Innocent Ojefia Blog

After former President Goodluck Jonathan launched his memoir Transition Hours  on Tuesday, he might have heaved a sigh of relief. It might not be because the ordeal of writing and preparing to present the book to the public was now off his shoulders. Nor because he was now luxuriating in the cathartic effect of dislodging the single narrative that de-privileges his role in nation-building and the 2015 elections. Rather, it could be because of the sweet contemplation of the fresh horizon of possibilities that had opened before him. Now, he realised that it was not all gloom – he might not have been denigrated as an irredeemable villain after all. For over three years, Jonathan might have been shocked by how his legendary good luck has mutated into a source of personal tragedy as he was weighed down by the thought of his now being eternally identified with a dark role in the crisis of development of the nation. He might have felt that he and his government were held in utter...

One of the key features of the Buharian Presidency has been the politics of health, which impacted grievously on the health of the polity. At a certain time, he always had something to do in London and all his foreign trips( and they were numerous), were routed through London. All this culminated in his historical medical trip that lasted 100 days. On the day he returned, he was so frail that the wind was almost tossing him about. Then, one day, he traveled as usual, returned as usual but started bouncing unusually. He became so vibrant, energetic and active to the extent that everybody, including the son of man, noticed the new and improved PMB. I concluded that an oyibo scientific magic had taken place and I left it at that. Not long after that, the story started that what we had was and is Buhari2, a replacement of PMB, and who was sourced from Sudan! I did not believe so, and even now, I do not believe so. I told myself that the British media industry and Julian Assange and...

For some of us who really know that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has been lying about Boko Haram being incapacitated, the headlines that Boko Haram killed over 100 Nigerian soldiers is not surprising or shocking. It is a simple confirmation that the truth is coming out and unfortunately through the massacre of Nigerian soldiers by the terrorist organization.  Boko Haram simply changed their tactics and stopped bombing public places indiscriminately. Why? ISIS wasn’t comfortable with the mode of operation of Abubakar Shakau. They wanted him out. Boko Haram was losing the sympathy of some Muslims who sympathized with them by their indiscriminate bombing and Abubakar Shekau wasn’t willing to stop his total madness. That was why he was removed as head of Boko Haram and the coming of the faction. President Buhari administration is known for quickly claiming everything as an achievement. In an era where there isn’t much to celebrate, anything and everything be...

It was understandable that a photograph of Senator Godswill Akpabio and the two living former presidents of the fourth republic, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo at the wedding of Mr. Timi Alaibe’s daughter two weeks ago would captivate social media commentators. The photograph showed Akpabio maybe, trying to gesture towards Presidents: Jonathan and Obasanjo who both looked straight and sternly in front as if unaware of his presence. According to the social media gossips, it was an open rebuff of Akpabio by the two presidents. Since there was no soundbite to indicate a rebuff from Dr. Jonathan or bluster from Dr. Obasanjo, the insinuations on social media that the two presidents shamed Senator Akpabio should not be wholly assumed. But was there any reason for such animosity between Presidents Obasanjo and Jonathan on one hand and Senator Akpabio on the other? The social media commentators may have had reason to insinuate as such. The latest of such wa...

…Says former president resisted the temptation to take a seat among African demagogues and narcissists. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara said that the decision of former president Goodluck Jonathan to concede defeat after the 2015 presidential election was responsible for bringing Nigeria’s democracy to maturity. Dogara who said this in remarks at the launching of the book “My Transition Hours” written by the former president in Abuja Monday, argued that not only did the singular action bring honour to him and place him among the rank of Africa’s statesmen, it also conferred legitimacy to Nigeria’s political process. He added that the former president deserves to be celebrated for not choosing to take the path of African demagogues and narcissists by relying on the executive powers when he was in authority in order to pursue an ambition of remaining in office. Going further, he noted that, “In moments of difficulties, great uncertainty such...

Former President of Ghana, John Mahama, says ex-President Goodluck Jonathan is more of an academic who found himself in politics. He said this at the public presentation and formal launching of a book titled “My Transition Hours” by Jonathan that “I was not surprised when Jonathan conceded defeat to President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015”. Mahama said Jonathan approached leadership in a relaxed manner and that was why he left a good legacy worthy of emulation by all leaders in Africa. The former Military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, said Nigeria was not at war today because of the decision by Jonathan to concede defeat during the 2015 general elections. ” We cannot thank you enough for the peace we are having in the country today; for the peaceful transition, we had when you freely and voluntarily conceded defeat. ” By your decision, you have shown that you love your country more than you love power,” he said. The Presidential candidate of Peoples De...

Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, said on Tuesday that President Muhammadu Buhari led All Progressive Congress (APC) government is the worst in the history of Nigeria. Agbakoba, who is one of the leaders of the National Intervention Movement, described the last four years under Buhari as locust years, saying the Coalition of United Political Parties were determined to save the country by bringing Buhari’s reign to an end. The lawyer described the policy document of president Buhari called “Next Level,” as a failed document and one lacking in “conceptual overhang”. Agbakoba, who assured that Atiku would win, while Buhari would come “distant second, rated the Presidential candidate of PDP’s campaign document as better than that of Buhari. He, however, expressed the fear that Buhari, if defeated, might not be willing to relinquish power, decrying the presence of the service chiefs at the launch of Buhari’s re-election campaig...