CharlesCNG's Posts
Nairaland Forum › CharlesCNG's Profile › CharlesCNG's Posts
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ... 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 (of 48 pages)
 Politics › Obidient Lunacy: At This Rate, Everybody Will Soon Be Accused Of Being Paid. by CharlesCNG(op): 6:17am On Jul 10 |
At this rate of Obidient lunacy, everybody in Nigeria will soon be accused of collecting money to oppose Peter Obi. Sometimes they even announce the imaginary amount. The latest comedy is the Goodluck Jonathan ₦500 billion story. A report claimed Jonathan was offered ₦500 billion to contest against Obi. Jonathan’s office promptly dismissed it as “entirely false and baseless.” Yet many had already believed it. ([guardian.ng](https://guardian.ng/news/jonathan-denies-%E2%82%A6500bn-offer-to-challenge-peter-obi/)) This is now a familiar pattern. If Pastor Adeboye makes a statement they dislike, he is suddenly compromised. Obi himself once had to distance himself from supporters who insulted Adeboye. If Seun Okinbaloye hosts an Obi critic, he must have been paid to “demarket” Obi. If Doyin Okupe says Obi could not have won in 2023, he becomes a traitor. If Kenneth Okonkwo criticises Obi after leaving his camp, he becomes bitter, hungry or sponsored. If Reno Omokri speaks, they immediately search for his alleged payroll. Pastors are paid. Journalists are paid. Former presidents are paid. Former allies are paid. Critics are paid. Judges are compromised. INEC is captured. Everyone is sponsored—except Obidients. That is no longer politics. It is Payroll Paranoia Syndrome—the inability to accept that intelligent Nigerians can simply disagree with Peter Obi. At this rate, even the weather will soon be accused of collecting APC money whenever rain falls on an Obidient rally. 8 Likes 1 Share |
| Politics › Re: Na'ajatu Mohammed: Peter Obi Doesn't Stand A Chance In The North by CharlesCNG: 4:13pm On Jul 09 |
Lithiumite:They keep saying Peter Obi will split Tinubu’s votes in the South. But the bigger question is: will Obi even retain many of the places he won in 2023, including Lagos? In Lagos, his 2023 victory was powered by a unique protest mood, low turnout, urban anger, religious emotion, youth mobilisation and an APC complacency factor. Repeating that in 2027 is not automatic. On Atiku, people say he will “consolidate in the North.” Using which structure? In 2023, Atiku still had the PDP machinery, long-standing northern allies, governors, former governors, Abuja-era networks and the shadow of the old PDP establishment. Today, that same structure is weaker, divided and no longer moving as one. Even Reuters reported that the opposition alliance has been damaged by internal disputes, factionalism and the exit of Obi and Kwankwaso from the ADC-led coalition. Which northern state exactly is Atiku consolidating? Kaduna? Taraba? Adamawa? Sokoto? Kano? In the North-West alone, 2023 was already split: Tinubu won the zone with about 2.65 million votes, Atiku had about 2.33 million, Kwankwaso took about 1.27 million, while Obi had only about 350,000. That tells you something: Obi was never a northern force. He was a southern and urban protest candidate with pockets of North-Central Christian support. Even in the North-East, Atiku dominated in 2023 with about 1.74 million votes, but that was under the PDP structure. Tinubu still pulled about 1.19 million there. So the 2027 question is simple: if Atiku is weaker structurally, Kwankwaso’s Kano grip is shaky, and Obi is not naturally accepted in the Muslim North, where exactly is the magic landslide against Tinubu coming from? 5 Likes 1 Share |
| Politics › Can Somebody Please Talk To Peter Obi? by CharlesCNG(op): 4:01pm On Jul 09 |
Can somebody close enough please talk to Peter Obi? Not every microphone is a calling. Not every interview is an opportunity. Sometimes, silence is not emptiness; it is strategy. For a man seeking to lead a complex country like Nigeria, Peter Obi talks too often, too loosely, and too compulsively. The tragedy is that every new interview that should strengthen him often ends up shrinking him. Instead of deepening his appeal, he begins to devalue his own brand. Instead of sounding presidential, he sometimes sounds like a man chasing applause from a restless fan base. Leadership is not a running commentary. A serious leader must know when to speak, what to say, how much to say, and when to allow silence to carry dignity. The more Obi jumps from one issue to another — court matters, party disputes, security tragedies, economic claims, electoral fears, and vague accusations that “they” do not want him on the ballot — the more he exposes the thinness behind the carefully polished image. Great leaders do not answer every bell. They do not run after every headline. They do not convert every national tragedy into political oxygen. They speak with weight because they speak with restraint. Obi’s problem is becoming clear: he mistakes visibility for authority. But public life is not a market square where the loudest trader wins. Sometimes, the most powerful statement is the one withheld. Someone should tell him: reduce the interviews, refine the message, deepen the thinking, and stop demarketing yourself with your own mouth. Because in politics, as in life, silence is sometimes not weakness. It is wisdom wearing a closed mouth. 9 Likes |
| Poems For Review › Re: Enquiries? Suggestions? Complaints? Contact The Moderator Here.... by CharlesCNG: 4:38pm On Jul 08 |
Good day Admin/Moderators, Please I need help with my account, charlesCNG. yet again. The issue was resolved on sunday, but has returned this evening again. Since this evening, I have been unable to create a new thread. For the past few hours, whenever I try to open a new thread, I keep getting the same error message. I honestly want to know whether there is a daily limit to the number of new threads a user can post on Nairaland, so I can adjust myself accordingly and avoid violating any rule. If the issue is a temporary restriction, spam/rate-limit flag, section restriction, or account moderation issue, kindly let me know what I need to do. My intention is not to spam the forum. I only want clarity so I can use the platform properly. Username: charlesCNG. Thank you. |
| Politics › Re: May 29, 2023: The Economy Tinubu Met Was Not Sick — It Was Already On ICU. by CharlesCNG(op): 4:06pm On Jul 08 |
