faulker002

By Obi Ebuka Onochie As 2019 elections draw closer, activities informed by future projections, calculations and manipulations keep manifesting in different areas with different people at different times. Take for a striking example of what is going on in Imo state. It is now breeding many interests and actors within and outside South East geopolitical zone under the APC. In other flash points of APC crisis of Ondo, Ogun, Rivers and Zamfara states, they still bear the same fingers except Zamfara and Rivers states. Former governor of Lagos state, Bola Tinubu is believed by many to be at the manipulative center of the commotion. Tinubu hasn’t hidden his desire to take over from Buhari in 2023 if Buhari wins another term. Let’s go to the beginning and put things in proper perspective. Buhari promised to do only one term and he was supported and succession game started almost immediately he was announced the winner by Prof. Jega in April of 2015. El-Rufai was said to be hawking himself to ...

By Olu Fasan  Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of  Lagos  state, has been thrown under the bus. He will not serve a second term in office not because the people of  Lagos  state rejected him in an election but because his godfather, Bola Tinubu, pulled the plug on his re-election bid. When somebody dies, Christians often say, quoting Job 1: 21, that  “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away” . *Tinubu and Abode    Well, in  Lagos  state politics, Tinubu gives and Tinubu takes away! He is the god of  Lagos  state politics, the lord of the Lagos Manor! In 2007, before leaving office as governor of the state, Tinubu gifted the governorship to his protégé, Babatunde Fashola. Eight years later, in 2015, Fashola didn’t know his place. He too wanted to be a godfather by making one of his own protégés governor of the state against the diktat of his own godfather. But, forgive the colloquialism, godfather pass godfather! Fashola lost out, and ...

By  Abraham Ogbodo And so, Ambode could not be forgiven his ‘sins’ by the godfather. He has been smashed like a gadfly and when the polls open sometime in February next year to pick a governor for Lagos State after the 2015/2019 electoral cycle, his name shall be missing from the ballot paper. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who is part of the Akinwunmi Ambode administration in Lagos as managing director of Lagos Property Development Corporation (LSDPC) has been chosen by the oracle to replace him.  *Bola Tinubu and Gov Akinwunmi Ambode It wasn’t as if a proper trial was conducted and Akinwunmi Ambode found guilty of serious and unpardonable sins. He was just unfortunate to be on the scene at this time. The charge, specifically, was that he had forgotten, since he became governor about three and half years ago, to invite the real owners of Lagos State to the dining table. It was not also said that he was eating alone while others were kept at bay salivating.  I ask for liberty to ...

By  Akin Fadeyi While reading the book, Shadow: Five Presidents and the Legacy of Watergate by Bob Woodward, something fascinated me.  Richard Nixon, former American President and the man at the centre of the Watergate scandal was on the cusp of political extinction as he faced the most disastrous period of his career. *Ambode  The options for him were limited: One of it was to resign or face a disgraceful impeachment and trial.  Nixon had to decide not just on the resignation, but also how to navigate his exit without going to jail. He would require state pardon from his likely successor, Vice President Gerald Ford.  Nixon summoned his Chief of Staff, Alexander Haig, his right-hand man and a retired Army General for a brainstorm. They decided Haig had to see the Vice President,  Gerald Ford and subtly negotiate Nixon’s post Presidency pardon.  Gerald Ford had very protective aides. One of them was Robert Hartmann, detested and distrust...