Politics

Broom Movement: True or rogue democrats?

Published

8 years ago

March 18, 2018

in the social media, the harangue signed by the Convener of a group called Broom United Movement (BUM), Mr. Fuad Oki, some weeks back, I got strung-up with the level of hypocrisy and shenanigans in our politics and in our polity. The speech, an inadequate lecture note on POL 301, exhibited stupendous expertise in fictional creativity. The lecturer, a serial political manipulator, engaged himself in rhetorical and polemic narrative on the fundamentals of political science without establishing any theoretical foundation for his epistolary politics. From its convocation to its deliberations, it was obvious that the movement was a political misadventure packaged by a troubled hireling echoing the whisperings and murmurings of his frightened masters “refuging” in the tunnel of perfidy. In short, the entire grandstanding was a whispering campaign by a drowning collective aimed at Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Hear the Convener: “Today we want to commence the process of building Our Party (APC) by demanding genuine reconciliation of our members that their voices will be heard and that their votes will count whenever such need arises… Our Party in Lagos State has never been this divided and dis-United. The current graveyard silence that permeate (sic) our political landscape with a siddon look, a o mu erin joba syndrome, is very dangerous…”

I cannot but laugh listening to my good friend, Oki talking about “the process of building our Party (APC) by demanding genuine reconciliation…” Agreed that every political party draws its membership from the citizenry that identifies with its ideology and political philosophy, this does not in any way suggest that every member of the party is a founder. There are founding fathers, there are founding members and there are ordinary joiners. When a joiner begins to claim the status of a founder with this kind of statement” …building our party (APC)…”, one should wonder where this whimsical usurpation is coming from. As an insider, I have sufficient understanding of the trajectory of APC from its original derivative, Alliance for Democracy (AD). I am aware of the fact that a Political Party is a formal association which should be funded by members through levies and dues; in some cases, through donations from influential members of the Party, from interested corporate organisations and institutional affiliates. However, knowing the massive expenditure that politics and elections require in Nigeria, some of the founding fathers of the party who are moneybags have always taken it upon themselves to fund the Party single-handedly. This was the case with Asiwaju Tinubu who individually shouldered most of the financial commitments of the transiting parties AD, ACN and APC. Without sounding somehow hyperbolic, Tinubu was the major financier of these parties at a time that success or victory at the national level looked very bleak and hopelessly impossible. During these trying times, where was Fuad Oki? Where was Biodun Oki, his brother? Where were his masters that are teleguiding everything today from their hideouts? It is sheer opportunism for Oki and his treacherous band to be ascribing to themselves a status they know they do not deserve. Most of Oki’s allies are mere joiners as they were nowhere around when the birth of APC’s progenitors took place. Those who founded AD, those who funded AD from the scratch and those who pioneered AD from the beginning are the real founders and under no guise should they be denied the fruits of their labour. Personally, I feel fate and people have not been fair to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu with the way and manner they have been trying to rubbish his historic contributions and efforts in the making of the APC and by extension, his role in the consolidation of our nascent democracy.

When Oki was talking of “genuine reconciliation of our members”, “voices of our members will be heard and votes will count”, “Our Party in Lagos State has never been this divided and dis-united”, “a o mu erin joba syndrome”, who was he referring to? Tinubu of course. These vituperations are laced with mischief because Oki was aware of Tinubu’s appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari as APC Chief National Reconciliator. The intention was to discredit and cast aspersion on Tinubu peace credential. What Oki was saying in essence was that the choice of Tinubu by Buhari was not in consonance with extant political realities since Tinubu’s base, Lagos State, was in “total turmoil”.