SeeWahala:My brother, I thought that is exactly what we are doing here. A debate is not two men standing behind lecterns on television. A debate is one person making an argument and the other responding to it with facts. Look at this thread. I wrote about the economy Tinubu inherited. I cited subsidy, exchange-rate distortions, Ways and Means, debt pressure and IMF recommendations. How many of those points have you actually addressed? Instead, you've given me "Tilumbu," "paid agent," "Agbado," emojis and now an invitation to a debate. The irony is that you're asking for a debate while avoiding the one already in front of you. As for Obi, I have no problem with debates. Public debates are healthy for democracy. But before asking Tinubu to debate Obi, perhaps you should first debate CharlesCNG. Start with just one point from my write-up. Tell me which fact is wrong. Tell me which figure is false. Tell me which conclusion doesn't follow. If you can do that, then we are already having the kind of debate you claim to want. The problem is not that Tinubu won't debate Obi. The problem is that many Obidients struggle to debate an argument without first debating the person making it. |
| Politics › Re: Concrete Roads Vs Asphalt Roads: The Dave Umahi Infrasructure Revolution by CharlesCNG(op): 3:11pm On Jul 08 |
OlujobaSamuel:Obidients and propaganda are now becoming inseparable twins. Is it everything you people must condemn, exaggerate or lie about? You claim the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway is already undergoing repairs “at different sections.” Fine. Be specific. Which section? Which kilometre point? Which contractor? Which lane? Which date? Which verified report? Which engineering defect? You cannot just wake up, see roadwork somewhere, and declare it “repair works” on a project that is still under construction. On a major highway project, ongoing earthworks, drainage works, realignment, compaction, asphalt correction and finishing works are not automatically “repairs.” They may simply be part of construction. This is the problem with political hatred. It blinds people until they start seeing failure even where work is still in progress. If there is a defective section, identify it and let it be fixed. Nobody is against accountability. But don’t convert every construction activity into propaganda. At this rate, if a worker carries shovel near the road, Obidients will shout: “Tinubu road has collapsed.” Sick. Very sick people. |
| Politics › Re: May 29, 2023: The Economy Tinubu Met Was Not Sick — It Was Already On ICU. by CharlesCNG(op): 3:05pm On Jul 08 |
hegelian:There you go again with the famous **"you people"** politics. Who exactly are "you people"? Did I ever tell you I defended every Buhari policy? Did I ever say Buhari got everything right? In fact, I have just told someone that, in my opinion, Buhari failed to take some of the most important economic decisions when they were needed. That is called consistency. The difference between us is that I can criticise Buhari where I believe he got it wrong and still support Tinubu where I believe he is getting some things right. You, on the other hand, seem to think every APC supporter is one indistinguishable human being with one brain, one opinion and one permanent script. That is intellectually lazy. You also keep talking about what "you guys" said. Debate me, not the imaginary crowd you've created in your head. I am responsible for my point of view, not for every opinion ever expressed by someone who voted APC. Finally, you ended by saying, "Any nation that has people like you doesn't need an enemy." No. Nations are strengthened when citizens can change their minds in the light of evidence. I have no difficulty saying Buhari should have removed subsidy earlier, tackled the exchange-rate distortion earlier and avoided excessive Ways and Means financing. Can you show the same intellectual honesty? Can you admit that Peter Obi has ever been wrong about anything? That is the real difference between us. I support policies, not personalities. You appear to defend personalities first and examine policies later. |
| Politics › Re: May 29, 2023: The Economy Tinubu Met Was Not Sick — It Was Already On ICU. by CharlesCNG(op): 3:00pm On Jul 08 |
hegelian:Yes, Buhari failed in my opinion — mainly because he postponed the evil day. He should have removed fuel subsidy earlier. He should have confronted the exchange-rate mess earlier. He should have stopped the dangerous Ways and Means expansion earlier. By May 2023, Nigeria was already carrying serious economic distortions. At a point, airlines and other foreign businesses could not even repatriate their funds because of FX shortages. IATA said Nigeria’s blocked airline funds stood at about $850 million by June 2023, before the Tinubu administration later cleared about 98% of it. That was part of the mess Tinubu inherited. The CBN’s Ways and Means financing also became a major problem. The World Bank noted that by May 2023, the stock was over ₦26 trillion, which worsened inflationary pressure and weakened macroeconomic stability. So yes, Buhari’s government failed to take some hard decisions early enough. But that is precisely why I give Tinubu credit. He had the audacity to touch the dangerous things others kept postponing: subsidy removal, FX reform, revenue reform and fiscal tightening. My position is simple: Buhari delayed the surgery. Tinubu started it. The pain is real, but the old system was not prosperity. It was a postponed collapse. |
| Politics › Re: May 29, 2023: The Economy Tinubu Met Was Not Sick — It Was Already On ICU. by CharlesCNG(op): 2:50pm On Jul 08 |
SeeWahala:I have shown you some of Tinubu’s work, and I will show you even more in the coming days. I promise you that. But you too should make me one promise: show us the alternative economic plan of your confused Peter Obi. Not slogans. Not “cut cost of governance.” Not “I will move Nigeria from consumption to production.” Concrete policies. What will he do differently on subsidy, exchange rate, inflation, debt, revenue, insecurity, agriculture, power and jobs? You people keep saying “keep Peter Obi out of your head,” but he is the man you want to make president. How can we discuss 2027 without examining his ideas? My friend, democracy is not hide-and-seek. If Obi wants power, Obi must face scrutiny. |
| Politics › Re: "Peter Obi Has Strong Northern Support" – Kwankwaso Fires Back At Modu Sheriff by CharlesCNG: 2:43pm On Jul 08 |
