When Social Media Compels Accountability

Lack of Accountability 

Over the years, Nigeria has developed a culture of lack of accountability fuelled by the attitude of politicians, a general decline in moral values, plus Section 6(6)(c) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) (the Constitution), which ousts the jurisdiction of the courts when it comes to holding the Government accountable for not meeting its primary purpose and obligations to the people, as the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy contained in Chapter II of the Constitution are not justiciable, not directly anyway. In Human Rights & Empowerment Project Ltd/GTE v President of FRN & Ors (2022) LPELR-58230(CA) per Biobele Abraham Georgewill, JCA, the Court of Appeal held: “In law, it has been firmly settled that the provisions of Chapter II of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), as laudable as they are, including the provision of Section 14(2) thereof, are regrettably, not justiciable, and therefore, cannot be enforced in any Court of law”.

Of course, this encouragement of lack of accountability by the Constitution isn’t surprising, seeing as the Constitution is a  Military decree/contraption, borne out of the command and obey before complaint culture; it also has absolutely nothing to do with the will of the people, it is the will of the Military. It could be this lack of accountability ethos, that has also led to the  disregard/disdain for the rule of law. 

Last week, Nigerians saw this penchant for lack of accountability, show up in different ways.

Inconsistency in Punishment: A Stimulant for Lack of Accountability 

The cover of our publication this week, is about those who committed rape and other forms of sexual assault during the so-called Ozoro Festival in Delta State recently, and the call for all perpetrators to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

In the same breath, the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt General Olufemi Oluyede, also stated that repentant Boko Haram Terrorists should be forgiven, and reintegrated into society. This inconsistency in how offenders are held liable for their actions, cannot help society. Why the double standards? Should what is good for the goose, not also be good for the gander?

While it was not reported that the Ozoro Offenders committed murder, the Boko Haram Terrorists as a matter of ‘modus operandi’ kidnap, rape, kill, and also commit mass murder with their suicide bombings. They conspire amongst themselves, and their activities are premeditated, meaning that the requisite mens rea and actus reus for their heinous crimes, are complete. The malicious or willful intent to kill or do grievous bodily harm, are present – see Nwokearu v State 2013 16 N.W.L.R. Part 1380 Page 207 at 243.

In Galadima v State (2017) LPELR-43469 (SC), the Apex Court held that: “Generally, homicide means the killing of one person by another. In other words, it is the act of purposely, knowingly, recklessly, or negligently causing the death of another human being….That the accused knew that his act in question will result in the death, or did not care whether the death of the deceased will result from his act”. In Chiroma v State (2025) LPELR-82091(SC) per Festus Obande Ogbuinya, JSC, the Supreme Court held inter alia thus: “….culpable homicide punishable with death. In the hemisphere of criminology in our corpus juris, it is a heinous crime. Its penalty, on conviction, is death, which usually dangles like the sword of Damocles in front of over an accused person. The punishment is mandatory, and the Court is disrobed of any exercise of discretion. A conviction for an abominable crime, such as that offence, attracts an inelastic penalty, as it does not admit of any allocutus oozing out from the convict. It is, therefore, a capital offence….”. 

My point? The punishment for murder is clear. So, why should some people be rotting at Kirikiri Maximum for murder, waiting for the hangman, while others are ‘forgiven’ simply because they are terrorists who claim to be repentant? Why wouldn’t others find this kind of terrorism attractive, if they know that they can easily escape accountability by claiming to be repentant? Is this ‘forgiveness’ some kind of defeatist evasion, on the part of the authorities? Should we also ask the Controller of Prisons to go through all inmates to find out which of them is repentant, so they can be freed?

Social Media/Video Footages: Pressure for Accountability? 

However, with the advent of technology, video footages, social media etc (TVSM), I have observed that people are now more aware of what is going on around them. No matter how bad social media can be when it comes to spreading fake news, it certainly has its advantages, as it is helpful when, with video footages taken in real time, truths are revealed and disseminated far and wide. Perhaps, this may be the  beginning of introducing accountability into our society. Last week, several incidents reiterated this assertion that TVSM may just be an effective tool to promote and encourage accountability in all spheres in Nigeria, be it in the home, public, for political office holders and what have you. 

1) Anambra

Governor Soludo paid an unscheduled visit to the Anambra State Secretariat, and many of the staff had not reached their offices at 10am! TVSM and traditional media showed all the empty desks, so that the public saw everything in real time. The absentee staff are apparently, to face suspension. If the visit wasn’t beamed in real time, by now, their Staff Union may have threatened that the workers would go on strike, instead of them being held accountable for absenteeism. Hopefully, this will be a lesson to civil servants all over the country, who have developed a reputation for chronic absenteeism, yet, still receive their salaries. 

2) Mr Adelabu

The other day, the Minister of Power, Mr Adelabu, rendered an apology for the lack of electricity supply under his watch. His apparent failure doesn’t even require TVSM, as every Nigerian is bearing the brunt of epileptic electricity supply. But, still, it was reinforced for example, by video footages of University College Hospital, Ibadan (UCH) in a blackout and patients protesting that there was no water and electricity in the hospital in November 2024. Though this may not have been a direct fault of the Minister, as it was alleged that UCH was indebted to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company who disconnected their electricity, but, still, such an incident happening in the capital of the State where Mr Adelabu has run in the Gubernatorial elections twice and failed (2019 & 2023), and is now the Minister of Power during this unprecedented protest which went viral, the optics are bad for him. The lack of adequate electricity supply is something every Nigerian is feeling, so much so that Aso Rock Villa, the seat of the Presidency, has had to switch from electricity grid supply to solar energy, an alternative source of power! If Mr Adelabu’s tenure as Minister of Power was positive, the Presidency wouldn’t have been constrained to take such a tell-tale step.

