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Anti-graft battle: It’s no longer business as usual, says Soyinka
President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption battle got a ‘pass mark’ from an unusual quarter yesterday. It was rated above average by Prof Wole Soyinka.
The literary giant, however, scored the President below average on the anti-terror war.
Soyinka spoke on the Bristish Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) programme, Hardtalk, anchored by Zeinab Badawi on Monday.
Appraising the anti-graft battle, Soyinka said: ”We have this issue of corruption, which is… and I frankly despise those who try to trivialise it in Nigeria simply because they don’t like the face of the man who is behind it.
“But, it’s no longer business as usual in Nigeria because we have bankers who are on trial; we have legislators who are on trial and we have former governors who are on trial. Immediately they step out of the office, they are grabbed by the anti-corruption agencies. On corruption, as far as I’m concerned, he scored the best.”
On the anti-terror war, the literary icon said: “Take for instance, the issue of Boko Haram, if action had been taken at the beginning, and we are not talking about the time of the reign of Jonathan. When the first governor decided to make his state a theocratic state… that was when action should have been taken.
“The President of that time compromised because he was ambitious and he needed the support of the state governor. And when you start a theocracy, a movement will berth and killings will start. They start saying, that you are not holy enough’ and the killings start.”
He said the President should have learnt from the past by nipping in the bud the clashes between herders and farmers.
“Well, he is making progress, but then another problem has sprung up and that is where the problem is. Yes, he is very slow in responding. Buhari has failed in that respect.”
The Nobel laureate also defended his support for Buhari during the 2015 election, saying he was a better option to stop Dr. Goodluck Jonathan who, he said, was not doing enough to pilot the affairs of the country as President.
Soyinka said: “Gen. Buhari didn’t really win…, he won by default, because it was impossible to continue with Jonathan. Yes, I did use that expression, born-again democrat. The reason I used that expression is because when somebody compete in an election first time, second time, third time, fourth time and persists, he must believe in democracy.”
Justifying his support for Buhari, a former military head of state, Soyinka said: “First of all, Nigeria is not peculiar in that respect. We’ve had examples like that everywhere. We’ve had many military people doing that. So, the transition is not impossible.
“On the second circumstance, the fact that Nigeria has shown the military what a huge failure they were, makes it possible for one to identify the possibility of exception. In any case, I keep emphasising that Nigerians had difficulty of making a choice. Like I said, it was between the devil and the deep blue sea.”
Reflecting on his detention in the 60s and how he wrote on toiletries, Soyinka said: “Yes, it was a solitary confinement. I was deprived of books – writing materials. So, I had to create my own world. So, toiletry paper became my template in which I could create the micro world in which I lived.
“They were supplying toiletries and they were so generous with it. Mostly, I was writing short, short pieces, mostly poetry. Somehow, I did get out. At a time, I have a book smuggled to me. Everything had to be hidden.”
The professor said it was high time the younger generation took the baton from the older generation, who he referred to as fogies.
He said: “I compare today with the dreams, aspiration that we had in those days when we considered ourselves as the ones going to lift the continent to world standard and make it competitive anywhere. But that has not happened.”
On this year’s presidential election, won by incumbent President Buhari, the playwright said: “It was one of the most depressed elections we’ve ever had. For me, it wasn’t possible for me to make a choice. I’m talking for myself. The simple reason is that the two candidates, they both had history. One is immediate, and the other is past, which made one to look for alternative.
“I want us to define the youth very carefully. There are some young people that will still compound or are worst than the rulers. I’m talking about those youths with fresh and good vision. I’m talking about those who felt ashamed of what Nigeria is today. Those who have traversed the world a bit and seen how things are done, and achieved in other countries. And analyse the problems of Nigeria, not contend to the old ideas. I’m talking about those youths that will get their priority right.”
When asked the chances available to the youth in Nigeria, where money plays a great role, Soyinka said: “When we started encouraging young people to come out, there was one person spearheading that movement and they could have come up with a consensus candidate.
The All Progressives Congress has confirmed that it plans to adopt a consensus approach for selecting its national leadership during the party’s convention scheduled for March 27–28, 2026, in Abuja.
The Assistant Secretary for Media and Publicity for the APC National Convention 2026, Mary Ikoku, disclosed the plan during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday.
On the issue of elective positions during primaries, Ikoku said the party had not yet decided how these would be handled, noting that decisions may vary depending on local political dynamics.
She explained, “APC, for this convention, I am aware and can say that the party is adopting consensus for this convention. As to whether they are adopting consensus for elective positions, I do not have an answer to that because politics is local.
“So, I believe that, at the end of the day, when it comes to the issue of elective positions, the persons who would emerge aren’t often what you would want to make consensus in every space.”
