Opinion

Nupe politics and the deliberate misreading of Senator Sani Musa

Published

8 hours ago

June 25, 2026

Politics in my beloved Niger State has never lacked passion. It has never lacked rumours. It has never lacked the tendency to take a statement, strip it of context, stretch it beyond recognition and then present the distorted version as established truth.

That tendency is once again on display in the conversations surrounding Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, widely known across the state as 313.

In some political circles, particularly among those already looking beyond the horizon to the governorship contest that may emerge after the tenure of Governor Umaru Bago, a narrative has begun to gain currency. It is the claim that Senator 313 is somehow hostile to Nupe interests. It is a narrative built largely around a statement he made during discussions about road infrastructure and development priorities in Niger State, even though it was during Buhari.

Like many political myths, it survives not because of its strength but because of its repetition. The truth is far more nuanced.

At the centre of the controversy was the long-standing expectation that the Agaie–Baro Road would unlock enormous economic opportunities for Nupe communities and for Niger State as a whole. Few people dispute the strategic importance of the road. For decades, it has been regarded as a potential catalyst for commerce, transportation and regional development, largely because it provides access to the Baro Port. Yet the port itself remains a source of uncertainty. To this day, its future is unclear, and there is little indication that it will be fully harnessed and put into operation in the foreseeable future.

What Senator 313 argued was not that the road lacked value. His point, as many who followed the discussion understood, was that infrastructure cannot be viewed in isolation. A major road cannot deliver its full economic promise when the arteries connecting it to other critical destinations are themselves in a state of collapse.

The argument was essentially one of connectivity.

A road that leads nowhere useful is merely asphalt. A road that cannot be efficiently accessed because adjoining routes have deteriorated cannot produce the transformational economic impact that people expect from it.

It was in that context that attention was drawn to roads such as the Lapai-Agaie-Bida corridor and to other strategic routes whose condition had become a serious impediment to movement, trade and development.

One may agree or disagree with that assessment. Reasonable people often disagree on matters of public policy. What is difficult to sustain, however, is the claim that such an argument amounts to hostility toward an entire ethnic group.

That interpretation collapses under the weight of evidence.

If Senator 313 were motivated by ethnic considerations, logic would suggest that his advocacy would be narrowly confined to projects located within his own immediate political environment. Yet that was not the case. Instead, he championed the Mokwa-Birnin Gwari road, which is not in his Senatorial District.

the Mokwa-Birnin Gwari road, is not a minor route. Before its current deterioration, it was one of the most important transportation corridors in the country. It served as a major gateway linking southern commercial activity to northern markets. Countless articulated vehicles depended on it. Its economic significance extended far beyond any single local government area or senatorial district. Therefore, advocating for the rehabilitation of such a road is to think beyond ethnic boundaries and local calculations. It is to think in terms of economic ecosystems.

That distinction matters.

States are not developed through tribal arithmetic. They are developed through interconnected infrastructure, integrated markets and policies that recognise that prosperity in one area ultimately benefits another.

The tragedy of much contemporary political discourse is that development questions are increasingly being filtered through ethnic lenses. A proposal is no longer evaluated on its merit. It is first examined for clues about which group might benefit. This approach impoverishes public debate. It also risks punishing leaders who attempt to think broadly rather than parochially.

Recently, I lunched with some respected Nupe elders, and our conversation drifted toward the future of Niger State politics. Among the concerns some of them expressed was the belief that Senator 313 may eventually seek the governorship and that some Nupe political actors were already mobilising against him on the basis of the old controversy surrounding his remarks on infrastructure priorities.

The concern was genuine.

Yet listening to the discussion, one could not escape the feeling that the debate had become detached from the larger record of the man himself.

Political figures should be judged by patterns rather than isolated fragments.
They should be judged by what they have done, not merely by what opponents say they meant. When viewed through that lens, the image of Senator 313 as an ethnic exclusionist becomes increasingly difficult to defend. Perhaps the most compelling evidence lies in education.

