Presidency probes alleged lie in Jonathan’s Independence speech

SOME of President Goodluck Jonathan’s aides may be in trouble for reportedly putting false information in the 52nd Independence anniversary speech of the President.

Jonathan in his 52nd Independence Day broadcast told Nigerians that the global corruption watch body, Transparency International, rated Nigeria second after United States in anti-corruption efforts.

The claim has been found to be untrue with many accusing Jonathan of telling a lie.

In fact, TI has reportedly denied issuing such a report.

Furious at the development, the President has reportedly ordered a probe to discover the source of the misinformation.

“In its latest report, Transparency International noted that Nigeria is the second most improved country in the effort to curb corruption. We will sustain the effort in this direction with an even stronger determination to strengthen the institutions that are statutorily entrusted with the task of ending this scourge,” Jonathan had told the nation on October 1.

The President had made a similar claim at an interdenominational church service held on Sunday as part of the activities marking the nation’s 52nd Independence anniversary.

But an online publication, Premium Times, reports that TI refuted the claim when it was contacted.

“Transparency International does not have a recent rating or report that places Nigeria as the second most improved country in the fight against corruption,” Premium Times quoted the organisation to have said in a mail.

A source said since he had based his speech on information made available to him by his aides, the President promptly ordered the probe of the source of the claim.

An insider in the Presidency told The PUNCH on Tuesday that the President’s media handlers met on the issue.

They were said to have directed one of the presidential aides, Mr. Reno Omokri, to probe the source of the false claim.

Already, Omokri had reportedly concluded his findings which showed that the piece of information was lifted from a publication in the BusinessDay of September 12, 2012 edition.

Curiously, the memo in which Omokri reported his findings to other aides had found its way to the websites of some online publications on Tuesday.

The memo was also published on the website of the Ministry of Information, http://www.fmi.gov.ng/, as a rejoinder under the headline, “Mr. President’s statement was based on notorious facts.”

In the memo, Omokri who signed simply as Reno, said the President’s claim was based on a newspaper report.

“On this issue, the media published their synopsis of the most recent Transparency International report and BusinessDay, a well respected newspaper with a bias for business reporting, in a headline on the 12th of September 2012 with the title “FG’s anti-corruption initiative impacts Nigeria’s global perception” said, ‘The survey on global corruption perceptions for 2011 versus 2001 showed that the third best improvement in the world was in Nigeria, with its score improving by 1.5 points.’

“For a section of the opposition to now cast aspersions on the integrity of the President when he relied on notorious facts (anything published in the press and which remains unchallenged is a notorious fact) is proof positive of the now obvious fact that they lack ideas on how to move Nigeria forward and would rather snipe at efforts of the President to move the nation forward for which any patriot would do.”

Official reactions normally bear the full names and designations of the authors of such documents.

Our correspondent learnt that the development had caused panic in the Presidency with fear of dismissal already gripping some top officials.

In his reaction, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, told journalists on Tuesday that Nigerians should focus more on the President’s message.

He said, “The President’s message is that this administration is tackling corruption. The revelations from the pension scam and the fuel subsidy scam as well as the sanitation of activities at the ports all came to be because the President sanctioned them.

“People should focus on the message, namely that a lot of progress has been made and is still being made to tackle corruption in the system.

“There are lot of people outside there who mislead Nigerians that nothing is being done. These people tackle individuals.

“What the President did was that he fired hope and promised his rededication to the service of the nation. There are those who are looking for a way to water down the message.”

Source

This is long overdue. Jona has the worst media aides ever by any Nigerian President. Even IBB and Abacha's time was not this bad.

Jona fire Oronto Douglas and Omokri now. They add no value to your image, so why keep the m0r0ns to eat your cassava bread.

ballabriggs: This is long overdue. Jona has the worst media aides ever by any Nigerian President. Even IBB and Abacha's time was not this bad.

Jona fire Oronto Douglas and Omokri now. They add no value to your image, so why keep the m0r0ns to eat your cassava bread.

My brother, a leader who has a very good grasp of the problem ,and is determined to provide innovative and adequate solutions, does not need so many image lauderers, spin-doctors, "attack dogs and media handlers. If you have seen Fashola talking and working, you will appreciate what I am saying.

