₦airaland Forum

echoxyz:
Make Una drag am well well o.

But he will still be your president till 2031.

He will keep making policies (positive or negative) that will affect your generations yet unborn.

He will be the one to decide if the VP in 2031 will come to your region or not.

And lastly, he will be the one to either release Nnamdi kanu or kpai him in Sokoto.

At least you acknowledge he makes negative policies. The question now is whether the negatives do not outweigh the positives. Second question is, will the others like Helinues acknowledge Tinubu has made certain mistakes especially with how he removed subsidy, treated restructuring question questionably, played politics with economic cum security situation under Jonathan.

I still prefer him to Buhari and Obi sha.

The 2026 Phillips Consulting State Performance Index (pSPI), released this week, placed Enugu State at the top of the 33 states assessed as the most improved relative to the national average, while identifying Edo State as the least improved.

While it will be difficult to cut through the political noise that this report is most likely to generate, it is essential to put this very important survey into proper perspective and draw the necessary lessons from its findings.

The 2026 pSPI is more than another state ranking. Built on 37 performance indicators across seven pillars— security, education, health, basic infrastructure, governance, economic development, and fiscal performance—it combines 70 percent objective data with 30 percent citizen perception. More significantly, this year’s edition introduces a Momentum Index that measures whether states are moving forward or backward relative to the national average. It is, therefore, not merely a snapshot of where states are today but a measure of the direction in which they are travelling. That distinction is critical.

For Edo State, there is no ambiguity as to why it sits precariously at the bottom of the table. Any objective observer of trends in Nigeria’s political economy can readily relate to the massive retrogression that has afflicted Edo in less than 24 months.

The various states that performed below expectations in the pSPI report have different reasons for falling short. Some struggle with limited institutional capacity, weak fiscal management, poor infrastructure, or governance deficiencies. However, few, if any, can be said to have deliberately deployed a wrecking ball against the very foundations of what could have become one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing subnational economies in the manner Edo State has done over the last 20 months.

Prior to the ascendancy of the current administration in Edo State, significant institutional transformation had resulted in tangible human capacity development outcomes, exemplified by a now globally renowned education transformation initiative called the Edo State Basic Education Transformation (EDOBEST) initiative that significantly boosted learning outcomes for over half a million students.

There was also a significant transformation of the civil and public service, leading to markedly enhanced public service delivery through a transparent and digitised procurement process and a paperless civil service that ensured transparent and efficient monitoring and guidance of economic growth, championed by an unshackled private sector.

Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of policy decisions taken by the current administration in Edo State reflect what appears to be a willful and unconscionable dismantling of the state’s economic architecture and the systematic impoverishment of its people.

How does one explain a government that inherited a functioning state—by whatever political means—but failed to recognise that every productive asset on the state’s balance sheet represented an advantage to be preserved and improved? Was it anger? Was it pride? Was it envy? It remains difficult to identify any rational explanation for why a government would appear determined to take a sledgehammer to its own socio-economic assets. Government
There was also a significant transformation of the civil and public service, leading to markedly enhanced public service delivery through a transparent and digitised procurement process and a paperless civil service that ensured transparent and efficient monitoring and guidance of economic growth, championed by an unshackled private sector.

The Independent Power Project, Ossiomo Power, which the Edo State Government facilitated through an entirely private-sector investment, was among the first casualties. The 95-megawatt power plant supplied electricity to virtually all state government institutions and a significant number of private businesses in Benin City. Yet it became the target of sustained official hostility, resulting in the crippling of one of the state’s most strategic infrastructure investments and plunging large sections of the state back into darkness, with the inevitable consequences of declining productivity, reduced investor confidence, and increased operating costs for businesses.

Next came an episode of international embarrassment when, in an apparent bid to hijack a museum project privately owned by the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) Trust—with significant international support, partnerships, and credibility—the facility was invaded by thugs allegedly sponsored by the state government. The resulting dispute has kept the institution, which The New York Times listed among its 52 Places to Go in 2025, under lock and key for well over a year, undermining investor confidence in one of Nigeria’s most ambitious cultural and creative economy initiatives.

There is also the over 90 percent completed 150-room, five-star Radisson Hotel project, facilitated by the previous administration with majority equity held by private investors. Rather than ensuring the completion and commissioning of a project capable of transforming Edo’s hospitality and tourism sectors, creating thousands of jobs, and generating significant internally generated revenue, the government has frustrated its take-off despite its enormous economic potential.