But what Oki failed to state in his statement was that whatever imaginary trouble that exists in Lagos APC today was a creation of his sponsors. As far as I know, Lagos APC is not witnessing any graveyard silence. Every member of the party in the state is committed to the Ambode second term project. All members of the State House of Assembly, all House of Representatives members from the state and the three Senators from the state have all stated categorically that they will go all the way with the governor. Those who are expressing the only dissenting voice are Oki and his cohorts whose defeat during the 2015 primaries was Tinubu’s cardinal sin against Oki’s principal. Those who are advertising a non-existent crisis are the people whose inordinate ambition for the gubernatorial throne has crashed as a result of the sterling performance of the governor of the state. I am still baffled that while the opposition in the state is obviously and reasonably reluctant to contest with the governor, Oki and his sponsors are calling for party primaries. Is leadership no longer about performance? Why must any responsible individuals and group think of changing a wining and performing team. Was Oki’s principal not deservedly compensated with another term by the same Tinubu when it was generally acknowledged that his performance was outstanding? Why advocate for another primary when there is a general acclamation that the present governor of the state has been more than outstanding?

Justifying the birth of BUM, the convener explained that “our party suffers from low organisational capacity and lack of internal democracy… This apparent weakness underscores the need for reform and institutionalisation of a process whereby professionals become more central to the running of our Party”.

It is hypocritical of Oki to pretend not to know how or what was responsible for what he called “low organisational capacity and lack of internal democracy”. Since he came on board the party leadership at the state level, what efforts did he make personally to check the perfidious activities of his sponsors? Rather than do this, Oki conveniently oscillated between the two groups because he found in treachery a rewarding treasury. Those who hawked and escalated party division; those who destroyed the mechanics of party system, those who planted the seeds of discord in the party; those who indulged in intrigues for prebendal enterprise have lost the moral authority to pontificate on political morality. Who is Oki to berate the party leadership for dysfunctional internal democracy within the Party? I submit again that he does not possess the moral credential to theorize on internal democracy. Two personal examples would suffice. In 2006, when a campaign organisation was being set up for Babatunde Fashola gubernatorial activities, this writer was chosen as the Director-General of the campaign organisation during a caucus meeting. In attendance at the meeting where the decision was taken were: Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Tunde Fashola, Gbenga Asafa, Mutiu Are and Kunle Odufuwa. The meeting lasted for almost six hours. But before the decision could be communicated to me officially, Oki was able to persuade Babatunde Fashola to convince Asiwaju Tinubu to replace this writer with himself. In his usual placatory gesture, Asiwaju Tinubu concurred, promising to compensate this writer with a top political position in the new government. The rest is history because nothing was done afterwards. Yet, one has remained loyal to the party and to its leadership. The same scenario was replayed in 2015 when again, Oki was imposed on Akinwunmi Ambode by Tunde Fashola who did not want Ologunde as the D-G of Ambode Campaign Organisation (AMBO). Since Tinubu and the party leadership were looking for a way to carry him along in the whole project, it was easy for Fashola to have his way.

Secondly, this writer, as a close Personal Aide to Asiwaju Tinubu, was present in all the meetings that Asiwaju Tinubu had with the so-called “Aggrieved “12” who protested in 2006 the selection, imposition and eventual investiture of Fashola as the gubernatorial candidate of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), in most of these meetings, Tinubu continued to justify the selection and enjoined the “Aggrieved 12” to accept his decision in the interest of the party. His reason was that the number of candidates was unwieldy and that any attempt to organise primaries was capable of inflaming tension among members and thus escalating the crisis beyond what the party could manage. He begged. He pleaded. He cajoled. He mesmerized. Eventually, the deal was sealed but it was not easy. All the while, Fashola was anxious and panicky because he did not want Tinubu to succumb to the demands of the “Aggrieved 12”. It was obvious that he did not want primaries because at that time, he was unknown, unpopular, apolitical; he was hated by the politicians and even with Tinubu’s support, he was still not confident that he would win the primaries because he knew how unpopular he was with the politicians. It was the same Fuad Oki as the D-G of the Campaign Organisation that was frustrating intra-party efforts to conduct party primaries.

Now hear the so-called BUM convener on Party Primaries in 2018:“Competitive Party and electoral politics is imperative in order to facilitate internal democracy within our Party, through requirements like Party nomination primaries…” Though this is the ideal thing to do in a normal democratic setting, manipulation of Party constitutional provisions in a society like Nigeria, where aberrations and impunities reign supreme, cannot be considered alien. Irrespective of this, it becomes frightening and disturbing when past beneficiaries of illegalities and impositions condemn with hypocritical passion, the very methods through which they were lifted to power.

