Politics
APC Senators Join PDP To Impeach President Buhari, Threaten Senate President Ahmed Lawan
Published
3 years agoon
APC Senators Join PDP To Impeach President Buhari, Threaten Senate President Ahmed Lawan
Rising above partisan politics or personal relationships, over 80 senators across political parties and a majority of House of Representatives members, yesterday, agreed to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari, if the growing insecurity across the nation persisted beyond six weeks, being the ultimatum handed the government before the legislature shut down till September 20.
The decision was taken after their respective closed-sessions before the commencement of plenary, presided over by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, who also charged the security agencies to do more in order to stop the terrorists and the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Wase
But the presidency last night reacted to the reported move by the Senate to commence impeachment moves against President Buhari, and advised the senators to stop playing to the gallery like their counterparts in the United States, otherwise, staging a walkout was performative and babyish.
At the same time, the federal government, has said it was currently working round the clock to bring the country’s security situation under control.
The Senators, at the executive session, agreed to give Buhari a six-week ultimatum to address the issue or risk impeachment, and also maintained that all resolutions passed earlier on how to improve the security situation in Nigeria must be implemented immediately by the Buhari-led administration.
The senators, who then agreed at the session that the Senate President should allow members to debate the issue at plenary, however, threatened to impeach Lawan if he failed to cooperate with them.
According to reports, more than two-thirds of the senators, across the parties at their closed-door session, agreed to impeach Buhari, but the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, was not comfortable, because he didn’t want the presidency to misread it as his own way of getting back at them after he failed to clinch the presidential ticket of the party or even secured his ticket to return to the senate.
Besides, about seven other senators, led by Opeyemi Bamidele from Ekiti State and Gabriel Suswam from Benue, were also said to have shared Lawan’s sentiment, given the present circumstance.
That, nonetheless, the senators, on the sidelines, were not clear with the mode the impeachment should take, knowing that the south/north dichotomy was still a critical factor in the balance of power in the country.
They, therefore, resolved that the matter would be part of the issues to be considered after the six weeks ultimatum, to know whether they would impeach either Buhari alone or send him away with his deputy, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.
Trouble, however, started at plenary proper, when the order paper was not altered to accommodate the public debate on the issue at plenary.
Senate Minority Leader, Philip Aduda (FCT), protested the worsening security situation and demanded an open debate as agreed upon at the closed session.
Rising under a point of order not cited, he requested the chamber to give a six-week ultimatum to President Buhari to address the issue of insecurity or face impeachment.
“Mr. President, you may wish to recall that during the closed session, we discussed the issues as they relate to security in the country and all the issues around it.
“[And] we had also discussed that we are going to come back to plenary to discuss the efforts that have been made so far on the issue of security in the country, after which we give an ultimatum to the President that he resolves this issue, otherwise, we give an impeachment notice,” he said.
Delivering a ruling on Aduda’s point of order, Lawan faulted the lawmaker for failing to put forward his request in accordance with the upper chamber’s rules, which regulate its proceedings.
According to him, “Minority leader, when you’re going to come under a point of order, first, you’re supposed to cite the order. Secondly, you’re supposed to discuss with me what you’re going to raise on the floor. You didn’t. Thirdly, we have already passed that stage. So, at this moment, I really don’t know what the point of order is, as such it falls flat on its face.”
Lawan, thereafter, instructed the leader of the Senate to proceed with items on the order paper.
Although in closing his remarks, Lawan told security agencies in the country to be alert and do more to stop the heightening spate insecurity across states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) perpetrated by terrorists.
Charging political leaders to be alive to their responsibility of ensuring the protection of lives of citizens, Lawan, while addressing lawmakers shortly before the upper chamber adjourned till September 20, for its annual recess, bemoaned the incessant killing and maiming of Nigerians by terrorists.
He assured that the National Assembly would provide the needed support to the military to ensure the restoration of security to affected parts of the country.
“I am particularly concerned like all of us here, through our various interactions, including a very important closed session we had today. We (Federal Government) have to be alert and alive to our responsibility, particularly, to secure and protect the lives of our citizen.
