Dons EzeSUPREME COURT DISMISSES ANYANWU’S BID TO STAY EXECUTION
SUPREME COURT DISMISSES ANYANWU’S BID TO STAY EXECUTION The Supreme Court has dismissed the request brought before it by Samuel Anyanwu seeking to stay the execution of the judgment of the Court of Appeal that removed him as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The apex court on Monday threw out the request when Anyanwu in a dramatic turn applied for withdrawal of the request. Justice Musa Awani Aba-Aji dismissed the request when Kingsley Njemanze, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, withdrew the request on behalf of his client. The Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal in Enugu had in concurrent judgments removed Anyanwu as PDP National Secretary. However, at Monday’s proceedings, Anyanwu backed down, urging the Supreme Court to allow him withdraw the bid to stop the execution of the judgments against. Meanwhile, hearing in the substantive matter is going on before the five-man panel of justices headed by Justice Aba-Aji. The Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu had last December upheld a Federal High Court decision that sacked Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the PDP. The appellate court subsequently upheld Chief Sunday Ude-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the main opposition party. In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Ridwan Abdullahi, the Court of Appeal held that Anyanwu‘s appeal was incompetent and lacking in merit. According to the appellate court, the appellant violated the PDP constitution by laying claim to the national secretary position having contested and emerged as the party’s candidate in the 2024 governorship election in Imo State. Dissatisfied, Anyanwu in February approached the apex court to set aside the judgment of the two lower courts, and recognize him as the authentic National Secretary of the PDP. He also filed a motion for accelerated hearing, as well as an abridgment of time on grounds of the crucial role of the office of national secretary.
APC A CONGREGATION OF STRANGE BEDFELLOWS – BODE GEORGE
APC A CONGREGATION OF STRANGE BEDFELLOWS – BODE GEORGE Chief Olabode George, former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has described the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) as a congregation of strange bird fellows while reacting to the recent drama played out in Lagos State Assembly. Recall that reinstated Lagos state Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa scored a major win after his controversial return to his post, and he has President Bola Tinubu to thank. On Monday, he was reinstated as Speaker, 49 days after 36 lawmakers removed him from office. Mr Obasa was nominated by a lawmaker, Noheem Adams, representing Eti-Osa I, after the former Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, resigned from her position. Ms Meranda was voted into office following Mr Obasa’s removal on 13 January. The lawmakers accused Mr Obasa of high-handedness, poor leadership, financial misappropriation, among other allegations.
APC A CONGREGATION OF STRANGE BEDFELLOWS – BODE GEORGE
APC A CONGREGATION OF STRANGE BEDFELLOWS – BODE GEORGE Chief Olabode George, former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has described the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) as a congregation of strange bird fellows while reacting to the recent drama played out in Lagos State Assembly. Recall that reinstated Lagos state Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa scored a major win after his controversial return to his post, and he has President Bola Tinubu to thank. On Monday, he was reinstated as Speaker, 49 days after 36 lawmakers removed him from office. Mr Obasa was nominated by a lawmaker, Noheem Adams, representing Eti-Osa I, after the former Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, resigned from her position. Ms Meranda was voted into office following Mr Obasa’s removal on 13 January. The lawmakers accused Mr Obasa of high-handedness, poor leadership, financial misappropriation, among other allegations.
