₦airaland Forum

Pakute:
https://dailypost.ng/2026/06/14/what-a-shame-ojudu-faults-tinubus-minister-dancing-with-nigerian-prisoners-in-ethiopian/




https://dailytrust.com/onoh-defends-bianca-ojukwus-ethiopia-prison-visit-responds-to-ojudus-criticism/

The Bianca Ethiopia prison video raises a serious question: can a good diplomatic achievement be weakened by poor optics?

Nigeria was right to negotiate a prisoner transfer agreement with Ethiopia. Citizens do not lose their nationality because they are in prison abroad. The state has a duty to protect their rights, ensure humane treatment, and bring eligible prisoners home to serve their sentences under Nigerian custody.

But Ojudu also has a point.

A prison is not a campaign ground. It is not a rally venue. It is a place of punishment, remorse, justice and hopefully rehabilitation.

The problem is not compassion. The problem is optics.

When inmates are seen singing political praises and celebrating around a minister, the message can easily be misunderstood. To law-abiding Nigerians struggling honestly, it may look like criminality is being rewarded with attention, music and political theatre.

That is why public officials must separate empathy from spectacle.

Bianca may have meant well. The agreement itself may be commendable. But the presentation should have carried sobriety, not carnival energy.[i][/i]

A serious nation can protect its citizens abroad without appearing to glorify crime.

The achievement is diplomacy. The mistake is optics.

freshvine:
What i am saying is that Peter Obi with all his inaccurate statistics is better than the man in Aso rock he want to replace

So let cut Peter a slack

What you are saying is that, in your opinion, Peter Obi—with all his inaccurate statistics, questionable record in office, political inconsistency, frequent platform-hopping and tendency towards exaggeration—is still better than the man in Aso Rock.

Fair enough.

What I am saying is that, in my opinion, he is not.

And that is precisely why elections exist.

You are entitled to overlook what you consider minor flaws because you believe his strengths outweigh them.

I am equally entitled to conclude that a man who repeatedly stretches facts, changes platforms with remarkable ease, struggles to build durable coalitions, inspires more passion than structure, and whose supporters often mistake emotion for argument, is not the answer to Nigeria's problems.

You call him intelligent. I see poor judgment.

You call him consistent. I see political opportunism.

You call him a man of integrity. I see a politician who enjoys the benefit of lower standards from his admirers.

You call his movement organic. I see a protest movement still searching for a governing philosophy.

Neither of us is obliged to surrender our judgment to the other.

But one thing is certain: supporting Peter Obi is not synonymous with intelligence, patriotism or morality. It is simply a political preference.

And like every political preference, it is open to criticism.

After all, democracy does not require me to share your conclusions. It merely requires me to respect your right to hold them.

Likewise, you should respect mine.

AlbertNewton:
You have a point, a very valid one at that. But rather than crucifying Obi based on minor, insignificant details like this, you should focus on his overarching passion, mission and vision , the stuff that really matters in transforming a nation.
Obi is a human and will sometimes make mistakes, like everyone of us.
Obi is a politician and will sometimes do things for political reasons, like all politicians.
Where Obi stands out is in his burning passion to see the country become better , which is a rare trait in the crop of politicians leading us today. This is what makes us love Obi, organically.

You have every right to love Peter Obi and vote for him. I have absolutely no problem with that. In a democracy, political preferences are personal.

But by the same token, I am equally entitled to scrutinize him and to conclude that he lacks the judgment, temperament and intellectual discipline required of a President.

You call these "minor, insignificant details." I disagree.

Character is revealed in the small things. Accuracy matters. Judgment matters. Restraint matters. A President does not merely govern with passion; he governs with facts, decisions and institutions.

History is full of passionate men who made terrible leaders. Passion is admirable, but passion without discipline can be dangerous.

You say Obi's love for Nigeria is genuine. I have no reason to doubt his patriotism. But patriotism is not a qualification. Virtually every major politician claims to want a better Nigeria. The real questions are:

Can he think clearly?

Can he exercise restraint?

Can he build coalitions?

Can he respect institutions even when they rule against him?

Can he distinguish anecdotes from evidence?

Can he inspire confidence beyond his support base?

These are not "minor details." These are the very qualities that separate statesmen from campaigners.

So yes, you are entitled to love Peter Obi. And I am entitled to observe that good intentions and passionate speeches are not substitutes for judgment.

After all, leadership is not measured by how passionately one speaks about a destination, but by whether one possesses the wisdom to get there.

Niwdog:
Your argument is for the South East politicians not necessarily me because Tinubu being President has no benefits to the common Yoruba man on the street but only beneficial to the south west politician
Assuming I am a politician from South East extraction I will pick one or two points from you

My friend, with due respect, when did you become the spokesman for the "common Yoruba man"?

Where was the meeting held?

Who elected you to speak on behalf of millions of Yoruba people with different interests and opinions?

You can speak for yourself. I can speak for myself. But claiming to know what benefits or does not benefit every Yoruba man on the street is quite a remarkable power.

Democracy is about individual choice, not ethnic conscription.

And by the way, elections—not assumptions—are the proper gauge of public sentiment.

The August 2025 bye-elections are a useful reminder that political popularity is better measured by ballots than by social media declarations.

People can shout online that “Nigerians have rejected APC,” “Yorubas have abandoned Tinubu,” or “Igbos are united behind one candidate,” but elections often tell a more complicated story.

In the August 16, 2025 bye-elections, APC won several important seats across different regions, including Edo, Kaduna, Ogun, Jigawa, Kogi, Niger, Adamawa and Taraba. APGA proved its strength in Anambra. PDP won Ibadan North. NNPP also showed relevance in Kano.

