News
Except we restructure, true development will not come – Prof Remi Sonaiya
Prof Remi Sonaiya, a renowned academic, was Nigeria’s only female presidential candidate in the 2015 general election. She ran on the platform of the KOWA Party.
The vibrant educationist lost her bid to Dr Adesina Bryon in representing the party again in the 2019 election.
In this interview, she said that she was disappointed with the electoral process despite all the noise of assurances made by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
She is unhappy that nothing seems to have changed in terms of the quality of life of Nigerians under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
She frankly spoke her mind on issues of security, women in politics, economy and the restructuring agenda, among other national issues. Excerpt:
Since 2015 when you ran for the presidency and now, has anything really changed in our electoral process, have we improved?
Is this a rhetorical question? I asked because you should know that we are still walking in circles, things have not improved. I am sure you (referring to the reporter) observed the just concluded election? Can we, in all honesty, say the election was peaceful, credible, free and fair? Was there any improvement in your own observation? Despite all the assurances by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of conducting a free, fair and credible poll, I was disappointed with the conduct.
What of in other areas?
Security has been so terrible, more people are in poverty, and Nigeria has become the poverty capital of the world. What we are facing is a sad situation indeed. It is difficult to point out the improvements, so to speak, that may have been done. I assume that some things may have been done, but the things that touch peoples’ lives directly, it’s difficult to say they are getting adequate attention. Inflation is still galloping, the insecurity in so many parts of the country, in Taraba, Zamfara, Benue, almost everywhere, so it’s very sad and the leaders, they are in the world of their own, for themselves and their concerns are different from that of the people. They are concerned about who gets the Senate President, who gets the Speaker of the House of Representatives etc; one does not sense that they are really concerned about the plight of the people. It’s been five years since the Chibok girls were captured; they are still there just as there are so many challenging issues that are not given priority attention they deserved.
But what do you think that the government is not doing well or ought to be doing as regards the security challenge?
It’s difficult for somebody from the outside to answer that kind of question. You know in security issues there is usually a lot of intelligence that go into it, so most times it’s not something you discuss in the open. The public does not have the facts so it’s difficult to say: do this. They may seem to be doing certain things, but what if they are not sincere? What if there is still a lot of theft and corruption in terms of the equipment that is being bought for the police, for the military, etc; so there are many things that we do not know as citizens, as the public which they know and are expected to know.
What we should do as citizens are to hold them accountable, not for us to be saying: these are the things you should be doing. Given the amount of money that has been voted for them and they are supposed to be the professionals, so they must explain to us why they have not been able to perform up to the desired standard. We are the ones to ask them, to demand the account of their work, not that we should be telling them to do this or that. That is not our own job. There are professionals that you are expected to engage, so what are they doing? What has been their work so far? Why are we not getting the needed result? That is what should bother them (leadership) rather than us, telling them what to do.
You just harped on corruption and if you recall, just a few days ago former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen, was tried and found to be guilty and punished. Do you see it as a victory for the anti-corruption war?
I am not quick at celebrating such type of victory. There is alleged wrongdoing and they have passed judgment. But you know that Justice Onnoghen has gone to a higher court to seek for justice, so I cannot just say here that he is wrong or that the court that convicted him is right.
I think we should be expecting more legal fireworks on the issue and I am not expected as at now to speak on it, remember, the case has been taken to the Supreme Court, so let our revered Chief Justices of the Supreme Court do justice to it. That is their turf. Maybe after that, I can speak my mind, as I feel on the issue, but for now, I do not want to be accused of influencing judgment. So, let’s leave the issue to the courts to determine it for us.
So far are you satisfied with women participation in politics?
Nobody is satisfied; I believe no genuine, honest person should be satisfied. You see because what that means is that the skills, the competencies, the contributions that are peculiar that women can bring to the development of our country, to the running of our country at the level of participation in governance, we are not getting the full benefit of it. Of course, women are participating in Nigerian life in many ways, in leadership positions, in the private sector, etc but what is it that is keeping them out of political leadership?
I consider it a shame for Nigeria really that we have not been able to recognize that it is to our benefit, it is to the advantage of everybody to get competent and able women to bring their own skills and participate in the leadership of our country, in the governance of the nation. It’s a pity. Maybe, as some countries have done, we might have to legislate and say: certain positions be left for the women if we are not going to do the right thing for ourselves, maybe, we do it through legislation. But you ask yourself: who are the people that will vote for it?
How will you score the President Buhari-led government?
I don’t want to score any government; all of us are living through the realities. We should not be asking some of this unnecessary question. There may be people who will tell you that they are performing fantastically, but what I see is that my quality of life has not improved in terms of electricity, health, water provision, in terms of provision of good roads, etc, even the roads that they are doing, they are taking forever to do it. The road you say you are doing you are causing so much pain with it, causing so much hold-up, so much traffic jam, with it, so what is the advantage to us? Why can’t it be done much quickly? That is my own score of the government.
Some people are advocating for the restructuring of the country if there must be genuine development. Do you subscribe to that?