GEJ has a need for these people because they are his defense for his mediocrity, cluelessness, lack of oratory skills and lack of talent as a leader. Jonathan is medicore and incapable of delivering solution because he lacks innate vision, sincerity, preparedness and problem-solving ability - unlike other leaders who truly merit their position and are not just 'stooge' choices of 'business as usual' system. Thus he must compensate with a 'defense team', maintained expensively, to mask all these deficiencies.

Balarabe Musa gets it spot on below talking about GEJ and the "standards" that obtain elsewhere no one can go below. GEJ is far below the standard for a nation with many, many intelligent and talented solutions-providers. GEJ needs an army of paid sycophants because he is below the standard required. Able leaders need no one to launder their image when solutions delivered, for the most pressing issues, speak luodly for themselves.

http://saharareporters.com/interview/balarabe-jonathan-confused-and-incompetent-news-magazine

It is not possible under this system that if you become the leader, then, you become the standard. In other countries, when there is standard, it doesn’t really matter who becomes the president. The standard is there. In Britain, America, Germany and other western countries, competence and experience are important. But the most important thing is that there is a standard that nobody can go below.



In Nigeria, there is no such standard. You become the president, governor or local government chairman and you automatically become the standard. So in such a situation, you need somebody who is clearly competent, who has a record in addition to moral base and legitimacy to succeed.

Gbawe:

My brother, a leader who has a very good grasp of the problem ,and is determined to provide innovative and adequate solutions, does not need so many image lauderers, spin-doctors, "attack dogs and media handlers. If you have seen Fashola talking and working, you will appreciate what I am saying.

GEJ has a need for these people because they are his defense for his mediocrity, cluelessness, lack of oratory skills and lack of talent as a leader. Jonathan is medicore and incapable of delivering solution because he lacks innate vision, sincerity, preparedness and problem-solving ability - unlike other leaders who truly merit their position and are not just 'stooge' choices of 'business as usual' system. Thus he must compensate with a 'defense team', maintained expensively, to mask all these deficiencies.

Balarabe Musa gets it spot on below talking about GEJ and the "standards" that obtain elsewhere no one can go below. GEJ is far below the standard for a nation with many, many intelligent and talented solutions-providers. GEJ needs an army of paid sycophants because he is below the standard required. Able leaders need no one to launder their image when solutions delivered, for the most pressing issues, speak luodly for themselves.

http://saharareporters.com/interview/balarabe-jonathan-confused-and-incompetent-news-magazine

I can't argue against your position. The Nigerian Presidency is a joke. This is a President sleeping on MTN mast. How can the future of a nation be entrusted in the hands of such a mediocre.

A PhD cannot source information correctly but lazily uses a newspaper report? We need to lay our hands on Jona's thesis. Anybody in UNIPORT to do this job? This makes nonsense of education in Nigeria.

ballabriggs:

I can't argue against your position. The Nigerian Presidency is a joke. This is a President sleeping on MTN mast. How can the future of a nation be entrusted in the hands of such a mediocre.

A PhD cannot source information correctly but lazily uses a newspaper report? We need to lay our hands on Jona's thesis. Anybody in UNIPORT to do this job? This makes nonsense of education in Nigeria.

My brother, I am a traveller throughout Africa - especially West Africa. I keep an eye on local politics everywhere I go. Many nations are improving because they are embracing the concept of "only proven performers, with a historically verifiable record, need apply". Instead, in Nigeria we keep letting the OBJ's and Anehih's of the world package their mediocre stooges for us as "most fiscally responsible Governor" (Yar Adua) and "fresh air" (GEJ) only because a rotten system wants to keep skeletons buried and continue with "business as usual".

ballabriggs:

I can't argue against your position. The Nigerian Presidency is a joke. This is a President sleeping on MTN mast. How can the future of a nation be entrusted in the hands of such a mediocre.

A PhD cannot source information correctly but lazily uses a newspaper report? We need to lay our hands on Jona's thesis. Anybody in UNIPORT to do this job? This makes nonsense of education in Nigeria.

