In this report TOPE SUNDAY recaps some of the events that took place in Nigeria in 2018 and captures Nigerians expectations and projection for the New Year.
The year 2018 like other years that general elections in Nigeria witnessed a lot admixture of events ranging from tragedy, comedy and historic.
The year was also signposted by defection of key government officials, surprising from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; and Benue state Governor, Dr Samuel Ortom.
The year, however, ended on a sad note with death of Nigeria’s first Executive President, Alhaji Shehuri Shagari, as well as the resurgence of attacks by the insurgents in the North-east.
The late President, who died at 93, joined politics in 1951 when he became the Secretary of the Northern Peoples Congress in Sokoto, a position he held until 1956.
General Olusegun Obasanjo, who was military Head of State, handed over to Shagari in 1979, and he was in office till 1983.
Shagari ran for a second four-year term in 1983 and won the general election, however, on December 31, 1983, he was overthrown by Major General Muhammadu Buhari.
OPC Founder, Fasehun also passed on
Towards the tail end of the year, Elder Statesman and Founder of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Dr Frederick Fasehun, gave up the ghost.
Fasehun, a Medical Doctor by training, was a political and cultural activist who sought the interest of various ethnic nationalities—especially the Yoruba people.
President Buhari’s cloning saga
The year 2018 cannot be discussed with mention about President Muhmmadu Buhari’s alleged double, Jubrin from Sudan. The speculation was attributed to the leader of the defunct Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Front, (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo Ansari.
The controversy surrounding the alleged cloning of the president did not abate as the opposition also jumped on it, even as it got a boost during the National Executive Committee meeting of the PDP when there were screams of Jubrin Must Go as the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was about to deliver his speech and he was quoted as having asked, “Which Jubrin? Is it the one in Sudan or the one in Abuja?”
Though a lot of Nigerians condemned and described the rumour mongers as a group of mentally derailed fellows, Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on his part, insisted that he never said President Muhammadu Buhari was cloned but that he is dead and replaced by another individual, Jubril Aminu Al-Sudani, as a double.
EFCC 312 convictions boost anti-graft war
The year 2018, was a blessing to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), following the convictions of 312 corrupt Nigerians.
According to the EFCC acting Head, Media and Publicity, Mr Tony Orilade, in Abuja, the convictions were recorded between January and December 24, 2018, saying that it is much higher than the 189 recorded in 2017.
Those convicted include two politically exposed persons, former Governor of Taraba state, Jolly Nyame, and former Governor of Plateau state and serving Senator, Joshua Dariye.
Similarly, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Joseph Nwobike, who had been stripped of the highly revered legal title, was also convicted for perverting the course of justice.
According to Orilade, the convictions achieved by the EFCC under the acting chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Magu, showed that the commission has remained consistent in its efforts at ensuring that the negative narrative of pervasive corruption in the system is changed for the better.
Lagos Zonal office of the EFCC recorded the highest convictions of 85; followed by Abuja with 53; Kano with 36, Port Harcourt 33; Gombe 28; Benin 27; Enugu 15; Maiduguri 11; Ibadan 10; Uyo eight and Kaduna with six convictions.
Amasa Firdaus, and the hijab controversy
Though, controversy over hijab is not new in Nigeria, the case of a graduate of the Nigerian Law School, Amasa Firdaus, who was not called to the Nigerians Bar for wearing a Hijab to the ceremony set the tone for various Hijab wearing controversies in 2018. While the controversy raged, various Muslim groups and associations sued the Nigerian Law School for banning Firdaus from the ceremony. Reprieve did come her way after the body of benchers responsible for calling law graduates to bar approving the use of hijab and Firdaus was called to bar.
In Lagos, members of Muslim Students Society of Nigeria had also protested alleged victimization of secondary school students using Hijab by principals in Lagos. The case became a issue of litigation as various Muslim associations sought the courts’ reprieve against an Hijab wearing ban of the state government. While the case got to the Supreme Court, the Lagos State government, in November, approved the use of Hijab in public schools in the state.
The issue of the wearing of Hijab by female Muslims in schools also generated comments for and against in the International School, University of Ibadan. While some Muslim parents argued that female Muslim students should be allowed to wear their Hijab as guaranteed by the nation’s constitution, the school’s authorities had argued that the status quo where Hijab wearing was not permissible in the school be maintained.
