Many Nigerians are presently holding onto hope like a tiny rope that keeps them from falling over the edge and a dose of illusion that seems to strengthen them. As valid as their permutations with regard to the 2023 election sound, most people do not appear to understand the ruthlessness of the monster they are up against.
There is a general feeling in the land that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government of the All Progressives Party, APC has been a colossal failure and hence his party shouldn’t be rewarded at the polls. Yet, the candidate of the party, Bola Tinubu from every indication appears to be the man set to take over the reins of power from 29th of May, 2023.
Many Nigerians don’t understand the politics of science. They are known for discussing or analysing politics with emotions rather than with their thinking caps. What they fail to understand is that those who are deft in playing the politics of science do so in the strategy room and not in emotional places. In Nigeria today, the former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu is easily the best political strategist in the country and this is something many Nigerians seem to underrate.
From the day he won the presidential ticket of the APC on 10th of June this year, Tinubu clearly understood that he would lose the election if he went into a free and fair contest with his opponents in the next presidential election.
Armed with this knowledge, he simply went back to the drawing board to come up with ideas on how to win the same elections by all means, even if it implies subverting the will of Nigerians.
– Bola Tinubu
The painful truth is that Lagos Jagaban, as he is fondly called has perfected his strategies and many Nigerians are yet to come to terms with it. This explains why he has continuously paid deaf ears to certain calls from a section of Nigerians. It explains why he looked at Christians in the eye and told them to go blazes when he insisted on a Muslim-Muslim ticket not minding the fact that Nigeria is currently at her most pollarised and divided state owing to religion. It gives an understanding of why Tinubu will not attend any live interview where he will have to face journalists without pre-written scripts. It explains why he told Nigerians who desire a change in government to ‘Shurrup’ their mouths.
To effectively rig the yet-to-be-conducted elections, the first institution Tinubu took over was the electoral umpire itself – the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC).
Sensing a surge in voter registration due to the palpable anger in the land and the willingness of Nigerians to go all out to effect a change through the ballot box, the electoral body, for the first time in Nigeria’s history, closed its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), exercise with almost 200 days left before the election.
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It didn’t end there, the INEC had other plans. The preliminary figures released by INEC showed that a total number of 12,298,944 people participated in the registration exercise and completed their registration. Two months later, INEC announced that about 2,780,756 of those registrations were invalid and cancelled. Now this is where it gets interesting; About 49.3% of those rejected registrations were from the South-South and the South-East at, 859,165 and 510,548 registration respectively. While other regions had an average rejection rate of 17%, the South-South and the South-East had a rejection rate of 35.2%.
Again, despite the fact that the South-East completed the least number of registrations, by the time the numbers were passed through INEC’s knife, they ended up with the highest number of rejected votes.
Till date, INEC did not provide any answers for these ungodly ‘coincidences’ and yet, Nigerians cannot read the room.
Many Nigerians do not know that while INEC is assuring them of free and fair elections, they are also perfecting plans to pre-load the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) which will be used for accreditation on election day. Many Nigerians do not seem to know that this was the sole reason Mr. Chidi Nwafor was redeployed and moved away as the Director of ICT at the Commission.
To think that all these went on almost unnoticed will leave any curious mind wondering if Nigerians are really ready for the change they are yearning for.
Tinubu understood the game from the beginning, met the right people and, of course, was willing to cough out millions of dollars to get it done.
Aside from INEC, Tinubu has managed to capture other instruments of state such as the notoriously corrupt army, criminally minded police force and even the NSCDC. All these actions were carried out while Nigerians were still asleep politically.
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It would take much more than social media noise and street rallies to change some of these plots, and that is the truth.
Tinubu has criminally enriched himself so much with slush funds from drug deals and the government of Lagos State which he converted into a private estate two decades ago.
Going forward, it will be best if Nigerians consider boycotting the elections and demand answers for some of these questions. If the answers are not forthcoming, it will be safer if they resort to civil disobedience to demand a restructuring of Nigeria. This may sound impracticable to many Nigerians, but they must understand that if they feel they stand no chance with the calls for restructuring, their chances are even far worse if they opt for electoral disgrace at the polls.
Nigerians must decide for themselves what their best strategy should be. Time is running out and they cannot afford to take risky gambles. Tinubu is poised to secure an easy win in the polls and it will take more superior strategies to stop that from happening.
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of British actor Paul Grant, who has died at the age of 56. Grant, who was known for his roles in both the Harry Potter and Star Wars franchises, passed away on Monday after his family made the difficult decision to switch off his life support machine the day before.
The news of Grant’s death was confirmed by his daughter, Sophie Jayne Grant, who spoke to Sky News about the heartbreaking loss of her father. She described herself as “heartbroken” and expressed her belief that “no girl deserves their dad to be taken away”. She also spoke about the impact that her father had on the world through his work, saying that he was “so well known and loved” and that he had gone “too soon”.
Grant’s death came after he was found collapsed outside King’s Cross station in London last Thursday afternoon. According to reports, he was declared brain dead before his eventual passing on Monday.
Paul Grant was a highly respected actor and stuntman who had appeared in a number of iconic films throughout his career. In addition to his roles in the Harry Potter and Star Wars franchises, he also acted in the 1988 film Willow and the cult classic Labyrinth alongside David Bowie in 1986.