I once provided proof that the only academic articles attributable to Jonathan were published in some obscure Chinese Journal.
Where the thread dey sef?

eGuerrilla:

I once provided proof that the only academic articles attributable to Jonathan were published in some obscure Chinese Journal.
Where the thread dey sef?

Chinese Journal? CHINEKE!!! This man is an academic fraud. Not even a reputable international journal in his field.

And we question Ayite for saying the man is a joke? A President's speech is meant to give hope to the citizens. Our own President's speech is intended to deceive and mislead the citizens with false information. And you tell me Amadioha will not scatter their heads one by one.

Garbage In, Garbage Out.

There is no need to seek for his thesis write-up, simply because it does not exist.

That GEJ is an intellectual fraudster, a liar, a glutton, a thief and son of lucifer the deception master.

eGuerrilla:

I once provided proof that the only academic articles attributable to Jonathan were published in some obscure Chinese Journal.
Where the thread dey sef?

Abeg, find am quick-quick.

Nigeria is in trouble!
Or, rather, as they say it in local parlance, 'Nigeria don enter one chance'.

Imagine this array of President's aides:

There is a Minister of Information (Labaran Maku) with his retinue of aides, assistants and special assistants.
There is a Special Adviser on Media and Publicity (Reuben Abati) ostensibly with his retinue of aides.
There is a Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs (Doyin Okupe).
There is a Media Director to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs - Olusanya Awosan.
There is a Assistant to the President on New Media (Reno Omokri). Or what is his designation called?

Let's even ignore the retinue in the Vice President's office for now.

Even if Nigerians are not complaining about the exorbitant costs of maintaining the pot bellies of this array of assistants and aides, we should at least not be fed with lies, misinformation and untruth! It just doesn't make sense. Even if we keep mute that the recurrent expenditure of our budget is over 70%, they should give us value for money.

I refuse to believe that this pack of aides were just too lazy to proofread. It must be that they have been compromised by the opposition elements within the polity. They are saboteurs within the Presidency. They were planted there by enemies to cause embarrassment and heart-ache to our dear President Goodluck Jonathan (PhD) and cause disharmony among the good Nigerian people.

In view of this, all of them must be sacked immediately!

So, back to our local parlance, 'you no think say Nigeria don enter one chance?'



***Note: Some parts of this post were written 'tongue in cheek'

ballabriggs:

The claim has been found to be untrue with many accusing Jonathan of telling a lie.

In fact, TI has reportedly denied issuing such a report.

Furious at the development, the President has reportedly ordered a probe to discover the source of the misinformation.

“In its latest report, Transparency International noted that Nigeria is the second most improved country in the effort to curb corruption. [b]We will sustain the effort in this direction [/b]with an even stronger determination to strengthen the institutions that are statutorily entrusted with the task of ending this scourge,” Jonathan had told the nation on October 1.

Wait a minute please, which efforts was he going to sustain? Efforts that achieved nought? What manner of emptiness is this? How can you build something on top of nothing?

ballabriggs:

“On this issue, the media published their synopsis of the most recent Transparency International report and BusinessDay, a well respected newspaper with a bias for business reporting, [/b]in a headline on the 12th of September 2012 with the title “FG’s anti-corruption initiative impacts Nigeria’s global perception” said, ‘The survey on global corruption perceptions for 2011 versus 2001 showed that the third best improvement in the world was in Nigeria, with its score improving by 1.5 points.’

“For a section of the opposition to now cast aspersions on [b]the integrity of the President when he relied on notorious facts (anything published in the press and which remains unchallenged is a notorious fact) is proof positive of the now obvious fact that they lack ideas on how to move Nigeria forward and would rather snipe at efforts of the President to move the nation forward for which any patriot would do.”

This is part of the problem. They run the country on the basis of baseless statistics, indices and 'notorious facts' without sweating on the field. How come the Presidency too was not surprised when it saw the 'notorious' fact in BusinessDay? Has the government done anything to merit the said 'improvement'? Does anyone still feel the presence of EFCC? Is the ICPC alive?

So why rush to embrace the 'notorious fact' when in fact there has been no 'notorious' efforts to fight corruption and the well-known, 'notoriously' corrupt people?