The controversy assumed a threatening dimension with protests by Muslim parents’ forum, temporary closure and litigations against the school’s authorities. The parties however resolved that the status quo should remain.
Many travails of Melaye
The travails of Senator Dino Melaye appeared to have come to a head with the Police laying siege on his Maitama home.
The Police accused the Senator representing Kogi West the National Assembly of shooting a Police officer sometime in June last year while travelling to his home town, Aiyetoro Gbede in Kogi state.
Melaye, who was a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) but returned to PDP during the year, was involved in many controversies; ranging from his certificate saga to the launching of an anti-corruption book revealing an alleged fraudulent practice by MTN; escaping alleged assassination; and jumping off a moving Police van in an attempt to prevent the Police from taking him to Lokoja for a court case.
There was also the attempted recall process by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), which he beat against all odds. The highlight of his year was the 11 hours in the wilderness claim.
JAMB and money-swallowing snake
As politically and economically tensed as the country was it also witnessed some comic-relief including the tale of the snake that swallowed N36million belonging to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Examination Board (JAMB) in Makurdi, Benue state.
The snake was said to have sneaked into the accounting office of JAMB and made away with the money according to a JAMB sales clerk, Philomina Chieshe. The sales clerk maintained that her housemaid connived with another JAMB staff, Joan Asen, to “spiritually” steal the money, through a snake, from the vault in the accounts office.
Another state coordinator of the board in Nassarawa state also came up with a rather strange story in a bid to explain an alleged fraud.
This time, a JAMB staffer, Labaran Tanko, said his car got burnt and in the process scratch cards worth N23 million were destroyed in the inferno.
Killing sprees
The year under review recorded wanton killings starting from the beginning of the year. The North-central, North-west and North-east geo-political zones turned practically to the hotbeds of violent deaths and unrestrained killings. From Zamfara, Benue, Borno, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kogi, Kaduna, Taraba to some other states, it later became obvious that a major humanitarian crisis was in the offing.
According to the available statistics, in January of 2018, about 676 deaths were recorded; February saw the killings of 517 people; in March, no fewer than 485 people were killed; 670 people died in April; May recorded 508 deaths; June saw 639; July was not spared as 357 people were killed; in August alone, 363 people died; September had 926 deaths; October recorded a disturbing casualty figure of 1,033; in November, 388 Nigerians died; of course December was not spared.
Over 100 killed in Flooding
No fewer than 100 Nigerians lost their lives to flood that wrecked havoc in about 10 states in 2018. Many became homeless; livelihoods were affected; many farmlands and farm produce destroyed.
Niger and Benue rivers reported burst their banks following very heavy rains with many communities submerged by the rampaging flood.
Worried by the development, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the release of about N3 billion for the purchase of medical and relief materials. As the year closes, many are still to grapple with the devastation left behind by the flood.
Season of certificate forgery, racketeering
The year witnessed one of the biggest unexpected scandals committed by the former Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, which led to her from the Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet. The Premium Times online news platform reported a little past the middle of the year that the foreign trained finance expert not only skipped the mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) but also falsified an exemption certificate to that effect. Adeosun’s curriculum vitae including soft copies of her credentials were placed online which eventually led to a media uproar with many calling for the sack and trial of the ex-minister.
It was gathered that she had skipped the scheme despite graduating at 22 in a foreign university. Her eventual resignation put to rest the whole brouhaha that attended the report.
Also, the medium reported that the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, did not participate in the one year NYSC mandatory scheme.
Sex-for-mark scandal
A Lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Professor Richard Akindele, was caught in an audio demanding s3x from his student, Monica Osagie. He was sentenced to six year-imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Osogbo.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) had arraigned the lecturer and secured his conviction at the court after he was sacked by the university.
Akindele, admitted guilt and was sentenced to six years in prison for the four charges brought against him.
Dapchi school girls kidnap
It was de ju vu when Boko Haram kidnapped 110 schoolgirls from the Government Technical Girls College in Dapchi, Yobe state, on February 19, 2018. Boko Haram reportedly released all but one of the girls by March 21. The girl, Leah Sharibu, has remained with her captives with global condemnation trailing her non-release.
