Nothing is illegal if you are the president 😃
Is this a democracy?
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In this edition
What is happening in Rivers State and how does it affect everyone?
Oppression Olympics
This edition is 1,150 words (approx. 3 min read)
The Government, sigh
Rivers State of Emergency
On March 18, 2025, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and lawmakers. They had armed military officers go into the governor’s house in the state around 9 p.m. to take it over. To hold Fubara’s position, Tinubu has appointed ex-Naval Officer Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Retd.) as state administrator.
Is this even a democracy?
During a national broadcast, Tinubu claimed that the suspension was based on prolonged political instability in the state. So far, Rivers has survived:
The demolition of the state House of Assembly
Arson in the House of Assembly a day before the house intended to meet to impeach Fubara
Previous problems with the Supreme Court, where the court blocked monthly state allocation to Rivers and ordered Fubara to present another budget- To be fair, Fubara attempted to obey the court but the divided assembly made it impossible
Has this happened before? Yep.
During his time as President in 2004, Olusegun Obasanjo suspended the governor of Plateau Joshua Dariye because the state was imploding from religion-motivated killings and he did not believe the Governor was doing anything to stop it. At the time, Tinubu, who was the Governor of Lagos, affirmed that this move was unconstitutional.
Obasanjo also sacked the Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose at the time for mismanaging state funds
What’s the crisis about?
The political crisis started with a power struggle between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Fubara and Wike were initially besties - Wike handpicked many of Fubara's hires - but Fubara was eventually over Wike’s backseat driving, so they fell out
The tensions divided the state assembly, most of the lawmakers (27) were on Wike’s side and formed a gang to kick Fubara out
President Tinubu had previously mediated a peace agreement between the two, but the crisis persisted so he decided Fubara should be cancelled (Wike is still safe in his job, though).
Is the President allowed to suspend an elected official?
Afam Osigwe, a Nigerian lawyer, says that the Constitution does not grant the president the power to remove an elected governor, deputy governor, or state legislators under a state of emergency. Osigwe said while the president can declare a state of emergency, a declaration of emergency does not automatically dissolve or suspend elected state governments.
The House of Reps and Senate’s response
For a state of emergency to be passed, the National Assembly must approve it and they did.
There have been reports that each lawmaker received at least $5,000 to take Tinubu’s side, but the Senate President says it's not true
Speaking of bribes and illegal activities
A Federal High Court in Lokoja has overturned an earlier ruling that barred the Independent INEC from accepting the recall petition against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The court said the recall process is constitutionally valid and urged constituents to exercise their rights peacefully.
The day before, the court imposed a rule that temporarily stopped INEC from receiving or acting on the recall petition due to allegations of fictitious signatures.
The case has been adjourned to May 6, 2025, for further proceedings.
Social Media Beef
The Nigerian Senate has passed a bill at its second reading requiring social media platforms and blogs operating in Nigeria to establish physical offices with verifiable addresses within the country.
Sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko, the bill aims to “ensure digital businesses contribute to Nigeria's revenue”
The bill, now referred to the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security, also mandates bloggers to maintain clear records of their employees.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio emphasized that the bill focuses on tax compliance rather than restricting social media, encouraging public input during upcoming hearings.
But remember when the FG banned Twitter for 7 months because people were using it as a tool to mobilise and protest police brutality
There is always someone to oppress
Another mass displacement in Lagos
Thousands of residents in Ilaje Otumara and Baba Ijora communities, Lagos Mainland, have been forcibly evicted after the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) demolished and destroyed their homes in droves. The Guardian Nigeria says over 500,000 people were displaced.
Civil society groups condemned the eviction, stating it violated previous government assurances and court orders.
The demolitions, carried out on March 7 without proper notice, reportedly involved police officers and armed thugs, leaving residents homeless amid economic hardship.
Protests and appeals to government officials did not help to prevent the destruction.
Lagos is building a “megacity” that does not include 80% of people living in poverty.
Recently, the government of Lagos has also demolished homes in Oworonshoki, Otto, and Ok Baba without prior notice.
NYSC Member getting bullied by authorities for criticising the government
Lagos-based NYSC member Ushie Uguamaye, also known as Raye, has alleged threats after her viral TikTok video criticising President Bola Tinubu’s government over inflation and economic hardship. She also made negative remarks about Lagos’ living conditions.
Following the video’s traction, Uguamaye claimed NYSC officials pressured her to take it down and that she received messages indicating they knew her location. She defended her right to free speech, arguing that being a corps member does not strip her of her rights as a citizen.
Her claims sparked social media debate on whether NYSC is suppressing free speech. Meanwhile, Tinubu’s aide, Temitope Ajayi, called for "capital punishment" against her, arguing that she violated NYSC conduct by insulting the President. After backlash, Ajayi attempted to clarify, stating that he meant the highest NYSC disciplinary action—expulsion—rather than execution. However, his original comment explicitly used the term “capital punishment,” which historically refers to the death penalty.
The incident has drawn widespread reactions, including from political figures like Atiku Abubakar, Omoyele Sowore, and Peter Obi.
Gas Explosions
Nigeria witnessed two major explosions 8 days apart. On Tuesday night, a 30-tonne gas truck exploded after an accident at Otedola Bridge, Lagos, engulfing one building and four vehicles close to the bridge. It was reported that one person died
A week later, in Abuja, a trailer lost control at Karu Bridge, crashing into a stationary vehicle and causing a fire that consumed 14 cars. Six people died,
Emergency responders managed to contain both incidents.
Other News
The price of petrol might go up again soon. Dangote Refinery has suspended the sale of its petroleum products in naira, explaining that the decision was necessary to avoid a mismatch between its sales proceeds and crude oil purchase, which are currently denominated in United States dollars - This Day