Is this in itself not fraudulent and tantamount to reaping where you did not sow? How is this different from a bank customer who, although paid only N5,000 into his account, jumped up in joy and informed his family that he read a 'notorious fact' in BusinessDay that he paid N5million into his account?

Does what the Presidency attempted to do by including that 'notorious' fact in the Independence Day speech not amount to corruption? It shows the 'notorious' and astronomical proportion to which corruption has risen in Nigeria!

the 'notorious fact' on the 'customary transport allowance' level

Pukkah: Nigeria is in trouble!
Or, rather, as they say it in local parlance, 'Nigeria don enter one chance'.

Imagine this array of President's aides:

There is a Minister of Information (Labaran Maku) with his retinue of aides, assistants and special assistants.
There is a Special Adviser on Media and Publicity (Reuben Abati) ostensibly with his retinue of aides.
There is a Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs (Doyin Okupe).
There is a Media Director to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs - Olusanya Awosan.
There is a Assistant to the President on New Media (Reno Omokri). Or what is his designation called?

Let's even ignore the retinue in the Vice President's office for now.

Even if Nigerians are not complaining about the exorbitant costs of maintaining the pot bellies of this array of assistants and aides, we should at least not be fed with lies, misinformation and untruth! It just doesn't make sense. Even if we keep mute that the recurrent expenditure of our budget is over 70%, they should give us value for money.

I refuse to believe that this pack of aides were just too lazy to proof-read. It must be that they have been compromised by the opposition elements within the polity. They are saboteurs within the Presidency. They were planted there by enemies to cause embarrassment and heart-ache to our dear President Goodluck Jonathan (PhD) and cause disharmony among the good Nigerian people.

In view of this, all of them must be sacked immediately!

So, back to our local parlance, 'you no think say Nigeria don enter one chance?'



***Note: Some parts of this post were written 'tongue in cheek'

See this mischief-maker. Why highlight Mr. Presiden't PHD in red? Are you jealous? What are you trying to suggest? Ol boy take your time oh before they set the combo of Okupe, Abati and Omokri on your azz !!!!!! Some of una sef

Beaf!!!

Join CPC and Buhari when you get fired.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pFYCzFHbgl8


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMYFsAEfLZs&feature=relmfu

These guys couldn't have represented the president better.

Gbawe:

See this mischief-maker. Why highlight Mr. Presiden't PHD in red? Are you jealous? What are you trying to suggest? Ol boy take your time oh before they set the combo of Okupe, Abati and Omokri on your azz !!!!!! Some of una sef

I highlighted it in red so as to put those mischief makers (that will soon be sacked) on red alert that the PhD aspect of my President is now in active mode and any effort to plant or bury any unverified facts in his speeches shall be scuttled.

Tell the combo say 'eye dey red now o' and their accounts go soon enter red.

OMG!!! some 40-laptopper drank too much burukutu and started work withno shoes @BEAF.. why naa, is it because your salary was not paid?

I have a feeling Patience would have made a better president

Gbawe:

Abeg, find am quick-quick.

That thread appears to have been removed from the archives for reasons that remain far from clear.

ballabriggs: Presidency probes alleged lie in Jonathan’s Independence speech


“In its latest report, Transparency International noted that Nigeria is the second most improved country in the effort to curb corruption. We will sustain the effort in this direction with an even stronger determination to strengthen the institutions that are statutorily entrusted with the task of ending this scourge,” Jonathan had told the nation on October 1.

For God's sake. . .don't you have to do something before you can sustain it? So what effort are they talking about sustaining here?!!

In the memo, Omokri who signed simply as Reno, said the President’s claim was based on a newspaper report.

“On this issue, the media published their synopsis of the most recent Transparency International report and BusinessDay, a well respected newspaper with a bias for business reporting, in a headline on the 12th of September 2012 with the title “FG’s anti-corruption initiative impacts Nigeria’s global perception” said, ‘The survey on global corruption perceptions for 2011 versus 2001 showed that the third best improvement in the world was in Nigeria, with its score improving by 1.5 points.’

“For a section of the opposition to now cast aspersions on the integrity of the President when he relied on notorious facts (anything published in the press and which remains unchallenged is a notorious fact) is proof positive of the now obvious fact that they lack ideas on how to move Nigeria forward and would rather snipe at efforts of the President to move the nation forward for which any patriot would do.”

