₦airaland Forum

[size=14pt]House Speaker: Presidency backs South-West[/size]
By John Ameh, Abuja
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
 

Political horse-trading over who becomes the Speaker of the House of Representatives has peaked as feelers from Abuja showed that the Presidency was backing Mrs. Mulikat Adeola as the successor to Mr. Dimeji Bankole.

But she is sure to face a stiff hurdle from her colleagues from the South-East and many prominent members of the House from the North.

While the legislators from the South-East insisted on Monday that their zone must produce either the Speaker of the House or the President of the Senate, those from the North argued that they would not back anyone who emerged a candidate on the basis of zoning.

THE PUNCH learnt early on Monday that the contending camps in the House had received signals from the Presidency indicating that Adeola had its backing.

The biggest factor in favour of the returnee Peoples Democratic Party member from Oyo State is said to be the desire of the party and the Presidency to balance the religious divide in the country.

An influential member of the House from the South-South, who is close to the Presidency, confided in our correspondent in Abuja that besides the desire of the Presidency and the PDP to retain the position in the South-West, “there is the big issue of balancing the religious divide.”

The development is said to have knocked out the South-East from the race.

The legislator said, “The way things stand right now, the President, who is from the South-South is a Christian; the President of the Senate will be retained in the North-Central. Senator David Mark, who is likely to continue in office, is also a Christian.

“Zoning the number four position (Speaker) to the South-East, will lead to the emergence of another Christian.

“So, part of the calculations working for Adeola is the religious factor and the fact that many lawmakers appear to be comfortable with her than any other returning lawmaker from the South-West. Adeola is a Muslim.”

When her views were sought on the rumoured presidential backing for her, Adeola said she could not immediately respond because she was “in a noisy place” in Lagos.

However, the South-East Caucus members in the House disagreed with the reasons cited for the Presidency’s alleged backing for Adeola, particularly the religious factor.

They pointed out that they had last week insisted that the South-East would not accept any position outside the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House.

“In our communique last week, we clarified this religious issue and why we do not think that it should be used as factor in allocating political positions,” one of them told THE PUNCH.

Part of the communique reads, “The argument about religious balancing is not tenable, historically. We may recall that in the Second Republic, while the President (Alhaji Shehu Shagari) was a Muslim, the Vice-President, Senate President and Speaker were all Christians. Hell was not let loose.

“During the 1993 presidential elections, the South-East put its weight behind the Social Democratic Party presidential candidate, Chief MKO Abiola, and his running mate, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe, who were both Muslims.

“In 2007, the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, and the Speaker (former) of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Patricia Etteh, were Christians.

“In fact, in the current legislature, both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives are Muslims.

“Religion has never been an issue. How has it now crept in surreptitiously?”

Also on Monday, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, reacted to the reported zoning of the speakership to the South-West.

It also insisted hat the South-East must be given the Speakership or the Senate Presidency.

The President of the organisation, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue, said in Abuja that any office less than the speakership would not be commensurate with the support Jonathan and the PDP got in the South-East during the general elections.

He said, “The PDP as a political party got total support from Igboland. The long and short is that we want something from the National Assembly: it is either Senate President or the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“We want a position that is commensurate with the PDP’s success in the zone, a just position; a position that is fair to the Igbo, to Nigerians and to everybody.”

As Uwechue spoke, findings showed that many influential members of the House from the North were kicking against Adeola’s choice by the Presidency.

The Northern lawmakers had reportedly resolved at a meeting in Abuja on Saturday not to back any aspirant on the basis of zoning.

Investigations revealed that the group held to the argument that Jonathan had “killed and buried zoning by contesting for the Presidency at a time he knew that it was the turn of the North to have it.”

Insiders confided in our correspondent that the group was demanding that the contest for the speakership should be thrown open to all eligible persons, irrespective of their zones of origin.

The Northern legislators are said to be banking on their majority number in the House across party lines to clinch the seat if it is thrown open.

“Nothing is certain for now; there is even fear of revolt in the House if it becomes obvious that a particular candidate is about to be imposed on the House.

