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Buhari has destroyed Nigeria’s economy – APGA scribe
The Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Comrade Jerry Obasi, on Tuesday pronounced Nigeria’s economy “clinically dead”, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to urgently seek the help of economic surgeons.
Obasi, who was the APGA’s deputy governorship candidate in the last general election in Ebonyi State, accused the President of junketing around the world whereas his house was on fire.
Speaking in an interview with DAILY POST in Enugu, the APGA chieftain urged the government to convoke an economic summit in order to save the country from descending further into the abyss.
He spoke thus: “What is going on this country is quite unfortunate; I have been on the queue for two days to get fuel, in Nigeria, the fourth oil producing country in the entire world, whereas in non-oil producing countries, there are no queues.
“In fact, I supported Buhari in this election, I had to go against my family and party to support Buhari in that election, because of the state of affairs under Jonathan, considering the fact that Enugu-Onitsha Express Road was impassable for six years, and we had a President; also Enugu-Port Harcourt Road was not done, all the roads in the South-East and South-South were not done for the six years, I was using these small indices because Igbos are traders, so they need these roads; I got disappointed and I said I was not going to vote for Jonathan, he disappointed my people, six years would have been enough. To me it was crass failure, even when it is believed today by Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora that Buhari has failed, his failure can’t make Jonathan to have succeeded.
“The truth remains that the economy is in a very bad shape, the economy has been battered, it has been given a technical knock-out, the type that Tyson used to give to his opponents in his time, the economy has gone extinct, and just like the statement made by Lai Mohammed that the economy has overtaken the government, though he has come back to retract that, but he has made a confessional statement, because tomorrow he will still tell Nigerians that he said it; the economy to me, has been destroyed, you cannot bring a clerk in a micro finance bank in the UK to come and superintend over Nigeria’s economy, it is not going to take us anywhere. Nigeria needs an economist in the mold of Okonjo Iweala, an economist in the stature of Oby Ezekwesili, in the stature of Soludo, in the stature of Kaku Idika Kaku. These appointments of Buhari that are more political and sentimentally minded will take us to the abyss. The government is already collapsing on him, and I will advise once again for him to convoke an economic summit, because Nigerian and her economy is in comatose, it is in an intensive care unit of economic hospital that also needs intensive care by economic surgeons, but if we go the way we are going, I see dark days ahead, I see terrible days ahead.
“Are we to talk about the N5,000 promise, we are not talking about the fuel they said will be sold an N40, even at 180, you cannot but fuel anywhere, if you go to Malawi, South-Africa, Ghana, you cannot see queue, so it is unfortunate, the president should wake up, he should reduce his level of travelling, you don’t visit economies that are stable whereas at home, the economy is dying on your lapse, let us come out of these sentiments, the APC should understand now that it is the ruling government, may be they forgot that they are ruling, still sounding like the opposition. Buhari’s appointments are summersault appointments; you see a professor working under a first degree holder, let us look inside, management of the country is different from a religious body, it is different from a tribal organization, it is different from the opposition mentality, it is so far so bad, all of us can see it, we can’t but food. The country has become too hot for all of us.”
Also speaking on the controversial Anambra Central Senatorial election, Obasi had this to say: “The Anambra scenario is a very remarkable one, it is also a pitiable one, there has been a cardinal rule in the way elections are conducted in Nigeria; there has never been a day window was created for a strange person to participate in a rerun that he never participated in the first election, it has never happened in the history of election in Nigeria; so, why now? Why in Anambra State? Why in Anambra Central? Why will a lower court circumvent the decision of superior court? Peter Obi who went to court did not participate in that election; by the time that election was held, Peter Obi was just about one month in the PDP, among all the actors that participated in the PDP primary, Obi was not one of them. So, even if the court want to come against its own process, or its own leanings, the only one that is not supposed to be in that election is Peter Obi; he is not supposed to be part of that election because he was not part of that process ab-initio, he was part of the primary of either of Emeakayi group or Oguebego group, so from where did the Federal High Court derive the power to give such frivolous judgement?
“We are all Nigerians and we are all stakeholders in this business, are we now saying that a court can now come up with a ruling that will bring the electoral law into public odium? so, I feel so miffed, I feel so shocked, I feel so confused, it gives me sleepless night, each time I remember the happenings in Anambra State, the court is now father Christmas. But let us watch and see if the court will destroy the electoral law.
“If there is anybody who is not supposed to seek participation in that election, it is Peter Obi; are we now saying that the electoral act has been destroyed in such a way that the PDP will now be allowed to conduct a fresh primary; it is not even Ekwunife or Ani Okonkwo, they are the two persons in that drama; Obi is not a product of any of the primaries; so, from where will court derive such power to include Obi as a candidate in that election, INEC should remain firm in its functions, let us improve our democracy, let there not be special persons, let their not be sacred cows, let there be no special involvements of personalities; if there is any party that has the opportunity of joining in that election, it is the APC, because Ngige is not dead, he is alive.
