Politics
The Collosus Hits the 85 landmark – A Birthday Tribute To Chief Abdulkareem Adebisi Akande CFR
The Collosus Hits the 85 landmark – A Birthday Tribute To Chief Abdulkareem Adebisi Akande CFR.
THE MAN WHOSE CHARACTER AND INTERGRITY BECAME THE POLITICAL CAPITAL AND COLLATERAL FOR A STRUGGLE- The Oasis in the Desert…
Everytime I see Baba Akande these days, I am reminded of the Iroko tree 🌳 in the Forest, and the Oasis in the Desert.
Baba Akande also well known as” Baba awa omo Ke ke ke”i.e [ the father of children” is a man in his own class among human beings and dare I say among political class, though may not be physically tall, but in character, he towers dizzyingly over almost all the modern day politicians .
Baba is a sharp cut and divide , spartan and austere in nature compared to many in the political class today, clearly a distinctive and distinguished representation of the old stock, principled, bold , unwavering, unshaken and unruffled by situations and circumstances. A principled fighter backed by conviction.
I have mental recollections of Baba Akande as a young boy from the days of my budding interest in political affairs, when politics was driven by purity of intentions and purpose as exemplified by the likes of Papa Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Ajibola Ige , Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin, Dr Ambrose Ali, all of them were governors of the Unity Party of Nigeria.
Back then these calibre of politicians lived by the unwritten rule of putting the people first, to be obedient if not subservient to the code of conduct that is steeply rooted in a life of modesty and moderation not fanfare and garulity of modern day emperors that some personalities in power now exemplify. That was not what the likes of Baba Akande exemplified while in power.
Indeed they abhorred ostentation and lousy use and display of power. They earned their veneration because the power they wielded was real people driven not imposed, snatched or bought!
In those good old days [ shamefully enough that we refer to those days most affectionately and nostalgically] because of the abuses of today, since today that ordinarily by progression should be better is not, but because power in the hands of those without depth of reason, care and concern has re-interpreted today’s politics and power in many ways that will make the likes of Baba Akande cringe and break out in goose bumps.
It was a typical Baba Akande who in His spartan nature and view of life and subscriber to a life of accountability that would rather choose to be impeached than to “settle” lawmakers to pass budget .. that can only be a Baba Akande.
Only a Baba Akande would leave government and still remain very modest without illicitly acquired possessions, acquired at the expense of the people’s well being but holding aloft the banner of good name, sterling public service record and profile of sparkling accountability and probity.
When will we have more Abdulkareem Adebisi Akandes ?
The stock is greatly depleted and their memories of unblemished public service are fast receding,and fading into distant horizon. 😢, made worse because we are a nation of fleeting emphasis and values.
Growing up much later, I recall clearly the roles played by this ageing man ,physically , but whose convictions have also being strengthened by the age and as the years went by.
Baba Akande was like the spinal chord that strengthened the opposition in the days of our struggles, a contented man not only in terms of material worth but in terms of political adventure.
Left to Baba Akande , the politics of the South west most likely would have remained politics of the South west, in literal sense because Baba Akande is not that politically adventurous, rather would like to prevent Ideological stain and contamination, he believes that undue alliances could come with contagious realities ..
Baba Akande believes that undue alliances would imply a compromise of ideals and ideology that he has subscribed to over the years , so he was ever cautious , but his implicit trust and believe in a younger more politically adventurous, very daring political maestro who also has the means convinced Baba Akande to allow the expansionist vision , driven by no other than the JagabanBorgu, the Asiwaju of Lagos, now literally Asiwaju of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCON .
This is the synoptic trajectory from the fall of Alliance for Democracy controlled states, where all the South west states were lost to the People’s Democratic Party , then portrayed and treated as a party of vermins and undying voracious if not rapacious liberals if not jackals. The attitude of the Alliance for Democracy then was isolationist and puritanical.
So after the reality of the loss of States in the South west by the rage of the tiger, the PDP, driven by President Obasanjo, hit home, it took the resilience of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, today’s President to start the fight-back, it was war like! Not a piece of cheese cake,it was bloody and bloodied, limbs and lives was lost 😢 . Thank God some of us are alive to tell the story , but with deference to all the fallen heroes of those days of struggle.
We soldiered on because it was like movement, the first goal was to get back the states of the South west away from “ultra conservatives party” [PDP] as it was so portrayed then, back to the camp and safe embrace of the ” ultra progressives” this was the political Catholicsm diet that some of us the younger elements were fed and raised on through our chequered political trajectory from AD to AC to ACN and today’s APC!
