Author: Garba Shehu

The pedagogy of what Lai Mohammed is doing is that it teaches Nigerian politicians to practice politics by the power of the word. When you see what they are doing in the British Parliament you will notice that there is a tradition there of debate powered by eloquence and the choice of words

In some media houses, they softly whisper into your ears to spare a particular government, an institution, a politician or ask that you write a good aphrodisiac for a big man in cahoots with the owner. In its heydays, the Zik Press Enterprises published nearly a dozen newspapers scattered across the length and breadth of this big country and in all cases, they allowed each publication to take account of the local political climate and run purely as a business

In a recent episode published as an interview he is yet to retract, he reminded Nigerians that our democracy is a hand-out by the kind grace of the President whom he said we are lucky to have. This President, he thundered, “has the power of life and death” but that because he is a good man, he uses only 40 per cent of those powers

If the scale and intensity of the public condemnation of this pardon, at home and abroad is anything to go by, the silliness of this decision can only compare in political terms to the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa by the late General Sani Abacha regime

This is a nation (do we really say we are a nation?) or collection of men and women who lose not less than 50 lives in road accidents, ethno-religious violence, robbery, banditry or pipeline fires each week. No inquest takes place. Sometimes public statements are made but this is not always the case

My opinion is that this brutal, disturbing and distressing action by the NBC is uncalled for, and clearly manifests a medieval-era mindset in the regulatory organization

To save us from further deterioration, this country needs to do a lot of introspection, and make the necessary choice of focusing on the character of those that wish to lead us from top to bottom as can be inferred from Chief Akinjide

That this enormously enriching book written to address a concurrent problem has come out of the ABU Press is a major achievement and a contribution to the advancement of the discussion on democracy, violent conflicts, federalism, political leadership and corruption in the context of the country’s effort at democratization

For quite some time, the Nigerian courts have inherited and continued to dispense, willy-nilly a justice system that is skewed in favour of VIPs. Ordinary citizens on the other hand continue to groan under it, their weariness growing with each incident.

There is also a lot of concern that the country’s intelligence is porous, decrepit, shallow and ill-equipped to deal with these challenges. But the major answer to these kinds of acts is community vigilance as done in the United States and Europe

Senator Mohammed’s action amounts to saying that now that we have been reelected for second and final term (?) the Jonathan Government can best serve the people by keeping a safe distance from them so that government can concentrate on its business

The failure to give justice is an invitation to anarchy. Here, we have a party which leadership is unafraid of authority including and in particular the courts of law, which is a sure recipe for anarchy. But the party’s biggest undoing as we are witnessing today, is the scramble for offices in the 2015 elections, which has pitted the PDP state governors against an ambitious President

What is he going to tell Nigerians that he has accomplished and for which they should hand the country to him for another four years?

The governor must be seen to be haughty, even imperious. He is authoritative, even authoritarian; decisive, even ruthless and strong, even invincible. These are the ingredients of cult personality. Some governors, as you move around the country, are manifesting a form of endowment with muscular virtues. Didn’t Governor Ikedi Ohakim beat a journalist and at another time a priest inside the State House?

Anybody still in doubt about the fact that there was a motive to discredit the performing Governor of Jigawa State should go back to the statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and read it one more time. Apart from hinting that the young man was on a money-laundering mission for his father, it gave a further impression that the boy had been doing several trips overseas on money laundering on behalf of the governor

A perceptible federal government should read the writing on the wall by ending this expensive jolly ride and refocusing the nation on the basic issues of security, the right to life and infrastructure. This constitution amendment has only succeeded in driving the country further apart.

Jonathan does not personally suffer Boko Haram neither does Diezani Allison-Maduekwe, both of whom are in the news for the perfidy in the oil industry. After six or 10 years that he apparently aspires to do, Dr. Jonathan will one day leave office. The one who takes over from him, a Northerner or whoever it is, would not like to spend his four or eight years fixing Jonathan’s de-development of the nation

One is not, however, sure if many Nigerians would agree with the President that the strategy he announced is actually working according to plan. The “success” story announced by the President may have stemmed from the briefings he had received from his officials and state governments

I respect General Buhari’s decision not to represent the Boko Haram. That however does not make it the right decision on the matter. I don’t read crystal balls. But this unwise decision will return to hurt Buhari as leader and politician as did an earlier mistake he made in reaction to a false and malicious news report

If oil at USD150 did not deliver food, water and basic infrastructure to the teeming masses, what benefit do the ordinary people expect to get with oil at USD75 or USD80? Does it make sense to anybody at this time that both parliament and the executive get engrossed in a shouting match on whether oil is sold for USD75, USD78 or USD80 dollars when the proceeds of sale are lost, squandered, frittered, pocketed or remain unpaid with the oil majors?