EXPOSING THE NEWS - politics . sports . cartoons

SENATOR BUKOLA SARAKI: CRISIS TIMES! The office of the Senate President is in the news daily – for the wrong reason.  Before Senator Saraki, that office – officially No. 3 – in the country was regarded as sacred and it was a taboo for anything other than positive news to emanate from there! Now, not any more.  For the 50 year old Senate President, it is crisis times and nightmare. Why did it take the authorities 13 years to get serious with Senator Bukola Saraki over his alleged corrupt acquisitions? Again, why are the authorities after Senator Bukola Saraki’s wife? Suddenly, it looks like the hunter is becoming trapped and almost becoming a captive. Those hitherto speaking for him are quiet; Senator Dino Melaye, his most vocal and ardent supporter is not talking.  May be he has sensed the closing net and is cautious.  Senator Melaye since he became a Senator doesn’t answer his calls. His perceived political camp is also quiet.  The aristo...

ALLEGED ETHNIC BIAS CRISIS BREWS IN NSCDC. There is palpable fear at the Wuse Headquarters of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) over alleged ethnic bias by those alleged to be in the kitchen cabinet of the new CG over the pro-Abolurin boys.. Abuja Morning Star gathered from insider sources that since the emergence of new CG, Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammad, appointed to succeed former boss, Dr Ade Abolurin, aggrieved section of his proposed new cabinet – mostly officers of Northern Extraction – are spoiling for war.  Their mantra now is “ This is our turn ”, though our sources say this is unknown to the CG.  But officers from the Southern part of the Paramilitary are not folding their hands.  They are resisting this obvious ethnic diversity. These officers who now surround the office of the CG and branded pro-CG have begun to use their strategic position to harass and intimidate those perceived as “Abolurin boys”. An example is one highly p...

CASH SQUEEZE  GRIPS MDA’S REFUSES TO HEED BUHARI’S ORDERS ON  ARREARS A new wave of “blistering” hardship is sweeping through Ministries, Departments and Agencies.  From reliable sources, this new development is coming on the heels of the arrival of “ Buharimonics ” who has since ordered the immediate implementation of the TSA policy—an acronym for single treasury account, making it impossible for fraud to be perpetrated by hardened Nigerians.. As Abuja Morning Star gathered, those apostles of “Change” who sided with “ sai baba ”, never envisaged this dramatic turn for the worst and nothing is being done anywhere  in any Federal Ministry. “It is like the noose is being tightened daily with more and more stringent measures”, said Ibrahim Alkali, a staff of one of the Ministries at the Federal Secretariat. Another fellow, Muhammad Bali who works with the Immunization Department of Federal Health Ministry said, “We have never seen anything like this...

NIGERIA’S SQUANDERED OPPORTUNITIES DESPITE BILLIONS, POVERTY, TEARS, REIGNS Nigeria is a theatre of dreams.  Daily, you read of billions approved for various projects, constructions and what have you.  Yet, many years later, there is practically nothing to show for it. The various States in Nigeria remain derelict, almost submerged under crushing self inflicted squalor and defeat. Last week, I drove to Zaria and booked my stay at a guest House in ABU.  As I strolled through the city, I could scarcely believe my eyes.  Zaria is dilapidated, struck by poverty—a pale shadow of what it was 30 years ago when I first visited as a student Union Leader!  I saw anguish, harsh and suffocating poverty – old, antiquated houses, ancient walkways and impossible filths – everywhere.  And I wondered where all the billions allocated to the State went; may be for settling party bigwigs, political godfathers, etc.  Zaria does not have good roads; prominent sup...

Lagos, since the colonial days has never ceased to be enthralling.   The bustling coastal enclave has had many attractions none of which are less intriguing whether criminal or otherwise.   In most cases, the repercussions have not been less than severe or palatable.   But one fact remains sacrosanct: every decade, new generations of Lagosians take over the streets, and build on consecutive developments. Today, the man called ‘’Ambo’’ is on the saddle and what more can Lagosians expect?  His predecessor Barrister Babatunde Fashola made good his promise and changed the face – not the entire one – of lagos.  You will notice these changes most especially in lekki, Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Surulere, Ikeja, Igando, Iba, Dopemu and Iyana Ipaja. Infrastructural changes are never easy. From the dirty city Lagos was, Babatunde Fashola took the bulls by the horns and changed the landscape; Lagos arguably was given a face-lift and now the man popularly known and ca...