givedemwotowoto:Kwankwaso's Northern Magic Wand: You Cannot Donate Votes You Never Owned. by CharlesCNG Rabiu Kwankwaso's response to Ali Modu Sheriff is fascinating—not because it proves Sheriff wrong, but because it quietly changes the subject. Sheriff's argument was about the **core Hausa-Fulani voting bloc**. Kwankwaso's reply simply counted all northern votes together and declared victory. Those are not the same thing. Yes, Peter Obi polled over two million votes in the North in 2023. But where did those votes come from? They came overwhelmingly from [b]North Central [/b]states such as Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue and the FCT, with additional support in Taraba—areas where Christian populations and protest voting played a significant role. Now look at the core North-West and much of the North-East. Obi's numbers were tiny: about **0.60% in Katsina, 0.64% in Yobe, 0.33% in Zamfara, 1.12% in Sokoto, 1.67% in Kano, 6.63% in Kwara and 10.33% in Niger.** Those are the figures Sheriff was referring to—not the North Central protest belt. Then comes the comedy. Kwankwaso now suggests that his presence on the ticket changes everything because he once received about **1.45 million northern votes**. Really? The irony is almost comic. Kwankwaso is promising Peter Obi the northern votes that he himself never had. In 2023, when he was the presidential candidate at the top of the ticket, he crossed the constitutional 25% threshold in just one northern state—Kano. One. Not Kaduna. Not Katsina. Not Jigawa. Not Sokoto. Not Kebbi. Not Bauchi. Not Borno. Not Yobe. If he could not build a northern coalition for himself, by what political magic does he now become the key to delivering the entire Hausa-Fulani voting bloc to Peter Obi? You cannot donate votes you never possessed. Nearly[b] 75% [/b]of the 1.4 votes kwankaso is talking about came from **Kano alone!!, If he could not carry the wider North when he was the presidential candidate, by what political miracle does he now become the key to unlocking the entire North for Peter Obi? You cannot donate votes you never possessed. Finally, Kwankwaso advised Sheriff to talk about insecurity in Borno. The irony is that anyone who watched the interview knows Sheriff did discuss insecurity and humanitarian challenges. Criticising him for failing to do what he actually did suggests Kwankwaso was responding more to a political script than to the interview itself. If Kwankwaso knows the electoral arithmetic and still says this, then he is misleading Peter obi and his supporters. If he does not know it, then he is being misled by his own optimism. Either way, both the seller and the buyer become victims of the same illusion. |
| Politics › Re: 2027: I Might Not Be Alive To Contest – Peter Obi by CharlesCNG: 2:16pm On Jul 08 |
Newsgeek24: 5 Likes 2 Shares |
| Politics › Peter Obi's "I May Not Be Alive" Alarmism:a Perpetual Victimhood Diary Begins. by CharlesCNG(op): 2:14pm On Jul 08 |
As the reality of 2027 begins to replace the euphoria of 2023, Peter Obi appears to be shifting from electoral persuasion to perpetual persecution. A presidential candidate saying, "I might not even be alive to contest" is not an ordinary political statement. It is a grave allegation with obvious consequences. Such words can heighten fear among his lunatic supporters and deepen public suspicion. If there is a genuine threat, the proper responsible course is straightforward: report it formally to the relevant security agencies, document the evidence, and pursue it through the institutions of the state. A claim of that magnitude should not be left hanging as a rhetorical device. Obi also alleges that "everything" he does for a living is being deliberately frustrated. Everything? That is an extraordinary claim. Which business exactly? By whom? On what date? What government agency? What specific decision? What document? What licence was denied? What contract was cancelled? What investment was blocked? Public figures who make sweeping allegations should be prepared to provide equally specific evidence. Democracy deserves facts, not broad insinuations. The irony is that the examples offered—a disagreement over airport parking and some supporters allegedly asking him not to attend family events—do not, by themselves, establish a coordinated state campaign against his life or business. There is a difference between political inconvenience and political persecution. Unfortunately, this interview leans heavily toward what might be called catastrophe politics —where every setback is framed as proof of an existential plot, and every inconvenience is woven into a larger narrative of victimhood. Opposition is an essential part of democracy. But opposition also carries a responsibility to be measured. A presidential candidate should strengthen public confidence by grounding serious allegations in verifiable facts, not by leaving the public to fill in alarming blanks. Nigeria needs leaders who inspire confidence through evidence and clarity—not leaders who rely on open-ended alarm to make their case. A serious leader must know when to speak, what to say, how much to say, and when to allow silence to carry dignity. The more Obi jumps from one issue to another the more he exposes the poverty of his intellect, his leadership unfitness and the thinness behind the carefully polished image. |
| Politics › Re: May 29, 2023: The Economy Tinubu Met Was Not Sick — It Was Already On ICU. by CharlesCNG(op): 1:38pm On Jul 08 |
SeeWahala:Does this even make sense to you after reading it? I presented an argument about the economy. Your response contains no facts, no figures, no rebuttal—just "Tilumbu," "Agbado," and emojis. You say Tinubu "took over from himself." Even if that is your interpretation of a political statement, how does it answer the economic facts I raised? Did Nigeria not have an unsustainable fuel subsidy? Did multiple exchange rates not exist? Was debt-service pressure imaginary? Did the IMF not recommend subsidy removal and exchange-rate reform before May 29, 2023? You didn't answer any of those questions. Instead, you substituted slogans for substance. That is the difference between us: I discuss policies; you discuss nicknames. Call me whatever you like. It won't change the facts. And once again, Obidients never disappoint. Whenever facts become inconvenient, the evidence disappears and the emojis arrive on cue. |
| Politics › Re: May 29, 2023: The Economy Tinubu Met Was Not Sick — It Was Already On ICU. by CharlesCNG(op): 1:35pm On Jul 08 |
