A few hours ago, the curtain finally fell at the Senate. It signified the end to one of the acts in the long scene of the drama Nigerians had been regaled with in the last one week. It came with the gavel sounding on the fate of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.

Of course, the end of this particular scene would only surprise the non-initiates. A passive observer, a fresh inductee or even a complete political imbecile would have predicted what would be the eventual fate of the Senator, one of the four female lawmakers in 10^th Senate.

In the afternoon of Thursday, March 6, the Senate handed her a set of unsalvoury package, relying on the recommendations reached earlier in the day and provided by the members by the Nada Imesuen Committee on Ethics, Privileges, Code of Conducts and Public Relations.

The package: She would be stripped totally of her status as Senator for six months, including being suspended from plenary, her office being fastened, loss of all salaries and allowances for her and her aides, not getting close anywhere within the precincts of the National Assembly and barring her from embarking on foreign trips as a Senator.

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Nobody would have predicted otherwise, except for the totally bereft in the politics of the land. At least, there were about five previous cases within the chambers since 1999 when Nigeria returned to civilian rule to guide anyone. It was obvious that Natasha would suffer the fate of Joseph Waku, Arthur Nzeribe, Ovie Omo-Agege, Ali Ndume, and Abdul Ningi, who had all tasted the same bitter pill.

What was probably left to conjecture was not predicting beforehand the scenes in-between that would garnish the drama side of the entire saga. That came with Natasha stretching the show beyond the confines of the Senate Chambers.

On Friday, February 28, 2025, she used her appearance on The Morning Show, a breakfast programme on ARISE NEWS, a popular Nigerian television network to regale the whole world with some salacious tales of how Godswill Akpabio, President of the Senate of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Assembly, had been labouring strenuously to lure her into his bed.

Now, any ear that heard such an earth-shaking accusation, especially the full details of the various attempts of sex-baiting as narrated by the Kogi Senator, would expect that the political firmament in Nigeria would come to an instant halt. All over the saner climes, everything else in government circle is supposed to take the backstage from that moment.

But that is the difference – most certainly – the tragedy. In those climes, yes! But certainly not here! Nigeria, is in a class of its own in terms of exhibiting behaviours expected of a modern society. Here, officials are usually never shirking in calling for the highest level of adulation even while constantly fouling the air with stinking farts from the putrefying genre of Nigerian politics.

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For them, citizens are supposed not only to open their mouths and nostrils to gulp and inhale the odiferous stench constantly being released from their posteriors, but are supposed to be smiling doing so. Any other reaction is indefensible, unpatriotic and in most cases punishable to as much as high treason.

That was at the core of the imbroglio in the Natasha case, some people have since dubbed – the Akpabiogate! So, while the entire world would have expected that the issue of Nigeria’s number three citizen being bespattered with the paintbrush of shame as a molester of women, to take the front burner of both political and governmental activities, it has conveniently been relegated to the backstage just like in virtually every other cases.

Yes! For every Senator, who spoke on that Thursday, while Natasha’s political neck lay on the slaughter slab, it was all about the integrity of the Senate. Never bother about the meaning of that expression. It simple assumes a difference in Nigeria. Its only interpretation is the protection of the Senate President at any given time – simplicita!

Now, picture the contradiction between a female Senator, who committed the sin of refusing to move to an assigned seat before speaking and a possibly serial sexual predator sitting at the helm of the highest lawmaking body of the country. What is likely to happen, say in the UK parliament or the US Congress?

Which is more important and which should have come first? But trying to unravel the contradiction or attempting to understand why the reverse should be the case, is akin to the hard labour of struggling to comprehending Nigeria. That is the uphill task. Is it not the reason for the assumption that only an insane mind could actually achieve such a feat?

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Yes! To make sense of Nigeria, requires putting a meaning to a Senate President thinking of, let alone, celebrating his birthday in stadium in the first place. It also requires grasping the mindset of the gaily-dressed citizens in various colourful attires, in the crowd-filled seats with each singing and dancing at that occasion without asking the basic questions – where are all these coming from – the funding and all – and why such lavish fund to promote it could not be channelled into production of nets for the immediate fishing communities. You would be trying to understand Nigeria, if you did as much as raise such a question. You could even get a slap from the man sitting behind you eavesdropping into your thoughts.

