ADC: As Tinubu’s cat readies to eat a poisonous toad

By Festus Adedayo

Pre- and post-colonial Yoruba society curated allegories that helped tame greed for power by potential emperors. It also dealt with tendencies within the society to play God. Some anecdotes warned a potential emperor from treading the path of ruination, both for them and society. One of such was that of a young wretched fisherman (Ap’ejalódò). I once told the story in my piece with the title Tinubu the Ap’ejalódò and His Strange Fish Friend (September 16, 2018).

At this time, the lord of Lagos, Bola Tinubu, had sworn to do away with his protege, Akinwunmi Ambode, as governor. The piece warned that Tinubu would encounter maggots inside his salt if he did. But, like a bettor who loses his bet, that projection lost its hit. Tinubu not only removed Ambode, fate went ahead to make him president of Nigeria. As I brooded over this off-target shot, I am reminded of the child who, seeking to make falsity of the power of the god residing inside an Iroko tree, pelted the tree with stones. Momentarily afraid, he then looked backwards to see if the tree god would indeed harm him. As he gloated on the perceived effete power of the Iroko god, elders remind us that the retaliation of the Iroko tree god is never instant.

Political events in Nigeria, especially in the last one week, make the need to retell the Ap’ejalódò story compelling. Set in an African village, it revolves round a young fisherman ravaged by palpable failure. Even his fishing trade proved incapable of rescuing him from years of pangs of lack. One day, as he thrust his fishing hook into the river, it caught one of the largest fish he had ever seen. Excited, Ap’ejalódó pulled his awesome catch up the river bank. He then yanked it off the hook. As he attempted to carry it into the basket, the fish began to speak like a human being. Ap’ejalódò was at first afraid but he eventually pulled himself together and listened to the sermon of the strange fish. Singing, “ap’ejalódò, yé mo dé, jà lò lò, ja ló ló…” (Fisherman, here I come…), the fish pleaded to be rescued by the fisherman. It promised that if he spared its life, in lieu of this rescue, he should ask for whatever he wanted in life. Excited, Ap’ejalódò lets it off the hook, having asked for wealth. Truly, by the time he got home, the ragged clothes on him and his wife had become very costly damask agbádá and àrán respectively. His wretched hut had also transformed into a big mansion, and both husband and wife subsequently lived a life of unimaginable splendour.

After a few years, and the couple still being barren, the wife entreated Ap’ejalódò to go fishing again and ask his fish friend to rescue them from this social shame. As he thrust his hook into the river, it caught the strange fish again and the earlier process was repeated. This time, he asked for a child and the strange fish granted it. Over the years, Ap’ejalódò magisterially summoned his fish friend through the same process and the fish kept bailing the couple out. Then one day, as Ap’ejalódò and wife were waking up from their magnificent bed, a blinding and intruding ray of the sun Yoruba call “Ìtànsán oòrùn” meandered into their bedroom. Enraged, Mrs. Ap’ejalódò couldn’t understand the audacity of the Sun. Couldn’t it respect the privacy and majesty of the richest couple in the land? She angrily summoned Ap’ejalódò to go meet his fish friend and ask that they be given the power to control the Sun and other impertinent celestial forces.

Off Ap’ejalódò went to the river bank, thrust his fishing hook into the river and again invoked the strange fish. And Ap’ejalódò made his plea. The fish was peeved by the fisherman’s greed and audacity: “You were nobody; I made you somebody and you now have everything at your beck and call. Yet, you want to compete with God in majesty and you will not allow even a common Sun to shine and perform the illuminative assignment God gave it to perform on earth!” The fish angrily stormed back into the river and as Ap’ejalódò, downcast, walked back home, his old torn and wretched dress suddenly came back on him, his mansion transformed into the hut of the past and the couple’s latter wretchedness was more striking than the one of yore.

