Home Blog Page 155

OPINION: Neglected Tropical Diseases In Nigeria: The Journey So Far

January 31, 2026

By Janefrancis Ijeoma Duru, PhD

Every year, World Neglected Tropical Diseases, NTDs, Day invites us to confront a quiet truth about health and inequality in Nigeria. These are not diseases that dominate headlines or trend on social media. Yet, in rural villages, riverine communities, informal settlements, and conflict-affected areas, they quietly shape lives, futures, and livelihoods.

Neglected Tropical Diseases are not “neglected” because they are rare. They are neglected because they flourish where attention, investment, and basic services are scarce. And Nigeria’s long journey with them tells a story not only of disease, but of development, resilience, and unfinished business.

Nigeria bears one of the heaviest NTD burdens in Africa. Diseases such as lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), onchocerciasis (river blindness), schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminths, trachoma, and leprosy continue to affect millions of Nigerians.

Unlike outbreaks that kill swiftly, NTDs disable slowly. They swell limbs, cloud vision, scar skin, and silently erode dignity. They keep adults away from work, children out of school, and families trapped in poverty.

What makes these diseases particularly unjust is who they affect. They overwhelmingly burden farmers, fisherfolk, women, children, and communities without access to clean water, sanitation, or reliable healthcare. Infection is often not a result of personal choice, but of circumstance of where one is born, works, or draws water.

As a health and development advocate, I have seen how these diseases do more than harm bodies. They fracture livelihoods, deepen stigma, and reinforce inequality.

Yet Nigeria’s story is not one of despair. Over the past decade, sustained commitments by government institutions, frontline health workers, community volunteers, and development partners have delivered results once thought impossible. In 2013, Nigeria achieved a historic milestone when it was certified free of Guinea worm disease proof that elimination is achievable even in the most challenging settings.

Since then, further progress has followed. In late 2025, the transmission of onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis was interrupted in several states, allowing millions of Nigerians to stop years of mass drug administration. Trachoma prevalence has declined significantly in endemic areas. Entire communities that once depended on annual treatment are now free from routine preventive chemotherapy.

These gains did not happen by chance. They stem from sustained efforts: the Federal Ministry of Health’s strategic plans, integration with WASH initiatives (notably the 2023–2027 NTD-WASH Framework), and strong collaborations with WHO/ESPEN, Sightsavers, END Fund, Carter Center, and others. Community volunteers, the true “health heroes”, have been central, distributing medicines, educating neighbours, and conducting surveillance, often in hard-to-reach areas. In other words, the gains were built through improved disease mapping, large-scale mass drug administration, donated medicines, surveillance, and, most importantly, the tireless work of community health volunteers who reach populations others often overlook.

Despite these achievements, the final stretch of the journey is proving to be the hardest. Funding remains a major concern. Nigeria’s NTD programs continue to rely heavily on donor support even when global health financing is tightening. Domestic funding at the federal and state levels remains uneven, making progress vulnerable to disruption.

Water, sanitation, and hygiene gaps continue to undermine gains. Treating diseases without addressing unsafe water sources and poor sanitation is like mopping a floor while the tap is still running. Reinfection remains a real risk in many endemic communities.

Insecurity in parts of the country has made it difficult for health workers to access hard-to-reach populations, leaving pockets of disease transmission untouched. Weak surveillance and data systems also limit timely decision-making and accurate tracking of progress.

And then there is stigma. Many Nigerians living with NTD-related disabilities like elephantiasis or leprosy suffer quietly, excluded from social and economic life, and reluctant to seek care. Until stigma is addressed, elimination efforts will always face resistance at the community level.

Encouragingly, Nigeria is responding with renewed focus. Strategic frameworks aligned with the World Health Organization’s 2030 NTD Roadmap now emphasize integration — linking disease control with water, sanitation, education, and environmental interventions.

The growing establishment of dedicated NTD budget lines in several states (21 states have established dedicated NTD budget lines) signals increasing domestic ownership. Partnerships with civil society, development agencies, and the private sector have strengthened coordination and accountability. There is clearer recognition that eliminating NTDs is not the responsibility of the health sector alone, but a whole-of-government and whole-of-society effort.

