Editorial

VP Choice: Reflecting Nigeria’s Secularity

Published

4 years ago

June 20, 2022

By the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) timetable, all political parties fielding presidential candidates must have named and submitted their vice presidential nominees by the latest last Friday. The heated discussion engendered over the past week was the joint Muslim-Muslim ticket and its likely impact on the electoral victory of any party that adopts the option. The matter has raised fresh apprehension in the country already divided along religious and ethnic cleavages.
For the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party and most other parties, there is no anxiety about the issue because the candidates and their running mates have been chosen from the two domineering religions of Christianity and Islam. Specifically, Atiku Abubakar, a Muslim from the North, has picked Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State, and a Christian from the South.
The same, however, cannot be said about the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) which has a Muslim presidential candidate from the South-West. Normally, and going by convention, the candidate is generally expected to choose a Christian running mate from the North to balance the geopolitical permutations and to create a feeling of belonging to most ethnic and religious groups in the country. Alas, that was not the case.
The APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has already named Ibrahim Kabiru Masari as his running mate for the 2023 elections. A chieftain of the party, Kabiru Faskari, confirmed this during an interview. He said, “Ibrahim Kabiru Masari is our vice presidential nominee. He was the Welfare Secretary of the APC under Oshiomhole (former national chairman of the party). He is a well-known politician in Kaduna State, and his name has been submitted.”
Faskari further explained that picking Kabiru, who hails from Katsina State, did not violate the country’s laws as against the clamour for a Muslim/Christian APC ticket. “He is young; he represents the youths and is grounded in politics and was even a national official of the APC. He is quite close to the presidential candidate and has been with him for a very long time.” According to the APC chieftain, the decision followed wide consultations and the party needed a person from a region with a large voting population.
Although the ruling party claimed it was putting Kabiru as a placeholder to beat INEC’s deadline for presidential candidates to submit the names of their running mates, many believe that the party’s explanation is intended to hide behind a smokescreen. This decision has now placed the APC at a crossroads, even as leaders of Christian pressure groups, and defenders of the rights of people, fly in and out of temper over the issue.
Regardless, there have been pockets of support for a Muslim-Muslim ticket by politicians including Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai; former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, who said he would back Tinubu if he chose a Muslim running mate; former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu; and Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) who believe that what matters in the choice of a vice president, more than religion, are his “credibility, integrity and competence.”
Conversely, the Nigerian Youths Coalition (NYC) stated that any such plan would amount to the APC “beating the drums of religious war” while the Coalition of Arewa Forum for Good Governance (CAFGG) believes any such arrangement would “increase crisis across the country” and that it should be jettisoned “in the interest of equity, justice and fairness.”
Since the present political dispensation from 1999, politicians and their parties have deliberately avoided fielding the same religion ticket. The only exceptions were in 1983-1985 when the then Major-Gen Muhammadu Buhari and late Major-Gen Tunde Idiagbon, both Muslims of Northern extraction, held sway as military Head of State and deputy; and in 1993 when the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) presented a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in the persons of the late Chief Moshood Abiola from the South and Alhaji Babagana Kingibe from the North.
Unlike the 1993 scenario where the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) supported the Muslim-Muslim ticket, the association has come out strongly to denounce any such arrangement. Its position is buttressed by glaring facts that Nigerians of the Christian faith have suffered more than any other group from the insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping, raping and outright killings that have become the order of the day, particularly in the last seven years of the present government.
The point at issue is an imposition of a ticket that may arouse disaffection at a time such as this when an outgoing leader has badly mismanaged the country’s fault lines that aspiring leaders are claiming do not matter. This is tragic in the extreme when we should be scrutinising the quality of the agenda and indeed manifestos of our presidential candidates. It is not a good legacy for the Buhari administration.
Nigerian politicians have invariably exploited the polity for voracious reasons and consequently obliterated the finesse of the country’s sophisticated diversity. The level of mistrust and suspicion between the two major religions in the country has become so high that it has made it implausible, unrealistic and unwise for any political party to field a same-religion presidential joint ticket.
Therefore, in line with CAN’s position, we reject the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the APC and other political parties in the country. The outcome of this insensitive act will be disastrous. The same religion ticket is a threat to the fragile peace and unity of Nigeria. With Nigeria’s trajectory and its challenges, it is crucial for political parties not to further polarise the country by opting for Christian-Christian or Muslim-Muslim presidential combination.
Imagine how terrible it will be if, in present-day Nigeria, there are two Muslims in power. Even the extant Nigerian Constitution promotes ethnic and religious balance. So, if any political party attempts a Muslim/Muslim ticket, it will be doing so at its peril. Tinubu’s running mate should be a Christian from the North; Abubakar Atiku’s running mate should be a Christian from the South, while Peter Obi should take his deputy among the Muslims from the North. Anything contrary means the defaulting political parties bother less about Nigeria’s unity.
Buhari’s crass failure to secure the lives and welfare of Nigerians as required of him by the Constitution is responsible for the clear division, suspicion, and lack of trust encompassing opposition to a Muslim-Muslim ticket. The President’s party, the APC, or any other for that matter, should desist from heightening the tension in the polity by attempting a same-religion presidency configuration. Such is simply out of tune with the current reality in the country.

