Opinion
PRP Led By Falalu Bello Makes Progress . . . Leads Rescue Nigeria Mission
PRP like all political parties and institutions is a creation of the Law. That is what gives it the mandate to lead the mission to Rescue Nigeria from the trap of bad governance. The trap of poverty, insecurity that is a creation of brainlessness in governance especially in the past decade. It is a moot point that the Law grants that INEC issues and validates Certificates for political parties. INEC is also the monitor of political parties. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the office of record that keeps a register of all 18 registered political parties in Nigeria. INEC attends state congresses and the national conventions of all political parties to validate the process. All political parties have a given time frame within which they have to inform the INEC of a planned congress or convention. That is to allow the INEC attend and monitor the said congress or national convention for the legal validation required of its monitoring role. This is a proviso of the extant Electoral Act. That is what confirms who is the legit political party and leadership that they claim. Without that certification, and these processes no political party can issue membership cards and receive payment for such cards. without this no political party can receive contributions, donations or any subscriptions. No political party can also operate a bank account, not even with a micro finance or community bank if it doesn’t have such certification. Without the backing of such a legal framework, no political party can hold any congress or convention in the eyes of the Nigerian Law. It is the PRP led by Malam Falalu Bello as National Chairman that has all of these lawful bases and supports. It is the Falalu Bello led PRP that has the backing of the Law and the mass of the people to sell nomination forms for elections on the PRP platform. It is that guarantee that grants this PRP to sell forms for contest at general elections representing PRP as Councillors, as LG Chairmen, as State Governors, as State Assembly members, as National Assembly members or as President. It is this legit PRP that can permit a contestant to vie for Party Chairman or executive committee member at any level of the PRP. It is the same PRP that superintended a State Congress in Kano on October 30th, 2021 satisfying the provisions of the Electoral Act. It is that State Congress which had INEC and all agencies of State, election observers and the media in attendance that gave birth to the present Kano PRP leadership. It is the first time such an all-inclusive Congress was held since the last one held at the PRP Kano Headquarters in August 2018, validated at the National Delegates Conference (NDC) of the PRP on September 1st, 2018 that took place in Kaduna. It is the October 30th 2021 PRP Kano State Congress held at Aminu Kano CDS Mambayya House fulfilling all lawful requirements that elected Engr. Abba Sule Namatazu as State Chairman. It is that congress that saw to the election of Alhaji Balarabe AA Danfulani as State Secretary, Alhaji Bala Datti Abubakar as State Treasurer along with other members of the Kano State executive. Similarly all 36 States have held congresses with validation of the PRP NEC and INEC as observer along with relevant Agencies of State. It is not surprising that we have some irritants claiming what they are not at this stage of the PRP’s enviable growth and consolidation. They are sure to show up now that PRP is accepted as the principal alternative platform that all serious and focused Nigerians are looking upto for the 2023 salvage operation PRP promises. In Kano and indeed all over Nigeria. The PRP is open to all who are ready to join the struggle at whatever stage. Nigeria needs to be Rescued. And PRP has the history, the pedigree, the stainless banner for the rescue mission. It is that credit that marks it out as positively different from all existing political parties. It is PRP that has what it takes to take on the two enfantes terrible of Nigerian politics, APC and PDP. Their rape of the Nigerian State has led us to the verge of disintegration. So sad that it is under the watch of the APC and PDP that we today have vast swathes of ungoverned spaces left to bandits and terrorists, with the common man left to fend for himself. No patriotic, genuine PRP man or woman, will be swayed by the baseless claims of those who say they are PRP when they have no single evidence backed by any law or convention to support them. It is the unwary, who have not been educated on the facts as is, who are the target of these non PRP claimants’ propaganda. For those who have read the Press Statement issued by the PRP NEC alerting the public on a fake national convention that was stage managed in Abuja on February 19th they wont be deceived. It captures all the facts rehashed here. Thank God, all reports confirm that the said “convention” was only a jamboree of a minority faction of the rump of the Late Prof Sule Bello committee that some of us set up in consultation with late revered PRP national leader Malam Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, rahimahullah, to address some internal issues to do with adequate consultation within the PRP. The fake “convention” was held as reported, without any INEC or official of state in attendance as vouchsafed by the Laws of the Land. That INEC and such lawful attendees were not seen even as observers is proof that the whole event was choreographed for a purpose. That jamboree won’t deter the PRP’s progress. Already the huge interest in PRP makes it the only alternative platform that has the capacity to lead the 2023 Rescue Nigeria mission. This has caused definite agreements now already literally sealed by the PRP with various groups of politicians and political parties soon to be unveiled. The accommodating and visionary PRP is the platform of choice for all who want a difference in 2023, a positive people centered difference. The Rescue Train is already revving up. It is at the Station rearing to go. It is about to take off. The irritants trying to now distract PRP, and those they waylaid and misled, God willing won’t change anything. PRP is here to Redeem the promises of the past. It is here as the Humanist, Nationalist, Pan-Africanist hope for all who desire genuine Change and Progress. PRP is on the homerun. PRP has come to the Rescue. Kabiru M. Gwangwazo is Ag. National Publicity Secretary, PRP National Hqtrs.
