Nigeria and China have shown how to make military cooperation among nations, that is, to protect, develop and promote the defence interests of their countries. According to the strategic partnership between the two countries, they are based on the bedrock of shared values, shared interests, and true friendship. They have demonstrated the width and depth of security and defence ties as a model for African relations. The Senior Colonel Lin Wei, the Defence Attaché in...
“No one can successfully prove election rigging by relying on the same results announced by INEC or by minor infractions like pockets of outrage, and intimidation of some voters, among others,” —Ebuka Onyekwelu The recent publication by The Economist Intelligence Unit, in which they emphatically predicted that the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, will not sack President Bola Tinubu, has sparked outrage in the camp of the opposition. Supporters of the PDP and LP have faulted...
Last week, during my private visit to the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Remi Adeoye, while we were catching up, his orderly came in to inform him that Chief IG Nwanna was around to see him. Immediately, he got up from his seat and said that he should be ushered in. Then, he stepped out of his seat and said to me, “IG Nwanna was my oga in the early 1990s in Onitsha. He...
This essay examines the issue of Past Military Decrees and Constitutions and their continued pernicious effects on Nigeria. The typical situation of ignominy: A group of armed military officers and their underlings criminally conspire to take over a democratically elected civilian government. The key coup plotters quickly set themselves up as “Supreme Military Council” or “Armed Forces Ruling Council” as the case might be. With their illegal regime in place they then run the nation’s...
“Fake stories trend in Nigeria because there is a big market for them,” —Ebuka Onyekwelu Trending fake stories have become a major part of the post 2023 General Election in Nigeria. There is hardly any week after the General Election that no fake story has trended. These fake stories, which often originate from Twitter and WhatsApp, are immediately pounced on and devoured. The stories are believed without questions or elementary due diligence and sworn-on, by...
“The mere fact that Southeast leaders often try to resolve the symptom instead of the problem translates to postponing the doomsday,” —Ebuka Onyekwelu There has been a sustained call for the release of the leader of the prescribed Indigenous People of Biafra – IPOB, by Southeast leaders. So many leaders of the Southeast have called, cajoled, appealed, and begged the Federal Government to release unconditionally, Nnamdi Kanu. Months ago, the governor of Anambra state Prof....
” The Governor is the chief security officer while senator Ubah remains an elected servant and concerned indigene, complementing the state government’s efforts.” —Ebuka Onyekwelu Just towards the end of last week, I observed with great dismay an unraveling politicization of the current war against bandits in parts of Anambra State. Upon assumption of office, Governor Soludo met a state that is heavily traumatized by rampaging gunmen who have made bold their trade and were...
” It is pretentious for anyone to pose as though there has ever been a time in Anambra State when security was never a thing of popular concern.” —Ebuka Onyekwelu At least since this week, the argument on the level of security or lack of it in Anambra State has ignited once again. Every governor of the state since Governor Mbadinuju, have been confronted with this same issue. During Governor Mbadinuju, it was so bad...
“Since 2015, only Hon. Somto has won any election in Ogbaru with APGA” —Ebuka Onyekwelu The emergence of Rt. Hon. Somto Udeze, representing Ogbaru II constituency as the Speaker of Anambra State 8th House of Assembly is akin to using a single stone to kill many birds. In terms of qualification, academically, Hon. Somto is rounding up his doctorate programme and it is doubtful that there is any member of the 8th Assembly that holds...
“It becomes even more disturbing as the country would now borrow to fund the subsidy ” —Ebuka Onyekwelu Perhaps, nothing epitomizes Nigeria’s ideological war more than the recurring argument over whether to remove or not remove fuel subsidy. Since the inception of this democratic dispensation, each government has had to deal with the issue of fuel subsidy removal, in one way or another. But largely, what is in display with the recurrent argument on fuel...