LAGOS ASSEMBLY SHUTS DOWN AMIDST LEADERSHIP CRISIS
LAGOS ASSEMBLY SHUTS DOWN AMIDST LEADERSHIP CRISIS The Lagos State House of Assembly has directed all staff and legislative aides to work remotely indefinitely in a bid to prevent potential violence stemming from the ongoing leadership crisis within the Assembly. The directive was issued by the Acting Clerk of the House, Mr. Babatunde Ottun, through an internal memo on Sunday. The memo, titled “Amendment to Remote Work Schedule Arrangement,” officially informed staff members of the remote work order. The leadership crisis, which has caused tensions among lawmakers, has raised concerns over security within the Assembly complex. Legislative activities are expected to continue remotely, though it remains uncertain how long the directive will last. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the crisis erupted in January when lawmakers ousted Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and former Clerk Olalekan Onafeko. Obasa’s former deputy, Mojisola Meranda, was named the new Speaker. Tensions escalated on February 17 when DSS operatives sealed off the Assembly complex, blocking a planned plenary session. Despite the lockdown, lawmakers forced their way into the chambers, convened a session, and adjourned indefinitely, reaffirming their support for Meranda. Three Assembly staff members now face trial for allegedly assaulting DSS operatives during the standoff. Obasa, rejecting his removal as unconstitutional, stormed the Assembly complex on February 27 with heavy security, allegedly breaking into the Speaker’s office. He resumed duties while his supporters gathered outside, demanding his reinstatement. He has since filed a lawsuit against Meranda, the Assembly, and 36 lawmakers, challenging his ouster. The case is set for a hearing at the Ikeja Court on Friday. Meanwhile, Lagos State Head of Service, Bode Agoro, has acknowledged the leadership change, urging staff to support the new Speaker and Acting Clerk. Ottun explained that the directive aims to ensure staff safety and maintain order. “This measure is necessary pending the resolution of the leadership dispute,” he said. All Assembly staff, including those in LAHASCOM and legislative aides, have been directed to work remotely until further notice. Ottun assured staff of Speaker Meranda’s commitment to their safety and a peaceful resolution of the crisis.
LAGOS ASSEMBLY CRISIS: LAWMAKERS LACK ABSOLUTE POWERS TO REMOVE OR INSTALL THEIR LEADERS – GAC
LAGOS ASSEMBLY CRISIS: LAWMAKERS LACK ABSOLUTE POWERS TO REMOVE OR INSTALL THEIR LEADERS – GAC Chairman, Governance Advisory Council (GAC) in Lagos State, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, has opened up on the controversy in the Lagos State House of Assembly. Speaking for the first time since the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker and election of Mojisola Meranda on January 13, 2025, the APC leader stated that whereas the lawmakers have no absolute powers to remove or install their leaders, neither the GAC nor the party was consulted. Both Obasa and Meranda are now laying claim to the Speakership of the House of Assembly. The GAC is the highest decision making organ of the APC which has held series of meetings with the aggrieved lawmakers since the crisis started. Speaking with newsmen, Olusi said, “Members of the GAC are not members of the Lagos State House of Assembly to allegedly be behind the removal of Obasa. It can’t be true. “We read it also that morning. The lawmakers carried it out without consulting the party and those of us in the GAC. That is our position. “We invited all of them and insisted that all of them are products of the party. They lodged their complaints and we listened to them. “I blamed them for one thing and that is for not lodging the complaints earlier before the party. It is for the party to decide, they (lawmakers) have no absolute power to remove and install their leaders. “Nobody can become a member of the House of Assembly unless sponsored by a political party and the sponsors are the inspectors.” He however added that discussions were ongoing to resolve the crisis. “The problem is the speaker (Obasa) and his colleagues which had led to his removal. It is a disputer among them. “Currently, there is a high powered committee of the party led by Chief Bisi Akande and members, including Aremo Olusegun Osoba, and former APC National Vice Chairman, South-west, Chief Pius Akinyelure and others, “They are working and making efforts to resolve the matter. I know they are in consultation with the House of Assembly, Obasa and the other Speaker, Mrs Mojisola Lasbat Meranda. “Those of us in the GAC and the Chairman of the Party, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi are doing all within our power to assist the committee,” he added.