If the President has really made an effort to curb corruption, why would he have to rely on a publication's "synopsis" of "Notorious facts" to know how he is doing. Why is this simple fact very hard for them to grasps?

In his reaction, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, told journalists on Tuesday that Nigerians should focus more on the President’s message.

He said, “The President’s message is that this administration is tackling corruption. The revelations from the pension scam and the fuel subsidy scam as well as the sanitation of activities at the ports all came to be because the President sanctioned them.

“People should focus on the message, namely that a lot of progress has been made and is still being made to tackle corruption in the system.

“There are lot of people outside there who mislead Nigerians that nothing is being done. These people tackle individuals.

“What the President did was that he fired hope and promised his rededication to the service of the nation. There are those who are looking for a way to water down the message.”

Source

Abati should be slapped for this. . .How can we focus on the message when the message is rooted on a lie?

I was going to say Abati and his people must think we are stupid but considering the level of idiocy the GEJ defenders have displayed on this issue, I don't blame them for thinking everyone is one card short of a full deck.

I'm not suprised.... Reatardeen will always be a retard.... I wonder what the Phd is for... Liar President......

Is beaf Reno omokri??

eGuerrilla:

That thread appears to have been removed from the archives for reasons that remain far from clear.

That's unfortunate. I'm highly interested in reading an academic work by GEJ. It would be nice if anyone that has gone through him as lecturer can tell us about him.

dayokanu: I have a feeling Patience would have made a better president

This is a fact, not a feeling. You can see the obvious improvement in that woman since they came to power, but not Jo.

Pukkah: Nigeria is in trouble!
Or, rather, as they say it in local parlance, 'Nigeria don enter one chance'.

Imagine this array of President's aides:

There is a Minister of Information (Labaran Maku) with his retinue of aides, assistants and special assistants.
There is a Special Adviser on Media and Publicity (Reuben Abati) ostensibly with his retinue of aides.
There is a Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs (Doyin Okupe).
There is a Media Director to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs - Olusanya Awosan.
There is a Assistant to the President on New Media (Reno Omokri). Or what is his designation called?

Let's even ignore the retinue in the Vice President's office for now.

Even if Nigerians are not complaining about the exorbitant costs of maintaining the pot bellies of this array of assistants and aides, we should at least not be fed with lies, misinformation and untruth! It just doesn't make sense. Even if we keep mute that the recurrent expenditure of our budget is over 70%, they should give us value for money.

I refuse to believe that this pack of aides were just too lazy to proof-read. It must be that they have been compromised by the opposition elements within the polity. They are saboteurs within the Presidency. They were planted there by enemies to cause embarrassment and heart-ache to our dear President Goodluck Jonathan (PhD) and cause disharmony among the good Nigerian people.

In view of this, all of them must be sacked immediately!

So, back to our local parlance, 'you no think say Nigeria don enter one chance?'



***Note: Some parts of this post were written 'tongue in cheek'

That's what makes this fraudulent government joke of the century

Jonah....plz wake up

Reno Omokri fired? No oh . . . He can draft him to his shoe shinning team, fish smoking crew or even his cassava baking squard . . . . He should cook food stuff of N1b/annum for N0.5m per day rate . . . And let NL see some sanity.

dayokanu: I have a feeling Patience would have made a better president

Truth. If Patience has been well educated (I am not talking of Uniport's BSc oo), she would have been a better president. Jonathan is a dunce

premium times must be yoribas and awusa fulani. The yuruboas have now controlled the world media.

Una never jam

Chief (Dr.) Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (PhD)

Imagine a president that can't do as little as get his speeches/facts right
And some behind-lickers on NL said he didn't lie that we're just trying to discredit him. Tssk.
Waiting for what they'd say this time.

Task for GEJ voltrons: Kindly put a spin on this.

It baffles me that out of the one million registered members on NL with over two hundred thousand coming from Rivers state no one seem to know about GEJ's thesis or someone who was his former student,we get to do something right here and fast too.
.
I am sure Billyonaire,Deideke and Jmaine will have better information about our loving president to share,can someone invite those three to the house pls.