Igboho’s Cats, Kanu’s Interception and Buhari’s ‘Language’, By Reuben Abati

When a few weeks ago, President Muhammadu Buhari declared that those who seek to overwhelm and undermine the Nigerian state would soon be spoken to in the language that they will understand, this was immediately interpreted to serve as a signal of a declaration of war against the people of the South East because the […]

Continue Reading

INEC Polling Units and The Future of Elections, By Reuben Abati

Some of the major challenges bedevilling the electoral process in Nigeria, and thus abbreviating the integrity of democracy in the country include over the years: lack of access to polling units, the location of polling units in problematic parts, overcrowding, conflict, violence, the designation of places like shrines, mosques, churches and private residences as polling […]

Continue Reading

Interviewing President Buhari, By Reuben Abati

I have been privileged to interview quite a number of world leaders in the course of my journalism career. These include President Olusegun Obasanjo, President Ketumile Masire of Botswana, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Commonwealth Secretary General Shridath Ramphal, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan etc..not to talk of holding the microphone across the world in the […]

Continue Reading

Nigeria, Twitter and Other Stories, By Reuben Abati

“Omo, I see you are still on Twitter. How you dey take do am? Come and teach your brother…” “Eishhh, Ishhh…Will you keep quiet?” “But I noticed you tweeted something not long ago, despite the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria” “Hey…hey. My family offend your family? This man. I commit crime to know you? […]

Continue Reading

The Death of Ahmed Gulak, By Reuben Abati

The cold-blooded murder of Hon. Ahmed Gulak, former Speaker of the Adamawa House of Assembly, former Special Adviser on Political Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan, former national co-ordinator of the Goodluck Support Group (GSG) and former Governorship aspirant under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is yet another tragic indication of the crisis […]

Continue Reading

Nigerian Air Force and Its Crashing Planes, By Reuben Abati

The Nigerian Air Force is the youngest arm of the Nigerian military having been established only on April 18, 1964. In the course of its 57 years of operation, defending the air space of Nigeria and the country’s territorial integrity, the NAF has seen action in many theatres of operation: the Nigerian Civil war, Liberia, […]

Continue Reading

The Asaba Declaration by Southern Governors, By Reuben Abati

On Tuesday, May 11, 2021, 17 Governors of the Southern States of Nigeria met in Asaba, Delta State to discuss issues of common interest. They came up with a 12-point communique in which they raised key issues about the future of Nigeria and the Southern region. This was not the first time Southern Governors would […]

Continue Reading

‘Country Hard, Scatter Scatter… Jaga Jaga’, By Reuben Abati

“Omo, wetin dey shele. What’s gwan man?” “Helloooo. Are you okay?” “Yeah, yeah, my bro” “Can you speak English? I don’t get your drift. All these your what’s gwan, and yeah, yeah, I hope you have not gone to take your thing again. If you want to engage me in a conversation, then speak straight […]

Continue Reading

The South West Presidential Hopefuls, By Reuben Abati

Most of the politicians whose names have been mentioned in connection with Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential election, either as a hopeful or an aspirant would readily tell you it is too early to talk about the next election. Don’t buy that. They are lying. The race for the next Nigerian elections began immediately the last general […]

Continue Reading

OPL 245: The Milan Prosecution and Lessons for Nigeria, By Reuben Abati

I have written on this subject before now: the politics and drama of OPL 245 involving ENI, Royal Dutch Shell, Malabu Oil and Gas and the manner in which President Goodluck Jonathan’s officials were dragged into the matter, particularly Emeritus Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke. The big issue is that there were […]

Continue Reading

Politics and the Court of Appeal, By Reuben Abati

It is most unfortunate that the proposed appointment of new judges for Nigeria’s Court of Appeal has been controversial since the announcement of a shortlist in December 2020. The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem has now found herself in an uncomfortable situation where she has to defend the integrity of her […]

Continue Reading

Drummers of Hate and the Drunken Dancers, By Reuben Abati

On Sunday, February 14, the Nigerian Presidency in a statement signed by spokesman Garba Shehu reportedly affirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari is determined to ensure the protection of all religious and ethnic groups in the country, whether majority or minority, “in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria […]

Continue Reading