Streetinvestor2:This your response mixes valid concerns with lazy propaganda. Yes, citizens are right to question spending on aircraft, residences, travel and appointments during hardship. Public money must be justified. But let us separate facts from exaggeration. First, Tinubu did not buy a “private jet.” The controversy was over a presidential aircraft, part of the official presidential fleet, reportedly acquired to replace an ageing Boeing 737 after concerns about safety and maintenance costs. Calling it Tinubu’s “private jet” is propaganda. Second, the Vice President’s residence was not a fresh Tinubu vanity project from nowhere. Reports show the project was originally awarded in 2010, abandoned for years, and later completed under this administration. Third, saying Tinubu was “part of Buhari’s government” is political stretching. He was APC national leader, not president, not vice president, not finance minister, not CBN governor. He had absolutely no executive responsibility. My point remains: Nigeria’s economy was already in ICU before May 29, 2023. If previous administrations had courageously removed subsidy, unified FX and stopped postponing reforms, today’s pain may have been less severe. You can criticise waste. I do too. But wasteful spending does not erase the fact that subsidy, FX distortions, debt pressure and Ways and Means had already pushed the economy into emergency ward before Tinubu started treatment. |
| Politics › Re: May 29, 2023: The Economy Tinubu Met Was Not Sick — It Was Already On ICU. by CharlesCNG(op): 1:26pm On Jul 08 |
chicfarmer:That question assumes a political party is one continuous government with one continuous set of decisions. It isn't. Governments change. Leaders change. Policies change—even within the same party. By your logic, if one administration gets something wrong, no future administration from the same party should ever try to fix it. That makes no sense. Take the United States. United States has had Republican and Democratic presidents, yet each administration inherits problems created by previous governments—including those from its own party. Presidents often spend years correcting policies introduced by their predecessors, even when they belong to the same political party. The same applies in Nigeria. If previous administrations—whether APC or PDP—had summoned the political courage to remove the unsustainable fuel subsidy, unify the exchange rate, strengthen revenue mobilisation and tackle long-postponed structural distortions, the adjustment Nigerians are experiencing today would likely have been less painful because it would have been spread over time rather than concentrated into one difficult period. My point has never been that APC is blameless. My point is that the economic distortions Tinubu confronted on May 29, 2023 were already real, regardless of which party accumulated them. The question before Nigerians is not, "Who first admitted the patient into the ICU?" The question is, who is trying to stabilise the patient now, and does anyone have a more credible treatment plan? If you have a better alternative to the current reforms, present it. But simply saying "the same party caused it" does not answer whether reversing the reforms would improve Nigeria's economy. |
| Politics › May 29, 2023: The Economy Tinubu Met Was Not Sick — It Was Already On ICU. by CharlesCNG(op): 9:07am On Jul 08 |
Tinubu did not create the cancer; he stopped the painkillers and started the chemotherapy. Those blaming President Tinubu for every hardship in Nigeria today are like people blaming the doctor for the cancer he diagnosed on the first day of treatment. By May 29, 2023, Nigeria’s economy was already badly damaged. The country was running on expensive fuel subsidy, multiple exchange rates, weak revenue, heavy debt-service pressure, high inflation, oil theft, low investor confidence and a Central Bank that had been used to fund government deficits through Ways and Means. The IMF had warned before Tinubu’s inauguration that Nigeria’s fuel subsidy should be permanently removed by mid-2023 and that the country’s multiple exchange-rate system was a major source of vulnerability. It also called for reforms in tax compliance, customs, oil theft and revenue mobilisation. In simple terms, Nigeria was living like a man borrowing money to buy painkillers while refusing to treat the disease. Fuel subsidy alone was bleeding public finance. The World Bank later estimated that subsidy removal would save about ₦2 trillion in 2023 and over ₦11 trillion by the end of 2025. That means the old system was not free; it was a hidden debt machine. So when Tinubu came in and removed subsidy, unified FX windows and began revenue reforms, he did not create the crisis. He removed the plaster covering the wound. Yes, the treatment has been painful. Inflation, transport costs and food prices have hit ordinary Nigerians hard. Government must do more to cushion the vulnerable and convert macro reforms into household relief. But let nobody rewrite history. Tinubu inherited a patient already collapsing from years of economic deception. Subsidy was not prosperity. Multiple exchange rates were not stability. Borrowing to consume was not growth. The real debate is not whether Nigeria was comfortable before Tinubu. The real debate is whether we should return to the old painkiller politics or continue the painful surgery needed to save the patient. 1 Like |
| Politics › Re: Obidient Accuses Seun Okinbaloye Of Being Paid To “demarket” Peter Obi by CharlesCNG(op): 9:02am On Jul 08 |
ogolemati:How To Spot An Obidient On Nairaland: A User Guide. Not everyone who criticises Tinubu is an Obidient. Not everyone who disagrees with Pastor Adeboye is an Obidient. Not everyone who supports opposition politics is an Obidient. But there is a pattern. If it quacks like an Obidient, insults like an Obidient, dodges facts like an Obidient, and shouts “data boy” like an Obidient, forgive me for recognising the duck. You can usually spot them by the familiar feathers. First, they rarely answer the issue. If you raise facts, they attack your motive. If you ask for evidence, they say you are paid. If you question Peter Obi, they say you are working for APC. If you defend a point they dislike, they call you “data boy.” Second, they confuse abuse with intelligence. Instead of argument, you get insults. Instead of data, you get slogans. Instead of reasoning, you get “fake certificate,” “snatch and grab,” “criminal,” and other recycled chants. Third, they practice selective outrage. When a pastor, activist or elder appears to support Obi, he is a voice of conscience. But if the same type of public figure says something that does not serve their political anger, he becomes tribal, fake, compromised or useless. Fourth, they dodge facts like rain. Present figures, they change topic. Present history, they shout propaganda. Present voting patterns, they reply with emotion. So no, I do not call people Obidient simply because they disagree with me. I notice the uniform: abuse first, evidence last. If it walks like selective outrage, quacks like political intolerance, and swims comfortably in insult, I do not need DNA test to know the species. You can deny being Obidient, but if your argument came from the usual insult factory, do not blame me for identifying the manufacturer. 2 Likes 1 Share |
