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Food for Living: Nigeria and 2023 Presidential Election
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Politics is one is of the most interesting games in the world. It is a game that naturally should be played with love and understanding. However, one of the most controversial factors that is always at play in politics is interest. This is because everyone has something to gain if their candidates win in an election. That’s why you will see family members, close friends, and religious congregations having different opinions during elections.
To buttress the seriousness of vested interest, imagine where a man is contesting to be the President of a country and his wife’s biological brother is also contesting for the same position in a different party. Who do you think their wives will vote for? Well, I believe every rational woman will want their husband to win the election because that will afford them the position of being the first lady. That’s to tell you how politics and interest can be a game-changer in a family and life.
In social parlance, it’s been said that there are three people you can’t advise; a woman in love, a rich man, and a religious fellow. I beg to add a fourth line to it – a member of a political party.
You may be wondering how that plays out.
Political parties are normally driven by ideologies and it is this ideology that makes citizens join them. For instance, in the United States, Democrats believe in a liberal form of government that supports the citizens while the Republicans are conservatives who believe in downsizing the government. Furthermore, while Democrats advocate civil liberty and social equality with support for a mixed economy, the Republicans on the other hand supports lower taxes, free-market capitalism, restrictions on immigration, increased military spending, gun rights, restrictions on abortion, deregulation, and restrictions on labour unions. Can you see why voters will find it hard to vote for another party, even if they will do so, it will be on a fundamental ground where they will put the country first as was seen during the Presidential election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump where Red and swing States turned Blue for Democrats.
Let’s bring the conversation back home to Nigeria. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission in Nigeria, there are 18 registered political parties in Nigeria, but in reality, only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressive Party (APC) are the two main parties Nigeria. The question we need to ask ourselves is if these political parties have ideological differences? The answer is no. APC and PDP are basically the same parties. That’s why a member of PDP can wake up today and join APC and at night he/she can join APC. Nigerians are yet to mature like other civilized climes where the principle of probity and accountability is of the highest standard.
To a reasonable extent, the principle at play in Nigeria is “stomach infostructure” – a system where politicians have used poverty to weaponize the citizens to vote for them.
As the 2023 presidential election is fast approaching, Nigerians are concerned on who will lead the country. While some are clamoring for the South to produce the next president, other groups are clamoring for the North to produce the president, and this is where Nigerians have a say on what will happen. The electorates don’t seem to understand the power they have as electorates.
Please permit me to share a story I saw on Instagram last week – There were politicians eating on a table, which was resting on the back of electorates. The politicians were saying if only the electorate know that if they stand up the table will scatter meaning if only, they knew the power they have as electorate.
Politics is a game that Nigerian politicians have mastered by using tribalism and religion to divide the masses just for them to get what they want. What most gullible Nigerians don’t know is that leaders meet at the top while followers kill themselves. The interesting thing about Nigerians is that most times they don’t know those who love them. Most times they castigate those who are sent to help them, and embrace their oppressors. This is why during elections; career politicians use bags of money to deceive them. Nigerians on their part are not ready for good governance, and that’s why they end up with the kind of rulers they get instead of leaders they deserve. Isn’t it true that every nation gets the kind of ruler/leader they deserve? That’s the sad state of Nigeria.
As we approach the next general election, I will strongly encourage Nigerians to rise to the call and demand a representative government where the politicians will be answerable to them. Most importantly, Nigerians ought to quit playing politics of interest just because they have friends, they should support meritocracy as opposed to mediocrity. If you dislike any politician, criticize constructively and with love, don’t hate another candidate who supports another candidate. We can always disagree to agree. Nigerians ought to note that what binds us together is more than what separates us. Nigerians have to force interested candidates running for election to a healthy debate and hear from them out.
As citizens, we all have the power to ask our leaders questions and demand what is happening and why are acting the way they are acting. If you don’t ask, they may be tempted to leave the stage thinking they have done fairly well, not knowing they have done more harm than good. In a nutshell, they are disasters that sycophants have made them to understand they are the best things that have happened to Nigeria.