Knowing Nigeria would explain the private jets that took over every space in the local airport like locusts in a green vegetable farm during the birthday event. It would even explain the tour of the said mansion with ornamental furniture and all – one of the crime-scenes for the supposed expression of the sexual desires.

Now, in which other country of the world has it been heard that a Senate President celebrated his birthday in a stadium and what mindset would have led to it? Julius Ceasar, one of the most celebrated noblemen in world history was never recorded to engage in such monumental displays even with all his regal splendour.

Again, attempting to give a meaning to why the Senate saw Natasha’s behaviour as more crucial and urgent than addressing the sex-for-favour allegation against Akpabio, would involve trying to fathom the situation where lawmakers in a hunger-ravaged country would be the highest paid in the world, far beyond their counterparts in the most buoyant countries like the United States, Europe and Asia.

It would explain why the 469 lawmakers at the Nigerian National Assembly would be gifted Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) costing N160million each from funds borrowed from rich countries while lawmakers from the same rich countries went to work using car-pooling arrangements, because they could not afford riding in expensive cars.

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It would explain why Nigerian Senators would be entitled to new houses each four years while Senators of the United States would share hostel-like apartments because they could hardly afford the rents in Washington and still make good laws that benefit their societies and make them sought-after in the world.

Imagine what SOTUS like Joe Biden would have collected in cars and housing allowances for the 36 years he spent in congress, were he a Nigerian Senator. Yet, he would probably be still paying mortgage as his own housing arrangements if he did not sort himself out through other means.

These are the contradictions that must be settled for those attempting to grasp what happened in the Senate on Thursday. Yes! It is all about the integrity of the Senate. But that integrity must not include inquiring into the foolishness of acquiring a N160million SUV to navigate – wait for it – the bad roads in Nigeria – instead of employing the huge amount used in buying the exotic automobiles in fixing the roads so that citizens with bicycles could also access them with ease. That, certainly is the thinking in other climes, not Nigeria.

No! Integrity of the Senate must not include appropriating funds borrowed from global financial institutions for the executive to buy a presidential yacht, purchase exotic cars for the office of the first lady or build a N21billion house for the Vice President in a country where more than 100 million citizens go to bed on empty stomach daily. By the way, has it not been said that the N21billion VP mansion is currently unoccupied and could now be home to rodents, serpents and scorpions?

Nobody will understand the Senate brand of integrity without first fathoming a Nigeria where the President and or his handlers, not only desiring, but actually going ahead to acquire a mimic of The Beast, the US presidential limousine in addition to a model of Air Force One, and lining hundreds of other state-of-the-art automobiles each time he travelled in the streets amid deafening cries of ebi kpa wa – we are hungry from citizens.

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Yes! To understand what happened in the Senate on Thursday, means fathoming a country whose successive leaders over the years borrow hard currencies from lending institutions, steal the entire funds, return same to the countries they were borrowed from, borrow again and return, in an endless circle of official graft.

Come to think of it, is it not surprising that till date, not a single Senator has raised a voice to speak against the hunger in the land or made any whimper against official shenanigans in the executive – not even the opposition – not even members of the fire-eating Labour Party (LP) members, who had sworn to mimic the public display of austerity of Peter Obi, the man they rode on his back to office? Why have they all suddenly gone silent? That is the Senate that is talking about integrity!

In fact, is it not even more surprising that the two principal actors – Ireti Kingibe, the Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Neda Imesuen, Edo South, who led the indictment without hearing of Natasha are from the same LP? Has anyone heard the voices of other female Senators? They are all imprisoned in the Ometa of silence the National Assembly adopted since the All Progressives Congress (APC) came into the picture in Nigeria.

Naturally, as the curtain fell on Thursday, those whose eyes remain on the stage would certainly not be disappointed. They would no doubt get the entertainment they seek. Soon, the curtain will rise again for a fresh act in another scene, as the drama continues.

But one thing is sure – in this act Natasha is bound to lose no matter how strong her performance. Those seeking to see Akpabio in the dock on that stage, should better banish the thought. He will never come to trial. In fact, he must end up the hero. He will never be the villain. Even the imbeciles in Nigeria and elsewhere know this. Anyone who fails to get it should forget about it. It is how Nigeria rolls. To fathom it, requires one state of the mind – madness

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On Thursday, February 20, 2025, Nigeria gathered at the Transcorp Hotel, Abuja. Yes Nigeria! For the simple reason that in their hands lies the State – the instrument of a people who have agreed to gather together under one law, one destiny and one goal!

