Kobojunkie:

I don't think so. A vote for Ribadu is a vote for Tinubu, and possibly all his family members, and that I cannot stand for. 

jason123:

Tinubu has no power over Ribadu (atleast, when he get there, he would have no power). Moreover, a vote for GJ is a vote for ObJ, IBB and the rest of the cabal.

Kobojunkie:

Again, a Vote for Ribadu is a definite vote for Tinubu and his clan. Denying that is denying the fact that Ribadu would not have gotten the ACN mandate if Tinubu had not handed him the chance. In much the same way Jonathan would not have gotten the PDP mandate if Obasanjo had not essentially signed off on it. So, again, I am not voting Ribadu because the man has no proven record, except people flaunt the job he was able to do while he was tethered to Obasanjo(I doubt he would have been able to do as much if he was not Obasanjo's boy) as evidence of his capability. But most of all because a vote for him will be construed a yes for people like Tinubu to continue in the path that they are taking the Nigerian people.

jason123:

Pls, remember that your GJ is the product of these same cabals that has impoverished our people for so long. He is a product of this same zoning that he has now jettisoned, pls, do not trust him. He has spent A WHOLE YEAR in power and what has he done? Has the country not been worse off? Were we not all talking about splitting the country 24/7 on this site? Is this the same person you want to reward with 4 years? Remember that his wife, our first lady was caught with a bag filled with money while travelling to the USA. PLS, LET'S GET THIS RIGHT!!! Vote RIBADU!!!

ndu_chucks:

We don’t need the kind of reprehensible pomposity exhibited in the bolded part above if we are going to have a fruitful discussion or debate. Many readers have no idea what the items Eziachi asked about are, or who or what government implemented the policies.

I humbly request once more, that Eziachi or anyone else who can spell out what those items (particularly the 2 acts mentioned) are or provide us with links to where we can find the information, should do so as soon as possible. Stating that people who are unaware of the items don’t need to be here is a bit condescending.

Please posts the 2 acts in question  for all to see. It would be helpful if you all tell us which specific provisions of the acts you like or don't like.

Political maneuvers

News of Mr. Folarin's release had crept into Ibadan, the Oyo State capital late Wednesday, and steadily spread through to the morning of yesterday. Thousands of his supporters were at the Agodi Prison yesterday, thinking that he would be released earlier.

Despite the theory of further investigation the police fed the court, NEXT gathered that the release was not unconnected with the developments at the PDP presidential primaries going on in Abuja.

Sources said members of the National Assembly, who were part of the delegates to vote at the primaries, had given President Goodluck Jonathan the condition that if they must participate at the exercise, the Senate leader must be present there.

They reportedly insisted that they would not be part of the show if the leader of the Senate is still being incarcerated in Ibadan. Sensing their seriousness and the consequences on his chances at the programme, the president, according to the source, ordered the InspectorGeneral of Police (IGP), Hafiz Abubarkar Ringim, to order his release. That, it was learned, culminated to the release yesterday.

Mr. Folarin left the court yesterday for the police headquarters for a meeting with Mr. Bolanta, probably on the restoration of his security aides withdrawn few hours after the killing of Eleweomo, and it was also learnt that he was flown to Abuja last night to participate at the primaries.

An Oyo State High Court had, on Wednesday, fixed Monday for ruling on the bail application argued on their behalf.

The ruling will not be necessary anymore as the charges against the accused persons have been withdrawn and the accused persons are no more in custody.

Gbawe:

@GEJ fans.

The main problem with you guys is that , like the candidate you support , you all do not have an enduring commitment to things being done in the right and proper way. You all don't have the personal integrity to appreciate that , for an almost lawless nation , adherrence to the rule of law is paramount if Nigeria is not to become a failed State. No one should be more symbolic of total dedication to the rule of law than our President.

In Jonathan , we have a President ready to behave like an uncouth gangster at every stage with his tacit endorsement of lawlessness and criminality . Sometimes , when desperation is high , Jonathan will be seen unequivocally and overtly using the office of the Presidency to thwart the need for democracy and the rule of law to take their course. We saw this with how he wanted his political appointees to be made voting PDP delegates . When that failed his minions at the Senate and house of reps decided that they must urgently pass into law statutes that will allow them to become voting delegates of their political Parties. Mind boggling when one considers that these same indolent f.uckers did not attempt to expedite the passage of bills that can have drastic effects in moving Nigeria forward yet , come election time , they are pontificating that their right to vote in , and thus influence, an election is sacrosanct. That is classic proof that our national woes , under rudderless and unprincipled GEJ, will continue.


