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The trials of Brother Tinubu

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By Tunde Odesola

On the bloody road to Kogi governorship, Yahaya Bello threatened the electorate in his re-election campaign song titled, “Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta!” But Bello isn’t all about roaring guns, he’s also a humble leader, who dragged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress to Kogi – on their kneels – to beg the aggrieved citizenry for forgiveness of the sins he committed during his first term.

Whether the people of Kogi forgave Bello or not, I don’t know. I, however, know that Bello became governor after an election in which lives were lost and properties destroyed.

Last week, Bello took his gun-booming song to Ondo State – in support of his second-term seeking colleague, Rotimi Akeredolu, and pulled the trigger again after chanting in Ebira language, ‘We say Aketi should be governor, what’re you saying, what’re you talking, get rid of dirts, if you say you don’t want, you’ll hear the sound of load, dem go hear am, ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta!”

Probably because he’s a Senior Advocate or because terror is fairly balanced among the two major political blocs in the state or for the fear of travel ban threatened by the US against rigging and political violence in Nigeria, Akeredolu didn’t encourage the killings and violence that trailed the Kogi governorship election to erupt in Ondo.

Kudos also goes to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Eyitayo Jegede, who is also a SAN; the candidate of the Zenith Labour Party, Agboola Ajayi; all other governorship candidates, the Independent National Electoral Commission, election monitors and the Ondo electorate for a violence-free poll. Thank goodness, Ondo, like Edo, wasn’t soaked in blood.

Being the ruling party, Bello’s APC can be excused by the Presidency and security organisations such as the military, the police and the Department of State Service for threatening to turn the gun on the people of Kogi. Being a favourite political son of President Muhammadu Buhari, Bello should enjoy the protection of his father.

Interestingly, the events of the last few weeks within the APC at the national level have shown that the APC has turned its smoking gun on itself, ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta! The APC firearm isn’t meant to silence rivals alone, it can be turned on big and small members, too.

Today, the Jagaban Borgu, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is at the open end of the barrel of the APC gun. He’s tied to the stake called Alpha-Beta Consulting LLP. And the gun is roaring and spitting fire, emitting white smoke at the muzzle, ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta!

In the stillness of the moonless night, a pack of hounds bay at the bat spread upside down on the high tree branch. They bark, they charge and shake the tree but the calculating bat claws the tree bark, unblinking, waiting and watching.

I’m not a fan of Tinubu’s bullion-van politics. It’s a major drawback to our democracy. But, permit me to state unequivocally here and now that ALL of those thirsting for Tinubu’s blood, are equally guilty of the very allegations they level against the husband of Oluremi, whose 60th birthday celebration appeared dimmed by the woeful manner the APC lost Edo State.

I daresay that even if the Jagaban is pushed out of the political equation in 2023, Nigerian democracy will still have to swim in shark-infested deep blue sea as there’s hardly any glimmer of leadership hope among the current power mongers in the country. This is why the masses have to wake up to eternal vigilance and continuously seek to find the needle-in-the-hay candidate for 2023, mobilise and vote for him.

Corruption, hypocrisy and government’s insensitivity are the real existential threats to our democracy and the reason for the hopelessness across the land, upending in the citizenry’s reverberating call for regionalism.

Many ask, “Are the leaders who are misruling Nigeria today not going to be the ones leading the regions if Israel goes to its tent? Is anything going to change?” Yes, something is going to change. And that’s the notion of Abuja as a cash cow which politicians fleece but pretend to take back home to their suffering constituents as dividends of democracy. In a regional government, the government is nearer to the people and, as such, people can more easily hold their leaders accountable unlike now when everyone sees federal allocation from Abuja as national cake to be shared. Regionalism won’t totally stop corruption, but its magnitude won’t be as big and as indecent as it is now.

Ironically, those fighting Tinubu aren’t doing so in the interest of Nigeria. It’s for their own self-interest ahead of 2023. All they wish to achieve is to thoroughly demystify Tinubu and make him totally unsalable as a presidential candidate. Are their ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta shots hitting targets? I’ll say a big YES because this is evidenced by Tinubu not showing up in Ondo to campaign for Akeredolu. His appearance in Ondo would’ve been a big liability, I think.

Does Tinubu deserve pity? Absolutely not. There are too many unanswered questions about him. Surely, scandals aren’t unfamiliar to the Lord of Lagos as questions have been raised in the past as to his parentage, hometown, secondary school education, university education, politics and stupendous wealth – despite not being renowned for any business. It’s dangerous for a man without a political office to wield immeasurable influence on the executive, judiciary and executive of a prosperous state like Lagos as Tinubu does. That’s mafia democracy.

Tinubu deserves no pity. The two-term governor of Lagos State and former senator is stewing in the cauldron of his favourite menu which includes overbearance, vindictiveness, meddlesomeness, nepotism and hypocrisy.