Though aware that folklores and tales by moonlight were largely untrue, Africa believed in the power of their messages. Its cosmology was governed by anecdotes, lores and mores which prescribed moral codes. They helped to shape the moral man. For centuries, those farcical narratives strengthened the people’s moral forte. So also did traditional African songs. Stories of petty thieves who came to ghastly ends were told by the elderly, sometimes couched in songs. They were rendered to children even in their infancy and helped to navigate future leaders from the path of crime.

For instance, the destructive end of greed was foretold in folklores of pre-colonial Yoruba society. The emblematic story of Tortoise and the scalding hot porridge on the fire he stole did the magic. Tortoise then covertly put the hot porridge on his head and capped it. This, in the moral of the story, burnt his scalp so mortally that, till today, Tortoise remains bald. Almost since I was weaned from diapers, my mother sang a grim song that seared my flesh, till today. It centers on the ultimate end of an armed robber. Post-independence Nigeria of my growing up years had witnessed a huge surge in robbery borne of the stampede for petro-dollars. So, my mother sang, in our native Akure dialect, “In m’ehin re t’okun, omo k’e sa’re moto k’o binrin-binrin dana o…” – Tie his back to the stake to face the lagoon, the child who, in hot pursuit to own an automobile, chose robbery as trade…

From the way he fiddles with power today, it will be difficult to determine who, between God and President Tinubu, wields greater authority and majesty. Give it to him, Tinubu worships power, more than any politician this country has ever known. He cuddles it like a mother her baby. Unlike Fuji music legend, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, who counseled that the one in possession of that core Yoruba cultural virtue of patience, tolerance or forebearance called Sùúrù, has everything, to Tinubu, he who has power has everything. Tinubu is impatient with political laggards. Nigerians now complaining that he has a totalitarian conception of power are not being fair to Seyi’s father. We were forewarned that our farm was infested with the striped ground squirrel and yet went ahead to plant its meal, groundnuts, on it. Before coming to power, Tinubu articulated his totalistic understanding of power. He said, “At all cost, fight for it, grab it, snatch it and run with it”. He is meticulously strategic about grabbing and sustaining the levers of power.

Those who hyped Tinubu as a democrat must have found out that they suffered premature sense of judgement, like one who heard the noise of thunderstorm, assuming it signified an impending rain, poured water inside their pitcher away. Tinubu has a morbid fear of rejection and competition. He is at best an autocratic, absolute monarch, a fief in a personal rule.

My people believe in the philosophical chain of cause and effect. Nothing happens in isolation. In tracing the foundation of a pestilence, they ask that it should be looked at from its fundament, represented as, “Ẹ jẹ k’á ti ibi ìṣáná kí’yè sóògùn”. Did Tinubu the totalitarian just happen on us? How has he run Lagos since 1999? Was this not the same man who, jettisoning the voice of the entirety of the Lagos parliament who wanted a political wastrel in leadership garb out of a seat, single-handedly brought the fellow back? Whatever political monster we have on our hands today is a product of our political hubris. We are all complicit.

Tinubu has held Lagos together in the last 26 years by an unseen iron fist of a totalitarian, a cultic abidance by torturing rules and ascendancy of the interest of the Capon. Deviance is met by financial, social and political ostracism and extinguishing. Until 2023 when the will of the Leviathan was rudely subverted at the presidential polls, no political party dared to peer light into the darkened eyes of the Lion, king of the jungle, the “Kìnìhún Olóólà Ijù”. He purchased resistance with the most costly of ornaments, muffled voices of dissent and stomped on with his feet, like a matador, persons he forbids.

Take it or leave it: Tinubu is a maximalist and an absolutist; no middle of the road suffices for him. If his rattlesnake embarks on a journey, no cog is strong enough to halt its strike. He is however very strategic and clear-minded. He studied Nigeria and Nigerians very meticulously and has their password at his finger-tip. From the moment he was sworn in in 2023, he began strategizing for 2027. The walls of political parties are not collapsing by happenstance. Tinubu already drew the template of their collapse. Like they do in the underworld to suborn allegiance, Tinubu buys favour. He shopped for and got the crusty poo-poo of erstwhile opposition governors as they sat on power swing chairs. With this, their balls rotated firmly in his grips. He only needed to flash the smelly excrement in their faces. The gluttons of cash among them, he lured with monies enough to get them bend over backwards awkwardly.

