Opinion
Should Buhari Probe Jonathan’s Govt?
In the past few weeks, President Mohammadu Buhari
has left nobody in doubt about his determination to probe former ministers and other officials who served in the immediate past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan who allegedly stole Nigeria’s oil and diverted government’s money to personal accounts.
What do Nigerians think about this development, especially in view of the fact that before leaving office, Jonathan had reportedly said any probe of the current government would be seen as “witch hunt” if it fails to go beyond his administration?
Our Chief Correspondent, Calista Ezeaku got the views of some members of the public on the burning issue. Our photographer, Ken Donatus captured their images.
Mr. Igwe Kelvin – Unemployed graduate
I don’t see any reason why President Buhari will probe Jonathan’s administration. There were many administrations before Jonathan’s and even some of the people that served under Jonathan were part of previous administrations, yet there was nothing like probe at the end of the administrations.
So I don’t know why those public servants that served under Jonathan should be probed. If Buhari has any indictment on any of Jonathan’s ministers, he should come up with it and let the public know. If he has any true evidence against them, he should make it public and may be people will support him. But since he started talking about this probing, we have not been made to know their “sins”. So it’s like Buhari has something against Jonathan’s government. I’m not saying that if there are people that stole public fund they should not be punished but you must have concrete evidence against them before going after them so that everybody will see that what they did was bad and your action is justified. Let the probe not be a kind of witch hunting.
Again, if Buhari wants to probe Jonathan’s administration he should be ready to probe other administrations before Jonathan’s because we are aware that most of the people that occupied public offices in the past stole peoples’ money. This corruption they are talking about now is not a new thing. We have been hearing of our leaders looting our treasury long before Jonathan’s government.
So, I will advise President Buhari to be careful the way he goes about the probe so that he does not cause more problem in the country.
Arch Bishop Harry Nelson Miracle, A Cleric
Well, probing is good but then he has to start from the beginning. If President Buhari wants to probe past government officials, he must start from previous governments before Jonathan’s administration. But if he wants to restrict the probe to Jonathan’s administration then indirectly he is witch hunting that administration and that is not a proper procedure to take.
So, I am not against the probe but all previous administrations before Jonathan’s should be probed before Jonathan’s administration or else it makes no sense. If he insists on starting from Jonathan’s government then the truth is that he is deceiving himself. You start counting from seven without first counting zero? If as he claims that he is transparent, let him start from the beginning. Whatever you do must be from the foundation. There is no structure without a foundation. So let him go back to the status quo. If he wants to probe let him start from the first administration then we will all accept it. But if he cannot do that then he shouldn’t even try it because it will simply mean he has a hidden agenda and he is looking for trouble.
Jonathan’s administration as far as I know and they also know is the very best Nigeria has ever had because what Goodluck did, He, Buhari cannot even do that. So let him be sincere to himself. They should just let the sleeping dog lie. If they do not want to start from the beginning they should forget about the probe. The truth is that they don’t have anything to probe about Jonathan’s administration. He is just trying to make a name for himself and then raise dust where there should be none. This is not the first time we are hearing that money was looted from the treasury. So the probe should start from the beginning to this point. They should go back to the root.
If you don’t kill anything from its root you are wasting your time. If he can kill the root then the branches will die but if you don’t kill the root you are wasting your time.
Mr. Kingsley Timothy
The truth is that if Buhari wants to probe past public servants, let him start from the governments before Jonathan’s regime. This is democracy. You don’t jump from one government to another one. Not because you have the people that served in past regimes as your followers then you decide to probe the people that served in another government that are not your followers. It doesn’t work that way. He should go back to when he himself headed the petroleum sector. He should probe them.
Yes he should go ahead and probe but he should start from the beginning. He has once been in the system. He knew what was in the system. Look, the truth is that if you are looking at what another man did because you want to score a point, it will make you to be so angry about what the last person before you did.
But if you think of when you started fighting to come into position, then you will know that you will start from that time that you started fighting to check mate everybody, not check-mating the last person that left the office before you.
We all know everything that happened before he came into power. So if you want to check-mate, start from the beginning. Yes, we all know that the level of corruption in the country is very high but then we have to deal with it from the root. If probing will stop corruption they the past leaders before Jonathan.
In any case, I even doubt it because when you go into the probing very well, you will see that so many people will be apprehended. There are many corrupt people in Nigeria. Every sector in the country is corrupt, we all know it. But the truth is, if you want to deal with it, start from the root. That is the only way corruption will stop.
Mr. Sunday Dumle – An Economist
I think the probe is a welcome development. Our leaders do not want us to benefit from the country’s resources. Whenever they occupy leadership positions, they loot money here and there. So they should be probed. But the probing should start from Obasanjo’s administration because if they start from Jonathan’s administration it will cause more problems. They should be probed and if found guilty they should face the law because the money is not meant for them. It is for the entire Nigerians. If the money looted by our leaders was used in developing this country we will not be suffering as we do today.
Msgr Cyprain Onwuli-Cleryman
Really, how can he probe some individuals without probing the whole administration and if he is probing the whole administration it has to start with him. The probing has to start from the time the military took over because that was when Nigeria started to decay. Right from the military coup in the 60s till now, he should probe everybody who had administered this country. That should be justice and not selective punity, you punish some people and leave others.
Look, people are also accusing him and the past governments he served under, let him clear the air. That will give him a stronger backing to probe others. There is nobody who is an administrator who will say he was hundred percent good in handling the affairs of any segment of the society-church, school or what have you. So to clear the air, let him start from himself.
But I will prefer he starts from the first military coup till today, because they are the ones that destroyed this country. The civilians who ruled this country are saints. The destruction of wealth, stealing, killing came more with the military. So let them probe themselves first, then they can probe others. Looting did not start today and it will not end tomorrow. Let us start cleaning from the beginning so that those who will rule tomorrow will become conscious of themselves.
Let us really rule and be conscious that we are in a fragile country. If he probes some people and leaves others, that will divide this country more. That will bring disunity and I can assure you, if expose more people you teach others how to steal in different ways will learn different ways, will learn different methods of destroying and stealing and then insecurity will grow, security situation will be worse. So let us be careful.
I think the gospel message of forgiveness should be there and the law makers should insist that anybody who does any nonsense from now should either be removed or punished. It should enter into law because they are the ones that open the doors to all the nonesense people are doing. So let us forgive the past and focus on the future so as to make the future better.
Fighting corruption, stealing, looting and other vices will not be easy but then it has to start with the highest ruler and those who work with him. Once he is a disciplinarian and is able to carry that out, live a clean life and not be ready to tolerate any nonsense, Nigeria will change. He will make sure that those he will appoint as ministers, ambassadors, those heading different departments are guided. Really, they should send in their resignation letters before they are sworn-in so that if there is any nonesense, all he need do is to call the person, hand him over his resignation and send the police and others to go and take over until a new person is appointed, to make sure he doesn’t go back there to loot more.
Miss Chinenye Nwangwu-Self Employed
In the first pace I don’t know why President Buhari should choose to probe Jonathan’s administration or even some of his officials. What about those that served in pervious administrations before Jonathan’s, did they not steal our money? What has happened to them? I think if Buhari must probe, let him start from the first civilian government. Let me also remind our President that during his inaugural speech, he told Nigerians and the whole world that he would not go after any past government official, that he would start on a clean slate. Why is he no longer keeping to his words?
So for me, I don’t think probing only one particular past administration is right and just. If he must probe, he should probe all past leaders, including past governors irrespective of their political affiliation or their relationship with the current administration.
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.
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