Among the most ambitious interventions associated with him is the scholarship programme that has touched lives across different parts of Niger State. What makes the initiative remarkable is not merely its scale but its reach. The beneficiaries are not restricted to a single ethnic constituency. They are not confined to a single senatorial district. They include young people whose communities fall outside his immediate political jurisdiction. Such a programme is neither cheap nor politically convenient.

Scholarship schemes of such substantial size are usually associated with only state or federal governments because only them have the resources required to sustain them. For an individual political office holder to shoulder such commitments is no small undertaking.

The easier path would have been to focus exclusively on areas that guarantee immediate political returns. The more difficult path is to invest across boundaries. That is the path he has squarely chosen.

The same pattern was visible during the tragic flooding that devastated parts of Mokwa last year. It is axiomatic that in moments of disaster, rhetoric loses its value; what matters is response. Communities remember who arrived, who offered assistance, and who stood with them when grief was fresh and uncertainty was overwhelming. Reports from that period indicate that Senator 313 was among the earliest persons who provided support through financial contributions and relief materials. Again, this was not a matter of political geography. Disaster does not ask for ethnic identity before it strikes, and compassion should not be required to do so before it responds. Those who insist on portraying him as indifferent to Nupe interests must therefore answer a simple question: why would a man allegedly hostile to a people repeatedly invest political capital, financial resources, and personal effort in causes that directly affect those same people? The contradiction is glaring.

Perhaps the strongest symbolic rebuttal to the allegation came only days ago with the conferment of the title Madakin Rayyan Kasar Nupe.

Traditional institutions do not operate in a vacuum. Traditional titles of significance are not ordinarily distributed without reflection. They are often reserved for individuals whose contributions have earned recognition from the custodians of community heritage. Although no institution is infallible. and no traditional ruler is beyond criticism, yet it is difficult to imagine that a revered monarch would honour a man perceived as fundamentally opposed to the interests of his people. The Etsu Nupe has long enjoyed a reputation for wisdom, caution and discernment. The conferment of such a title inevitably sends a message. Whether one agrees with every decision of Senator 313 or not, the honour suggests that influential voices within Nupe society see in him something different from the caricature being circulated by critics. It suggests recognition rather than rejection. It suggest respect rather than suspicion and partnership rather than hostility.

There is also a broader lesson here. The politics of 2031 remains largely speculative. Nigeria has not yet completed the electoral cycles that lie between now and then. Political alignments will change. Alliances will emerge and disappear. Circumstances will evolve in ways nobody can fully predict. To begin prosecuting future governorship contests today through ethnic mobilisation is premature at best and reckless at worst. Democracy functions best when voters evaluate candidates on competence, vision, character and performance. It functions malignantly when electoral choices are reduced to ancestry. Niger State deserves better.

The state is too rich in human talent and too blessed with strategic potential to be trapped in perpetual arguments about origin and identity. Its future will depend on leaders capable of seeing the whole map. Leaders who understand that roads do not carry only one ethnicity. Schools do not educate only one ethnicity. Hospitals do not treat only one ethnicity. Development itself is blind to tribe. That is why the most consequential question is not whether a politician belongs to one group or another. The question is whether he possesses the capacity to advance the collective interest.

As a journalist, I have had the privilege of speaking with numerous analysts, public affairs commentators and policy observers over the years. Their views naturally differ on many issues. Yet one recurring observation is that Senator Mohammed Sani Musa has established himself as one of the more active and nationally visible legislators of his generation.

Reasonable people may debate rankings. They may disagree on specific policies. They may even oppose his political ambitions. Such disagreements are healthy in a democracy. What is less healthy is the deliberate construction of narratives that ignore evidence and substitute suspicion for facts.