No fan of Jonathan has ever , on NL, responded with any measure of integrity when I have asked why our fully empowered C-in-C has , till date , not reacted effectively to bring order to Ogun State over the impeachment debacle instigated by his coordinator for the SW region . If at all Jonahan appreciates that dangerous precedences will be set that will , at the very least, move us closer to a scenario where local "strong men" are encouraged to do as they please Somalia-style we will not see him ignoring gansterism everywhere. A very dangerous leader indeed as the many rabidly incompetent leaders who deliberately stoked the fire that has breeded the Somalia and Sudan we see today. I wait for any GEJ fan to explain Mr. President's dangerous descent , with Senator Folarin's impromptu'acquittal' of a murder charge, into the realm of recklessly setting precedents of judical lawlessness more associated with nations where law and order has broken down irretrievably:

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5663479-146/police_withdraw_murder_charges_against_folarin.csp

[size=14pt]Jonathan - Basic Education for Almajiri 'Will Improve Development'
[/size]
President Goodluck Jonathan has said the curriculum of the Almajiri educational system would be made to include basic education to empower them to play the needed roles in the development of the country.

He said the addition of basic western education to the curriculum of the Almajiri School would better assist in the skills development and enhancement of the competences of children who pass through the system. Jonathan said this while receiving in audience the 20,000-member strong Almajiri Education Association in State House, Abuja, that he was impressed by their ability to recite the Koran in 20 different ways, which implies they were imbued with extraordinary abilities.

He therefore assured them that he would be present at the foundation laying ceremony of their education system in the third week of January 2011 in Sokoto, Sokoto State and charged them to always embrace peace in all their dealings.

According to him,  "Our country is like the human body; you cannot develop one part and leave the other, that is why I believe the nation's resources should be spread to develop the entire country.

We must train our young people if our nation must develop. Your presence here and your prayers encourages us to do more especially when we know that you are appreciative of our efforts to improve the Almajiri education system". Speaking at the occasion, leader of the delegation, Sheik Gwani Lawi said they had been operation in the past 50 years though informally. He also stressed the need to correct the impression that the system was about using children for street begging, pointing out that it was about teaching and preaching core Islamic religious values usually from place to place.

Eziachi:
To the three candidates and their representatives: What is your takes on this three issues?
1. Land Use Decree or Act
2. Ayo Irikife-Boundary Adjustement Act
3. Revenue Formula

Beaf:
I have posted arguments for the gradual move of the ship of state toward true federalism. In every federal system, the rights of communities and individuals are sacred; they are upheld and resolutely defended.

Beaf:
A community or an individuals rights to property and land as an asset must be held as sacred, land should not be siezed by govt for any reason.

Mallam Ribadu's Plan to make Nigeria better for all

Executive Summary

50 years ago, the founding fathers of our great nation secured independence for us and laid the
foundations for a united Nigeria. They had faith in the people of this country; that when the fetters
of colonization were removed they would be able to transform their lives for the better. They firmly
believed that Nigerians will create the systems and enduring processes that will deliver economic
growth and stability, egalitarian development, improved living conditions and quality of life for the
people. They built schools and universities; they established banks and other financial institutions,
farm settlements, and various industries as precursors of a vibrant economy with a small, but
enterprising, private sector.

And they tried to nurture a fledgling democracy. Their aspirations were abruptly terminated in
January 1966. After the long years of military rule and several half-hearted attempts to return the
country to democratic governance, the people’s right to freely elect their leaders and representatives
was restored in May 1999. The restoration brought high expectations, the hopes and promises
encapsulated in freedom. Those expectations have not been met; the promises remain unfulfilled.
Our nation’s recent golden jubilee celebrations, although marred by unfortunate loss of lives,
provided the backdrop for a sober reflection on our journey these past fifty years, and also an
examination of the policies of the ruling party since 1999.

The overwhelming consensus is that we have underperformed given the country’s enormous
endowment in both human and materialresources. The nation’s social and economic indicators are
startlingly weak. Regional and civic conflicts are on the rise, threatening social cohesion and national security.
Ordinary Nigerians are beginning to question the value of democracy and even the necessity of staying together as one
people in a country where things no longer seem to work.