IBB: POWER, FATE AND NECESSITY
IBB: POWER, FATE AND NECESSITY There are memoirs, and then there are memoirs—those grand, sweeping narratives that seek to shape the legacy of their authors, painting their roles in history with the broadest, most flattering strokes possible. A Journey in Service by Retired General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) is, undoubtedly, one such exercise in historical curation. A man affectionately (or infamously) called “Maradona” for his tactical manoeuvring and “Evil Genius” for his enigmatic blend of brilliance and ruthlessness, Babangida takes the reader on a winding tour through his years in the Nigerian military and the corridors of power. For anyone who has studied leadership—particularly the kind that thrives in the murky waters of political and military intrigue—this book is a case study in strategic decision-making, betrayal, and the calculated art of survival. The Weight of Power and the Burden of Betrayal IBB does not shy away from discussing some of the defining moments of his tenure. The pages are littered with betrayals, real and perceived, and the decisions he took to outmanoeuvre friends and foes alike. His account of the Vatsa Coup is a case in point—one that reveals both personal pain and political necessity. Mamman Jiya Vatsa, once a childhood friend, is portrayed as a man whose envy and ambition led him to conspire against the government. Babangida, ever the pragmatist, details how he had no choice but to let the wheels of military justice turn. There is a palpable sense of justification, even if history remains divided on whether Vatsa truly deserved his fate or was simply a victim of palace politics. The theme of betrayal surfaces repeatedly. The annulment of the June 12, 1993 election—arguably the most controversial decision of his career—is painted not as the selfish act of a power-hungry ruler but as a move taken in the face of impossible political pressures. He suggests that forces within the military, including the ever-looming spectre of Late General Sani Abacha, were determined to disrupt the transition to civilian rule. Here, Babangida presents himself as a man trapped between conflicting interests, a reluctant participant in a play he could neither script nor control. One cannot read this section without a raised eyebrow. The master tactician, the Maradona of Nigerian politics, now claims to have been outmanoeuvred? The reader is left to wonder whether this is genuine regret or another artful feint in the grand game of historical revisionism. The Art of Economic Alchemy: SAP, IMF, and the Gamble of Reforms No discussion of IBB’s legacy is complete without addressing the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). The book provides a detailed justification for why the government sought economic reforms, including the controversial IMF loan debate. Babangida, ever the populist when it suits him, recounts how he subjected the decision to public discourse, allowing Nigerians to engage in a rare democratic moment under military rule. Of course, what he does not say in so many words is that SAP, while conceptually sound in some aspects, plunged millions into economic hardship, devalued the naira, and laid the groundwork for the widening gap between Nigeria’s elite and the suffering masses. But one must give credit where due—Babangida’s ability to sell the unsellable remains unparalleled. He speaks of “economic nationalism” as though SAP was an indigenous, grassroots-driven policy rather than a bitter pill Nigeria was forced to swallow under international financial pressure. The Chessboard of Power: MKO Abiola, Abacha, and the Dance of Political Survival Perhaps the most gripping part of the book is his take on the June 12 crisis and its aftermath. Babangida paints himself as a man who tried—against all odds—to find a peaceful resolution. He describes private meetings with MKO Abiola, where he allegedly offered him an interim position, only to be rebuffed.…
KANO GOVT TO TINUBU: REMOVE THE EMIR YOU ENTHRONED AND KEPT IN GRAVEYARD
KANO GOVT TO TINUBU: REMOVE THE EMIR YOU ENTHRONED AND KEPT IN GRAVEYARD The Kano State Government has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to order the removal of Emir Aminu Ado Bayero from the Nasarawa Palace in Kano, citing the need to restore peace and stability. The government alleged that certain individuals were exploiting the emir’s continued presence in Nasarawa Palace to fuel unrest across the state. Speaking at the Kano Government House during the distribution of relief materials provided by Tarauni Federal Constituency Representative, Hon. Kabiru Dahiru Sule, the Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, reiterated the administration’s stance, calling on the president to intervene. “We are calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remove the emir he enthroned and kept in a graveyard,” Gwarzo said. “The people of Kano, especially the youth, are tired of this nonsense. It is shocking that in a democratic setting, security forces are being deployed to fire teargas at peaceful protesters, with some reports even alleging the use of live ammunition. “In the evening, military vehicles patrolled the city, even parking in front of my house. But we want to make it clear that there is no intimidation. This is a democracy, and democracy must be upheld, whether some people like it or not. We stand firmly with the youth who took to the streets to express their grievances. “The president should remove the emir he appointed and take him to his own state. Kano already has an emir and that’s Muhammadu Sanusi II. Today, regardless of who you are, even if you are the ‘Emir of the World,’ you cannot appoint an emir in Kano unless you are Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.” Gwarzo further asserted that keeping Emir Aminu Ado Bayero in Nasarawa palace is a deliberate attempt to destabilize the Kano State Government and hinder its ability to govern effectively. The deputy governor acknowledged the recent protests by Kano residents, emphasizing that peaceful demonstrations are a fundamental right in a democratic society. He condemned the security forces’ actions in dispersing protesters and arresting some of them, insisting that the people of Kano have the right to demand the removal of Emir Bayero. He reiterated the state government’s demand for President Tinubu to act swiftly in removing Emir Bayero. The Kano State Government emphasized that the law facilitated the appointment of the former Emir, and the same law has now reinstated Muhammadu Sanusi II. Therefore, the government insists that the rule of law must be upheld and allowed to take its course.
