With less than two weeks to 2017, the year 2016 has been an amazing year filled with lots of events and controversies.
2016
also witnessed a number of controversial politicians, especially
because there were a lot of events this year, from the budget padding,
to the religious bill in Kaduna state.
Some politicians managed to keep Nigerians talking about them through out the year thus increasing their popularity.
Interestingly, some of the politicians who made the list in 2015 have kept their spots; with a few new entrants making the list for 2016.
In no particular order, Afrison.blogspot.com presents the top controversial politicians of 2016:
1. Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose
2016InReview: 9 controversial Nigerian politicians
Fayose remained one of the most vocal critics of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016.
In
2015 he took up newspaper adverts, granted interviews and used the
every available means to discourage Nigerians from voting for Buhari.
The
Ekiti state governor carried on with his criticism of the president and
even hit at the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, accusing her of fraud. In
June the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) froze the personal accounts of the Governor
He
however did not cease to amuse Nigerians with his unusual habits, which
includes feeding children and market women with his birthday cake and
wearing an Army camouflage to present the 2017 budget to the State
Assembly.
2. Senator Dino Melaye
2016InReview: 9 controversial Nigerian politicians
The Senator representing Kogi Central has a
very controversial personality. First he loves very fast and fancy cars
and motorbikes, and loves to flaunt them in everybody's face.
In 2016, Melaye has been in the eye of different storms, from political issues to domestic issues. In July, 2016 stirred an uproar in the Senate alleging and threatening the wife the of ex-governor of Lagos state, Senator Oluremi Tinubu during the plenary session.
The
lawmaker did not stop there, he made a trip to Lagos to prove that he
fears nothing, following threats that he would be dealt with if he comes
into Lagos.
Melaye is very outspoken and is
not just anyone that could be shut down at anytime. He is ever willing
to lock horns with whoever deems himself worthy of a bout.
3. Abdulmumin Jibrin
2016InReview: 9 controversial Nigerian politicians
The
All Progressives Congress (APC) member of the House of Representatives
representing Kiru/Bebeji constituency of Kano state needs no further
introduction.
Jibrin has unarguably dominated
political discourse in the country in 2016. The former appropriation
chairman, had alleged that the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, and three other
principal officers ‘padded’ the 2016 budget.
For
a brief period, as Jibrin continued his whistle blowing, with Nigerians
regarding him as the ‘messiah’ that would rid the House of the stench
of corruption.
He said this was a just cause as
he insisted he would purge the House of corruption. But on Wednesday,
September 28, 2016, the reps quickly moved against him and he was
suspended for 180 legislative days for allegedly breaching the practices
and precedents of the House of Representatives.
4. Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike
2016InReview: 9 controversial Nigerian politicians
Wike stirred up controversy when he fell out with his predecessor, now minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
The Rivers state governor has remained
controversial as the battle for the soul of Rivers got tougher. Wike had
put resources together to see to a realignment of the opposition party,
PDP, hence antagonizing the President Buhari administration.
Recently it was alleged that Wike has been caught on an audio recording arranging payment to officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in a telephone conversation.
Wike
had illicit contacts with officials of INEC, in the run up to the rerun
elections, on the 10th of December 2016 in Rivers state.
5. Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai
2016InReview: 9 controversial Nigerian politicians
The
quiet governor stirred up controversies for himself when he passed a
bill titled 'A bill for a law to substitute the Kaduna state religious
preaching law, 1984' to the state House of Assembly to regulate
religious preaching across the state.
El-Rufai received threats over his life concerning the bill.
Many
critics view his administration as Anti Christian government in the
State and his headache has always been the popular Socialist Senator,
Shehu Sani, who keeps close tab on his government.
6. Speaker House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara
2016InReview: 9 controversial Nigerian politicians
Dogara
stirred up controversy immediately he became the leader of the lower
chamber. Just when the dust was said to have settled, he was accused of
padding the 2016 budget by the former appropriation chairman of the
House, Abdulmumin Jibrin.
Dogara became associated with the word, padding, which was widely used in the third and fourth quarter of the year.
7. Chief Femi Fani-Kayode
2016InReview: 9 controversial Nigerian politicians
Fani-Kayode can be described in many ways but controversial would seem to be an understatement.
Becoming
the campaign director of Goodluck Jonathan's second term bid, got him
into trouble of allegations that funds used for campaign were taken from
the Dasuki security vote.
This has got him on
the wrong side of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
FFK was seized by the EFFC to answer questions about the Dasuki arms
scandal, but after weeks in detention, he was released as usual. The
case is still ongoing in the court.
Fani-Kayode
has continued to be a bane in the neck of the APC-led government,
playing devils advocate in some situations, stirring debates and
arguments and at other times, constructively criticizing the current
government.
8. Factional chairman Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff
2016InReview: 9 controversial Nigerian politicians
Sheriff remained in the news for a number of controversial reasons all through 2016.
Aside
instituting several legal battles against the Senator Ahmed Makarfi
faction of the PDP over the leadership of the party, Sheriff’s actions
and his overt support for the governorship candidate of his faction,
Jimoh Ibrahim, cost the PDP the Ondo 2016 governorship election.
9. Senate President, Bukola Saraki
2016InReview: 9 controversial Nigerian politicians
Just
like the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Saraki attracted
controversy when he was elected as the Senate president against his
party’s wishes with the help of mostly senators belonging to the
opposition party.
Saraki remained
controversial all through 2016 as he faces different criminal charges
alongside his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu. He tried mending fences with the
presidency as some of the charges brought against him by the Federal
Government were dropped.
