LoveKing:

i'm falling in love with Buhari's daughter. shes so beautiful.

Vote for him then, she'll need that naija loot to look more beauriful.

^^^

Jealousy is the root of all evil.

BB UPDATES:
The Buhari/Bakare campaign timetable is out, spread the word:
1st March - North West - Kaduna
2nd March - North Central - Minna
3rd March - South West - Ibadan
4th March - South South - Benin
5th March - South East - Owerri
7th March - North East - tbd

Jonathan will be easy to beat, says Bakare

By Festus Owete

The vice presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Tunde Bakare, said his party can defeat President Goodluck Jonathan at the April presidential election.

He told party supporters at a National Executive Committee meeting, over the weekend, that the wind of change blowing across the world will surely be experienced in Nigeria during the elections.

The party flags off its presidential campaign in Kaduna today.

Mr Bakare said defeating Mr Jonathan will be easy because he has not spent up to one year in office.

“There is a wind blowing across the planet. It is blowing everywhere right now. That wind simply says, the will of the people wrestles the power of incumbency.

We have seen it demonstrated in Tunisia, we have seen it demonstrated in Egypt, it is blowing across the World, it is shaking even Libya to its foundation. And these are entrenched places of power of incumbency. Our present president has not been there for one year so his own will be easy to dismantle,” the vice presidential candidate, said.

Mr Bakare asked leaders of the party to unite ahead of the elections, stressing that “by the grace of God, by the will of the people, by our collective hard work and co-operation, by refusing to let anything divide us, by the power of our concentration, by the time 2011 elections are over, the rest is victory.” The clergyman pledged absolute loyalty to his party’s presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, and noted that they cannot afford to lose this opportunity to rescue Nigeria.

He noted that, “The purpose of this afternoon’s meeting and subsequent meetings, is the great opportunity we have to rescue our nation, to salvage our nation and to ensure that the Nigeria that works, comes into manifestation in our life time.”

Mr Bakare solicited the support of party leaders, as CPC begins its nationwide campaigns today, insisting that the party wants outright victory at the polls. “It is doable, it is possible, it requires a lot of hard work and sacrifice on our part, that together, if we remain focused and undivided, we will accomplish it and those who think it is impossible, will find out how we did it,” Mr Bakare said.

Celebrating crime

Meanwhile, the party has condemned the elaborate reception given to the former chairman of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Bode George who was released from prison last Saturday.

Mr George and five other members of the board of directors, had been arraigned on August 8th, 2008 at an Ikeja High Court on a 163-count charge of abuse of office and contract splitting to the tune of over N100 billion (One hundred billion naira). He was later convicted in 2009 by Justice Olubunmi Oyewole and sentenced to two years imprisonment, which ran concurrently.

In a statement signed by its spokesman, Rotimi Fashakin in Abuja, the Congress for Progressive Change said the carnival-like reception was meant to accentuate the Peoples Democratic Party’s dictum that crime should be celebrated.

“The fact of criminal violence perpetrated against the Nigerian state by Bode George was lost on the chieftains of the ruling PDP, including a former President of the nation and representative of the incumbent President, who arranged a carnival-like reception that commenced with a thanksgiving service; to the chagrin of the hapless Nigerian people whose commonwealth had been impetuously pillaged,” the party said.

It asked, “ Was this open show of shame meant to accentuate the PDP’s dictum that crime should be celebrated? Was this meant to obliterate from our memory the fact of Bode George’s conviction? Does this help to cultivate an enviable value system for the generation next that the nation’s future belongs to? Does this not show the level of subjugation within the polity that the people, who should show their angst at the felon who purloined their resources, were turned as horse-drivers for the royal carriage?”

The CPC also said that the reception also showed the PDP-led federal government’s farcical pretensions on any sustained and sustainable fight against corruption, adding that “this unfortunate parade shows the calibre of individuals masquerading as leaders on Nigeria’s political plane. For once, this nation space deserves a clean break from the odiousness that these rapacious leaders’ tenacious hold on the nation’s ‘jugular’ represents.”

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5680654-146/jonathan_will_be_easy_to_beat.csp

Unjust criticism of Tunde Bakare

Kola Odepeju 28/02/2011 00:00:00

Ever since Pastor Tunde Bakare, founder and leader of Latter Rain Assembly, one of the largest Pentecostal churches in the county today started showing overt interest in the political developments of our country, he has been a subject of attacks from different angles.

Those attacks, coming from either amongst his immediate constituency – the Church or members of the public are what I personally see as undue and unjust criticisms.