Thank God, however, that beyond the noise of political whispering and the calculations of vested interests, there is another constituency whose voice deserves attention. It is the constituency of informed young people. A quick glance at Facebook and X reveals a recurring pattern. Many well-educated and articulate young Nigerlites regularly speak of Senator 313 in terms that go beyond partisan loyalty. They see in him a politician who has managed to combine visibility, accessibility and tangible interventions in a way that is increasingly rare in contemporary politics.

Their sentiments became particularly evident during the recent “Osa La Si” turbulence that threatened his chances of securing the APC ticket. “Osa La Si”, the popular Gbagyi expression meaning “it is time”, generated considerable political excitement and uncertainty. Yet among many young people, the dominant reaction was not celebration at the prospect of his political setback. It was anxiety. They worried openly about what Niger State and indeed the country might lose if Senator 313 were absent from the Senate after 2027.

Of course, no individual is indispensable. No public office should revolve around one person. Nations and institutions are larger than any single politician. Yet it would be dishonest to ignore the reality of the Nigerian condition. In a country where genuine commitment to public service is often scarce, where many public officials struggle to translate promises into measurable impact, abruptly sidelining a figure with an active record of intervention could place a needless obstacle before initiatives that are already yielding results. One may disagree with him politically, but it is difficult to deny that he has built momentum around projects and programmes that many citizens have come to value.

Indeed, it is not an exaggeration to say that no politician from Niger State currently enjoys the level of name recognition and public visibility that Senator 313 commands. His reputation has travelled beyond the elite circles of Abuja and Minna into the villages, markets and ordinary homes where political conversations often take their most authentic form. I was reminded of this during trip to my village recently. In the course of a casual conversation, my elderly aunt, a woman with no education and no active engagement with political debates on television or social media, suddenly mentioned Senator 313 as the type of senator ‘her zone’ deserves. I was genuinely surprised. How, I wondered, had she come to know so much about him? The answer was simple. When a politician’s activities consistently touch communities and become subjects of everyday discussion, his name acquires a life of its own. It travels from city to village, from newspaper columns to market stalls, from policy circles to family compounds.

Ultimately, that is why attempts to reduce Senator Mohammed Sani Musa to a narrow ethnic caricature are unlikely to endure. Public perception is shaped not only by political propaganda but also by lived experience. And for a growing number of Nigerlites, especially the younger generation, the story of 313 is not the story of division. It is the story of a politician whose reach, influence and aspirations have long outgrown the boundaries that some critics seek to impose upon him.

Senator 313 may or may not seek higher office in the future. That decision belongs to him and ultimately to the electorate.

But if the day comes when Niger State must evaluate his suitability for greater responsibility, the assessment should be based on the totality of his record.

Not on a misreading.

Not on a distortion.

And certainly not on a myth.

Awaal Gata is an Abuja-based journalist and public commentator

Opinion

Sowore’s Asinine Attack on Journalists and Free Speech

Published

4 days ago

June 21, 2026

Aminu Christopher

The Centre For Public Integrity finds deeply troubling and alarming, a Sunday June 21, 2026, post by online publisher and Action Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, attacking the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) for the “Man of the Award” it bestowed on the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi.

In a statement by the group’s coordinator, Comrade Job Samuel Danfulani, the Centre views with seriousness the moral, legal and security implications of Sowore’s posts, especially especially the unwarranted and baseless attack on the NUJ.

While we concede that, it is within Sowore’s rights to fault the award, such should however be done with decency and within the ambit of the law.

Last December, the International Press Institute (IPI), a global network of editors, media executives, and top journalists, honoured the DSS DG for his “unmistakable commitment to press freedom and respect for journalists and media organisations.”

Said IPI, “Unlike in previous years when the SSS was notorious for serial harassment, intimidation, and arrests of journalists, the agency under Mr Ajayi’s leadership has shown remarkable restraint, professionalism, and openness to dialogue.”