“People are calling for an open contest”, one of them told our correspondent on Monday.

One of the names being touted for the open contest is the Deputy Whip of the House, Mr. Aminu Waziri-Tambuwal, a four-timer (1999 till date) from Sokoto State.

But, when our correspondent contacted him for comments on Monday, Waziri-Tambuwal denied knowledge of the existence of the northern pressure group.

He said, “I am not aware of any northern group that is pursuing an agenda for the position of Speaker.

“I do know that I am in support of stability in the House and any decision that will make us to work for the interest of Nigerians.”

When asked whether he was aware that some persons were suggesting his him for the position, he replied, “It was you who said that my name was being touted. “That means that I am not the one who is putting my name forward.”

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201105103224787

Nothing wrong with this idea, as long as other important projects are not abandoned. A 4th mainland bridge or the rail line is also very important. This project will bring in a lot of revenue for the state as well. An Obafemi Awolowo Airport is very welcome in Lekki. They should make sure the logistics are also right. Maybe on the end of Ibeju. They should also try to stop human enchroachment and compensate well the people that are going to lose their properties as a result of this project. MMIA is an eyesore and a shame to Nigeria.

Interesting thread. A chief priest (ooni) is subordinate to the king (Alafin). Chief priest can never be the head. Most kingdoms, past and present have always had Spiritual heads ( or Chief Priests). The chief priest serves the King and should do his bidding as it relates to the gods. Ooni is important in the spiritual sphere of Yoruba culture, but should never be elevated to a king. Travesty. He is a servant of the god's, and it should remain that way. Kingly titles and riches are not his inheritance or what his purpose should be. There is one official king and it is the Alafin.

Pot demanding to know why kettle is black and asking for kettle to be killed for being black.

For Governor and Senate, he is Fulani. For Senate presidency he is Yoruba. What a disgusting opportunist. Besides he is not from the South West. Like you said he is a Northerner. These Saraki people are shameless. By any means necessary. Very dangerous people have that kind of mindset.

olawalebab:
please not everybody you see on NL can you just abuse. Am not one of them, you can disagree with my post but please dont insult me. he won in his zone, he's coming back. he is a yoruba by tribe, but a northerner by geographical location

Is his father Not the Saraki Of Kwara anymore? The same Saraki that claimed his ancestors are from Mali? People dont forget. He is fulani or Mailian not Yoruba. Yoruba are not to be used and dumped as you wish. He also wears the Fulani hat to prove his tribe. Saraki is not Yoruba.

All the Poster is saying is "at this point" "at this point", no action.  . E be like say dreams of obodo oyinbo dey trip una. Check out how many Nigerian women have been killed in Obodo Oyinbo. Reaching Obodo Oyinbo does not guarantee happiness or safety. Goodluck, but remember not to bother us with a post about how your cousin was killed in 2 years. I am sure your mind has told you all these things, you are only looking for validation. You will do what you want at the end of the day. Goodluck to you.

Did you write this in a hurry? I see you are a corp member, so you must have graduated from university.

But Bukola Saraki is Fulani

This will work considering the people that are in charge of this dont see the project as a looting/ cash cow (bush man mentality). Even the foreign contractors have been corrupted on the use of sub standard materials for Nigerian infrastructure, while pocketing the money at the expense of people's lives. We get what we deserve. Hope the thing does not crash. 

Kwezuonu yaaaa!!!!

What is good for the goose (GEJ) is good for the gander (Ohakim). This is why when you support election malpractices, you now lose credibility to condemn another. The governor was given support to rig once, i wonder how people thought he would give them free elections.lol. . The guy don master the rigging, and has employed the human machine thumb printers.

It is not in an African man's nature to show and express love outwardly to their spouse. So that you dont take them for granted or feel you have them in your pocket and turn them into woman wrapper. But they are different when it comes to their children. Although most may not say they "love" the child, but they show it . Only the really emotionally weak men behave like your husband, and go out of their way to be detached. I am sure you can break his type down easily.