It is essential to note that the aforementioned MOWAA, Radisson, and millions of dollars in private-sector investment attracted to the agricultural sector by the immediate past administration in Edo State, which were savagely attacked by the current government, were the outcome of an integrated strategy to diversify the Edo economy away from the dangerous dependence on federal allocation by leveraging the state’s unique comparative advantage in its ancient and unmatched arts and culture, as well as its extensive and fertile agricultural land.

There has also been the extrajudicial demolition of private property across the state; the disruption of the land administration system established by the previous government, which enabled citizens to obtain secure legal title to land within two months at reasonable cost; and attempts to dismantle the investor-friendly framework painstakingly built over several years. While the government was busy dismantling the land administration system, it also attempted to assume control over Presco Plc’s operations by revoking the Certificate of Occupancy covering the land on which the company’s plantations and processing facilities are situated—an action that sent troubling signals to both local and international investors about the security of investments in Edo State. Government

Equally disturbing has been the collapse of the integrated security management system established by the previous administration, including the world-class Security Fusion Centre, with its sophisticated surveillance infrastructure and intelligence-driven crime prevention architecture. At a time when insecurity continues to threaten economic growth across Nigeria, dismantling an operational security ecosystem represents not merely administrative negligence but a serious setback to public safety and economic confidence.

Unlike many states whose poor showing in the pSPI may be attributed to weak capacity, inadequate resources, or administrative shortcomings, Edo’s descent appears fundamentally rooted in a political process that many citizens believe denied them the opportunity to freely choose their leaders. It remains the conviction of a significant number of Edo people that the current governor was not the candidate who received the genuine mandate of the electorate. They believe that, had the will of the people prevailed, the state would today be under the leadership of seasoned corporate lawyer and respected private-sector leader, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, and that Edo’s trajectory on the pSPI would almost certainly have been markedly different.

Perhaps the most important lesson from the 2026 Phillips Consulting State Performance Index is that governance has consequences, and those consequences eventually become measurable. Progress can be painstakingly built over many years and dismantled in a remarkably short period through poor leadership, policy inconsistency, institutional destruction, and political vindictiveness.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/07/29/phillips-consulting-performance-index-learnings-from-the-edo-state-decline/

Seun.

A lawyer know how the law works. You don’t go around intimidating such people. The police should know better.

Meanwhile, I am of the view that least qualification to enter the police should be OND. My opinion though.

What does power of incumbency even mean? Power to influence results? Does common sense support that?

He should start with power. No country truly develops without power.

Ofcourse, I can’t advise a man 100s of times richer than myself but then if it’s for reasons as patriotism and not the money he already has, Nigerians are pleading for investments in power. I pray this reaches him.

PulaPower:
“Nigeria has approximately 300,000 schools and fewer than 300,000 soldiers. It is not practicable for the Federal Government to guard every school in Nigeria. That is why President Bola Tinubu proposed State Police and asked the Governors to get on board. Only the State Police can secure Nigeria’s 300,000 schools.

But this is analogy is valid and correct.

You guys and deflecting. The concern is about his hypocrisy, stay on the subject.

If he must give a contrary opinion from his last, the least he can do is apologize and state that in light of new revelation, he is asserting a new position.

Goodevening Gentlemen and Ladies,
You simply can refer to me as Mr. Richard, and I am a lawyer based in Benin-City.
In recent times, I have been ruminating on possible ways to solving transport, environment and security challenges across Edo State in private, corporate capacities, and it struck me that creating a group of professionals, having same mind, could help. Let’s consider environment for example.

ENVIRONMENT.
I intend planting 1000 trees/flowers around the city centers of Oredo, Ikpoba Okha and Egor. Drive round Benin and you’ll find that the city is lacking in greenery. No parks, no gardens, nothing. Meanwhile, a trip to Calabar and you’d see in beauty in tree planting.

Waste disposal in Benin-City is terrible. People, especially around markets, are either dumping their waste in gutters, or at the middle of the road. Most gutters are clogged, sometimes by washed sand. Can we put together a team that helps with the gutter clearing while working on solutions to proper disposal of waste. “It just dawned on me that simply getting markets huge waste tanks can help.”

TRAFFIC
Broken traffic lights are scattered round the city. On many routes, road users do not obey traffic. Can the attention of relevant agencies be drawn to this?
Bus drivers are a menace on Sapele Road, New Benin, Third. What can be done?
Market Women sell their wares on pedestrian walk and even on the road. How do we deal with this?

The intention as stated is to get a body of professionals living in Benin-City; lawyers, judges, urban planners, architects, security experts, journalists, etc, that can create time, deploy skill, interphase with government, to ensure a working city. Please note that no one person is being asked to pay money. I intend to register this group of professionals with CAC, so it has legal backing to pursue the right course.

