President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has met with Nigeria’s top security chiefs in Aso Rock, the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The meeting which took place on Thursday was a closed door one, even though the Presidency later released the official photograph taken during the meeting.
According to sources from the meeting, the emergency meeting was held to review the challenging security situation in the country.
It’s also coming on the heels of the ongoing efforts by security agencies to rescue some teaches and students abducted two months ago in Orire Local Government in Oyo state.
Over 40 students and teachers were abducted on May 15 by suspected terrorists who have refused to release them.
The Minister of Defence, Gen Christopher Muas said during an event in Abuja, on Thursday that the reason why they have not been rescued was because the terrorists threatened to kill the abductees if any attempt is made to rescue them by security forces.
The magazine however learned that security agencies are gradually closing in on the terrorists who are believed to be currently trapped in the Oyo National Park.
It was also learned that President Tinubu was briefed on the situation about the ongoing rescue efforts by the top security chiefs yesterday during the meeting.
Those present during the meeting include Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, NSA; Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.); Special Adviser to the President on Homeland Security, Major General Adeyinka Famadewa (retd.);
Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Isa; and the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Lieutenant General Emmanuel Undiandeye.
Also at the meeting include Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS Adeola Ajayi; Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Mohammed Mohammed; and the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, among others.
Meanwhile, controversy has been trailing a comment made by
The stench from Aso Rock, (Nigeria’s Presidential abode) wafts with dark plumes.
Dissipating across the land and beyond
Rising like wild gale
Piercing the clouds
A veritable Incubus
And the host of heavens squirm with crumpling noses
The noxious stench from Aso Rock Villa wafts across the world…
HOUSE OF SLEAZE: That President Bola Tinubu’s State House would become a smelly place was not in doubt. From hoary birth papers to illicit educational credentials. From cartel strategist to political usurpation.
It was all a messy stuff ab initio. It was like malevolent aliens were invading Nigeria’s Number One abode. Then add the suborned electoral mandate, stolen most brazenly in the dead of night…
You would think a group with such an odious baggage would turn out an epitome of prudence and probity. Not this gang!
On the contrary, never in the 35 years of this pre-eminent edifice, this very cathedral of our sovereignty, has never been so debased and desecrated.
Many leaders have passed through Aso Rock – from Ibrahim Babangida to Sani Abacha, Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan and even Muhammadu Buhari of yesterday. But never was our sacred abode so abused as we have it today.
THE ‘MATURE’ BUHARI GANG
Every head in Aso Rock had its cabal and denizens who exploit the rarefied environment and pristine accesses for their personal gains.
In the Buhari days, the gang was made up mainly of Abba Kyari, Mamman Daura, Ismaila Isa Funtua, Sabiu Tunde Yusuf, Babachir Lawal (to a point) and Lawal Musa Daura, former DG, DSS, among less notable others. There was even Papa Ahmed Joda, the super perm. Sec in the Buhari team at the beginning.
The Buhari cabal was a more mature crew made up of men with diverse backgrounds and bureaucratic experiences. Buhari’s first Chief of Staff, Kyari was well read and versed as a lawyer, top banker and public official.
So were many others of that class. Their leader, the president, was weak and ailing so this small Aso Rock group were the de facto authority and they got away with so much. But they were grounded and solid, and they did well not to create earth shaking scandals.
They understood the magnitude of the office of the president. The coming of Professor Sulu Gambari as chief of staff after the demise of Abba Kyari brought further order and stability to Buhari’s Aso Rock.
TINUBU’S RECKLESS, FECKLESS GANG
Quite unlike Buhari, Tinubu’s kitchen cabinet in Aso Rock led by his chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila is a poorly constituted lot.
While Tinubu has turned out more vulnerable than Buhari, his kitchen team has also proved to be less tutored and less circumspect than the Buhari team. Apart from Gbajabiamila, most other members of this class are small time weasels who were mainly personal and domestic staff of Tinubu in his earlier incarnations.