It’s in Tinubu’s Lagos where the yummiest caviars are shared among family members, relatives and Asiwaju-sope sycophants. It’s in Tinubu’s Lagos that Alpha-Beta Consulting LLP was awarded the contract to collect tax revenue and improve the Internally Generated Revenue of Lagos since the last 18 years unquestioned. What then is the job of the thousands of officials of the Lagos Internal Revenue Service when Alpha-Beta Consulting LLP, a small firm in Ijora, Lagos, is tasked with driving revenue on behalf of government?

The current 9th Assembly of the Lagos State legislature owes its life and allegiance to Tinubu on whose mandate the 40-member House stands. Members of the Assembly openly sing the ‘Tinubu Anthem’, “On Your Mandate We Shall Stand,” shamelessly declaring that they derive their legitimacy from Tinubu, and not the electorate.

It’s in Tinubu’s House of Assembly that the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, spent N4m each on 37 wives of lawmakers for training in Dubai, amid other earth-shaking corruption allegations that included operating 64 bank accounts, owning jaw-dropping number of houses even as Obasa’s female aide, Nike Ajibosin, has refunded millions of naira to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission while he himself has become a regular guest of the EFCC.

But despite all these allegations, Obasa still sits as Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria, shunning calls by human right groups to step aside, pending the conclusion of investigation on his numerous corruption cases.

Hope dims for Nigeria as each day passes. The big promises made by the APC in 2015 have all evaporated. The big masquerader who promised to fight corruption has turned out to be the Abetter-in-Chief of corruption. He promised that his wife won’t run the Office of the First Lady when he ascends the throne. Today, his wife’s contracts are embedded in the national budget while his children live in outrageous opulence.

The present is gloomy, the past is mournful. To stop Tinubu, the political elite are repackaging Goodluck Jonathan, a disaster in governance, whom Nigerians massively voted out in 2015. The move for Jonathan is a confirmation of how lowly Nigeria’s leadership rates the ability of the masses to think.

I don’t see a messiah among this manipulative lot. None of them should cast a stone at Tinubu. Nigeria needs fresh air.

Email: tundeodes2003@yahoo.com

Politics

Oluremi Tinubu and Aisha Achimugu: A Bond Forged in Compassion, by Olabode Opeseitan

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Oluremi Tinubu and Aisha Achimugu: A Bond Forged in Compassion, by Olabode Opeseitan

 

 

Two women with two distinct destinies. One, Oluremi Tinubu, Nigeria’s First Lady, is a political luminary and steadfast advocate for the marginalized. The other is Aisha Achimugu, a trailblazing entrepreneur who conquered the male-dominated oil and gas sector, yet wears her heart on her sleeve for humanity.

 

 

Oluremi Tinubu and Aisha Achimugu: A Bond Forged in Compassion, by Olabode Opeseitan 

 

Though their paths differ, their souls converge in two profound ways: an unyielding passion for women’s empowerment and a lifelong covenant with charity.

 

 

For Oluremi, empowering women and uplifting the vulnerable is not merely a mission—it’s her oxygen. From founding the New Era Foundation as Lagos’ First Lady to launching her Renewed Hope Initiative as Nigeria’s First Lady—a platform championing youth and girl-child education and spearheading transformative projects like the Community ICT Hub—she has turned biblical compassion into action. Her unalloyed commitment to charitable virtues shone brightly during the commissioning of the hub in Ibadan, a Federal Government collaboration under her RHI that bridges the digital divide for thousands, revealing a heart that beats for the forgotten.

 

 

 

In Aisha Achimugu, Oluremi unknowingly finds a kindred spirit. Aisha’s SAM Empowerment Foundation has illuminated the futures of countless Nigerian girls through scholarships, mentorship, and vocational training, transforming aspirations into tangible opportunities. Her compassion radiates beyond borders, driven by a pan-African vision to uplift communities wherever the need arises. Whether empowering women in Nigeria’s underserved regions or advocating for sustainable livelihoods across the continent, Aisha’s mantra—“When God has blessed you, be a blessing to others”— resounds in every act of service. From rebuilding lives shattered by poverty to fostering dignity through education, her golden heart has become a beacon of hope for Africa’s most vulnerable.

 

 

 

Yet, their journeys have not been without storms. Both women have endured savage media trials—unfairly judged, their reputations scrutinized. Society often forgets: behind the headlines are mothers, leaders, and humanitarians whose “crimes” are loving too fiercely and giving too generously. They are imperfect, as all humans are, but in their relentless generosity, they mirror the very best of what humanity can be.

