Politics
Obasanjo: Democracy has been reduced to monetocracy
“Nations like Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Africa ought to be leading the continent’s development charge given their demographic, resource, or economic strengths. Instead, these countries have continued to record retarded growth.”
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says that democracy on the African continent is being reduced to ‘monetocracy’, a system where money determines leadership .
Obasanjo spoke on the state of the continent during the 32nd annual general meeting of Afreximbank in Abuja, yesterday.
Obasanjo criticised the winner-takes-all mentality that leaves opposition parties disenfranchised and democratic processes hollow.
Obasanjo: Time to roar is now, Africa’s sleeping giants must drive own growth By : Helen Oji Date: 27 Jun 2025Share :ObasanjoObasanjoFormer President Olusegun Obasanjo has blamed Africa’s over reliance on foreign aid, poor leadership, corruption, and a flawed democratic system for the continent’s lack of progress.Speaking on the state of the continent at the 32nd Annual Meeting of Afreximbank in Abuja yesterday,
Obasanjo said that Africa’s so-called ‘lions’, its most populous and resource-rich countries have failed to achieve meaningful growth weighed down by systemic inefficiencies and misguided governance.
” Nations like Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Africa ought to be leading the continent’s development charge given their demographic, resource, or economic strengths. Instead, these countries have continued to record retarded growth.”
While Egypt has made notable progress, he lamented that the others have either regressed or stagnated over the past three decades, often taking two steps forward and one step back.
He described these nations as ‘lions’ that are not moving economically or politically enough to uplift smaller or less endowed African states.
He argued that Nigeria, in particular has immense potential but remains shackled by corruption, ignorance, and a persistent dependence on foreign assistance.
Politics
Lagos Emerges as APC E-Registration Epicenter
Lagos State has emerged as a major force in the ongoing nationwide electronic membership registration exercise of the All Progressives Congress (APC), rapidly closing the gap with frontrunner Delta State and positioning itself to take the lead within days.

Party leaders disclosed this development on Tuesday following a high-level national strategic stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, where performance reports from across the federation were reviewed by the party’s national leadership.
After returning to Lagos, Comrade Prince Ayodele Adewale, APC E-Registration Coordinator and APC Lagos State Organising Secretary, praised party members across the state for their unprecedented grassroots mobilisation and remarkable surge of political energy.

“The reports before us are highly encouraging. The energy on ground is visible and it is clear that the grassroots is awake, active and fully engaged,” Adewale said, noting that real-time data shows Lagos steadily building strong organic membership numbers in the highly competitive exercise.
According to him, Lagos State currently occupies second position on the national registration table, despite commencing its exercise only eight days ago, on Monday, 5 January 2026.

By contrast, Delta State, which currently leads, has been registering members consistently for the past 3 months.“With a little extra push, Lagos is clearly on the move.
This is a competitive race and the gap is closing rapidly,” Adewale stated.

He stressed that the window for consolidation remains open, with six hours left in the day and 18 days remaining in January 2026 before the registration exercise concludes, and urged party members to intensify mobilisation efforts across wards and local government areas.
“This is not the time to relax. Victory is not something we drift into; it is something we work for, deliberately and consistently, until the very end,” he added.

Adewale further revealed that he returned to Lagos on Tuesday, 13 January 2026, alongside the APC Lagos State Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, after participating in a national strategic meeting convened by the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda.

The Abuja meeting was chaired by the National Chairman and attended by the National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, PhD, some members of the National Working Committee (NWC), some APC State Chairmen, State Organising Secretaries, E-Registration Coordinators and other critical stakeholders.
The forum provided an opportunity for the party to review operational challenges, assess nationwide progress, and align strategic action plans aimed at strengthening the APC’s organisational structure ahead of future electoral engagements.

Based on current projections and the pace of mobilisation in Lagos, party leaders expressed confidence that the state is on course to overtake Delta State by Wednesday or, at the latest, Saturday, 17 January 2026.
Observers say the Lagos surge underscores the state’s organisational depth and its historic role as a political mobilising hub for the APC.Concluding his remarks, Adewale urged party faithful to remain calm, disciplined and focused, noting that landmark achievements are built through sacrifice and persistence.
“Great victories are never built in comfort. There is always joy at the end of every struggle,” he said.
Politics
Breaking News: FHC Sacks Wole Oluyede, Ekiti PDP flag bearer
In his ruling delivered on Tuesday, Justice Babs Kuewumi upheld the concerns of irregularities raised by Funso Ayeni during the exercise.
A Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State has sacked Wole Oluyede as the governorship flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and ordered a rerun of the party’s primary election.

In his ruling delivered on Tuesday, Justice Babs Kuewumi upheld the concerns of irregularities raised by Funso Ayeni during the exercise.
Recall that Ayeni had challenged the process, citing questionable manipulation of the approved delegate list on the day of the election.

The court found that the gross abuse of process, disregard for electoral guidelines, and violation of the fundamental principles governing the Peoples Democratic Party were inconsistent with both party rules and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which binds all individuals and institutions without exception and ordered a rerun of the party’s primary election.
Politics
Wike: The Minister Who’s Not Afraid of Tinubu’s Sack
“If my appointor believes that I cannot offer anything again, he has the right. It’s not that you should tell him,” said Wike.
• Nyesom Wike, FCT Minister
Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, declared that he is not afraid to be sacked by President Bola Tinubu from his cabinet.
This was his reaction to some of his critics including a coalition of leaders within the All Progressives Congress (APC), operating under the APC Leaders Forum (ALF), calling for his removal as a nonmember of the ruling party cum his recent hostility towards the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, following his recent defection to the APC.
The coalition cited alleged insubordination, anti-party activities, and threats to national unity as grounds for removing Wike from office.
While speaking during a “thank you” visit to Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Wike clapped back at his critics, insisting that Tinubu can sack him if he desires.
“If my appointor believes that I cannot offer anything again, he has the right. It’s not that you should tell him,” said Wike.
The minister added that the reason his name is on the lips of many, including his critics, is due to the commendable works he is executing as minister.
“I am proud, and Rivers people are proud, and we can tell Nigerians that we have not disappointed them as far as FCT is concerned.
I said it yesterday in port harcourt. and i want people to know this clearly. if you are not doing well, nobody will talk about you. but because we are doing well, people must talk about us.”
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