OSUN STATE: LET THE PEOPLE CHOOSE, LET PEACE PREVAIL
As we approach the upcoming election in Osun State, I wish to draw the attention of Nigerians, our institutions, political actors, the diplomatic community, international observers, and all friends of Nigeria across the world to the solemn responsibility before us.
Osun belongs to its people. Therefore, I call on the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, political parties, candidates, government institutions, civil society organisations, religious and traditional leaders, the media, and every stakeholder to act with the highest degree of neutrality, professionalism, and restraint.
The people of Osun must be allowed to vote freely, safely, and without intimidation. Their votes must be counted transparently, protected faithfully, and announced according to the genuine will of the electorate.
To those within Osun State, I appeal for peace. Do not allow politicians to turn your neighbours, friends, and communities against each other. Do not destroy your state in the name of winning an election. Nigeria is bigger than any candidate, and Osun is greater than any political party.
To those outside Osun- politicians, supporters, influencers, and financiers- I urge you to exercise restraint. Do not import violence, intimidation, or desperation into a state whose people have the constitutional right to choose their leaders peacefully.
To our security agencies, your loyalty must be to Nigeria and the Constitution, not to any political party or individual. Your duty is to protect every voter equally.
To INEC, the credibility of this election must be safeguarded from the preparatory stages to accreditation, voting, collation, and declaration. Every irregularity must be addressed seriously, and every legitimate vote must count.
And to the international community, diplomatic missions, and election observers: please monitor Osun closely. Your presence, vigilance, and principled observation can bolster confidence in our democratic process. Nigeria welcomes genuine partnerships in the protection of democracy, peace, and the rule of law.
Let us remember that democracy is not merely about who wins. Democracy is about whether the people are truly allowed to choose.
Let Osun demonstrate to Nigeria, and indeed the world, that political competition can be intense without degenerating into violence; that disagreement can exist without hatred; and that power can change hands through ballots rather than blood.
Let every vote count. Let every voter be protected. Let every legitimate result be respected. And above all, let peace reign in Osun State.
Nigeria is watching. Africa is watching. The world is watching.
Let us provide them with a democratic process worthy of the Nigerian people.
A new Nigeria is POssible. -PO
Signing top attackers will mean that Arsenal won’t be going into the 80th minute looking for a goal or defending a one-goal lead like they were doing most of last season.
That’s the big reason why Timber, Gabriel, Rice, Saliba, Zubimendi got burned out at the end.
I think it’s impossible for Arsenal to win the Champions League with the current attacking core.
Yes, Arsenal are the best team in the world defensively… but how long can the bodies of Gabriel, Saliba and Rice take without the attackers making a significant difference?
Yesterday, I was in Bauchi to honour, for the fifth time, the invitation of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation to its dialogue themed: “Beyond Elections: Can Political Parties and the Judiciary Save African Democracy?”
I thank President Goodluck Jonathan for his selfless sacrifice and unwavering commitment to building a better Nigeria and a better Africa. I also commend the Chairman, President Olusegun Obasanjo, for his enduring contributions to peace, unity and justice across Africa. My appreciation also goes to the host, the Governor of Bauchi State, for his good work and for providing the platform for this important conversation.
My modest contribution at the event was to highlight my concern that African democracy, using Nigeria as a case study, has deteriorated to such an extent that we are approaching a point where we may no longer be able to meaningfully say that democracy exists.
I recalled how I approached the courts when I believed my mandate had been stolen in Anambra. At that time, the judiciary demonstrated the independence expected of an arm of government. It upheld the law and restored the will of the people, without any relationship whatsoever between me and the judges who handled the matter. That was democracy at work.
Today, however, those who break the law are often the first to tell you to “go to court.”
Our electoral management body, staffed by highly educated Nigerians, including many professors, is increasingly accused of enabling electoral malpractice and the emergence of people who are not qualified or do not possess the mandate of the people. Our lawmakers have removed forgery as an electoral offence, while some senior advocates appear to defend or normalise actions that should ordinarily attract condemnation. Our religious leaders sometimes pray for blessings upon political actors accused of misappropriating the commonwealth. And, most troubling of all, we now hear allegations of judges chanting, “On your mandate we shall stand.”
When the very institutions established to protect democracy begin to accommodate its destruction, we must stop pretending that everything is normal.
I earnestly call for sober reflection and honest thinking. Socrates said that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” A nation, too, must examine itself if it intends to survive.
We must halt this drift towards institutional decay and redirect our attention towards building a country that we and the generations that come after us, can be proud of.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
Oby Ezekwesili has reaffirmed her support for Peter Obi ahead of 2027, saying Nigerians must reject resigning to the country’s decline. https://t.co/MTfHNQRywC
By Making Excuses for Unverified Certificates, We Are Planting Poison in the Soul of Our Society
A nation that tolerates unverified academic credentials at any level of leadership, regardless of who is involved, risks destroying the very standards upon which a society is built. The issue is not about an individual. It is about standards, accountability, and the values we choose to pass on to the next generation.
We cannot continue to excuse blurred, missing, questionable, or unverified credentials simply because they belong to someone we support. The process through which people attain positions of responsibility matters greatly. How we get into leadership is as important as what we do with leadership.
If we normalise the abandonment of basic verification today, tomorrow we may have professors who never attended a university, doctors who never studied medicine, and judges who never studied law.
That is the dangerous precedent we must never allow. Nigeria cannot sacrifice its future on the altar of today's transactional politics. We must build a society where truth is not partisan, standards are not negotiable, and accountability applies equally to everyone.
History will judge us not only by those we defended, but by the principles we were willing to defend. We must choose truth over convenience, standards over sentiments, and the future over political expediency.
A New Nigeria is possible, but only if we are willing to do the right thing, even when it is inconvenient. -PO
“In Nigeria of today; Professors now aid illiterates to rig elections. Lawmakers have removed forgery as an offence. Religious leaders now pray for blessings for criminals. Above all, Judges now sing ‘on your mandate.’ You see, we have a crisis.”
— Peter Obi in Bauchi
Skelly is fully Arsenal through and through.
The noise today did not come from the player side at all. Infact, they were shocked at reports and confused.
The boy loves Arsenal but the interest in him is real.
Obi has finally destroyed and shattered the remaining half of the table. Some of the attendees there knew they are guilty of his accusations, and the message was indirectly being passed to them. We should start naming and shaming these shameless criminals.