Prince Tony Momoh , lawyer , journalist and politician remains vintage and evergreen.   Those who want to hide facts or sweep the truth under the carpet would not want to go near him.   The Prince doesn’t know how to bend the rules.   And as they say, truth is bitter.   If we have more people like him at the helm perhaps we would be talking about a different Nigeria today. From the time destiny took me to him in the early 80’s, I have never ceased to wonder about his forthrightness.  But on close examination, after many years of closely monitoring his actions and utterances, I can tell you without any iota of doubt that the startling discovery is that he is not corrupt.  Again, I also discovered that he is very much contented.  He is not one given to extravagance.  If you are fond of cutting corners then you better run away from him.  No wonder he is a close friend of President Muhammadu Buhari. They can look at each other eyeball to eye...

We all looked forward to the Grand finale.   The hype surrounding the build-up to the National Assembly leadership election was much.   Newspapers, Television, Radio, billboards all pointed to one direction.   The icing to the cake was when the All Progressive Congress (APC) Chieftains apparently thought they had settled the leadership question declaring support for Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila for the Speakership of the House of Representatives.   This was on Thursday.   Instead of peace to reign, crisis took centre stage. The interlude that followed during the weekend paved the way for a shock treatment.   While the “anointed” candidates went to sleep waiting for Monday to be coronated, a double shuffle awaited them.   The resistants were cooking their ace. Over the weekend, they dusted the record books.   By now national patriotism had given way to personal survival.   In this game, the strategy is to outwi...

Novices outside the realm of the legislative chambers often ask questions about what the National Assembly really is.   A good number of them actually are at a loss to understand the functions and operation of that elite Establishment, which is why so much dust is raised about their finances.   Somebody asked me what does the Clerk of Senate do; same to Clerk of the House and even the National Assembly. Another was to ask me where does the billions budgeted by NASS go to? For now, the National Assembly is the legislative arm of Government and it is made up of the politicians (law makers) and the Civil Servants (Bureaucrats).   The legislative Aides compliments the wheel of the Establishment.   Between them are two Chambers – the Red (Senate) and Green (for Reps.) The Senate President is Head of the Senate Chambers while the Speaker is head of the House of Representatives.   The CNA (Clerk) is the overall head, supported by (Permanent Secreta...

Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria!   Immediately after the exit of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, as if that was the signal beggars were waiting for, the streets of Abuja has been literally taken over by beggars! In every nook and cranny they are seen in wheelchairs, walking sticks – almost anything to aid their movement. More worrisome now is the fact that they appeared to be buoyed by a recent statement credited to the Presidency that 5,000 stipends would be handed over to each beggar as part of election promises! If this is true, then residents of the Federal Capital should brace up for harder times as the ranks of beggars are expected to increase radically.

It’s time to ask ourselves this question: what do we want for our Nation?   Just last week, President Mohammadu Buhari told a startled Nation that “strong men” have actually held the Nation down.   This statement is pregnant with meaning.   But before delving into this topic, let me first, revisit the flawless, awesome powers of our Lord who made all things possible, and then the impressive manner the system abroad works.   Before treating this subject; I will be very brief. God created this world in six days and on the seventh day, He rested.   He created Day and Night, Summer and Winter; the mighty seas, Hills and Mountains.   Then, we Humans, along with all sort of animals and creeping things.   Since then, this arrangement has been the same with we humans replenishing the Earth – in orderly manner.   This orderly manner is observed dearly when you drive through a Primary School during parade and you observe the children in their uni...

How the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan frittered away the nation’s scarce resources is beginning to spill out – despite the shrill insistence by ex-Finance Minister, Okonjo Iweala that the records sheet were clean! Information pieced together by our investigators show that several paramilitary Agencies under the Federal Ministry of Interior shared a record 10 billion each for the purpose of influencing the March 28 General Elections in favour of the defeated incumbent.   However, things did not go down well with the ranks and file during the sharing. Outgoing Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Boss (name withheld) was said to have misappropriated the huge booty by allegedly pocketing 5 billion for himself, while declaring the other half (5 billion) as the sum total.   The bone of contention was that while the rank and file received 40,000 each some key associates close to the big guns went home with a hefty slice.   Causing the rumble.

The last has not been heard about the One billion naira earmarked to raise to substantial level the corporate building of a Grade One Federal Ministry responsible for Investments and Trade. The dilapidated foundation of the building situated opposite the Federal Ministry of Finance, adjacent to the Distant Learning edifice next to the Foreign Affairs Complex before the Federal Secretariat has been overtaken by weeds, rodents and dangerous snakes. When the sum of One billion naira was released for the building to be taken to the next level, FCDA officials had argued vehemently that the money was supposed to be in their custody since the construction of the building falls under their purview as did other high profile ones for the Executive, Judiciary and Legislature.