Bye-elections may not be perfect, but they remain better indicators of political strength than emotional commentary from people appointing themselves spokespersons for millions.

freshvine:
After spewing this beautiful nonsense of hatred, kindly balance your perceptions with what he has done right. Give us his accurate statistics too.

You remember a man that said 20 million youths should be recruited into the Army and their meal will be cassava and agbado? He's currently your President.

Your President, someone who cannot keep a conversation without gaffe.

He was recently asked about insecurity and he went brain dead muttering incoherent statement to the consternation of Nigerians.

My friend, I am beginning to think you people are determined to prove my thesis better than I ever could.

I discussed Peter Obi.

You replied with Tinubu, cassava, agbado and gaffes.

You asked for balance, but immediately changed the subject.

If Obi’s record is strong, defend it.

Give the statistics.

You asked me to balance my perceptions. Fair enough.

But tell me, why must balancing Peter Obi's record involve changing the subject to Tinubu?

“what about Tinubu?” is not a defence of Peter Obi.

It is deflection.


The inability to discuss Peter Obi without immediately [b]suffering a Tinubu reflex [/b]should be studied by psychologists.

freshvine:
Peter Obi intellectual capacity compared to Tinubu's incoherent diatribes is like north pole to south pole of the earth gravitational pull

This is the standard Obidient deflection: once Obi’s record or claims are questioned, they quickly drag in Tinubu’s speaking style as if that automatically proves Obi’s intellectual depth.

But intelligence is not measured by speaking in smooth sentences alone. A man can sound polished and still be careless with facts. A man can speak calmly and still build arguments on wrong figures. So let us not confuse presentation with substance.

Peter Obi’s supposed “intellectual capacity” must also be tested by accuracy, depth, consistency and policy seriousness. And on that score, he has questions to answer.

This is a politician whose public claims have been repeatedly fact-checked. He once claimed almost 100 out of 150 NBA players were Nigerians; that was false. He claimed Nigeria had only about two million vehicles in 2018; NBS data showed over 11 million. He claimed Nigeria’s 2021 exports were below $30 billion; fact-checkers put the figure much higher. His 2018 vice-presidential debate claims were also reviewed, with several found false, exaggerated or only partly true.

So when you talk about intellectual capacity, please define it properly. Is it the ability to drop figures dramatically without verifying them? Is it the ability to repeat global comparisons that collapse under scrutiny? Is it the ability to say “Go and Verify” while making claims that fail verification?

Tinubu’s communication style can be criticised. Nobody is denying that. But that does not automatically turn Obi into Einstein of Onitsha market.

The issue before us is Obi’s own credibility. If his data is wrong, [i]his polish becomes packagin[/i]g. If his figures are careless, his confidence becomes performance.

So please, stop hiding Obi’s loose statistics behind Tinubu’s grammar. We are discussing facts, not elocution class.

AlbertNewton:
At the red bolded :
Could you cite other instances where he has made similar careless exaggerations ?

By the way, we all (as humans) have the tendency to exaggerate to some degree when we don't have all the facts (and having all the facts is difficult most times). Obi's focus when making the speech was not about describing the faculty, but rather to cite an example of how ex-convicts are being transformed into valuable parts of the society and how we can emulate that in Nigeria too.

The problem is that you guys see Obi from a perfectionist's prism and criticise anything he doesn't do (or say) perfectly.

Yes, I can cite other examples, and that is exactly the point.

Nobody is saying human beings do not make mistakes. The issue is that Peter Obi has built a whole political brand around “Go and Verify,” data, figures, examples and global comparisons. Once you make statistics your selling point, accuracy stops being optional.

This is not about one harmless slip. He once claimed that almost 100 out of 150 NBA players were Nigerians. That was fact-checked as false. He claimed Nigeria’s total exports in 2021 were below $30 billion. That was also fact-checked as false, because the figure was closer to $47 billion. He claimed Nigeria had only two million vehicles in 2018. NBS data put the figure at over 11 million. He has also made misleading comparisons on African trade, bank credit to GDP, and even HDI categories involving China, Indonesia, Vietnam and Nigeria.

So please, let us not pretend this is one innocent exaggeration about a faculty.

The problem is the pattern: Obi often uses dramatic examples and loose figures to create moral authority. Then when the facts are checked, his supporters say, “That was not the main point.” But if the details are not important, why use them to sell the point?

A man asking to govern over 200 million people cannot be defended with “everybody exaggerates.” Governance is not motivational speaking. Policy is built on facts, not vibes.

So yes, prison reform is a valid point. Ex-convict rehabilitation is a valid point. But a valid message does not excuse careless embellishment.

When your campaign slogan is “Go and Verify,” you should not be offended when people actually verify.

Mayflowa:
I enjoy debates and I am not against you quoting me. You ruined it with your first generalization implying I am an obedient follower that is somewhat delusional. I am not an obedient fan. I didn’t see him as a good governor but people have long forgotten what is good governance. All they just want is security which is the most basic function of government. lol. Yet people like you still praise the government of the day. You bore me with your meagre mind.

Nigeria has lost his statehood. People like you feel government are doing their best. Lol. The government has done nothing. They still budget billions to buy cutleries every year why people cannot travel from point A to B in Nigeria. They are still stealing money every minute while the country is being overrun by bandits. Do you know how government invest in technology and people to ensure their countries are protected?

If you had descended into your plethora of writing without your assumption, I will have no qualms with you. Again, there is an easterner already on presidential ticket that is top contender if election is free and fair

Fair enough. I apologise for mistaking you for an Obidient and grouping you with that crowd. That was my error. If you say you are not one of them, I take that.