KABIRU M. GWANGWAZO email: kamgwangwazo@yahoo.com
National
Pan-African Student Movement Lauds Ogun State Police Leadership

The Progressive Students Movement (PSM), a leading Pan-African student body, has commended the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in Ogun State under Commissioner of Police (CP) Lanre Ogunlowo, PhD, for its commitment to security and community engagement.
In a statement released on Thursday, the President of PSM Nigeria, Comrade Ambassador Okereafor Bestman, highlighted the CP’s efforts in strengthening collaboration between the police, stakeholders, and other security agencies to maintain peace and stability in the state.
“It is worthy of note that CP Lanre Ogunlowo, PhD, has further fostered a harmonious working synergy between the police, stakeholders, and other security agents aimed at ensuring peace and tranquility in Ogun State,” Okereafor said.
The student leader expressed confidence in CP Ogunlowo’s leadership, stating that Ogun State is on track to becoming one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria under his administration.
He also praised the professionalism and dedication of the Ogun State Police Command in tackling crime, regardless of its scale.
Additionally, PSM acknowledged the Ogun State government’s continued support for security agencies, particularly in providing mobility and logistics to enhance their operational efficiency.
The commendation comes at a time when security remains a top priority for residents and authorities in the state, with ongoing efforts to curb crime and ensure public safety.
Opinion
UBEC: Synergising and Collaborating with Security Agencies to Promote Basic Education

BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF
On assumption of duty in January, 2025 , the new Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Boss and well grounded World Bank expert , Aisha Garba envisaged the need to reposition the Basic Education through interfacing with the critical stakeholders.
Amongst them is the office of the National Security Adviser , NSA, led by Malam Nuhu Ribadu whose achievements in the last few years in the area of security has become distinct and outstanding.
Therefore, seeking to cooperate and collaborate with the office became germane and needful particularly the protection of lives and properties of actors in the promotion of Basic Education ranging from the pupils , teachers , workers and facilitators to enable it drive the new wave to curb Out of School Children OOSC in the country.
Aside providing the basic security arrangements for schools , the need to engage the security apparatus at the level of National Security Adviser NSA became needful, so as to address the sophistry of security problems in the country, to nip in the bud any unforseen circumstances.
With the high rates of kidnappings, abduction , banditry, cattle rustling, ritual tendencies among many other vices, the idea of bringing on board , the security architecture of the country in all ramifications will assist the commission to consolidate the implementation of Basic Education policies and programs, also introduce new ones .
Since pupils at the Primary, Junior Secondary and Secondary Schools are prone to such ugly development and security issues , the need to be proactive on the part of the commission became timely and desiring.
This led to the success story of the bilateral interface between the management of the commission and NSA, to streamline, perfect and chart a new course on the issue of security of actors in the Basic Education.
The visit described as timely and long overdue, discussed fruitfully the way forward and the immediate and long term intervention of both agencies in the area of collaboration.
According to the Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba she stated by discussing” strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing educational access and security in Nigeria. ”
She further said” the engagement focused on strategies to address challenges such as the safety of schools, particularly in vulnerable regions, and the promotion of equitable education for all children.”
“the meeting highlighted the critical intersection between education and national security and the need for collaboration between UBEC and Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), on improving access to basic education and safety of safety schools across the nation. ”
“This collaboration underscores the government’s commitment to fostering a secure and inclusive learning environment as part of its broader agenda to strengthen the nation’s educational framework,” it added.
“UBEC boss had pledged to engage critical stakeholders to break down barriers to education and create inclusive learning opportunities for children across the six geopolitical regions of the country.”
