind of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s led administration.Related News
“I hereby urge parents to take good care of their children making sure they are not exposed to social vices.
She added that the Ministry of Education was working with the Ministries of Health and Women Affairs to conduct medical examinations and ensure the affected child’s well-being.
Other pupils from the closed school would be transferred to the nearest public primary school in Igode.
“This is to again sound a stern note of warning to perpetrators of evil acts to leave the state alone because the current administration will not take it easy with people who are not ready to abide by the rules of the land,” she said.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Adijat Adeleye, had earlier facilitated the rescue and medical care of the victim, while the suspect, Afelaja, was arrested by the police for interrogation.
” When brothers fight to death, a stranger inherits their father’s estate”.
-Chinua Achebe
My dear reader, it would be recalled that over the past five decades yours truly has severally warned our crop of political leaders- through opinion essays and discussions on radio and television stations’ programs- to always anchor their official decisions on the rule of law, as the Grundnorm of our democratic process. Under no circumstance should they therefore, condescend or bow to their whims and caprices, but be propelled by pro-people policies all in line with the larger picture of the national interest.
Unfortunately, the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers state and worse still, the rash removal or call it sudden suspension of the state governor, Simi Fubara, the deputy governor , Ngozi Edu, and members of the state House of Assembly-all duly elected representatives of the people -by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 has blatantly violated Section 305 of the 1999 constitution, which he swore to, on oath to abide by its dictates. Though that section of the constitution, which he gleefully quoted to support his decision grants him power to declare a state of emergency in the state, it does not empower him to suspend them from office.
According to the National President of the Nigeria Bar Association, (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe there are strict conditions and procedural safeguards put in place to ensure that extraordinary measures do not infringe on democratic governance and fundamental human rights. But sadly, Mister President has violated the law, which clearly spells out in Section 188 of the 1999 constitution what should be done before the removal of any elected politician from office. Similarly, Tinubu has removed the elected members of the Rivers state House of Assembly (HOA). Worse still, according to Dr. Reuben Abati, a former spokesperson to the then President Goodluck Jonathan, the president has appropriated unto himself the powers to make laws for the good people of Rivers state! That, to put it mildly spells dictatorship under a so called democratic dispensation. Abati stated so and goes further to explain that under Section 11 of the 1999 constitution it is only the National Assembly that can make laws for the state HOA, under such circumstances. Perhaps, Tinubu should have learnt lessons from former President Goodluck Jonathan. So, what did he do?
According to the Attorney General of the Federation under his administration, Mohammed Bello Adoke, when Jonathan declared state of emergency, specifically in the three embattled North-Eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe due to the monstrous rampaging monster of insecurity he made sure that no state governor was removed from office. That was in 2013..He did so well aware that a state of emergency allows the federal government to take firm control of security and impose restrictions on movement in certain areas.
Shedding brighter light on what transpired in the past, Adoke explained that though the 1961 State of Emergency Act allowed the removal of premiers under a state of emergency, both the 1979 and 1999 constitutions made no room for the suspension of any duly elected governor, his deputy or the law makers. So, bluntly put what Tinubu has done is an aberration to the rules of law. The legal luminary and respected human rights lawyer, Liborous Oshoma is of that firm opinion as made public on Channels Television morning program . And Abati has described it as an impeachable offence! But how did this come about?
Inspite of previous attempts to find a sustainable solution to the face-off between Governor Fubara and Nyesom Wike, the latter who got appointment as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja on account of his open support for Tinubu’s presidency in 2023, the president has apparently pitched tent with Wike. That is the one man who believes his political might is his legal right. Subsequent to one court judgment after another, regarding the 27 lawmakers’ validity the pendulum of the Supreme Court judgement which eventually swung in their favour triggered the shockwaves beneath Fubara’s governorship seat. With that Wike and his allies were ready to nail his political coffin. But it is legally obnoxious that Mister President has violated the constitution,all in the bid to satisfy the bold and brazen ambition of Wike to play the demi-god in the political drama as it unfolded, not minding the consequences to the traumatized people of Rivers state. That situation has set off some burning questions.