None of the current Aso Rock key staff seem to have a grasp of the current call of duty.
President Bola Tinubu
Worse is that the First Lady and the First Son also run rampant in the Villa making a bad situation worse.
More troubling is that not one of the crowd in Aso Rock today has quality educational grounding like Kyari and Gambari for instance; not one has solid public service experience and most notably, not one is given to such gravitas that imbues stately integrity like Mamman and Joda.
The impression we get today from outside, looking in, is that Aso Rock is filled with people who are fighting to out-pilfer each other.
SLEAZE WITHOUT END, AMEN
A few weeks ago, Weekend Trust reported about cash-for-access racket being perpetrated by the Protocol Unit of Aso Rock. Yes, this has been a long-known tradition in the Village but today, the practice has become transcendental.
A particular governor from a southeast state is said to be one of the chief clients of the Aso Rock protocol unit. Mr Governor reportedly pays the boys at the Villa in dollars so they put him on every protocol list including seeing the president off at the airport every time he’s traveling. And as we know, the President travels all the time and Mr Governor who runs his state from Abuja is seen all the time at the Abuja airport waving goodbye to Mr President.
CASH-FOR-APPOINTMENT SCAM IN ASO ROCK: EFCC COVER-UP
A certain Dr Halimat Adenike Tejuosho who is the South West women’s leader of the City Boys Movement, made a deposition to the EFCC early this year, detailing how hundreds of millions of naira and dollars were paid out someone between 2023 and 2025 for the purpose of securing ministerial and other juicy appointments from the Presidency.
Her contact person who apparently operated from Aso Rock, one Mallam Garuba, the conduit for the huge cash and transfers was reportedly apprehended by the EFCC. Till date, this huge scam from the innards of the Presidency has been covered and buried by the EFCC.
Monies amounting to billions of naira paid to agents purportedly in Aso Rock could easily have been trailed and the culprits exposed or exonerated as the case may be. But nothing has been done.
AND NOW THIS: WHAT’S GBAJABIAMILA STILL DOING IN ASO ROCK?
In decent climes, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, the chief of staff to the president would have been fired years ago. Fingers have been pointed at him from day one for allegedly compromising his office in all manner of ways.
Most of it points to cash-for-appointment scams.
Though nothing has been proven and none has indicated him, the murmurings have become very loud.
The current scandal dubbed Gbaja-Gate seems to therefore corroborate the long held suspicions about him.
The Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) brouhaha is an Aso Rock mess taken too far. The president’s number one aide is not only accused of receiving a huge bribe of N400m, he is taken to have aided the set up of a fake federal government agency with the sole purpose of fleecing the government.
The PFIPC is a scandal of an epochal proportion!
How was the supposed N24 billion used for setting up this elaborate agency sourced?
Why did the chief culprit, Prince Adeyemi Aderemi Matthews accuse Gbajabiamila specifically and not anyone else in the Tinubu cabinet?
WHO KILLED DOLAPO BABATUNDE TANIMOLA?
Why in good conscience is Gbajabiamila sitting tight in the office when life has already been cut down over this Gbaja-Gate?
Who is DOLAPO BABATUNDE TANIMOLA? Nigerians deserve to know who exactly he is and what happened to him.
Gbajabiamila has a lot of questions to answer in this saga.
And he cannot answer these questions sitting tight on his desk. He must step aside for a thorough investigation to be done.
The stench from Aso Rock is choking the country to death.
LAST LINE: “IF THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, I WILL NOT BE ALIVE.” – OBI
“The way the government is going now, I might not be alive. I’m telling you. Every single thing I do, this government is frustrating. Deliberately so. There’s even a possibility that, if they have the opportunity, I will not be alive.”
Early in the week, the Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, Mr Peter Obi made a plaintive cry to the world.
My life is in danger and my businesses are under threat as well.
He points directly to the Nigerian government as the agent gunning for his life.
