Politics
Tinubu will never resign, it’ll spell doom, worse than June 12, Abiola’s son
Alhaji Jamiu Abiola, son of the late Chief MKO Abiola and Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties, Office of the Vice-President, speaks about his job, his late father and the controversy surrounding the academic records tasks vary from time to time. But the summary is that I’m saddled with the responsibility of liaising on behalf of the Office of the Vice-President with relevant stakeholders in government or the society in general when there is an issue that needs to be resolved, monitored or sustained in the interest of the country. Apart from having the willingness to serve this transformational administration, I’m also naturally interested in a democracy, for which my parents (MKO and Kudirat) died, and I am lucky to be doing so under the leadership of a man who also sacrificed all he had for the June 12 struggle and risked his life. A key part of my functions also includes getting more Nigerians positively engaged with the policies of this government, because contrary to what many people assume, the success of any administration is largely dependent on the positive input of as many citizens as possible.
The problems have always been known, isn’t that why the President promised Renewed Hope?
A major problem with leading a country as complex as Nigeria, with over 250 tribes and 500 languages, is that when you take over government from one administration, you inherit so many assets and liabilities. In some cases, the liabilities are much more than the assets. Across different sectors, this government inherited so many liabilities from previous administrations. What keeps me optimistic is that this government knows its priorities and that is why security of lives and providing jobs for the youths are at the very top of the Renewed Hope manifesto. The Tinubu/Shettima administration is wise enough to establish a connection between catering for the youths and security because it knows that without the youths being positively engaged, given that they constitute 65 per cent of our country’s population, there is no way our country can be secure. I know things are tough but during campaigns the President had made it clear that turning things around would not be easy at all. He was honest with everyone. He even said he would remove petrol subsidy, which was bound to cost him votes, but honesty has always been his policy. He needs divine support to succeed and I believe God will give him that divine support. With that, I have no doubt that this government will deliver on its manifesto and the President’s name will be written in gold.
Many Nigerians seem to be losing hope because of hardship and such persons will question the kind of hope that seems to be plunging them into hardship. What would you say to that?
I don’t think many people are losing hope and if some people are, here are a few questions they should ask themselves: Have Nigerians had a government that proposed student loans; a government that is ready to provide so much direct financial support to the poor at the grassroots, or a sitting president who fought for them to have a democracy? Have Nigerians ever had a government in which many young people are serving as ministers? I can go on and on. These are positive signs for a government that is just four months old. Another thing many people might have missed is that our President has proven that he knows that only God is above mistakes. That is why he has amended some of his policies based on feedback. The sky is our limit with a leader like that.
Many people seem to be looking beyond optimism to assess the government based on current realities. What do you say to that?
I returned to Nigeria in 1998 and I lived in Lagos, so I have a good idea of how things were in Lagos before President Tinubu became a governor then. To cut a long story short, Lagos was messed up because it had been abandoned by the Federal Government, to a large extent. Yet, people were coming from different places to Lagos at an alarming rate and in pursuit of their dreams. Some of those who came were even criminals. Senator Tinubu had just returned from exile with fresh ideas and was determined to make a difference. He won the governorship election, and due to the paucity of funds to execute the projects Lagos needed, he needed to think outside the box. Don’t forget he faced a hostile Federal Government. I jettisoned the idea of going back to the United States and decided to face things here because of Governor Tinubu’s bold policies. My friends in New York thought I had lost my mind but here I am with no regrets 24 years later. Look at his deputy, Vice-President Kashim Shettima; even though Boko Haram has been ravaging his state of Borno and took over local governments, he remained focused and turned out to be one of the best governors in northern Nigeria to date. This is why I am so confident that Nigeria would soon find its way out of the woods. The President and his deputy have been tried and tested.
The recent controversy over Tinubu’s academic records at the Chicago State University has raised a lot of concerns among many Nigerians. The PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has described the situation as a big slap on Nigeria and its people. What do you make of the unfolding situation?