People are asking that if Tinubu could mediate in the Lagos state House of Assembly crisis, why could he not deploy similar political sagacity in that of Rivers state? Is it true that the root cause of the altercation between Fubara and Wike had to do with the former’s inability to meet the financial returns to the latter, as earlier agreed? Could it be true that it was Fubara’s traducers that are responsible for the hatchet job of the pipeline vandalism all in the bold bid to give a dog a bad name, by hanging him? Was it not in this same state that back on July 9, 2013 a lawmaker was hit severally on his head as quarrel ensued between two rival political parties, and the video clip went viral on social media? It was one nauseating event that informed my opinion essay titled: ‘ Rivers of Shame and Jungle Democracy ‘ as published by different newspapers on August 2, 2013 and on page 242 of my book, ‘ Drumbeats of Democracy’.
Going forward, as recommended by the NBA the National Assembly should act with the desired dispatch to rein in the monster of illegality gradually taking over our political space. As it aptly described the suspension saga by Tinubu, ” it is illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional”. It should not be allowed to stand. Not at all!
All sides of the matter considered, with the unconstitutional suspension of Fubara and the people – elected politicians of the state coming soon after the illegal suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Nigeria’s version of democracy has made a mockery of us as a people. The world is watching us. And this should serve as a moment for sober reflection on the part of our political leaders.
Press statement by suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara on the state of emergency declared in Rivers State:
My dear Rivers People,
I address you today with a deep sense of responsibility and calm, as we navigate this unfortunate moment in our state’s political history.
Since assuming office as your Governor, all my actions and decisions have been guided by my constitutional oath of office and a great sense of duty.
We prioritized the protection of lives and property and ensured the continuous progress of our dear State.
Even in the face of the political impasse, we have remained committed to constitutional order and the rule of law, putting the interest of our people above all else.
This was why, immediately after Mr. President’s intervention to broker peace, we did not hesitate to implement the agreed terms in good faith, including welcoming back commissioners who had previously resigned on their own volition.
Furthermore, we moved swiftly to comply with the Supreme Court’s judgement immediately we received the certified true copy of the judgement to return the state to normalcy.
These steps were taken not for personal gains but to foster peace, unity and stability in our dear State.
Unfortunately, at every turn, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly frustrated our efforts, thus making genuine peace and progress difficult.
Our priorities remained the security of lives and property and advancing the well-being and prosperity of Rivers people.
Yes, we have political disagreements, but good governance had continued, salaries have been paid, and great projects were being executed to move the State forward. Above all, Rivers State is safe, secure and peaceful under our watch.
At this critical time, I urge all Rivers people to remain peaceful and law-abiding. We will engage with all relevant institutions to ensure that our democracy remains strong and that Rivers State continues to thrive.
We have always been a resilient people, and we will face this situation with wisdom, patience, and unwavering faith in the democratic process.
God bless Rivers State. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in the state.
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday, by the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule.
Amaewhule said the Assembly would abide by the president’s decision, even though it was not what they had hoped for.
“We assure our constituents that we will abide by this declaration, even though it is not what we prayed for. Mr. President has acted in the best interest of the country,” Amaewhule said.
The Speaker blamed Governor Siminalayi Fubara for the crisis in Rivers State, accusing him of ignoring court judgments and failing to govern in line with the constitution.
“The condition of our dear Rivers State today is mainly because of the malfeasance of the governor, who serially disobeyed court judgments and obstructed the Rivers State House of Assembly,” he stated.
Amaewhule called on residents to remain calm and cooperate with the Sole Administrator appointed by the president to oversee the affairs of the state.
“We urge everyone to remain calm as the Sole Administrator assumes duty. Rest assured that the Assembly will give him all the necessary support to restore order,” he added.
The Speaker also thanked the people of the state for their patience, prayers and support during this period of emergency.
On Tuesday, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the state House of Assembly for six months.
He said the decision was taken to restore stability in the state that has been witnessing political turmoil as a result of the disagreement between the state governor and the state lawmakers.
Following his declaration, the president appointed a former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Ibokette Ibas, as an administrator for Rivers State.