If Nigeria is to eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases by 2030, commitment must translate into action. Domestic investment must increase, and all states must take ownership of NTD programmes. Water and sanitation infrastructure must be scaled up in endemic communities to break transmission cycles permanently. Surveillance systems must be strengthened so that no community remains invisible. We must invest in digital tools, workforce training, and community-led data collection to detect resurgence early.

We must also go beyond prevention to care for those already affected. Morbidity management, rehabilitation, mental health support, and social inclusion are essential for restoring dignity to people living with NTD-related disabilities.

Above all, communities must remain at the centre of the response, informed, empowered, and respected. When people understand that these diseases are preventable and treatable, participation rises, and stigma fades.

On this World NTD Day, Nigeria’s journey offers both hope and a challenge. We have shown that progress is possible. We have the tools, the partnerships, and the roadmap. But until no child’s education is disrupted by a preventable infection, until no adult is disabled by a disease of poverty, and until no community is left behind because it is hard to reach, our work remains unfinished.

Ending NTDs is more than a health victory; it unlocks economic gains, boosts productivity, and advances equity and sustainable development. I urge every stakeholder – federal and state governments, partners, NGOs, donors, and citizens to unite, act decisively, and eliminate these diseases. Nigeria has proven that elimination is possible. Now, let us finish the race together, ensuring no one is left neglected. The journey continues, but the destination is within reach.

Dr. Janefrancis Duru, Health and Development Advocate, is the Executive Director (ED), Gender and Development Centre.

OPINION: Reno, Sowore, and the Spirit of the Tinubu Era

The Source

January 30, 2026

By Valentine Obienyem

Barr. Reno Omokri has become one of the most unserious public commentators in Nigeria today. A man whose positions shift with the wind can hardly be said to possess a position at all. As Søren Kierkegaard observed, “Purity of heart is to will one thing,” yet Reno wills everything that keeps him afloat: relevance today, appointment tomorrow, denial the next. He oscillates between posing as a pastor and posturing as an intellectual, masking emptiness with pedantry and verbosity. In truth, he stands for nothing. He is precisely the kind of hollow figure Gabriel Marcel warned against: a man cut loose from belief, anchored to nothing, and dependent on nothing beyond power itself.

Nigerians are well aware of the accusations Reno once made against President Bola Tinubu. For those who may not remember, it is important to restate them. Reno did not accuse Tinubu of just one wrongdoing; he attributed to him, with evidence, almost every imaginable moral and political failing. He described him as a drug addict, a drug lord, the most corrupt Nigerian alive, a certificate forger, and a man unfit in character and history to lead the country. He warned that allowing such a person to become president would be a national disaster, arguing that Nigeria would degenerate into a narco-state similar to Colombia, where criminality would be normalized and corruption elevated to state policy. Reno was so sure that any specimen from any part of Tinubu’s body – hair, saliva, sweat, urine – that underwent testing would show traces of many variants of drugs.

On multiple platforms, including Nigerian electronic media, Reno argued that Nigeria must never elect, in his own words, a drug lord, a supremely corrupt politician, and a certificate forger, warning that doing so would amount to a moral and institutional collapse. He maintained that such an election would signal to international drug traffickers that Nigeria is a safe haven, reward fraud at the highest level, and teach young Nigerians that deception is more profitable than integrity. According to him, if corruption was on the throne, it would cease to be an aberration and become a governing principle, the rule of law would be reduced to a slogan, institutions would be hollowed out, and public office transformed into an instrument of organized plunder – making national decline not a risk, but an inevitability.

Very soon, Reno began to eulogize the same Tinubu he had once denounced, portraying him as an angel of light. He even dined with him dressed in “Aso Oke,” presenting it, as Alcibiades, his Athenian variant, once did, as evidence that he had become one with Tinubu in body and spirit. At the time, many Nigerians questioned the reasoning – legal, moral, or political – behind his appointment as an ambassador. Some suggested that Tinubu appointed him not only as a reward or a bribe, but also as recognition of a mutual understanding: that each had a vested interest in protecting the other. If Reno had truly lied about Tinubu, why reward him? If he had spoken falsehoods, why elevate him? One prevailing view was that the appointment was a calculated effort to silence Reno, prevent further revelations, and compel him to recant or deny his previous claims.