This is a serious allegation. Nigerians have witnessed the serial pursuit of Mr Peter Obi from one political party to another. The ruling party seemed to vow that Obi would not be on the ballot.
Now that he’s beaten them to their game, the government now openly seeks his very life, according to him.
This is shocking. This brand new kind of APC democracy is truly strange in Nigeria.
President Bola Tinubu and the ruling party have a duty to protect not only the presidential candidates but all Nigerians.
Let’s just say that no harm must come to Mr Peter Obi. President Tinubu must make sure of that.
The People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), Action Democratic Congress (ADC) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) have said they are boycotting the Saturday Local Government Election in the State.
Speaking with journalists, Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) spokesperson, Mr Albert Eguaoje, said only 12 parties are fielding candidates for the election.
He revealed that the commission has attained 85 per cent preparedness for the election, noting that distribution of electoral materials had commenced on Thursday, beginning with distant local government areas in Edo north district while others other councils would be dispatched on Friday.”
He listed participating parties to include, All Progressives Congress (APC), Accord Party, Action People’s Party (APP), People’s Redemption Party (PRP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and Allied People’s Movement (APM).
Others are Young Progressives Party (YPP), New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Action Democratic Party (ADP), African Action Congress (AAC), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and Action Alliance (AA).
Edo State chapter of the PDP on its part explained that the decision not to participate in the election is due to the illegality and constitutional violations by EDSIEC and the state government in preparing for the elections.
The PDP in a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr Tony Aziegbemi, said the party would not field candidate for the chairmanship, vice chairmanship and councillorship positions.
He also faulted the dissolution of the previous EDSIEC before the expiration of its tenure and alleged the refusal to obey eight High Court judgments reinstating elected council chairmen.
On his part, Hon Kennedy Odion, the factional chairman of ADC in the state said the party declined to participate due to EDSIEC’s refusal to sign a memorandum of understanding that electoral materials must get to all units, wards and local governments.
NDC state secretary, Peter Ajube said his party declined participation because the election processes were almost completed before the party came on board in the state.
Meanwhile, the Edo State Police Command has announcedthat there will be a restriction of movement throughout Edo State from 12:00 midnight (0000hrs) to 3:00 p.m. (1800hrs) on Saturday, 11th July, 2026, to ensure the peaceful, orderly, and secure conduct of the Local Government Council Elections.
The restriction is part of the comprehensive security measures put in place by the Command in collaboration with other security agencies to guarantee a peaceful electoral process, protect voters, electoral officials, and sensitive materials, as well as prevent any breakdown of law and order.
“Consequently, all vehicular and human movement within the state is prohibited during the stated period, except for officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, accredited election observers, duly accredited media personnel, security agencies, emergency and other essential service providers on election duty.
“Members of the public are advised to comply fully with this directive, as security operatives have been strategically deployed across the eighteen Local Government Areas of the state to enforce the restriction and maintain law and order.
“Any person or group found violating the restriction or engaging in acts capable of disrupting the electoral process will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, reassures the good people of Edo State that adequate security arrangements have been made to safeguard the election and urges residents to come out peacefully to exercise their civic responsibility in line with the guidelines issued by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission, as the Command remains committed to ensuring a free, fair, peaceful, and credible electoral process.”
Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR) has become aware of an alleged unofficial directive within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) instructing its members, especially top political appointees, to focus their efforts on discrediting the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, to undermine their rising influence.
The recent, seemingly coordinated and unprovoked criticisms directed at Mr Obi and Senator Kwankwaso by these top APC members and government appointees, therefore, highlight a concerning pattern in contemporary politics.
It has become increasingly evident that attacking Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso personally has become a common tactic for politicians seeking to gain favour and secure favourable positions within President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Instead of concentrating on the significant responsibilities of showcasing their achievements to the people who elected them and justifying why they deserve a fresh mandate, the ruling party seem to be prioritising political posturing over governance.
While they are occupied with attempting to diminish Mr Obi’s widespread national appeal, crucial sectors under their stewardship are neglected.