“She said: “My goal is to deliver on this mandate which includes strengthening collaboration, partnerships and institutional learning for effective service delivery. ”
“Together, we will work to increase access, improve quality, provide conducive and safe learning environments, supply adequate teaching and learning materials, and adopt the concept of ‘best fit’ in addressing specific basic education challenges, state by state and region by region”.
Highlights of the program which included the engagement of both bodies with a commitment to ensure the introduction of security architecture in schools in Nigeria is achievable.
Written BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF on yus.abubakar3@gmail.com.
Opinion
Festus Adedayo’s Attack on Adewole Adebayo: When Bias Masquerades as Critique

By Stephen Adewale
This rejoinder is a response to a column that graced the pages of the Nigerian Tribune on March 16, 2025, titled “Nasir El-Rufai and the Philosophy of Nothing.” The piece was penned by none other than Festus Adedayo, one of my cherished wordsmiths, a maestro of prose whose pen drips with both wit and wisdom.
Adedayo has long held a prime spot in my literary affections for reasons beyond mere admiration. First, we both hail from the illustrious Akure Oloyemekun, a shared heritage that makes his brilliance a source of personal pride. There is something uniquely gratifying about watching a kinsman wield the pen with such devastating elegance, weaving words as effortlessly as a bard conjuring magic. Second, in an era where original thinkers are as scarce as rain in the heart of harmattan, Adedayo stands tall as a relic of intellectual abundance. His columns have, for years, been my weekly ritual, a delectable dish of analysis served with just the right amount of audacity.
Regrettably, the unrelenting demands of academia had deprived me of Adedayo’s literary ambrosia for the past three weeks. Resolute in my quest for redemption, I consecrated my Sunday morning to devouring Adedayo’s recent columns, much like a parched wanderer stumbling upon an oasis of forbidden wisdom. And then, lo and behold, the last paragraph of the aforementioned column stopped me in my tracks. It was not just a paragraph; it was a gauntlet thrown, a provocation that demanded and commanded a response. And so, here I am, pen in hand, ready to engage.
In the preceding paragraphs, Adedayo took great pains to dissect El-Rufai’s defection to the SDP, wielding the philosophy of nothingness like a sculptor chiselling away at what he believed to be a futile political move. He argued, with the confidence of a man who has peered into the future, that El-Rufai’s new political adventure would amount to precisely nothing. Fair enough. He is entitled to his opinions, and I bear him no grudge for his gloomy prophecy. After all, time is the ultimate arbiter of political fortunes.
However, just when one thought the column was a masterclass in political critique, Adedayo took a reckless detour in the final paragraph, committing what can only be described as a literary felony. In one fell swoop, he attempted a hatchet job on the political integrity of SDP’s 2023 Presidential Candidate, Adewole Adebayo. Quoting him, he said ‘my excitement at the potentials of SDP as a viable opposition suffered a momentary halt almost immediately that same last week. Adewole Adebayo, 2023 presidential candidate…had come on an interview session on a national television. I had heard of his trumped up brilliance from journalists who earlier interviewed him.’
To begin with, Adedayo’s statement exposes one of two possibilities; either he is woefully out of touch with the political landscape or he is deliberately peddling falsehoods in service of some unseen paymaster. Or how else can one explain his audacious claim that he had never encountered Adewole Adebayo’s interviews on national television before the week in question?
Adebayo has been a towering presence in the public space since January 2022, when he declared his presidential ambition. He has graced national television countless times, dissecting policies with the precision of a seasoned statesman, not merely critiquing but offering well-reasoned alternatives. His interviews have been clipped, shared, and dissected across social media, yet Festus Adedayo, an otherwise astute columnist, would have us believe that he only stumbled upon Adebayo’s rhetoric through second hand whispers from journalist friends. The claim is as implausible as it is suspicious, making one wonder if his sudden epiphany was less of an honest discovery and more of a scripted hit job.
Then he went on to claim that ‘at that interview session, gradually, Adebayo defrosted all those superlatives with which he was robed. By the time the interview session ended, in place of a huge turkey with huge feathers I expected to encounter, I was left with a species of hen Yoruba call “Adiye opipi”. This type of hen is known by a unique characteristic of featherless wings. Adebayo came across as this and much more. I saw a man who delights in a horse ride that takes place on the back of a cockroach. When you see such politicians, your mind races to a spent canister.’