Is this not why Tinubu is often described as a master strategist? By appointing Reno, he effectively neutralized him. Today, Reno not only refrains from revealing more; he actively denies what he once passionately defended. The documents he claimed to have procured no longer exist – at least in his public narrative. He is recently writing tomes to wash his master and make him appear clean.

Reno now behaves like a man permanently on the defensive, barking endlessly in his master’s interest because bones have been thrown his way. He is visibly uncomfortable, especially when confronted with his own past statements. This discomfort became evident when Mr. Omoyele Sowore, in his ongoing forensic battle, tendered video evidence of Reno’s earlier categorical statements as proof that President Tinubu is indeed a drug dealer without character. Even the presiding judge expressed shock that the DSS cleared such a man despite the volume of evidence placed before the court. Yes, he was cleared the Nigerian way because, even during the time of his clearance, a lot of clandestine phone calls and pressure were reportedly mounted. The judge who expressed surprise merely pretended to act as a citizen in Plato’s Republic rather than in Nigeria inhabited by the likes of Reno and Tinubu.

What those who love truth have as a weapon today is that the evidence of Mr. President’s despicable character comes from his appointees and those who, being close to him, should know better. Reno is today one of them. This is why it is not surprising that the evidence of his character is being proved today by sincere reference to whom he truly is, as revealed by his ambassador.

In a global context, the world is witnessing renewed seriousness in the fight against drug trafficking. From Venezuela to Colombia, drug barons are being pursued, extradited, and prosecuted. We have seen how even sitting leaders are not immune when evidence emerges. Documentary evidence exists, once cited by Reno himself, linking President Tinubu to past drug-related trading in the United States. While forwarding the documents and citing his ambassador as the source for conclusive proof to President Donald Trump of the USA, we are also prepared to forward these same materials to any country where Reno is posted as ambassador. Such countries should be faced with a clear choice: either reject him on grounds of credibility and complicity, or accept the risk of hosting a man whose own testimony implicates the president he now defends. It will hopefully contribute abundantly to how the host country will view not just the ambassador, but the one he represents. “Birds of a feather,” as it is said, “flock together.”

Reno represents exactly what the Germans call the “zeitgeist”, the spirit of the time. He is a mirror of the age of Tinubu, a reflection of shifting loyalties, moral flexibility, and the transactional nature of influence. In this sense, he is, like Bayo Onanuga, Daniel Bwala and Femi Fani-Kayode, a product of the system he now serves and a symbol of what Tinubu represents: power that rewards compliance, punishes truth, and transforms critics into apologists. Reno’s story is not just about one man; it is about the era, the values it elevates, and the compromises it demands. He is, in every sense, the embodiment of his master’s spirit.

Obienyem, a Lawyer, writes from Awka, Anambra State

“I Will Contest For Imo East Senatorial Seat” – Dr Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, Says Obidients Now Enigma, Nightmare To Nigeria

Ayodele Oni

January 30, 2026

By Ayodele Oni

Dr Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, former First Lady of Ondo State and wife of the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has declared her intention to contest for the Imo East Senatorial District (Owerri Zone) seat in the 2027 elections.

She also pledged her unalloyed support for the Presidential ambition of Mr Peter Obi, saying that for the 2027 presidential election, it’s Peter Obi or nothing.

She made the declaration in her speech at the Inauguration of Obidients Movement at the Owerri Municipal Local Government.

The former First Lady, who ran unsuccessfully for the ticket of the Zone under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the past, said she’s in the race again because, “Owerri Zone deserves leadership that delivers tangible results.”

Mrs Akeredolu stated that “I proudly declare that I am Obidient. I stand firmly on Obi or Nothing — not as a slogan, but as an affirmation of values.”

According to her, “the Obidients phenomenon has become both an enigma to Nigeria and a nightmare to politicians, who wish to preserve the status quo — a system marked by poor infrastructure, food insecurity, abuse of office, human rights violations, insecurity, corruption, impunity, and widespread hardship.

“Peter Obi represents the leadership Nigeria urgently needs, anchored on the 3 Cs: Character, Competence, and Capacity.

“His insistence that a single tenure is enough to reset Nigeria is courageous and inspiring. It tells us that purposeful leadership can deliver meaningful change within four years. I believe him. It is possible.