The Centre For Public Integrity notes that, in April 2025, Mr. Ajayi ordered the removal, from over 30 years of DSS watchlist, of the Executive Director, International Press Centre, Mr. Lanre Arogundade,

In October, following Mr. Ajayi’s intervention, the secret police dropped charges on alleged cyber defamation, conspiracy, and the publication of false information against an online newspaper, Order Paper, and none staff members.

In case Sowore doesn’t know, journalism in Nigeria is made up of those in the print and broadcast media organisations. In April 2026, the umbrella body of broadcast journalists in Nigeria , Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), gathered in Abuja and bestowed “Friend of the Media” award on the DSS DG.

We find it curious that, Sowore, who didn’t fuss about the IPI and BON awards on the DSS DG, is now rankled by Friday’s award on the same man by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the umbrella body of all journalists in Nigeria.

From media reports, at the end of a two-day security summit in Abuja, the NUJ bestowed “Man of the Year” award on Mr. Ajayi for building “partnership, openness and mutual respect between the media and security institutions.” They explained that his “leadership approach values engagement, transparency and partnership” and has been “vital to protecting lives, preserving democratic space and advancing nation-building.”

From all records, Sowore isn’t a journalist. He, therefore, does not and may never understand the ethics of journalism.

Clearly, Sowore doesn’t know that journalists, as members of the Fourth Estate of the realm, can criticize or applaud policy makers so long as the criticism or applause is objectively earned and based on verifiable facts.

It is on this note that The Centre For Public Integrity joins the IPI, BON and the NUJ in celebrating Mr. Tosin Ajayi for breaking with the tradition of self-help and putting the DSS on the path of the rule of law.

We are witnesses to how the DSS has, since Mr. Ajayi became DG, been running to the courts for adjudication of all matters, including when Sowore called President Bola Tinubu a “criminal” and for which he is standing trial. Sowore, who didn’t find anything wrong with the IPI and BON awards on the DSS DG, suddenly is finding everything wrong with the NUJ award simply because a Federal High Court has asked him to open his defence in a case of alleged criminal defamation against President Tinubu filed against him by the DSS.

Aside IPI, BON and the NUJ, journalists, who have practiced under several governments and under several security chiefs, are singling out Mr. Ajayi for praises. About a week ago, veteran journalist and a former Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Dr. Tonnie Iredia, with far more credible activism credentials than Sowore might ever have, penned a very emotional tribute to Mr. Ajayi’s leadership style. For those who remember, Dr. Iredia anchored Point-blank for several years on the NTA, where he held public officers, including members of the military junta, to account.

We challenge human rights organizations to swiftly condemn this crossing of the lines of decency by Sowore. Just as he has the right to dignity, he should not under any guise attempt to trample on the dignity of others. After all, no dignity is inferior or superior to another. We also expect Nigerian journalists to adequately respond to Sowore’s disrespect for their noble profession.

On a final note, The Centre For Public Integrity appeals to the DSS DG not to allow such reckless provocative actions by Sowore distract or diminish his resolve to continue embracing the rule of law at all times.

Signed:
Comrade Job Samuel Danfulani,
National Coordinator

Opinion

Gov Otu: Rewriting Cross River’s Healthcare Story With Historic 100% Pay Rise for Doctors

Published

1 week ago

June 16, 2026

Aminu Christopher

By Linus Obogo

In the quiet town of Ogoja, where the red earth stretches endlessly beneath the tropical sun and communities rise each morning to the rhythms of resilience and hope, a weary doctor named Dr. Monjok once wrestled with a difficult question: should he remain in public service or seek greener pastures elsewhere?

For years, his calling had kept him at the bedside of children battling malaria, expectant mothers navigating the uncertainties of childbirth, and elderly patients confronting the frailties of age. Through long nights, limited resources and mounting pressures, he remained steadfast. Yet the burden of inadequate remuneration and persistent manpower shortages often weighed heavily on his spirit. Today, however, Dr. Monjok stands taller, buoyed by renewed optimism, as Governor Bassey Otu’s administration ushers in a new era with a landmark 100 per cent salary increase for doctors across Cross River State.