Herdsmen and cattle colony crisis
One sore part of the year 2018 was the death of several people resulting from herdsmen/farmers clashes. Hardly did any week pass without reports of killings of Nigerians by herdsmen. States which were hotbeds of this violence included Benue, Taraba, Plateau and Zamfara
Hundreds of clerics, lay, security personnel, women, men, children were killed as the battle over land by herdsmen and farmers raged.
Some reported cases were the killing of 42 people, mostly women and children in Taraba, in July; the killing of two Catholic priests and 17 others in April, in Benue; the death of 36 people in Zamfara in April from herdsmen attacks, while about 100 were reported killed in series of herdsmen attacks in Plateau between June and September.
Following the killing of 73 people by herders in Benue, President Buhari ordered the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, to relocate to Benue in January only for the president to subsequently admit that he was not aware that the IGP did not comply with his order.
However, criticisms followed the failure of the President to reprimand the IGP for not carrying out an order to relocate to Benue. In spite of efforts by the federal government the tide of killings, herdsmen/farmers clashes have continued.
Ina bid to end it, the cattle colony was introduced. The idea was to stop the practice of herdsmen moving with their cattle and its attendant clashes with farmers and land owners. However, the cattle colony was met with stiff opposition with several stakeholders terming the colony idea another form of people being colonised by herdsmen.
Consequently, the term, “ranching” was promoted while the term, “cattle colony” relegated to the background. Herdsmen groups like Miyetti Allah argued that Nigerians must embrace ranching as a way to stem clashes with farmers.
Cattle owners, however, have continued to lament the unwillingness of farmers and land owners to sell, lease or let their land to herdsmen for ranching.
Nigeria ranked poverty capital
In the year under review, Nigeria was ranked as the poverty capital of the world. The Brookings Institution, a Washington based economic think-tank, had in October published a report of its latest projections where it stated that Nigeria had overtaken India as the country with the largest number of extremely poor people.
The Brookings report suggested that Nigeria had about 87 million people in extreme poverty by May 2018 compared to India’s 73 million. The report corroborated that of the National Bureau of Statistics which in 2016 reported that no fewer than 112 million Nigerians live below the poverty line.
The latest projection casts doubt on the ability of Nigeria to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to end extreme poverty by 2030. The report also affirmed the failure of government over the years to provide employment and lift out its citizens out of extreme poverty.
Property worth N5trillion lost in inferno
Property worth at least N5 trillion were lost to fire outbreaks in the country. Commandant-General of the Federal Fire Service, Mr. Joseph Anebi, confirmed this while marking the 2018 Fire Fighters Day. He said N3.3 trillion worth of properties was lost to fire outbreaks in Kano alone while over 3,800 people were displaced.
In November, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had to relocate its Data Centre and office of the combined inter agency task force following a fire outbreak that damaged items a great percentage of which include ICT consumables that were worth millions of naira
In June, lives and property were lost to a fire outbreak when a tanker fell and spilled its content on Otedola Bridge in Lagos.
A similar event occurred in October on the Lagos-Badagry road.
In December, 63 vehicles and 98 shops were lost to a pipeline fire at Abule Egba in Lagos while properties worthy millions of naira were also destroyed when fire from a petroleum pipeline ravaged the area.
The explosion was said to be the result of activities of suspected petroleum product thieves and vandals
Offa carnage
In 2018, the ancient Town of Offa in Kwara state, was invaded by the men of the underworld, and killed no fewer than six policemen and 22 others.
A total of five banks were robbed in broad day light. The men blew up entrances into the banks with dynamite in an operation which lasted for more than one hour and at the end of the operation.
The aftermath of the robbery operation became what many described as a political war as the Police arrested men allegedly responsible for the robbery, who reportedly linked the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, to their operations.
This led to the Police investigating the Senate President and inviting him for questioning. However, in a twist of events one of the arrested suspects died in Police custody.
Lassa/Yellow fever resurgence
In 2018, there was an upsurge in the cases of Lassa fever. The outbreak went beyond the normal season and killing people
In January, four cases of Lassa fever among health care workers in Ebonyi state were reported at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Three of the four cases; two medical doctors and a nurse passed away despite efforts to save their lives. At that time, the University Graduates of Nursing Science Association (UGONSA), said more than 40 health workers had died as a result of Lassa fever in Ebonyi alone in the past 13 years.
In other states, there were reports of more cases in Kogi and Ondo states.
Also, Abuja and about 18 states were affected by the disease in 2018.