“The security situation has been a very difficult and challenging one, but, recently, there has been an increase of attacks, killings and maiming of our citizens. As a part of this administration, we will always provide the kind of support that our military and other security agencies require.
“We have done that before through appropriation and approval of supplementary budget of 2022, where over N900 billion was given as additional funding to our security agencies. We know that it may not be enough, but that is significant, and we expect our security agencies to do far better than they are doing at the moment. As political leaders, we must have it in mind that we are responsible to the citizens.”
But the minority leader, who would not take any of that, angrily led almost half of the senators in the chambers across all political parties to stage a walkout, chanting: “Buhari Must Go” “Lawan Must Go”, as they filed out from the red chamber.
The aggrieved senators including all the PDP members, some of their APC colleagues and others from All Progressives Grand Alliance, New Nigerian People’s Party, the Labour Party and Young Peoples Party, later converged at the Senate Press Corps to address journalists.
Aduda, who spoke on their behalf, lamented that Lawan stopped the Senate from taking a definite position on the embarrassing security challenges in the country at plenary.
He said, “We went into a closed-door session. Various security issues were discussed at the closed-door session. We also took into cognizance that the Senate, at various fora, at various times and various meetings, had recommended to the government, steps to be taken to curb this issue of insecurity but we have realised that even Abuja is no more safe.
“So, at the closed-session, we agreed that we will give the president an ultimatum and if he did not comply, we will move to give an impeachment notice. This was our agreement at the executive session but when we came out, the Senate President refused to inform the public of our resolution.
“Since that didn’t happen, we have come here in protest to let Nigerians know that we are with them, that we are worried. We staged a walkout from the chambers to register that the security in Nigeria is out of hand and urgent steps need to be taken so that the issues are addressed immediately.
“We have come here to say that we have passed so many resolutions on security, we have given all the support and all the enabling appropriation that they need,” Aduda added.
One of the APC members sighted among the protesting senators was, Adamu Bulkachuwa (Bauchi North). Also present were Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA Abia South), Ibrahim Shekarau (NNPP Kano Central), and Francis Onyewuchi ( Labour Party, Imo East ).
Impeachment Threat a Collective Decision, Say APC Senators
Meanwhile, the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Smart Adeyemi, confirmed to journalists on Wednesday that the decision to serve Buhari an impeachment notice was a collective position of all the senators at the executive session before the plenary.
“I think it is wrong to say opposition. It was a collective decision of the senate, to give ultimatum, the only difference from what the opposition are eventually saying is a matter of semantics.
“We said that we are giving the president six weeks, they said they are serving impeachment notice immediately. We all agreed that we will move after six weeks.
“The opposition said we must give notice but we say it has to be six weeks ultimatum, they said after six weeks what happens? We said they should wait till after six weeks first. I don’t see any difference,” he said.
Also speaking with journalists, Abaribe confirmed that it was a collective decision taken at closed session, saying, “We all agreed that the impeachment notice should be served on President Muhammadu Buhari if he could not tackle insecurity within the six weeks. It is not an opposition parties decision.”
When contacted, Senate Spokesperson, Senator Ajibola Basiru, said he was not part of the closed session, but claimed he was concerned about the insecurity situation in the country.
“There should be an executive-legislative strategy to tackle the situation. It is becoming worrisome and we cannot continue like this,” he said.
How Wase Blocked Elumelu from Pushing Impeachment in House
Interesting, similar drama played out in the House of Representatives, whose members across political parties, had equally agreed at their closed-door session to concur with their senate counterparts, but was bungled by the Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase, who blocked the move.
According to a ranking member of the minority caucus, the whole plan was initially messed up by Senator Aduda, who did not stick to plan as agreed to by all the federal lawmakers and across parties.
The source hinted that, the decision was meant to be taken together in nation’s interest before the senators made the move first in a disruptive manner.
However, in the house, the decision, as it was in the senate, was also unanimous as nearly everyone supported the idea of impeaching Buhari.