There is a Yoruba adage that warns, “Ibi tó yẹ ká tíbá ọgbọ́n, a ò gbùdó bá àgò nbẹ,” meaning that where one expects wisdom, it would be a grave disappointment to find foolishness instead. Unfortunately, this perfectly captures the bewildering blunder committed by Festus Adedayo.
One would assume that a seasoned columnist of his caliber would back his scathing critique with substance. At least a direct quote or a reference to the supposedly underwhelming statement that shattered his lofty expectations of Adewole Adebayo would suffice. Yet, in a display of either intellectual laziness or calculated deception, Adedayo offers none.
Since he conveniently avoids mentioning the specific interview that triggered his so-called disappointment, and given that Adebayo only appeared on Arise TV’s breakfast show during the week in question, it is clear that Adedayo was referring to that particular session. However, rather than provide any real context, he chose to shroud the event in ambiguity, hoping to mislead the unsuspecting public. Since he won’t do the honours, it is only right to offer a brief, unvarnished account of what truly transpired during the interview he so artfully distorted.
A few days before the said interview, Ayo of Arise TV blatantly misled viewers by falsely claiming that Adewole Adebayo had betrayed his supporters before the 2023 elections, endorsing President Tinubu and urging his followers to do the same. She went further, labelling him a politician devoid of principle.
When Adebayo finally appeared on Arise TV, he firmly set the record straight. He ran the race to the very end, never endorsed Tinubu, and never worked for the APC government, despite numerous inducements. He rightfully demanded an apology, but Ayo stood her ground. However, when the Arise TV crew presented what they called “evidence,” it backfired spectacularly, proving Adebayo right and exposing their deception. It was a textbook case of attempted character assassination gone embarrassingly wrong.
So, this was the interview that left Festus Adedayo “disappointed” in Adebayo, an interview where a man stood his ground against blatant falsehoods. When a self-proclaimed crusader of truth suddenly finds fault in someone defending himself against lies, perhaps it’s time to scrutinise the so-called champion of integrity. When a supposed high priest of truth suddenly takes issue with a man standing firm against lies, perhaps the high priest’s own altar is due for inspection.
Rather than call out Arise TV for their desperate attempt at character assassination, our esteemed “writer of truth” chose the path of deception by conveniently omitting the actual events. Instead of holding liars accountable, he doubled down, subtly trying to drag a principled man deeper into the mud. If this is what passes for truth-telling, then perhaps Festus Adedayo has been writing fiction all along.
Festus Adedayo, in his infinite journalistic wisdom, managed to compress the entire essence of a man’s political ideology, years of intellectual engagement, and national contributions into the span of one interview. A man whose intellectual sagacity had only been whispered to him in passing by his journalist friends, yet he deemed himself qualified to pass a grand verdict!
His article, ostensibly about the SDP, quickly revealed itself as something else entirely; a well-tailored hit piece, stitched together with just enough cynicism to fulfill the desires of some lurking, unnamed paymaster. He spent paragraph after paragraph dismissing the SDP as an unworthy alternative, regardless of who joined, and then, as the grand finale, he wielded his last paragraph like a dagger to stab the reputation of the very man who has kept the party afloat since 2023. If there was ever a masterclass in agenda-driven writing disguised as political analysis, Adedayo just delivered it with the precision of a seasoned mercenary.
Criticism, when wielded with sincerity, serves as a scalpel, precise, constructive, and capable of refining its subject. But when used recklessly, it becomes a sledgehammer, destructive, indiscriminate, and serving no purpose beyond ruin. At a time when Nigeria teeters on the edge of existential crises, what we need are columnists who illuminate the path forward, not those who revel in the theatrics of demolition.
This is why it is profoundly disheartening to see Festus Adedayo, once a beacon in the murky waters of Nigerian columnists, take a detour into the alley of agenda-peddling. Nigeria is not merely in need of critics; it is in need of honest critics. It is in need of voices that challenge, correct, and inspire, not those who merely regurgitate the cynicism that has already poisoned our media space.
I have always admired Festus Adedayo, but his portrayal of Adewole Adebayo is a painful reminder that even the brightest stars can flicker. To watch someone we once held as a paragon of journalistic integrity stumble into the company of the ethically compromised is not just disappointing, it is a national tragedy. If even the ‘good ones’ can abandon sincerity for sensationalism, then truly, the night is darker than we feared.
*Stephen Adewale writes from the Department of History, Obafemi Awolowo University*