The news of Grant’s passing has been met with an outpouring of grief from fans and colleagues alike. Many have taken to social media to express their condolences and pay tribute to the actor’s life and career.
A spokesperson for the London Ambulance Service also spoke about the incident, confirming that they had been called to St Pancras Station on the day of Grant’s collapse. They sent an ambulance crew and a medic in response to the call, and treated Grant at the scene before taking him to hospital as a priority.
Grant is survived by his girlfriend Maria, his two daughters and one son, as well as his stepchildren and grandchildren. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family and friends during this difficult time.
The Dutch government has recently issued a warning to its officials to avoid installing Chinese-owned video app, TikTok, and refrain from using social media from countries with “offensive” cyber programs. This move is in line with similar actions taken by other Western nations and is part of the Dutch government’s eventual plan to ban “spy-sensitive” apps from countries such as China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia altogether from phones used by civil servants.
Dutch digital minister Alexandra van Huffelen stated that this decision came after a recommendation by the country’s secret service (AIVD), which found that such apps posed “an inherent espionage risk.” The minister said, “The first step is to immediately discourage civil servants… from having apps installed and using them on their mobile work equipment from companies in countries with an offensive cyber program against the Netherlands.”
In addition to discouraging the use of TikTok and other social media apps, the Netherlands is planning to issue officials with mobile phones that only allow the installation of pre-approved apps and software. The decision was based on consultation with the European Union.
TikTok is a hugely popular app worldwide for sharing short, viral videos. However, governments in several countries such as the UK, US, Canada, and New Zealand have already banned TikTok on work devices, as has the European Commission. The global action against TikTok kicked off in India in 2020.
TikTok has previously admitted that ByteDance employees in China accessed details of US accounts, but it has always denied turning over data to the Chinese authorities. US President Joe Biden has also threatened to ban the app outright unless TikTok separates from ByteDance. In light of these developments, it is important for governments and individuals to be cautious about the use of apps from countries with questionable cyber programs to protect sensitive data and prevent potential espionage risks.
Founder Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention and Deliverance Ministry, Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere, popularly known as Prophet Odumeje, has recently made a shocking announcement during a church service in Anambra. The self-proclaimed man of God revealed to his congregation that he has completed his work on earth and will soon pass away.
During the service, Prophet Odumeje shared a heart-to-heart conversation he had with his first son, David. He informed David that his time on earth was coming to an end and that he needed to prepare himself to take care of his siblings and mother once he was gone.
The controversial pastor stated that he had come to this world for a purpose, and that purpose had been fulfilled. He said that he had finished his earthly ministry and that he would soon depart from this world.
Prophet Odumeje has gained immense popularity and infamy for his peculiar style of conducting deliverance services, which involves throwing members who seek miracles on the floor in a manner similar to WWE wrestling. He has been known to challenge native doctors to competitions to prove their ability to perform miracles.
The 40-year-old pastor has had his fair share of battles and controversies, including claiming to have gone to battle with the devil in the underworld and returning with a championship belt.
Prophet Odumeje’s announcement has stirred reactions from his followers and critics alike. While some believe he may be pulling a publicity stunt or making a symbolic statement, others have expressed concern for his well-being and prayed for his health.
Whatever the case may be, the news of Prophet Odumeje’s impending departure has sparked conversations about life’s purpose, mortality, and the legacy one leaves behind. It is a reminder that, ultimately, we all have a finite time on this earth, and it is up to us to make the most of it and leave a positive impact on the world.
Davido, the Nigerian-American singer, songwriter, and record producer, has made a grand comeback on social media after a brief hiatus with a video announcement of his highly anticipated upcoming album titled “Timeless”. The video, which was shared on his social media platforms, immediately created a buzz amongst his fans, who have been eagerly waiting for new music from the superstar.
In the video, Davido takes a reflective approach as he talks about the different phases of life, highlighting the importance of each phase and the lessons that can be learned. He says, “There is a time for everything. A time to grieve and a time to heal. A time to laugh and a time to dance. A time to speak and a time for silence.” This profound message strikes a chord with his fans, as it showcases his philosophical side and his ability to connect with his audience on a deeper level.
Davido also took the opportunity to express his heartfelt gratitude to his fans, who have been unwavering in their love and support during his time away from the music scene. He said, “Thank you to everyone out there for your love and support that has held me down. All the love and messages while I was away, the gifts sent, the concerts you all threw! I appreciate it all.” This heartfelt message is a testament to his humility and his ability to acknowledge the role his fans have played in his success.
He further emphasized that while his past music may have been new at one point, it has now become timeless. He stated, “Today, I want to remind you all that what is now Timeless, was once new. It’s time for something new.” This statement shows that he is ready to take on new challenges and create new music that will stand the test of time.
The upcoming album, “Timeless”, is set to drop on March 31st, and fans are already buzzing with excitement. With the promise of new music from one of the biggest names in the music industry, this album is expected to be a hit amongst his fans and beyond. Davido’s return to social media and the music scene is a clear indication that he is ready to take the music world by storm once again, and his fans cannot wait to see what he has in store for them.
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