In the Tinubu lexicon, conscription of minds must be total. Having totally conscripted the legislature, funneling indescribably huge cash to manacle their feet, he proceeded to the judiciary. His lickspittle, vested with holding down the PDP, would proceed to do the job, directly taken from his own playbook. Mansions sprung up in the federal capital to whet judicial palates. The gavel lost its weight. Justice, like salt that lost its savour, became mere flaking dust.

Tinubu must have carefully studied Bola Ige’s concept of five fingers of a leprous hand. When fingers of a hand are leprous, no matter the health of the hand hoisting them, they are dead in deed. Having carefully observed how Gen Sani Abacha conscripted and castrated the five political parties he created, preparatory to his transmutation into a life president, Ige saw no good ahead of the parties. Tinubu is presiding over same leprous fingers. Having been an opposition leader himself, he knows that inordinate ambition, internal wranglings and disaffection are the bane of Nigeria’s political opposition. He then capitalized on them. Few months to the elections, it is a done deal. PDP is totally held down by the man who unabashedly admitted that he could shoot a journalist without a trifle. APGA is already in the pouch. Labour Party is almost totally destroyed by presidential agent provocateurs. Rabiu Kwankwaso’s erstwhile NNPP is riven by irreconciliable strife. Even Seriake Dickson’s NDC has been infiltrated by presidency bugs. They have begun to sow tares of discord in its field. Forget the claim that Tinubu had no hand in those parties’ travails. It is bunkum.

In all these disaggregation assignments, the presidency’s hands are invisible and its voice inaudible. He is the one Juju music legend, Ebenezer Obey, seemed to be describing when he sang about one who pounds the yam of evil but whose pestle and mortar utter no single sound (agún’bàjé ò l’ódó).

When we shouted from the rooftop that Tinubu’s main 2027 goal was a one-party state, we were called names. Last week’s INEC derecognition of the leadership of the African Democratic Congress, (ADC) the only viable opposition carcass left, blew the feathers off the hen’s rump. Don’t mind Joash Amupitan and his marine tale. Though he is a law professor, he is a theatre man. He is trapped right inside the vortex of the one-party conundrum. The de-recognition has one part resembling a groundnut seed and the other a bean seed. Anyone who knows the no-captive politics of Tinubu would see both seeds as maturation of his politics. He dreads fair democratic contestation. He gets his “victory” through the muzzling of brawns and sweet-smelling scent of cash that purchases consciences. This is autocracy simplicita.

Many ignoramuses do not see political and national calamity ahead. What they see are “agents behind June 12 annulment” whose gang-up has been annulled by INEC. They do not know that democracy is a vehicle for saints and sinners alike. It is only the electorate that is permitted to sieve the wheats from the chaffs on election day. In any case, are they unaware of trending claims that, even at some point, the man who claims to have suffered for democracy in Aso Rock today, at one time was in dalliance with Abacha?

As laid-back and docile as Nigerians are, they cannot countenance autocracy. Methinks Tinubu’s bid to be the sole presidential candidate in 2027 is good for the health and development of our democracy. We need to do away with ants-laden faggots on our way to the castle of democracy. I remember the Yoruba poetry we read in primary school those days called the Alawiye series. One of the poems in it runs thus: The creation that will spark trouble/If you attempt to stop them, they will be deaf to entreaties/As Ekulu, rat of the savannah, when given power to eat plenty of meadows, becomes so fat that he threatens Ira, a bigger, big-chested animal/Even the cricket, powerfully drunk, attempts to tear its own belly. The poem’s original Yoruba version is rendered thus: “Èdá tí yíó bá fà ’jògbòn/Bí a bá dáa lékun, sé kò níí gbó/Ohun tí ó fé se níí káa l’ára/Ààyè gb’èkùlù òdàn, ó fé nípon l’áyà bí ìrà/Olówó jeun yó tán, ó ńwá ikú kiri/ìrè yó tán, ó bé ara rè níkùn.”

