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Beware of ‘Full Blown Dictatorship, Dele Momodu Cautions Tinubu in New Letter

Published

2 years ago

July 26, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

Chairman, Ovation Media Group, Chief Dele Momodu, has again written an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, cautioning him against metamorphosis into full blown dictatorship.

As usual, Chief Momodu took the instrumentality of his social media handles to send his message to Tinubu, which is coming barely two after he wrote him the first letter bordering on the need to curtail his spendthrift attitude and embrace empowerment of Nigeria’s teeming youths.

In the letter titled Once Again, An Appeal to President Tinubu, Momodu outlined their days in the struggle for democracy against the military government, wondering why someone, like Tinubu, who had congregated and protested in the past, will turnaround today to say there will be no protest.

Momodu further blamed Tinubu for the present hardship in the country, accusing him of not knowing the difference between running Lagos as governor and running Nigeria as president.

“And let me be frank Sir. You caused it all. You did not realise that a country is much more complicated than a State,” he said, further accusing of having a stranglehold on Lagos for 24 years since he became governor in 1999.

Momodu advised that the proposed protest should be seen as a litmus test for the security agencies, especially as the Department of State Service (DSS), claimed they have unraveled the identities of those wishing to cause mayhem.

“But I’m reasonably assured that any potential threat can be contained and nipped in the bud, since our secret service claims to have discovered the sponsors of mayhem. Such people should be arrested speedily,” Momodu advised.

He finally advised Tinubu to seek friendly advice, and extricate himself from the ‘hawks’ surrounding him as they do not mean well for him.

It would be recalled that the country has been on edge since the masses vowed to embark on a 10-day protest over extreme hardship in the country, beginning from August 1, 2024.

Read Dele Momodu’s letter in full:

ONCE AGAIN, AN APPEAL TO PRESIDENT BOLA TINUBU…

Your Excellency,

For the second time within two weeks, I’m compelled to write you this epistle. As I write this, my mind goes back to my earliest recollection of you as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As a young journalist, you were everyone’s delight. The June 12 Presidential election annulment brought out the best in you as a pro-democracy figure. You spent money and time fighting the military. Our exile years were lived in constant fear and trepidation.
Fast forward Sir. We returned to Nigeria in 1998

You contested the Lagos State Governorship election in 1999, and pronto, you won. Since then, you have been in absolute control of a state described as the California of Africa, and possibly the sixth richest economy in Africa. Lagos is a country on its own…. I’m just trying to let you know that you’ve been a President in Lagos for 24 years before becoming the President of Nigeria.

Unfortunately, things have not been easy for Nigerians (except members of the privilegentsia) since you realized your lifelong ambition. And let me be frank Sir. You caused it all. You did not realise that a country is much more complicated than a State.

I’m sad and embarrassed that a fighter for Democracy is now saying Nigerians will not be allowed to congregate and demonstrate on the streets, something you and I enjoyed during the military regimes, at home and abroad.

I will never support anarchy, after engaging in peace initiatives in Sierra Leone, Liberia and The Gambia. But I’m reasonably assured that any potential threat can be contained and nipped in the bud, since our secret service claims to have discovered the sponsors of mayhem. Such people should be arrested speedily.

Please Sir, go back to your original friends in civil liberties and seek their assistance. Then, use this opportunity to test the strength, security architecture and combat readiness of our security agencies. Ignore the advice of the hawks in your team. They have nothing to lose since they are mostly beneficiaries of what others died for. Resist the temptations of full blown dictatorship…
You’re in my prayers as you bear this cross…

Featured

Police Uncover N7.7bn Telecom Fraud, Arrest Six Suspects

Published

35 minutes ago

January 28, 2026

Eric

The Nigeria Police Force has uncovered a ₦7.7 billion cyber-enabled telecommunications fraud and arrested six suspects linked to the illegal diversion of airtime and data resources belonging to a telecom company.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Benjamin Hundeyin, the police said the operation was carried out by the National Cybercrime Centre following a petition from the affected company.

