Broadcasting
Why AGF Malami Must Not Soil His Reputation, Governorship Ambition
By Adamu Sani, Public Affairs commentator
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami remains a man who divides opinions. However, in spite of the differing opinions, everyone will agree that the AGF has done a sound job in defending Nigeria and staying true to the course of justice in his dealings in his hallowed position.
This is despite the overwhelming challenges faced by the country on different fronts: political, security and even in the face of huge external or international influences.
I have decided to expose, amongst other few cases, this particular case which is very laughable and capable of eroding the credibility of our institutions. We all know the main reasons why we cannot attract substantial foreign investment into the country is our erratic forex rate and very weak legal system. Malami stands the risk of damaging his hard-earned reputation over a particular case that has lingered in the courts since 2016. Having followed this case over the years, it is clear that the man at the centre of the storm, one Mr. Benjamin Joseph, alleged owner of an Ibadan-based ICT company – Citadel Oracle Concepts Ltd and an Igbo man, is taking advantage of the AGF’s simple nature to pull a mischievous stunt which may end up ruining Malami’s reputation, Nigeria’s legal system and making nonsense of the position of the Police in our society as the protector of law and order in the country. If the Inspector General of Nigeria Police is of no consequence, then the entire Nigeria Police Force is ruined.
Currently, the said Benjamin Joseph is facing a criminal trial instituted by the Inspector-General of the Nigerian Police which has dragged on for years and for which he has refused to appear in court to defend himself. Instead, he has come up with a ruse to hoodwink AGF Malami to discontinue the case, thereby evading justice and using this as a leverage for other civil cases for which he is seeking damages unjustifiably.
Already, Malami has, on two occasions, taken over this case before reinstating it and asking the Police to continue with the prosecution of the accused, Benjamin Joseph. But recently, specifically on January 18, 2022, a legal officer from the Federal Ministry of Justice, armed with a letter from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF) on behalf of the AGF, announced his appearance to take over the case, with the intention of discontinuing same. It is worthy to note that this is the third time this had happened in same case in same court, following each petition by Benjamin Joseph. But on each of those occasions, the Honourable AGF would recant his decision and reinstated the prosecution of Mr. Joseph by the Police prosecutor on behalf of the Inspector-General of the Police.
One of the worst fails in a democracy is to see people flagrantly cheat the system or evade justice. In the case of Benjamin Joseph, AGF Malami, perhaps innocently, may end up rubbishing his years of exceptional service to the nation and a potential smooth run to the Kebbi governorship seat, by unknowingly aiding a man who should have his day in court to defend a case which he reported to the Police highest command and is now afraid to defend. Such questionable events should not be allowed to continue in our legal system.
AGF Malami should refer to a connected case in Charge No. CR/244/2018: Fed. Republic of Nigeria Vs. Princess Kama and Chief Onny Igbokwe, before Honourable Justice Senchi, a distinguished Judge of the FCT High Court following a similar petition by the said Benjamin Joseph to the Vice President of Nigeria who endorsed it for investigation by the EFCC. On February 24, 2021, Justice Senchi delivered judgement in the case, discharging and acquitted the said two defendants. In the judgement, the court dismissed the complaint of Citadel Oracle Concepts Ltd on the merit of the case as false. The court also awarded the sum of Twenty Million Naira(N20m) as damages against Mr. Benjamin Joseph, the MD of Citadel Oracle Concepts Ltd, for giving false information to the Vice President and the EFCC (same false information he gave to the Police for which he is facing criminal charges). The Honourabe Judge in the said judgment stated that the award of N20m as damages is to serve as a deterrence against persons who would indulge in false petitioning. This loudly vindicates the case of the Police against Mr. Benjamin Joseph. It is worthy to note that while the above case was going on Mr. Benjamin Joseph on many occasions refused to attend court to defend his claims because he was afraid to face cross-examination which would expose him.
