Jonathan’s spokesman lies about presidential aides

by Idris Akinbajo

February 22, 2011 03:55AM

A NEXT investigation has shown that the media assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan, Ima Niboro, lied when he tried to contest this newspaper’s exclusive story that President Jonathan hired 133 advisers and assistants whose wages cost the nation about N780million per annum. Mr. Niboro claimed in his telephone rejoinder that Mr. Jonathan only appointed a few aides upon assuming office and that the “majority of all the names on the list are old names; most of them have been there since Obasanjo’s time.”

A review of the dates of appointment of the aides, however, shows that none of the 133 presidential aides, in the official list as published by NEXT, was appointed during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Mr. Jonathan appointed 57 of the aides upon becoming president while the remaining 76 were appointed while he was the vice president.

Our findings show that Mr. Jonathan, who assumed office on May 6, 2010, appointed the first set of eight presidential aides on May 24, 2010. Two weeks later, four aides were appointed on June 9, 2010. A month later, the first lady got 11 presidential aides, including one of her ladies-in waiting, Justin Adaba.

Mr. Niboro was also wrong when he said that he “ignored those enquiries because they did not come through the state house correspondent.”

The lead reporter of the original story, Elor Nkereuwem, sent her questions to Mr. Niboro through text messages when he did not answer his phone. The state house correspondent for NEXT, Elizabeth Archibong, also sent Mr. Niboro a reminder. Several attempts were also made by other reporters and editors to seek Mr. Niboro’s clarification. The presidential spokesman still did not respond.

Civil society condemns large number of aides

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda has condemned the high number of presidential aides. Olanrewaju Suraj, the chairman of the group, stated this in a telephone interview. Mr. Suraj condemned the position of the secretary to the government of the federation whose spokesperson stated that “the president has all the right to choose his assistants and advisers and there is no constitutional limit to the number he decides upon.”

“If the constitution does not limit the presidential aides, is that now enough reason to waste taxpayers’ money for such high number of aides who are largely irrelevant to the growth of the nation?” Mr. Suraj asked.

We approve presidential aides

But the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Eseme Eyiboh, yesterday defended the president’s large number of aides.

“I do know that the president usually sends that request (the number of aides required) to the National Assembly,” he said.

Section 151(2) of the 1999 constitution empowers the National Assembly to limit the number of presidential aides. “The number of such advisers and their remuneration and allowances shall be as prescribed by law or by resolution of the National Assembly,” the law states.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5679193-146/story.csp

SO if some of the aides were employed by OBJ, GEJ does not have initiative to prune the list? Olodo oshi.

Appointment of political aides is an avenue to pay back political debt or (in GEJ' case) to buy upfront favours during election. GEJ is just not serious about the well being of the ordinary masses. Vote wisely come april.

Who does not know that GEJ government is a govenment of settlement without vision.

This is just but another confirmation of what we all should know expect ethnic champions that refuse to be rational in their accessment of the public office looters called messiahs.

Put it down in your diary, if GEJ wins the election, it will another shagari government in power; this time worse because whereas Shagari was an honest but incapable leaders, GEJ is a dishonest lying and incapable President.

Good luck Nigerians.

gbam

Jonathans support is dwindling day by day, especially now that the opposition actually have useful and sensible Presidential or VP candidates.

Na wah o! this GEJ has turned out to be a biggggggggggggggg disappointment . Na only God fit help us come April. I have no chioce than to openly declare for BB2011

Today again, we heard same story, i repeat come rain, come sun GEJ get Aso Rock, All the people shouting BB, BB, come April, If eventually Buhari wins, i only give you people seven month which is December, the story & the name will change

Hey critics!Atleast he is empowering some people by appointing them aides.Some will not appoint but still claim their funds. GEJ for President 2011

stine b:

Hey critics!Atleast he is empowering some people by appointing them aides.Some will not appoint but still claim their funds. GEJ for President 2011

some poeple were born stupeed and will die stupeed

stine b:

Hey critics!Atleast he is empowering some people by appointing them aides.Some will not appoint but still claim their funds. GEJ for President 2011

There are better ways of empowering people. I wonder why you have to argue blindly. Why are u being sentimental. I don't have any problem with you supporting GEJ but lets call a spade a spade please.