Similarly, there was outbreak of Yellow Fever in 2018, 68 deaths were linked to the disease in Kwara, Kogi, Kano, Zamfara, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Niger, Katsina, Edo, Ekiti, Anambra, Abuja and Benue states. Between October 5 and November 11, 85 suspected cases were reported indicating that Yellow fever outbreak is still active in Nigeria.
Obj dumps Buhari for Atiku
One of the key issues that also shaped the politics of 2018 is the January 23, letter by former President Olusegun Obasanjo titled: “The Way Out, A Clarion Call for Coalition for Nigerian Movement.”
In the 13 page letter, the former President announced he was parting ways with the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, whom he had helped to power in 2015.
He advised Buhari to ignore advice of his hangers’ on and yield the clarion call not to seek re-election in view of what the former leader called his obvious failures in power.
Equally against widespread calculations, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, at a public gathering at his Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun state, announced that he has forgiven Atiku all his transgressions and equally endorsed him as the next President of Nigeria.
Obasanjo, after the endorsement announced his readiness to do everything within his powers to ensure Atiku replaces Buhari at the Presidential villa in 2019
Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018 saga
In February, the National Assembly passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018 into law. Its intendment was to amend the 2010 and 2015 Electoral Act currently in use and ensure the Electoral Act recognises the Card Reader. The lawmakers however inserted the Order of Elections in new Section 25(1).
The order of elections completely negates the one adopted by the Independent National Electoral Commission in 2015 by ensuring that the National Assembly elections come first, flowed by the State elections (including the House of Assembly polls) and then the Presidential election.
Pronto, reports emanated that the presidency was the target of the decision to reorder the elections and a suit was instantly filed against the decision.
The High Court sitting in Abuja actually ruled to oust the power of the National Assembly to reorder elections. But the President had already rejected the bill, citing usurpation of the powers of INEC.
Not long after, the Court of Appeal in Abuja nullified the ruling of the High Court which ousted the powers of the National Assembly to re-order elections. Even though the ruling was in favour of the powers of the National Assembly to re-order elections if it so wishes, the National Assembly refused to follow that track anymore.
But the Electoral Act amendment procedure emerged one of the most talked about issue in the year. The electoral act amendment bill was amended on four different occasions and on each occasion, the president refused assent.
After the first veto in March, the National Assembly passed the bill again in June, the President only allowed that to lapse after the 30-day constitutional window. The lawmakers again in July passed the bill and it was rejected on August 31.
Again in November, the lawmakers passed the fourth copy to President Buhari and on December 8, the President raised another issue to justify his refusal to assent the bill. The fact that the bill was turned down on four different occasions by the President got the bill special attention in year 2018.
NASS fails to veto President
With the Assembly fast degenerating into a divided parliament, the leadership of the chambers toyed with the idea of an override of the veto on the Electoral Act Amendment bill 2018 as communicated to the lawmakers in March 2018.
At the Senate, which was to spearhead the process due to the not too wide a distance between the majority party members and the minority Senators. Besides, the sentiment in the Chamber was already emerging, the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki and his supporters were opposed to the veto by the President, while the mainstream APC were bent on defending the President’s position.
Leaders of the PDP in the Senate had calculated that with half of the APC loyal to Saraki, the chamber might secure the required two-thirds majority needed to override the President.
But things changed swiftly. The APC had made surreptitious moves to secure the buy in of the Senate Minority Leader to slow down, if not eventually frustrate the bid to override the veto.
It was later in the day before the PDP and its leadership got wind of the underhand moves between its Minority Leader and the APC, which eventually saw to the defection of then Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio to the ruling party.
When Akpabio eventually announced he was leaving the Minority Party and relinquishing the position he fought tooth and nail to secure in 2015, the message appeared to have gone full circle.
Senator Omo-Agege’s suspension and mace theft
Senator Ovie Omo-Agege had defected to the ruling APC from the Labour Party. He suddenly became a vociferous member of the ruling party and a power broker of some sorts. After joining the Parliamentary Support Group, a caucus that was showing support for President Muhammadu Buhari.
He had alleged that the amendments in the Electoral Act Amendment bill 2018 were targeted at President Buhari, a comment he was asked to withdraw by the Senate.
His failure to withdraw the statement and his decision to head to court to prevent the Senate from sanctioning him led to his trial at the Public Petitions Committee, which originally recommended him for suspension for 181 days.