If interested, please leave a message on my mention.

Mynd 44, Seun, Dominique, lalasticlala, Helinues, I want to advertise this but don’t know how. We have been asked to fix our country. Please push this, let’s start here. Residents of other states can equally push in their state.

DomPerignon:
Duke is not and will never be a politician.

Anyone from Cross River will tell you that Duke outsourced politicking to senior veteran politicians while he concentrated in governance.

You can get away with this on the state level but not as President of Nigeria.

The President of Nigeria must be a thorough bred politician who builds networks and bridges across every state in the polity .

Even late Buhari can never be considered a good president because he was a terrible politician in every aspect and was more comfortable with his inner circles and usual northern Muslim networks which saw him rightly described as being sectional.

Duke doesn't have that political bone and he never even bothered to build a network across Nigeria to being a real politician.

The way some of you sound. How has politicking right or building network helped Nigeria's insecurity, corruption situation, power, etc?
Get in right administrators and leave politics for once.

givedemwotowoto:
You want to try your luck on the streets of Abeokuta?

Man takes to the streets of Abeokuta, Ogun State, to ask residents who they would prefer between President Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 elections. pic.twitter.com/LV1mTmAICE

— CHUKS 🍥 (@ChuksEricE) May 19, 2026

Bros, create a topic and post this. I think it helps gauge the pulse of the common man on the street.

If elections were indeed free and fair, I doubt Tinubu will win because of the hardship in the land.

I support Tinubu and his reforms but seeing they are not popular, Nigerians will go with anyone they feel will ease their pain even though in the long run it doesn’t benefit the country. Sad reality.

Lithiumite:
Bros, you wan put obi fir wahala, if he should come out and make any statement on those things you mentioned ,his ambition would be dead before the first ballot is cast.

My brother, but why can’t we tell ourselves the truth? The unity of Nigeria but not cost the life of anyone especially when some persons are no longer interested. Those of us interested can continue. Indeed the heterogeneous nature of Nigeria contributes to why things aren’t working. Countries with fewer differences in tribe and religion fair better.

Yes I love Nigeria.

I support Tinubu yo win a second term so atleast his reforms can take root.
I also have one reservation about Obi, seeing Anambra, there was nothing spectacular he did at the time.

HOWEVER, OBI’s CLAIMS TO STABILIZING NIGERIA IN 4 YEARS MIGHT NOT BE WORNG. Why?
1. Igbos as a major tribe in Nigeria deserves a shot at presidency to ease the civil war injuries.
2. As an Igbo man, correcting the lopsided Nigerian structure that gives undue advantage to the North especially at the National Assembly and MDGs should be on his mind.
3. Igbos have been taunted with not really wanting a break from Nigeria. Well, OBI’s emergence should seal the decision on whether to secede or stay as OBI’s ascendancy becomes the easiest route to doing that, so those that feel Igbos are reason for Nigeria’s bad reputation can now have a stable Nigeria without Igbos.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Nigeria.

So I have been joking with the "japa" idea, forming patriotic. For the sake of my kids, I need do better. These guy will hold public offices tomorrow and you expect governance cost to lower? Just sad.

Mkairbag:
The rise of Peter Obi and the Obedient Movement marked a powerful shift in Nigeria’s political landscape. For the first time in a long while, many young Nigerians felt a sense of ownership in the democratic process. The energy, the mobilization on social media, and the desire for change showed that Nigerian youth are no longer apathetic. That in itself is significant.

However, enthusiasm alone is not enough to build a nation.

There is a growing concern that the same youth who are energized are not asking the right questions. It is understandable that many are dissatisfied with the current administration under Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Economic hardship, insecurity, and governance challenges have created frustration. But dissatisfaction should not replace critical thinking.

Nigeria has been here before.

In 2015, many Nigerians.especially young people. rallied behind Muhammadu Buhari with high hopes for change. The dominant narrative then was also about replacing the incumbent, not necessarily scrutinizing the alternative deeply enough. Today, the outcome of that decision is widely debated, and many feel the expectations were not met. That moment should have been a lesson in political responsibility.

Yet, it appears history may be repeating itself.

A troubling trend in current political discourse is the “anything but Tinubu” mindset. While the desire for change is valid, choosing leadership based solely on opposition rather than evaluation can lead to unintended consequences. Leadership is not just about being different. it is about being prepared, competent, and accountable.