With citizens grappling with escalating security concerns, a decline in public school and healthcare facilities, and a rising cost of living that impacts the populace daily. Since the UN-World Food Programme (WFP) warned of catastrophic hunger of over 17 million in the North, the APC administration at federal, state, and local governments in the nine northern states has not taken any proactive action; instead, they are fixated on the opposition.
At a time when public servants should be working diligently to provide concrete improvements and infrastructure for Nigerians, they are choosing flattery over effective service. Trying to use Peter Obi or Rabiu Kwankwaso as a political scapegoat will not lead to improved living standards for citizens, nor will it enhance security in the country.
The Nigerian populace recognises this distraction for what it is: cheap diversionary blackmail to distract the public from their obvious failure.POMR wish to therefore call on the ruling class to remember that their primary allegiance lies with the Nigerian people, not with a campaign of political subservience.
We also suggest that President Bola Tinubu should evaluate his appointees based on their tangible performance and achievements in office, rather than the intensity of their attacks on opposition figures.
Mr Peter Obi remains dedicated to advocating for a better Nigeria, and no amount of orchestrated smear campaigns will divert the public’s attention from demanding accountability from those currently in power. A New Nigeria is Possible.
The Roman Catholic Church in Nigeria is in deep mourning.
It has lost the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Benin City, Most Rev. Augustine Akubueze. He passed on Thursday at the age of 69, and just a month to his retirement age of 70 years.
The revered Cleric’s passing was announced on Thursday by the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, the same day he passed – Thursday, July 9, 2026.
The announcement read:
“With hope in the resurrection and complete resignation to the will of God, we announce the passing of Most Rev. Augustine Obiora Akubeze, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Benin City, who was called to eternal rest on Thursday, 9 July 2026 at the age of 69.”
Signed by the Secretary General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Fr. Michael Banjo, the Church described Archbishop Akubeze as a devoted shepherd of God whose ministry was marked by unwavering commitment to the spiritual and human development of the faithful.
Archbishop Akubeze’s episcopal leadership it said, transformed the Archdiocese of Benin City in Edo State through sustained pastoral care and developmental initiatives.
“Archbishop Akubeze was a unique Shepherd who understood that the true development of the Church embraces both spiritual renewal and the holistic growth of God’s people,” it said.
Under his leadership, it added, the Archdiocese recorded significant progress, while he remained deeply committed to the welfare and formation of priests, believing that the future of the Church depended on well-trained shepherds.
Reflecting on his national leadership, the secretariat noted that as a former President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Akubeze remained steadfast in defending the teachings of the Church.
“As an erstwhile President of the Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, he firmly stood as a pillar of orthodox truth. His voice did not tickle ears but fed souls bringing to light his episcopal motto “Ut Testimonium perhibeam veritati” (Jn. 18:37) which means “That I may bear witness to the Truth,” it said.
The statement noted that the late archbishop was a compassionate and humble leader whose style of ministry reflected service above authority.
“His patient listening and selfless generosity embodied a compassionate Shepherd who knew the smell of his flock. He demonstrated always by his gentleness and quiet disposition that genuine authority in the Church is not measured by power but by service, and this was a result of his deep level of spirituality.
“May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace and may the Risen Lord who conquered death grant him eternal life in His kingdom. Amen.”
Archbishop Obiora Augustine Akubueze was born in Kaduna, but he was a native of Akili, Ogbaru, Anambra State.
The cause of the Archbishop’s death was not made public.
Ahead the deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC for political parties to upload the names and other details of their presidential and National Assembly candidates on its portal, some political parties in the country are seriously rushing to beat the deadline.
The deadline ends tomorrow, July 11, 20226 as set by the nation’s election umpire on its website and information made available to political parties contesting in the 2027 election.
According to INEC, the deadline is in tandem with the relevant provision of the Electoral Act 2026(as amended), particularly Section 29(1) of the Acts, which provides that political parties must submit their candidates profiles on or not later than 120 days before the election.
