Politics
OSINBAJO, STILL THE DANIEL OF OUR TIME
While few critics tend to shy away from the sterling performance of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, but rather concentrate on concocting all manner of stories and innuendos on his person, I have chosen to take an alternative route. Before I start, let me admit that occupying a high office anywhere in the world is not a tea party. It is a herculean task. Professor Yemi Osinbajo shares a lot of values with President Muhammadu Buhari, and principally among them is their legendary integrity, patriotism and commitment to national development.
Let me use this medium to address some of the mundane issues raised in the article written by Shaka Momodu, titled Osinbajo Unlike The Biblical Daniel, published on the Thisday Newspaper. That Vice president Yemi Osinbajo wants to be seen as a hero, I beg to say that this is a misrepresentation of his persona as he is always himself and not a pretender. To say that he was eager to impress his principal attests to his unalloyed loyalty to Mr. President, and the philosophy of the administration, which is to render service to Nigerians.
Granted that Professor Osinbajo is ‘’not tough’’ in the sense the writer implied, yet his belief in the rule of law, rather than brigandage remains unwavering, especially in matters of state. He cannot therefore on this account be seen as a ‘’spineless professor’’.
It is also wrong to make sweeping statements by linking the administration to any malfeasance, as the government has never hesitated to act if there is a grain of evidence against its officials. Professor Osinbajo still remains a professional with a world view to improve the lot of Nigerians.
On the allusion to his visits to the airports, markets and filling stations I want say that this is desirable as it shows a connection between the government and the people. There is no hypocrisy or self-righteousness in Professor Osinbajo as he is always himself. As a leader he owes it a duty to connect and feel the pulse of the people, as this is standard practice all over the world. It should not be misconstrued.
For the avoidance of doubt, most cabinet members hold the vice president in very high esteem and they repose a lot of confidence in him, especially when he stands in for Mr. President. Let me observe that most of the negative comments in the article are mere conjectures deliberately adumbrated to achieve a premeditated objective. They don’t reflect the position of the president, his vice or the entire administration about some happenings in Nigeria.
Though I disagree that the image of Professor Osinbajo’s party, APC is ‘’sagging’’ as the writer tried to impute, but I ask: what is wrong if a vice president shores up the image of his party with public appearances? To me this is pedestrian argument.
Till today, many Nigerians still appreciate Professor Yemi Osinbajo for his contributions to the Buhari administration as he has not failed at any time to make his wealth of knowledge available towards steering the ship of state. For example during President Muhammadu Buhari’s three months absence in London, Professor Osinbajo held forth and was able to assuage the feelings of the Niger Delta agitators who had threatened to bring down our oil production to zero. It can only be imagined the state of affairs in Nigeria if he had not acted as a go-between with the Niger Delta militants.
Professor Yemi Osinbajo has used his position as the chairman of the National Economic Council to proffer solutions to some problems that would have been intractable. Even in the case of the farmers/herders clashes, his leadership has resolved on the issue of ranching which ab-initio was the preferred option for the grazing herdsmen? It is only a blind man or someone prejudiced by bias that will not see the ‘’Daniel role’’ Professor Osinbajo is playing in Nigeria today.
He remains a towering example of a conscientious leader, consummate gentleman and preacher of the gospel. His participation in government has not in any way lowered his esteem in the eyes of right –thinking people as he has been taken things in his stride, observing a high level of sobriety and being loyal to the president and the country.
Or what more can you ask of a man who has denied himself pleasure and comfort to serve his country and help navigate the ship of state to a secure corner where all interests will be catered for? Luckily, he is in good company with his principal, President Muhammadu Buhari who continues to ensure that Nigerians reap bountifully from the hope they reposed in them.
Professor Yemi Osinbajo is still standing tall among eminent men and women in Nigeria if we consider that he has used his position to address the plight of the Nigerian youth who are the leaders of tomorrow. For example, the impact of the N-power programme; School Feeding Programme; Conditional Cash Transfer programme and several other social intervention programmes which he has directly midwifed in this administration are visible for all to see.
As things stand today, President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice Yemi Osinbajo are the most popular and charismatic politicians in Nigeria today. This did not happen by accident as the duo had through their sincerity of purpose and determination to improve the lot of the ordinary Nigerian have earned the trust and confidence of Nigerians irrespective of tribe and religion. This is the difference between the duo and the past PDP administrations. While the past PDP administrations focussed on serving some vested narrow interests, the Buhari/Osinbajo administration has made Nigerians the fulcrum of their development agenda.
On the issue of corruption, why would any right thinking person begrudge Professor Osinbajo who revealed that despite 60% less in revenue compared to the accruals for the previous government, that the administration has spent the highest capital expenditure on infrastructure in Nigeria’s history with about N1.3 trillion. It is needless to say that good infrastructure is key to the total revival of the economy, job creation and economic emancipation of Nigerians.
Based on the visionary leadership of President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the capacity of the Transmission Company of Nigeria to transport energy has grown from 5000MW in 2015 to 7,125 MW in 2017 thereby making more power available to Nigerians. This is evidence of a focussed government.
