Apparently irked by the audacity of some vociferous Ideato constituents in questioning his stewardship in the last ten months of his inauguration to the Green Chambers of the National Assembly, my very dear brother and Rep, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere has revived his media machinery, with more gusto to shoot down any negative narrative aimed at him or his political games. It is not surprising that my brother is succeeding at that. After all, he is a media creation, so, it would be difficult to beat a man on his home turf, where he cut his teeth and continues to hold…
Author: Onwuasoanya FCC Jones
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is arguably Nigeria’s most successful political godfather alive. Over the past 16 years, the Jagaban has successfully installed his preferred candidates as governors of Lagos State. Beyond installing governors, he has also installed 85% of all political office holders in Lagos State. His political influence extends beyond Lagos, as he could boast of taking over the entire Southwest politics and also having some influence in the election of a few lawmakers outside the Southwest. In 2015, he established his place as Nigeria’s Number One kingmaker by seeing to the takeover of power by the APC at…
From all credible indications, Senators Athan Achonu and Samuel Anyanwu did not come into the 2023 governorship election to win, but merely to make up the numbers and probably stay politically relevant. Both men knew from the onset that they didn’t stand the slightest chance and they did nothing to improve their chances. Their most vocal supporters also know this. While some of the few supporters who still muster the voice to speak in favour of them or push the ludicrous argument of election fraud are merely doing that to retain the pittance they earn from them, there is one…
President Joe Biden has become the first sitting US President in modern history to join a picket line, as he is currently on the picket line with the Union of American Autoworkers who has been on strike over disagreements relating to pay and general welfare of workers. Biden’s gesture might be misunderstood as a campaign stunt, and it might really be, but it also depicts the most important attribute of a leader or an aspiring leader. Identifying with people, in the time of their need. Biden didn’t just go there to tell the unionists that he is with them, but…
You see, good governance basically has nothing to do with political Parties, but the individuals in power. If a questionable candidate wins an election on LP platform, that wouldn’t stop him from being a cause for concern and if a sensible person gets to power through the APC platform, that wouldn’t also stop him from being competent. Professor Zulum has not left anyone in doubt about his capacity to deliver on good governance and it doesn’t matter that he is in the Party we consider, the worst of them all, but he has shown, over and over again that we…
Democracy remains the best form of government, but a democracy does not just become a democracy because it is called so. Democracy can only be sustained by upholding its tenets. Democracy cannot stand without the people. When politicians recklessly abuse institutions of State and alienate the people in governance, as well as manipulate election results in order to keep themselves in power, perpetually, then, they have betrayed democracy, and whatever they see, they should take it. I am convinced by the reason advanced by the military in Gabon for ousting Ali Bongo from power. An election that lacks credibility is…
The Imo State governorship election of November 11th is like a war for the survival and recovery of our State. In such wars, you do not go into it, half-heartedly, you go into it with all you have. Imo has been ruled by an unelected individual for the past three years. An individual who has spent 80% of his time in Abuja, 10% in other parts of the country and less than 10% in Imo State, since his declaration as our governor in 2020. This is because he doesn’t have any regards for Ndi Imo, he knows that his power…
Uzodimma told us in the early days of his administration, that he was not ready to reconcile with the Rochas family just for his political survival, that such would amount to a betrayal of the people’s trust. He boasted that he was going to recover every pin belonging to Imo State that Senator Okorocha and his family members allegedly stole from the people. During one of his meetings with members of his political family, he explained that he held a meeting with Rochas to demand a kind of plea bargain with him, which would see the former governor return some…
Leaders do not always come, factory fitted. Good leaders are usually products of association, training, learning and unlearning of good and bad qualities. I do not agree with the theory that “leaders are born”. That’s not true. Leaders are made. If you watched the Crown Series, which is loosely based on the British monarchy, especially from the time of King Edward VIII. Even though, all royal children are given special education and training, the heir apparent is singled out for special grooming in preparation for the throne. That is why as soon as King Edward’s abdication was confirmed, the then…
Putin has failed in Ukraine, and instead of him to eat the humble pie and renegotiate for peace, he is throwing in the Wagner terrorists to destabilise Africa as a way of distracting the West and the world from his troubles in Ukraine. The West African regional bloc must endeavour to stop the junta in Niger from succeeding, because if they do, it will be dangerous times ahead for the entire West African sub region. It doesn’t matter if you like Tinubu or hate him like I do, what matters is your personal freedom, the ability to be able to…