According to the statement, the company reported “suspicious and unauthorised activities within its billing and payments infrastructure.”

The police said investigations revealed that “internal staff login credentials had been compromised, granting threat actors unlawful access to core systems.”

The syndicate responsible for the illegal diversion of a telecommunications company’s airtime and data resources, resulting in “an estimated financial loss of over ₦7.7 billion.”

Following weeks of planning, the police said “coordinated enforcement operations were executed in October 2025 in Kano and Katsina States, with a follow-up arrest in the Federal Capital Territory.”

The statement added that six suspects were arrested during the operation.

“They include Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad,” the police said.

The Punch

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El-Rufai Makes Case for Tinubu’s Impeachment, Accuses President of Illegal N100bn Monthly Deductions

Published

6 hours ago

January 28, 2026

Eric

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has accused President Bola Tinubu of deducting N100b every month from the federation account without approval.

Speaking during an interview on ‘Prime Time’, a programme on Arise Television, El-Rufai said such an action deserves nothing but impeachment.

According to him, the unauthorised deductions have been going on for over 15 months, amounting to a total of N1.5 trillion.

He said: “Government data. I’m not quoting something out of the air. So for that 100 billion that goes out every month from the Federation account, without appropriation by the National Assembly, by the way, without appropriation by the state assemblies, because part of the money belongs to the states.

“So each state assembly is supposed to appropriate that part. So the entire deduction and expenditure is unconstitutional. It’s an impeachable offense, but it has been going on for more than 15 months from the last time I checked.

“So where has that 1.5 trillion gone? What is it being used for? Why is the security situation just getting worse? Why is the government asking communities to protect themselves?

“Look if you asked me in 2022 or 2023 when we were campaigning, that things would ever be this bad, I would say that you are mentally ill.”

DailyPost

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FG vs Sowore: Court Admits As Exhibit Video of Reno Omokri Calling Tinubu ‘International Drug Baron’

Published

8 hours ago

January 28, 2026

Eric

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore on Tuesday presented a video in the Federal High Court in Abuja showing former presidential aide Reno Omokri referring to President Bola Tinubu as an “international drug baron”. The move forms part of Sowore’s defence in his ongoing trial for alleged cyberstalking and online defamation against the Nigerian leader.

Sowore, who ran under the African Action Congress (AAC), is facing charges filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) over social media posts reportedly describing President Tinubu as a “criminal.” The case is being heard before Justice Mohammed Umar.

During proceedings, Sowore’s lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, resumed cross-examination of the prosecution’s first witness, DSS operative Cyril Nosike. Abubakar questioned Nosike on the agency’s practices, asking whether the DSS conducts background or security checks on nominees for sensitive government positions, such as ambassadors, ministers, and judges. Nosike admitted he was not aware if such procedures were carried out.

The defence also probed why the DSS cleared Reno Omokri for an ambassadorial appointment despite his public statement labeling President Tinubu an “international drug baron.” Nosike stated that he could not provide an explanation for the clearance.

Abubakar further asked the witness about a public remark by President Tinubu in which the President pledged to protect the constitutional right of Nigerians to criticize, insult, or call him names. Nosike was unable to confirm awareness of that statement. The defence then questioned why, given the President’s public commitment to free speech, the DSS had proceeded to file charges against Sowore.

Following this line of questioning, the defence sought court approval to tender two video clips as evidence: one featuring Omokri’s “international drug baron” remark and another showing President Tinubu affirming citizens’ right to freely critique him. Counsel for the DSS, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, objected, arguing that the videos were being “played to the gallery” and that the maker of the clips had not been listed as a witness.

After reviewing the submissions in line with the Evidence Act 2023, Justice Umar ruled that the video clips were relevant and admitted them as exhibits. The court adjourned the matter to February 4, 2026, for continuation of cross-examination.

Reno Omokri was among 64 ambassadorial nominees confirmed by the Senate in December 2025. The confirmation followed the adoption of a report from the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, which indicated that all nominees had been vetted and deemed suitable for appointment.