| Politics › Re: Obidient Accuses Seun Okinbaloye Of Being Paid To “demarket” Peter Obi by CharlesCNG(op): 9:01am On Jul 08 |
Kukutente23:Fair enough. Let's call it "broadening" rather than changing the subject. The problem is that your broader discussion still never answered my original point. My thread asked a simple question: Is it acceptable to accuse a journalist of being paid, without evidence, simply because you disliked his interview? Instead of answering that, you invited us into a wider discussion about every political group in Nigeria. Now to your "obsession with Obidients" argument. You have mistaken reaction for obsession. People don't write about Obidients because they woke up one morning searching for a new hobby. They write because Obidients have become one of the loudest and most aggressive political movements online. Every day they open threads, trend hashtags, accuse journalists of being paid, dismiss judges as compromised, brand every critic an APC agent, and flood comment sections with the same script. When a group dominates the conversation, it naturally attracts scrutiny. If tomorrow BAT supporters or Atiku supporters become the ones daily accusing every journalist, every judge and every dissenting voice of being on a payroll, they too will attract the same criticism. So no, it is not an obsession with Obidients. It is a response to a pattern of behaviour. Finally, you say my aim is to make people believe Obidients are the cause of all Nigeria's problems. I never made that argument. That is a straw man of your own construction. My criticism has always been directed at specific conduct—personal attacks, evidence-free allegations, intolerance of dissent and narrative policing—not at every individual who supports Peter Obi. You are free to disagree with my conclusions. But don't confuse criticism of a recurring political culture with an irrational obsession. Those are two very different things. 1 Like 1 Share |
| Politics › Concrete Roads Vs Asphalt Roads: The Dave Umahi Infrasructure Revolution by CharlesCNG(op): 7:14am On Jul 08 |
One of the most important but under-discussed shifts in Nigeria’s road infrastructure policy is the David Umahi concrete-road revolution. For decades, Nigeria relied heavily on asphalt roads, many of which failed quickly under heavy rainfall, poor drainage, overloaded trucks, weak maintenance culture and rising construction costs. Asphalt is not useless. It is cheaper upfront, faster to lay, and suitable in many environments. But Nigeria’s problem has never been merely building roads; it has been building roads that survive Nigerian realities. That is where Umahi’s concrete-road argument comes in. The Ministry of Works is now pushing reinforced concrete pavement for major federal roads because of durability, lower long-term maintenance and resistance to water damage. Umahi has argued that asphalt roads in Nigeria are rarely guaranteed beyond about 15 years, while concrete roads under the current policy are expected to last much longer — even up to 50 to 100 years, depending on design, execution and maintenance. This is not just theory. The policy is already visible in major projects. The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is the flagship. Section One, covering about 47km from Victoria Island toward Eleko, is 98% completed by May 2026, with remaining works mainly aesthetics, walkways, solar installations and tree planting. Section Two was targeted to reach the Lagos-Ogun border by November 2026, while work was also reported to be moving on the Ogun-Ondo axis. The Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway is another legacy project. . The project is designed to link Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun and Lagos, reduce travel time, lower logistics costs and strengthen agriculture and manufacturing supply chains. Other major projects under the new direction include the Kano-Kongolam Road, redesigned as a 132km three-lane concrete carriageway linking Kano, Jigawa and Katsina, with solar lights and CCTV; the Abuja-Lokoja Road, now to be reconstructed with reinforced concrete; the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa Road, a 103km dual carriageway re-awarded after minimal previous progress; and the Keffi-Nasarawa-Abaji Road Phase Two, a 129.3km rehabilitation project. Over 95% of this projects are being built on concrete carriageways. The bigger picture is this: Umahi inherited a difficult road sector. The Works Ministry said the administration inherited 2,064 ongoing projects in 2023. That is why the concrete-road revolution is not merely about cement versus asphalt. It is about changing Nigeria’s road philosophy from cheap today, failed tomorrow to expensive today, durable tomorrow. If executed properly, the Umahi model may become one of the most consequential infrastructure reforms of the Tinubu era and in nigeria's history. Because Nigeria does not merely need roads that are commissioned. Nigeria needs roads that endure. 1 Like |
| Politics › Re: Obidient Accuses Seun Okinbaloye Of Being Paid To “demarket” Peter Obi by CharlesCNG(op): 6:26am On Jul 08 |
Kukutente23:You have done exactly what I expected—you changed the subject. My thread was about accusing a journalist of being paid without evidence simply because he conducted an interview you disliked. Instead of addressing that, you introduced an entirely different allegation about death threats. If there is evidence that anyone threatened Seun Okinbaloye's life, such conduct should be condemned and investigated. Threatening a journalist is unacceptable, regardless of who does it or which political tendency the person belongs to. But that still does not answer the point I raised. One wrong does not become right because you have found another wrong somewhere else. That is the oldest form of whataboutism. My point remains unchanged: making baseless allegations that a journalist was "paid" simply because you dislike his questions is an attack on professional integrity and contributes to a toxic political culture. I have made my point, and you have made yours. I don't think either of us is going to persuade the other, so I'm not interested in an endless back-and-forth. Readers have both positions before them and can judge the merits for themselves. I'll leave it there. 4 Likes 2 Shares |