But let us also be clear: supporting or defending certain actions of a government does not mean one believes government is perfect, or that the country is not facing serious challenges. I have never said Nigeria’s security situation is acceptable. It is not. I have never said government waste, corruption or reckless budgeting should be excused. They should not. A country where people cannot travel freely from one point to another without fear has a serious state-capacity problem.

Where we differ is that I do not believe anger alone is an alternative. Condemning government is easy. Building a viable alternative is the harder question.

That is my foundational point: Nigeria does not just need opposition; Nigeria needs a credible, organised, realistic and electorally viable alternative. One that understands security, economy, technology, federal coordination, intelligence, policing, border control, and political structure. Not just slogans. Not just moral outrage. Not just “anybody but the incumbent.”

On the issue of an easterner already being on the presidential ticket, I hear you. But being on a ticket is not the same thing as having a viable path to victory. Politics is not only about moral entitlement; it is also about structure, coalition, acceptability, numbers and strategy.

And if the easterner you are referring to is Peter Obi, then I must be honest: he has not impressed me enough to earn my confidence. I do not dislike him because he is Igbo; that would be childish. I question him because his claims, records and political behaviour have not withstood objective scrutiny to my satisfaction.

His supporters often sell him as if he is beyond examination, but no serious presidential candidate should be treated like sacred scripture. If you offer yourself to govern Nigeria, your record as governor, your economic claims, your understanding of security, your coalition-building capacity, your party management, and your ability to withstand pressure must all be interrogated.

For me, Obi has generated emotion, but he has not demonstrated enough political machinery. He has inspired a movement, but not built a durable national structure. He has attracted sympathy, but sympathy is not strategy.


So yes, quote me anytime. I enjoy debates too. But do not reduce my point to “praising government.” I am saying something more specific: bad government must be challenged by a better alternative, not by emotional noise pretending to be strategy.

DomPerignon:
There's a reason why we refer to them as a cult.

The obidients tick every box and raise every red flag that shows they are personality cult following.

I will seriously advise Obi to open his own church around himself because that's the only way he can cash out with his cult following because the Presidency will never be realized with this his cult followers who have turned many sane people away from Obi. Not that Obi did not contribute his own fair share in exposing that he is indeed a vapid empty head fraud.

You are very correct.
Honestly , there is a reason many people describe the Obidient movement as a personality cult.

It is not because they support Peter Obi. Every politician has supporters. The problem is the manner of support: unquestioning loyalty, instant abuse of dissenters, refusal to examine contradictions, emotional blackmail, moral superiority, and the strange belief that one man alone represents truth, competence and salvation.

That is not politics. That is political worship.

A normal political movement debates ideas. A cult protects the leader from scrutiny. A normal movement corrects mistakes. A cult explains them away. A normal movement builds alliances. A cult insults everyone outside the altar. A normal movement persuades undecided voters. A cult frightens them away.

And that is the tragedy of Peter Obi’s project. Many people who might have listened to him were pushed away by the aggressive, abusive, sanctimonious behaviour of some of his loudest followers. They turned politics into evangelism and disagreement into heresy.

At this point, Obi may as well open a political church, because some of his followers do not treat him like a candidate; they treat him like a messiah. Every statistic becomes scripture. Every interview becomes revelation. Every criticism becomes persecution.

But Nigeria does not elect saints by online anointing. It elects presidents through structure, coalition, persuasion, numbers and trust.

Obi himself has not helped matters. Too often, he speaks in attractive soundbites that collapse under scrutiny. He sells simplicity where complexity is required, morality where policy is needed, and slogans where strategy should stand.

So yes, the Obidient movement has passion. But passion without discipline becomes noise. Loyalty without questioning becomes worship. And politics without structure becomes a crusade looking for a miracle.

Unfortunately for them, Aso Rock is not won by hallelujah hashtags.

AMINDA:
On what legal basis is INEC refraining from registering new political parties while the incumbent government continues to destroy all existing parties? The law is not what Tinubu wants it to be, no matter who stands to benefit from it or is affected by it. If Tinubu is not interested in elections, he should say so and declare himself president instead of resorting to such cowardly antics that has never been seen before in the history of our democratic dispensation. Why should Wike's Justice Lifu go against an existing appeal Court judgement to rule on a matter and why should he give a Kangaroo judgement that is clearly wrong if not just to "buy time" and diminish the momentum of opposition parties as they head to appeal? Antics like this cost the ruling party votes from undecided voters and even from genuine APC voters that previously believed Tinubu stood a chance at the ballot.

Oga, calm down and separate law from hysteria.

First, INEC is not refusing to register parties because “Tinubu said so.” Political party registration is governed by the Constitution and the Electoral Act, not by street emotion. Associations must apply, meet the requirements, and pass INEC’s verification process. In fact, INEC received 171 applications, shortlisted 14, and has already registered new parties ahead of 2027. So your claim that INEC is simply blocking new parties is factually weak.

Second, deregistration of political parties is not a Tinubu invention. The Constitution gives INEC power to deregister parties that fail to meet minimum electoral performance requirements, and the Supreme Court has already affirmed that power. You may disagree with how Justice Lifu applied the law, and that is why appeals exist, but shouting “Tinubu wants to declare himself president” is not legal argument. It is campaign poetry.

Third, if there is a subsisting Court of Appeal order, then the affected parties should challenge the ruling on appeal. That is the proper constitutional route. But you cannot jump from “I disagree with a Federal High Court ruling” to “Tinubu is destroying democracy.” That is not analysis; that is panic dressed as activism.

