By David Owei

Prince Ebitimi Amgbare, Action Congress AC governorship candidate for Bayelsa State in 2007 and current Managing Director/CEO of the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority NDBDA, has hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his contributions to democratic governance in Nigeria.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja in commemoration of
Democracy Day, Prince Amgbare recalled contesting the 2007 Bayelsa governorship election and challenging the flawed process through the courts. With the backing of then AC National Leader, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, the Bayelsa Election Appeal Court sitting in Port Harcourt annulled the election in February 2008.

“As a follower of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I have continued to uphold the tenets and principles of democracy,” he said. “The best way to choose leaders in a democratic system is through the ballot. On this Democracy Day, I am reminded that democracy is not just about casting votes. It is about what happens after the votes are cast.”

“In 2007, I contested on the platform of the Action Congress. The process was flawed. The will of the people was threatened. But we did not take up arms. We did not burn tyres. We went to court,” he stated.

“That judgment proved three things. First, that the ballot is the only legitimate path to power in a democracy. Second, that the rule of law is alive in Nigeria when leaders have the courage to defend it. President Asiwaju Tinubu and the AC showed us then that opposition is not about abuse. It is about using the Constitution to check power.
We fought PDP dominance not with thugs, but with petitions and evidence. Lagos, Osun, Ekiti, Edo, and Bayelsa all won cases in court.

“That era taught Nigerians: ‘If your vote does not count at the polling unit, let it count in court.’ Third, that democracy requires sacrifice and patience. The court process was long and the pressure was high. But we stayed the course because we believed Nigeria was worth it. Today, that same commitment to constitutionalism is what President Tinubu is bringing to Aso Rock.”

Prince Amgbare added: “Democracy dies when citizens are afraid of courts. Democracy grows when leaders respect judgments, even when they lose. I am proud that my small role in Bayelsa 2007 became part of AC’s larger story: building a Nigeria where no president, no governor, no party is above the law. May God continue to guide our nation, and may His hand hold us fast as we build a stronger democracy. Happy Democracy Day.”

Prince Amgbare, who served on the steering committee of the Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reform – CODER under convener Pa Ayo Opadokun, also praised President Tinubu’s support for CODER. Founded in 2009 by individuals and CSOs committed to ensuring “every vote counts,” CODER was a non-partisan watchdog for credible elections.

CODER played a key role in the first phase of electoral reform that culminated in President Umaru Yar’Adua’s reforms following the Uwais Committee recommendations. The coalition helped push for the 2010 Electoral Act amendments on voter register integrity, introduction of card readers, and stronger INEC independence – provisions that governed the 2011 and 2015 elections.

On February 15, 2008, the Bayelsa Governorship Election Appeal Court sitting in PH, nullified Governor Timipre Sylva’s election for non-compliance with the Electoral Act and widespread irregularities. A rerun was ordered for May 24, 2008. While Sylva won the rerun, the case became part of AC’s narrative of confronting rigging through the judiciary, not violence. Tinubu’s backing of Prince Amgbare reinforced his image as an opposition leader who bankrolled legal battles against PDP dominance.

AC was formed in 2006, mainly from the Alliance for Democracy AD bloc in Southwest Nigeria. It became the main opposition to PDP from 2007 to 2013, controlling Lagos, Edo, Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, and Ogun at various times. In 2013, AC merged with CPC, ANPP, and a faction of APGA to form the All Progressives Congress APC, which ended PDP’s 16-year rule in 2015.

Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, while in Washington, USA, recently, before Nigerians seeking his view on unifying Nigerians, stated emphatically that if he becomes President, he will listen to every section.

To achieve the aim of unifying the country, ‘I will listen to all agitators, harmonise them and make some sacrifices with a view to bringing the country together.’

When Peter Obi stated that he would “listen to all agitators with a view to uniting Nigerians,” he offered a significant shift from the conventional, iron-fisted approach to state security and national cohesion.

This philosophy according to a release issued by Ibrahim Umar a presidential campaign spokesman positions dialogue, social justice, and inclusion as the primary mechanisms for healing Nigeria’s deep-seated geopolitical fractures. Unfortunately, his position has been misconstrued by some people who singled out Nnamdi Kanu as one of the agitators and ran with it just to attach Obi to their ethnic motives.

