If you ever felt bored in 2025, it’s probably because you had no data to stay on trend with everything that happened politically.

From constitutional gymnastics to selective justice, power struggles to public silence when it mattered most, the year delivered controversy with stubborn consistency. By December, Nigerians were no longer asking what happened but how this became normal.

As a new year begins, let’s do a flashback to ten political moments that dominated headlines, timelines, dinner tables, and group chats.

1. The Rivers State State of Emergency That Nobody Asked For

On March 18, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a six-month state of emergency in Rivers State, citing political instability. What followed immediately pushed the decision from controversial to constitutionally alarming.

Beyond the declaration itself, the President suspended Governor Sim Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and the entire State House of Assembly for six months. Vice Admiral Ibot-ette Ibas was appointed as military administrator.

The backlash was swift for two reasons. First, the Nigerian Constitution permits a state of emergency only under extreme circumstances such as war, natural disaster, or a breakdown of public order. Political disagreement did not neatly fit any of those categories.

Second, there is no constitutional provision that allows a sitting president to suspend an elected governor. Despite warnings from legal experts, civil society groups, and political stakeholders, the National Assembly approved the move, effectively endorsing a decision many viewed as unconstitutional.

2. Akpabio vs Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate’s Gender Problem

What began as a disagreement over seating arrangements spiralled into one of the most disturbing political sagas of the year.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of targeting her after she rejected his alleged sexual advances. She formally submitted a sexual harassment petition.

The response from the Senate was not investigation but retaliation. Akpoti-Uduaghan faced public ridicule from colleagues and was suspended for six months for alleged misconduct linked to the initial procedural dispute.

Her petition received little procedural seriousness, and despite a court ruling that such a lengthy suspension was illegal, the Senate ensured she served it in full. The episode reignited debates around misogyny, power imbalance, and the treatment of women in Nigerian politics.

3. Two Airline Fights, Two Very Different Outcomes

On August 6, a video surfaced showing Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM 1, in a confrontation with ValueJet airline staff after attempting to board a flight with alcohol.

He received a six-month no-fly ban, which was lifted days later after a public apology. The Federal Government later announced plans to appoint him as an airport security protocol ambassador.

Five days later, another video went viral. This time, it was Comfort Emmanson, a female passenger involved in a scuffle with Ibom Air staff. Her punishment was immediate and severe: a lifetime flight ban, criminal charges, and remand in Kirikiri prison.

Public outrage followed, driven by the obvious disparity in treatment. Conversations around wealth, celebrity privilege, and selective justice dominated the news cycle until the Ministry of Aviation intervened. Emmanson’s ban was lifted, charges dropped, and she was released.

4. Tax Reform Bills That Turned Into a Trust Crisis

The tax reform bills introduced by President Tinubu were always going to be contentious. Few expected the backlash to escalate the way it did.

The reforms included the Nigeria Revenue Service Act, Joint Revenue Board Act, Nigeria Tax Act, and Nigeria Tax Administration Act. Together, they expanded the tax net and raised tax expectations for higher earners.

Despite public criticism, the National Assembly passed the bills, and Tinubu signed them into law in June 2025. But controversy resurfaced when a lawmaker alleged that the version passed by lawmakers differed from the gazetted version now in force.

The claim deepened public distrust, shifting the debate from tax fairness to legislative integrity.

5. Tinubu’s Silence After the Yelewata Massacre

On June 13, suspected herders attacked Yelewata and Daudu communities in Benue State, killing about 200 people.

Condemnations poured in from Nigerians and international figures, including Pope Leo XIV. The President, however, remained silent for two days.

When a statement eventually came, it did little to calm public anger. Tinubu did not immediately visit Benue or meet survivors. Five days after the attack, he arrived in the state but did not go to Yelewata, citing poor road conditions.

For many Nigerians, the delay and distance spoke louder than any official statement.

6. A Minister, Forged Certificates, and a Resignation

On October 5, Premium Times published an investigation alleging that Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation Uche Nnaji used forged university and NYSC certificates to secure his position.

The report showed that although Nnaji was admitted to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1981, he never graduated. His NYSC certificate also carried the wrong signature for the claimed service year.

Days after the report, Nnaji resigned. The scandal raised questions not only about him but about the Senate screening process that failed to detect the forgeries.

7. Dangote vs PENGASSAN

On September 26, PENGASSAN called a nationwide strike over alleged labour violations at the Dangote Refinery.

The dispute followed the dismissal of about 800 refinery workers a day earlier. PENGASSAN claimed the workers were fired for attempting to unionise, despite agreements prohibiting such restrictions.

The refinery denied the claims, but the strike proceeded. Tensions remained high until the Federal Government intervened five days later, leading to the strike being called off.

8. Presidential Pardons That Didn’t Sit Right

On October 9, President Tinubu granted pardons to 175 convicts and ex-convicts. The controversy was not the act itself but who made the list.

Several beneficiaries were reportedly convicted of serious crimes, including human trafficking, murder, and drug offences. Public backlash was intense.

Weeks later, the President reviewed the list and removed some names following public pressure.

9. The Christian Genocide Debate Goes Global

An October 7 post by US Senator Ted Cruz accusing Nigerian officials of enabling mass killings of Christians ignited an international debate.

The situation escalated when US President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern for religious freedom violations on October 31.

Days later, Trump threatened military intervention if the Nigerian government failed to stop the killings.

In November, Nigerian officials met US lawmakers in Washington to discuss religious persecution and security concerns, signalling a diplomatic effort to contain the fallout.

10. Wike vs a Naval Officer in Abuja

On November 11, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike clashed with Naval officer A.M. Yerima at a disputed property in Abuja’s Gaduwa district.

Wike was enforcing a demolition order but was denied access by the officer, who cited superior orders. The confrontation, captured on video, quickly went viral.

Public reaction was split. Some praised the officer’s calm defiance. Others questioned the use of military authority over a civilian dispute and the deployment of state power to secure private property.

Should We Expect More This Year?

These controversies were not abstract political drama. They shaped lives, eroded trust, and reinforced long-standing questions about power and accountability.

As Nigeria steps into 2026 with the 2027 elections looming and the new tax reform drama, expectations are cautious at best. Whether the coming years bring reform or repetition remains to be seen.