Like the Èkùlù Òdàn, a hitherto small-size rat, absolute power opportunity of a fertile land is making Tinubu attempt the imponderable. Nigeria has never gone into a presidential election with a single candidate. We may, in January 2027. Our forefathers warned that he who does what nobody ever did would see what nobody ever saw. Like the dog that is fated to get lost which must turn deaf ear to the hunter’s whistle, our president will not listen to words of wisdom. In the ADC, his cobra has swallowed a porcupine. Its spines will burst its entrails.

In our very before, we are seeing a replay of the Ap’ejalódò allegory. From a very humble and challenged beginning, a travailed youth and turbulence of an early political journey, the fish god made our Aso Rock Ap’ejalódò Nigeria’s No 1 Citizen, in spite of his myriad foibles. Yet, upon waking up from his magnificent bed, seeing an intruding blinding ADC ray meandering into his bedroom, Nigeria’s Ap’ejalódò is enraged. Couldn’t the Sun respect the privacy and majesty of the most powerful man in Nigeria?

Now, Tinubu is by the river bank, his fishing hook held firmly in his hands. He is about telling the fish god to yank the ADC ray from shining alongside his. The cat is about to eat the poisonous meat of the toad.

Father cancels daughter’s wedding over groom’s pro-Tinubu posts

A cleric in Jigawa State has stirred nationwide debate after calling off his daughter’s wedding just hours before the ceremony — not over misconduct or family dispute, but over the groom’s open support for Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s anticipated 2027 re-election bid.

Malam Sani, a respected community figure from Yalwawa in Dutse, withdrew his consent barely a day to the April 3, 2026 wedding after discovering that the prospective groom had been consistently posting photos of Tinubu on social media, accompanied by confident predictions of the president’s victory in the next general election.

Sources within the community said preparations had been concluded and guests were already expected when the cleric made his decision, throwing both families into confusion.

When elders and intermediaries moved in to salvage the situation, Malam Sani reportedly stood his ground. While admitting the young man had no personal flaws, he insisted that his political stance revealed deeper concerns.

According to those present at the mediation, the cleric described the groom’s persistent pro-Tinubu advocacy as a sign of “lack of compassion and lack of faith,” declaring that he could not entrust his daughter to someone with such convictions.

The abrupt cancellation left the groom’s family stunned, with little room to respond or reverse the decision.

The unusual development quickly spilled onto social media after it was shared by a popular account, “Uncle Musa,” triggering widespread reactions across Nigeria’s online space.

GWG.ng

Nigerian footballer/team captain dies in auto crash

Kun Khalifat FC, Owerri, Imo State, has announced the death of its former captain, Chijioke Ekpemandu, who reportedly died in a road accident on Saturday, April 4, 2026.

The announcement was contained in a statement signed by the club’s Media Officer, Ambassador Ezinwa Saviola Godwin.

“It is with deep regret, sadness, and a heavy heart that Kun Khalifat FC of Owerri announces the passing of our former captain; a brother, leader, and legend, Chijioke Ekpemandu, who died in a road accident.

“We are heartbroken by this loss. Until his death on Saturday, April 4, 2026, he served as our Team Manager.

“Chijioke was a true leader on and off the pitch. His leadership, dedication and passion for the club will never be forgotten. He gave his all to this club and inspired everyone around him,” the statement read.

The club expressed its deepest condolences to his family, friends and all who knew him, noting that their thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones during this difficult time.