The opposition is making up something that does not exist and blowing things out of proportion. The most significant fact is that the university has acknowledged that the President graduated from there. He even scored a high grade, which is a source of pride to Nigerians and not a slap on their faces. The President applied to the university as a male and graduated as a male with excellent grades. Most Nigerians are more interested in how President Tinubu turned a gloomy Lagos to a dazzling model state with a robust master plan. They want him to achieve the same feat in Nigeria as a whole. People voted for him because of his Renewed Hope Agenda and because, unlike other politicians, he had a realistic plan. Nigerians have real problems and they need a man capable of solving these problems.
Some people have called on the President to resign because of the controversy, do you think that is extreme?
The President will never resign because that would spell doom for Nigeria. It would even be worse than June 12 because, unlike my father, he is a sitting President and has started exercising his executive powers in the interest of Nigerians. To ask him to resign would be like asking a mother to put her children back into her womb. However, I’m so disappointed with the opposition for going that far; approaching American courts when they knew they didn’t have a case. We are talking of a former Mobil treasurer and a two-term governor of the most sophisticated state in Africa’s most populous country. The whole thing is ridiculous. They (opposition) are acting as if we don’t have courts here in Nigeria, which makes me wonder why they want to rule a country they don’t believe in. I can’t believe that this is the same Vice-President Atiku who stepped down for my father and supported him during his presidential primaries. I wonder when Africans would stop embarrassing our continent abroad as if Africa has not suffered enough. The more I think of that case in the US, the more I see it as some kind of conspiracy reminiscent of when the Sani Abacha government took the State of New York to court for its decision to name a corner in New York after my mother, the late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola. May her soul rest in peace.
Do you think your parents would be happy about how democracy is faring in Nigeria today, given the circumstances of their death?
Most past leaders have failed but not all of them. When speaking of leaders, I focus on all leaders – presidents and governors alike. It is unfair to only focus on the Federal Government because what happens at the state level has a lot of impact on the overall state of the country. Nigeria is 63 and is in a very bad shape, but as an optimist I never yield to despair, I always look at a cup as half full instead of half empty. To me, the shortcut to success would be the immediate implementation of the Renewed Hope manifesto by all levels of government. In that manifesto, the President put together realistic programmes. Among them, for example, is increasing the cultivation of arable land from 35 per cent to 65 per cent. Do you know the level of progress we will make as a nation if this is achieved? Do you know that a lot of young men involved in banditry and terrorism would be gainfully engaged? There needs to be an economic angle to tackle insecurity. I think it’s time the leadership at the state and local government levels got copies of the manifesto and studied how they could team up with the Federal Government, regardless of party affiliation. Nigeria needs a rescue mission to attain a befitting infrastructure corresponding to a rapidly rising population and to overcome the negative consequences of the past leadership failure that you mentioned. All hands must be on deck.
You once said Nigeria’s problem was beyond what any man could achieve, why do you think Tinubu would solve Nigeria’s many problems?
To solve Nigeria’s problems would require divine intervention and to be a beneficiary of divine intervention you need to be honest, transparent and straightforward. Since President Tinubu began his consultations and campaigns, he has been honest with Nigerians. He has also been transparent and straightforward. Against his personal interest, he informed Nigerians during the heat of a campaign that would lead to a keenly contested election that he would remove fuel subsidy and take other harsh economic decisions. He did this at great risk because he could have lost the election for being so frank, but that did not stop him from being honest. God loves such people and that is why by His grace the President would be a beneficiary of His divine intervention.
Looking at the outcome of the 2023 elections, the issues that have emerged and how the courts are determining winners, what reforms do you think are necessary for a better electoral system before the next general elections?
When speaking of electoral reforms, there will always be room for improvement. At some point, this government will look into improving the electoral system. However, I am happy that no one has been able to substantiate the claim that the results of the last presidential elections would have been different had they been transmitted electronically. As for the courts, they will always play a role in elections since they are needed to interpret electoral laws. Even in the United States, during the last presidential election, I lost count of the number of court cases. If that can happen in such an old democracy, we should not expect miracles here.
What are your thoughts on the level of division among Nigerians vis-a-vis the agitation for Biafra, Yoruba Nation, etc.?