See the biggest problem in somebody's life. I am sure this family has money, because you will not care about first or second wife if they didnt. I also wonder what wives are doing in the man's family meeting . Did they not introduce you people to the woman at the wedding, engagement, as boyfriend and girlfriend or at parties? Like the OP rightly said, she needs another job.

You married a man that cannot take care of himself not to talk of a family. One idle enough to find time to cheat with your best friend and rent a house for her. Still you are supporting him. I guess indirectly you are paying the rent for your best friend and her child. It would be best for you to pack the man's belonging's into your best friends house so that she can see that all that glittters is not gold. Your lazy husband is an ingrate. He does not respect or love you. Neither does he love the other woman. He is just a lazy man with misplaced priorities. It is best you leave the two thieves alone and wise up. Stop paying their bills, i am sure you can do better for your children with the money they (husband and friend) expect you to provide for them. Just leave them to enjoy themselves, God will guide you. Stop giving this man money or financial support . Focus on your life and your children. You will find someone else that will treat you like a human being, not a ridiculed animal.

*Rascality in progress, *

[quote author=Chyz* link=topic=655343.msg8216225#msg8216225 date=1303926640]Exactly, yorubas are in competition with us, we are not in competition with them.Plain and simple. The measure their accomplishments by Igbo accomplishments.[/quote]Competition? I dont think Yoruba's think about Igbo's when they are doing their things. So i dont know where this is coming from. Well your words are a manifestation of your thoughts. At least Yoruba's are not competing to have the most PDP governor's and sell out their peoples vote and party to PDP for sugar money.

If he can do this now that he has put an engagement ring on her finger, imagine what he will do when he puts the wedding ring on. The guy is not capable of trust and is abusive. He is also severly insecure and will isolate her from friends and family during marriage. I dont think the guy is mentally ready for marriage. Does he have a job? Because he has quite a lot of time on his hands. Also when people shout that much, it is not because they are particularly in love with the girl. It just shows that they are thinking that way because it is what they are doing in her absence/ what they will do in her shoes. This guy must be a serial cheat in real life. I will advice her to take more time to know him and call off the engagement. This kind of person will beat her black and blue in Marriage. I dont think she knows this guy well, especially because it is long distance.

labalaba ni bobo yi. O da bi n pe o tin sinwi. O tin jowu ju. Eni ba jowu to yi o ma ya were ni iseju kan

[quote author=Ileke-IdI link=topic=655343.msg8215890#msg8215890 date=1303923896]You're begging to see another picture of a roundabout  

Even poor Ekiti has its own "center".[/quote]Round about . With the way they all shout "oyel" you will think they have underground and super sonic trains. Round about is now a thing to boast of in Nigeria . What some Nigerian's have come to expect for themselves. Round about, the greatest infrastructure for a Nigerian in a certain area, shouting on this thread.

ezeagu:
[size=28pt]CAN YOU SHOW ME A REASON TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK? BIG FONTS WERE MEANT TO DRAW ATTENTION WHICH IT DID. THE "FINESE" AND "INTELLIGENCE" SHOULD HAVE SEE YOU IN AN INDEPENDENT STATE BY NOW.[/size]

[size=28pt]IT MADE THAT MUCH OF AN IMPACT THAT THEIR STILL GOING ON ABOUT IT?[/size]

hahahhahaha, what a waste of time. After all we have seen what your gra gra and jealousy has caused in the past. No time for this argument. Much to be celebrated today. Be happy for other's so that you can free your mind of envy and evil. It may help you think clearer.

ezeagu:
[size=28pt]IT'S CALLED CAPSLOCK. YOU PEOPLE USUALLY TRY AND IGNORE THESE QUESTION. AND ON THAT NOTE, YOU JUST IGNORED THE LAST QUESTION.[/size]

[size=28pt]AND MEN FIGHT FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN. I DON'T KNOW WHY PEOPLE GO ON AND ON ABOUT "HOLDING THE COUNTRY TOGETHER" YET THEY CAN'T SEE NOBODY ASKED THEM TOO. IN FACT SOME PEOPLE ARE BEGGING YOU NOT TO.[/size]

Only one group has shown action and not mouth or gra gra. It is all in the finese and intelligence. Maybe when you can gather some for yourself you can make progress. Big fonts mean you are shouting, and almost having a heart attack. Just sit down, watch and learn. It might help you in the future when you want to secede

Gbawe:
Alhaji, you are brighter than this na . The FG cannot legally with-hold the allocations accruing to States from the federation accounts. End of Story !!!The myth a State will suffer from not being under the PDP is entirely unproven. Anyway , how well have PDP States fared ? Have they done better than Lagos under Fashola and the ACN ?