The real problem with the opposition is not INEC or Justice Lifu. It is fragmentation, poor organisation, weak structure, ego-driven coalitions and reliance on outrage instead of strategy.

You people want to lose in court, lose structure, lose coalition discipline, then blame Tinubu for your political confusion.

Democracy is not strengthened by empty alarmism. Bring law, facts and strategy — not noise.

HIGHESTPOPORI:
Typical data boy,can't make a point without mentioning Obi

Typical Obidient — once they can’t respond to the issue, everybody becomes “data boy.”

Mentioning Obi is legitimate because Obi is not a private citizen in this debate; he is the political product you people marketed as the alternative. If we are discussing 2027, opposition strategy, Labour Party collapse, coalition confusion, Obidient behaviour, or South-East political bargaining, Obi is central to the conversation.

You cannot build an entire movement around one man, shout his name for three years, insult everyone who questions him, then suddenly develop allergy when his record, choices and consequences are examined.

So no, mentioning Obi is not obsession. It is accountability.

What is childish is dodging the point and shouting “data boy” because facts have refused to obey your emotions.

press9jatv:
BREAKING: Kenneth Okonkwo makes u-turn, withdraws support for Atiku

He wrote on his X handle:



Source

Atiku and the Cost of Obidient Arrogance by CharlesCNG

If Atiku Abubakar has truly turned away from a South-East running mate and settled for a South-South option, Obidients should not pretend to be shocked. Politics has consequences.

For months, many Obidient voices treated Atiku not as a potential coalition partner, but as an enemy to be humiliated. They insulted his age, mocked his ambition, dismissed his experience, branded him as desperate, and attacked anyone who suggested negotiation with him. Then, after burning the bridge, they expected him to build a road back to them.

That is not strategy. That is political childishness.

Atiku may have initially considered the South-East for balance, symbolism and coalition value. But why would any serious politician reward a bloc that has spent months abusing him, questioning his legitimacy, and treating him as disposable? Why choose a running mate from a political family whose loudest supporters cannot distinguish between negotiation and insult?

This is the deeper lesson. The South-East did not lose leverage only because of marginalisation. Some of its loudest political actors helped destroy that leverage through arrogance, emotionalism and poor coalition manners.

Kenneth Okonkwo can now complain about South-East exclusion, but the question remains: where was the strategy when Obidients were insulting Atiku? Where was the discipline when they were attacking everyone whose support they might later need?

You cannot abuse Atiku in January, reject him in March, mock his coalition in May, and cry marginalisation in June when he looks elsewhere.

Power is not won by permanent outrage. It is won by negotiation, restraint and leverage.

Obidients wanted respect without diplomacy. Atiku may have simply answered them in the only language politicians understand: exclusion.

Mayflowa:
I dont know a thing of what you’re talking about. Kenneth mentioned he left because easterner was not on vice-presidential ticket with Atiku. The person I quoted was welcoming him to Tinubu’s party as if there was an easterner on ticket with Tinubu. That was the essence of my question. Logic. I am not in the mood for stories of monkeys and bananas.

Apparently, you are not in the mood for monkeys and bananas, but you are perfectly in the mood for confusion and irrelevance.

First, this is Nairaland, not your sitting room. I can comment on any aspect of a discussion I find interesting. I do not require your permission or approval.

Second, if you truly understood logic, you would know that responding to one point does not preclude commenting on another. That is how discussions work.

Third, spare me the lecture on logic. A man who believes every comment must be confined to the narrow boundaries he approves of is hardly qualified to teach others how to reason.

And since you are so fond of dismissing arguments as stories, perhaps you should first learn that debates are won with counterarguments, not with monkeys, bananas and manufactured outrage.

The irony is that those who constantly invoke "logic" are often the first to abandon it when confronted with inconvenient points.

But by all means, continue. You are providing entertainment if not enlightenment.

IXZYOFAFRICA:
DR. AGBU KEFAS: THE BIG PICTURE

Leadership is best measured by the impact it has on the lives of the people. Across Taraba State today, many citizens can see and feel the difference that Governor Dr. Agbu Kefas is making.

Since assuming office, Dr. Kefas has remained focused on one goal: building a better Taraba for everyone. His administration's free education policy has brought relief to thousands of families, ensuring that children can go to school without the burden of school fees. For many parents, this has been a life-changing intervention and a renewed source of hope for their children's future.

The commitment to education goes even further. Across the state, 60 modern model schools are under construction, a bold investment that will provide a better learning environment for generations of Tarabans. It is a clear statement that the future of Taraba lies in educating and empowering its young people.

One of the most noticeable achievements of the administration has been in the area of security. Through deliberate efforts and collaboration with security agencies, Taraba has become safer and more peaceful. People can travel with greater confidence, businesses are operating more freely, and communities are experiencing a renewed sense of stability. This improvement in security has made everyday life easier for countless residents.

Governor Agbu Kefas has also taken decisive steps to tackle unemployment. By bringing over 5,000 previously unemployed Tarabans into the civil service, his administration has provided thousands of families with a stable source of income and renewed hope. This bold move demonstrates a clear commitment to creating opportunities and can rightly be described as a declaration of war against unemployment in the state.

Development is also visible in infrastructure, workers' welfare, and the aviation sector. The upgrading of the Danbaba Suntai Airport has improved connectivity and opened new opportunities for trade, investment, and tourism. Across the state, projects are taking shape, reflecting a government that is committed to delivering results.

