LAURETTA ONOCHIE

There are controversies that disappear with time. There are others that refuse to die because the questions at their centre have never been satisfactorily put to rest. As Nigeria marches towards the 2027 presidential election, the controversy surrounding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's educational history belongs firmly in the second category. This is not a matter that should be settled by insults, partisan loyalty or political intimidation. It should be settled by records. Because there is one rule of education that even a child understands: You cannot build something on nothing. THE LESSON FROM UNILAG More than half a century ago, the University of Lagos was confronted with an admissions scandal associated with one of its senior administrative officers, Mr. Owosho, then a Deputy Registrar. Accounts of the 1974 affair describe an investigation into students who had gained admission using fraudulent examination results and qualifications. The scandal involved verification with the We...

In recent months, some politically naive Nigerians have argued that the existence of more than one opposition party in the 2027 presidential election will automatically guarantee victory for the incumbent incompetent and docile president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. While this argument may appear persuasive on the surface, it does not accurately reflect how democracy works in practice, nor anywhere in the world. A healthy democracy is not designed around one ruling party and one opposition party. Rather, it is built on political pluralism—the freedom of citizens to establish, join, and support political parties that reflect different philosophies, ideologies, and visions for governance. Political parties are not merely electoral vehicles. They are institutions founded on principles, values, and policy preferences, except the All Progressives Congress, which has now lost its foundational values and principles. Some political associations place greater emphasis on free markets, others on social w...

In politics, character is often revealed not in moments of triumph, but in moments of temptation. I recently watched a video in which former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, recounted an episode from Nigeria's political history. According to his account, some governors were prepared to support Alhaji Atiku Abubakar's emergence as President while President Olusegun Obasanjo was still in office. Rather than seize the opportunity, Kalu said Atiku knelt before them and pleaded that he could not betray the President under whom he was serving. Whether one agrees with Atiku politically or not, the story speaks to a quality that is increasingly rare in public life—loyalty to principle over personal ambition. I had my own encounter that reinforced this impression. Late in 2025, while I was in the United Kingdom for personal reasons, I received a WhatsApp message directly from Atiku Abubakar requesting that we meet to discuss our political association in the African Democratic Congre...

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...