The Senate, however, ratified 90 days suspension, a situation that apparently had roots in the next development in the senate on April 19. His defection led the theft of the Mace of the Senate in broad daylight, while the lawmakers were seated.
It was a strange find on April 19 as Abuja recorded the daylight robbery while some 100 Senators were seated in chambers. Some daredevil gang men forced their way into the Senate chamber and took away the Mace while the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu was presiding.
The lawmakers were seriously perturbed but they were courageous enough not to scamper for safety after the invasion.
A historic joint sitting of the Senate and the House of Representatives was held after the incident which was the National Assembly condemning the incident and passing a strong message to security agencies to track the perpetrators.
Some 24 hours after the incidence, the Police announced it has recovered the stolen mace under a bridge around the Abuja National Stadium.
June 12 Democracy Day
President Muhammadu Buhari announced that the popularly acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election, Bashorun MKO Abiola, would be honoured with the highest honour in the land, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), which is usually reserved for Presidents and Heads of State.
The only other Nigerian, who was not head of the Federal Government to receive the honour was the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo (SAN).
The federal government also pronounced June 12 as Democracy Day. The government also honoured the late human rights lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, with the second highest honour in the land the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
Subsequently, the awards were posthumously received by the Abiola and Fawehinmi families at the ceremony in Abuja.
Saraki, Dogara and many defections
Like Senate President Bukola Saraki, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, also in August announced his defection to the PDP and also named himself a presidential contender on the ticket of the party.
In a similar fashion, the Governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom also defected to the PDP, in a manner reminiscent of the political happenings of 2014, when the PDP lost five governors and other bigwigs to the APC.
Governor Abdufatah Ahmed of Kwara state also joined the PDP train aside Senators, members of the House of Representatives and other APC chieftains who left the party to join the PDP.
Atiku and PDP convention
Against widespread expectations, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar emerged the presidential candidate of the PDP at the Presidential primaries held in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
Before the national Convention, it was largely speculated that with the Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike solidly backing Tambuwal, his emergence was a fait accompli.
It was also believed that since the PDP needed the buy-in of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to boost its campaign, going for Atiku, who was seen as a sworn enemy of the former President would be the last thing.
But delegates at the national convention of the PDP gave a resounding victory to Atiku ahead of Tambuwal and Senate President Bukola Saraki.
Buhari and NASS brawl
One other issue that signposted the year 2018 was the December 19, presentation of the 2019 budget by President Buhari. It was the first time the President was heckled at the joint sitting of the National Assembly since the restart of democratic governance in 1999, with voices of dissent dotting every paragraph of the President’s presentation. The incidence was a mark of the frosty relationship between the assembly and Buhari’s government since inception in 2015, more of a bottled anger that would almost certainly see through the president’s tenure.
Ekiti, Osun elections and vote buying
In the year under review, vote buying became more pronounced in the country’s electoral process with the Osun and Ekiti election as politicians and their followers openly induced voters to vote for their candidates for rates between N5,000 and N20,000.
Parties and their agents bought votes at and around polling centres, even under the nose of security agents. The electoral process was more monetised than ever as voters in turn, sold their votes to the highest bidder.
The election was also characterized by violence and intimidation of voters, including observers. With an estimated 30,000 security personnel deployed to each state, analysts noted that the elections were militarized, which may have dissuaded some voters from turning up at polling centres to exercise their franchise. Some analysts and observers argue that these circumstances influenced the outcome of the elections. The incumbent party at the centre, the All Progressives Congress (APC) upstaged the opposition and won the two states and many Nigerians fear that there may be a repeat of these scenarios in the forthcoming general election.
Restructuring
The year 2018 witnessed heightened campaign for restructuring of the polity. The South West, galvanised by the Pan-Yoruba socio-political Organisation, Afenifere, the South East, propelled by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Middle Belt Forum and the Pan-Niger Delta Forum(PNADEF), all grouped together to adopt restructuring at different fora. It was a year the restructuring agenda had also become a political tool as the Afenifere adopted the candidate of the PDP for the 2019 presidential election on the basis of the commitment to restructuring.
In 2018, the Southern, Middle belt and Niger Delta groups worked more in unity than ever seen in the years past.
It is expected that the Southern Middle Belt agenda would play significant roles in the political of 2019.