Why am I saying this, just a couple of days ago, the Minister of Justice was in New York to give a Public Lecture on corruption. I advertised the event on social media for interested persons to register and have an opportunity to ask the Minister hard questions, the event received poor response. The plan was for the public to register and have an opportunity to participate online if they can’t attend in person. But it’s quite unfortunate they prefer to reign insults on the Minster on social media when I posted the picture, I took with him. Some felt I was used to for branding purposes and PR. Some felt I have received a fat check for the publicity, while others felt that was a bad PR for me because of the credible reputation I have built over time. Some were kind enough to offer me their advice privately. The truth of the matter is that all that is far from reality. I attended the event just like any other person interested in the development of our country.
The reason I am stressing this point is that we need to do more as Nigerians. We need to be more engaging and critical on political issues. I don’t see any reason some people will hate somebody and expect another person to hate the person. Do you know your enemy’s enemy can be your friend? I get the whole negative vibe against the Minster, I also share similar sentiments based on some of his utterances and conducts against the judiciary and how he has handled the affairs relating to his office. But what I don’t understand is the idea of people trying to nail a fellow citizen who took a picture with the Minster without doing any form of PR for him. I am wondering if everyone who took pictures with the Minster is an enemy of the state.
As I conclude this article, I urge all Nigerians home and abroad who are not happy with the way the country is moving to join the political train and be more engaging by either registering with a political party, contesting an election, or becoming a stakeholder in the affairs relating to Nigeria as opposed to sitting on the fence or being on the internet using uncouth words to castigate those who are participating. A word they say is enough for the wise.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He’s a Human Capacity & mindset coach. He’s also a public speaker. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the author of the acclaimed book Design Your Destiny – Actualizing Your Birthright To Success and President of gloemi.com. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
A State Security Service investigator, on Tuesday, told the Federal High Court in Abuja that Tukur Mamu was offered a N50 million share by Shugaba, leader of the terrorist group, who attacked the Abuja-Kaduna bound train in 2022.
The DSS operative, who testified as 6th prosecution witness (PW-6) in the ongoing terrorism trial of Mamu, the alleged terrorists’ negotiator, told Justice Mohammed Umar while being led in evidence by the DSS lawyer, David Kaswe.
The witness, who gave his testimony behind a witness screen for security reason, said that the group also asked Mamu to teach them how to open website for their terrorist activities.
He stated this while interpreting four voice notes played in the courtroom containing the defendant’s telephone interactions with the terrorists who held the abducted train passengers hostage.
The audio recordings were extracted from Mamu’s mobile telephones during interrogation after he was arrested in Egypt and brought back to Nigeria.
“The first voice note that played was for defendant (Mamu) fixing a date for delivery of ransom.
“The second voice note that played for five minutes was the voice of Shugaba, the leader of the terrorist group.
“In the voice note, he was appreciating the defendant’s effort and ask him to remove N50 million for his personal use from a particular tranche of ransom sent to them.
“The last voice note that played, Baba Adamu, who is their spokesperson, was heard requesting the defendant to help them procure speakers and public address system for their preaching activities and the defendant responded that he was going to look into their request.
“They also requested that the defendant teach them how to open website for their activities,” the witness said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mamu was alleged to have convinced the terrorists to discuss ransom payments with individual families of the hostages of the train attack instead of the Chief of Defense Staff Committee set up by the Federal Government for his personal financial gain.
The defendant was said to have been nominated by the terrorists that attacked the train sometime in March 2022 where scores of passengers were held hostage.
Mamu was alleged to have collected ransoms on behalf of terror group from families of hostages, confirmed the amount and facilitated the delivery of same to them.
The PW-6, while being led in evidence on Tuesday by the prosecuting lawyer, Kaswe, told the court that after Mamu was brought back from Egypt, he submitted his Samsung tablet and two phones to DSS’ officials.