One of the strongest human fortress and premium value collateral for the struggle in those days was Baba Bisi Akande, whose towering moral standards and reputation became our banner to push our Ideological bent, slant and posturing.
Baba Akande was the National Party Chairman from AC to APC ! He was the leader that we had as the umbrella to push hard . His moral standing and standards kept our struggles well defined and real.
Today, has Baba Akande’s fears of compromise of our political Ideological standard not been compromised and diluted ? Obviously the answer is Yes, the purity of our ideology obviously stained and contaminated, because today nobody knows the difference seemingly so anymore, even some of our taskmasters in Egypt have become our Lords in Cannan! Without let , recourse or circumspection. Because as the Yorubas will say, “Iru ti dapo mo Sapati”
But did the political foray eventually become a success, Yes to the extent that today a Bola Ahmed Tinubu is now the President of Nigeria, which was almost thought to be an impossibility looking at the realities of those times.
The very high premium that is the worth and value placed on the moral and integrity quotient of Baba Bisi Akande cannot be over emphasised in the journey of the “Progressives ” [if that Ideological corner still exists in our political space today ]
The joy of today is that Baba Akande’s involvement in the struggles to this day is very gratifying and moreso because he is still alive and well, with his moral and integrity profile still soaring while he is still a very towering and relevant figure in the journey for national redefinition .
To know more about the man Baba Akande, it will be nice to real his autobiography to see what this man represents, his modest journey through life.
It is therefore with profound reverence that I join millions of “Awa omo ke ke ke” to wish Our Baba a very happy birthday and pray for more years in good health and well being as he takes on his role of instilling the virtues that earned him his medals in the successor generation.
This will be the most important legacy
Happy Birthday Sir.
Congressman Bimbo Daramola
#bimboEkiti.
#nitoriojoolawa
Kogi’s Quiet Shift: Reviewing Governor Ododo’s First 24 Months in Office
By Rowland Olonishuwa
On Tuesday, Kogi State paused to mark two years since Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo took the oath as Executive Governor. Across government circles, community halls, and everyday conversations, the anniversary was more than a date on the calendar; it was a milestone that invites both reflection and renewed optimism. A moment to look back at how far the state has travelled in just twenty-four months, and where it is heading next.
Since assuming office in January 2024, Ododo has steered the state through a period of measured consolidation, delivering strategic interventions across security, infrastructure, human capital, and economic revitalisation that are beginning to translate into real improvements for residents.
Governor Ododo stepped into office at a time when expectations were high, and confidence in public institutions needed rebuilding.
His response to these was not loud declarations, but steady consolidation, strengthening structures, restoring order in governance, and setting a clear direction. Over time, that calm approach has become his signature: leadership that listens first, plans carefully, and moves with purpose.
Security has remained the most urgent concern for Nigerians, and Kogi residents are no exceptions; the Ododo-led administration has treated it as such. From deploying surveillance drones to support intelligence operations to recruiting and integrating local hunters and vigilante personnel into formal security frameworks, the government has built a layered safety net.
For farmers returning to their fields, travellers moving along highways, and families in rural communities, the impact is simple and deeply personal: fewer fears, quicker response, and growing confidence that the government is present and concerned about the ordinary people.
Infrastructural development has followed the same practical logic. Roads have been rehabilitated, easing movement for traders and commuters. Budget priorities have shifted toward capital projects and human development, while revived facilities like the Confluence Rice Mill now provide farmers with real economic opportunity. For many households, this means better income prospects, stronger local trade, and renewed belief that development is no longer a distant promise.
Health and education are not left out; the Ododo-led administration has expanded free healthcare services and supported students through examination funding and institutional improvements.
Parents who once struggled with medical bills and school fees have felt relief. Young people preparing for their futures now see government investment not as abstract policy but as something that touches their daily lives.
Governance reforms, from civil service strengthening to new legislative frameworks, have quietly improved how government functions. Salaries are more predictable, public offices are more responsive, and local government structures are more coordinated. These may not always make headlines, but they shape how citizens experience leadership every day.
As the second year anniversary celebrations fade into routine today and Governor Ododo enters his third year in office, the true meaning of the anniversary will continue to linger on.
Two years may not have solved every challenge in the Confluence State -no government ever does, by the way- but they have set a tone of stability, responsiveness, and direction. The next phase will demand deeper impact, broader reach, and sustained security gains.
But for many in Kogi State, the story of the past twenty-four months is already clear: steady hands on the wheel, and a journey that is firmly underway.
