News
State Governors Are The Real Problem Of Nigerian Democracy
State Governors Are The Real Problem Of Nigerian Democracy
BY:DOMINIC KIDZUBY
The Fourth Republic is already in ruins. What is left is the debris from the fall of the ancient empire. And the State Governors are the willing undertakers. Having plundered and killed the republic, they feel no scruples about burying the carcass. The carcass is their trophy. The suffering are their emblem, the grand imprimatur of their reign. Life and death are theirs to give or take. They are the new gods, stealing, killing, converting. They are the inscrutable ogre before whom the people tremble in obeisance and in fear.
Every Governor is the King of Abyssinia, with the single ambition of becoming the richest man in Babylon. They sit in regal majesty on Mount Olympus, dispensing from the patrimony of the people according to their whims and caprices. If the appetite takes them, they give you an appointment or a contract. Otherwise, they are pretty comfortable with allowing you to wander in obloquy, while members of their families run the state at will. To know the Governor or a member of his family is of great advantage, to know none is to stand and stare in misery.
They use poverty as a form of political control. The poorer the people, the more likely they are compelled to sing and dance at the celestial glory of the sovereign who does no wrong. Every single project is magnified as the greatest, ever. He knows the truth, but what the heck! The wealth of the state belongs to the Governor and his family. Account books are cooked in earthen pots on the firewood hearth. Huge properties are openly and hurriedly developed or bought in the full glare of the starving populace, behemoths dedicated to the atavistic gods of sudden power and money without end. You could almost hear the people saying, “na him time abeg, make him chop.”
The state as a subregion was envisioned to synthesize development in the broad spectrum of its region as both a political unit and an economic bloc within the federal republic. But, most of the governors have mostly concentrated on the state capitals and neglected Local Government areas in both physical infrastructure and economic development. The third tier which is the closest to the people and therefore most critical in their development has been unconditionally seized by the governors who have consistently taken their funds with surprising impunity, giving them nothing in return. They are happier when there are no elected Chairmen, because the civil servants are mighty malleable and simple thieves anyway.
Governors in Nigeria are stealing the states blind. They are not developing the economy or developing creative and unique revenue heads outside simply collecting allocation from Abuja every 30 days. Why do state governors initiate very gigantic projects they cannot accomplish, which are usually denominated in USD? To confuse the people and cream off the top, of course. The Joint Account Allocation Committees (JAAC) in the states are a great constitutional travesty. It is in those monthly meetings that the Local Government as a tier of government is murdered. Once salaries are removed and the Chairmen are given a little something under the table, the governors grab the rest in a monthly heist that is simply disgusting.
Stephen King once said that “monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes they win”. The governors have won, the republic is theirs. Yet these are people who looked good and smelt nice before swearing in, but transformed into Gorgo Medusa, the very next day and are no longer recognizable. Abraham Lincoln also warned that “nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power”. The so-called politicians in the states are willing slaves. They are suffering and smiling, some are actually clapping. Even though Albert Camus had warned that “Nothing is more despicable than respect based on fear”. Have you ever wondered why state governors find mediocres attractive? It is because they resent a second opinion, or a brilliant head with other ideas. They can’t stand another bright bulb in the chandelier. There can only be one chair in the room they occupy.
Everyone knows that Agriculture is the next big thing in Nigeria. All the governors know this and mouth it. But none will put 200 willing farmers in business by giving them seed grants of 20 million Naira each. That is a mere NGN4 billion. Such a scheme will enable massive food production, give people work, and create self-sustaining entrepreneurs in their states. But they won’t do that. Four billion is too much, yet this is the kind of money they themselves grab on a not so good day. No governor has created 500 independent millionaires in their eight years. And it doesn’t take a whole lot to do so. Their real interest is themselves. They rather prefer to have both young and grown men on a flagpole, sharing food palliatives to them as if they are crippled or the state is at war.