 

 

 

To Oluremi and Aisha: Your resilience in the face of adversity is a testament to your unbreakable spirits. When cynics question your motives, remember the girls now coding in Ibadan’s ICT Hub, the mothers reclaiming their futures through vocational training, and the orphans who see you as their lifeline. Do not relent. For every life you touch—whether through education, healthcare, or the quiet restoration of dignity—a ripple of hope spreads. Your legacies are not etched in headlines but in healed hearts and transformed destinies.

 

 

We see you. We celebrate you. And we beg you: keep shining.

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Politics

UNFOLDING STORY: FAKE NANS PRESIDENT ATIKU ISAH EXPOSED…

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UNFOLDING STORY: FAKE NANS PRESIDENT ATIKU ISAH EXPOSED…

UNFOLDING STORY: FAKE NANS PRESIDENT ATIKU ISAH EXPOSED…

 

 

SOURCES CONFIRM SEYI TINUBU WILL INITIATE CRIMINAL DEFAMATION PROCEEDINGS.

 

 

Seyi Tinubu, son of Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, has been falsely accused by a certain Atiku Abubakar Isah – a cleric associated with prominent political opposition figures, who fraudulently claimed to be the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), of leading armed men to disrupt a NANS inauguration event in Abuja and threatening his life.

 

UNFOLDING STORY: FAKE NANS PRESIDENT ATIKU ISAH EXPOSED…

 

Seyi Tinubu has categorically denied these allegations, labelling them as baseless and criminally defamatory. He stated, “Enough is enough with these fake stories and defamation of my character.”

 

Sources close to the event reported no evidence of Seyi Tinubu’s presence at the specific event venue or any prior interaction between the two men, and neither the hotel management nor law enforcement agencies confirmed any incident involving him. The hotel management has also clarified further, stating that there was no booking for a NANS event at their hotel.

 

Additionally, the legitimacy of Comrade Atiku Abubakar Isah’s claim to the NANS presidency has been questioned by the incumbent and immediate past NANS leadership, with some groups labelling him an impostor and others providing evidence to debunk Atiku Isah’s claims of ever meeting Seyi Tinubu.

 

The Nigerian President’s son is expected to pursue criminal defamation proceedings in the coming days.

 

PN Nigeria

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Prostrating for Peace: Suspended Rivers Governor Fubara Begs Wike in Secret Abuja Visit

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Prostrating for Peace: Suspended Rivers Governor Fubara Begs Wike in Secret Abuja Visit

Prostrating for Peace: Suspended Rivers Governor Fubara Begs Wike in Secret Abuja Visit

ABUJA — In a dramatic twist to the deepening political crisis in Rivers State, suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara recently paid a secret visit to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to plead for reconciliation, PREMIUM TIMES has reliably gathered.

Sources close to the development said Governor Fubara was led to Mr Wike’s Abuja residence on Friday, 18 April, by Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and former Ogun governor Olusegun Osoba. During the closed-door meeting, Mr Fubara reportedly prostrated before his estranged political godfather, clutched his legs, and repeatedly called him “My Oga.”

“He was in Wike’s house till the wee hours of Saturday, 19 April,” one insider confirmed, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.

The visit followed a high-level meeting in London between Mr Fubara and President Bola Tinubu aimed at resolving the escalating feud between the suspended Rivers governor and his predecessor, which has plunged the oil-rich state into political chaos.

The fallout between the two leaders escalated to the point that President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Mr Fubara and several other elected officials for an initial six-month period.

While the outcome of the Abuja meeting remains undisclosed, insiders say Mr Fubara was directed to return to Rivers and convene a meeting with key elders and supporters to “tell them the truth” about his rift with Mr Wike.

When contacted, Mr Wike’s spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, confirmed the meeting but declined to comment on its content. Mr Fubara’s spokesperson, Nelson Chukwudi, brushed off inquiries, directing questions to the Commissioner for Information, Joseph Johnson, who also failed to respond.

Background: A Rift Turns Political Earthquake

The power struggle between Mr Fubara and Mr Wike began just months after Mr Fubara assumed office, following a fallout over control of the state’s political structure.

The crisis fragmented the Rivers State House of Assembly into two factions — one loyal to Wike with 27 lawmakers, and another with three members aligned with Fubara. The governor declared the pro-Wike faction illegitimate following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

However, a Supreme Court ruling on 28 February 2025 handed legitimacy to the Wike-aligned lawmakers, restoring them as the official legislative body, suspending federal allocations to the state, and nullifying local elections held under Fubara’s administration.

On 14 March, the pro-Wike assembly initiated impeachment proceedings against Mr Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, accusing them of financial misconduct, illegal appointments, and obstructing legislative duties.

Critics have decried the imposition of emergency rule and the suspension of elected officials as undemocratic, sparking outrage among civil society groups and citizens nationwide.

As the political drama unfolds, all eyes remain on Rivers State — and on the outcome of Governor Fubara’s bid to regain favour with the man who once ushered him into power.

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