Kun Khalifat FC also prayed for the peaceful repose of his soul, pledging that his legacy and contributions to the club will never be forgotten. Freedom.

Obi at Easter, preaches expectations after Good Friday sorrow

The African Democratic Congress ADC Presidential frontrunner and the Labour Party’s 2023 Presidential flagbearer Peter Obi has urged Nigerians at Easter to be very hopeful of an Alleluya Sunday after the Good Friday sorrow.

Writing in his X handle the former Anambra state Governor said in his Easter message to Nigeria christians, “As you commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ amid severe hardships, I urge you to remain hopeful bearing in mind that “Good Friday must come before Easter Sunday.”

“At Easter, I sincerely share with you the weight of the economic burden on families, even as I encourage you not to lose heart. Let us see our current struggles as a temporary “cross” that we must bear before our nation can experience a political and economic rebirth.

“Our dear country is bedevilled by poor leadership, leading to a period of intense suffering—symbolised by the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. However, the possibility of a “New Nigeria” (the resurrection) still exists through our resilience and better governance especially as our

Redeemer lives and assures us that a New Nigeria is possible.” We are very hopeful that even though the road to Alleluia may be rough and challenging, we believe it must arrive by 2027 by the grace oc God. Happy Easter.

Insecurity: Archbishop Martins demands urgent action

Nigeria’s political leadership must move beyond incremental responses and confront the nation’s deepening security and economic crises with urgency and clarity, the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Adewale Martins, said on Thursday. Delivering a pointed message at the annual Chrism Mass held at the Holy Cross Cathedral Lagos, Martins acknowledged government efforts but stressed that the scale and persistence of hardship across the country demand faster, more decisive intervention to restore public confidence and stability.

The Chrism Mass, a cornerstone of the Catholic liturgical calendar, brought together hundreds of priests and worshippers in a solemn yet reflective gathering marking the institution of the priesthood and the Eucharist. Central to the ceremony was the blessing of sacred oils and the renewal of priestly vows—rituals that underscore service, sacrifice and spiritual accountability. Martins used the occasion to draw a parallel between national leadership and spiritual stewardship, urging those in authority to prioritise the protection of lives and the alleviation of economic distress. He further warned clergy against the subtle distractions of digital culture, cautioning that while social media offers a platform for evangelisation, it must not erode discipline or shift focus from the Church’s core mission.

In a complementary homily, Rev. Fr. Paul Akin-Otiko called for renewed spiritual depth among clergy, emphasising that the consecrated oils symbolise divine healing and service rather than ritual formality. He urged priests to remain selfless and resist any temptation to commercialise their calling, stressing that their duty lies in the care of souls and the moral guidance of society. The ceremony also featured tributes led by Monsignor John Aniagwu in honour of Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, whose legacy of leadership continues to shape the Lagos Archdiocese. As hymns of thanksgiving closed the service, the message resonated beyond the cathedral walls: in both governance and faith, integrity, responsibility and urgency remain indispensable.

2027: ADC establishes special representative-networks in key global capitals

As the 2027 general election inches closer, The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has announced the establishment of an ADC Special Representatives Network in key foreign capitals as part of a new initiative to strengthen the party’s international engagement and promote democratic accountability in Nigeria.

The initiative, according a statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi on Saturday, comes in response to the growing pattern of undemocratic practices and attacks on opposition members and leaders that have persisted since July 2025, including attempts to destabilize opposition parties, undermine legitimate party leadership structures, and restrict democratic political participation.

According to the party, “the primary objective of the initiative is to ensure that international partners and democratic institutions receive balanced and credible information about Nigeria’s political environment, rather than relying solely on official government narratives”.

The party announced that “the Special Representatives Network is designed to create structured channels of communication between the ADC and influential international stakeholders, particularly in countries and institutions that prioritize democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

“Under the initiative, the party will appoint credible representatives as envoys in strategically selected global capitals. These representatives will serve as official points of contact between the ADC and international actors including foreign governments, parliamentary committees, international media organizations, democracy support institutions, and Nigerian diaspora communities”.

