The tenure of a former Minister of Police, Jelili Adesiyan, under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration is under scrutiny by a senior member of Governor Ademola Adeleke in Osun state..
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor, Adeleke, on Bureau of Social Services, Akintunde Bello Sheriff, took a swipe at the former Minister describing him as the worst the state has ever produced.
Bello, in a Facebook post, was reacting to Adesiyan’s comment during an interview with media personality Desmond Obilo.
The All Progressives Congress, (APC) chieftain had, during the interview, claimed that Adeleke had done nothing and would lose the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
However, the governor’s aide, in the post, described the former Minister as “an error of history in public service”, whose only record is his penchant for treachery and betrayal against his Benefactors.
He wrote, “Several Men, including a woman, have held the position of Ministerial from Osun State. The people of Ede felt the impact of Lanre Babalola as Minister for Power.
“I was in Ilesha on multiple occasions at the immigration office where I saw the imprint of Rauf Aregbesola as Minister.
“The Ibodi Ijesha axis felt the performance breeze of Erelu Olusola Obada as Minister for Defence.
Prof Isaac Adewole, as Minister of Health, ensured Osun was able to access the 20 Million USD grant, which the immediate past APC administration of Oyetola evidently shared a lump sum of it to cronies through phoney contracts against established standard practice.
“I am yet to hear, nor see any visible or verifiable achievements of Alhaji Abdul Jelili Adesiyan Jallo as Minister of Police Affairs under President Goodluck Jonathan, not even at his Odeomu community.
“I challenge anyone who knows of any achievements by Jallo anywhere in Osun State whose slot he used to outline such.
“The man was an error of history in public service. He is a tired leg in politics whose only record is his penchant for treachery and betrayal against his Benefactors.”
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has described as timely and necessary, the airstrikes conducted by the United States military forces against the ISIS-affiliated terrorists in the North West axis of Nigeria.
The Yoruba group emphasised that the operation will, in no small measure, restore safety and normalcy in communities that have for a while been terrorised.
Afenifere, in a statement by its National Organising Secretary, Abagun Kole Omololu, pointed out that the coordinated military response was a decisive and necessary step to confront years of relentless insecurity and widespread abductions.
The statement comes hours after the official confirmation from the Defence Headquarters that the strikes, targeting terrorist enclaves, were carried out with the explicit approval of the federal government
According to the statement “The recent confirmation by the Defence Headquarters that the joint air strikes conducted by Nigerian and United States military forces against ISIS terrorist elements in Northwest Nigeria were executed with the approval of the appropriate Federal Government authorities is both timely and necessary.
“Afenifere unequivocally supports this decisive action, which comes after years of relentless insecurity that has held communities hostage and undermined the very fabric of the nation.
“At this critical juncture, the involvement of the United States in the ongoing counter-terrorism operations deserves recognition, not condemnation.
“For far too long, innocent Nigerians have been subjected to relentless attacks, abductions and wanton destruction of property, while insufficient measures were taken to decisively confront these terrorist enclaves.
“The vacuum created by decades of ineffective governance has, regrettably, invited the intervention of capable partners who understand the urgency of the situation.
“Afenifere wishes to stress that true sovereignty is measured not by rhetoric but by the capacity to protect citizens, enforce the rule of law and secure the nation’s borders.
“The lives of Nigerians and the preservation of national peace must always take precedence over political sentiment or populist critique.
“The swift and coordinated military response demonstrates the Federal Government’s commitment to restoring safety and stability to affected regions.
“We call upon all citizens, political leaders, and civil society actors to resist any temptation to undermine these efforts with misplaced criticism.
“Now is the time for solidarity, support and constructive collaboration to eradicate terrorism and protect the lives of Nigerians.
“The courage, professionalism and decisive action displayed by both Nigerian and United States forces should be applauded. Afenifere reaffirms its support for any measures, domestic or joint, that will ensure that Nigeria’s citizens can live in safety and security, free from the scourge of terror.”
The Battle Of Megalomaniacs: Why does everyone seem to miss the point? Why can’t Nigerians see that the ruckus in the Nigerian oil and gas sector is a battle between two sharks who seek total acquisition and complete takeover of the industry as part of their burgeoning personal empires?
But Providence is kind to Nigeria and Nigerians. It is Nigeria’s good fortune that Alhaji Aliko Dangote was able to build and complete his mammoth-size refinery against extreme odds.