Editorial

Resolve Rumuwoji Market Issues, Others

Published

19 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The long-awaited inauguration of the Peter Odili Cardiovascular and Cancer Treatment Centre at Rumuokwuta in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area has been met with widespread relief and excitement by indigenes and residents of Rivers State, many of whom have spent years anticipating access to a facility built to preserve lives and curb the need for medical travel abroad.

Recall that the project was commissioned on November 14, 2022, only to be abandoned shortly afterwards. For a centre equipped to handle cardiovascular and cancer cases, this delay was not merely administrative; it carried real human costs in a country where non-communicable diseases account for about 29 per cent of all deaths, according to public health estimates.

The determination of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to get the centre started has now paid off. Without fanfares, the state-of-the-art hospital is quietly serving patients, proving that effective governance does not always need loud trumpets to announce its presence.

The governor deserves commendation for relentlessly reviving this critical health facility despite orchestrated attempts to clog the wheel of good governance in the state. In the same breath, kudos are due to the former Health Commissioner, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, whose professional input and persistence helped turn policy into practice.

However, this positive development also highlights the ongoing disappointment over the failure to put the Mother and Child Hospital into use nearly five years after it was commissioned. The frustration voiced by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) is justified, especially in Nigeria, where maternal mortality remains alarmingly high at about 512 deaths per 100,000 live births.

Although the Mother and Child Hospital was formally inaugurated in 2021, it has continued to remain completely non-functional in the years that followed. Reports indicate that the facility has stayed entirely sealed off and inaccessible to the public, with no signs of operational activity. This is despite renewed assurances given in early 2025 that the hospital would soon open its doors and begin serving the state — promises that have yet to materialise.

Beyond the health sector lies another deeply troubling example of public neglect: the second phase of the Rumuwoji Market, more popularly known as Mile One Market. This facility was completed nearly a decade ago, yet it remains entirely unused and dormant to this day — a situation that continues to baffle and worry a great many Rivers’ residents who had hoped it would serve the growing needs of their communities.

This phase of the market was built and completed by the immediate past administration of Chief Nyesom Wike. It followed the devastating fire that gutted the entire market during the tenure of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, whose government earlier completed and opened the first phase.

Sadly, the unused section of the market has begun to deteriorate, a clear waste of public funds. Traders who should be operating within the market now spill onto Afikpo Street, creating traffic bottlenecks, sanitation concerns, and general nuisances for residents.

We are compelled to ask why a market that has already been commissioned has remained unoccupied for so many years. If there are genuine issues preventing its use, then the government must put its foot down and address them squarely, with courage and determination rather than hesitation.

It is unacceptable that this phase of Mile One Market is allowed to decay after so much money has been sunk into it. Across Nigeria, abandoned public projects are estimated to have tied down trillions of naira, resources that could have transformed lives if properly utilised.

Additionally, the economic implications of leaving public infrastructure idle cannot be overstated. Markets are engines of micro and small-scale commerce, which account for over 80 per cent of employment in Nigeria’s informal sector. When facilities like the unused section of Mile One Market are left to rot, government inadvertently chokes livelihoods, reduces internally generated revenue, and deepens urban disorder. A functioning market would not only decongest surrounding streets but also restore dignity and safety to traders who currently operate under harsh and unsanitary conditions.

The government has expended substantial taxpayers’ money in the construction of these facilities, yet they sit idle and unused at a time when the people of the state should be directly benefiting from the services they were designed to provide. It raises a fundamental question that demands honest answers: what is the purpose of investing billions of naira in these projects if they are ultimately left dormant, abandoned, and to fall into a state of neglect? The people deserve better than empty infrastructure that serves no one.

While the political climate within the state has undoubtedly presented its share of challenges over time, that particular chapter now appears to be largely behind us. The focus must shift accordingly. The ball is firmly in the court of the administration to compose itself, buckle down, and get to work — ensuring that completed projects are delivered to the people they were intended to serve, without any further unnecessary delay.