The development comes on the heels of the ongoing battles by some aspirants against their parties, on the need to be upheld as candidates for the 2027 election, a situation that analysts say may be the reason why the affected parties have yet to submit details of their candidates to INEC.
For instance, a presidential aspirant of the Accord Party, Hashim Olawepo has dragged the party to court, demanding that he be recognized as the party’s presidential candidate.
The presidential aspirant is praying the court to determine the party’s failure to upload his name to INEC’s nomination portal, despite his emergence as the sole winner of the Accord Party presidential primary held on May 30, 2026, violates the Electoral Act, 2026, the Constitution, and INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.
Olawepo also prayed the court for a declaration that the party’s refusal to forward his name to INEC amounts to a breach of Section 86 of the Electoral Act, 2026, as well as Clauses 28(1) and 28(2) of the electoral guidelines governing the nomination of candidates while asking the court to order the Accord Party to upload and submit his name to INEC as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Political pundits insist that the decision by aspirants to seek legal redress on the issue may encumber political parties from meeting the deadline set by INEC to them to submit the profile of their candidate.
Some of the profiles expected to be submitted to INEC include forms EC9 (personal particulars of candidates) and EC9A, 9B, 9C, 9D, 9E (names/list of nominated presidential and National Assembly candidates).
The magazine however learnt that some political parties may not meet the deadline due to some rancour which followed their recent primary elections, particularly for the presidential and NASS elections.
On the other hand, some political parties, including the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, African Democratic Congress, ADC, Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, the magazine learnt, are seriously racing to meet tomorrow’s deadline.
These three parties, according to checks from the INEC have already submitted the names of their presidential candidates; these include Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the APC; Atiku Abubakar for the ADC; and Peter Obi for the NDC.
Speaking recently, NDC National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson said Obi’s name, and other NASS candidates, including him have been uploaded on the INEC’s porter, despite the registration challenge facing the party, after a Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi state ordered INEC to de-list the party among the political parties contesting next year’s election. .
“My name and that of the presidential candidate have been uploaded to the INEC portal, while that of the vice presidential candidate will be done tomorrow upon completion of the deposition. The process is also ongoing for other candidates,” he stated.
For credible and transparent elections in future elections in the country, a prominent traditional ruler in the North, the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli, says the federal government must jettison the manual election voting system.
Zazzau is a former commissioner of the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission, KAD-SIECOM.
According to him, the electronic voting system, where electronic voting machines are used for the election and transmission of results is the best for the country, citing other countries such as the United States, China and Brazil as country which have fully adopted the electronic voting system.
The Emir made the call on Thursday in Kaduna state during the official launch of the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KAD-SIECOM) Five-Year Strategic Plan, from 2026-2030, saying the adoption of the electronic system in Nigeria’s election will also lead to efficiency in the country’s electoral process, apart from making the process seamless.
He explained that experiences form other countries have shown that that the electronic voting system is the best, citing for instance, that voting and collation of results will be faster with the system, adding that it may be very expesive but it’s worth it considering the benefits compared to the manual electoral system.
“I am still one of those Nigerians that believe Nigeria needs to move forward. As against manual election, electronic voting machine should be used in every election in Nigeria,” he said.
Bamali’s admonition comes amid ongoing debate in the country on whether the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC , the body responsible for conducting election in the country should solely adopt the electronic transmission of results for the 2027 election.
Major opposition bodies in the country have insisted that election results must be electronically transmitted, even though the extant Electoral Act has made the transmission of election results an open-ended one, which allows INEC the flexibility to adopt either the manual or electronic transmission of election results.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, arraigned the National President of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo, before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over allegations of terrorism financing and money laundering to a tune of $2.63 million.
Bodejo was arraigned before Justice Inyang Ekwo by the EFCC on a 12-count charge filed through its counsel, Wahab Shittu, SAN on June 25, listing Bodejo as the sole defendant.