Ikoku also addressed the Electoral Act’s provisions, which require political parties to register members online within a specified timeframe and outline acceptable methods for candidate selection.
She said these requirements posed challenges for some parties but reflected preparedness—or the lack thereof.
“We have an electoral law that defines the models for these elections. Direct primaries and consensus have been allowed, while indirect primaries have been taken out.
“That is the current law of the nation, passed and assented to. Now, why do you think other political parties will have issues with that?” she asked.
“That would be to say there are levels of unpreparedness of these political parties. Any political party that is worth its salt should not wait till election season to start preparing for the run for office and all of these congresses.
“It is something they would have planned ahead of time. So, when you are not proactive as a party, these kinds of situations can challenge you deeply,” she added.
Ahead of the convention, the party began screening aspirants for key positions in its National Working Committee , including National Chairman aspirant Nentawe Yilwatda and National Secretary hopeful Ajibola Basiru.
Other NWC members seeking to retain their posts include National Youth Leader Dayo Israel, Deputy National Chairman (North) Ali Bukar Dalori, National Legal Adviser Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana, National Woman Leader Mary Alile Idele, and National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, among others.
Security presence surged around the Federal High Court in Kaduna on Tuesday as operatives from multiple agencies were deployed ahead of the arraignment of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over alleged corruption-related offences.
By about 7:00 a.m., heavily armed personnel of the Department of State Services, Nigeria Police Force, Mobile Police Force, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps had taken positions at strategic locations leading to the court complex situated within the old Nigerian Defence Academy area.
Access roads to the venue witnessed restrictions, forcing vehicles into a single lane from the Ungwan Sarki axis through Kawo and triggering early morning gridlock.
The heavy security followed a prior notice by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission that it would arraign El-Rufai on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, before the Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna.
In a statement issued by its Head of Media and Public Communications, John Odey, the commission said the former governor would be docked alongside one Joel Adoga in suit number FHC/KD/73/2026.
The agency explained that the charges against the defendants include alleged conversion, unlawful possession of public property, and money laundering.
“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission is set to arraign the former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i, and one Joel Adoga at the Federal High Court of Nigeria in the Kaduna Judicial Division on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. The charges range from conversion of and possession of public property to money laundering,” the statement read.
It further disclosed that another case, marked KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/26, had been instituted against El-Rufai and one Amadu Sule before a Kaduna State High Court.
According to the commission, the state charges border on abuse of office, fraud, intent to commit fraud, and conferring undue advantage.
“Similarly, another charge against Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i and one Amadu Sule has been filed before a Kaduna State High Court in the Kaduna Judicial Division. The charges range from abuse of office and fraud to intent to commit fraud and conferring undue advantage, among others,” the statement added.
The ICPC said both cases were filed on March 18, 2026, adding that a date for arraignment in the state court would be announced later.
It also insisted that El-Rufai had been properly served, stressing its adherence to due process and the rule of law.
The development came amid growing pressure from stakeholders, including the African Democratic Congress, which called for his immediate release or arraignment, describing his continued detention without formal charges as unconstitutional.
In the same vein, the Muslim Rights Concern criticised his prolonged detention, while members of his family also alleged a breach of his fundamental rights.
El-Rufai was first arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on February 16, 2026, granted bail two days later, and subsequently re-arrested by the ICPC.
He has remained in the custody of the anti-graft agency since then, pending his arraignment.
Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has extended warm felicitations to Muslims in Nigeria and across the globe on the joyous occasion of Eid-el-Fitr.
In a statement to mark the end of Ramadan, Araraume highlighted the significance of the month long period of spiritual reflection, fasting, and devotion. “As Muslims gather with loved ones to share in the festivities, I join in the cheer, wishing everyone a blessed and peaceful Eid,” he said.
The Senator expressed profound appreciation to Muslim Nigerians for their contributions to the nation’s growth, describing their faith, resilience, and patriotism as beacons of hope. “Your unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s progress is truly commendable,” he stated.
As the country navigates its current challenges, Araraume called for unity, understanding, and collective effort. “Let us embrace the spirit of Eid, forgiveness, generosity, and kindness, to build a brighter future for ourselves and generations to come,” he urged.
Araraume also extended solidarity to President Bola Tinubu, a distinguished Muslim and the leader of APC, praising his visionary leadership and dedication to nation building. “President Tinubu’s commitment to serving Nigeria has been exemplary, and we assure him of our continued support,” he said.
Reaffirming the APC’s commitment to national prosperity, Araraume emphasized that the values of compassion, unity, and progress embodied by Eid align deeply with the party’s ethos. “As we mark this occasion, we reaffirm our dedication to creating a Nigeria where faith and ethnic background are not barriers to success,” he concluded.
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