Today we are on the threshold of another general election, the fourth since the restoration of
democracy. I believe this is an opportunity for change, to orientate our shared values into restoring
the foundations of our nation. I believe it is possible to build a united Nigeria devoid of ethnic or
religious conflicts; a Nigeria where the well-being of the people is of paramount importance; a
Nigeria that inspires the highest level of patriotism in her citizens. I believe that it is possible to
ensure justice for the people, the security of lives and property, and the peace and stability which
would engender growth and development.

The policies I am proposing here will enable us manage the difficulties that our citizens are presently
grappling with. Being mindful of the fact that problems which took several decades to seed, take root
and consolidate will not be amenable to quick fixes, these are not quick fixes. They are structured to
tackle immediate problems in the short term even as medium and long-term challenges are kept in
focus and solutions to them carefully worked out.

I will focus on nine policy themes and briefly highlight some of the critical issues that can be
addressed to improve the well being of our own people. The policy themes are Human Capital
Development, the Economy, Infrastructure, Governance, Youth Employment, Agriculture and Food
Security, Defence and National Security, Niger Delta, and Foreign Policy.

HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT

A healthy, well-educated and content citizenry is at the heart of national development. Consequently,
the various segments of human capital development which include health, education, women and
gender issues, the youth, the physically-challenged, and social security should receive appropriate
attention.


HEALTH

One of the key issues in the health sector is the dearth of human resource -- medical personnel,
health workers, etc -- which is really serious in the rural areas and we must work towards addressing
this gap by training more people. Innovative incentive regimes should help to attract some of the
best and brightest to the rural and semi-urban areas, and motivate them to remain and provide
service to such communities.

Since the majority of our people live in the rural areas, we need to revitalize the primary health care
system to deliver basic health care, including routine immunization, to all the nooks and crannies of
our country. Primary health care must be at the heart of our health policy because this is the level
nearest to the populace and addressing needs at the primary level will drastically reduce the burden
on the secondary and tertiary levels. A people, process and equipment model will be adopted to
reintroduce efficiency to primary health care and ensure that it fully fulfils its role as first point of
call. We will have to develop robust strategies to reduce maternal and infant mortality as well as the
burden of malaria, tuberculosis (TB) and other infectious diseases in line with the Millennium
Development Goals using primary health care as a key strategy.

Infrastructural development and assets maintenance in all our secondary and tertiary health
institutions will be vigorously pursued; this will include developing facilities that will ensure that the
whole gamut of advanced medical care is available to all our people locally. To this end, we will build
six new super specialist hospitals namely, National Heart Hospital, National Kidney Hospital,
National Cancer Hospital, National Children Hospital, National Women Hospital and National
Neurosurgical Hospital across the six geopolitical zones of the country. This will be done without
prejudice to efforts to rejuvenate the country’s university teaching hospitals and transform them into
world-class institutions of cutting edge research and training.


Efforts at providing quality health care will come to naught without essential drugs. We will partner
with pharmaceutical companies in the production of essential drugs that will be used in our
hospitals. Furthermore, we will boost research and development of local drugs as well as strengthen
NAFDAC to fight the manufacture and importation of fake and sub-standard drugs which endanger
the lives of our citizens.

EDUCATION


Functional and qualitative education should be a tool for positive social transformation, personal
empowerment and national development. Our education sector faces huge challenges in terms of
funding, access, quality assurance and infrastructural development and maintenance among others.
Adequate funding is critical to qualitative education because it helps to revitalize personnel and
maintain physical infrastructure on a sustained basis, thus enabling high academic standards. The
mean unit cost of undergraduate education ranges from N190,000 for the Arts, Law, Education, and
the Social Sciences to N480,000 for Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. Education will be given a
high priority in terms of budgetary allocation. We shall significantly increase funding as a step
towards attaining the UNESCO recommendation of 26% budgetary allocation to the education
sector.


Access to education by eligible Nigerians is a very serious challenge. About half of the pupils of
primary school age are not in school. ‘Boy child’ and ‘girl child’ education in different parts of the
country are also faced with challenges. Total enrolment for the 2008/2009 academic year in the
Nigerian tertiary system was 940,736. About 2,000,000 candidates took the 2010 Unified Tertiary
Matriculation Examinations (UTME). The total carrying capacity of Nigerian universities for the
2009/2010 session is 219,403. Out of the estimated 2,000,000 candidates, not more than 350,000
may be placed in the tertiary institutions.


All three tiers of government will have to collaborate to expand facilities across board from the
primary to tertiary level and also invest in the training and re-training of teachers and other relevant
personnel. In order to address the problem of almajiri, the Sangaya system of education will be
incorporated with western education and improved upon. The nomadic education programme for
nomadic cattle herdsmen and fishermen will also be supported in order to realize the objectives for
which it was established.