I support, 100%, any plans to deploy the military to Niger in order to restore Constitutional order. No democracy is perfect, but the worst democracy is still better than the best military junta. If the Military chiefs in Niger feel that the current political leaders are not doing well, and that they can do better, then, they should resign their positions in the military and go ahead to join partisan politics and campaign on the promises they are making today. If the people vote for them, then, we will congratulate them. Any person or group of persons who cannot be…
After months of allegedly wasting State funds in a purported bid to secure a ministerial position for one of his lackeys, Governor of Imo, Senator Hope Uzodimma has been left licking his wounds, as President Bola Tinubu rejected all his nominees and rather chose someone he believes has some clean records to boast with. Uzodimma who was said to have nominated three key members of his original political family to fill the post was disappointed as none of those he nominated scaled through both integrity and security checks, which the Presidency subjected all the nominees to. While there were other…
The security problems in the Southeast have largely continued unabated because Southeast leaders have, instead of providing leadership, chosen to play the ostrich, and when leaders choose the easy path of massaging problems instead of providing solutions, those problems are bound to continue. Southeast leaders, from Ohanaeze, which I belong to, to the political leaders, to activists, journalists and religious leaders have all succumbed to lies and emotions instead of sitting down among themselves and taking steps to bring lasting solutions to the unabating and unusual bloodletting that has come to define our territory in the last two years and…
The trio of APC, INEC and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, disappointed even their most fanatical supporters with the very weak defence they put up in the petitions filed by the popularly acclaimed winner of the election, Mr. Peter Obi and the popularly acclaimed runner-up, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. INEC originally scheduled to bring three witnesses to prove that the election they conducted was free and fair and that their declaration of Bola Tinubu as the winner was correct, but after their first witness failed to turn up on the scheduled date, their only witness, a Pastor, was decimated by Peter Obi’s…
It is no longer news that the National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal for Imo State has been relocated from Owerri to Mararaba in Nasarawa State. This is following threats to the lives of members of the panel, which prompted the President of the Court of Appeal to approve their request to be relocated to a neutral ground. Before this relocation there have been allegations that some moves had been made by top leaders of the APC to try to compromise the judges, and when this did not immediately yield the needed result, efforts were also made to frustrate…
The Inspector-General of Police, Nigerian Police Force Headquarters, Abuja. Dear Sir, PLEASE, DISBAND EBUBEAGU AND OTHER STATE GOVERNMENT MILITIA IN IMO NOW! OVERHAUL THE STATE POLICE ARCHITECTURE AND REVIEW THE ACTIVITIES OF THE IMO ANTI-KIDNAPPING SQUAD, TIGER BASE I am happy to once again congratulate you on what your colleagues and those who have known you longer than now, believe is a deserving elevation to the rank of Inspector-General of Police, standing you out, as the number one crime fighter in the world’s largest nation. Like every good fortune, this comes with its own expectations and challenges. You have a…
The Russian FSB has announced that it is beginning an investigation into Yevegeny Prigozhyn whom they accuse of inciting rebellion against the Russian military. Arguably the closest person outside the conventional military to President Putin, Prigozin is known by the alias, “Putin’s Chef”, which further underscores his closeness to the Russian strongman , and it is my analysis that the Wagner Private Military Company which Prigozin runs is meant to serve as Putin’s fallback option in a situation he falls out with the Russian conventional military. Prigozin has enormous resources at his disposal and Wagner’s footprints are seen beyond the…
In the last forty two months of Uzodimma’s controversial and legitimacy sapped administration, Imo has become a reference point in the most brutal and egregious form of police brutality and recklessness. Different Commissioners of Police have made themselves appear to be bodyguards to Hope Uzodimma rather than protectors of Imo civilians and the Nigerian police uniform has become synonymous with criminal intimidation, extrajudicial killings, repression of civil dissent, political thuggery and repressive tendencies. With the enormous resources ploughed into Imo by the federal government to contain insecurity and rid the State of the so-called unknown gunmen, Imo State has remained…
There is no Nigerian who has been following proceedings in the Presidential Election Petition Court in the past few weeks ago cannot reasonably conclude that Bola Tinubu lost woefully in the 25th February election, even the most ardent supporter of Tinubu and the APC would have become ashamed at the carelessness with which INEC manipulated the polls. The average Nigerian should also be embarrassed at how the man who sits atop the presidency of our country is being stripped bare before the world as an untrustworthy character, a mandate thief and a person with very unpleasant past, including accusations relating…
Peter Obi Did Not Deny Atiku The Presidency PDP members and leaders have continued with this theory about how Peter Obi was the singular factor that deny their candidate, Atiku Abubakar from emerging President. This narrative would have borne been ignored but the fact that many people, including Obidients are taking this from the wrong prism. For instance, a former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan and one of the spokespersons of the Atiku Abubakar 2023 campaign took this mischief one notch clearer by calling Peter Obi; “a saboteur who stopped Atiku from becoming President”. To put this in a better…