The Obedient Movement has shown what is possible when youth unite. But unity without interrogation is risky. Nigerian youth must go beyond slogans and emotional support. They must demand clarity on policies, question track records, and critically assess the capacity of any aspirant seeking the presidency, including Peter Obi or anyone else.

The future of Nigeria depends not just on participation, but on informed participation.

If the youth truly want lasting change, they must resist the temptation of blind support and instead embrace constructive scrutiny. Asking the right questions today is the only way to avoid regret tomorrow.

I like your assessment of the the issue but it is embarrassing and repulsive when APC supporters reference the 2015 protest votes against PDP and resulting consequences. For crying out loud, it is this same APC now taking advantage of that narrative that orchestrated the removal of Jonathan. For me, they ought first take responsibility for bringing forward Buhari, as well as apologize to Nigerians, before stating to the rest of us that it is wrong to rush in on such decisions.

I

PotatoSalad:
It's accepting the truth.
The truth that naija can never get better in our lifetime. It doesn't matter who you put in power. Doesn't matter if it's obi, atiku, kwankwaso.
Even if you have a good leader, there'll always be people like this professor. I was involved in a government contract recently and it changed my perspective on our problems in this country. Whatever you think is bad now, whether it's corruption or bad leadership, is severely underreported.
It's actually way worse.
Way worse that people are undermining the efforts of others even at the lowest positions

I don't have problem with people coming to terms with whatever reality. My problem is with the hypocrisy of not coming out to apologize to Jonathan for all those insult since we now know Nigeria's problem is beyond one man.

Emeskhalifa:
But why are Nigerians so attached to South Africa? Like don't y'all got some self esteem?

Wish I could "like" this twice. I get it, Nigeria is at a low, but for crying out loud, can we not just respect ourselves?

PotatoSalad:
You see. Tomorrow we'll still blame Tinubu. Small director of housing don dey feel like Merlin. Imagine if he now becomes LG chairman or commissioner.
Nigeria problem isn't bad leadership. Nigeria problem is Nigerians. All of us collectively.
We are not good people. That's why we expect magic to happen in government but it'll never. For naija to get better, charity must begin at home. Until we start taking accountability, pray how you want, hope how you want, nothing's changing. Even if there's a messiah tomorrow, as long as we don't start telling ourselves the truth that WE ARE THE PROBLEM, it won't matter.

The problem with your assertion is if you all knew this, how come you all came hard against Jonathan, and not just blame the collective Nigerian?

Congratulations sir. As a politician, there is life outside politics and some Lagos governors have shown that. First it was Fashola, now Sanwolu. Other leaders should take the hint, not turning politics to a career.

datola:
Lagos Marriot's is as beautiful as other from around the world.

Till you drive out from the compound into the next street.

Na joke I dey ooo. I’m definitely pro-Nigerian.

Lanretoye:
a common man must work before a common man can eat,the government is not formed to give a common man free food…in fact a common man pays taxes in sane countries,I bet my balls that the only thing you know that is called tax is VAT.dont come here and blame all your predicaments on government,tell us which government favored you since you were born.
Some people made fortune during OBJs regime and some people lamented,the same thing up till buharis regime like Elrufai and ameachi are doing,same also is this regime of Tinubu…even if Jesus Christ becomes president,if you no go make am,you no go make am.you go just cry tire
The insanity of some people will make them say they are brilliant when they pass exam,but when they fail they will say it is government.
When they were jumping into coalition without diligence,they were shouting Tinubu will lose election before 12am on Election Day,little problem come then they started shouting Tinubu is scuttling opposition.


Atiku was vice president too,let’s judge him on results

Wrong assessment!
1. No level of an individual person's hardwork will help improve the state of security if government lacks political will to so do. No security, no economy, no economy equals poverty.

2. No individual person can improve power, reason government has a power ministry. No power equals no economy which equals poverty.

There will be pockets of people that will find wealth in the midst of this, but what is the overall average? Can you compare Nigeria's life expectancy to that of South-Africa? Now compare governance.

In working countries, the politics rhetoric is downplayed, while governance is better estimated.

Yes Atiku failed. I don't even like Obi who cannot point to one protogee. I will pick Tinubu ahead of both, but the commenter made salient points that cannot be wished away. Besides APC advocated change from the old guard, only for Buhari to ruin things.

timbabng:
People in the comments don't even understand how to read the charts. What happened to Education in this country? Just shouting APC, Buhari.

Despite our rapid population growth, access to electricity went up to 61%. We were around 125 million In 1999. That means we would have been close to 100% now if not for the reckless population explosion.