Quality assurance is fundamental to any functional education system. Inspection and monitoring
especially at the basic and secondary schools level will be reinforced. A manifestation of the poor
quality and falling standards of our educational system is the high failure rate in the 2010
SSCE/NECO examinations; less than 25% of the candidates that sat for the examinations passed.
Sound primary and secondary education are pivotal because they influence performance in the
tertiary level. We will establish a joint primary/secondary school commission to regulate these two
levels and improve the performance of pupils and students. The regulatory agencies at the tertiary
level will be strengthened and sustained to perform their functions.

SOCIAL SECURITY
The departure point of the Social Security policy is the obvious fact that the various provisions in this
regard in both the public and private sectors are grossly inadequate. It is important that both
government and the private sector collaborate to find the resources to create a caring and inclusive
society where all Nigerian citizens, regardless of age or gender, will be covered by a social security
programme. We will work with the National Assembly to put in place an enabling law for a
comprehensive National Social Security Scheme. As a first step, we will give priority to the
development of a secure and efficient identity management system working with a reinvigorated
National Identity Management Commission.

THE ECONOMY


Key Thrust: Employment And Job Creation
Especially For The Youth

The Nigerian economy is performing below potential and is not creating enough jobs for our
burgeoning youth. Though the economy is growing at around 6% per annum, it could grow at a
much faster pace and more importantly it could create more jobs if the right policies are pursued.
Young people 30 years old and below make up 70% of Nigeria's population yet youth
unemployment is rampant. Up to 50-60% of our graduates are unemployed to the point where
parents and children now question the value of education.

The economy has to be managed with fiscal prudence so that we are not spending much more than
we take in as revenues. The fiscal deficit was kept at 3% of GDP from 2003-2007; now it has
doubled to 6%, implying a great deal of spending without much impact or results on the ground. At
the end of 2008, the Excess Crude Account (ECA) had the equivalent of US$20 billion in savings to
cushion the country against a "rainy day". Most of that money has now been shared between federal,
state and local governments. Less than US$ 500 million is left.

Our foreign exchange reserves have come down from a peak of more than US$50 billion a couple of
years ago to US$38 billion now. Our domestic debt has climbed to the level of Naira 3.76 trillion or
the equivalent of US$25 billion (From DMO website as of June 30 2010). This is something we
have to be cautious about so as not to harm the domestic economy. Some of the states borrowing
may not be in a position to fully service their debt. All the borrowing and use of our domestic
revenues is not leading to better services on the ground.

We shall budget within our means and keep overspending to a minimum. This means bringing the
fiscal deficit back to 3% of GDP. We shall rebuild our foreign exchange reserves back to a robust
level of US$50 billion or more; and plan for a steady and attainable economic growth rate of 7-8%
per year for the next five years and 8-10% per year for the years following that. This growth must be
job-creating growth focused on both the oil and non-oil sectors of the economy. We will invest in
infrastructure, in health and education, and in creating the enabling environment for investment all
key sources of growth in the economy to thrive particularly agriculture, the extractive industry,
manufacturing, housing and construction, financial services, information and communication
technology (ICT), as well as arts and culture-the entertainment industry.

GOVERNANCE

I believe in the humanity and equality of all citizens regardless of ethnicity, religion, and social class.
Our own vision of governance is rooted in this fundamental stance, and in the primary goal of
restoring the dignity of Nigerian citizens. I believe in Nigeria; that it is a country with potential for
greatness; that it is a country where things can work if the leaders demonstrate the required
discipline, focus and dedication. And we can all contribute in our own little ways at this critical time
to make her take her proper place in Africa and the world.

Corruption and Governance
Corruption has made it difficult for the country to invest in strategic areas of national life and also
give adequate protection to the citizens. Nigeria, in spite of the enormous oil revenue it generated
over the past five decades, still has one of the lowest per capita incomes in the world.

Our vision is not only a bold new system that punishes corruption but one that also taps into the
energies and innovation of our people to generate shared prosperity driven by honest labour, an
abiding sense of commitment, and a desire to fix our broken society and restore our shared national
values of honesty, integrity, discipline, hard work, and respect. The link between transparency and
democratic governance is not often recognized. Corruption only thrives when a government and its
key functionaries are not accountable to the voting public. We will restore transparency and
accountability in the conduct of government business by insisting that all those who seek public
office must do so using democratic means, relying on free, fair and credible elections.