| Politics › The Political Marriage Registry Of Brother Kenneth Okonkwo. by CharlesCNG(op): 6:07am On Jul 08 |
Brother Kenneth Okonkwo has returned to the political marriage registry again. This time, the groom is His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, the wedding venue is ADC, the marriage certificate reads “Spokesperson,” and the reception speech is full of gratitude, dialogue, compromise, South-East interest, democratic credentials and answered prayers. Wonderful. But some of us still remember the earlier episodes of this political family drama. Brother Kenneth was once politically married to APC. He defended the household until the Muslim-Muslim ticket became irreconcilable difference. He packed his political box and left. Then he entered Labour Party and became one of the loudest marriage counsellors in the Obi household. He sang the Obi anthem, defended the altar, preached the gospel, and told Nigerians that a new political family had arrived. Then trouble started. At one point, he even sounded like a man who had sworn never again to enter any house where the interests of the South-East were not properly seated at the dining table. Now suddenly, after “dialogue” and “compromise,” the marriage has been restored — not with Obi, but with Atiku. The same Atiku whose ticket arrangement had earlier raised reservations has now become a man of “democratic credentials.” The same ADC that looked troubled yesterday has now become the vehicle of national renewal. The same political house that seemed uncertain has now provided a room, a title and possibly a key to the boys’ quarters. Brother Kenneth’s political journey is no longer just movement. It is serial matrimony. APC was the first wife. Labour Party was the emotional second marriage. ADC is now the reconciliation wedding. Atiku is the new groom. And Kenneth is the bride who always leaves with a press statement titled “principle.” But beyond the comedy, this drama exposes the emptiness of opposition politics. Yesterday’s enemy can become today’s visionary once appointment enters the room. Yesterday’s reservation can become today’s compromise once spokesperson title is added. Yesterday’s disagreement can become today’s answered prayer once the political bride price is paid. That is why the peripatetic travails of Brother Kenneth Okonkwo remain a classic Nigerian political movie. At this rate, Brother Kenneth is not just moving through political parties. He is conducting a national tour of political marriages — always with a Bible in one hand, resignation letter in the other, and a fresh appointment speech waiting in his pocket. |
| Politics › Re: Obidient Accuses Seun Okinbaloye Of Being Paid To “demarket” Peter Obi by CharlesCNG(op): 5:56am On Jul 08 |
Kukutente23:My brother, this is classic whataboutism wearing a lawyer’s wig. The issue on the table is simple: an Obidient accused Seun Okinbaloye of being paid to “demarket” Peter Obi simply because he hosted a guest who criticised Obi. Instead of addressing that, you ran to 2011, 2014, 2019, 2023, Buhari supporters, Okota, parallel government, Boko Haram and bandits. That is not rebuttal. That is political hide-and-seek. Nobody said Obidients invented violence in Nigeria. Nobody said other political groups are innocent. Nobody said APC, PDP or Buhari supporters have never behaved badly. Those are separate conversations. The question here is: **why do Obidients habitually accuse journalists, critics and dissenters of being paid whenever Obi is criticised?** Answer that. If Seun was unfair, critique the interview. If Sheriff lied, rebut Sheriff. If Channels was weak, analyse the journalism. But do not accuse a journalist of bribery without evidence, then escape to 2011 when asked to defend the accusation. This is the pattern: when caught in intolerance, they shout history. When asked for evidence, they shout APC. When asked to answer one point, they open a museum of other people’s sins. That is not political maturity. That is typical obidient Whataboutist Acrobatics — jumping from one unrelated tragedy to another because the original argument has become too hot to touch. So please, park the world history lecture. Yet Obidients would like us to believe that every critic is a Zone Bee, every journalist is paid, every court is captured, every INEC action is rigged, every crowd is rented, every voter is bought, and every unfavourable opinion is APC propaganda. If this isn’t Obidient Schizopolitical Paranoia, I don’t know what else it is. 10 Likes 1 Share |
| Politics › Re: Sanwo-Olu, Umahi Say Coastal Highway Didn’t Worsen Lagos Floods by CharlesCNG: 5:49am On Jul 08 |
Sheuns:This is exactly where you people smuggle exaggeration into a valid concern. If the Lagos Commissioner admitted that the coastal road affected drainage around **Ologolo**, then fine — let that specific section be investigated and corrected. But Ologolo is not the whole of Lagos. Did the coastal highway also cause flooding in **Ikeja**? Did it cause flooding in **Gbagada**? Did it cause flooding in **Mushin**? Did it cause flooding in **Mafoluku**? Did it cause flooding in **Victoria Island and other flood-prone parts of Lagos**? That is the difference between evidence and propaganda. Evidence says: “This specific road section may have worsened flooding in Ologolo; investigate the drainage design.” Propaganda says: “Lagos flooded; therefore Tinubu’s coastal road caused it.” Those are not the same thing. Lagos has long-standing flooding problems: heavy rainfall, low-lying coastal geography, blocked drains, poor waste disposal, illegal structures on waterways, loss of wetlands and weak drainage capacity. So yes, if the coastal highway obstructed water flow in Ologolo, fix it. But don’t take one local drainage admission and use it to explain every flood across Lagos. That is not environmental analysis. That is political flood-hunting. |
| Politics › Re: Northerners Will Never Vote For Peter Obi – Ex-Borno Gov Sheriff by CharlesCNG: 5:41am On Jul 08 |