Collectively, the faces in that assembly constitute the collegiate called – The Owners of Nigeria (Dele Momodu). To put it more plainly, if not forcefully, if those at that assembly had decided yesterday, decides today or even tomorrow with one voice that Nigeria will become heaven on earth, that status would have since have been attained a long time ago. If they do so today or tomorrow, the same outcome will be achieved.

But they never decided yesterday. From the vibes in that picturesque gathering, they seem not ready to do so today. Nobody knows what would be of tomorrow. Yet they had the opportunity to do so and still have it today, and ceteris paribus, will also have the powers to do so tomorrow. Sampler: In that gathering were all the living former leaders of Nigerian government, either as military Heads of State or civilian Presidents.

In fact, two of them – Olusegun Obasanjo, and Muhammadu Buhari, governed Nigeria in both capacities. Though Buhari, the last, but one President, who exited power on May 29, 2023, was not physically president, for what many suspect was an obvious reason, having been ousted from power and detained by  Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida as Head of State in 1985, he sent a representative. So, in that regard, he was also present.

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The question therefore is why did they not toe that line of making Nigeria great? Nobody needs to go far to find the answer. Save for the plain imbeciles or those given to living in denial or the politically-correct-seeking-bunch, the reason is obvious. It was clearly seen in that gathering in Abuja – clearly visible like the flicker of light in pitch-darkness – selfishness.

They had gathered for the launch of the book: A Journey in Service, an autobiography authored by Babangida, chronicling his life’s story, particularly his eight-year rule as the only Military President in the history of Nigeria.

Indeed, such a gathering where the former President, finally admitted to the fact that Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola won the June 12, 1993 election, as expected, would have been an opportunity for deep introspection.

It would have been a chance to walk back the years past as well as an occasion that would provide the sharp tool with which the tip of the huge boil that has given Nigeria intractable pains and sleepless nights, would have been pricked open to release the puss, thus freeing it from its excruciating agony. But nada! Instead, it was the same pastime – subterfuge, deceit, half-truths and outright lies. That was all that gathering showcased, regrettably.

Even though he intended it to be humour, Yemi Osinbajo, Buhari’s Vice President, actually captured the fact that some of the patrons at that event, had executed coups against each other. The former university professor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), might have been pointing to military coups, or could have been understood as doing so. But even the civilians amongst them had not been less mischievous against themselves.

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More than that, virtually all of them had carried out coups against Nigeria by deciding to work for themselves rather than working for the country – the reason it is currently in its sorry pass. The fact that they failed to utilise that opportunity on Thursday to tell Nigerians the truth, is again, a clear indication of their mindset. The scant regard to nationhood, captured in the absence of patriotism, which has remained at the vortex of Nigeria’s underdevelopment, was just too obvious in their conducts at that event which could not pass as more than mere jesting.

The fact that each of them who rose to the rostrum to speak, decided to shower praises on the General, whose singular action of nullifying that June 12 election most Nigerian had expected to be the turning point for Nigeria, not only left a sour taste in the mouth, it was evidently nauseating as it was revulsive.

Who knows, if with the level of patronage, obeisance and extreme veneration devoted to same Babangida seen as the architect and harbinger of Abiola’s ugly fate, the late business mogul, would not be turning with anguish in his grave from what he would obviously interpret as pure mockery. After all, the same Babangida did not mince word when he pointedly told Nigerians as he rang his warning bell, we are not only in government, we are in power.

What other statement could have been more audacious in sending the message? Yet, because he has now recanted his original position by “taking responsibility,” the position of sainthood had to be donated to him. After all, what could be more benevolent in reversing himself? What happened to him when he did not? Did his Hilltop mansion not remain the Mecca it had always served, where hundreds of Nigerians trooped to in search of privileges?

It did not even matter to that audience that Babangida’s feeble admittance to that event 32 years ago was as half-hearted as it was insipid. Even a suckling toddler would have easily seen the result of the election clearly. But no, the Minna Saint, only realised that Abiola won upon “further reflection.” What a pity? Yes! If he did not know and just realised, why should anyone blame him?

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So, they cheered! They clapped! They celebrated. But nobody was deceived. Even the baby clutching at the mother’s breast knew that neither the Generals in the room nor the bloody civilians among them believed the gibberish. Like it had always been, it was all showmanship, a circuit created to entertain themselves and deceive Nigerians, as always.