It is also by a divine hand that President Bola Tinubu is the man at the helm in Nigeria today.
Were the set up otherwise, if the heavens had not purposed the twain to tango at this crucial juncture, Nigeria’s story of the oil and gas system would have been different and indeed, much detrimental to the Nigerian state.
DANGOTE VERSUS BUHARI AND JONATHAN:
Had Dangote’s game-changing refinery been completed during the eras of Goodluck Jonathan or Muhammadu Buhari, it would have been another cleansweep moment for the doughty business moguls, Aliko.
Aliko Dangote and President Bola Tinubu
Jonathan and Buhari would have only been too happy that Nigeria’s refining jinx had finally been broken. They would have been too happy to save the humongous foreign exchange deployed to importing refined petroleum products.
They would have set up a special committee in the NNPC to engage Dangote Refinery in areas of crude oil sale/swap; refining costs, appropriate local and international pricing of locally refined products, the right pump price for Nigerians, etc.
If either Jonathan or Buhari were president at this time, the pump price of petrol under Dangote’s refining system would never have exceeded N300 – 400/litre. Both Dangote and NNPC would still have made ample profits!
Remember there are at least a dozen more products derived from crude oil refining.
These include diesel (AGO) and aviation fuel which are priced even higher than petrol (pms).
With the twain of Jonathan and Buhari, a win-win deal would have been extracted first for Nigerians, the federal government and for Dangote and his refinery.
DANGOTE VERSUS TINUBU:
But today, between Dangote and President Bola Tinubu who is also the Petroleum Minister, the centre cannot seem to hold. This is because their first interests may not be sovereign.
While Aliko has his eyes fixed on the global rich list, Tinubu is a well-known, tireless empire builder. This explains why at this juncture of Nigeria’s history, two megalomaniacs are clashing over the control of Nigeria’s most valuable economic assets, oil and gas.
This explains why there’s currently no agreement in the industry.
It is this clash of strong personal interest that is driving this seeming crisis. Nigeria achieved a major milestone in the world of oil and gas business: huge refining capacity.
Why have we not rolled out the drums in celebration as one of the biggest refinery hums to life in Nigeria?
Instead, our energy issues seem to multiply! Consider the seeming malady of Dangote Refinery importing crude oil and exporting refined products while the NNPC is exporting crude and its independent marketers are importing refined fuels!
Imagine also, the mind-bending situation in which petroleum products are priced lower in many African countries with less crude oil deposits.
Nigeria is a laughing stock of the world that marvels at this bizarre conundrum. For instance, Egypt, unlike Nigeria, is not a major oil producing country yet petrol pump price is significantly less ($0.40 per litre) against Nigeria’s $0.66 per litre.
This is because Egypt subsidises petrol consumption for her people. But Nigeria couldn’t manage a subsidy regime. At a point, she was subsidising corruption. Indeed, her entire oil industry is seized by sleaze.
CORRUPTION FIGHTING CORRUPTION:
The recent scuffle between Aliko Dangote and the ousted CEO OF NMDPRA, Mr Umar Farouk is an offshoot of Nigeria’s sordid oil industry.
While the coming of Dangote may moderate the age-old bad ways of government officials, Aliko Dangote comes with his special brand of dodgy business practice.
NMDPRA (Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency) led by Farouk had antagonised Dangote and his refinery since inception about two years ago.
He accused Dangote of “regulatory capture”, that his business model depended on opacity, as well as producing substandard products, among other issues.
A few days ago, Dangote dug deeper and shafted Farouk. He opened his behind, Farouk allegedly spent about $5 million in paying fees in Europe’s best schools for his children.
That’s a knockout punch of course and coming from the most influential business man in Africa, it had to be a knock out.
Farouk fell. He was fired with an alacrity not known in this government.
It’s common knowledge that Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the entire government-controlled oil sector in Nigeria is a house founded on graft.
If all Farouk, a CEO, could garner was only $5m then he has to be a saint. Government agencies like the Customs, Immigrations, Revenues Service, Maritime, to name a few, are honeypots for quick riches. It is given that you would be stupendously rich for working in these places.
DANGOTE, THE OLIGOPOLIST GOES FOR NIGERIA’S JUGULAR:
Make no mistakes about it, Dangote is not a crusader! Even if he were, he crusades only one interest: his own.
