Total Rebuke of Retired Justice Isa Ayo Salami’s Baseless Assault On The Judiciary And The Rule Of Law

 By Aguiyi Joseph Obinna 

In a courtesy visit to the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism in Ilorin on Tuesday, retired President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, unleashed yet another round of unverified political commentary that has once again exposed his fatally flawed character. According to the Vanguard report, Salami declared that Peter Obi “ought not have been allowed to contest the 2023 presidential election” because, in his words, “by the time he lost the PDP primary, LP had submitted its list of members to INEC” and the Constitution forbids independent candidacy. 

*Ayo Salami

He drew a parallel with Kano Governor Abba Yusuf and blamed “incompetence” and “bad eggs” among judges for these “wrong verdicts.” This is not the sober reflection of a retired jurist; it is the reckless rant of a man who has repeatedly been shown the door by the same judiciary he now seeks to ridicule, only to be pitied back into relevance. 

Peter Obi On ‘Politics of Zero Humanity’!

 

It is profoundly disturbing that while we, the politicians, continue to obsess over the 2027 elections—spending our energy scheming about how to capture, grab, and run the next election—the first two months of 2026 have reportedly seen the killing of over 1,000 Nigerians and the abduction of several thousand others.

This is the painful reality confronting our nation. From Zamfara State to Kwara, Ondo, Kebbi, Edo, Benue, Adamawa, Plateau, and many other states, families have buried loved ones, and communities have been emptied by gunshots and fear.

A Tale of Two Movements: City Boys and Village Boys

 By Promise Adiele

This essay is not intended to elaborate on Nigeria’s socio-political and economic regression or to emphasize the potential of a new socio-political beginning. It does not attempt to achieve a consensus about the more suitable quintessential habitation between City and Village.

Rather, it presents a realistic interpretation of City and Village to underscore their precise fittingness or otherwise towards the 2027 elections. This exercise has become necessary given the sudden incursion of City and Village into Nigeria’s socio-political lexicon.

The Eternal Candidate: When Ambition Outstays Its Welcome

By Olufemi Aduwo 

There is no democratic or constitutional argument against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s right to seek the office of the President of Nigeria. In a republic governed by law rather than sentiment, political ambition does not expire with age and the ballot remains open to all who meet the formal requirements.

*Atiku 

Atiku may, if he so desires, contest for office even at the age of one hundred. That, however, is not the question confronting Nigeria as 2027 approaches. The real issue is not eligibility, but judgement; not entitlement, but wisdom; not ambition, but its consequences for national cohesion. Politics, as Edmund Burke reminded us, is a discipline of discernment rather than dogma. Rights may be absolute, but their exercise is always conditioned by circumstance. 

Peter Obi: Insecurity And The Crisis Of Accountability In Nigeria

 

Recently, a disturbing video emerged from Kwara State in which suspected terrorists arrested by security forces claimed that ammunition and logistics were supplied to them by government officials. This allegation, now circulating widely, demands nothing less than an immediate, transparent, and independent investigation. 

Over the years, trillions of naira and billions of dollars have been continuously collected by the government in the name of security. Yet insecurity has only expanded across the country, and in an increasingly brazen manner. 

This type of news fallout goes to give credence to the much-referenced quotation of late military leader General Sani Abacha that “Any insurgency that lasts more than 24 hours, the government is involved.” 

Ten Reasons Peter Obi Must Shun ADC Now!

By Steve Osuji (EXPRESSO Umb-rage)

ONE: Engagement Through Subterfuge: The new party emanating from a coalition of opposition politicians has already been tainted. The African Democratic Congress (ADC), has been completely taken over by the Atiku group. 

*Obi

Analysts had mocked ADC as ATIKU DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS, and truly, the situation in the party today has proved them perspicacious. 

A few days ago, Atiku Abubakar, erstwhile vice president of Nigeria and one of the arrowhead of ADC announced that he had formalised his membership of the party. A few others followed suit. 

Renewed Hope Or Renewed Hypocrisy: Tinubu’s Risky Politics Of Redemption

 By Emmanuel Aziken

At a time President Bola Tinubu has chosen to nominate some of Nigeria’s most controversial personalities as ambassadors to represent the country abroad, the emergence of his so-called Renewed Hope Ambassadors—appointed to canvass support for his second-term aspiration—has shaken the polity in a manner that many did not expect but which, perhaps, should no longer surprise anyone observing the curious evolution of our political culture.