Even the late Sani Abacha, who ultimately took over, were he to be at that gathering on Thursday, would still find accommodation in the eulogies, ululations and backslappings. Regardless what Nigerians know of him, he could have written his own book. If he did and told the same audience that Kudirat Abiola, who was assassinated long before her husband died mysteriously, minutes after he was released from detention, was killed by area boys, that same crowd would have cheered and clapped.

That is the tragedy of Nigeria. Come to think of it, how many June 12 tragedies have been experienced in Nigeria’s electoral journey since that catastrophic event of 1993? Which election since then has passed the simplest test of credibility? Those same people at that event in Abuja, saw the outright replication of the same June 12 in 2023.

What did they say when some people grabbed, snatched and ran away with the mandate of the people? Maybe 20 years after, one of the beneficiaries of that heist will write his memoirs to tell the world that Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) candidate, actually won the election, but Nigeria would have broken into pieces if allowed to become President. So, in national interest, for Nigeria to be preserved, he was denied.

Even that line would also attract the same applause as the author would be celebrated as a hero “for his humility” in telling the truth at last. The drums will be rolled out. Hapless and helpless Nigerians, who have since become pawns on the chessboard, will, as usual, cringe in pain and the beat will go on. Yes! Stripped of the essence of nationhood, Nigeria will remain what it is – an entity peopled with a surfeit of statesmen without a state. Tragedy!

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Only those with criminal inclinations or outright criminals and their patrons would be unhappy with the current vibes in Anambra State regarding the apparent determination of the government to end the orgy of bloodshed in the state.

Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, the Governor, who seems to have swallowed the bug has certainly taken the fight to the criminals, who had before now entrenched themselves deeply in the state, to the extent that Anambra, reputed to be home to the highest cluster of billionaires in Nigeria, if not the African continent or even among the black people of the world, has suddenly assumed a new, absurd, ignoble and dreadful status of a playground for villains. What a sad story! Terribly so!

In fact, anyone who was anywhere near the state during the last Yuletide season, would easily attest to how much Anambra has sunk, degenerated and become a shadow of itself – its hitherto vibrancy, robustness and vivacity all gone. Not only that movements of men and materials were measured, activities, especial social, which used to be loud and audacious, went under. It was all subdued hush and shush arena.

Therefore, we must state from the outset that we are on all fours with this ostensibly extensive measures being taken by Agu Awka, to turn things around and return the state back to its original status. We cannot say it loud enough that we support Soludo with our full chest in this regard.

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Of course, the current scenario would not be the first time Anambra would be travelling this route. From time immemorial, the state, either as a government or the people had, had to engage criminals in frontal combats.

Be it the Boys Oye that took place in Onitsha and environs more than four decades ago, the invitation of the Bakassi Boys by the government of the late Chinwoke Mbadinuju, or Peter Obi’s initiative that resulted in the clearing of the Akpaka Forest, which transformed a once dreaded hideout for bandits into a prime housing estate, the people and successive governments had never yielded the state to criminals permanently.

It had always been a battle in which the state proved its superiority as the custodian of the instrument of force. Soludo, could therefore neither be faulted in toeing the same line of his predecessors, nor assailed for using the same to enforce government’s superiority over the evildoers.

Never mind the imputation in some informed quarters that he is coming to the party a little too late and that his motive is not totally altruistic. In fact, many of his critics insist that he was actually pushed to action by the lacerating impacts of some of his opponents, especially those on the political turf with him and more particularly those seeking to take his job.

Nobody, including his supporters would likely forget in a hurry the lashing the governor has been getting in recent times from Reverend Father Chibuzu Emmanuel Obimma, popularly known as Ebube Muonso, the fire-eating Catholic priest in the state, who has been on his case for allegedly allowing the security situation in the state degenerate to its all-time low.

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The jury is out on whether these, coupled with the impact they are likely going to have on his bid for re-election this year, were what gave him the jolt in the arm to undertake his current move. We are not worried about that aspect. The fact is that he has moved. He is now battling the terrorists head-on. Quite gratifyingly so!

What we are worried about, however, are the concomitant sad tales that have tagged along the operations from those the governor has assigned as his footsoldiers to undertake the onerous task. These soldiers are not smelling roses at the moment.