We must therefore watch him closely now that he has Nigeria’s oil industry in his back pocket.
Dangote is actually as ‘bad’ as they come. His ways and methods are of course, different, but bad all the same.
First, he works with any government in power to have his ways. He will eventually make sweetheart deals with President Tinubu to get his desired margins both for his crude and refined products. He already has oil blocks of his own so he will drill his own crude, refine and fix his price.
Over the years, he had colluded with successive presidents to enjoy exclusive waivers that have been described as economic sabotage by analysts.
Dangote is an arch-oligopolist. He is a well known shark who devours competition in any industry he operates. And he operates in so many sectors of the economy. He dominates them all.
He did it in the sugar subsector in his early days where he laid Tate & Lyle, a major producer, prostate and eventually deleted them from existence, leading to the untimely transition of T & L’s then MD.
In the rice importation race of the 90s, Aliko beat off competition. The stubborn ones he eventually annihilated with a dose of pricing poison: selling at ridiculously below market price (at a loss) to wipe out smaller competitors. By the time he was done with them, they became his distributors.
Aliko’s bar knuckle war in the cement sector is still raging. After killing off Ibeto Cement, Dangote controlled about 70% of Nigeria’s market. It took the coming to the scene, and fighting spirit of BUA Cement to curtail the overwhelming influence of Dangote Cement. Yet he still controls about 55% of the cement market till date.
Antitrust laws would have wound down Dangote if he were operating in Europe or America. He doesn’t operate in any industry he doesn’t dominate to the point of fixing the prices.
WHO REGULATES DANGOTE:
Disgraced Farouk was trying to tell Nigerians something. But while he whimpered about regulatory capture, and opacity in Dangote’s operational model, the mogul moved swiftly to cut him down. Farouk didn’t see it coming. With this treatment, NMDPRA has been totally captured and castrated. No CEO in NMDPRA would dare look Dangote in the face again. Dangote is now the operator and regulator in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. That is dangerous.
Nigerians must be wary because the more Dangote dominates a sector, the more prices rise. You would think increased capacity and local production would lead to reduction in price, no.
It’s the other way round for him. This is why many complain that he’s building his global rich list standing on the graves of hapless Nigerians.
For instance there’s no reason locally produced fuels would be more expensive than imported ones. Not in a major crude oil producing country. Not in an impoverished environment where more than half of the population are dirt-poor. These abundant natural resources ought to be deployed to lift Nigerians out of poverty and not further trample them into the dust.
In summary, now that a hawk is contending with another, how would the drama pan out? Will Nigeria be better for it at last?
LAST LINE: MERRY CHRISTMAS to all our readers. Regardless of the gruelling economy and our misbegotten leaderships which seem to work against the interest of the people, let’s rejoice in this season of goodwill. Let us all endeavour to show love and share the little we have with our neighbours.
Former Military Head of State, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), has called for a decisive military response against armed groups terrorising communities nationwide.
Babangida advised the Federal Government to disregard any appeals for surrender from bandits operating in different parts of the country, insisting that the criminals must first be completely dealt with.
Babangida made his position known in a post on his verified X handle, formerly Twitter, where he called for a decisive military response against armed groups terrorising communities nationwide.
According to the former military leader, security agencies should prioritise the full neutralization of bandits before considering dialogue or negotiations of any kind.
He maintained that accepting surrender prematurely could undermine efforts to end insecurity.
“While the bandits are pleading for surrender, we must not accept their plea until every one of them is neutralised and eliminated,” Babangida wrote.
He added that once this is achieved, individuals he described as negotiators and sympathisers, including Sheikh Ahmad Gumi and others, should be invited for thorough questioning by the authorities.
The statement has since triggered widespread reactions on social media, with Nigerians expressing divergent views on the former leader’s hardline stance.
Some users threw their weight behind Babangida’s comments. A social media user identified as Dr. Jay supported the call, suggesting that those perceived as sympathisers should already be facing scrutiny by security agencies.
Others, however, raised concerns about shifting public sentiments. Another commenter, Phyno, argued that Nigerians often change opinions quickly, warning against sudden reversals in public support for controversial figures.
Also reacting, Ikechukwu described Babangida’s position as timely, stressing that it should be implemented strictly to achieve lasting security.
Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani has stated that no foreign power can enforce peace in Nigeria in his reacted to reports that the United States military carried out “precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes.”