When times are tough, people tend to want to separate. Even husband and wife are more likely to split when facing economic hardship. I don’t believe that Nigeria was brought together by God with its rich diversity of 250 tribes and 500 languages for nothing. I don’t think separation is part of our destiny. There is a divine objective and part of it is the implementation of the vision and mission of our President as exhibited in his Renewed Hope Manifesto. By the time his plans begin to take shape in a couple of months, the clamour for division will turn to whispers and they will vanish into thin air. Just wait and see!
You said in the past that Tinubu had things in common with your father, what are those things?
Yes, President Tinubu has some things in common with my father. A major reason why many of our leaders have failed is because they are not emotionally connected to the grass roots. They don’t feel what the average man feels and I wonder why they are like that. However, both President Tinubu and my late father seem to be more comfortable in the midst of the poor and vulnerable than they are in the midst of the high and mighty. Both men are also generous and bold enough to give all they have. This is crucial because their promises are never empty since they do more than they say, unlike most politicians.
What do you think Nigerians should hold on to in the face of daunting economic challenges facing the majority?
One of my main mentors, former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, recently said that one does not need a position to serve their country. I think we should all adopt and implement this golden counsel. We should remember it all the time and ensure that we learn to regularly go the extra mile for our country for nothing in return. It is our country, so it is our duty.
A former spokesperson of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest and investigate the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over his reported pledge of N10 million to each of Rivers State’s 319 councillors for delivering their respective wards to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
Sara-Igbe described the alleged pledge as a threat to the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process, insisting that Wike’s position as a serving minister should not shield him from investigation.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, reportedly made the promise during a media chat last week, urging the councillors to ensure that President Tinubu wins their respective wards in the 2027 elections in exchange for N10 million each.
With 319 councillors representing the state’s 319 wards across 23 local government areas, the proposed financial commitment would amount to N3.19 billion if fully implemented.
Speaking in an interview with The Southern Examiner, Sara-Igbe questioned why the FCT Minister had not been invited for questioning by security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the reported statement.
He argued that the alleged pledge raised serious concerns about compliance with electoral laws, particularly provisions relating to financial inducements and electoral malpractice.
“We are not in a banana republic where anything goes, no laws. Our security personnel must prove to Nigerians and the entire world that our laws are not implemented haphazardly, depending on who is involved,” he said.
The Kalabari elder also criticised INEC for what he described as its silence over the matter, insisting that electoral regulations must apply equally to all Nigerians, regardless of their political influence or official positions.
Sara-Igbe, who acknowledged that Wike was once his close associate, said Nigeria’s democracy could only develop when citizens rejected injustice, unfairness and inequality.
He warned that political statements capable of encouraging financial inducements could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
“Utterances such as the one Wike spewed out from his mouth could truncate our hard-won democracy and expose our nation to public ridicule. This is why the matter should not be swept under the carpet. Wike must be made to pay for such an unguarded statement,” he added.
Meanwhile, Sara-Igbe denied allegations that he was involved in instigating the renewed political disagreement between Wike and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
He also dismissed claims that his position was motivated by ethnic considerations, maintaining that his disagreement with Wike was based on political principles and what he described as the need to protect Rivers State’s interests.
He accused Wike and his supporters of attempting to undermine Fubara’s administration, arguing that the governor should be allowed to exercise his constitutional mandate without undue political interference.
Sara-Igbe further disclosed that his political position informed his decision to support the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, and the party’s Rivers State governorship candidate, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, ahead of the 2027 elections.
He described Lulu-Briggs as a candidate with the capacity to pursue economic development in the state, highlighting proposals to decongest Port Harcourt, develop other urban centres such as Ahoada, Omoku and Bori, and harness Rivers State’s tourism potential.
He also criticised the Rainbow Coalition over what he described as the introduction of ethnic considerations into the search for an APC governorship candidate in Rivers State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed November 28, 2026, for a nationwide mock accreditation and voting exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The exercise is aimed at testing upgrades to the commission’s Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic results transmission ahead of the polls.
The development comes as INEC disclosed that it had commenced the distribution of non-sensitive election materials to some states in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), announced the planned mock exercise on Thursday during a dialogue at Chatham House in London.