The statement went further to state that “through these engagements, the representatives will provide regular briefings on key issues relating to Nigeria’s political environment, including political developments in the country, human rights concerns, democratic governance, electoral integrity, and allegations of repression against opposition actors. They will also communicate the ADC’s policy positions and reform proposals to international stakeholders”.

The ADC stated that by institutionalizing these channels of engagement, the party seeks to strengthen its credibility as a responsible democratic actor while also reinforcing its position as a viable governing alternative committed to democratic norms and constitutional governance.

Based on their global influence, commitment to democratic governance, and the presence of significant Nigerian diaspora communities, the party has identified Washington, DC; London; Brussels; Berlin; Ottawa; Paris; Pretoria; Addis Ababa; Nairobi; Accra; Geneva; and New York for its international strategic engagements.

As part of the initiative, the party will also establish a National Documentation Initiative, to systematically collect and document incidents affecting political participation across Nigeria. Under this system, state party structures will gather information on incidents including threats, harassment, violent attacks, arbitrary arrests, and disruptions of political activities.

ADC emphasized that the initiative represents a strategic step toward strengthening its international presence, improving the flow of credible information about political developments in Nigeria, and reinforcing its commitment to democratic governance, political accountability, and the protection of opposition rights. Authority.

TCN refutes inaccurate capacity figures cited in PHEDC Social Media post

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said it has noted with concern a social media post published on Thursday by the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), stating that TCN’s transmission wheeling capacity stands at 7,300MW, with an operational capacity of between 4,000MW and 5,000MW.

A statement on Friday by Ndidi Mbah, General Manager (GM), Public Affairs of TCN said the figures were “intentionally inaccurate information.”

Said the statement, “ First, it’s important to note that the daily output on the national grid is a function of what the DisCos nominate, what the GenCos declare they can generate, and what TCN declares it can wheel. There is a penalty against any of these three players if they fail to meet what they declared.

“The question is: “Do the DisCos nominate beyond 4,000MW to 5,000MW?” This is a question for Port Harcourt DisCo to verify before making distracting publications. Every day–ahead, the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) looks at what each player declares and tries to strike a balance, which is what is then generated, transmitted, and distributed.”

On TCN’s Verified Transmission Wheeling Capacity, Mbah said: “The fact is that 8,700MW is the simulated capacity by the Independent System Operator (ISO) when it was still part of TCN. Through sustained, capital-intensive infrastructure investments, including transformer installations, substation construction, and transmission line reconductoring, among others, TCN has progressively expanded its wheeling capacity to a verified 8,700MW. This figure is a matter of public record and reflects TCN’s ongoing commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s grid infrastructure. 7,300MW cited by PHEDC is outdated and no longer representative of TCN’s current capacity. In fact, with several completed and ongoing projects since the last simulation, a new simulation would certainly show increased capacity.

“Operational Milestones Contradict the 4,000–5,000MW Claim

“Recent, verifiable sector-wide records directly contradict the assertion that TCN can only transmit between 4,000MW and 5,000MW operationally. The Nigerian power sector has, in the first quarter of 2025 alone, achieved three successive peak generation milestones, all of which were successfully transmitted by TCN:

March 4, 2025: Peak generation of 5,801.84MW at 49.69Hz frequency, with a maximum daily energy dispatch of 128,370.75MWh — the highest peak generation and maximum daily energy ever attained in Nigeria’s power sector history. TCN successfully transmitted this entire output to Distribution Companies (DisCos) during peak hours.
March 2, 2025: Peak generation of 5,713.60MW and maximum daily energy of 125,542.06MWh, efficiently transmitted by TCN to all distribution load centres.
February 14, 2025: Peak generation of 5,543.20MW and maximum daily energy of 125,159.48MWh, also successfully wheeled to DisCos by TCN.