“So the issue of Obi is out of it, it is a huge joke. Even though I respect Obi as the former BoT chairman of my party, APGA, as the former leader of my great party and as one of the leaders of thought of Ndigbo, having been a former governor, but we can’t truncate the electoral process just to please one person; but I’m also a little bit disturbed because the way Buhari suffered rigging and election maneuvering in the past, he is not supposed to superintend over election manipulation.
“Obi’s issue in this case is stillborn, it is dead on arrival, I’m not advocating that APGA should go into this election unchallenged, but it should be lawful; we don’t feel extraordinarily challenged, but the right thing should be done; we don’t lose sleep, APGA is highly fortified to run for that election in Anambra State, the governor is doing pretty well and considering the business of the day in the Senate, which is legislation, Umeh will be a better lawmaker than Obi; we are not extra-ordinarily challenged by Obi’s involvement, all we are saying is that he came too late, nobody jumps into the pitch to play when the referee has ended the match. It is late, Obi should wait for 2019, but on the issue of Anambra rerun, Obi is way out of it.
“All these are happening because the powers that be have seen that if the right thing is done, Umeh will win that rerun. I want to recall that in the first election, Umeh scored 83,000 votes, the beneficiary of the outcome of that ill-fated election, Ekwunife, did not score above our candidate, Umeh, with any wild margin, even with all the manipulation; the APC candidate, Ngige, came a distant third with about 23,000 votes; I have difficulty that our 16-year-old baby called democracy, we are still breast feeding it, it is unfortunate, it is shameful that we are still nursing a 16-year-old baby, our democracy is no longer nascent, a 16-year-old child is already preparing to go to the university, some legends, like Michael Jackson, entered Guinness Book of records at the age of 11, but we are here still breast feeding a 16-year-old child, called our democracy.
“Giving the election in Anambra State, we smell a rat; but it is unfortunate that those who benefited from the democracy are trying to truncate it. The Army will be laughing at us now because they have watched us for 16 years and we have done so badly. Look at the way we are mismanaging the entire democratic process, it is unfortunate, we are watching and we are waiting, but the fact remains that we have to be very cautions.
Source: Daily Post
Why Babangida’s Hilltop Home Became Nigeria’s Political “Mecca”.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com
Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s birthday visit to Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) in Minna (where he hailed the octogenarian as a patriotic leader committed to national unity) was more than a courtesy call. It was a reminder of a peculiar constant in Nigerian politics: the steady pilgrimage of power-seekers, bridge-builders and crisis-managers to the Hilltop mansion. Jonathan’s own words captured it bluntly: IBB’s residence “is like a Mecca of sorts” because of the former military president’s enduring relevance and perceived nation-first posture.
Babangida turned 84 on 17 August 2025. That alone invites reflection on a career that has shaped Nigeria’s political architecture for four decades; admired by some for audacious statecraft, condemned by others for controversies that still shadow the republic. Born on 17 August 1941 in Minna, he ruled as military president from 1985 to 1993, presiding over transformative and turbulent chapters: the relocation of the national capital to Abuja in 1991; the creation of political institutions for a long, complex transition; economic liberalisation that cut both ways; and the fateful annulment of the 12 June 1993 election. Each of these choices helps explain why the Hilltop remains a magnet for Nigerians who need counsel, cover or calibration.
A house built on influence; why the visits never stop.
Let’s start with the obvious: access. Nigeria’s political class prizes proximity to the men and women who can open doors, soften opposition, broker peace and read the hidden currents. In that calculus, IBB’s network is unmatched. He cultivated a reputation for “political engineering,” the reason the press christened him “Maradona” (for deft dribbling through complexity) and “Evil Genius” (for the strategic cunning his critics decried). Whether one embraces or rejects those labels, they reflect a reality: Babangida is still the place where many politicians go to test ideas, seek endorsements or secure introductions. Even the mainstream press has described him as a consultant of sorts to desperate or ambitious politicians, an uncomfortable description that nevertheless underlines his gravitational pull.
Though it isn’t only political tact that draws visitors; it’s statecraft with lasting fingerprints. Moving the seat of government from Lagos to Abuja in December 1991 was not a cosmetic relocation, it re-centred the federation and signaled a symbolic neutrality in a country fractured by regional suspicion. Abuja’s founding logic (GEOGRAPHIC CENTRALITY and ETHNIC NEUTRALITY) continues to stabilise the national imagination. This is part of the reason many leaders, across party lines, still defer to IBB: he didn’t just rule; he rearranged the map of power.