This historic intervention is far more than a financial adjustment. It is a powerful declaration that those who dedicate their lives to preserving the health and dignity of others deserve to be honoured, valued and rewarded. It is a recognition of countless sacrifices made in consulting rooms, emergency wards and rural health centres where doctors often labour quietly, driven not by wealth but by duty. In one bold stroke, Governor Otu has infused fresh hope into a profession that forms the backbone of every thriving society.

For many healthcare professionals, the announcement represents a turning point, a breath of fresh air. It signals the emergence of a government that understands that healthcare is not merely a social service but a sacred obligation. It is an affirmation that those entrusted with saving lives should not themselves be left to struggle under the weight of neglect. By doubling doctors’ salaries, Governor Otu has not only boosted morale but has also strengthened the state’s capacity to retain talent and attract skilled professionals who might otherwise seek opportunities beyond its borders.

Yet the salary increase is only one chapter in a broader and exhilarating story of transformation unfolding across the health sector. Since assuming office, Governor Otu has increased funding to healthcare by more than 100 per cent, reflecting a deliberate and strategic commitment to rebuilding a sector that lies at the heart of human development.

It is a demonstration of leadership that recognizes that healthy citizens are the foundation upon which prosperous economies and stable societies are built.
This commitment is equally evident in the lifting of the long-standing embargo on employment within the health sector and the approval of the recruitment of 2,000 additional healthcare workers. Across urban centres and rural communities alike, this decision is expected to bridge critical manpower gaps, improve access to medical services and bring relief to overstretched facilities.
For many communities that have long endured shortages of healthcare personnel, the development represents a long-awaited answer to years of yearning.

In the creekside settlements, riverine communities and bustling townships of Cross River, the echoes of this transformation are already reverberating. At General Hospital, Ukem, where years of wear had dulled the promise of quality care, a new chapter is unfolding. The release of funds for its renovation, alongside the rehabilitation of Cottage Hospital, Oban, and the revival of the once-abandoned General Hospital complex in Akpabuyo, reflects a government determined to restore healthcare institutions to their rightful place as sanctuaries of healing and hope.

These projects are more than bricks and mortar. They are monuments to purposeful governance and symbols of a future in which quality healthcare is not a privilege reserved for a few but a right accessible to all. Each renovated ward, restored facility and upgraded theatre represents another step towards a healthier and more resilient Cross River.
Dr. Monjok’s story is mirrored in the experiences of countless citizens whose lives intersect daily with the healthcare system. It is reflected in the expectant mother who no longer has to travel great distances in search of prenatal care. It is evident in the child whose access to treatment is no longer determined by geography. It is seen in families who can now look towards public health facilities with renewed confidence and expectation.
Governor Otu’s reforms have also embraced nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, community health officers and other critical healthcare personnel through enhanced allowances and improved welfare packages.

The establishment of the Cross River State Hospital Management Board further underscores a commitment to accountability, efficiency and institutional excellence. Together, these measures will lay the foundation for a healthcare system that is modern, responsive and sustainable.

As Dr. Monjok now gazes across the rolling landscapes of Cross River, he sees more than familiar hills and valleys. He sees the dawning of a new possibility. What has begun as a bold policy decision will sooner than later, rapidly evolve into a healthcare renaissance capable of touching every corner of the state. In that unfolding story, every doctor is valued, every healthcare worker is empowered and every citizen is placed at the heart of governance.

Indeed, Governor Otu’s historic intervention is much more than increasing salaries; it is about restoring confidence, rekindling aspirations and rewriting the healthcare story of Cross River State with uncommon vision, courage and purpose.

Obogo is Chief Press Secretary and Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Bassey Otu

Opinion

General Olufemi Oluyede: The Man Steering Nigeria’s Defence into A New Era

Published

2 weeks ago

June 13, 2026

Aminu Christopher

By Sambo Sule

In the crucible of a nation forged by resilience, where shadows of uncertainty stretch long across savannah and coast, General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede emerges as a beacon of unyielding resolve. Like the ancient warriors of Ekiti soil—steadfast sentinels against tempests—he now stands at the helm of Nigeria’s Armed Forces as Chief of Defence Staff.