What makes Governor Agbu Kefas stand out is his determination to keep moving forward despite challenges and distractions. Rather than allowing criticism to slow him down, he has remained focused on delivering tangible benefits to the people. The evidence of this commitment can be seen across the state.

Today, there is a growing sense of optimism among the people. Taraba is becoming safer. Education is expanding. Young people are finding opportunities. Development is reaching more communities. Most importantly, people can see a government that is working for them.

The big picture is simple: Dr. Agbu Kefas is laying the foundation for a stronger, safer, more educated, and more prosperous Taraba State. Through investments in education, security, employment, infrastructure, and aviation, he is building a future that offers greater opportunities for all.

Agbu Kefas is working. Taraba is getting better. And Tarabans have every reason to look to the future with confidence.

Taraba 2027: From PDP Fortress To Apc’s New North-east Prize by CharlesCNG

Taraba is no longer the simple PDP advantage it appeared to be in 2023. Yes, Atiku Abubakar won the state with 189,017 votes, Peter Obi followed with 146,315, and Bola Tinubu came third with 135,165. On those figures alone, Taraba looked like a state where anti-APC sentiment was dominant.

But politics is not frozen in past results.

The real earthquake came after Governor Agbu Kefas moved from PDP to APC, taking with him a large part of the state’s political structure. When the Speaker and 15 other PDP lawmakers defected, the entire 24-member Taraba Assembly became APC. With local government chairmen, councillors, commissioners, appointees and grassroots operators also aligning with the governor’s movement, the APC did not merely gain a politician; it gained the machinery of the state.

That changes 2027.

Peter Obi’s 146,315 votes in 2023 were partly powered by the shock and protest mood around the Muslim-Muslim ticket, especially among Christian and Middle Belt voters. But by 2027, that shock may soften. The ticket will no longer be judged only as fear; it will be judged against performance, access, security, federal presence and local alliances. Kefas, a Christian governor, standing with APC weakens the argument that Taraba Christians have no place in the ruling party.

The 2025 Karim 1 bye-election, where APC narrowly beat PDP, was the warning shot. Kefas’s defection is the cannon.

Taraba is now a real APC target for 2027.

Basic123:
And he does that alot.
I support OBI because I want Igbo president-NO PROBLEM

I support OBI because is is smart,intelligent and man of integrity with record of performance-YOU ARE A 419!

There is absolutely nothing wrong with saying, "I support Peter Obi because I want an Igbo President." That is an honest position. People support candidates for ethnic, ideological and regional reasons all the time.

The problem begins when supporters start selling him as some uniquely intelligent, infallible saint with unmatched integrity and then attack anyone who questions those claims.

No serious observer can honestly say Peter Obi has demonstrated exceptional judgment. A man who repeatedly exaggerates anecdotes, reacts before understanding issues, delegitimises institutions when they don't favour him, and whose supporters routinely substitute emotion for analysis cannot simply be declared a genius by decree.

As for "419", it means obtaining by false pretence.

And that is why critics argue that the Obi phenomenon has often resembled political 419: selling an ordinary politician as a messiah, marketing anecdotes as policies, and presenting hope as though it were a substitute for strategy and governance.

The issue is not that Peter Obi has supporters. Every politician does.

The issue is the false pretence that he is somehow above criticism, beyond contradiction and uniquely qualified by virtue of repeated assertions rather than demonstrated superiority.

A movement built on mythology eventually collides with reality.

And reality, unlike campaign slogans, cannot be shouted down.
There is nothing wrong with supporting your candidate.
The problem begins when marketing replaces scrutiny and hope is sold as competence.

Goodvibes007:

Peter Obi made some serious claims here:

1. The University of Southern California has a faculty where everyone is an ex-convict (lecturers including professors)

2. He spent days with them

3. The dean of the faculty spent 28 years in jail

4. The registrar has spent years in… pic.twitter.com/8P0qZvqHYl

— Bayo Bilisi (Back Up) (@Bayo_Bilisi) June 15, 2026

Nlfpmod

Peter Obi has a serious problem with careless exaggeration.

USC does have a Prison Education Project, where students and faculty engage incarcerated people through academic programmes. But that is not the same thing as claiming USC has a faculty where “everyone” is an ex-convict, with a dean and registrar who spent years in jail.

That is not analysis. That is storytelling without discipline.

A man who wants to be President must be careful with facts, especially when speaking publicly. Leadership is not motivational speaking. It requires accuracy, judgment and intellectual honesty.

This is the recurring problem: Obi hears a powerful anecdote, stretches it into a grand moral lesson, and expects applause before anyone asks for verification.

Presidents cannot govern by vibes, half-truths and emotional illustrations.

If you cannot describe a university programme accurately, how do you expect people to trust your description of national policy?
Anecdotes are not evidence, and exaggeration is not leadership.

Hedonisco:
Oga you don't have any point. Did the South West vote for Obasanjo in 1999? Their bloc votes were "wasted' on Olu Falae. Since 2003 to 2011, the North West votes were" wasted" on Buhari. So what exactly is your point? Why singling out the South East every time with this vexatious scapegoating?

Always saying shit and conjuring useless logic to make Igbos look bad. Just suck it up with this annoying reasoning.

You are actually proving my point while pretending to refute it.

Yes, the South-West largely voted for Olu Falae in 1999, yet Obasanjo still became President because he was carried by a broader national coalition. That is exactly the lesson: regional sentiment alone does not win power.

Yes, Buhari kept getting heavy North-West votes before 2015, but he only became President when he entered a wider coalition with the South-West and other political blocs. Again, coalition.

So what is my point? Simple: no region can produce a Nigerian President by talking to itself alone.