“These figures,” she further said “independently documented and publicly verifiable, speak for themselves.

“A Call for Accuracy in Power Sector CommunicationTCN acknowledges that Nigeria’s electricity value chain from gas supply through generation, transmission, and distribution to end users is deeply interconnected, and that each stakeholder has a responsibility to communicate accurately about their role alone and where they need to communicate about others, must take steps to verify information before releasing to the public.

“Misinformation, however unintentional, undermines public trust, misrepresents sector progress, and may negatively influence policy conversations and investment decisions.

“TCN, therefore, calls on all stakeholders to verify information not domiciled with them before publication to ensure their communications accurately reflect the current state of grid infrastructure. TCN remains committed to transparency, collaboration, and the continued growth of Nigeria’s power sector.

“Enquiries or requests for clarification on TCN’s current wheeling capacity, infrastructure data, or operational records may be directed to the TCN Public Affairs Division,” the GM stated.

Easter: IGP deploys Special Forces, 250 tactical personnel to secure Benue

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Disu has deployed 14 units of specialised forces and 250 tactical personnel to reinforce the Benue Police Command.

DSP Edet Udeme, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, made the disclosure in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday in Makurdi.

Udeme explained that the 14 units were drawn from 16 Police Mobile Force (PMF) squadrons, while the 250 personnel were from specialised tactical teams.

The PPRO said the strategic deployment was aimed at strengthening ongoing security operations and ensuring the protection of lives and property across the state during the festive period.

She said the deployed personnel have been integrated with the command’s tactical teams and other security agencies, with a focus on dominating the hinterlands, vulnerable communities, and key public spaces.

She stated that the Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, has commended the IGP for the timely reinforcement.

Emenari also assured residents of the Command’s readiness to maintain law and order before, during, and after the Easter festivities.

The CP urged citizens to remain vigilant and law-abiding and to cooperate with security agencies by providing timely and useful information.

The CP further encouraged members of the public to report any suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police formation. Newspot.

2027: Falana, Adams predict one-candidate presidential poll

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, and the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, on Thursday, warned that Nigeria could end up having only one presidential candidate in the 2027 election if the judiciary continues to interfere in political party affairs.

They spoke at the fifth Comrade Yinka Odumakin Memorial Lecture held at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

The event had in attendance the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero; activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore; and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olumide Fusika.

It was hosted by the President of the Oluyinka Odumakin Foundation, Dr Joe Odumakin, and was also attended by the Executive Director of the International Press Centre, Mr Lanre Arogundade; other activists, including Agba Jalingo and Richard Akinola.

Delivering the memorial lecture, Falana asserted that court orders and conflicting judgments were being used to destabilise political parties and could lead to a situation where only one political party would present a presidential candidate in the 2027 election.

He spoke against the backdrop of Wednesday’s pronouncement of the Independent National Electoral Commission that it would no longer recognise the factions of the African Democratic Congress led by David Mark or Rafiu Bala.

The INEC based its decision on a Court of Appeal judgment, which directed the commission to maintain the status quo pending the determination of a suit challenging the legality of David Mark’s leadership of the opposition party.

Speaking, Falana criticised the judiciary for interfering in the internal affairs of political parties despite provisions of the Electoral Act prohibiting such interference.

Falana said, “Through the manipulation of Nigerian courts and senior lawyers, you may have only one candidate contesting the presidential election in this country.

If that happens, Nigeria may not even need to spend money on a presidential election.”

Falana warned that actions capable of undermining democracy could provoke unrest if Nigerians felt they no longer had a genuine electoral choice.

He urged civil society groups, labour unions and political activists to organise and defend democratic values, warning that unorganised protests could lead to anarchy rather than meaningful change.

“We must stop agonising and start organising in the interest of our people and democracy,” he said.

Speaking in the same vein, Adams warned that Nigeria was gradually drifting towards a one-party system, accusing those in power of using the judiciary to suppress opposition parties and the will of the people.