What is new? Niboro is the official liar of Aso Rock - if he tells you it is morning, you better check for yourself.

This GEJ sef from one blunder to another - reminds me of frank spencer. master of calamity.

one day sha - the money go run out.

@ ayuwumie, if gej empowers pple the way u think, won't u complain?

A country deserves the kind of leadership it gets! NL will be here when the backward-thinking people defending this so-called president when he ruins Nigeria with his brand of settlement government! Shame on you people who have refused to use your brains to elect credible leaders but will do anything to leave Nigeria to experience the kind of life the leaders in a different country have created for their own people!

This country go soon remain only skeleton o!!!,

no matter what i know GEJ means well for this country. we like to crucify lets give him chance.

^^^
Give who a chance? Jona! Not @ all. Used to support him initially but d guy messed up big time when he referred to SW leaders as rascals.

All d Power Destroying Party govnors in SW, what are their indelible achievements that the coming generation can remember them for? At least we remember Awolowo for free education, Cocoa House, 1st TV station in Africa.

There is likely gonna be a run off in April and the candidates to watch out for are GEJ, RIBADU & BUHARI.

PS: So long GEJ keeps associating with OBJ, Nigeria will remain the same. The man don dey carry out him 3rd term agenda indirectly. Pls my peeps, vote WISELY.

ndukwejoe:

no matter what i know GEJ means well for this country. we like to crucify lets give him chance.

So you are saying that despite the mounting evidence of Jonathan's misrule you are still blindly following him? The guy is from the most corrupt party, is backed by all the most corrupt politicians. He never once complained when his former oga was robbing Bayelsa State blind. He never spoke against all the corruption happening around him during Yar'Adua's administration. And he is now wastefully spending our money at a rate that will surely bankrupt us in a few short years. What else do you want before you're convinced? Are you waiting to see him bite off a baby's head on NTA news?

You've decided in your mind that GEJ is a "nice guy" and you're now actively ignoring all the evidence to the contrary. It is people like you that are delaying the change that Nigeria desperately needs. You need to wake up and face reality.

It is the ability to follow logic that separates us from animals.

Ima Niboro is a presidential houseboy

ndukwejoe:

no matter what i know GEJ means well for this country. we like to crucify lets give him chance.

If they keep spending the nations resources on frivolities such as un-necesary aides what will be left for our children and grandchildren!!!?

This Ima Niboro guy again, the guy nearly put me for cell some years ago on a business gone awry, ori Iya mi lo yo mi then, anyway, he was a media man so he must always lie.

seyekan:

If they keep spending the nations resources on frivolities such as un-necesary aides what will be left for our children and grandchildren!!!?

Like there is anything left as we speak

The 2011 budget being the first budget based on the Vision 20:2020’s First National Implementation Plan is targeted at helping Nigeria gain self sufficiency in many aspects. I shall be taking time out during the coming weeks to update you on the various ways this budget envisages that this would be done. For example, in the area of health and agriculture, the government has gone a long way to ensure that Nigeria can both feed itself and care for its population.



As part of the budgetary allocation to the health sector are funds to establish scientific research institutes that will focus on areas that directly impact health care in Nigeria such as HIV, Malaria, Cholera, Sickle Cell Anaemia and Cancer. We are committed to ensuring that the ingenuity of the Nigerian scientist is applied towards solving our greatest health care challenges knowing that because some of these diseases are peculiar to Africa, they may not be a priority to the research institutes of governmental and private pharmaceutical research industries of the West.



In the agricultural sector, the budget makes provision to continue government's investment in the sector which has as its aim to make Nigeria self sufficient in food production. The Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme (CACS) will be continued and pursued with more vigour. Already, 96 billion Naira of the 200 billion Naira earmarked for that scheme has been released in 18 states. The Ministry of Transport is poised this year to revive the rail ways and is devoting focused attention to those routes that will help get cash crops from the agrarian communities to the major commercial outlets. Provision has been made to build more silos and maintain those already in existence. In fact 54.22 billion Naira is earmarked for Food Security comprising N29.46 billion for Agriculture and 24.76 billion Naira for Water Resources.