The background of this long-drawn case, which the said Benjamin Joseph has made Malami erroneously intervene in, thrice, stems from a 2012 credit sale of HP laptops by Technology Distributions Limited (TD Africa) to Citadel Oracle Concepts Limited through its authorised representatives, Princess Kama and Chief Onny Igbokwe, for delivery to the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS). To avert diversion and previous unsavory experiences by beneficiary debtors, TD had insisted that the credit sale would be secured by the opening of a bank account into which the proceeds of the contract would be paid into, while also appointing its staff to be part of the signatories to the bank account into which the end-user would pay the money for the laptops supplied on credit.
Consequently, TD had nominated two of its staff, Mr. Chris Eze Ozims (Company Secretary) and Mrs. Shade Oyebode (then Executive Director) to be signatories to both accounts after both companies accordingly opened an account with Access Bank on December 20, 2012, with a Board resolution duly signed on December 18, 2012 by Benjamin Joseph on behalf of Citadel Oracle Concepts Ltd. After payment was made by the FIRS, TD deducted the pre-agreed invoice sum of the laptops supplied on credit. It is instructive to note, from the facts of this case, that the company extended the same credit gesture to other resellers, apart from Citadel Oracle Concepts Ltd.
After a disagreement with Princess Kama, one of his representatives, over the sharing formula, Benjamin Joseph turned around to petition the Nigerian Police Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, alleging that his company was fraudulently used without his knowledge to do contract with FIRS and no computers were supplied. He also claimed its board resolution was also forged to open Account for the execution of the FIRS contract. Investigations conducted by the SFU, after the board resolution was sent for forensic analysis, proved that the document was not forged, while also revealing that the HP laptops were indeed supplied to FIRS, and that TD was entitled to receive payment of products it has supplied on credit. FIRS also confirmed with documentary proof that Mr. Benjamin Joseph was aware of the contract and personally authorized his representative Princess Kama. Consequently, the SFU report absolved TD of any criminal liabilities.
From there, Joseph petitioned the Force (CID) Headquarters, Abuja, then headed by Mr. Solomon Arase. After investigating and reconfirming the authenticity of the forensic analysis report which had confirmed that he (Benjamin Joseph) actually signed the board resolution which he had alleged was forged, as well as the fact that the HP laptops were supplied, the IGP charged Mr. Benjamin Joseph to court for knowingly giving the Police a misleading (false) information in CHARGE NO. CR/216/16: INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE vs. BENJAMIN JOSEPH at the FCT High Court, Abuja, Nigeria, before Honourable Justice Peter Kekemeke.
Since then, Joseph has, over the years, petitioned other security agencies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), as well as the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo amid recent fresh petitions to the Inspector General of Police in 2020, which was also dismissed on the grounds of earlier outcomes of investigations by the authorities, all in a bid to artfully dodge his day in court and a full-on cross examination on his many claims. In other instances, he had claimed that the Federal Government was defrauded over the laptop supply, while attempting to rope in the Chairman of the Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh and his wife, Mrs. Chioma Ekeh, all in a bid for possible extortion, among other artful tactics to deflect attention from his ongoing trial.
Two civil cases are pending on the hearing stage over the gimmicks of Mr. Joseph who, often times, embarks on dramatic acts of rolling on the floor in court or other public offices in order to falsely curry sympathy. However, one of the principles of law behoves on the one who alleges to prove his claims. If he has a water-tight case or has nothing to hide, why is Joseph afraid to open his defence long after the prosecution had closed its case? It is instructive to know that after the prosecution closed its case in 2018, Mr. Benjamin Joseph filed a ‘No Case’ submission, which the court heard but ruled against him, stating that the prosecution had made out a prima facie case against him. The court directed him to open his defence since 2018. But instead of opening his defence, he has been running around government agencies, including the esteemed office of the AGF to take over the case, dismiss the charge and acquit him. Is that how a legal system should function?
AGF Malami should allow this long-drawn case to run its full course in order to avoid a miscarriage of justice – an act capable of tarnishing his unblemished reputation. The Police should be allowed to conclude a trial they began since 2016.
