4th Republic (The Culture Custodian)

Finally, the APC's Bola Tinubu offers a policy document for us to chew through with the unveil of his manifesto which repurposes Abiola's 1993 campaign slogan. 

We also take a look at the recent anniversary of the #EndSARS massacre and how the candidates' attitudes to police reform and Nyesom Wike's continued dalliance with the APC. 

In the latest edition of our weekly briefing, we recap the last week in the Nigerian political sphere.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here

In this week's audio briefing, we take a look at the Supreme Court's affirmation of President Tinubu's election and the big dollar bill the Federal Government dodged with its success in the P&ID case.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure ⁠here

In what should be the last briefing before Nigeria's presidential elections, we take a look at some of the most prominent storylines of the last week; 

The friction between President Buhari and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress party took a new dimension this week with members of the party advising Nigerians to defy the President’s directives around the Naira redesign policy. 

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has given the campaign of Labour Party’s (LP) Peter Obi a filip by publicly endorsing him for President.

Get the breakdown of all this and more.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here

President Goodluck Jonathan, the Vice President until President Yar'Adua's death in May 2010 sought a mandate in his own right triggering a debate about the zoning of the country's highest office. 

This election also offered a flash of the changes in Nigeria's political system as the prominent opposition was now formed by two newly formed parties: Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). 

The elections would also produce a wave of violence which threatened to impact the progress of Nigeria's democracy. 

The 2007 Elections marked the culmination of President Obasanjo's two terms in office and the first time in Nigerian history where a civilian government would hand over power to another. 

On this episode, we take a look at some of the dynamics which influenced the elections (Obasanjo's 3rd Term bid) and the impact of these elections on Nigeria's political trajectory. 

Ademide Adim Akpapunam speaks of capturing the best of both worlds: being born to parents from Delta and Ogun states- an obvious antidote to the tribalist rhetoric that has formed part of the soundscape of Nigerian politics this year. 

From growing up in Ikeja to attending the prestigious Adesoye College in Kwara and college in the United States, an interest in the transformative power of digital media would inspire his entry into Nigerian politics. 

Akpapunam in his official capacity as the Personal Assistant to the country’s #4 citizen- House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila (Surulere I) has an enviable understanding of the legislature and the dynamics that go towards ensuring unity in the lower chamber. He speaks to the sagacity of his principal while making a case for the Tinubu administration. In the context of Gbajabiamila’s appointment as the President’s Chief of Staff, this interview helps make sense of an expected power broker in the new administration

Political Rallies are a staple of the political process. They help the candidates and their parties to engage with their bases and also offer an indicator of public support. Based on recent changes to the political calendar, we weigh up the effectiveness of political rallies in the current election cycle. 

Benue state Governor, Samuel Ortom and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar have been caught in a public spat which once again highlights the failures of the PDP to get its house in order. 

Get the breakdown of all this and more. 

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here

Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) gave his first interview of the election cycle to the British Broadcasting Corporation's Peter Okwoche after appearing at policy institute, Chatham House. 

Former President Goodluck Jonathan is emerging as a sought-after damsel in this cycle.

Get the breakdown of all this and more.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here

On today's despatch, we break down the news around Nigeria's delegation to COP28t, the battle in Edo state to succeed Governor Godwin Obaseki and the state of affairs in Ondo.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure ⁠⁠⁠here

Last night, some of the leading presidential candidates took to the great political marketplace for their ideas- the debate stage. While the APC's Bola Tinubu opted to party, the PDP's Atiku Abubakar was represented by his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa. Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Kola Abiola also took to the stage. We explore the significance of this debate and the absence of some of the leading candidates. 

Bola Tinubu chilled with the big boys by organising an outreach session with Nigeria's business elite while Peter Obi's manifesto made it to the public but was quickly walked back. 

Get the breakdown of all this and more.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here

On today's despatch, we break down the news around the Budget padding allegations leveled against the Senate, the opening of the Nigeria-Niger borders, and the reported withdrawal of Ruby Onwudiwe to the Nigerian Senate.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here

The Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele has found himself in heavy demand from Nigeria's secret police service leading to an obvious question as to who's after him. 

The Director General of the Peter Obi Campaign Council, Doyin Okupe announced his resignation from the role while President Jonathan's endorsement is being sought heavily. 

Get the breakdown of all this and more.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here

Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour shot to national prominence in 2017 when he contested the Ikeja Local Government Area chairmanship under the KOWA party. Two years later, he sought the Lagos West senatorial seat under the PDP. This year, he's running for Governor of Lagos under the Labour Party. Gbadebo joined 'Mayowa to talk about his journey into Politics- from campaigning against the Jonathan administration's policy on Genetically Modified Foods to seeking an end to the APC dynasty in Lagos. He talks about learning how to build political momentum as a young participant, the importance of Peter Obi's once-in-a-generation campaign, and why his architectural background makes him the right candidate for this cycle. 

