Connect with us

Politics

MKO Abiola: 27 Years After

Contributed by Dr Hafsat Abiola President KUDIRAT INITIATIVE FOR DEMOCRACY (KIND), and Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin President, Women Arise

Published

on

12 Views

Today we remember MKO Abiola.

He came like a dream and lived as a legend.

Of his accomplishments, he was a marvel: a child born into poverty but surrounded by such a wealth of culture and community that, from an early age, he understood that the greatest glory came from serving people.

A prodigy of Baptist Boys High School where his identity as a muslim did not stop him from benefiting from scholarships set up by missionaries; and ultimately coming fourth in the international chartered accountancy exam in England.

MKO believed in Nigeria and in Nigerians and loved both above all else.

He would have been a success anywhere, but like many patriotic Nigerians of his time, he chose Nigeria for his stage.

And what a stage it was for much of his adult life, marked by feats of business and personal success that was matched by his prodigious philanthropy.

If there was a final test that caused a man that seemed to be an unstoppable force of nature to stumble, it was the quest to ensure that Nigerians would say farewell of poverty.

He set forth on his attempt but, alas, he did not succeed.

However, that his final chapter culminated in the pursuit of a better Nigeria for all probably defined him best.

MKO believed in Nigeria and in Nigerians and loved both above all else.

So as divided as the country may be today, fractured and riven by suspicion and fear; as dispirited as many citizens may feel when confronted by the lack of visible progress on insecurity and broader prosperity, on this 27th anniversary of MKO’s death, we would do well to remember that the unity some threaten to upend may be a pre-condition for winning the fight for our country and its future.

And that the quest to end poverty in Nigeria isn’t for one man, whether MKO or whoever leads our country, however brilliant and blessed he may be, but for us all.

Contributed by Dr Hafsat Abiola President KUDIRAT INITIATIVE FOR DEMOCRACY (KIND); Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin President, Women Arise

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Politics

Coalition to Unseat Tinubu in 2027 Doomed to Fail, Wike, Sanwo-Olu Declare

Published

on

30 Views

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has dismissed the growing alliance of political heavyweights seeking to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, describing the coalition as a mere distraction that is bound to fail.

Speaking to a group of journalists and politicians in Lagos, Sanwo-Olu said Nigerians will stand behind the President to ensure the full realisation of his reform agenda.

He specifically criticised the anti-Tinubu coalition taking shape under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), labeling it a distraction unworthy of the President’s attention.

“Nigerians will never go back to Egypt,” Sanwo-Olu declared, adding that the motive behind the alliance is to derail the progress made under Tinubu’s leadership.

“The target is to distract the Commander-in-Chief and derail the social and economic gains that we can see and feel, but President Tinubu knows the game and will never fall for their bait,” he said.

The coalition includes former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Senate President David Mark, ex-Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi, and former Governors Nasir el-Rufai and Rauf Aregbesola.

While some view the group as a credible alternative platform, Sanwo-Olu insisted it is simply an assembly of disgruntled politicians.

He argued that the President’s record — from stabilising the foreign exchange market to launching a national student loan scheme and initiating far-reaching tax reforms — offers a compelling case for continuity.

Sanwo-Olu also pointed to increased oil production, infrastructure development, enhanced revenue allocation to states following fuel subsidy removal, and the national minimum wage review as further evidence of progress.

“President Tinubu is not only a builder of men but a visionary leader whose impact is evident across the nation,” Sanwo-Olu said.

Asked whether the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was concerned about the ADC or its backers, the Governor responded: “No one should be concerned or distracted by what ADC or any other group is attempting to orchestrate.

The truth is clear, the people can see the difference, and history is on his side.”

“They have nothing but bitterness to offer; they are bound together by their illogical resentment against President Tinubu, not by any edifying ideology. They will run out of steam.”

On what advice he would give the President amid growing opposition rhetoric, Sanwo-Olu said: “Simple.

The President should stay the course. Millions of well-meaning Nigerians across party lines and compatriots, who understand what it takes to govern the most populous black nation on earth and revive a troubled economy, are behind him and trust his leadership.”

“We know how far we’ve come under President Tinubu’s leadership. The focus should remain on delivering results, deepening reforms, and building a stronger Nigeria. Any attempt to shake that foundation will be futile,” he added.

Continue Reading

Politics

BREAKING: PDP Reconciliation Committee Chairman Resigns, Joins ADC

Published

on

30 Views

Air Vice Marshal Shehu Adamu Fura (retd.), Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Reconciliation Committee, has officially resigned from the party and declared his allegiance to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Fura’s departure, confirmed in a resignation letter dated July 3, 2025, and addressed to the PDP Ward Chairman in Pantami Ward, Gombe Local Government Area, marks a significant loss for the PDP in the state.

His defection is seen as a major development, coming at a time when the party is striving to consolidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.

A respected figure in Gombe politics, Fura was a contender in the PDP’s 2023 governorship primaries, where he finished third.

His influence in the party, especially in grassroots mobilization and internal dispute resolution, was considered critical.

As head of the state’s Reconciliation Committee, he played a pivotal role in fostering unity among party factions following the 2023 elections.

In his resignation letter, Fura cited personal reflection and extensive consultations as reasons behind his decision to leave the PDP.

Continue Reading

Politics

Akpabio “Vindicated” as Court Ruling Upholds Senate Seating Arrangement

Published

on

33 Views

Senator Godswill Akpabio has expressed feelings of vindication following a court verdict that has upheld the current seating arrangement within the Nigerian Senate.

Akpabio says he feels vindicated by Friday’s court judgement which he said sustained the decision of the senate to reassign a new seat to suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

This outcome has been warmly received by Senator Akpabio, who has publicly stated his satisfaction with the court’s ruling.

The impact of this ruling will likely extend beyond the individual Senator, potentially influencing the dynamics of the Senate as a whole.

According to Akpabio, the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Binta Nyako, gave the Order which vindicated him in the case filed by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to challenge her referral to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions as well as her subsequent suspension.

He said the court upheld his application that borders on contempt, and ruled that the publication was contemptuous, deliberately ridiculing both the Senate President , the judicial process, and deemed it necessary to impose a ₦5 million fine on Akpoti-Uduagan payable to the Federal Government.

Akpabio said it was on the strength of this that the court order Akpoti-Uduaghan to publish a public apology within seven days in two national newspapers and on the same Facebook page where the contemptuous publication was made.

On the substantive suit, Akpabio said the court also resolved all the questions for determination against Akpoti-Uduaghan when it ruled that the Senate has the constitutional authority to discipline its members for violating its Standing Orders; and that his action in reallocating Senator Natasha’s seat, was lawful and within his administrative powers under Section 6(1) of the Senate Standing Rules.

The senate President was however silent on the position of the court to reinstate the suspended senator , representing Kogi Central after the court pointed out that the punishment was too stringent as it it capable of denying the people of Kogi central representation in the senate.

The court’s decision reinforces the established protocols, and the Senate is expected to continue its proceedings as usual.

Continue Reading

Trending