ogbe88:That is a different question entirely, but I'll answer it because it explains my position. No, Nigeria's economic difficulties did not begin in 2023. They are the product of many years of structural problems: an unsustainable fuel subsidy regime, multiple exchange rates, low government revenue, heavy borrowing, weak productivity, and decades of postponing difficult decisions. Do I acknowledge that Nigerians are hurting today? Absolutely. The pain is real and should never be trivialised. But I also believe there is a difference between the pain of a disease and the pain of its treatment. I will not blame the doctor simply because the medicine stings, especially when the patient had already spent years in the ICU before the treatment began. For me, the relevant question is not, "Is there pain?" There is. The real question is, "Are there signs that the treatment is moving the patient in the right direction?" I see subsidy reform, exchange-rate reform, improved public revenue, increased state revenues, stronger investor interest, expanding domestic refining capacity, infrastructure investment, and an economy that has returned to positive growth despite enormous headwinds. Those are signs of progress, even if they have not yet translated into widespread relief for every Nigerian. Could the government communicate better? Yes. Should it do more to cushion the hardship? Absolutely. But unless someone presents a more credible and coherent alternative—one that explains exactly how they would fund subsidies, stabilise the naira, grow revenues, and reduce inflation without returning to the policies that created many of these distortions—I would rather support the continuation and improvement of Tinubu's reform agenda than abandon reforms halfway through. That is my position. It is based on what I believe offers Nigeria the better long-term path, not on the assumption that everything is already perfect. Perhaps you're the one who should dey get sense. Democracy does not require that we all agree. It requires that we all have the freedom to disagree without concluding that everyone who holds a different opinion has lost their senses — or, to add the standard Obidient broken-record response, has been paid. If your only explanation for disagreement is “he is senseless” or “he is paid,” then the problem is not democracy. The problem is your inability to tolerate opposing views. |
| Politics › Re: Northerners Will Never Vote For Peter Obi – Ex-Borno Gov Sheriff by CharlesCNG: 5:26am On Jul 08 |
Mrexcell:You assume a premise that even the best -case- scenario 2023 presidential election results simply do not support. First, Peter Obi was not a broadly dominant southern candidate in 2023. He overwhelmingly won the South East, but outside that, the picture was mixed. In the 2023 presidential election, the southern vote also shows that Peter Obi was not a uniformly dominant southern candidate. In the South West, Tinubu scored 2,279,407 votes against Obi’s 846,478. In the South South, Obi led with 1,210,675 votes, while Tinubu scored 799,957. In the South East, Obi overwhelmingly dominated with 1,952,998** votes, while Tinubu scored only **127,370**. Overall, across the entire South, Obi had **4,010,151** votes, while Tinubu had **3,206,734. However, once the South East is removed from the calculation to test Obi’s support outside his core base, Tinubu’s southern vote becomes 3,079,364, while Obi’s drops to 2,057,153. This shows that outside the South East, Tinubu actually outpolled Obi in the rest of Southern Nigeria. Even at the height of the 2023 "Obi wave," he secured the constitutional 25% threshold in only[b] about 16 states (including the FCT)[/b] —well short of a nationwide spread. That is not the profile of a candidate who had already conquered the South and was on the verge of conquering the North. Now to the Kwankwaso argument. This is the funniest part. Kwankwaso was the presidential candidate of his own party in 2023. Apart from Kano, where else did he dominate? Which other northern states did he win? If a politician could not build a winning coalition across the North when[b] he[/b] was at the top of the ticket, how does he suddenly become the magic key that unlocks the entire North for another candidate? Political influence is real, but it is not magic. Hope is not a strategy. Electoral projections should begin with voting history, party structure, regional interests and coalition-building—not wishful thinking. 2027 will be decided by votes, not by social media optimism. 1 Like |
| Politics › Obidient Accuses Seun Okinbaloye Of Being Paid To “demarket” Peter Obi by CharlesCNG(op): 4:57am On Jul 08 |
The Obidient attack machine has found a new target: Seun Okinbaloye of Channels Television. After Seun hosted former Borno governor and APC chieftain Ali Modu Sheriff on Politics Today*, an angry Obidient supporter went on Facebook asking Seun to tell the world how much he allegedly received to keep “demarketing” Peter Obi. To be fair, people can criticise Seun’s interview style. They can say he should have pushed Sheriff harder, challenged his claims more directly, or asked tougher questions about his own political record. That is legitimate media criticism. But jumping from “I disagree with the interview” to “how much were you paid?” is not criticism. It is intimidation. This is the familiar Obidient pattern: Criticise Obi, you are paid. Question Obi, you are demarketing him. Host Obi’s critic, you are compromised. Fail to defend Obi on air, you are on payroll. At this point, do they want journalists or peter obi's campaign anchors like Rufai Oseni? The funny part is that these same people celebrate interviews when the guest praises Obi or attacks Tinubu. Then Seun is professional. Channels is objective. Journalism is alive. But once the guest knocks Obi, suddenly Seun has collected money. That is not principle. That is Payroll Paranoia Journalism — the belief that every unfavourable question, guest or headline must have a sponsor. The Obidient movement must learn that Peter Obi is not above criticism. He is a politician and a presidential candidate, not a protected religious artefact. If Sheriff lied, rebut Sheriff. If Seun was soft, critique the interview professionally. But accusing a journalist of bribery without evidence only proves how intolerant the movement has become. To Obidients, journalism is free only when it flatters Obi. Once it questions him, it becomes paid demarketing. Sick people these obidients. Very sick people indeed. 11 Likes 1 Share |
| Politics › Re: Sanwo-Olu, Umahi Say Coastal Highway Didn’t Worsen Lagos Floods by CharlesCNG: 4:45am On Jul 08 |