How can anyone in his right senses deride an administration that has deployed about N16.67 Billion to each of the six geo-political zones out of the N100 Billion Sukuk fund to fix our dilapidated road network? The difference between the PDP era and the Buhari/Osinbajo era is the absence of corruption and introduction of transparency in governance.
The Buhari/Osinbajo administration is also building two legacy projects which the previous PDP administrations shied away from for sixteen years. They are the Mambilla power project and the Second Niger Bridge. It takes courage and commitment to embark on this kind of projects in austere times as we have today.
Even on the issue of security, the Buhari/Osinbajo administration has ensured the release of 106 Chibok girls from Boko Haram captivity, while the fire power of the military has greatly degraded the ability of the terrorists to conquer and occupy territories.
President Osinbajo’s humble mien can easily mislead some people to adjudge him as weak, but far from it as Professor Osinbajo carries himself with dignity and within the confines of his constitutional responsibilities. His luck is also that the president reposes confidence in him and periodically entrusts him with the responsibilities of his high office. On his part Professor Osinbajo has always lived up to the billing.
For example, during such occasions when the president must travel outside the country, he usually writes the National Assembly to officially transmit power to him, and on several occasions Professor Yemi Osinbajo has presided over the federal executive council and they usually came out with useful resolutions for Nigeria. In my estimation and many Nigerians Professor Osinbajo remains a role model and his association with President Buhari is refocussing Nigeria and laying a solid foundation for sustainable development.
By Chukwudi Enekwechi
An Abuja-based Journalist
Obasa Appointed to CPA African Executive Committee
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, has been appointed as a Sub-National Representative to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) African Executive Committee.
The announcement was formally conveyed through a letter from the CPA Africa Region, which was read on the floor of the Assembly by the Clerk, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko, on Tuesday, March 10. The appointment confirms Speaker Obasa’s three-year tenure, spanning 2026 to 2029.
Lawmakers took turns to congratulate Speaker Obasa, praising his devotion to parliamentary service and his consistent efforts to strengthen legislative practice. They described his appointment as a recognition of his hard work and a reflection of Lagos State’s growing influence within the Commonwealth. Members noted that his achievements continue to bring pride not only to Lagos but to Nigeria as a whole.
In his remarks, Speaker Obasa expressed gratitude to his colleagues for their support, urging them to remain steadfast in prioritizing the progress of the Assembly and to continue working collectively to advance the legislature. He further directed the Clerk to send a formal letter of appreciation to the CPA African Region for the honour bestowed upon him. “Let us always put the House of Assembly first and never relent in our efforts to move the legislature forward, ” Obasa concluded.
The CPA African Region plays a pivotal role in advancing the interests of African parliaments within the Commonwealth. It is widely recognized for promoting gender equality, women’s empowerment, respect for human rights, democracy, and good governance across member nations.
TINUBU RENEWS TENURE OF THREE PERMANENT SECRETARIES
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the renewal of tenure for three Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service, in line with existing public service regulations.
The approval was disclosed in a statement issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, indicating that the renewed appointments will take effect from April 27, 2026.
The affected officials include Kachallom Shangti Daju, Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare; Beatrice Jedy‑Agba, Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Justice; and Mary Ada Ogbe, Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Regional Development.
According to the statement, the renewal represents a second and final four-year tenure for the officials, in accordance with the provisions of Public Service Rule 020909, which allows Permanent Secretaries an initial four-year term with the possibility of a second term based on satisfactory performance.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson‑Jack, congratulated the Permanent Secretaries on their reappointment and urged them to see the renewed mandate as a call to greater dedication and excellence in service delivery.
She further encouraged them to deploy their experience and professional expertise toward strengthening governance and advancing national development.
The statement was signed by Eno Olotu, Director of Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, and dated March 6, 2026.
Politics
Governor Dauda Lawal’s Prompt Action Against Insecurity in Zamfara State Yielding Positive Result’ – GDL Media Force Fires Back at Critics
‘Governor Dauda Lawal’s Prompt Action Against Insecurity in Zamfara State Yielding Positive Result’ – GDL Media Force Fires Back at Critics
The attention of GDL Media Force and other well-meaning supporters of the Dauda Lawal-led administration has been drawn to a recent statement syndicated on social media by influencers from a group calling itself the Zamfara Good Governance Forum, which ludicrously attempted to portray the Governor’s security efforts as a “total failure.” This characterisation is not only divorced from reality. Still, it represents a desperate attempt by political opponents to rewrite history and undermine a Governor whose growing influence and performance clearly terrify them. It should be on record that in the whole of the North West region, Governor Dauda Lawal has tackled insecurity head-on with verifiable evidence that even those in the opposition have commended him for his huge investment in equipment that will further give security and armed forces an edge over those fueling insecurity in the country.