I believe You also  know of IGR ? Internally generated revenue? Well , no one does it better than Lagos under Fashola and the ACN because the ideology of Tinubu and indeed his like-minded ACN progressives is that States should not indolently and cluelessly wait for disbursement from Abuja. Rather think as if you are cut off from the centre and you will thrive. Whatever comes from Abuja then becomes a bonus for a region where progressive politics ensures that folks cooperate to work for accelerated progress. It aint Rocket Science . Folks in the SW are happy because we now have guys in place who can take a Proactive, logical and scientific approach to leadership plus , most importantly, they will work with others for the progress of the region rather than pander to egotistic pontification as Daniel, Alao Akala and PDP Governors do .

Now folks like us are encouraged to suggest initiatives we believe will be inspected seriously and implemented if deemed feasible. I dare GEJ to attempt what you say .  Nobody , I repeat , Nobody will hold the SW back. We are no longer willing to persevere with an indolent, clueless and irredeemably corrupt centre that gulps so much and gives nothing back in return. Lets see how well those who are "under" the PDP umbrerra will fare .

Dont mind him. The SW now has more bargaining power. We will now only contribute back to the FG what they give us. Because the combined SW allocation is the smallest compared to our population. If the FG works against us, we will work against it. Opari. Now we can demand our due with one voice.

oluwaaaaooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo


Operation totality!!!

What is happening in Kwara and Kogi? Pls update. We cant let our brothers not join us to make it Operation total, totality

ezeagu:
[size=28pt]WHY IS IT TAKING YOU 50 YEARS TO TRY AND CREATE YOUR OWN COUNTRY WHEN YOU ARE CLEARLY LEAVING EVERYONE BEHIND, OF COURSE?[/size]

Dont give yourself heart attack afterall it doesnt affect your people. You can try to secede again though. .

ezeagu:
[size=28pt]WHY DON'T YOU CREATE YOUR OWN COUNTRY?[/size]

When we are ready, you will hear it in the news. We never do anything in a haste. Well planned and decided. We dont say Yoruba Ronu for nothing.

ezeagu:
[size=28pt]WHY[/size]

Only granting the Igbo wish. They wanted it first, and we are our brother's keepers. Now it is easier than ever to break it apart or hold it together. We speak with one voice

ShangoThor:
All it takes is one Tsunami, and you are all f*u*c*k*e*d.

Grow the f*u*c*k up!

hahahahhaha, who is going to bring the Tsunami? You? Rotflmao. You do not know how many Yoruba's there are in this world. You will be shocked. loool. We are the tsunami. Forward ever, backward never. This has been our decision since 1999, and we saw it through to the end. Tsunami. loool. Yoruba's are the ones holding this country from becoming 100 countries. ode.

ShangoThor:
We should also learn some humility in our period of victory, as we are still part of the African interconnected family of ethnicities.

The task is to make all Africans successful and prosperous!

God bless Africa.

Go and preach your southern wahala somewhere. We have decided to take our destiny in our own hands. Everyone else is on their own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seHE3VVC6Ww

Ka ma jiya ka to lo laye, ka ma mo oshi ka to lo laye

                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                  
               ; D                                                                                                           
                                                                                        
           
                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                 

[quote author=Ileke-IdI link=topic=654585.msg8207922#msg8207922 date=1303832025]www.nairaland.com/attachments/429815_2_jpg156005c5baf40ff51a327f1c34f2975b

OMG, I want this baby!!!!

I want her![/quote]

Aigbofa:
LOL Have your own baby

Maybe you two should get a room and clone that baby . It is a motherless baby by the way, so i am sure you can get her and raise her together