4th Republic

In this episode of 4th Republic, we’re joined by Ayo Adio, who is currently running for Local Government Chairman of Eti Osa in Lagos. His campaign is unconventional, youth-led, and rooted in the belief that real change begins at the local level.Adio walks us through the motivations behind his candidacy, the barriers he’s navigating as a first-time contender without political godfathers, and what he’s learning about the way local governance actually works in Nigeria.This conversation is a crash course in political courage, civic engagement, and the complexities of running for office in a system that often discourages independent thought.

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.

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.

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 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

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.