Federal Govt investigating Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s unauthorised attendance at IPU meeting
The Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) are investigating Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, for attending the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York without official nomination.
Premium Times reports that the investigation aims to uncover the details surrounding her unapproved participation, including how she secured accreditation and who facilitated her trip, and whether her attendance was part of an effort to undermine the Nigerian government.
The IPU, a global body representing national parliaments, mandates that member countries nominate delegates prior to each meeting.
However, Akpoti-Uduaghan reportedly attended the meeting without such formal authorization.
The joint investigation by the DSS and NIA was reportedly triggered by complaints from the Nigerian Senate. Intelligence agencies are focusing on whether the senator obtained unauthorised credentials or if external parties played a role in facilitating her participation.
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The probe will also examine whether her attendance violated IPU regulations or Nigerian parliamentary protocol.
This development follows a turbulent period for Akpoti-Uduaghan, who recently accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.
The allegation arose after a dispute over seating arrangements in the Senate chamber, which led to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension for alleged “gross misconduct.”
During her speech at the IPU meeting on March 11, Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed that her suspension was retaliatory and intended to silence her over the harassment claim. In response, the IPU stated it would look into her concerns and hear both sides of the issue.
The Nigerian Senate, however, refuted the claim through Kafilat Ogbara, a member of the House of Representatives and chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development.
Ogbara, who was representing Nigeria at the IPU meeting in New York, clarified that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension had nothing to do with her allegations against the Senate president.
The former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State, Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has defected to the All Progressives Congress.
Jandor made the announcement on Monday during a press conference at his office in Ikeja, Lagos, weeks after resigning from the PDP.
Jandor cited internal crises and lack of party discipline within the PDP as the primary reasons for his departure, expressing disappointment in the party’s inability to address anti-party activities during the 2023 general elections.
He said, “Our story in the PDP was a case of working with perennial political saboteurs but we have resolved to love our future much more than we hate our past.
“After extensive consultations with family, political associates, elder statesmen, supporters, and well-meaning Lagosians who share our vision for a greater and more prosperous Lagos, and in identifying that the primary reason a political party exists is to win elections and ultimately form the government to contribute to the welfare, security and total development of the people, we wish to formally announce that we have decided to join a political party that considers winning for its members as top priority, not minding who is on the ballot.
“We have decided to return to the All Progressives Congress.”
Jandor revealed that he consulted widely with political associates, supporters, and leaders across various parties, including the Social Democratic Party, African Democratic Congress, and Young Progressive Party, before deciding to return to the APC.
Addressing concerns about his earlier exit from the ruling party, he likened his experience to a Yoruba adage about learning from different situations.
“Before you are quick to remind me of the reasons upon which we left APC in the first place, let me respond with a popular Yoruba adage that says if a woman has not tried two husbands, she probably would not know which is better.
“In APC, we have a leader, even if you fault his selection choices, you can’t fault his desire to always win for his party to the benefit of all members, followers and the state.
“While in Lagos PDP, you have a leader that will, at every election cycle work against his own party, and willfully dash the hopes of many party members and followers. We have chosen the better alternative,” he stated.
He added, “Our return to the APC is not a decision made lightly. It is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to the progress of Lagos State and our belief that unity among progressives is essential to achieving the collective aspirations of our people.”
He acknowledged the efforts of President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, in persuading him to rejoin the APC.
Jandor stated, “Let me once again extend our sincere gratitude to the President and the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who recognized our modest contributions to democracy and nation building.
“I must also recognize the relentless efforts of the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, who has been on our case for over one year to return ‘home’, and join hands with Mr. President.
“Upon hearing the news of my resignation from the PDP, the President’s son, Mr. Seyi Tinubu immediately put a call across to say “Egbon, this is the time to come back home.” Prior to that time, Seyi had exhibited the learnings he has had from the best and reached out, asking for support for the administration of his father, the President. What more can a father ask for.”
Jandor assured his supporters that the move was in Lagos’ best interest and urged them to join him in the new political chapter.
“We remain committed to the values of service, integrity, and progress. Together, we will continue to champion the cause of a better Lagos for present and future generations,” he said.