The prosecution counsel, Shittu, told the court that the matter was for the defendant to enter his plea and urged the court to allow the defendant take his plea, a request the judge granted.
Bodejo pleaded “not guilty” to the charges following which the prosecution counsel, Wahab Shittu, SAN, asked the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service.
Defence counsel, Ahmed Raji, SAN, prayed the court to admit his client to bail in respect of his bail application, filed on June, 30, 2026.
The bail application was opposed by prosecution counsel, who drew the attention of the court to his counter-affidavit of 28 paragraphs, dated July 6, 2026.
He pointed out that the defendant is a public risk as the Department of State Security Services (DSS) is on the watch out for him, and that being an influential person, he may manipulate the witnesses and progress of the case.
Justice Ekwo ordered for the remand of the defendant in EFCC’s holden facility and adjourned the matter till July 20, 2026 for ruling on the bail application.
Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Bello Abdullahi Bodejo (male, adult), on or about the 11th day of January 2022, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly and wilfully, without lawful authority or excuse, accept a cash payment of the sum of $100,000.00 in physical currency from one Sa’idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State who is currently in the lawful custody of the Nigeria Police Force, which sum exceeded the statutory cash transaction threshold of N5,000,000.00, prescribed under Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), without routing the said transaction through a financial institution as required by law, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.”
Count four reads: “That you, Bello Abdullahi Bodejo (male, adult), on or about the 7th day of February 2024, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly and wilfully, without lawful authority or excuse, accept a cash payment of the sum of $980,000.00 in physical currency from one Sa’idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State, who is currently in the lawful custody of the Nigeria Police Force, which sum exceeded the statutory cash transaction threshold of N5,000,000.00 prescribed under Section 2(1)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, without routing the said transaction through a financial institution as required by law, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 19(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act”
Presidential spokesperson, Daniel Bwala, has stirred another round of controversy with his claim that Nigerians seeking greener pastures abroad, particularly in the United Kingdom, UK, are worse off economically than low income earners at home.
While featuring in The Morayo Show, Bwala further claimed that many Nigerians who have relocated abroad are engaged by Care Homes and other low income profile jobs, despite parading array of University degrees and other professional certificates.
According to him, most of the immigrants are facing excruciating difficulties and harsher realities than those within the modest income bracket in Nigeria.
He claimed that most of the so-called ” japa” Nigerians” are silently regretting their expedition , describing their condition as “modern day slavery” .
He urged Nigerians not to be deceived into believing that it is all rosy for those of them that have left the shores of the country in search of “a better living condition.”
He noted that things are so hard for some of the “japa” people in their countries of abode that Nigerians earning as low as N60,000 monthly are far better off than them.
As a resident of the UK , Bwala insisted that his assessment, and claim are based on experience.
“I want to tell you today that some of you in Nigeria still think you are suffering. You are better off than your colleagues that “japa” five years ago.
“I am a resident of the United Kingdom. Nigerians that finished with first class or second class degrees, and later obtained postgraduate degrees, do you know where the majority of them are working, Care homes.
“As far as I am concerned, it is modern day slavery. The type of jobs many Nigerian graduates and post-graduates are offered are less than that of a house maid, ironically in an economy that is supposed to provide opportunities” he stated.
Bwala emphasized that while a Nigerian working and earning about N60,000 can still leverage some informal channels like family support, access to credit, as well as lower living conditions, those in the UK and most foreign countries are entirely on their own, in addition to facing prohibitive utility bills.
“The N60,000 earner in Nigeria, at least, can access loan facilities from banks, somebody can support you. And what we pay here for power and many social services is almost nothing when compared to what people pay out there.
“Your problem here in Nigeria may be that you don’t have enough money to build a house, or buy a car. The other person abroad is not even thinking about buying a car. He may not get one in the next 20 years”, Bwala stated.
Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has warned that nothing must happen to Peter Obi, 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC)
and former Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who is currently in detention.