His appointment marks not merely a change of guard, but the dawn of a transformative epoch. It is one where discipline meets destiny, strategy dances with synergy, and the military reclaims its sacred covenant to shield the motherland.

Oluyede’s career has been defined by excellence and resilience. Rising through the ranks of the Nigerian Army, he has commanded troops in some of the most difficult operational theatres, earning respect for his tactical ingenuity and his ability to inspire confidence among soldiers and civilians alike.

Since assuming office, General Oluyede has prioritized jointness—the seamless integration of the Army, Navy, and Air Force into a unified fighting force. He believes that Nigeria’s security challenges require synergy, not fragmentation, and under his leadership, joint operations have become the hallmark of military campaigns.

This approach has already yielded results: in May 2026 alone, Nigerian troops neutralized over 317 terrorists, arrested 314 suspects, and rescued 221 kidnapped civilians, while recovering 93 assorted arms and dismantling illegal refining sites. These achievements reflect his insistence on coordination, precision, and professionalism.

Another defining feature of his leadership is the push for indigenous defence production. General Oluyede has championed the revitalization of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), ensuring that Nigeria reduces dependence on foreign suppliers and builds local capacity.

The CDS’ vision is to see Nigeria emerge as a regional hub for defence technology, capable of sustaining its own military requirements and contributing to African security. By encouraging local innovation, he is laying the foundation for a self-reliant Armed Forces that can adapt to evolving threats.

Civil-military relations are also central to his philosophy. General Oluyede has consistently emphasized that the Armed Forces exist to protect the people, not to intimidate them.

He has directed troops to uphold professionalism and respect for human rights in all operations, reinforcing trust between the military and civilians. His swift responses to crises—deploying reinforcements, ordering aerial surveillance, and ensuring humanitarian support—demonstrate his people-centric approach.

For him, threats against civilian peace are intolerable affronts to national sovereignty. Beyond operations, General Oluyede has invested in the intellectual and doctrinal development of the Armed Forces.

He has positioned the Joint Doctrine and Warfare Centre (JDWC) as the intellectual hub of Nigeria’s defence establishment, advancing doctrine, innovation, and technology to keep the Armed Forces adaptive to evolving threats. This institution ensures that Nigeria’s military remains aligned with global best practices while developing strategies tailored to local realities.

General Oluyede’s leadership style blends firmness with empathy. He commends troops for gallantry and tactical ingenuity, reinforcing morale across operational theatres.

At the same time, he insists on accountability, ensuring that discipline remains the bedrock of military service. His ability to balance operational demands with welfare considerations has strengthened the Armed Forces as an institution.

General Oluyede’s legacy is already taking shape. He is positioning Nigeria’s Armed Forces as a modern, self-reliant, and highly professional military. His emphasis on jointness, indigenous production, and civilian protection ensures that the Armed Forces remain not only a guarantor of sovereignty but also a trusted institution in the eyes of the people.

The CDS tenure is redefining Nigeria’s defence posture, positioning the country as a regional leader in security and stability. In the broader context of national development, his leadership underscores the critical role of the military in creating an environment of peace and stability.

By securing communities, protecting borders, and dismantling criminal networks, the Armed Forces under his command are enabling economic growth, social development, and national unity. His vision is not limited to the battlefield; it extends to the future of Nigeria as a secure, prosperous, and respected nation.

General Olufemi Oluyede is, indeed, the man steering Nigeria’s defence into a new era. His story is one of discipline, vision, and service—a reminder that leadership in uniform is not about power, but about responsibility, sacrifice, and the unwavering commitment to protect the nation and its people.

Sule is a public affairs analyst writing from Kaduna.