anonimi:This is becoming a familiar tactic of obidients and opposition figures. When you cannot answer the argument, change the topic. We were discussing one question here on this thread: Did the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway cause the flooding? Instead of answering that, you pivoted to Boko Haram, petrol prices, PDP and 16 years of government. That is not a rebuttal. It is an escape route. If you believe the coastal highway caused the flooding, produce the evidence: the hydrological report, the engineering assessment, or the environmental analysis showing how the road obstructed natural water flow. If you cannot do that, then don't change the subject. As for Boko Haram and the 2015 election, those are separate debates. They deserve to be discussed on their own merits—not used as a smoke bomb whenever an argument becomes uncomfortable. A simple rule of debate: when your answer begins with "What about...?", chances are you've stopped defending your position and started avoiding it. Let's finish the first discussion before opening another one. |
| Politics › Re: Akwa-Ibom Section Of The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road by CharlesCNG: 4:34am On Jul 08 |
ottersberger:Thank you for the free masterclass on how Nairaland works. I appreciate the advice about my "epistles." The only problem is that my experience doesn't support your conclusion. In less than one month, my threads have attracted close to 2,000 likes, hundreds of shares, and a growing number of followers. That tells me people are reading them—even if you claim you don't. Perhaps the mistake you're making is assuming my posts are written for Obidients. They are not. My target audience is the thousands of silent readers who come to Nairaland to compare arguments before making up their minds. They may never comment, but they read. They weigh both sides. They think for themselves. That is why I don't mind writing in detail. My audience knows me, and I know the kind of discussions they appreciate. Obidients are free to keep shouting "paid agent," "epistles," "nonsense," or "I didn't read it." Those labels have become so predictable that they now sound like a standard disclaimer before avoiding the actual argument. So, thank you once again for the advice. I'll continue contributing every day, and you're equally free to continue announcing that you didn't read what you keep responding to. In the end, the silent readers—not the loudest commenters—are the audience that matters most. 1 Like |
| Politics › Re: Northerners Will Never Vote For Peter Obi – Ex-Borno Gov Sheriff by CharlesCNG: 11:01am On Jul 07 |
Streetinvestor2:You are mixing emotion with political arithmetic. First, the argument is not that the North cannot vote Atiku at all. The point is that many northern political actors understand zoning better than online activists. In 2019, most serious southern politicians did not disturb the field because it was widely seen as the North’s turn. That was why the PDP race became largely a northern affair. By that same logic, in 2027, many northerners may prefer to wait for 2031 rather than disrupt the South’s slot after only one term. The only person desperate to collapse that logic is Atiku. Second, if the North is to support a southern candidate, they already showed their preference in 2023. Tinubu won significant northern support across key states, while Obi’s strength was largely concentrated in his own base and urban social-media excitement. Third, calling Tinubu “Yoruba president” is just lazy abuse. Every president has a base. Buhari had his northern base. Jonathan had South-South sympathy. Obi had South-East emotional backing. Having a base does not make one sectional. Finally, if your confidence is that the North will “definitely” vote Atiku if they don’t vote Obi, then you have already admitted the problem: Obi is not the main northern calculation. The real contest is structure, elite alignment, regional interest and political timing — not hashtags. 8 Likes |
| Politics › Re: Northerners Will Never Vote For Peter Obi – Ex-Borno Gov Sheriff by CharlesCNG: 10:57am On Jul 07 |
Nairalandhero:This is the same messianic packaging Nigerians were sold in 2015. “Once Buhari enters, corruption will disappear.” “Buhari hates stealing.” “Buhari is too disciplined to allow looting.” “Thieves will run away.” So let me ask you directly: was Buhari’s government corruption-free? If your answer is no, then you have already destroyed your own argument. Corruption does not disappear because one man “hates stealing.” It disappears when institutions are strong, procurement is transparent, law enforcement is impartial, courts are efficient, budgets are tracked, and political allies are not protected. This is the childishness of saint-candidate politics. You people keep selling Obi as if Nigeria’s corruption problem is waiting for one holy man with calculator to arrive. We have heard this sermon before. It ended with excuses. 19 Likes |
| Politics › Re: Jonathan Dismisses Report of ₦500bn Offer To Run Against Peter Obi in 2027 by CharlesCNG: 10:45am On Jul 07 |
yemre:It is like a man who sees a goat pass in front of his house and immediately starts shouting that the goat was sent to steal his destiny. That is the Obidient mindset here. Jonathan has not declared. Nobody has proved any ₦500bn offer. Yet they have already built a full political thriller around it. Why do these people live like this? Because propaganda has turned their politics into a smoke alarm that screams even when nobody is cooking. 1 Like 1 Share |
| Politics › Re: Northerners Will Never Vote For Peter Obi – Ex-Borno Gov Sheriff by CharlesCNG: 10:32am On Jul 07 |
Ezeama400:When you say “Peter Obi won three states in the North,” ask yourself : what exactly do you mean by North? If we are speaking geographically, Obi won Plateau and Nasarawa, plus the FCT. But FCT is not a state in the true sense of it. And even those results were not “core North” votes in the political sense. They were largely Christian/protest votes in the North Central belt. In the Muslim North, Obi was nowhere near competitive. Kogi: 12.31%. Kwara: 6.63%. Niger: 10.33%. Kano: 1.67%. Katsina: 0.60%. Sokoto: 1.12%. Zamfara: 0.33%. Yobe: 0.64%. So when Sheriff talks about the North, he is not talking about Plateau/FCT-style protest voting. He is talking about the deep northern voting bloc. And the numbers are clear: Obi did not break into that bloc in 2023. 15 Likes 2 Shares |
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ... 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 (of 48 pages)