I specifically requested that the Minister of Agriculture and his team apply intelligent ideas to mechanising our agriculture and all such ideas were implemented in the budget such that water will flow in almost every agricultural community in Nigeria because as a zoologist I know that food grows were water flows



Government is also planning big for Human Capital Development of which 102.3 billion Naira has been earmarked for that purpose with 35.01 billion Naira for Education, 33.35 billion Naira for Health, 33.81 billion Naira for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) interventions. I have always been convinced that Nigeria will develop when Nigerians are developed hence government's huge investment in developing personnel



These are just a few of the plans we will be implementing this year. As I have already said above I will be taking time to tell you more about our plans for Nigeria in other sectors in the coming weeks. GEJ

I picked this up from one of GEJ's homepage on FB. gosh i couldn't believe that he has gone beyond primary education.he is so clueless, i think its time we asked him what his mission in Govt is.

The 2011 budget being the first budget based on the Vision 20:2020’s First National Implementation Plan is targeted at helping Nigeria gain self sufficiency in many aspects. I shall be taking time out during the coming weeks to update you on the various ways this budget envisages that this would be done. For example, in the area of health and agriculture, the government has gone a long way to ensure that Nigeria can both feed itself and care for its population.

Health, Agriculture etc have been a problem in this country before you were born, please can someone help me tell "JONA THE FISHERMAN" that what Nigerians want to hear is STRATEGY and HARD WORK.

As part of the budgetary allocation to the health sector are funds to establish scientific research institutes that will focus on areas that directly impact health care in Nigeria such as HIV, Malaria, Cholera, Sickle Cell Anaemia and Cancer. We are committed to ensuring that the ingenuity of the Nigerian scientist is applied towards solving our greatest health care challenges knowing that because some of these diseases are peculiar to Africa, they may not be a priority to the research institutes of governmental and private pharmaceutical research industries of the West.

Please can someone remind JONA that countries of the west has funded and are still funding the above research projects, in the case of HIV and sickle cell especially. that what an average Nigeria needs is a comprehensive health care packaged and executed by Govt hospitals, that way, the Govt can pick up a percentage of our basic health care bills.
this will attract foreign investments in drug dispensing. Why fund a research that already has existing drugs (malaria) when we can just buy or compel them to manufacture it locally? unless he is looking for an avenue to enrich his cronies

In the agricultural sector, the budget makes provision to continue government's investment in the sector which has as its aim to make Nigeria self sufficient in food production. The Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme (CACS) will be continued and pursued with more vigour. Already, 96 billion Naira of the 200 billion Naira earmarked for that scheme has been released in 18 states. The Ministry of Transport is poised this year to revive the rail ways and is devoting focused attention to those routes that will help get cash crops from the agrarian communities to the major commercial outlets. Provision has been made to build more silos and maintain those already in existence. In fact 54.22 billion Naira is earmarked for Food Security comprising N29.46 billion for Agriculture and 24.76 billion Naira for Water Resources.

Is this man mental or what? CACs has been receiving funding from time immemorial without result and he is still dashing them 96billion. jonathan are you mad? the price of onions is at record height and you are still wasting funds on those your PDP allies that pocket the money.
did you check the financial books of CAC before coming up with this idea? jona is the only employer that gives promotion without appraisal.
with 133 aides and advisers you still need ministry of agriculture to come up with intelligent ideas on how to mechanize agriculture.lol and when they have none, you proceed to church as usual BINGO tell us you want to steal money we can understand.

Government is also planning big for Human Capital Development of which 102.3 billion Naira has been earmarked for that purpose with 35.01 billion Naira for Education, 33.35 billion Naira for Health, 33.81 billion Naira for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) interventions. I have always been convinced that Nigeria will develop when Nigerians are developed hence government's huge investment in developing personnel

Chei PDP has finished us. what exactly do you want to do in the education sector? what new contents are we going to witness in their curriculum to guarantee this brilliant idea of yours? 33.35 billion naira for health for what programme designed to achieve what?
I am sorry for your supporters if and only if they can open their eyes to see how clueless you are. Another wasted 4yrs

Thanks brother. God is on our side and the future belongs to us.