LAURETTA ONOCHIE

In Nigeria today, scandals are beginning to resemble a doctor’s prescription: take one tablet every day. Hardly does the country recover from one disturbing revelation before another lands on the national table. A questionable budget line today. A fictitious government Agency tomorrow. An appointee refusing to obey the President the next day. Then, almost casually, a senior official is caught on camera encouraging the destabilisation of an opposition party. And a dead body in a locked room. Individually, each controversy is troubling. Collectively, they paint a frightening picture of a government whose internal controls, moral authority and respect for democratic institutions are steadily deteriorating. Not every allegation has been conclusively proved in court. Some remain subjects of investigation with predetermined outcomes and official denial. But when controversies become this frequent—and when transparent explanations are repeatedly delayed—public suspicion is no longer unreasona...

Dear Baba, A year has passed since your departure, and for many Nigerians, it has also been a year of deep reflection.  Death has a way of silencing political arguments and inviting sober assessment. It encourages us to look beyond party loyalties and ask a simple question: How are the people faring now? Today, many Nigerians describe life as extraordinarily difficult. The rising cost of food, transportation, electricity, healthcare, and other essentials has placed immense pressure on households. Families are stretching every naira. Small and large businesses are shutting down. Young people worry about employment, while pensioners and low-income earners face growing financial strain. In moments like these, people often look back at previous administrations with fresh eyes. Some Nigerians say they now appreciate your time in office that they may have overlooked while you were President. Others who see only through ethnicity and religion, continue to criticize decisions made during y...

The attempt to undermine the constitutional rights of duly registered political parties has sparked a powerful response from Nigerians who believe that democracy must remain bigger than politics, bigger than parties, and bigger than any individual. Across the nation, voices have risen in defense of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the rule of law, and the sacred principles of multiparty democracy. Today, we pause to express our profound appreciation to all those who stood firm when it mattered most. We thank the Justices of the Court of Appeal for their timely intervention in preserving constitutional order and ensuring that due process remains the foundation of our legal system. We thank the leadership of INEC for remaining guided by the Constitution and the Electoral Act, recognizing that democratic rights cannot be extinguished by arbitrary interpretations or political pressure. We salute the Nigerian Bar Association, members of the legal profession, constitution...

The emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has been greeted with excitement and optimism by millions of supporters across Nigeria and beyond. For many Nigerians, his emergence represents not just the candidacy of an experienced statesman, but the elevation of a leader whose life and public service have consistently demonstrated a commitment to education, human development, and national progress. Among the qualities that distinguish Atiku Abubakar is his deep and abiding passion for education. He understands that no nation can achieve sustainable development without investing heavily in the education of its citizens. His personal journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of Nigeria's most accomplished entrepreneurs and political leaders has reinforced his belief that education remains the most powerful instrument for breaking the cycle of poverty and creating opportunities for future generations. This conviction is not...

Let us begin with agriculture. Or rather, let us pretend to begin with agriculture, because that is what the 2026 budget does best. The federal government has allocated record sums to farming, irrigation, and livestock development across all tiers of government. Northern states alone are throwing hundreds of billions at the problem — Jigawa earmarked N75 billion for agriculture, Kaduna dedicated 11.65 percent of its nearly N1 trillion budget to food security, and Kano set aside N26 billion plus another N64 billion for water supply to support irrigation . On paper, this looks like a government that cares about hunger. On paper, a lot of things look good. On paper, I look like someone who has their life together. But here is the hilarious part — and by hilarious, I mean the kind of hilarious that makes you want to weep into your garri. Despite all this money being budgeted, hunger is tightening its grip on Northern Nigeria like a bankruptcy on a lottery winner. An estimated six million p...

Mr. President, there is a question that hangs in the air, refusing to dissipate. It is asked in the quiet corners of living rooms from Kaduna to Lagos. It is debated with hushed urgency on social media timelines. It is whispered even within the corridors of power. And it demands your attention, not as a political favor to an adversary, but as a solemn duty to the Constitution you swore to defend. Who, Mr. President, wants Mallam Nasir Elrufai dead? One does not need to hold a medical degree to understand a simple biological truth: a human body denied food and medicine, day after day, will eventually break down. What began as a high-profile corruption investigation now carries the unmistakable stench of a protracted, calculated, and perhaps even deliberate campaign of attrition. Mr. President, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, an agency of your government, has allegedly become an executioner dressed in the garb of a law enforcement body. Let us rev...