“Let Us Keep Faith Alive in Purposeful Leadership and National Progress”… Obasa Urges Nigerians at Christmas

As Christians across the world celebrate Christmas, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Obasa has congratulated adherents of the faith and urged them to use the season as an opportunity to renew their faith in purposeful leadership and remain committed to the nation’s progress.

He called on citizens to draw inspiration from the birth of Jesus Christ, which symbolizes hope, humility, and sacrifice; values that can guide the country toward unity and prosperity.

In a Christmas message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Dave Agboola, Speaker Obasa described the season as a time for reflection and reaffirmation of trust in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom he said is determined to turn the fortunes of Nigerians around through visionary policies.

“Christmas is more than a festive occasion; it is a profound reminder of hope and faith. As we celebrate, let us keep faith alive in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is poised to turn the fortunes of Nigerians around through purposeful leadership,” Obasa said.

The Speaker urged Christians across the country and beyond to remain united and optimistic, noting that the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope agenda requires collective support and patience to yield positive results.

“As we exchange gifts and share joy, let us renew our commitment to peace, mutual respect, and progress. Together, we can build a Lagos and a Nigeria that reflect the aspirations of every citizen,” he added.

Obasa concluded by wishing Lagosians and Nigerians a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year 2026 in advance while praying for peace and abundant blessings in the coming year.

Middle Belt Group Lauds President Tinubu’s Intervention In Benue APC Crisis

***Says Speaker Abbas Right Man to Deliver on Lasting Peace Pact

The Middle Belt Democratic Agenda has enthusiastically commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his decisive and visionary leadership in addressing the lingering crisis within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State.

The group described the President’s constitution of a high-powered reconciliation committee as a clear demonstration of his commitment to party unity, internal democracy, and the overall stability of Nigeria’s political landscape.

In a statement released today and signed by Comrade Samuel Bako, the Middle Belt Democratic Agenda hailed President Tinubu’s choice of Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Speaker of the House of Representatives, as chairman of the Benue APC reconciliation committee.

The Benue APC has been embroiled in factional disputes, primarily between supporters of Governor Hyacinth Alia and those aligned with Senator George Akume, leading to parallel structures, legal tussles, and public disruptions that have weakened the party’s cohesion and grassroots mobilization.

Comrade Samuel Bako, in a series of pointed remarks, praised President Tinubu as a “strategic statesman” who consistently prioritizes reconciliation over division.

“President Tinubu’s intervention in Benue is yet another proof of his deep love for the APC and his determination to ensure that no state is left behind in the journey toward national progress,” he said.

“His proactive approach to resolving intra-party conflicts shows rare political maturity and foresight.”

He further described the President as “a unifier par excellence,” adding: “By appointing credible and respected figures to lead this committee, President Tinubu has once again shown that he values competence, integrity, and inclusivity.

“This move will not only heal wounds in Benue APC but will also strengthen the party nationally as we approach future elections.”

Turning to Speaker Abbas, Comrade Bako called him “the perfect bridge-builder for such a delicate assignment.”

“Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen has proven time and again that he is a man of fairness, wisdom, and impartiality. His track record in Bauchi, where he successfully brought warring factions together, speaks volumes,” he stated.

” We have absolute confidence that under his leadership, Benue APC will emerge stronger and more united than ever.

Bako emphasized the Speaker’s unique qualities: “Speaker Abbas is a leader who listens to all sides. His appointment is a masterstroke by Mr. President, and we are convinced that he will deliver a lasting peace pact that will serve as a model for other states.”

The group also commended the composition of the committee, which includes Governor Mai Mala Buni, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, former Speaker Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, and other high-caliber members, describing it as “a dream team of reconciliators.”

Bako urged all APC stakeholders in Benue to extend full cooperation to the committee, stressing that “unity is our greatest strength.”

“President Tinubu and Speaker Abbas have given Benue APC a golden opportunity for renewal. We pray for the success of this noble effort and reaffirm our support for the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Bako concluded.

A BIOGRAPHY BETRAYED: THE SHAMBOLIC AGENDA OF “FROM A SOLDIER TO A STATESMAN“

The pursuit of biography is a sacred historical trust. It demands rigour, balance, and an unwavering commitment to presenting a subject in full—virtues and vices, triumphs, and failures. Dr. Charles Omole’s From a Soldier to a Statesman: The Life and Times of Muhammadu Buhari betrays this trust completely. It is not a biography but a shambolic assemblage of partisan testimony, functioning not to illuminate but to obfuscate. A close examination reveals a work so compromised in its motive, its sources, and its execution that it stands as an intellectual insult rather than a contribution to understanding one of Nigeria’s most consequential figures.

The fundamental failure of Omole’s work is its abandonment of biographical objectivity. Instead of a measured exploration, the book operates as a vehicle for political revisionism. Its apparent motive is not to document but to deify; not to analyze but to advocate. This transforms the project from history into hagiography, seeking to encase President Buhari in an impermeable myth of infallibility. Such an approach does a disservice to history, as it refuses to engage with the complex, often contentious reality of Buhari’s impact across decades of military and democratic rule. By sidestepping legitimate debates over policy, governance, and national unity, the book renders itself irrelevant to any serious discourse.

This fatal flaw is crystallized in the character and selection of the book’s contributors. While their names are real, the narrative they collectively weave is a masterpiece of selective memory. The pages are dominated by a chorus of voices with a clear stake in sustaining a particular political narrative—individuals who can accurately be described as opportunistic, relentlessly partisan, and historically unreliable. Where are the credible neutral observers? The respectful but critical analysts? Their absence is deafening. By relying almost exclusively on testimonies from within a closed circle of loyalists, Omole ensures the book is an echo chamber, not an investigation. This methodology strips the narrative of all credibility, as it is built not on a foundation of evidence but on the pre-fabricated pillars of sycophancy.

Consequently, the book is utterly worthless as a biographical or historical text. It does not befit the Muhammadu Buhari known to the Nigerian nation—a figure of stark contradictions, fierce dedication in the eyes of some, and profound controversy in the eyes of others. To reduce a legacy that has sparked deep national dialogue to a one-dimensional panegyric is an act of profound intellectual dishonesty. The work is a mess: poorly structured, analytically barren, and drowning in its own agenda. It offers no insight to supporters, no enlightenment to critics, and no value to scholars or future generations seeking to understand this era.

In the final analysis, Charles Omole’s From a Soldier to a Statesman is more than just a bad book; it is a betrayal of the biographical craft and an affront to the Nigerian public’s intelligence. It substitutes propaganda for scholarship and hagiography for history. For this deliberate act of intellectual deception, Charles Omole owes Nigerians a sincere apology. He should ask for forgiveness for the insult of presenting such a skewed and shamelessly agenda-driven work as a serious biography. Furthermore, he owes a specific apology to the family of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, for in seeking to create a plaster saint, he has robbed their patriarch of his authentic, complex humanity—the very essence any respectable biography seeks to capture. True legacy is built on truth, not fable. This book, sadly, is a monument to the latter and thus deserves to be dismissed and forgotten.

Hassan Dan Aboki

Kaduna

23 December 2025