I recall here that Bakare’s involvement in political activities became noticeable when he, together with some prominent pro-democracy activists in the country like Professor Wole Soyinka led mass protests last year against the dilatory approach of the National Assembly to allow the provisions of our constitution to prevail during the sickness of late President Umaru Yar’Adua, who, before he finally answered Allah’s call, had obviously been unable to perform his official duties.

Undoubtedly, the efforts of the likes of Pastor Bakare and Wole Soyinka led to making President Goodluck Jonathan Acting-President before he eventually became President after the death of his boss.

From the church, Bakare’s immediate constituency, the criticism against him and other Pastors who are being politically involved, is that men of God should not get involved in politics, that they should confine themselves to the four walls of the church and limit their activities to evangelism. Some members of the public are also promoting this position by asking the question; what is the business of pastors in politics?

This piece is not meant to defend Pastor Bakare alone but all the other pastors who have been getting involved in the political developments of our country. The excuse that men of God shouldn’t get involved in politics cannot hold water because it fails completely to take into account certain historical facts in human history. The holy Prophet of Islam, Prophet Muhammed (SAW) for instance, was not only a spiritual leader. As the head of Islamic community then, he was both a religious and political leader and his remains the best example in leadership history. The constitution he left behind as guiding rules for governing human community was thoroughly practised by his immediate successors known in Islamic history as the ‘caliphate’ and the resultant effects were justice, fairness, abolition of poverty, abundant wealth for all and peace throughout the caliphate era.

The story of Jesus Christ can hardly be said to be dissimilar to that of Prophet Muhammed as all his teachings centred round how to resolve all knotty issues under the sky such that peace, harmony, abundant wealth and unity will be guaranteed among humanity. He proffered love as the solution. We all know that politics is about government and government itself is about governing, running the affairs of men, that is. Thus, when men of God, I mean real men of God who understand and practise the concept of love as preached by Jesus, now decide to stay aloof from politics, how do we guarantee among humanity those issues taught by Jesus?

Those who are saying that politics should be a no-go-area for pastors are oblivious of the fact that everything in life revolves around politics. Either at individual or collective level, we hardly can do without politics. In governing your house, you are engaged in politics, in dispute settlement, you are engaged in politics, in keeping congregations intact through ensuring that love and peace reign in churches and mosques, religious leaders are engaged in politics.

I do not see any reason for real men of God to sit on the fence when it comes to practical politics involving the larger society as they, their families and their congregations are part and parcel of the society and if the society is good, they stand to benefit and vice-versa. To ensure a better society, men of God must not sit down and just watch. The absence of men of God at leadership level, I mean, well-meaning individuals who truly have the fear of God and the love of the people at heart is one major thing that has consistently robbed us of good leadership in this country.

If Pastors, Imams plus others have better ideas and vision than our professional politicians on how we can get out of the woods, let them come out and be massively supported. There is nothing bad in Pastors coming out to criticise bad government policies, getting involved in the political process and even coming out to contest for political offices if they mean well. I do not think God necessarily needs to speak to anybody to participate in those processes that will bring about positive changes in the society he belongs.

It is only in this part of the world that clerics maintain a ‘siddon look’ approach to issues of politics and worst still, where their involvement or seeming involvement is regarded as meddlesomeness. The history of the world is replete with pastors who made gigantic contributions to the political developments of their fatherlands and who were actively involved in the processes of radical transformations that took place in their climes.

Martin Luther King Jnr., the late American civil rights activist readily comes to mind here as the best example. The great Mahatma Ghandi of India provides another good example as he was a foremost leader in Hinduism. What of Desmond Tutu of South Africa? He is Archbishop of the Anglican Church. These aforementioned great men never limited themselves to the church. They were in the streets in the sun and in the rain leading protests that culminated in positive political developments in their countries that are of great benefit to present generations and from which their generations yet unborn shall also live to benefit.

To stay in the church and continue to pray for prosperity and good government without being involved practically in the process that will bring about the changes we yearn for, is like expecting manna to fall from heaven. Manna doesn’t fall from heaven any more. It did aeons ago and only for the Israelites. The time has come for our Pastors to follow in the footsteps of Bakare and stop limiting themselves to collecting tithes and preaching prosperity because prosperity and changes will never come without action. God will not come down to perform our duties and obligations for us. Only by action, radical approach, can we get there as a nation. Docility cannot take us anywhere. We have leant from the history of great countries of the world that prayer alone cannot take any country to its promised land. Only prayer that is backed by action can do. Period!

http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/editorial/opinion/29439.html

Jonathan camp disagrees with Buhari, Ribadu, Shekarau over debate

Barely six days to the presidential debate, there is disagreement between President Goodluck Jonathan and three other presidential candidates over the mode of the debate.

