A wise man told me that Buhari did not create these divisions, he merely exposed them
I think about the outrage when Boko Haram raised flags in Nigerian towns in 2014; the derision when the military drove them out in 2015
“Too little, too late”, people crowed. “We want change”.
Today, the outrage has been replaced by a chilling silence, as Boko Haram raises flags and levies taxes and kills citizen and soldier alike.
And all of this in next door Niger State, an hour and a half away from Abuja.
No outrage. No protests. Just...silence.
A wise woman once told me that the South is afflicted with a disease called political correctness.
I think about this a lot when I recall the opprobrium heaped on @stellaoduah for the procurement of armoured cars by a parastatal under her. I think about her sack by @GEJonathan.
I watched the defence of @DrIsaPantami by Northerners and Muslims and APC members. I read the defence of a self-confessed terrorist sympathizer by the Presidency.
I see the defence of @hadizabalausman by family & friends. She is their sister; they are with her. No matter what.
I remember the righteous indignation that drove you all out into the streets in 2012 when @GEJonathan wanted to end a corrupt fuel subsidy
You occupied Naija. You forced a president to back down. Vox populi, vox dei. You won.
He warned you that it was unsustainable. But YOU won
Fuel consumption has hit historic levels. In a depressed economy & during a pandemic.
@NNPCgroup subsidy payments mean no remittance will be made to FAAC. Some states will be unable to pay salaries and meet other commitments.
But the streets are empty. The voices, silent.
We should thank @MBuhari, really. He is like satire
How? Satire is a mirror. It does not create, it reflects
Buhari has come to show us who we truly are, behind our big grammar & Oyibo accents.
Now that we are naked and stripped of pretense, I look forward to the 2023 contest.
/end
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So a few random thoughts on food inflation, cassava, luxury hotel rooms and misplaced priorities.
1. This is the Saint Regis hotel, New York. It’s a 5-star luxury hotel located in the heart of New York City. It’s where our President and his entourage allegedly lodged during their trip to UNGA 78. It’s a very,very nice hotel.
(I’m a bit surprised at this because typically our Presidents stay at the Millennium Hotel Tower, another really nice hotel, which is right next to the UN Headquarters).
Anyway, to a citizen of the poverty capital of the world, the difference between St. Regis and Millenium Hotel is the difference between po-tay-to and po-tah-to.
2. This is cassava. I’ve also found a rare picture of the mythical food of the gods called cassava bread; or Cassy Bread as @akin_adesina affectionately called it.
What magical ties bind the @StRegisNewYork to Cassy Bread?
3. This reportedly leaked memo asking PBAT to approve the release of half a million dollars from the 15% Wheat Grain Levy Pool Account.
1. I think the National Assembly has been captured by the APC. Sad to hear that the PDP “stayed away” from her responsibility to produce the minority opposition leadership in the Senate and House of Representatives.
2. On @drsimonmwadkwon. A brilliant legislator. 2 term house of reps member. 2 Masters degrees. 1 PhD. Lecturer. ASUU member. His pedigree is unquestionable. His emergence was driven by the North Central Caucus. They will clearly dictate his legislative agenda; not his Party.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
3. On the current state of the PDP as an opposition party:
i. The Party itself is not fit for purpose. I expect a restructuring after the end of the judicial challenge. Most people would love to see true progressives like @bukolasaraki assume leadership of the Party.
1. It’s feels like we’re at a tipping point; doesn’t it? Elections have come & gone; reality is starting to set in
Like the reality that for several reasons LP was able to blast PDP away in Edo State. Yes, we got our 25%, but no one saw this upset coming.
2. There’s also the reality that Obi cannot win. Our Constitution & federal structure means Obi can neither get the popular vote nor 25% in 24 states. A few of us saw & said this, now here we are
Democracy is an imperfect way of choosing leaders; but it’s the best imperfect way.
3. I say this to call for calm. Nigeria is bigger than INEC, Tinubu and even Obi.
So to is the movement that lifted him up. Calm down. If the elections are rigged; then we will challenge the illegality in court. We will protest peacefully.
1. Getting ready for our @atiku mega rally in Benin City today, and my mind is still troubled by the @officialABAT manifesto I read yesterday.
I was going to let the public read and decide its value for themselves; but I have a few random thoughts I feel compelled to share.
2. First of all, presentation-wise, the document is SEXY as f*ck. Glossy, nice pictures and graphics, reads like a piece of great literature.
Get past the ephemeral allure of the manifesto; and you discover it is a painted sepulcher; a corpse with makeup applied by a mortician.
3. State Police.
Doesn’t exist. No wonder Shettima was shouting “to hell with restructuring” up & down. The doc details the ‘tactics’ of fighting terrorism; but fails to commit to the creation of state police
A neo-feudalist, BAT’s reluctance to empower states is understandable
To come on TV to say this today, of all days, even as youths were being tear-gassed in Lagos is wild to me.
I still can’t talk about that night without getting emotional; and some fucker is coming to ask why young people chose to protest against police brutality?
A few random but serious thoughts as they concern the 2023 General Elections. It'll be a long thread but please bear with me.
1. The BVAS System.
Most people think the new Electoral Act compels @inecnigeria to use BVAS for the biometric accreditation of voters. That's a lie.
2. What the EA says in sections 47, 60, 61 & 62 is that a smart card reader or tech device will be used to accredit voters; then results transmitted according to guidelines set by INEC.
Nowhere in the ENTIRE EA are the words 'biometric' or BVAS used. Even e-tranmission no dey.
3. So while the current Chairman has committed to using BVAS; if he is removed a new pro-government Chairman may decide to use the old smart card readers which 'successfully' accredited voters in 2015 and 2019.
This is why the CUPP warning must be taken seriously.