This is not scapegoating the South-East. It is political arithmetic. Peter Obi cannot become President on South-East votes and Obidient emotion alone. He needs alliances with people outside his natural base, including people his supporters insult daily.

You may not like the point, but insults will not defeat arithmetic.

Calling it “useless logic” does not answer the argument. It only confirms that when the facts become uncomfortable, abuse becomes the substitute.

Politics is not about who shouts loudest. It is about who builds the widest bridge.
Falae proved regional loyalty is not enough. Buhari proved coalition is everything. Obi and you obidients should learn both lessons.

emmyseg:
Instead of capturing the killers they're rehabilitated and reintegrated to the society... That's too bad 😞

This argument needs seriousness, not propaganda.

Yes, Nigeria has a controversial rehabilitation and reintegration programme for some surrendered or low-risk insurgents. That policy deserves scrutiny. Victims deserve justice. Communities deserve assurance. The state must never appear softer on killers than on citizens.

But reducing every security tragedy to “they are rehabilitating killers” is lazy politics.

The real question is: who should face trial, who qualifies for deradicalisation, who monitors reintegration, and what justice is given to victims?

That is where serious people argue.

But some people only remember insecurity when it helps their political hatred. The same people who romanticise IPOB violence or excuse separatist intimidation suddenly become born-again apostles of law and order when the tragedy can be pinned on Tinubu.

That is moral bankruptcy.

If your outrage depends on who the victim is, who the government is, or which political camp benefits, then it is not patriotism. It is opportunism.

So let us ask plainly: what exactly would Peter Obi do differently? Prosecute everyone? Rehabilitate nobody? Negotiate with nobody? Deploy differently? Reform intelligence how?

Slogans are easy. Governance is harder.

Ezeama400:
If these four general could be butchered like this, what made some of these Tinubu supporters who saw this and still supporting the government think they are safe?

It’s not yet your turn lovely..

What a sad and revealing comment.

Instead of mourning a national tragedy, some people immediately see an opportunity for political point-scoring. Four senior officers lose their lives, and your first instinct is to tell fellow Nigerians, "It's not yet your turn."

What kind of politics is that?

Civilised people do not leverage tragedy to settle political scores or wish suffering on those who disagree with them. That is not opposition. That is opportunism wrapped in bitterness.

And since you are so certain that everyone else is headed for disaster, perhaps tell us: who is your candidate, and what exactly would he do differently?

How would he eliminate insecurity? How would he guarantee that no military personnel would ever die in service? How would he solve the challenges that have confronted every administration since 1999?

Or is the plan simply to weaponise every tragedy and dance on the graves of the fallen for political applause?

A nation is not built by those who exploit its sorrows but by those who seek solutions to them.

The greatest tragedy is not disagreement. It is when political hatred becomes so consuming that human suffering is reduced to a campaign talking point.

That is not compassion. It is moral bankruptcy.

HIGHESTPOPORI:
Thank God you said registered,as a data boy talking without thinking.

Obidient spotted.!!

You people are becoming painfully predictable.

Make a substantive point, and instead of addressing it, you get "data boy," "BATist," or some other tired label.
It's like arguing with a broken record stuck on repeat.

Notice what happened here. A point was raised about consistency in attitudes towards judicial decisions. Rather than address the substance, you immediately resorted to sarcasm and name-calling.

This is precisely the problem with this bunch. Deflection has become a substitute for argument.

You accuse others of not thinking, yet your response contains no rebuttal, no facts, no counterargument—just labels.

A serious mind engages points. A partisan mind attacks personalities.

And that is why many people no longer take this obidients brand of politics seriously. It has become an echo chamber where disagreement is treated as heresy and insults are mistaken for intelligence.

If all you have in response to an argument is "data boy," then perhaps the data is winning.

seunmsg:
Was any sacred institution sacrificed on the altar of politics when the same court ordered INEC to register NDC despite the fact that the party did not meet the requirements for registration as evaluated by INEC?

Fantastic point.

Was any "sacred institution sacrificed on the altar of politics" when the same judiciary ordered INEC to register the NDC despite INEC's earlier determination that the requirements had not been met?

Apparently, judicial independence is only sacred when judgments favour one's political preferences.

This selective reverence for institutions is precisely the problem. Elections are free and fair when they win. Courts are independent when they rule in their favour. Judges are heroes when they validate their positions and agents of politics when they don't.

That is not democratic culture. That is partisan emotionalism masquerading as principle.[i][/i]

A true democrat respects institutions even when they deliver inconvenient outcomes. Otherwise, one is merely advocating the rule of preferred judgments, not the rule of law.

Institutions cannot be sacred on Monday and satanic on Tuesday simply because the verdict changed.

Consistency is the first test of conviction.

yarimo:
Obi is just reacting in the name of I have reacted, if you ask him to explain the court judgment he can't

Peter Obi often appears to react simply because “I must react.”

But leadership is not noise. Statesmanship requires restraint, depth and judgment.

If you ask many of those shouting about the ADC deregistration judgment to explain the legal reasoning, they probably cannot. The proper democratic response to a judgment you disagree with is appeal, not instant institutional delegitimisation.

A presidential aspirant must know when to speak, how to speak, and when silence is wiser.

The problem is not that Obi talks. The problem is that he too often speaks before demonstrating that he understands the full weight of what he is reacting to.

That is not statesmanship. That is political commentary dressed as leadership.
Leadership is not reacting to everything. Sometimes, judgment is knowing when not to speak.

Spectators:
POMR STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

" *Our sacred institutions must not be sacrificed on the altar of politics" - Obi reacts to the Court deregistration order.*

The Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, has decried the growing damage to the nation's sacred institutions on the altar of politics.