Then there’s the regional dimension. Under his watch, Nigeria led the creation and deployment of ECOMOG in 1990 to staunch Liberia’s bloody civil war, a bold move that announced Abuja as a regional security anchor. The intervention was imperfect, contested and costly, but it helped define West Africa’s collective security posture and Nigeria’s leadership brand. When neighboring states now face crises, the memory of that precedent still echoes in diplomatic corridors and Babangida’s counsel retains currency among those who remember how decisions were made.
Jonathan’s praise and the unity argument.
Jonathan’s tribute (stressing Babangida’s non-sectional outlook and commitment to unity) goes to the heart of the Hilltop mystique. For a multi-ethnic federation straining under distrust, figures who can speak across divides are prized. Jonathan’s point wasn’t nostalgia; it was a live assessment of a man many still call when Nigeria’s seams fray. That’s why the parade to Minna continues: the anxious, the ambitious and the statesmanlike alike seek an elder who can convene rivals and cool temperatures.
The unresolved shadow: June 12 and the ethics of influence.
No honest appraisal can skip the hardest chapter: the annulment of the 12 June 1993 election (judged widely as free and fair) was a rupture that delegitimised the transition and scarred Nigeria’s democratic journey. Political scientist Larry Diamond has repeatedly identified June 12 as a prime example of how authoritarian reversals corrode democratic legitimacy and public trust. His larger warning (“few developments are more destructive to the legitimacy of new democracies than blatant and pervasive political corruption”) captures the moral crater that followed the annulment and the years of drift that ensued. Those wounds are part of the Babangida legacy too and they complicate the reverence that a steady stream of visitors displays.
Max Siollun, a leading historian of Nigeria’s military era, has observed (provocatively) that the military’s “greatest contribution” to democracy may have been to rule “long and badly enough” that Nigerians lost appetite for soldiers in power. It’s a stinging line, yet it helps explain the paradox of IBB’s status: the same system he personified taught Nigeria costly lessons that hardened its democratic reflexes. Today’s generation visits the Hilltop not to revive militarism but to harvest hard-won insights about managing a fragile federation.
What sustains the pilgrimage.
1) Institutional memory: Nigeria’s politics often suffers amnesia. Babangida offers a living archive of security crises navigated, regional diplomacy attempted, volatile markets tempered and power-sharing experiments designed. Whether one applauds or condemns specific choices, the muscle memory of governing a complex federation is rare and urgently sought.
2) Convening power: In a season of polarisation, the ability to sit warring factions in the same room is not small capital. Babangida’s imprimatur remains a safe invitation card few refuse it, fewer ignore it. That convening power explains why movements, parties and would-be presidents keep filing up the long driveway. Recent delegations have explicitly cast their courtesy calls in the language of unity, loyalty and patriotism ahead of pivotal elections.
3) Signals to the base: Visiting Minna telegraphs seriousness to party structures and funders. It says: “I have sought counsel where history meets experience.” In Nigeria’s coded political theatre, that signal still matters. Outlets have reported for years that many aspirants treat the Hilltop as an obligatory stop an unflattering reality, perhaps, but a revealing one.
4) The man and the myth: The mansion itself, with its opulence and aura, has become a set piece in Nigeria’s story of power, admired by some, resented by others, but always discussed. The myth feeds the pilgrimage; the pilgrimage feeds the myth.
The balance sheet at 84.
To treat Babangida solely as a sage is to forget the costs of his era; to treat him only as a villain is to ignore the architecture that still holds parts of Nigeria together. Abuja’s relocation stands as a stabilising bet that paid off. ECOMOG, for all its flaws, seeded a habit of regional responsibility. Conversely, June 12 remains a national cautionary tale about elite manipulation, civilian marginalisation and the brittleness of transitions managed from above. These are not contradictory truths; they are the double helix of Babangida’s place in Nigerian memory.
Jonathan’s homage tried to distill the better angel of IBB’s record: MENTORSHIP, BRIDGE-BUILDING and a POSTURE that (at least in his telling) RESISTS SECTIONAL ISM. “That is why today, his house is like a Mecca of sorts,” he said, praying that the GENERAL continues to “mentor the younger ones.” Whether one agrees with the full sentiment, it accurately describes the lived politics of Nigeria today: Minna remains a checkpoint on the road to relevance.
The scholar’s verdict and a citizen’s challenge.
If Diamond warns about legitimacy and Siollun warns about the perils of soldier-politics, what should Nigerians demand from the Hilltop effect? Three things.
First, use influence to open space, not close it. Counsel should tilt toward rules, institutions and credible elections not kingmaking for its own sake. The lesson of 1993 is that subverting a valid vote haunts a nation for decades.