But when they got to plenary and the Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, signaled for recognition, Wase, who presided since Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, was away, allegedly switched off Elumelu’s mic, and thus prevented him from formally moving the motion on the floor of the House.
This, development, was believed to have angered other members of the House, who have resolved to meet again today, being a decision of the caucuses of both legislative houses, on how to further discussions on the impeachment of the president.
Presidency to Lawmakers: Your Action is Babyish
The presidency, yesterday, reacted to planned impeachment of President Buhari by the Senate, saying the Senators should stop playing to gallery like their counterparts in the United States, because their decision to stage a walkout was babyish.
Rather, it advised the senators to collaborate with government in a bid to solve the myriad of problems facing the nation, including current global cost of living crisis.
Presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, in a release stated: “The performative and babyish antics of those senators staging a walk out notwithstanding, Senate President Ahmad Lawan’s refusal on Wednesday to entertain the ridiculous motion to impeach our President was quite appropriate and correct.
“Rather than making a mockery out of voters by trying to imitate what they see in America, the opposition would be well-advised that their time would be better spent tackling the pressing issues Nigerians face, such as the current global cost of living crisis. Their continued failure to do so goes some way to explaining why they remain in opposition.
“In contrast, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, is committed to finding lasting solutions to the emerging security threats, including those left behind by the PDP in the South-south, the Northeast and throughout the federation. In the last 24 hours, two more Chibok girls were freed, in addition to the three brought home last week.
“These kinds of headline grabbing stunts for which the opposition is now well-known serve no one, least of all their constituents. We would respectfully remind them that it is those same constituents that they were elected to serve, and are paid to do so with public money.
“We would welcome their collaboration in our efforts to solve the problems Nigerians face on a daily basis. No one is asking them to waste their time attempting to impeach a democratically elected president at the end of his second term – certainly not their constituents.
“They should ask themselves: do they want to be in government or do they want to be in the headlines? If they want to be in government they should start acting like it and stop undermining Nigerian voters”.
FG: We’re Working to Bring Security Situation Under Control
However, making a case for the president, the federal government, yesterday, reacted to threats of impeachment by the Senate and House of Representatives, saying government was currently working around the clock to bring the country’s security situation under control.
Briefing newsmen after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by the president at the State House, Abuja, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, lauded the Senators for their patriotism and concerns, saying steps were being taken to address the security challenges.
According to him, “Resolution passed by Senators, as rightly said, it was passed when we were deliberating, but we thank them for their patriotism and their concern, but we are working round the clock, 24 hours, to ensure that the situation is brought under control.
“I want to assure you that the president is aware of all these and as a matter of fact, I think tomorrow there’s going to be another Security Council meeting. So, it’s not a matter the president is taking lightly and like I’ll always say, some of the measures we’re going to take are not measure that you can discuss openly here, but we’re as concerned as you are, we’re not going to abandon our responsibility.”
On the reported threat by terrorists to kidnap the President, the minister described it as laughable and mere propaganda.
“As to those who have issued threats to Mr. President, I think it’s more of propaganda than anything. It’s laughable,” he said.
Mohammed also said the FEC had approved a memo by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, for a standard operation procedure on maintaining the civilian and humanitarian character of asylum seekers in Cameroon.
His words: “You all know that due to the insurgency in Cameroon, Nigeria has witnessed an influx of Cameroonian asylum seekers and there’s basic standard procedures for you to be granted status as an asylum seeker.
“This is what the council considered and approved today. And basically, it’s that anybody from Cameroon who’s seeking asylum in Nigeria must first convinced the authorities that he or she has actually renounced armed struggle, before you can even be considered as an asylum seeker.
“Also, there are cases of some of them, who have come even when they claimed to have surrendered their arms, go back at times, to join the separatist movement in Cameroon. So, the procedure was explained and approved today that will evaluate the basic criteria to grant asylum.”
Further on why the issue of asylum seekers should be considered at this time that the country was facing security challenges, Mohammed said, “The issue of the standard operating procedure for asylum seekers from Cameroon is not a matter that started today.