The Kaduna former Senator remarked that “Again, the ultimate security and peace in our country lies with ourselves and not with the US or any foreign power. They can complimentarily or unilaterally strike, but they can’t eternally fight our battles.”
The Nigerian government had officially confirmed that the United States military carried out “precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes.”
This confirmation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs comes shortly “after US President Donald Trump announced the operation” directed at Islamic State militants located in the country’s northwestern region.
“Nigerian authorities remain engaged in structured security cooperation with international partners, including the United States of America, in addressing the persistent threat of terrorism and violent extremism,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement released early on Friday.
“This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes,” in the country’s northwest, it added.
Sani took to X to react to the US strikes in Nigeria. He wrote : “If actually, the military strikes against the terrorists targets in the North Western part of Nigeria were a joint operation with the ‘Nigerian Authorities’ as posted by the US AFRICOM on their verified X handle, then it’s a conscionable action.
“Terrorists have become cancerous cells in our part of the country.They live by the sword. The narrative that the evil terrorists only targets one faith, remains absolutely false and misleading.
The 25-storey Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) House on Lagos Island engulfed by fire on Wednesday will be demolished. The edifice was constructed in 1968.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu who visited the scene of the inferno at Martin’s street, on Thursday, said once the raging fire at the building is fully extinguished, it will be demolished.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that a committee headed by the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Gbenga Oyerinde, had been constituted to determine the safest and quickest method of bringing down the structure within a few days.
According to the governor, preliminary investigations revealed that the building, which was originally designed for office use, had been converted into a warehouse, with several floors used for the storage of highly combustible materials.
He said the fire reportedly started from the fourth and fifth floors before spreading rapidly to the upper levels late on Wednesday night.
The Nation quoted the governor as saying that “This building has had fire incidents in the past. Unfortunately, it was being used as a warehouse, with inflammable materials stored across multiple floors, which made firefighting extremely difficult.”
He explained that although first responders arrived early and deployed aerial ladder equipment, the intensity of the fire escalated around 8pm due to the nature of materials stored inside the building.
The governor confirmed that no fatalities had been recorded, adding that between seven and 10 people sustained injuries and were conveyed to hospitals by ambulances operated by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).
He also noted that parts of the structure had already suffered partial collapse, making demolition inevitable once the fire is completely subdued.
Sanwo-Olu renewed calls for heightened fire safety awareness during the dry season, particularly between December and February, when harmattan conditions heighten fire risks.
“People must stop storing highly inflammable materials in residential and office buildings, especially in densely populated market areas. We will intensify advocacy and enforcement to prevent a repeat of this,” he said.
Meanwhile, the operational commander of the Federal Fire Service in Lagos, Musa Emmanuel, said firefighters were still battling the blaze, noting that the close proximity of surrounding buildings and the unknown contents of the affected structures had complicated suppression efforts.
According to him, no injuries or loss of life had been recorded so far, adding that the cause of the fire would only be determined after the site is secured.
More than 10 buildings were affected by the fire, with at least two severely damaged and several others partially impacted.
Emergency responders from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Federal Fire Service and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) are currently on ground managing the incident.
Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has insisted that the United States,(US), lacks the moral authority to lead war against terrorism in Nigeria.
He has therefore called on the Federal Government to immediately halt all military cooperation with the United States following reported US airstrike.
The United States had launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even in centuries!
US Airstrike in Nigeria
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which confirmed the airstrikes by the US Military, said it “engaged in structured security cooperation with international partners, including the United States of America in addressing the persistent threat of terrorism and violent extremism.”
Gumi who made the call in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Friday, warned that America’s involvement could worsen Nigeria’s security challenges and undermine national sovereignty.
He pointed out that while Islam permits the fight against terrorism, such actions should only be carried out by what he described as “clean hands,” arguing that the United States lacks the moral authority to lead such efforts because of its global military record.
According to the Cleric, Nigeria made a mistake by allowing foreign powers to play a role in its counter terrorism operations, insisting that “terrorists do not truly fight terrorists” and that such interventions often result in civilian casualties and hidden political motives.
Gumi cautioned that allowing Nigeria to become a theatre of war would attract anti-US forces into the country, further destabilising it.
He also warned that US involvement, particularly under claims of protecting Christians, could polarise the country along religious lines.
The cleric further argued that airstrikes alone cannot defeat terrorism, stressing that effective counter terrorism requires strong ground operations, which he said Nigeria has enough personnel to carry out if properly organised.