Anyone who reads the Convener’s speech without knowing his antecedents will applaud his esoteric preachment. But a profound understanding of his past political antics and jingoism will reveal the vacuity of his delicious sophistry. The kind of idealism being marketed by the Movement cannot be facilitated through political treachery nor can it be canvassed by past beneficiaries of systemic anomalies. Those who lack the integrity and dignity of sainthood should not be the ones to promote Utopianism as they lack the moral credibility to undertake such political advocacy.

Those who are preaching Party cohesion are the same people desecrating the sanctity of democracy by snubbing the internal redress mechanisms and going to the extreme to seek “justice” through party dismemberment. Genuine democrats who believe in the sanctification of democratic tenets will not indulge in sanctimonious cyber carnival of party internal matters. Political rascality and theatrical democratic pretensions are the professional tools of rogue democrats. The Convener, the apostles and the faceless sponsors of Broom United Movement are nothing but rogue democrats seeking recognition through democratic deception.

Politics

Zamfara APC Stakeholders Unanimously Endorse Tinubu, Lawal for Second Term

Published

17 hours ago

April 26, 2026

Sahara Weekly

Zamfara APC Stakeholders Unanimously Endorse Tinubu, Lawal for Second Term

Stakeholders of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State have thrown their full weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Dauda Lawal for a second term in the 2027 general elections.

The endorsement came on Saturday, April 25, 2026, during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting convened at the Government House in Gusau. The gathering drew all four former governors of the state, elected officials, elders, and representatives of youth and women from all 14 local government areas.

Speaking at the event, Governor Lawal described the meeting as timely, noting that political activities ahead of the 2027 elections are about to intensify.

He explained that his decision to join the APC was not merely political but a strategic move to reposition Zamfara, strengthen collaboration with the federal government, and advance the Renewed Hope Agenda. He thanked stakeholders for their unwavering support throughout the transition process.

Lawal urged party leaders to manage public expectations with maturity and fairness, acknowledging that not all political aspirations can be met immediately. He stressed that leadership goes beyond positions and that political relevance comes from service and contribution to development.

He further assured that fairness, equity, and justice would guide his administration’s decisions, and called for discipline and loyalty to the party.

In a communiqué read by the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Bello Matawalle, himself a former governor, the stakeholders declared their full support for President Tinubu and Governor Lawal. The communiqué also covered discussions on party unity, governance coordination, security challenges, and preparations for the 2027 elections.

All four former governors of Zamfara Ahmed Sani Yarima, Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi, Abdul’aziz Yari, and Bello Mohammed Matawalle were present and made clear commitments to the APC and the re-election bid of the president and the governor.

Politics

Ajadi Gains Fresh Support from PDP Stakeholders Across 11 Ibadan LGAs yesterday

Published

3 days ago

April 24, 2026

Sahara Weekly

Ajadi Gains Fresh Support from PDP Stakeholders Across 11 Ibadan LGAs yesterday

The leading governorship aspirant in Oyo State under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, has reiterated his commitment to sustaining the achievements of Governor Seyi Makinde, stated that his ambition is driven by a desire to consolidate good governance as he believes that humans are not animals and need to be governed well rather than pursuing personal gain.

Ajadi made this known on Thursday, April 23, 2026, during a strategic meeting with PDP stakeholders drawn from all 11 local government areas in Ibadan, where he formally sought their support ahead of the party’s gubernatorial primary election.

Addressing the gathering, Ajadi commended the Makinde administration for what he described as impactful governance across critical sectors, stressing that his aspiration is rooted in continuity of good governance, emphasizing that the promised Omituntun 3.0 is sacrosanct and he remains the initiator of Omituntun 3.0, the continuity of Governor Seyi Makinde’s legacy.

“If Omituntun reaches 40.0 in the future, nobody should be surprised that what started from 1.0 got to that level because good governance needs to be in continuity till eternity,” he said.

“The government of Governor Seyi Makinde has done well in all ramifications. That is why I have come forward to sustain his good governance for the benefit of our people,” he said.