Ultimately, governance is judged not by the number of projects commissioned but by how many are put to meaningful use. As the philosopher Edmund Burke once observed, “Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny,” and by extension, abandoned projects are the worst form of waste. Rivers State has the opportunity to reverse this narrative. The administration must strike while the iron is hot, ensure that all completed facilities are activated, and prove that public resources are not poured into a bottomless pit but invested for the common good.

We therefore call on the government to redress these challenges with urgency. As the saying goes, “The best time to fix the roof is when the sun is shining,” and the time to act is now. Rivers people are watching, worried, and rightly expect their leaders to turn promises and investments into tangible public good.

Editorial

As NDG Ends Season 2

Published

4 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

On 20 February, the second edition of the Niger Delta Games (NDG) kicked off in Benin City, Edo State, with over 3,000 athletes from the nine oil-producing states of the Niger Delta region competing for honours across 16 sporting disciplines. Tagged ‘NDG Edo 2026’, the Games were scheduled to continue until the 27th (today), when the curtain would finally be drawn on proceedings. The event is sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and organised by consultants Dunamis Icon.

Edo State is taking its turn as host following the maiden edition held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the previous year. The inaugural edition was widely hailed as a resounding success, owing to the remarkable competitiveness and excitement it generated amongst the states of the region and, in particular, the young athletes who showcased impressive talent, prowess, and potential across a range of sporting events.

The maiden edition represented, in many respects, a new horizon and a breath of fresh air in efforts to engage and harness the talents and energies of the region’s youth towards positive endeavours that offer genuine prospects for career development. For a full week, young athletes from across the Niger Delta had the opportunity to compete in an environment where they freely expressed and explored their abilities, mingled with one another, and had the chance to connect socially and culturally.

It is for this reason that the NDDC and their consultants, Dunamis Icon, can be said to have hit the bull’s eye with the concept behind the Games. Beyond serving to engage the youth and identify promising athletes for the region, the competition has the capacity to produce athletes well capable of representing the national flag on international and continental stages.

The NDG presents opportunities that the states of the region must embrace wholeheartedly. Beyond venturing into the hinterlands to scout for promising young athletes, sporting facilities across the various states now have the opportunity to be tested and utilised on an annual basis, whilst host states enjoy the privilege of developing, upgrading, and maintaining existing facilities with the support of the sponsors.

As the Games draw to a close at the end of their second season, it is hoped that this regional sporting festival will continue to be guided by the vision and mission upon which it was founded, particularly its commitment to creating opportunities for untapped talents within the region. It is encouraging to note the organisers’ insistence that only athletes within the stipulated age bracket of 20 years and under are permitted to participate. No effort should be spared in ensuring that age falsification and the desperation to win at any cost are firmly discouraged.

Whilst commending the NDDC and Dunamis Icon for the considerable efforts already invested in ensuring that the NDG is not only successful but sustainable, it is expected that this second edition would mark an improvement upon the last, with the shortcomings witnessed in Uyo not being permitted to recur.

The NDG represents both an opportunity and a challenge to a region that prides itself as one of the country’s foremost nurseries of sporting talents. It is a chance to begin producing world-class athletes once again and to introduce names that will not only remind us of, but ultimately succeed the celebrated stars of previous generations across various disciplines — among them Adokiye Amiesimaka, Daniel Igali, Ojadi Oduche, Obisia Nwamkpa, Chioma Ajunwa, and Jeremiah Okorududu, to name but a few.

Just as the leadership of the NDDC has challenged the NDG to begin producing Olympic athletes for the country, we can only wholeheartedly concur that the Games possesses everything necessary to serve as a platform for unearthing future stars, and nothing less should be expected of it.

It is worth noting that the continued growth and credibility of the NDG will depend, in no small measure, on the rigour and transparency with which it is administered. Governance, accountability, and adherence to the founding principles of the competition must remain non-negotiable priorities for all stakeholders involved, from the sponsors and organisers through to the participating state delegations.

The role of the participating state governments in this regard cannot be overstated. Whilst the NDDC and Dunamis Icon provide the structural framework and financial backing that make the Games possible, it is the states themselves that bear the primary responsibility of identifying, nurturing, and presenting their finest young athletes for competition.

Governors and sports commissioners across the nine participating states must therefore treat the NDG not as a mere ceremonial obligation, but as a serious and strategic investment in the human capital of their respective populations. Only through sustained grassroots scouting programmes, well-funded state sports academies, and consistent domestic competitions can the region hope to maximise the full potential of what the NDG offers.