“The issue of the separatist movement in Cameroon is many years old and everyday, because of the proximity of Cameroon to Nigeria, we’ve witnessed an influx of refugees, seeking asylum, and under international regulations, there are certain procedures you must take for asylum seekers.
“So, all we have done today is to establish the standard procedure to ensure that those, who claim to be asylum seekers are actually not insurgents themselves that have come to destabilise Nigeria or people who will come and be launching attacks against their own country from the comfort of Nigeria.”
Related
Sahara weekly online is published by First Sahara weekly international. contact saharaweekly@yahoo.com

Politics
The Truth Unveiled: U.S. Court Orders Release of Tinubu’s Drug Files—A National Shame Nigeria Can No Longer Ignore By George Omagbemi Sylvester
Published
5 hours agoon
April 14, 2025
The Truth Unveiled: U.S. Court Orders Release of Tinubu’s Drug Files—A National Shame Nigeria Can No Longer Ignore
By George Omagbemi Sylvester
In a move that sent shockwaves across the Nigerian political landscape and beyond, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia has ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to release long-withheld documents pertaining to a federal investigation into Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria’s sitting president. The files, which date back to the early 1990s, allegedly tie Tinubu to a narcotics trafficking operation and a subsequent forfeiture of $460,000 to the U.S. government.
The presiding judge, Beryl Howell, delivered a decisive blow to attempts to keep these records concealed. In a ruling made public on Tuesday, Howell declared that “protecting the information from public disclosure is neither logical nor plausible.” These words not only dismantle the legal shield around Tinubu’s past but also ignite fresh concerns about the moral compass and integrity of Nigeria’s highest office.
The Damning 1993 Forfeiture
To understand the gravity of this revelation, one must revisit the dark corridors of 1993 Chicago, where Tinubu, then a rising political figure with financial interests in the United States, came under the radar of American law enforcement. According to U.S. court documents, authorities traced large sums of money in bank accounts linked to Tinubu and his associates to proceeds from heroin trafficking. In what legal experts term a “civil forfeiture,” Tinubu opted to forfeit $460,000 rather than challenge the U.S. government’s assertion that the funds were drug-related.
While forfeiture does not equate to a criminal conviction, it represents a significant concession; one which would have irreversibly tarnished the political future of any public official in a law-abiding democracy. Yet in Nigeria, the matter was swept under the rug, buried beneath layers of political propaganda and institutional complicity.
A Judiciary That Still Works
Judge Howell’s courageous decision reflects the enduring strength of the American judiciary; a system where accountability is not subservient to political power. The ruling is a direct rebuke to those who believe political status should shield individuals from the consequences of their past.
“Public interest in the integrity of foreign heads of state is too great to be silenced by bureaucratic inertia,” Howell added, a statement that should resonate deeply with Nigerians who have long been denied transparency and justice.
In sharp contrast, Nigeria’s own judiciary has repeatedly failed to uphold the principle of probity when it comes to high-ranking officials. A nation where electoral cases are often decided in favor of the powerful; regardless of overwhelming public sentiment; should take a long, hard look at the mirror America is now holding up.
A Nation Held Hostage by Its Leaders
The implications of this court order are profound. They raise questions not only about Tinubu’s moral fitness to lead but also about the collective conscience of a nation that allowed such a man to rise to the presidency.
“Nigeria is not short of capable leaders; it is short of honest ones,” said former President Olusegun Obasanjo in a 2019 interview. Though not directed at Tinubu specifically, the words feel chillingly appropriate in the current context.
How did a man linked to drug trafficking, who forfeited nearly half a million dollars to American authorities, become the Commander-in-Chief of Africa’s largest democracy? The answer lies in Nigeria’s broken institutions, compromised electoral processes, and an elite class more concerned with power than principle.
The Complicity of Silence
Perhaps more troubling than the allegations themselves is the orchestrated silence that followed them. For decades, questions surrounding Tinubu’s past were dismissed as political smears, conveniently brushed aside by allies and ignored by the mainstream media. But now that a U.S. federal court has intervened, the truth is no longer subject to partisan interpretation.
