-By Abdul Mahmud We are here at last in the decisive year before the 2027 General election; and under a political sky shaped by cooptation, consolidation, realignment and fatigue. The governing order described in the first part of this essay has narrowed the arena of contest and redrawn the boundaries of participation. Power has been … [Read more…]
By Demola Olarewaju The prowess of Atiku Abubakar when it comes to party primaries was not built in a day and his recent successes at that level are built on a foundation of loss, defeat and tears. His entry into politics in 1991 was marked by a bitter gubernatorial ticket rivalry between him and Bala … [Read more…]
Political power is never given. Hardly is it ever offered on a platter. Acquiring political power is hard work, even in a populist contest. In a diverse, multi-religious and multi-ethnic democracy like ours; you earn power. You work for it. You negotiate it. In extreme dubious cases, some will grab, steal or rig themselves into … [Read more…]
-By Abdul Mahmud This new year scarcely requires a seer to reveal its gravity. It stands as a decisive threshold for both Nigeria’s political class and the country itself. As the final full year before the 2027 general election, it unfolds within an atmosphere markedly defined not by open contestation but by cooptation, not by … [Read more…]
By Dr. Samson Abanni The President’s recent directive to the National Assembly, urging the legislative machinery to begin crafting laws for the establishment of State Police, marks a Rubicon crossed. It is a sombre admission that the federal security apparatus—an edifice straining under its own weight—can no longer guarantee the safety of the interior. By … [Read more…]
By Oseloka H. Obaze Nigeria remains under the klieg lights. Regrettably, this is not for all-too-positive reasons. There is a clear correlation between her domestic policy and governance dissonance and her discernible loss of global leverage. Once considered Africa’s bellwether, Nigeria has since fallen on hard times. Relatedly, she has also lost the capacity to … [Read more…]
-By Abdul Mahmud The decision of the Adamawa State Governor, Rt. Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri CON, to grant pardon to Sunday Jackson marks a moment of relief in a country weighed down by grief and exhaustion. The announcement, framed as part of the Christmas and New Year commemorations, carries moral weight far beyond seasonal goodwill. … [Read more…]
-By Abdul Mahmud Editor’s Note: Shortly after PACESETTER received this week’s column for publication yesterday, Sunday, December 21, 2025, the abducted students were released. We have gone ahead to publish this piece for historical and academic purposes. Four weeks ago, students of a Catholic school in Papiri in Niger State were seized along with their … [Read more…]
Enugu State is undergoing a profound transformation under the visionary and results driven leadership of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah. What distinguishes this administration is not rhetoric, but speed, clarity of purpose, and measurable outcomes. From security to infrastructure, education to digital innovation, Enugu is steadily reclaiming its place as a model of purposeful governance in … [Read more…]
By Oseloka H. Obaze Social media has a way of either uplifting your day or just sullying the day, ever before it starts. For me, SM is an inevitable tool. I gave up on television long ago. This lazy Sunday morning, I woke up and scanned my SM pages and mails. Good news; bad news, … [Read more…]
The photograph released by Amnesty International Nigeria of Mary Talmon, one of the women shot dead during a protest in Adamawa, confronts our country with a tragedy that demands collective introspection, if not accountability. The organisation posted her image on its X handle while calling for an impartial investigation into what it described as the … [Read more…]
Politics and Oyo State political space is becoming interesting by the day. Aspirants across the five regions of Ibadan, Ibarapa, Oke-Ogun, Oyo and Ogbomoso have started to become visible. Several organized groups have intensified their voices, championing this regional aspiration with remarkable consistency and clarity. Their message is no longer a distant echo; it is … [Read more…]