University Academics, Election Miasma And Other Matters

 By Ighodalo Clement Eromosele

Desirous to enhance the credibility of the 2015 general elections, the Chairman of Independent Electoral Commission, then Professor Attahiru Jega, invited university academics including Vice-Chancellors to participate in the various processes – collation and announcement – of election results. 

This national assignment was in consonance with one of the tripodal duties of the academic namely, community service, the others being teaching and research. It was, apriori, anchored also on the general belief, over the years, that in the pristine traditions of the academia, the academic is incorruptible and will not lend him/herself to unethical practices without consequences. Further, the academic in taking on the assignment was expected to exercise sound judgment, without fear or favour on matters as may arise in the course of duty.

Why President Buhari And June 12 Can Never Meet

By Jesutega Onokpasa

Apart from his recent June 12 gimmick, President Muhammadu Buhari had hitherto never mentioned MKO Abiola or even June 12 in any positive light. In any case, since Gen Sanni Abacha who stole Abiola’s mandate and whom Buhari happily, thankfully and gratefully worked for remains Buhari’s hero, then that same Buhari cannot deserve any moral credit on account of anything he does about June 12, however laudable.

*President  Buhari 

The bitter truth is that the only viable explanation for his sudden volte face is that Buhari, seeing his Northern hegemony in tatters in the Middle Belt thanks to his rampaging cattle herding kinsmen and clearly perceiving himself to be a drowning man, now finds himself clutching to Abiola (whom he hitherto never showed any regard for) and to June 12 (which he hitherto never expressed any fidelity to) for sheer survival.

Nigeria: President Buhari’s Greek Gifts

By Sunny Awhefeada

June 12th 1993 was a Saturday and it met me in Ughelli.

June is a month of unpredictable rain, but that day was bright; bright and fair.

We trooped out to vote for a new dawn. 

 I was then an impressionable undergraduate of the University of Benin possessed by ideals instilled by youth.

*President Buhari 

The buildup to that day was momentous and exciting. The military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida had embarked on the rigmarole it called transition to civil rule programme.

In the course of that tortuous experience, political parties were formed and disbanded.

Politicians were classified as new breed and old breed and they were banned and unbanned.