Olonishuwa is the Editor-in-Chief of Newshubmag.com. He writes from Ilorin
Lagos Assembly Debunks Abuja House Rumour, Warns Against Election Season Propaganda
The Lagos State House of Assembly has described as misleading and mischievous the widespread misinformation that it budgeted for the purchase of houses in Abuja for its members in the 2026 Appropriation Law.
This rebuttal is contained in a statement jointly signed by Hon. Stephen Ogundipe, Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy, and Security, and Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh, Chairman, House Committee on Economic Planning and Budget.
Describing the report as a deliberate and disturbing falsehood being peddled by patently ignorant people, the statement reads, “There is no provision whatsoever in the 2026 Budget for the purchase of houses in Abuja or anywhere else for members of the Lagos State House of Assembly. The report is a complete fabrication and a product of political mischief intended to misinform the public.
“The Lagos State House of Assembly does not operate in Abuja. Our constitutional responsibilities, constituencies, and legislative duties are entirely within Lagos State. It is, therefore, illogical, irrational, and irresponsible for anyone to suggest that legislators would appropriate public funds for personal housing outside their jurisdiction.”
The statement emphasised that the budget is already in the public domain and accessible for scrutiny by discerning Lagosians and Nigerians alike. It reiterated that the Lagos State Government operates a transparent budget that speaks to the needs of the people and the demands of a megalopolis.
“We view this rumour as part of a wider attempt at election-season propaganda, designed to erode public trust, sow discord, and malign democratic institutions.”
The chairmen further clarified that the 2026 capital expenditure of the House of Assembly is less than 0.04% of the total CAPEX of the state, which clearly demonstrates the culture of prudence, accountability, and fiscal responsibility that guides the legislature. However, they noted, “Historically, the House does not even access up to its approved budget in many fiscal years.”
They stressed that the Assembly remains fully committed to excellence, transparency, good governance, and the collective welfare of the people of Lagos State, in line with the objectives of the 2026 Budget of Shared Prosperity.
“We therefore challenge those behind this harebrained allegation to produce credible evidence or retract their statements forthwith. Failure to do so may attract appropriate legal actions.
“We urge Lagosians and the general public to disregard this baseless rumour and always verify information from official and credible sources.”
Politics
Democracy in the Crosshairs: How Nigeria’s Ruling APC Weaponises Power and Silences Dissent
Democracy in the Crosshairs: How Nigeria’s Ruling APC Weaponises Power and Silences Dissent.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by saharaweeklyng.com
“Tinubu’s Government, the EFCC and the Strategic Undermining of Opposition Governors”.
In a striking indictment of Nigeria’s current political reality, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State declared that “you cannot speak truth to power in this dispensation”, directly accusing the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of intolerance for dissent and an erosion of democratic norms.
Makinde’s remarks (made during a public event in Ibadan on January 25, 2026) were more than a local governor’s lament. They crystallised a mounting national frustration: that Nigeria’s political landscape has tilted dangerously toward executive overreach, institutional capture and political engineering.
This narrative is not isolated. Across Nigeria, governors from opposition parties have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in numbers unprecedented in the nation’s democratic history. Critics argue that these defections are not merely voluntary political choices, but part of a strategic pressure campaign leveraging federal power and institutions to fracture opposition influence.
At its centre lies Nigeria’s principal anti-graft agency – the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC: Anti-Graft Agency or Political Instrument? Founded to combat corruption, the EFCC’s constitutional mandate is to investigate and prosecute financial and economic crimes across public and private sectors. Its legal independence is enshrined in statute and it has historically pursued high-profile cases, including recovery of nearly $500 million in illicit assets in a single year, demonstrating its capacity for tackling corruption.
However, critics now claim that under the Tinubu administration, the EFCC’s prosecutorial power is being perceived (if not deployed) as a political instrument.
Opposition leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and coalition parties such as the African Democratic Congress (ADC), have publicly accused the federal government of using anti-corruption agencies to intimidate opposition figures and governors, effectively pressuring them into aligning with the APC.
In a statement released in December 2025, opposition figures alleged that institutions such as the EFCC, the Nigerian Police and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission were being selectively wielded to weaken political competitors rather than combat financial crime impartially.
This is not merely rhetorical noise. The opposition’s grievances centre on several observable patterns:
Reopened or New Investigations Against Opposition Figures: The ADC pointed to recent abnormal reactivation of long-dormant cases or new inquiries into financial activities involving senior opposition politicians. These, they argue, often arise shortly before critical elections or political realignments.