According to him, Nigeria operated more like a federal system in the First Republic when regions controlled the police, courts and local governments, but the 1999 Constitution returned the country to a unitary system with more items on the Exclusive Legislative List.

He said, “In 1963, there were about 45 items on the Exclusive List, but today we have about 68 items. Practically everything is controlled by Abuja. What we have now is more of a unitary system than a federal system.”

Falana explained that some powers had been taken from the Federal Government through court cases filed by states, particularly on issues such as local government administration, Value Added Tax, and control of land.

He noted that despite the agitation for restructuring, many state governments had failed to utilise the powers already granted to them, especially in areas like electricity generation, railways and prisons, which were moved from the Exclusive List.

He said, “Some of those who shout restructuring don’t believe in it. Electricity, railways and prisons were removed from the Exclusive List, but how many states have generated electricity, built rail lines or established prisons? None.”

Speaking on the debate over state police, Falana warned that the system could be abused by state governors to suppress political opponents, citing abuses recorded during the First Republic when regional governments controlled the police.

He said the Police Council, which includes the President, Inspector-General of Police, Chairman of the Police Service Commission and state governors, was supposed to manage the Federal Police collectively, but the body hardly met, leaving policing effectively in the hands of the President.

Falana also criticised the political class for cornering the country’s resources, especially oil blocks and solid minerals, alleging that a few individuals had become extremely wealthy through government allocations of oil blocks and mining licences.

He said illegal mining and smuggling of minerals were also contributing to insecurity in some parts of the country, as unemployed youths were being recruited into illegal mining operations and criminal activities.

Fusika (SAN) warned that the nation was approaching a dangerous end, especially with pervasive insecurity.

He, however, rallied all Nigerians to unite to tackle the issues facing the country.

Human rights activist Akinola decried what he described as the “incestuous relationship” between the executive and the judiciary.

“Politicians have hijacked the judiciary, and it is dangerous,” he said.

Speaking, NLC President Ajaero argued that Nigeria has been hijacked by a few persons benefitting from the present centralised structure.

He spoke in favour of restructuring, devolution of powers, localising resources to decouple the present centralised structure and state police.

On calls for revolution, Ajaero warned that such a move must be organised so that it does not lead to anarchy.

In his remarks, Sowore opined that the President Bola Tinubu administration was driving Nigerians to push for a revolution.

Sowore said, “These are revolutionary times if we take advantage of them. I predicted, when President Bola Tinubu came to power, that he was the one who would lead us to a revolution in Nigeria. It is up to the Nigerian people to take charge of the moment and the opportunity he has provided for the revolution.

“Tinubu is on a highway driving you to a revolution, and you still have not got the message. But he will make it happen because this country cannot escape a revolution.

“Tinubu’s most important duty as President is to drive this country in a revolutionary direction where he, the rest of his colleagues, ministers, and friends will be strangers to the system that they think they brought about, where they think everybody is foolish and in need of handouts. Franktalknow.

Nkeiruka Onyejeocha resigns as Minister of State for Labour

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, has formally resigned from her position, describing the end of her tenure as the closing of “a significant chapter” in her public service career.

In a statement on her social media on Friday, Onyejeocha thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the opportunity to serve under his administration, praising his “trust, support, and visionary leadership.”

“Working under your Renewed Hope Agenda has been an honor and privilege. Thank you for believing in my capacity to contribute to nation-building,” she said.

Onyejeocha also expressed appreciation to the leadership and staff of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, highlighting their role in advancing policies that protect workers’ rights, promote workplace safety, and expand employment opportunities.

She acknowledged her constituents in Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, noting that their support and prayers had been a source of strength throughout her tenure.

“Serving Nigeria has been the greatest privilege of my life. As one chapter closes, another opens. I remain committed to service, to progress, and to building the Nigeria we all deserve,” Onyejeocha stated. Franktalknow,