“This is the mistake Nigeria has made. Terrorists don’t fight terrorists in truth; they may only kill innocent people and have ulterior motives behind the drama of fighting ‘terror’.
“As a principle, no nation should allow its land to be a theatre of war. And no nation should allow its neighbors to be their enemies.
“If Nigeria wants military assistance, China, Turkey, and Pakistan can do the job effectively,” part of his statement read.
Following the deadly and devastating airstrikes by the United States of America’s Military on ISIS Terrorists in Sokoto, North West, Nigeria, its Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, has thanked the Nigerian Government for its support and cooperation.
In a post on his X page, Hegseth said he was “grateful for Nigerian Government’s support and cooperation.
He wrote: “The President was clear last month. The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end.
“The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas.
“Grateful for Nigerian Government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas.”
In another post on X the US Africa Command confirmed it carried out a strike in Sokoto State which killed multiple terrorists.
It wrote: “At the direction of the President of the President of the United States and Secretary of War, and in coordination with Nigerian authorities, US Africa Command conducted strikes against ISIS on Dec.25, 2025, in Sokoto State.”
Recall that suspected terrorists had, on Christmas day, bombed a Mosque in Maiduguri while Muslim faithful were in prayer. Five people were killed while 35 others were injured.
The Federal Government had vowed to get at the perpetrators.
The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end.
The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas. More to come…
Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation.
I intended to write about something else, but changed my mind halfway through. Apart from making New Year’s resolutions a habit, which nearly half of adult Americans engage in, another common feature of this time of year in many parts of the world is making predictions.
It’s as hazardous as knowing a baby’s sex before birth used to be before the 20th century.But somehow, I’ve managed to make yearly forecasts over the last five years without eating too many humble pies.
Before retiring the idea, I thought about something different, as you wind down what has been, for the most part, an extraordinarily tumultuous year, thanks to the Wrecking-Ball-In-Chief, US President Donald J. Trump. With the help of my personal assistant, Julius Ogar, I have collected some of my unusual articles this year for your Christmas pleasure. Among his top five picks was “Understanding the Flight Announcer,” an article that tried to decipher the babble that passes for flight announcements at many Nigerian airports.
A flight announcement
I hope your experience has been different this Christmas, and that despite chaotic flight delays, you still managed to hear the endless announcements above the din in crowded passenger lounges. When I wrote the piece in June, I was at the Asaba Airport in Southern Nigeria, waiting to board a flight to Abuja, the country’s capital.
After what I thought was my mind playing tricks on me, I approached the desk to confirm whether the announcer had indeed said “Accra” instead of Abuja, where I was going. The second announcement in a fake Oyinbo accent was worse: “This is a boreding announcement on Flight PA74862 from Hum, Hum, Hum, to Ham, Ham, Ham…all persongers on this flight should phulease proceed to the boreding gate…a phust departure call phulease…”
Apart from recommending tools like PAXGuide to monitor announcements and improve announcer performance, I also suggested that announcements could be made in Pidgin, where necessary, to reduce passenger misery.
Sankara-wannabe
The second pick was the article entitled “How to Crown an Impostor.” It was a piece about how the military leader of Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traore, has become something of a rock star. I don’t know why my assistant thought it was funny, but I hope he has no plans to go near that West African country anytime soon.
Traore, a Sankara-wannabe, has enjoyed more generosity than any other recent coup plotter in the region, courtesy of TikTokers and their Russian Wagner allies, who have crowned him “The People’s Captain.” As I remarked in the piece, “Traorephytes even invent videos of Rihanna and R Kelly (imprisoned since 2021) serenading the Burkinabe leader with hit songs!”
TikTok fantasy
It’s hard to see what Traore has done outside the make-belief world of TikTokers and the fantasy of hordes of young people disenchanted by poor governance in that country, and across the continent. But they swear by every avatar that he’s working. As a gesture of the season, if Traore has a sense of humour, it might not be a bad idea to frame him in a Santa Claus cap, the way Trump framed himself as a Pope, and plant a Christmas song in his mouth.
Here was how the piece on Traore ended: “For three years, Traore’s stock has risen amid algorithmic populism expressed in languages he neither understands nor speaks, with minimal institutional reforms, if any, and no prospects or commitment to return the country to civilian rule.