Alleged Differential Treatment: According to opponents of the current administration, individuals who have defected to the APC appear less likely to face sustained legal scrutiny or prosecution in EFCC proceedings, even in cases of credible allegations of mismanagement.
Timing of Actions: The timing of certain high-profile investigations, emerging ahead of the 2027 general elections, reinforces perceptions that anti-graft measures are tailored to political cycles rather than legal merit.
The EFCC and Presidency have publicly denied these allegations, insisting that the commission operates independently and pursues corruption irrespective of political affiliation and that Nigeria’s democratic freedoms (including party choice and mobility) remain intact.
Yet the perception of bias, once systemic, is hard to erase, especially when political actors deploy powerful state machinery with strategic timing and selective intensity.
Defections and Power Realignment: A Democracy at Risk? Since 2023 and particularly through 2025, a remarkable number of state governors and senior political leaders have crossed over from opposition parties (notably the Peoples Democratic Party – PDP) to the APC. Though defections are normal in Nigeria’s fluid political system, the scale and speed in recent years are historically noteworthy, raising critical questions about underlying incentives.
The SaharaWeeklyNG reported Makinde’s comments within the broader context of a political climate where dissenting voices face greater obstacles than at any time in recent democratic memory.
Governors who remain in opposition find themselves squeezed between growing federal assertiveness and dwindling political capital. Some analysts argue that the combination of federal resource control, political appointments and influence over public agencies exerts tangible pressure on subnational leaders to align with the ruling party for political survival. This dynamic, they contend, undermines competitive party politics and weakens Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
Speaking Truth to Power: What Makinde’s Critique Exposes. Governor Makinde’s core grievance (that it is increasingly difficult, perhaps perilous, to speak truth to power) resonates widely among civil society actors, political analysts and democratic advocates:
“YOU CANNOT SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER IN THIS DISPENSATION,” Makinde declared, specifically citing the government’s handling of contentious tax reform bills as an example where dissent was neither welcomed nor transparently debated.
Makinde’s critique reflects deeper structural concerns:
Exclusion of Key Stakeholders: Opposition leaders and state executives report being marginalised from meaningful consultation on national policies affecting federal-state relations, revenue sharing and fiscal reforms.
Institutional Intimidation: The perception that state politicians become targets of federal legal scrutiny after taking firm oppositional stances (real or perceived) discourages robust democratic debate.
Erosion of Opposition Space: A symbiotic effect of party defections and institutional pressure is a shrinking viable space for genuine political opposition, weakening checks and balances essential to democratic governance.
A respected political scientist, Dr. Aisha Bello of the University of Lagos, recently argued that “when opposition becomes fraught with state leverage instead of ideological competition, the very foundation of democratic contestation collapses,” adding that “a government that shies away from criticism risks inversion into autocracy.”
Another expert, Prof. Chinedu Eze, former dean of political studies at Ahmadu Bello University, warned that “selective use of anti-corruption agencies as political tools corrodes public trust and ultimately delegates justice into the hands of incumbents rather than independent courts.” These observations echo growing public skepticism.
The Way Forward: Strengthening Democracy and Institutions. Nigeria’s path forward depends on restoring confidence in democratic norms and institutional independence.
Transparent EFCC Processes: Civil society groups and legal scholars are advocating for enhanced transparency in anti-graft investigations, including clear prosecutorial thresholds and independent audits of case initiation and closures.
Judicial Oversight: Strengthening the judiciary’s capacity and independence is critical to ensuring that allegations of political weaponisation do not go unchecked. Courts must remain the ultimate arbiters of evidence and guilt.
Political Reforms: Advocates demand reforms to party financing, federal-state fiscal relations, and consultation mechanisms to reduce incentives for defections driven by federal resource leverage.
Public Engagement: A more informed and engaged civil society, anchored by independent media and civic education, must hold both government and opposition accountable for adherence to democratic principles.
Beyond The Present Moment.
Governor Makinde’s assertion that it is no longer tenable to “speak truth to power” under the current administration reflects unsettling trends in Nigeria’s evolving democratic landscape. While the EFCC and the Presidency maintain that anti-corruption efforts are independent and constitutionally grounded, opposition leaders (backed by political data and patterns of defections) argue that state power is being used to consolidate one-party dominance and undermine political pluralism.
At this critical juncture, Nigeria must choose between entrenching competitive democracy or sliding toward a political monopoly where dissent is subdued, institutions compromised, and power concentrated.
For Nigeria’s democratic ideals to survive (and thrive) its leaders and citizens must ensure that speaking truth to power remains not a perilous act of defiance but an honoured pillar of national life.
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