Uzodimma has played all the right politics, by Nigerian standard, that it would be a very job defeating him in the next election. We must tell ourselves this truth or delude ourselves. He has the FG in his grips. My analysis was that with Buhari’s departure, the Omuma magician’s powers and influence in the FG will significantly whittle down. But, trust Festacers, they are always one step ahead. His investment in becoming the Progressive Governors’ Forum chairman is a masterstroke. He will have almost an unfettered access to Aso Rock, and get many things go his way. But, Uzodimma is…
If Tinubu Falls Like Biden So, yesterday, my American friend who leans Republican and knows my unflinching sympathy for Democrats sent me the video of President Joe Biden tripping during an event at the Air Force Academy yesterday, with a message; “America’s Tinubu”. This friend of mine has always wondered and taken me up on the “hypocrisy” of my opposing Tinubu, while supporting Biden of America. For him, both men are one and the same and should both go home and rest. Well, my friend is wrong, and he is intelligent enough that he should have ordinarily not advanced such…
Yesterday, Nigeria was in Oguta Ameshi. The President of the Federal Republic might have been there if he wasn’t in faraway London, taking a “deserved rest” less than 18 days before he leaves office and expectedly go on a lifelong retirement. But, he was represented by Yemi Osibanjo, his man Friday and the poster boy of the most decadent and deceptive presidential tenure in Nigeria’s political history. The Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Navy Staff and some middle of the class officials from the military and civil service were all there. Among all the dignitaries that were at…
I sincerely sympathize with Senator Ike Ekweremadu and wouldn’t wish what he is currently passing through on my worse enemy. The former Deputy Senate President did what he could as a loving father to save his daughter’s life. Any responsible father would do the same. Sophia is a beautiful child of his youth, and no father would fold his hands and watch his child suffer or die when he has the resources and contacts to save the life of that child. I do not even judge Ekweremadu for trusting in a go-between who obviously took advantage of his desperation nor…
From interactions I have had with a good number of Imolites from across political divides, it is obvious that most people are not excited with the choices we are left with in the November governorship election. Most people I have interacted with believe that there is no major departure from the illegitimate incumbent with the two major options we are presented with. While I would always tell them that there is no comparison between an illegitimate candidate and others who are earnestly seeking legitimacy, I do not also completely lose sight of the correctness of their concerns. The immediate past…
One of the key strategies of despots and incompetent leaders all over the world is to present the people with a situation where they feel that they do not have a better option than the present. Most times, these despots do not make much efforts to present themselves as saintly or ideal leaders but they also let you think that you can’t get someone better than them, leaving you with no option but to either lose interest in the politics of your State or to accede to the dominance of tyrants. Uzodimma and the APC are promoting a political messaging…
Few days to the February 25th presidential election, a few people, without the authorisation or prior notice of members of the National Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide -Youth Wing went to Asaba to hold a purported Igbo Youths Town Hall meeting, in which they communicated in written form, a purported endorsement of the Atiku-Okowa ticket by Igbo youths. Following my public protests against what is apparently an anti-Igbo activity by an organisation that is meant to be a frontline advocate of Igbo interest, a colleague in the National Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide -Youth Wing made attempts to…
A key problem with Nigerian political leaders is not the absolute lack of vision but the very absence of patriotism. A very insignificant number of our political leaders care a hoot about the country or the constituency they represent. Very few patriots if any have ever found their way to leadership positions in this country. We have mostly had opportunists, gamblers, fraudsters and drug peddlers who latch on the easy pedals of political power to advance their diabolic schemes instead of as an avenue to serve the people or bring solutions to societal problems. Given Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s background as…
For Wole, my idol, it is a case of an elder who lost his comportment and had a bad slip. But, children who are wise should disagree him without necessarily demeaning his achievements. For those who read the Bible, you will remember the story of Noah and how he got drunk on a certain day and slept naked. One of his children saw him and made mockery of his situation, while another covered his nakedness. Of course, the one who covered his nakedness earned his love and his blessings. For people like us, we respect Wole to the point of…
Over the last few weeks, there has been pressure on me from several quarters to openly align with one or another of the many gubernatorial aspirants on the Labour Party platform and I have deliberately parried that temptation, preferring instead to wait until the Party concludes her primaries. One has to understand that the political situation in Imo State is precarious, and more than mere political interests should be contemplated before throwing your support to anyone. Being the only viable alternative vehicle that can produce a governor of the people, major stakeholders, partisans and patriots must be circumspect in their…