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here. 

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu delivered an outburst underlining his displeasure with the government of the day last week. 

The Election Petition Tribunal tasked with judging the Osun state elections delivered a judgment which changed the political calculations. 

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Abia passed away. 

The US announced a visa ban on election manipulators. 

Get the breakdown of all this and more.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here

In less than a month, Nigerians will head to the polls to elect a new President. To ease the decision-making process, we will be digging into the three main candidates to help voters get a better sense of who they are. What do we know about their childhood(s)? What do their pre-political days tell us about their candidacies? How did they get into Politics? What is the case for or against their candidacies? What are their chances?

The ruling All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is seeking the capstone of his political career. In this episode, Oluwamayowa Idowu and Kunle Adewumi help make sense of Tinubu's candidacy. 

As the build up to the election winds down, speculation has been raised about the readiness of the Independent National Electoral Commission, the country's electoral management body. 

Big Brother Titans, a fusion of the South African and Nigerian versions of the Big Brother franchise, launched yesterday. As is now a tradition in Nigerian politics, it has earned the ire of the political class.

Get the breakdown of all this and more.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here

Anambra Governor, Charles Soludo reprises his historic rivalry with Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi with a written takedown. 

The PDP's G5 continue to needle their party's candidate, Atiku Abubakar while flirting with his rivals. 

Get the breakdown of all this and more.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here

Music by lvymusic from Pixabay

The Bola Tinubu campaign picked a fight with the Thisday and Arise proprietor, Nduka Obaigbena.

Is INEC prepared for the 2023 elections? Could we see a possible postponement? 

Anambra Governor, Charles Soludo opts to endorse Atiku over the two Peters from his state and party. 

Get the breakdown of all this and more.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here

Peter Obi's Lagos rally and the boost from the released polls underline his popularity going into the final stretch. 

PDP's Chimaroke Nnamani has been explled from the party highlighting the disunity within the party. 

Get the breakdown of all this and more.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here

Opposition politics in Lagos has received a new face in the form of Funso Doherty.

Doherty who sought the Lagos Governorship in the 2023 elections under the auspices of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) came into Politics on the back of a successful career in financial services.

In this interview with Oluwamayowa Idowu, Doherty takes us through his experience growing up in Lagos, getting a taste of the leadership bug as a student, working at GT Bank in its embryonic stage, and his interest in public service.

There's rancor in the ranks of the All Progressives Congress with the party's presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu seeking to delink himself from the government of the day while relying on President Buhari's support. 

Labour Party's Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour is seeking to end the APC's hold on Lagos while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has seen its mock accreditation exercise receive mixed results.

Get the breakdown of all this and more.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here

The 2015 Election proved to be the most memorable in Nigeria's recent history for a range of reasons. In losing his seat, President Jonathan became the first incumbent to lose a presidential election in the country's history while General Muhammadu Buhari became the second leader after President Obasanjo to serve in both military and democratic dispensations. This election also marked the end of the People's Democratic Party's (PDP) domination of Nigeria's 4th Republic and the entry of the All Progressives Congress (APC) into the mainstream. 

On this episode, we take a look at this election and its importance in Nigeria's evolving democracy. 

The audio briefing is back!!!!!!

This week;

• President Tinubu's academic certificates and their authenticity have been a talking point in the wake of the PDP's Atiku Abubakar beckoning a US court.
• The President's Tax Reform Committee Chair has made a case for the sale of the country's moribund refineries.

Get the breakdown of this and more.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here

Later this week, Nigerians will head to the polls to elect a new President. To ease the decision-making process, we have been digging into the three main candidates to help voters get a better sense of who they are. What do we know about their childhood(s)? What do their pre-political days tell us about their candidacies? How did they get into Politics? What is the case for or against their candidacies? What are their chances?

For Atiku Abubakar of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), this is potentially his last shot at an office he first sought about 30 years ago. Oluwamayowa Idowu and Kunle Adewumi make sense of the man from old Gongola whose breakout into public life came through the Nigerian Customs Service. 

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here

In less than a month, Nigerians will head to the polls to elect a new President. To ease the decision-making process, we will be digging into the three main candidates to help voters get a better sense of who they are. What do we know about their childhood(s)? What do their pre-political days tell us about their candidacies? How did they get into Politics? What is the case for or against their candidacies? What are their chances? 

The Labour Party's candidate, Peter Obi has defined this political cycle with a credible third-force bid. In this episode, Oluwamayowa Idowu and Kunle Adewumi help make sense of Obi's run. 

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here

The 2003 Elections marked the first time Nigerians were able to hold a referendum on a leader's performance. President Obasanjo was challenged by General Buhari in the first of five bids for the highest office in the land. 

On Thursday, the 20th of January, we will conduct a deep dive into these elections and the state of play via Twitter Spaces. Join us @takingCustody 

The story of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) cannot be written without referring to Governor Kayode Fayemi.