The others are Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (Action Congress of Nigeria); Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Congress for Progressive Change); and Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau (All Nigeria Peoples Party).

Television station NN24 in conjunction with about 30 international stations, is organising the live debate for the four top runners. There are 17 other candidates running for President in the April 9 poll.

The order of the debate as arranged is as follows: First Presidential debate (March ; Vice-Presidential debate (March 11); and Second Presidential debate (March 18).

In preparation for the debate, the management of the TV station and the collaborators met with representatives of the four candidates last Tuesday.

Those who attended the meeting were Dr. Doyin Okupe (PDP); Mr Yinka Odumakin (CPC); Mr Ibrahim Modibbo (ACN); and Mallam Sule Yau Sule (ANPP)

But the pre-debate session was stalemated following Jonathan camp’s two-point demands.

The PDP demanded that the advance copy of questions be made available to candidates. It also requested an outright stoppage of the studio audience from posing questions to the candidates.

It was learnt that representatives of Buhari, Ribadu and Shekarau, however, insisted on an open debate without inhibitions.

It was gathered that when the stalemate could not be resolved, the meeting was shifted till yesterday to find solutions to grey areas.

But when the session reconvened, the representative of the PDP candidate was absent.

A top source said: “All the four candidates are sticking to their positions and this irreconcilable challenge is a threat to the debate.

“I think there is that suspicion that the opposition is trying to use the debate to embarrass the President on key economic issues like the 60-40% ratio of recurrent and capital allocations; excess crude account; and foreign reserves.

“The way some of the candidates have been passionate about the state of the economy is a worry to the Jonathan camp.

“They are also suspecting that the audience might be skewed in favour of the opposition candidates.”

Another source at the session said: “We won’t allow any candidate to have prepared questions and later come to the session with a teleprompter.

“What we are demanding is that Nigerians and the world should assess the presidential candidates based on their natural endowments.

“We will rather cancel the debate than bend the rules for one of the candidates.”

But a source in the Jonathan camp said: “The manner in which some representatives of the other candidates were behaving at the pre-debate meeting showed clearly that they are up to mischief.

“Mr. President has nothing to hide and he is not afraid of debate but he won’t be a party to mischief.

An official of the Shekarau campaign organisation said last night that the ANPP candidate’s team will speak on the debate tomorrow.

http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/29563.html

You need to create a new thread on this debate issue

RPT-Ex-Nigeria strongman shows election muscle in north


* Packed stadium shows Buhari's northern support

* Former military strongman pledges tighter security

* Opposition hope to force President Jonathan to run-off

(Repeats story from March 2 with no changes)

By Sahabi Yahaya

KADUNA, Nigeria, March 2 (Reuters) - Thousands of Nigerians flocked to see former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari launch his campaign for April elections on Wednesday, underlining the grass roots support he commands in the mostly Muslim north.

Supporters were crammed shoulder to shoulder in a sports stadium in the northern city of Kaduna as Buhari, President Goodluck Jonathan's main election rival, took to the podium pledging better security, less corruption and more jobs.

Dressed in a blue agbada -- traditional robes -- he said Africa's most populous nation needed change after 12 years of domination by the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP), which has won all three presidential races since military rule ended in 1999, each of them marred by intimidation and fraud.

"The votes which we are going to cast in the upcoming election may amount to a worthless exercise if we are not going to defend them and ensure they count," Buhari said in the Hausa language most widely spoken across northern Nigeria.

"Our civic duty as citizens would be accomplished if after we cast our votes, we stick around to defend them, and ensure they count and are counted," he said to cheers from the crowd.

Ballot boxes were whisked away from polling booths at gunpoint in some areas during previous Nigerian elections and stuffed with forged votes, just one of several acts of fraud which led observers to deem them not credible.

Buhari told Reuters in an interview last month that Nigerians, spurred on by popular uprisings which have toppled autocratic governments in Tunisia and Egypt this year, would not stand for another rigged vote. [ID:nLDE71K0MY]

The former military strongman nonetheless faces a tough challenge unseating Jonathan, who as the incumbent sits atop a vast patronage system greased by oil revenues which enables him to command loyalty and makes him the front-runner.