The witness said he was one of those who investigated the case.
He told the court that when the defendant was intercepted in Egypt, he put a call to his in-law, identified as Mubarak Tinja and directed him to move out all his valuables, comprising cash, cars and other items of values, from his house to a safe location, to avoid detection by security agents.
“The defendant was subsequently arrested in Egypt and returned back to Nigeria, where a team of investigators were on ground to receive him.
“A duly endorsed search warrant was duly executed in his property and office in Kaduna, during which cash, in both local and foreign currencies; vehicles and other valuables were recovered.
“In compliance with his directive to his in law, Mubarak Tinja, and the other dependants in the house, some cars and cash were moved out of the house to various locations,” he said.
He said investigators later traced and located some of the items, including about 300,000 US dollars, about seven cars, including Toyota Camry (Muscle); Peugeot 5008, Lexus, Mercedes E350 and a Hyundai car.
Vehicle documents relating to the cars were later tendered by the prosecution through the witness, which the court admitted in evidence.
The witness added that when the defendant was brought back to the country, he “handed his Samsung tablet and two of his phones to our exhibit keeper, who sent them to our forensic department for forensic analysis.
“The outcome of the forensic analysis, included the voice notes of the conversation between the defendant and the terrorists, were part of the content that were presented to the interrogation team and the items recovered from his home.
“He (the defendant) was subsequently interviewed, during which the content of his phones and other items were presented to him.
“During the interview, the defendant admitted giving instruction to Mubarak to move his variables from his house.
“He also admitted communicating with the terrorists, using his voice notes, which were extracted from his two phones and Samsung tablet.”
He added that the defendant also admitted owning a pump action gun, which was recovered from his house, which he claimed was duly licensed.
The witness, however, told the court that investigators later discovered that the licence expired in December 2021, nine months before he was arrested.
The DSS operative said about 98 per cent of the conversation on the voice notes are in Housa Language, some of which were translated to English Language by him, because they were too many.
Kaswe then applied to tender the recorded voice notes stored in compact disk plates and flash drive, which the court admitted, after Mamu’s counsel, Johnson Usman, reserved his objection until the final address.
The recorded conversations were played in the courtroom.
The witness added that in the course of investigation, two victims volunteered written statements in which they recounted their experiences.
He said one of the statements was written in English and the other in Hausa Language.
He, however, said that the victims; a male and female, were no longer available, because they expressed their unwillingness to attend court to testify because of fear and trauma.
The court admitted the statements of the victims in evidence and marked them as exhibits after it was not opposed by Usman.
The court also admitted in evidence eight statements made to investigators by Mamu and video recordings of the statements writing sessions.
Kaswe then informed the court that he would be bringing a formal application for the court to visit where the items recovered from Mamu’s house and office are kept.
Justice Umar adjourned the matter until Nov. 26 at 11am for continuation of trial.
NAN
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday laid before the Lagos State House of Assembly a N4.237 trillion Appropriation Bill for the 2026 fiscal year, describing it as an ambitious, future-driven financial plan aimed at solidifying his administration’s legacy in its final full year.
Presenting the proposal, titled the “Budget of Shared Prosperity,” the governor said it reflects the collective optimism that Lagos will continue to expand opportunities, strengthen its leadership role, and reinforce its status as Africa’s foremost megacity.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the budget projects total revenue of N3,993,774,552,141, comprising N3.12 trillion in Internally Generated Revenue and N874 billion in expected Federal Transfers. The funding structure, he noted, leaves a deficit financing requirement of N243,332,457,167.
For the 2026 fiscal year, capital expenditure is set at N2,185,085,419,495, while recurrent expenditure stands at N2,052,021,589,812. He explained that the recurrent component covers overheads, personnel costs, and debt obligations.
A breakdown of recurrent spending shows total overhead costs of N1,084,245,843,091, including general overheads, subventions and dedicated expenditures, while personnel costs amount to N440,494,339,384. Recurrent debt charges are projected at ₦143,876,701,943, with debt repayments estimated at N383,404,705,394.