“This renewed hope is already reshaping the aspirations of young Nigerians, replacing the “’japa syndrome’ with a belief in rebuilding at home.

“Motivated by this vision, I hereby formally inform you of my intention to contest for the Imo East Senatorial District (Owerri Zone) seat in the 2027 elections.

“Permit me to briefly introduce myself.

I am Dr. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu (Ada Owere 1) — proud daughter of Chief B. U. B. Anyanwu (late) and Nneoma Dora Anyanwu (late) of Emeabiam, Owerri West LGA. I am a retired public servant, development advocate, entrepreneur, and politician.

“Owerri Zone deserves leadership that delivers tangible results. I bring over four decades of practical experience spanning advocacy, enterprise, philanthropy, and policy — combining grassroots engagement with evidence-based solutions.

“I now seek to take this solutions-driven experience to the Senate — to represent Owerri Zone with integrity, impact, and people-centered leadership.”

Wike Threatens Fubara: “When Next You Deny Us The Use Of Any Facility, We’ll Take By Force… Heaven Will Not Fall”

Suleiman Anyalewechi

January 30, 2026

L-R; Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Nyesom Wike

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Nyesom Wike, on Friday January 30, 2026, accused the Rivers State Government of deliberately undermining the activities of the Renewed Hope Agenda in State by denying it the use of public facilities.

Speaking at the occasion of the formal inauguration of Senatorial and Local Government Coordinators for the Rivers State Chapter of the Renewed Hope Agenda held at the Elechi Amadi Polytechnic field in Rumuola, Wike, the immediate past Governor of the State , alleged that the Governor Siminalayi Fubara-led administration declined to grant his earlier request to use the General Yakubu Gowon stadium for the event.

He, however, warned that he will resist any future attempt to deny him the use of Government facilities in Rivers state .

He threatened to forcibly take control of any facilities needed for any event in the State, should the Fubara administration withhold approval in the future.

“We applied to the State Government for the use of the General Yakubu Gowon stadium. But they (Rivers State Government) refused.

“But let me say it loud and clear: next time if they refuse to approve our request, we will take the facility by force .

“I want to say it to everybody. Enough is enough. We are all from Rivers State. Nobody can deny us the use of the facilities of the State.

” If you don’t agree with us, then we will do the needful, and we will take it by force. Heaven will not fall . And even when heaven falls, everywhere will be at peace” Wike stated

Meanwhile the Rivers State Elders Council has assured of its unflinching commitment towards collaborating with the FCT Minister in securing victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027 .

The Chairman of the Council, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba, who gave the assurance at the occasion, expressed the optimism that Rivers State Will repeat its 2023 feat as far as the ambition of the President is concerned.

“Your Excellency, standing here with me today are the members of the Rivers State Elders Council. This Council is a true reflection of the rainbow coalition in the state.

“We have members from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and All Progressive Congress APC, and we are all geared towards achieving a common goal – to showcase the president’s legacies and reforms to make Nigeria better as well as to work towards his re-election in 2027.

“I can assure you, Your Excellency, that the entire Rivers State Elders Council is committed and loyal to your leadership with a view to ensuring that we achieve the desired results” Alabraba stated.

Veteran Editor and Media Leader Lewis Obi Dies

The Source

January 30, 2026

The Nigerian Media Community is mourning the death of Mr. Lewis Obi, a veteran journalist, editor and media executive whose career left a lasting imprint on modern Nigerian journalism. He was 77.

A native of Amurri in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, Mr. Obi was educated at Methodist Central School, Agbani, and earned a degree in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos, where he was a distinguished student of the late communications scholar Professor Alfred Opubor.

He rose to prominence as a star features writer at the Daily Times before being recruited by the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (M.K.O.) Abiola to join the Concord Group as Features Editor of National Concord.

He later became founding editor, Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director of African Concord, one of the group’s flagship weekly magazines.

Under his leadership, African Concord emerged as a major platform for investigative and analytical journalism during Nigeria’s years of military rule. His editorial work brought him into direct confrontation with state authorities, forcing him into exile in the United States after a period of intense repression.

Renowned as a mentor with a keen eye for talent, Obi nurtured many of Nigeria’s leading journalists and public intellectuals, leaving behind a legacy defined by courage, literary excellence and professional generosity.