“Silence in the face of injustice is complicity,” said Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate and one of Nigeria’s most respected moral voices. The willful refusal of Nigerian institutions to address these allegations over the years has made them co-conspirators in the degradation of our democracy.
What This Means for Nigeria’s Democracy
This court order is not just an indictment of Tinubu; it is an indictment of Nigeria’s political culture. It exposes a leadership crisis where character is secondary to cunning, and public office is a means of self-preservation rather than public service.
As 2027 looms on the horizon, Nigerians must ask themselves hard questions: Do we want a country where integrity matters? Can we afford to keep rewarding men with questionable pasts simply because they have mastered the art of political manipulation?
“Nigerians must reclaim the republic from those who think leadership is their birthright,” thundered Governor Nyesom Wike in a 2022 rally. His statement, echoing the frustration of millions, underlines a growing hunger for change; a change that must be rooted in truth, accountability, and ethical leadership.
Global Ramifications
This scandal also risks diminishing Nigeria’s already fragile international reputation. As Africa’s most populous nation and one of its largest economies, Nigeria should be a beacon of democratic integrity. Instead, it is increasingly viewed as a kleptocracy, where corrupt elites operate with impunity.
The United States’ decision to make these documents public suggests a growing intolerance for diplomatic hypocrisy. The message is clear: the world is watching, and no amount of diplomatic immunity can shield the morally bankrupt from eventual exposure.
The Way Forward
Now that the truth is clawing its way to the surface, Nigerians must not retreat into apathy. Civil society organizations, legal institutions, and media platforms must demand full disclosure of the contents of the FBI and DEA files. The National Assembly must initiate hearings. The Nigerian Bar Association should speak out. And most importantly, the Nigerian people must not allow this moment to pass without consequence.
This is a call to action.
We must demand that President Tinubu publicly address the allegations and the forfeiture. We must insist on a transparent probe; one not led by political appointees but by a bipartisan, internationally-observed commission. Anything less would be an insult to our collective intelligence.
Final Thoughts: No More Excuses
History will remember this as a turning point; either a moment when Nigeria finally chose truth over tyranny or yet another chapter in a tragic national saga. The decision lies with us.
The time for excuses is over. As Chinua Achebe once said, “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership.” If we are to reclaim our dignity as a people, we must start by holding our leaders to account; no matter how high the office they occupy.
Let this be the beginning of that reckoning.
Related
Politics
AGF Fagbemi Drafts Tinubu’s Defense as PDP Governors Drag FG to Supreme Court over Rivers Crisis
Published
6 hours agoon
April 14, 2025
AGF Fagbemi Drafts Tinubu’s Defense as PDP Governors Drag FG to Supreme Court over Rivers Crisis
Abuja, Nigeria — A legal storm is brewing at the apex court as the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has begun drafting President Bola Tinubu’s response to a suit filed by eleven governors of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), challenging the President’s controversial declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State.
The PDP governors have assembled a formidable legal team comprising seven Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) and six other seasoned attorneys to contest what they describe as an overreach of presidential powers. At the core of the dispute is Tinubu’s March 18, 2025, proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State, which led to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and the entire Rivers State House of Assembly.
In an unprecedented move, Tinubu appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas as the sole administrator to oversee the state’s affairs—pending the resolution of the emergency period. The National Assembly quickly endorsed the decision through a voice vote, further escalating political tensions across the federation.
But the PDP governors are pushing back.
In a suit filed at the Supreme Court with case number SC/CV/329/2025, the governors from Adamawa, Enugu, Osun, Oyo, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Delta, Taraba, Zamfara, and Bayelsa states are asking the court to determine whether the President has the constitutional authority to suspend elected state officials and appoint an unelected administrator in their place.
Their legal team includes respected SANs such as Bolaji Ayorinde, Eyitayo Jegede, Kamaldeen Ajibade, J.A Mumuni, Musibau Adetunbi, Samuel Atung, and Yunus Abdulsalam. They are joined by M.S. Atolagbe, Ezenwa Ibegbunam, Chiamaka Anagu, Olakunle Lawal, Abduljalil Musa, and H.A. Adeleke.