Gugu Gumede and S’Dumo Mtshali, the power couple in Netflix’s telenovela, The Polygamist, will be guest on this week’s edition of African Voices, which is sponsored by Globacom on Cable News Network (CNN).
The 22-episode sitcom focuses on the misadventures of an adulterous spouse who unknowingly entangles his family in the difficulties of polygamy.
The film depicts a series of intrigues, betrayals, and other events that shattered the harmony of a once-perfect marriage.
The fictional couple in Johannesburg are interviewed by the programme’s anchor, Larry Madowo, for a 30-minute show in which they discuss their personal experiences and the difficulties they have in the film industry, such as coping with popularity and typecasting and advocating for more actor protections.
Gumede, a 34-year-old South African who attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles to study acting, portrayed Joyce Gomora in the telenovela.
In addition to her part in The Polygamist, Gumede has portrayed Mamlambo, a prophetess on “Uzalo”, the most watched television program in South Africa, and Mandisa in “Generations”, one of the country’s most popular series.
Mtshali, a 43-year-old South African actor who portrayed Jonasi Gomora, gained notoriety in 2010 after competing in and winning the SABC1 reality program, “Class Act”. In the same year, he landed his first major part in the drama series “Intersexions” on SABC1.
Among other films, he has starred in “Inside Story” (2011), “Avenged” (2013), “iNumber Number: Jozi Gold” (2023), “Back of the Moon”, and “The Four of Us” (2025).
This special double-cast episode will feature on DSTV channel 401 on Saturday at 8a.m. It will be repeated same day at 11a.m., Sunday at 3.30a.m.,6p.m., Monday at 3a.m. and 5.45p.m. as well as on Tuesday,5.45p.m.
The repeats continue next week Saturday at 7.30a.m., 11a.m.;Sunday 3.30a.m., 6p.m.,and on Monday at 3a.m.
By Blaise Udunze
From a general observation, comparisons are powerful political tools. They simplify complex realities, inspire supporters and shape public perception. Another side of this is that they can also become misleading when symbolism replaces substance.
The latter appears to be the objective behind two recent interventions in defense of his excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Respectfully, it was observed that veteran journalist Martin Oloja likened Tinubu’s political journey to that of football icon Lionel Messi. He portrayed him as a resilient strategist whose patience and tactical brilliance eventually produced victory. As this now appears to be a trend, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma further elevated the narrative, comparing Tinubu to Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew. He didn’t stop at that; rather further argued that today’s painful reforms would eventually transform Nigeria just as Lee transformed Singapore. They are compelling analogies.
Unfortunately, it was observed that both began to unravel once governance, not politics, was used as the standard of measurement.
It is a known fact to the world that Lionel Messi is celebrated not because he endured criticism or finally lifted the World Cup after years of disappointment. He is celebrated because his greatness is measurable. His goals are counted. His assists are recorded. His trophies are displayed and not just that, his records speak louder than the opinions of his admirers, which may have taken a different turn now after the outcome of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The same is also true of Lee Kuan Yew. History has shown that he is not revered because he introduced difficult reforms or enjoyed the support of loyal political allies. Governor Hope should be reminded that Lee is remembered because he fundamentally transformed Singapore. Amongst his achievements were transforming a poor trading port into one of the world’s richest, cleanest, safest and most efficiently governed nations.
Lee’s records speak for him because under his leadership, Singapore built world-class infrastructure, an incorruptible public service, globally competitive education, affordable housing, investor confidence and one of the highest standards of living anywhere in the world.
Neither Messi nor Lee Kuan Yew became legends through carefully crafted narratives. Yes, they became legends because the evidence became impossible to dispute. That is precisely where comparisons with President Tinubu become difficult.
It is an error to assume that winning elections is the same as winning governance and at the same time, political brilliance may secure power, but only effective leadership secures history’s approval.
For millions of Nigerians, governance is not measured by campaign strategy or political resilience. It is measured by the realities they confront every morning.