Lewis Obi was married and is survived by his wife and children.

Why Anambra Indigenes Must Shun Sit-At-Home Order – Gov. Soludo

Ayodele Oni

January 30, 2026

Charles Soludo - Governor of Anambra State

By Ayodele Oni

Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has met with various market leaders in the state, and urged them to contribute meaningfully to the economy of the State by opening for business, specifically, on Mondays and all viable days.

The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that Soludo gave the directive on Thursday in Awka during an interactive session with market and line leaders from across the state.

“We will deploy stronger measures to enforce compliance, as many of those enforcing the sit-at-home are not indigenes of Anambra.”

The governor told traders that his government was considering a “renovate or rebuild” option for the market facility.

He said the project would either a redevelopment of the market into a modern trading hub or a comprehensive modernisation of the existing structures.

He said regardless of the option adopted, Monday market closures will no longer be tolerated.

Soludo said, “The sit-at-home practice has evolved from a political protest into a criminal activity and it is not in anyway linked to Mr Nnamdi Kanu.

“I do not support the sit-at-home order and it is not even observed in Umuahia, his hometown.

He also appealed for improved security presence in markets to ensure the safety of traders and customers.

He further called for the full operation of motor parks to enable the inflow of buyers from within and outside the state, as well as action against those who benefitted from or facilitated the enforcement of the sit-at-home.

Soludo assured traders that the state government would overhaul the security architecture around markets to prevent harassment and guarantee the safety of lives and property.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring normal commercial activities across the state.

Responding, the market leaders expressed readiness to comply with the directive, but raised concerns about security and logistics.

The Chairman of the Onitsha Main Market, Mr Chijioke Okpalugo, said traders would commence Monday trading in line with the governor’s vision.

According to NAN, the meeting was convened against the backdrop of the recent closure of the Onitsha Main Market and the lingering Monday sit-at-home practice in parts of the South-East.

One Trillion Naira Kano Metro Rail Line Project Is A Scam – Activist Mahdi Shehu

Suleiman Anyalewechi

January 30, 2026

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Renowned social critic and activist, Muhammad Mahdi Shehu, has dismissed the purported Federal Government’s approval of a Metro Rail line project worth about a Ntrillion for Kano State as a huge deception, and completely lacking in credibility and substance.

The Source reports that Governor Abba Yusuf had, on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at a ceremony to receive the State’s contingent to the 2025 National Qur’anic Recitation Competition hosted by Borno State, informed that the project, which has been graciously approved by President Bola Tinubu, when completed, will serve to stimulate the economy, and fast-track development in Kano State.

“The project aims to provide a modern, effecient, and affordable mass transit system connecting key districts and enhancing mobility for the residents.

“It is expected to stimulate trade and investment, improve quality of life and position Kano as a major transportation hub in Northern Nigeria”, Governor Yusuf stated.

The announcement of the mega project came just days after the defection of Governor Yusuf to the All Progressive Congress, APC.

The defection, however, came amidst heightened tension and disagreements between the camps of Governor Yusuf and his eirstwhile political godfather and leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

The move has also expectedly raised the political temperature of the commercial nerve centre of the Northern region, with not a few perceiving it as a dangerous political gambit by the Governor.

But reacting on his official site, Shehu, in a statement entitled “Emotional Rail Project for Kano State: another political deception”, described the announcement of the so-called metro rail line as an ingenious way to deceive the unsuspecting people of Kano in the face of the Governor’s decision to join what he described as “gorilla and reptiles club where venoms flow.”

According to him, the deceptive nature of the project is underscored by the fact that there is no provision for same in the 2026 Federal Government budgetary estimates.

He noted that no memo in relation to the said project has been received and deliberated on by the Federal Executive Council.

“This is pure deception. There is no provision for such a project in the 2026 budget proposal.

“No such memo has been presented to the Federal Executive Council FEC for deliberation.

“There is no design on the ground, no contractor, and no consultants.

“Just to deceive Kano State people because Governor Abba has joined the gorillas and reptiles club where venoms flow”, Shehu stated.

Edo Gov. Okpebholo Appoints New CoS In Cabinet Reshuffle

Ayodele Oni

January 30, 2026

By Ayodele Oni

The Edo State Government has announced a minor reshuffle in which the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Gani Audu becomes a commissioner.