Reacting to the Federal High Court ruling today deregistering some political parties, including ADC, Obi remarked that the nation rises when institutions are stronger and not when they're politicised.

Writing on his X handle, the 2023 Labour Party Presidential Candidate said, "When the controversy surrounding the removal of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, unfolded, I expressed a concern to a friend: that the greatest damage might not be immediate, but the message it sends about the sanctity and independence of our institutions to the world."

"Strong economies are built on trust. Investors can manage security risks, policy risks, and even market risks. What they fear most is uncertainty in the rule of law and a judiciary that is perceived to be vulnerable to political pressure.

"Today, many Nigerians have lost confidence in systems that should protect them. Businesses increasingly request that their contracts be governed by foreign jurisdictions because they have greater confidence in those institutions than in our own. That should concern every patriot.

"We must never sacrifice our sacred institutions on the altar of politics. Nations rise when institutions are stronger than individuals. *The Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of the ADC and other political parties is just one of those activities that further reduces the common man's trust in our legal systems*; it should be reversed."

I pledge that we will restore the dignity, independence, and integrity of the judiciary. The common man must have a voice. The business community must be protected from legal uncertainty and intimidation. Justice must be impartial, accessible, and respected by all.

"To our judges, legal luminaries, senior advocates, and lawyers: this is your moment. Rise, defend the rule of law, take back your country! A new Nigeria is possible.
*E-sign* .
Ibrahim Umar.
POMR Spokesman
15 June 2026


https://newsense.ng/obi-condemns-court-ordered-deregistration-of-adc-warns-against-politicising-institutions/

This is another worrying example of Peter Obi’s poor judgment on democratic institutions.

A man who wants to be President should understand how rule of law works. If you disagree with a court judgment, you appeal. If you believe a judge acted improperly, there are institutional channels like the NJC.

But to immediately frame an unfavourable judgment as politics is dangerous. That is not defence of democracy; it is subtle delegitimisation of the judiciary.

The Federal High Court reportedly relied on constitutional performance thresholds for party deregistration. ADC itself says it will appeal, which is the proper legal route.

So why should an aspiring President speak as if the court exists only when judgments favour him?

Institutions are not sacred only when they validate our political interests. They are sacred even when they rule against us.

That is the difference between a democrat and a mob hero.

Godfullsam:
He is not coming to APC.

He already said he can not support a party that doesn't have an Igbo candidate as either president or at least vice president.

NDC is the best bet for him. It remains to be seen if obi can/will pardon him and receive him.

That is exactly the problem.

Of what strategic value is an Igbo politician leaving one space only to join a mostly Igbo political comfort zone? What new votes does he bring? What new region does he open? What national bridge does he build?

Politics is not about gathering people who already agree with you. It is about expanding your reach into places where you are weak.

If every Igbo politician runs back to a platform where Peter Obi is already strong, then what exactly has been gained? More applause, perhaps. But not more power.

This is the recurring weakness in South-East politics: confusing emotional safety with strategic positioning.

A serious politician should ask: where can I increase my region’s bargaining power? Where can I negotiate access? Where can I build alliances outside my natural base?

Joining a familiar camp may feel good. But politics is not therapy. It is arithmetic.

Hedonisco:
Backing the wrong horse like Obasanjo, Yar'Adua and Goodluck Jonathan? Or you wanted Igbos to back disasters like Buhari and Tinubu?

Was it a 'wrong horse' when the South East backed Atiku/Obi in 2019, which they actually won, but we're rigged out?

This kind of defective and insincere reasoning casts you in very bad light.

You are proving my point about defective reasoning.

Nobody said the South-East should have backed Buhari or Tinubu. The issue is not whether the region chose the morally superior candidate. The issue is whether it has exercised political judgment in a manner that translates into influence and power.

You cite Obasanjo, Yar'Adua and Jonathan as if they were "wrong horses", yet those administrations emerged through broad coalitions and actually produced presidents. That is how politics works.

You also claim Atiku/Obi won in 2019 but were rigged out. Fine. But what exactly is the lesson? That elections should henceforth be approached with greater coalition-building and strategic thinking, or that everyone else must simply acknowledge your superior judgment?

Politics is not an annual examination where marks are awarded for identifying the "best candidate." It is a contest for power. If your preferred candidates repeatedly lose, and your region's leverage continues to diminish, perhaps the time has come for introspection rather than self-congratulation.

The irony is that Peter Obi himself cannot become President solely with South-East votes. He requires alliances with the very political actors many of his supporters routinely insult and alienate.

That is the contradiction.

Being right is not enough. In politics, the ability to build and sustain coalitions is itself a form of judgment.

Otherwise, one may end up with the satisfaction of saying "I told you so" while others hold the offices.

Niwdog:
You forgot to analyze the 2019 election or 1999,2003,2007, 20011 when they backed the right candidates, Why don't you ask yourself why it is that ever since the South East stopped voting(backing )the candidates that won elections things have gone from frying pan to fire and it's currently looking for hell fire if we fail to choose the right man amongst the three. Elections in Nigeria currently haven't really given the overall best but it always presents us with someone better than the others, between Jonathan and Buhari we all will now agree that Jonathan was a better option, which proves Igbo right, between Buhari and Atiku, believe me, Atiku is better , between Tinubu and Obi I dare say Obi is better, current administration is proving that right

You have actually made my point for me.

If the South-East has consistently identified the "better candidate" since 1999, why has that superior judgment not translated into political power or national influence?

Politics is not an IQ test. It is the art of building winning coalitions. Being right and being victorious are two different things.