For decades, Nigeria has leaned heavily on military and security interventions to suppress regional grievances, whether in the Southeast, the Niger Delta, the Middle Belt or the North. Obi’s proposal, being twisted by opponents, suggests that agitation is often a symptom, not the root cause.

By shifting the strategy from active combat to active listening, Obi plans to treat agitators not just as security threats but as citizens with grievances — many of which stem from economic marginalisation, perceived injustice, and institutional neglect.

True national unity cannot be coerced; it must be built. The core argument for Obi’s dialogue-first model rests on three main pillars: Many regional agitations are driven by poverty, high youth unemployment, and uneven development. Listening allows the government to identify the socio-economic disparities driving the anger.
Agitation frequently flares up when a region feels entirely excluded from the federal power structure.

A conversational approach signals that every region has a legitimate seat at the table. And democracy, which our principal plans to practise realistically, will encourage structured dialogue to restore faith in democratic institutions and to demonstrate that the state values civic engagement over intimidation.
“True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.”
This timeless principle underpins the concept of engaging aggrieved factions to find a common, workable middle ground for a fractured nation.

Peter Obi’s Media Office, therefore, believes that his stance of listening to agitators is a pragmatic recognition that gun barrel diplomacy has its limits. For a multi-ethnic, multi-religious state like Nigeria, unity cannot be enforced by decree.

It must be negotiated through shared prosperity, fairness, and mutual respect. A New Nigeria is Possible.

End

By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi

Legal practitioner and Chief Operating Officer of UBIIJUS Intelligence, Dr. Blessing Agbomhere, has criticised social media activist, Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, VDM, over calls for protests against insecurity, describing the move as capable of undermining national stability.

In a statement personally signed and released weekend, Agbomhere said Nigeria’s security challenges require unity, patriotism, and citizen cooperation with security agencies, not street protests or anti-government rhetoric.

He accused the activist of promoting narratives that could erode public confidence in government institutions at a critical time.

“It deeply upsets me seeing some gullible, unpatriotic and ill-wishing Nigerians, both at home and abroad, celebrating VeryDarkMan, an individual whose stock-in-trade is insulting people online and ridiculing a nation grappling with complex security challenges.

“Calling for protests against insecurity or against the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not patriotism; it is an act capable of encouraging disorder and undermining national stability,” Agbomhere stated.

The lawyer argued that insecurity is driven by multiple factors including weak law enforcement, poverty, unemployment, poor education, communal conflicts, drug abuse, greed, and the pursuit of quick wealth, adding that addressing these issues requires collective effort rather than political agitation.

According to the author of “Nigeria’s National Security Challenges”, the solution lies in strengthening cooperation between citizens and security agencies through credible intelligence and community vigilance.

Agbomhere commended the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, DSS, Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, Special Adviser on Homeland Security, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and other emergency institutions.

“While significant challenges remain, Nigerians must acknowledge the dedication and sacrifices of the men and women who put their lives on the line daily in service to our nation. Their efforts deserve not only recognition but also the active support and cooperation of citizens,” he said.

He maintained that security cannot be left solely to government, noting that “no security architecture, regardless of its sophistication, can succeed without public support.”

“Given the size of our country and the complexity of modern security threats, citizens must remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities within their communities. Timely intelligence from members of the public remains one of the most effective tools for preventing crime,” he said.

Drawing comparisons with the United Kingdom and the United States, Agbomhere said citizens in advanced democracies often serve as the first line of defence through vigilance and cooperation with law enforcement.

The lawyer alleged that some political actors were seeking to exploit insecurity as a platform for partisan interests ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that inflammatory rhetoric and attempts to mobilise public anger against constituted authority could heighten tensions across the country.

While acknowledging Nigerians’ constitutional right to freedom of expression, Agbomhere stressed that such rights “must be exercised responsibly and in a manner that promotes peace, unity and national development.”

He urged public office holders, security personnel, and law enforcement agencies to remain steadfast in preventing crime and ensuring offenders face justice.

Agbomhere also called on Nigerians not to lose faith in the country’s institutions, saying the fight against insecurity requires patience, resilience, and sustained collaboration.

“Nigeria will overcome its current security challenges if citizens, communities and government institutions work together in the national interest. This is a time for unity, patriotism and collective action, not division. Together, we can build a safer and more secure nation for all,” he concluded.