Governor Fayemi, a two-time Governor of Ekiti State, the former Chair of the influential Governor's Forum, and former Minister of Solid Minerals Development was also the Policy & Research Director of President Buhari's successful 2015 campaign.

In this conversation with Oluwamayowa Idowu, Governor Fayemi takes us through his experience growing up in Ibadan and returning to the "village" in Ado Ekiti to continue his academic studies and his evolution into one of the leading intellectuals of the NADECO and June 12 movement.

On this episode, we take a look at the most recent elections of the 4th Republic where President Buhari sought a second term seeking to build on his first term whereas the PDP's Atiku Abubakar finally earned the ticket of the party he had pursued for a large part of his political career. 

This election also witnessed a wave of third force candidates- candidates of professional backgrounds arguing that political change could not emerge from any of the two major political parties seeking to pursue the highest office in the land with relatively unknown parties.

Prince Clem Agba has lived a rich life in the private and public sector.

An aspirant in the recent All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries for the Edo State Governor, he was the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning in President Buhari's administration. Before that, he'd served as a Commissioner in Adams Oshiomhole's administration (Environment and Public Utilities, Lands and Survey).

His professional life was spent working at an oil and gas major. Throughout this conversation, he takes me through the course of his career, his heritage, and his ambition to rule the people of Edo.

**This episode was recorded prior to the Edo primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

On today's despatch, we break down the news around President Tinubu's supplementary budget, the godfather-godson battle between Nyesom Wike and Sim Fubara, the first son being on the receiving end of a presidential call out and the forthcoming off cycle elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure ⁠⁠here

On today's despatch, we break down the news around the Code of Conduct Bureau's (CCB) inquiry of Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Shell's partial divestment from the Nigerian market, the Ibadan explosion and more.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu was in the news last week upon the release of an affidavit from a US court detailing his affiliation and alliance with drug traffickers raising obvious questions as to his character and credibility as a suitable President. 

The PDP G5 has also offered an indication that they might be prepared to offer a reprieve to the party's candidate, Atiku Abubakar. 

Get the breakdown of all this and more.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here

Music by lvymusic from Pixabay

Nigeria's 1999 elections marked the end of years of military rule and a return to democracy. On this episode, we take a look at the wider context of those elections, how they came about, the emergence of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), and President Obasanjo's ultimate ascent to the Nigerian presidency making him the first person to serve in both military and civilian capacities.

Aedan Asika bears a last name which means people have predetermined expectations of him. However, his familial heritage in Politics and Entertainment didn’t mean much as he embarked on a journey of self-discovery in his late teens.

Fresh out of secondary school, he developed an interest in Politics and found himself interning in the office of then-Senator Bukola Saraki. At the time, Saraki, the scion of an iconic political dynasty had just come to the end of a two-term run as the Governor of Kwara state located in the bellwether North Central geopolitical zone. He’d also built a layer of influence as the Chair of the Governors Forum (the collective body of Nigerian Governors). Upon his entry into the Senate, Saraki would play an active role in the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the selection process of the party’s presidential and vice presidential candidates. He also emerged as the Senate President in the new political dispensation. His leadership of the Senate resulted in the enactment of a record number of laws and the passage of landmark bills like the Electoral Amendment Bill, Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill, and the Police Reform Bill. Since losing out in the 2019 elections, Saraki has sought the presidency and has been tasked with leading the reunification of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Through it all, Asika has been an interesting observer and participant whose recollection of these moments offers an interesting political history class. He also makes a great pitch as to why young people should take the leap into political waters.

This interview is part of a still-taking-shape series where I speak to participants within the political process to document their journeys and glean insights that help us demystify the political process. If you enjoy it, do let us know other people whose stories you'll love to hear.

In this week's audio briefing, we take a look at what President Tinubu's ministers have been up to, the backlash for the First Son using the presidential jet for his enjoyment, the news of an old attempt to litigate President Tinubu's alleged forgery and the appointment of a new EFCC chair.

Last week, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar came under fire for a speech in which he appeared to argue that the north does not need an Igbo or Yoruba president, but rather "someone from the north." 

After some delay, the Labour Party and its Presidential candidate Peter Obi and Vice President Yusuf Datti-Ahmed have inaugurated their presidential campaign council, which is led by Mohammed Zarewa as Chairman and Doyin Okupe as Director-General. 

After returning to the country, the APC’s Bola Tinubu has made his presence felt through a series of speeches and gaffes.

In the debut episode of our weekly briefing, we recap the last week in the Nigerian political sphere. 

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure here

On today's despatch, we break down the news around the suspension of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Minister, Betta Edu, the sacking of Babtunde Irukera of the Federal Competition and Consum­er Protection Commission (FCCPC), and Alex Okoh of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), the Central Bank's regulatory measures against the boards of Titan Trust, Polaris, Union and Keystone banks and more.

Subscribe to Stomach Infrastructure ⁠⁠⁠⁠here