Atiku stressed that the presidency should stop chasing political opponents and start confronting the crises that are bleeding our nation.
According to him, the true measure of any democracy is not how comfortably those in power wield authority, but how safely those outside power can exercise their constitutional rights.
He declared that “nothing must happen” to Peter Obi and renewed his call for the immediate release of Nasir El-Rufai.
Recollecting that history has never been kind to governments that elevate political combat above the welfare and security of their citizens, the ADC presidential candidate invoked a proverb to drive home his point.
“Our elders say: ‘When the drums of injustice beat for your neighbour, do not dance, for tomorrow they may beat for you.’
“Every Nigerian, regardless of political affiliation, has a stake in defending the democratic space.
“Nothing must happen to Peter Obi. Release Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. Bring home every abducted schoolchild, every teacher and every innocent Nigerian still languishing in the hands of kidnappers.
“Stop chasing political opponents and start confronting the crises that are bleeding our nation,” he added.
He emphasized that history would not remember how fiercely a government fought its critics, but whether it protected its citizens, upheld justice, rescued the vulnerable and preserved the democracy entrusted to its care.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku stressed that the safety of every opposition leader is a constitutional obligation of the Nigerian state and a test of its democratic credentials.
“Nothing must happen to Peter Obi. An injury to one is an injury to all. When one opposition leader is intimidated, every opposition voice is diminished.
“When one citizen begins to fear because of his political beliefs, democracy itself becomes the casualty,” the statement read.
The NDC, flagbearer had said he may not be alive to contest next year’s presidential election.
Atiku expressed deep concern over the Presidency’s decision to respond to Obi’s public comments with personal insults and derogatory language, rather than the restraint expected of a democratic government.
He warned that reducing political engagement to name-calling demeans the Office of the President and risks inflaming an already tense political atmosphere.
“The Presidency must understand that democratic leadership demands composure, not contempt.
“When a citizen, particularly an opposition figure, voices concerns about the state of the nation or his personal safety, the first duty of government is to reassure through statesmanship, facts and responsible conduct—not through insults.
Peter Obi and Nasir El-Rufai
“Democracies are strengthened by reasoned engagement, not by invective.
A government that answers every criticism with abuse projects insecurity, not confidence,” he said.
The former Vice President insisted that no government should mistake criticisms for sabotage or political competition for warfare, listing the real threats confronting the country.
“The opposition is not the enemy of Nigeria. Poverty is the enemy. Hunger is the enemy. Insecurity is the enemy.
“Corruption is the enemy. Kidnapping is the enemy. The daily bloodletting across our communities is the enemy.
“A government that devotes more energy to attacking its critics than confronting these existential challenges has confused political survival with the purpose of governance,” Atiku added.
He noted that while Nigerians grapple with unprecedented economic hardship and worsening insecurity, families across the country continue to wait anxiously for the return of loved ones abducted by criminal gangs.
“There are schoolchildren and teachers still waiting to be reunited with their families. There are countless innocent Nigerians languishing in the camps of kidnappers.
“These are the emergencies that deserve the full machinery of government—not endless political sparring with opposition figures,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government to devote the same urgency it deploys in political communication to rescuing every Nigerian held captive and restoring public confidence in national security.
Atiku also renewed his call for the immediate release of El-Rufai, stating that justice derives its moral authority from fairness, impartiality and fidelity to the Constitution.
“The continued detention of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has generated widespread public concern. Every Nigerian, irrespective of political affiliation, is entitled to due process, equal protection under the law and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court.
“Justice must never create the appearance of selective application,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government to confront, with transparency and accountability, the serious public controversies surrounding its administration instead of engaging in needless political distractions.
“Public confidence is not restored through insults or propaganda. It is restored through openness, accountability and the courage to answer legitimate questions.
“Governments earn trust by confronting controversy with facts, strengthening institutions and demonstrating that no one is above scrutiny,” Atiku said.