The private sector, too, has a meaningful role to play in the long-term sustainability of the Niger Delta Games. Whilst the NDDC’s sponsorship provides an essential foundation, the involvement of corporate organisations — particularly those with significant commercial interests in the region — would serve to deepen the financial base of the competition and reduce its vulnerability to the funding uncertainties that have historically plagued sporting initiatives in Nigeria.

Partnerships with brands, media organisations, and international sports bodies could further raise the profile of the Games, attract wider coverage, and open doors for the region’s most gifted athletes to access exposure, training opportunities, and platforms that extend well beyond the Niger Delta itself.

Ultimately, the Niger Delta Games carries with it the hopes and aspirations of an entire region and its young people. If nurtured with care, integrity, and sustained investment, it has every potential to become one of the most significant youth sporting platforms on the continent, and a genuine conveyor belt for the next generation of Nigerian sporting greatness.

Editorial

Beginning A New Dawn At RSNC

Published

2 weeks ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

The premises of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation (RSNC), publishers of The Tide Newspaper, are wearing a refreshing new look as work begins on the re-erection of a perimeter fence. This development is more than a physical upgrade. It is a strong statement that the safety and dignity of a historic public institution are once again being taken seriously.

For many years, the corporation operated without a proper perimeter fence. The old fence was demolished about a decade ago during an urban renewal drive under the administration of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. The intention at the time was to relocate and properly situate the fence away from pedestrian walk, but the long-term consequences were not fully anticipated.

The absence of a fence exposed the premises to serious risks. Workers reported frequent cases of trespass, theft of office items, and unrestricted movement by unauthorised persons. In an environment where sensitive editorial and production work is carried out, such openness became a major concern rather than an advantage.

Statistics from internal records suggest that incidents of petty theft and vandalism rose sharply during this period, accounting for an estimated 30 per cent increase in maintenance costs over the years. Staff morale also suffered, as many employees felt unsafe working late hours, especially during night production schedules.

The return of the perimeter fence will bring immediate relief. It will provide controlled access to the premises, protect valuable equipment, and ensure that staff can work with peace of mind. Businesses and members of the public who visit the corporation for adverts, publications, and official transactions will also enjoy a more orderly and secure environment.

A secured workplace is known to improve productivity. Studies in public institutions show that improved security can raise staff efficiency by up to 20 per cent. For a newspaper organisation that works against tight deadlines, this improvement is both necessary and timely.

The Rivers State Government deserves commendation for funding this fencing project. The Tide is one of the oldest state-owned newspapers in Nigeria and has, over the decades, projected and promoted government policies, programmes, and public enlightenment campaigns. Such an institution deserves to be properly funded and equipped to perform at its best.

As the fencing work progresses, the government should look beyond this single intervention. There is a strong case for the total renovation of the corporation’s ageing buildings. This effort can build on the visible successes recorded in the ongoing renovation of the state Secretariat Complex, which will improve the working conditions of many civil servants.

Equally urgent is the replacement of obsolete equipment at the newspaper publishing firm. Most of the machines in use today were provided at the inception of the corporation several decades ago. Technology has moved on, but the tools of the trade have largely remained the same.

All the major printing machines and computers are old and can no longer function efficiently. Frequent breakdowns slow production and increase costs. A total replacement is required to return the organisation to the path of progress and competitiveness in a fast-changing media industry.

Attention should also be given to the rotary printing machine purchased during the Amaechi administration. Sadly, the machine never worked for a single day due to the absence of a vital component. Replacing this missing part would put the machine on stream, making it useful not only to the newspaper but also to the wider information needs of the government.

There is also a clear need for operational vehicles, power generating plant, and additional staff. Over the years, the corporation has lost more than 60 per cent of its workforce to retirement, death, and the prolonged freeze on civil service recruitment during the last administration of Chief Nyesom Wike. Without urgent replacement, service delivery will continue to suffer.

The Publication Department, which formerly produced calendars, diaries, and exercise books for schoolchildren, should be revived. In the past, the department generated substantial funds that helped sustain the establishment before it became defunct.

Much credit must go to the Acting General Manager, Stella Gbaraba, for demonstrating capacity and discipline in managing the outfit. A staff member of the state Ministry of Information, she has shown herself to be a quintessential administrator whose leadership has stabilised the corporation. She deserves to be celebrated.

Her performance once again confirms the long-held view that leaders appointed from within the civil service often understand public institutions better and perform more effectively than those brought in from outside. With sustained government support, competent leadership, and the right investments, The Tide can reclaim its pride of place as a strong voice in Rivers State and beyond.