I am a firm believer in the fact that the system that we are currently running, this centralized unitary system is not working, it is simply not working and it’s a reality that we should face and come up with an alternative. A powerful central government where everything is decided in Abuja is not to our advantage. We will continue to be an undeveloped country because of it. If we had a better arrangement that will let every area generate and have control over its resources, we will find out that we will become a better country, we will become more prosperous, but in this arrangement where everyone is just looking up to Abuja for sharing patronage, distribution of oil wells, except for people like we hear, those who can be mining gold, illegally in Zamfara, but that is not helping the people. So, it’s clear that this structure is not working.
Police are national, people have been screaming, agitating for us to have state police, local police, or community police to fight some of these problems of security that we have. So, I don’t like an attitude of some people saying: this is how things have always been. In fact, this is not how things have always been. We did not have a unitary system before; it was imposed on us by the military so why are they now saying that there is nothing like restructuring when what we are practicing is not working.
We are not running true fiscal federalism. This was not how Nigeria was before and we should be able, to be honest with ourselves, and say that this system is not helping us, not working. It’s time we tell ourselves the bitter truth that this system is not working, will not work and will not take us anywhere in terms of genuine development.
Biafra
Tinubu Refused To Honour Our Agreement To Release Nnamdi Kanu After Election– Kanu’s Brother
Disclosing that the meeting had the blessing of the president, Emmanuel, however, lamented that Tinubu has refused to honour the pact by releasing his elder brother and the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from the DSS dungeon in Abuja, Nigeria.
Emmanuel Kanu, younger brother of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has said they had an agreement with President Bola Tinubu for the release of his elder brother, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Emmanuel disclosed that he had the pact with Tinubu’s son, Seyi, in Abuja before the 2023 presidential election.
Disclosing that the meeting had the blessing of the president, Emmanuel, however, lamented that Tinubu has refused to honour the pact by releasing his elder brother and the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from the DSS dungeon in Abuja, Nigeria.
According to him, it was agreed that IPOB would not bycott the polls on the condition that Tinubu would release Kanu if elected President.
Prince Emmanuel expressed disappointment that nearly two years after the emergence of Tinubu as President, his brother (Kanu), has continued to languish in detention despite the fact that the presiding Judge, Justice Binta Nyako, had since recused herself from the matter.
He said it was disappointing that those who claimed to be honourable, failed to keep their words.
The statement read:”Before the last election, I received a message from an ex-governor that Seyi the son of President Tinubu wanted to see me. I agreed to meet with him on the condition that the overriding priority and hence the fulcrum of our discussion will be the release of my brother. The meeting was held in Abuja in the presence of another individual whom I asked along to witness the deliberations and if need be provide independent verification should the need arise.
“Seyi confirmed to me that his father sanctioned the meeting and that I should consider any agreement we reach as binding on the then candidate Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
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“In good faith we agreed that I shall relay the outcome to my brother to reinforce the long held tradition of IPOB not interfering with the conduct of elections, either through boycott or any other form of civil disobedience. This understanding was duly communicated to my brother and he reaffirmed his commitment not to stop the elections or order any boycott.
“When President Tinubu as a candidate visited Owerri during his campaign, he too reiterated his commitment to facilitate the release of my brother if elected. We took his public statement as a tacit reaffirmation of the understanding I reached with his son Seyi.
“At the end, IPOB did not call for election boycott despite having the capacity to do so. IPOB also made sure that discordant voices urging election boycott were overcome because election boycotts would not reflect well on the reputation of a global movement that prides itself on adherence to democratic tenets.
“It therefore, defies logic that nearly two years after President Tinubu assumed the mantle of leadership in Nigeria, my brother is still in detention despite not having any charge against him. It’s been over three months now that Justice Binta Nyako recused herself from the case yet no new judge has been assigned the case.
“This is on top of the fact that Appeal Court had earlier discharged him of the sham charges and ordered his release which the previous regime of Buhari declined to obey.
“Supreme Court determination that his bail ought not to have been revoked has been ignored by the courts and the government. The latest insult is that Abuja courts of all persuasion are no longer willing to determine the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on merit but are rather relying on ludicrous and inapplicable technicalities to stall the timely determination of his cases.
“The truth is that Nigerian courts cannot, will not and do not have both the substantive and procedural jurisdiction to try him. His detention is without the backing of any known law in Nigeria or elsewhere in the world.”
International
US ELECTION: Trump Escapes Three Assassination Attempts, What Next As Date Draws Near?
“We seen them trying to get rid of D. Trump 3 times already. They all know who’s going to win. But now since he is still alive we will see overtly on a systematic level through this election where it will be obvious to everyone what they are willing to do to retain power.”
The desperation of interested parties to retain power and occupy the Oval Office in the White House, United States of America, has led to three failed assassination attempts on the 45th US President, Donald John Trump.