*Tinubu and Omokri 

 The inclusion of figures like Mr. Reno Omokri, whose pre-election stance painted Tinubu with every negative virtue that should not be associated with a leader, did not completely shock Nigerians. After all, before Omokri, the president had already appointed Dr. Daniel Bwala as Special Adviser, a man who only a year earlier emphatically declared that “even if you give Tinubu 30 years, nothing will work.” With such examples, it has become increasingly clear that Tinubu’s political instincts lean heavily toward embracing, rehabilitating, and strategically deploying his most ferocious critics.

Peter Obi: Is Nigeria Cursed, Or Are We The Curse?

 The past 10 days in Nigeria have witnessed unprecedented negative news, a level of chaos, insecurity, and institutional decay that should trouble the conscience of all the leaders. 

*Obi

Our country is now going through troubling times, not by fate, but by our collective leadership failures that allow insecurity, lawlessness, and institutional decay to thrive. Each day confronts us with a new tragedy and a new reminder that our beloved country is drifting amid a clear absence of competent, compassionate, responsive and responsible leadership. 

Peter Obi: A Pain One Carries Silently!

*Obi
 This afternoon, as I travelled from Abuja to Lagos, a group of young Nigerians approached me at the airport and said: “We have not heard or read anything from you today or yesterday, despite all the heartbreaking news dominating our front pages—from the appointment of some of the least qualified individuals as ambassadors, to our institutions being ridiculed, the First Lady hosting extravagant dinners for Senators while children are being abducted, and the countless killings across the country.” 

Peter Obi: Distribution of Campaign Vehicles: Profound Insensitivity And Abuse of Trust

 At a time when Nigerians are struggling with hunger, unemployment, and insecurity, the decision of any government to allocate limited public resources for distributing luxury vehicles like Hilux trucks and Hummer buses as part of the 2027 campaign mobilisation is not only insensitive but also represents a serious moral failure. 

*Obi

While ordinary Nigerians are grappling with poverty and hopelessness, those in leadership positions continue to flaunt their wealth by driving brand-new Land Cruisers, Hiluxes, and Hummers, treating the suffering of the people as mere background for political theatrics. This tragic misplacement of priorities is unacceptable. 

Certificate Integrity And The Future Of Nigerian Leadership

 By Peter Obi

It is commendable that the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Mr Uche Nnaji, has resigned following the controversy surrounding discrepancies in his academic certificates. 

That is a decent and honourable step. Similarly, we can recall that during President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, then Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, resigned after issues were raised concerning her NYSC certificate. These instances remind us that such matters are not trivial; they constitute serious criminal offences. 

As we approach the 2027 general elections, INEC and all relevant agencies must take decisive steps to verify and authenticate all academic and professional certificates of every candidate—from the President down to local government councillors. We cannot continue to allow dishonesty and criminality to sit at the heart of leadership.

Wilful Destruction of People’s Investment in Lagos

 By Uzor Maxim Uzoatu

These are trying times for Nigerians. The diabolical nature of mankind is in full expression. For me, it has come down to the harsh truth that I never really knew my so-called friends. It’s indeed embarrassing to come to terms with the realities I see in modern-day Nigeria.

As Thomas Paine wrote in his time, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” The one consolation as ever is this knowledge: “Even this too shall pass…” 

The issue at hand does not need for me to pontificate. There was massive demolition of some buildings in the Trade Fair Complex in Lagos. The matter raised so much dust across the primordial divides of Nigeria. The talk was that the buildings were demolished because they were built without the requisite approvals. There was also talk that they were erected on canals and water channels. 

Echoes of ‘Iya Shukudi’ In Trade Fair Demolitions

 By Ugo Onuoha

Many issues have been playing out in Lagos state between the government and residents, especially with those of Igbo extraction. There appears to be no love lost. It has been a cat and mouse relationship since after the February 2023 presidential election in which Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi [an Igbo], defeated a ‘son of the soil’ Bola Ahmed Tinubu, candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress [APC] political party.

*Sanwo-Olu and Tinubu

The defeat of the Jagaban, who was a governor of the state between 1999 and 2007, was deemed an insult, an assault, and a sacrilege. It came as a shock of ‘tsunamic’ proportion because Tinubu, now president of Nigeria, was regarded as the builder and owner of Lagos, a claim that is blatantly untrue. He was regarded as a wily politician and a political strategist like no other. For once he was outed as a giant with clay feet. 

Peter Obi: The Danger Of Making Crime A Norm

 Whenever I talk about Nigeria being a crime scene, those who are part of the criminality and their hirelings will quickly start their noise-making, attacking and blackmailing me.