The overwhelming enthusiasm with which the Agunechemba security outfit driving the Operation Udo Ga-achi, the battle-cry for engaging the criminal elements in the state, seems to have been cut short in certain quarters, as their activities are fast become quite suspect. This is in spite of the huge successes the outfit has reportedly recorded in such a short time.

The greatest culprit in this regard, came from last week’s operation in Owere-Ezukala, a nondescript farming community in Orumba South Local Government, where the security setup took the battle to fish out supposed kidnappers and other criminal elements.

The operation seems to have blown in the face of the operatives, not the least, Soludo and his government, given the outlandish, sordid, if not creepy narratives with which the public is now being assaulted. Not a few are only completely scandalised, but outrightly outraged.

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In the last few hours, the trail from the outcome of that operation, is suggesting that the narrative of the security operatives regarding the feat they claimed to have achieved in the community are not only a ruse, but farcical. It is even more so, when it appears that the tale bearers were deliberate in their attempt to lead the public by the nose.

In fact, immediately after the operation, locals in the community, had taken time to discredit the earlier claims that the criminals lurking in the Owere-Ezukala Forest had been arrested. They sent out several voice notes indicating that the security outfit, which had posted videos celebrating their victory, were nowhere near the forest and that the people they claimed to have arrested, including the three “kidnappers” they claimed to have killed were innocent people they accosted in their homes.

Sadly enough, it is now becoming evident that the version of the community folks is more credible after all. Video evidence, including that of the family of one of the victims suggests that the young men killed in the operations were artisans working at a building in the community.

Those who hired them for the job have also testified that the said bomb-making elements displayed by the security men as recovered from the victims, were in fact, welding machines used to construct wrought-iron designs in the building they were working on. The building itself was said to belong to a priest in the community, who also confirmed that the victims were working for him and not criminals.

Added to this was the subsequent release of another victim, described as the kingpin of the alleged kidnap gang, who was subsequently found to be clean, as attested by the community, now celebrating his safe return in another trending video.

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That this incident has cast a lot of shadows on this ambitious security project by Soludo, is not only saddening, it is devastating. We insist that nothing short of the immediate investigation, arrest and prosecution of those involved in this odious and hideous crime that is nothing outside extra-judicial killing, will conduce enough punishment.

It is galling that both the operatives and the government have remained mum on the matter. That will not work. Soludo must come out with a definite statement on the issue promptly. This will arrest the descent of public confidence, calm nerves and instill fresh impetus into the security project. He must not only identify and deal with the bad eggs in that outfit, but ensure there is no repeat.

Incidentally, one of the victims comes from Isuofia, his own village, making it quite easy to ascertain the veracity of the family’s story as to the innocence of their son. If eventually the innocence of the victims is established, their killing must be seen as pure crime and not a “mistake” or “collateral damage” as many are now insinuating.

Outside this, the Anambra security project must now assume scientific rather than crude methods in its implementation. We suggest the procurement of hi-tech equipment, including drones for reconnaissance to map out the areas of operation and sound intelligence to track down the bandits before operations.

We hear this is what obtains in neighbouring states. We have said it repeatedly and we cannot say it enough that certain tales around Soludo, arguably the most educated and influential governor in the South East if not Nigeria, are in the least, palatable.

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How could it be said or heard for instance that the former university teacher, economist of world renown, hitherto consulting for some of the most elite and influential global institutions and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), would be associating his government or even be building his governance structure around questionable characters – people whose conducts could not be elevated beyond street urchins and motor park louts.

Sadly, those are part of the sights and sounds the publics are fed with most times from the state. The case of Okechukwu Akanaeme, former Chairman of the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce (OCC), who has remained in a vegetative state since last year, after men said to work for Anambra State Waste Management Authority (ASMATA), broke his spine with a pestle, remains quite fresh.

Indeed, nobody would actually quarrel with the governor, if he took it as his remit to hug such a notorious image. As a politician, he would have to account for that with the Anambra people at the appropriate time. Where we would worry, and indeed worrying, is when it becomes a danger to the very people he superintends over. That is the issue with the instant case of the Agunechemba operation in Owere-Ezukala.

We will go all the way with the governor for as long as he remains deliberate, committed and decisive in this war against the terrorists in Anambra. But that is the farthest we could go. Anything outside credible, cogent and verifiable conduct, he loses the plot!

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