Reuben ABATI
Features
2019: Nigeria’s emerging political leaders
A strong indication of both the quality and failure of politics in Nigeria, as the people look forward to the next general elections in 2019, is the manner in which virtually “every” Nigerian believes that he or she is good enough to be President of more
Section 5 and the Mohammed Bello Adoke case
His Lordship Justice Binta Nyako at the Federal High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory last Friday, gave an instructive, landmark judgment in the matter between Mohammed Bello Adoke and the Attorney General of the Federation on the more
Ayo Adebanjo: The man and his politics
When friends, family and political associates gather in Ijebu-Ogbo, Ogun State today, to celebrate the 90th birthday of Chief Ayo Adebanjo, they will be honouring a radical and progressive politician, a lawyer, elder statesman, a patriot, and a more
Nigeria, ECOWAS and the Morocco question
I was in Morocco recently, about 20 years after I last visited Timbuktu, Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat and Laayoune. I was quite impressed to see how Morocco with its colour-coded cities remains very much an organized, efficient and a comparatively more
The Kigali AU Summit: Nigeria’s diplomatic blunder
President Muhammadu Buhari’s 12th hour decision to snub the African Union Extra-ordinary summit on the endorsement of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), in Kigali, March 20 – 22 is a diplomatic blunder. more
Soyinka and Nigeria’s dinner with the devil
Professor Wole Soyinka was keynote speaker at the maiden annual lecture of the Ripples Centre for Data and Investigative Journalism held in Lagos on March 15. Topic: “Rebuilding Trust in a Divided Nigeria: Can Nigeria be fixed?” The Nobel Laureate more
Africa: A continent without democrats
The second wave of democratization in Africa, beginning in the 80s, and the gradual establishment of democracy as the new normal in the continent brought much hope and excitement. As we have seen in the recent intervention by the military in Zimbabwe more
Dapchi 110: The tragedy of a nation
Karma is a bitch. Poetic justice is a bastard. Both have combined to wrong-foot the incumbent Buhari administration to make it look like a big mistake and an act of misjudgment by the Nigerian electorate. If Buhari had been disallowed from taking more
Judges, the law and our democracy
To expand the democratic space in Nigeria and to ensure the legitimacy and stability of our democratic process, the rule of law, perhaps the supremacy of the law, anchored on constitutionalism and a progressive, liberal and developmental construction more
To NatGeo: A story idea on Nigerian animals
Here in Nigeria, we now seem to have a variety of snakes that are attracted by the smell of raw cash, and which feed on vaults and bags of money. A documentary on this new variety of snakes, and a proper documentation of the genus and peculiarities more
Of drowning men and national security
Jimoh Moshood, the current Police Public Relations officer in Abuja is probably the most unprofessional occupier of that office since 1999. His lack of professionalism and ready capacity to perpetually say the wrong thing at the right time is the more
What exactly is Babangida saying?
The drama, the controversy, the confusion, the double entendre, attended by seeming cowardice, that grew around a statement, perhaps the statements, purportedly issued by former military President Ibrahim Babangida on Sunday, February 4, is more
Obasanjo and the extent of presidential powers
More than a week after President Olusegun Obasanjo released his State of the Nation commentary and devastating assessment of the Buhari administration, it has remained the main subject in the public arena in Nigeria. It is a measure of the stature, more
Aisha Buhari: The critic in the other room
Mrs Aisha M. Buhari, the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari is probably the most loved person in Nigeria today, especially by critics of her husband’s administration. She first came to our notice in this regard when in the course of her ailing more
Buhari: Between yesterday and tomorrow
I wrote the following piece, presented in italics, shortly after the postponement of the 2015 Presidential elections. It is important that the reader approaches it with an open mind, with an understanding of the context of its construction. more
Liberia: The Rise of George Weah
George Weah’s emergence as Liberia’s President-elect after the December 26 run-off election generated considerable interest among Nigerians for a number of reasons. Number one is George Weah’s popularity. The first African footballer to win the more
PDP Convention: The Aftermath
The elective Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that took place at the Eagle Square in Abuja on Saturday, December 9, was a charade and an anti-climax. Everyone who had been a witness to the travails of the once-upon-a-time ruling more
Go, Mugabe, Go
Since August, I have been the anchorperson of a programme on television called ThisDay Live where we discuss political matters - local and global. The programme is available on Arise News TV at 6pm, 9pm and sometimes at midnight every Sunday. more
The worst of times, the best of times
“I just love this country, I won’t lie” “What have you seen again that has suddenly turned you into a gushing patriot?” “I mean, just look around, in spite of everything, Nigerians always give you an opportunity to laugh.” more
Buhari and the allegation of Northernization
Perhaps the biggest news this week so far, has been the attempt by the Presidency to debunk the allegation that President Muhammadu Buhari has been kinder to Northerners and Muslims in the recruitment of persons into his administration. The published more