The event, organised in partnership with the Kimpact Development Initiative, was themed, “Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot.”
According to a statement issued in Abuja and signed by the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, Amupitan said the exercise would simulate the presidential election and enable the commission to assess the efficiency of its accreditation and electronic results transmission systems.
“On the 28th of this month, we will conduct a mock accreditation and voting exercise across all states of the federation to simulate the presidential election and verify that we have gotten both accreditation and electronic result transmission right,” the INEC chairman said.
Amupitan also disclosed that the commission had introduced additional technical safeguards to prevent inaccurate polling unit results and figures indicating over-voting from being uploaded to its Result Viewing Portal.
He said the measures were part of efforts to strengthen the credibility, transparency and reliability of the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Deputy National Organising Secretary of All Progressives Congress, Chief Emeka Okafor Esq, has called on Voters of Igbo Extraction living in Ondo State to come out in their numbers and vote massively for APC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 16th of January 2026.
Chief Emeka Okafor made the call in Akure during the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Rally which took place in Akure, Ondo state.
The Deputy National Organising Secretary stated that South East and Ndi Igbo have benefitted massively from the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and All Progressives Congress. He opined that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu meant well for the Country and the President’s reform is yielding the necessary results.
Barr Emeka Okafor stated that Ndi Igbo has always been part of National Party. “Being with the Party at Centre has always been beneficial to Ndi Igbo and 2027 will not be an exception. He urged Igbo Voters in Ondo to support APC and Mr President’s re-election bid.
The chieftain also urged stakeholders to support all APC candidates for the National and State Assemblies in the forthcoming elections, saying party members must work hard to deliver the desired results.
Barr Okafor made the appeal as He joined the Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, other APC leaders and stakeholders at the party’s campaign rallies in Akure, the Capital of Ondo state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned political actors against the use of the controversial slogan, “Rig and Die”, ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that such inflammatory rhetoric could trigger electoral violence and endanger innocent lives.
The Commission also warned that electoral officials, including ad hoc staff, who compromise the integrity of elections would face prosecution in accordance with the law.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, gave the warnings during a media engagement forum for journalists and media executives from the South-East, South-South and South-West geopolitical zones held in Enugu.
Haruna expressed concern over the increasing use of inflammatory political statements and threats, noting that such utterances could put the lives of presiding officers, electoral ad hoc personnel, party agents and election observers at risk.
He urged political parties and their supporters to embrace peaceful participation, stressing that grievances arising from election outcomes should be addressed through established legal channels, including INEC, security agencies and the courts, rather than through violence.
The National Commissioner also called for stronger collaboration between INEC and the media to promote credible, peaceful and transparent elections in 2027.
He described the media as an indispensable partner in the electoral process, noting that public confidence in elections depended largely on accurate, balanced and professional reporting.
Haruna warned journalists against publishing unverified results, manipulated videos, misleading projections and sensational political narratives capable of misleading the public and undermining confidence in the electoral process.
He specifically cautioned against premature result announcements, insisting that only INEC, through its duly appointed returning officers, had the authority to declare election results.
“Results are declared only by the Commission through its duly appointed returning officers. Projections and unofficial figures must be clearly labelled as such,” he said.
He further advised media organisations to verify allegations against the Commission through appropriate channels before publication and exercise caution when reporting electoral incidents.
Haruna also advocated inclusive election coverage, urging journalists to give adequate attention to women, youths and persons with disabilities, particularly the challenges affecting their participation in the electoral process.
He encouraged media organisations to intensify voter education on Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), accreditation procedures, electronic transmission of results and peaceful participation.
Journalists Urged to Uphold Professional Ethics
In a separate presentation on ethical and professional standards in election reporting, resource person, Mr Osaretin Imahheyierobo, urged journalists to familiarise themselves with the Electoral Act 2026, INEC’s election coverage guidelines and the Nigerian Broadcasting Code.
He expressed concern that some journalists covering elections were not sufficiently conversant with the legal and regulatory frameworks governing electoral reporting.
Imahheyierobo urged media organisations to establish dedicated election desks, develop editorial guidelines and strengthen fact-checking mechanisms ahead of the 2027 polls.