Can they afford food? Can they pay transport fares? Can they pay rent with the current landlords’ economy? Can they keep their businesses open? Can they sleep or travel freely without fear of kidnapping? Can they find jobs after graduation? Can they access reliable electricity and healthcare? These are the scoreboards by which governments are judged.
Supporters of the Tinubu administration frequently point to encouraging macroeconomic indicators. Foreign reserves have improved. Government revenues have risen. States now receive significantly larger allocations through the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC). Well, these ‘achievements’ will be reviewed soon through the lens of news narratives. International financial institutions have welcomed several policy reforms. The removal of fuel subsidy and exchange-rate liberalisation are presented as courageous decisions that previous administrations avoided.
These developments deserve acknowledgement. Yet macroeconomic improvements are not the same as improvements in citizens’ welfare.
In reality, an economy cannot be declared successful merely because government revenues have increased while household purchasing power continues to deteriorate, as this would be a complete aberration.
Again, it is considered an anomaly that Nigeria reports stronger fiscal numbers, but millions of families continue to struggle with soaring food prices, rising transport costs, expensive housing, high electricity tariffs and shrinking disposable incomes.
Statistics may comfort policymakers. They rarely comfort hungry citizens. Messi never celebrated possession statistics after losing a match; rather, he cried and cried over losing the opportunity of winning the trophy at the concluded 2026 FIFA World Cup. To him, results mattered.
The reality is that governments should be judged by the same principle. This is open to dispute, but of a truth, Governor Uzodimma’s comparison to Lee Kuan Yew deserves even closer scrutiny because it raises an important question, though it may appear hard to answer.
If Tinubu is Nigeria’s Lee Kuan Yew, where is Nigeria’s Singapore? What exactly made Lee Kuan Yew exceptional? Was it simply his willingness to implement painful reforms? Certainly not.
Many leaders across the developing world have introduced painful reforms. Very few transformed their countries.
One thing stands out here: Lee’s legacy rests on outcomes, not intentions. Judging from all indications, it is obvious that his reforms dramatically reduced corruption, attracted investment, strengthened institutions, expanded industrialisation, improved education, guaranteed affordable public housing and steadily raised incomes across generations. Unlike Nigeria’s ongoing experience, Singapore’s rise was not a promise repeatedly postponed to the future. Citizens experienced tangible improvements in their daily lives. That is why history celebrates Lee Kuan Yew. Nigeria’s present reality tells a different story.
It is glaring and ironic that despite improved fiscal revenues, many Nigerians continue to grapple with rising inflation, worsening poverty, declining purchasing power, youth unemployment, struggling businesses and persistent insecurity. If they must know, these are not merely economic statistics; they are the lived realities by which citizens judge any government.
The Lee Kuan Yew comparison also overlooks perhaps the most important ingredient behind Singapore’s success, which is primarily the institutions.
It is obvious and practically doubtful if Governor Uzodinma’s kind of Singapore is the same as the one on which its transformation was built upon an efficient bureaucracy, disciplined public institutions, predictable regulation, meritocracy, uncompromising anti-corruption enforcement and consistent long-term planning as championed by Lee Kuan Yew. An honest question here is, can the same be said of Nigeria today?
The truth is not far-fetched; Nigeria is nothing close to it because the realities and lived experiences of Nigerians are that the country continues to grapple with weak institutions, policy inconsistency, bureaucratic inefficiency, corruption concerns and widespread insecurity.
His impeccable achievements are built on the institutions; hence, without institutional transformation, every effort to invoke Lee Kuan Yew risks confusing aspiration with achievement.
One common trend witnessed lately is that the supporters of the administration often argue that Nigerians must be patient because meaningful reforms require time. That argument deserves consideration.
Let it also be made known that patience should never become an endless substitute for accountability. Citizens are also entitled to ask whether the sacrifices demanded today are producing measurable improvements tomorrow.
History remembers leaders not because they prescribed hardship, but because that hardship ultimately produced prosperity for those alive and not for the dead.