Trump is the Republican Party’s Presidential nominee in the November 5th Presidential election, and adjudged as the 47th US President hopeful in the forthcoming election, if it will be free and fair by all standards and without interferences from the “Obamas” “Hillarys” “Deep State” etc.
The “fight” to retain power in the White House has become dirtiest from 2020 to 2024, a clear statement of extreme desperation leading to blackmail, chaos and possible escalations of assassination attempts.
A post made on X by “Ariel @Prolotario1” stated that “The Beast” will “become extremely desperate” because they know who will win the election if it will be a free and fair election.
The post reads in full:
“I hope everyone is ready for these remaining months up into inauguration. Because we will see “The Beast” become extremely desperate. They didn’t want to rely on attempting to steal the election.
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“We seen them trying to get rid of D. Trump 3 times already. They all know who’s going to win. But now since he is still alive we will see overtly on a systematic level through this election where it will be obvious to everyone what they are willing to do to retain power.
“Will we get a power grid outage?
“Will we get another false flag?
“Will the Project Bluebeam be launched?
“There are multiple things they can pull from. But I do not think we will leave the remainder of 2024 behind without some massive event occurring? Since 1988 we have had something major happen every 12 years.
“1988 (Elusive Mind Wipe)
“1999 (Y2k)
“2012 (Mayan Calendar)
“2024? Will it be obvious this time?
“Either way we have had many clues that everything will happen this year in terms of things coming to a point where it can no longer be ignored. Which is why I think the Deep State will pull something off to jump start this process.
“Donald Trump said many times on his Truthsocial account that the US Military is standing by. One time he mentioned during his Las Vegas rally that they will step in if November 5th is interfered with. We have to prepare for anything.”
Entertainment
Sean Diddy Combs In The Eyes Of The Storm
These are blackpillers who no longer see no value in anything. They have given themselves a shot in the arm and that fluid is coursing through their veins and they themselves will have to go through a major detox that we are no longer equipped to help them with.
By Ariel (@Prolotario1 on X)
𝙃𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙮𝙬𝙤𝙤𝙙: 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝘽𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙡
The Royals
Congress
LeBron James
Usher
Dwyane Wade
MGK
Ashton Kutcher
Naomi Campbell
Bobby Valentino
Busta Rhymes
Mark Wahlberg
Clive Davis
Denzel Washington
Kevin Hart
Jay-Z
Beyonce
Mariah Carey
Etc.
“What did Katt Williams say? It’s up for all of them.
“You all have had your fun. You have had your way. You have had your time in the sun. But now all of this is about to come to a screeching halt. You all are about to see many celebrities suddenly become ill. Retiring prematurely. Moving to another country. No longer being interested in acting. They are going to be dropped from endorsement deals.
“They will be let go by sports teams. You will no longer see them at award shows. You will no longer see them featured on songs or commercials. Clothing brands will ditch them. They will be removed from their charity foundations. You will see a lot of things. Because this is it people. This is what you waited for. We fought for this by sharing all the info we could. And our work is paying off.
“The victims will be vindicated. We will no longer be shunned by society. They will be forced to confront all the things they denied in order to stay in the good graces of people who couldn’t care less about “The Truth”. All the trolls are about to eat crow. Do not pay them any mind at this point. They have nothing to lose. So they will attempt to downplay the significance of this.
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“These are blackpillers who no longer see no value in anything. They have given themselves a shot in the arm and that fluid is coursing through their veins and they themselves will have to go through a major detox that we are no longer equipped to help them with. It’s going to take God himself to come down here and awaken them. This is no our concern.
“The curtain is falling, not with a gentle whisper but with the thunderous crash of an era ending. The lights that once shone on these figures, illuminating their every move, are now flickering out, one by one, in a spectacle of dramatic dimness. This isn’t merely the end of a chapter; it’s the apocalyptic conclusion of a saga where fame was both the sword and the shield, now rusted and discarded.
“As the tide turns, those who once danced in the spotlight will find themselves in shadows, not by choice but by the inexorable force of revelation. Their names, once synonymous with glamour and success, will become whispers of caution, tales told in the dim corners where once their glory was celebrated. The red carpets, once rolled out in their honor, will be retracted, leaving behind only the echo of their steps.
“This shift is not just a change in the public’s affection; it’s a seismic cultural realignment. The idols of yesteryear, who seemed untouchable, are now facing the reality of their own human fragility. The public, once their adoring crowd, now becomes their jury, delivering a verdict that resonates with the weight of truth over the dazzle of stardom.
“In this new dawn, the narratives will rewrite themselves. The stories of courage will not be about overcoming adversity in the spotlight but about facing the aftermath in the cold light of day. Those who once thrived on the applause will learn the silence of solitude, not by choice but by necessity. The world watches, not with voyeuristic glee, but with a sober understanding that even the stars must sometimes fall to earth.
Tinubu Refused To Honour Our Agreement To Release Nnamdi Kanu After Election– Kanu’s Brother
US ELECTION: Trump Escapes Three Assassination Attempts, What Next As Date Draws Near?
Sean Diddy Combs In The Eyes Of The Storm
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