He also stressed the need for journalists to understand INEC’s technological innovations, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), to ensure accurate reporting of accreditation, voting and result-management processes.
He warned media practitioners against compromising professional ethics for financial inducements, commonly referred to as brown envelopes. He maintained that political candidates should be subjected to objective scrutiny rather than having their claims and manifestoes amplified without proper examination.
The resource person also called for equitable media coverage of all political parties and candidates, noting that voters relied on credible information to make informed electoral decisions.
Earlier, the Enugu State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, disclosed that INEC had received approximately 35,000 Permanent Voter Cards for distribution across the state’s 260 wards.
He appealed to journalists to support public enlightenment campaigns to ensure that eligible voters collected their PVCs ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Chukwu described the media as a strategic partner in voter education, public opinion formation and institutional accountability, warning that misinformation could erode public confidence in the electoral process.
While acknowledging the media’s independence and watchdog responsibilities, the REC urged journalists to uphold accuracy, objectivity, fairness and professionalism in their coverage of electoral activities.
He assured stakeholders that the Commission remained committed to conducting credible, transparent, inclusive and peaceful elections in 2027, adding that it was open to constructive criticism and recommendations from media practitioners.
NUJ Raises Concerns Over Election Logistics
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State Council, Comrade Obinna Ogbuka, commended INEC for organising the engagement but regretted that the initiative had not commenced early enough to accommodate more journalists before the election cycle gathered momentum.
Ogbuka also raised concerns over the apparent lack of adequate budgetary provisions for journalists’ logistics during election assignments, stressing that media practitioners required sufficient support to perform their duties effectively.
He further called on INEC to take deliberate steps to rebuild public confidence in the Commission ahead of the 2027 elections.
Participants at the engagement commended INEC’s preparations but urged the Commission to address weaknesses observed in previous elections, particularly the technical challenges that affected the electronic transmission of results during the 2023 presidential election.
They also called on INEC to recognise journalists as critical stakeholders in the electoral process and involve them more meaningfully in its preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended his promise to reward councillors with ₦10 million each for delivering their respective wards ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that the offer is a reward for political commitment and not an attempt to buy votes.
Wike made the clarification on Tuesday during an inspection tour of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja, dismissing criticisms of the proposed incentives.
He argued that rewarding political mobilisers for their hard work and electoral performance should not be confused with inducing voters to influence election outcomes.
The minister had reportedly pledged ₦10 million to each councillor who successfully mobilises support and delivers their ward, a promise that sparked concerns over the possibility of vote-buying ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Responding to the criticism, Wike said he never instructed the councillors to share money among voters in exchange for their votes. Rather, he challenged them to demonstrate commitment and deliver the expected electoral results.
“I didn’t tell them, ‘Take this money and go and buy votes.’ I said, ‘Go and work. Show commitment. Demonstrate that you really mean what you are talking about. When you win, come and we are going to reward you,’” he said.
To justify the offer, Wike compared the proposed political incentive to rewards given to athletes who win international competitions, arguing that such promises motivate people to achieve outstanding results.
He cited instances where athletes are promised houses and other benefits for returning from competitions with trophies, questioning why similar incentives in politics should automatically be considered bribery.
The FCT minister also faulted sections of the media for what he described as their failure to distinguish between legitimate performance-based rewards and vote-buying.
He argued that political parties and candidates routinely spend money on campaign advertisements without attracting similar criticism.
Wike challenged journalists to examine the distinction between financial inducements intended to influence voters and rewards promised to political organisers for meeting mobilisation targets.
Meanwhile, the minister expressed satisfaction with the progress of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja, including Interchange Section 2 (ISEX 2), the Southern Parkway and the S1 Road, which incorporates a fire station.
He said the projects were expected to be completed by December 15, ahead of the January 16, 2027 general elections.
Wike further argued that the infrastructure achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration would provide a strong basis for its re-election campaign.
He maintained that his support for Tinubu was driven by the administration’s development agenda rather than party affiliation, insisting that Nigerians who genuinely desire progress should support policies and programmes aimed at national development.
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