He dismissed insinuations that his ambition was financially motivated, emphasizing his longstanding commitment to humanitarian service.

“I am not in this race to loot public funds. I have always been a philanthropist, and I intend to replicate that character through people-oriented governance that will uplift lives across Oyo State,” Ajadi added.

Earlier, the PDP Senatorial Chairman, Hon. Dayo Opatokun, described Ajadi as a stabilizing force within the party, noting that his engagements have contributed significantly to unity among members.

“Ambassador Ajadi is one of the aspirants who have kept the party united. His approach to leadership and inclusiveness is commendable,” Opatokun said.

Also speaking, Hon. Mufutau Ogunremi, Senior Special Assistant on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to Governor Makinde, insisted that Ajadi should not be regarded as a political outsider within government circles.

“Ajadi should not be seen as a visitor in any government parastatal. He is a key stakeholder who has strengthened the PDP in Oyo State through consistent engagement with party executives at ward, local government, and state levels,” Ogunremi stated.

He further praised Governor Makinde’s leadership style, adding that Ajadi possesses similar qualities.

“Governor Makinde has shown exemplary leadership, and Ajadi has demonstrated the capacity to replicate that model. His relationship with party members is built on trust, loyalty, and sincerity,” he said.

The PDP Party Chairman in Lagelu Local Government Area, and Chairman of Local Government PDP Chairmen in the state, Femi Falowo, commended Ajadi’s humanitarian efforts and leadership qualities, expressing confidence in his ability to succeed Makinde.

“Many may be afraid to speak, but I will say it—Ajadi has done well in emulating humanitarian service. He understands governance and has what it takes to succeed Governor Seyi Makinde,” Falowo declared.

He urged the aspirant to remain steadfast in his philanthropic engagements and party unification efforts.

“I encourage you to continue your good work and never stop uniting members of the party,” he added.

On her part, the Senatorial Women Leader, Hon. Aduke Okewusi, called for greater inclusion and empowerment of women in Ajadi’s political structure.

“Women play crucial roles during elections, yet they are often relegated to the background. We want to be actively involved and empowered beyond mere political mobilization,” she said.

Okewusi urged Ajadi to honour his commitment to gender inclusion if elected.

“You have promised to carry women along. We expect that this promise will be fulfilled,” she added.

Similarly, the Youth Leader of Ona-Ara Local Government, Nureni Morakinyo Azeez, emphasized the need for youth empowerment, noting the critical role young people play during elections.

“Youths are always at the forefront during campaigns. We are appealing to you to prioritize youth empowerment and create opportunities that will secure our future,” Azeez said.

The meeting, which drew party leaders and grassroots mobilizers from across Ibadan, is seen as part of Ajadi’s ongoing consultations aimed at consolidating support within the PDP as the race for the 2027 governorship election gathers momentum.

Politics

Rescue Mission 2.0: Why Governor Dauda Lawal Should Continue Rebuilding The Future Of Zamfara Through Investment in Education

Published

5 days ago

April 22, 2026

Sahara Weekly

Rescue Mission 2.0: Why Governor Dauda Lawal Should Continue Rebuilding The Future Of Zamfara Through Investment in Education

By: Bashorun Oladapo Sofowora

For those who know Zamfara State before Governor Dauda Lawal became Governor will appreciate the current situation in the state. The state, which used to be in the rubble, has been reconstructed into a powerhouse within its geographical location and has become an envy of others. All thanks to the visionary rescue mission 1.0 spearheaded by Governor Dauda Lawal, PhD, in 2023, when he was elected Governor of the agrarian and mineral-rich state.

Just three years ago, education in Zamfara State was in a Comatose state. It was nonexistent. No functional primary and secondary schools conducive to learning. The narrative was one of despair: schools as ghost towns, examination halls locked by creditors, and a generation of children seemingly abandoned by systemic neglect. But for Governor Dauda Lawal, a leader who views governance not as a relay race but as a rescue mission, the story has changed with just three years in charge of the affairs of the state.