And government never took out a deliberate policy against population explosion? Kindly tell what governor is doing even in 2026 about population management and planning.

I support Tinubus reforms but still maintain that FG's position on e-transmission is wrong. How do you improve an institution if you don't test-run it's process. In another 10years, we will continue o decry infrastructure for e-transmission. Kick start the e-transmission process, hiccups will be identified and improved upon.

Wike strong oooo!l Never has this sort of politicking been seen in Nigeria. PDP man raise APC man hand. Una do this one.

Wait, is Ambode running for councilorship too?

fedorahat:
I don't disagree to that, but the headline says opposition stood up for Nigerians

Am a Nigerian, I don't see them standing up for me, people who also oppose e transmission are Nigerians

But the greater number that have voted in favor of e-transmission here are not Congolese sir.

Politics aside, if you ask those outside the walls of NA to vote on this issue, you’ll see a greater number will vote E-transmission. It is not about Tinubu but about INEC as an institution. After Tinubu whom I also like, what next?

muykem:
I support electronic transmission but we need to ask ourselves some question. For example, if saboteur cut Anambra state off of Internet on election day, what happened to results there?

If we continue to entertain these fears, then we’ll never get there. If there are hip-cups, we learn from it and move on. The manual process has not been fantastic either.

fedorahat:
The beauty of democracy is options, my option does not need to align with yours, it only needs to be respected.

I prefer manual transmission, it's easier to tamper electronically than manually.

Exactly. I respect your opinion, but an online poll on this thread shows a greater number prefer electronic voting.

integrity16:
They stood for themselves, not Nigerians.

If these people were to be in the majority, they would not have cared about real time transmission of result, they would do exactly the way the current majority of NASS did.

So they should stop whining us.

I'm curious, why will any majority refuse real time transmission?

fedorahat:
Am a Nigerian
Did I send then to stand for me.

I want manual transmission

While your position is respected, a poll here will determine whether larger numbers want e-transmission or not.

I want Tinubu back as his reforms are great but strengthening our electoral process and institution is more important. After Tinubu in 2031, what then happens if our process is still flawed?

fredoooooo:
The worst opposition in the history of Nigeria politics...

But did they stand for Nigerians or not?

adonainana:
If I was Nigerian president here is a shortcut I would use to solve Nigerian powe crisis

Firstly remove all taxes on all solar accessories such as solar inverters , solar panels , lithium batteries

Secondly subsided whatever solar accessories are being imported to Nigeria

Two things would happen Solar would be so cheap a lithium battery that costs 500k right now might be as cheap as 50,000 naira

What then happens is solar inverters is so cheap that a typical 1kva system might cost less than 150,000 naira

Fine the government would lose some money in taxes that it was meant to get on imported solar accessories

But the end product would be greater

Each household in Nigeria would directly or indirectly generate its own power

That like almost 50,000 megawatts via solar panels generated

From barber shops to hotels to schools

Even factories would install solar because it is bloody cheap so cheap some would even go to waste

All civil servants too that work for the FG can also receive inverter system from the subsidy

Overnight Nigerian problem would be solved

There would be less pressure on the grid

Some people would even disconnect thier nepa light cos there is no point

Also sun is free , solar panels lasts 10 years or so

Same with lithium batteries

So just one move

Millions of consequences

This is what I would do if I was Nigeria president

Waiting 15 years to generator enough MW is too expensive

The plan is to do TO NEPA what MTN did to NITEL

give an alternative that would make nepa obsolete

Bros, I always canvassed this, can’t understand why government finds it difficult to do. People are chasing solar, the reason very many haven’t keyed in is its cost.

CorperKola:
This is amatter of optics bot a crime
Its even entirely subjective

And for that same reason, many western leaders would have resigned leadership position. The joke is on him and his supporters if he ever comes out to ask Nigerians to "bear" austerity for an ever elusive future enjoyment.

CorperKola:
Resign for having a diiicck
You people are jokers
I even heaed he is divorced
So elected officials shoudnt have sexual urges or what is his crime exactly ?

His crime is as other politicians in government; asking Nigerians to pay for while lavishing the money on frivolities.

For the optics, is it great that the poverty capital of the world has a senator whose problem is indulge his fantasies of hopping on a jet with a "baddie."

If it is so great and not a crime as you want us to believe, why did his team expend energy trying to debunk the video as AI generated?

There should never be killing in the name of Allah in the first place. Once that is done, then Deborah’s case is taken into account with top figures as Atiku retracting statements made in condemnation, then you leave third parties no choice than think it is a plot.