UC

Accountability is key

Na CIA say make NEPA no bring light?

Na CIA say make NEPA no bring light?

Okay, I think we are being utterly unfair to Bashir Ahmad here. I’m not his friend in any sense, but as an insider, I should know enough to make this clarification: 1. Bashir was not an accounting officer of any MDA as a presidential aide, and that means he was not in charge of any public funds he could have tampered with. So, any claim about corrupt enrichment has to be situated within that context. 2. Not all presidential aides are paid by the government, and I’m not suggesting Bashir was one of them, but to dispel the narrative that all are paid by the government. Many are paid by donors, and they are usually well paid in such roles. No, I will not single them out for security reasons. So, the naira salary scale yardstick does not apply to all. 3. If, after over four years out of government, Bashir could not make good use of his social networks to build a revenue-generating enterprise or raise capital, then there would have to be something fundamentally wrong with him. There is nothing wrong with raising money through one’s social networks. 4. Bashir was a media practitioner before government, and his role gave him the visibility to build his brand and platform. I think he could sincerely survive on this in today’s world of public relations and promotion. I believe a lot of people and organizations would patronise him on account of his platforms and the influence they carry. 5. As a former government official, the assumption must be that he built a vast network he could rally around to mobilise funds for this initiative, which I believe is essential in the kind of community being targeted. We would be having a different discussion if Bashir had occupied an office where he was tasked with managing public funds. But the closest he ever was to government money was his salary, travel allowances, and, at worst, gifts. So, every suspicion of financial impropriety fails in the absence of evidence. 6. I am not defending his financial dealings here in any absolute sense, because I do not know him that closely. The point is that he is not the type of government official with direct access to public funds, but it is also unfair to dismiss the possibility of his social network coming through for him, or that he is making use of his time after government to make money.

"Slum to School". The slum has to exist. Why does it exist? He knows why. I have no problem with his person. I also have no reason why he should pitch on Obi's or any other candidate's side. But you can't say you're angry, and then join in dining with the source of your angst.

The chess guy is ethically bankrupt, because he wants to be a billionaire, and that's the only way to do it.

Name a SCAM

The Code of Conduct advisory issued by the National Broadcasting Commission is yet another troubling attempt to muzzle the media and shrink the space for free expression in Nigeria. Our media industry has grown into a formidable institution, respected globally for its resilience and professionalism. It is therefore alarming that, each time elections approach, the NBC resorts to heavy-handed directives that do more to silence dissent than to uphold ethical journalism. I stand firmly with Nigeria’s broadcast industry and all media platforms resisting this creeping censorship. Let it be clear: ethical standards are not seasonal tools to be weaponised during campaigns, they are constant obligations. The timing and tone of these regulations expose a deeper agenda. It signals a government more interested in controlling narratives than permitting a free, fair, and transparent electoral process. –AA

Peter Obi may be personally good, but so far I have not seen any hint that he knows how to build a great team around him. I am not criticizing him. But he really seems to be a solo-player, and does not have that critical "person evaluation" skill. His most important hire right now should be that person who can see through people and really build a strong team. Not everyone has the same strengths or weaknesses, and he should plug his weaknesses with really strong people.

Foreign interests cannot do sabotage the growth of Africa without the connivance of internal collaborators. Africans are the ones primarily responsible for the decay in the continent. We should focus more on the thieving political actors in Africa who have ruined their countries.

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