It is not enough to bring the light to bear on people and processes in the public sector. Recent
incidents in the banking sector, the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the Securities and Exchange
Commission are clear indications that corporate governance is also crucial in the private sector
Regulatory frameworks under girding this vital sector will be strengthened and enforced.
We will work with the legislature and the judiciary to improve governance at all levels. We will
provide judicial officials with adequate security and other resources, including the regular training
they require to operate effectively.

We will empower our citizens to enable them fully participate in governance and also serve as a
countervailing power able to check the excesses of the government. We will assure ordinary Nigerians
through programmes designed to strengthen the rather fragile institutions of our still evolving system
of representative rule that democracy is an open system that gives each citizen and each federating
unit enough power to contribute to the important project of making Nigeria a prosperous, stable
and caring nation.

Niger Delta Policy

The key challenges in the oil-producing Niger Delta region presently include environmental
pollution, poverty, widespread unemployment and low human capital development, inadequate
infrastructure, violence and insecurity. These are serious issues that must be addressed with sincerity
of purpose and a long term perspective. To this end, we will ensure that the Ministry of the Niger
Delta and the Niger Delta Development Commission are staffed with competent and knowledgeable
officials committed to accountability. We will also encourage greater synergy in their operations.

We will review the Amnesty programme began by the late President Yar’Adua and encourage greater
involvement of the private sector in order to address the fundamental needs of the demobilized
militants which are jobs, a sense of self-worth, and a new social and political order in the Niger Delta
in which they can participate as active citizens. We will partner with the private sector to provide
these young men the skills that they need to find employment.

We will endeavour to expand the job pool in the region by working with the state governments to
revive moribund industrial and agricultural projects, sourcing expertise from the private sector. The
employment-generating potentials of the Petroleum local content bill and the Petroleum Industry
Bill that are now under consideration will be fully tapped, to ensure that they benefit youth in the
region.

We will enforce the ‘no gas flaring’ act when it comes on stream, and also engage the oil companies
and other relevant stakeholders in dialogue to begin to reduce the pollution of farmlands and fishing
streams. When land and rivers are rehabilitated economic activity will resurge, creating jobs,
prosperity and peace. Our ‘healthy environment’ strategy will also explore ways in which the
government can utilize the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to grow green jobs in the region
even as it also contributes to reversing the deleterious effects of climate change.

banom:

Question @ Gbawe,


You strongly argued that Ribadu was an undisputed anti corruption Cesar and that he did a lot when he was EFCC chairman ,UHmmm Good,

my question,

How come Ribadu never for once invited or probed people like Obasanjo and Annenih that you equally complained of been corrupt and embezzling our money that were meant for power and road rehabilitation , was his war against corruption selective ?

waiting please.

jason123:

Can you prosecute your employer Nigeria was not mature enough at that to happen. Why don't you ask our current president to prosecute OBJ? My brother, this is the opportunity for our generation to undo what our fathers did to our great nation. Vote RIBADU!!!

banom:

UHHHM , Are you saying that Ribadu's war against corruption as EFCC Chairman was intentionally selective or unintentionally subjective ?

secondly, who was Ribadu's employer Obasanjo or Nigerians ?

jason123:

@ your first paragraph,
How can you say that? The Nigeria back then, it's almost impossible to charge the current president. You and I know this. That was why he let the VP and president out of his investigation. Remember that OBJ and Atiku were not in good terms, why did OBJ not "use" Ribadu to arrest Akitu? That right, it's because Ribadu was independent of OBJ.

@ Your second paragraph,
Nigerians are represented by the President, isn't it? What ever your president does speaks volumes about the country. Now, the answer to your question is both.

banom:

so in conclusion, you are saying that Ribadu put OBJ first before Nigerian and our constitution which is supreme.

banom:

Question @ Gbawe,


You strongly argued that Ribadu was an undisputed anti corruption Cesar and that he did a lot when he was EFCC chairman ,UHmmm Good,

my question,

How come Ribadu never for once invited or probed people like Obasanjo and Annenih that you equally complained of been corrupt and embezzling our money that were meant for power and road rehabilitation , was his war against corruption selective ?

waiting please.

jason123:

Can you prosecute your employer Nigeria was not mature enough at that to happen. Why don't you ask our current president to prosecute OBJ? My brother, this is the opportunity for our generation to undo what our fathers did to our great nation. Vote RIBADU!!!