We have all been made cripples anyway, a shameful legacy of this Fourth republic. There is no genuine attempt to develop the people, either in business, innovation, or agriculture. Cultivating just 10 hectares by each of these 200 people suggested above amounts to 2,000 hectares of cocoa, oil palms, cassava, yams, rice, beans, millet, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, et al. Repeat this investment in each of the eight years of the two-term, and you are likely to have created about 800 millionaires in one state. That is massive development! This is how prosperity is created by a thinking leader who desires to leave a legacy behind. Legacies are made of people too, not only cement, stones, and sand. The greatest legacy of all is how a leader was able to transform his people from poverty to prosperity, from being dependent to becoming self-sustaining.
The removal of petroleum subsidy has ushered in tremendous amounts of revenue to the states, but the governors won’t tell you that. They prefer to continue to behave as if nothing new has happened. Waning about paucity of funds, debt profile, wage bills, and just about anything. If the governors can put their heads down to work and suspend their own self-enrichment for just one year, the impact on the citizens would be massive. Nigerians blame and pilory the federal government on a daily basis, not knowing that there is enough in their home states for everyone ready to work and prosper. Most states are now receiving three times what their predecessors got as allocation and their IGR is growing in leaps and bounds, but the people are not feeling the impact in any way. Same complaining, same exotic lifestyles, globetrotting, long motorcades, and properties on land and sea. While the people are left holding can.
State governors have been too greedy, too selfish, and overly criminal minded. They have shown neither love nor commitment to the genuine development of the states, and a bewildering lack of ideas in taking their citizens out of starvation and inevitable servitude. They have destroyed the Local Government system and rendered the federal system inoperable in their preference for electoral monarchy, which creates a new king every eight years. I am at pains to find something positive to say about the contribution of state governors to the development of their people or this democracy. Regrettably, I am unable to find one thing to defend their crass performance politically, economically, and morally.
*Dominic Kidzu served as Chief Press Secretary to Governor Donald Duke and later as the General Manager of the Cross River Newspaper Corporation (Nigerian Chronicle),
State Governors Are The Real Problem Of Nigerian Democracy
Rights Groups Condemn Demolition of Makoko, Call for Immediate Halt
By: Michael Mike
A coalition of national and international human rights, environmental, and social justice organisations has condemned what they describe as the “violent and unlawful” demolition of Makoko, a historic waterfront fishing community along the Lagos Lagoon.
In a joint statement released, the groups alleged that demolition activities began on January 5, 2026, and have continued despite outcry from residents and civil society actors.
According to the organisations, government-backed demolition teams have destroyed homes, schools, health facilities, and religious buildings, leaving hundreds of families without shelter.
Eyewitness accounts cited in the statement claim that security personnel accompanying the demolition teams used tear gas and excessive force against residents, including women, children, and elderly persons. Displaced families are reportedly sleeping in boats, churches, and open spaces along the lagoon as they struggle to find temporary refuge.
The coalition further noted that Makoko is not an isolated case. Over the past year, thousands of residents across several Lagos waterfront and informal communities—including Oko-Baba, Ayetoro, Otumara, Baba-Ijora, Oworonshoki, and Precious Seeds—have faced similar evictions. In many cases, demolitions were carried out without prior notice, consultation, or resettlement plans.
The groups also referenced past demolitions in Badia East, Otodo-Gbame, Maroko, Monkey Village, Ilaje-Bariga, and Ifelodun, saying the Lagos State Government has repeatedly ignored court orders restraining such actions. They alleged that several deaths have been linked to forced evictions over the years.
“The pattern reflects a systemic disregard for human rights, due process, and the rule of law,” the statement read. “These actions violate Nigeria’s constitution and international human rights obligations while deepening Lagos’s housing crisis.”
The coalition called on the Lagos State Government to immediately suspend all ongoing demolitions, respect existing court injunctions, investigate allegations of abuse, and provide fair compensation and adequate resettlement for affected residents.
They also urged authorities to adopt more inclusive, rights-based, and environmentally sustainable urban planning that protects livelihoods rather than displacing vulnerable communities.
The statement was signed by 23 organisations, including Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), Policy Alert, WoMin African Alliance, and Norway’s Rafto Foundation for Human Rights, among others.
As of press time, the Lagos State Government had not issued an official response to the allegations.
Rights Groups Condemn Demolition of Makoko, Call for Immediate Halt
Ex-NGF Coordinator Onaiwu urges support for NSA security direction
By: Michael Mike
A former coordinator of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, has called on the political class across party lines to support ongoing security efforts of the federal government.