2027: APC BERATES EL-RUFAI OVER ATTACK ON TINUBU, RIBADU
2027: APC BERATES EL-RUFAI OVER ATTACK ON TINUBU, RIBADU The All Progressives Congress on Monday slammed a former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, for attacking President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. The National Vice Chairman of the APC (South East), Dr Ijeoma Arodiogbu, decried El-Rufai’s criticism of the President and the NSA during a Monday night interview on Arise TV as pathetic. El-Rufai, in the interview, criticised the president’s economic reforms, saying the sequencing was wrong. “I support some of (Tinubu) policies; most of the economic policies are the right orthodox policies, but the sequencing is wrong, and the quality of the people implementing the reforms leaves much to be desired. And I think that some of the reforms are just wrong. “You don’t address food inflation by destroying domestic agriculture. Food prices may be going down, but farmers are being impoverished because they are being made to compete with subsidised agricultural products from Europe and other countries. “So, I have issues with many of them, and I’m in touch with many senior officials of the administration, and I give them my opinion privately.” He accused the President of rejecting him as a ministerial nominee and not the National Assembly, as previously reported. The ex-governor said the President changed his mind on the cabinet appointment offer after asking him publicly not to be far from him after he concluded his second term in Kaduna State. He said, “Since I left office and the President begged me publicly to come and serve in his government, I had my plans and told President Tinubu from day one when he asked me to support him, I said would, but I don’t want anything because politics in Nigeria is always about what do I get for giving you support. “I’m not in politics for that reason. I’m not in politics to get anything. I have a surname, and I’m a self-made man. I’ve made money before coming into public office. ‘’I don’t need anything. After eight years in Kaduna, I was nearly burnt out. I was struggling for eight years, and I wanted to take a break, and I had my private plans. “The President publicly appealed to me to put my plans on hold and through two months of negotiations, we finally agreed that he would nominate me as minister and there were certain conditions I attached to that.’’ “I think along the line, either the President changed his mind or something else. Please don’t believe the story that the National Assembly rejected me. The National Assembly had nothing to do with this, the President didn’t want me in his cabinet, he changed his mind. Whatever it is, I don’t care and I’ve moved on,’’ the APC chieftain stated. El-Rufai thumbed down Ribadu’s appointment as NSA, saying he was not qualified for the task. He accused the NSA of leading a plot to tarnish his reputation because of his 2031 Presidential ambition. El-Rufai alleged that Ribadu is collaborating with Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to destroy his image. According to him, Ribadu is nursing a presidential ambition in 2031 and he is ready to eliminate every northerner that he thinks is on the radar. “This project of destroying Nasir el-Rufai is Nuhu Ribadu’s conception. He is the architect and builder of that project. He is the one working with Uba Sani to implement it. So far, it has been frustrating for them. “Somebody wants to destroy my reputation. Why? Nuhu Ribadu wants to be president in 2031. He has to eliminate every northerner that he thinks is on the radar,” El-Rufai further berated Ribadu. But reacting to the attack on Tinubu,…
WIKE-BACKED ASSEMBLY SPEAKER GETS SUPPORT FROM NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CAUCUS
WIKE-BACKED RIVERS ASSEMBLY SPEAKER GETS SUPPORT FROM NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CAUCUS Members of Rivers Caucus of the National Assembly have paid solidarity visit to the Martin Amaewhule led Rivers state House of Assembly They advised Governor Fubara to respect court orders and stop dealing with the Oko Jumbo led Assembly The group also called on the Inspector General of Police, IGP, and Rivers CP to effect court orders, and said that Gov Fubara’s actions were capable of creating anarchy in the state.