Another weakness in both comparisons is the tendency to confuse political mastery with administrative excellence. These are totally two different things, because when it comes to winning elections, it requires coalition building, negotiation and political calculation. Whilst, running a nation demands competent institutions, sound economic management, transparency, public trust and measurable improvements in living standards.
Again, the two are not the same, and for this reason, many exceptional politicians have governed poorly. Many successful administrators never became political giants. Democracy ultimately rewards governance, not political mythology.
This is not to suggest that President Tinubu’s administration has achieved nothing. Tax reforms, infrastructure investments, fiscal restructuring and efforts to stabilise public finances represent important policy initiatives whose long-term impact remains to be seen. Well, acknowledging those initiatives is consistent with honest public discourse.
Equally important, however, is recognising that millions of Nigerians continue to judge the administration through the realities and their lived experiences rather than the promises they hear.
Football supporters judged Lionel Messi by the trophies in the cabinet. In like manner, history judges Lee Kuan Yew by the Singapore he built. The same measure should be applied in this nation, as Nigerians will judge President Tinubu by the Nigeria he leaves behind.
The key metric here is that if inflation falls sustainably, poverty declines significantly, insecurity is substantially reduced, electricity becomes more reliable, industries expand, jobs multiply and citizens regain confidence in the future, history will acknowledge those achievements without requiring comparisons to Messi or Lee Kuan Yew.
Neither Messi nor Lee Kuan Yew needed political allies to persuade the world of their greatness and that distinguishes both as the greatest of all time (GOAT).
Their records spoke for themselves. Political endorsements may dominate today’s headlines. History, however, listens only to evidence. Even Messi needed trophies. Lee Kuan Yew needed results. Nigerian leaders should be judged by no lesser standard.
Blaise, a journalist and PR professional, writes from Lagos and can be reached via: [email protected]
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are set to introduce a joint broadcast monitoring framework ahead of the 2027 general elections as part of efforts to curb unethical broadcasting and promote responsible election coverage.
Charles Ebuebu, director-general, NBC, who disclosed the plan recently, said the collaboration would strengthen election monitoring through the deployment of advanced technology and closer coordination between regulatory agencies.
According to him, the increasing influence of digital and online platforms has made it imperative for regulators to work together rather than operate independently.
“We have written to INEC, and we are going to have a joint monitoring outlook over the elections. Gone are the days when agencies work in silos. When we coordinate, we’re able to monitor more effectively,” Ebuebu said.
He explained that the partnership would enable both agencies to jointly identify and address violations of broadcasting regulations during the election period instead of handling such issues separately.
Beyond INEC, Ebuebu said the NBC is also partnering with other key regulators to strengthen oversight of election-related content across digital platforms.
According to him, the commission is finalising agreements with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) ahead of the polls to reinforce its monitoring capabilities.
“We are calling in other stakeholders to reinforce the election monitoring. We are signing agreements with the Nigerian Communications Commission and the National Information Technology Development Agency before the elections,” he said.
Ebuebu also revealed that the NBC is upgrading its monitoring infrastructure with artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools to keep pace with the rapidly expanding media landscape.
He noted that the proliferation of online platforms has made traditional monitoring methods inadequate.
“With online platforms, there are thousands of them. You need more than staff; you need AI monitoring facilities,” he said.
The NBC chief added that the commission has significantly improved its monitoring capacity and can currently track nearly 50 broadcast channels from its monitoring centre in Abuja.
He said additional monitoring facilities would be established across the country in line with evolving broadcasting technologies.As part of preparations for the 2027 elections, Ebuebu announced plans for a sensitisation workshop in Ibadan that will bring together broadcasters, INEC officials, security agencies and other stakeholders.
He said the engagement had become necessary as political discussions surrounding elections continue to grow more heated, including on television, stressing the need for broadcasters to adhere to professional standards.
Ebuebu noted that the commission has had to issue several warnings to broadcast stations for violating the broadcasting code during election periods.
“We have had to write several of them because they simply forget what the code says,” he said
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