Onaiwu in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday noted that insecurity is colour blind, has no party affiliation and was religious neutral, therefore, the need for politicians to eschew partisan slant on security matters.
He cautioned that failure by the political elite to support the fight against insecurity leading to several ungoverned spaces could disrupt elections, stressing that except there is a country, then elections are guaranteed.
The former NGF coordinator particularly commended the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his coordination and strategic efforts in streamlining security policies and engagements in tackling insecurity.
According to him, the recent delivery of military hardware by the United States Government to Nigeria is a demonstration that the NSA was working and his recent foray to the U.S. is yielding the desired results.
“The season requires patriots and this means that irrespective of party affiliations, every politician worth his name needs to support ongoing security efforts as coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
“Insecurity is colour blind, has no party affiliation, it is religious blind and those not respect societal status. Therefore, Nigerians, especially our political class, should lend their support, proffer solutions and galvanise the people to back the government’s security initiatives.
“Only on Tuesday, the federal government received critical military hardware from the United States Government. This is cheering and it shows that the NSA’s recent visit to the United States and the subsequent hosting of delegations in the country is bearing the desired results.
“Also, renewed military and police onslaughts against terrorists and bandits show that the federal government is taking the fight to those who are intent on denying us our peace and well-being.
“The least we can do as citizens is to support the government, provide real time intelligence from our communities and do not engage in fake news on social media against government’s efforts,” Onaiwu stated.
He further called on governors to match the energy of the federal government by supporting the NSA to address the various security challenges in their states as well as continued logistics and equipment to the military and police.
Ex-NGF Coordinator Onaiwu urges support for NSA security direction
Court Threatens Contempt Action Against IGP Over Alleged Disobedience in Anozie Abduction Case
By: Michael Mike
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, is facing possible committal to prison following contempt proceedings initiated over an alleged failure to comply with a Federal High Court order relating to the abduction and disappearance of Mr. John Chukwuemeka Anozie.
The action was instituted by legal counsel to Mr. Anozie’s wife, Mr. Vincent Adodo, who accused the Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of the IGP of willfully disobeying a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court, Abuja, on September 24, 2025.
In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/865/2025 between Mrs. Nnenna Anozie v. Inspector General of Police, Justice Binta Nyako ordered the IGP to produce for prosecution operatives of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) alleged to have abducted Mr. Anozie from his Lekki residence in Lagos on June 15, 2017.
The court also directed the police authorities to forward the investigation report and legal advice on the matter to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation for appropriate action.
The court further awarded ₦2 million in damages against the IGP for failing to respond to a Freedom of Information request submitted by Mrs. Anozie seeking details of investigations into her husband’s disappearance.
The SARS operatives listed in the judgment include officers attached to the former SARS unit in Akwuzu, Anambra State, who were accused of involvement in the alleged abduction.
According to court documents, despite being served with the judgment in October 2025, the IGP has neither complied with the orders of the court nor paid the damages awarded. This development prompted Mrs. Anozie’s legal team to initiate contempt proceedings by serving the IGP with Form 48 (Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Court Order) and Form 49 (Notice of Committal to Correctional Centre).
The applicant is now seeking an order of court committing the IGP to Kuje Correctional Centre until he complies fully with the judgment.
The motion for contempt has been scheduled for hearing on February 9, 2025, before the Federal High Court, Abuja.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force has not issued an official response to the contempt proceedings.
Court Threatens Contempt Action Against IGP Over Alleged Disobedience in Anozie Abduction Case
Rights Groups Condemn Demolition of Makoko, Call for Immediate Halt
Ex-NGF Coordinator Onaiwu urges support for NSA security direction
Court Threatens Contempt Action Against IGP Over Alleged Disobedience in Anozie Abduction Case
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
FAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
News2 years agoRoger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions4 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
News9 months agoFAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
Opinions4 years agoPOLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News2 years agoEYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
ACADEMICS2 years agoA History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Columns2 years agoArmy University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
Opinions2 years agoTinubu,Shettima: The epidemic of economic, insecurity in Nigeria
