Politics
BREAKING: Godfatherism in Nigerian politics must come to an end — APC chieftain
A federal commissioner representing Edo, Ekiti and Ondo states at the Federal Civil Service Commission, Henry Idahagbon, has described godfatherism as a Nigerian invention that must be consciously dismantled.
Idahagbon said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Sunday.
According to him, “I believe that the concept of godfatherism is a uniquely Nigerian invention. Maybe it’s one of Nigeria’s negative contributions to the development of democracy.”..TAP TO CONTINUE FULL READING.
He noted that all over the world, including the United States and most developed democracies, there are very influential political leaders whose views go a long way in determining election outcomes.
“But there is nothing that can be compared with the Nigerian concept of godfatherism. That is why I said it’s a unique Nigerian creation, a Nigerian invention.
“In Rivers and Edo, we have seen and are still seeing the negative impact of godfatherism. Those two states represent perhaps the worst species of godfatherism in Nigeria.
“At the peak of the Obaseki and Oshiomhole imbroglio, we saw Obaseki practically declaring Oshiomhole a persona non grata in a state that he governed for eight years.
“I remember we had to arrange for private security to escort Oshiomhole from the airport just to get to his house.
“On many occasions, his cars were stoned, but for the fact that they were bulletproof, he would have been injured. And I happened to be the only person who was in his house the day thugs came to attempt to burn down his house.
“And the same thing is playing out again in Rivers State. We have the Minister of the FCT, who keeps breathing down the neck of Governor Siminalayi Fubara because he brought him to power.
“So it’s something that the Nigerian political class has to consciously dismantle,” he said.
Idahagbon, who was a former attorney-general and commissioner for justice during Oshiomhole’s administration, emphasised the need for governors and presidents to disengage from power after leaving office.
“When governors and presidents leave office, they should leave for good. They should not be engaged in the process of determining their successors.
“In my opinion, political actors want to determine who succeeds them because of two factors. They want protection when they leave office.’
“So if governors do well, like I believe Gov. Alex Otti of Abia is doing in his state now, you don’t need to determine who succeeds you. Anybody can succeed you if your records are clean.
“So we should consciously, like Oshiomhole during his campaign and tenure said, say no to godfatherism and embrace one man, one vote; one governor, one vote.
“I think that mantra should become a national mantra — one man, one vote — and let us say no to godfatherism because it has negative implications for our polity,” the federal commissioner added.
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President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Saturday for a three-nation visit to France, Kenya, and Rwanda. He will attend the Africa-France Summit in Nairobi (May 11-12), co-chaired by Presidents Macron and Ruto, focusing on energy transition, digital transformation, and climate action. He will then proceed to the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali (May 14-15), themed “Scale or Fail,” highlighting Nigeria’s investment reforms. The trip will last approximately two weeks.
Key Points:
The Africa-France Summit theme is “Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth.”
The Africa CEO Forum is in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Over 2,000 top executives and national leaders will attend the Kigali forum.
Tinubu will hold high-level meetings with global and African business leaders.
He will be accompanied by some ministers and senior aides...TAP TO CONTINUE FULL READING.
The president will return to Nigeria at the end of the Rwanda summit.
Sources: Bayo Onanuga/x
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The Presidency and opposition figure Peter Obi have traded words over the Federal Government’s borrowing profile. President Bola Tinubu had defended the administration’s borrowing, stating, “Borrowing is not leprosy.” Obi countered on X, saying: “Borrowing is not only leprosy, but a killer cancer when it is borrowed for consumption and not production.” Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga responded, accusing Obi of “demagoguery” and insisting the government borrows for infrastructure, not consumption.
Key Points:
Obi argued that debt without productivity is dangerous.
He cited the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007 on cost-benefit analysis requirements.
Onanuga said Nigeria has willing lenders because the country is credible.
Onanuga advised Obi to “rise above the pedestrian level.”
Obi said borrowing for consumption is “double jeopardy.”..TAP TO CONTINUE FULL READING.
The exchange highlights ongoing debate over Nigeria’s borrowing strategy.
Sources: Nigerian Tribune, Vanguard
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Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has urged Nigerian workers to wield their collective voice and votes to demand competent leadership. In a Workers’ Day statement, Obi said workers must “refuse to reward failure, corruption, ethnic division, and bad governance.” He described workers as the “backbone of every nation” and said the current minimum wage of N70,000 can no longer guarantee a modest standard of living.
Key Points:
Obi said when workers suffer, the nation suffers; when workers are empowered, the nation prospers.
He called for leadership built on competence, character, capacity, credibility, and compassion.
He noted the minimum wage is unevenly implemented across states.
The statement came on International Workers’ Day.
Obi is positioning himself as a labour-friendly leader ahead of 2027...TAP TO CONTINUE FULL READING.
Obi urged workers to refuse to reward failure and bad governance.
Sources: Leadership
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