The governors argue that Tinubu’s action is in direct violation of Sections 1(2), 5(2), 176, 180, 188, and 305 of the 1999 Constitution, which safeguard the autonomy of state governments and uphold the principles of constitutional federalism. They contend that suspending elected officials under the guise of emergency rule is both unconstitutional and dangerous to Nigeria’s democratic framework.
Specifically, the governors want the court to determine:
-
Whether the President can lawfully suspend a Governor or Deputy Governor and appoint a sole administrator without violating the Constitution.
-
Whether such actions are consistent with the tenets of democracy and the separation of powers enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.
As Fagbemi leads the Federal Government’s legal strategy, constitutional lawyers and political analysts across the nation are watching closely. The case is poised to become a landmark decision, one that could redefine the limits of executive power and shape the future of Nigeria’s federal democracy.
The date for the Supreme Court hearing is yet to be announced, but legal fireworks are all but guaranteed.
Related
Politics
2027: Ganduje Reacts to Atiku Visit to Buhari Amid Coalition Talk
Published
23 hours agoon
April 13, 2025
2027: Ganduje Reacts to Atiku Visit to Buhari Amid Coalition Talk
By George Omagbemi Sylvester
As Nigeria hurtles toward the 2027 general elections, political fireworks have already begun to explode across the landscape. One of the most riveting developments came when former Vice President and perennial presidential contender Alhaji Atiku Abubakar paid a high-profile visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura. The visit, cloaked in civility but loaded with political undertones, has sparked a national debate and provoked strong reactions — notably from the embattled National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.
To the untrained eye, the visit might seem like an innocuous gesture of statesmanship. But seasoned political observers know that in Nigeria’s murky political terrain, no handshake is ever just a handshake. It is a message. It is a signal. It is a strategic move.
Ganduje’s Defensive Rhetoric: A Crumbling Empire?
Dr. Ganduje, already struggling to hold together a fractured APC, dismissed the meeting as a “media stunt” and accused Atiku of playing games to revive his waning relevance. “Atiku is grasping at straws,” Ganduje said during a press briefing in Abuja. “The APC is not a refuge for failed PDP politicians looking for political asylum.”
This fiery response, however, betrays more than it conceals. Political insiders say Ganduje’s anxiety stems from the growing disillusionment within the APC and the rising popularity of coalition talks aimed at dislodging the party that has presided over Nigeria’s most turbulent democratic decade. The once-dominant APC is now battling factionalism, leadership instability, and widespread public disdain.
A Possible Coalition: The Night the Elephant Danced With the Lion
If reports are to be believed, Atiku’s visit was not merely ceremonial. Sources close to both camps suggest that discussions are underway to explore a “grand coalition” that could bring together influential political actors from both northern and southern Nigeria to unseat the APC in 2027. Buhari, known for his silence, has not disavowed the talks, fuelling speculation that even he, the supposed “father of APC,” is growing disenchanted with the party’s direction.
Political coalitions are not new in Nigerian history. In fact, the APC itself was born from a coalition of disillusioned politicians in 2013. However, what makes this possible Atiku-led coalition unique is its potential to merge ideological enemies into a common force against a greater evil — political stagnation and national decline.
Nigeria in Decline: The APC’s Legacy of Chaos
Since 2015, when the APC took power under Buhari, Nigeria has witnessed nothing short of a national collapse. The economy is in tatters, with inflation soaring above 33% and unemployment crossing 40% by the end of 2024. According to the World Bank, Nigeria has become the world’s poverty capital, overtaking India with over 71 million people living in extreme poverty.
“Corruption, insecurity, economic mismanagement — the APC has failed Nigerians on every front,” says Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, economist and former presidential candidate. “The social contract between the government and the people has completely broken down.”
This collapse is not an exaggeration; it is a documented reality. Under APC rule, Nigeria has witnessed the devaluation of its currency, mass emigration of youth through the “Japa syndrome,” and the near-total breakdown of law and order. From Boko Haram to banditry to IPOB agitations, the country is increasingly ungovernable.