I stumbled on a social media report that faithful Monday afternoon of March 10, 2025 and before me was the shocking news break that my boss (will forever remain my boss), the debonair, industrious and effervescent Chief Hon. (Sir) Dubem Onyia, former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, two time Member of the Federal House of Representatives and former Member of the Constituent Assembly, has passed on. The news was not only sobering but was devastating. He bowed at the age of 73, too early for a man who still has a lot to offer his country.He was a man of destiny, succeeded where many failed and also left indelible imprints in the sands of time. He touched many lives, including mine.
He was generous, committed to nation building and built friendships across the globe. He was my boss of inestimable value. I am still in shock on the sudden turn of events.Our parts crossed when I was a practising journalist in Enugu. He wanted to address the Media to announce his intention to run for the Governorship of our state and needed someone to organise the briefing. It was Ozo Agu Gab Agu, a Professor of Law at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology that introduced me to him and I went ahead to package the Press Conference. And it was a huge success. He later didn’t make it to the Enugu State Government House but was later appointed the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.He assumed office, looked back and invited me to come and manage his media relations in Abuja. That was how I came close to the man who was later to shape my future. I became his Press Secretary and served him for the four years he was in office.Within the four years, I came to know him as a strong-willed person, compassionate and driven by excellence. He has the capacity for work and was overtly result oriented. He was dynamic, multi talented and radiated love and affection, tools that saw him as one of the flying ministers in President Olusegun Obasanjo’s first tenure in office.
He was always having his way in most of the things he wanted done. When he invited me to join him as Press Secretary, the bureaucracy in the system became an obstacle, but he quickly dismantled it, he wanted results and would not take any half measure in the line of duty. I joined him and initially struggled to keep pace with his work schedule. It was obviously a trying period, but I did not hesitate in falling in line. He does not leave any file unattended to before close of work everyday. He attends to them with the required urgency. Atimes, we stayed in the office till 10pm, something not common in government offices.Chief Dubem Onyia exposed me for the first time to government media management and with him I visited almost all the continents of the world. He loved journalists, and with that, made my job a lot easier. As Minister of State, he was virtually in charge of all the parastatals in the Ministry. And during pilgrimages, he would direct that I shortlist journalists who will participate as part of the Federal Government Delegation. This is both for the Hajj and Christian pilgrimages. For joint Commission Meetings outside Nigeria, he accommodated some journalists. He was also always ready to speak to the media, grant them interviews, and attend to their welfare. I was really lucky in that direction. He enjoyed warm and cordial relationship with his colleague, Alhaji Sule Lamido, the senior Minister in the Ministry. They operated more like brothers and together had, in my estimation, the best tenure in the Foreign Ministry so far.
His job as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was obviously demanding but he was on top of it. There was a day we flew to several Hajj camps in the country to address Muslim pilgrims travelling for the Hajj. We had stop overs in Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto and Maiduguri, and still returned to Abuja the same day with the attendant bad weather. It was obvious he loved his country and was ready to give his all to the service of his fatherland. He also loved his job and virtually had no time for any other past time. Sometimes, I will be in the office then at Wuse Zone 3 Abuja and he will call from the Presidential Villa and direct that I join him at the airport for an urgent Presidential assignment to one country or the other. In those trips, he would go as Nigeria’s Presidential envoy to invite or mediate in disputes in some African Countries. He had attended to these assignments with dedication and commitment. Chief Dubem Onyia loved his people of Ngwo and Enugu State, although he was a detrabilized Nigerian who believed in one united and progressive Nigeria.
He had a large heart, was accommodating and built bridges across the divide.I was at his Abuja residence on Wednesday and could not believe that my boss who insisted that I accompanied him to the United Nations General Assembly in New York in one of his several trips was no more. I have obviously lost a mentor, a benefactor and leader of men. May the gentle soul of this rare Nigerian find peace in the sight of his maker and may the Almighty give his immediate family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. May God bless his loving soul!Ikechukwu Ani, Head, Press and Public Relations/Spokesman Police Service Commission was Press Secretary to Hon. Dubem Onyia (1999 -2003) as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