When he assumed office, the education sector wasn’t just ailing; clinically, it was on life support. Massive debts had piled up, teachers had vanished into thin air and the number of out-of-school children was skyrocketing on a daily basis. However, two years into the “Lawal era,” the sound of silence in Zamfara’s classrooms has been replaced by the sound of flipping of new textbooks and the scratching of pens on examination answer sheets.

One of the cruellest legacies Governor Lawal inherited was the hostage crisis of student futures. Students could not write exams, classes were dilapidated and qualified teachers. Past administrations had failed to remit examination fees to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO). Consequently, thousands of bright Zamfaran students saw their results withheld not because they failed, but because the state failed them. Some had to travel to neighbouring towns like Sokoto, Katsina and Kano to enrol for exams risking their lives.

In a dramatic move that sent shockwaves through the opposition, Governor Lawal reached into the state’s coffers and cleared the backlog of a staggering: ₦1.4 billion to WAEC covering debts from 2018 to 2022, and a combined payment of over ₦1.34 billion to NECO covering debts from 2014 to 2021. The immediate effect was the release of all previously withheld results, allowing students to finally apply for higher education. Furthermore, the state fully funded the 2024 WAEC examinations, ensuring that no child was barred from sitting for their finals due to a lack of funds.

Governor Lawal after his swearing in, declared a State of Emergency on Education in November 2023, this meant that governance moved from the air-conditioned offices in Gusau to the muddy fields of rural schools across the state. He rolled his sleeves and got to work almost immediately fixing the rot he met. Available data from the Zamfara State Government reveals that the state has embarked on the construction and renovation of over 500 schools across all 14 Local Government Areas. This is not a cosmetic paint job, the administration is investing in modern, safe, and dignified learning environments:

Classroom Revolution: Through the UBEC-ZSUBEB Matching Grant and AGILE projects, contracts worth over ₦5.9 billion have been awarded to build schools meeting global standards.

Furniture Supply: The administration has distributed over 12,000 two-seater desks for students and over 1,000 chairs for teachers, ending the era where pupils sat on bare floors to learn.

Recruitment of more teachers and supply of more textbooks: Infrastructure without manpower is a shell. When Governor Lawal looked at the teacher-to-pupil ratio in the state, he saw a crisis. In a decisive move to reverse the brain drain, he approved the massive recruitment of 2,000 qualified teachers.

The recruitment is strategic, the first batch of 500 focuses on critical science subjects (English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics), preparing Zamfaran youth for the 21st-century economy. The government is also finalising a 120-day Rapid Intervention Action Plan to audit payrolls, map schools, and secure school environments from illegal encroachment.

For the 2025 fiscal year, Governor Lawal presented a “Rescue Budget 2.0” of N545 billion. The largest single allocation, N79.6 billion, representing 14% of the entire budget, went to Education. For 2026, the proposed budget allocates an additional N65 billion to sustain this momentum. However, a journey to the Renaissance is not complete. It is at this critical inflexion point that the people of Zamfara face a defining choice. Before Governor Lawal, Zamfara was a state where students were barred from exams due to unpaid debts. Today, those chains are broken completely. But the enemy of progress is not just failure; it is interruption. The gains made in education are still fragile and need continuous consolidation. The newly recruited teachers need continuous training and the 500 renovated schools need constant security and maintenance. The unified Education Sector Bill, designed to create a seamless system from early childhood to tertiary level, is still awaiting full legislative maturity.

To stop the “Rescue Mission 2.0” now would be to hand the baton back to those who drove the system into educational bankruptcy. The same political forces that allowed the debt to accumulate to over N2 billion are already regrouping eyeing 2027. They promise something different, but their records speak of withheld results and abandoned classrooms. Governor Dauda Lawal is not merely constructing classrooms; he is dismantling the architecture of ignorance that held Zamfara backwards for decades. He has proven that with political will, the “Education Governor” can turn around a sector that was declared dead.

To secure this legacy, to ensure that children never again sit on bare floors and to guarantee that WAEC and NECO never again hold Zamfaran results hostage, the mission must continue for a secured future. The vote for continuity is a vote for the future. By re-electing Governor Dauda Lawal, Zamfara will not just be learning to read and write, but also to win in all ramifications and also put the state on a winning streak.