Buhari ruled Nigeria between December 1983 and August 1985, an iron-fisted administration best remembered for its "War Against Indiscipline", a campaign against graft in which politicians were jailed and drug traffickers executed.

His reputation as a disciplinarian won respect from many ordinary Nigerians, who lament the extent to which corruption has become endemic, but the resentment of the political elite.

HOPES FOR A RUN-OFF

Buhari pledged a tough line on armed robbery, religious killings and kidnapping which have blighted parts of Nigeria but also promised to reform a police force renowned for extracting bribes, arbitrary detentions, and an inability to prevent crime.

He slammed the PDP's record on public finances in Africa's biggest oil and gas producer, saying the country's foreign reserves of around $35 billion had fallen 43 percent over the past 18 months despite rising world energy prices.

"(This) unbridled depletion , is not only worrisome, but a confirmation of the fact that Nigeria truly runs the most expensive, extravagant, ineffective and unproductive government in the world," he said, as supporters stood on car roofs to try to see in over the crowds.

Although the main opposition parties, including Buhari's Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), have not formed a formal alliance to try to unseat the PDP, they hope their regional strengths could combine to force a run-off.

While the CPC is strong in the north, the Action Congress (ACN) opposition party is dominant in the southwest, including the commercial capital Lagos, where Jonathan managed only to half-fill a stadium at a campaign rally on Wednesday.

Officials at the event in Lagos' Tafawa Balewa Square had to ask supporters sheltering from the scorching sun to come down from the terraces and surround the podium to give the impression of a better-attended event. Many left before Jonathan spoke.

To win victory in the first round, Jonathan must clinch the most votes overall but also gain at least 25 percent of the franchise in two thirds of the country's 36 states.

A strong showing in the north by Buhari and in the southwest by former anti-corruption tsar Nuhu Ribadu, the ACN's presidential candidate, could prevent him from doing this and force a run-off in which he may face a united opposition. (For more Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: af.reuters.com/ ) (Additional reporting by Tume Ahemba in Lagos; Writing by Nick Tattersall; editing by Tim Pearce)

© Thomson Reuters 2011 All rights reserved

http://af.reuters.com/article/nigeriaNews/idAFLDE7220NO20110303?sp=true

Kaduna stands still for Buhari

A mammoth crowd witnessed the flag off of Congress for Progressive Change(CPC) presidential campaign in Kaduna yesterday, but the party did not present flags to its gubernatorial candidates as promised. However, it unfolded its manifesto and alleged that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is planning to rig the April elections as it is muzzling the opposition.


The Murtala Mohammed Square Kaduna, the venue of the North West zonal flag off, was overwhelmed with CPC supporters as early as 10am but the event did not commence till around 2pm, but the crowd kept chanting pro-General Muhammadu Buhari slogans. The road leading to the venue was choked with human and vehicular traffic around 12 noon.



According to reports, it took Buhari and his entourage two hours to reach the venue of the flag off ceremony as supporters took over the streets from his Sultan Close residence, to Unguwar Sarki, through Alkali road to Murtala Square. Upon arrival, it took the general more than 45 minutes for his motorcade to snake its way to the rostrum.

When contacted on telephone, Dr Yushau Armayau, the Katsina State chairman of the party, directed Daily Trust to members of the National Executive Committee as they are better placed to say why the gubernatorial candidates were not given flags as promised. Alhaji Ahmadu Yaro Coca Cola, the Kaduna state chairman said that the crowd was too much for the exercise to be conducted. A source mentioned security challenge as reason but did not expatiate.

However, it was clear that Senator Yakubu Lado Danmarke will fly the party’s flag in Katsina State while retired Col Jafaru Isa will be the party’s flag bearer in Kano State because Alhaji Mohammed Abacha did not attend the event. Isa and Danmarke, on the other hand, was in the advance party of Buhari’s entourage, including Alhaji Farouk Adamu Aliyu (Jigawa) and Alhaji Haruna Saeed (Kaduna). Supporters of Muktar Lugga, the Zamfara candidate, Abubakar Malam of Kebbi State were all at the venue.

In his speech, the CPC presidential candidate unfolded the party’s agenda, promising that a CPC-led government will ensure the security of lives and property. He decried the spate of robberies, kidnappings and assassinations in the country. Buhari also promised to provide steady electricity in the country and create employment, adding that his administration will also revive the nation’s comatose industries.