Atiku’s Calculated Return: Statesman or Strategist?
Atiku’s critics accuse him of opportunism, but his supporters view him as a resilient statesman seeking to rescue a broken nation. “Atiku is Nigeria’s most consistent political figure of the Fourth Republic,” said Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, a political scientist with the Centre for Democracy and Development. “His visit to Buhari may be the beginning of a national healing process.”
Indeed, if a coalition is to succeed, it needs to be broad-based, multi-ethnic, and pragmatic. Atiku’s long-standing relationships across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones could be the glue that binds a new political force. His vision of restructuring, economic liberalism, and national unity resonates with many young Nigerians disillusioned by tribal politics and nepotism.
Ganduje’s Irony: A Man Without Moral Standing
Ganduje, who has repeatedly denied allegations of corruption despite viral videos allegedly showing him collecting bribes in dollars, is hardly the voice of moral authority. His continued leadership of the APC is viewed by many as a stain on the party’s image.
“Nigerians are tired of recycled corruption,” said Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka. “The country needs a clean break from the past, not a recycling of those who have contributed to its downfall.”
Ganduje’s rejection of coalition talks, therefore, comes across as both hypocritical and desperate. His primary concern is not the party’s future or the country’s stability — it is the preservation of his dwindling influence.
A Coalition That Could Save Nigeria
A possible Atiku-led coalition could include the PDP, disgruntled APC members, Labour Party elements, and regional powerbrokers. If successful, it would mark a turning point in Nigeria’s political history — a united opposition front committed to real reforms.
The late Nelson Mandela once said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” In Nigeria, many believed the APC’s defeat was impossible until 2015 proved otherwise. 2027 could once again be the year Nigerians rise against incompetence and reclaim their democracy.
To achieve this, the coalition must focus on a common minimum agenda: restructuring, economic revitalization, job creation, security reform, and judicial independence. It must also avoid the mistakes of the past — internal sabotage, regional bias, and political greed.
Voices from the Global Stage
Former U.S. President Barack Obama once remarked, “Africa doesn’t need strongmen; it needs strong institutions.” Nigeria has had enough of strongmen who use institutions as personal weapons. The time has come for an alliance that will rebuild institutions, restore confidence, and rejuvenate hope.
Renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs emphasized, “Good governance is the single most important factor in eradicating poverty and promoting development.” Nigeria’s tragedy is that it has been governed by those more interested in power than purpose. The 2027 coalition must reverse this pattern.
The Verdict of the People
Ultimately, it is not Ganduje, Atiku, or Buhari who will determine Nigeria’s fate in 2027 — it is the Nigerian people. And the people are watching, listening, and preparing. They have endured inflation, fuel scarcity, unemployment, and insecurity. Their anger is reaching boiling point.
As author Chinua Achebe wrote, “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership.” That failure must end. If a coalition offers even a glimmer of competent leadership, then history will remember Atiku’s visit to Buhari not as an act of desperation, but as the moment the winds of change began to blow.
Conclusion: A Nation at the Crossroads
Nigeria stands today on a knife’s edge. The old order is cracking, and a new vision must emerge. Ganduje’s hostility to coalition talks is a symptom of a frightened political class clinging to a failed status quo. But history is merciless to those who stand in the way of progress.
The 2027 elections could either be the beginning of national rebirth or the final nail in Nigeria’s democratic coffin. The choice is ours.
Related
Trending
-
Business6 months ago
Comprehensive Media Audit Shows Flutterwave, MTN Nigeria, and Bolt Outpacing Competitors in Media Engagement
-
celebrity radar - gossips6 months ago
How Deji Adeyanju Secured The Release Of Speed Darlington
-
Politics6 months ago
My best is yet to come’ As Ambassador Adesina ‘Lanre Ogunsola affirmed at the APC APEX body, Obafemi Owode Local Government
-
Entertainment4 months ago
Aliu Gafar delivers stellar performance as Esusu in Femi Adebayo’s Seven Doors