There is also a contradiction in your argument. You insist Peter Obi was the best candidate, yet as things stand today, he cannot become President on the strength of South-East votes or even Obidient votes alone. He can only emerge through a broad coalition with other regions and political interests.

Which is precisely the point. Nigeria does not elect presidents by moral superiority but by arithmetic, alliances and accommodation.

Nobody is denying the right of the South-East to support whoever it considers the better candidate. The question is whether repeatedly taking positions that leave the region isolated ultimately advances or diminishes its influence.

After all, if being right were sufficient, Peter Obi would already be President. The fact that he isn't suggests that politics requires something beyond merely being right.

In politics, virtue without strategy is often indistinguishable from self-consolation.

Mayflowa:
Is Tinubu vice going to be from South East in 2027?

typical obidient's tinubu deflection.

Those lamenting the possibility of the South-East being denied the ADC vice-presidential slot should perhaps be more concerned about whether the APC vice-presidential ticket in 2031 will even go to the region.

Politics rewards strategy, coalition-building and long memories. It rarely rewards insults, emotionalism and the politics of permanent outrage.

If present trends continue, the tragedy may not be 2027, but that the South-East could find itself repeatedly bypassed in 2039 and even 2047 by major parties.

That would be unfortunate, because competent leaders like Dave Umahi and Charles Soludo do not deserve to inherit the consequences of years of political self-sabotage.

In politics, grievances alone do not secure power. Strategy does.

press9jatv:
BREAKING: Kenneth Okonkwo makes u-turn, withdraws support for Atiku

He wrote on his X handle:



Source

Those who spent months abusing Atiku Abubakar, questioning his integrity and treating him as yesterday's man are suddenly outraged by reports surrounding his VP choice.

Politics is not conducted in a vacuum. Words have consequences. Loyalty is remembered, but so are insults.

Perhaps the bigger surprise is not Atiku's decision, but the expectation that abuse should attract political rewards.

aswani:
Another banger of a post telling it how it is.

Thanks for the lesson, well overdue.

Watch how the usual suspects ignore the finger pointing at them and start pointing theirs at President Tinubu.

Thanks, bro. I appreciate it.

Honestly, they are now so predictable that I’m beginning to enjoy this. Their responses are more revealing than the post itself.

Ask about Peter Obi, and before you finish saying “Go and Verify,” they are already pointing at Tinubu. 😂

To paraphrase Churchill:

Never have so many questions about one man been answered with so many complaints about another.

At this point, their responses are proving my argument better than I ever could. 😁

SeeWahala:
The same person who was operating the general ditari/princessfans/evelynluv/math2020 etc RoNu rambling monikers that maintain illegible threads on this politics section

Na him you wan dey preach peace give 🤗

Tilumbu's impending loss has turned their future to chaff

🤣🤣🤣 Oga, una still dey shout “Tilumbu’s impending loss.”

No problem.

But Peter Obi himself teach us: “Go and Verify.”

Some of us simply unwrap the package and discover say the suya no fresh as advertised. In fact, na maggot we see inside.

No vex.

Consumer protection no be hate.

Na better thing to inspect meat before you chop am than to swallow spoiled suya because of fine packaging and hype. 😁

As for 2027, abeg make we reach bridge before we cross am.

Last time, many people bought the well-wrapped suya wey don spoil. You think say you go fool them a second time?

De play. 😂
No be every suya wey dem wrap with fine newspaper dey fresh. Wise people dey unwrap am first. Na wetin some of us dey do." 😂😁

"Go and Verify no mean go and swallow. Sometimes, verification na to unwrap the suya and discover say e don spoil

Tochi3:


. ..what is your problem. ? ..have you eaten..before you think..?..why shoukd it not end with tilumbu..?..is he not the jagabandits of guru that can tame the Atlantic ocean. ?

...is it better under Tilumbu to eat fake statistics or semovita..

...Go and eat semovita..so you can think properly...

😂😂😂 Oga, after all the grin grin and semovita prescription, you still never tell us wetin Peter Obi go do differently.

Which means my article still stand.

The inability to discuss Peter Obi for five minutes without mentioning Tinubu should be studied by psychologists. 😁

Anyway, I don chop. Have you answered the question? 😂
"I ask about Obi, you answer Tinubu. I think say na joke before, but una don turn am to science." 😂😁

Taraba is no longer the simple PDP advantage it appeared to be in 2023. Yes, Atiku Abubakar won the state with 189,017 votes, Peter Obi followed with 146,315, and Bola Tinubu came third with 135,165. On those figures alone, Taraba looked like a state where anti-APC sentiment was dominant.

But politics is not frozen in past results.

The real earthquake came after Governor Agbu Kefas moved from PDP to APC, taking with him a large part of the state’s political structure. When the Speaker and 15 other PDP lawmakers defected, the entire 24-member Taraba Assembly became APC. With local government chairmen, councillors, commissioners, appointees and grassroots operators also aligning with the governor’s movement, the APC did not merely gain a politician; it gained the machinery of the state.

That changes 2027.

Peter Obi’s 146,315 votes in 2023 were partly powered by the shock and protest mood around the Muslim-Muslim ticket, especially among Christian and Middle Belt voters. But by 2027, that shock may soften. The ticket will no longer be judged only as fear; it will be judged against performance, access, security, federal presence and local alliances. Kefas, a Christian governor, standing with APC weakens the argument that Taraba Christians have no place in the ruling party.

The 2025 Karim 1 bye-election, where APC narrowly beat PDP, was the warning shot. Kefas’s defection is the cannon.

Taraba is now a real APC target for 2027.