Sanwo-Olu also outlined the sectoral distribution of the 2026 budget. General Public Services will receive N847,472,071,966; Public Order and Safety, N147,040,088,897; and Economic Affairs, N1,372,307,808,626. The Environment Ministry is allocated N235,957,235,138, while Housing receives N123,760,310,429.
The Health sector is earmarked N338,449,258,945; Education gets N249,132,921,287; Social Protection, N70,024,171,038; and the Recreation and Culture sector will take N54,682,339,586.
The governor said the year 2026 carries special weight as the last full calendar year of his administration, describing it as a period crucial for consolidating achievements and ensuring a “strong, successful finish.”
He reaffirmed his commitment to completing all ongoing and newly initiated projects, adding that his administration will continue to prioritise citizen engagement to ensure government decisions reflect the needs of Lagosians.
According to him, Lagos is entering a new phase of “accelerated impact,” driven by sustained investment in infrastructure, human capital, social welfare and governance systems that are “intentional, inclusive and future-oriented.”
Sanwo-Olu reiterated his administration’s core mission: “To keep Lagos secure, to keep Lagos working, to keep Lagos growing, and to make sure the prosperity we build is shared by everyone who calls this centre of excellence home.”
He commended the Lagos State House of Assembly for its consistent partnership, describing the lawmakers as steadfast allies in the state’s development journey. He also praised the civil service for its hard work in translating government vision into measurable progress.
DailyPost
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, has disclosed that armed personnel have been deployed to all parts of Lagos State to protect schools and other public places.
CP Jimoh disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists on the activities of the command in the last few months.
He also disclosed that no fewer than 56 criminals have also been arrested for different crimes in the last few months.
The police, however, stressed that the crime rate in the State has gone down significantly during the period under review.
The reinforcement of the security around the State may not be unconnected with the recent resurgence of kidnapping and violent attacks in some parts of the country.
According to police boss, the command also recovered ten exotic vehicles from robbers in different parts of the state.
CP Jimoh said: “The security situation in Lagos is not alarming, and we are firmly on top of the situation. During the period under review, there have not been any extraordinary or significant security problems throughout the bigger city.
This is not due to the police effort alone, it is due to the whole population and the collaboration and support of the public, individuals and other members of the public that have come to identify with the police and ensure the safety and protection of life and property throughout the State.”
CP Jimoh continued: “We are making significant progresses in the area of crime fighting and prevention. This with the introduction of new strategies.
It is due to the positive result that has led to the recovery of about 10 vehicles within the last few weeks.”
He stressed that during the month under review, the command recovered 10 vehicles stolen and one motorcycle removed from park.
Across multiple operations in November, the Command recovered six firearms, including locally made pistols, cut-tosize guns, a single cut-to-size barrel gun, multiple live cartridges, dangerous weapons such as a machete, a battle axe, and an assault dagger, as well as Nigerian military m camouflage, charms, and fake currency valued at four thousand dollars. ”
“These achievements are a testament to our sustained November strategy aimed at dismantling criminal gangs, intercepting stolen property, removing illegal firearms from circulation, and strengthening public safety across Lagos State.
“The total number of weapons and items recovered are: one machete, one battle axe, one assault dagger, one Nigerian military camouflage, one charm, and fake 4,000 USD,” the CP also stated.
He added: “These items were seized during intelligence-driven operations aimed at neutralising gangs responsible for violent crimes and coordinated attacks in different parts of Lagos State.
The recovery of these weapons and materials significantly disrupts the capabilities of criminal groups and enhances the overall security landscape of the State.”
CP Jimoh also urges people who may want to come and celebrate the Yuletide period in the state not to entertain any fear.
He noted that increased police surveillance had been put in place to prevent any breakdown of law and order during the celebration.
He added that he had also directed all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, Tactical Squads, and Unit Commanders to fortify worship centers with adequate security during services.