Since his assumption as Governor of Zamfara State, Dr Lawal has vowed that as the Chief Security Officer of the state, as well as the chief rescuer, an unprecedented commitment to tackling the security challenges that have plagued Zamfara for over a decade is his top priority and he is engaging it with much gusto. Unlike previous administrations, that engaged in shadowy deals with non-state actors, this Governor has chosen the path of transparency, capacity building, and decisive action. He was one of the Governors who openly declared that His administration would not negotiate with bandit rather his administration with fight them to a standstill and ensure they are cleared out.
In a bid to address the issues of insecurity with a well-planned arrival plan, he procured heavy Security Assets that even the Federal Government commended, him for. The recently procured and unveiled 25 units of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and an 80-meter endurance surveillance drone capable of covering 50 kilometres and operating continuously for eight hours. This represents the single largest state-government investment in security hardware in the history of Zamfara State.
The Defence Minister, during the inauguration ceremony, praised what he described as a clear demonstration of the Governor’s commitment to protecting lives and property, making the striking projection that “if we continue like this in the second term, Zamfara will look like Dubai”. This is not praise from a partisan source it is professional acknowledgement from the highest level of Nigeria’s defence establishment that Governor Lawal is doing something right.
Beyond heavy military hardware, the Governor has operationalised the Community Protection Guards in accordance with the law, providing them with 60 brand-new, well-equipped Hilux operational vehicles and specialised motorcycles to ensure swift response and effective first-responder services in difficult terrains. This is complemented by the distribution of 150 Hilux vehicles to mainstream security agencies including the Nigeria Police, DSS, and NSCDC, plus 20 Toyota Buffalo vehicles (both armoured and soft-body).
Perhaps most significantly, Governor Lawal established the Zamfara State Security Trust Fund, which provides a predictable, structured framework for logistical support to security forces. This moves the state away from the era of fragmented, reactive responses to a professional, sustainable security architecture.
When recent attacks occurred including the unfortunate February 19 incident in Anka LGA, Governor Lawal did not go into hiding or issue condolence statements from his office in Gusau. He immediately convened and personally presided over an emergency security meeting with all heads of security agencies at the Government House in Gusau, tasking them to urgently review the current security framework and implement coordinated countermeasures.
The Governor charged security chiefs to maintain “heightened vigilance, strengthened intelligence, and immediate, coordinated countermeasures” to ensure that criminal elements do not gain further ground. He also commiserated with affected communities and assured them of his administration’s full support both logistical and institutional. This is not the behaviour of a detached leader. This is the conduct of a Governor who understands that his primary constitutional responsibility is the protection of lives and property.
The public needs to understand the pedigree of those behind these allegations. The so-called “Zamfara Good Governance Forum” has a well-documented history of partisan attacks against Governor Lawal. A simple review of their previous statements reveals a pattern they have consistently attacked the Governor while remaining conspicuously silent during the administrations that presided over the worst years of banditry in the state. Interestingly, these attacks often coincide with political manoeuvres by the immediate past governor, Bello Matawalle, now Minister of State for Defence. The Zamfara State Government has previously accused Matawalle of using federal security apparatus to intimidate opposition figures in the state. The current criticism fits a familiar pattern, when you cannot defeat a Governor politically or at the ballot box, you attempt to undermine him through sponsored propaganda spreading sheer falsehood to ensure the public turns their back on a performing Governor who is rebuilding the rot the Matawale-led administration caused.
These same critics who now demand a “security roadmap” conveniently ignore that Governor Lawal inherited a state that was virtually a failed entity where farmers could not access their lands, where markets were paralysed, and where government had lost all credibility through failed negotiations and ransom payments to bandits.
Critics also conveniently ignore a fundamental reality Governor Lawal is the only opposition governor in the entire North-West geopolitical zone. Since taking office in 2023, his administration has received no federal intervention funds beyond statutory allocations no special palliatives, and no enhanced security support that flows to states with ruling-party governors. Yet despite this political isolation, he has managed to fund security without resorting to new borrowing, while monthly servicing N1.2 billion in inherited debts from the Bello Matawalle-led administration. This is governance under siege fiscally constrained, politically isolated, yet still delivering.
Governor Dauda Lawal has never claimed that the battle against banditry is easy or that success will come overnight. What he has demonstrated is sincerity of purpose, strategic vision, and relentless commitment. From the Security Trust Fund to community protection guards, from armoured personnel carriers to surveillance drones, these are not the actions of a leader who has failed. The growing influence of Governor Lawal across the North-West clearly frightens those who benefited from the old order of insecurity. When banditry thrives, politicians who negotiate with criminals remain relevant. But when peace is restored through genuine security architecture, such elements become obsolete.
Zamfara State is on the path to lasting peace. The detractors may continue their campaign of falsehood, but the facts on the ground speak louder than their sponsored propaganda. Governor Dauda Lawal remains focused, undeterred, and absolutely committed to restoring full normalcy to every inch of Zamfara State. The people of Zamfara see the progress. The Federal Government acknowledges the investment. And history will remember who truly fought for the state’s liberation.
Signed: GDL Media Force Support Group
March 4, 2026
Abuja, Nigeria
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