“His rhetoric,” The Africa Report said, “still falls short of real, measurable improvements in security and civic freedoms. There’s a gap between his message and the reality on the ground, something that will ultimately test his legitimacy and legacy.”
A life coach
The third piece, “Aparutu and His Life Coach,” was personal. It was a tribute written in honour of my mentor, Sir Ademola Osinubi, who turned 70 in October. The thing about it that resonates at Christmas is how small encounters can change our lives, illustrated in biblical stories like the one of curiosity leading the wise men from the East, for example.
When I first met Osinubi 40 years ago, I was only following my professional vistas, unsure where they would lead. I was introduced to Osinubi by the Editor at the time, Alhaji Najeem Jimoh. My encounter with Osinubi and a few others named in that article fostered my career for over two decades.
The improbable legend of something good out of Nazareth was, in my case, made possible by someone willing to take a chance on me, an aparutu, leading me and indeed many who crossed his path later in life by the force of his example.
Power’s proper job
“When Are You Going to Get a Proper Job?” That was the title of the fourth piece that my assistant selected. It’s the title of a book that chronicles the 60 years in journalism by my friend, Jonathan Power, 83. I’ve known Power for over 25 years, and it came as a big surprise that many years after he gave himself to writing, his father still didn’t think writing was “a proper job.”
As you can imagine, for many parents of Power’s day, the only “proper jobs were law, engineering, and medicine.” Being one of Europe’s most informed and syndicated journalists didn’t matter. Nor did it matter that journalism had taken Power far and wide and acquainted him with some of the world’s most influential and powerful people.
In the end, it doesn’t matter so much what people, including our parents, think we should have been. Their wishes come from a good place, but life is lived forward. And Power might agree that, even though he had made some difficult choices, especially in his love life, being a journalist was not one of them.
At the end of the year, we are faced with the same conundrum as Power faced when he was contemplating his love life: “If only I had been more lucky, wise, sensible…” But life is lived forward.
African pope
My assistant’s fifth choiceis “Waiting for an African Pope.” I don’t know why he chose this. As far as wishes go, this prospect exists in the movies, such as Peter Straughan’s The Conclave.
But Arinze Cardinal, a character in that movie, is only a fantasy. My article on an African pope in April fizzled in black smoke, though not a few would later say that the emergence of Pope Francis, an American, with a strong affinity for the poor and oppressed around the world, is as good as it gets in terms of papal equity.
Obi as Atiku’s lunch
As my special Christmas bonus, I’m taking the liberty of this last conversation of the year to add a sixth article I wrote in July, entitled “Peter Obi’s Dangerous Game.”
In that article, I warned that the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party seemed determined to commit political suicide first by his indecision about where to go next, and second, by leaning toward the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a party that has been prepared for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
It’s almost certain that he would go there, regardless. Insiders have informed me that the groundwork has been laid and that when the time comes, Atiku and others will support Obi’s ambition. I laugh. Atiku is like a lion wearing the cap of Santa Claus and offering a gift box wrapped in garlands, swag and tinsel. Obi and his ambition would soon be lunch.
A Merry Christmas shouldn’t cost so much!
Happy New Year!
Ishiekwene is Editor-In-Chief of LEADERSHIP and author of Writing for Media and Monetising It. This column returns on January 9, 2026. If you would like to read more, visit: www.azuishiekwene.com.
The presidency has clarified that President Bola Tinubu has not replaced his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
It added that the insinuations that the Chief of Staff to President Tinubu, Gbajabiamila, has been replaced by Hakeem Muri-Okunola, Principal Private Secretary is untrue.
In a statement on Thursday, the Presidential Spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said “a viral falsehood circulating on social media suggesting that President Tinubu has replaced his Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, with his Principal Private Secretary, Hakeem Muri-Okunola” is false.
“There is absolutely no truth to this story. We advise Nigerians to disregard it entirely,” he explained.
“The Chief of Staff remains in his position. The Principal Private Secretary likewise remains in his role. Hakeem Muri-Okunola has not replaced Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff.
“The viral claim is a fabrication by mischievous purveyors of fake news whose sole aim is to create disharmony within the government.
“We reiterate that news media should always verify their information before publishing or sharing on social media,” he added.
The viral report has claimed that Gbajabiamila has fallen out with President Tinubu and hence his replacement.
Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, became the President’s Chief of Staff in assumption of office and has been described as one of the cabals in the presidency.