Yakubu Oshiorenua Musa commissioner for Lands and Housing is now new Chief of Staff to the Governor.

This was contained in an official letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Umar Musa Ikhilor.

It explained that the reshuffle of the State Executive Council is part of efforts to strengthen governance, improve service delivery, and enhance administrative efficiency.

According to the letter, Barr. Vincent Osas Uwadiae moves from Commissioner for Oil and Gas Resources to the Ministry of Lands and Housing as Commissioner.

Hon. Gani Audu, former Chief of Staff, is nominated as Commissioner for Oil and Gas Resources, subject to confirmation by the Edo State House of Assembly.

The reshuffle takes effect from January 30, 2026.

Government says the changes are strategic steps to improve coordination, strengthen policy implementation, and ensure more effective governance for the people of Edo State.

Anthony Joshua Fights Back Tears, Recounts Vehicle Accident That Claimed Lives Of His Friends

Akinwale Kasali

January 30, 2026

By Akinwale Kasali

Weeks after the tragic incident that claimed the lives of Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele And Sina Ghami, friends of former World Boxing Heavyweight Champion, Anthony Joshua, the pugilist couldn’t hold back tears as he spoke publicly about their demise for the first time.

The two lost their lives in a ghastly Motor on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on the 29th December, 2025, in which the Nigeria-British Boxer sustained injuries and was hospitalised. He was discharged two days later.

In an emotional video on his YouTube channel, Thursday, the 36-year-old thanked fans across the world for their support during what he described as a “tragic, traumatic time.”

He said: “The last time I spoke to you guys was in Miami. We had so many plans to wrap up 2025.

“We went home to see our families, and everything just flipped on its head. That was such an unforeseen circumstance that was out of all of our control.”

The Boxer said the loss of Ayodele and Ghami had left a deep void in his life.

“We lost two great men. People we really cared about, major players in all of our lives. It’s tough. It’s really tough,” he added.

‘I was walking with giants’.

He described the duo as more than just members of his team.

“They were my brothers, my friends first and foremost. Then we became business partners, hustlers, generals — everything. We even lived together,” he said.

“I know people think I’m the big guy, but I was walking with giants. Protected.”

He further stressed that he was choosing not to publicly display all his emotions but acknowledged the pain of the loss.

The pugilist said support from fans kept him strong, expressing his gratitude for the overwhelming support from fans worldwide, noting that the messages of condolence had been received and appreciated by the families of the deceased.

“We saw the messages, the tweets, the social media posts, the prayers. It’s all been acknowledged,” he said.

He also pledged to stand by the families of Ayodele and Ghami.

“We know what we’re going to do. Mumma Latz, Mumma Sina, Pappa Latz, Pappa Sina — one love,” he said.

“President Tinubu Surrounds Himself With People Who Don’t Know Politics” – Ndume

Ayodele Oni

January 30, 2026

By Ayodele Oni

The President surrounds himself only with those who know Ikoyi and Victoria Island and fly abroad

President Bola Tinubu has been accused of surrounding himself with political neophytes bereft of fresh ideas on how to move Nigeria forward.

Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume, said that President Tinubu surrounds himself with people “who only know Ikoyi and Victoria Island and then fly abroad to meet their families,” stressing that they don’t know anything about politics.

Ndume spoke when he appeared as a guest in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’, which is monitored by Urban Express News.

According to him, Tinubu succeeded as governor of Lagos state because he had good people around him, adding that most of those people have been sidelined.

“The President had good people around him when he was the governor of Lagos. That was why he succeeded. But a lot of those same people, most of them are not there again. They have been sidelined.

“Now he just picks people who only know Ikoyi and Victoria Island and fly to London or America, where their families are living. People are not even fully Nigerians like you. These people don’t know politics.

“The president has a lot of people that he knows politically. The first candidate he supported was from the North, it didn’t work.

“The second candidate he supported was from the north, it didn’t work. The third one was the one that worked. So now he said, it’s my turn. That is why the terminology ’emilokan’ came out.

“And now, instead of him bringing in the team that will look him in the face and tell him the truth, he decided to surround himself by people who don’t know politics.”

1...154155156...2,889 Page 155 of 2,889