But, unfortunately for the Minister, many do not appear to be under any illusion that his apology is sincere; they believe that it is self-serving, seeing as he may want to secure his party, the APC’s ticket, for the 2027 Oyo State Gubernatorial race for the third time. But, what would be the grounds for his or anyone already in public office’s suitability for Governorship? In a country where there’s accountability, suitability must be grounded upon one’s past performance in the positions that have been previously held. 

The people being able to voice their dissatisfaction and discontent through social media, and make it go viral – this new form of pressure can promote the much needed accountability that Nigerians are in such dire need of, from their so-called leaders. It is the recognition of this fact, that may have prompted Minister Adelabu’s ‘apology’. The end of business as usual, and the beginning of Accountability. It may signal the beginning of the practilisation of Section 14(2)(a) & (c) of the Constitution, evincing the fact that even with Section 6(6)(c) of the Constitution ousting the jurisdiction of the courts, sovereignty, which is the ultimate political power, resides with the Nigerian people, and they have now become aware that they can participate in their Governments by spreading messages and making them go viral through so many social media platforms, either for or against a candidate. And, when the noise is loud enough, the powers that be will realise that their plans can be foiled if they insist upon an unpopular candidate.

TVSM may very well help to bring this ‘Chooso-cracy/Selectocracy’ instead of democracy, that Nigeria has been practising in the Fourth Republic to an end – where  clueless people are forced on Nigerians by the powers that be, either because of lack of internal party democracy or unmerited appointments. 

3) The North

Just like what we keep hearing – that the North that assisted in no small measure to bring President Bola Tinubu to power, are unhappy with his administration. Is it the people of the North, or the Politicians of the North, or those elite in the North who choose their leaders, that are disgruntled? Is it President Bola Tinubu’s administration of less than 3 years, that is responsible for the now perverted Almajiri system, or terrorism in the North, or pervasive poverty there? Those Northerners who may have been singing these Philiphic, Jeremiad songs, Canards, know that they aren’t being particularly truthful.

Let’s start with the people. If we look at the Fourth Schedule to Section 7 of the Constitution, Functions of a Local Government Council (LGC), we can see that the LGCs previously, were fully controlled by the State Governments/Governors by virtue of Section 162(5)& (6) of the Constitution, until the judgement in AGF v AG Abia & Ors (2024) LPELR-62576(SC) per Emmanuel Akomaye Agim, JSC, which wrestled the LGCs from the States. Section 5(2) of the Constitution vests the executive power of a State in the Governor, while Section 7 vests that of areas, in LGCs. Most of the everyday lives of the people are in the hands of the State Governments and LGCs – from primary, post-primary, adult, vocational, even University education (see Section 18 of the Constitution), to health services, agriculture, cattle rearing, and other natural resources except mineral resources, even electricity transmission and distribution. See AG Lagos State v AGF & Ors (2003) LPELR-620(SC) per Samson Odemwingie Uwaifo, JSC.  

So, if the people are unhappy, a considerable amount of their complaints should go to their Governors and LGCs, who have a major role to play in the security and welfare of the people in their States, and not just the Federal Government. It is bizarre that these Complainants keep mute about failed local governance, and concentrate only on the Federal Government. 

Via TVSM, I saw a photograph of a Government Primary School in Dekina LGA, Kogi State. The little children were learning, sitting on the floor, as there were no desks and chairs in the classrooms. Yet, former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, paid the school fees of his children at American International School, Abuja in advance, until they complete their education there. He’s now facing corruption charges, in excess of N100 billion. I also saw photos of a Government Primary School in Kano. Similarly, little children had no desks and chairs in their classrooms. Meanwhile, the former Kano State Governor, Dr Ganduje was caught by TVSM, stuffing his pockets with wads of Dollar bills, which could easily have funded the purchase of desks and chairs! 

But, in Zamfara State, Governor Dauda Lawal has been able to make notable impact in education, declaring a state of emergency in the sector and proceeding to launch an intense rescue mission to save it and improve learning in his State; renovating schools, supporting Teachers, paying outstanding debts of his predecessor administrations to WAEC and NECO, and restarting the school feeding programme. TVSM has shown photos of children in the classrooms in Zamfara today, sitting with desks, chairs and books, learning in a conducive environment. 

As for the Northern Governors, past and present, and Politicians, particularly those in governance positions, the truth is that they are the ones who have mostly failed their own people to the greatest extent. They are the ones, that the people should express their anger to. Their people should hold them accountable. TVSM shows a good number of them in the UK attending the graduation of their children, while the students in their States get a sub-standard education in an environment not conducive for learning.

Conclusion 

TVSM exposed the bullies in the Igbinedion Education Centre, something that a former student testified had been going on there for decades, unchecked. Now, the bullies are being held accountable for their actions, with a call for them to be taken before Juvenile Court to be prosecuted. Similarly, TVSM has started exposing the failures of those in leadership positions, and for the first time in the Fourth Republic, making them render apologies. Even though the Electoral Act 2026 has been amended deliberately to give Politicians a softer landing, TVSM will start forcing them not just to have to explain themselves to the people, but make them realise that they are being watched closely, and if they have skeletons in their cupboards or don’t perform well in office, even their parties will not be able to foist them on the people, because of their failures will be in the public space. TVSM may very well be the beginning of wisdom for Politicians, particularly those seeking office. 

We have a saying in Yoruba: “Asegbe kan o si, ase pamò lo wa”, that nothing can be done with absolute impunity or stay hidden away forever; one day, it will be revealed. TVSM is now here, the one to do the big ‘reveals’ that can hopefully, curb impunity, and bring accountability that will improve the Nigerian system and society.