*Peter Obi
But how do you tell people that those whose integrity, character and behaviour are supposed to be exemplary and emulated in society have become the very source of the nation’s decay? How do you tell young Nigerians to be honest and upright when those they are supposed to emulate are the least to be emulated because they are criminals and dishonest? 

Certificate forgery is a serious criminal offence in all countries of the world. It is one of the most corrupt practices heavily punished.

Peter Obi: Lagos Demolitions: Law, Justice And Compassion

 A week ago, a team of concerned leaders visited the demolished Aspamda Market in Lagos. Since then I have carefully followed the reactions trailing the demolitions, our visit, and feel that other extraneous variables are affecting our compassion for each other as Nigerians. The situation calls for deep reflection on the relationship between law, justice, and compassion in governance. 

*Sen Abaribe, Peter Obi and Sen Umeh vist the Demolished Market Buildings in Lagos

I recall an incident in the nineties, when I bought a house in the UK at 66 Donnington Road, NW10. While the building was still being refurbished, some squatters moved in. When I consulted my lawyer, he advised that I should write to them formally and approach the court. It would have been unthinkable for the state to simply wake up one morning and demolish people’s houses - especially when such houses were neither used for crime nor taken for any overriding public purpose. 

Lagos And The Igbo: The Threats Of Pogroms At The Polls

 By Ugoji Egbujo

In 2023, after Obi defeated Tinubu in Lagos, MC Oluomo addressed the state. He warned the Igbo to sit at home on election day if they wouldn’t vote the APC. He wasn’t subtle. In that live broadcast, he framed  non-APC votes as a punishable betrayal. The police invited him for questioning, but the “chat” was more photo-op than accountability. He was released after a half-hearted apology that many saw as scripted.

*Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu 

A few days later at the polls, the Igbo were beaten black and blue, chased away from the polls. Many Igbo voters were hospitalized in Eti-Osa, Ojo, Amuwo-Odofin, and beyond. Oluomo’s agents had performed their task. The police did nothing. INEC said the election was credible. Oluomo and his principals celebrated the triumph of hooliganism. MC Oluomo’s street enforcers had turned words into wounds, and the lack of repercussions emboldened the playbook.

What Exactly Does Lagos State Want From Ndigbo?

 By Ikechukwu Amaechi

On October 1, Nigeria marked its 65th anniversary as an independent country and Nigerian leaders, as usual, used the opportunity to preach the gospel of peace and unity. Nigeria, many insisted, is the handiwork of God.

*Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe and Peter Obi inspect the demolished structures at the Trade Fair Complex, Lagos

President Bola Tinubu led the choir in his nationwide broadcast with this rallying cry: “While our system and ties that bind us are sometimes stretched by insidious forces opposed to our values and ways of life, we continue to strive to build a more perfect union where every Nigerian can find better accommodation and find purpose and fulfilment.”

Those that are more religiously inclined insist that since God does not make mistakes, then a united and indissoluble Nigeria must be seen as part of God’s divine purpose. But in reality, these preachments of unity mean nothing. They are mere sound bites meant to wheedle the unwary but which, at the end, as the legendary Shakespeare noted in Macbeth, are “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” They are periodic effusion of platitudes, wearing the toga of an idiot’s tale.

Charles Soludo Vs. Peter Obi

 By Emeritus Professor T. Uzodinma Nwala 

I wish Prof Charles Soludo would unwind and assert his energy in a different and more positive direction. The question is not how we made him, because he knows how he was made. 

Obi and Soludo

The question is that Peter Obi’s path does not need to cross his own if he has enough intellectual and moral self-confidence!

After Soludo won the Anambra Governorship election, I immediately went to his house in Enugu in the company of some members of the Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF) to make one request of him.

Wike’s Rants: Blame The Media, Not The Minister

 By Ikechukwu Amaechi

The conduct of the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, in the public space is quite unbecoming. It is not enough to dismiss him as unhinged as many are wont to do because to do so is to ignore the fact that for whatever it is worth, he is a Nigerian political elite, a member of the privileged club that makes the authoritative allocation of our collective values.

*Wike during a media chat
In any sane society, such privileged position demands some level of politesse and dignity in public conduct. His actions, at any given time, violate the acceptable standard and respect for others. To put it mildly, they go beyond the bounds of decency.

₦142 Billion For Bus Terminals: Another Evidence Of Misplaced Priority, By Peter Obi

 

The difference between the success and failure of the development in any nation is how you prioritise your scarce resources. 

The recent announcement that a sum of ₦142 billion has been approved by the Federal Government for the construction of one bus terminal in each of our six geopolitical zones further affirms the lack of competence, lack of focus and poor leadership.