Second, mentor for unity, but insist on accountability. Unity cannot be a euphemism for silence. A truly patriotic elder statesman sets a high bar for conduct and condemns the shortcuts that tempt new actors in old ways. Diamond’s admonition on corruption is not an abstraction; it’s a roadmap for rebuilding trust.
Third, convert nostalgia into institutional memory. If Babangida’s house is a classroom, then Nigeria should capture, publish and debate its lessons in the open: on peace operations (what worked, what failed), on capital relocation (how to plan at scale), and on transitions (how not to repeat 1993). Only then does the pilgrimage serve the republic rather than personalities.
At 84, Ibrahim Babangida remains a paradox that Nigeria cannot ignore: a man whose legacy straddles NATION-BUILDING and NATION-BRUISING, whose doors remain open to those seeking power and those seeking peace. Jonathan’s visit (and his striking “Mecca” metaphor) reveals a simple, stubborn fact: in a country still searching for steady hands, the Hilltop’s shadow is long. The task before Nigeria is to ensure that the shadow points toward a brighter constitutional daybreak, where influence is finally subordinated to institutions and where mentorship hardens into norms that no single mansion can monopolise. That is the only pilgrimage worth making.
Ajadi Celebrates Juju Legend Femolancaster’s 50th Birthday in the UK
Nigerian Juju music legend, Otunba Femi Fadipe, popularly known as FemoLancaster, is being celebrated today in London as he clocks 50 years of age.
Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, a frontline politician and businessman, led tributes to the Ilesa-born maestro, describing him as a timeless cultural icon whose artistry has enriched both Nigeria and the world.
“FemoLancaster is not just a musician, he is a legend,” Ambassador Ajadi said in his birthday message. “For decades, his classical Juju sound has remained a reminder of the beauty of Yoruba heritage. Today, as he turns 50, I celebrate a cultural ambassador whose music bridges generations and continents.”
While FemoLancaster is highly dominant in Oyo State and across the South-West, his craft has also taken him beyond Nigeria’s borders.
FemoLancaster’s illustrious career has seen him thrill audiences across Nigeria and beyond, with performances in the United Kingdom, Canada, United States of America, and other parts of the world. His dedication to Juju music has projected Yoruba traditional sounds to international stages, keeping alive the legacy of icons like King Sunny Ade and Chief Ebenezer Obey while infusing fresh energy for younger audiences
He further stressed the significance of honoring artistes who have remained faithful to indigenous music while taking it global. “In an era where modern sounds often overshadow tradition, FemoLancaster stands as a beacon of continuity and resilience. He has carried Yoruba Juju music into the global space with dignity, passion, and excellence,” he added.
The golden jubilee celebration in London has drawn fans, friends, and colleagues, who all describe FemoLancaster as a gifted artist whose contributions over decades have earned him a revered place in the pantheon of Nigerian music legends.
“As FemoLancaster marks this milestone,” Ajadi concluded, “I wish him many more years of good health, wisdom, and global recognition. May his music continue to echo across generations and continents.”
celebrity radar - gossips
Gospel Songstress Esther Igbekele Marks Birthday with Gratitude and Celebration
Gospel Songstress Esther Igbekele Marks Birthday with Gratitude and Celebration
By Aderounmu Kazeem Lagos
Lagos, Nigeria — The gospel music scene is aglow today as the “Duchess of Gospel Music,” Esther Igbekele, marks another milestone in her life, celebrating her birthday on Saturday, August 16, 2025.
Known for her powerful voice, inspirational lyrics, and unwavering dedication to spreading the gospel through music, Esther Igbekele has become one of Nigeria’s most respected and beloved gospel artistes. Over the years, she has graced countless stages, released hit albums, and inspired audiences across the world with her uplifting songs.
Today’s celebration is expected to be a joyful blend of music, prayers, and heartfelt tributes from family, friends, fans, and fellow artistes. Sources close to the singer revealed that plans are in place for a special praise gathering in Lagos, where she will be joined by notable figures in the gospel industry, church leaders, and admirers from home and abroad.
Speaking ahead of the day, Igbekele expressed deep gratitude to God for His mercy and the opportunity to use her gift to touch lives. “Every birthday is a reminder of God’s faithfulness in my journey. I am thankful for life, for my fans, and for the privilege to keep ministering through music,” she said.
From her early beginnings in the Yoruba gospel music scene to her rise as a celebrated recording artiste with a unique fusion of contemporary and traditional sounds, Esther Igbekele’s career has been marked by consistency, excellence, and a strong message of hope.
As she adds another year today, her fans have flooded social media with messages of love, appreciation, and prayers — a testament to the profound impact she continues to make in the gospel music ministry.
For many, this birthday is not just a celebration of Esther Igbekele’s life, but also of the divine inspiration she brings to the Nigerian gospel music landscape.
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