The presidential candidate also said that his administration will overhaul the entire transport sector, including the railways, airways and water transportation. ``The 12-year administration of PDP only enthroned lack of security, ethnic and religious crises. Our administration will fully equip the police,`` he promised, adding that ``the armed forces will also be retrained to protect and not kill citizens.``

Buhari also reminded CPC supporters to protect their votes the way the people of Kano State did and what happened in Bauchi State in 2007. He advised them to not only cast their votes but to escort the ballot boxes to collation centres and keep vigil until the right winner is announced. ``We can’t condone day light robbery``, he said, adding that the task is on the youths to guard their votes.

Speaking earlier, Alhaji Buba Galadima, the national secretary of CPC, said that neither President Goodluck Jonathan nor the IG of police and the service chiefs can prevent them from holding CPC north central zonal presidential campaign flag off in Minna today. ``I was phoned by the commissioner of police in Niger State and the Director of SSS; they said that we will be declared persona non grata tomorrow (today) in Minna and that we will not hold our rally.``

``The PDP has designed a machinery to rig the coming elections and they have started by denying the opposition parties, CPC especially, the venue to hold public rallies,`` he alleged. According to him, PDP has directed all traditional rulers under their command to shun CPC candidates.

http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13340:kaduna-stands-still-for-buhari-&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8

for those of u who think buhari is a religious fanatic, it might interest u to know dat fanatical muslims don't shake women. which is exactly what buhari is doing in dat picture.

For Nigeria

^
Why wasn't any hat put on Bakare's head? Is it because. . .

Very long hisssssss!

There is no hiding place to deceive NIGERIANS in dis information age:
Re: I’m On A Mission To Rescue Nigeria –buhari !
« #17 on: Yesterday at 01:28:44 PM »

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I will preach BUHARI and vote BUHARI only if u guys can prove to NIGERIANS that he is DIFFERENT from 1.Ghaddafi in Libya 2.Ben Ali 3.Mubarak.
This is because i ve tried in vain to find any difference btw DEM and BUHARI.
All found is their similarity which includes:
1.BUHARI once seized power by force and sent DEMOCRACY packing,returning us to SQUARE 1
2.He paved way for d BIGGEST atrocities of IBB & ABACHA,IBB borrowed a leaf from him and annulled d ADJUDGED-FREEST election in our History
3.BUHARI came back to serve under the DARKEST govt in our history,d genoicide and torturing of ABACHA to NIGERIANS was not even enough reason for him to resign.
4.he would still ve bin in power,just like Ghadaffi,ben alli,mubarak.IF not 4 IBB who borrowed a leaf 4rm him & toppled him.!
WHERE IS D DIFFERENCE BTW GHaffi,Ben alli & Mubarak?, I am waiting! so dat i can join his campaign train :NONSENSE BUHARI

Beaf:

^
Why wasn't any hat put on Bakare's head? Is it because. . .

Have you lost your Johnysambo feeding bottle?

Minna Campaign Summary
by Buhari4change (Official Fan Page) on Friday, March 4, 2011 at 3:50am

--Buhari connecting with people without saying a word--
It’s 11:43pm – over sixteen (16) hours since we set out for Minna from Kaduna. More men than yesterday, more excitement, infinitely more raucous. Yet, as darkness falls around us and we quietly make our way to our rest stop for the night, one nagging image breaks through – not of Gen. Buhari connecting with pockets of people without saying a word, not the men that climbed on our vehicles and clung to them for miles, not the rallying calls and beating of drums in celebration.

I recall a young man from this afternoon sprawled on the boot of a moving vehicle, apparently strung out on a cocktail of drugs – face up, eyes closed, walking the tight-rope between consciousness and disorientation for miles. The image continues to rattle me. I wonder if there’s any justification for the millions of brains and dreams Nigeria routinely squanders every day, and how many millions will be enough. I wonder why it’s acceptable that legions of young children are groomed to be the finest beggars; that someone, somewhere allows the holes in the roofs of our public schools and allows the potential of our most precious citizens leak through them.

After all is said and done, and Nigeria is rescued from the clutches of wanton and reckless men and women, how do we begin the staggering task of re-connecting the millions of Nigerians who’ve lost their way? 20-year olds who can’t read or write in 2011. 18-year olds who can’t multiply 4 and 5. 7-year olds who sleep on thin strips of cardboard under the open sky exhausted from selling carrots.

These Nigerians don’t have another 4 years to donate to the occasional stroke of luck. Their most pressing need isn’t fresh air. And anyone anywhere who offers them luck and air mocks them. Remember this – and them – when you’re swayed by crowds and promises over the next few weeks. Remember to stop letting them down.