PDP GOVERNORS AFFIRM UDE-OKOYE AS NATIONAL SECRETARY
PDP GOVERNORS AFFIRM UDE-OKOYE AS NATIONAL SECRETARY State governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party have affirmed a former National Youth Leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye, as the party’s National Secretary in accordance with the Appeal Court’s judgment in Enugu State. Under the leadership of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, the PDP governors distanced themselves from the embattled Samuel Anyanwu and confirmed Ude-Okoye as the party’s national secretary during a meeting held in Asaba, the capital of Delta State, on Friday. In a communique made available to journalists and signed by Mohammed, the PDP governors also asked the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and the National Working Committee to convene the National Executive Committee meeting by March 13, 2025, at the latest. Recall, the PDP has faced substantial internal challenges both before and after the 2023 general elections, creating ongoing instability within the party. Damagum, who became the acting national chairman, has come under criticism from party members who blame him for the party’s continued struggles. He took over from Iyorchia Ayu who was removed by the court. The leadership crisis has escalated, particularly due to disagreements regarding the national secretary’s position. In 2023, the PDP’s South-East zone nominated Ude-Okoye to replace Anyanwu, who had been chosen as the party’s candidate for the Imo State governorship election. The South-East PDP argued that Anyanwu should step down from his role as the national secretary given his new political responsibilities, which led to further controversy and division within the party. On December 20, 2024, the Appeal Court in Enugu ruled in favour of Ude-Okoye, confirming him as the new national secretary. The decision was officially communicated to the party leadership on December 24. However, a recent development on January 27, 2025, saw the Court of Appeal in Abuja issue a restraining order, instructing Anyanwu to remain in the position until the Supreme Court makes its final decision. The situation escalated into a crisis on Thursday during the BoT meeting when some party supporters loyal to Anyanwu physically removed Ude-Okoye from the meeting. Normalcy was only restored after the intervention of security personnel. In response, the governors endorsed the Court of Appeal’s judgment and urged the NWC to put in place the necessary steps for its effective implementation. The communique read in parts, “The Forum noted with delight the ongoing efforts at resolving the crisis in the National Working Committee, NWC, on the position of the National Secretary, and has reaffirmed its support for the Court of Appeal judgment; consequently, the Forum advised the NWC to set up the machinery for the effective implementation of the court judgment. “The Forum having examined all the notices required by law to be given to validly convoke NEC advised NWC to reschedule NEC to the thirteenth (13Th) of March 2025.” Regarding the state of the nation, PDP governors maintained that the Federal Government’s macroeconomic policies have caused significant hardship and suffering within the country. “The Forum employed the occasion to review the performance of member states in particular, and the state of the nation in general, as well as developments in the party, as at the end of 2024; and noting the monumental socio-economic, security, infrastructure and other challenges that confronted the nation during the period, the Meeting commended Governors of member states for pursuing policies and programmes that not only ameliorated the plight of the people but were aimed at creating the foundation for sustainable development in their various states. “The meeting noted that the macro-economic policies of the Federal Government have inflicted hardship and [pain on the polity; therefore the Forum calls the Federal Government to either revisit or rejig its macro-economic policies to ameliorate and or stop the hardship/pains that they have inflicted on Nigerians…